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President Obama's Strategy for Afghanistan; Health Care Clock Ticking

Aired November 30, 2009 - 11:00   ET

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

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning, everyone. It is Monday, November 30th, and here are the top stories for you in the CNN NEWSROOM.

More American troops for Afghanistan. President Obama gets ready to detail the escalation of the war and his exit strategy.

This man accused of gunning down four Washington state police officers, police thought they had him pinned down at a house in Seattle, but that is not the case.

And it's time to point and click your way through the holidays and to holiday deals. Today is CyberMonday, the online equivalent of Black Friday.

Good morning, everyone. I'm Tony Harris, and you are in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Advice pouring in for President Obama as he prepares to announce his strategy for winning the war in Afghanistan. Senators Richard Lugar and Jack Reed weighed in on CNN "STATE OF THE UNION."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. RICHARD LUGAR (R), INDIANA: The president needs to start by outlining the war we are in. By that, I mean the war not against the Taliban, al Qaeda, but what is at least the objective of continuing in Afghanistan, or in any place. That is basic because this has to be a confident speech in which the president recognizes we're at war. The American public recognizes that.

SEN. JACK REED (D), RHODE ISLAND: The president has to speak to the American people, remind them why we're there, and also lay out a strategy, not just a reflexive response to a recommendation, but a strategy that involves protecting the homeland from al Qaeda. And that involves a presence in Afghanistan, it involves being influential in Pakistan, it involves having a combination of intelligence, counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations, all these things.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Have to tell you, much is being made about the grand strategy for Afghanistan. But we want to know what individual U.S. soldiers and Marines may be looking for from the president's speech, what really matters to them.

Let's get you to the Pentagon now and CNN's Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr.

Barbara, good morning to you.

What do these young people want to hear from the president?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Tony, as you said, a speech defining (ph) grand strategy, big words, important ideas, but for the young troops on the ground, for the individual Army soldier, for the young Marine on one more night patrol, one more convoy across southern Afghanistan, one more possible ambush. What they are going to want to hear from the president is that they can win.

Young soldiers, young troops, they join combat units in wartime to win. Nobody goes to become part of a holding action until local forces can stand up and be on their own.

That will be a key part of what the president has to say. How do you get there? How do you get to a winnable strategy?

Well, it will be about training Afghan forces, but it will also be about combat operations, squeezing the oxygen if you will, out of the Taliban, out of the insurgent forces, out of the warlord power all across Afghanistan. That will be done by both combat and what you might think of as soft power, diplomacy, rebuilding, helping protect the people.

But the bottom line that young troops on the ground are going to want to hear from the president all the way down to their sergeant in the field, they want to hear that they can win, that there is a winnable strategy and that they can really achieve their goals. And, of course, what they really want to know is when they can come home. And that may be a very tough promise for the president to make -- Tony.

HARRIS: Yes, absolutely.

Barbara, are we beginning to get a clearer picture of which troops would be going?

STARR: We are, indeed.

First lined up, if you will, about a thousand Marines already in the pipeline, probably scheduled to go the end of the year, which, of course, is in a couple of weeks. And after the turn of the new year, look for a significant number of Army and Marine Corps units to start moving in that direction. But a lot of it is going to be dictated by facilities on the ground -- can they build the new bases, the new roads, new infrastructure to handle this influx of troops?

The Marines have already, for example, pre-positioned some equipment inside Afghanistan. They have to be able to have everything they need to get there. All of that, by all accounts, is going to take several months still -- Tony.

HARRIS: CNN's Barbara Starr at the Pentagon for us. Barbara, good to see you. Thank you.

The problem of corruption in Afghanistan poses a challenge for the president's plan. More on that in a live report from CNN's Atia Abawi just minutes from now.

Big stories from the CNN wire now.

The man accused in the ambush-style killings of four police officers has dodged capture, if you can believe it. They thought he was holed up in a Seattle house, but was not inside.

Police believe Maurice Clemmons is wounded and may even be dead. They say he walked into a coffee shop and opened fire.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ED TROYER, SPOKESMAN, PIERCE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPT.: No longer using the words "person of interest." He is a suspect. And we do believe he has been shot and that he has a gunshot wound, and that occurred during the incident, and one of the police officers managed to shoot him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Alarm over Dubai's debt crisis seemed to ease in Asia today. Most markets showed healthy gains.

The government of the United Arab Emirates helped with a pledge to back banks operating in Dubai. The banks hole debt for state-owned real estate developer Dubai World, which says it can't make payments for six months.

Remember this scene? Serena Williams' tirade at a U.S. Open line judge will cost her -- listen to this -- $82,500, the biggest fine ever in pro tennis. Williams is also facing probation for grand slams in 2010 and '11.

It is CyberMonday. The National Retail Federation predicts 96 million Americans will shop for holiday gifts online today. The federation says more people shopped at stores this weekend than a year ago, but spent less. Shoppers zeroed in on sensible gifts like winter coats and small appliances.

On the eve of President Obama's announcement on war strategy for Afghanistan, one pressing question remains: Can the international community count on the Afghan government to be a true partner?

Our Atia Abawi reports corruption could stand in the way of winning this war.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ATIA ABAWI, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A symbol of corruption, what people here call narco mansions lining the streets of Kabul, many of the houses built in the last eight years with illicit money from the drug trade and corrupt government officials, officials alleged to have squandered billion of dollars in foreign aid. Aid that most Afghans say they have yet to see.

WILLIAM CROSBIE, CANADIAN AMBASSADOR TO AFGHANISTAN: There will be a much closer watch on how money is being spent. There is a responsibility upon the part of the international community.

ABAWI: Canadian Ambassador William Crosbie knows that the Afghan government needs reform. And after many years wasted, both the new administration led by President Hamid Karzai and the international community are changing the way things are done here.

CROSBIE: We, too often, turn to powerbrokers and warlords to fight against the Taliban and al Qaeda and, you know, turned a blind eye to perhaps whether or not those individuals were inappropriately using government offices or using their power.

ABAWI: Individuals still within the ranks.

Early November, President Karzai was sworn into a second term after an election marred with allegations of fraud. He is promising change, but he is still criticized for turning a blind eye to corruption and surrounding himself with criminals and warlords.

HAMID KARZAI, AFGHAN PRESIDENT (through translator); We need to attack into account in the past eight years what we have learned and what we have gained, what are the bad experiences, and what are the good experiences. And, of course, there are many questions, and people would like me to answer some of those questions. And, of course, we will do our utmost in the future to help the country.

ABAWI: Daoud Sultanzoy is a member of the Afghan parliament and believes that rampant corruption has killed the administration's credibility. He says it's the president's job to enforce the law on his own staff and cabinet first, punishing any criminals found within, in order to win back the trust of the people.

DAOUD SULTANZOY, AFGHAN PARLIAMENT: It's not the strength of the Taliban, it's the weakness of the government that has driven the people away from the government, and it's created a gap in which the Taliban are finding room to maneuver and breathe in that vacuum.

ABAWI: A vacuum that Sultanzoy says can be filled by the government and welcomed by the Afghan people once they know what good governance is.

SULTANZOY: In the 262 years of our modern history, we have never been governed, basically. We have been ruled or misruled. And for the western experts, so-called Afghan experts, to say that Afghans do not like governance, it's a very, very easy way out.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ABAWI: But without security, no government can take a firm lead in providing a stable future for a country that has seen constant shift in power for the last three decades of war -- Tony. HARRIS: Atia, how do the Afghan people feel about the prospect of a troop increase in their country?

ABAWI: It really depends on who you talk to. The opinions shift from person to person, province to province.

We went to a refugee camp just yesterday where many of those people were from the south of the country, where the most volatile regions of the country, and they're afraid of more troops coming in because they feel that means more Afghans will die. But when you come to this city, in Kabul, talking to the people here, they say that they need those extra troops because Afghanistan can't be stable on its own at the moment, and they need those soldiers if they will help them. And that's helping them by building a society -- Tony.

HARRIS: CNN's Atia Abawi for us in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Atia, appreciate it. Thank you.

The president will make his Afghanistan strategy speech tomorrow at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. CNN's special coverage starts at 7:00 Eastern. We will carry the speech, of course, live for you, right here on CNN.

And we would like to make a personal appeal to you to watch the speech and share your thoughts with us. After the speech Tuesday, you can go to my blog, CNN.com/Tony, and leave us your thoughts or send us an iReport. That address is CNN.com/ireport. A large portion of our newscast Wednesday will be devoted to your reaction to the president's decision.

And we have got much more for you on Afghanistan. Next hour, a general's point of view. I will be joined live by CNN military analyst retired General Donald Shepperd.

The health care debate, it is supposed to start this week on the Senate floor. We take a look at some stumbling blocks.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Divided Senate Democrats dive into the health care reform debate in just a few hours, and they're playing beat the clock on President Obama's top domestic agenda item.

CNN's Jim Acosta has details from Washington.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tony, the Senate is scheduled to begin debate later today on a final health care reform package, but the real question that's looming over Capitol Hill is whether the debate will ever stop.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You are hereby pardoned.

ACOSTA (voice-over): If only the president could get a pardon for health care reform -- his signature initiative that's in danger of being plucked to death in the Senate. Already calls to delay the bill are coming in -- including one from a key Republican, once a close colleague of Mr. Obama's in Congress, who argues there are more pressing issues to tackle.

LUGAR: The war is terribly important. Jobs and our economy are terribly important. So, this may be an audacious suggestion -- but I would suggest we put aside the health care debate until next year.

ACOSTA: Democrats are staring at their calendar with dread. After hoping to wrap up their work by December 18th, less than three weeks from now, congressional leaders are warning with members they may work weekends, right up to Christmas, fearing any delay on health care will kill the bill.

REED: We have to go ahead and conclude this debate. To stop now would be stopping on the edge of, I think, significant reform, which is so important for the country.

ACOSTA: And any amendment could drag down the bill in the Senate, from anti-abortion Democrats who want to restrict spending on abortion, to party conservatives who want to water-down the public option.

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I), VERMONT: I would be very reluctant to support legislation that did not have a strong public option.

ACOSTA: Some Democrats aren't even sure the bill lowers health care costs, one of the president's chief objectives.

SEN. EVAN BAYH (D), INDIANA: We want to cover the uninsured -- yes. But we don't want to do it in a way that's going to drive up the costs for folks who currently have it. That's one of the biggest complaints that I hear from people.

ACOSTA: And with time winding down, health care will have to share the spotlight. There are congressional spending bills to keep the government running, an upcoming climate change summit in Copenhagen, and unemployment -- the one issue many Republicans hope to ride right in the next year's midterm elections.

MIKE HUCKABEE (R), FMR. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The number one issue in this country is jobs, getting people to work.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ACOSTA: Now that the debate is moving forward, Democrats will need 60 voted to stop it and schedule a final vote. The political obituary for health care reform has been written before, and Democratic leaders have had plenty of chances to leave it for dead. But there are no signs they are backing down now -- Tony. HARRIS: Jim, appreciate it. Thank you.

It is CyberMonday, and the last thing you need this holiday season is to get ripped off. Personal Finance Editor Gerri Willis has her "Top Tips." That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Let's get you caught up on our top stories now.

State police in Florida say they'll move forward with their investigation into Tiger Woods' car crash without his cooperation. Woods turned down a request to be interviewed by authorities yesterday for the third time. In a statement, he calls the accident a private matter. Authorities have spoken with a neighbor who made the 911 call.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

911 OPERATOR: What happened? What's wrong?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have a neighbor. He hit the tree. And we came out here just to see what was going on. I see him. He's laying down.

911 OPERATOR: By hit a tree, you mean there was an auto accident?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, there was an auto accident, yes.

911 OPERATOR: OK.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

HARRIS: Iran says plans are in the works to build 10 new uranium enrichment plants. The cabinet approved the move. Sunday's action came just two days after the U.N. nuclear watchdog censured Iran for refusing to stop enriching uranium.

The number of Americans who need food stamp is growing at a record rate. A "New York Times" analysis finds the welfare program now helps feed one in three children in more than 800 counties across the United States.

The war in Afghanistan -- the president's decision coming out to tomorrow night.

Our White House Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux joining us with some new details -- Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: We have a lot of news here to give you, Tony, so I'm just going to give you these notes very briefly here.

I just got out of the briefing. It is an off-camera, on-the- record briefing with Robert Gibbs, who gave us a sense of what the pr president has been doing over the last 24 hours.

Yesterday was a critical day. This was the day that he announced his decision to his key security staff, and he has also given the orders, Tony, of his Afghan strategy.

It happened -- he called Secretary Clinton earlier in the day. That was yesterday, but then he had a critical Oval Office meeting around 5:00 in the evening.

That involved Secretary Gates, Mullen; Generals Cartwright, Petraeus; his chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel; NSC; Jim Jones. All of them in that meeting in the Oval Office. That is when he not only told them about his decision, but also gave the orders to implement this Afghanistan strategy.

Then, at 6:00, that is when he was in the Situation Room. He went to the Situation Room, had a secure video teleconference call with two key members, obviously, of his security team -- General McChrystal -- we have heard a lot about his recommendation about additional troops -- as well as Ambassador Eikenberry. Both of them, he told them about the decision. He also told them that, yes, he had given the orders to implement his Afghan strategy.

Then, Tony, we are told that he has reached out to numerous world leaders. I asked Robert Gibbs if, in fact, they've gotten details that the American people essentially do not have. He said it was broad enough, general enough to thank them, to let them know that he has made a decision to talk about it in broad terms.

The specifics given to the American people tomorrow, those are the kinds of things that have not been given to these world leaders. But critical, he has reached out to Italy's leader, Berlusconi. When we were in that briefing, the gaggle, he said he was on the phone with France's leader, Sarkozy.

As you know, he's going to be meeting with the prime minister of Australia. That is happening this afternoon. Actually, within the hour or so.

Noon is when he is going to be picking up the phone. Russian leader Medvedev, he is somebody that he is going to be talking to. And then the British prime minister, Brown. All of those people he is reaching out to, to let them know that he has made the decision, he is implementing this decision.

And then tomorrow, Tony, is when there's a group of bipartisan lawmakers that are going to come to the White House. That's going to happen before the speech.

We are told as many as 30 people or so will be invited. He will sit down with them. And once again, he will outline what this strategy is.

Tony, we are told, so far, the president, tomorrow, is going to talk about why we are getting involved in Afghanistan, why we are increasing troops. He is going to talk about the process, what he went through to make the decision.

He is going to emphasize that it is not an open-ended venture here. And he is also going to talk about the limit on resources that includes, in Gibbs' words, manpower, as well as budget.

He would not, Tony, go into the specifics when it comes to troop levels or the cost. That's something that we have been getting independently from senior administration officials. But he did say he's going to outline his strategy.

We should expect about 5:30 tomorrow we'll be getting some excerpts of that speech. And then 7:30, an embargo copy.

But clearly, this is all about the president and this administration laying out their plan for their Afghanistan strategy. And certainly, Tony, trying to sell that plan, a difficult sell for a lot of American people, as well as internationally, who are looking at this mission and wondering, where do we go next?

Tony.

HARRIS: So, Suzanne, in brief, even greater clarity now that the president has, in fact, made a decision to escalate the war in Afghanistan with more troops, going to the war zone, and that the president has, in fact, informed his war council...

MALVEAUX: Yes, he has.

HARRIS: ... and ordered that the plans be placed into action?

MALVEAUX: Yes. He implemented those plans, he placed those orders into action last night, we're told. That happened at 5:00 when he was in the Oval Office with his security team, with his war council, essentially saying this is how we're going to move forward, this is what needs to be done, make this happen.

And then he went through a series of additional meetings, 6:00. Obviously, through that teleconference to tell those on the ground in Afghanistan, those key generals, the ambassador in the region there, this is what's happening here, make notice, you're on notice, this is what's taking place.

And then those world leaders who are certainly look for assurances from this administration. They're also looking for perhaps a little bit of gratitude, as well.

Many of these key allies, the president had to reach out to personally, as well as senior administration officials, to ask for more troops, to ask for more assistance, more resources and trainers. These are the kinds of things that are going to be provided to the NATO mission that is there. And so, he clearly wants to make sure that they get a heads-up as well -- Tony.

HARRIS: A momentous decision for this president and this administration.

Suzanne Malveaux at the White House.

Suzanne, we'll talk to you certainly at the top of the hour, if not sooner.

Thank you.

MALVEAUX: Sure.

HARRIS: Four police officers targeted and gunned down before they went on duty. We are gathering new information on the suspect and the ongoing standoff.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: The man accused of gunning down four police officers in Washington State has dodged capture. Police thought Maurice Clemmons was pinned down in a house in Seattle, he wasn't. Police say Clemmons walked into a coffee shop where the officers were having breakfast and opened fire.

CNN's Patrick Oppmann is outside the house in Seattle. And Patrick, one of the problems here for police is that is a lot of manpower and attention was focused on that house. Do police have any idea where to go next in the search for Clemmons?

PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, there was just a sense of palpable disappointment. They were almost positive that he was in this house. They called in their SWAT teams, surrounded the neighborhood for almost 12 hours, last night had hostage negotiators on bullhorns, at one point threw in flash bang grenades, stun grenades trying to force the suspect out.

They said they pumped in chemicals they use to try to get the suspect to leave. And finally they sent in a robot, thinking that they were going to find him, find a dead body. They found nothing. And they're incredibly disappointed about that.

But they point out that they came to the house because of a very credible tip and they actually believe the suspect, Maurice Clemmons, was here last night, but somehow managed to slip away. Maybe before police got here, maybe while police were shutting down this neighborhood, going house to house looking for him.

But the bottom line is he escaped. They still believe he was wounded in that shootout with police, that he was shot, maybe seeking medical attention, is still armed and dangerous. And when police -- in the briefing a moment ago were asked where they were looking they said, quite simply, everywhere.

HARRIS: Oh, boy, OK, Patrick Oppmann for us -- Patrick, appreciate it. Thanks for the latest.

Maurice Clemmons has a rap sheet that spans two states and three decades. In fact, he was just released on bond days ago, the charges of assaulting a police officer and child rape. In 1989, an Arkansas judge sentenced Clemmons to 95 years in prison for a number of crimes. They included robbery, burglary and bringing a gun to school. After serving 11 years, Clemmons' sentence was commuted by then-Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee in 2000.

Clemmons went back to prison for parole violations the next year and served until 2004, but prosecutors didn't pursue the case because police never served Clemmons with arrest warrants.

Mike Huckabee, presidential candidate in 2008 and possibly 2012, released a statement on his Web site. He called the killing savage but Huckabee put blame on the criminal justice system in Arkansas and Washington state.

The home police surrounded is just a few blocks from the site of the Halloween night killing of another Seattle police officer. Officer Timothy Brenton was shot while sitting in his patrol car. His partner was wounded in that attack. The suspect in that case was shot and wounded several days later, and is still in the hospital. Police say there's no indication of any connection between the two shootings.

We are just getting word that President Obama has informed several world leaders and military officials about his decision on a new U.S. strategy and troop levels in Afghanistan. This comes one day before the president reveals his plan to the nation. Key Republicans are signaling support for the president's plan.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. TOM PRICE (R), GEORGIA: General McChrystal's message to us was very clear, and that is that the mission is accomplishable. And remember what the mission is, it's to degrade al Qaeda forces and it's to make certain that the American people are safe. As long as we make certain that we keep our eyes on that mission and make certain that the president is resolute about accomplishing that mission, then I think that the support of the Republicans in Congress will be there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: More ahead for you on Afghanistan. Next hour, a general's point of view. I'll be joined by retired general Donald Shepperd. We still want to hear from you, before and after the president makes his decision on Afghanistan.

Here's what some of you are saying on the phone lines.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

CALLER: Tony, the president needs to find out, first what started the war, not just the actual act of the explosion but what was the process that led to it.

CALLER: Once you're in the flats, done put all your eggs in one basket, rotate them. Don't send a bunch of men in there, pull a bunch out and rotate. But keep a base there. You know this. That's what you have to do. But get some of the boys home because the Twin Towers fell here and they're trying to protect it from happening over there to come here?

CALLER: Lexington, North Carolina, I think we ought to pull our troops out because all we are doing is getting killed and all of the money's going to a corrupt thing that will never be settled down, never be able to take care of themselves. We can be there 25 years and it's going to be the same. Bring them home. Bye.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

HARRIS: You can still voice your comments. Just call us 1-877- 742-5760 or send us a comment on our blog or send us an i-Report. As a matter of fact, right now let's hear from one of our iReporters, Doug Roberts.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DOUG ROBERTS, CNN IREPORTER: I'm very pro-American and I think our interests are usually correct but in this case, we blew it in Iraq. We're blowing it in Iran. And all we're going to do is make one big mess in Afghanistan. We've got enough problems at home. I say keep the guys here, keep the gals here, we don't need any more people dying. Let's figure out how to work it out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Doug, pull over, man, just pull over.

The president will make his Afghanistan strategy speech tomorrow at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time. CNN special coverage starts at 7:00 Eastern. We will carry the speech live right here on CNN. And we'd like to make a personal appeal to you to watch the speech and share your thoughts with us. After the speech Tuesday, you can go to my blog at CNN.com/tony and leave us your thoughts, or send us an iReport. That address is CNN.com/ireport. A large portion of our newscast on Wednesday will be devoted to your reaction to the president's decision.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: And checking our top stories now in Honduras, conservative rancher Porfirio Lobo Sosa is claiming victory in Sunday's disputed presidential election. Ousted President Manuel Zelaya has said the results would not be legitimate. Five months of political chaos following a June 28 coup have cost Honduras international aid and standing.

Tennis star Serena Williams' outburst at the US Open will cost her more than $82,000. In addition to the record buy, if she has a major offense in the next two years at any Grand Slam event, Williams could find herself barred from the following U.S. Open.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: So it is Cyber Monday, open season for shopping online. And if you're one of the 68.8 million people expected to shop online this holiday season, my goodness, that many? Personal finance editor Gerri Willis is here to tell you how to protect yourself when you buy your holiday gifts. That's a lot of folks.

What's your advice here, Gerri?

GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: That's right. Well you want to be safe when you do it, and as sometimes even using a different computer, PC or laptop can compromise your security. So avoid using the computer using that your teens or your kids use to play videogames or chat with their friends. Often these machines have a ton of spyware on it, Tony. And an infected computer system will undermine every other attempt you make to make secure purchases. You should also avoid using public computers as we have talked about, like the one at the library to make purchases. It can have problems, too.

HARRIS: Hey Gerri, what are some holiday shopping threats out there we should be aware of?

WILLIS: Well, there are lots of fakers out there that want to take advantage of you. Check out these fake holiday e-cards, believe it or not. If you don't recognize the sender of an e-card in your e- mail inbox, delete it. Late holiday season, there was a worm masked as Hallmark e-cards and caused a lot of trouble for people.

There's also luxury holiday jewelry Web sites. Now these Web sites lure shoppers to their sites using discount gifts, promos for Cartier, Gucci, you name it, right? Well these scam artists even use a fraudulent logos for the Better Business Bureau. Guess what? You pay them money, you don't get anything. So they are bogus.

Also bogus Christmas carol songs. You know, people like to put holiday ring tones on their phone or maybe holiday wallpaper on their -- don't go there. You know, you could download a song, infect your compute with spyware or adware, even worse. It's just really not worth the effort.

HARRIS: And I don't know how you get that stuff off your computer once it's there.

WILLIS: Exactly.

HARRIS: Yes, I don't know how you do it. What's the safest way to buy to shop online?

WILLIS: You're probably going to say I'm crazy, right, but don't use the debit card. I know we love the debit card and it's a great way to pay cash, but use the credit card. Under federal law you have protections. Credit card issuers can only hold customers liable for the first 50 bucks of fraudulent transactions and most issuers have a no-liability policy.

With a debit card, many issuers have adopted the same approach, but timing here is key. Generally, you have to report any misuse within two days to get the same kinds of protections. If you miss that deadline but you report the loss or misuse within two months, you could be on the hook for up to $500.

After 60 days, your liability is unlimited. Make sure you keep documentation of your orders from shopping online. Better Bureau Business recommends saving a copy of the Web page and any e-mails for future reference so you can remember what you ordered, make sure you're getting the right thing. It's important to keep the records, Tony.

HARRIS: Well I tell you, nearly 69 million people...

WILLIS: Aren't you one of those people? I bet you shop online rather than in brick and mortar stores.

HARRIS: Really? You're just being funny. I'm barely shopping at all. Online, in the brick and mortars. I'm barely getting out of my bed around -- just to come in here and spend time with you.

WILLIS: What does this mean for my holiday present?

HARRIS: Oh, you're so taken care of. Don't you even worry. Gerri, good to see you, appreciate it, thank you.

WILLIS: Good to see you, Tony.

HARRIS: And what are you wishing for this holiday season? Check out all of the Cyber Monday shopping tips at CNNMoney.com.

WILLIS: When you think of eBay, you think of the computer, especially on this Cyber Monday. Now eBay's on wheels and coming to a city near you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Well credit card agreements, many of them are as big as a small book and are filled with lots of mumbo jumbo, all legal gobbledygook. But now the nation's biggest bank is trying to make things a little simpler. Alison Kosik is at the New York Stock Exchange with details for us. Alison, good to see you, what's the bank, what's the plan here?

ALISON KOSIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I mean think about it Tony, you just said it. I mean, how many times have you got than little agreement in the mail, your eyes glaze over and you chuck it in the garbage, right?

HARRIS: Yes.

KOSIK: Well Bank of America now is launching what it calls a credit card clarity campaign. So beginning tomorrow, it's going send out one page summaries to 40 million of its customers and the letter is going to have the following. It's going to include the interest rates that you have to pay for what you buy, for balance transfers and cash advances.

It's also going to have payment information on how to keep your account in good standing. It's going to spell out all of the fees you're likely to pay, all those annual transactions and late fees.

Now, all of this of course coming after there's been a lot of confusion and outrage with card companies hitting consumers with those exorbitant late fees. And what they're doing is they're making all of these changes before the new legal reforms are going to take effect that are going to restrict their ability to make these changes.

So you know, they've already cut their credit limits, they've raised interest rates and their fees. But some of them are trying to trying to make consumer-friendly changes ahead of the new reform laws that take effect in February. And Tony that includes Bank of America, trying to be more friendly, I think.

HARRIS: Well, yes. So Alison, are the big agreements in legal jargon gone for good?

KOSIK: Not unless you throw it out, of course. But the one page summary is not replacing the traditional agreement that you're talking about, which can be up to 40 pages. You know, one important thing that they include in this is how long it takes to pay off debt and this can really be a shock, Tony. Think about this. If you have a credit card balance of $3,000 with a 15 percent interest rate and minimum payments, it would take seven years to pay that off.

HARRIS: That's ridiculous.

KOSIK: It is. You know, bottom line, the one-page summary is hitting the highlights, but you still really need to read that fine print. And don't do as I do, chuck that thing in the garbage.

HARRIS: Yes, you and me both. Hey, how are stocks going? We're down 30 or so?

KOSIK: Yes, stocks right now down a little bit. We did see the Dow jump up a little bit in the green earlier today. Right now the Dow down about 30. Macy's, we're watching some of the retailing stock, Macy's is down 5 percent. JCPenney down 4.5 percent. Not a lot of love for that retail shopping, that Cyber Monday shopping coming from investors.

HARRIS: Yes, that's right. All right, Alison, good to see you, see you next hour. Thank you. Let's get to Rob Marciano now in our Weather Center. Rainy day in the East and some rain as I look out at the window here at the center in the South. Good to see you, Rob.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: Here's what we're working on for the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM. President Obama set to unveil the new strategy for Afghanistan, including an expected troop increase. Why is the president willing to commit lives and billions? We'll talk with retired air force Don Shepperd. And this story out of East Africa, Albinos hunted down for body parts believed to have special powers. That and a whole lot more coming up in the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: It may seem like the Senate has been debating and arguing over health care reform forever, but the debate hasn't actually made it to the floor until today, this afternoon. The battle really begins on the $849 billion reform bill proposed by Majority Leader Harry Reid. Both parties are planning to add amendments on issues like the public option and abortion planning. That could draw the whole process out of weeks, which means the president may not get a final version to sign by the end of the year like he wants.

Well, if you missed out on those great deals on Black Friday, you've got another chance to find bargains today and you can do it without ever leaving your desk. Get the work done, though. Cyber Monday is the day when a lot of people return to work after the holiday and do some online shopping. Many retailers are offering online deals, including free shipping.

So, OK, online retailers are doing just about everything they can to win over your business. So how do you stand down? One Internet giant has an idea, literally taking it to the road. Our Josh Levs climbs on board the eBay Mobile. OK.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So, as we look at how retailers are competing in this season, eBay is doing something brand new. They have this mobile boutique and Karen Bard, the pop culture expert is here to tell us about it.

Thanks, Karen.

KAREN BARD, EBAY MOBILE BOUTIQUE: Good morning. How are you?

LEVS: Good morning to you. All right, what are we looking at here?

BARD: We are looking at the eBay mobile boutique, it is a virtual eBay marketplace. Step inside and get over 200 million gift ideas for the holidays. So it's rolling into your town, get inspired for holidays and shop online.

LEVS: All right, so this is traveling to major cities across the country.

BARD: Major cities across the country, popping up everywhere, really highlighting the eBay marketplace and the entrepreneurs and the people that make the marketplace run.

LEVS: All right and the idea behind what you're doing is that you need to compete, right? You have all these different stores out there that are selling.

BARD: Absolutely.

LEVS: You want people to remember, if you buy something from eBay, you can bargain for a price and then eBay gets a chunk of that.

BARD: Well, absolutely. But the greatest thing is that we're highlighting the great merchandise available on eBay, the selection and of course the value. Everyone needs a deal this holiday season and eBay has them for you and plus, the hottest products.

LEVS: All right, now let's take a look at some of those deals.

BARD: Absolutely.

LEVS: This is one of the most popular things, right?

BARD: One of the most popular things, the Zhu Zhu pet. For the parent who does not want to get your kid a pet hamster, this is the perfect --

LEVS: This is what everyone wants.

BARD: These are little electronic, robotic hamsters that come with environments, they scoot around on the floor. These are the hottest things.

LEVS: Does it do something?

BARD: It does. When you put it on the floor it can go, it does all kinds of things. But these are sold out in stores. The only place you are going to be able to find these available is on eBay. We have over 20,000 of them listed on eBay right now, sold out in stores, limits in the story, not eBay.

LEVS: All right, we know one reason a lot of people turn to eBay is for electronics.

BARD: Absolutely.

LEVS: They hope to get better deals, also they hope to get things they can't get in stores anymore.

BARD: Absolutely. But the greatest thing about eBay, iPhones, iPods, whether you want last season's or this season's, we have them available on the site. E-readers are huge this year as well. And of course, iPods, little shuffles, cameras to record your holiday season. And I love this great little TV, it's perfect for a kids' room or a kitchen, it's a great little size and a great value.

LEVS: All right, well let's climb onboard the eBay mobile boutique. We're going to check it out, let's go.

BARD: Five computer kiosks inside, screens showing the hottest gifts and of course the hottest gifts all laid out in front of you.

LEVS: We are going to emphasize, these aren't being for sale here. The way it works on eBay is you buy from someone else via the Internet, but these are here to suggest items you might want to look for on eBay.

BARD: Right, this is to inspire people.

LEVS: Inspire.

BARD: And we have shopping experts on hand at the mobile boutique to help you shop, get the correct search term so you can buy it right now, get it shipped to your house.

LEVS: So we're seeing a lot here, a lot of computer screens. There's a lot to this unit. How much did eBay pay to make this happen?

BARD: You know, we don't detail our marketing commitment. However, this is just a great program. We really want to get consumers in here. We want people to experience eBay and we want to highlight the sellers that make our marketplace run. And these are all the things that our sellers have to offer.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: OK so the eBay mobile boutique is traveling to 11 cities. Next on the list are Dallas, Houston, San Francisco, San Jose, Los Angeles and Orange County.