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Carnage in Iraqi Capital; U.S. Troops Spend Holiday Fighting Instead of Feasting; Hostage Standoff in Chicago; Bill White Discusses Moving USS Intrepid; A Safe Thanksgiving Holiday Begins At Home In The Kitchen;

Aired November 23, 2006 - 11:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: You're with CNN. You're informed.
Good morning. Happy Thanksgiving.

I'm Tony Harris.

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Heidi Collins.

Developments keep coming into the NEWSROOM on this Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 23rd. Here's what's on the rundown.

An ugly day in Iraq. Multiple car bomb attacks. The death toll is climbing.

We are live from Baghdad at this hour.

HARRIS: Dr. Sanjay Gupta wants to be sure you have a healthy holiday. His tips for making the meal and storing the leftovers safely.

COLLINS: And you're telling us what you are thankful for this year. Some great stuff in this e-mail bag.

We'll share it with you today in the NEWSROOM.

HARRIS: Carnage in the Iraqi capital. Car bombs, massive explosions and a death toll on the rise.

Let's get you straight to CNN's Michael Ware, live in Baghdad.

Michael, three to four car bombs go off in Sadr City in a 30- minute time frame. Pick up the story from there, please.

MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Tony, what we're just hearing now is that the death toll out of these car bombings, all within the period of 30 minutes this afternoon, targeting Shia civilians in the Sadr City ghetto, has reached at least 144. That makes it the single greatest attack, civilian attack since the war began.

There are hundreds of wounded, most of them, many of them critical. The ministry officials here, government officials here are telling us that they expect this death toll to rise. What we've seen here on a day where there's no thanks to be given whatsoever, is that at least three car bombs exploded within 30 minutes, in these crowded marketplaces, causing these terrible casualties. There's also reports of mortar or rocket attacks as well. We also now have further reports that there were other car bombings on the edge of this Shia ghetto, perhaps one, perhaps three more.

In retaliation, we've seen mortars lobbed into surrounding Sunni neighborhoods. So we now have one neighborhood attacking the other. This is a full-blown assault here in Iraq, though the U.S. military still says that this country is not in civil war.

HARRIS: And Michael, if you would, update us on the attack, if you would, on the Health Ministry building.

WARE: Yes, Tony. Well, while pictures are currently playing on Iraqi television, direct from the hospitals, showing terrible scenes of wounded children and men and women, what we also know is that, around the same time this afternoon as these terrible car bombs, there was an organized assault in the heart of the capital on the Ministry of Health building. This is a ministry that is also controlled by the same Shia political and militia bloc whose population was attacked this afternoon in Sadr City.

From what we understand, as many as 30 gunmen laid siege or assaulted this ministry building with small arms fire and mortar fire. We have no current figures on any casualties from that.

So there has been a vicious strike against the Shia population this afternoon, and we're seeing retaliatory mortar fire into surrounding Sunni neighborhoods.

HARRIS: And Michael, can you explain why the lights are out behind you?

WARE: That the lights are out? Well, this is Baghdad. There's barely any electricity at the best of times, and now really isn't a time or a moment to be illuminating one's self.

I mean, as I stand here, as -- as the expatriates here sit down to any kind of Thanksgiving dinner, there's still the sound of explosions around us. There's the sound of gunfire. There's the sporadic noise of American jet fighters buzzing overhead, and there's explosions.

So this is not a time to be lighting anything.

HARRIS: All right, Michael. Be safe.

CNN's Michael Ware for us in Baghdad.

Michael, thank you.

COLLINS: Far from home this Thanksgiving Day, some U.S. troops are spending the holiday fighting instead of feasting. CNN's Arwa Damon is embedded with the Army's 10th Mountain Division in an area known as the Triangle of Death. She's joining us now live via broadband.

Hello to you, Arwa.

ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Heidi.

And the conditions out here are probably some of the grimmest that the war in Iraq has to offer U.S. soldiers. This is a far cry from what they would be doing if they were back home for Thanksgiving. In fact, a far cry from if they were on any other base in Iraq.

This is FOB that's called Camp Dragon, also known as the Yusufiyah Power Station. The Yusufiyah Power Station is, if you remember, where the two bodies of the kidnapped and murdered soldiers were found back in April.

These are soldiers with the 10th Mountain Division. They moved in here about a month ago. What they found was that this power station and the field and farmlands were virtually inlaid with IEDs, roadside bombs, one big booby trap.

Operating out here is very complicated, very hazardous. In fact, so dangerous, so deadly that they cannot use the main roads when they're out and about.

They don't have water here regularly. They don't have bathrooms. They don't have toilets. They don't have beds to sleep on.

Really, the grimmest conditions that this war has to offer.

We're joined now by Private Joshua Holdaway. He's 18-year-old from Oklahoma.

Tell me, what was your family's reaction when you told them that you were joining the Army?

PVT. JOSHUA HOLDAWAY, U.S. ARMY 10TH MOUNTAIN DIVISION: Well, my mom was a Desert Storm veteran, so she took it pretty well. My dad's not very military-oriented, so he was kind of skeptical at first. But I kind of coached him into it, and he accepted the fact that I wanted to do this and wanted to come over and do something. So...

DAMON: How often do you get to talk to them, call them? And what do you tell them when you're with them on the phone about your experiences out here?

HOLDAWAY: I just reassure them that I'm doing good. I'm trusting my leadership. They help me a lot, make sure I'm doing good. They call me probably about once a month.

DAMON: What do you -- what do you miss most about back home?

HOLDAWAY: The food. DAMON: And what's it like out there for you? This is your first tour here. Is this what you expected?

HOLDAWAY: The Army does a great job in training us on what to expect out here. It's -- I wouldn't say exactly what I expected, but for the most part, yes.

DAMON: And again, you know, this whole area has been described as one big booby trap of IEDs, of roadside bombs. What is it like for you each time you step out and doing your mission? And what goes through your mind each time you come back?

HOLDAWAY: It's pretty scary. But again, I trust my leadership. I trust my training.

I do --I look everywhere, I make sure I'm not stepping on anything bad. Every time I come back, I thank god that I'm back, and just...

DAMON: How are you able to cope? I mean, these are incredibly austere living conditions, you're out there facing these dangers every day. How do you cope? Where are you drawing your strength from?

HOLDAWAY: God. That helps me a lot. I pray a lot. I have a cross on my dog tags. Just pray every day.

DAMON: And who would you like to say Happy Thanksgiving to back home?

HOLDAWAY: Just my whole family, anybody that's watching, all the troops back home. Happy Thanksgiving.

DAMON: Heidi, out here, as you can tell, it really doesn't matter if it's Thanksgiving or not. Day in, day out, these soldiers are out there taking the risks. For them, each day, it's about the mission and making sure that they and the soldiers standing next to them gets home alive -- Heidi.

COLLINS: And Arwa, we certainly can't say it enough, especially on this Thanksgiving Day, please offer our appreciation and thanks to those gentlemen there around the fire for their service to the country.

Thanks.

Arwa Damon live in Iraq.

HARRIS: Well, we are following an unfolding drama at this hour in Chicago. At least one gunman has taken two women hostage inside their apartment building. The gunman has fired on police at least once.

Joining us is in the CNN NEWSROOM now is reporter Anupy Singla. She's with CNN affiliate CLTV.

Anupy, what can you tell us? ANUPY SINGLA, REPORTER, CLTV: Well, Tony, good morning. Obviously, it is Thanksgiving, and many in this south side neighborhood not expecting to wake up to a situation like this.

Take a look over my left shoulder. The police presence here on the 69th Street block of South Jeffrey Avenue (ph) in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago has been growing all morning.

At 9:30 Chicago time, about a half hour ago, they brought a S.W.A.T. team in to deal with the hostage situation that has been developing since 2:30 this morning. And it was about that time that police received a 911 call saying shots were fired from an apartment building on the 6900 block of South Jeffrey Avenue.

Those shots came from an unidentified adult male on the top floor of a three-story apartment building. Police say they believe he lives in the building and has two unidentified women with them.

Police describe them only as young adults. Police have been negotiating with the man since early this morning, though they will not give details about the negotiating process.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MONIQUE BOND, CHICAGO POLICE: Time is on our side always in these kinds of situations, so we'll do whatever we can, take our time to make sure that everyone gets out safely.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SINGLA: Now, lots of questions about what could happen in this situation. Police trying to be very careful. They say they've been talking to this individual via phone, and apparently he's been watching news reports. And so they want to clarify that shots were fired by this individual, but they say that they were not fired upon police, and they say that police did not return gunfire. So they want to make that clear, because apparently he's had some issues about some of the news reports that have been put out there.

They're hoping they can resolve this situation. Now this individual's mother and sister have come in and are talking with him over the phone, and they hope they can start to resolve what is going on here relatively soon, especially because it's affecting many of the residents here on this block behind me. And Chicago police just issuing a warning to residents just to kind of stay out of this area if they can avoid it. And if they cannot avoid it, just to continue to remain calm.

Reporting from the city's South Shore neighborhood, Anupy Singla, CLTV News.

Tony, back to you.

HARRIS: Anupy, we appreciate it. And keep us posted on how that unfolds there in Chicago.

Thank you.

SINGLA: Absolutely.

COLLINS: Was he or wasn't he? Speculation early today about whether Vice President Cheney was in Iraq.

Let's get details now on where the vice president and the president are spending this Thanksgiving.

White House correspondent Ed Henry joining us now.

So, Ed, he's not there after all, Vice President Cheney?

ED HENRY, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Happy Thanksgiving, Heidi.

There were reports overnight, later retracted, that the vice president had made a secret trip to Baghdad. In fact, his spokeswoman, Leanne McBride (ph), telling CNN the vice president is not only not in Iraq, he's actually in Maryland. He has a home there. He's with family celebrating Thanksgiving on the eastern shore.

Many powerful Washingtonians have second homes, vacation homes there. Some R&R perhaps for the vice president before tomorrow, when he actually does go on the road. He's heading to Saudi Arabia. He'll be meeting with King Abdullah.

He'll be huddling and strategizing, of course, about the war in Iraq. That will pave the way for President Bush, who is heading to Jordan next week. In the middle of the week, he will be meeting there, having a summit with the Iraqi prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki.

Both the president and vice president, chief architects of the Iraq war, becoming more unpopular, especially coming out of the recent midterm elections. Obviously they're facing pressure from the Democrats, who are taking over control of Congress, who want to start bringing the troops home. Also, facing pressure from some Republicans, like Senator John McCain, who actually want to send more troops to Iraq. And then, of course, there's that bipartisan Baker- Hamilton commission coming out with a report shortly after Thanksgiving with their own recommendations.

So the president today having some rest and relaxation himself at Camp David with the first lady, some friends and family. The president today, this morning, called 10 members of the armed services to wish them well, thank them for their service.

And then, of course, the moment everyone's waiting for, the menu today for Thanksgiving. Of course, not a surprise, the president, first lady having free range roasted turkey with giblet gravy. Also the cast iron skillet cornbread dressing and cranberry sauce, sauteed green beans, zucchini gratin, whipped maple sweet potatoes, basil- chive red potato mash, fresh clover rolls with honey butter, and an assortment and a cornucopia of desserts -- pumpkin and apple pie, as well as pumpkin mousse, and, of course, a fresh fruit platter, because, Heidi, as you know, after that tempting dessert you also need some good stuff, some of that fruit.

So they obviously are having a big, big meal there at Camp David -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Ed, the investigative work you have done on this, it's astounding, Ed. We do appreciate it so much.

HENRY: I'm just trying to get you the scoop, you know?

Take care.

COLLINS: Ed Henry, thanks, live outside the White House today.

HARRIS: In Beirut, anger and grief, and at least 200,000 people crammed into Beirut's Martyrs' Square to honor a prominent Lebanese politician gunned down two days ago. And they are pointing fingers at Syria, which many blame for the assassination.

CNN's Beirut bureau chief, Brent Sadler, joins us with the latest.

Brent, quite emotional to watch that funeral this morning.

BRENT SADLER, CNN BEIRUT BUREAU CHIEF: Indeed it was, Tony, an emotionally-charge day here in Martyrs' Square, a symbolic setting for the funeral service of the slain government minister, 34-year-old Pierre Gemayel, a leading anti-Syrian, also very much a vocal critic of Hezbollah, Syria's key ally here in Lebanon.

Now, the flag-draped casket bearing Gemayel's body was slowly taken through Martyrs' Square. At least 200,000 people, according to security sources here, thronged into Martyrs' Square, reminiscent, I recall, from almost two years ago during the peak of the so-called Lebanon Cedar Revolution, when a million people gathered here, again under very emotional conditions.

That body of Gemayel taken inside St. George Cathedral. Again, inside that cathedral we saw not only the emotion of the day, but also the politics of this day, because inside there, next to the family, shoulder to shoulder with them as they wept over the casket of the slain minister, were key members of the anti-Syrian coalition, key members like Saad Hariri, leader of the parliamentary majority, whose own the father, Rafik Hariri, was killed in an assassination almost two years ago.

Saad Hariri and all the other anti-Syrian politicians came out before this mass crowd after the service to tell them that they had to stand firm against external threats, alluding to Syria -- they had to stand firm in support of an international tribunal to put on trial those accused or linked to assassinations not just of Hariri himself, but others. And also, to unite, to put down, they said, the Hezbollah-led opposition, backed by Syria and Iran, to stop it in its tracks, to prove to the outside world, as well as to the Lebanese, that those who rule this country right now, even though the U.S.- backed of Fouad Siniora is under tremendous pressure, weakened by Hezbollah allied resignations, that this government has to be supported and must stay in place for Lebanon to survive its democratic ambitions -- Tony.

HARRIS: CNN's Brent Sadler for us.

Brent, thank you.

COLLINS: Preparing that bird for your Thanksgiving dinner? Stop. We have some safety tips from our Dr. Gupta that could help you have a healthy and happy Thanksgiving.

That's straight ahead right here in the NEWSROOM.

HARRIS: Gusty winds, cold rain. But the show goes on.

You know, but the weather did take a bit of a wind out of the sails of some of the floats. We will check in on the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in just a moment.

You are in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Hey, Mike, do we have some live pictures?

OK. That's Columbus Circle, New York City.

COLLINS: A little dark.

HARRIS: Yes. Yes. Yes. Just a dreary kind of day and kind of damp day.

I'll tell you what, a lot of rain in New York City today, but as you can see, they are flying some of the big balloons, the big old candy canes there. The annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day extravaganza.

Jason Carroll is along the parade route for us.

And Jason, I've got to tell you, first of all, this parade is set to wrap up in the next, I don't know, 30 minutes or so. Everyone that you have talked to has been -- you know, they've taken the conditions in stride, they've been enthusiastic.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes.

HARRIS: It's been fun to watch.

CARROLL: It really has. I mean, I was a little surprised, too, because I was not looking forward to it. I'm going to be honest, because I heard about all the rain and everything.

HARRIS: Thank you for the honesty.

CARROLL: I don't want to be out here. But you know what? You're right. It ended up being a lot of fun.

And you know what made it fun for me? The people. That's what really made it fun. You know what also made it a good parade is the fact that -- I want you to take a look over there. You see that poll...

HARRIS: Yes.

CARROLL: ... that sort of silver pole there above that light post? That's actually one of those wind measuring devices. And wind cooperated today. Everything worked out.

The balloons were in full force, flying a little lower than normal. I think you saw that.

HARRIS: Yes.

CARROLL: You saw SpongeBob. You know, you saw some of the other big helium balloons, 13 of them in all in this year's parade.

They flew a little lower than normal because there were some wind gusts that were out here today. But hey, Snoopy, the World War II flying ace, and Super Grover, they were flying. Flying a little lower, but at least they were out here, and that's what's important.

Also out here, lots of people.

We have got the Shannons and the Boyles, some from Pennsylvania, some from right around the block, correct?

Where is your place? Right over here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Two blocks down.

CARROLL: Two blocks down. So not too far away.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Actually, two doors down.

CARROLL: Two doors down. You had a good spot for the parade. What did you think?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I thought it was great because we can come out for a second and then run back in as fast as we possibly could to warm back up, and get back out here whenever we needed to.

CARROLL: I'm telling you, that is the way to do it.

What did you guys think?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We thought it was great. We actually saw the beginning of the parade. We were staying in a hotel down on 58th Street, so we got to see the first couple balloons, got to see Snoopy, got to see Big Bird as we were walking this way. So it was -- it's really cool.

CARROLL: Yes, I like Snoopy, too. Did you have any -- do you have any favorites?

See this wind here? UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, yes.

CARROLL: Wait, let's try to get your umbrella working here.

HARRIS: Oh, that's great.

CARROLL: Oh, there goes another one. There goes another one.

So this is what we've been dealing with. You know, a little bit of wind, a little bit of rain.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've been having a hard time. We saw Big Bird going down the street as well a little bit earlier, and he was kind of going this way. So...

CARROLL: Yes, not flying on his own, though. He had a little bit of help.

But what Tony was saying -- Tony is our anchor in Atlanta, and he was just saying how everyone seemed to be so enthusiastic, everyone having a good attitude.

What do you think that is all about? The holiday itself?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think so. We heard people -- when we were up looking at the balloons last night, we heard people saying that we came here -- we've been anticipated this for months, and so have we, because we knew we were going to be here for it. And so I just think it's great anticipation, it's a great tradition.

CARROLL: It is. It's a lot of fun.

Thanks very much, you guys, for coming down and joining us.

It was a lot of fun. You heard from everyone down here, Tony.

HARRIS: Yes, that's great.

CARROLL: It actually ended up being a really nice parade.

And so, you know, again, back to you and Heidi. Happy Thanksgiving. Tell Heidi I said hello.

HARRIS: Yes. Yes, happy Thanksgiving. Absolutely.

What you do, Heidi, is you tap into your inner child is what you do. And you just go out and you have a -- hi -- hi, Heidi,. And you have a great time.

Look at that. How can you not have a great -- it's a parade, after all.

COLLINS: Hey, it's Santa. Jason, I don't know if you can see that from your vantage point, but Santa is now coming down the parade route there. Oh, look at it.

HARRIS: Oh. And that's how you end a parade, right?

CARROLL: I've got my Christmas list all ready for him.

HARRIS: I bet you do.

CARROLL: I've got my Christmas list all ready.

COLLINS: Excellent. All right.

Jason Carroll, thanks so much.

HARRIS: What do you say we get to some -- some e-mails?

COLLINS: I would love to get to some e-mails.

HARRIS: Folks sending in e-mails on Thanksgiving, telling us what they're thankful for on this day, probably every day of the year, huh?

COLLINS: Yes.

HARRIS: Sure.

COLLINS: Take a look at this one right here.

A lot of these coming in from military families, very appropriate on this day.

"I'm thankful for my wife Luchia and my kids taking care of the homefront in San Diego. I am very thankful to be an American and have the freedoms that we do. I am thankful that turkey tastes the same everywhere."

How true it is. Steve, aboard the USS Boxer.

HARRIS: And Laura Lee from Indiana writes, "I am so very blessed this Thanksgiving. My son just returned to Germany after serving a year in Ramadi, Iraq. He will be home for Christmas. There are no words to describe I feel this Thanksgiving Day. My prayers and wishes for every parent that has a child serving is to feel this same feeling of gratitude soon."

Meanwhile, we want to you keep sending those e-mails in to us. And tell us what you are thankful for. There's the e-mail address right there: CNNNewsroom@CNN.com.

We're going to read more of these great responses, everybody. We really appreciate it...

HARRIS: Yes.

COLLINS: ... on the air.

Meanwhile, giving thanks and giving a helping hand. Rebuilding along the Gulf Coast and building a lasting tribute to a friend, that story ahead in the NEWSROOM. HARRIS: And we have some safety tips from preparing the holiday turkey to whatever else might be on your menu this holiday. Those safety tips coming up in the NEWSROOM.

Stay with us. You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: And welcome back, everyone. And Happy Thanksgiving.

COLLINS: To you, too.

HARRIS: Thank you.

A couple of difficult stories to tell you about out of Iraq and Baghdad. Explosions there, making this the deadliest single attack since the war began. There were three to four car bombs going off there.

Iraq's health ministry now saying more than 140 people are dead, and some 200 others wounded in a string of car bombs and other explosions.

It happened in Sadr City, a Shiite militia stronghold. Our Michael Ware, who is on the scene, says those blasts were followed by mortar attacks in a nearby Sunni neighborhood. The new bloodshed brings new concerns about unbridled sectarian violence ravaging the country.

COLLINS: Three more marines have been killed in Iraq. The military says the troops died from wounds sustained due to enemy action in Anbar Province, an area where many Sunni insurgents are based. That brings the U.S. military death toll in Iraq to 2,872.

HARRIS: Turkey and all the trimmings a welcome Thanksgiving feast for some U.S. troops in Iraq, the American embassy compound in Baghdad's heavily fortified green zone was transformed into this festive atmosphere, complete with lots of music, but other troops are spending the holiday in the war zone.

And this is the scene in Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan. Soldiers stopped their duties for the day to mark the Thanksgiving holiday. Not exactly Grandma's table, but celebrating with fellow troops is perhaps the next best thing.

COLLINS: Well, we have been following the plight of the USS Intrepid for weeks now. And as you may remember, the vintage aircraft carrier bogged down in the shallows of the Hudson River. A live shot now of the situation there. We've been showing you all morning long the bad weather.

But as of now, the private sector has come to the rescue to move it. That move probably a few weeks away, but from the Intrepid comes another message on this holiday.

We have the president of the USS Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum on the line now. Bill White with us. Hi there, Bill.

BILL WHITE, USS INTREPID SEA, AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM: Hi, Heidi. How are you all doing? Happy Thanksgiving.

COLLINS: Thank you, to you as well.

It seems poignant on this day to have a message from the Intrepid that unfortunately, has not moved since that fateful Monday. But you do have a message, and certainly something that you've been trying to tell us all about even though the ship is in the mud at this point. Please, remember, the troops, over in Afghanistan and Iraq and around the world.

WHITE: This is so important, Heidi. As your looking at the Intrepid -- five kamikaze attacks 270 sailors gave their lives to our country, and we ask all Americans around the globe to remember that today, there are over 150,000 troops that are not with their families at the Turkey Day festivities, and not with their loved ones, and that we ask everybody to remember those troops around the world in harm's way, not just today, not just on Thanksgiving, but every day, as we honor our heroes for the sacrifices they make for our freedoms.

COLLINS: And I know, Bill, on the day that we're trying to move the Intrepid down the Hudson, one of the most special things about it, you had so many veterans on board, those who served on the USS Intrepid.

WHITE: Yes, that's right. You know, 55,000 Americans served on this historic ship.

You know, five kamikaze attacks took out so many of those and so many families have been ripped apart. You know, we've lost 2,700 troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. And while they're defending our freedom, we want to remember them on this special day.

We promise that the Intrepid will be out soon enough so we can continue this important mission. And although we're stuck in the mud, we ask all of America to remember that the message is not stuck in the mud. And that we love our troops. We respect them, and we thank them.

COLLINS: Indeed. Navy and U.S. Army Corps doing the dredging right now, Bill. I heard you say in the next few weeks?

WHITE: Yes, in the next few weeks, we'll have some great news to report and we'll have lots to give thanks for, and we thank the United States Navy and the Army Corps of Engineers for their hard work.

You can't see it right now, but they're actually on the other side of the ship, working hard, even on Thanksgiving to get the ship out.

COLLINS: Really? We did not know that. You're right, we can't see it from this angle but we are getting a good look at the Intrepid as she waits to be moved five miles down the Hudson River. On the phone today with us, Bill White with an important message from the USS Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum.

Thank you, Bill. Happy Thanksgiving

WHITE: To you, too. Thank you.

HARRIS: Having a safe Thanksgiving holiday begins at home, right in the kitchen.

Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta has tips on preparing your dinner, and storing the leftovers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If food isn't handled properly, Thanksgiving dinner can be a disaster. Now, there are 76 million cases of food borne disease each year in the United States, that's according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Furthermore, certain foods and practices popular during the holiday season can actually increase your risk of getting sick. So I want to give you four simple steps to ensure a healthy holiday.

No. 1, clean. Professional chef Samantha Enzman teaches a class how to properly prepare a Thanksgiving meal.

SAMANTHA ENZMAN, CHEF: Before you handle raw poultry, what you want to make sure your hands are nice and clean.

GUPTA: Raw turkey can be a breeding ground for bacteria. Which brings to us step No. 2, separate. Enzman warns students not to cross-contaminate their work surfaces.

ENZMAN: As long as you don't use the same knife, and the same side of the cutting board that you used for preparing raw food, you should be A-OK.

GUPTA: Step three, cook. Cooking food to the proper internal temperature ensures harmful bacteria will be killed.

ENZMAN: Proper turkey temperature is anywhere from 165 degrees to 180. 180 is on the well done side.

GUPTA: Using a meat thermometer is the only way to know if the turkey's done.

This chef says what you cook inside the bird is very important, and recommends only stuffing the turkey with vegetables, oranges and seasonings. Cook the dressings in a separate dish.

ENZMAN: You never cook stuffing in the bird. You run the risk of those raw poultry juices being absorbed into your stuffing.

GUPTA: And then, there's always leftovers which is our final tip. Chill. Foods that are not cooled and stored properly become breeding grounds for bacteria, that could lead to food poisoning. KATHLEEN ZELMAN, AMERICAN DIETETIC ASSOCIATION: The important thing is to get the leftovers into smaller containers so they can cool down. Put them into the refrigerator where air can circulate. Don't stack them all one on top of the other. Because otherwise, bacteria will continue to grow.

GUPTA: The American Dietetic Association recommends leftover turkey be refrigerated within two hours of cooking and eaten within four days.

These simple steps can make your holiday a healthier one.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: And to get your daily dose of health news online, a glass of wine for Heidi, just logon to our web site. You will find the latest medical news, health library and information on diet and fitness. The address CNN.com/health.

COLLINS: It's a natural anti-coagulant, you know.

HARRIS: Yes. I know that, thanks to you.

COLLINS: Meanwhile, we are going to be reading some of your e- mails. We've really gotten some terrific ones in here today. So, thanks so much everybody who responded to this question, "what are you thankful for."

We have gotten the e-mails already. We're going to read the rest of them coming up in just a few minutes here on CNN NEWSROOM.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: How about this story, a couple of good Samaritans pull off a daring rescue in New Orleans and two people who might have died have something to be thankful for today.

Alfred Sipp and Johnny Williams spotted a house fire before firefighters could get there. They ran into the burning building and pulled out two men trapped inside. The fire superintendent called the rescue amazing. Officials suspect a cooking accident set off that fire, folks getting a head start on their Thanksgiving Day feast.

COLLINS: On this Thanksgiving day, a helpful hand in hurricane- damaged Gulfport, Mississippi -- friends, family together filling the dream of a man who spent his life giving to others.

CNN's Sean Callebs has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hammer, nails, and a whole lot of dedication -- that's what Southern Mississippi needs most, as residents struggle to rebuild. And that's exactly what they're getting from a group from Kentucky.

More than 100 men, women and children, gave up their Thanksgiving holiday to help rebuild the Gulf Coast. And they're doing it all because of one man, Pat Smith.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I traveled to Sri Lanka and India with Pat.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've known Pat, oh, maybe 20 years or more.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've been personal friends for about 25 years.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My best friend's, neighbor for about 33 years.

CALLEBS: Pat spent his life giving to others.

DR. EDWARD TODD, FAMILY FRIEND: His thought was that even if you did something for one person if you just, you know, went out of your way for one person and helped that one person, at least that was one person better off.

CALLEBS: Working with Habitat for Humanity, Pat came one a plan for Gulfport. Getting friends and family to spend one week, building 13 new homes for people who lost everything in Katrina.

JEAN SMITH, PAT SMITH'S WIFE: He had planned the trip on thanksgiving and wanted everybody to come.

CALLEBS: It was a plan he wouldn't live to see. On August 27th, Pat Smith died when Comair flight 5191 crashed in Lexington, Kentucky. Pat's family decided to carry on with the rest of the trip in his absence.

JENNIFER COMBS, PAT SMITH'S DAUGHTER: After the crash, people just kind of started saying, you know we need to go do this. It's what he wanted, and we just kept on getting phone calls and that snowballed.

CALLEBS: In the end, 100 adults and 25 children drove from Kentucky to Mississippi to carry out Pat's dream.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you look around and see all the people here that are working, you see what pat meant to all of us.

CALLEBS: The family says these 13 homes are a way to keep Pat's memory alive.

SMITH: These 13 families are kind of a continuation of his life. His life ended, but theirs is just beginning, and these homes, a new life for them. And that makes it special.

CALLEBS: Sean Callebs, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE) HARRIS: Turkeys, waiting on a train, making a mad dash from frying pan park.

COLLINS: And that was not them, again. I just -- I don't want people thinking is it really them?

HARRIS: The story ahead in THE NEWSROOM.

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HARRIS: I'm going to take a moment and update the situation, for just a deadly day in Iraq in Baghdad -- Sadr City, in particular. Iraq's health minister now saying more than 140 people killed, some 200 others wounded in a series of car bombs and other explosions, principally in Sadr City, a Shiite militia stronghold, as you know.

And now Michael Ware is on the ground, says that those blasts were followed by mortar attacks in a nearby Sunni neighborhood. CNN has now confirmed that the interior ministry has decided to impose a curfew on Baghdad until further notice, that curfew to begin in about 15 minutes from now. We will continue to follow developments in this story as they come to us.

COLLINS: And I'm certain that Stephen Frazier over at "YOUR WORLD TODAY" which is coming up in just about ten minutes will continue to follow the story as well. Hi there, Steven.

STEPHEN FRAZIER, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, Heidi. Indeed we will. Good to see you. And Tony, happy Thanksgiving. In fact, in spite of the imposition of that curfew, we do have Michael Ware up and on the satellite, and giving us the latest on what is now being called the deadliest attack of the duration of the war.

We will also go from the carnage in Sadr City to Lebanon, to Martyr's Square, for the remarkable scenes that we've been witnessing of the funeral services for Pierre Gemayel, the assassinated minister of industry. More on that.

We'll also talk with the Ministry of Culture about the inquiry into who is responsible for an important earlier assassination, that inquiry under way at the United Nations.

And we will also take you into orbit, we're going to space to look at the future of space exploration, increasingly privatized. If you watch closely enough, we will see us put Richard Quest on to the surface of Mars.

COLLINS: You know, I saw him up on a monitor earlier. And I thought, oh, goodness sakes. We've got Richard in a space suit.

HARRIS: Where can he take us?

FRAZIER: Where in the world is Richard Quest? That's what happens on YOUR WORLD TODAY. I'm joined by Ralitsa Vassileva in a couple of minutes.

COLLINS: Excellent. Stephen, we'll be watching, thank you.

And Kyra Phillips is going to be coming up a little bit after that, about 1:00.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Happy Thanksgiving, you guys. Have you had your turkey yet?

HARRIS: Not yet.

PHILLIPS: You got the chicken, right?

COLLINS: That's right. This is our Thanksgiving together, the golden ticket, exactly. Willie Wonka, a long way from home.

HARRIS: We have to that our folks downstairs, because they prepared quite a feast for us, huh.

COLLINS: Since yesterday.

HARRIS: Right. Been working on it since yesterday?

COLLINS: All right. I'm heading down there in just a second.

But I want to tell you about a Jamaican-born woman who has found herself a long way from home.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When I joined the military they were against it. It was the biggest turning point in our relationship.

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PHILLIPS: The difficult call to duty -- a woman's answer will inspire you. We're going to have her story live from South Korea.

And a family living in an airport for months. The reason? Well, they say if they're deported to Iran, they'll be killed. We'll talk about their story and efforts to help them straight ahead from the CNN NEWSROOM.

COLLINS: All right, Kyra, we'll be watching. Happy Thanksgiving. You can have my ticket.

PHILLIPS: Can I? Oh, that's two helpings. Nice!

COLLINS: Be careful now.

All right, we also want to let you know we have been teasing and talking all day long about what you're thankful for. This was the question we asked and we've gotten some really terrific responses so we want to share those with you, coming up in just a few moments. You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi, my name is Specialist Boat (ph), and I'm in Camp Taji, Iraq. I'd like to say hi to my son, Cameron, my parents, Frank and Bella (ph), my mother down in Chicopee, Massachusetts and everybody else up there in Bilo (ph). I'll see you all in about a year. Happy Thanksgiving, people. Bye!

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COLLINS: It seems like everybody was trying to get out of town for Thanksgiving. And some had very good reason to make a run for it. Look at these guys, these wild turkeys, sound-enhanced, were spotted by workers at a Ramsey, New Jersey, train station.

Now, here comes the train and they -- thank goodness -- get out of the way on time. The turkeys hung out on the platform for awhile, left and then came back. I mean, they are persistent. Perhaps they couldn't find their connection.

HARRIS: Goody.

COLLINS: Wild turkeys also caused a minor traffic accident in a nearby town. The driver apparently not ready for dinner, swerved to avoid them. Very good.

HARRIS: Get in my belly! Look, we've got e-mails, right?

COLLINS: We do.

HARRIS: Great e-mails.

COLLINS: Asking the question, what are you thankful for, an easy and appropriate question for today.

This is from Clint in Mississippi: "The thing I'm most thankful for is my wonderful wife of 53 years, Ann."

HARRIS: Way to go.

COLLINS: He can never say enough. Good job, Clint.

HARRIS: It's been tough on Ann.

This from Lois, who write this morning, "As I listen to your broadcast, I am sitting with a lovely cup of tea looking at Lake Huron -- such a beautiful, peaceful sight. This is retirement and I am very thankful." We're happy for you.

COLLINS: Good for you, Lois.

And also from Minnesota, Sonnie in Minnesota, "I'm thankful I'm not on the roads today. Happy Thanksgiving to all."

HARRIS: And this one from Jamie, a prankster, from Canada who says, "I am thankful I get to watch Heidi and Tony every morning, but mostly Heidi." Thank you, Jamie.

You know what? I'm happier. You get to watch her for three hours, I get to watch her for more than that now. Take that.

COLLINS: Oh, stop. Please. Rob Marciano standing by in the Weather Center. I'm sure he's going to knock all this fun down.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COLLINS: CNN NEWSROOM continues just one hour from now.

HARRIS: "YOUR WORLD TODAY" is next with news happening across the globe and here at home. I'm Tony Harris.

COLLINS: And I'm Heidi Collins. Happy Thanksgiving, everybody.

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