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Tiger Woods Takes Leave; Decision Day in Houston; Cool Website for Thrifty Shoppers; A Billion Hungry; NASA's Climate Role; A Boost for the Holidays; Going Beyond the Lesson Plan
Aired December 12, 2009 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Hello everybody. From the CNN Center, you're now in the CNN NEWSROOM for this Saturday, December 12. I'm T.J. Holmes.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen.
It's 11:00 AM in the East and 8:00 AM on the West Coast. Let's get to our top stories.
HOLMES: Tiger Woods' personal indiscretions now taking a toll on his professional endeavors.
NGUYEN: Yes. The 33-year-old golf phenom says that he is taking a break from the sport that has made him one of the richest and most recognized athletes in the world. That announcement came late yesterday via his website.
CNN's Susan Candiotti has more on Tiger's well publicized fall from grace.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): What a two weeks it's been for Tiger Woods.
It all began Thanksgiving night with a minor accident. A few days later, he issued a statement on his website saying he would never let it happen again. A few days later, he talks about transgressions as allegations of affairs begin to swirl around him. And, finally, Friday night, another statement in which he admits that he was not faithful to his wife.
The statement reads in part, "I am deeply aware of the disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has caused to so many people, most of all my wife and children. I want to say again to everyone that I am profoundly sorry and that I ask forgiveness. It may not be possible to repair the damage I've done, but I want to do my best to try."
And he adds, "After much soul searching, I have decided to take an indefinite break from professional golf. I need to focus my attention on being a better husband, father and person."
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think this shows the magnitude of the problem. I think it shows that Tiger and his team is starting to get how big a deal this is.
The fact that he used the word "infidelity" for the first time instead of transgressions, there's another step, and I think it - it shows a little window into the world in Orlando - Tiger Woods' world - the bunker that he's in right now, how bad things are, how they seem to be getting it.
CANDIOTTI: The PGA has also issued a statement. It says, quote, "We fully support Tiger's decision to step away from competitive golf to focus on his family."
And, on his website, fans also weighed in, about 50/50, some in favor, some not, one saying, quote, "I know the road to recovery takes time. Good choice on your part about hiatus." But another one said, "Maybe you learned your lesson, but at what cost?"
Crisis experts say it may be time for Tiger to play the (ph) inside game.
HOWARD BRAGMAN, CELEBRITY PUBLICIST: You have to get a really thick skin for the next couple of months and say I'm - I'm not going to read a newspaper, I'm not going to turn on the TV and I'm going to do the business at hand. I'm going to walk the talk, I'm going to make breakfast, I'm going change the diapers and be the best husband that ever was for a little while.
CANDIOTTI: Will Tiger's absence on the greens make a difference? Experts say, count on it. At some point, they say, he may have to face an interviewer before he once again faces the public at a golf tournament.
Susan Candiotti, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Well, one of Tiger Woods' biggest sponsors is backing his decision to step away from the game. A Nike publicist released this statement. It reads, "Tiger has been a part of Nike for more than a decade. He is the best golfer in the world and one of the greatest athletes of his era. We look forward to his return to golf. He and his family have Nike's full support."
Also, we'll have more on this developing story when our business and sports analyst, Rick Horrow, joins us to talk about what this means for the game of golf and also for Tiger's future in golf.
That's coming up at about a half hour right here.
NGUYEN: In the meantime, though, President Obama is congratulating House Democrats today. They have passed a comprehensive overhaul of the American Financial System, a legislation that regulates risky derivatives and other exotic financial products that helped fuel last year's financial meltdown. It also sets up a consumer protection agency.
The financial industry - yes, the same one taxpayers rescued - spent billions fighting this bill. That wasn't lost on President Obama.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The special interest and their agents in Congress claim that reforms like the Consumer Financial Protection Agency will stifle consumer choice, that updated rules and oversight will frustrate innovation in the financial markets.
But Americans don't choose to be victimized by mysterious fees and changing terms and pages and pages of fine print. And while innovation should be encouraged, risky schemes that threaten our entire economy should not. We can't afford to let the same phony arguments and bad habits of Washington kill financial reform and leave American consumers and our economy vulnerable to another meltdown.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Well, President Obama is calling a dozen bank CEOs to the White House on Monday. He wants them to quit sitting on the money and step up lending to small businesses. The president tells this weekend's "60 Minutes" that he is angry with, quote, "fat cat bankers." The industry, propped up by billions of taxpayer dollars, spent millions fighting the financial reforms just passed by the House.
Let's get you some more politics now. Sarah Palin did a surprise walk on at NBC's "The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien." She interrupted William Shatner, who was doing a dramatic reading from Palin's book "Going Rogue." He's done that in several "Tonight Show" appearances.
Well, the 2008 Vice Presidential candidate responded with her own dramatic reading from Shatner's autobiography.
HOLMES: Boy, she just keeps showing up places.
NGUYEN: She does. I tell you.
HOLMES: You never know where she might show up.
Reynolds, she's not going to show up in your weathercast, right?
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: No, no, no, no. But she's more than welcome to.
NGUYEN: Got an (ph) Alaskan there somewhere maybe?
WOLF: She had a great -great sense of humor to get out there and do that. Got to love that.
Hey, I don't know if you're going to like the weather we're seeing out towards the West, unless you're a big skier. If you like skiing, you're going to be happy with the weather up in Lake Tahoe. Heavy snowfall can be expected for the Sierra Nevada. Let me show you what I'm talking about. We've got this area of low pressure that is just sitting off the California and Oregon coast, and that is just ramping up that moisture in the high elevations, the Sierra Nevada. But that mixed in with that cold air, well, it could bring you one to two feet of snow up there in those spots, maybe Mt. Shasta before the day is out, into the Central Rockies and dusting the outside of the Great Basin and even into the Northern Plains.
Meanwhile, we're seeing some scattered snow showers also in parts of the great lakes, especially out in the eastern half of the great lakes, near Buffalo. We had some heavy snowfall there yesterday, and into the southeast we're seeing some scattered showers and storms, stationary front lingering right across parts of the I-10 corridor and mixing with that rain. You could see a few thunderstorms pop up into the afternoon hours, but a bit farther to the north, into the Appalachians, there's a chance you may be - be seeing a little bit of light snowfall outside charlotte, so keep that in mind especially tonight, as those temperatures continue to drop.
And speaking of those temperatures, take a look at this. Highs around the nation may lean to the 30s and 40s for a good part of the eastern seaboard and then back into the Central Plains. When you get to South Florida, a different story, 80 degrees expected in Miami and Tampa with 78. You lucky, lucky devils.
That is a look at your forecast. Let's send it back to you guys.
NGUYEN: All right, Reynolds. I hope you feel a little bit better.
WOLF: You bet guys.
NGUYEN: All right.
While voters headed to the polls in Houston - in fact, they're doing that right now. But are they ready to elect an openly gay candidate?
Opposition groups are now pushing her personal life into the spotlight.
HOLMES: Also this morning, a basketball player not looking for glory on the court, just looking for a place to play.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Well, the polls, they are open right now in the Houston mayoral runoff, and voters are taking a second crack at picking a new mayor.
HOLMES: And as our Ed Lavandera reports, voters must decide if they're willing to support an openly gay city hall insider whose sexual orientation was never really an issue, until now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Annise Parker is a veteran of Houston's big city politics. She served on the city council, spent the last five years as the controller in charge of the budget.
Before politics, she worked in Houston's oil and gas industry. That's what gets the most attention. The footnote is that Parker is openly gay. She's been with her partner for 19 years and they have two adopted children.
ANNISE PARKER, HOUSTON MAYORAL CANDIDATE: I have always stood up for the fact that I am gay and it's part of the resume that I bring to the table. But it - it's just a piece of the package.
LAVANDERA: For months leading up to Saturday's runoff election, many Houston voters considered this campaign boring. That was until it became a two-way race between Annise Parker and Gene Locke, an attorney and civil rights activist.
LAVANDERA (on camera): In the last few weeks, Conservative groups and anti-gay activists have mounted an intense campaign against Annise Parker. They've thrown their support behind Gene Locke.
Parker's sexual orientation had never really been an issue in this race, but now, many are wondering if this last minute effort will hurt Parker's chances of making Houston - the largest city in the country - with an openly gay Mayor?
LAVANDERA (voice-over): Houston voter haven't always been that accepting of gay political issues. Just a few years ago, Houston voters rejected a plan to offer benefits to same-sex partners of city workers. And 24 years ago, anti-gay candidates ran what was called "the straight slate" in an unsuccessful effort to unseat a mayor who backed job rights for homosexuals.
Annise Parker was a young political activist then. She says the experience made her want to work harder. She became president of Houston's Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus.
PARKER: Houston is a multiracial, multicultural, international city, and I think my election will send a message to the world that - just kind of Houston is a city that might surprise a lot of folks.
LAVANDERA: Parker and Locke share virtually the same positions on the issues. Houston political blogger Charles Kuffner says that makes the election a personality contest.
CHARLES KUFFNER, HOUSTON POLITICAL BLOGGER: It's kind of a matter of who - you know, who do you really want in the driver's seat? I - you know, I as a voter believe that any of these - any of the top three candidates would do a decent job. It's a question of which one do I think, you know, will do the best job?
LAVANDERA: The latest poll shows Annise Parker with a lead in the race, but with low voter turnout expected, it's a question of which candidate's voters are the most passionate. Ed Lavandera, CNN, Houston.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: All right. A lot of people out there just getting going, maybe, on their holiday shopping. A lot of items probably still on that list.
NGUYEN: I got a long list still to do. But, you know, no matter who's been naughty or nice, we're going to help you find some bargains, and they are just a click away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: All right. Everybody looking for a deal right about now. You got a lot of stuff to buy.
NGUYEN: Always. Yes.
HOLMES: You talk about buying gifts for other folks, but, also, a lot of people have to worry about what they're going to wear to a lot of these holiday parties.
NGUYEN: Yes. There's a lot going on between now and the end of the year and, you know, there may be designer dresses out there, ladies, that cost thousands that you would love to slip into, but there is that price tag.
Well, we're going to show you how to get that for cheap. Also, how you can just get ready - you know, we all have those gadgets, cell phones, all these extra things hanging around that we don't use anymore, what do you do with them? We're going to find a way to not only get rid of them environmentally soundly, but also maybe get a tax credit for it.
Our tech guru, Mario Armstrong, has the latest on all of that.
MARIO ARMSTRONG, TECHNOLOGY COMMENTATOR AND JOURNALIST: Here's how it works. This is how us geeks do it. We go online to actually rent our dress.
Think of this like Netflix. So we go to a website called RentTheRunway.com and on Rent the Runway, what you do is you look through a selection of about 40 or so different designers that are - for all types of occasions, from New Years parties to holiday occasions to black tie events to birthdays. And, as you scroll through the designers, you actually find a dress that you're interested in, and once you find that dress, you can order that dress and have it shipped directly to you for a rental fee.
So, for example, this dress right here typically would cost you $890, the Brian Reyes dress, retail. You can rent this from RentTheRunway.com for $100.
NGUYEN: OK, but say I rented that dress and, I don't know, I - I got a little bit, you know, of food spilled on it, you know? I was having a good time and someone bumped into me and - and got a stain. What do you do? Are you charged for all of that?
ARMSTRONG: Great point. So here's the deal. What they do is normal wear and tear, if you pay for an extra $5 on your rental fee, that covers your insurance for any normal wear and tear. Now, if you have, you know, things busting at the seams or if you just don't return the dress, you will be charged the full amount for it. So there is this little insurance.
Another little good thing is, Betty, probably when you get dressed, you may lay out several different items at one time that you may try on. So the ladies, they thought about that. They actually give you two of the same dress in two different sizes, so you can have a chance to try that out, and you can pay additional fees if you want a different style altogether shipped to you.
NGUYEN: And how long do you get to keep it?
ARMSTRONG: For about four days or up to 8 days, depending on the length of the time that you need it for.
NGUYEN: That's kind of cool. That's like renting a tux, you know?
ARMSTRONG: Right.
NGUYEN: It's the female version of renting a tux.
ARMSTRONG: I would say, we'll do this for guys. I mean, a really could use this, you know, because you wear these things one time, and, like you said, you get your Facebook page or the photo goes up, you don't want to see that same stunning outfit.
HOLMES: Mario, I'm losing so much respect for you right now.
ARMSTRONG: Hey, look, man, I got to be stylish. You got to be stylish, and you can - you only live once.
HOLMES: But - all right. Well, let's move on to one other thing you had to show us, and a lot of people will be interested in this. Everybody's always kind of look for a way to get rid of that - some of their old tech gadgets and whatnot and you need to get rid of them the right way and you got a website that will help them do that and you can get a little money for it.
ARMSTRONG: You can get a little money for your - so this is cash for your clunkers in terms of your tech gadgets, and it's called Gazelle.com.
So, essentially, all you do is you go to Gazelle.com, you type in what you have to offer - in this case, I had an iPod that wanted to get rid of. I went through a few questions about the value of it and whether or not it works or not. It tells me how much I'll get, and a check sent to me for $38. And then I can just see the check out of all of the different items.
So I plugged in about four different items and I'm going to get a check for $180, and they send you this envelope, which is great, from Gazelle. So you can just prepay, put your items in, ship it to them, and then they send you a check.
And one last little cool point is if you don't want the money directly for yourself, you could actually set up a donation for a cause. So you - you could actually have this go to a nonprofit or maybe to your kid's little league soccer team or to your church. So this is a great fundraiser.
NGUYEN: And you still get the tax write off for that?
ARMSTRONG: And you still get a tax write off for that. So it's a great fundraising tool.
NGUYEN: Hey, quickly, is it more than just gadgets? Can it be, like, chargers and - and other accessories?
ARMSTRONG: Great point. No, it can not be chargers, and it can't be printers or those CRT monitors and televisions. Those three things...
NGUYEN: Oh! OK.
ARMSTRONG: ... and fax machines. Those are four things that they can't do just yet. But just about everything else, they have 15 different categories and 150,000 items have been recycled through this program. So really effective.
NGUYEN: That is cool!
ARMSTRONG: Really effective.
HOLMES: All right. Gazelle.com.
ARMSTRONG: Gazelle.com. So get some of that stuff out of your - out of your drawers, T.J. and Betty and start...
NGUYEN: (INAUDIBLE) throwers yes?
ARMSTRONG: That's right. I know you got some old cell phones laying around in there.
NGUYEN: I've got a bag phone somewhere.
HOLMES: Mario, good stuff this weekend. Some very useful stuff, certainly around the holidays as well. Good to see you as always, our dear friend.
ARMSTRONG: Likewise.
HOLMES: We'll see you again soon.
ARMSTRONG: All right. See you guys soon. Take care.
NGUYEN: Checking our top stories right now. Listen to this. A 98-year-old Massachusetts woman accused of murder was indicted yesterday. Prosecutors say she strangled her 100-year-old nursing home roommate after arguing about the placement of a table. The victim was found dead in September with a plastic shopping bag tied around her head.
Intelligence officials say five Americans in Pakistan accused of planning terrorist attacks have been moved to a detention center in Lahore. FBI agents have been questioning the men. Friends and community leaders in the Washington, DC area, though, where they are from, paint a much different picture of the suspects and call them, quote, "wholesome." The five could be deported to the US to face charges.
The wife of South Carolina's governor isn't standing by her man. Jenny Sanford has filed for divorce from Governor Mark Sanford. Sanford confessed to having a - an affair with an Argentine woman back in June with whom he calls his soul mate. He has faced ethic - ethics violations and calls for an impeachment, but now a legislative panel is recommending a formal rebuke.
We'll have another update on our top stories in 20 minutes.
HOLMES: And a program aimed at reaching a billion people. Our Josh Levs is going to tell us how you could take part and help save lives.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Welcome back, everybody.
Well, the number is just staggering. For the first time, a billion people on earth are hungry.
HOLMES: Yes. That's what the World Food Program is saying, and it's created a new project to fight world hunger. Josh Levs has that for us.
Good morning, Josh.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you guys.
Yes, it's very interesting. What they're trying to do is harness every kind of online opportunity that there is in order to get people involved in this fight. They're calling it "A Billion for a Billion." Can they get a billion people on earth involved in doing something to help the billion who are hungry?
There's a video that goes along with it. Let's take a look at this video the World Food Program is putting out, packed with numbers and showing how busy people are online. You got that clock ticking. They talk about how much time people spend online, how much time people spend online, and then, all of sudden, they start telling you how many young people are dying and how many people around the world are starving, and it becomes very powerful.
We've been looking at this, and it's on their website, wfp.org. Earlier today, I spoke with a representative of the World Food Program about where this idea came from.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BETTINA LUESCHER, WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME: There are so many people online. In a nutshell, for example, all the folks who are using these tools - cell phones, you know, computers - if they help the ones who need a cup of food, the billion online to help the billion who are going hungry, and if you spread the word, if you just do a little tiny bit. If you go to your computer and you tell the story and you spread it and you tweet and you blog and you link up with us, we can really change the world.
We can make hunger - you know, we can eradicate it. It's extremely powerful, what the internet can do.
LEVS: And let's get pragmatic here. I mean, what you're talking about is getting the word out in the hopes that the more people who hear about it the more people will decide to give money. Ultimately, this is a fund-raising activity.
LUESCHER: It's fund-raising and awareness. Fund raising of course this year has been really hard. We got very, very good donations from government, but clearly not enough. We have huge shortfalls. We had to cut rations all over the world. So we need new donors. We need more people to know about this.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEVS: All right. Now, there's a lot of this set up at this page. Let me just show you quickly one of the things the Word Food Program has going here.
This is called "The Wall Against Hunger" where people are sending in their own little photos, their own little stories where they talk to you about what they're doing to take part in the fight and it might inspire some people.
And if you look over here, again at wfp.org - I'll show you where to get this link. They have here everything you can think of. They have "Hungrify Your Tweet," "Hungrify Your Facebook Status Update," if you have a blog - pretty much anything you're likely to be doing online, they now have a button that you can press that will get more and more people talking about world hunger. And here is where we got the links for you.
Let's cue up one. (INAUDIBLE) up at the blog, cnn.com/josh, it's also up at Facebook and Twitter, JoshLevsCNN. So, Betty and T.J., I'm going to keep an eye on this. I want to see how they ultimately get to getting a billion people to do something to get the word out, all in the hopes that they'll raise some money to help those people around the world.
NGUYEN: Yes. All for a very good cause. Thank you, Josh.
HOLMES: Well, demands for action at the ongoing climate summit and global warming. Protesters by the thousand clogged the streets of Copenhagen, Denmark today. They want world leaders to take stronger steps to curb global warming. So far, pledges to cut greenhouse gases are short of what scientists say are needed. President Obama is among the more than 100 leaders expected to attend the closing sessions of the summit next week.
And when you think of NASA, most of the time, quite naturally you're going to think of space.
NGUYEN: Yes, no doubt. But, you know, planets, stars, things outside the earth's atmosphere. Actually, though, NASA pays a lot of attention to what is going on right here on earth.
CNN'S Jim Acosta takes a look at how the agency scientists are using space-based technology to monitor our changing climate.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Liftoff.
JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): NASA, the same agency that put the shuttle in space and man on the moon...
NEIL ARMSTRONG, ASTRONAUT: That's one small step for man...
ACOSTA: ... also has roughly a dozen satellites in orbit, all on a mission to show how the earth is warming.
THORNSTEN MARKUS, NASA CRYOSPHERIC SCIENCES: The arctic is not a frozen lake. It's very dynamic.
ACOSTA: Thornsten Markus, the head of NASA's Cryospheric Sciences branch uses those satellites to keep a close eye on the stunning loss of ice in the arctic. He's traveled to Greenland to confirm his findings on the ground.
ACOSTA (on camera): If current trends continue within the next 10 to 20 years, we're going to see what in the Arctic?
MARKUS: We may very well see the summer -- an ice-free summer in the arctic.
ACOSTA (voice-over): This animation demonstrates why it's happening so fast. As the ice melts, all that's left to soak up the sun's rays is the ocean.
MARKUS: The solar radiation is most reflective from the ice, where it is absorbed by the ocean.
ACOSTA (on camera): And this accelerates the melting of the ice?
MARKUS: Exactly.
ACOSTA (voice-over): Markus, like many scientists at NASA, blames the buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
MARKUS: There's no doubt that there is global warming. ACOSTA: But that doesn't convince skeptics, who have seized on the global warming e-mail controversy, known as Climate Gate, and have now taken aim at NASA. An attorney with the Competitive Enterprise Institute, which has received funding from Exxon Mobil, is threatening to sue NASA if it doesn't turn over its e-mails on global temperature readings.
CHRIS HORNER, AUTHOR, "RED HOT LIES": What I'm asking for is what the taxpayer owns and are frankly -- the law doesn't require me to have a reason for it. We want transparency. We want to see how they did what. We want to see why.
ACOSTA: NASA is no stranger to climate controversy. James Hansen, one of NASA's top scientists and a fixture at global warming protests, accused the Bush administration of suppressing climate data. That accusation led to this inspector general report, which found NASA PR officials had "marginalized" and "mischaracterized" climate change information.
JAMES HANSEN, NASA SCIENTIST: If we push the climate system hard enough, it can obtain a momentum, it can pass tipping points, such that climate change continues out of our control.
ACOSTA: For Thorsten Markus, climate measurements are the earth's vital signs, much like our own.
MARKUS: If you go to a doctor and the doctor says, your cholesterol is high, your blood pressure is high and you may have a stroke. And the doctor suggests, well, you know, maybe you should be more careful with what you're eating. Do you change your diet?
ACOSTA (on camera): NASA has never had as many satellites measuring the earth's climate data as it does now. But some of these eyes on the earth may be reaching their life span. And without new funding, NASA scientists worry those satellites won't be replaced.
Jim Acosta, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Stepping away from the game of golf may be the best thing Tiger Woods can do for his family right now. It might be the worst thing, though, he could do for the sport itself.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Yes, good morning, Seattle. That's one of those shots where you can just take a look at it and feel cold. It just looks cold, you know. There's another look at it, as the sun rises over Seattle. Thanks to our affiliate KIRO out there.
All right. Our top story. Tiger Woods, yes, it seemed like he had it all, right? Well now he is leaving the links indefinitely. Which means we don't know when he's coming back, if he's coming back.
HOLMES: And the PGA right now backing Tiger. They issued a statement yesterday. This is what they say. It says, "we fully support Tiger's decision to step away from competitive golf to focus on his family. His priorities are where they need to be, and we will continue to respect and honor his family's request for privacy. We look forward to Tiger's return to the PGA Tour when he determines the time is right for him."
Now some suggest Tiger Woods, the brand, has been tarnished and will never, ever be the same.
NGUYEN: Yes, well, others, though, point out how quickly fallen heroes are offered second chances. So let's bring in sports business analyst Rick Horrow for more on this. He joins us live from West Palm Beach, Florida.
You know, it seems like we're a bit of a forgiving type. So the question is, will Tiger eventually rebound from all of this? We've seen it happen time and time again. Is this no different?
RICK HORROW, SPORTS BUSINESS ANALYST: Well, it depends on how quickly he wins when he comes back. It depends on how contrite he was. Listen, that transgression statement of a week ago, now you look at the words here, infidelity, profoundly sorry, disappointment, ask for forgiveness. So he staked that position. And how quickly he comes back, a hiatus with a small h or a large h, is largely determined by how people react to that statement in the next few weeks.
HOLMES: Well, a lot of people are reacting, as far as his sponsors go, and also the PGA. And the way they are reacting is to say, we are supporting him, but not necessarily coming down on him and saying he did a bad thing. Is this just a case of, don't bite the Tiger that feeds you?
HORROW: Well, not a bad question. Not a bad question. But the PGA Tour, the reason why they're supporting him, by the way, is obviously because he's raised the tide, raised the dollars, 7,000 percent increase in pro-millionaires. Three time increase in prize money. When Tiger isn't playing, there's about a 50 percent drop in ratings. So they have incentive for the guy to come back as quickly as he possibly can.
NGUYEN: Well, Rick, let me ask you this. You know a lot of people are saying, look, this is a personal matter. Leave Tiger alone. But is it really because this is a man who's made a billion dollars at his game. And when he steps away from the game of golf, that's going to affect a lot of other jobs too, correct?
HORROW: Hey, he's a billion dollar stimulus package rolling into one. And, remember, his charities and one of the platforms is morality, which is somewhat ironic. But there is $10 million for a number of the kids in $5,000 increments on 100 separate charities. Let's just hope at the end of the day, those dollars remain in tact as well.
HOLMES: And, Rick, is this and you and I have talked. We've talked plenty of times about athletes behaving badly. Is this any different in some way in that, yes, we've seen athletes and politicians and whatnot make comebacks after affairs come out. We've talked about Ray Lewis on this show before and Michael Vick and all these second chances these guys get. Is this different in some way just because of the sheer shocking alleged numbers of mistresses?
HORROW: Hey, it's no big deal. It's probably the biggest story maybe in the history of the world as far as athletes spokesmen are concerned. $12 billion. Corporations do for their athletes and build their brand around spokesmen. Well, this isn't a Kobe Bryant. It's not O.J. Simpson. It's not Michael Phelps. But the volume of mistresses, yes it's a big deal. Also, the most recognizable guy in the Internet age where information, accurate or not, gets transported in milliseconds. Of course it's a big deal. And again, it's a billion-dollar plus deal, T.J.
NGUYEN: Well, let me ask you this, Rick. How much is riding on whether his wife will stay with him? Is that really going to change this game in any form or fashion right now?
HORROW: Well, it may be another peg and another leg to the story. And, of course, now the next story shifts to, does she buy a house in Sweden? Does he go to that island? What's the story about all of that? For him to have his continued family image, she's obviously got to stay with him. But I'm sure there are contingency plans that are happening. Does she stay? Does she go? Does he come back quickly? Does he not? This is not the last chapter in this book.
HOLMES: All right, Rick, we talk about it. Certainly probably not the most important thing to him right now is golf, even though it's very important to him. But what about his golf game? This is a guy that many thought was clear -- was on his way in the next couple of years of breaking Jack Nicklaus' record of most majors. What happens to his golf game just having to take this time off? Is he still on a clear path of being -- going down in the history as the greatest golfer of all time?
HORROW: Best golfer in the history of the intergalactic universe for starters, 71 wins, $93 million in prize money. Five majors away from beating Jack's record. And now we don't know. I will tell you one thing, he may be the most prolific carpet practicer in the history of the world, because unless the paparazzi lets him out of his house, that's the only way he's going to be able to practice.
HOLMES: All right. Are we sure he's still at his house right now? A lot of people wondering exactly where he is. But, again, if he stepped out of that house, somebody's going to see him.
HORROW: How do you step out of that house with all the photographers around. There is no storm cellar in a Florida house. That's my tip.
HOLMES: And you would know that, wouldn't you?
HORROW: Yes, I would.
NGUYEN: Joining us from West Palm Beach this morning. All right, thank you, Rick, we do appreciate it.
HORROW: (INAUDIBLE).
HOLMES: Taking a look at some other stories that are making headlines this morning.
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair says it would have be right to remove Saddam Hussein from power even without evidence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Blair made that statement in a BBC interview. He's expected to be questioned next year at an inquiry into Britain's role in the conflict.
Also, the CIA has reportedly canceled a secret missile contract with the former Blackwater security firm. The Associated Press reports a source familiar with the contract says the CIA director, Leon Panetta, got rid of the contract earlier this year. The contract allowed the company's employees to load missiles on predator drones in Pakistan. Those drones usually target senior al Qaeda and Taliban leaders.
Also, Governor Schwarzenegger attended a menorah lighting ceremony at the California state capital in honor of Hanukkah. The eight-day Jewish celebration began at sunset Friday. The governor says all Californians should reflect on Hanukkah's message of light, hope and freedom.
NGUYEN: Well, playing to win, but not caring about the score. That is what you can say about the freshman season for one young man on the basketball team at Manhattan College.
HOLMES: And as our reporter Rafer Weigel reports, he's more than just a name and a box score. He's a young man living on a dream, and his success isn't just measured by what he does on the court.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RAFER WEIGEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Sixteen years ago, Jim Abbott used one hand to climb atop the baseball world, throwing a no-hitter in Yankees Stadium. Abbott had no idea that day some 3,000 miles away, outside San Francisco, he had just become a role model for three-year-old Kevin Laue.
KEVIN LAUE, MANHATTAN COLLEGE FRESHMAN: He was like the first to do something like this. You know, and he did it at a professional level.
WEIGEL: Laue, like Abbott, was born with only one hand. His left arm stopped developing after getting caught between his neck and umbilical chord. It may have saved his life, but it made his dream of earning a division one basketball scholarship difficult to grab.
LAUE: You can't just walk into a gym and be a 6'11" guy. I've got to be a 6'11" player with one hand. So, you know, I've got to show people that I can play.
WEIGEL: Height was the first thing that Manhattan College Coach Barry Rohrssen was interested in when he spoke with Laue's high school coach.
BARRY ROHRSSEN, MANHATTAN COLLEGE HEAD COACH: And, you know, everything he said, you know, sounded very attractive. You know, 6'10", you know, basketball player. And then I think at the conclusion of the conversation he said, he has one arm.
WEIGEL: Rohrssen faced some criticism after offering the scholarship, but he saw it as less of a risk than most.
ROHRSSEN: You'll see a lot of times coaches take chances on kids who have poor grades, who have problems, you know, either on or off the court. And those players get chances and sometimes second chances. And, you know, my feeling is, well, why doesn't Kevin get a chance?
WEIGEL: A native New Yorker, Rohrssen remembers watching Abbott throw that no-hitter, just a short subway ride from where Laue now suits up as a freshman center.
ROHRSSEN: There was a coach somewhere that, you know, gave him a chance and gave him an opportunity. And, you know, if it wasn't for that coach, myself and thousands of other people wouldn't have seen him, you know, throw a no-hitter one day.
WEIGEL: When they finally met this summer, Laue told Abbott he spent most of his life following the example the left-hander set in 10 major league seasons.
JIM ABBOTT, FORMER MAJOR LEAGUE PITCHER: I was struck by his thoughtfulness, his ambition, and his sensitivity to what he was going through and what was in front of him.
LAUE: I feel it's my responsibility. And it's actually an honor to do it. It's a pleasure of mine, you know, to help others. Encourage them to do the same because, we've got to be honest, anything's possible.
WEIGEL: He need only look to Abbott to see that.
Rafer Weigel, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Well, a touching holiday tribute for the children of fallen soldiers. We're going to show you what one non-profit is doing to help them look forward to the holidays.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, you've seen a lot of Tiger Woods certainly lately and certainly on TV you're used to seeing him, including in Gillette commercials. Well, you will not be seeing him in those any time soon, at least until he comes back to the sport. Gillette, the fallout continues. But one of the major endorsers of Tiger Woods has now come out with a statement saying they will pull -- take a break, if you will, in having Tiger Woods be a part of their marketing campaign. I'll read in short a quote from the statement saying, "as Tiger takes a break from the public eye, we will support his desire for privacy by limiting his role in our marketing programs."
Again, that's coming from Gillette. One of several major sponsors. Several have come out and said they will continue to support him and his family and his decision at this time, but now getting an official word from Gillette that they will, in fact, move away from having him be in any of their marketing programs. Our Randi Kaye, and also Betty reported just a little while ago, reported last night, actually, that essentially they have all disappeared. All the ads anyway.
NGUYEN: Yes, most of the TV ads have been gone since I believe it was November 29th was the last time we saw one. And I think that was indeed a Gillette add too. So it seems like . . .
HOLMES: That was the last one. We won't see any more.
NGUYEN: All the sponsors, well, Gillette has come out publically saying that they're going to take a break while he takes a break. But apparently the others have been taking a bit of a break too.
HOLMES: Even though they haven't come out and said it in such a statement. But some more fallout from what happened. Don't know what contractually what this means.
NGUYEN: Right.
HOLMES: And if he's still going to be getting paid from these companies. But at least right now in the marketing, we're not going to see his face.
NGUYEN: Yes, but a lot of these companies, too, have come out in support of him saying, you know, we support his decision to take a break. And so it seems like they're all on the same page. Well, you know, the holidays, they can be a difficult time for families, especially those dealing with a member of their family who's died in a war. The Snowball Express, though, is trying to help that.
HOLMES: Yes. And this year the non-profit bringing 1,300 people to Texas, all expenses paid. Here now reporter Shelly Slater with CNN Dallas affiliate WFAA.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SHELLY SLATER, WFAA REPORTER (voice-over): "America the Beautiful." This was fallen Staff Sergeant Brian Mintzlaff's last favorite song. And now this snow globe is his daughter's most prized position.
BREAYLN MINTZLAFF, LOST FATHER IN IRAQ: He used to love this and that he's always with us in that he's in heaven right now, and that we'll see him again one day.
SLATER: Breayln Mintzlaff is only 10, and yet wise beyond her years. She grew up fast after her dad died three years ago in Iraq. It happened the week before Christmas. For Breayln's mom, Monica, it hurts that she can't take away her daughter's pain.
MONICA MINTZLAFF, LOST HUSBAND IN IRAQ: I can't do anything. My hands of 100 percent tied behind my back.
B. MINTZLAFF: On the day that my dad passed away last year, I was sitting on a bench staring at fireworks down at Disneyland.
SLATER: That moment is thanks to Snowball Express. A non-profit helping children who's parents have died from war. Breayln helped welcome 1,300 military family members to town for a Snowball Express weekend of fun and understanding.
B. MINTZLAFF: No matter what, they've always -- they'll always have someone who knows what they're going through. And if they ever want to talk to me, I am arms wide open.
SLATER: Having lost her dad in December, Snowball Express gives hope in what could be a dark time.
M. MINTZLAFF: She has December to look forward to, versus December to dread.
SLATER (on camera): Does that make you feel pretty awesome to know that your dad's a hero?
B. MINTZLAFF: Um-hum. But, see, when I think of hero, most kids think of heroes, they would think Superman or Batman or something. But I just think of people who are out there dying right now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Well, American Airlines says it used eight jets to bring families to Texas from all over the country. The airline says it is important to honor sacrifice.
In other news we're going to telling you about today, homeless kids, they are losing hope, but finding a helping hand in the classroom. These are kids that used to have to eat ketchup packets for lunch. But those days are over thanks to their principal.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Well, the NEWSROOM continues at the top of the hour with Fredricka Whitfield.
You getting it together over there?
HOLMES: It's nice to see you. You OK?
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: I'm trying to fix this mike a little bit better. But you know I can project even if I don't have the microphone.
NGUYEN: Yes, you can.
HOLMES: Yes.
WHITFIELD: How you guys doing? Happy holidays.
HOLMES: We're all right. Hello.
NGUYEN: Hi. Good to see you.
WHITFIELD: We're all feeling very festive in our holiday colors.
NGUYEN: Aren't we, though. Yes, we (INAUDIBLE).
WHITFIELD: Orange and red. Anyways, good to see you guys.
HOLMES: Good to see you.
WHITFIELD: We have a lot on our plate in the noon Eastern hour. We're going to talk about those five Americans arrested in Pakistan.
NGUYEN: Right.
WHITFIELD: Who are they? And we're going to have a little bit more on some of the people who knew them here in the states and will they be facing those charges in Pakistan for certain or might they be coming back home to face charges here for certain as well? We'll delve into that.
And everybody's, of course, still talking about Tiger Woods. Who couldn't. And, of course we heard the breaking news that you all just carried out with Gillette now taking a pass, so to speak, on continuing advertising with him. So his private life very much a mess. His private life, as public as his public life. Our legal guys are going to delve into the what's next as it pertains to custody, as it pertains to pre-nup, potential alimony, all of big things.
NGUYEN: Well, that's a lot to go through.
WHITFIELD: I mean it's a whole lot. Where do you begin? And we're going to be talking a little bit later on in the day as well about what's at stake for all of these endorsements. Gillette being the first now.
NGUYEN: Right.
WHITFIELD: What later? That's in the 2:00 Eastern hour.
HOLMES: It's going to be a big hour.
WHITFIELD: I know.
HOLMES: All right.
WHITFIELD: Big hour, big day. But that's what we do.
HOLMES: That is what you do. Thank you, as always. We will see you here in a few minutes, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: OK. Thanks so much.
NGUYEN: Thank you, Fred.
HOLMES: Want to tell you about a school in Las Vegas now helping to make life a little bit easier for some homeless children. Besides learning how to read and write, the students at Whitney Elementary get clothes, birthday gifts, dental care and food. CNN's Dan Simon introduces us to the woman behind it all.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): They are chefs from some of the fanciest hotels in Las Vegas.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There you go, kiddo.
SIMON: But today they are serving breakfast at Whitney Elementary. Part of a non-profit initiative to eliminate malnutrition and hunger.
SHERRIE GAHN, PRINCIPAL, WHITNEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: So what do we say when we're very grateful and very fortunate?
KIDS: Thank you!
SIMON: School Principal Sherrie Gahn says it's a healthy and memorable meal for students who don't have much.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Which one?
SIMON: That's because the school estimates that as many as 85 percent of the 600 or so students are homeless, living in cheap motels, with friends or in shelters.
GAHN: Literally at my every waking moment, I think about what else do I need to do?
SIMON: When Gahn arrived here seven years ago, she says children were devouring ketchup packets to fill empty stomachs. Clearly they weren't getting enough food. So she set out to do something about it. A mission that came from personal pain.
GAHN: And I was raised in poverty. My mother went to a local organization at one point. My mother actually asked for food and clothes and they turned us down. And I -- and I saw how devastated she was.
Get your food, honey.
SIMON: Gahn vowed her families at Whitney would never be turned down. She twisted arms and begging for donations. Opening a one-of- a-kind school supply closet, part food bank, part clothing supplier.
JAMES ICENOGLE, 4TH GRADE STUDENT: I got some pants, some shirts, some new shoes and some new socks. SIMON (on camera): A lot of these kids come from such challenging circumstances that there's no money at home to even celebrate birthdays. So once a month, the school throw a giant birthday party for all the kids who had birthdays that month. There's pizza, there's cake and even some presents to take home.
SIMON (voice-over): Hairstylists donate haircuts and dentists donate dental care. When a family comes up short for something like a utility bill, the school, through donations, can help with that, too.
SHIRLEY HERNANDEZ, GRANDMOTHER: Last year we didn't have Christmas. They gave us Christmas. And this year we're hardly going to have Christmas, but they're going to give us Christmas. They've helped us a lot, so I've got to donate my time here, you know, to show how much I appreciate the people here.
SIMON: And that's what Gahn expects, that parents give something back by volunteering.
SIMON (on camera): At the end of the day, what is it that you wish for these children?
GAHN: I want them to have that sense of norm that a lot of families grow up in America having that they don't get.
SIMON (voice-over): On this morning, they do get attention from the city's best chefs. For many, it will be the best meal they've had in a while. For Sherrie Gahn, it's another small victory for her students.
Dan Simon, CNN, Las Vegas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Well, just in time for the holiday, the Duggar family has another reason to buy yet another gift.
HOLMES: Yes, a lot of people have kids around the holidays. Always a nice time to welcome in a new addition.
NGUYEN: Yes.
HOLMES: But here's the thing. They got 18.
NGUYEN: Already.
HOLMES: Yes. They have a reality show called "18 Kids and Counting." TLC, which airs the show says they're now going to change the title of that show because Michelle Duggar had a daughter on Thursday. Josie Brooklyn is her name. She came earlier than expected. Came by c-section.
NGUYEN: Yes, Josie wasn't due until March but since she is premature and so small, she's expected to stay in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit for now. Can you imagine all the laundry they have to deal with. That is a huge family.
HOLMES: What do you want to add up? The laundry? The food? The diapers?
NGUYEN: All of it.
HOLMES: The anything. It's a lot of anything going on in that house, Fredricka.
NGUYEN: Fred, you have one. Just imagine 19?
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, and they have -- yes, I can. I'd have no hair on my head.
NGUYEN: From pulling it all out.
WHITFIELD: And how they manage with 18 -- 18, right?
HOLMES: Eighteen.
NGUYEN: It said 18 and counting. So that's 19.
HOLMES: Eighteen and counting. So it's 19 and counting now.
WHITFIELD: All right. Well, that's a lovely bundle that they've got there.
HOLMES: Yes.
WHITFIELD: Happy holidays to them. To them. I don't want to deal with those numbers.
You guys have a great one.
HOLMES: All right, Fred, thanks.
