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American Morning
Senator Trent Lott Says He Plans to Resign by Year's End; President Bush Meets With Israeli and Palestinians Leaders Ahead of Mideast Summit
Aired November 26, 2007 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: If he goes, he will be the sixth Republican senator to resign this session. His term is set to expire in 2012 and resignation would prompt a special election for someone to complete the term. He's the second-ranking Republican in the Senate.
Dana Bash following the story this morning. She's in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Good morning, Dana, what else do you know?
DANA BASH, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Kiran. Well, what we know is that this is just another example of senior Republicans, of people who have been in Congress for a very long time deciding from their perspective it's just not worth it any more.
Now we don't know exactly what Senator Lott is going to say when he formally announces that he is leaving the Senate. But what we do know from one source who tells our colleague Mark Preston is that he's going to make pretty clear that he doesn't want to work in what he has called a debating society any more, that he wants to be in a place where he can get things done, and he has been incredibly frustrated that he hasn't been able to do that recently.
Now you remember of Trent Lott. Trent Lott was the Senate majority leader back in 2002 and he was, essentially, thrown overboard by his fellow Republicans because of a remark that he made at a Strom Thurmond birthday party back then. Since then he really has resurrected himself. He, as you said, decided to run for re-election in 2006 and he's had a political come back.
But if you talk to him in the hallways, Kiran, like I have and my colleague have, it's pretty clear and it's been pretty clear that he has been frustrated with the way things have been going. He was really exhilarated for his stance on immigration, he was at Ground Zero, his office was Ground Zero for the anger generated against some Republicans who stood for an immigration compromise.
He went to the Senate floor at the time and asked, you know, rhetorically, "Are we mice or men? Can we get things done?" So, these are the things that we -- are likely to hear from Trent Lott when he says -- we expect later today that he is not going to stay in the Senate any more.
CHETRY: What does it mean for the balance of power in a Senate? He won re-election back in 2006 with 64 percent of the vote, Mississippi, an otherwise heavily Republican state. Any of the other contenders if this special election needs to be held?
BASH: That's a good question there. Republican -- excuse me, Mississippi is a heavy Republican state. We do have some sources telling us that people like Roger Whicker, people like Chip Pickering, the congressman who actually had already said that he was not going to run for re-election, that they are considering running in a special election for a Trent Lott seat.
There are some senior Democrats, like the former attorney general, Michael Moore, who has sort of made a name for himself there who could potentially run. But traditionally, Mississippi is heavily Republican state. So, if you sort of look at the balance of power over the last several years, that you would think that it would likely to stay a Republican seat -- Kiran?
CHETRY: All right. Hopefully we'll hear more details from the senator himself a little later. But the news this morning, Senator Trent Lott, the Republican whip out of Mississippi, saying that he plans to resign by the year's end.
That was Dana Bash for us on the phone filling in details. Thanks, Dana.
MARCIANO: Meanwhile, President Bush meets with the Israeli and Palestinians leaders today ahead of a risky Mideast summit. Fifty governments and organizations have been invited to Annapolis, Maryland tomorrow to try to get the peace process back on tracks. One of the key to hold that is Syria, who's now agreed to send a delegation. Inviting Arab nations to the table is a major difference in these talks.
CNN State Department correspondent Zain Verjee is live in Washington to analyze this. Good morning, Zain. What does the U.S. hope to accomplish over the next couple days?
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT: Well, what the U.S. is trying to do here is to start the Middle East peace process. The goal is to use the Annapolis conference basically to kick off that process between Israelis and Palestinian.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said that she wants to have a final deal by the end of the Bush administration that would ultimately create a Palestinian state. Now, at this conference, it's pretty unlikely, though, there will be a major breakthrough moment.
But the conference is going to focus, Rob, mainly on three areas. It will be on talks between the Israelis and Palestinians and the focus also on the reconstruction for Palestinians themselves, as wells a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace. That's pretty significant.
Diplomats that we've talked to have told to that they're cautiously optimistic but as always, a risk of failure for things like this. But it's important to point out that what the U.S. is doing here is very ambitious and it is significant being behind negotiations for the first time in about seven years -- Rob.
MARCIANO: Why now, Zain? Why the timing?
VERJEE: Well, there's been a lot of pressure on the U.S. by Arab governments to get more and more involve. The U.S. also needs those Arab governments for their support in Iraq, as well as in a coalition against Iran. The other important thing is that the U.S., really, there's a sense of urgency. They don't want the radical voices in the region like the militant group, Hamas, for example, to gain more power.
So, having a process like this with the prospect of peace and war on the horizon could actually work to persuade people that confrontation doesn't really get anywhere and talking does.
MARCIANO: That mentioned, Zain, you know we got a year left with President Bush's administration. How much of this is politically generated for him and Miss Rice, maybe a legacy they want to leave?
VERJEE: Well, that's certainly not out of the question. They may not want to be their only legacy to be the cloud that is Iraq and getting any traction on this could really be a feather in their cap.
But Arab diplomats we spoke to said that really what they're going to focus on is what happens after Annapolis, after the conference. Is there going to be a credible negotiating process and the key really is going to be whether the U.S. is going to be hands on all the way. Will they make it a priority or is this just going to a one-off thing.
Now Secretary Rice seems determined, but, like you said, she's also aware that the clock is ticking -- Rob?
MARCIANO: It's going to be an interesting couple of days, that's for sure. Zain Verjee, out State Department correspondent. Thanks, Zin.
CHETRY: Well, back here at home the wildfires burning Malibu could be contained as early as today. A fire captain says the weather is cooperating with lower temperatures and more moisture in the air.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger reactivated a state of emergency that was declared for last month's devastating wildfires to get resources immediately to the new fires. Also 53 homes destroyed in this fire, another 34 damaged. Most of the 15,000 people evacuated were allowed to come back to see just how close they were to losing everything.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MORA: It looks like my neighbors are all, you know, my immediate neighbors are OK, but, like I said, it's tragic for the rest of the people here in Corral Canyon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Investigators say they think the wildfire was started by a camp fire that got out of control that was set by people partying in the woods.
Kiran, also new this morning. The century mark is inching closer and closer. Right now oil is nearly $99 a barrel. And analysts are blaming cold weather rolling into the U.S. and a continued decline in the dollar. Light sweet crude traded at $98.67 a barrel in Singapore, that up 49 cents over Friday's price.
Pakistan's former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif registered this morning to run in January's elections, but he says he will not lead a government under Pakistan's embattled president, Pervez Musharraf. Sharif returned from exile yesterday eight years after he was thrown out in a military coup staged by Musharraf.
New information in the breaking news we've been following this morning now. The charter bus crash in Arkansas late last night left three people dead and dozens more hurt. It happened in northeastern Arkansas near Forest City.
Arkansas state police say the bus was headed from Chicago to Dallas. Right now all eight bound lanes of I-40 are shut down for a 13-mile stretch while police investigate. They say the charter bus jumped the median and collided with an oncoming pickup truck, then was hit by an 18-wheeler.
As we said, three people were killed including the driver of the pickup truck and two people on the bus -- Kiran?
CHETRY: Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson proposing a flat tax option. He wants to offer Americans a choice, either a 10 percent flat tax if you earn up to $100,000 a year, or for an individual $50,000 a year. Thompson says would make President Bush's tax cuts permanent, as well.
Democrat rival Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama stepping up their sparring over differences in health case proposals. Yesterday during a campaign stop in Iowa, Clinton called Obama's proposal, quote, "crafter for politics. And the latest example of his - shifting, policy position.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: It's been kind of confusing following his description of his own plan. If you go back and look, he said it was universal, he said it was sort of universal, he said it wasn't universal, he said it covered everybody, said it didn't cover 15 million, he has a mandate for kids. Now he's against mandates. I think you're going to have to ask him what his plan actually does.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Well, Obama says that all this health care criticism is coming from Clinton because his poll numbers in Iowa have improved.
Well, if a week of no progress, Broadway stagehands and theater producers have come back to the negotiating table. Both side have been in a marathon overnight session at are now in the midst of a 12- hour break. They'll head back to the table at 6:30 tonight. More than two dozen plays and musicals have been silenced for three weeks now. And the biggest sticking point is figuring out how many stagehands are needed to keep a show running.
Well, writers and producers in Hollywood are heading back to the tables today. Negotiators are expected to meet this morning. Writers walked out November 5th. So far about 50 TV shows and some movies. If that strike last, another two weeks, nearly all primetime shows shot in Los Angeles will follow suit.
Officials say that that could end up coasting the area about $20 million a days -- Rob?
MARCIANO: Of course, that will lead everybody to watching a live CNN all day long which, of course, we wouldn't argue with.
(WEATHER REPORT)
CHETRY: Well, a popular but dangerous toy Aqua Dots have been recalled but if you checked out some of your holiday circulars at some of the major retailers you may not have known that because here they are, still being advertised.
Toys "R" Us flier and some Sunday papers includes an ad for Aqua Dots. They were yanked from stores because they're coated in a chemical that could turn into GHB, the so-called date rape drug, when swallowed. Several kids sickened by that.
A similar flier was distributed for Target stores. Both companies say the circulars were printed and distributed before the recall and that Aqua Dots are not for sale.
MARCIANO: The race and the rhetoric heating up in Iowa. Who's got the shot at winning and what does it all mean the battle for the White House? We're on the campaign trail, asking an expert. That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARCIANO: Welcome back. Some of the most compelling shots of the morning in our "Quick Hits" right now. A section of stadium bleachers collapsed during a soccer match in Salvador, Brazil. Eight people were killed after falling an estimated 130 feet. The stadium can hold up to 60,000 people. It's now closed while that accident is investigated.
And riot police crashed with demonstrators in Bolivia. The protesters were angry about government attempts to rewrite Bolivia's constitution. Protesters also set fire to a jail allowing more than 100 inmates to escape.
And Oprah Winfrey is joining Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on the campaign trail. An e-mail from the Obama campaign says -- told us this morning that Oprah will appear in Iowa on December 8th and she's going to head to South Carolina and New Hampshire the next day -- Kiran?
CHETRY: The battle for the White House, the Iowa caucuses are just over six weeks away and the Republicans and Democrats have at least one thing in common: no clear frontrunner.
Michael Shear is covering Iowa for the "Washington Post." He's in Des Moines this morning. Thanks for being with us, Michael.
MICHAEL SHEAR, THE WASHINGTON POST: Good morning, Kiran.
CHETRY: Now we just learned this morning that Oprah Winfrey is going to be campaigning with Obama. How much of an impact might her star appeal help him in a state like Iowa?
SHEAR: Well, it really could. I mean, you know, we don't know the answer to that question but she certainly had been making an indication that she really supported Obma. And the question was, when she's going to come out on the campaign trail. Now it looks like she will. And this is a very close race in Iowa. Hillary Clinton is leading Barack Obama and John Edwards across the country. But here in Iowa, it's essentially a three-way tie, with Obama slightly edging her out in some of the recent polls.
And so, to bring Oprah Winfrey is obviously got a lot of star people, got a lot of, you know, people that she -- they love her all across the country and probably here in Iowa, too. And so, that could make a big difference.
CHETRY: For the Democrats, why is it so tight in Iowa?
SHEAR: Well, you know, here in Iowa, people pay attention in a kind of different way than people across the country. They hear about politics, they see the ads over and over and over again, where the rest of us are thinking about other things most of the time. The politicians come through this state. They sit down in living rooms and in diners, and when it comes down to it, it's not a vote. It's not a typical vote like it is in a primary state. Here, the people that are going to vote are going to come to living rooms and to church basements...
CHETRY: Right.
SHEAR: ...and on January 3rd, and they're all going to sit down and talk about the campaign and then cast a sort of very public valid in these rooms across the states. And so it's a kind of a different place and they wait until the last minute to make up their minds.
CHETRY: As we've seen more than 15 percent undecided in Iowa right now.
SHEAR: Right.
CHETRY: Let's talk about the Republicans. Mitt Romney's hope for an easy win, certainly taking a hit to some surprising showing by Mike Huckabee, former Arkansas governor. What is Huckabee's appeal? He's at 24 percent in one of the polls. Mitt Romney's 28 percent. This is in the "Washington Post-ABC" Iowa poll. Certainly no where near that high nationally.
SHEAR: No, I mean, he's essentially a single digit across the country but here in Iowa, he's got a couple of things that he's got going for them. He is a former Baptist minister or ordained Baptist minister himself. And he's really tapped into a network of home- schoolers, of pastors and ministers or Christian conservatives. Evangelical votes who really have been looking for somebody to want to like. You know, Major Giuliani from New York is pro-choice. They're not going to back him most likely.
You've got Mitt Romney who's taking some positions on some issues like pro-choice, abortion, that they don't like in the past. And so they've been looking for somebody. They thought maybe Newt Gingrich would get in the race. He didn't. They thought Fred Thompson might be in their candidate. And so, at the end of the day, here's Mike Huckabee and they are sort of taking a sec and look at him, and saying, "Wow, this guys really interesting." And that's really propelled him to, you know, what, is it really a really dangerous place for Mitt Romney who has been counting on Iowa and New Hampshire...
CHETRY: Right. And spending a lot of time there. But tell us, if you will, what the implications then if Huckabee, somebody who appeared to really be behind the package, second tier candidate and can take first or even second in Iowa. What type of repercussion does that have nationwide?
SHEAR: Well, it really could knock Mitt Romney off of his, you know, standing that he's been on in the first two states. Mitt Romney has been trying to make the case, that even though he trails Mayor Giuliani in the poll nationally, that he's going to win in Iowa. He's going to win in New Hampshire and then he'll be unstoppable. What you saw in New Hampshire over the weekend was, the fact that Miss Romney is you know, not, perhaps as solid as he once was led to a lot of Back-and-Fort between Romney and Giuliani, New Hampshire, very negative, lots of attacks flying back and forth as the uncertainly gives more, more heightened.
CHETRY: All right. Michael Sear, very interesting. We'll all be watching , of course, with the "Washington Post." Thanks for being with us.
Don't forget, by the way, were putting your questions to the Republican candidates in the second CNN-YouTube debate. You can catch that debate. It's this Wednesday night at 8:00 Eastern only on CNN.
MARCIANO: And a high level of visit to North Korea's main nuclear reactor tops your "Quick Hits now. China announced this morning that teams will be in North Korea from the five-nations negotiating to end a North nuclear program. American scientists are also in North Korea to help shut down the main reactor there.
Senator Charles Schumer is blasting the Pentagon over veterans benefits. He says wounded veterans are being told to repay part of their $10,000 signing bonuses because they didn't complete their full service. Schumer says it's not fair to the troops wounded in combat and helped propose a law to stop it.
And if you defeat her, or if you can't defeat her, maybe try to sabotage her. That's what appears to have happened at a beauty contestant, a beauty contest in Puerto Rico. But she got the last laugh, that's for sure.
And the price of 12 drummers drumming, 11 pipers piping. What's going on? Why the 12 days of Christmas will cost you more this holiday season. That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Welcome back to the most news in the morning. Here's our "Hot Shot," big snow in Texas. This is an I-Report from Big Spring, Texas. It was sent to us by Mandy Castanita(ph). She says they got about eight inches of very rare holiday treat for them in Texas.
You could see the kids having a snowball fight there. Pretty rare, Rob, for them to get snowed?
MARCIANO: Well, no, that's northwest?
CHETRY: West Texas?
MARCIANO: Northwest Texas? No, a little earlier this time of year, but the kids don't care. They're out having a good time.
CHETRY: How about that. Well, thanks for your hot shot by the way. If you have one, send it to us, the address, AMHOTSHOTS@CNN.com. Please include your name, where you're form, a little bit about the picture or video, and please make sure the image belongs to you.
MARCIANO: All right. Apparently the 12 days of Christmas has a standard price and it's going up according to Ali Velshi.
VELSHI: That's right. An operation called PNC Financial -- PNC Wealth Management out of Pennsylvania, every year measures that things that you would need to come up with the 12 days of Christmas and measures how much it's increased or decreased this year.
MARCIANO: This should be fun. All right. Let's go.
VELSHI: Let's work through the list. The 12 drummers drumming are actually up $97, 11 pipers piping are up, as well, 10 lords a- leaping -- they know when they find people. I suppose they find people who can...
MARCIANO: And how long are they doing this for? For 12 days, they're drumming and, I mean...
CHETRY: No, just 12 of them.
MARCIANO: Twelve of them.
CHETRY: For one day. VELSHI: Yes, you can get them one day.
Ladies dancing, now, ladies dancing is the same, maids a-milking are also up, and that's actually fairly substantial increase there because apparently maids a-milking get minimum wage and minimum wage increased this year.
Swans a-swimming are the same. Geese a-laying are up. Gold, because gold went up so much this year, up about 20 percent, $70. Four calling birds, by the way, are canaries.
CHETRY: Canaries are $600?
VELSHI: Yes, for four of them. Yes.
And three French hens are the same amount of money. Two turtle doves are the same as well, so are partridges. Turtle doves and partridges have not increased in price in the last year. A pear tree, though, is more expensive and that brings us to a total of $78,100, an increase of almost $3,000 or -- and here's the best part about them.
MARCIANO: Yes.
VELSHI: About 4.1 percent. It actually seems to track the way the economy actually goes. So, every year we do this and it's kind of funny. And then you realized, well, you know, it actually makes sense. Inflation is sort of in the high 2s, low 3s. But when you think about the real inflation that people pay because of energy cost and food costs, there you go, you got yourself a 4 percent increase.
MARCIANO: Plus the price of oil to ship the maids a-milking.
VELSHI: Right. Right. And that's expensive. I think you want to get local maids a-milking and lords a-leaping and dancing girls.
CHETRY: That's right. I'm glad you break down the partridge and the pear tree.
VELSHI: Yes.
CHETRY: You know, they're two separates items.
VELSHI: Yes, because you can just assume there is a partridge in your pear tree.
CHETRY: Exactly.
VELSHI: So 4.1 percent. You can expect a lot of snow if you're spending about that much more for the same stuff this year. That's inflation for you.
CHETRY: How about it. All right.
MARCIANO: More updates as we approach the sacred holidays.
VELSHI: Yes. CHETRY: No. Please say no.
VELSHI: I want to see some video. I mean, it's great in full screen, but some video wouldn't be bad.
CHETRY: All right. Still ahead, you won't be hearing paper or plastic in San Francisco grocery stores anymore because starting this week the city is banning plastic bags at the stores saying that they're ending up in landfills and that they don't biodegrade. So from now, shoppers have a choice of paper, a biodegradable bag or they can bring their own.
The biodegradable bags do come at a slightly higher cost. They're 10 cents each, that's compared to a penny for the regular plastic bags that brings us to our quick vote.
So that brings us to our "Quick Vote" questions of the morning. Should plastic bags be banned at grocery stores? Cast your vote, CNN.com/am.
Right now, 78 percent say yes, 22 percent say no. We'll continue to update the votes throughout the morning.
MARCIANO: I'm curious how many of those 78 percent take paper or don't take the plastic bags right now.
CHETRY: That's right. Well, it's interesting. At my parents' grocery store, they bag it in paper unless you say, "I'd like plastic."
MARCIANO: Oh, that's good.
CHETRY: See what I mean? So they always go for the environmentally sound thing first. But the bring-along bags are pretty cool, too.
MARCIANO: Yes. And fashionable. It's cool it be green.
CHETRY: They're in style.
MARCIANO: All right, here's a look at a story that, well, you just can't miss. Apparently children are supposed to cope without cold medicine.
CHETRY: Yes. This is...
MARCIANO: What do you do if you're a parent?
CHETRY: Well, I mean this is the conundrum for a lot of parents. As we know, a lot of those cold -- multi-cold symptoms for coughs and for stubby noses have been pulled from the shelves, especially for the much younger children. And a lot of parent, when I called my doctor, they said the same thing, that you're one of a ton of parents who've called wondering, what to give their coughing kids. We have advice for the parents and kiddies that are coughing this season, we're going to have the stories at the top of the hour and that story when AMERICAN MORNING comes right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROB MARCIANO, CNN, ANCHOR: Welcome back. And good morning, once again. It's Monday, November 26th. John Roberts has the day off. I'm Rob Marciano.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN, ANCHOR: Good to see you, Rob. I'm Kiran Chetry.
And we start this morning with breaking news out of Washington. CNN learning that Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi will resign his seat possibly later today and it will be effective by year's end. Lott won re-election back in 2006, 64 percent of the vote. He spent more than three decades in Congress. A resignation would prompt a special election to complete his term. He's scheduled to speak at two news conferences later today in Mississippi.
Also breaking right now a deadly bus crash in northeastern Arkansas. It happened along interstate 40. 35 miles west of Memphis, Tennessee. Police say that the charter bus was bound from Chicago to Dallas traveling west when it jumped the median and hit a pickup truck head on killing the truck's driver. An 18-wheeler then slammed into the bus. Two people on the bus were killed and at least 40 other people were hurt.
Wildfires burning in Malibu could be contained as early as today. Lower temperatures and higher humidity helping crews get control of the fire that's burned since Saturday morning. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger saying that 53 homes have been destroyed and 34 others damaged. About 15,000 people who had to flee have been allowed now back home.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALYSSA PESCUCCI, LARGO CANYON RESIDENT: All the stuff that you don't care about whether it goes or not will stay and then everything that you do care about is gone.
PAUL MORA, CORRAL CANYON RESIDENT: Just to see my house here is absolutely amazing. I feel very blessed. It's a true miracle because we just moved here a month ago. It's a brand-new house.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Firefighters say computer models helped show where the Santa Ana winds would be at their worst and that enabled them to preposition crews and get a head start should fire break out.
A suspect in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway heads to court this afternoon. Joran Van Der Sloot arrived in Aruba from the Netherlands Friday night. A judge will decide today if there is enough evidence to keep him in jail for several more days. Prosecutors say that e-mails and calls made by Van Der Sloot and two other suspects in the case may prove that Holloway is dead. And the mystery of baby Grace may be solved. Investigators released this sketch after her body washed ashore in Texas last month. They now believe the body is that of 2-year-old Riley Ann Sawyers of Spring, Texas. Her mother and her mother's boyfriend arrested on charges of injuring a child and tampering with physical evidence.
MARCIANO: Well, the century mark is inching closer and closer. Oil is nearly $99 a barrel this morning. It rose up to $99.11 overnight before settling back to $98.67. That's up 49 cents over Friday's price.
All survivors of a cruise ship that sank in the Antarctic are waking up on dry land this morning. The last passengers from the "MS Explorer" arrived in Chile just two days after their ship hit an iceberg. Investigators say the whole thing could have been prevented if the ship was equipped with sonar. The "Explorer" had five deficiencies at its last inspection. All 154 people onboard spent hours in life rafts in freezing conditions before being plucked to safety by a Norwegian cruise line.
And trouble brewing between Venezuela and Columbia. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says he's putting relations with his south American neighbor "in the freezer." Columbia's President removed Chavez as a negotiator in hostage talks. Columbian rebels are holding hostages, including three Americans. Chavez says his removal was a "spit in the face."
And chess legend Gary Kasparov is waking up in jail this morning. He was thrown in prison for five days after being arrested at a pro- democracy rally. He has been fighting to ensure Russia's elections remain fair. President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to step down because of term limits but is expected to try to keep some form of power.
CHETRY: Well, some dirty tricks at a beauty pageant in Puerto Rico. Organizers trying to figure out who doused a contestant's evening gown with pepper spray and spiked her make-up with pepper spray as well. Ingrid Marie Rivera was composed before the cameras and judges but backstage had to strip her clothes off and apply ice bags to her face and body. They swelled up after she broke out in hives. And despite all of that she still beat out her 29 rivals, some of them pretty mean, as you can see, to win. She'll represent Puerto Rico at the 2008 Miss Universe pageant. The ugly side of beauty pageants.
MARCIANO: That is ugly. You know, some say that if you're not cheating, you're not trying, but I think that's overboard. You know, is that what you're teaching your kids?
CHETRY: No, I'm certainly not teaching them that.
MARCIANO: Well, you certainly don't want to hurt somebody who is in a beauty pageant. You weren't in those things, were you?
CHETRY: No.
MARCIANO: I mean, you could have been. Certainly.
CHETRY: You have to have a discernible talent. Hula hooping didn't count, unfortunately.
MARCIANO: You got to have that video at some point. Maybe a holiday treat.
All right. On to sports, the New England Patriots are still perfect. That tops our "Quick Hits." It came down to the wire, but a late touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles saved the day and the Pats undefeated season. The Pats are now 11-0. They've clinched their division and a spot in the playoffs.
And a Disney fairy tale tops the box office. "Enchanted" took in more than $50 million over the weekend. "This Christmas" came in second, followed by "Beowulf," "Hitman," and "B Movie."
His divorce is not yet final but that does not stopped Paul McCartney. We'll tell you what that former Beatle is doing now with the ladies.
And parents being told they shouldn't use cold medicines to treat young kids. So, what is a parent to do? Elizabeth Cohen is along to help clear things up. That is also ahead on AMERICAN MORNING. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARCIANO: Welcome back to the most news in the morning. Time now for your "Quick Hits." Typhoon Mitag is now headed for Taiwan after slamming the Philippines. It killed eight people. It could have been worse. The typhoon weakened after it made landfall and it did not hit where 300,000 people have been evacuated.
And the White House will be getting its official Christmas tree later on this morning. First Lady Laura Bush will receive the 20-foot Frasier Fir, which is being trucked in from Ash County, North Carolina.
And it's naming day for the San Diego Zoo's newest panda cub. She turned 100 days old and that's when Chinese tradition dictates that well it's time to get a name. On line voting was done to pick the name among these four finalists - Lei Wah, which means beautiful China, mih zhu, which means bright treasure and Shao Lee, little beauty, and zen zen, which means precious. Aren't they cute? Kiran, back over to you.
CHETRY: I thought you were saying all of the names were cute.
MARCIANO: They are cute.
CHETRY: So, congratulations. And adorable as well.
Well, they're back on dry land. This morning the last survivors of the cruise ship that went down in the icy Antarctic waters arrived in Chile and ends a harrowing Titanic-like ordeal. Passengers had to dive into life boats before their ship made a death roll into the water. ITN's Phil Smith has more now from Punta Arenas Chile.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PHIL RAY SMITH, ITN NEWS: When the "Explorer" hit an iceberg before dawn on Friday, they were forced to abandon ship, set adrift on a choppy Antarctic Ocean for hours with the temperature well below zero. These pictures give a good idea of the freezing conditions as they were brought ashore on the remote King George Island, where the tourists were put up in a military barracks. Then it was a ride to the mainland in the back of a Chilean Air Force Hercules. Not exactly what they'd hoped for, but an adventure nonetheless.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The worst part was being in the life boats. We were there for about four or five hours, and it was very cold and we were very exposed. That was very difficult.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We grabbed thermals before we left and that was it, the rest is gone.
SMITH: The remaining passengers were airlifted to the mainland. In many ways, they're all lucky to be alive, if the sea had been rougher, colder or even frozen, rescue may have been impossible. Instead, eventually, they should all make it home. Phil Ray Smith, ITN News.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHETRY: All right, well, 41 minutes past the hour now. Jacqui Jeras keeping an eye on the weather for us and looks like they're going to get a break over there on the west coast as they try to get a handle on those Malibu wildfires.
JACQUI JERAS, CNN, METEOROLOGIST: Yes, they have the last couple days. It has really helped things out. But Kiran, get ready to say wow. Check out this i-report picture from Saturday that shows the big plume of smoke right there over the ocean and over the beach. When you see that, you know that those are the off-shore winds blowing the smoke and the ash towards the ocean, the dry winds just an incredible shot. That's from Julie Ellerton of Malibu. She took this picture, again, on Saturday morning.
A lot of homes destroyed and a lot of people affected by those Santa Ana wind. They are lighter today, very calm, in fact, overall. And there's even a little bit of moisture trying to creep in and there's an upper level disturbance in the Pacific and that is bringing in this cloudiness. Mostly mid and high-level clouds. So, any moisture trying to get down to the surface does not makes it there because it is so dry near the earth and that little system is pulling out rapidly, unfortunately. Winds will be off shore again today out of the northeast around 13 miles per hour in Malibu Hills but we don't think they're going to get much stronger than this, so not much of an issue.
No critical fire weather areas today, but tomorrow we have a strong cold front moving through the area and behind that front, that's going to kick up the winds. This is the San Francisco Bay area that will be affected and it's north of the fire weather areas, critical here but we think those strong winds will come southward. Then for the middle of the week and Wednesday could be big trouble. So, hopefully we'll get it contained prior to that time. That storm system, that strong low combined with high pressure to the north is what brought in the Santa Ana winds and that strong low affecting much of the eastern half of the country, bringing in some heavy showers and thunderstorms for the Gulf Coast states really, really need this rain here.
But some of the thunderstorms could be severe and even some isolated tornadoes, severe thunderstorm warning just expiring now for Washington County and into northern Florida with some damaging winds in excess of 60 miles per hour. Severe weather then in the eastern Carolinas and on up towards Virginia can be expected late this evening and overnight.
Tonight, the rainfall amounts are going to be pretty heavy, especially focused right here into western Florida and on up into southern parts of Alabama. That's where we're expecting to see anywhere between one and three inches of rainfall, could cause localized flash flooding and then you can see some general amounts further up into the north of a good inch plus in those green areas and certainly not enough to break the drought, but enough to get that ground to the moisture a little bit wet. Of course, kind of affecting the travelers today, too. A lot of airport delays out there from Atlanta all the way up to New York City at La Guardia. Rob.
MARCIANO: And those people thought they were getting a deal by traveling on Monday as opposed to Sunday.
JERAS: Not so much.
MARCIANO: Thanks, Jacqui. Well, forget about that turkey leftover for a minute. Check out your freezer. 96,000 pounds of ground beef is being recalled due to an E. coli scare. The recall affects seven states including Virginia, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Ohio, Maryland, Kentucky and Indiana. Products include ground chuck, sirloin and chop beef from the American Foods Group. For a complete list, go to CNN.com.
CHETRY: Well, it's cold season and since an FDA committee recommend that cough and cold medicines not be used in children under the age of 6. Well many parents are asking if there is nothing that I can give my kids, what should I do? Medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen joins us now from Atlanta with more.
It's that time of year, the kids are getting a cough. There was a hasty virus going around where we live and you just feel so helpless when they're up coughing all night and there's nothing you can give them.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN, MEDIAL CORRESPONDENT: That's why so many parents have become so dependent on these over-the-counter cough and cold medicines, but parents should know, don't panic. There are other options out there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're OK.
COHEN: 7-month-old Steven Scarpaci has a cold. His mom hates seeing him cough, sputter and suffer.
MELISSA SCARPACI, BABY HAS COUGH & COLD: You just feel bad. You get nervous and you want to make him feel better.
COHEN: Scarpaci is disappointed. There's one thing she doesn't have any more in her mom's bag of feel-good tricks. Cough medicine. Last month, an FDA advisory committee warned that cold medications do not work for kids younger than 6 and can even hurt them. Since then pediatricians have been bombarded with calls from panicked moms. What do I give my kid now?
DR. MICHAEL MARCUS, PEDIATRIC PULMONOLOGIST: My child has a cold, I don't know what to do to take care of it anymore. What should I do?
COHEN: It's time to get back to natural remedies. These doctors say, you know, the stuff our parents used. Scarpaci has been trying steam showers, humidifiers also work.
SCARPACI: It clears his nose up so much and he leaves being in the bathroom because he knows it makes him feel better.
COHEN: Pediatricians also recommend a nasal bulb syringe and saline nose drops to relieve congestion and if you really want your baby to feel better, keep pushing the liquids.
DR. DANIEL PAUCH, DIRECTOR, PEDIDATRIC PROGRAM NYU: If you can keep them hydrated they generally feel better.
COHEN: Pediatricians estimate that half of all American families buy cold medicines for their children and weaning moms off them isn't easy. Particularly if a coughing baby keeps you up all night, too. Doctors say go back to the basics for that too.
MARCUS: Do what you can to make your child comfortable, have a good support system so you're taking turns so that you don't get sleep deprived as you help comfort your child over the night and just wait it out.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COHEN: Now, we have lots and lots of other ideas for what you can do when your child has a cough or cold. What you want to do is go to CNN.com/empowerpatient. And there you'll see the other tips. See the poor little guy there on the left with a cold. There's something that parents also need to remember. Drugs like ibuprofen that's Advil and acetaminophen that's Tylenol, those are also OK to use during cough and cold season.
CHETRY: Especially to try to bring down the fever. All right. I'm going to run through some of the other things that we heard that work and you're our expert, you can give us the yes or no first. Vapor rub, you know, the Vicks or one of those other chest rub brands, yes or no?
COHEN: On that one we would have to say maybe. And the reason for that is some of the experts we talked to say, oh, it's fabulous and some of the other ones said, it doesn't always work and you certainly want to be careful infant under the age of 1, don't put it under their nose and it could cause apnea. But some doctors say it really works, rub it on the chest and it can't hurt them except for those little ones. So, if you want to try it, go ahead.
CHETRY: Listen, we have been getting this e-mail circulating around that people swears putting it on the soles of baby's feet and covering them with socks.
COHEN: That's right. There was all this mommy e-mails, CNN mommy traffic.
CHETRY: I did it. I'm desperate.
COHEN: You know what, why not? Now the problem is though you want the vapor rub near where they breathe. Unless the baby breathes through their toes, you're not getting very close to their nasal passages but if that works for your baby, go ahead. Knock yourself out.
CHETRY: Believe me, I put it everywhere, I was desperate. All right. Let's go with the chicken soup. You know, mom's old chicken soup.
COHEN: Oh, chicken soup is an absolute yes. That's generations of Jewish mothers cannot be wrong. That definitely helps. First of all, you're hydrating your child, which is so important. Also there seems to be an ingredient in there that can help with congestion.
CHETRY: Herbal tea with honey.
COHEN: Herbal tea with honey is a yes and a no. And the reason for that, it's mostly a yes. The reason for the no is that babies under the age of one year should not have honey. There can be issues with botulism. But you know what, you can't go wrong with tea and for older kids you can't go wrong with tea and honey.
CHETRY: And this is what some of the guys say to me, hey, how about a little bourbon, that will get the baby to sleep. That's what my grandfather gave to me.
COHEN: Sure. Why not if grandpa did it... No, that is a resounding no. We heard no from every doctor we brought that up to. Many people crossing were their fingers it would be yes, but, no, don't get your baby drunk.
CHETRY: There you have it, the yes and no from the experts. Looks like wait it out, unfortunately, sometimes this is your best bet. Elizabeth Cohen, thanks so much.
COHEN: Thanks.
MARCIANO: I guess I can blame mom now for all my problems. She only poured bourbon in my ear for an ear ache. I think that may work. Will check later with Elizabeth.
All right. CNN NEWSROOM is just minutes away. Heidi Collins at the CNN Center in Atlanta with a look at what's ahead. Hello, Heidi.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN, ANCHOR: Well, good morning to you there, Rob. Nice to see you. I want to tell you more about what's going on with this whole case of baby Grace. You'd likely remember the story. In fact, there had been some arrests made in the case. We'll tell you more about it in the NEWSROOM rundown. Galveston police will be talking about the toddler's identity this morning. The child's body found floating in a plastic storage container. Live coverage on that.
Also a terrible scene outside Memphis right now. A bus collides with a tractor trailer and there are fatalities. We'll be watching that story for you, as well.
A soldier runs to remember a marathon dedicated to his 48 buddies killed in Iraq.
Plus, Gerri Willis tells us how to debt-proof your holiday. I didn't know that was possible. Very much looking forward to that. NEWSROOM, top of the hour right here on CNN. Rob, back it you.
MARCIANO: I didn't know bourbon was bad for you when you had a cold. What did mom give you when you were a kid? Chicken soup, bourbon or vapor rub?
COLLINS: I don't remember. I had my tonsils out, so --
MARCIANO: I'm sure you had ice cream at that point.
CHETRY: Yes, lots of ice cream.
MARCIANO: All right, Heidi. We're going to see you in about ten minutes. Thanks.
COLLINS: OK. Thanks.
CHETRY: May not cure your cold but you got a great sugar high off it, right? Good old, ice cream. Well, topping your "Quick Hits," now. Former vice president Al Gore headed back to the White House, if only for a day. President Bush welcomes Gore and Nobel laureates today. Gore shared the Nobel Peace Prize of course for bringing attention to global warming. He has not been to the White House since January of 2001.
A Nevada brothel is now throwing its support behind republican Ron Paul. The owner of the Moonlight Bunny Ranch near Carson City is raising money for Congressman Paul by putting donation boxes up outside his door. A spokesman for Congressman Paul says he doesn't condone prostitution but he also doesn't believe it's the federal government's job to regulate it. A group of young cancer survivors waiting at a hotel hoping to meet David Beckham and then he walks right past them. We're going to hear the soccer star's explanation for what happened, coming up.
Also, he sand I want to hold your hand and now Paul McCartney has been spotted doing just that. We're going to tell you Which newest lady has sort of gotten the Beatle's attention now that his divorce is pending. That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Welcome back. We have some breaking news just in to CNN out of Pakistan and a big development in the ongoing power struggle that plunged the country into chaos. A government spokesman now confirms President Pervez Musharraf will step down as army chief on Thursday. He will then be sworn in as a "civilian president." Getting Musharraf out of his military job is a key sticking point of the president's critics. They threatened to boycott upcoming parliamentary elections if he did not leave the army post. We'll have much more on this story throughout the day here on CNN.
MARCIANO: Well, David Beckham is accused of snubbing a group of young cancer survivors. The kids were waiting for Beckham dressed in his jersey and holding stuffed kangaroos when he arrived at his hotel in Australia. Beckham walked right past them, much to the dismay of 14-year-old Emma Buyers. Buyers survived leukemia. Thanks to two bone marrow transplants. Beckham said he didn't mean to walk past the kids.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID BECKHAM, L.A. GALAXY: I didn't even see children when I arrived at the hotel this morning. I went in the back way and I don't know whether they were in the front or I don't know, I didn't see. But that's one thing that I would have never done and never have done and never will do. So, I'm more than willing to meet them wherever they want and whatever time they want. So, that's not what I do and that's not what I'm about. So, I apologize to the children, but, like I said, I never saw them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARCIANO: Seems like an honest mistake. The kids are expected to get another chance to meet Beckham before he leaves Australia. He's there with the L.A. Galaxy to play an exhibition game against the team from Sydney.
Well, the New York tabloids are once again buzzing over Paul McCartney's love life. This time, McCartney was seen walking and holding hands with actress Rosanna Arquette in London. Just a few weeks ago, McCartney was photographed by the New York paper with a New York business woman. Kiran.
CHETRY: All right. Well here's a quick look at what CNN NEWSROOM " is working on for the top of the hour.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN, ANCHOR: See these stories in the CNN NEWSROOM -
Galveston police plan to discuss the identity of baby Grace. The girl's body found floating in a plastic storage container.
Deadly crash. A bus slams into a big rig.
Malibu firestorm. Investigators say they may know what started this weekend's disaster.
A boy stranded in the desert, saved by an illegal immigrant.
And how to debt-proof your holiday. NEWSROOM top of the hour on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: And that's going to do for us today, thanks so much for being with us on AMERICAN MORNING. We'll see you back here including you, tomorrow.
MARCIANO: One more day, the CNN NEWSROOM with Heidi Collins starts right now.
COLLINS: Good morning, everybody. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Heidi Collins.
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