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Terror Trial Coming to New York; Illinois Prison May House Gitmo Detainees; Nevada Homeless Helped by Schools; "CNN Hero" Who Lost His Legs Helps Children Get Prosthetics

Aired November 15, 2009 - 18:00   ET

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

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Tonight, the glowing skyline where the Twin Towers once stood, New York City is suddenly at the center of a political firestorm involving the president and the men accused of bringing those buildings down.

Those men and nearly 200 others, prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, but for how longing? Full steam ahead for the White House, scrambling to ship many of them off permanently to the president's home state of Illinois.

High drama and very high stakes for a young president not even in the country at the moment.

Good evening, everyone. I'm Don Lemon.

Members of the Obama administration are preparing right now to tour a maximum security prison in Illinois tomorrow in hopes it can soon become home to some 200 detainees from Guantanamo Bay. At the same time, the administration is moving ahead with this decision to try five of those prisoners in New York City for their alleged involvement in the 9/11 attacks that killed thousands and brought down two landmarks, changing the Manhattan skyline forever.

And for the first time since the administration's announcement, the man in charge of New York City at the time, Rudy Giuliani, is now speaking out. In no uncertain terms, the former mayor says that the president is flat-out wrong and he should have learned from the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center and the trial that followed two years later in a Manhattan federal court.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, CNN'S STATE OF THE UNION)

RUDY GIULIANI, FORMER NEW YORK MAYOR: A trial is OK. A military trial is OK. In the case of the World Trade Center under Bill Clinton, I've already said in retrospect, as many have, that that was a mistake. To treat the 1993 bombing as if it were just a criminal act, just one of the 1,973 murders in the city of New York that year was a big mistake.

So, what -- basically, the Obama administration is repeating the mistake of history. Many, many people have regarded that mistake to be treated just as a civilian act. It should have been treated as an act of war. And it's part of a bigger picture here, John. It's part of -- it's part of Barack Obama deciding that we're not at war with terrorism anymore. So, this is not treated as if it was an act of war, which it should be treated. Remember, he's told we can't use the term "war on terror." The only problem with that, John, is the terrorists haven't stopped going to war with us. Maybe, the Obama administration doesn't think that we are at war with them but they are very clear on the fact that they are at war with us.

So, for many, many reasons, including the symbolic reasons, this should be tried in a military court, as an indication that we have learned, since 1993, after the attack on the World Trade Center, then after the attacks in Africa, after the attack on the USS Cole, after the attack on the World Trade Center, gosh, you'd think we'd learn that we're at war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Giuliani making that statement this morning on CNN's "STATE OF THE UNION," just one of the Sunday shows were lawmakers lined up to debate this issue going bigger by the hour.

And CNN's Kate Bolduan was watching.

Kate, you have a rundown for us, but a lot of passion about this issue.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Exactly, Don. A lot of passion, you've heard from Giuliani and you heard it elsewhere today. The political firestorm is not letting up over the administration's decision to try self-described 9/11 mastermind, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four others just blocks from where the World Trade Center once stood.

Many Republicans, including the ranking Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, Congressman Pete Hoekstra, argue that the alleged terrorist should face military commissions, that they are not deserving of the protections afforded in civilian courts.

Listen here to the congressmen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. PETE HOEKSTRA (R), MICHIGAN: This is ideology run wild. We're going to back into New York City, the scene of the tragedy on 9/11. We're now going to rip that wound wide open.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Now, other concerns over the administration's decision include the security threat, such a high profile case could bring to New York City. Other critics are concerned this move offers the suspected terrorists a platform, you could say, for their radical propaganda.

But the Obama administration is pushing back against its critics.

Listen here to White House senior adviser David Axelrod. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID AXELROD, WHITE HOUSE SENIOR ADVISER: These folks should be tried in New York City, as you say, near where their heinous acts were conducted, in full view in our court system which we believe in. We feel strongly that justice will be done here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: The attorney general, Eric Holder, in making this announcement, says that the prosecutors will seek the death penalty, Don, and he says he thinks the suspected 9/11 plotters will get it.

LEMON: And we heard, Kate, from the former mayor of New York City. What about the current one?

BOLDUAN: Yes. Mayor Bloomberg, he came out in support of the administration's decision here, saying in a statement, he said, quote, "It is fitting that 9/11 suspects face justice near the World Trade Center site where so many New Yorkers were murdered." Mayor Bloomberg, as you can tell, Don, seems confident the city, the NYPD, as well as its residents, the citizens of New York City, he says they're ready and able to host these trials.

LEMON: Kate, thank you very much for that.

BOLDUAN: Of course.

LEMON: We go to the heartland and the possible Gitmo of the Midwest. The Thomson Correctional Center, about 150 miles from Chicago, it can hold up to 1,600 prisoners. Right now, it has only a tiny fraction of that. Bringing some detainees from Guantanamo Bay to the prison would probably add fewer than 100 to the population. But for the governor and local politicians, housing terrorists in Thomson is nothing less than an economic stimulus s worth up to $100 billion in federal funds.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. PAT QUINN (D), ILLINOIS: This is going to be an opportunity of a lifetime to the people of Illinois, to think of a facility that's been constructed with taxpayer dollars and the people of Illinois, and to have a transaction with the federal government, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, to allow the federal government to use it for federal purposes and protection for the people of our state and our country.

JERRY "DUKE" HEBELER, THOMSON VILLAGE PRESIDENT: And that's to me is like I had 1,800 jobs to 2,000. That would hurt -- that would help cut down the unemployment in Carroll County about in half. There would be a lot of dollars spent to help the economy security but I'd never chase jobs if I thought it would jeopardize security and safety of my neighbors and friends.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Well, some politicians are dead-set against any detainees coming to the U.S., Illinois or otherwise. Mark Kirk, a Republican congressman from the president's home state of Illinois, wrote a letter to Mr. Obama saying, "If your administration brings al Qaeda terrorists to Illinois, our state and the Chicago Metropolitan area will become ground zero for Jihadist terrorist plots, recruitment and radicalization. As home to America's tallest building, we should not invite al Qaeda to make Illinois its number one target."

Our Elaine Quijano is in Thomson, Illinois, for us tonight. She joins us by telephone.

Elaine, you heard Congressman Mark Kirk, what he had to say, among others. But for the people -- many of the people in the small town, it's the economy, not the prisoners, right?

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): That's exactly right, Don. Absolutely. You heard from the mayor of Thomson there in one of those news conferences.

I can tell you here in Thomson itself, we have yet to find anyone who is against the idea. Obviously, we've not had a chance to talk to all 600 residents of Thomson, but the residents we have talked to are very much supportive of this. Why? Because -- you said it -- it's the economy.

In these small towns, as in others across the country, unemployment is a huge problem. And I can tell you, Don, driving down Main Street, there is a main street in Thomson, we saw signs of that where several of the store fronts were close.

Just on the road from the prison, in fact, the other of a restaurant called Sunrise Restaurant told me that the area is in desperate need of jobs. You know, I asked him, "Are you worried about the idea of bringing terrorism suspects to U.S. soil? Whether that makes you less safe?" And he said, "Look, I'm not worried about anyone escaping. That is a high tech facility, and that prisoners are prisoners." He said, "Who's to say a terror suspect might be more dangerous than, say, a serial killer?"

So, he really wants to have this facility opened. He wants to have obviously more people coming into Thomson because, as he put it, this town really has just been through some tough times and everyone is looking forward to this visit tomorrow by the Obama administration officials to look at this facility. They just want this prison opened.

LEMON: And talk to us about -- you said it's 600 residents. Obviously, not a very big town. But they -- I'm sure -- are used to having a prison in their town and prisoners and seeing them. So, maybe it's not a big deal to them, but just to the rest of the country that's -- you know, folks are trying to make hay of this.

QUIJANO: Well, that's just it. They've said, "Look, we've had this prison here. It hasn't been full. There's only a small number of people there." But they say, "The idea of a prison is nothing new for us." It is a small farming community, about 150 miles west of Chicago, 600 people live in this community and the biggest building in town is this sprawling $145 million state prison.

But, you know, with the prison being mostly empty right now, these residents are saying, "What a waste. There are jobs, certainly, that this community desperately needs that we were promised, frankly," they said, "And we've been disappointed through the years that this prison isn't being used to its fullest capacity."

So, they are very much supportive of the idea again, Don. We have yet to find a single resident who is opposed to the idea. They just think it's going to be good for the town to get these jobs that they've needed for quite a while here -- Don.

LEMON: Our Elaine Quijano in Thomson, Illinois, where she will be reporting from there until there is more movement on this story -- Elaine, thank you.

And make sure you join us next hour. We'll be discussing these issues in greater depth with the congressman who represents the district where this prison is.

Plus, we're going to have local towns people, we're going to take you inside this town, how they feel about possibly having some of the world's deadliest terrorists in their community. A business owner will join us then.

And we want you to be part of our conversation tonight. We're reading your feedback throughout the hour. Make sure you log on to your computer to those sites there or by cell phone.

So, in addition to the decision on Guantanamo Bay, there is a question of U.S. presence in Afghanistan. How much of it, to be exact. That's another decision President Obama is weighing right now and getting a lot of guff for how long he's taking to decide whether to grant the commanding general his wish about the 40,000 more troops.

Former and probably future presidential hopeful, Mitt Romney, took the opportunity to pounce on the president this weekend while speaking to a conservative group in Santa Barbara, California. And Obama advisor, David Axelrod, fired right back.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITT ROMNEY (R), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The president's inattention and dereliction have reminded of the Northwest Airline pilots who became so distracted with things of little importance that they lost their way, which is exactly what this president has done in Afghanistan -- in this case with greater consequences.

(APPLAUSE)

AXELROD: Governor Romney has to choose one argument over another. He's -- either he has to say he's not paying attention or he has to say he's taking too long because he has been involved in rigorous review. The president has had hours and hours and hours of meetings with his military commanders, with his national security team, to run through every aspect of this, in order to get it right. And we've seen in the past what happens when we don't do that, when we don't do the necessary preparations. And he is determined to get Afghanistan right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: A whole lot of political drama playing out while President Obama is out of the country. Tonight, he arrived in Shanghai where he'll spend the morning and talk with local party leaders. He arrives in a driving rain storm. His Monday schedule also includes a rare U.S.-style town hall meeting with university students.

Before leaving Singapore, the president met with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, discussing a new treaty to reduce U.S. and Russian stockpile nuclear arms, which they predicted would happen by the end of the year. And the president also took part in climate change talks during an Asian Pacific summit, but the group made little progress.

Denmark's prime minister told reporters that next month's climate summit in Copenhagen is no longer expected to reach a new deal to battle global warming.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I heard this rumble, bang, boom, boom. And then we saw a flash and then we saw smoke and then, you know, we started decreasing in altitude.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Terror in the skies as a passenger jet taking off in Kansas City hits a flock of birds.

Also, from reading and writing to feeding and clothing. One Las Vegas school changes its curriculum to take care of its homeless students.

And you better get ready. Sarah Palin is out on the road and about to take over the airwaves.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: I imagine it's an intense moment to board a Frontier Airlines passenger jet flight 820 en route from Kansas City to Denver struck a flock of birds shortly after takeoff last night. One of the 120 passengers recalls exactly what he was doing at the moment of impact.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAM WEISGAL, PASSENGER: We were talking about the airplane that had gone down and shrunk in New York and how it survived, and all of a sudden, the plane felt like it hit something. I mean, you could feel a shutter. The plane shuttered, OK? The first thing that happened as the plane shuttered was at the right side of the windows of the airplane, on the right side, you could see flashes of light, sparks and flames. Smoke immediately started to come into the cabin. You could smell something that was burning. Obviously, something -- the engine.

And the plane immediately canted, OK? It immediately started going down to the right, like that. And I think everybody in the plane thought we were going down.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I heard this rumble, bang, boom, boom. And then we saw a flash and then we saw smoke and then, you know, we started decreasing in altitude.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Wow. The plane landed safely. That's the good news back at Kansas City International Airport. An airport spokeswoman says both of the plane's engine suffered damage, but that only one, one of them actually lost power.

Jacqui Jeras joins us now.

Jacqui, I fly all the time but I'm uncomfortable with it. That is my worst nightmare -- my goodness, for something like that to happen.

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: My husband is a pilot, you might know, and this happens a lot more often than people think. He's actually flown into birds before. He didn't any problems as a result of it.

LEMON: Yes.

JERAS: So, good piloting that they were able to get back and everybody was safe.

LEMON: So, let me ask you this. What about when you have heavy snow, like in the Rockies -- can you fly in that? Can you takeoff and land? Does it cause problems?

JERAS: Yes. No big deal. You know, it's hard -- if you're trying to get somewhere, if you're trying to land, you know, visibility can be an issue. And the other thing you have to deal with, de-icing and they have had some de-icing delays today in the Denver area and that's because we have had some snow that's been going on in the Rockies that last 24 to 48 hours. And that's pushing eastward now into parts of Kansas.

I want to show you this picture from KUSA. This is a Loveland ski resort. And if you look really closely, can you see him? Here's a couple of people. See a little skier right there trying to go down the hill. Yes, it's actually opened, believe it or not.

They have about five to six inches of snow in the last 24 hours. They've got an 18-inch base and the snow is continuing to come down at this hour. But like I said, it's starting to pull out and we're focusing along the I-70 corridor here into the western parts of Kansas for getting the heaviest accumulation at this time.

Now, the snowfall totals have really been pretty impressive here. It's not the worse snowfall we've had this year but 20 inches is nothing to sneeze at there. Wolf Creek Pass, Conifer over a foot, as well as Littleton, Colorado. Boulder had about 7 1/2 inches; as well as the downtown Denver area.

Now, ahead of all of this snow, we've had a lot of rainfall today, especially here from Columbia stretching down towards the Joplin area, including new here in Jefferson City, we've had a little bit of flooding as a result of this as well.

So, this is our big game in town here, low pressure in the nation's midsection. It's going to be a slow mover. So, we're expecting more rain in the Mississippi Valley for tomorrow. Also tomorrow, those winds we've been experiencing in California are going to be sticking around. So, the fire danger will remain high. Look at some of these peaks from this morning, 64 miles per hour in Laguna Peak.

Hey, if you guys like a big show, make sure that you watch the Leonid meteor showers. Get up early for Monday night and into Tuesday morning. We're going to have a new moon. So, the food fades, it means it's dark. So, you should be able to see 20 to 30 per hour. Unfortunately, it's going to be a little cloudy but in the nation's midsection, but good for you in the southwest and across much of the east -- Don.

LEMON: Is that a big blob -- is that big blob over us? I can't see your screen.

JERAS: No, I think we're going to be able in Atlanta.

LEMON: We're going to be fine?

JERAS: Hopefully, we might have a little bit of cloudiness. But you got to get up at 4:00 a.m. in the east to see it.

LEMON: I was going to say, Leonid. I'm up at 4:00 a.m. all the time, to get all my chores done.

JERAS: You are? Perfect.

LEMON: Yes. I've done -- by 5:00 a.m., I've done just about everything and go back to bed.

JERAS: Great.

LEMON: Yes. Believe that, right?

JERAS: Yes.

LEMON: Thank you, Jacqui. You know, it has been a weekend of sad good-byes for family and friends of those killed in the Fort Hood shootings. Services are being held today in Cameron, Texas, for Michael Cahill, the only civilian killed in the massacre. He worked as a physician's assistant at Fort Hood. Funerals were held around the country yesterday for seven other Fort Hood shooting victims.

A missing 5-year-old little girl allegedly sold as a sex slave by her own mother. Right now, officers are scouring parts of North Carolina for a trace -- just a trace -- of Shaniya Davis, as her mom, Antoinette Davis faces charges of human trafficking. The arresting documents say she knowingly provided her daughter with the intent to be held in sexual servitude -- that's according to the "Fayetteville Observer."

But it is not clear if the charges are related to her daughter's disappearance. Shaniya hasn't been seen since Tuesday when surveillance video recorded a man carrying the girl into a hotel room. Police say that man that you see right there, his name is Mario Andrette McNeill. He's been charged with kidnapping but still no word on Shaniya's whereabouts.

Sarah Palin speaks her mind about the 2008 election, her daughter's pregnancy, and her future.

And a sign of the times for you. Ticket prices are going down. Yes, down. Why? At least one professional sports league is trying to make it more affordable for you to get game or go to the game.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Well, if you can't get enough of former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin? Well, you're just going to love the next 48 hours.

The former Republican vice presidential candidate is in the midst of an all-out media blitz promoting her new book titled "Going Rogue: An American Life." The book goes on sale on Tuesday. Presale orders of "Going Rogue" are through the roof, we're told.

One bookseller in Palin's Alaska hometown put it this way for CNN's John King.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, CNN'S STATE OF THE UNION)

SHANNON CULLIP, PANDEMONIUM BOOKSELLERS: It's either one extreme or the other, I would say. People either completely have her on a pedestal or don't like her. It's not too much in the middle.

There'll have just some -- people just, oh, she's just such an amazing woman. I can't believe what she's accomplished and that sort of thing.

JOHN KING, "STATE OF THE UNION" HOST: And the flip side, those who...

CULLIP: The flip side, oh, I can't stand her. (END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Well, for more on Sarah Palin's new book and other items of interest from the Beltway, we turn now to CNN deputy political director Paul Steinhauser, who joins from our Washington bureau.

It's very interesting. Sometimes I wonder if it's tail wagging the dog here with the media and Sarah Palin because she's -- she hasn't been seen except for on "Oprah" and she just sort of tweets or does her Facebook and then everybody responds to it. So, in your opinion, will this book reap more rewards financially for her or politically?

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Don, I think both. First of all, financially, we know she got $1.52 million for the book advance. And as you just mentioned, this book is already a bestseller online, it hasn't even come out yet. It comes out on Tuesday. So, she will profit from this book, no doubt about it.

Politically, we don't know if she wants to run for the White House in 2012. She may not even know at this point. But, if she does, this could be an important first step. It gets her in the spotlight.

We're talking about her. As you mentioned, the media is fascinated with her. So, she's going to be in the spotlight. She's going to get her message out to conservatives, which is her base of support, and she, for this book tour, will be going to some important political states in the road for the White House.

And remember, other people who have run for the White House -- Barack Obama had written books. It's an important step.

LEMON: All right, Paul. What about Sarah Palin's interview with Oprah slated to air tomorrow? Mutual risk here for both ladies? Expect any backlash either way?

STEINHAUSER: You know what? Both of these people are on opposite sides of the political spectrum. Remember, Oprah was a big backer of Barack Obama. Sarah Palin is a conservative. But I think both are going to win big time here. I don't follow TV ratings, but something tells me, tomorrow's show is going to be a ratings huge blockbuster for Oprah.

But it's also -- for Sarah Palin, if you want to sell a book, Don, where do you go? You go to Oprah. So, I think both women here are going to gain big time from tomorrow's interview.

LEMON: That's what I meant by the tail wagging the dog when we talk about just the media coverage here, you know, everyone is capitalizing on it.

So, listen, how ugly might this book get for the GOP, if at all, in light of the perceived post-election divide between the McCain camp and the Palin camp? STEINHAUSER: You know, we've already seen a lot of excerpts from the book over the last couple of days and a lot of what we've seen is Sarah Palin telling her story of last year's presidential campaign when she was John McCain's running mate, and then basically critiquing the poor treatment she says she received by some of the top McCain campaign officials and by the media. And we've also seen push back from some of the top McCain campaign officials telling our John King, telling our Candy Crowley that they definitely don't agree with what Sarah Palin is writing in the book. But they say her portrayal of them is not true.

So, I think she's trying to get her story -- her side of the story out in this book, Don.

LEMON: All right. Let's move on now and talk about health care, and the U.S. Senate slated to begin that debate soon. What are you hearing about what we should expect?

STEINHAUSER: The debate could begin this week. But this is interesting. In the Senate, you have to vote to begin debate. We could get that vote a little later in the week.

But, first, we need to know what's in the bill. We haven't seen this bill yet. So, we're waiting for the Congressional Budget Office to score it, to tell us how much it costs.

And then, the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, is going to try to have a vote later this week to begin debate on the bill once we know what's in it. And he doesn't even have a guarantee yet that he's got all 60 votes needed to start debate. So, that will be the first show down this week, Don.

LEMON: All right. So, the House passed the health care bill. There's no chance in the Senate and 60 votes there are required. Why and how might the Senate version differ?

STEINHAUSER: They are going to be different bills. The Senate version will be a more moderate bill than what we saw in the House, if it has a public option. And that's no -- there's no guarantee there yet. If it does have a public option, which we know is a government plan to compete with private insurance, that option will probably allow states to opt-out of the plan.

Other differences? I think the House bill is going to be more expensive than the Senate bill. The House bill taxes high-income Americans and the Senate bill will not do that. So, it will probably put a tax on those high Cadillac health insurance plans.

Big question mark: Will there be an abortion provision in the Senate bill? We know about the House bill. That was very controversial. So, there are definitely going to be differences, Don.

LEMON: All right. We shall see.

Paul Steinhauser is our deputy political director -- thank you, Paul. STEINHAUSER: Thanks, Don.

LEMON: He runs a city. He protected a grandmother from a vicious attack, and now, Milwaukee's mayor is running for governor. Democrat Tom Barrett made it officially today, the decision was delayed for weeks while he recovered from a brutal attack.

Barrett was seriously hurt three months ago by a man who was attacking a screaming grandmother outside of the Wisconsin state fair. The mayor was hurt when he tried to help.

Beyond the glitz and glamour, Las Vegas is one of the hardest hit cities economically during this recession. And next, we're going to talk to a homeless mother struggling to find a roof for her children to sleep under. And the principal who was trying to do what she can to help her homeless students.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Nevada has been named one of the 10 worst states when it comes to economic problems caused by the recession. One place that this is showing up in is the schools. In Las Vegas, there has been a huge jump in the number of homeless students.

CNN's Dan Simons shows us why.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SARAH BARKS, UNEMPLOYED: And this is the kitchen.

DAN SIMONS, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): She has moved seven times in just the past few months since leaving her sales clerk job to take care of a sick mother. That would be tough for anyone. But Sarah Barks also has five young children to worry about.

BARKS: For me just to get something like a backpack, tennis shoe, shoelaces, I can't provide those things. I can't. I can't go to the store and buy them what they want.

Ian, come here, buddy.

SIMONS: She wants her old job back but it's filled. And she says the Las Vegas job market is so dry that she competes with hundreds of others for the same positions.

Her kids, who range in age from 3 to 9 years old, try to adapt to their nomadic lives.

JOCELYN BARKS, DAUGHTER OF SARAH BARKS: Sometimes Mama struggles to find us a place to live, but as long as I'm with my Mama, I'm fine.

SIMONS (on camera): Do you get sad sometimes?

JOCELYN BARKS: Yes.

SIMONS: What's the hardest thing for you? JOCELYN BARKS: Having to say bye to my friends.

SIMONS (voice-over): Jocelyn has a lot of company. According to a study conducted by the Pew Center on the States, year over year, Las Vegas public schools saw a 42 percent increase in homeless students, more than 5,000 kids in all.

SUE URAHN, MANAGING DIRECTOR, PEW CENTER ON THE STATES: Nevada has the highest foreclosure rate in the country. So the housing problems that the state is experiencing are severe. And I think what that statistic points to is that has real human consequences. And that's what we are seeing in Nevada.

SIMONS: The consequences are seen every day at Whitney Elementary School, where the principal says the majority of her students come from homeless families.

SHERRIE GAHN, PRINCIPLE, WHITNEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Well, we went from a lot of low-income families to no income families, which put a toll on our families. And in addition to that, it comes with the stress of trying to survive from day in and day out.

SIMONS (on camera): Most supply closets are filled with pens, and paper or crayons, but this one is different. It's something that you've never seen before at a school. It's filled with food and clothing. This school has so many homeless people that it felt it had to take the initiative to make sure that the students are fed and have clothes on their back. You can see all of the clothes here.

BARKS: I don't have enough room for their things. There's only one tiny closet.

SIMONS (voice-over): As for Sarah Barks, a friend is letting her and her kids live in this tiny two-bedroom house until December. Then it's on to another place, unless she can scrape up the $400 a month for rent. With no job and no prospects in sight, Sarah isn't sensing an economic recovery, not yet.

Dan Simons, CNN, Las Vegas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON; Joining me now is Sherrie Gahn, the principal of Whitney Elementary School in Las Vegas; and Sarah Barks, whose story you just saw in Dan Simons report. She joins us by telephone.

Can you hear us, Sarah?

BARKS: I can.

LEMON: OK, thank you for joining us.

I'm going to start with Sherrie.

I'll start with you. This classroom, turned food pantry, is it just for students and their families or is it open to the public? GAHN: It's predominantly opened to the Whitney -- we opened it for the Whitney students and the families, though we've had some other outpouring from some community members that have come. We provide them with the food if they need it. We really open to anyone that needs it, but it's predominantly for the students.

LEMON: Sherrie, was there any push-back from parents, other administrators or the school board maybe, anybody in the community?

GAHN: Well, everyone is real supportive of what we do at Whitney. They've been real excited to see that if we help take care of the kids and feed them, then we're able to help them succeed academically. So I've had a lot of support.

LEMON: Who is keeping the shelves stocked?

GAHN: Just about any donations that we can get is what we stock the shelves with. We get them from local grocery stores and food chains and other food banks. We get the food from even single people that come to the school and drop off food for us.

LEMON: OK. So you know the economy -- many people are in dire straits. Do you have any concern about safety or security because of this?

GAHN: At times. I'm always worried about safety and security for our kids. I don't think that these particular times have made it worst for our kids. I think we've created an environment at Whitney where the kids feel very safe and secure there. And by providing all of the things that they need to survive, I think that's helped bring in that security and that safety.

LEMON: All right.

Let's turn now to Sarah.

Sarah, you're very courageous to be so out in front and public about your family's story. A lot of people are falling on hard times these days. We know that. Any job prospects since speaking out?

BARKS: Right. I was happy to do this. Yes, do I want everybody to know? No. But if I can help another mother who is in the situation with me, that, to me, is a lot just to help someone else, because sometimes someone just needs to hear that there's someone else just like them.

LEMON: We know you have to find a new home soon. And how are those efforts going?

BARKS: I try to keep positive. Hopefully, I don't have to find another place and I can stay here until December. $400 a month for me is a lot of money. And the rent is actually $600. So she's being nice by letting me pay $400 for the month.

LEMON: Yes, that's very nice of her. $400 to a lot of folks is a lot of money. So -- again, what is going on? Finish up what you said about your home and your family.

SARAH: Right now, just trying to find a job. If I can get a job, which I'm looking anywhere and I'm desperate, and I'm just going to -- things I know I'm overqualified for, things I know that are minimum wage. And I'm just thinking, OK, if I can just get that one paycheck, I can do this. We're not going to have to move. Even the place where I live, it's really tiny in here. I'm just trying to keep stability. I keep my kids at this school and the school is so supportive of the kids, that they have provided me with bus passes just so my kids can get to school.

LEMON: You were mentioning your kids. It's got to be hard. We saw them in the video. It's got to be hard for you to watch them go without. What do you say to encourage your children?

BARKS: My kids are pretty -- they have high spirits. I don't think they -- I try not to breakdown in front of my kids so they can see how much I'm stressing. So I try to keep a positive look on myself saying, OK, if I'm going to breakdown I'm going to go in the bathroom and breakdown, but I'm not going to do it in front of them. I want them to feel like, if I can keep them in the school's stability, keep them with their friends, their teachers. I don't think they realize how big the situation at hand really is. I don't think they realize that. I think, OK, you know what, Mommy, we're moving. And they are pretty positive. I'm proud of them. I really am proud. I don't know how other kids can do it. But they do it pretty well.

LEMON: Yes, kids are really resilient, and probably more so than most people know or can imagine. But still, you want them to have the best.

I want to thank you, Sarah, so much. Again, you're very courageous. Best of luck to you.

BARKS: Thank you so much.

LEMON: Sherrie, thank you as well.

GAHN: Thank you.

LEMON: Have a good evening.

Striking a pose for Captain Morgan gets an NFL player in trouble and brings the league down on Ambush marketing.

And he broke baseball's color barrier, now one of Jackie Robinson's old jerseys sells for big bucks, really, really, big bucks.

I like this story. We're talking sports and money.

Look up in the camera, mister.

RICK HARROW, SPORTS BUSINESS ANALYST: Oh, sorry.

LEMON: You're on. HARROW: I'm looking at your story. That's all. Sorry.

LEMON: Just for that, I'm going to make you wait.

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON: We're back in a moment.

HARROW: Yes, me too.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Big money for the jersey of a baseball hero. Check this out. It's a 1948 Brooklyn Dodgers uniform once worn by Jackie Robinson, the man, of course, who broke baseball's color barrier. It sold for more than $373,000. This was at the Louisville Slugger Museum auction. Other items sold include a 1966 Mickey Mantel bat. You saw it right there. It went for more than $26,000.

All right, here's a question for you. Should players in the NFL be able to strike a pose after scoring a touch down for charity? The NFL says no. And it's touched off a little controversy here.

Rick Harrow is our man when it comes to the business of sports. He joins us from Palm Beach, Florida.

Rick, we know what prompted this. Tell us about what prompted this decision here. Strike a pose.

HARROW: I've got to get my pirate pose in here. So Fran Sellick (ph) catches a touchdown pass, Philadelphia Eagles, last week. Captain Morgan, which is not an NFL sponsor, sends the word out, if you do this, we're going to give you a little stipend. We're going to pay the fines. NFL says no celebrations in the end zone, fine, $10,000. Captain Morgan says we are going to pay these fines. The NFL doesn't allow these kind of sponsors anyway. And Captain Morgan himself issues a statement and he says, when it comes to football, what is more fun than a touchdown? I believe in drinking responsibly, marketing responsibly, but I understand my friend in the NFL's perspective.

Listen, they got a lot of publicity just by the apology. The word is out, you can't do that anymore. As for Sellick (ph), the Eagle, the Eagles are losing. They've only sold nine points today. I don't think he has a touchdown today. So stick to the game, my man.

LEMON: Let's get it out of our system. Arrgh.

HARROW: Grr.

LEMON: Arrgh.

HARROW: You make a good pirate, not a scary one, but a good one.

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON: Let's move on and talk about -- I understand that one pro league is cutting ticket prices to help fans in tough economic times?

HARROW: They are cutting ticket prices because they want to get people into the building. Atlanta has all you can eat sections for the Hawks. The Los Angeles Clippers, $9,000 season tickets. But you get what you pay for. They are not that great. And Cleveland has a marketing philosophy with special games called guy's night out. They get a special pin-up calendar. They get to look at the calendar and the cheerleaders. And, by the way, there's a basketball game going on. And they get to eat bad food, like wings and greasy hamburgers.

LEMON: What is bad about that?

HARROW: It's all because the NBA needs to bring people in, in these rough economic times.

LEMON: What is bad about chicken wings and greasy burgers? That's the good stuff, man.

HARROW: That's good stuff, right. So there goes any sponsor you might have for that. You said it, not me.

LEMON: Listen, a lot of talk about the fantastic endorsement deals enjoyed by Tiger Woods, Lebron James and Peyton Manning, among others. What about the ones that didn't work out?

HARROW: How about this one? How about Hertz? In the late '80s, they dropped O.J. Simpson two years before his double murder indictment. How about Michael Vick? Nike drops him a month after his federal indictment, have not reinstated him. Michael Phelps was dropped by Kellogg's a month before that contract was due. Kobe Bryant dropped by McDonalds. Marcus Johnson, Michael -- Marcus Jordon, Michael Jordan's kids, went to University of Central Florida. They had an Adidas contract. He's wearing Nikes because that's his daddy's line. University of Central Florida lost that deal. Nike might pick it up. That's bad for the school as well, not as bad as these other deals, but pretty bad for the school. When you do an endorsement deal, there's a good side and also a bad side.

LEMON: There's also a bad side. And sometimes the endorsement deals are more than your salary. So if you lose them, oh, boy, you lose a lot.

Thank you, Rick Harrow. Always good to see you.

HARROW: Thank you.

LEMON: See you next week.

It's a devastating injury that might have led most teenagers to simply give up. But this "CNN Hero" not only took on the challenge of not only losing his legs, he made his mission to help kids just like him. We'll talk to him straight ahead. There he is.

And at the top of the hour, the war on terror, the self- proclaimed mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks coming to America for trial. And his fellow inmates at Guantanamo Bay could be headed for an Illinois prison. We're going in depth on those stories and the Afghan War.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: I'm sure you've heard people say that attitude is a big part of it. Attitude, if you have the right attitude you can survive or overcome everything. Well, listen to this next story. Because a boating accident cost 16-yeawr-old Jordan Thomas both of his legs four years ago. His parents, both of them doctors, were able to provide him with the best life-changing prosthetics. But he saw other child amputees that weren't so fortunate. Today, his foundation has raised more than $400,000 to help those children. For his work -- there he is right there -- Jordan Thomas was recently named one of our 2009 top-ten "CNN Heroes." He joins us tonight from Charleston, South Carolina, where he is attending college.

Thank you so much, and congratulations to you. How do you feel about that?

JORDAN THOMAS, CNN HERO: Oh, it's huge. It's a huge honor. And it's a great opportunity. There's so much that will come out of this that will benefit so many kids in need and we're thrilled to be part of it.

LEMON: So your foundation, as I said, raised more than $400,000 since this, which will provide prosthetics for under-served children. Since this, are you getting more donations? We certainly hope you are.

THOMAS: Absolutely. We've seen a drastic increase in donations from all around the world. It's interesting that this recognition has taken the foundation global. We've gotten letters from South Korea and Sweden and Turkey, just all around the world. It's been great.

LEMON: So you were 16, right, when it happened?

THOMAS: Right.

LEMON: You were 16. When did you come up with the idea to start this charity?

THOMAS: When I was in the hospital, I saw so many kids in needs and I realized that I had to do something to help this kids. I realized that this was my mission for my life. And, like you said earlier, being able to help these kids has benefited me almost as much as I've helped them, if not more.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: So we were talking about that. I was wondering when -- you know they get the -- the children get the prosthetics. And I asked Jordan during the commercial break, who gets more out of it, you or them? And he said that he feels like he does.

Why?

THOMAS: Because it's just so rewarding to see kids that would otherwise be in a wheelchair. We give them the ability to achieve their goals and live happy and productive lives. No child should be without prosthetics. I know that I certainly wouldn't be anywhere near where I am today with the prosthetics I need. So they're not -- they're something that kids absolutely have to have to achieve their goals. And I think they should all have that.

LEMON: Are you sure you're 20?

THOMAS: Yes.

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON: Are you sure you were 16 or 17 when you got that idea? Because you're awful young to be -- to have this sort of a big mission. But, you know, it's good that you do.

THOMAS: Well, you know, like I always say, my parents instilled these values in me as a kid. And I feel like I haven't really done any extra ordinary. All I tried to do was change something that wasn't right. and we've just been fighting it since then.

LEMON: You have a great attitude. Do you have a web site for your foundation?

THOMAS: I do. JordanThomasfoundation.org has all the information there. And we need as much support as possible. And vote for "CNN Heroes." I would appreciate everyone's vote.

LEMON: Thank you so much. Hey, Jordan Thomas, best of luck to you. We'll see you for the big event coming soon.

THOMAS: Thank you so much.

LEMON: Thank you so much.

And we want to say that his web site, you can get it on ccn.com. We'll tell you how you can get it right now. If -- you can go to CNN.com/heroes right now, vote for the "CNN Hero" that you think should be the hero of the year. You can find Jordan's web site there.

They will all be honored at an all-star tribute hosted by our very own Anderson Cooper on Thanksgiving night right here on CNN.

A big weekend in the war on terror, as plans for trying Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in New York City stirs controversy. And some Illinois lawmakers see the potential for a huge economic windfall if Gitmo detainees are sent there. But what does the community think of it? We're breaking it all down at the top of the hour for you.

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