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American Morning
President Pushes for Climate Deal; Reunion of New Jersey Dad and Son Banned by Brazilian Justice; U.S. Drones Hacked; Eighty Percent Interest on Credit Card?; Ex-Gitmo Guard: Don't Bring Them Here; Copenhagen Climate Summit Update
Aired December 18, 2009 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Good Friday morning. Thanks very much for joining us on the Most News in the Morning. It is December the 18th. I'm John Roberts.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Kiran Chetry. Glad you're with us. Here are the big stories we'll be breaking down for you in the next 15 minutes.
Right now, President Obama is at the climate change summit in Copenhagen, where talks on a major agreement are bogged down. So when it's all said and done, will the president walk away with or without a deal? We're live in Copenhagen with the latest.
ROBERTS: A New Jersey daddy denied again. A Brazilian judge preventing David Goldman from bringing his kidnapped son back home to New Jersey, instead ruling that little Sean Goldman has to be heard from in court. The very latest on an international custody battle that is dragging on just when it seemed that it might finally be over.
CHETRY: Plus, what Iraqi militants saw when they tapped into our eyes in the sky. New information about how they hacked into U.S. drones. Is one of the most effective weapons in hunting down Al Qaeda still exposed?
ROBERTS: But first, a lot riding on President Obama's appearance in Copenhagen right now. He's in Denmark. Could speak this hour on efforts to salvage an agreement on global warming, but there is no guarantee that he'll have a deal to sign when the conference ends today.
Talks have been stalled for days. China is in a standoff with the United States, and there is still no answer on who should pay for new environmental rules. This morning, we are tapping into the global resources of CNN. Our Ed Henry is traveling with the president in Copenhagen, and he joins us now live.
Ed, a busy morning for the president. What's the state of play right now?
ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's right. Good morning, John.
This story is moving fast amidst signs that these climate talks could be falling apart. President Obama arrived here in Copenhagen after flying all night on Air Force One, immediately ripped up his schedule. He was supposed to be doing a one-on-one with the Danish prime minister. He abruptly canceled that, instead went into a basically an emergency meeting with about -- leaders from about 20 countries, representatives from the UK, Australia, Germany, France, Russia, also China.
And China is critical here, as you noted, because they've basically been holding up a deal. China wants to make sure that the U.S. and other rich nations are helping to pay for the cost of dealing with global warming for some of these poorer, developing countries.
Now, the president is here trying to reach out and say basically, look, the U.S. is going to pay into a $100 billion global fund to try and to help some of these smaller countries but on two big conditions. Number one, they want to make sure there's a broader climate deal here in the final 24 hours in which countries like China, U.S. and all of these countries essentially will agree to cut carbon emissions to make sure there's a global deal here, number one. And number two, they want China to step up and show more transparency to make sure that they're actually living up to whatever commitments they make here.
We're told they're still very far apart behind closed doors, John, and in fact the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, just said awhile ago that, you know, it's very, very tense behind closed doors.
ROBERTS: All right. Ed Henry for us this morning. We'll keep watching this very closely, and we also understand that the president may be speaking some time in the next half hour or so. If he does, we'll bring that to you live. Ed, thanks so much for that.
CHETRY: We're also following another big story this morning. A New Jersey father deciding on his next legal move now that a Brazilian Supreme Court has barred him from bringing his kidnapped son back home to America.
David Goldman was hoping that this international custody battle would turn out differently this time. He flew to Rio de Janeiro yesterday, ready to bring an end to a long separation from his little boy after a court ruling in his favor, but it didn't work out that way.
Susan Candiotti is with us this morning. She's following the case. And it's a curious ruling from Brazil's highest court right now, and of course more anguish for Mr. Goldman.
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. It has a lot of people scratching their heads, and this is a father who's limping toward a finish line, but where is it?
David Goldman is still in Rio de Janeiro with his attorney this morning. He says he's appealing the Supreme Court ruling, but it's not clear how long that process might take. He's calling yesterday's decision ridiculous, and he seems resigned to the fact that his five- year battle to be reunited with his son is not over.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) DAVID GOLDMAN, SON KIDNAPPED BY EX-WIFE: I've been down this road for five years. It's another setback and it's very sad.
CANDIOTTI (voice-over): Not exactly the happy home for the holidays ending David Goldman hoped for. Instead, more heartbreak for the New Jersey dad who arrived in Rio de Janeiro hoping to finally bring home his son.
GOLDMAN: It's very discouraging.
CANDIOTTI: Only to learn a Brazilian Supreme Court justice had blocked the transfer of Sean to his only surviving parent, ruling the child had to first be heard from in court.
GOLDMAN: I honestly believe that the justice system does not want to be looked at as a country that is a safe haven for kidnappers, that will allow a child to remain separated from their only parent and try to turn that child against that parent, and then demand a 9-year- old, innocent, vulnerable, psychologically-damaged child to speak in a court is beyond cruel.
CANDIOTTI: And it sends a message no court wants to send, according to CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin.
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: They introduce the idea of well, we need to get the feelings of the child. We need to interview the child. Well, if that's the rule, then the lesson to be learned is you should kidnap a child as young as possible so that they identify with their captors and ask to stay.
CANDIOTTI: A lawyer for the family in Brazil says Sean is happy where he is and wants to stay there. But New Jersey Congressman Chris Smith, who's been helping Goldman in his bid to reunite with his son, believes the Brazilian courts will ultimately rule in his favor.
REP. CHRIS SMITH (R), NEW JERSEY: This justice could have done the right thing, he chose poorly and unwisely. This has become a major embarrassment to the Brazilian government, and I do believe the Supreme Court of Brazil is Hague literate. They understand the Hague Convention and will appropriately apply its provisions, and Sean will be on a plane home.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CANDIOTTI: Goldman's son, Sean, has been living with his stepfather after Goldman's ex-wife died in childbirth. Brazilian Supreme Court Judge Marco Aurelio defended his decision in a written statement saying 9-year-old Sean is old enough to decide where he wants to live, and that's raising eyebrows among most legal observers because of just how young the child is. So the question now is will Mr. Goldman be there another few days while he appeals, but there's some talk that this could last until February before we get an answer.
CHETRY: Wow. Is he planning to stay in Brazil throughout that?
CANDIOTTI: Well, at least for now but it's very likely he'll come back to New Jersey if it's going to take until February.
CHETRY: All right. Well, Susan Candiotti following this for us. Keep us posted. Thank you.
ROBERTS: Other stories new this morning to tell you about. Health care reform not going to happen. That prediction from Democratic Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska, who may be the biggest obstacle to getting a bill finished before Christmas. Nelson is holding out for stricter limits on abortion. Senate Democrats need every member on board to push health care reform through.
CHETRY: If you had problems sending or receiving e-mails on your BlackBerry yesterday, you were not alone. The company that makes BlackBerries, Research in Motion, says that there were technical problems that caused widespread interruptions across North America. The problem is said to be fixed this morning.
ROBERTS: And her commuter carriage awaits. Passengers at Kings Cross Station got a royal surprise when the queen of England stepped on board a first class compartment. Her majesty was on her way to her estate in Norfolk to spend Christmas with her family. Buckingham Palace says the 83-year-old monarch did the exact same thing last year, just did it without the photographers in tow.
CHETRY: There you go. Well, we are also watching the weather this morning. A big storm down south and it is moving north. Rob Marciano tracking it for us. Hey, Rob,
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, guys. Yes, this one could be the first big winter storm for the east coast, and it's starting down across the southeast where right now we're seeing a decent amount of rain from New Orleans over through the Florida Panhandle stretching to Atlanta now and on the increase. Even some pockets of severe weather with this across the southeast possible today.
The rain shield now approaching the North Carolina border there. You can start to see some white showing up on the radar scope, and that does mean that's snow on the way there. There's your forecast weather map with snow increasing through the western part of the Carolinas and Virginia. Could see several inches, if not over a foot in some of the mountainous areas there, and that does not include the bigger cities, D.C., Philly and New York. But those cities, cold enough to snow today and tonight and tomorrow will see snow. Just how much for those major metropolitan cities? We'll talk more about that in about a half hour.
John and Kiran, back up to you.
ROBERTS: Looking forward to that, Rob. Thanks so much.
And coming up in just a few minutes, we're expecting President Obama to speak at the Copenhagen conference in Denmark. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao is speaking right now. The president is supposed to go next. And also this morning, terrorists seeing with our eyes, those U.S. drones that were hacked. Terrorists were watching this very video live as it happened, as it was coming down off the satellite. And get this, the United States military's known that they could do that for at least a decade. So why weren't things fixed? We're asking those questions this morning.
It's eight minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning. Eleven minutes past the hour right now. A reminder that we're awaiting remarks from President Obama who is at the climate conference in Copenhagen. He's due to speak up next and we'll bring you his remarks as soon as we have him up to the podium.
Meanwhile, it's time for a story that you'll only see on AMERICAN MORNING right after a quick check of the headlines.
The mother of three hikers that are detained in Iran telling the "Associated Press" that they're hoping their children will be released without a trial. But it's been nearly two months since there's been any word on their condition.
Josh Fattal as well as Shane Bauer and Sarah Shourd were taken captive back in July. They were hiking in Iraq's northern Kurdistan region when relatives say that they accidentally crossed the border. Iran is accusing them of spying.
ROBERTS: People literally dying to get into this country. Mexico's Human Rights Commission says more than 5,000 Mexicans have died in desserts, rivers and mountains since 1994 in an attempt to get across the U.S. border. Many were exploited by thieves and drug smugglers and it says governments have to do more to protect them.
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs himself confirming that Iraqi militants were able to hack into the video feed from U.S. drones, but Admiral Mike Mullen also says that the breach caused no damage and that the security flaw has been fixed. Admiral Mullen arrived in Iraq overnight for talks on U.S. troop withdrawal.
ROBERTS: Now this morning we are learning more about how those militants intercepted our spy videos. The military has apparently known about the flaw for a decade, so did Saddam Hussein. Our Elaine Quijano is looking for answers this morning at the Pentagon.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: John and Kiran, U.S. officials confirm there was a security breach of live video feeds from drones flying over Iraq, and all it took was inexpensive software anyone can download off the Internet.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
QUIJANO (voice-over): The software in question costs as little as $25.95, made by a Russian company. The SkyGrabber program allows users to take advantage of unprotected communications links. And as "The Wall Street Journal" first reported and a U.S. official confirmed to CNN, insurgents used the program to intercept live feeds from U.S. military predator drones monitoring targets in Iraq.
ALAN PALLER, RESEARCH DIRECTOR SANS INSTITUTE: What was surprising was that the military computers, the military drones, weren't using hardened technology.
QUIJANO: A senior defense official did not deny the breach but insists the problem is an old issue for the military, one that's been addressed and fixed. Yet another official said this is sometimes a risk the military is willing to take, because encrypting slows down the real time video feed when multiple people need to watch simultaneously. Still one expert says this is exactly what happened in Bosnia years ago and should never have happened in Iraq.
P.W. SINGER, AUTHOR, "WIRED FOR WAR": We assumed that our enemies would be dumb. We assumed they wouldn't catch up to our technology. We assumed because they were in a place like Iraq or Afghanistan they couldn't pull it off. Well, what happens when you assume?
QUIJANO: In fact a 2005 CIA report notes Saddam Hussein was suspected to be doing the same thing, monitoring U.S. installations after Iraqi hackers located and downloaded the unencrypted satellite feed from military drones. As for these latest breaches, a U.S. official says no American troops or combat missions were compromised, but P.W. Singer, author of "Wired for War," says the breach should serve as a wake-up call.
SINGER: There are other potential adversaries out there that have much, much bigger budgets. Certain large nations and the kind of things they're going to do make this look silly.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUIJANO: One of the highest profile uses of drones has been in Pakistan where they've been used to hit Al Qaeda and Taliban targets on that side of the border. Now informed sources tell us that those drones are not vulnerable to this software because they do have the latest encryption technology and they're used in a much more limited capacity than military drones -- John, Kiran.
CHETRY: Elaine Quijano for us this morning. Thank you.
And again, a quick reminder. We are awaiting remarks in Copenhagen, Denmark from our president, President Obama due to speak shortly at this big conference. Right now, the president of Brazil is heading to the podium, but again we have our eye on it for you.
We're going to take a quick break. When we come back, you know credit card companies hit you with high fees and interest rates, but 80 percent interest on a credit card? Is that possible? Christine Romans "Minding Your Business" next.
It's 15 minutes past the hour. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning. It's coming up on 18 minutes after the hour, and that means that we're "Minding Your Business" this morning.
Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke is a step closer to keeping his job. He was "Time" magazine's Man of the Year, after all. The Senate banking Committee approved his nomination for another four years, running the nation's central bank, though it now moves to the full Senate where he is expected to win confirmation, although it could be close because some senators hold him at least partly responsible for last year's financial meltdown.
CHETRY: Well, 4.3 million households in America had their utilities disconnected during 2009 for not paying their bills. That's up 5 percent from the year before, and it looks like things could actually get worse. Another 12.5 million households are at risk of losing service, owing utility companies more than $3.4 billion.
ROBERTS: And Pepsi announcing that it will be sitting on the sidelines at this year's Super Bowl. The soda giant will not be running ads during the big game. It will be the first time in 33 years. The company says they plan on launching a new online campaign aimed at financing community projects and it's just too hard to explain in a 30-second television spot.
Last year, Pepsi spent $33 million promoting its products.
CHETRY: There you go. If it's too hard to explain in 30 seconds and it's soda, isn't that (ph) a problem? Christine Romans "Minding Your Business" for us at 19 minutes past the hour.
So, we talk about high fees and high interest rates on credit cards, but you're talking about some craziness -- 80 percent?
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, 79.9 percent credit card, apparently, and you think about -- it's a test, the 79.9 percent credit card. But look...
ROBERTS: What's it a test of?
ROMANS: It's a test of whether people will use it and whether it will work and they can make money on it. So it's a subprime credit card, so normally this is a cards that has 9.9 percent interest, but really high fees. A $300 credit limit for subprime borrowers, but then the fees over the year usually at $250 or $260.
Well, these new rules go into effect in February, and then more new rules in the summer. They wouldn't allow this, so some of these companies who -- who get a lot of fees, that's how they compensate themselves, I guess, for -- for the risk of lending to subprime borrowers, people who don't have a good credit history, don't have a good track record of -- of paying people back. They're testing really high interest rates instead. So these are the new rules that are going to go in -- in effect in February. You're going to have advanced notice of big changes in terms. So all the people who have this card, they're going to get a big notice about the change in terms, a limit of some interest rate increases for good borrowers, more detailed billing statements.
Look, you're supposed to be able to understand what you get in the mail when you start getting your new statements in the mail, you know, later on this year -- next year, and you're going to be able to opt in or opt out of rate hikes and you're going to be able to opt in and opt out of overdraft protection. Really important here.
I think what's critical for people now, watch what's coming in the mail, because these new rules mean that your credit card company, you could get offers that might still seem very hard to understand. Watch what's -- open your credit card mail, read every single word. You want to watch for changes in interest rates and annual fees. You're going to be able to say, no, I don't want to do that, and you're going to be able to -- you're going to be able to get rid of that card if you need to. You're going to watch for lower credit limits and new terms on debit card overdrafts.
All of these things, incredibly important, people. Don't just let this mail -- I mean, there are going to be big changes in how we use our credit cards from the next...
ROBERTS: Seventy-nine percent, just to see if somebody will use it. I guess you could leave a cup of chicken fat on the desk and somebody might come along and drink it, but who would want to?
ROMANS: Some people are desperate, but if you -- if you can't get another credit card, you've got a really low credit history and you need $300...
CHETRY: (INAUDIBLE) just cut it up.
ROBERTS: What's your Numeral this morning?
ROMANS: It's $19 billion. $19 billion.
ROBERTS: What could that be?
ROMANS: It's how much money they get in these fees. And...
CHETRY: The credit card companies?
ROMANS: Right. And this -- in 2008, how much they got in penalty fees in 2008. Well, it's going to be harder for them to get the penalty fees, which is why you need to read all of the fine print.
CHETRY: So they're going to try to make up for it in the interest rate hikes, is that what you're saying?
ROMANS: For subprime borrowers, it very well could be. Yes.
ROBERTS: All right. Christine Romans, "Minding Your Business" this morning. Christine, thanks so much.
ROMANS: You're welcome.
ROBERTS: Coming up on the Most News in this -- OK. I knew it was going to happen. It caught up with me, finally, the three hours' sleep every night.
Coming up on the Most News in the Morning, Guantanamo Bay. The president wants to move about 100 detainees to a -- to a correctional facility in Illinois. We're going to hear from one person who's seen Guantanamo Bay on the inside who says, "Not in my backyard," and not for the reason that you might think.
Stay with us. Twenty-two minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning. It's 25 minutes after the hour. Top stories just five minutes away.
But first, a story that you'll see only here on AMERICAN MORNING, one of the few Americans who has actually seen the inside of Guantanamo Bay has some major worries about moving detainees to the US. He says it's not the suspected terrorists inside the prison that he's worried about.
Our Kara Finnstrom has got this unique look at the debate.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Jason Stahl just moved into a small horse farm in Northwestern Illinois, and he's about to get new neighbors.
JASON STAHL, EX GUANTANAMO BAY GUARD: It's very ironic.
FINNSTROM: Ironic because just down the road at the Thomson Prison, the federal government now hope to hold terror suspects, the same suspects Stahl guarded as one of the first MPs at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba after 9/11.
STAHL: We traveled 3,000 miles to Cuba to care for them down there, and now they're flying 3,000 miles to sit in my backyard up here.
This is the inside of the -- where we lived.
FINNSTROM: Stahl, who is now an army reservist, guarded terror suspects in leg shackles, handcuffs and belly chains.
STAHL: Many times, they would turn on you.
FINNSTROM: And Stahl says there was constant shouting and chanting.
STAHL: You had so much aggression, so much anger after what had happened after 9/11, and you didn't know how to act. You had to maintain your military bearing. There's rules and there's guidelines that we have to follow, and it's our job down there to keep them safe.
FINNSTROM: Stahl strongly opposes bringing the detainees here. He believes the prison can safely guard them, but fears holding the prisoners here makes his community a more visible terrorism target.
STAHL: We've got the Rock Island Arsenal, we've got the nuclear plant in Cordova, we've got the (INAUDIBLE) ammunitions plant 100 miles south of us.
FINNSTROM: But Stahl knows his position isn't popular right now in the town surrounding the prison in Thomson.
FINNSTROM (on camera): Just a half mile away from the prison here on Thomson's main street, many are hoping for an economic boost. This town of 550 has been struggling with a stagnant economy and an unemployment rate of 12 percent.
LUANNE BRUCKNER, THOMSON, ILLINOIS RESIDENT: Warm you up again? All righty.
It was a Norman Rockwell town type, you know? Everybody kind of cared for each other.
It's gotten to the point where we're just desperate. Depressed and desperate. We need -- we need the jobs.
FINNSTROM (voice-over): Luanne Bruckner's family helped found Thomson in the 1800s.
BRUCKNER: It's been -- it's been horrible. It's been horrible to watch it go.
FINNSTROM: Six generations later, she says the town is dying, dragged down by the nearly vacant $145 million prison that was built in 2001, offering the prospect of new jobs, badly needed even then.
Bruckner banked her retirement on it, opening a motel and restaurant. But amid a political fight over operational funding, the prison sat empty for five years and now houses just 144 prisoners.
BRUCKNER: We were left with kind of a white elephant, so to speak.
JOHN WHITNEY, THOMSON, ILLINOIS RESIDENT: I fully expected there to be a lot of anger, a lot of people against it. That hasn't happened.
FINNSTROM: John Whitney is publisher of Thomson's town paper and head of its Chamber of Commerce.
WHITNEY: They've been unhappy (ph) to think that the -- that the state's second largest capital expenditure that the state of Illinois ever made is sitting out here unused. That's not criminal, but it's -- it's tragic, in a way.
STAHL: Kind of they (ph) want to take it over there and dump it out?
FINNSTROM: Jason Stahl says as a father, now supporting a family, he too wants his hometown to get an economic boost. But, as a reservist sworn to protect, he worries at what cost.
STAHL: Why bring the detainees from Cuba onto American soil? I don't agree with that.
FINNSTROM: Kara Finnstrom for CNN, Thomson, Illinois.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: All right. We're just about 29 minutes after the hour.
We're watching what's unfolding in Copenhagen, Denmark at the Copenhagen Climate Summit. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva speaking right now, President Obama expected to come up next.
The president was supposed to have bilateral meetings with Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the Prime Minister of Denmark, but that was canceled in favor of a bigger session of leaders here as they try to desperately hammer out an agreement.
CHETRY: Yes. The ended up changing that, holding some closed door talks with about 19 other world leaders, and they're really trying to work out some type of last minute agreement on fighting global warming, and it's proving to be a little bit more difficult.
There's finger pointing going around, there's talk about whether or not they're going to leave with anything concrete, whether or not they're going to even leave with a framework. You have some delegates earlier blaming the US and China for the lack of any type of political agreement and others saying the world is watching, and -- and we need to do something about it.
ROBERTS: Yes. Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State, sort of stunned the conference earlier when she said that the United States was going to sign on to this idea of creating a $100 billion per year fund by the year 2012 -- 2020 to fund developing countries' efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions.
That of course, as well, is not sitting well with Republicans, so a whole lot of debate going on about this. But, again, we're waiting for the president to come up right after Inacio "Lula" da Silva from Brazil.
While we're waiting for the president, we'll check a couple of other top stories. The accused gunman in last year's deadly terror attacks in Mumbai, India, is retracting his confession. Mohammed Kasab now claims he came to India to make a career in Bollywood, and was arrested nearly three weeks before the attack. He says he was framed by Indian police who shot him to make it look like he had been involved. 166 people were killed in those attacks. Twitter is back up and running this morning. But, overnight, it was hacked by a group calling itself the Iranian Cyber Army. It's still not clear who that group is or even if they are connected to Iran. You'll recall that Iranians relied heavily on Twitter to stay connected after that country's disputed presidential election earlier this year.
CHETRY: All right. Well, it's 30 minutes past the hour, and it's Friday, which means we're bringing you our "Wingnuts of the Week" special. The battle over health care has produced its share of name calling on both sides of the political isle. And this morning, independent analyst, John Avlon, is calling out two people for some pretty extreme behavior talking about mass murder and the Virgin Mary making a very different choice under Obama care.
They are John's "Wingnuts of the Week." He is also a columnist for TheDailyBeast.com, and he joins me now.
Good morning.
JOHN AVLON, INDEPENDENT POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning.
CHETRY: So this health care debate has really brought out in some cases the worst in people.
AVLON: Yes, yes. Somehow the extremes always end up resembling each other, and we've had a lot of fright-wing politics, attempts to sort of scare people into their position. So that's this week's wingnut of the week.
CHETRY: All right. So let's start with Ezra Kline. He is a "Washington Post" blogger. You're calling him out this week for wingnut on the left.
First of all, just tell us briefly who is he.
AVLON: Sure. He's a young liberal policy wonk blogger for "The Washington Post," smart guy, young guy, known for causing some controversy. And this week, a lot of folks think he went a little bit too far. He pulled the mass murder metaphor card, railing out against Joe Lieberman who has been the target of a lot of liberals' anger.
Let's take a quick --
CHETRY: Sorry. One quick second, the president is going to interrupt our wingnut segment.
AVLON: OK.
CHETRY: And we'll be right back.
John?
ROBERTS: OK. They've just announced him at the Copenhagen Summit. The president who got there early today making his way to the podium now after calling this meeting of some 19 leaders to try to break a deadlock in Copenhagen.
Let's listen in.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Good morning. It is an honor for me to join this distinguished group of leaders from nations around the world. We come here in Copenhagen because climate change poses a grave and growing danger to our people. All of you would not be here unless you - like me - were convinced that this danger is real. This is not fiction, it is science. Unchecked, climate change will pose unacceptable risks to our security, our economies, and our planet. This much we know.
The question then before us is no longer the nature of the challenge - the question is our capacity to meet it. For while the reality of climate change is not in doubt, I have to be honest, as the world watches us today, I think our ability to take collective action is in doubt right now. And it hangs in the balance.
I believe we can act boldly, and decisively, in the face of a common threat. That's why I have come here today not to talk but to act.
(APPLAUSE)
Now, as the world's largest economy and as the world's second largest emitter, America bears our responsibility to address climate change, and we intend to meet that responsibility. That is why we renewed our leadership within international climate change negotiations; that is why we've worked with other nations to phase out fossil fuel subsidies; that is why we've taken bold action at home - by making historic investments in renewable energy; by putting our people to work increasing efficiency in our homes and buildings; and by pursuing comprehensive legislation to transform to a clean energy economy.
These mitigation actions are ambitious, and we are taking them not simply to meet our global responsibilities. We are convinced as some of you maybe convinced that changing the way we produce and use energy is essential to America's economic future - that it will create millions of new jobs, power new industries, keep us competitive, and spark new innovation. We are convinced for our own self interest - that the way we use energy, changing it to a more efficient fashion is essential to our national security because it helps to our dependence on foreign oil, and help us deal with some of the dangers posed by climate change.
So I want this plenary session to understand: America is going to continue on this course of action to mitigate our emissions and move towards a clean energy economy. No matter what happens here in Copenhagen, we think it is good for us, as well as good for the world. But we also believe that we will all be stronger, all be safer, all be more secure if we act together. That's why it is in our mutual interest to achieve a global accord in which we agree to certain steps, and to hold each other accountable to certain commitments.
After months of talk, after two weeks of negotiations, after innumerable side meetings, bilateral meetings, endless hours of discussion among negotiators, I believe that the pieces of that accord should now be clear.
First, all major economies must put forward decisive national actions that will reduce their emissions, and begin to turn the corner on climate change. I'm pleased that many of us have already done so. Almost all the major economies have put forward legitimate targets, significant targets, ambitious targets. And I'm confident America will fulfill the commitments that we have made, cutting our emissions in the range of 17 percent by 2020, and by more than 80 percent by 2050 in line with final legislation.
Second, we must have a mechanism to review whether we are keeping our commitments and exchange this information in a transparent manner. These measures need not be intrusive or infringe upon sovereignty. They must, however, ensure that an accord is credible. And that we're living up to our mutual obligations. Without such accountability, any agreement would be empty words on a page.
I don't know how you have an international agreement where we all are not sharing information and ensuring that we are meeting our commitments. That doesn't make sense. It would be a hollow victory.
Number three, we must have financing that helps developing countries adapt, particularly the least-developed and most vulnerable to climate change. America will be a part of a fast start funding that will ramp up to $10 billion by 2012.
Yesterday, Secretary Hillary Clinton, my secretary of state, made it clear that we will engage in a global effort to mobilize $100 billion in financing by 2020. If, and only if, it is part of a broader accord that I've just described.
Mitigation, transparency, financing. It's a clear formula. One that embraces the principle of common but differentiated responses and respective capabilities. And it adds up to a significant accord. One that takes us farther than we have ever gone before as an international community.
I just want to say to the -- this plenary session that we are running short on time. And at this point, the question is whether we will move forward together or split apart. Whether we prefer posturing to action. I'm sure that many consider this an imperfect framework that I just described. No country will get everything that it wants.
There are those developing countries that want aid with no strings attached, and no obligations with respect to transparency. They think that the most advanced nations should pay a higher price. I understand that. There are those advanced nations who think that developing countries either cannot absorb this assistance, or that will not be held accountable effectively, and that the world's fastest-growing emitters should bear a greater share of the burden.
We know the fault lines because we've been imprisoned by them for years. These international discussions have essentially taken place now for almost two decades. And we have very little to show other than an increased acceleration of the climate change phenomenon. The time for talk is over. This is the bottom line. We can embrace this accord, take a substantial step forward, continue to refine it and built upon its foundation. We can do that and everyone who is in this room will be part of a historic endeavour, one that makes life better for our children and our grandchildren, or we can choose delay. Falling back into the same divisions that have stood in the way of action for years. And we will be back having the same stale arguments, month after month, year after year, perhaps decade after decade, all while the danger of climate change grows until it is irreversible.
Ladies and gentlemen, there's no time to waste. America's made our choice. We have charted our course; we have made our commitments; we will do what we say. Now I believe it's the time for the nations and the people of the world to come together behind a common purpose. We are ready to get this done today. But there has to be movement on all sides. To recognize that it is better for us to act than to talk. It's better for us to choose action over inaction. The future over the past. And with courage and faith, I believe that we can meet our responsibilities to our people and the future of our planet.
Thank you very much.
(APPLAUSE)
ROBERTS: The president basically laying out three principles for an agreement there at Copenhagen saying that there needs to be mitigation, the greenhouse gases; accountability, that people are actually complying; and then financing to help out some of those smaller countries that just don't have the financial wherewithal to be able to do it.
CHETRY: Right. This question still remains, though. Will these leaders leave Copenhagen with anything binding at all? It's still something that's up in the air right now as they try to hammer out agreements and try to get over some of the major, major stumbling blocks, one of course which includes the developed nations paying money to the non-developed nations to try to help them get in line with reducing carbon emissions.
And the president saying that the United States is going to pledge $10 billion toward that and help with the $100 billion international aid fund. Some African nations, though, not happy with that, calling it not robust enough.
Let's bring in our John Avalon and Ed Henry, we have as well, about what we were just hearing from the president in his speech. The promises that he gave to this conference, and whether we'll see anything out of it.
Is this going to be something where there's something concrete at the end of this climate conference?
AVLON: Well, that's what he's certainly calling for. I mean, he's making an American commitment trying to establish American leadership and add real dollars behind those commitments in an attempt to get people to sign on to transparency and accountability.
It is a tall order. I think it is a significant investment of his prestige. And there's going to be a lot of folks at home who aren't understanding the dynamics going on abroad.
He is speaking to an international audience trying to recommit the United States to leadership brawl, when it comes to the environment and climate change. Controversial at home and bold abroad, certainly.
ROBERTS: Let's check in with our Ed Henry, who is in Denmark, in Copenhagen this morning.
Ed, the president had flown over there to Copenhagen trying to shake loose the stalemate here at the Copenhagen conference. He sounds like a president who is nowhere close to a deal.
ED HENRY, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right, John. And he was really calling the fellow leaders out, really, it seemed like, saying there's no time to waste. Let's find out whether you're just about posturing or whether you're about action. And we'll see whether that backfires or whether this moves everyone along.
I've been talking to some of the environmental obvious who are very wired in, especially to the U.S. delegation. I've been working the hallways here, and they are really sort of wired into the talks, and yesterday, a lot of these environmental lobbyists were pretty optimistic that the President could come in here, and there would be a serious deal on those three key points you laid out, but just this morning, in talking to the same environmental lobbyists, they've gotten very pessimistic.
One of them telling me it's gotten very rocky overnight, that negotiators for all these key countries, especially the U.S. and China, worked through the night on this before President Obama arrived and virtually made no progress, so we'll see whether the President's speech moved some people or whether it's just too far gone - John.
CHETRY: And the other question is whether or not you can certainly please the environmentalists, because as we're hearing from the United Nations, they've concluded that even if everybody promised to cut what they said they were going to cut in terms of their carbon emissions, it would fall far short of what they claim would still be needed to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, so even if there is an agreement to reduce by 17% gradually over these years, how much of an impact is that really making on what the United Nations is hoping will happen, which is something that will change the course of the planet.
JOHN AVLON, COLUMNIST, THE DAILYBEAST.COM: Right, and debates about what the best way to do that is look, you're always going to have the extremes on either side, arguing for either no action or saying that whatever has been proposed is not enough, but I think the President is trying to do is move that ball forward by creating clear standards, accountability, getting big players like China on board, because without that kind of genuine international agreement, any papers signed have the effect intended.
ROBERTS: All right. John Avlon this morning, and you can get wing nuts on the web, by the way. Sorry we had to ax your segment there, but the President takes priority. Ed Henry in Copenhagen this morning. Ed, thanks so much.
It could be a white Christmas in some parts of the United States, East Coast. We're checking the weather. Rob Marciano has the forecast track coming up for you in a couple of minutes. Forty-seven minutes after the hour.
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CHETRY: Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning. It's 48 minutes after the hour that means it's time for an a.m. house call for you this morning. Stories about your health as Democrats try to pass health care reform. The government is out with some new estimates of just how many people in this country are going without coverage. The CDC estimates that nearly 20% of the U.S. population went without insurance at some point last year; that's about 60 million Americans.
The nation's supply of swine flu vaccine is finally catching up with the demand. Nearly 100 million doses will be distributed as of this week. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says it's time for everyone now to consider getting vaccinated. She says she got hers on Wednesday.
Ever wonder if you'd be happy your living somewhere else? There's a new study in the General Science that ranks the states in order of happiness, and sunshine it seems plays a big role. The top three states based on CDC data, Louisiana, Hawaii and Florida. The least happiest states, Michigan, Connecticut, and New York. There have you it.
ROBERTS: Come on!
CHETRY: I know.
ROBERTS: That is so unfair. New York is a happy place.
CHETRY: I know. Connecticut's beautiful.
ROBERTS: I mean, you know, where else in the world can you walk into a grocery store, walk up to the Deli counter and a person comes up behind the Deli counter and says, what are you doing here?
(LAUGHING)
CHETRY: Come on!
ROBERTS: Rob Marciano checking at the weather forecasting. Rob, we could have some snow for Christmas in some parts of the country.
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, and you know, nobody takes a snowstorm like New Yorkers do, either, just take it in stride, whether you're behind the counter or not. A couple of things happening, low, low, these two are going to get together. They're already starting to combine energy, and it's going to be a big old mess across the East Coast.
The good news as supposed if there is one is that most of the nastiest weather will take place over the weekend, so business is at least the Monday through Friday stuff might not be as affected. Here's a low about the head into that like the Bay Area. Heavy rain across parts of Alabama, Mississippi, now spreading into North Georgia, and this is all moving toward the north. Some of this is starting to turn to snow as you get into the Carolinas and parts of Virginia.
Just how much snow? We'll talk about that in a second. I think today will be not such a bad travel day with the exception of Atlanta and Charlotte, we'll see rain and wind; Miami some thunderstorms, so nasty down there, and Chicago, we'll see some cold snow. There's your cold air, so ingredient number one; ingredient number two, some moisture and some energy coming out of the Gulf of Mexico.
This thing rides the Atlantic seaboard. How close it is to either side of the shore will determine how much snow happens, if it scoots out to the East a little bit, it will be less than one to two feet of snow, but that is what's possible in the extreme Western parts of Virginia. Here's what our computer models are saying anywhere from 8 inches in New York to 12 inches in Philadelphia, 26 inches in D.C. This is a little overdone but gives you an idea that we could see anywhere from 10 to 20 inches in spots, including places like Philadelphia and D.C., starting tonight, and lasting through tomorrow, so enjoy the first major winter snowstorm of the year happening conveniently enough on a Saturday.
ROBERTS: Look good. Rob, thanks so much.
CHETRY: There you go.
ROBERTS: Good to have skiing weather in the Northeast for a change.
So, as we begin to get ready to close out the year, we thought we'd take a moment this morning to look back at one of the iconic images of 2009 in a way that only Jeanne Moos can do it. Stay with us.
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CHETRY: Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning. It's 55 minutes past the hour right now and that means it's time for the Moost News in the Morning.
ROBERTS: And today, one of our old time favorites, the loveable little online feline, the keyboard cat, here's Jeanne Moos.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This kind of keyboard meets this kind of keyboard. To produce the latest web sensation, the keyboard cat has become a recurring theme.
Tagged on to the end of some of the web's classic videos.
Be it Bill O'Reilly's rant or a break dancer who kicks a kid, or the TV salesman whose ladder collapses.
The videos tend to be captioned, play him off, keyboard cat. How's the cat?
Charlie Smith (ph) is an artist and inventor from Spokane, Washington. He videotaped his cat, fatso 20 years ago. Suddenly people are taking his cat video and adding it to other videos.
Tagging videos with the keyboard cat somehow highlights their absurdity.
For instance a guest fainting on the air.
Charlie thinks the keyboard cat works especially well with news video.
Like a car chase, the keyboard cat could replace news anchors.
We added the cat to this one ourselves.
MOOS (on-camera): In case you're wondering how we did it, Charlie dressed his cat fatso in an infant T-shirt and manipulated the cat's paws with his own hands under the T-shirt.
MOOS (voice-over): Actually, there's a cat that really does play the piano, sort of, but the keyboard cat isn't really playing. Who says cats and dogs don't get along?
It's easy to make CNN keyboard cat moments.
We asked Charlie for his favorite keyboard cat video.
Sometimes, a cat should get your tongue. Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHETRY: Doesn't matter how many times I see it, it still cracks me up.
ROBERTS: I tell you, the internet gives us these new icons, doesn't it?
CHETRY: Certainly does.
ROBERTS: Fifty-seven minutes after the hour. What more can we say?
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