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Braving the Blizzard; Senate Health Care Deal; Efforts to Repeal "Blue Laws"

Aired December 19, 2009 - 19:00   ET

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

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN ANCHOR: We continue with our rolling coverage of snow-bound cities, slippery roads, shut down airports, and here's the kicker: winter doesn't even officially begin until Monday.

Don't tell that to the people on the east coast where a fierce snowstorm has put the east in a deep freeze. The storm has killed at least three people so far. And while the forecast calls for nearly two feet of snow in some parts of the northeast, more than 29,000 people are without power in the Shenandoah Valley. This storm is turning things upside down with the NFL changing kickoff times for Sunday football games.

The nation's capital is under an emergency declaration. Senators who are rarely accused of being workaholics all showed up to reach what could be a historic deal on health care in the midst of this big storm.

Karen Maginnis is watching the storm from our weather center and brings us the latest now on as, I guess, this evening rolls along and this storm moves up to an even more populated area, the northeast.

KAREN MAGINNIS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It is. Philadelphia, New York, and Boston are in its line of sight next. But we have seen kind of the brunt of it for the past 24 hours from the mid-Atlantic all the way up towards Washington, D.C.

What we're looking at, maybe not shattering records, but coming awfully close to what has been referred to as a Knickerbocker Storm of 1922. And that one produced 28 to 33 inches of snowfall.

This one maybe two feet or so of snowfall expected across the Washington, D.C. area. And pretty much the airports, for all intents and purposes, have been shut down or just this far from being shut down all day long. They're trying to clean off those runways. Visibility has been so bad all day long.

Actually, the visibility is a little better right now. It is about half a mile where as most of today's been about an eighth of a mile or a quarter of a mile with snow and blowing snow. We had some freezing fog at one point, temperatures in the 20s.

I want to show you a little bit different picture as we show you where all the winter storm warnings are in the red from Tennessee and North Carolina, extending all the way up towards Massachusetts and Rhode Island where they had heavy sleet, just a couple of hours ago. So, these are the areas that are greatest impact.

I want to show you the big picture. But those inner states, the best idea is just to stay off of them. Interstate 85, 81, Interstate 77, some of the secondary roads, there you can see temperatures only in the 20s. We have blizzard warnings and I'll be back in the next 20, 30 minutes and tell where those are and show you flight explorers as well.

Drew, back to you.

GRIFFIN: All right. Thanks, Karen.

Some travelers were betting down for the night in the last place they want to be, an airport. Many flights have been canceled around Washington, D.C. Two airports now have called it quits for tonight, that's Dulles and Reagan National, where our Elaine Quijano has been all day long with some very bleak news for travelers, trying to get in or out of that airport today -- Elaine.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. And basically, what passengers here at Reagan National Airport are being forced to do is to wait things out. They are telling us that it will be at least 6:00 a.m. before they can get some of these runways open again.

Obviously, bad news for people who had come here hoping that perhaps they could catch one of those last flights out before the bulk of the storm hit. A lot of folks here, as you said, are betting down for the night. Nevertheless, spirits are relatively high. A lot of folks, obviously, are very disappointed by this, but understanding that this is a big storm, one that obviously no one can control and circumstances being what they are, they're trying to make the best of it.

I can tell you outside the airport, the crews are working around the clock. We are told that they will be out there in force trying to get the runways ready, trying to get the areas around the planes themselves ready so that when in fact the storm does push out, they'll be able to do so quickly.

Here is what airport authority spokeswoman Tara Hamilton had to say earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TARA HAMILTON, METRO. WASHINGTON AIRPORTS AUTHORITY: Later on this evening, once the storm, you know, continues through and hopefully departs our area, then we can get our crews out there. We'll work around the clock all night long, so early in the morning we'll be ready to have the airfield open for the aircraft coming back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUIJANO: So when exactly will things get back to normal at -- not only at this airport but other airports in the region? Well, you can expect it will be at least a day or so before they're able to get operations back to normal and get all of those travelers, those holiday travelers, especially, Drew, to their final destination. So, they're just asking for everyone to be patient and to check those airline Web sites before they decide to head out to airports in the next day or so.

GRIFFIN: Elaine, thanks.

We're also watching the drama involving Chicago Bears and the Ravens. The Bears are trying to get from Chicago to Baltimore. I've been checking Baltimore Washington International Airport. I can't see a single plane that's landing there tonight. So, we'll keep an eye on that to see if the Bears can play their NFL game tomorrow.

Of course, not everyone in the northeast is huddled at home trying to stay warm. With less than a week to shop before Christmas, more than a few people found their ways to the malls.

Susan Candiotti hasn't been daunted by the storm with the shoppers and joins us from what I bet -- I bet, Susan, they're having a lot of fun in New York tonight with the snow.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Oh, sure. Here we are in midtown Manhattan with six days to go until Christmas. And we're seeing a lot of people out here on the streets as we have all day, even after the sun went down. And lots of shopping bag, snow or no snow.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CANDIOTTI (voice-over): Will the pre-winter blast of white stuff keep shoppers from laying out the green?

SCOTT KRUGMAN, NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION: This is crunch time for the retail industry.

CANDIOTTI: Shoppers are expected to dive into their wallets this weekend, even if they have to get out a shovel to do it.

ELLEN DUKES, SHOPPER: We'll be out shopping even in the snow. Yes. Six to 10 inches, but we'll be shopping.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Got to do what you got to do. Wait until the last minute, I guess.

CANDIOTTI: Weather forecasters suggest using your head before hitting the road.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: In the three or four hours that you're shopping at some of the spots, you could get six to eight inches of snow on top of the car. Then you can't even get out of the parking lot.

CANDIOTTI: Retailers are count on last minute shoppers to help save another year of sinking sales, expected to drop 1 percent this year, a slight improvement over a 3 percent decrease last year. Customers may think the longer they wait, the better the deal.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Probably after Christmas will be better.

CANDIOTTI: Don't be too sure. To head off drastic price cuts again, retailers say inventories were kept down on purpose.

KRUGMAN: This is not the year to play chicken with the retailer. If you wait too long to purchase your merchandise, that striped sweater you wanted might only be available with polka dots.

CANDIOTTI: And if the weather gets too bad to hit the mall -- there is an app for that, too. Retailers say you can always go online.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CANDIOTTI: Of course, if you buy online now, you might have to pay a little bit extra because we're getting a little bit close to Christmas right now.

Sometimes that wind picks up and blows the snow right into your face. We're supposed to get really hammered tonight. But again, it's not slowing anybody down right now -- including these people who are not used to snow because they are from the Florida Keys, Islamorada to be precise.

But, having a good time?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're having a great time. We come specifically to do this. We come out every year. And this is the best thing going, having the snow arrive. I'm sure not everyone else is as thrilled as with are, but we're loving it.

CANDIOTTI: Good deal. So, are you picking up some good bargains? What did you -- what did you buy?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Well, I can't show too many of them because a lot of them are gifts.

CANDIOTTI: Oh, well. Is this your daughter?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is my daughter.

CANDIOTTI: Yes. What do you think about the snow?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's a -- I really love it because I never get to see -- I get to see snow sometimes but not a lot. And it's really fun when I do get to.

CANDIOTTI: Do you find yourself cutting back at all this year, spending?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think more watching for bargains than cutting back. It's a little bit less, but not appreciable. You may cut a corner somewhere else or you look for the sale a little bit harder, but it's Christmastime.

CANDIOTTI: Sure. At least trying to be a little smarter about it. But, in any case, well, have a good time here and stay warm. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you very much.

CANDIOTTI: OK. Take care. Thank you very much.

So, we will be out here throughout the night. We're supposed to really get socked in with as many as 15 inches. Let's see if that happens. You know, it's not sticking too much now. Of course, with all the traffic on the streets here, they're still fairly clear. But we're seeing it stick a little bit on inanimate objects that aren't moving very much.

Back to you, Drew.

GRIFFIN: Certainly sticking on your hat, Susan. Thanks a lot.

CANDIOTTI: There you go.

GRIFFIN: Let's go back to Washington now where Senate Democrats are celebrating a deal tonight that apparently will ensure passage of the Senate's health care reform bill. They say they made history. The Republicans, though, call this a legislative train wreck. It is a win for the Democratic Party and for the president, but there's a lot of work to do.

Our senior congressional correspondent Dana Bash has been watching this on play today in Washington.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN SR. SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The lone Democratic holdout was in. Senate Democrats finally secured enough votes for health care.

SEN. BEN NELSON (D), NEBRASKA: Change is never easy. But change is what's necessary in America today and that's why I intend to vote for cloture and vote for health care reform.

BASH: Getting moderate Democrat Ben Nelson's support wasn't easy, especially on the issue of abortion. To reassure him no taxpayer dollars would go for abortion, Democratic leaders struck a deal allowing states to opt-out of abortion coverage, and requiring people getting government subsidies to pay for abortion insurance with separate funds.

NELSON: Walls off that money in a very effective manner and make certain that the plans do not use federal dollars to fund abortion.

BASH: Abortion was the final sticking point, but Democratic leaders made several other delicate compromises to get both moderate and liberal Democrats on board. Instead of a government-run health care option, conservative Democrats opposed, the measure sets up not-for- profit private plans overseen by a government agency, the Office of Personnel Management. To appease liberals angry about no public option to compete with private insurers, Democratic leaders strengthen regulation on insurance companies, requiring them to spend 80 percent to 85 percent of people's premiums on their medical expenses. Not all senators who braved blizzard conditions came to celebrate a breakthrough. Republicans accused Democrats of jamming the bill through while Americans are preoccupied with Christmas.

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY), MINORITY LEADER: You know, playing these kind of games with the nation's health care, this is an outrage and needs to be called out.

BASH: To slow things down...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Amendments to Subtitle A...

BASH: ... Republicans forced the Democrats' compromise to be read.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Two, Subsection G...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ... except as provided in paragraph two.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Section 1301(a) of this act...

BASH: ... out loud, all day long.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates the Senate Democrats' new measure would cost $871 billion over 10 years, slightly more than the original bill, and extend health coverage to 30 million people in part by dramatically expanding Medicaid.

That was another obstacle in getting Ben Nelson's support, who worried about the long-term burden that would put on state budgets. So, to secure Nelson's vote, Democrats added a sweetener for his home state, the federal government would pay 100 percent of Nebraska's tab for expanding Medicaid, indefinitely.

We asked the Senate majority leader and he described it this way.

SEN. HARRY REID (D-NEV), MAJORITY LEADER: It's compromise. It's -- we worked on different things to get a number of people's votes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BASH: Now, how do Democrats pay for the nearly $900 billion price tag? Well, about half is spending cuts, especially in Medicare, the rest are tax hikes. And, Drew, that notorious tax on cosmetic procedures, including Botox, that was in the Senate bill, that's been dropped and replaced with a 10 percent tax on indoor tanning beds.

And one quick story, our congressional producer Ted Barrett asked the Senate majority leader if he does think he has the 60 votes needed to break a Republican filibuster and pass health care, he did something he doesn't do very much, Reid smiled broadly, flashed a big smile and said, quote, "It seems that way."

We'll see when we have that first vote at 1:00 a.m. on Monday morning.

GRIFFIN: Dana, a couple of questions: $400 billion in new taxes, $500 billion Medicaid cuts, right, even though we're going to... BASH: Medicare.

GRIFFIN: Medicare cuts, even though we're going to spend all this money in Nebraska on Medicaid.

BASH: Right.

GRIFFIN: No public option. And muddled language on the abortion question whether you're pro-choice or pro-life, is there any way this passes the House?

BASH: This particular bill, I think the answer is no. I think that there are certainly a lot of similarities, many similarities between the bills, but in terms of some of the most controversial issues, you just named a few, another is specifically a tax at the Senate has on the so-called Cadillac health insurance plans, Democrats in the House, many of them say that they are going to fight that tooth and nail. Why? Because one of the biggest constituencies for Democrats, the unions, most of them are very much against that because many union members have pretty good health plans that they have negotiated. Very expensive health plans.

So, that's one example of the several things that are going to be very tough to negotiate between the House and the Senate ultimately.

GRIFFIN: Yes, surprise, surprise. You may have a Cadillac plan you don't know about it.

OK. Second question is, getting to the point, Republicans are saying why the rush in all this? Suppose it passes the Senate on Monday, is the House going to have this thing reconciled and passed so the president can sign it between now and January 1? Is that really the plan?

BASH: Well, the plan in the Senate -- they hope, on the Democratic side, of course -- is to have final passage by about Christmas Eve.

To answer your question, that is a big question mark, but leaning towards unlikely, because the House is gone. The House has left.

GRIFFIN: Right.

BASH: And they are -- they're hoping to stay home until January when they come back. So, it is looking very unlikely that the president is going to get what he has -- had been demanding and that is a bill on his desk by the end of the year.

GRIFFIN: All right. Dana bash, thanks a lot.

Let's reinforce just a little bit of what Dana has been reporting. The first vote on the 383 pages of amendments is set for late tomorrow night. I guess we're going to actually say Monday morning, 1:00 a.m. We'll have that for you live, believe it or not, when that vote occurs here on CNN.

And Democratic leaders are optimistic they remain on track for a final Senate vote on Christmas Eve. But as you heard, to what end, the House is not there. Once the Senate does pass its bill, it will have to be reconciled with the House version. So, I guess they'll wrap it up at a Christmas present, wait for the House to come back and open it up.

Well, they're on a book for decades, but the recent recession could make blue laws a thing of the past.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: Among the "Time" magazine's top 10 list out of 2009, the most popular TV show, the top five: "Mad Men"; "Modern Family"; "Breaking Bad"; "Big Love"; and "Battlestar Galactica." I'm laughing because I've only seen one of those.

We're going to have a lot more fun with "Time's" top 10 list in about 10 minutes. A panel of social commentator will take a closer look at the year's most memorable breakups, political gaffes, awkward moments, and photos.

Blue laws, they restrict what you can buy on Sundays. But some states are considering scrapping them to bring in more tax dollars.

CNN's Christine Romans has that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): 'tis the season to eat, drink and be merry, except you can't do this on Sundays in some parts of the country.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think the law is an arcane law.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a free country and people should be able to do what they choose to on which days.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I still go to church because I know my church people will go to church.

ROMANS: They're called "blue laws" and they limit shopping on items from booze to Buicks. More than a dozen states have laws restricting alcohol sales on Sundays with three, including Georgia, banning liquor store sales altogether.

In several states and counties, you can't buy a car on Sundays. Dealerships must be closed.

In most counties in South Carolina, retail outlets can't open before 1:30 on a Sunday, unless they're selling necessary items like food or fuel.

It's based on a centuries old Christian concept brought over to this country in colonial times.

DAVID LABAND, AUBURN UNIV. ECONOMICS PROF.: Early, particularly state wide blue laws actually referenced the fact that, you know, you were not to profane the Lord on the Lord's Day, and that you went to church on Sundays. You know, there would be no other work permitted on Sunday.

ROMANS: But Sunday closings have little to do with religion today. Mac Thurston, owner of Mac's Beer and Wine in downtown Atlanta, is happy to close his doors on Sundays for other reasons.

MAC THURSTON, OWNER, MAC'S BEER AND WINE: It's a day of rest that I like taking personally and professionally. All we'll do is spread out six days worth of sales over seven, incurring overhead costs that we don't have now.

ROMANS: While big businesses with large payrolls have pushed to repeal blue laws, many small mom and pops need to keep them around as a forced time-out from competition.

LABAND: This is not necessarily a religious thing any longer at least, that they're just, you know, whether it's Monday, whether it's Sunday, whether it is Saturday, or some other day of the week, small business owners in particular just need to have time off and they take that time off.

ROMANS: Blue laws or not, Truett Cathy, the founder of fast food chain Chick-fil-A, has never let his restaurants open on a Sunday. For him, it is about religion. God comes before the bottom line.

TRUETT CATHY, FOUNDER, CHICK-FIL-A: It teaches very plainly the Lord rested for a day. When you work hard all week, you need that day.

ROMANS: Christine Romans, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRIFFIN: More on the economy coming up next hour. Balancing faith and finance, Christine Romans explores how we worship, how we spend, "In God We Trust: Faith and Money in America" airs tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern only on CNN.

Airing all night long is that banner on the bottom, giving you travel alerts as the east coast is continuing to get pummeled by this storm. The Mid-Atlantic States are taking a beating.

You're looking at live pictures there. That is Charlottesville, Virginia. We're going to talk to a reporter there next and also to a woman who has been stuck on Amtrak, I think they're telling me, for more than a day. We're going to have her when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC)

GRIFFIN: Hey, that looks like fun, doesn't it? A little Mel Torme and "The Christmas Song." Cars skidding around.

What joy, Karen Maginnis, just another day of fun with weather. MAGINNIS: It sounds like a lot of fun, doesn't it? No. I am the biggest scaredy-cat when it comes to driving on the snow. I really am.

And they are saying in Virginia, in Maryland, in Connecticut, New York, don't get on the roads if you don't have to. There are winter storm warnings just about everywhere. The major interstates, if it's not the interstate, it is the ramp off of the interstate, especially I-95. Across Virginia, right around Richmond, they're having big difficulties there.

Here are some of the temperatures. They've been in the 20s all day long. Here is the weather report out of Philadelphia at the airport, 24 degrees.

They've got light snow, fog, mist, and breezy. The wind is reported up to 29 miles an hour. Visibility is actually not as bad as it was earlier. They are reporting wind gusts of 29 miles an hour.

Here are some of the snowfall totals that we've have seen. Fredericksburg, Virginia, 15 inches of snowfall there.

Reynolds Wolf was out in the field, was in Fredericksburg, all day long. He started out this morning. There were just a few inches of snow, but it just continued all day long.

Alexandria, Virginia, 14 1/2 inches of snow. You can see Philadelphia, just under nine inches of snow for the day. But nonetheless, they're looking at maybe 14, 15 inches of snowfall.

I want to show you flight explorer -- Dulles, and National are not closed. Airplanes are just not taking off and landing. But you can go to the airport if you want to have dinner or walk around or something like that. But nothing is taking off or landing there.

Anyway, we're going to keep you updated throughout the evening and we'll have more right after this.

GRIFFIN: Thanks, Karen.

I'm checking to see where our next report is coming from Matt Talhelm with CNN affiliate WVIR. He is in Waynesboro, Virginia.

Man, if I got this right, is that Shenandoah Valley area, Virginia?

MATT TALHELM, WVIR CORRESPONDENT: It is, Drew. This is about 25 miles west of Charlottesville or right in the Shenandoah Valley, not far from Interstate 81 here. And I'll tell you, we've got about 28 or 30 inches of snow here in Waynesboro. So, we're measuring by the feet here in Waynesboro.

GRIFFIN: And you are -- you are getting the brunt of this storm. All the reports we've seen are indicating that that Shenandoah Valley may come up with the storm total, or at least one of the top totals. How are people dealing with it? TALHELM: Well, right now, a lot of the people, you see on this -- this is Route 340, which is one of the highways here through the Shenandoah Valley, people are walking on foot. They're not driving out here tonight, which is the good news.

On Interstate 81, of course, a major interstate through the Commonwealth of Virginia, we've seen a lot of just cars sliding off the road, major tractor trailers can't even get through on Interstate 81. We've had backups of 15 miles in some of these locations. The Virginia Department of Transportation has shut down Interstate 81 at several points throughout the day to try to take care of the plows, to get those plows out there on to the interstate.

But the big problem that they are experiencing is that there are abandoned cars. People have been left stranded. Some of these drivers left stranded on some of the major roads like Route 29 and Interstate 81 for hours at a time.

We have a shelter in Charlottesville that's been set up because on Route 29 last night, during the evening commute, people got stuck there, some of them upwards of 18 hours. They finally were rescued this morning from their cars and then taken to these shelters.

So, we're not used to this type of snowfall here, even in the Shenandoah Valley. This is a record-sitting one for us in Charlottesville. Sixteen inches in December of 1969 was the record here. So we definitely surpassed that in Charlottesville and we're talking about a record-breaking storm here as well in Shenandoah Valley.

GRIFFIN: All right, man. It looks like the snow has stopped, though. I hope it's done for you guys there. You can start digging out. Thanks, Matt.

We're getting word now, moments ago, that an Amtrak train that started in Atlanta, heading to Washington, D.C., is stuck right outside of D.C., in Alexandria, Virginia. According to Vanessa Sanyang, who's on that train, they have been stuck for the last 24 hours.

Vanessa, is that right?

VANESSA SANYANG, STUCK ON AN AMTRAK TRAIN (via telephone): Hello. We have been on the train for 24 hours. We started from -- at least I started from Atlanta. And the trip was supposed to be roughly 14 hours, but we've been on the train for 24 hours.

The passengers are starting to feel very angry because the power has gone out now for half an hour. We were given a very meager small bowl of rice and stew for supper. There is a diabetic patient sitting right in front of me. And we're just concerned that the restrooms are not working right now.

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, Vanessa, let me ask you, looking outside of the train, I mean, Alexandria, you're not far from D.C., what are they saying about getting you to there or can you just get off the train and try to get - SANYANG: The problem also with our complaints is that we have not been receiving periodic updates about exactly what the condition has been. We had at least five different stalls along the way. We understand right now that it was something to do with the switches freezing over. And they tried to use a broom and a crow bar at one point, we were told.

And then some other men apparently came, some paramedics did come on board to assist a patient in a car further back. I don't know all the details. But we -- I'm just speaking on behalf of the people in my particular car, we're concerned because the children are on the car and it is getting colder. And we would like to have immediate compensation for our journey if possible.

GRIFFIN: OK. Vanessa, we're going to try to get to Amtrak. We're actually reaching out to them to see what is going on. But let me just ask you again, I mean, you're not in a rural area, are you? Can you just get off the train?

SANYANG: No, we're not in a rural area. I believe we're - we have not quite reached the train station at Alexandria. We have had several stops, like I said. And we have been sitting right now for the past 30 minutes at least with no power. The power is shut off. And we are just - it look like there might be some type of snowplow factory possibly further across (INAUDIBLE).

GRIFFIN: OK. We're going to keep track of you and we're going to be calling Amtrak to see what is going on.

SANYANG: OK.

GRIFFIN: Well that sounds like an awful long trip.

SANYANG: The other passengers did want me just to be able to hold my phone up so you cannot it is my only concern. So passengers, here's CNN.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Help us!

GRIFFIN: all right. I think we got to track down Amtrak and see what's going on there. Actually, there is some people in a little distress on an Amtrak train from Atlanta to Washington. They're stuck just outside of Washington. But as you heard, it seems the power issue and they're not getting their needs cared for there.

Well, distinguished panel talks about "Time" magazine's top 10 after the break. There is our distinguished panel. Hi, everybody. Hold on. We're coming right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: As 2009 winds down, it is worth taking a look back at the highlights and lowlight of the year. "Time" magazine has put it together in a long list of top tens, covering all aspect of politics, news and pop culture. CNN political analyst Roland Martin, pop culture commentator Lola Ogunnaike and editor at large Lloyd Grove of the "Daily Beast" are here to take us through them and rip some of these folks apart, right?

ROLAND MARTIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Hey, Drew. Where is the Christmas music?

GRIFFIN: Oh, my god. I just looked at what you -

MARTIN: Drew, where is the Christmas music?

GRIFFIN: I think we got to add a top gaffe.

MARTIN: Come on, Donnie Hathaway's "This Christmas." Come on now.

GRIFFIN: All right. You're messing me all up now, Roland.

LLOYD GROVE, EDITOR AT LARGE, "DAILY BEAST": No fair. I would have brought something funny to wear.

GRIFFIN: Well, that's right.

LOLA OGUNNAIKE, POPULAR CULTURE COMMENTATOR: Roland, you didn't tell --

GRIFFIN: Roland is not fair.

OGUINNAIKE: Well, you know Roland is known for his fashion.

GRIFFIN: He's not getting the first question.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is a surprise.

GRIFFIN: Top 10 political gaffes of all time for 2009. Here's the (INAUDIBLE). Number 10, Michelle Obama at Buckingham Palace. I guess that was her, you know, touching the queen. Sarah Palin's coin conspiracy. Joe Biden's stimulus stumble, which one? Barack Obama opens the floodgates. Larry Summer's White House sleepover.

Some of these I don't remember, you guys. Then at number five, Michael Steele on abortion, Hillary Clinton gets lost in translation. Joe Wilson's unwanted outburst, Barack Obama's bowling blooper and number one, Joe Biden on the swine flu. OK. Those last three, I do remember.

So Lola, let's talk about it with you. Because Roland is going last. Which one is the top gaffe?

OGUINNAKE: I think the top gaffe was probably Joe Biden trying to put the fear of god in all of us and telling us not to stay anywhere in a confined place. I mean, essentially he's ruling out all public transportation, any place with a door and four walls and essentially saying that we are not safe, which he went rogue, went completely off script, and the White House had to apologize on his behalf, yet again.

But I have to say that the thing that I do love about Joe Biden is that he is honest and in a town that's filled with professional BSers, it is refreshing to see someone who is actually willing to speak his mind, even if he does get into trouble. GRIFFIN: Lola, he gets into trouble all the time. I mean, there's a long list of gaffes he's had. And he's kind of been written off or laughed off by the White House as just kind of the gaffe in chief.

GROVE: Well, that's right. And I think because he does so many of these, he's kind of created a new normal for political gaffes. At least for himself. So we don't take them as seriously where as in the beginning when he said that stuff about don't travel on subways, don't go on planes, people went into a panic and they had to walk it back at the various agencies. I think if he did that today, people would say, that's Joe.

GRIFFIN: Let's bring in that big elf from Chicago. Which one of these gaffes do you like, Roland?

MARTIN: First of all, Michelle Obama hugging the queen. That wasn't a gaffe. Black people, we love to hug folks. So that's just the way our culture is. OK. That's nonsense. But the real number one gaffe has to be Joe Wilson. Not the House of Representatives, hit like a drunk frat boy in animal house by yelling, "you lie." The vice president's saying, whatever, I like Joe Biden. He's my man.

GRIFFIN: You know, let's listen to the Joe Wilson gaffe. Let's listen to it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The reforms - the reforms I'm proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally.

REP. JOE WILSON: You lie!

OBAMA: That's not true.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: That was the gaffe. You say he's acting like a frat boy. You're telling me that.

MARTIN: No. Acted like a drunken frat boy. Well, first of all, I'm trying to provide some Christmas cheer, Drew, to the show, supporting my Houston Texans. So but, again, drunken frat boy Joe Wilson, acting like those animal house yelling you lie. That's number one. Not the Joe Biden stuff.

GRIFFIN: You know what. It is so hard, isn't it, you guys, to be in the press and have these cameras on all the time and not make a gaffe? I mean, this is kind of we're making fun of these people, but this is kind of what happens every day in everybody's life. We're just not on camera.

MARTIN: Right. We love it. Brings levity to the whole situation.

OGUINNAIKE: It is true, though. We all say things that we immediately regret right after. But we're not public figures. Well, as public as the president or Joe Biden, so they have to live and die by that sword.

GROVE: Lola, you lie. I just want to go through this without any gaffes.

GRIFFIN: You're doing good so far. Roland is out of the competition. Lola came close. Don't go away. Still ahead "Time" magazine's top 10 breakups of 2009.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

Welcome back. We're counting down a list of "Time" magazine's top 10 lists and our guests are CNN political contributor Roland Martin, Mr. Cheer there.

MARTIN: Ho, ho, ho.

GRIFFIN: Popular culture commentator Lola Ogunnaike and editor at large Lloyd Grove of the "Daily Beast." Guys, let's look at the top 10 breakups according to "Time" magazine. Number 10, Rihanna and Chris Brown. I guess number nine, Gay penguins Harry and Pepper, the rock band Oasis, Michael Phelps and Kellogg.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Boring.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

GRIFFIN: Jon and Kate Gosselin. That was big.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sick of it.

GRIFFIN: Number five, Mel and Robin Gibson. Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whatever.

GRIFFIN: Here's probably the longest relationship of a breakup, Lou Dobbs and CNN.

MARTIN: That's true.

GRIFFIN: Bristol Palin and Levi Johnson, were they ever really together? And at number one, Silvio Berlusconi and Veronica Larlo.

MARTIN: Oh, come on. This is -

GRIFFIN: Who?

Lloyd you go first. You're right. Lloyd?

GROVE: Well, I just think that the biggest breakup of the year was obviously Harry and Pepper and the San Francisco Zoo, the gay penguins. Another penguin named Linda, a female penguin, got into the mix. And then Harry just dropped Pepper like a hot potato and then Linda and Harry attacked Pepper. So I see a new reality show for Bravo. The real penguins of San Francisco.

GRIFFIN: They probably broke up because they couldn't get a marriage license, despite San Francisco's efforts.

(LAUGHTER)

GRIFFIN: Lola, what do you think about the breakup of - let's talk about the one that hits closest to home here. Lou Dobbs and CNN, that was a - I guess a lot of people saw it coming. Stunning when it happened.

OGUNNAIKE: I think it was stunning to a lot of viewers. But, you know what, if I got paid $8 million to break up with somebody, I would gladly take it and disappear.

MARTIN: No.

OGUNNAIKE: You wouldn't see me again. You could pay me $8,000.

MARTIN: No, Lola, your name would be Tiger Woods' wife if you got $8 million.

OGUNNAIKE: She's going to get a lot more than that if she disappears as well, let me tell you, my friend.

GRIFFIN: That would be the big -

OGUNNAIKE: That is chump change.

MARTIN: OK. First of all, the "Time" magazine, the Silvio Berlusconi - I mean, first of all, who even knows about that? Who actually cares? Everybody Drew talked about Jon and Kate, although I'm sick and tired of talking about them, but clearly that story was all over the country for months and months and still is. How is that not number one?

GRIFFIN: Well, who make up the list? We have to get with "Time" magazine.

OGUNNAIKE: I completely agree with Roland. Roland, you're totally right. I fact, they became bigger after their breakup than they were when they were actually together.

MARTIN: Because we didn't know who they were.

OGUNNAIKE: We would rather see - no one knew who they were and they become household names after their breakup. So it goes to show you that the American public likes the drama and the scandal. When they're happy, not so much. When they're angry, yes.

GRIFFIN: And Riana -

GROVE: I still think the penguins are more interesting.

GRIFFIN: You know what, I got to be honest with you, I didn't know about these penguins.

MARTIN: I'm not with the penguins either. I mean, I just saw it -

OGUNNAIKE: Yes. Lloyd, I think you're on your own with the penguins.

MARTIN: Yes, Lloyd.

GRIFFIN: That's a lot of -

GROVE: All of you are wrong. I'm right.

MARTIN: Lloyd, you're a loner.

OGUNNAIKE: But we also have to talk about Rihanna and Chris Brown. I mean, come on. That was the fight heard around the -

GRIFFIN: How that thing broke up was just disgusting.

OGUNNAIKE: It's horrible. I mean, Rihanna obviously has managed to resurrect herself from the flames of that relationship. But that completely torpedoed Chris Brown's career. And he's having trouble selling his album right now. Wal-Mart wants to return it. It is not really selling. He lost a number of fans, both young fans and the parents of some of these young fans who really adored him.

At one point he was thought of as Michael Jackson's heir apparent and now I was going to say he can't get arrested in this town, but he has been arrested, so -

MARTIN: You know, Drew, I would actually - I was watching Chris Brown at the movie "This Christmas," which came out a couple of years ago. Well, Loretta Devine, (INAUDIBLE) and so many others. You know, he had a great performance in that, stomped the yard. And so forget the movies, forget the music. I mean, he is going to have to probably have maybe three, four years of separation to really get away from all of that, but his career very well may not recover as a result.

GRIFFIN: You know, I don't know what is going to happen -

GROVE: He doesn't even express regret in a credible way yet. He hasn't got to that place yet.

GRIFFIN: Yes.

MARTIN: OK. The biggest gaffe is wearing that powder blue sweater and the bow tie on "Larry King Live." That was probably his biggest gaffe.

OGUNNAIKE: That was a big gaffe.

MARTIN: That was bad.

GRIFFIN: All right. You guys, really though on a serious note, if there is one message here, it is not cool to hit a woman. Ever.

MARTIN: Of course not.

GRIFFIN: Period.

OGUNNAIKE: No. GRIFFIN: Don't do it.

MARTIN: And Drew, Drew -

GRIFFIN: And whether Chris Brown's career comes back or not, I don't really care.

MARTIN: And it is not cool for a woman to hit a man. It is a two-way street.

GRIFFIN: Yes, but I don't care so much if a woman -

MARTIN: No, no, no, no. A woman should not hit a man, a man should not hit a woman. There should not be violence in any relationship.

GRIFFIN: That's OK. That's true. But, really, men, don't hit women.

MARTIN: And ladies, don't hit your men.

GRIFFIN: All right. You always got to get in the last word.

(CROSSTALK)

GROVE: What about women hitting women, I guess that's bad too.

GRIFFIN: Penguins hitting penguins. Lloyd we can go on forever there but we go to -

OGUNNAIKE: Is there another top 10 list?

GRIFFIN: No. There is no our top 10 list.

MARTIN: Yes, the top 10 -

GRIFFIN: We're just going to countdown this break. Thank you all very much. Thank you for the additional holiday cheer that nobody banked on.

MARTIN: And, Chris, come on, Drew, put on some Christmas music.

GRIFFIN: No.

MARTIN: Brighten it up (INAUDIBLE).

GRIFFIN: All right. Tough times in America, folks. A difficult season for charities. That story coming up.

First, a look at "Time" magazine's top 10 pictures of 2009.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: Bins at a Boston toys for tots warehouse are a bit empty.

The economy has put a damper on donations. Our photojournalist, Bob Crowley (ph) visited the Marine Corps' mission for Toys for Tots facility to see what a difference this year have made. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SGT. CLINT SCHRIBNER, BOSTON TOYS FOR TOTS: Our main (INAUDIBLE) mission for Toys for Tots is to collect and distribute toys for needy children in our local areas. We have approximately 700 total campaigns. We are fighting battles but in a different way. We are fighting the poverty battle in the United States.

KAY CARPENTER, TOYS FOR TOTS VOLUNTEER: We have a lot of toys. We are using them up rapidly. We are filling orders like crazy. They are delivering on the 18th of December. They'll be here between 10 and 11 in the morning. They go out as fast as they come in. We've run out of some toys, but overall we are doing better than last year.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can you leave that one there?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As soon as we sort all of that we will make up orders and it will be gone.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We'll empty those and he can pull this out first.

BETTY WHALEN, TOYS FOR TOTS VOLUNTEE: Ideally, they would be full of toys that we would just pick from to fill the orders, but they're not. They're not.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is a problem every year, running out of toys at this time of year. But eventually we get the orders out.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Down to the wire usually. It has been tough the last couple of years. It has been tough for everybody with the economic climate the way it is, you know, home losses, job losses, lack of funds.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's very important to keep our boxes full because we can't get orders out to people and organizations who need them in time for Christmas. You can keep donating even one small toy is wonderful but everybody needs to get involved in doing it. So our boxes are not empty.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRIFFIN: Photojournalist Bob Crowley.

Assessing the damage from the snow so far and previewing who is going to be in trouble tomorrow. We are going to get an update from Karen Maginnis in the weather center. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

GRIFFIN: It's not white in Atlanta. That's Atlanta's Centennial Park but, boy, look at Herald's Square, Manhattan, New York City. With that beautiful voice like ringing a bell. Ella Fitzgerald. At least some soothing news and Karen Maginnis as we settle in for a long winter's night on the East Coast. It is really coming down, as we saw in Baltimore-Washington International Airport closed. So I guess those Chicago Bears are still stuck in Chicago.

KAREN MAGINNIS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. But they're going to play.

GRIFFIN: Yes, they're going to play all right.

MAGINNIS: Yes, somewhere.

GRIFFIN: On a video game maybe.

MAGINNIS: That maybe.

GRIFFIN: 4:15 tomorrow, Baltimore.

MAGINNIS: All right.

GRIFFIN: Kickoff time. See if the Bears show up.

MAGINNIS: Allegedly. They are sticking with that. All right.

Washington is looking at 15 to 25 inches of snowfall. It is going to go in the record books. It is not going to be record shattering, that would be about 33 inches of snow fall back in 1922. Philadelphia could see as much as 20 inches, New York City 12 to 18 inches of snowfall, and in Boston 10 to 15, but it is going to be blizzard like going into tomorrow. They have blizzard warnings in effect. Drew, back to you.

GRIFFIN: Thanks a lot, Karen.

Looking ahead now to CNN NEWSROOM in two hours. A custody case that has riveted the attention of two countries really. The father says his son belongs in New Jersey and the courts in Brazil are making a mockery of justice. Now, an unlikely invitation from the family that is refusing to return his son.

And they say you never can be too thing or too rich. Some people are taking the thin part to an extreme. They are digitally meddling with mother nature and possibly creating an epidemic of unhealthy women.

I'm Drew Griffin. I'll be back live at 10:00 Eastern. But first, balancing faith and finances, Christine Romans exploring how we worship and how we spend, "In god We Trust." Faith and money in America. That starts right now.