Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
Health Care Passes Critical Test; Digging Out After East Coast Blizzard; Hundreds Stranded in NYC terminals; Brittany Murphy Dies
Aired December 21, 2009 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. And thanks for being with us. It is Monday, December 21st. I'm Kiran Chetry.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: I'm T.J. Holmes. How are you doing?
CHETRY: You survived the snow, huh?
HOLMES: I did. It's a great weekend. I spent the weekend getting here early. If I would have to come in today, or maybe the day before I might have a problem. But I got in here early, so here I am. Good to be with you.
CHETRY: There you go. A lot of people with a lot of travel plans. What? Some 500 flights canceled with just one airline alone this weekend.
HOLMES: Yes.
CHETRY: What a mess.
HOLMES: They're still catching up. Still trying to get back on track. We'll be talking about the travel issues and also the weather issues, and the other big stories we'll be telling you about in the next 15 minutes.
The breaking news overnight -- really, breaking news, as a matter of few hours ago health care passing its biggest, most critical test so far. It comes at a time when a lot of you weren't even looking, not unless you're a night owl. It means the Senate is poised now to pass health care reform by Christmas. We're going to explain this vote. We'll show you the fireworks you missed and what this all means for you. We are live on Capitol Hill.
CHETRY: Also, 60 million people are digging out after a record- breaking snowfall, in some cases paralyzed parts of the east coast. Travelers were stranded from New England to Virginia. Parts of Rhode Island pummeled with 15 inches, nearly two feet in Philadelphia, 21 inches outside of the capital. Here in New York, in some places, the Boroughs and Long Island, they were looking at two feet as well. Thousands of flights canceled as folks try to get back on schedule. Is there another big snowstorm on the way?
HOLMES: Also, we'll be talking about big stars and big giving this morning. A new series for you that you will only see on AMERICAN MORNING. And today our big star, Alina Cho, one-on-one with Elton John. He's talking about how a teenager's struggle with AIDS actually changed his life and how he is now giving back.
CHETRY: First, though, breaking news. The Senate taking a historic step in the middle of the night voting to close the debate on a health care bill just four days before Christmas. It is a big moment for Democrats and they would argue a big moment for all of us too, especially for people who've been denied insurance or can't afford the care they need. A big disappointment, though, for Republicans who say the bill and the whole process was a big mess.
Our Brianna Keilar has everything that went down while you were sleeping. She's live for us in Washington. Good morning, Brianna.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning there, Kiran. Well, this was the biggest hurdle so far for the Democrats' plan for health care reform. And while the bill isn't actually expected to clear the Senate until Christmas eve, this procedural vote is strictly party line vote, I should also add, was the true test of whether health care reform would survive this gauntlet.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: On this vote, the yeas are 60, the nays are 40. Three-fifths of the senators duly chosen and sworn having voted in the affirmative, the motion is agreed to.
KEILAR (voice-over): And with that health care reform cleared a major hurdle in an early morning vote in the Senate. But for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, the key breakthrough came on Saturday when Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska announced that he would back the bill, giving Democrats 60 votes. The absolute minimum they needed to pass a bill.
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.
KEILAR: Nelson signed on only after striking a deal with Democratic leaders to limit insurance coverage of abortions, and he offered a warning if that provision is weakened as the Senate bill is merged with the House-passed bill.
NELSON: I reserve the right to vote against the next cloture vote if there are material changes to this agreement in the conference report.
KEILAR: Nelson also scored a sweetener for his state. The federal government will pick up the tab for expanding Medicaid in Nebraska, the only state to receive the windfall. While liberal Democrats criticized the bill which does not include a government-run insurance plan, President Obama praised the compromise.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: With today's developments, it now appears that the American people will have the vote they deserve on genuine reform that offers security to those who have health insurance and affordable options for those who do not.
KEILAR: Republicans unanimous in their opposition to the Democrats' health care reform bill lambasted it on the Senate floor.
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: We're not going to put the whole nation at risk and take a broken system and make it worse just to get a vote. No way in hell.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KEILAR: Let's take a look at what is in this bill. A requirement that you get health insurance or face a fine. Federal subsidies so that middle class and low-income Americans making less than about $88,000 a year can purchase insurance. Also an expansion of Medicaid for Americans making under $29,000. Those numbers, of course, based on a family of four.
And, Kiran, there's also significant insurance industry reforms. For instance, no longer would insurance companies be able to deny coverage on the basis of a preexisting condition, Kiran.
CHETRY: And so where does the bill go from here? We talked about the procedural hurdle. So what's next?
KEILAR: Well, the vote in the Senate, of course, Christmas eve, that's what we're expecting. And then after this formally clears the Senate, the Senate bill, and then the bill that passed the House in November will have to be merged into one. That will become the final bill that both the House and the Senate would have to pass to get health care reform to President Obama's desk, Kiran.
CHETRY: It will be interesting, because there still are a lot of differences between the two.
KEILAR: Huge differences.
CHETRY: Yes, between the Senate and the House on how they plan to come to the point of reform. So we'll be talking about that throughout the morning as well. Brianna Keilar for us this morning. Thanks.
HOLMES: We turn to some of this weather now. It's still causing major problems in travel around the country, mainly the northeast of course, but still backing up some planes. They're trying to get out to other parts of the country.
The east coast still digging out. Got slammed by record snowfall over the weekend. We'll start in D.C., 16.4 inches there. That's a record for December, the third highest single-day total since 1884.
All federal government offices closed this morning. However, we know the senators are still working this week. In New York as well, looked out the window and saw a foot of snow on the ground in Central Park. The biggest blizzard the city has seen in some three years. Long Island, however, dealing with some two feet of snow in some parts. The mayor, though, Michael Bloomberg, ever trying to boost the economy of the city actually encouraging tourists saying hey, this is a great time to actually take in Broadway shows since the lines will be shorter. Always working for the city there.
Also Boston. We'll go there now. Ten to 14 inches. Suburbs hit by up to 20 inches before the storm headed out over the coast of Cape Cod. Public schools closed this morning. The roads have, however, been cleared for the most part in time for rush hour. We, of course, have got you covered when it comes to covering this snow.
Reynolds Wolf on the ground for us in Annapolis, Maryland. There he is. Rob Marciano, he's at the weather desk for us as well. Allan Chernoff live from LaGuardia where we're told it is a mess there this morning.
But we want to start with my man on the weekend, Reynolds Wolf. Reynolds, you've been out all weekend, still out this morning. What's happening?
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: That's right, tough guys. Right here in Annapolis, we're seeing pretty good conditions on the major roads. You have to look right over here you can see some of the city services that's started resuming service around 5:30 or so, are getting around pretty well on the main roads.
Not a problem there. However, we've got a scene in front of journalist Rick Black with us. If we could pan the camera over just a little bit to my left, you could see right back between those buildings, some of the side roads are really choked up with some snowfall.
You know, the official snowfall total here, T.J., was around 20.8 inches but I've got a feeling that there are some places with a little bit more, others a little bit less, and it's going to take some time to really dig out. Especially between those narrow building, narrow alley ways, sunlight has not had a chance to really permeate through there, so the snow is going to remain in place.
And it's really hard for those narrow alleys where there's a snow removal equipment to go in there and move all that stuff out of the way. So it's certainly a tough time for them here in Annapolis.
But again, main roads are looking fine. If you want to get an idea of your weather picture, big term is going to be fine. We're going to send you over to Rob Marciano, my buddy, in Atlanta.
Rob, what's happening?
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: All right, Reynolds, stay warm out there as Rick continues to dig out. Let's take a look at the totals for this storm. As Reynolds mentioned, he got about 20 inches of snow. Bethesda at 23.0. Dulles officially at 18, Reagan National, 16.4, that's all record-breaking stuff across D.C. And as we go -- and piping into Philadelphia, look at that. 23.2. Wilmington, Delaware is seeing 17. Atlantic City even seeing over a foot.
And then a little bit further into the bigger cities, JFK, 14 officially in Central Park, just over 10. Upton out on Long Island, over two feet with blizzard conditions at times and then over to eastern New England we saw over a foot of snow in spots.
There is the next chunk of energy coming in to the Pacific. That's not a good thing. And then we still have blowing snow we'll have to deal with today. We'll talk more about the next storm, Kiran, will bring snow to some and it will bring rain to others. We'll talk about that in the next hour. Back to you.
CHETRY: Yes, the kiddies love it. If you're out there shoveling though, or you're trying to catch a flight, a different story. But, hey, it's pretty.
MARCIANO: At least in the beginning.
CHETRY: Yes, until it turns brown. All right. Thanks, Rob.
MARCIANO: See you guys.
CHETRY: Well, more than 1,200 flights were canceled this weekend at the three major airports servicing the metropolitan New York area. Our Allan Chernoff is live at one of them, LaGuardia airport.
And it's been really rough for travelers over the past two days. How is it shaping up this morning, Allan?
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, we had 250 flights canceled here at LaGuardia over the weekend. So Monday morning, what does that mean? Very long lines of people waiting to check in, determined to get on to their flights.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHERNOFF (voice-over): Sixteen inches of snow shut down Washington's Reagan National Airport on Saturday. By the time it reopened yesterday, lines stretched outside the terminal. Roads in the capital area were no bargain, either. Nearly a foot of snow fell on New York's Central Park.
With a school snow day already declared for Monday, in some parts of the Tri-State area it was all fun and games for the kids. But to the east, Long Island felt the full force of the storm. Twenty-six inches of snow fell in some neighborhoods. Drivers stranded everywhere.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is kind of a disaster.
CHERNOFF: And at LaGuardia airport, hundreds of travelers were stranded too. Nothing but long lines and even longer delays. Hundreds of flights canceled leaving this Denver-bound student no choice but to spend a second night sleeping at the airport.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was a little sad to think it might be Christmas. So, if I get there before then, then I'll be happy.
CHERNOFF: As the storm marched up the coast in New England, snow drifts 10-feet high made traveling treacherous. In Boston, white out conditions at Logan airport left a lot of planes and a lot of travelers idle for hours.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHERNOFF: The airlines say they're doing everything they can to get travelers to their destinations to rebook people, but the fact is during these tough times the airplanes are operating in a very lean fashion. It's not as if they have a lot of planes to haul out for extra flights. That means tough times for some people still trying to get to their destinations.
Back to you in the studio.
CHETRY: I see somebody walking right behind you carrying one of their kids, it's -- you know, gosh, for families, especially, being stranded at the airport with little ones trying to get out. A mess for everyone.
All right, Alan. We'll keep on that all morning. Thanks.
HOLMES: Coming up, the shocking news we got yesterday that a young, bright, bubbly Hollywood star is dead. We're talking about Brittany Murphy, dead at the age of 32. The latest on that investigation now.
It's 10 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Good morning again, everybody. Thirteen minutes past the hour. That means it's time for an "A.M. Original." Something you'll only see on AMERICAN MORNING. But first we do have a quick check of this morning's headlines.
CHETRY: First, Afghan President Hamid Karzai is defending his new cabinet choices, assuring critics that they will be held accountable. The nominations are seen as the president's first test since his re-election to show that he's serious about clamping down on corruption. Two ministers were removed. The Afghan parliament begins the confirmation process today.
HOLMES: The Army psychiatrist accused of killing 13 people at Fort Hood, Texas has been denied two additional military lawyers. Major Nidal Hasan's lawyer says the Army is treating the case with, quote, "patent unfairness and undermining a proper defense for Hasan." Major Hasan was shot in the chest during November's rampage leaving him paralyzed.
CHETRY: Another big story we're following this morning, the sudden death of actress Brittany Murphy. She was just 32 years old, best known for her roles in "Clueless" and Eminem's "8 Mile." Murphy's mother reportedly found her unconscious Sunday morning. Several sources say that the actress suffered cardiac arrest in her bathroom. Kareen Wynter has the latest from Hollywood.
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Hollywood is mourning the death of one of its own. 32-year-old actress Brittany Murphy died Sunday morning after paramedics were called to her Los Angeles home. Officials haven't released any details as to the circumstances of her death, but we do know that when paramedics arrived at the scene that they tried to resuscitate her. She was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center where she later died.
Now, Murphy began her acting career at a young age, in her early teens. She appeared in small TV roles as well as commercials, but her career really took off when she starred in the hit film "Clueless." She also later appeared in films like "Girl, Interrupted" with Angelina Jolie, as well as "8 Mile" with Eminem.
Ashton Kutcher, who Murphy dated, once stated -- tweeted about her passing, saying, quote, "Today the world has lost a little piece of sunshine. My deepest condolences go out to Brittany's family, her husband, and her amazing mother, Sharon. See you on the other side, kid."
Murphy's father also released a statement, describing his daughter as such a talent, saying she was just an absolute doll since she was born. Everybody loved her. She was just a regular gal.
The Los Angeles Police Department is now investigating Murphy's death.
Kareen Wynter, CNN, Hollywood.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: (INAUDIBLE).
CHETRY: What a shame.
HOLMES: Yes. It's such a young life, a career cut short before she reached her full potential, probably. We'll get more on that, I'm sure, in the coming days and weeks, more than likely.
Right now, though, a lot of people have their minds on Christmas. It's just a few days away, and you know you're not done. You've got something you've got to get to somebody that you haven't mailed yet. So what are the deadline dates?
We'll tell you right after a quick break. It's 16 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: It is now 18 minutes past the hour, and that means it's time for "Minding Your Business."
HOLMES: Yes, and big business at the box office once again for James Cameron. Get this...
CHETRY: People went to see this thing.
HOLMES: I've heard mixed reviews on it, so far. But "Avatar," you've heard of it by now, a new science fiction epic by James Cameron.
Well, they brought in $232 million. Well, that's worldwide. $73 million still here in the US, and that isn't bad, despite the whole northeast big storm we had. A record opening for a 3-D film. He still has a little ways to go to break even here. The movie actually cost $400 million to make.
CHETRY: Well, time is running out if you still have cards and gifts to mail for the holidays -- note to self. The US Postal Service says that today is the deadline to ship first class or priority if you want it to get there by Christmas.
I can't believe they're not extending this a little bit, I mean, given that we've had such a horrible snowstorm. You couldn't get there this weekend.
Anyway, Wednesday is the deadline for express mail and the post office expects to handle more than 830 million parcels today alone.
HOLMES: Any other messages when you get to the postal service about extending that?
CHETRY: Note to self -- buy more bows.
HOLMES: All right. Also for (ph) northeast retailers, though, took a pretty big beating this weekend as well because of that winter storm. A lot of stores actually had to close, and this would have been a really big weekend for them as far as those Christmas sales go.
Stores across the rest of the country reporting a strong turnout of shoppers. They call it Super Saturday. It's the final Saturday to shop before Christmas. That usually accounts for some $15 billion in sales nationwide. Analysts say because of the snow and the economy, retailers will likely fall far short of that figure this year.
Well, Christine Romans, are you done with the mailing and everything and you've got everything done?
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: I've got one more gift to get and then I'm done. I'm done.
CHETRY: Good for you.
ROMANS: Yes. One more.
HOLMES: Need to be mailed or you can...
ROMANS: No, no, no. I'm going to pack it in my suitcase and pay, you know, $25 to do that to take it in the airplane.
CHETRY: Right. It's extra baggage. So, what is going on today? ROMANS: OK, I'm talking about the unemployment rate, and I'm very, very happy to say that when we look by the state by state data, the unemployment rate fell in November in 36 states. You know, we get that monthly jobs report, but then we also get these -- this analysis of the states, and 36 states -- let me say it again -- 36 states, the jobless rate fell.
CHETRY: Good.
ROMANS: That's -- that's -- you know, I told you I would -- I would come here and I'd be able to start telling you when you were starting to get a little bit of a turn. That's what we think is happening here.
Look, in Connecticut, in November, the unemployment rate was 8.2 percent. Connecticut, Kentucky, New York -- these were statistically significant drops in the unemployment rate. We want to put Michigan here, because Michigan, not statistically significant, but that is the highest unemployment rate in the country, and it fell below 15 percent.
States still are losing jobs, though. Michigan lost 14,000 jobs, Nevada lost jobs, Mississippi, Hawaii, you're still seeing jobs lost. We still have a very difficult, difficult road here over the next couple of years. You guys, it's going to take a period of years to eat back, to gain all those jobs that we lost. We need to -- we need to add 100,000 to 150,000 jobs every month just -- just to keep track of the people who are coming into the jobs market.
But we are also seeing temporary jobs begin to be added in the month of November, 52,000 temporary jobs were added for the fourth month in a row. Now, that may not sound very great -- temp jobs, well, they don't have any benefits, you know, they're -- they're not -- there's no job security, but that's when you start to see a turn. It's when companies start dipping their toe back in the water.
CHETRY: (INAUDIBLE) for -- for hiring again?
ROMANS: Maybe. Maybe. But at least it's something. At least it's just not red arrows down. We are starting to see something happening, a little sign of life in the labor market.
CHETRY: And -- and then, quickly, for the 14 other states, did they see their unemployment rate go up or just stay steady most -- for the most part?
ROMANS: I think eight -- eight states have go up and there were (ph) steady -- statistically, it didn't really make much of a difference for the rest of those states. But to see 36 states where the jobless rates fell, you know, that's something after a couple of very brutal, brutal years.
I'm not saying it's better. I'm not saying that you're going to get a job tomorrow. I'm just saying that the bleeding, at least, is not so profuse.
HOLMES: Well, you are high energy this morning, so you can happy to -- you are happy to report those numbers.
ROMANS: I know. I've been waiting literally for two years.
HOLMES: Good for you.
CHETRY: Christine Romans, "Minding Your Business." Thank you.
HOLMES: Thank you so much.
ROMANS: You're welcome.
HOLMES: Well, Elton John and our Alina Cho, together, after the break. Need to say nothing else, really.
It's 22 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Well, it is 6:25. Top stories just five minutes away.
But first an AM Original, something you'll see only on AMERICAN MORNING. This week, we're highlighting celebrities who are truly giving back this holiday season.
HOLMES: And first up, Sir Elton John, a man who's raised some $150 million for AIDS research. Our Alina Cho caught up with him, of all places, on the court, for her special series, "Big Stars, Big Giving."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): His music is iconic, but Sir Elton John has another talent that may surprise you -- tennis.
CHO (on camera): Who knew you had a mean forehand?
SIR ELTON JOHN, FOUNDER/CHAIRMAN, ELTON JOHN AIDS FOUNDATION: I've got a good forehand. We've been...
CHO (voice-over): And he's using it for a good cause, teaming up with his longtime friend, Billie Jean King, at this celebrity tennis tournament to raise money and awareness for AIDS -- a constant fight on the court and off.
CHO (on camera): I know you say that AIDS is cyclical.
JOHN: Yes.
CHO: What do you mean by that?
JOHN: Well, it seems like every 10 years, another generation goes up that you have to reeducate.
CHO: Is that frustrating for you?
JOHN: It is. You have to go back and start all over again and say, no, no, no, no, no. You can't do this. You must have safe sex. You must use a condom.
CHO (voice-over): The 62-year-old openly gay music legend was not an active AIDS advocate until he met 14-year-old Ryan White in 1986. The Indiana teen was expelled from his school because he had AIDS. John became so close to the White family, he gave them financial assistance and was at Ryan's bedside when he died.
CHO (on camera): What was it about that little boy?
JOHN: Well, because, you know, I never heard Ryan complain about having AIDS. I never heard him whine or be miserable. He carried everything with such dignity, and it just taught me about humility, how my life was completely out of whack.
About six months after Ryan died, I began to change my life.
CHO: Was there a certain point at which a light bulb then went off in your head?
JOHN: I -- you know, I wanted to give something back. I mean, I've lived a charmed life, you know, taking drugs, drinking, you know, having unsafe sex at a time when I should have been so much more well behaved, I should have had more morals.
After Ryan died, I thought, I can give something back. I've come out of this HIV negative. I've got to do something positive.
CHO (voice-over): That something positive was the Elton John AIDS Foundation. In 17 years, EJAF has started programs in 55 countries and has raised more than $150 million.
CHO (on camera): You are Elton John. You could easily take a publicity photo, write a check and call it a day. But you are out there, as you say, in your own words, getting your hands dirty.
JOHN: Yes.
CHO: Why?
JOHN: Well, people are so grateful for the smallest thing. It doesn't take a lot of money to run a project in Africa for a year, $15,000, $20,000. This is, you know, this something that's never going to go away in my lifetime. And so I've got to try and each year step up and do a little bit more.
CHO (voice-over): Even when it means supporting other causes, like Andy Roddick's foundation to help needy children.
ANDY RODDICK, FOUNDER, ANDY RODDICK FOUNDATION: He doesn't want to just come play. He wants to know exactly where the money we're raising is going, how it's going. You know, he always calls two or three days later and says, "What's the total tally? How much did we raise?" you know?
CHO (on camera): Really?
RODDICK: Yes. He's just really involved in the whole process.
CHO (voice-over): Why? John says, "Why not?"
CHO (on camera): You're in the trenches. You're traveling all around the world, not to mention you've got a day job already. You know, at a certain point, do you ever think, maybe I can pass the torch?
JOHNS: No way. I mean, I have the greatest lifestyle. I have the most incredible life. I do what I love to do. I play music, I write music. This is part of my life now.
Once you've seen people suffer like this, you just don't ever think of stopping. I'll be doing this until the day that I -- you know, they put me into the ground because I love doing it, and I love -- you know, I just want to try and make a difference.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHO: Just a remarkable person.
You know, one of the big missions of the Elton John AIDS Foundation is focusing on programs that help the underserved, prisoners, even prostitutes.
Now, Sir Elton John says without the right education, without the right medical care and good old-fashioned advice, these are the people who go out and make the infection rate even higher. And guys, he calls these people the forgotten ones, people who in some cases need the help the most but simply aren't getting it.
HOLMES: This is -- and like you mentioned in there, he's one -- there are so many celebrities who could just lend their name. It's nice to see -- I mean you -- you read of some who just give their name to a cause, but he's actually out there, hands on. That's nice to see.
CHO: He -- he is. He's walking the walk, he's talking the talk. You know, he -- he says a lot of people ask him, you know, why -- why do you go out there and do so many charity events? He does about 35 a year. And he says, I tell them it's 35 out of 365 days. You know what? It's a month, and it's worth it.
HOLMES: And Ben Stiller tomorrow, right? We have that right?
CHO: Ben Stiller tomorrow. Derek Zoolander himself. You know, guys...
CHETRY: With the headband and all, right?
CHO: With the headband and all. You know, I went to Los Angeles last week -- was it last week? My gosh, they're -- they're running together. He's using comedy and social media to make a difference. He's really trying to raise money and awareness to build a school in Haiti. He's raised more than $150,000 so far.
He started a -- a charity -- a foundation called StillerStrong -- sound familiar?
CHETRY: Yes.
HOLMES: Yes.
CHO: A spoof on Lance Armstrong's "To Live Strong." And instead of those yellow bracelets, he's come up with this really genius, brilliant, original idea of a headband. And he says, hey, if I can't raise money and awareness, maybe it will come back as a fashion statement.
CHETRY: There you go. We look forward to seeing that one tomorrow.
Alina, thank you.
HOLMES: Thank you, Alina.
CHO: You bet.
HOLMES: Well, it's 6:30 now. That means it's time for us to bring your top stories. First here, Brazil's Supreme Court set to rule today on the international custody battle over 9-year-old Sean Goldman. His father, David, told reporters yesterday if he wins custody, he will allow Sean's Brazilian family to visit them in New Jersey.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID GOLDMAN, SEAN GOLDMAN'S FATHER: It's my hope that we'll have Christmas at home, for the holidays, and New Years and a very long happy, healed life, as father and son, at home. The first step is for Sean and I to reunite, come home, be with our family, and I will not do to them what they have done to Sean and me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Also, the National Football League plans to ask current and former players to consider donating their brains to Boston University researchers. Sounds a little bit of an odd request. But BU is partnering with the NFL after first criticizing the league for its stance on concussions. The NFL plans to also donate $1 million to the research project, and will ask the families of dozens of retired football players diagnosed who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia to participate.
HOLMES: Also, softball fight. It's all fun and games until somebody pulls a gun out. The Washington, D.C., police investigating whether one of their own officers pulled out a gun during a snowball fight on Saturday. About 200 people from a D.C. neighborhood started peppering each other with snowballs. Witnesses say everybody was having a great old time until an off duty plainclothes officer drew his weapon after he reportedly got upset when his car got hit by snowballs.
CHETRY: Thirty-two minutes past the hour. Well, over the past year, our next guest has told us who's telling the truth, who's lying and who's stretching it to the point where he says their pants are on fire. It's Bill Adair and his PolitiFact team. They fact check 428 claims in 2009. So as the end of the year approaches, we have Bill Adair joining us from D.C. to tell us who told the Lie of the Year.
Hey there, Bill.
BILL ADAIR, EDITOR, POLITIFACT.COM: Good morning. It's been a busy year for us.
CHETRY: You guys have been fact checking nearly 500 claims, but let's get right to it. PolitiFact editors chose what you're about to reveal as the Lie of the Year because they felt that no other falsehood would actually played such a big role in the national debate over health care.
So what was it?
ADAIR: The Lie of the Year is death panels. The claim by Sarah Palin posted on her Facebook page back in August that the seniors -- I don't know if we can go to the screen there.
CHETRY: Yes, let's show it.
ADAIR: Seniors and the disabled will have to stand in front of Obama's death panel so his bureaucrats can decide based on a subjective judgment of their level of productivity in society whether they are worthy of health care.
Now this one we rated pants on fire, which is our lowest rating, but, boy, did it spread. And because it spread so far and because it so dominated the political debate in the fall, we decided this one is our lie of the year.
CHETRY: Yes. And, you know, your readers agreed actually. Sixty-one percent on your Web site picked the death panels as the top lie. You know that at one point some 30 percent of people asked, believed -- this was back in the fall that death panels were actually part of health care reform. And it wasn't just Sarah Palin. Who else brought it up?
ADAIR: Boy, it was -- it really got a lot of fuel from many different Republicans. From John Boehner, the House Minority leader, who played on an earlier claim similar to it that it might lead to forced euthanasia, to Chuck Grassley, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, who said that -- suggested that the government was going to try to pull the plug on granny.
So this one spread really far and wide. And it really threw the White House off balance, and they spent a fair amount of energy there in the early fall trying to correct this falsehood.
CHETRY: Right. In fact, in one of the speeches, our president said no one's going to pull the plug on grandma. So that's how it became such a part of the everyday vernacular. Sarah Palin, though, apparently has no regrets on using the term death panel. In fact, recently, she did an interview with the national review and here's what she said about it. She said, quote, "The term I used to describe the panel making these decisions should not be taken literally. The phrases a lot like when President Reagan used to refer to the Soviet Union as the, quote, "evil empire." It was quite effective. Same thing with the death panels. I would characterize them like that again in a heart beat."
So she's sticking by it.
ADAIR: Yes. You know, she is right that it was quite effective. As you noted, the polls showed that at one point 30 percent of the American people believed this was true. And I think this speaks to sort of a larger trend during the early part of the health care debate that the health care bill was defined initially by the opponents, and in many cases through falsehoods like this. But Palin's right. It was quite effective.
CHETRY: Yes. A lot of other runners up for lie of the year. And your readers also voted a claim from President Obama as one of those runners up. In a speech to Congress in back in September, President Obama said, quote, preventative care saves money.
Now, one of the big points of contention in how to pay for health care reform is where's the money coming from. And you guys rated this false, that preventative care saves money.
Explain.
ADAIR: Yes, we did. And this is one that's surprising, because when you hear somebody say that preventative care saves money it makes a lot of sense. This was a claim not just from the president, but for many democrats. But when you look at the studies, the cost of doing preventive care is actually greater than the ultimate cost savings.
Now that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it, it can still save lives. But in terms of the dollars, the cost of doing the additional testing is greater, according to the CBO and some other studies that have been done on it. So that one -- that one indeed I think as far as our democratic falsehoods, that was -- the top democratic falsehood.
CHETRY: All right. Very interesting. And, again, we had some other runners up. It was pretty close. So people can check it out. We've linked your site to our site, CNN.com/AMFIX.
Well, we look forward to you, guys, breaking it all down for us again in 2010.
Bill Adair, great to see.
ADAIR: I think we'll have plenty to work from, Kiran.
CHETRY: I think you will, too. Thanks.
HOLMES: Well, he's anticipating more lies in 2010.
CHETRY: Well, you know, we'll say a lot of things in Washington. That's why PolitiFact is in business.
HOLMES: Well, a lot of those folks in Washington, a lot of politicians, they love to just get their poll numbers back up. Well, the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has found a way, you can get your poll numbers up instantly.
You need to be hit in the face with a statuette. His poll numbers are back up. Approval ratings now at 55 percent, jumping seven points since he was bashed in the face. He lost a few teeth. He broke his nose. This is at a rally in Milan last week. Berlusconi has been finding accusations of sex scandals and corruption for a good chunk of the year. So there you go.
CHETRY: Yes. I'm sure he wouldn't have wanted it that way, but he's still recovering from that one.
HOLMES: Well, he got something out of it, at least.
CHETRY: I guess so.
All right, still ahead, we are having another "A.M. Original" for you. Our John Zarrella has been following one astronaut from the very beginning. And we're going to be taking a look.
Astronaut and mother, Katherine Katie Coleman. She's getting set for November 2010 trip to the International Space Station. And NASA allowed John Zarrella unprecedented access. We're going to give you a big peek at this in just a moment. It's now 38 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: All right, welcome back to the "Most News in the Morning."
Forty-one minutes past the hour. Now it's time for another CNN exclusive. Our year long series, "Counting Down Katie." CNN's John Zarrella has been following NASA astronaut and mother Katherine Katie Coleman as she prepares for a November 2010 trip to the International Space Station.
John joins us now from Miami.
Good morning to you, sir. And this journey is really just getting started. You still got a long way to go.
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, we really do. Last month, we introduced the audience to Katie and her family, her husband and her son. And just recently we were able to go to Houston and spend some time with Katie as she trained in Houston.
I have to tell you, T.J., I got tired just watching her.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ZARRELLA: 1:30 on a Tuesday afternoon. Katie Coleman is running.
While exercising her body, exercising her mind. A Russian language lesson on the run. So to speak.
There's so much to do, a training marathon. This time next year, astronaut Coleman will be living aboard the International Space Station.
KATHERINE KATIE COLEMAN, ASTRONAUT: Now that we're like inside a year, it makes me feel like it really might happen after all.
ZARRELLA: At the Johnson Space Center, we caught up with Katie. Keeping up with her is another story. Meeting with the flight director's team.
COLEMAN: I'd like to be at the work station.
ZARRELLA: A session simulating with computer animation, capturing a supply ship. Then, stuffed into a space suit.
COLEMAN: OK.
ZARRELLA: The 6 million gallon pool at the neutral buoyancy lab is as close as you can get on earth to zero gravity. Here, astronauts rehearse space walks. On the bottom, segments of the station. An adult version of a kid's play space at a fast food restaurant.
COLEMAN: There's a set of scenarios that we make sure we do so that we can fix whatever we think is the most likely things to go wrong on the space station.
ZARRELLA: Her son's stuffed monkey goes everywhere with her.
COLEMAN: Hi, Jamie.
ZARRELLA: Well, not underwater. As she's lowered in, Katie jokingly holds her breath. Her dive? Six hours.
COLEMAN: I'm doing the second of four bolts, and then I still have caps to go.
ZARRELLA (on camera): This is a mock up of the International Space Station. You know, the astronauts, they prepare for every eventuality. Say Katie Coleman had to leave the station to fix something outside. Well, if the tether line that holds her to the station were to break, it's unlikely, but if it were to happen, they even prepare for that possibility and they use virtual reality.
(voice-over): From what's called the God's Eye View, Coleman is seen tumbling away from the station. Her job? Get back without using all the fuel in her jet pack.
COLEMAN: And handrail. So I think we've got structure here.
ZARRELLA: Next, I'm in the VR glasses, too. Katie's job? Rescue both of us.
COLEMAN: So we're still spinning around, John.
ZARRELLA (on camera): I'm watching it.
COLEMAN: OK. It's kind of -- I mean, I think in real life it would be fairly terrifying.
ZARRELLA (voice-over): You think? Of course she gets us back alive. But --
(on camera): Pull yourself through. You left me out of here to die. Thanks.
COLEMAN: I did not.
ZARRELLA: Thanks so much.
(voice-over): So much to learn. All this knowledge she needs. Some she hopes never to use.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Now you know she did all of that, what you saw was in two compressed days of training. And, you know, I've got to say, the VR glasses were really, really cool. I wanted to go down into the neutral buoyancy lab with her but they wouldn't let me do that.
Anyway, T.J., if -- she writes a blog for us as well. And if our audience wants to see that, it's at CNN.com on the AMFIX blog site. So she's just written a new blog. It's terrific stuff. And she's a terrific person -- T.J.?
HOLMES: This is great to see. And usually we just see people on lift-off. We see them walking over and getting in, and taking off. We don't see all this they go through. Literally, in the year before.
So, John, great look. We're looking forward to some more. Good to see you this morning. Thanks, buddy.
ZARRELLA: You got it.
HOLMES: All right -- Kiran.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: Meanwhile, It's 45 minutes past the hour. Our Reynolds Wolf will have this morning's travel forecast right after the break. Also, in ten minutes, forget the train set, the sparkling diamond necklace, or the fluffy down comforter. It is not your everyday holiday window display. It's actually a little bit more of window undressing, and, boy, is it making a humongous splash in New York City. Jeanne Moos is still ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning. Forty- eight minutes past the hour and that means it's time to check on a latest weather. We have Reynolds Wolf. He is actually out at it. He is in Annapolis, Maryland right now where they saw 20 inches of snow. Earlier you called T.J., the tough guy, but I think you're the tough guy out there in the 20 inches of snow this early in the morning. Hey, Reynolds.
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Hey guys, coffee can do wonders for you, trust me and that adds all the oomfp and the strength out in the daylight today. It's certainly going to be cold. Right now, temperature is below the freezing point. All the snow that there again. Now, we're talking about 20.8 inches of snowfall the fell on this event, still on the ground in many spots.
They've got 30 vehicles that are out and about in places here in Annapolis. They're going to keeping the roads for the most part, the main roads are in pretty good shape, but the secondary roads and the secondary streets still have quite a bit of work. Now, I'm with CNN photo journalist, Ric Blackburn (ph). He's showing you guys right up these alley ways, and you know, it looks like there is not a whole lot going on, but you've got capital T's.
You got small businesses back here. You got people who living here in this residential area. You look back to a little bit more to the left where you can actually see the state capital back there, the Capitol Dome, and then as you pan down just a little bit, you can see a lot of these cars. People are really heading on and then trying to go to work and while at the same time you've got to move all that snow and a lot of it is just solid as can be.
Now, Ric, let's show them something else. Let's pan down a little bit more. I'm standing on some snow but some of this is really hard ice, and that's going to take some time to really -- to move out because you have to remember a lot of these alley ways are kind of steep, so it's going to be real hard for the sun to get in here and melt a lot of this stuff, and of course, letting your snow moving vehicles are going to have a tough time try to maneuver right through these alley ways and try to avoid slipping and hitting some of the buildings, so certainly some right time, but the weather looks a little better here but getting worse in other parts of the country.
Of course, Rob is going to have the latest for you coming up.
CHETRY: All right.
WOLF: Let's put you back here in the studio.
CHETRY: You know how these meteorologists to you guys-actually, they went to school together to train for that stuff. He told me yesterday, if you don't shovel this up now, it's going to be here for a while because it's going to harden, and the temperatures are going to stay very cold, so I went right out there with the shovel. He was at work. He was at work.
WOLF: Absolutely. That's the way to do it.
HOLMES: All right, Reynolds.
(CROSSTALK)
WOLF: It's a little bit of elbow move. Got to do it.
CHETRY: It's a workout for the day.
HOLMES: Actually, where did you go through it, huh (ph).
All right. We'll stay with Reynolds again. A lot more on the weather this morning.
Also this morning, some of our top stories, also weather related, what's happening at the airport. Talking about 1,000 flights have been canceled in some places. We're talking about La Guardia alone saw a ton of cancellations. We're live at La Guardia where people are still waking up after a second night spending the night at the airport.
CHETRY: Wow, and also at 7:10 Eastern, the sudden death of a young Hollywood star, Britney Murphy, just 32 years old. This morning, friends like Ashton Kutcher and Jessica Simpson mourning her loss, but what caused her to die so young? A look at the investigation this morning.
HOLMES: Also, coming up this morning, we are paging Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Exactly what do you get for $817 billion? What kind of health care can you get for that price? Those stories and a whole lot more at the top of the hour. Right now it's 9 until at the top of the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: I love that song.
HOLMES: Certainly applying to that Motley Crue back...
(CROSSTALK)
CHETRY: Fifty-four minutes past the hour. Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning. It means it's time for the Moost News in the Morning.
HOLMES: Yes, just in time for your last minute holiday shopping. We've got a window display design to lure you in, but also make you drool. Here now, Jeanne Moos.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The traditional Santa in the window is known for his red outfit, but changing outfits is what the women in this window are known for.
UNKNOWN MALE: Unbelievable. They should do it on every corner.
MOOS: Here at the corner of 38th and Fifth Avenue, they're changing their clothes at night, they're changing their clothes --
UNKNOWN FEMALE: Whoa.
MOOS: -- during the day.
UNKNOWN FEMALE: When we change, as soon as the shirt comes off, the crowd triples.
MOOS: They are the season's hit holiday windows. Spectators are sparse at the department store windows across the street, but here, there's a constant crowd, mostly male, pressing up against the glass.
UNKNOWN MALE: What could be more Christmas than two beautiful women.
MOOS: In bathrobes.
UNKNOWN MALE: In bathrobes.
MOOS: Brushing each other's hair, jumping on a couch, kiss the mirror, tossing their hair. They're actually promoting a clothing line, XOXO, but once you step in this window.
I'm feeling very overdressed.
UNKNOWN FEMALE: You are.
MOOS: Yes. Take it off.
UNKNOWN FEMALE: Here.
MOOS: They're under instructions not to interact with the crowd.
HELENE TRAASAVIK, MODEL: No, I don't make eye contact, but I see them in the corner of my eyes. We can cheat by looking in the mirror.
MOOS: The show goes both ways, looking in and looking out.
TRAASAVIK: They write notes and press it up to the window.
MOOS: What kind of notes?
TRAASAVIK: I have yet to read it.
MOOS: We're pretty sure they're not like the letters to Santa in Macy's windows.
See how they prin. Santa doesn't get requests like this.
Put on the shoes? Put on the shoe.
That would be the high heels, and when Helene zipped up nicky (ph), brakes squeal.
UNKNOWN FEMALE: They have the nicest legs I think I've ever seen. I wish I had a pair.
UNKNOWN FEMALE: I think it's too much. It belongs inside a studio, not the storefront.
MOOS: Some onlookers think the glass is one way.
UNKNOWN FEMALE: All these guys can't conceptualized that the women are ignoring them, so it must be a special glass.
UNKNOWN MALE: Looks like they can't see from the other side.
MOOS: You dropped something.
UNKNOWN FEMALE: They want me to bend over.
MOOS: Oh, is that it? They want you to bend over? Really?
Don't be naughty. It's not nice. 'Tis the season for windows that feature holiday trains. One good caboose deserves another.
Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Okay. I didn't walk far enough down Fifth Avenue, apparently.
CHETRY: T.J. is asking, wait a minute, where was this store? I didn't see that when we shopping yesterday.
HOLMES: We went to about 48th, 49th.
CHETRY: Here's my advice to you.
HOLMES: I'm listening.
CHETRY: As a soon to be married gentleman?
HOLMES: Sure.
CHETRY: There's no need to give your wife a box and say, this is from XOXO, honey. I saw the window display, and they looked so great I thought I'd get you one.
HOLMES: But it's a good sale. It's a good marketing tool.
CHETRY: Sure it is.
(CROSSTALK)
CHETRY: All right. The top stories are coming up just 90 seconds away. It's 57 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
