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President Bush Ponders Troop Increase in Iraq; Screen Actors Guild Nominees Announced; Thousands Of Taxpayer Dollars Going To Pensions For Congressional Felons; Wesley Autrey Saves Teen On Subway Tracks; Despite New Congress Many Americans Expect Same Politics

Aired January 04, 2007 - 15:00   ET

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

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Politics and religion together again on the House floor again -- Keith Ellison, the nation's first Muslim member of Congress, is taking his ceremonial oath on a Koran, and not just any Koran.
CNN's Jill Dougherty joins us with that -- Jill.

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN INTERNATIONAL U.S. AFFAIRS EDITOR: Hey, Don.

Well, it's really a fascinating story. You know, Keith Ellison is a 43-year-old Democrat from Minnesota, a man of many firsts. He was the first African-American elected representative. And now what he is going to do -- he's also the first Muslim. And that is the nub of the story that we're looking at.

He decided that he wanted to use the Koran, his holy book, because he is a Muslim, for the swearing-in ceremony. Now, you have to back up a little bit, and say that there is no requirement to use any type of book. Christians sometimes and often use the Bible. Jews have used the Old Testament. Others don't use anything. You could use a dictionary, if you wanted, or absolutely nothing.

But he decided to use a Koran. He said it's a book that gives him inspiration. And that sounds very positive, but there are some people who say that that should never happen, that, traditionally, the Bible has been used, and that is the way it is, and this should not happen.

So, it's been quite a controversy. There has been a lot of fight about it in the blogosphere and back and forth. But Mr. Ellison is going to go forward and make some history today.

LEMON: Yes. And you know what? We're looking at live pictures of that right now. That is the Ellison family, all of them, Keith, Kim, Amirah, Jeremiah, Elijah, and Isaiah. He has his entire family with him.

Why do you think there has been so much controversy with this?

DOUGHERTY: Well, you know, partly, I think, because it is a first. There is no question, when something happens for the first time.

And then there is no denying that, in this atmosphere of the war in Iraq, the question about Islamic identity, terrorism, et cetera, that these issues would be raised.

Now, interestingly, Mr. Ellison didn't use that during his campaign. He basically didn't bring it up. Other people have. And it reminds me, and maybe some other people, about what happened 40 years ago with John F. Kennedy. Remember, he was a Catholic. And some of the issues were raised at that point.

Could he really be loyal to the United States? And nobody who is elected is supposed to represent any religious group. We all know that. So, the interesting thing here, I think, will be watching him. The American people will be watching him, and maybe drawing some conclusions about how a Muslim can represent his constituents, just like everybody else.

LEMON: And, Jill, talk to us a little bit more about the Koran. This is Thomas -- owned by Thomas Jefferson in the swearing-in ceremony?

DOUGHERTY: Precisely, Don.

It's a Bible from the Library of Congress, I should say -- I'm sorry -- a Koran from the Library of Congress. And it actually was owned by Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States, an historic book. And he deliberately did that, because you would have to say, very interesting that, hundreds of years ago, Thomas Jefferson was reading the Koran, looking at it, and studying, as many of the founding fathers were really cutting-edge people at the time, who were very interested in other cultures, other religions, science, et cetera.

LEMON: Yes. And, Thomas Jefferson, of course, saying that -- I guess was really the first one to put it sort of in context or in writing, the issue of diversity -- and, as you said, religion not being a part of at least the separation of church and state as part of the governing.

As we watch this process here, he is with his family. Again, his wife was holding that Koran. We saw that earlier, Jill.

Talk to us about this man, again, because he -- I have been reading some stuff about him. And he is saying: You know what? I'm not a symbol at all. I'm just an American who wants to serve the country.

DOUGHERTY: Well, that is what he is trying to get across.

You know, there are a lot of people -- we're looking at some statistics about this new Congress. There are a heck of a lot of firsts. You have the first Buddhist. I believe there are two. You have 32, last I counted, different faiths and other religions.

LEMON: Yes.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: We're going to listen in now, Jill. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Raise your right hand.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Raise your right hand.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My right hand.

(CROSSTALK)

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. Ellison, part two.

(LAUGHTER)

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: .. camera, cameras.

LEMON: OK, Jill, it looks like it's just a photo-op. I don't think that was the official swearing-in there.

I don't know what is going to happen, but we will stay with it for a little bit.

But, again, you were -- you were talking about how he -- this man wants to serve the country, and he doesn't want his religion, or at least his beliefs, to be part of that.

DOUGHERTY: Yes, that's what he says. I mean, as everybody, he says he draws faith -- oh, here we go again. Let's see.

LEMON: OK.

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON: Now we're going to listen, Jill.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: So, Jill, again, this -- we know they were sworn in officially earlier. And this is the mock swearing-in.

Got some information here. The new Congress will, for the first time, include a Muslim, two Buddhists, as you were saying, more Jews and Episcopalians, and the highest ranking Mormon in congressional history.

And, of course, Roman Catholics remain the largest single faith group in Congress, accounting for 29 percent of all members of the House and the Senate, and followed by Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Jews, and Episcopalians. This is a photo-op, Keith Ellison now, native of Detroit, Michigan, being sworn in -- or at least the photo-op of that, from the Koran.

So, Jill, a few last words -- observing this, what do you think?

DOUGHERTY: Well, just looking at that, you know, they -- a lot of people from around the world were very interested in this.

In fact, after he was elected, he got a lot of e-mails from people around the world, Muslims, who are very happy, proud, interested in the fact that a Muslim could make it into the U.S. Congress. As we were saying, he is -- he is going to have to represent every -- all the people. That will be his mission.

LEMON: All right. Jill Dougherty, we appreciate your insight.

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON: Thanks for joining you us.

DOUGHERTY: Yes.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, Democrats will try to make up for some lost time, and fast. But will they make any real changes? And can they?

Gary Nurenberg joins us live with more.

Hey, Gary.

GARY NURENBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, good afternoon, Kyra.

As you could see from those ceremonial photo-ops a moment ago, this has been a day mostly for ceremonies, but some of those ceremonies have made history.

Earlier this afternoon, Nancy Pelosi of California became the first female speaker of the House of Representatives in the nation's history. That symbolic receipt of the gavel marks a return to power for Democrats, who lost control of the House in the 1994 Contract With American elections. They have been in the minority ever since.

Pelosi today talked about working across the aisle in a bipartisan fashion, but made it clear it is the president who should take the lead for a new course in Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: The American people rejected an open-ended obligation to a war without end.

Shortly, President Bush will address the nation on the subject of Iraq. It is the responsibility of the president to articulate a new plan for Iraq that makes it clear to the Iraqis that they must defend their own streets and their own security, a plan that promotes stability in the region and a plan that allows us to responsibly redeploy our troops.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NURENBERG: Also making no -- making it very clear, rather, where she thinks the responsibility for Iraq policy lies.

The Senate was also sworn in today -- the Senate now back in Democratic hands as well, and the majority leader there echoing Nancy Pelosi, promised to work across the aisle in a spirit of bipartisanship.

Here is Senator Harry Reid.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV), MAJORITY LEADER: Last November, the voters sent us a message -- sent this message to Democrats, sent this message to Republicans. The voters are upset with Congress and the partisan gridlock. The voters want a government that focuses on their needs. The voters want change.

Together, Democrats and Republicans must deliver that change.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NURENBERG: Democrats promise quick action on ethics reform, the minimum wage, stem cell research and implementation of the 9/11 Commission recommendations. They know that the campaign is now over, and it is time for them to deliver. We will watch it.

PHILLIPS: A lot of interesting moments. You saw Tony Bennett, Carole King, Richard Gere. It really draws in quite an interesting crowd -- and also an interesting moment with Hillary Clinton and the former president, her husband, trying to figure out how they were going to swear on the Bible there, and which way to face.

(LAUGHTER)

NURENBERG: You know, President Clinton did not live up to a promise he once made about running for chairman of the Senate spouses club.

(LAUGHTER)

NURENBERG: But that was the last session of Congress. We will have to see what happens during this one.

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: Did Tony Bennett sing, by the way?

NURENBERG: He was in town to perform at a party for Ms. Pelosi last night. I'm not sure what he has on tap for the rest of the day. But, if I can get that assignment, Kyra, I want it. PHILLIPS: Yes, I can just imagine. She has got quite an interesting group of friends.

Gary, thanks a lot.

Well, one Democratic senator is missing all the hoopla today. Tim Johnson of South Dakota is still in a Washington hospital, three weeks after suffering a brain hemorrhage and undergoing emergency surgery. Tests now show that the brain problem is fixed. And doctors say the post-op complication that forced Johnson on to a ventilator is better, too. He is now on the vent only at night. And the senator is expected to undergo several months of rehab and physical therapy.

LEMON: Declaring it's time for change, and we are that change, Deval Patrick becomes Massachusetts' first and the nation's second elected black governor. Now, he took the oath of office today on a Bible given to John Quincy Adams by African slaves he helped free in 1841.

The inaugural was the commonwealth's first outdoors, thanks to spring-like weather. From the statehouse steps, Patrick asked for everyone's help in moving the state forward.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. DEVAL PATRICK (D), MASSACHUSETTS: For every dad working two jobs, and wondering which one is going to be shipped overseas, for every fisherman wondering whether this year's catch will do, for every immigrant wondering whether the American dream is a myth, for every teacher, every bus driver, every government clerk, every firefighter, every small business owner doing your best and wondering whether anyone appreciates you, for every one of God's children who calls Massachusetts home, let's rebuild this city on the hill and make it shine again.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Well, among those looking on, Douglas Wilder of Virginia, the nation's first black elected governor, and Michael Dukakis, Massachusetts' last Democratic governor. Outgoing Governor Mitt Romney stayed home.

PHILLIPS: Ending a war by expanding the force -- the president mulls a plan to get thousands of new boots on the ground in Iraq -- more on the sure strategy -- or surge in strategy straight ahead from the CNN NEWSROOM

LEMON: Doing time on your dime, congressional felons paid fat pensions in prison -- ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: The U.S. strategy for Iraq, sometimes -- or something is going to change, and soon. Most likely, change will equal surge, not exactly what most of the war's critics have been demanding. But how many more troops are we talking, and when?

Here is White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux.

What do you think, Suzanne?

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, the White House certainly says they're not giving out any numbers. They're not even confirming that the president has signed off on any kind of order for additional U.S. troops.

But there are sources outside of this building who are saying, expect the president to do just that -- Pentagon sources saying it could be in the range of 20,000 to 40,000 troops. Lean on the lesser side, the lower side, of those numbers -- certainly not a popular decision by this president.

Now, an important step the president took today is that he engaged in a video teleconference call, an hour and 45 minutes, with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki -- a readout of that call, both of them saying that they had the shared goal, the same goal of victory for Iraq, that they were both determined, and that the primary concern here was trying to secure Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TONY SNOW, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: They talked about various -- the one thing, they were talking about the importance of having sufficient force within Baghdad to create a stable situation within the city.

QUESTION: And did the president suggest that he was inclined to send more troops to Baghdad?

SNOW: The president and the prime minister exchanged ideas, but I'm not going to get into details at that level.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: So, Kyra, they're not getting into details at that level here, but, certainly, outside of this building, they are giving very clear indications, that where -- is the president is leaning. That is what he is expected to do.

We are also told those familiar with the president's deliberations expect consultations to be wrapped up tomorrow. Perhaps as early as Monday, White House officials will reach out, conduct courtesy calls to members of Congress to brief them on the president's plan, and then expect, perhaps Wednesday evening, a prime-time address for the president to lay out his plan to the American people -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well, the president also needs to fill some vacancies at the White House, right?

MALVEAUX: There's a lot going on...

(LAUGHTER) MALVEAUX: ... a lot going on today.

Of course, the president's lawyer, counsel Harriet Miers, submitted her letter of resignation this morning. She goes back with Bush since the days of governor. She is most known, however, for her failed nomination to the Supreme Court, just couldn't get the support out of the Senate.

We are told she will stay on until the end of January. They don't have a replacement. And, then, there's a whole 'nother set of things going on. And that is National Intelligence Director John Negroponte leaving his position. He is going to become the deputy to Secretary Rice.

His replacement, the nominee for his replacement, Mike McConnell, he's a former director of the National Security Agency. We're told President Bush, directly and personally, reached out to both of these men to try to get these positions filled.

And, Kyra, I should also let you know that, already, there is buzz and speculation -- this happens in Washington -- some saying that perhaps, with Negroponte moving into this number-two spot at State, maybe that clears the way for Secretary Rice to leave her position in a couple of months, and run for president.

Well, here is what Tony Snow had to say. Here is how he responded to that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SNOW: Let me just try to do this. This will be some subtle body language that should help you on this. You ready?

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: So, Kyra, of course, a lot of speculation, a lot of talk in Washington. Of course, there are some things that are definite here, and there other things that are just left up to the imagination.

Negroponte had said some time ago that he was going to stay in his spot. So, you never know.

PHILLIPS: So, the eye roll, then, how does that -- that is defined as, are you crazy?

MALVEAUX: Exactly.

PHILLIPS: OK.

(LAUGHTER)

MALVEAUX: I think that is what that was.

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: All right, Suzanne Malveaux, thanks so much.

LEMON: Doing time on your dime, congressional felons paid fat pensions in prison -- that's ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CULTURE AND ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: I'm Brooke Anderson in Hollywood.

Pivotal award nominations were announced today, prompting one's "Grey's Anatomy" star to make a very cheerful wakeup call to another -- those details and more on the Screen Actors Guild Award nominees when the CNN NEWSROOM returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Very big day in Hollywood -- nominations announced for one of the most coveted awards in acting.

"SHOWBIZ TONIGHT"'s Brooke Anderson joins me now.

Did my name or Kyra's name come up in any of this stuff?

(LAUGHTER)

ANDERSON: I don't remember hearing either name.

LEMON: Oh, man.

ANDERSON: I'm sure they messed up there, Don.

LEMON: Yes. We have got to call them and see what happened.

(CROSSTALK)

(LAUGHTER)

ANDERSON: Exactly. I will look into that for you.

But you're right. These are coveted awards. And they reflect actors voting on their peers. So, the honors are very meaningful for those who are recognized -- and recognized in a big way today, Leonardo DiCaprio.

Leo received three SAG nominations, one for lead actor for "Blood Diamond," another for his supporting turn in "The Departed." And the third is a nomination for the entire cast of "The Departed." Now, that best ensemble category really distinguishes the SAG Awards from all the other award shows.

But "The Departed" has really formidable competition in that category from the little movie that could, "Little Miss Sunshine." Here it is. It's a runaway hit. Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, and Steve Carell were actually all overlooked in the individual acting categories. But newcomer Abigail Breslin -- you see her there -- she was terrific in this film. She was nominated, as was veteran Alan Arkin, for their respective supporting categories.

Two-time SAG winner Sandra Oh was on hand to announce the nominees this morning. Her show, "Grey's Anatomy," no surprise, was nominated for outstanding ensemble. And Chandra Wilson got an individual nod for lead actress in a drama.

I spoke to Sandra Oh this morning about the tremendous success of "Grey's Anatomy."

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SANDRA OH, ACTRESS: Many people say it -- and it's very, very true -- if you end up being on a show that not only gets picked up, but that goes for more than a couple of years, and is successful, like "Grey's Anatomy," it is really like winning the lottery.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: She is just lovely.

She Sandra told me that she called Chandra Wilson right after the nominations to tell Chandra that she was nominated. And she said Chandra just giggled and said she was so thrilled to be nominated, and told Sandra that Sandra was actually passing the torch on to her. And that is because Sandra Oh actually won that same category last year. She told me, they are very supportive of each other, and it's about teamwork on the set of "Grey's Anatomy."

Over on the comedy side of things, there was a tie in the women's category for lead actress. And that resulted in six nominees, instead of the usual five. Now, I spoke with someone from the Screen Actors Guild, and they don't reveal who the tie is between.

But it's got to be among these funny ladies, first, America Ferrera for "Ugly Betty," Felicity Huffman of "Desperate Housewives" -- now, Felicity won that award last year -- also, Julia Louis- Dreyfus, who recently won an Emmy for "The New Adventures of Old Christine." You have also got Megan Mullally of "Will & Grace," Mary- Louise Parker of "Weeds," and Jaime Pressly from "My Name Is Earl," some well-deserved nominations, stiff competition in that category.

The 13th annual SAG Awards will be handed out Sunday, January 28. It will air live, both on TNT and TBS.

OK, coming up tonight on "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT," when is it going to end, Donald Trump's war of words with Rosie O'Donnell? But has Trump's mudslinging gone too far? And why is his daughter Ivanka now jumping into the fight? The big controversy on TV's most provocative entertainment news show, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT," 11:00 Eastern and Pacific, tonight on Headline Prime. A.J. Hammer and I hope to see you then -- Don.

LEMON: Oh, jeez. Brooke, you know what? You need to get in the middle of them and separate them. Enough, already. ANDERSON: It's like a childhood recess fight...

LEMON: Yes.

ANDERSON: ... that has now escalated. And it's just ridiculous.

(CROSSTALK)

ANDERSON: Something's got to put an end to it.

LEMON: We will be watching to see if you break them up tonight.

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON: All right, thanks, Brooke.

ANDERSON: OK. I will try.

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: On the outside looking in -- although Tomi Rae Hynie claims that she legally married -- to soul singer James Brown, she says she is having a hard time being acknowledged as his widow.

First, the lawyers locked her out of Brown's South Carolina home. And, last night, she told CNN's Larry King the Reverend Al Sharpton shut her out of Brown's funeral.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "LARRY KING LIVE")

TOMI RAE HYNIE, WIDOW OF JAMES BROWN: I said, "You still aren't going to give me the dignity of calling me his wife?"

And he said to me, "You see, I tried to be nice to you and look what you did. Now I ain't going to be nice to you know more. That's it."

And he turned around. And I started crying tears, tears, tears. And I walked off the stage. That's when they told me that there was no more funeral and that I was to go this way. And that's when the eulogies were held. And I wasn't able to say anything about my husband.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: OK. Tomi Rae also told Larry King that she has no idea where or even if James Brown has been buried.

LEMON: Capitol Hill dust bunnies, beware. The Democrats show up with new brooms for the House and the Senate -- more on the party's ambitious agenda ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta. LEMON: And I'm Don Lemon.

He saved a man on the subway tracks, and said, "I did what anybody would do." Would you do it? More, in the hero's own words, straight ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.

After a dozen years in the wilderness, Democrats are kings of the Hill, Capitol Hill that is. As you may have seen live on CNN, the 110th Congress convened today with Democrats in control of both houses for the first time since 1995. That's a result of midterm elections that produced 10 new senators and 54 new representatives.

Two of the new senators are women as are 10 of the new representatives. Nancy Pelosi of California is the first woman speaker of the House. The new Congress also includes America's first Muslim member and first two Buddhist members.

PHILLIPS: President Roosevelt had his famous 100 days. New House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says 100 hours is all she needs to begin passing key legislation in the 110th Congress. Here is a look at her plan.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): New House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi says 100 hours is enough time to begin, in her words, "draining the swamp of more than a decade of Republican rule." Top of the agenda on day one, break the link between lobbyists and legislation.

Day two, make the nation safer by enacting the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. Goals to shoot for in the time remaining? Raise the federal minimum wage to $5.15 to $7.25, cut the interest rate on student loans in half, make healthcare, especially prescription drugs, more affordable, expand the types of stem cell research allowed with federal money.

Another key goal? End deficit spending by committing to a pay- as-you-go policy. Other targets in the 100 hours, energizing the push to make the nation energy independent including rolling back the multiple billion dollar subsidies for big oil companies, and fighting any attempt to privatize Social Security.

One Republican critic, former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, says the Democrats 100-hour plan would, quote, "devastate economic prosperity for Americans and burden tax payers at all levels."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: They're paying their debts to society but still paying their pensions. You are. Thousands of taxpayer dollars are going to Congressional felons each year.

And CNN's Drew Griffin joins us now. He has been keeping track of all of this.

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER: It's really unreal, Don.

You know, over the past 25 years, the National Taxpayers union says there have been 20 of these Congressmen convicted of a serious crime, even felonies, and they still get their pensions, some of them getting their pensions while they actually sit in prison.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GRIFFIN (voice-over): Case in point, Randall "Duke" Cunningham -- he pleaded guilty to using his congressional office to accept bribes, kickbacks, money from the contractors he was voting to give government business.

Cunningham right now is sitting in this federal prison in North Carolina and getting his government pension, an estimated $64,000 a year, sent to a congressional felon sitting in the can.

JOHN BERTHOUD, NATIONAL TAXPAYERS UNION: Cunningham has to be the classic example.

GRIFFIN: John Berthoud is president of the National Taxpayers Union. It's a watchdog lobbying group, mostly interested in cutting the size of government, cutting waste, and cutting taxes.

Because federal pensions are secret, all of the figures you've seen in this report are estimates based on the Taxpayers Union's calculations. Berthoud can think of no better example of government waste than sending $64,000 a year to Duke Cunningham.

BERTHOUD: But all of us are still paying this guy $64,000 a year, roughly, while he sits in prison. And, you know, I think the vast majority of Americans think that that is really, really wrong.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Congressman, what are you going to tell the judge today?

GRIFFIN: And Cunningham is hardly alone.

JAMES TRAFICANT, FORMER CONGRESSMAN: I'm not going to admit to crimes I did not do.

GRIFFIN: James Traficant, the Ohio congressman convicted of bribery and sentenced to eight years, is collecting an estimated $40,000 a year sitting in this federal prison in Minnesota.

Traficant and Cunningham didn't respond to our letters, and former Minnesota congressman Dave Durenberger didn't want to talk to us either.

DAVE DURENBERGER, FORMER CONGRESSMAN: The Department of Justice has charged me...

GRIFFIN: He pleaded guilty to fraud in 1995, did a year's probation and paid a fine. Now we pay him an estimated pension of $86,000 a year. (on camera): And who among the convicted felons of Congress is getting the most out of his retirement? That would be the guy who lives in this Chicago building and owns this car.

Take a look at the license plate. Retired member of Congress. That big "R" stands for the big guy, Chairman Daniel Rostenkowski, usually not shy about talking to the media, except when it comes to his estimated $126,000 a year taxpayer funded pension.

(voice-over): The former chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee told us on the phone he has nothing to say. And, in fact, Rostenkowski, who was sent to prison for mail fraud, may have good reason not to answer his door.

Just a month ago, the state of Illinois used its felony conviction clause to take away the pension of former Governor George Ryan, who was convicted and sentenced to six-and-a-half years for mail fraud, money laundering and extortion. But that's state law.

Under federal law, the only grounds for stripping a congressman of his pension is if he's convicted of treason. The National Taxpayers Union for years has been calling for a tougher conviction clause, a simple change says Taxpayers Union president Berthoud. If you are convicted of any felony while in office, you forfeit your right to get paid.

BERTHOUD: It's hard unless, maybe, you're a member of Congress or a former member of Congress, for anybody to understand how on earth you could ask taxpayers to pay pensions for people like that.

GRIFFIN: Now two dozen watchdog groups have joined the campaign, sending this letter to the incoming Democrats who vowed to drain the swamp, asking them to at least drain the felons from the swamp.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: OK, Drew, so it's up to Congress to change this?

GRIFFIN: Yes.

LEMON: So why haven't they done it?

GRIFFIN: Why hasn't it, right? It seems like a no-brainer. Just say, hey, if you're convicted of misusing the office and stealing our money, you shouldn't get our money. It seems like an easy clause. They've tried it a couple of times. It's gone no where.

Tonight on "ANDERSON COOPER" we're actually going to talk to a Congressman who is going to propose legislation to do exactly that but guess what? He is a Republican member of the House now in the Democratic-controlled house, so don't hold your breath.

LEMON: It just -- it seems a bit outrageous. What has been the reaction of the folks? Have you been gauging them?

GRIFFIN: People are just boiling over on our blog. They're just very upset. They can't believe it and they realize that, you know, Congress holds the keys to rewarding themselves.

You know, we pay a lot of money to congressional pensions. About $25 million a year goes to legitimate pensions of Congressman. It's a lot of money. How much of that goes to the crooks is a lot less but why should any of it?

LEMON: Why should any of it go into it. I'm glad you mentioned your blog. Real quick, tell us about the blog and where we go find it and all of that.

GRIFFIN: Oh, the blog. A.C. has the blog, "ANDERSON COOPER 360" Blog. It's a fun place where we tell you about how we gathered news on the story and tell you about my little conversation with Rusty.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: He still writes a column for the "Chicago Sun-Times."

GRIFFIN: Every once in a while he's on the "Sun-Times" and he still gets out on the local TV there and he's actually been interviewed quite a few times here on CNN over the years. He just picks and chooses what he gets interviewed about.

LEMON: He didn't answer the phone for Drew Griffin though.

GRIFFIN: He answered the phone twice and hung up on me twice and didn't answer my letters and thank you very much.

LEMON: There's something he said, Drew Griffin. All right, we will go to your blog and we'll be watching that on "A.C. 360." Thank you very much.

GRIFFIN: Thanks, Don.

PHILLIPS: Tornado watch in New Orleans. Rob Marciano tracking it all from our Weather Center. That is something the New Orleaneans don't want to hear, Rob.

(WEATHER REPORT)

LEMON: Here's a question for you. Can a pill make you thin? "Fat chance," says the feds as they play the heavy with diet pill makers. We've got the skinny on suspect claims next in the CNN NEWSROOM.

And he wins the city's heart and a lifelong gratitude of a young man's family. Even though Wesley Autrey doesn't want you to call him a hero after his daring subway rescue, the NEWSROOM begs to differ with that. We're back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Found and impounded an SUV that police in Denver hope will yield new clues in the murder of a Denver Broncos cornerback. Now, police are going over every inch of this -- that's it right there -- 1998 Chevy Tahoe discovered just south of the Denver airport. They think it may have been used in a New Year's Day drive-by shooting that killed Darrent Williams.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROSALIND WILLIAMS, MOTHER OF DARRENT WILLIAMS: If, in the event, this person is not brought to justice, I know that they have to live with this for the rest of their lives. And sometimes that's a little bit more punishment than actually going to sit in a jail for a long, long time, because they're the ones that have to sleep with what they did every night.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Denver media is reporting the SUV belongs to Brian Hicks. Hicks has been in jail since November 9th on a drug charge. He's also accused at shooting at a woman who was later killed a week before she was due to testify against him. Police are trying to find out who's been driving his Tahoe.

PHILLIPS: Want to lose holiday pounds? Well, you might want to skip the pills. The Federal Trade Commission is fining the marketers of four popular diet pills a total of $25 million for making false claims. The brands in question are TrimSpa, CortiSlim, Xenadrine EFX and One a Day Weight Smart. The FDC says they don't live up to their promises.

LEMON: I guess by anybody's account, this next story is an amazing one. The next time you need the definition of hero, think of Wesley Autrey. He's a regular rider on the New York subway who happened to see a teenager fall on the tracks Tuesday afternoon. With no time to spare, let alone to think twice, Autrey saved the teen's life in a way that might easily have cost him his own.

CNN's Randi Kaye heard the story in the hero's own words.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): 1:00 in the afternoon Tuesday, Wesley Autrey was with his two little girls on his way to work.

(on camera): So you take this train every day?

WESLEY AUTREY, SUBWAY HERO: I take this train every day.

KAYE: Same time?

AUTREY: Same time.

KAYE (voice-over): But this commute would be different. This 50-year-old Navy veteran was about to become front-page news.

AUTREY : I didn't want to see anybody hurt. So I felt, you know, the best thing to do was start the new year off right. What a better way than to save a life.

KAYE: Wesley noticed Cameron Hollopeter having a seizure. AUTREY: I think he meant to lean on this, but when he came this way, he went like this, bumped off and fell backwards.

KAYE: What Wesley did next sent his girls age 6 and 4 into tears. He handed them to a woman and jumped on to the track to save a man he'd never met.

AUTREY: I hopped down here, one feet there, one feet there. I look. I see an oncoming train. You see what I read in blue lights?

KAYE (on camera): Yes.

AUTREY: But the farthest one. That's where the train was when I first went down.

KAYE (voice-over): Cameron was still struggling in this gutter between the live rails. The train was blowing its horn. Brakes were squealing. Time was running out.

AUTREY: And I'm slipping. Each time I go, I look, the train is getting closer, the train is getting closer, it's getting closer. So the last time, the train was about right there where that wood is. And I'm like, you can't get him up. Go for the gutter. So I just...

KAYE (on camera): So where...

AUTREY: ... grabbed him like this, fell on top of him, and locked my legs around his, both of them, held him down, put my head over here and leaned in the gutter.

KAYE: So, he was on his back, and you were on top of him?

AUTREY: Yes.

KAYE: From the time Wesley jumped down on the tracks, he thinks he had only about seven seconds before the train was on top of him.

(voice-over): Four cars rushed over them, so close they grazed Wesley's hat. His mother believes there was an angel on the track with him. Wesley was unharmed. Cameron's recovering in the hospital.

AUTREY: He thanked me, and he said that he didn't even realize that he was underneath the train.

KAYE: Wesley doesn't like being called a hero, but to Cameron's family, that's what he is.

LARRY HOLLOPETER, CAMERON'S DAD: Mr. Autrey's instinctive and unselfish act saved our son's life.

AUTREY: That's all right. You'll be all right.

HOLLOPETER: And there are no words to properly express our gratitude and feelings for his actions.

KAYE: Hero or not, Wesley is in demand. David Letterman wants to interview him. Donald Trump is giving him $10,000. His kids have been offered a trip to Disneyland.

And the New York Film Academy, which Cameron attends, surprised Wesley with a $5,000 check, plus $5,000 in scholarships for his children.

Wesley says he doesn't care about the money. He just wants others to know...

AUTREY: A life is worth saving.

KAYE: Randi Kaye, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Food for thought. Dishing up opinions on the new Democratic Congress, coming up from the NEWSROOM.

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PHILLIPS: A new year, new Congress, new party in the majority, but some Americans still expect the same old, old politics.

CNN national correspondent Bob Franken chews things over with some patrons at a local diner in Baltimore.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They're supposed to have some of the best crab cakes in Baltimore here at the Sit and Bite Diner, which is really saying something. What they definitely do have is customers who are real crabby about Congress.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's like they're puppets in the Congress. I don't know, it's like...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We don't know who is controlling all of them.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, it's kind of bizarre.

FRANKEN (on camera): Whichever party?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Both.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't even think it's a party.

FRANKEN (voice-over): Our table included an administrative assistant, truck mechanic, the owner of a real estate agency, and a clerk.

While a CNN Opinion Research poll found that 61 percent of those surveyed expect the Democratic takeover will be good for Congress, our Sit and Bite Diners weren't so sure.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When the Democrats lost the House, everybody was tired of Democrats, so they thought Republicans could do it, and they would make a difference. So, Republicans were in for 12 years, and so now the Democrats come back around.

So it's going to go back in the same cycle. Democrats will stay in for eight to 12 years. They'll screw up, Republicans will say, we can do better, and people will vote them in.

(CROSSTALK)

FRANKEN: What about corruption? Will it be any better under the Democrats than it was under the Republicans? Our poll shows that 49 percent say it would make no difference. The Sit and Bite commentators agree.

(on camera): Do you feel that the Democrats are going to be any less corrupt?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They've been corrupt for years.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I feel that they're all corrupt.

FRANKEN: When it comes to politicians, this is a tough crowd at the Sit and Bite Diner. It's fair to say it's a tough crowd all around the country.

Bob Franken, CNN, Baltimore.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: That's classic. Bob Franken at the Sit and Bite diner.

Got to check with Wolf.

LEMON: A very busy day in "THE SITUATION ROOM." Hey Wolf.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Hey guys. Thanks very much.

There's a power shift in Washington. Democrats take over. But will they make a move to bring the war in Iraq to an end? We're covering all of the angles of the story.

Plus, Senator Jim Webb and Congressman John Murtha, they are standing by to join us live.

One of the world's most wanted men in a rare interview speaking out the last time he saw Osama bin Laden.

Plus, addiction to painkillers and moments of paranoia. The secret life of a U.S. Supreme Court Justice, we have the story.

And what happened to winter? A toasty season has some scientists ringing alarm bells will global warming. All that coming up right here in THE SITUATION ROOM. Back to you. PHILLIPS: Thanks, Wolf.

LEMON: Thank you sir. Paging chicken little. A piece of the sky or something falls in New Jersey. We are putting on our special x-ray goggles for a closer look. Stay with us in the CNN NEWSROOM.

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PHILLIPS: A little down-to-earth mystery in New Jersey here. Take a look, what do you think it is? It's a rock-like object that fits in your hands, weighs about 13 ounces. It crashed through the roof of a Monmonth County home on Tuesday and experts are still pouring over it. The feds say it's not from an airplane. An astronomy professor says 20 to 50 rock-like objects hit Earth every day. lab tests will determine whether this is a meteorite or a big chunk of gold.

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