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American Morning
Winter Storm Warnings in Six States; Hussein's Final Hours?; Predatory Lenders
Aired December 29, 2006 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: A winter wallop. Six states now under winter storm warnings. Nearly a foot of snow overnight. Two and a half more feet expected this weekend in some places.
ALINA CHO, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking news in Iraq. One of Saddam Hussein's lawyers expects his client to be executed tomorrow.
We're live in Baghdad.
O'BRIEN: And a breaking point. An ice shelf the size of 11,000 football fields snaps off in Canadian Arctic. Scientists are sounding an alarm on this one on this AMERICAN MORNING.
Good morning, Friday, December 29th.
I'm Miles O'Brien.
CHO: And I'm Alina Cho, in today for Soledad.
Thanks for joining us.
O'BRIEN: We begin with breaking news in Denver. Ten inches of new snow overnight, up to two feet in places like Boulder. And more, a lot more, heading that way.
Winter storm warnings are up right now in six states, from Wyoming to Texas. Denver International Airport is still open, but hundreds of flights already are canceled. Long stretches of Interstate 25 and 70, the major arteries north and south, east and west, closed down.
Jonathan Freed -- or as Chad Myers calls him, Jonathan Freeze -- is in Denver, and severe weather expert Chad Myers is in the CNN weather center.
Let's begin with Jonathan.
How are things there, Jonathan?
JONATHAN FREED, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Miles.
Well, I can tell you that yes, indeed, flights have been canceled here in Denver this morning. Many of them proactively by the airlines as of yesterday afternoon, looking ahead to what could be happening today. United alone canceled 75 flights; Frontier canceled 60 flights. If you take a look and we can sort of see what's going on in front of the lights here, in front of the terminal where we are, you can see that the snow has picked up over the last couple hours that we've been giving have you our updates. And in the last half hour or so, Miles -- and Chad, if he's listening -- the wind has been picking up here as well. It really was not very windy at all since we've been up here this morning for the last several hours.
Looking out at the runways here, we have seen reasonable amount of activity for this early in the morning here at the airport. Denver's still operational. And mostly cargo flights, though, operating at this point.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MAYOR JOHN HICKENLOOPER, DENVER: There is the potential that this storm could be as intense or even more intense than the storm that hit us a week ago.
FREED (voice over): Round two could bring another dump of snow on the Denver area. Last week 24 inches fell in 24 hours, paralyzing the Mile High City.
Denver's mayor says they're better prepared this time.
HICKENLOOPER: We are making a major effort to keep the main arteries open the entire time, and focusing our equipment there to make sure that access to our hospitals and emergency facilities are open.
FREED: At Denver International Airport, snowbound for two days last week, airlines canceled flight in advance as some people tried to get out before the storm moved in.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They said they were letting you fly out early with to change fee fare.
FREED: Last week's storm stranded thousand of travelers at the airport. Officials say it could be deja vu in Denver.
CHUCK CANNON, DIA SPOKESMAN: Our primary goal is safety. And if it's not safe to land -- or to take off and land airplanes here, we will not do that. We'll shut it down. This is not the way we planned to spend the entire Christmas-New Year holiday, no, it isn't.
FREED: Either way, it's a holiday to remember.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm here with my kids, who are 7 and 5, who have never seen snow like this. So they have been jumping in all the piled up snow, and they think that's going to the mountains and jumping in the snow. They don't even know that there are mountains up there because they can't see them.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FREED: So, Miles, we're looking now at some hanging signs here at the airport. And you can see them swinging back and forth in the wind, which definitely has been picking up even as that story was running. And we can hear the clanking of the metal.
And Chris, I don't know if you can catch it, but we're seeing a plane taking off right up here. If you go wide maybe we'll catch it. We'll take a risk.
Chris is a good photographer. I bet he can get it. There it is.
So Denver operational, but we can't see the planes too well at this point because the snow has definitely been picking up in the last little while -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: All right. Well, they're getting out of town at least. Inbound might be another matter entirely.
Jonathan Freed, or Jonathan Freeze, if you like, thank you very much -- Alina.
CHO: And if you need to check your flight, go online to faa.gov. You can see all the delays at any of the country's major airports and link up to your own airline. That's some good stuff there.
Severe weather expert Chad Myers watching the storm from the CNN weather center.
(WEATHER REPORT)
CHO: We're going to take a look now at what some CNN viewers are sending into I-Report. Here's the view -- take a look -- from Amanda Schreier's house in Evergreen, Colorado, aptly named. Taken at 5:00 p.m. Mountain Time last night.
Seven inches of new snow. That's on top of the foot of snow from last week.
Take a look at this next one. Amanda's two malamute-shepherd mix dogs. Well, they don't seem to mind. They're having a little fun with it. Just like the kids.
O'BRIEN: Malamute weather. They are loving it.
CHO: That's right. They are loving it.
Take a look at this other one here from Katie Tinsley in Aurora, Colorado. Snow is falling at four inches an hour there last night. This is what built up on her walk in just a couple of hours. And more snow on the way.
O'BRIEN: I would rather be taking a picture than shoveling, wouldn't you?
CHO: That is true.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
CHO: Or just stay inside, drink some hot chocolate.
O'BRIEN: There's that, too.
CHO: If you see some breaking news, send your videos or still pictures. You, too, can be a CNN I-Reporter. Go to our Web site, CNN.com, and click on I-Report -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: Now to Iraq. Reports intensifying overnight about Saddam Hussein's date with the executioner. The former leader still reportedly in American custody, but his lawyers already have been told to pick up his personal belongings. One of Hussein's attorneys telling us just a short while ago he may be executed tomorrow.
We have complete coverage. CNN's Aneesh Raman is in Baghdad. Elaine Quijano in Crawford, Texas. President Bush is monitoring developments.
We begin in Baghdad with Aneesh.
What are you hearing there, Aneesh?
ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Miles, good morning.
What you just said there, that Saddam Hussein is still in U.S. custody is a critical threat to all of this. His transfer to Iraqi authorities will be one of the final steps before Saddam Hussein is executed. But what is intensifying speculation on the ground that has neared an obsession recently are comments from two of Saddam Hussein's defense lawyers.
The first, Najib al-Nuaimi, speaking on AMERICAN MORNING a short time ago, said indications he's getting from the ground that Saddam Hussein could be executed as early as tomorrow.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NAJIB AL-NULAIMI, HUSSEIN DEFENSE ATTORNEY: He is actually in American custody still, and the prediction and the indication we have received actually from yesterday's meeting with Mr. Saddam, that they might execute him tomorrow.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RAMAN: Now, add to that word from another one of Saddam's lawyers who said he's been contacted by the U.S. military to make arrangements to pick up Saddam's belongings. Add to that as well comments today from Iraq's prime minister, who says there will be no reversal in the decision, the death sentence for Saddam Hussein, and that the execution will be carried out without delay, and you get the sense this will happen sooner rather than later.
There are a couple of hurdles that could emerge, legal as well as cultural. But the sense you get on the ground is that Iraqis are anticipating this to come very soon -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: What do you mean by cultural hurdles? RAMAN: Well, there's an a Muslim holiday, an auspicious one, Eid, that begins this weekend. There has been speculation that perhaps the Iraqi government will not execute Saddam Hussein as part of that festival.
We have heard from members, especially Muqtada al-Sadr's bloc, who are Shia, that they could do that during that holiday as a gift essentially to the Shia Muslims worldwide. But the sense is that if they were to follow this tradition and not execute him during the Eid holiday, they would have to do so really today, or as early as tomorrow. That could emerge. But all the indications we're getting on the ground certainly is that they're anticipating this to happen soon -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: Aneesh Raman in Baghdad.
Thank you very much.
CNN's Elaine Quijano live in Crawford, Texas, where the president and the White House are monitoring things.
What is the White House hearing about all this, Elaine?
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning to you Miles.
A senior administration official this morning tells CNN, essentially echoing what Aneesh just reported and what you have been reporting this morning as well. That is, this official does not believe that Saddam Hussein has been turned over to the Iraqi custody yet.
What we have been hearing as well, though, from a senior administration official yesterday is that the execution of Saddam Hussein is likely looking to take place in the next day or so. That was what we were hearing yesterday.
But officials are cautioning as well that this, of course, is a decision and a process that is going to be carried out by the Iraqis. And that sentiment was echoed yesterday by the president's homeland security adviser, Fran Townsend.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FRAN TOWNSEND, HOMELAND SECURITY ADVISER: Obviously the timing of the execution will be left to the Iraqis. Saddam Hussein has enjoyed a level of due process and legal process that he denied many of his victims. It's now time for him to face the penalty that's been determined by an Iraqi court.
We don't yet have the written opinion, and it's my belief that we'll see that before you see an execution. But this is really going to be in the Iraqis' hands now.
(END VIDEO CLIP) QUIJANO: Now, meantime, the president yesterday huddled with his war cabinet to discuss a new strategy, a new policy for Iraq. The president yesterday, after meeting for some three hours, said that he was, in fact, making progress on that front in crafting that new policy, but made clear he's not ready to announce any changes just yet, that he wants to do more consultations with the Iraqi government, as well as members of Congress -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: All right. Thank you very much, Elaine Quijano, in Crawford, Texas.
So it appears now Saddam Hussein will not be alive to see the new year. That's the reports we're hearing. As a matter of fact, one of his lawyers told us Hussein's execution might happen as early as tomorrow. That jives with what we just heard from Aneesh Raman. Perhaps the execution will occur before the Islamic holiday of Eid.
For more, we turn to our Vanderbilt law professor, Mike Newton, who is an expert in all this. He's also an adviser to the Iraqi tribunal handling Saddam's case.
Mike, good to have you back with us.
MIKE NEWTON, ADVISER TO IRAQI HIGH TRIBUNAL: Good morning, Miles.
O'BRIEN: First of all, let's talk about this cultural consideration which Aneesh just brought up. It's not just a legal matter. There are sensitivities to the Islamic faith here.
Explain that.
NEWTON: Well, there are great sensitivities, and there's also a great number of political considerations on all sides, because the politics here are that they want to do what creates the most stability and the most peace long term. That's one of the core purposes of this process, is to bring healing and stability.
So they're trying to navigate this in a way that accomplishes that purpose the best.
O'BRIEN: Well, I suppose you can make an argument, though, that not executing him right now would be in the interest of stability, to the extent that there is any stability in Iraq. Just a little while ago, we spoke with a former Iraqi spokesman who's in London now, and he had some words to say about the timing of all this.
Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LAITH KAABA, FMR. IRAQI GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN: This is taking place not at a fortunate time. It's taking place at a time when the country is going through a difficult time and it needs a let of healing and a lot of attention. The Saddam trial and execution, if it was done under better circumstances, it would have accelerated the healing process.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: So Mr. Kaaba is saying essentially this is not the right time to do it.
Would you concur with that?
NEWTON: Well, this is one of the core reasons why originally philosophically the Iraqis demanded control of this process, because they felt like they were in the best position to determine what was in the best long-term future of Iraq. Many Iraqi judges and many Iraqi prosecutors have risked their lives and have said over and over and over again that they want to restore the rule of law to Iraq.
So at this point what's in the best long-term future of Iraq, some things could have been done better, certainly. But it's really an Iraqi decision.
O'BRIEN: When you say things could have been done better, what about the trial itself? Just a little while ago we spoke to one of Saddam's defense attorneys. Let's listen to what he had to say briefly.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AL-NUAIMI: This court was biased and they are not -- they did not do anything, you know, within the legal framework of international law.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: Nuaimi said essentially it was political and it was really orchestrated entirely by the Bush White House.
You've looked at this trial obviously very closely.
NEWTON: Yes. Yes.
O'BRIEN: Do you think -- would it stand an appeal here in the U.S. system, for example?
NEWTON: Well, he raises two issues. One is that the defense repeatedly tried to inject the political element into the courtroom. And over and over and over again the judges tried to keep the politics out and keep it focused on the law and the evidence and the facts. That's point one.
So, in fact, many times the Iraqis would say, I'm an Iraqi judge applying Iraqi law with international law built in. So this is a legal process not a political process.
O'BRIEN: A final thought here. Why are there -- why is it so murky? Is it because of security concerns, or is it just that the fledgling government there is tentative about what they're going to be doing? NEWTON: I think a little bit of both. And the reality is that this is an extremely important moment for the future of Iraq. And I believe they want to do it well, they want to do it right, and they want to do it truly in a way that does facilitate healing and societal restoration, because this is what this is all about.
O'BRIEN: Mike Newton is a Vanderbilt University law professor and an adviser with the Iraqi tribunal.
Thank you very much for being with us -- Alina.
CHO: All right. Thanks, Miles.
More stories ahead on this AMERICAN MORNING, including some advice for homeowners. How you can avoid being taken for a ride and keep your home in your hands.
And we conclude our special series on autism on a high note. A success story for a family and a young boy making some incredible strides.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: We've got two big stories on the radar this morning.
Another powful storm bearing down on Denver and points beyond. Ten inches of snow falling overnight. Another 20 could pile up this weekend.
And one of Saddam Hussein's lawyers telling us the former leader could be executed tomorrow.
It's 15 minutes past the hour. If you're headed out the door, we have the traveler's forecast for you. It's kind of a tale of two countries.
Chad Myers with that.
Hello, Chad.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Miles.
(WEATHER REPORT)
CHO: Happening in America, Palm Desert, California, a private memorial service today for former president Gerald Ford. Thousands are expected at a public viewing afterwards. President's Ford's casket moves to Washington tomorrow, where it will lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda through Tuesday.
In New York, thousands of fans turned out Thursday to pay their respects to James Brown at the historic Apollo Theater, calling him a superstar, music royalty and an inspiration. A private funeral will be held today in Brown's hometown of Augusta, Georgia. In New Orleans, four police officers indicted on first-degree murder charges, three other officers indicted on attempted murder from a shootout on a bridge during the chaos after Hurricane Katrina. The officers accused of opening fire on six people, killing two of them, wounding the other four.
In North Carolina, the state bar filing an ethics complaint against Durham district attorney Michael Nifong for comments he made early in the Duke lacrosse rape case. Nifong could be disbarred. Rape charges against the players were dropped last week.
And in Washington, it looks like AT&T's merger with BellSouth might happen after all. AT&T apparently making some concessions to win the approval of Congress and the FCC. The $85 million deal would be the largest merger in U.S. telecom history. An FCC vote come as early as today -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: Well, from a merger to an important breakup that has scientists really concerned today about global warming. I want to focus your attention on this part of Canada. It's the northern most part of Canada.
Ellesmere Island is the place. It's the 10th largest island in the world, and a place that is covered in many respects by ice and an ice shelf.
The Ayles Ice Shelf is what we're focusing on today. It turns out scientists about 16 months ago taking a close look at satellite imagery of the Ayles Ice Shelf -- if we could move in a little bit closer, Alex -- saw what amounts to a huge piece of that shelf -- one more turn around there, if we could -- breaking off, forming an ice island. An island that is about 11,000 football fields in size.
Scientists with the Canadian Ice Service -- there's an ice service in Canada to ensure that ships can navigate through this part of the world -- found this. This is the piece right here in Ayles Island.
It broke off and made its way out into the Beaufort Sea. That's her right there. That's Lori Weir (ph), who discovered this about 16 months ago. This is just coming to light.
Now, what is an ice shelf? An ice shelf -- first of all, this is not sea ice. We're talking about freshwater ice that forms in glaciers, sits on land primarily. And I have a graphic. I can show you what it's all about here, if we can show that to describe what an ice shelf -- no, that's not it.
There's another graphic. But in any case, to explain what it is, the ice shelf sits on -- there it goes. Just to orient you here, this is beneath the sea, the Continental Shelf. That's the ocean out here, and this is the ice that we're talking about.
It's glacier, and the part that sticks out over the sea is called the shelf. It kind of cantilevers out there and floats on the ocean itself. Now, what happens is, over time, it naturally cavs (ph) or loses pieces of it. But the Canadians and scientists in general have not seen a big piece like this fall off at once in about 30 years. Warm temperatures, global warming, considered the culprit.
Why is this important? Well, it's not just important here in the Arctic. Take a look at the other end of the Earth, the Antarctic, which has huge amounts of glaciers and ice shelves there.
As a matter of fact, 70 percent of the freshwater on our planet is bottled up in ice in Antarctica. The Ross Ice Shelf is a huge example of this, and pieces of it have fallen off as well. And that's where we get concerned about the possibility of sea level rising.
If you have ice that is already in the water and it melts, just like ice cubes in your glass, that doesn't rise the sea level. But the ice that sits up on the land, the ice on these shelves which is above the water, that, as it melts or falls into the sea, that is where you get the rise in sea levels. And that's why scientists today say there's one more piece of evidence that global warming is a real concern and not just a concern gradually overtime, but in this case very suddenly -- Alina.
CHO: I've never seen the crew so riveted Miles. All right.
Still to come on this AMERICAN MORNING, sizzling Miami is cooling off when it comes to condo sales. Why now might be a good time to invest in that ocean-front view.
And 2006 was all about you, meaning YouTube. A look back at the groundbreaking year for the Web site that made you the star.
Stay with us on this Friday edition of AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Well, it looks like there are more condos than there are people to buy them in the once booming Florida market. "For Sale" signs dot prime Miami locations and some projects have simply been called off.
Sellers are dropping prices, one from $440,000 to $370,000 in just a matter of weeks. Real estate analysts blame speculators for driving prices through the roof. The city still has nearly 300 projects in the works -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: Well, it's a disturbing trend in the real estate market. Home foreclosures up 43 percent from last year.
CNN personal finance editor, Gerri Willis, explains how to tell the good guys from the predatory lenders.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR (voice over): Here are the seven signs of predatory lending courtesy of the Center for Responsible Lending.
First, look for sky-high fees. On a typical mortgage you'll probably pay about one percent in fees. On a predatory loan, fees could be more than five percent.
Second, watch out for prepayment penalties. If you're in a high- interest loan, you'll probably want to refinance when your credit improves. But up to 80 percent of sub-prime mortgages carry a penalty fee for paying off early. If the prepayment fee lasts more than three years or costs more than six months interest, beware.
Third, some mortgage brokers will try to sell you on a loan with a higher interest rate than you can get elsewhere. The lender gives the broker a kickback payment. So you end up paying more interest and the broker lines his pockets. Shop around to make sure you're getting the best interest rate possible.
Number four, watch out for lenders who flip borrowers by refinancing their mortgages when they may not need it. This means extra fee income for the lender but it doesn't necessarily translate into a better rate for the borrower. In fact, it can drain the borrower's equity and increase monthly payments.
Five, be careful what little extras you're paying for. Sometimes landers sell insurance and other products with loans. These may not be necessary and can add up to a lot of extra expense.
Number six, don't agree to a mortgage that requires mandatory arbitration. This means borrowers are not allowed to seek legal help in court. It applies even if the loan contract contains illegal or abusive terms.
And finally, borrowers with poor credit may be sucked into getting a sub-prime loan with a high interest rate. This can happen even if they qualify for a mainstream loan. Be wary of anyone using overly aggressive sales tactics.
The keys here, be wary, shop around, and know what you're getting into before you sign anything.
Gerri Willis, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: And Gerri has more tips for making sure this doesn't happen to your family. Check out a CNN special edition of "OPEN HOUSE," "Mortgage Meltdown," Saturday, 2:00 p.m. Eastern, 11:00 a.m. Pacific, right here on CNN.
(BUSINESS HEADLINES)
O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning. A potential New Year's travel nightmare, a powerful storm is bearing down on Denver and the plains. Feet of snow could be on the ground this weekend. We'll check the latest forecast for you.
Plus, Youtube, a look back at the groundbreaking year of the Web site that made you the star, ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: A winter blitz from the Rockies through the plains. Storms bearing down on central states. Huge amounts of snow could derail holiday travel again.
CHO: Breaking news. The gallows may be just hours away for Saddam Hussein. One of his lawyers expecting the former leader to be executed tomorrow.
O'BRIEN: And a royal sendoff for the hardest working man in showbiz. Thousands crowded the streets of New York remembering James Brown, ahead on this AMERICAN MORNING.
Good morning to you Friday, December 29th. I'm Miles O'Brien.
CHO: And I'm Alina Cho in today for Soledad. Thanks for joining us.
We begin with breaking news in Denver. Ten inches of new snow overnight, up to two feet in places like Boulder, and more -- a lot more -- heading that way. Winter storm warnings are up right now from six states, from Wyoming to Texas. Denver International Airport is open. But hundreds of flights are canceled. Long stretches of Interstates 25 and 70, the major north, south and east, west arteries in the Denver area are closed.
(WEATHER REPORT)
CHO: The world's eyes are on Iraq and the pending execution of Saddam Hussein. Conflicting reports today on the whereabouts of the former Iraqi dictator. Is he still in American custody, or has he been handed over to Iraqi authorities? One of Hussein's attorneys told us a short time ago the execution could happen as early as tomorrow. Another lawyer said they've been told to come and pick up Hussein's personal effects from prison.
In Iraq, the death toll for U.S. troops now approaching 3,000. It now stands at 2,989. A U.S. Marine the latest to die following an attack in the Anbar province. One-hundred U.S. service members killed in Iraq this month alone. December is now the fifth deadliest month for the U.S. military invasion -- since military, rather, since the 2003 invasion.
Now to Aneesh Raman. He's live for us in Baghdad with the latest on the situation with Saddam Hussein.
I know you just got on the ground there, Aneesh. A lot of conflicting reports out there. What's the latest?
ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Alina, it depends especially on who you're listening to. A lot of isolated statements that you laid out just there. The two critical statements from Saddam's lawyers, first from Najeed Al-Nuami (ph), who isn't in the country, but according to indications he's getting on the ground, Saddam is set to be executed as early as tomorrow. Statements as well coming from Khalil Dulaimi, the chief lawyer for Saddam Hussein. He has been contacted, he says, by the U.S. military to make arrangements to pick up Saddam's belongings.
Now that critical point you made, where is Saddam? As far as we understand, he is still in U.S. custody. That's important because a final step before this execution takes place will be Saddam being handed over to Iraqi authorities. That said, we don't know whether that will take place right before the execution, how much time would pass between that handover. So there is a sense on the ground that this is going to happen fairly soon. As you mentioned, I just got here, but you get the sense this speculation has neared an obsession among Iraqis ever sense the appellate court upheld the death sentence that Saddam was given on November 5th -- Alina.
CHO: Are you getting a sense, too, Aneesh, of whether this might be videotaped, and if so, might that be released to the public?
RAMAN: There had been reports from Iraqi government sources who said that there would be an Iraqi government person there videotaping this. No suggestion whether it would be released. You're hearing on the ground a number of other alternatives. Nothing has been confirmed.
The Iraqi government has been fairly tight lipped, remarkably so, about how and when this execution will take place.
And as we speak of it, and speak of the timeline, it's important to note these politicians themselves have hugely emotional vested interest in this execution. I remember covering the trial and having a number of Iraqi politicians come up to me after and say, look, you in the media are giving Saddam too much airtime to speak his mind. They were watching that trial almost with trepidation every time Saddam spoke. The stage is explicitly political. The trial has ended. The appellate process has ended. It is really up to their choosing. And indications have been throughout that these politicians are eager to see this execution carried out swiftly.
CHO: Could be a very interesting 48 hours. Aneesh Raman live for us in Baghdad. Aneesh, thank you -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: Some health stories we're covering for you this morning. Scientists say there could soon be a very big breakthrough in flu vaccines, and some California theme parks banning transfats from their kitchens. We'll tell you which ones.
All this is coming up after a break. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Well, it's the last Friday of 2006. A look back now at one of the innovations that has changed the way we see the world, a Web site that launched a video revolution. We are, of course, talking about Youtube.
AMERICAN MORNING's Chris Lawrence with more. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've taken fire -- 10-4, come back.
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In Iraq, it took us inside an American convoy getting ambushed, and helped launch an investigation into police brutality in L.A.
JEFF COLE, CENTER FOR DIGITAL FUTURE, USC: 2006 really has been the year of YouTube.
LAWRENCE: Jeff Cole runs the Center for the Digital Future at USC. He says YouTube, plus cell phone cameras has empowered millions of people.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We think it's not 15 minutes of fame they care about anymore. It's 15 megabytes of fame.
LAWRENCE: Maybe 100 people would have heard Michael Richards' racist rant in an L.A. comedy club. On YouTube, more than two million views.
MICHAEL RICHARDS, COMEDIAN: Well, you interrupted me, pal. That's what happens when you interrupt a white man.
LAWRENCE: Six months ago, Senator George Allen of Virginia was in the presidential mix for '08. He couldn't even get reelected after his YouTube moment.
SEN. GEORGE ALLEN (R), VIRGINIA: This fellow over here with the yellow shirt, Macaca, or whatever his name is, he's with my opponent. He's following us around everywhere.
Let's give a welcome to Macaca here.
LAWRENCE: Politicians send trackers to their opponents' campaign stops, hoping to record a blunder or contradiction that can now be immediately uploaded.
COLE: Whether it's a policeman, whether it's a comedian, whether it's a presidential or senatorial or any political candidate, the rules have changed.
LAWRENCE (on camera): YouTube's biggest challenge in the next year could be potential copyright lawsuits from those content providers who didn't give permission to use their video.
(voice over): It will have to be diligent, removing that video as soon as someone complains. But the technology can't be put back in the bottle.
COLE: So this isn't a passing trend or a fad. This is really a revolutionary change in communication.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He is moving all around.
LAWRENCE: If that's true, we may look back on one year and one site that started it all.
Chris Lawrence, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(WEATHER REPORT)
CHO: "CNN NEWSROOM" just minutes away. Heidi Collins at the CNN Center with a look at what's ahead.
Hey, Heidi. Good morning.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Alina. That's right, we have these stories coming up on the NEWSROOM rundown this morning. Saddam Hussein, the once powerful Iraqi dictator, powerless to stop his execution. He may not live to see 2007. We'll be talking about that.
And this -- Denver blasted today. For a second straight week now the city gets slammed by a big winter storm. Some major roads shutdown. Dozens of airline flights canceled. We'll be following the story you've been talking about this morning, too.
And we are also tracking the case of the not-so-bright carjacker. He takes a ride, gets lost and calls 911, yes, 911 for help.
I'm in the "NEWSROOM" today with T.J. Holmes. We get started at the top of the hour on CNN -- Alina.
Miles. Hey, Miles.
O'BRIEN: Whatever. I'm Chad, whatever.
COLLINS: You guys, like, transposed.
O'BRIEN: Any old name will do. Thank you very much, Heidi.
Still to come, Dr. Sanjay Gupta wraps up our weeklong series Inside Autism. This morning, some hope. How one family is making major strides against autism's devastating effects. It's been a fascinating series.
And remembering James Brown. The streets of New York City filled with fans with a final goodbye to the singer at the very place where his career began, the Apollo Theater in Harlem. Stay with us.
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(NEWSBREAK)
LIN: All this week, Dr. Sanjay Gupta has taken us inside the mysterious world of autism. His special series concludes this morning with small steps towards success. Sanjay tells us about one child's fight to break out of his autistic world.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT:(voice-over): There are many faces of autism. For each of these children, there's a family that hopes somehow, some way their child will succeed in breaking the bonds, so they can function in everyday life.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You got the whole swing set going.
GUPTA: The Pike family is one of them. Their son, Andrew, was diagnosed when he was a toddler.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Andrew's initial diagnosis was severe. He had no language, no social skills.
ANDREW PIKE: If you want to talk to...
GUPTA: Andrew's parents took him to Emory University, for one of the best-known autism therapies called applied behavioral analysis, or ABA, which uses rewards for language and social interactions as simple as smiling or making eye contact. His parents had their own rewards.
DAVID PIKE, ANDREW'S FATHER: But I was putting him in his car seat and just told him how much I loved him, and just in a whisper I heard the first time, "I love you."
LIN: He was 4 1/2 at the time. Andrew's progress continues, with the help of a lot of people, including his speech therapist.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What do we do with a cookie?
A. PIKE: We eat the cookie.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's right, we eat the cookie.
GUPTA: A physical therapist to improve his muscle tone.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Read? One more, one more! Whoa!
GUPTA: And his ABA therapist.
A. PIKE: A, b, C...
CINDY PIKE, ANDREW'S MOTHER: He's not the story of, this is a recovered child. Andrew's a story of a kid who's worked hard, really hard.
GUPTA: Autism researchers like Yale University's Dr. Fred Volkmar say the key to success is early and proper intervention.
DR. FRED VOLKMAR, YALE CHILD STUDY CENTER: We are changing the prognosis of autism. With earlier intervention and with more effective treatments, kids are learning better and better, and they are doing better and better, so the outcome is improving over time.
GUPTA: Of course levels of improvement vary. Andrew's very fortunate to have a good support team. He's able to go to school with typical kids and play with his friends from the neighborhood. His mom knows he's far from cured, but she's happy he's come a long way.
C. PIKE: Andrew still needs constant supervision. Andrew still needs extreme support, but to go from the level that he was to the happy interactive kid that you've seen today is a success story.
GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LIN: Of course, this is just one child's story. Where children fall under the spectrum of autism disorders and whether they have access to all the necessary therapies plays a big role in how successful they can be down the line -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: Let's have a look now at what you can expect on CNN over the weekend. Let's check in with T.J. Holmes in Atlanta.
Hello, T.J.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Well, good morning to you, kind sir. A lot of stuff going on as well. Very busy weekend. A lot of folks still traveling for holiday travel. But before you hit the roads, hit the airports want to check in to see what's happening with the winter weather.
Also, we've got this -- yes, some were funny, some were furious. We'll show you the best video of this year's online revolution.
Also, Hillary, Rudy, you can throw in Obama, some of the big names that are eying the White House. Who will run? Who will win? We're going to ask somebody. Who? The Amazing Creskin is going to join us with his fearless predictions for 2007.
Plus this -- using the spirit of hip-hop to spread the gospel. We'll tell you more about this new ministry in our Faces of Faith. We'll have all that, plus our live coverage from Washington as thousands pay tribute to President Ford.
That "CNN SATURDAY" and "SUNDAY" morning. That begins tomorrow at 7:00 eastern.
Guys, hope to see you there. But you all have a good time. Happy New Year to you. Don't party too hard.
O'BRIEN: We'll be watching this.
What is this from high roller to holy roller? That sounds really interesting.
HOLMES: That sounds good, yes.
O'BRIEN: All right, I'll be watching just for that.
HOLMES: All right, thanks, Miles.
O'BRIEN: T.J. Holmes, Betty Nguyen, weekend morning on CNN. Still to come this morning, remembering James Brown, a packed last bow at New York City's Apollo Theater for the unforgettable music legend. We'll take you there ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
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LIN: James Brown proving again he can fill a room with fans lining up at the legendary Apollo Theater to pay their respects to the Godfather of Soul.
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LIN (voice-over): With all the pomp and pageantry of a royal funeral, horse-drawn carriage carrying the golden casket, thousands packed Harlem streets. Politicians, celebrities and mourners joined together to say good-bye to the man they say epitomized the slogan, I'm black and I'm proud.
REV. AL. SHARPTON, PRESIDED AT SERVICE: He became a superstar on his own terms, and he made you respect us. That's why we respect him.
LIN: His partner nearly collapsed. His grandson wept after seeing Brown's body on display.
Fans say his message was deeply personal.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It wasn't a time when you was proud to be black. And there was colored. I didn't know how to define myself. And that was the first time I heard something like that, and it made me feel good, made me feel proud.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thanks to James brown, I'm still black and I'm proud.
LIN: James Brown, born in poverty, became one of the most influential musicians of the century.
Today he returned to his musical roots, the Apollo Theater, where he made his debut as an amateur in 1956. He secured his spot in history as the Godfather of glitz, glamour and soul.
SHARPTON: For James Brown shines for us that never had anybody shine for them.
LIN: Diehard fans waited for hours for a chance to pay their respects.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE Nobody can out perform him. In this age of technology and everything, he did it without the technology and still was digging in all the stars today.
LIN: His children and relatives took to the stage in his honor, a fitting tribute, it would seem, to a man many Americans considered royalty.
(END VIDEOTAPE) LIN: Today there will be a private ceremony for Brown in his hometown of Augusta, Georgia on Saturday. The public is invited to a homecoming celebration of sorts at the James Brown Arena in Augusta. He will be buried in a family plot near the arena.
You know the Apollo Theater, Miles, when it's full, holds about 1,500 people. You can bet there were many, many, many thousands more yesterday outside the Apollo Theater.
O'BRIEN: Yes. And there's a great quote here from Queen McFarland (ph), 64 years old. She was out there. She said, "I'm here because James Brown is the king of soul. That's our black Elvis Presley. I'm here to tell him thank you. Think of him that way.
And more than a singing artist, though, he had such an impact on the way black people viewed themselves racially in an important time.
LIN: And in turn, had an impact on politics.
O'BRIEN: Exactly.
All right, well that's all the time we have for 2006.
LIN: That's right.
O'BRIEN: We'll see you next year.
LIN: CNN NEWSROOM with Heidi Collins and T.J. Holmes begins right now.
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