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Princess Diana Conspiracy Theory; Beating the Cold; Cut the Fat, or Else!

Aired December 10, 2006 - 22:00   ET

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

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: A dictator's death causes riots in the streets. Also...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We wanted to find something that was finger lickin' good for KFC.

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SANCHEZ: KFC and others are getting off the transfat wagon. What's wrong with a little transfat? You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

I'm Rick Sanchez in for Carol Lin. This is the NEWSROOM, your connection to the world, the web, and what's happening right now. And time to get plugged in.

The headlines now. There is both jubilation and tears in Chile today after the death of Augusto Pinochet, one of the world's most notorious military dictators. He was accused of killing thousands of people during a 17 year regime.

Still, a hero to some. Flags outside some buildings are flying at half staff. So that has caused a huge disturbances. Pinochet's remains are going to moved within hours we're told from a military hospital. And that could spark more problems. We're watching it for you. Riot police have been trying to contain protesters all day, as they gather to celebrate Pinochet's death. We're going to take you to Santiago as developments warrant.

Leaders of Iraq's study group are defending their proposed new war strategy. It's getting a cool reception. Critics of both the U.S. and Iraq. Panel co-chairman Lee Hamilton says he can understand why Iraqi leaders don't like one of the recommendations. The one that would make financial assistance to Iraq conditional.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEE HAMILTON: We've been giving the Iraqis a blank check. That's a pretty good deal if you're an Iraqi.

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SANCHEZ: A freezer full of cash and an FBI bribery probe aren't stopping the political career of Congressman William Jefferson. The Democrat easily well reelection in the runoff race in Louisiana's second congressional district. In his victory speech, Jefferson called for unity.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. WILLIAM JEFFERSON (D), LOUISIANA: We look forward now with all of your help and your prayers to going forth and recovering our wonderful, wonderful region.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: More defiance from a Roman Catholic archbishop who was excommunicated for installing married men as bishops. He is causing more controversy tonight. In a ceremony in New Jersey, he ordained two married men as priests.

Emmanuel Malingo calls mandatory celibacy outdated. He himself was married five years ago.

Also this. Astronauts aboard space shuttle "Discovery" are getting ready to dock with the international space station Monday. They spent the day Sunday looking for any possible damage in the shuttle's heat shield. So far, the sweep has found no problems.

Well, it's that time of the year again. The hustle, the bustle, the shopping, the gifts and the presidential politics. Election day was just a month ago, but prospective candidates for 2008 are already jockeying for position.

Front runners -- the Republicans have two early favorites. Rudy Giuliani and John McCain. Democrats in double digits are Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John Edwards, and Al Gore.

The real newcomer in this is Barack Obama. Of course, he's getting a lot of ink, but many Americans still wonder why. How did he become the one with the hottest name in politics?

It just happens he's in New Hampshire this weekend, the state that's home to the nation's first primary. Our chief national correspondent John King is also there to check out the buzz.

Well, John, is he or isn't he saying what he's going to do?

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Rick, you can't have that answer yet. That would take the fun out of the flirtation phase, wouldn't it?

Barack Obama says you won't get that answer until early in the new year. He's still testing the waters as you noted. And this was his first trip to the state of New Hampshire. Three times Senator Barack Obama has been to Iowa, which holds the first caucuses about 400 days from now, but this was his first trip to New Hampshire. And he plunged right into what is considered the New Hampshire ritual, going to a coffee shop in Portsmouth. That's over on the sea coast, the Atlantic sea coast of New Hampshire, mingling with voters, holding his tea in one hand, shaking hands, answering questions about his idea to start bringing U.S. troops home from Iraq over the next four to six months, for example. The senator mingling quite calmly and casually there. He's quite a gifted campaigner, has a knack about him as he introduces himself to people.

The main event, though, was here in Manchester, speaking to a sold out state Democratic party fundraiser. 1500 people, excuse me, on hand on a Sunday afternoon for this event.

The buzz in the room -- will he run? Won't he run? Senator Obama says he's still running the traps as he says. He wants to check in with his wife, talk to his two young daughters, says that decision will come early next year. But listen to Barack Obama. He sure sounds like he'll be back and running for president.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA: I am telling you, New Hampshire, America is ready to turn the page, America is ready for a new set of challenges. This is our time, a new generation that is preparing to lead. You are part of that. And I am grateful to be a partner with you on that. New Hampshire, thank you very much. Let's go make it happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Earlier in the day, 900 people at a book signing. It was supposed to be held in a small book store in the Portsmouth area. They had to move it to a function hall instead, because people kept asking for more and more tickets.

Again, 900 people as Barack Obama patiently introducing himself, signing the books and shaking hands. He is 45-years old. He's only been in the United States Senate for two years. It won't actually be two years until a month from now in January. And yet, he is the hottest commodity in American politics right now.

Gave a big speech at the last Democratic convention. Was the most sought after Democratic campaigner this year. Obviously a big year in the midterm elections for Democrats.

The front runner in the Democratic race is Hillary Rodham Clinton, but Barack Obama, Rick, is causing a buzz not only here in New Hampshire and in Iow, but across the country. There are people lining up to support him. There's a draft Obama movement. He's already quietly assembling what would become a campaign operation, but he says he won't make that final decision for a few more weeks. Rick?

SANCHEZ: And even though he hasn't announced, John, I bet he's already having an effect?

KING: Democrats call it just that, the Obama effect. Hillary Clinton wanted to take some time after just winning her reelection as a senator from New York state. She wanted to take a little time, rest for the end of the year, and then quietly early next year put together her 2008 campaign.

Obama is causing such a buzz. Activists want to sign up with his campaign. Members of Congress are thinking about what they should be doing, who they should be supporting. But Hillary Clinton has intensified and accelerated her planning.

Evan Bayh, a former governor of Indiana, a red state, he's a senator now, a United States senator, he's here in New Hampshire this weekend. Much smaller press crowd following him around. Much smaller crowd at his event.

He likens it to David versus Goliath. He says in the end, he thinks people will look at resumes and records and where they stand on the issues, not the celebrity status.

But Barack Obama, to put it simply, is taking all of the oxygen in the room right now, making Hillary Clinton move things up and making the others hope, hope the celebrity status dies down a bit.

SANCHEZ: John King following that go story for us from New Hampshire. We thank you so much, John.

Now you heard what John had to say in his report. So we want to know what you think about this now. Like to know what you think of Senator Obama. Is it too much buzz too soon or is it just enough? We're interested. So give us a call. We will share what you have to say were the rest our viewers. It's 1-800-807-2620. That's the number we want you to dial. 1-800-807-2620. We will air your responses later this hour.

Now to Iraq, the next move the president will likely make and perhaps soon. The Iraq study group's recommendations were the talk of the Sunday morning shows with both Baker and Hamilton defending them.

There's a new poll that shows the president will have a tough sell when he makes his case to the American people. Only 27 percent of Americans approve of the way that he's handling the war in Iraq. 71 percent say they disapprove.

It's on the issue of Iran, though, and what role they will play that the biggest debate is really playing out in this. White House correspondent Elaine Quijano tells us why.

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ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The Iraq Study Group believes talking to Iran without preconditions is worth a shot to try to improve the situation in Iraq.

LEE HAMILTON, IRAQ STUDY GROUP: Syria and Iran have very great influence over events within Iraq. Particularly Iran, but also Syria. And I just don't think you can avoid that.

QUIJANO: That recommendation has unleashed a wave of blistering criticism from those who argue it would weaken what has been the U.S.' non-negotiable position, that Iran should not have nuclear weapons.

ELIOT COHEN, MILITARY HISTORIAN: One of the things profoundly unrealistic about the report is the idea that you are going to have a negotiation with Iran, where somehow the nuclear issue is put to one side and off the table and we're not going to deal with that. Well, I'm sure that's not the way the Iranians are going to approach it.

QUIJANO: Just this weekend, Iran's president said his country had begun installing 3,000 centrifuges in an expansion of its uranium enrichment. All along, Iran has insisted it's developing nuclear technology for peaceful energy purposes. But with a country awash in oil, the Bush administration and some lawmakers remain skeptical.

SEN. TRENT LOTT (R), MISSISSIPPI: I think Iran is a serious problem. They continue to thumb their nose at the world and go forward in developing nuclear weapons capability.

QUIJANO: Yet the co-chair of the Iraq Study Group insists the panel isn't recommending the U.S. give Iran a pass.

JAMES BAKER, IRAQ STUDY GROUP: We are not suggesting broad-based one-on-one discussions on Iran about every subject we have between us. In fact, we say that the nuclear problem should be left in the United Nations Security Council.

QUIJANO: Still, even the incoming head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee concedes Iran isn't the answer.

SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN (D), DELAWARE: Iran cannot solve our problem for us in Iraq. If we worked it out they could stop doing bad things, but they're not likely to be able to do good things that will fundamentally alter the circumstances in Iraq.

QUIJANO (on camera): President Bush has shown no signs of backing away from his insistence that Iran must verifiably suspend its uranium enrichment program before coming to the negotiating table.

As for his Iraq policy, this week, the president will take part in briefings from officials at the State Department, the Pentagon, and via video conference from military commanders in Iraq.

Elaine Quijano, CNN, the White House.

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SANCHEZ: Here's what's so difficult about this. Politicians can plot and they can plan to end this war in Iraq, but it's really the families who are suffering.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's just unfortunate wars have to come out. And unfortunately, people lose lives.

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SANCHEZ: What is this father talking about? He's talking about the son who came back from the war a different man.

We're going to show you the James Kim that thousands of people got to know through his website.

And then later, a banker taking chances on thousands of people with millions of dollars. And now he's getting a prestigious return on his investment.

Here's your turn to choose the news. Is there a particular story that you want to hear more about? E-mail us right here at weekends@cnn.com or send us your video or your web cam. It's a suggestion that we will take here at cnn.com/exchange. And we'll get you the answer within the hour.

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SANCHEZ: Point and click. Here is what people are checking out tonight on cnn.com. First up, a preschooler is accused of inappropriately hugging a teacher. The child, only 4-years old, is now suspended from the Waco Preschool for allegedly pressing his head against the teacher's chest. The father of the child says the charges are ridiculous because his son is too young to even know what he was doing.

Also, Princess Diana almost 10 years after her death, a new controversy. The British newspaper, "The Observer" says U.S. intelligence was listening in on Diana's phone calls the night she died. CNN has not independently confirmed the story, but we're working to verify it. More details at the half-hour.

And finally this. A sneak peek into the census report on sea life. That's right. Scientists are finding marine creatures surviving in searing temperatures. We're talking 765 degrees Fahrenheit. That's new.

They're also discovering all types of new species. For these stories and more, just log on to cnn.com/most popular.

For those of you watching us from Los Angeles tonight, there it is. That's your city. Some call it a haze. Some call it smog. Some say it's yucky. We'll keep you covered.

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SANCHEZ: Welcome back. We're accessing some of the stories across America tonight. A convicted killer's remains won't remain at a distinguished cemetery, at least not for much longer. Congress has passed a bill that will remove Russell Wagoner's remains from Arlington National Cemetery. The Vietnam veteran killed a couple in their home 12 years ago. The couple's son fought to have the remains removed.

Glendale, California, police are hunting for a brazen sexual predator. Within a one hour span, he broke into several homes and apparently assaulted or tried to assault four children. The suspect also took one of the victim's wallets.

Tonight, we have these amazing i-report pictures. This is from -- give me a minute here - Cheektowaga, New York. Thank you very much. Bill Lickfield sent in these shots of four refrigerator box cars derailed from the train tracks. You can see one of the cars dropped to the road below. No one was hurt. Thanks for your submission, Bill.

Send us your pictures or your video of breaking news or just cool stories you see. We'll be glad to share them. Go to cnn.com and click on the i-report to find out how to become part of the most trusted name in news.

Well, we told you how he died. Now we want to show you how he lived. James Kim is who we speak of. He lost his life in the freezing Oregon wilderness trying to find help for his wife and children. Here's a look at his life and the legacy that this man leaves behind.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMES KIM: Here, everybody, it's James Kim here, senior editor of MP3s at Cnet. And I have with me the first look in my palm. This is the moeby blue cubed 2.

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's the kind of job a lot of us would love to have. Remember Tom Hanks in the movie, "Big?" He played with toys to see what other kids would like.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So what do they make you do for all of this?

TOM HANKS: Well, I play with all of this stuff. And then, I go in and tell them what I think.

SIMON: Well, James Kim essentially had the same job. The 35- year-old editor for CNet, a leading technology website, tested and played the latest high tech music gadgets, and then advised consumers on what to buy. He got a first look at all the cool stuff.

KIM: Here at the San Francisco Apple event, where we've seen the launch of three new I-pods.

This right here is not a button. It's a phantom button. So what's the big deal about this thing? Well, the reason I like it is because it's $20.

SIMON: James Kim wasn't just concerned about your wallet, but about your happiness as a parent. After all, these are important purchases for your kids.

KIM: It's a digital audio player that my three-year-old daughter actually approves of it. She picked it up and started using it and started having fun with it without any direction at all. In fact, she skipped the manual just like her dad does.

SIMON: James often talked about his own kids on his webcast. Penelope and baby Sabine. Friends and colleagues say he was ever the devoted father and husband to Kati.

HAHN CHOI, FRIEND AND FORMER COLLEAGUE: As a father, I know, he loved his kids so much, and his wife. He loved them so much. I know he'd do anything for them.

SIMON: Hahn Choi used to work for James at another high tech venture, but says it felt more like a friendship.

CHOI: I never saw him get mad. He just -- was one of those people you talk to all the time, you know, that -- it's strange, because you know, it was just a really good human being. You don't find that very often.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: That was Dan Simon reporting. Because this story has amassed so much interest, we at CNN are presenting a special for you. CNN Presents will bring you "Stranded, the James Kim Ordeal." Now that airs tomorrow night. It's at 8:00 Eastern on a Paula Zahn special. That's at 8:00 p.m. once again.

Now later this hour, you'll learn a lot from Mother Nature when you're at almost 9,000 feet in the freezing cold. I can tell you firsthand those are my feet. That's me. It's part two of my report on surviving. It's coming up during this newscast.

And then nearly a decade after her death, the official report about Diana finally coming out this week. New details are being leaked. We're going to tell you what we now know.

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SANCHEZ: Welcome back to the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Rick Sanchez.

Outgoing Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld spent his weekend on an unannounced visit to Iraq. He said a final farewell to troops at several U.S. bases in the country, including the Anbar province, one of the most violent regions. Rumsfeld said it was the honor of his life to serve them.

Meanwhile, sectarian tensions are still flaring though. Sunni families marched in the streets of Baghdad, saying they were driven out of their homes by Shi'ite gunmen earlier. Police say the gunmen killed two people.

Well, the words are simple. Back at home. This is the situation for many families and U.S. troops returning from the battlefield. They're fighting yet another type of enemy now, though. And this one's living inside their minds.

CNN's Elizabeth Cohen has one family's story.

BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON COOPER: How are you doing, mate? It's your brother coming to you from Fort Knox, Kentucky.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Twenty- one-year-old Jason Cooper, fresh off boot camp, ready to leave for Iraq with the Iowa Army Reserve, and full of life. TERRI JONES, JASON COOPER'S: He had a fast car. He loved to do tricks off the diving board.

ED COOPER, JASON COOPER'S FATHER: He always made you smile. He made you laugh. He was my best friend.

COHEN: But when Jason came home in March 2005, he wasn't the Jason his family remembered.

JONES: You could tell he was lost in his thoughts. And you could be talking to him and you would have to kind of, "Jason, hey."

COHEN: And at night, the nightmares set in. Jason couldn't sleep.

E. COOPER: And he'd just knock on my door and wake me up. I'd tell him to come in. We'd sit there and talk.

COHEN: It seemed as if the terror of Iraq still consumed him. The family hoped Jason would get help. He said, "Next week." But three months after Jason returned home from Iraq, Ed got a call from the police on his way home from work.

E. COOPER: They told me I needed to get to my residence immediately. And they wouldn't tell me why.

COHEN: Ed wasn't allowed inside his home, shielded from his son, who had hanged himself in the basement.

E. COOPER: It was hard to believe what they had told me. I just -- I just needed to see if I could help him.

T. COOPER: And I failed him. A lot of people failed him at that point.

E. COOPER: This is Jason's room. It's pretty much the way it was since he was here last.

COHEN: Ed won't change Jason's bedroom, and he is just now able to go back down in the basement. A year and a half after his suicide, Jason's parents believe their son suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, brought on by his time in Iraq. Still, Jason's father doesn't blame the military for his death.

E. COOPER: I think they are all doing a wonderful job over there. We didn't ask for this. It's just unfortunate wars have to come up. And -- and unfortunately, people lose lives.

COHEN: But Terri has made a public statement of her own, flying the flag upside down.

T. COOPER: Soldiers are in distress. They're taught to be tough. They're taught to go into combat. And when the tears come, they're not taught how to survive that.

COHEN: Ed wants his son to know he finally put the pool in the backyard, the one Jason always wanted. E. COOPER: I'm waiting to see him go off the diving board. Some times at night I'm just waiting to hear a splash, hoping it will be him.

COHEN: Elizabeth Cohen, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: Coming up at the top of the hour, "CNN Presents: Combat Hospital", the behind the scenes real life drama of American medics in Baghdad.

When we come back, she was the fairy tale princess whose life didn't end the way children's books do. But a new report could shed some new information about her very last day.

Also, remember tonight's last call on Senator Barack Obama. We want to know what you think. And here's the question. Is it too much buzz too soon for this young senator? Or is it just enough? Give us a call. Here's the number to dial. 1-800-807-2620.

There he is, known for his bumps, grinds, and sexual songs in some cases, but the NFL thinks he's super.

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SANCHEZ: Don't have to tell you this. The CNN NEWSROOM is where you find the headlines, and no surprise on this one.

Iraqi leaders don't want U.S. troops to pull out of Iraq. The Baker-Hamilton commission says they should be out by sometime early 2008. Here's what a powerful Iraqi member of parliament had to say about this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABDUL AZIZ AL-HAKIM, SHIITE LEADER (through translator): Of course, we would like to see the American forces withdraw, the light forces withdraw as soon as possible. But this depends on the opinion of the military and security experts and the political experts in this to decide what is the right step for that and what is the timetable for that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Then of course there's this one: Will he or won't he run in 2008? Senator Barack Obama says he still hasn't decided, but the buzz over his plans for a possible White House bid only grew louder today as he visited New Hampshire, a pivotal campaign state. Democrats drew loud crowds as he signed books and spoke at a fundraiser there.

Prince is adding a new gig to his resume. The singer is going to perform during the most watched TV program in the country year in and year out. Yes, the halftime show at the Super Bowl. Prince is now a Jehovah's Witness. So don't count on seeing any wardrobe malfunctions or hearing some kind of kinkier tunes from the past.

The gruesome violence and the subtitles don't seem to be scaring away audiences, at least not from "Apocalypto." This is this movie that debuted in the top spot in the box office this weekend, at the surprise of many, taking in more than $14 million. It's director Mel Gibson's first film since his anti-Semitic remarks this summer.

It's number one, but it only made a fraction of the money Gibson's last film did. That was, of course, "The Passion of the Christ." It made its debut during a weekend.

A drunk chauffeur, an alleged pregnancy, years of suspension that Princess Diana's death was a conspiracy. All of this, and now we finally get answers. British officials are due to release their long- awaited report Thursday, but tonight a British newspaper has something we haven't heard before about a reported U.S. role.

Here is CNN's Alphonso Van Marsh.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALPHONSO VAN MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): According to British newspaper "The Observer," a new government report found U.S. intelligence was eavesdropping on Diana's phone calls hours before her fatal accident in 1997. CNN has not independently confirmed this report, but we continued to try to verify the story.

Meanwhile, other details of the report led by Britain's former top cop are leaking out to the British press. Details that could end speculation on how and why one of the world's most recognized women died on August 31st, almost a decade ago.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE, "HOW DIANA DIED": It's hard to see how he will conclude the crash was anything other than an accident.

VAN MARSH: A BBC documentary looks at events before and after the car crash that killed Diana, her companion Dodi Fayed, and driver Henri Paul. In the documentary, it is revealed that the report is expected to conclude that claims that Diana was pregnant and planning to marry Fayed are not credible and that driver Henri Paul was three times over the French drunk driving limit when their car crashed in a Paris tunnel.

MARTINE MONTEIL, HEAD OF FRENCH INVESTIGATION (through translator): There was a horde of photographers who were following the couple, and they were very close to the Mercedes when the accident happened. Obviously this causes annoyance and stress, but this is not the only explanation. The driver also lost control of the car. That's obvious.

VAN MARSH: Dodi Fayed's father, London businessman Mohammed al- Fayed, has long maintained that the crash was no accident, but part of a British agent murder plot to keep Diana from marrying his son, an Egyptian Muslim. Al-Fayed believes that the authorities likely switched the driver's blood samples with those of a probable suicide victim with alcohol and drugs in his body, something he has not been able to prove. He's indicating that the BBC has fallen for a cover- up.

Through a spokesman, al-Fayed says, the BBC documentary "... has fallen into a trap deliberately laid for it."

Others who knew Diana say people must accept the report results when they are officially released.

ROSA MONCKTON, FRIEND OF DIANA: I hope that now once and for all the line can be drawn under this. It was not a conspiracy, it was a tragic accident.

VAN MARSH (on camera): The report is expected to be taken into evidence as part of preliminary hearings into a government inquest into Diana's death. The inquest, expected to be open to the public, is slated to begin early next year.

Alphonso Van Marsh, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: Here's a story we've been following throughout the course of the evening with lots of developments. He ruled through fear and with an iron fist of his nation's military. Now former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet is dead. He was 91 years old.

Pinochet ruled Chile for 17 years starting in 1973, following a U.S.-backed coup. Thousands of people died or disappeared during his dictatorship. Pinochet would later be charged with murder and other crimes, but he was deemed too sick for a trial. His death has already sparked clashes, riots between police and thousands of people celebrating in the streets. A military funeral is scheduled for Tuesday.

He's been called the banker to the poor, but tonight a Bangladeshi economist has a new name, the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Muhammad Yunus founded a bank 30 years ago and started loaning money to the poor. To date, he's granted small unsecured loans to more than 6.5 million people, helping them rise above poverty.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MUHAMMAD YUNUS, NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNER: I believe that putting the sources into improving the lives of the poor is a better strategy than spending it on guns.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Your turn to "Choose the News."

Just 30 minutes ago we asked you to send us your questions about stories that you want to know more about. Jason in Tampa, he says he wants an update on the investigation into the Sago Mine explosion.

State investigators will release a report Monday on the disaster that killed 12 West Virginia miners, but we learned this week, Jason, that the report will site lightning as the cause of the explosion that killed the miner. One miner, Randy McCloy, he survived the disaster.

Two other things you should know, by the way, Jason. A different report has found that the mining company failed to properly ground it's electrical systems, and Friday a federal agency published a rule requiring mine operators to have more breathing devices on site and better safety training for their miners.

You asked, we tell.

Just ahead, stranded in the snow. I spent nine hours trying to survive, and I'm going to show you what I learned from the experts while I was there.

Next...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's hard to find substitutes that taste great.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Big Apple restaurants are going to be tinkering with their menus because of trans fats. What are trans fats, some of you may ask. We've got a doctor with all the answers.

Stay here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOYCE HARRIS, L.A. COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: You need to have some basic supplies to get you -- so that you can survive on your own for up to a week.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Plain and simple, right? It's advice that can save your life. But here's the deal: What happened to James Kim could happen to any one of us, and that's one reason the story is so disturbing to so many. But there are ways to survive in the cold, ways to be prepared.

I went to Golden, Colorado, this week, and I spent the entire night at about 9,000 feet elevation to find out firsthand if what the experts say works.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ (voice over): An hour and a half of trekking through the Rockies in the middle of the night, and my feet are without feeling, my nose won't stop running, and the shivers are starting to become uncontrollable.

(on camera): I'm really starting to feel beat up from these conditions. So I'm going to try to hunker down for a while and create a shelter since I don't have one. And that's exactly what we have here.

(voice over): Colorado Park Rangers and survival experts have earlier shown me how to build a shelter of last resort. It's essentially a trench about four feet deep topped with thick branches cut from pine, covered with snow, like an igloo. It doesn't look like much, but it works.

(on camera): Between the blanket and the heat that's generated by my body in this confined space, it's much more comfortable in here, certainly much more comfortable than it was when I was out there walking around for an hour and a half.

(voice over): Comfortable as it may be from the waist up, my feet now feel like they're being stuck by a thousand needles. So I head to my original shelter, my car. Stuck in the snow or not, this is where you're most apt to survive longer.

Here's another reason to stay near the car...

RANGER DAN WEBBER, COLORADO STATE PARKS: When we go out searching for people, the first place we're going to look for is where that vehicle is.

SANCHEZ: And you can help them find you with fluorescent tape. In fact, anything bright will be greatly appreciated by pilots looking for you.

RANGER KEN BRINK, SURVIVAL EXPERT: When a person is standing up and waving their hands, very difficult to see them from the air, but anything bright and large is helpful.

SANCHEZ: Now I'm back in the car, where my survival expert told me I should have stayed in the first place.

(on camera): Run your ignition for a while, and then turn it off. When you close the door you seal in that heat, and it will last a good long while before you'll have to do it all over again. Eventually, though, you're going to run out of gas.

(voice over): And what do you do when you run out of gas? That's where a candle and a tin can can save your life.

(on camera): The key now is to try and keep the candle inside this coffee can. I'm going to drop some wax there on the bottom, and while it's still hot I'm going to place the candle so it stays in position.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You light the candle, it will help warm up the car. It provides company for you, it's something that people are used to. They -- it's a camp fire analogy, where you light a camp fire and people sit around it and it warms them up, and it actually warms up the inside of a vehicle.

SANCHEZ: Without a candle, experts say the inside of my car with me in it will stay around 32 degrees. Not bad, but not great.

With a candle it will be around 50 degrees. Now, that's a temperature that could keep you alive until rescuers arrive. It doesn't take much.

Look at this survive kit: an old blanket, a whistle, a tin can, a candle, a couple water bottles, some nutritional bars, some tape, maybe a shovel, some matches, hats, gloves, and a flashlight. Using some of these items I lasted nine hours. That was about all that I could take.

It's hard to imagine what it must have been like for the Kim family. They were out there nine days.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: What an experience. By the way, part of this report that you just saw that I filed is going to be on Monday night during the special we're preparing of "PAULA ZAHN NOW." It will be called "Stranded: The James Kim Ordeal."

We're going to retrace his steps and show you more ways to stay safe in case you're ever in extreme conditions. That's Monday night at 8:00 Eastern, 5:00 Pacific.

We're going to let you know what's going on as far as the weather is concerned and also in terms of what effect the weather's having on your travel plans.

Bonnie Schneider is taking care of that for us.

(WEATHER REPORT)

SANCHEZ: Tonight in the nation's capital, a holiday extravaganza. It's now in its 25th year, and what an extravaganza, TNT's "Christmas in Washington." It's a holiday concert really unlike any other.

President Bush and the first lady were guests of honor again this year. They enjoyed holiday favorites from an impressive lineup, including "American Idol" winner Taylor Hicks. Last night Hicks took a break from rehearsal to talk to CNN, and he told us what this Christmas means to him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TAYLOR HICKS, SINGER: To have this opportunity to perform in Washington and actually to come to Washington at Christmastime and see all the lights and stuff, I got to see some of the monuments. I mean, it's an honor to be here. As a musician you get work, and also you get to see some family members you hadn't seen in a while. And, you know, it's a nice, festive time of year.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: "Christmas in Washington" airs Wednesday on TNT. It's scheduled for 10:00 p.m., and that's 10:00 p.m. Eastern.

Everywhere you look many of the things that you eat have something called trans fat in them.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're in pizza dough, they're in doughnuts, they're in snacks, they're in pastries, in crackers. They're all over the place.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: What exactly is it? And why are the health departments looking to ban it all of a sudden?

We're back with that after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Yes, that's them, a few of America's favorite foods. We all know the ingredients in things like French fries. And they aren't good for us. But should some of those things be illegal as well?

Well, see, the culprit in some of these foods is something that is called a trans fat. And this week, New York City imposed the very first of its type ban on trans fat for a major city, sending the city's restaurant industry into a bit of an uproar, you might say.

CNN's Mary Snow has more on what this ban means to New York diners. In fact, to the rest of us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A ruling on how French fries are cooked or how cupcakes are baked may not seem like a big deal, but a vote by the New York City Board of Health to ban artificial trans fats at restaurants and other food service establishments could blaze a path for the rest of the country. The restaurant industry is not happy and says the city shouldn't have the final say on what's allowed in kitchens.

SHEILA WEISS, NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION: We don't feel that a municipal health agency should have the power to ban a product that FDA has already approved.

SNOW: While it's not a banned product, health officials say trans fats have been linked to heart disease. They're often found in things like cooking oils and shortening. One reason they're used, they help foods last longer. But nutritionists say the harm outweighs the benefits. CATHY NONAS, DIETITIAN: This is like lead in paint. This is like smoking in restaurants. These transfats are bad for your health.

SNOW: And some businesses have learned products that are bad for your health could be bad for business. Big chains are bracing in adapting their cooking far beyond New York. Wendy's, for example, says it has cut out cooking oil with trans fats. The company that owns Taco Bell and Kentucky Fried Chicken says it took two years to find a substitute.

JONATHAN BLUM, YUM! BRANDS, INC.: It's hard to find substitutes that taste great. And so that's the first issue. We wanted to find something that was finger-licking good for KFC, and we were able to do so with the new oil that we switched to.

SNOW (on camera): McDonald's says it's been testing alternatives for five years and will comply with New York's rules, but is not yet ready for a national rollout. By July of 2007, restaurants must stop using frying oils with trans fats, and by July of 2008 must phase out all products using them.

Mary Snow, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: All right. So when you hear somebody say "trans fats," what it means is a chemical process where they add hydrogen into the vegetable oil. In a nutshell, it's a process they use so they can prolong the shelf life of this item they hope you will buy later.

So let's bring in Dr. Ian Smith to see just how dangerous that is.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. IAN SMITH, AUTHOR, "THE FAT SMASH DIET": There are enough studies to show that there's this correlation between trans fats being in foods and what it can do as far as your cholesterol devilevels. What is still being determined, however, is how much, how many trans fats inside of your food will actually lead to heart disease.

You know, sometimes we say you shouldn't have more than X number of grams or X ounces.

SANCHEZ: Yes.

SMITH: Well, in this particular case, we don't know what that number is for trans fats, so what we're saying, as a cautionary method, is for everyone to reduce as much as possible, or in some cases totally eliminate trans fats until we get that number.

SANCHEZ: Let me ask you the question this way, because sometimes people are more concerned about their appearances than they are their health.

I recently was in Europe. I looked around. I didn't see a whole lot of big people.

I was in Mexico City this week on assignment as well. I didn't see a lot of big people there. But everywhere you look in this country, we're big.

Does trans fats and partially hydrogenated oil have anything to do with that?

SMITH: Well, I don't want to make that claim here. And this is very important, by the way, because people talk about trans fats, can they cause cancer, is it responsible for obesity? No. That's not the case.

Trans fats link -- so far, from a scientific evidence standpoint, it has to do with cholesterol and the potential of causing heart disease. But when you speak about the size of America versus people in Europe, which I travel to extensively, a lot of it has to do with the styling of our eating, Rick. That is, that the French and the British and other Europeans eat foods that are also high in fat, but they eat small meals multiple times a day.

It's the grazing theory. They are eating all day, but they don't eat like we do. We were trained to eat three square meals a day, your grandmother would say.

Well, we now know that eating those big meals and getting those big calorie surges is not the best way to keep the weight down. The idea, small meals several times a day.

SANCHEZ: You would think, though, that storing something in a warehouse or in a grocery store for weeks, if not months, before you eat it would not be quite as healthy as something that you cook fresh from the garden. Just thinking.

SMITH: Well, listen, obviously things that are fresh are typically better for us because we have to put less additives and preservatives in them. We need to do less chemical processing.

SANCHEZ: Right.

SMITH: That's -- one of the problems we have in America is we process foods.

SANCHEZ: And isn't that what this is? When we talk about partially hydrogenating, we are involving a chemical process in something which was originally natural.

SMITH: Absolutely. And -- right. And therein lies the problem, is that they are processed foods, and there are so many bad things about process foods. But to be honest with you, it is not completely easy to eliminate all of processed foods.

SANCHEZ: Right.

SMITH: I mean, you know, I want to be fair here and say that, yes, it is possible to eliminate these foods, as New York city is mandating of the restaurants, but it's not going to be an easy task, but it's one that's feasible.

SANCHEZ: Yes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: Always easy to have a conversation with an intelligent person like Dr. Ian Smith.

A check of the hour's headlines is after the break. But first, your responses to our "Last Call" question.

Senator Barack Obama and the 2008 presidential race, too much buzz, too soon, we asked? Here's what you've had to say so far, first.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He doesn't have the experience. He's what they call a flash in the pan.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Barack Obama is the freshest breath of air that Washington could possibly see at this time. I certainly hope that he becomes the Democratic candidate.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, it's too much too soon. He doesn't have any experience. And running for the presidency should not be a popularity contest. It should be about substance and experience.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Barack Obama is the man. Hey, he's got to do the job. He's the man. He's got to do it. Give the guy a chance.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's too much too soon. I really think America's not ready for an African-American president.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Barack Obama had what it took right from the very beginning when he presented himself as the speaker at the Democratic National Convention last time around, and you could see he had that star quality. It's born in somebody. It comes around once in a generation. And he is this generation's Kennedy.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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