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Holiday Shopping Rush; Oil Spill Gets Messier
Aired November 23, 2007 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And welcome back to CNN, everyone.
I'm Tony Harris.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Betty Nguyen, in for Heidi Collins today.
Developments, they are coming into the NEWSROOM on this Friday, the 23rd of November.
Here's what's on the rundown.
Shop until you drop. Bargain hunters with turkey hangovers gobble up holiday deals.
HARRIS: A boat load of tourists get a close call with cold water. Their ship hits ice off Antarctica.
NGUYEN: A grocery store cashier with a can-do attitude and a $15,000 "thank you" from a special customer.
Pay it forward -- in the CNN NEWSROOM.
HARRIS: Here is what we're talking about, Betty. Stay with me here.
NGUYEN: I'm with you.
HARRIS: Door-busters, super sales, midnight madness. The crush, the holiday shopping rush, it is on.
For some, the bargain hunting began in the dead of the night. Stores around the country offering expanded hours and deep discounts to lure shoppers.
The day after Thanksgiving, known as Black Friday, that's when retailers move out of the red and into the black.
Our intrepid -- is T.J. OK? -- reporters, correspondents braving the malls and stores this morning.
NGUYEN: He's in the toy aisle.
HARRIS: OK.
Ali Velshi at Roosevelt Field Mall in Garden City, New York. I think Nassau County. And T.J. Holmes... ALI VELSHI, CNN SR. BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Long Island.
HARRIS: OK -- at Wal-Mart in Woodstock, Georgia.
Let's begin with Ali. Ali, a heck of an assignment first thing in the morning with everyone, but are you having a good time?
VELSHI: I'm staying here as long as I have to make sure and make sure I'm here longer than T.J. is out today.
HARRIS: There you go.
VELSHI: That's what my day is, my Black Friday. This is what it's about.
Before 1:00 p.m., you take 20 percent off your entire purchase. They're trying to get people out here shopping.
I just talked to four women from three generations in a family who have been doing this for 25 years. And they came out. They all bought coats.
They said, you know what? It's been a warm autumn and everything is on sale. So they bought these coats.
People are out here shopping. They have been here since 4:00 in the morning, 5:00 in the morning.
It's really crowded. In fact, it's more crowded than I remember it being last year at this time. But as you know, folks are worried about the fact that because of the economy, people are not going to be spending as much this year as they did last year.
Now, bottom line is it's the kickoff to the holiday shopping season, and, by the way, I don't know what T.J. is going to tell you next, but I was here with Santa. I can take a picture. I don't know if you've got -- you got a picture of me with Santa?
HARRIS: Oh, terrific.
NGUYEN: Oh.
HARRIS: Oh, hanging out with the big man.
VELSHI: I look like I'm 6 years old, but, you know, he took care of me.
HARRIS: That is terrific. And let's be clear about this. This is not, Ali, the biggest shopping day of the year. That comes later in December, correct?
VELSHI: No. Usually the Saturday before Christmas. This is in the top 10.
HARRIS: Yes. VELSHI: It's a big deal, but it's the one that's supposed to really kick it off. It's the sense of the trend, how it's going to be. And in a season like we have got right now, everybody is watching this very carefully.
HARRIS: Yes.
VELSHI: Again, what I can tell you anecdotally, there are a lot of people at this mall. It is full.
We won't know until the numbers start to trickle in how much they're buying. Black Friday is about electronics, games, appliances, things like that. Later in the season it starts to be about the clothing.
What is that tune?
HARRIS: What is that? Oh, "Santa Claus is Coming to Town."
VELSHI: Oh, OK. It's carols. OK.
HARRIS: Oh, there you go again with Santa. Terrific.
All right, Ali. Great to see you.
VELSHI: You too, guys.
NGUYEN: Well, kicking things off starting at 4:00 a.m. this morning is the lovely T.J. Holmes, who is so excited to be at Wal-Mart in Woodstock, Georgia, for us today. He's in the toy aisle.
And T.J., I hear that Tickle Me T.J. doll is just flying off the store shelves.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: T.J. is always tickled actually, Betty. You know that. And it will cost you nothing.
But, hello.
This is some of the hot items here this year. I have a basket full, about 12 items that Wal-Mart has designated as the hot items.
This one here, I didn't know about this thing. It's a Squawkers McCaw. It's a parrot.
It speaks. It says all these phrases it can say to you. But this is a very popular item.
Again, Wal-Mart started their thing this morning at 5:00 a.m. and people started coming in for the hot deals. Well, this is one of the hottest items, the hottest toys here. In fact, this is the last one in the store in my possession.
It's a dangerous position for me to be in because a lot of people have been trying to get their hands on this thing. But if anybody back there at CNN know a lot of folks who want some hot toys, if you want it, it's 45 bucks. I will give it to you for $200, no problem.
I'll be bringing that back.
Another thing here, the Elmo. It seems like Elmo has been doing this every year. There's always a new hot Elmo.
This is one of the latest, the extra special edition. Whatever that may mean. He laughs like the last 12 editions of Elmo did.
We've got a few other items. This Havoc Helicopter.
This thing here, this is a dangerous one I don't know much about, the RipStik. It's supposed to be part surfboard, part snowboard, and it has wheels on it. Go figure. Makes not much sense. But that thing is pretty popular here as well.
Now, people have -- parents, understandably, concerned about the safety of toys. We have so many times in the past couple of weeks even seen so many recalls of toys, dangerous toys.
Aqua Dots were even on some of the popular top 10 items. Well, of course that's not on the list anymore, as we all know. But Wal- Mart has taken some steps.
They implemented things back in August, actually, five steps they're going to take to take extra precautions even after the federal government's precautions in the safety of toys. They went even steps further with their own internal checks on some of these toys.
So they're doing that. They're trying to give people better peace of mind about buying some of these toys.
So even if you come in here and there is a toy on the shelf that has been recalled even, guys, if you take it up to the counter and they ring it up, it's been recalled, the register will lock up so you won't even be able to buy the thing. So things like that should help give customers, parents a better peace of mind.
NGUYEN: Yes.
HOLMES: But some of these popular toys, the hottest toys they think certainly are safe. Checks and balances in place. Certainly some extra steps taken by Wal-Mart here and some other retailers as well. But Wal-Mart, to make sure people have a better peace of mind and get some of these hot toys.
But it has been an interesting morning here, guys. These are some of the hot items. Very few of these left here still in the store. And certainly the bargains are gone now, guys.
So it's been an interesting morning. I heard Ali there talking to Santa Claus. We've seen Santa running around here. But I wish to let the kids have the time with Santa and not occupy Santa's time.
NGUYEN: Oh, nice, taking the high road there, except you're going to charge us $200 for that $45 bird. Yes. We know you're on the naughty list, T.J.
HARRIS: There you go. There you go. Beautiful.
HOLMES: That's the deal. It's the last one, guys. The last one.
NGUYEN: Right. And you better watch yourself, because I have seen people hovering around. So be careful out there at the Wal-Mart, T.J.
HOLMES: All right. I sure will, guys.
NGUYEN: Yes. We'll talk to you later. Take care.
So earlier we did ask you, "What do you want for Christmas this year?" A new Wii? Maybe a diamond necklace?
HARRIS: A Bentley Coupe.
NGUYEN: A Bentley Coupe. Yes. I mean, who doesn't want that.
Well, we all have a slew of responses and...
HARRIS: Should we get started?
NGUYEN: ... I've gotten a lot in today. Yes.
HARRIS: OK. Joel from Tennessee writes, "Though it won't happen, I would love to have a month off of work to spend with my two lovely ladies -- my wife and my 8-month-old daughter. And you know what? A Wii would be nice, too."
NGUYEN: Yes. Throw that in, why don't you?
Nick in Ohio has got a pretty good one, too. "Like any good cycle therapist," as he calls himself, "I want a 105th Anniversary Harley-Davidson, the Ultra Classic Electra Glide, in copper and black."
HARRIS: Nice. Nice.
And Matt writes us, "I would like" -- boy, this is the gift this year, isn't it, this Wii? Mat says, "I would love a Wii, if you could ever find one."
Good luck with that.
NGUYEN: Exactly.
And this is a really great one from Lee. Lee says, "I've been in Iraq for the last 14 months. All I want for Christmas is to be home with my wife for my 1-year-old son's second Christmas."
HARRIS: There you go.
NGUYEN: And Lee, we sure hope that happens for you. HARRIS: And send along your thoughts. Just send them to us at cnnnewsroom@cnn.com, and we'll try to get more of those responses to our question today.
What do you want for the holidays?
NGUYEN: Yes, what do you want?
NGUYEN: What do you want for Christmas? Send those along and we will try to get a few more on before the top of the hour.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HARRIS: Unexpected detour for cruise ship passengers near Antarctica. Their ship hit ice in the middle of the Antarctic Ocean. It took on water and began to sink.
Passengers and crew of The Explorer headed for the lifeboats. A Norwegian cruise ship came to their rescue with Argentine, U.S. and British help.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FRED CAYGILL, BRITISH MARITIME & COAST GUARD AGCY.: We first received a call from the U.S. Coast Guard at 5:24 this morning, and we've been assisting RCC -- Rescue Coordination Center Norfolk and the Rescue Coordination Center Usha (ph) in Argentina from our Coast Guard operations room in Cornwall.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(NEWSBREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: A cargo ship leaking oil into San Francisco Bay, an offer of help turned down. The Coast Guard told emergency officials it was all under control. It wasn't.
Here is reporter Vic Lee of affiliate KGO.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VIC LEE, REPORTER, KGO (voice over): San Francisco's Department of Emergency Management didn't find out that a cargo ship had hit the Bay Bridge from the Coast Guard, which was in charge of coordinating the response to the disaster. Instead, it was an employee of the Army Corps of Engineers who works part time on the fire department's fire boat.
As Mayor Gavin Newsom told a congressional subcommittee on Monday...
MAYOR GAVIN NEWSOM, SAN FRANCISCO: The Coast Guard did not call us, Fish and Game did not call us. It was a part-time fire boat operator that called to say something is going on. LEE: A lieutenant from the fire boat station at pier 22.5 then immediately called the dispatch center at around 9:25 in the morning -- almost an hour after the accident.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, listen, we just got a heads up from the Army Corps of Engineers that a boat has collided with the tower of the Bay Bridge.
LEE: Dispatch immediately called the Coast Guard, which confirmed the report.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, we've got -- we received reports at 8:30 about a ship making contact with the Delta Tower of the Bay Bridge.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So that's an hour ago?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And did you investigate it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are investigating it right now.
LEE: The fire department ordered an immediate response, dispatching a battalion chief, search and rescue firefighters, a paramedic, and the fire boat to assist. But before they could reach the scene of the crash, the Coast Guard radioed back saying they didn't need the fire department's help.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With regard to the report of a container ship hitting the Bay Bridge, that is confirmed by the Coast Guard, but they say they don't need us responding at this time.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: The 58,000-gallon spill contaminated miles of coastline and killed hundreds of birds. The Coast Guard is investigating its response to the spill.
(NEWSBREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Here's why you don't mess with granny. OK? A Florida grandmother with diabetes and heart problems sends off not one, but two armed men.
It happened Thanksgiving Day in Naples, Florida. Seventy-seven- year-old Marilyn Wilson's (ph) daughter calls her a feisty little lady. Wilson was preparing a holiday dinner when two men knocked on her door. They were armed and tried to force her inside.
Wilson's daughter and the sheriff pick up the story from there.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHERYL HALL, VICTIM'S DAUGHTER: They shoved her in to the house. SHERIFF MIKE SCOTT, LEE COUNTY, FLORIDA: Threatened her with a gun, pushed her backwards.
HALL: She was screaming, and he told her if she continued to scream he was going to shoot her.
SCOTT: She actually pushed back a little bit herself.
HALL: When they told her that they were going to shoot her, she said, "Well, are you going to do it right here on the porch? Because I'm not going back in that house and I'm not going to stop screaming."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Good for her.
Well, the two men made off with Wilson's (ph) purse, but the sheriff says they were caught just minutes later.
HARRIS: You know, working the register, as I did years ago back in the day, as the kids say, you meet all kinds of people. One cashier met a very special customer, and rung up a "thank you" she never imagined.
Amy Anderson of affiliate KCTV explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
EVA BETTS, RECEIVED $15,000: There you go. Thank you very much. Happy Thanksgiving to you.
Hi there.
AMY ANDERSON, REPORTER, KCTV (voice over): Eva Betts has greeted customers with a smile for more than 10 years. But one customer thanked her for her hospitality in a way she never dreamed possible.
This is the letter from the trust from the bank and the check. I don't even want to let it go.
ANDERSON: It was from a loyal customer, a man in his 90s who had recently passed away. Betts grew close to him over the years, especially when age began to steal his independence.
BETTS: As the years went on, he became gradually disabled, and I would help him shop for his groceries. And then when he got sick I would go visit him in St. Luke's Hospital and cheer him up a little bit.
ANDERSON: Betts says the man had no family at all in Kansas City and she wanted him to know someone was thinking about him. The people who work with Betts say it's no surprise her generosity has come back to her.
MARK LENZ, STORE MANAGER: It couldn't have happened to a better person. Eva, you know, when she's done working a 45, 50-hour workweek here, she goes to the hospital and donates her time, volunteers for children and elderly.
BETTS: Thank you very much. Happy Thanksgiving.
ANDERSON: Betts says the money came at a perfect time. A hit- and-run accident hurt her financially this year.
BETTS: I had quite a substantial financial loss with that, and, you know, a little bit of self-pity, and this is indeed God letting me know that he was definitely still here. It's truly a blessing. Truly a blessing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Isn't that good?
NGUYEN: I love that story. I mean, you hear about, you know, how it's always appropriate just to be kind to your fellow man, and she wasn't asking for anything in return.
HARRIS: She didn't expect that.
NGUYEN: No. Good for her. She needed it, and she got it.
HARRIS: You know, the man lived about a block away from the store where the clerk works. She says, look, she'll never forget him.
NGUYEN: Of course she won't. Good for her.
Well, shoppers, they have gone wild today. Holiday bargain hunters line up before the sun comes up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: A Florida couple counting their blessings this Thanksgiving, and six is the magic number. A home for the holidays story for the history books, that's coming up in minutes.
You are in the CNN NEWSROOM on this busy shopping day. Glad you're watching. I'm Betty Nguyen.
HARRIS: Boy it has been a morning, hasn't it?
NGUYEN: I'm tired just watching the door busters.
HARRRIS: I'm Tony Harris. Busting through the doors in search of deals. The holiday shopping rush is on! Some stores opened at midnight trying to lure shoppers with deep discounts. The day after Thanksgiving known as Black Friday, that's when retailers move out of the red and into the black.
The holiday shopping season can account for as much as half of sales and profits for the year. For shoppers it's all about the thrill of the bargain.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is just a tradition for me and my mom. We do this every year.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Have you found this year is any different than years past, the deals about the same or the crowds about the same?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't think it's as crowded this year.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why do you think that is?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know. Everybody decided to sleep in.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It gets crazier each year. Last year was insane. Next year is going to be even crazier.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you having fun?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, with a bunch of friends.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Would you do it next year?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As of right now, yes. If I get punched in the face trying to grab a coat, then probably not.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: It happens, it definitely happens. Retail analysts predicting only lukewarm increases in sales. They expect sales to grow by 4 percent.
NGUYEN: All right, so you're looking for a bargain on a big screen television? You are better get in line, and it's a long line. The holiday shopping rush from Jill Horner from CN8 in Deptford, New Jersey.
JILL HORNER, CN8 CORRESPONDENT: This weekend 130 to 150 million of us are expected to head to the stores, and on Black Friday most purchases are made before 10:00 a.m. So here at the Best Buy in Deptford, New Jersey, the line actually wrapped around the building before the doors opened at 5 a.m. Many people out in line had been waiting for quite a while, including some who had been waiting since 8:00 a.m. yesterday morning. Now consumers are coming out happy for the most part. People are getting what they want. The big items this year are big screen TVs, computers, laptops, a lot of MP3 players and game systems as well. But all of the consumers are making purchases, and that is good news for retailers. Now to keep the consumers happy here at the Best Buy, they have had everything from live music to an Elvis impersonator to passing out coffee, and many people say it's not just about the deals, it's about the thrill of the hunt. In Deptford, New Jersey, I'm Jill Horner.
HARRIS: OK now earlier, we asked you what is it that you want for Christmas? What do you want special for the holidays? Maybe one of those Wii toys, if you can find it.
NGUYEN: That's the problem. HARRIS: You want the Bentley coupe.
A bunch of responses from you at home. A few of them we want to share with you. How about this from Judith who writes: "Good health for my family would be good, and a little bling bling. Maybe a nice big pink rock, with a few diamonds on the side." Smile, smile.
NGUYEN: That's great, Judith.
Well this from Angela in Texas. This is a really special request. She wants her "son safe and home from Iraq."
HARRIS: And that's what really counts. For Ginger, this is really good. Ginger says "I am a 50-year-old woman and for the first time in a long time, I am excited about a new toy for Christmas. I want one of those new Kindle eBook readers. Please put this on the air so my husband will buy it for me." Ginger, consider it done.
NGUYEN: Exactly. And Joseph from South Carolina says: "I want a low power bill, some cheap gas, and comfortable shoes"
You may want to invest in those comfortable shoes, because I don't think the cheap gas is going to be coming anytime soon.
HARRIS: How about that? All right, thank you for the e-mails this morning. Let's quickly get you over to Bonnie Schneider following weather around the country for us. Bonnie, good morning.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HARRIS: We are talking holiday shopping, of course. Toys, Betty, a huge part of that. Thomas the Tank engine, Dora the Explorer, Aqua Dots. Children have them on their holiday wish list. To be sure, parents shall wish the recall toys and others like them have never been sold.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I personally feel like I have the power to stop it as a consumer.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Trouble in Toyland. What's safe? What's not? And what can you do about it?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You really have to do the research before you go shopping.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Yes, that makes sense. CNN's Fredricka Whitfield presents an hour-long special report, "Trouble in Toyland." She examines the recalls, fears and solutions. That's this weekend at 4 Eastern, Saturday and Sunday.
NGUYEN: So you think you're busy this holiday week? Then you obviously have not met the Byler Bunch in Florida. Josh Rojas from our affiliate Bay 9 News explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOSH ROJAS, BAY 9 NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Six hungry mouths to feed, but on Thanksgiving the Bylers have extra help, grandparents to the rescue.
KAROLINE BYLER, MOTHER: I have six adults here tonight and seven children. The kids outnumber the adults.
ROJAS: Child number seven is big sister Zoe Byler. Ryan, Brady, Eli, MacKenzie, Charlie, and Jackson are Florida's first sextuplets. Their nicknamed the Byler Bunch. And on Wednesday the last baby was sent home from All Children's Hospital just in time for the holiday.
BEN BYLER, FATHER: Thankfully we have our whole family home, and that we didn't have to leave Charlie at the hospital for thanksgiving.
K. BYLER: It's actually what I wanted for Christmas, but I lucked out and got it early.
ROJAS: The sextuplets were born more than two months early on September 1st and the premies have come a long way since.
Now doctors say all six Byler babies are healthy, but they all are hooked up to machines that monitor their vital signs and one of them, Charlie, is also getting oxygen.
K. BYLER: I'm thankful that all my babies are completely healthy.
ROJAS: Karoline and Ben Byler have six new reasons to be thankful this Thanksgiving.
B. BYLER: Everyone has been excellent and just praying for us and the well wishers and donations and just -- we really appreciate everything.
K. BYLER: We have been more than blessed.
ROJAS: And don't worry, it's not always crazy in the home. Once the Byler Bunch is fed, they're happy. In Wesley Chapel, Josh Rojas, Bay News 9.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Yes, they're happy until they wake up, and then it's chaos.
HARRIS: I want to sleep for those parents. They're not going to get any.
NGUYEN: Not for the next 18 years.
HARRIS: You said it.
Currency exchange. Some way au revoire to the dollar.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I hear we're going to Euros eventually. Did you hear that?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Buck's last stand on Broadway, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: "YOUR WORLD TODAY" coming up at the top of the hour.
HARRIS: Jonathan Mann standing by with a preview. Jonathan, good to see you. Good morning, sir.
JONATHAN MANN, CNN ANCHOR: Hey Tony, I don't know if you have a college student home for the holidays, but if you do, we have a story that is really going to hit home. A college student from Seattle, Amanda Knox, is one of the suspects being held in Italy in connection of the murder of another exchange student, her roommate.
Well, the girls were among thousands of foreign students who crowded into the central Italian town of Perugia every year to pursue their studies. It seems like the perfect tranquil place, but after a night of sex, drugs, and murder, it is getting a second look.
And another foreign adventure that took a turn for the worse. We're going to tell you about this ship, the Explorer. It was filled with about 100 passengers touring Antarctica when it ran into an iceberg. Yes, that really does happen, although not that often. Everyone is off the ship. They are safe, but it's listing and in trouble, slipping into the water. They're trying, hoping to save it, we'll bring you the latest.
And of course Black Friday shopping here in the United States. If you're still at home and heading out to the malls, let me warn you, you are going to have company. But when you join these people, we have good advice on the very best toys you should be looking for if you've got little ones on your list. All that and more coming up on "YOUR WORLD TODAY."
HARRIS: There you go, Jonathan, good to see you, thank you.
NGUYEN: Speaking of shopping, retailers are offering a slew of discounts to attract shoppers, and today at least it seems to be working. But the big concern is whether that momentum will continue. Susan Lisovicz is at the New York Stock Exchange with a look at why stores are so worried this year. Hey there, Susan.
(BUSINESS REPORT) HARRIS: Well one man just wouldn't believe it until --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I'm a believer. There's the bear. I did go home and put my cat inside.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: So a bear moves in. Will donuts get him out?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Well, the dollar is down, but the greenbacks looking great to overseas tourists. CNN's Richard Roth reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The music world often sets the trend, so spot which currency multimillion air rapper Jay-Z flashes in his new video "Blue Magic." Euros. You could say the real magic is performed by world markets in making the financial strength of the dollar disappear. New York City rapper Says (ph) says get down with Jay-Z's euro bet.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He is showing brothers out here that we don't got to just chase dollars, we can chase Euros.
ROTH: Rappers have joined models in singing show me the Euro. Supermodel Gisele Bundchen was acting naughty at holiday time, reportedly asking to be paid in Euros, though her managers deny it.
With the dollar going down the financial toilet, actress Molly Shannon unveiled free restrooms in Times Square for the hordes of Euro packing tourists here for the holidays.
Do you have any thoughts as an American on the low dollar, the fact that it's sunk so low, it's been flushed more than these toilets will be.
MOLLY SHANNON, ACTRESS: Oh, my god.
ROTH: Don't you feel sorry for the Americans?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, not really. I don't think of that, no, no, sorry.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, I do, definitely. Of course I do, but I'm happy for myself because I've got lots of Christmas presents.
ROTH: International visitors are bringing empty suitcases to haul their big haul back home. Don't gloat. The CD sellers get some of it back for America by taking advantage of unsuspecting tourists.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They don't know the difference. They don't know how to value their money. They give it to us. You can ask a 20- year-old. There was this lady last week I think it was came by and give us 50 euros each.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stand right here and spend my money in the United States of America.
ROTH: You can't afford it overseas anyway.
MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, MAYOR, NEW YORK: A very weak dollar is probably not good for the world's international economy.
ROTH: Uncle Sam is crying uncle.
REP. RON PAUL (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We're going broke. The dollar is on its ropes.
ROTH: Oil rich presidents from Venezuela and Iran proclaim the empire of the U.S. dollar is collapsing and the U.S. empire will collapse too.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't like it. There's not much I can do about it. It's Congress. Call your congressman.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I hear we're going to Euros eventually. Did you hear that?
ROTH: Talk about scaring the markets. The only way these invaders could be stopped perhaps, if they consume too much. Overeating at New York's famed Carnegie Deli. How many people are here from Europe or out of the country? Right here? And why did you come to the Carnegie Deli? New Yorkers seek refuge at the dollar variety store.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I see them going into Chanel and Bloomingdale's. Without them, we wouldn't have a economy here.
ROTH: As the old saying goes, lottery tickets are sold for a dollar and a dream.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: $1.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, everything $1.
ROTH: Richard Roth, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Well home from war, the holiday couldn't be any sweeter than this. We're on the front lines with some emotional reunions.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: All right. So we've seen dogs chase cars. How about a 550-pound lion? Yes, this king of the jungle took on several cars on a highway in central Ohio.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
911 OPERATOR: Pike County 911.
CALLER: I'm on 23 and there's a lion in the road.
911 OPERATOR: A lion?
CALLER: It's a lion. Like it almost hit my car.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Say what?
HARRIS: what?
NGUYEN: The lion's owner coaxed the big cat home. By the way, Lambert the Lion is OK. He apparently escaped through the top of his pen.
HARRIS: A wild animal problem in an Orlando, Florida neighborhood, but it's not alligators we're talking about this time. It's bears. Wow. This one in some woods in College Park, near Interstate 4. State wildlife workers are trying to catch the bear and move it elsewhere. No luck trying to lure it out with donuts and other treats. You know, they've got a real concern here that it could run across the interstate and cause an accident. Bear sightings in Florida have been on the rise in recent years.
NGUYEN: Well, from the war front to the home front. Emotional reunions as troops return from Iraq. Yesterday we showed you military families back together at Atlanta's Hartsfield's-Jackson International Airport. The scene just so wonderful, we wanted to show it to you again.
HARRIS: CNN NEWSROOM continues one hour from now. "YOUR WORLD TODAY" is next. I'm Tony Harris.
NGUYEN: And I'm Betty Nguyen. I'll see you tomorrow morning at 7 Eastern.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To have this guy at home, this is a blessing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nice to be home and see my kids again.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The kids. It makes it better for them to be able to have their dad home especially on Thanksgiving, just to have him home, just to know he's OK.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm glad to have my son home for Thanksgiving. We got a big celebration for him back in Florida. We have a big cookout. We've got all kinds of food and all my family is there and they can't wait to see him. We're going to have a good party and we're going fishing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm very thankful, and I have been waiting for this day for it seems like --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Almost a year, 12 months.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who are you waiting to see?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Daddy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Obviously words cannot express how excited I am. It's an honor to go to Iraq and do what we can to protect our country. It's for people like this we do that for. That's why it's so precious to be home right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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