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NORAD Tracks Santa; Shoppers Dash for Malls
Aired December 24, 2007 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DAN LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: It is 3:00 p.m. in the east, noon in the west. Do you know where Santa is? We do. Actually, NORAD does and this just in, he is on his way. It's a good thing he's not driving. A white Christmas can make you glad to be home for the holidays or sorry you ever hit the road. Hello everyone I'm Don Lemon live at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. My partner Kyra Phillips is off today. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Whether you're looking for last minute travel, we have you covered. It's Christmas Eve, malls have been open around the clock and the discounts keep getting deeper and deeper. People are flying, they're driving, they're bargain hunting or just sitting on Santa's lap or just watching CNN. Are you naughty or are you nice? You just want to save some cash and some time. We'll tell you what to do and what you need to know. Looking for a last minute gift. If you are, you're definitely not alone. It is Christmas Eve and some stores have been open around the clock and discounts just keep getting deeper as I said. But, are Americans digging in for that deeper discount? Let's go straight to CNN's Brooke Anderson she is in Los Angeles. Brooke, was that you laughing just a second ago, I could hear you there in my ear?
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: It was. The naughty and the nice reference, that just made me laugh.
LEMON: Were you naughty or were you nice this year? I think I know the answer to that.
ANDERSON: Very nice.
LEMON: All right, we'll see.
ANDERSON: I don't want to hear what you would say. Very nice. But I'm here at the Valencia Town Center Mall Don in Santa Clarita, California, right outside of Los Angeles. Shoppers here as well as shoppers all over the country are making a mad dash to the mall to get those last-minute gift items. I want to say the last few days before Christmas are crucial for retailers, especially after a lackluster December in terms of consumer spending. So retailers are hoping there will be a sales push, a sales surge now that will really help them meet those expectations and those year-end goals. A lot of gift card buying will happen this year. Expectations are that consumers will spend billions on gift cards, but the bad thing for retailers is that they don't record those as sales until the recipient redeems them. That could be sometime next year, so that could affect those year end goals as well. I want to interrupt a couple of folks in their shopping right now and see what they're up to today. This is Mary. How are you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Fine, thank you.
ANDERSON: Now what brings you out on Christmas Eve one day before Christmas to do some shopping?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I'm a late bloomer here. And I take the time, I'm lazy, and I just had a little bit more shopping to do. So I've done some, but I'm just finishing up.
ANDERSON: You know what and a lot of people this year are more cautious with their spending for a number of reasons, whether it be the housing slump or higher gas prices. Are you finding that your shopping is a little different this year or no?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, absolutely. Because like you said, with the gas prices, we commute from Santa Clarita, most of us do. And with the house slump and stuff like that, yes.
ANDERSON: Have you done some online shopping this year? Online shopping up 25 percent compared to last year.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Absolutely.
ANDERSON: You find that easier?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yeah, I ship to the store.
ANDERSON: And are you finding the items that you need are readily available in the stores, or because you've waited until the last minute that they're not here?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Actually I'm getting good deals on the things that I wanted.
ANDERSON: What kind of discounts are you encountering?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Actually I got probably a third percent on some of the things I got at the Disney Store, and J. Jill also, I got some good deals there.
ANDERSON: That's right, more than 160 stores here, you've got a lot of ground to cover. Best of luck to you, Merry Christmas, thanks Mary.
We've also got Tracy, she is here with her niece and nephew, we've got Danielle and Jake, correct? How are you guys?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good.
ANDERSON: What brings you out on Christmas Eve?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Last-minute shopping.
ANDERSON: Why did you wait until now?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I've been working every day until now.
ANDERSON; How about your first day off to do it. Danielle and Jake, are you excited about Christmas? Are you here with your aunt to hopefully get some items you want that on your list?
Yeah.
ANDERSON: Have you been naughty or nice? That's what Don would ask you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm pretty sure I've been really nice.
ANDERSON: And you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Nice.
ANDERSON: Have you had your picture taken with Santa? A lot of shoppers here tell me that they're here today not just to shop but to sit on Santa's lap, get the photo taken?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We got our photo taken.
ANDERSON: You did? And are you experiencing cheerfulness from the other shoppers and also from those working in the stores? Are people a little bit harried, a little bit nervous?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In the parking lot a little bit frazzled.
ANDERSON: I experienced that too when I first arrived. Well best of luck finding everything you need. Merry Christmas. Nice to see you both. So Don, as you can see, shoppers seem to be out in full force trying to get those last-minute gifts a day before Christmas.
LEMON: You should hear all the guys in here. You said that's their aunt?
ANDERSON: Yes.
LEMON: She's a looker.
ANDERSON: Oh! Very attractive woman and very, very nice to speak with us, yes she is.
LEMON: And so are you, Brooke Anderson and happy holidays to you. All the best. My gift isn't here yet, but I'm still waiting for it.
ANDERSON: Ok, you'll get it, don't worry. Happy holidays.
LEMON: Thank you, talk to you soon.
Chicago, Michigan Avenue, all adds up to one thing, I should say two things -- shopping and cold. I know Keith Oppenheim knows that because he joins us now from the windy city where he's smart enough to go inside and not be outside doing a live shot on this cold day. Hi Keith. KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi Don. I was outside before, and it's brisk out there, not only in terms of the weather, but also in terms of the pace of Christmas shopping. You know you asked a question before -- are you naughty or nice? Apparently when it comes to men, male shoppers, they are naughty in the form of being late. That's right, experts say that it's guys who have a tendency to really fuel the last-minute shopping out there. So we talked to one expert as well as to a last-minute shopper about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OPPENHEIM: So do the guys know what they're doing out here or do they just sort of see something and grab it, and hope that whoever they're buying it for likes it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't think they know much about what they're doing out here, frankly. But on the other hand there are more men out shopping, and I think it probably tends to be a little bit more of an impulse buying.
OPPENHEIM: How come you can't plan better, Steven? Does this happen every year to you?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Every year, for sure. This is actually quick for me. I'm out early.
OPPENHEIM: So if anything your last-minute franticness is a tradition for you?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, for sure.
OPPENHEIM: And you feel by comparison you're doing better?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I do. It's a good year so far. 13 minutes I've already gotten a couple gifts.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
OPPENHEIM: Nothing like tradition. You know there are a couple things that are helping Chicago at least if the national picture is somewhat bleaker. First of all, online shopping, which is, of course, a major national trend is actually a little bit less in this city compared to the national average, because people in this city really appreciate the retail experience. They like to go to the stores. Adding to that are folks who are not only coming from around the country, but particularly from Europe, the number of European travelers, Don, is like three times what we would normally expect because of the weak dollar, so that's also helping out. Before I forget to say it, Don, happy holidays.
LEMON: Happy holidays to you and you said in that city people appreciate the retail experience by going out, one the thoroughfares are big, the sidewalks are big, and they really make it a nice shopping experience for you with all the stores in one place. You know that, right?
OPPENHEIM: That's right, you can eat a lot of popcorn, that popcorn that you so enjoy.
LEMON: Garrett's?
OPPENHEIM: Garrett popcorn. Caramel, cheese, plain, whatever you like.
LEMON: And of course (INAUDIBLE) pizza, you can order that as well. Keith Oppenheim, thank you very much for the Christmas greeting. You as well.
(WEATHER REPORT)
LEMON: From life support and total paralysis, to walking back into his team's locker room, an inspiring story, the return of Kevin Everett to cheer on his Buffalo Bills.
In Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, they all have a huge impact on the race for the White House, but is that really fair? We'll check in with CNN's Josh Levs, who's keeping them honest.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: 13 past three. Three of the stories we're working on for you right here in the CNN NEWSROOM. A Christmas Eve shooting at a shopping mall in suburban Atlanta. Officers say they wounded an armed robbery suspect as he ran through the mall parking lot. The man escaped but a suspect was arrested later at a house a few miles away. The suspect's wounds were described as non-life-threatening.
The commander in chief calling three soldiers, two sailors, two airmen, two marines and one coast guard member, they serve in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Persian Gulf and they got a personal phone call on this Christmas Eve from non other than President Bush.
Still no word on what caused a 12-story building to collapse in the Egyptian port city of Alexandria today, there are reports of several deaths. No word on the cause. These kinds of collapses are common in Egypt because of shoddy construction.
While the candidates clamor for votes in the early states, people in the rest of the country are largely left out, and keep in mind not everybody in those early states actually vote. So just a tiny sliver of the U.S. population has a huge impact on who the presidential candidates will be. CNN's Josh Levs joins me now and he is keeping them honest. Very -- a sliver. Why? What is the big deal? Explain it to us.
JOSH LEVS: If you start to look at the proportional impact of this tiny group of Americans, it starts to feel crazy. I want to show you right now, it's even smaller than a lot of people realize. We're fixating on three states because the candidates are fixating on three states. That's where all the money, all the focus is going. You have Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina. Well what I'm going to show you now, is even when you put all three states together, the number of people who actually have that impact on choosing candidates is tiny.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HUCKABEE: I want to say thanks so much for coming. This is incredible.
LEVS (voice-over): We know why the candidates fight so hard in the early states. So many Americans follow their lead and early victory in these states can lead to the nomination. But you may not know how few voters actually determines who wins the early states. Keep in mind we're a nation of 300 million people. Now here are the numbers.
In 2004, the democratic caucuses in Iowa drew a whopping 124,000 people, a fraction of the state's voting age population. And that was considered big.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We had had a record turnout in Iowa, the biggest in the history of the state.
LEVS: The last big republican contest was in 2000 when Bush won the Iowa caucuses. 87,000 people took part. No one knows how many will take part this time around with open races on both sides, but a few hundred thousand would be huge.
New Hampshire in 2004 when the big race was on the democratic side, nearly 300,000 people total voted. Four years earlier, when the bigger contest was among republicans, nearly 400,000. And the third earlier state getting a lot of attention --
South Carolina!
LEVS: Nearly 300,000 democrats took part in the 2004 primary, nearly twice that number took part in the republican primary in 2000. So when we put these three states together, how many people are the candidates clamoring for? The total number is sure to be less than one percent of the U.S. population.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
LEVS: But obviously we're talking about an incredibly powerful fraction of a percent of the U.S. population. I'll tell you, there has been some talk about the idea of a national primary day, right? Where everybody would do it on the same time, but there's been no movement at all in that direction. Don, for now, we can just expect this exact same thing to continue every four years. Three states, all that power.
LEMON: So if there's debate about a national primary and people have been talking about it, there's got to be some pluses and minuses, why it has or has not been decided.
LEVS: Well I mean the big plus to doing it would be that everybody would feel more enfranchised, if that's a legit word. I mean right now you have people in all these different states who don't meet the candidates, the candidates don't visit, they don't advertise there, they feel left out of the process. They say if everyone voted at once, hey, it would truly be national. But I also to be fair here, want to tell you the plus side for the current system, what some people like. What they say is this way, the people who want to be president of the whole United States, leader of the free world, are tested by a small group of people, so they really have to prove themselves on an individual level. They can't just run on the big, broad slogans, the big issues. They have to show that they care and understand individual families' needs. So Don that's what you hear sometimes when people say the current system has a plus, it is that when they're tested by a small group of people, it's more microcosmic, they have to prove themselves, but the negative is 99 point something percent of the people feel like they have virtually no power.
LEMON: Ok, less than 1 percent.
LEVS: Yeah, and you have to take part.
LEMON: Yeah, unbelievable. Thank you very much for that. And for all the days political stories, log on to our special political news website, it's at cnnpolitics.com.
Check this face out right here, you're looking at the face of a fighter. Little Youssif on the mend from the scars of 2007.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: It's a poignant day in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills and their injured player Kevin Everett. Everett walked into the locker room yesterday and met with his teammates before they hosted the New York Giants. Everett has been recovering from a spinal cord injury he suffered in the Bills' season opener when he collided with an opponent and crumbled into a heap on the turf. He spent several days on life support and doctors feared he would never walk again. Ironically enough though the bills playing the giants, Everett was reunited with Dominek Hixon, the opponent in the ill-fated collision who then played for the Denver Broncos.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DOMINEK HIXON, GIANTS WIDE RECEIVER: It was a lot of emotions as you know just all in one from being excited you know, just playing football, to also you know, this was kind of a tough deal. You know it was just of kind of everything all at once.
MARSHAWN LYNCH, BILLS RUNNING BACK: When I got in, I seen him standing by my locker, you know, I instantly came over and got a hug, you know how you doing man. You look good, you know he talked well. You couldn't even tell that he was in an accident.
TRENT EDWARDS, BILLS QUARTERBACK: Even before this even happened I would say he's a hero. He's a guy that works hard and has the right attitude day in and day out. And you don't see a lot of guys like that in this locker room so we're definitely fortunate to have him be a Buffalo Bill and representing us. He's just a great individual.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP) LEMON: Everett is living in his hometown of Houston where he's still working hard in rehab.
It's been a turbulent year for Youssif, burned and disfigured in January, virtually adopted by well wishers over the summer, then flown from Iraq to California in September. He's been under the surgeon's knife on and off ever since. Tonight, Christmas Eve, we premiere our special report "Rescuing Youssif." Chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins us with a preview on that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Thanks, it's worth pointing out that a lot of this is due to you, the CNN viewer and the cnn.com user. So many donations came in from all over the world, there was enough to pay for Youssif and his entire family to come to the United States. Dr. Peter Grossman who's a plastic surgeon in California volunteered his time and volunteered his services to try and help Youssif. Here's a clip of the special.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GUPTA (voice-over): Dr. Grossman let me scrub in to observe. He showed me how he hopes to undo much of what an inexplicably cruel act has done to this 5-year-old boy. He planned to remove scar tissue from around Youssif's nose and insert tissue expanders, small balloons under the healthy skin in Youssif's cheek and neck. Over time, Dr. Grossman hoped to stretch the healthy skin so it could replace the heavy scars on Youssif's chin, jaw line and next to his ear.
Now time to operate.
All right.
GUPTA: Dr. Grossman took his case for free, and expected to perform half a dozen or more operations over the next year. How Youssif fared in this initial operation would play an enormous role in how well the boy heals and how much evidence remained of the attack that disfigured his young face. For me, it was a fascinating close-up view of state of the art burn surgery. For Youssif's parents, it was an ordeal of waiting.
This is not a sure thing.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
GUPTA: Well, Youssif has had three operations now and he still has some more in store, but I can tell you he looks better, both physically and emotionally he's healing, much happier than he was before. Back to you.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Don't forget our special coverage of a special little boy who's been through so much suffering. It's tonight at 10:00 eastern, it's called "Rescuing Youssif." His life then, his life now. That will happen only here on CNN.
What started out as a simple morning jog is horrifically interrupted.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They're so big and so many, and they started howling, and we thought they were circling us. And it got us really panicked, but we just kept screaming.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: How three women survived an attack by a pack of wolves.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Jogging in Alaska in December? Well, it can be an adventure, even risky, but joggers don't expect to be circled by hungry wolves. It happened the other day, and the experts warn it will probably happen again. We get the full story from reporter Andrea Gusty of CNN affiliate KTVA in Anchorage.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALYCIA BELERGROHSLEIN, WOLF ATTACK VICTIM: They were not afraid of us. They were really close.
ANDREA GUSTY, KTVA REPORTER (voice over): It was quick -- so quick, the three friends didn't know what was happening until it was too late.
BELERGROHSLEIN: And they were so quiet. They just came right up on us. They just came right up on us. They were quick.
GUSTY: A pack of at least seven wolves surrounded the three women and their dogs as they jogged on Artillery Road. The lead wolves came within feet -- circling the women as they tried to get away.
CAMAS BARKEMEYER, WOLF ATTACK VICTIM: I was rainbowing my pepper spray and they fell back a little bit, but as soon as we would turn our backs to try to go, they would run up on us. And then we would turn around and start screaming again and I would spray my pepper spray.
BELERGROHSLEIN: So we just kept going and -- and they're so big and so many. And they started howling. And we thought they were circling us. And it got us really panicked, but we just kept screaming.
GUSTY: Alicia Camas and their friend were more than a mile and a half away from their cars. All of their dogs were leashed because they'd read about the warnings of other attacks. The trio were careful not to run and instead the women walked backwards, screaming to keep the animals away and trying to keep everyone safe.
BELERGROHSLEIN: I love my dog with all my heart, but I can't jeopardize my friends. And if that's what they wanted, I didn't know whether to leave him.
GUSTY: The women held tight to the leashes and were able to keep the wolves at bay -- but not before the pack attacked Camas' American bulldog, Buddy.
BARKEMEYER: My dog did get attack by the wolf -- three wolves. He fought his way out as I'm pulling.
GUSTY: The women weren't physically hurt and Buddy had to have surgery to fix his gashes and bites, left behind by the wolves. Camas worries the pack could attack again, this time only worse. BARKEMEYER: They were not afraid of us. And I'm afraid that if I was out here by myself, they would attack me. They were not afraid.
GUSTY: Wildlife experts say wolves are smart animals and learn quickly -- which means the pack will get worse before it gets any better.
RICK SINNOT, WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST: If they figure out that a dog is easy to kill and it's food for them, then they can just come to the conclusion that there's a lot more dogs than moose and let's just start eating the dogs for now. And I'm not sure they've quite reached that point, but it sounds like they're working on that concept right now, yes.
GUSTY: In the meantime, the only way to stop the wolf attacks is to stay away and not give the wolves an opportunity to take their attacks to the next level.
Andrea Gusty, CBS 11 News.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Well, Anchorage has seen seven wolf attacks in the past month and experts say wolves often go after dogs in winters with little snowfall when moose are harder to catch.
Well, the wolf is often portrayed in song and story as big and bad. But experts say it's gotten a bum rap.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wild wolves normally avoid humans. Aggressive behavior toward humans is said to be rare. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, there's been no confirmed killing of a human by a wolf in North America. Wildlife officials say in 2005, wolves may have killed a hiker in Canada's Saskatchewan Province. But an official report has not been released and experts say a bear or a pack of dogs may have been the cause.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says since 1970, there have been more than a dozen documented nonfatal attacks by healthy wolves on humans in North America. Most occurred in areas where wolves were fed by people or attracted to garbage.
At one time, gray wolves ranged from coast to coast. By the early 20th century, most wolves had been wiped out because of government- sponsored control campaigns and declines in prey and habitat.
After being listed as endangered, wolves have made a remarkable comeback. In the Western Great Lakes area alone there are now about 4,000 gray wolves. In the mid-'90s, gray wolves were reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park and U.S. Forest Service lands in Idaho. As of last year, there were about 1,100 wolves in those areas.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: A grieving astronaut remembers his mother as he orbits the earth. Daniel Tani is aboard the International Space Station and wasn't able to attend yesterday's memorial service for his mom. Rose Tani was killed last week in the car-train collision. Her son sent a videotaped message that was played at her service at a suburban Chicago church. Tani is believed to be the first American astronaut to lose a close family member while in space. A private funeral is planned after Tani returns from space. That should happen early next year.
The rape threat turned out to be a MySpace hoax, but the consequences were real and led to a teen's death. One of the jurors who convicted John White says the stress of deliberations was unbearable and he felt pressured into voting guilty. The final two holdouts changed their votes to guilty on Saturday. The jury's forewoman insists they did a conscientious job.
Tim Fleischer with CNN affiliate WABC has more on White's conviction.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes! Go Dano (ph)! Guilty!
TIM FLEISCHER, WABC CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Fists clenched and reacting to this guilty verdict, the victim's father and other family members leaving the courtroom crying and hugging each other.
JOANNE CICCIARO, VICTIM'S MOTHER: We did it. My son is finally vindicated.
FLEISCHER: John White was found guilty of manslaughter -- shooting 17-year-old Daniel Cicciaro outside his home last year. Testifying in his trial, White believed he was protecting his family from what he thought was an angry lynch mob of white teenagers who had come to fight his son Aaron.
DAN CICCIARO, SR. VICTIM'S FATHER: I can just thank God...
J. CICCIARO: Thank God.
D. CICCIARO: ...that everybody saw through their lies.
J. CICCIARO: Yes.
D. CICCIARO: The jury saw through it.
J. CICCIARO: The truth prevailed.
D. CICCIARO: They sifted through the facts.
FLEISCHER: Having relatives who had been victims of racial violence, White feared he was facing that same violence. He claims that he shot Cicciaro accidentally.
FRED BREWINGTON, WHITE'S ATTORNEY: John White and his family were scared to death. And the fact that was not taken in and considered as an important aspect of the justification to go out and protect your home and protect your family...
FLEISCHER: The district attorney argued he should have simply locked the door and called police.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Something happened that set off an entire dynamic that was brought to the Whites' doorstep. It was not the White family's doorstep that went someplace else.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
LEMON: That was Tim Fleischer from WABC in New York, one of our affiliates. White's lawyers plan to appeal his conviction. Right now, he's free on bail until a sentencing hearing. He faces up to 15 years in prison.
All this started with a MySpace posting that started with White's son Aaron wanted to rape a girl he and the other boys knew. It turns out the posting was false and it never came from Aaron White.
Well, here are some of our most popular videos you're clicking on at CNN.com.
A startling newscast in Chicago -- an Indiana man drove his minivan into the WLS-TV studio while the anchor was on the air.
And in New Zealand, Santas gone bad. Police say a group of intoxicated Santas went on a rampage in a theater, ripping down posters, knocking over displays, chanting obscenities and pulling the fire alarm.
And Britney Spears' teenage sister, Jamie Lynn, is pregnant.
So should she marry her boyfriend?
Experts are weighing in -- and their advice, all these video reports and plenty more, right at CNN.com.
And for the kids out there, we're hearing reports of a flying sleigh apparently headed in our direction.
Our Chad Meyers will show us some radar tracking to give us a read on this one. We're talking about the big guy, Chad.
Just nod, right?
Santa Claus.
And what are the best bargains before and after Christmas?
Well, we'll tell you about that, coming up right here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: It's snowing right outside of the CNN NEWSROOM.
Did you see that Chad Meyers?
You didn't predict that, did you?
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: No, and it's 58 degrees out.
LEMON: That's...
MYERS: Can you imagine?
That is phenomenal guys, right?
LEMON: I think that's through the magic of television.
MYERS: I'm not sure how that happened.
LEMON: But you know what?
It's just a little blip on the radar, Chad, but it's Christmas Eve and all. You know, we have some pretty big news. We have to see...
MYERS: You know, there's another blip on the radar, too.
LEMON: Oh, yes.
Go ahead.
MYERS: Yes. On the NORAD. We can take it. We'll just go right to it here. This is the noradsanta.org. And there you go. He's in Namibia right now. And if I click on this little guy up there, you'll actually begin to see when he was flying around -- here you can see the pyramids of Giza. And all of a sudden, you're going to see a big red light. That's the only thing you're really going to see. And then all of a sudden -- there he goes. And man was he -- you can just see the speed of that sleigh.
Yes, it's like little jet fires in a gymnasium there. But he's coming. He's getting ready to go across the Atlantic. You guys better get ready to get to get some sleep -- especially like Brazil and Newfoundland, because you guys are a half hour -- Newfoundland a half hour ahead of us in some spots. So you guys have got to get ready.
(WEATHER REPORT)
Let's take you to some video from Vermont. Our producers really, really, really like this video -- some little Bambis. Actually not. These are little Bambettes running around -- because they all have horns. Although Bambi really only had little -- little stumps, didn't he?
Anyway, there you go.
LEMON: That's really beautiful, Chad, don't you think?
MYERS: It is awesome.
Look how heavy that was snowing.
Paul Tamasi -- now, I'm not sure who Paul is. But Paul Tamasi, his e-mail says the pizza man so whether he eats a lot of pizza or delivers a lot of pizza or just makes it in his store, I don't know. But thanks to Paul for shooting those. Look at that. That's great little shots there.
LEMON: Beautiful.
MYERS: And these little guys running around.
LEMON: And it's tranquil.
MYERS: That's what Christmas is all about. And say something nice to someone out there today, if you can.
(WEATHER REPORT)
LEMON: It's always nice to get a white Christmas when you don't have to like really get out in it.
MYERS: When you can go visit it and then come back to Miami and live your life down there.
LEMON: Or Atlanta.
MYERS: Or Atlanta.
LEMON: And, you know, I like the snow that we have in THE NEWSROOM -- electronic snow always the best, right?
MYERS: Yes. The stuff that comes in the can.
LEMON: We appreciate it.
Chad Myers.
We're going to check back in maybe if we get some more news about Santa Claus.
MYERS: Fair enough.
LEMON: All right.
If I don't talk to you on the air, though, Merry Christmas to you, my friend.
MYERS: You, too. LEMON: OK.
Before or after you buy -- you want to hear this -- the best pre- and post-Christmas bargains. None other than our very own Tony Harris will be talking to an expert.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: So we get to Wednesday and say you're going out on Wednesday.
And what are you expecting in terms of items that you might be looking for?
Where are we going to find some of the best deals?
On what kinds of items?
JENNIFER WATERS, MARKETWATCH.COM: I think apparel. You're going to get the best deals on apparel, yes, because apparel has been a slow mover through the whole season. I think you're going to see a lot of that stuff really deeply discounted.
We had some issues with the weather in November -- which it was unseasonably warm in most places of the country.
HARRIS: Yes.
WATERS: And, really, people have a tendency to buy now, wear now. Nobody buys without thoughts of wearing it right away. So I think we're going to see a lot of apparel moving and really a lot of retailers trying to move that stuff.
HARRIS: Well, let me drill you down on this a bit. I mean, you go to the store on Wednesday and you're looking for apparel.
And if you don't see discounts in the what range -- 10 percent, 15 percent?
WATERS: No, no, no, no, Tony. More 40, 50, 60 percent.
HARRIS: Forty?
Wow!
WATERS: Yes. Well, we're all -- we already saw that ahead of Christmas, those kinds of discounts. And if the stuff didn't move fast enough, you're certainly going to see that -- and maybe even more after that.
HARRIS: So, Jennifer, are we going to see better deals online as opposed to in the stores themselves, in the brick and mortar stores?
What are you thinking?
Or are they going to be comparable? WATERS: They'll be comparable.
HARRIS: Yes.
WATERS: I think we're going to see some really, really good deals in the stores because they're going to want to physically move that stuff out of the stores. And most of the online stuff is coming from, you know, distribution centers, not necessarily, you know, from your local Gap.
HARRIS: But they understand that they are really in competition with the online...
WATERS: No. No. They don't -- they don't think of themselves in competition.
HARRIS: They don't think of it that way?
WATERS: No, no. They think of it -- they think of it as a boost, as a help.
HARRIS: Oh.
WATERS: I'm telling you, Tony, five years ago, six years ago, retailers didn't even talk about their Internet sites.
HARRIS: That's right. You're right.
WATERS: And they weren't very good anyway. You couldn't manipulate them. You couldn't, you know, navigate them very well. And now retailers are much more savvy about that and really realizing that this is another opportunity for them to sell goods.
HARRIS: If we're looking at maybe buying a big screen for the Super Bowl coming up, do you suspect that we might get some discounting on that kind of a big ticket item in January?
WATERS: Absolutely. Absolutely. And you'd be amazed at how many people buy a big screen TV the day before the Super Bowl. I mean, it's amazing how many people do that.
HARRIS: Well, yes, absolutely.
WATERS: But, on the other hand, I mean we saw -- we saw -- Best Buy has been telling us, for example, the whole season that their sales have been really, really good. But Circuit City's have really suffered. Having said that, we're going to have -- we're going to have retailers like Circuit City who are going to have a lot of extra product. They're going to try to get rid of it.
HARRIS: The most popular game -- and I can't even find the doggone thing. My son would love to have one. He's not getting it.
WATERS: The Wii?
HARRIS: The Wii. WATERS: Yes.
HARRIS: Well, I mean are we going to -- is still going to be like a -- is this going to be a chronic problem with this undersupply of the Wii?
WATERS: Well, for the near term, it will be, yes. The demand for it is going to taper off some after the holidays and then they'll get back -- inventory will be back in place. So I think, you know, if you can promise them, you know, a Valentine's gift, it might be OK.
HARRIS: Great to see you.
Thanks for your time.
WATERS: Thank you.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
LEMON: The queen on the cutting edge -- we'll tell you where you can find Britain's Elizabeth online.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC)
LEMON: That's one of my favorites, Ella Fitzgerald.
This year marks half a century since Britain's Queen Elizabeth delivered her first televised Christmas Day greeting to the empire. But don't take my word for it. See for yourself on another new medium her majesty is plugging into.
CNN's Emily Chang reports on that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
QUEEN ELIZABETH II, ENGLAND: Happy Christmas.
EMILY CHANG, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In 1957, Queen Elizabeth II embraced technology, broadcasting her first Christmas message on television.
QUEEN ELIZABETH II: I very much hope that this new medium will make my Christmas message more personal and direct.
CHANG: Fifty years later, the queen looks to another tube -- YouTube -- to send her Christmas message around the world.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The queen gives a state banquet in honor of each overseas head of state...
CHANG: Her majesty has launched the Royal Channel -- the official channel of the British monarchy -- on the hugely popular site.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tony Blair distinctly recalls his first ever audience.
CHANG: So far, Buckingham Palace has posted almost 20 videos, including old and new footage of the queen, her prime ministers and other members of the royal family.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Prince of Wales begins most days working through his papers and talking to his advisers.
CHANG: There's even rarely seen film of her parents' wedding in 1923. New clips will be added regularly, sharing a glimpse of life at Buckingham Palace.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Approximately 10,000 guests from all walks of life are invited to each garden party.
CHANG (on camera): The palace released a statement saying the queen always keeps abreast of the new ways of communicating with people. Last year, her Christmas message was pod cast. This year, she wants to reach an even bigger audience.
DICKIE ARBITER, ROYAL COMMENTATOR: One of the things about the queen is that she's been almost around for over 55 years now. She doesn't change, but she adapts. This is adapting for the 21st century...
CHANG: Just as she adapted half a century ago.
QUEEN ELIZABETH: And so I wish you all, young and old, wherever you may be, all the fun and enjoyment and the peace of a very happy Christmas.
CHANG: Emily Chang, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Really all year long it's a special place.
I can't wait to call him on Christmas Day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Look at that.
Did you notice what that was?
It was New Orleans. Everyone from New Orleans has a story about Hurricane Katrina. But not everyone has the same attitude as Louisiana native Janice Johnson. We thought you had to meet her this holiday season.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JANICE JOHNSON, SALVATION ARMY VOLUNTEER: Hi.
How are you all doing?
Jesus loves you all.
I'm Janice Johnson I'm a Salvation Army bell ringer.
Hi.
How are you today?
You are so beautiful.
Now you can ring a bell so the angels can get their wings.
Whoa! They got their wings. God bless you. Merry Christmas.
I have a double job. I'm in the Salvation Army and I'm in the Army of the Lord. So I'm just a soldier right now fighting for souls. Hallelujah.
My story about Katrina is I lost everything. I lost all my furniture I didn't have a house to go to. I didn't know -- I could have gave up. But, no, I found peace in Jesus. And that's what motivated me and made me go do it.
OK, you ready?
Set. Whoa! very good. You have a blessed day. Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas, everybody, because Jesus is the reason for the season. Hallelujah. Merry Christmas from the Salvation Army.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Janice Johnson. Fantastic. Merry Christmas to her. And, also, thanks to our New Orleans-based photojournalist Kevin Myers for sharing Janice's mission. Kevin, that was a wonderful report.
And our wonderful team of CNN photojournalists has put the holidays in focus for us and for you to enjoy. Just. Go to CNN.com to see more of their work.
When we come back, some of our favorite scared Santa photos from you, our NEWSROOM viewers.
I can't wait to see that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: OK. I think we can safely chalk this one up to too much Christmas spirits. Yes, that's a crowd of Santa's little helpers stampeding through a movie theater in New Zealand -- intoxicated but they're efficient. In about 20 seconds, they managed to rip down posters, knock over displays, chant obscenities and pull the fire alarm. It's already Christmas morning in that part of the world.
Any bets on what they found in their stockings? Probably a lump of coal and a hangover -- and maybe a call from authorities.
Kids have just a few hours left to give Santa their wish list. But some of them have already settled business with Saint Nick and left them in tears.
Here are more of the scared of Santa photos.
Older brother Quinn tries to give little Liam Sousa (ph) a reassuring pat on the head. But it's obviously cold comfort when Santa is scaring you out of your wits. Oh, poor baby.
I-reporter Ashley Walker sent this little snapshot of her 2-year- old daughter Haley (ph), doing her best to wiggle out of Santa's grip. Oh, look at it. Very cute. Her 3-month-old brother Ashton is taking it all in stride. He is cool -- one cool dude.
And our next I-Report was sent by little Jenny Waldrum's father Kenneth. Dad says this was her first encounter with old Saint Nick. She was fine waiting in line to see him. But when it all came full tilt, a scream just five seconds after being put in his lap.
If you have a scared Santa photo, you can share it. Go to CNN.com and chick on I-Report and send it in.
I was downstairs in the cafeteria the other day talking to the ladies and they said they don't get a Christmas party. And they keep us so well fed around here. So I decided to have a Christmas party for them myself.
It happened on Friday night. Ladies, here you go. I'm putting you on television at my house. There they are -- Carla (ph), Phyllis (ph) and Miss. Regina (ph). Thanks for spend expanding my waistline this Christmas season. There's Sonia (ph) sitting on the couch with Phyllis. They'll be here tomorrow preparing our dinner. There's Una (ph), my favorite girl. We know who that is. And, of course, there's Miss. Helen from downstairs. Una works upstairs. And then there's Carla sitting there. Season's eatings -- thanks to all the cafeteria ladies, who keep us all well fed. And they're so warm and snuggly. They make us feel good. They love me and Kyra and everyone in the newsroom.
And this person sitting right there -- say hi, mom.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi.
LEMON: That's my Christmas present to her.
I love you.
Merry Christmas.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.
LEMON: Thanks for coming to visit me here in Louisiana... UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I love you.
LEMON: ...here in Atlanta. She's visiting from Louisiana. Lots of gumbo and cakes and cookies. And we had a great time with the ladies from the cafeteria, didn't we?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes we did.
LEMON: Aren't they wonderful?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They were great.
LEMON: Yes.
So Merry Christmas to you.
I'm spending it with my family, my favorite person in the world, and I hope you are, as well.
And we have a programming note for you. Don't forget our special coverage of a special little boy -- one who's been through so much suffering. That's tonight at 10:00 Eastern -- "Rescuing Youssif" -- his life then, his life now -- only on CNN.
Now let's go to one of my favorite people. And I hope she's having a wonderful Christmas time, as well.
She is working today.
Suzanne Malveaux, take it away, in "THE SITUATION ROOM".
Merry Christmas, Suzanne.
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