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American Morning
Rush to Refinance; $50 Billion Scam; The Advent Conspiracy; Flight Delays & Cancellations Leave Holiday Travelers Stranded
Aired December 25, 2008 - 05:59 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOE JOHNS, CNN ANCHOR: Merry Christmas. I'm Joe Johns, here in New York City. And my co-anchor, Christmas Carol Costello, is standing in the wings right now.
It is Thursday, December 25th. And welcome to the news.
Topping the news at this hour, Christmas Day at the Vatican and a close call for Pope Benedict after celebrating midnight mass. A man who jumped the barriers appears to be running toward the pope. But as you can see, he was quickly blocked by security guards. A Vatican spokesman says they don't know who the person was, and the incident did not disrupt festivities.
Oil prices taking another tumble. The price of crude oil fell more than $3.50 yesterday to settle at $35 a barrel. Analysts point to growing stockpiles of unused gasoline as Americans cut back on driving. It's the ninth straight day that crude oil prices have fallen.
Some scary moments for passengers on board an American Airlines plane that skidded off a runway at Chicago's O'Hare airport. The MD- 80 was taxiing for takeoff last night when it hit an icy patch. The plane's nose gear slid on the grass next to the runway. None of the 54 passengers and crew of five was hurt.
And there were plenty of frayed nerves inside the terminals at O'Hare. Passengers trying to make it home for Christmas were forced to spend a second night stranded there because of snow and ice storms. You can bet they didn't expect to wake up Christmas morning at the country's second busiest airport.
And good morning, Carol.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: I swear to you the clock was wrong. I swear to you.
(LAUGHTER)
JOHNS: Well, I mean, you know, things happen, right?
COSTELLO: And it's Christmas.
JOHNS: Yes. And Santa made it.
COSTELLO: Yes. And hopefully everyone will forgive me because it is Christmas. JOHNS: It's OK.
And by the way, I'm in for John Roberts. I want to make it perfectly clear.
COSTELLO: That's right. And I'm in for Kiran Chetry, and probably will never be in for her again.
JOHNS: Oh, stop it.
(LAUGHTER)
COSTELLO: You know who's here, though?
JOHNS: Yes.
COSTELLO: Rob Marciano.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Oh, let's look at some other stories in the news this morning. I'd like to forget this morning. But it's Christmas. I can't.
Anyway, other stories we're following this morning, officials in Montgomery County, Maryland, hope to have sections of River Road, site of that massive water main break, reopen by Monday, but they expect it will be at least six weeks before they know why a 66-ffot water main burst o9n Tuesday. A four-foot wall of water trapped motorists and led to some incredible rescue efforts seen live, right here on AMERICAN MORNING.
The former Utah state trooper suspected in a series of deadly roadway shootings in Dallas this week had died. Brian Smith had been on life support after shooting himself in a standoff with police. Two people were killed in the roadway shooting spree. Police believe Smith was responsible for at least one of those deaths.
There could be more legal trouble for New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress. Police confiscated guns, ammunition and clothing during a search of his New Jersey home yesterday. The clothes included the blood-stained jeans and sneakers Burress wore when he shot himself in the leg at a New York nightclub. Burress is charged with criminal possession of a weapon. Police say it is not clear if he has permits for the weapons they found in his home.
And falling interest rates are fueling a frenzy of refinancing as homeowners look to reduce mortgage rates. The average rate for a 30- year fixed mortgage is at 5.08 percent. That is a whole point lower than it was a month ago.
Mortgage applications were up 48 percent last week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. More than 80 percent from homeowners looking to lower their costs.
JOHNS: Yes, man. That's what I'm talking about. Gerri Willis is here right now.
GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: I'm here. I'm actually here.
JOHNS: You are here.
(LAUGHTER)
WILLIS: I couldn't help myself, Carol.
JOHNS: Carol, you know, it's going to be three hours of this.
WILLIS: It's a long morning.
COSTELLO: Three hours? It's going to be two weeks of this.
(LAUGHTER)
WILLIS: OK. You want to hear about the greatest Christmas present imaginable for consumers right now? People in trouble with their mortgages everywhere, you can get a cheaper mortgage. This is going to save you -- could save you hundreds of dollars each and every month.
Get off your duff. Start thinking about getting a new mortgage if you're having trouble paying yours now, because these numbers are far, far lower.
Now, I want to say that the numbers you had in the read before, I believe it's 5.04 percent at this time, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association, and this is very close to all-time lows, so people really need to get busy. As we said, these numbers out just this week from the Mortgage Bankers Association. People are running to get these.
Eighty percent of the new mortgages were refis. People are not stupid. They're out there; they're doing it.
Let me tell you though, you're going to face 2 percent to 3 percent closing costs on this; right? You can just wrap it into the cost of the loan if you're short on cash this holiday season. And who is not; right?
So, you know, the devil is in the details here. Negotiate a good price, find a lender. You know, you're going to have to have a good credit score here of at least 700, 720, maybe even 750. But I have to tell you, this is worth doing, definitely.
JOHNS: Absolutely.
WILLIS: A big Christmas gift out there for consumers.
JOHNS: Wow. And so -- but, I mean, the bottom line on this is that the credit crunch is easing to the point where you can actually get there? Or is it just about the same? WILLIS: Well, yes, I think there's a little easing in the credit crunch. But remember, the federal government has talked about taking mortgage rates down to 4.5 percent.
COSTELLO: Oh.
WILLIS: I wouldn't be waiting.
COSTELLO: Really?
WILLIS: I would just -- because you don't know if it's going to happen or not.
COSTELLO: Oh, that's true.
WILLIS: You can't guarantee it. If I could guarantee it for you, I would tell you to wait. But I can't do that.
COSTELLO: OK. It will be my New Year's resolution.
JOHNS: Yes.
COSTELLO: Or you're telling me to do it before then?
WILLIS: Right.
JOHNS: Thanks, Gerri.
WILLIS: My pleasure.
JOHNS: And Gerri will be online with you all morning. Ask her your financial questions. Go to cnn.com/am.
COSTELLO: OK. On to happier news -- well, actually, that was happy news.
WILLIS: That was happy news.
(CROSSTALK)
COSTELLO: Usually you're the Grim Reaper, but this morning, you were a snow angel.
(LAUGHTER)
JOHNS: A Christmas present.
COSTELLO: Anyway, the winner of our iReport contest for the best rocking Christmas display -- drum roll please -- thank you.
JOHNS: All right.
COSTELLO: That was a weak drum roll. Anyway, it's Tim -- thank you, Gerri. It's Tim Lazad (ph) of Callahan, California. Check this out.
(MUSIC)
COSTELLO: We're recovering from that.
JOHNS: That's amazing.
COSTELLO: Anyway, that display, which you really loved deep down inside...
JOHNS: Yes, right. It made me dizzy.
COSTELLO: ... 70,000 lights.
JOHNS: It looks like time lapse.
COSTELLO: No, it's real. It's not.
Seventy thousand lights which are synchronized. As you heard, just some rocking Christmas favorites, and broadcast on local FM radio. So you can tune it on, the FM radio, in your car as you pass by.
JOHNS: The military calls that psych ops or something like that. Things you do to your enemies.
COSTELLO: They use that at Guantanamo Bay. I'm just kidding. That's bad.
WILLIS: And people tell everything they know.
JOHNS: Right, absolutely. After 10 minutes.
COSTELLO: Tim, we're just kidding. We love your Christmas display. And congratulations for being the iReport Christmas display winner here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(APPLAUSE)
JOHNS: You're the bad.
COSTELLO: Barack Obama -- yes, the president-elect -- celebrates Christmas with a big boost from the American public -- surging popularity as he hits the beach in Hawaii. A look at the last vacation he will have before he moves into the White House.
JOHNS: Plus, meet one passenger who says celebrate the holiday by not shopping. He wants you to reclaim Christmas with a little less glitter and a lot more love. He joins us live on The Advent Conspiracy.
COSTELLO: And our special series, "Baby Quest." What some women are doing to roll back the clock on infertility -- meditation, acupuncture, a new diet. Does any of it work?
It's nine minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COSTELLO: Oh, take a look at the nation's capital. It's 46 degrees in Washington, D.C. It's freaky weather.
JOHNS: I don't think this is a white Christmas.
COSTELLO: No. I think it's a melting Christmas.
JOHNS: Yes. But then, you get west, and it's crazy out there. We heard about massive snow in Chicago. People can't fly.
COSTELLO: Oh, yes. Some people were trapped in the airport for two days. What a great Christmas present that would be.
JOHNS: You could just start a bonfire and then have TSA drag you away screaming.
COSTELLO: That would be a great Christmas. That would be a great story.
(LAUGHTER)
COSTELLO: No matter how cold it gets outside, it's going to be nice and warm here in our studio, because check this out. We have our own roaring fire.
Yes, your own Yule log, if you will. Just listen. Skip the music. You can listen. You can almost hear the embers crackling as the logs provide Christmas warmth to our entire crew.
JOHNS: It's video.
COSTELLO: But it looks real.
JOHNS: That's right.
What better way to lead into our smokin' hot Political Ticker -- now there's a segue -- a new study finds security problems with U.S. military members and other overseas voters casting ballots by e-mail or on the Internet. The report from the National Institute of Standards and Technology says it would be difficult to ensure that an electronic ballot is actually from a registered voter and hasn't been changed en route.
Minnesota's Supreme Court rejecting an attempt by incumbent Republican Senator Norm Coleman to keep dozens of alleged duplicate ballots out of the long-running Senate recount. Coleman's campaign contends the votes favor his Democratic rival, Al Franken. The court's decision all but guarantees the recount will end in litigation and delay the seating of a Minnesota senator past January 6th, when the new Congress convenes. The latest tally has Coleman trailing Franken by just 47 votes.
Barack Obama will be making history when he takes oath of office in 26 days, but he'll also be repeating it. Obama will rest his hand on the same bible Abraham Lincoln used during the inauguration of 1861. Many presidents chose to open the bible to a specific passage. Lincoln's bible though was turned to a random page back at his swearing-in back in 1861.
And don't forget, you can get all the updates from our Political Ticker any time, even if you're away from your TV. Just go to cnn.com/ticker -- Carol.
COSTELLO: And right now, Barack Obama is focusing on family time as he spends Christmas in Hawaii. Obama's transition has been humming along, and his poll numbers certainly show it. A new CNN/Opinion Research poll, 82 percent say they approve of how Obama is handling his pre-presidency. Just 15 percent disapprove, although it's pretty much been smooth sailing so far.
Ed Henry says Obama can already see choppy waters ahead.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED HENRY, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Joe, Carol, the president-elect went golfing again, last chance to recharge the batteries before heading back to Washington, where the inbox in that Oval Office is just bursting with challenges.
(voice-over): Call it the Hawaiian honeymoon. President-elect Barack Obama riding high with the American people, and it's easy to see why. He scored an historic election victory, moved swiftly to pick a high-powered White House staff that's basically run a mistake- tree transfer to power so far, and assembled a relatively centrist cabinet that's won rave reviews from even leading conservatives.
STEPHEN HAYES, SR. WRITER, "THE WEEKLY STANDARD": He's made some interesting, I think, wise cabinet choices, but I think the real proof will come when he has to make policy choices. And then I think we run into this question of how is he governing and how do people react to that?
HENRY: Indeed, the challenges ahead are enormous, with President Bush handing off a mountain of problems, starting with a deepening global financial crisis. So the transition team is scrambling to craft an even bigger economic recovery package than expected.
JOSEPH BIDEN (D-DE), VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT: Over 10 million people are officially unemployed, and millions more are unable to find enough work to keep their paychecks from slipping from what they've been. And this deterioration in the nation's unemployment situation has led the president-elect to instruct our economic team, some of which are assembled here today, to raise the goal of our stimulus plan from 2.5 million jobs to three million new jobs to be created over the next two years.
HENRY: And on national security, Obama's so-called team of rivals will be grappling with a long list of international hot spots.
DAN BENJAMIN, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: The tasks ahead are quite daunting. If you look at Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Middle East peace process, financial crisis, you know, we could continue for quite awhile. This is not a set of tasks for the -- you know, for the faint of heart. And so I'm pleased to see that the president-elect is assembling a capable and dynamic team.
HENRY (on camera): Three Democratic officials tell CNN the president-elect is now aiming to get a stimulus plan to Congress the first week of January, with the ultimate goal of getting it signed into law as soon as inaugural week -- Joe, Carol.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Thank you, Ed Henry.
You know there's a pastor -- you're going to talk to him in a little bit.
JOHNS: I'm looking forward to it.
COSTELLO: He wants you to reclaim Christmas.
JOHNS: Yes. Well, I'm planning to, as soon as I get all my returns out to the stores tomorrow. By not shopping they say, or trading gifts. Find out why he wants you to spread the love instead of money today.
And from the circus to the food bank, charities hit hard by a $50 billion scam.
It is 18 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: And of course we're listening to Pope Benedict talking to the masses in Rome. Earlier, he celebrated midnight mass, where he talked about the plight of children throughout the world and how we should all gather around and help them get over their states of poverty.
So we'll be checking back in with Pope Benedict, following what he has to say this morning.
You know, a lot of people have lost a lot of money in Bernard Madoff's alleged $50 billion investment scheme. Some major losses by Jewish charities could affect millions of Americans of all faiths.
CNN's Allan Chernoff is following that part of the story and he joins us live.
Good morning.
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SR. CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Carol.
Well, the Madoff investment scandal has been devastating to the world of Jewish philanthropy. Dozens of wealthy and very charitable American Jews were among those who trusted Madoff with their money. These are people who have given generously to organizations that benefit Americans of all backgrounds.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHERNOFF (voice-over): City Harvest pick up food donations, one of hundreds of daily collections that help feed one-quarter of a million New Yorkers of all faiths. City Harvest received $150,000 last year from the Picower Family Foundation, which is now closing doors because nearly all of the family's investments were with Bernard Madoff.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And that's a significant blow for City Harvest. They're one of our top 10 funders, they've been a significant supporter of our work for nearly 10 years now. And this is funding that's going to be difficult for us to recoup.
CHERNOFF: Clowns from the Big Apple Circus visit critically ill children, another program made possible through the Picower and other Jewish philanthropists.
GARY DUNNING, BIG APPLE CIRCUS: We make about 280,000 bedside visits each year. Their money supported those general operations in 19 hospitals across the country.
CHERNOFF: The Picower Foundation, which has donated more than one quarter of a billion dollars over the years, may have been hit the hardest. But dozens of other Jewish charities and foundations have suffered millions in losses because of Bernard Madoff's alleged Ponzi scheme. Like the Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation of Boston. It has given millions to improve health care, helping to fund the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
The Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles says it invested $18 million with Madoff. Last year, it granted $14 million to groups having no affiliation with Jewish causes, including a new support group for victims of gang violence in Los Angeles.
MARK CHARENDOFF, JEWISH FUNDERS NETWORK: Unfortunately, the impact is going to be on the average American not-for-profit out there. And the fact that, you know, the American Jewish community gives disproportionately to their percent of the population, so unfortunately the impact is going to be disproportionate as well.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHERNOFF: The full impact may not be known for many months, if not several years, as foundation see if they can recover some money lost from Madoff and seek new sources of funding -- Carol.
COSTELLO: You know, there's a special place for Bernie Madoff, and it isn't heaven, if all of this is true. I mean, really...
CHERNOFF: Yes, it is alleged, but it certainly does not look good. And the impact here is just horrific. Really very sad.
COSTELLO: Yes. It is sad. Thanks, Allan. JOHNS: Christmas time abroad -- mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters, the troops make the most of the holiday. We're taking you next live to Camp Liberty.
Plus, meditation, acupuncture and a special diet. See what some women are doing to turn back the clock on fertility. And find out if any of it actually works. Our special series, " Baby Quest."
It's 25 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JOHNS: Welcome back to the most news in the morning.
There's a Christmas conspiracy, or is there? It's part of a movement created three years ago to reclaim the holiday from commercialism. It's called The Advent Conspiracy. Churches worldwide are now observing Christmas by asking their members to spend less, give more and love all.
Chris Seay, pastor of a Houston's Ecclesia Church, is one of the founders of The Advent Conspiracy. He joins us now.
Chris, thanks for coming in, especially so early.
PASTOR CHRIS SEAY, ECCLESIA CHURCH: Oh, you bet, Joe. I could talk about this any time of day.
JOHNS: OK. So here's my first question. It's Christmas Day, last night was Christmas Eve. You have kids, you have family. How do you experience this Christmas morning?
SEAY: Well, hopefully like a lot of families, but maybe with a few more unique things. What we're trying to do -- my child actually explained it back to me well this week.
As we try to walk through what Christmas really means to them, they understood it I think better than we did. They thought, if this is Jesus's birthday, then we ought to give gifts to Jesus.
And if you've read the Christian scriptures at all, you hear what Jesus says -- if you want to give to me, then you give to the least of these, those that are hungry, those that are thirsty, those that are in need. And we live in a world where one child is dying every 15 seconds because they don't have access to clean water.
At first that was a statistic to me. Now that I meet parents across the globe that have lost their children because their children drank polluted water, it's now a reality.
So what we're doing is saying, let's let the central gifts be to Jesus. And the way my son, my 5-year-old puts it, he says, then we kind of get the goody bags at the end of the -- the party favors, if you will, at the end of...
JOHNS: So no Christmas presents? SEAY: No, we do Christmas presents. We do Christmas presents. But we say, let's let the main gifts go to Jesus. Let's spend less. And then let's give things that are really meaningful.
So, when we do give gifts, if it something you say, "I'm going to go buy at a store," then what we're reminding people is to sit down and actually look one another in the eye and have a meaningful moment, write a note, share something that really has meaning. So my kids are going to get gifts, but what we're not going to do is what maybe we used to do, which is overload them with gifts to the point that they didn't know what to play with.
JOHNS: Your movement really sort of went viral, in something like 700,000 hits I think on YouTube. Let's take a look at the clip.
(VIDEO CLIP)
JOHNS: Now, Chris, the other thing you have to think about right now is because we're in sort of an economic crunch, and a lot of people say, the only way this country is going to get out of it is with consumer spending. So with that in mind, isn't it sort of a good idea to say, go ahead, America, spend money, otherwise we might even find ourselves in a worst position, economically.
SEAY: You know, Joe, everybody has got to make their own decisions. I think as a pastor, what really has bothered me historically is that our bondage to debt and to consumerism really hits its peak on Christmas morning. And we're saying that the birth of Christ isn't a reason for more and more consumer spending.
It ought to be, for those of us that are people of the Christian faith, a day of real, true meaning, a time that we're gathering far beyond just the buying and giving of gifts. So there's a big scandal going around years ago, where some people of faith were angry that they weren't saying merry Christmas when you went into Best Buy or Wal-Mart.
And I've said, you know what? I would prefer that that not be the place that we invoke the name of Christ. It might not be the most sacred place in our culture today.
JOHNS: That's so interesting. Because, as you know, there are a lot of people out there who go exactly the other way. They say, I'd rather hear you say merry Christmas than anything else. But anyway, Chris Seay, thanks so much for coming in here, the pastor of Eclessia Church, and happy holidays.
SEAY: Thanks, Joe, Merry Christmas to you, buddy.
(LAUGHTER)
COSTELLO: I love that.
One of the 19 people pardoned by President Bush is getting a lump of coal for Christmas. The president said, never mind. Yes, he has rescinded the pardon for New York developer, Isaac Robert Toussie. The White House says it acted after learning from news reports that Toussie's father, who is also his business partner, gave thousands of dollars to the Republican Party this year and they did not want to give away any appearance of impropriety.
Bad weather causing a runway accident at Chicago's O'Hare Airport. An American Airlines jet skidded off the runway. Official says the plane hit an icy patch as it was taxiing for takeoff and slid onto the grass next to the runway. None of the 54 passengers and crew of five were hurt.
And celebrating Christmas in Baghdad, U.S. troops marking this holiday with renewed hope that they will soon be leaving Iraq for good. And they got a message of appreciation from the next commander- in-chief.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENT-ELECT: Many troops are serving their second, third or even fourth tour of duty. And we're reminded that they are more than dedicated soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guard, they're devoted fathers and mothers, husbands and wives, sons and daughters, sisters and brothers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: CNN's Jill Dougherty is chowing down with the troops at Camp Liberty in Baghdad. She joins us live now.
What are you having for breakfast -- or is it lunch or dinner there?
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we actually did chow down and I have to tell you, it was delicious, Carol. You know, listening to what Obama said there, you know, I actually talked to one of the soldiers who said that he has spent five Christmases away from his family.
So it is true, there are a lot of people who are missing their families. And we've been spending a bit of time. We came yesterday and we've been seeing some of what's going on. I'm in the "deep back (ph)," as they the dining facility. And it's just after lunch, it was a huge lunch. In fact, they had 3,500 meals served here. The turkeys were coming in from Kuwait, fresh turkey.
And we've been seeing a lot, last night we went to a little party that was held by some of the support battalions. They got together, they had some food, they sang some Christmas songs and they also gave each other some gifts. And then after that we went to a very beautiful candlelight service at the Warrior Chapel. And it was really lovely.
They, again, sang some Christmas songs. Had a talk by the minister. And it was a lovely way of remembering why they're here and remembering their families. And then today, as I said, a big meal here. Everything that you can imagine. They even had crab legs. So it sounds kind of luxurious, but obviously it is not. And some of the people who are working out in the more remote areas have to have their food taken out to them. So everybody does get a Christmas dinner. And then they also had a fabulous choir that serenaded people and had a lot of Christmas cheer -- Carol.
COSTELLO: I know, I love the two guys with the Santa hats behind you. Jill Dougherty, many thanks to you. We'll get back...
(CROSSTALK)
COSTELLO: Yes, we'll get back to you throughout the morning.
So Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: You see that and you think, you know, we should never complain about having to work close to our homes here on Christmas Day when our brave men and women are out there in a war zone having to wear a Santa hat and make the best of it.
But anyway, you guys having a good morning so far?
(CROSSTALK)
JOHNS: Carol is here. It's good, we're -- we're all accounted for. You're here.
MARCIANO: You have the Christmas glow.
JOHNS: Yes, good thing.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Coming up, our special series, "Baby Quest," see how far some women will go to overcome infertility. Could acupuncture, meditation, or eating certain foods boost your chances of getting pregnant? We'll tell you.
And they're not singing "I'll be Home for Christmas," more like "Blue Christmas." After a week of hellish holiday travel, dozens and dozens of passengers spending Christmas sleeping in an airport terminal, wow, 37 minutes past.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING. So, today is Christmas, and what better day to avoid the in-laws by sneaking out to see a movie?
(CROSSTALK)
COSTELLO: There are a lot of excellent choices. Well, maybe not excellent choices. We'd say OK choices. Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson spreading the canine Christmas cheer as they try to wrangle the worst dog in the world in "Marley and Me." That's one of the choices. Or Brad Pitt's getting younger by the second in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" about a man who is born in his 80s and he lives his life backwards.
JOHNS: I heard that was good.
COSTELLO: I heard it was weird.
JOHNS: Yes, and then there is the other one that's getting the...
COSTELLO: Yes, you know, and why not take the family out to see a film about Hitler today?
(LAUGHTER)
COSTELLO: Tom Cruise stars in "Valkyrie"...
JOHNS: I'm on my way.
COSTELLO: ... a World War II film about a plot to assassinate the Nazi leader. And you know, some reviewers are saying this movie is so bad you kind of cheer for Hitler. That's a sad...
JOHNS: Pretty frightening.
COSTELLO: That is frightening.
JOHNS: Well, you know, Tom Cruise, when gets one, he really gets one, doesn't he?
COSTELLO: Yes.
JOHNS: Yes.
COSTELLO: Hey, who's your friend?
JOHNS: This is Laura Gallardo (ph).
How are you doing?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good.
JOHNS: Wait, who's the reporter? This is Laura, what's your last name?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Siddiq (ph).
JOHNS: Siddiq. Oh, OK. Now I got it. As -- we just met a few minutes ago. I thank you for coming out. We were thinking that it would be really great to have kids on the set. Because we don't have enough kids on the set, particularly on Christmas morning. So what are you doing?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm drawing.
JOHNS: What are you drawing? This is really -- did you do that yourself? This is fantastic.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I did that last night.
JOHNS: Oh wow.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's a note to Santa.
JOHNS: It's a note to Santa. And it says: "Dear Santa, please bring me a present." So do you know if you've got any presents?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I got three. And I think one is for my dad, but it's wrapped in a newspaper.
JOHNS: And your dad works here, by the way?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I know.
COSTELLO: Your dad wrapped your present in a newspaper?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, Santa.
COSTELLO: Oh, Santa wrapped your present in a newspaper.
JOHNS: Aha.
COSTELLO: That's OK then. If your dad had done it, we'd get on him. But since Santa did it, it's A-OK with me.
JOHNS: That's right. So -- OK, so just go back to your drawing and stay with us, and if you want to weigh in on the news, we'd really appreciate it, because we need a kid's perspective this morning.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I forgot to tell you what I'm drawing.
JOHNS: OK, well, what are you drawing?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A Jabba the Hut prisoner.
JOHNS: A hot prisoner?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No...
COSTELLO: A Jabba the Hut...
JOHNS: Oh, a Jabba the Hut prisoner. I got it. As in...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's from...
JOHNS: Right, the Stars Wars movies?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He doesn't -- they don't like him, but they're afraid of him. So they do whatever he says. But he doesn't want them to escape by keeping them on chains and then he keeps his eye on them by holding onto the chains.
JOHNS: I see.
COSTELLO: Very Christmasy.
JOHNS: That is very Christmasy. Actually, yes, I watch these movies all the time, over and over again.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I love them.
JOHNS: I'm stuck on them. All right.
It's every holiday traveler's worst nightmare. Instead of being home for Christmas, you're stranded, no flight. No way out of the airport terminal. That's what at least 70 passengers in Chicago are dealing with this morning. And there's Michelle Gallardo of CNN affiliate WLS. She joins us live from O'Hare International Airport.
So, Michelle, how is it out there?
MICHELLE GALLARDO, WLS REPORTER: Well, things getting better, Joe. But you know, I mean, there has been just way too much excitement at O'Hare Airport this week, and really, not the good kind. First we had hundreds of flights canceled earlier in the week because of some very, very bad weather.
Then yesterday, American Airlines had problems with two of its flights, first we had Flight 1544 heading to D.C.'s Reagan Airport that skidded off the taxiway when it hit a patch of ice. Earlier, though, we had Flight 1235, that had to make an emergency landing when one of its engines went out.
Now, fortunately, in neither case, nobody was injured. But it really just added to the stress and to the difficulties here at O'Hare, adding to the amount of people stranded. Tuesday night, 500 people had to spend the night here. Then last night, some 75 cots were brought out for stranded passengers. Certainly not the way they were looking to bring in their holiday.
And you know, right now, it is just so crowded at O'Hare, there's a picture at the security lines, and it's unusually crowded for this time of morning, certainly for Christmas Day. It's obviously impossible to tell how many of these passengers are holdovers from canceled flights earlier in the week. But I think it's probably a safe bet to say that quite a few are.
Now fortunately the weather this morning looking pretty good, so hopefully most of these passengers will be able to get out on time and salvage at least parts of their holiday. At least we'll cross our fingers that that is so. Live at O'Hare Airport, I'm Michelle Gallardo.
Joe, back to you.
JOHNS: Thanks so much, and best of the holidays to you, Michelle.
Carol --
COSTELLO: It was a landmark year for American politics. An epic campaign, a history-making election. We'll look back at all the best and worst, that's just ahead on the most news in the morning.
Plus the latest on the investigation into a massive water main break outside of Washington, D.C., after a wall of water trapped commuters inside their cars. Investigators still searching for answers. We'll be right back.
JOHNS: For many people, starting a family is one of life's biggest blessings. But sometimes having a baby the old-fashioned way just isn't possible. Infertility affects more than 7 million couples here in the U.S., that's about 12 percent of adults in their reproductive years. So all this week, we're looking at ways people try to have a child, including using cutting-edge technology. We call it "Baby Quest."
COSTELLO: Yes, and today in part four of our series, rolling back the biological clock, herbal remedies, acupuncture, and in vitro fertilization are just some of the treatments some women try to have a baby when they are beyond the age of 40.
Alina Cho shows us their chances of success.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Joe and Carol, it has become a familiar story, more and more women are delaying pregnancy because they're focused on other things, like their careers. Ten years ago, women who waited too long had to give up. But now, with advances in reproductive technology and alternative methods, women are pushing the limits, and in many cases, having success.
(voice-over): A treasure map to a baby? That's just one of the many things Meredith Kolk tried. At 40, she longed for another child, but knew the odds were against her.
MEREDITH KOLK, MOTHER OVER 40: You hear about so many of the statistics that fertility really goes down at 40.
CHO (on camera): That freaked you out?
KOLK: It did. It was very scary.
CHO (voice-over): So Meredith turned to in vitro fertilization. Hoping to increase her odds, she also used alternative approaches, meditation, acupuncture, changes in her diet and that treasure map that kept her focused on her goal.
(on camera): There are those people who think, this is a little nuts, it's a little crazy.
KOLK: They might, but the process itself makes you feel a little crazy.
CHO (voice-over): What Meredith is going through is increasingly common, as more women, 40 and older, try to get pregnant.
DR. ALICE DOMAR, EXEC. DIR., DOMAR CENTER FOR MIND BODY HEALTH: And when I first got into the field, women over 40 weren't even encouraged to have treatment, because they weren't going to get pregnant.
CHO: Dr. Alice Domar says times have changed. She runs a mind- body center in Boston that specializes in women struggling to get pregnant. Her research shows a medical link between stress and infertility.
DOMAR: If you can teach women stress management and relaxation techniques, their pregnancy rates on average, double.
CHO: On this day, 39-year-old Sarah Weatherhead undergoes acupuncture. She believes being more relaxed could help her chances of getting pregnant. She has had IVF three times without success, and is waiting to hear whether the fourth time worked.
SARAH WEATHERHEAD, TRYING TO GET PREGNANT: I attempt to be very positive about it. But it's difficult, especially when I've had so many failed cycles.
CHO: Sarah is playing the ultimate game of beat the clock. In fact one study shows 33 percent of women are infertile by age 40, increasing to 87 percent by age 45. Doctors say the best hope for older women is donor eggs.
DR. JANE RUMAN, INFERTILITY SPECIALIST: A lot of women initially are very reluctant to go down the route of donor egg, because they'll lose that genetic connection. The fastest way to get a child into your home is usually with donor eggs.
CHO: So successful, a few weeks ago, a 70-year-old woman in India gave birth. While no age limits are enforced in the U.S., most fertility centers maintain a cutoff between 50 and 55.
(on camera): What do you think you can offer now that you maybe couldn't have offered as a 25-year-old mother?
WEATHERHEAD: I think I'm smarter. I like myself better.
CHO (voice-over): Sarah is still hoping. And Meredith, at age 41, her family has just increased by two.
(on camera): When you were making that manifestation board (ph), is this exactly what you pictured...
(CROSSTALK)
KOLK: There was one baby in the original thought. But we were lucky enough to have had two. But yes, this is.
CHO: Infertility experts say pregnant women over 40 do carry some health risks, like gestational diabetes, hypertension, and in some cases premature babies. But they also point out the vast majority of older, pregnant women, deliver safely. And with life expectancy increasing, some believe the cutoff age at fertility clinics will only go up. So if 40 is the new 30 for pregnant women, soon 50 could be the new 40 -- Joe and Carol.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: It's amazing, isn't it?
JOHNS: That really is.
COSTELLO: Cute babies. Well, many people are turning to science to have babies. Right now, thousands of children are in foster care. In the United States, they're hoping to be adopted. And some agencies are turning to the Web to help find families for these children, including the Michigan Adoption Resource Exchange. They post videos of kids hoping for a new family.
Here's 14-year-old Steven from Michigan, telling his own story.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVEN: I'm Steven. Favorite color blue. Favorite food to eat is pizza, macaroni and cheese, hot dogs, hamburgers. I want a family, so I guess I can see what (INAUDIBLE) stuff I'm just -- can have lots of company around me right now and talk to them and see what it's like having a mom and dad again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: So Steven is looking for some parents this Christmas, he's a great kid, evidently he's a great athlete and he has excellent grades, so he's a scholar as well.
JOHNS: Plus he eats pizza.
(LAUGHTER)
COSTELLO: Macaroni and cheese. He's easy to please. So if you're interested in adopting Steven, all you have to do is simple, go to mare.org, and like I said, the agency says, you know he's laid back, you know he has lots of friends, he's comfortable around people his own age and also adults.
He just started high school, and as I said, he is an excellent student. He loves being part of the football team. And he would prefer to be placed with an African-American family. Again, family for Steven, it's simple, go to mare.org to learn more about him. You can also find a link at cnn.com/am.
And coming up tomorrow on our "Baby Quest" series, how hard or easy is it to adopt? A health survey shows thousands of couples are willing to adopt a child over the age of 13. So what stands in their way? That's right here on AMERICAN MORNING.
Coming up, "drill, baby, drill," this year's political hit list, from the rise and fall of Sarah Palin to Reverend Wright and the October Surprise. Plus, a winter wonderland snags travelers. We have the latest advisories. It's 55 minutes after the hour.
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COSTELLO: Merry Christmas, Chicago -- actually this is Boston. Merry Christmas, Boston. It is bright in Boston. You know, I was mentioning Chicago because it has been so terrible there, but at Chicago O'Hare, at least people are finally getting on planes and the planes are actually taking off.
JOHNS: Fewer people sleeping in the airport, at least.
COSTELLO: Exactly. Thank goodness. This is Central Park. Look how beautiful it is, and peaceful, New York City. Melting snow because it's really warm here, it's eerily warm. It's freaky warm.
(WEATHER REPORT)
