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Blizzard Blues; Teens & Drugs; Video Values; Bonus Time!; Baby Jesus Returns
Aired December 21, 2006 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning again, everyone, I'm Fredricka Whitfield in for Heidi Collins.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And, hello, I'm Tony Harris. Spend a second hour in the NEWSROOM this morning and stay informed. Here's what's on the rundown.
Blind-sided by a blizzard. Denver practically shuts down after it's buried under snow. Holiday travelers stuck.
WHITFIELD: American teens, some good news. They're cutting back on illegal drugs. Bad news, they're popping more prescription meds to get high. New findings released this hour.
HARRIS: Santa handing out fat bonuses at the corner of Wall Street and I'm in the money avenue. Record-busting paydays this Thursday, December 21st. You are in the NEWSROOM.
Snowbound in Colorado. Thousands of holiday travelers are cooling their heels today at the Denver airport. All because of this, a major blizzard that doesn't seem to have an end. Patti Logan is live from Denver with the very latest. And it's still a very snowy Denver.
Patti.
PATTI LOGAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it absolutely is. It just keeps coming down. It's perhaps a little bit lighter than it was yesterday and earlier this morning, but it's still pretty -- pretty serious out here.
We've got a few people out and about on the streets of Denver, as you may be able to see behind me. Most people that are out and about, though, are on foot. The roads are still a mess. The plows have been out tonight, but they're very difficult to negotiate, primarily four- wheel drive vehicles are really the only ones that are getting around. We are seeing a couple of people -- we have seen a couple people try with front-wheel drive and that is not working. They have been stuck.
There are still people who have cars that are stranded out on the highways and such like that. Hopefully all of them are out of there. The National Guard, as well as local police officers, were out making sure that nobody was caught up in the blizzard and stuck in their car overnight.
We still have about 3,000 people stuck at Denver International Airport. They are saying they hope to get some flights out by tonight, but it looks like this storm may even be lasting a few more hours than they originally thought, so it could be dicey getting out of there again tonight. We'll have to see how that plays out.
The smaller airports around town are also shut down, so there aren't any other options for folks. The one thing that is getting in and out of town is the Amtrak. We have seen a whole bunch of folks start to come to Union Station here in downtown Denver to get the California zephyr and head west. So that's about it.
The highways north, south, east are closed. One lane in northbound I-25, south of here, is open for a short stretch. So, a little improvement.
WHITFIELD: All right. Suddenly riding the trains a lot more popular.
LOGAN: Absolutely.
WHITFIELD: Patti Logan, thanks so much.
All right, Chad, so it looks like that's a surefire way to get out of town if you really want to get moving. Otherwise, forget it.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HARRIS: Teens and drugs. Encouraging news this morning. Kids are smoking less pot and drinking less booze. On the down side -- there's always a but to these stories -- growing concern about the abuse of prescription drugs. CNN's Brianna Keilar live from Washington with the findings of a major annual survey.
Brianna, good morning.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Tony.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse unveiling their latest numbers on teen drug, tobacco and alcohol abuse this morning. And this is considered one of the best snapshots of what drugs kids are using and how this year compares to last year and all previous years.
So what are your kids doing? Well, there is some good news. Overall, drug use declined this past year over all age groups. And over the past five years, researchers say there's been about a 23 percent decline in drug use.
There are some bright spots. Decline in marijuana use. But still about one third of high school seniors have used it. And methamphetamine also declined since it was first added to the survey in 1999.
And then another bright spot, crack cocaine. It's down since teens were using it at peak levels in the late '90s. Also one other note, anabolic steroids. They've gotten some bad press in the last year for the baseball controversy and they are also down. So, overall, illegal drug use is down. But, of course, it's still prevalent. You've got to check out these numbers right here. High school seniors, about 50 percent say they have used drugs in the past year. Tenth grade, about one in three say they have. Eighth grade, these are 13, 14-year-olds, mind you, and one in five say they have tried at least one of these drugs in the past year.
Still some areas of concern. Prescription drug abuse. The survey looks at OxyContin, also Vicodin and teens saying that it's Vicodin that's more their drug of choice. Get this. One in 10 high school seniors said they've used it in the past year. And those numbers taper off as you look at the tenth graders and then into the eighth grade.
Another concern for parents, Tony, over the counter cough and cold medicines. Drugs you find right in your very own medicine cabinet, the kids are using to get high with. Teens, Tony, you might call them DXM, skittles. So if you're hearing those words, certainly be concerned.
HARRIS: As a parent, I'm going to take a look at these finds because there's a lot there it seems to be concerned with. I have to ask you a couple questions, Brianna. First of all, what about smoking and drinking? What is it in the report -- what's the report saying about that?
KEILAR: Well, these were two other areas that this report did look at. Smoking somewhat alarming numbers. There had been a 10-year decline in smoking. Last year they were saying it looked as if that decline was ending. This year, they're saying that it has ended.
And then in terms of underage drinking, more good news there. They're saying that it has declined.
HARRIS: And any advice in the study as to what parents can do about all this?
KEILAR: Well, Tony, what's most alarming is, of course, these over the counter drugs. And these drugs like Vicodin and OxyContin. These are drugs that children could be taking from their parents' medicine cabinets. So, of course, if you are using those drugs, you need to keep them under lock and key. Take note of how many pills you have, how many of those you have. And then, if you're not using them, don't let them lay around in your medicine cabinet. This is what the Bush administration drug czar is saying. If you're not using them, throw them out. Get them out of the equation.
HARRIS: OK. Good information for parents. Brianna Keilar for us in Washington.
Brianna, thank you.
WHITFIELD: Well, something a lot of folks are going to find under their Christmas tree, a lot of video games.
HARRIS: Yes, yes. WHITFIELD: Well, how about Christian gamers? Listen to this. The strategy, promote religious values.
HARRIS: But plenty of people say a new video game promotes intolerance. CNN's Dan Lothian has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Like most video games, "Left Behind Eternal Forces" involves strategy, war, guns, except this is religious entertainment where you get more points when you pray and lose points when you kill.
TROY LYNDON, CEO, LEFT BEHIND GAMES: Well, the purpose of the game is to create an alternative in an industry that creates a lot of dark content.
LOTHIAN: But some argue that this Christian game definitely has its share of dark content. And they're calling on the company to pull it and mega retailer Wal-Mart to stop selling it.
REV. TIM SIMPSON, CHRISTIAN ALLIANCE FOR PROGRESS: The game presents faith-based killing. It's a manual for religious violence that's being given to children.
LOTHIAN: In war of good versus evil, based loosely on the biblical book of Revelation, a player tries to recruit others in order to fight the enemy of non-believers. Prayer after killing the opposition will essentially redeem you.
CLARK STEVENS, DEFCONAMERICA.COM: At a time in history when religious violence and religious intolerance are real, the last thing we should be doing is promoting a game like this.
LOTHIAN: The concern among some critics is that young people playing this game will get the wrong message, and that what they play in here will stick with them out there, in the real world. Rebecca Glen is a Christian and the mother of a 17-year-old.
REBECCA GLENN, PARENT: You know I think some people might pick up this game and think that they are learning about a religion, and it's a very dangerous slant on the Christian religion.
LOTHIAN: Glenn bought the game for her son, Weston, to test, after hearing about the controversy online.
WESTON GLENN, 17-YEAR-OLD GAMER: Basically, there was no way to get through the game without killing people in the name of God.
LOTHIAN: But the game's creator says it does not, "gratuitously depict violence." There is no bloodshed. And that the ultimate message is positive, helping gamers think about faith and the future. They say critics are misinformed.
LYNDON: They're simply made by people that haven't played the game. They're just throwing rocks. LOTHIAN: Dan Lothian, CNN, Boston.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: The new defense secretary in Iraq, old problems in play. Will this week reshape the war? A Washington veteran weighs in straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.
WHITFIELD: Nine years without a raise? Now President Bush says it may be time to give some workers a boost. Details straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.
HARRIS: Santa, have you got your own money factory? The bonuses. Jolly good on Wall Street this season.
WHITFIELD: Jolly great.
HARRIS: A nutty, nutty payday in the NEWSROOM.
WHITFIELD: Just not to us.
HARRIS: Right.
WHITFIELD: All right. Jesus. Well, he sure does get around. We've got these pictures to prove it. Really getting around. Cross country.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Well, this the season for that really nice holiday bonus.
HARRIS: And for those who work on Wall Street, the tidings of comfort and joy high, especially high this year. Enough to float some luxury yachts. CNN's Alina Cho explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Their stockings are stuffed with holiday green. Investment banks are handing out a whopping $23.9 billion in holiday bonuses.
ELIZABETH MACDONALD, SENIOR EDITOR, FORBES: M&A activity is up. The Dow has taken off. The S&P 500 has taken off. Wall Street is continuing to churn out record profits.
CHO: Profits soared 93 percent at Goldman Sachs this year, which means more than $16 billion in holiday pay checks. Outside Goldman headquarters, no one wanted to brag. Except one guy, who wouldn't give his name, but couldn't contain himself.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Joyous.
CHO: He and fellow bankers celebrated in style with 1,000 white castle hamburgers. Goldman chief Lloyd Blankfein will take home $53 million, while Morgan Stanley CEO John Mack will pocket an estimated $40 million. A few of their hotshot traders and bankers can expect to take home $10 million, $25 million and, in some cases, $50 million. A select few are getting $100 million. And they're looking to spend. Real Estate executive Pamela Liebman says her phones are ringing off the hook.
PAMELA LIEBMAN, PRESIDENT, CORCORAN REAL ESTATE: We know it's in their pocket and we know that they want to spend it. And they're not shy about saying, hey, I worked so hard all year, I just got this big bonus and I want to live really well.
CHO: Liebman says this year the buyers aren't just setting their sights on Park and Fifth Avenue penthouses, they're thinking ocean front. Fancy restaurants will also benefit. So will auction houses and luxury car dealers. Rolls Royces, Bentleys and Lamborghinis. Some lucky bankers are paying $200,000 and more on the spot with no sticker shock.
WALTER D'URSO, MANHATTAN MOTORCARS: They just want to show everyone that they can afford the beautiful car.
CHO: Experts say what's good for Wall Street is good for main street and an economy, that for now, is roaring.
Alina Cho, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Hey, how about this?
WHITFIELD: I guess with that bank you can also run the stop lights?
HARRIS: How about that. Yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes.
WHITFIELD: Sorry.
HARRIS: How about this, new video. Fred, look at this. You want to talk about long shots? Kentucky winner Barbaro continues to beat the odds.
WHITFIELD: Love it.
HARRIS: Look, his doctors say, well, they're relatively pleased with his recovery. The race horse, as you'll recall, shattered his hind ankle last May in Baltimore at the Preakness. An equine podiatrist examined and treated the limb just yesterday. The doctor is somewhat concerned, though, about the long term management of the foot. But otherwise veterinarians says Barbaro's let is on the mend and overall the horse is in excellent condition. How about that?
WHITFIELD: Well, that's amazing. I mean he may not race -- I mean he's not going to race again, but, you know what, he's going to have a great life anyway.
HARRIS: I'd say.
WHITFIELD: I mean, you know, he just gets to hang out in the pasture and meet the girls.
HARRIS: Sure.
WHITFIELD: And, you know, living large.
HARRIS: And meet the girls.
And still to come, Jesus gets around. We love this story and we've got the pictures to prove it. A nativity figure returns to the manger and just in time in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Tony, what do you think? Maybe it was the talk of all those Lamborghinis, Rolls Royces and all that putting a downer on the folks . . .
HARRIS: Yes.
WHITFIELD: Because look at the numbers right now.
HARRIS: Folks are getting out of town. That's what's happening, Fred.
WHITFIELD: Yes. Is that it?
HARRIS: Yes, they're getting out of town.
WHITFIELD: All right. All right. Well Dow right now down about seven points. The Nasdaq was down nearly two points. And the S&P, at least before the break -- oh, look, it's down.
HARRIS: Yes, yes.
WHITFIELD: It's down slightly.
HARRIS: So we will check the other business news of the day with Susan Lisovicz coming up in just a couple of minutes.
But right now, a happy story. Jesus returns after a year on the road. A stolen baby Jesus is back at the scene of the crime.
WHITFIELD: Lo and behold, the beloved plastic figure is at home in the manger in Buffalo, New York. Scott Brown of affiliate WGRZ has this very bizarre tale.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SCOTT BROWN, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Ten-year-old Julia Leising was one of the kids performing in the annual Christmas program at Saint Mark's in north Buffalo. Julia and her family love this time of year and their beautifully lit home shows it, complete with a manger set. But last year at this time, something was missing from the manger. The baby Jesus. It had been stolen two days before Christmas. JOHN LEISING, BABY JESUS OWNER: It kind of felt like Jesus would be off limits to any kind of pranks or, you know, mischief. But he was gone.
JULIA LEISING, BABY JESUS OWNER: Well, I felt sad.
BROWN: Although it was just made of plastic, the statue had been part of the family's Christmases for years. And now they figured it was gone forever.
JOHN LEISING: Christmas was over, the stuff was packed away.
BROWN: And so you can imagine the family's surprise when the statue showed up on their doorstep eight months later. Along with it, a small book entitled "The Baby Jesus Chronicles." The booklet contained pictures of a road trip that the statue had been on all across New York state.
JOAN LEISING, BABY JESUS OWNER: And they took good care of him. There's pictures of him wearing a seat belt. There's pictures of him . . .
JOHN LEISING: In the shower.
JOAN LEISING: In the shower. They kept him clean. There's pictures of him camping. There's a drink so he's well hydrated.
JOHN LEISING: He was in a house making brownies.
JOAN LEISING: They didn't go anywhere real expensive and spend a lot of money on Jesus, but they showed him a really good time.
BROWN: Along with the booklet, there was a note from the kidnappers.
JULIA LEISING: We have done the best possible job we could do to keep baby Jesus safe in our loving arms.
JOAN LEISING: We meant for this adventure to be in no way either blasphemous or disrespectful.
BROWN: The season's all about forgiveness. Do you guys forgive?
JOHN LEISING: Sure. Sure. He had a nice time. They didn't harm him. And we have him back for this Christmas.
BROWN: And so the baby Jesus was back where he belonged. Julia was singing about the joys of the season, and all was right with the world once more.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: And baby Jesus, you know, very well traveled.
HARRIS: You can't make that stuff up, Fred.
WHITFIELD: No. I know. Perfect script.
HARRIS: So how about that.
And still to come, take a quick break here. When we come back, we will update you on the blizzard conditions.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
HARRIS: All . . .
WHITFIELD: The blustery blizzard.
HARRIS: The picture says it all. Look at this. Snow everywhere.
WHITFIELD: And now we don't even see any vehicles on the road. At least before we saw some snow plows.
HARRIS: Folks heeding the advice. So we will update the conditions on the ground in Denver and also get to some of your i- reports. That's coming up. You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(WEATHER REPORT)
HARRIS: So all morning we have been telling you about holiday travelers stranded by the Colorado blizzard. Well, Marissa Chaney is one of them. She's been stuck at the Denver Airport for 24 hours now.
Marissa is on the phone with us. Marissa, good morning.
MARISSA CHANEY, STRANDED PASSENGER: Good morning. How are you?
HARRIS: I'm outstanding. I'm a lot better than you are is my guess. How're you holding up?
CHANEY: I'm doing okay. I really like the snow. I just don't enjoy staying at the airport.
HARRIS: Hey, Marissa, who are you traveling with?
CHANEY: I'm traveling with my mother.
HARRIS: Your mom. Is your mom driving you crazy at this point?
CHANEY: No, no, not yet.
HARRIS: Are you driving your mom crazy?
CHANEY: Not yet, actually. I think we're OK for now. But we'll see.
HARRIS: So, Marissa, what was the plan yesterday? Where were you headed to? CHANEY: We were actually going to Cozumel, Mexico.
HARRIS: Wow. From where?
CHANEY: From -- we're actually from Boulder.
HARRIS: So you're from Boulder.
CHANEY: Yes, we're not that far away from home, but we weren't able to get out of the airport last night.
HARRIS: So was the plan to spend the entire holiday season there in Mexico?
CHANEY: Yes, it was.
HARRIS: So, how disappointing is this turn of events?
CHANEY: It is. I'm pretty upset, but we were able to get a flight out on Sunday. So we're getting there as soon as possible.
HARRIS: Wait, wait. So you will get a flight out when?
CHANEY: We're trying to get one out on Sunday.
HARRIS: On Sunday. OK, and you're in the airport now. Now you're going to make your way home at some point here?
CHANEY: Yes, we are actually trying to leave now. We tried last night and ended up getting out of -- not even a quarter of a mile in an hour and a half. So we're going to try again, see if it works this time.
HARRIS: Hey, Marissa, what's it like to spend the overnight hours in the cold, dark airports? On the cold, hard floor of the airport? What was that like for you?
CHANEY: That's really a cold, hard floor. I have a lot of back problems, so we were a little bit happier to hear that they were giving out blankets and cots, but apparently it was first come, first serve, so they all ran out of blankets and cots, and people like myself and, you know, older people weren't able to get blankets and cots. So that was pretty disappointing, and the floor is very hard.
HARRIS: All right. So, you are making some plans. You think you can get out, at least get back home. Was the food OK? The airport didn't run out of food or anything, did it?
CHANEY: No, they didn't run out of food. And there was one, I think it's called the Cantina. They were very nice and accommodating to everybody, so that was a little -- brought some cheer to the situation.
HARRIS: Do you still feel good about the holiday?
CHANEY: I do. Definitely. I have my reindeer ears with me. We've been wearing those.
HARRIS: How cute is that.
WHITFIELD: Did the reindeer ears come out after the margaritas at the Cantina, Marissa?
HARRIS: Hey now.
CHANEY: No, I brought them with me. They just looked a little more festive after that.
HARRIS: As we say around here, questions linger. Marissa, happy holidays to you and your mom. Travel safely, please.
CHANEY: Thank you. You, too.
HARRIS: OK, Merry Christmas.
WHITFIELD: I am feeling for Marissa.
CHANEY: Chaney.
WHITFIELD: I'm feeling for you. Hang in there.
I'm also feeling for the folks at Europe's busiest airport, because they've got freezing fog. What is that?
Tens of thousands of passengers stranded at Heathrow Airport in London. By comparison that's nothing to the two feet of snow in Denver. Airlines have canceled the flights into the holiday weekend there out of London. Nearby hotels, well, they are filled to capacity. And frustrated passengers are having to make do with heated tents. At least they have that, sleeping mats as well, and food stalls are being set up around the terminal.
HARRIS: Want to see an interesting picture here, Fred. Take a look at this, visually, take a look at this.
CHANEY: OK.
HARRIS: This is Capitol Hill. Washington, D.C. Look how it's framed. Look at the sky, and the dome against the sky, and then the smoke from the heat grate.
WHITFIELD: Yes, that's a pretty common sight.
HARRIS: I know.
WHITFIELD: Oh. Am I supposed to be appreciating it? I'm sorry.
HARRIS: I'm trying to set a mood here.
WHITFIELD: OK, I'm sorry. I'm in the mood. I'm in the mood. Keep going.
HARRIS: So there you go. Just an interesting picture that we wanted to show you, first thing in the morning here in the NEWSROOM. We just get pictures, and we just want to throw them up.
WHITFIELD:: And I ruined it for you, didn't I? I'm sorry.
HARRIS: To the story in Iraq now. More troops need, that is the view from some soldiers on the front lines of the Iraq war. They deliver that message this morning to newly confirmed Defense Secretary Robert Gates. He is spending a second day in Baghdad, trying to help determine war strategy. Some of the troops who talked to Gates today don't necessarily share their commanders' concerns that more American forces might slow the handover to the Iraqis. Gates had reassurances for the front line soldiers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT GATES, DEFENSE SECY.: I can guarantee you all, I didn't come back to government after all of this time to play any kind of politics. I'm going to do what I think is right, at least in terms of the advice I give the president, whatever decision I make. I can guarantee you that my decisions and recommendations won't be shaped by politics in any way, shape or form.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Gates also met today with Iraqi officials.
WHITFIELD: The cost of war. The Associated Press says the Pentagon is asking for almost $100 billion to fund the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. That request goes to President Bush as he embarks on another costly project, expanding the overall size of the U.S. military.
Here's CNN's Joe Johns.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ladies and gentlemen, the president of the United States.
JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The president didn't pin himself down on whether any new troops would be used in Iraq.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm inclined to believe that we need to increase in the permanent size of both the United States Army and the United States Marines. I've asked Secretary Gates to determine how such an increase could take place and report back to me as quickly as possible.
JOHNS: The president proposed no hard numbers, but here's what we know right now.
The Army can have about 514,000 troops, which includes a 30,000 member temporary increase in troop strength that was authorized after 9/11. There are also about 180,000 Marines.
But the $1 billion plus cost for every 10,000 new recruits is expected to be a factor in how much the military really can grow. A former undersecretary of defense for personnel, now senior fellow at the Rand Corporation, says increasing the numbers of U.S. forces will take a serious ramping up of the U.S. recruitment effort, incentives to sign up and a lowering of entry standards, some of which have been tweaked a bit in order to successfully reach current recruiting goals.
BERNARD ROSTKER, RAND CORPORATION: We may have to take some people who, in better times, we might not take. We're really taking a chance on them. We'll see how they perform, and if they don't live up to expectations, then they'll be sent home.
JOHNS (on camera): There is support here on Capitol Hill for increasing the numbers of service members in the Army and Marine Corps, but where that support could break down is over the question of whether those service members should be used to fight in Iraq.
(voice-over) Congressman Ike Skelton, the incoming chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, is a big supporter of increasing the size of the military. But not of sending the new recruits to Iraq.
REP. IKE SKELTON (D), MISSOURI: It can actually exacerbate the situation there and be more targets for the insurgents and more targets for the sectarian violence.
JOHNS: It's a mixed message from Capitol Hill to the White House. A troop increase is fine, but be careful what you use them for. One point of general agreement: trying to beef up the military through a draft is a bad idea.
Rostker, who has an authoritative new book out titled "The Evolution of the All-Volunteer Force" argues the last thing America needs are service members who would rather not be there.
ROSTKER: If there is a reluctance to serve, we're not going to have domestic peace by forcing people to serve. So I don't think the draft is in the cards in any way.
JOHNS: What is lost in all of this perhaps is the notion that substantially increasing troop strength for duty wherever would take time: one to two years. And by that time, whatever happens, at least in Iraq, may very well have already been decided.
So while experts say this is really about long-term preparedness, the war in Iraq is likely to be a decisive factor on how and whether the U.S. military can grow.
Joe Johns, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange. The company with the program called way forward may take a historic step backwards very soon. I'll have details when NEWSROOM continues. You are watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We pretty much just found some boxes and just put them on the ground and put them -- kind of made a fort area and found blankets and just used our clothes to make it a little more comfortable and a little more homey I guess.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Well, I say that's being pretty industrious, it's kind of what you've got to do under conditions like this. Look at Denver right now. Still snowing, but it does look like it's dissipating a little bit. Chad said it just might. Here's an idea how other folks around the Denver area are duking it out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAYLE CEDARS, KMGH REPORTER: You know, a lot of people want a White Christmas, but I'm not quite sure this is exactly what they wanted to see. There are reports of snowfall 22 inches in downtown Denver all the way up to 42 inches in the mountains.
If you take a look, it's pretty deep. In some places comes up to the middle of my thigh, it's really difficult to walk in. Behind me, all these cars -- there's about a dozen of them -- stranded here when many of the interstates and highways closed down.
Now, National Guard was even called in to rescue a lot of these stranded motorists when the interstates and highways closed down. They actually went in and plucked them out of their cars and took them to nearby shelters where a lot of them spent the night out of the cold, out of the cold but not where they wanted to be.
Those trying to get out of Denver, Denver International Airport shut down. Best case scenario, they tell us, the airport could reopen at 7:00 this evening. A lot of those travelers just stranded, sleeping on the hard marble out there.
The National Guard also was sent out to the airport to bring out blankets and water. They're hoping that they can get in some fresh food to keep everyone out there with some food while they wait for their flights to get out. But again, best case scenario, they are really looking at about 7:00 this evening (INAUDIBLE).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: All right. Dayle Cedars with KMGH. They're trying to be optimistic.
HARRIS: Trying, as best you can. Feet of snow to deal with.
(BUSINESS HEADLINES) HARRIS: Nine years without a raise. Hmm. But the effort to give minimum wage workers a boost may be gaining momentum. President Bush is giving it his strongest support so far. Here's CNN's Casey Wian
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Saying the message of the midterm election was clear, President Bush now says he supports raising the federal minimum wage to $7.25 an hour, from just $5.15 today
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I support the proposed $2.10 increase in the minimum wage over a two-year period. I believe we should do it in a way that does not punish the millions of small businesses that are creating most of the new jobs in our country. So, I support pairing it with targeted tax and regulatory relief.
WIAN: Democrats are pushing to raise the minimum wage for the first time in nine years, the longest stretch without an increase ever. During that same period, federal lawmakers have voted to boost their own salaries eight times. Workers earning the federal minimum today have lost 20 percent of their purchasing power since 1997.
ALEC LEVENSON, USC MARSHALL SCHOOL OF BUSINESS: Most people get cost-of-living adjustments for their wages. That hasn't been happening for minimum-wage workers. We're enabling people who are at the bottom rung of the economic ladder to get back to where they should have been if we had had inflation indexing all this time.
WIAN: Meanwhile, 29 states and the District of Columbia have either raised or, next year, will raise their minimum wages above the federal level. While the feds have done nothing, California has approved six minimum-wage hikes since 1997. Most recently, Governor Schwarzenegger approved increases to $7.50 an hour in January and then $8 in 2008.
RICK RICE, CALIFORNIA UNDERSECRETARY OF LABOR: Essentially, what the increase that he has established will do, it will add $2.5 billion to the incomes of the two million people that are -- that are earning minimum wage. So, it's -- it will have a significant impact for lower-paid workers.
WIAN: Despite the dire warnings of economists, claiming minimum- wage increases are job killers, California's unemployment rate has plunged from 6.3 percent in 1997 to 4.5 percent today.
WIAN: Now, as for the president's desire to include a small business tax cut in any minimum-wage bill, Democrats say they prefer taking that up as a separate issue
Casey Wian, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE) HARRIS: Here's a question for you. Should Congressmen be sworn in using the Koran? One lawmaker sounds off to his constituents. That story coming up in the NEWSROOM.
WHITFIELD: And Iran's president launches more fiery comments at, who else, the U.S. But new signs this week that he may be losing his most important audience, right there at home. Details straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.
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HARRIS: Have you heard this one? Congressman Virgil Goode says he won't apologize for a letter to his constituents. He was responding to constituent complaints about incoming Minnesota Congressman Keith Ellison's request to be sworn in using a Koran.
Goode, a Virginia Republican, wrote that without immigration reform, quote, "there will likely be more Muslims elected to office and demanding the use of the Koran." Ellison, a Democrat, is the first Muslim elected to Congress.
WHITFIELD: The Garden State gives the go-ahead for gay civil unions. This morning, New Jersey governor John Corzine signed into law the state's civil unions bill.
The bill was passed by lawmakers a few weeks back. Quite simply, the law gives gay and lesbian couples the same legal rights and responsibilities as married couples. New Jersey is the third state to institute such civil unions. The law takes effect February 19th.
HARRIS: Meanwhile, the California supreme court will revisit the Golden State's ban on same sex marriages. At issue whether the law violates the constitutional rights of gay couples. The supreme court decision isn't likely until later next year.
WHITFIELD: Medical news straight ahead, detecting Alzheimer's. The disease affects nearly 5 million Americans. Now new research could lead to early diagnosis and better treatment. Details straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.
HARRIS: And Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports a problem of nerves.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Always thinking what's wrong with me? What should I do? How can I cure myself?
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HARRIS: Face twitch, that's right, face twitch. In the NEWSROOM.
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