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Senate Passes Landmark Health Care Bill; Christmas Eve Reunion for Jersey Dad; Health Reform Reaction

Aired December 24, 2009 - 12:00   ET

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

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And time now for your top-of-the-hour reset. I'm Tony Harris.

It's noon in Washington where the Senate delivers a Christmas Eve health care bill. We will take you live to Capitol Hill.

It is 3:00 p.m. in Brazil, where a New Jersey father was reunited with his son and is bringing him home. Their drawn-out international custody battle ends just in time for the holidays.

And it is 11:00 a.m. in Oklahoma City, where a blizzard warning has been issued, if you can believe it. Yes. We are watching the weather live there and across the country for all of Santa's helpers out there.

Let's get started.

Senators heading home for the holidays after Democrats voted, early today, to pass their historic health care reform bill. The vote came after months of negotiation and tense, partisan debate, and some backroom wheeling and dealing.

National political correspondent Jessica Yellin was there, and she joins us live from Capitol Hill.

And Jessica, let's approach it this way this hour -- what in this bill kicks in right away, and what kicks in down the road a bit?

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Oh, good question, because we have graphics ready for you on this, Tony.

First of all, if the current version of Senate health care reform that was voted on today were to become law, some of the things that would benefit Americans right away are the following: companies, health insurance companies, would not be able to deny coverage based on a procedure costing too much. It's called a recision.

For seniors, that Medicare doughnut hole would kick in. They'd have $500 more, and then once it kicks in, they get a 50 percent discount on prescription drugs.

Now, the major pieces of the bill, Tony, though, wouldn't kick in until around 2014. And those include massive insurance reforms, things like no adult can be denied for a pre-existing condition. And then these health insurance exchanges, which is the primary mechanism by which millions of Americans who can't get coverage now would be included to get health care coverage.

So, it's a tiered system, and a lot of it doesn't happen until down the road.

HARRIS: And there was still the very last here, quite a bit of debate before the vote, wasn't there?

YELLIN: There was a lot of debate. There was a lot of -- there were promises on both sides by Republicans vowing to keep up the fight, saying it's not over. They're trying to target any conservative Democrat they can find in the Senate to peel them off, because just one, if one defects, they feel like they can kill health care reform.

Meantime, Democrats are hailing this as an historic, momentous occasion. I have a sound bite now from Christopher Dodd...

HARRIS: OK.

YELLIN: ... Senator from Connecticut. It gives you a sense of the senatorial sweep of the moment in their view.

Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHRISTOPHER DODD (D), CONNECTICUT: The road to this moment has been long and difficult, as we all know. Progress always is. From the moment many Christmases ago, when George Washington led a small band of troops across the Delaware River in a hailstorm, those who have attempted to make our union more perfect have always faced overwhelming odds.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

YELLIN: So, a direct line from George Washington to health care reform today. You can see it, right, Tony?

HARRIS: Yes, absolutely. All right, Jessica. Appreciate it. Thank you.

The Senate passage of the health care bill was an early Christmas present for President Obama. The vote puts him a step closer to victory on his top domestic agenda item.

The president today praised the vote, calling it historic, but he says there is still work to be done.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: With today's vote, we are now incredibly close to making health insurance reform a reality in this country. Our challenge, then, is to finish the job. We can't doom another generation of Americans to soaring costs and eroding coverage and exploding deficits. Instead, we need to do what we were sent here to do, and improve the lives of the people we serve. (END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: And ahead this hour, Dr. Brian Hill and attorney Kathie McClure will join us. We spoke to them when the health care debate heated up in the summer, and they're back to share their thoughts and concerns right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

President Obama and the first family are headed to Hawaii at this hour. They left Andrews Air Force Base this morning to begin their Christmas vacation. Their departure was delayed until after the Senate vote on health reform. Before he left, the president made calls to some members of the U.S. military to wish them happy holidays and to thank them for their service in Iraq and Afghanistan.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: Iran is now banning memorials for the prominent cleric who was critical of the government. This follows rivaling demonstrations.

Government supporters marched through the streets of Qom yesterday. That rally coming after mourners chanted anti-government slogans Monday before the cleric's funeral.

We're also seeing reports of clashes at another protest. That started out as a memorial for the cleric. A reformist news site says plain-clothed people used tear gas to attack mourners at the mosque. Fifty people were reportedly arrested.

American David Goldman is making the flight from Brazil that he's dreamed about for some five years now. Goldman accepted custody of this his son Sean earlier today.

This photo taken as Goldman and his son boarded a private plane for their return flight. They'll land in New York, and that's where our Ines Ferre is now.

And Ines, is this reunion -- well, it's a long time in coming, that's for sure.

INES FERRE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Oh, yes. It's a long time in coming, but, you know, in the last 24 hours, so many things happened. And this morning, it all really culminated at the U.S. Consulate in Rio.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FERRE (voice-over): Swarmed by cameras, clutching his stepfather, Sean Goldman makes his way to the U.S. Consulate. Clad in a green and yellow Brazilian soccer Jersey, a nod to the country he leaves behind.

In the glare of the media spotlight, Sean's Brazilian family delivered him to his father, David Goldman, by a 9:00 a.m. Thursday court deadline. The scene marks the end of a five-year international custody battle. The chief justice of the Brazilian supreme court Tuesday ordered that Sean be returned to Goldman, who had been battling the family of the boy's deceased mother. After the ruling, the family said it would not file any new appeals to keep Sean with them.

The reunion between father and son took place privately inside the U.S. Consulate in Rio de Janeiro. Shortly after, their motorcade raced to the airport, bound for the U.S.

New Jersey Congressman Chris Smith was in Brazil to support Goldman in his efforts.

REP. CHRIS SMITH (R), NEW JERSEY: Today, the abduction ended. David Goldman, as you saw, is now on his way back to the United States with his son.

FERRE: The legal battle may be over, but for Sean, who just lost his mother last year, another traumatic turn. For the Goldmans, the emotional journey may be just beginning.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FERRE: And we just spoke with Congressman Smith a few moments ago, who described to us the scene at the airport before they left on a chartered flight. They were in a private area, David and Sean talking a little bit about New Jersey, about what could he expect when he comes back to the United States.

HARRIS: Wow.

FERRE: And there was a nurse there as well who had told the congressman that they seemed to be just fine. And it was really a moment where, when they left, when they went on -- were going towards the plane, they both waved good-bye, and then you can -- you just saw that picture earlier, where Goldman has his thumbs up.

HARRIS: Yes. That -- well, finally, after all these years. Finally, the reunion.

All right.

Ines Ferre for us in New York.

Good to see you. Thank you.

FERRE: Thank you.

HARRIS: Hey, remember this moment from the health care town hall meetings?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: First of all, I haven't voted on any bill.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you planning on voting on that bill?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's an easy out response.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: That protester joins us live to, let's see, not -- to discuss the issue once again.

But first, let's go back to the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Atlanta and the Georgia Boy Choir.

(MUSIC)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: You know, after a lot of twist and turns and maneuvering, the Senate, early today, passed its health care reform bill.

We want to bring back two guests we talked to when the health care debate was really heating up this summer and get their reaction to the Senate bill.

Kathie McClure is an attorney and the founder of votehealthcare.org.

Kathie, good to see you.

KATHIE MCCLURE, FOUNDER, VOTEHEALTHCARE.ORG: Good morning -- good afternoon.

HARRIS: Yes, good to see you.

And Dr. Brian Hill is a urology specialist with the group Urology Specialists of Atlanta.

And Brian, good to see you again as well.

DR. BRIAN HILL, UROLOGY SPECIALIST: Well, thank you for having me.

HARRIS: And Kathie, let me start with you. You wanted a public option in the health care bill. It's not in the Senate bill. And let's be frank with one another here, it's probably not going to be in the merged bill.

Are you OK with that?

MCCLURE: Well, I thought it was an important step toward providing affordable coverage for everyone. In particular, those people who are self-employed and out there in the individual insurance market. But there's a lot in this bill that is good for people in that situation.

We have exchange changes being created. We have 30 million people being covered who don't currently have coverage. We have a lot of good work that's being done on eliminating pre-existing conditions exclusion...

HARRIS: Yes.

MCCLURE: ... which, as you know, for my family and for me, as an organ donor, I donated a kidney, and then I found out I was subject to pre-existing conditions exclusions as an organ donor of all things. So, I think the Senate bill is not perfect.

HARRIS: Right.

MCCLURE: I'm hopeful that as it goes into the committee, that more improvements will be made, that we will begin to really tackle reducing costs, which I think is very important for our country.

HARRIS: All right.

And Brian, you never supported the public option. Are you pleased with the direction the bill appears to be taking?

HILL: Unfortunately not. Unfortunately, I still believe that this bill is not resolving our issues with the health care delivery system. I think we're bypassing some great opportunities here to make this health care delivery system better.

HARRIS: Well, what about insurance reform? You're talking -- and I understand that those are two very distinct prongs and very important, but are you pleased with the insurance reform that you see in this?

HILL: Well, I think some of the insurance reform is moving along the right way, without a doubt. The problem is, is that if we are looking at this being a cost structural issue, I mean, right now, one of the big problems we're having, and our president has even said, that the health care system, the way it's currently arranged, is an unsustainable cost structure.

And yet, despite that, these plans currently that are going through our system are both shown to raise the cost in our national health care expenditure. So, if we're saying that this is going to drive us bankrupt, then why in the world are we accepting plans that are going to increase our costs?

HARRIS: Well, my understanding of the CBO's scoring is that, you may be talking about costs which may be different from the deficit projections, but the suggestion is, is that this is going to bring down the overall cost of health care and at least start to reduce the deficit over the course of 10 years and then for the following 10 years.

MCCLURE: Right. That's what the CBO says in this bill, it's going to end up with a net plus for the deficit. It also provides an opportunity within the Medicare system for dealing with these cost issues that Dr. Hill raises, the question of getting away from the fee-for-service model, which actually encourages doctors and other providers to provide more medicine, not better medicine, for everyday Americans. HARRIS: And Brian, what do you think? Do you not buy the scoring? Do you not buy that this bill will begin to bend the so- called cost curve?

HILL: Well, actually, the scoring has not been shown to bend the cost curve downwards. Even the CBO states that the government increase in expenditures are going to be there. We're going to spend more money for health care costs through 2019.

Now, what the CBO says is that our deficit is going to go down. So, you have to ask yourselves, if our costs are going to go up, if the national health care expenditures go up and, yet, the deficit goes down, how does that happen? And that's happening because we're taking $570 billion out of Medicare, and we're taxing people.

We're taxing pharmacy. We're taxing insurance. We're taxing businesses. We're taxing people that don't buy health insurance because they're going to have a mandate fee.

So, while our overall CBO says the deficit is going to go down, that's just because we're collecting more taxes from people. We're taking more money from our seniors. We're taking more money from the private industry...

(CROSSTALK)

HARRIS: You just don't -- Brian, you just don't want to cover more people, do you?

HILL: No, I totally do, actually. And that's the other thing.

In the spring -- because Kathie and I were talking about this -- I would love to cover more people. I think we need to fix the health care system without a doubt, but the problem is, is that this is a bad plan.

The people that are being covered in this plan, the 31 million expansion in health care, 18 million of them are going to be on Medicaid. Medicaid is the worst health care -- wait, wait, let me finish, though. Medicaid is the worst system out there for health care delivery.

Fifty percent of physicians take Medicaid. So just because we're expanding health care coverage doesn't mean we're expanding access. And that's the thing that we keep on missing here.

HARRIS: Got you.

HILL: And we've got to increase access.

HARRIS: Brian, let Kathie jump in here.

HILL: Sure.

MCCLURE: Well, you know, it's easy, you know, to talk about Medicaid, but what we have here, if you're on Medicaid, you're happy with Medicaid, because it's better than nothing right now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: True.

MCCLURE: You know, we have 30 million people who don't have coverage, and that is inexcusable. To turn our back on this legislation, which is not perfect -- this is ugly sausage making that we've seen -- but to turn your back on the prospect of providing additional coverage for 30 million people, dealing with this horrendous problem...

HARRIS: Got you.

MCCLURE: ... of people being excluded because of pre-existing conditions, we have money going to community health centers. There's a lot of good in this bill.

HARRIS: Well, Kathie, I'm going to stop you there, because I get a real sense of where you are on this. And I want to get one more to Brian here.

Brian, do you not even look at this legislation that's working its way now to the conference and then out of conference, as a step in the right direction?

HILL: I do not. I think we're taking a bad plan here. We're smarter than this. We're better than this. We've got better people out here.

Why don't we create a plan that actually decreases costs, actually really changes the way we deliver our health care system?

(CROSSTALK)

HARRIS: Do you know why, Brian? Do you know why, Brian?

HILL: I don't know why.

HARRIS: Because whatever plan you're thinking up in your head can't get the 60 votes. That's why.

HILL: And that's a shame. And that's a shame, because if we accept that these political ideologies that are driving our political process right now don't allow us to develop a plan that allows Kathie and her children to get health care, that allow our 30 million people out there...

(CROSSTALK)

HARRIS: And last word to Kathie.

MCCLURE: What I have to say about that is welcome to democracy.

HILL: This is not democracy.

MCCLURE: The good news is we live in America, it's not pretty, but we are making progress, which I think is great. HARRIS: All right. Let's leave it there.

Kathie, good to see you again.

Brian, as always, good to see you.

HILL: Thank you.

HARRIS: Appreciate it, both of you. Thank you and happy holidays.

MCCLURE: Thank you.

HARRIS: You know, I can't help it, I have to say it -- the weather outside is frightful...

Chad Myers is up next to tell us just how bad -- is this Oklahoma?

Chad, was that Oklahoma City?

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes.

HARRIS: We're going to talk to Chad in just a couple of minutes.

But first, the Georgia Boy Choir singing us another holiday favorite. Let's listen in.

(MUSIC)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

It was a real media circus at the U.S. Consulate in Rio de Janeiro. Nine-year-old Sean Goldman was handed over to his father, David Goldman of New Jersey. And now they're on their way back to the United States.

The dad had been fighting for custody since 2004, when his wife took Sean on a vacation to her native Brazil and never returned. She remarried but died last year in childbirth.

Police in Virginia are trying to find out why a man in a wheelchair held three people hostage in a post office for more than eight hours. Warren Taylor (ph) surrendered late last night. No one was injured.

We're going to continue to follow details on that story and get the latest as soon as we can.

And a Christmas surprise for one Ohio family. Bobby Lee Walters' 7-year-old daughter asked Santa to bring him home from Iraq. He hadn't seen his family since July. The family had even considered canceling Christmas until their dad came home, but now they can go ahead and start celebrating.

Another check of your top stories in 20 minutes.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: The best pictures of the year. If you were to choose some of the most striking images of 2009, what would you choose? That's what "TIME" magazine has done for us.

Our Josh Levs is here to show us -- Josh.

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Got some really good pictures, Tony.

HARRIS: I'll bet.

LEVS: Yes. And it reminds me, as I'm taking a look at them, oh, yes, that was one of the big stories of this year. Kind of chance to take stock.

What they've done is they've selected about 50 of them. It's a little tough to navigate, so I've pulled up some of the best ones to show you. And we're going to zoom right in on the screen, start off with the first one that they've put on here, where you can look back at what happened in 2009.

Obviously, you've got to think about this, the inauguration, for starters.

Now, take a look at a couple they have from Afghanistan. This is so interesting.

This is a soldier using thermal imaging to look for Taliban activity at nighttime. And this is another one here from Afghanistan. These are U.S. troops sleeping. They're just sleeping here inside their fighting holes in a compound in Helmand province, again, where a lot of the fighting has been going on in Afghanistan.

And this one, do you remember this? I had forgotten about this. This is at the airport in Seoul. They created this thermal imaging to help fight swine flu.

HARRIS: Wow.

LEVS: They're actually looking at, yes, the temperatures, the body temperatures of people. This was back in the spring, in the hopes that it would help prevent the spread of H1N1.

Take a look here. We all know this one.

HARRIS: Oh, yes.

LEVS: It's iconic now. This is the miracle on the Hudson, when everyone managed to make it off that plane safely after they landed in the river. I mean, you can't look at that enough.

HARRIS: Well, it's still amazing when you think about it, yes.

LEVS: It's still amazing, what they achieved that day.

Take a look at a couple more here.

These are two from the Iranian disputed presidential election. You have some protesters here who are out on the streets afterwards and rallying in support of the reformist candidate.

And then here, these are demonstrators in the days after the election. And we all remember what that looked like.

HARRIS: Yes.

LEVS: Got a few more for you here. This is interesting because it's about the economy.

Do you remember several months ago, Tony, we were doing stories about how there were more and more tent cities sprouting up across America?

HARRIS: Oh, yes.

LEVS: This was one is in Seattle, because there were so many struggling people. These homeless people set up an encampment on Capitol Hill in Seattle living in a tent.

And a few more here.

This, I've never seen this. This is amazing.

This is a Ford plant in Detroit. This building was used as a storage facility. This is moss all along here taken by a photographer who says he's been documenting the decay of Detroit as it was once known.

HARRIS: That's a metaphor, isn't it?

LEVS: It's amazing. And let's do a few more here.

A couple people we lost. This is from the funeral of Senator Ted Kennedy. Two of his granddaughters hugging each other.

Here, a woman mourning the death of Michael Jackson. And you can see there she's clinging to a picture of him.

And then a little bit of a happier note, Tony. A couple nice pictures of some major figures in U.S. politics here, looking pretty happy.

This is Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vice President Joe Biden sharing a laugh together not too long ago, actually. This was during Obama's meeting with Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.

And finally, this, they're calling it a family portrait. This is newly appointed Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor posing with her mother, Selena, right after she was selected for the Supreme Court.

HARRIS: One of the big pictures tied to one of the big moments of the year.

LEVS: Yes. You know, you look back at this year and you're like, oh, yes, it's kind of like taking a little photo tour through the year.

HARRIS: It is.

LEVS: I'm going to make it easy for you. Let's show the graphic.

I'm going to post the best ones in a link for you. I'll get it going at the blog. I'll also go put it on Facebook and Twitter right now, JoshLevsCNN.

And, you know, Tony, it's something nice for people to do as we get closer to the end of the year. Just stop, take a look back, and say, oh, yes, look at all that's happened.

HARRIS: That is a nice tour through the year. Josh, appreciate it. Thank you.

LEVS: You got it.

HARRIS: Christmas in Iraq. American troops trying to find a way to keep the holiday spirit. And we will take you there live.

But first, we say thanks and Merry Christmas to the Georgia Boy Choir, with the sounds of the season on this Christmas Eve.

(GEORGIA BOY'S CHOIR SINGING "CAROL OF THE BELLS")

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is the Halring (ph) family from Kob Spiker (ph), wanting to wish all of our family in Ottawa, Illinois, a merry Christmas. Tristan (ph) and Kelly (ph), we love you very much.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Merry Christmas. Happy new year. We love you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Oh, boy, happy holidays.

Sadly, we have to report new attacks today in Iraq, killing more than two dozen mourners and pilgrims. Live now to CNN's Diana Magnay, who is north of Baghdad.

And, Diana, good to see you. What are you learning about these attacks?

DIANA MAGNAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Tony. Well, we're hearing that they mainly targeted the Shia population and -- including Shia pilgrims. And there is, of course, the Ashura festival going on right now, which is one of the holiest festivals for the Shiite faith. And that culminates this weekend.

So three attacks. One in Hillah City, south of Baghdad. Twenty- five wounded there and more than -- killed there, and more than 60 wounded. In Baghdad's Shadow City, reports of five dead and 22 wounded. And in southeastern Baghdad, another attack. All of these roadside bombs. And in the last attack, three dead and eight wounded.

Tony.

HARRIS: All right, Diana Magnay giving us a quick update on the violence in Iraq.

Diana, appreciate it. Thank you.

It is a creative way to fight world hunger. This empty bowl could help feed thousands.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Very nice. It is important to remember those in need and those helping during the holidays. That brings us to one of our faces of the story, the group so others might eat. For some, they're joining the Corcoran College of Art and Design to make 500 soup bowls. It is their way of raising money and awareness of hunger in the nation's capital. Photojournalist Jeremy Morehead (ph) talks with the artists.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm making a wonderful bowl to help raise money for feeding hungry people.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Trim the excess off.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're at Corcoran College, here at the Corcoran Art Gallery. The very first time I'm making a bowl in my life.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So I've got some fresh clay.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Amen.

In March we'll sell these bowls for our Empty Bowls event to help support feeding the hungry. Hunger is in our midst here in the nation's capital. We have 9,000 homeless people. Some serve well over 1,000 meals a day to people. Our goal is to walk the journey with people, to help people become independent. The holidays remind us of certainly giving thanks for what we have, but also the opportunities that we might have for reaching out to people that don't have.

BOB DEVERS, CORCORAN COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN: Anthropologists say that the earliest bowls were a mimicry of two hands holding together.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can't think of a better way to participate in feeding hungry people.

DEVERS: Two hands or a stomach, to give, to receive, and to hold and to consume.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And it's a very artistic symbol. We're really grateful for this partnership that we have this year. We have great, great artists and great people here that are interested in people in the city.

JEFF HERRITY, STUDENT, CORCORAN COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN: I mean it's representing having nothing and so I think prior to it being full, there's so many different things that can go into it. So today we're going to make upwards of around 500 bowls. We get the clay centered and then you start making the bowl form. It's good to just work with our community in any way we can. I mean not everybody can donate, so this is a great way for people to participate and contribute to an organization.

I think it's just really important, as an artist, to keep giving back to the community. It's not just a gift for somebody at Christmas. It's a gift for somebody you don't really know. And I think that's what's probably the most important thing, that we're really making this for somebody that needs it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: All right. And tune in to CNN's hour long special "Giving in Focus" on Christmas Day at 1:00 p.m. Eastern. You can also catch an encore presentation on December 26th at 3:00 p.m.

The mixing of religion and politics has created one of the fastest-growing lobbying groups in Washington. Details in just a moment. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

Senate Democrats, today, approved their landmark health reform bill. The 60-39 vote came after months of negotiation and partisan debate. It puts President Obama a step closer to victory on his top domestic priority. The Senate bill must now be merged with the House version.

American David Goldman is flying home today after gaining custody of his nine-year-old son, Sean. The boy was handed over to his father earlier today in Rio de Janeiro. The dad has been fighting for custody since 2004 when his wife took Sean on a vacation to her native Brazil and never returned. She remarried, but died last year in childbirth.

A former Louisiana construction worker is under arrest in the shooting deaths of two people and the wounding of a third person. Richard Matthews was wrestled to the ground at the construction company's offices in Baton Rouge. Asked about the shooting, Matthews replied, quote, "I couldn't get my unemployment. They wouldn't give me my unemployment."

OK. We want to get you back to Iraq now and CNN's Diana Magnay, who is with U.S. troops just north of Baghdad.

And, Diana, we're talking about U.S. troops who no doubt are thinking of home and their families on this Christmas Eve.

MAGNAY: Absolutely, Tony.

And I have with me Staff Sergeant Patrick Olsen, who's been speaking to his family already today. This is his third Christmas in Iraq.

How do you feel, a third time to be here, a third Christmas away from your family?

STAFF SGT. PATRICK OLSEN, 2ND BATTALION, 8TH CAVALRY, U.S. ARMY: Well, I mean, being away from your family on Christmas is, you know, nobody wants to be away from their family, but nothing's going on. It's uneventful, God willing. So, so far, so good.

MAGNAY: But a third Christmas. How has each Christmas been different? The third tour here? Have things improved? How do you feel (INAUDIBLE)?

OLSEN: Things have improved tremendously, as opposed to two years ago when there was significant acts of violence almost every day, compared to now where there's really hardly any. I mean the IA are really doing a great job.

MAGNAY: So night and day basically?

OLSEN: Night and day, absolutely.

MAGNAY: Do you think this will be your last Christmas?

OLSEN: Yes, this will be my last Christmas in Iraq. I'm on to bigger and better things.

MAGNAY: And you've spoken to your family already. Will you be speaking to them tomorrow?

OLSEN: Yes, yes, and later on tonight as well.

MAGNAY: Are you Skyping them? Do you have a web cam?

OLSEN: No. We have Sparware (ph), so I can just call them right up there at home. My wife's wrapping presents right now. I'm sure she's having fun doing that. She has her mother and her cousin, her aunt and my son's there as well.

MAGNAY: And this is a very small base. You know, we always get a sense of what it's like on these big bases at Christmas. You've got a turkey dinner coming up tomorrow. But give me a sense of what life on a small base like this is like on a day-to-day level?

OLSEN: It's very routine. It's very routine. Everybody does their job and it's just -- it's -- you go on patrol. You come back. You rest. You go out on another patrol. It's just, you know, anything -- it's routine this way. If anything happens, you know, we have, you know, assets ready to react to any situation that arises, any type of support that we need to provide for the Iraqi army. So it's pretty -- it's very routine.

MAGNAY: Thank you very much. Well, I hope you enjoy your turkey dinner tomorrow.

OLSEN: Thank you very much.

MAGNAY: Tony, of course, very important to note here that they are doing these joint patrols with the Iraqis as the role of U.S. forces here to support the Iraqi army.

HARRIS: Boy, Diana, he looked great. Give him our best and our best to all of our service personnel. He looks terrific. It's great to see him smiling like that.

Diana, appreciate it. Thank you.

It is a year most carmakers are glad to see almost behind them. The question, though, is will 2010 be any better?

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HARRIS: Well, it must be said the auto industry is probably happily closing the books on what's likely to go down as its worst year ever. So what can car buyers expect in the next year? Alison Kosik is in the cnnmoney.com newsroom in New York.

Alison, good to see you again. What's the outlook for 2010?

ALISON KOSIK, CNNMONEY.COM: Well, I'll tell you what, prices are probably going up, Tony, and although an awful year for automakers wound up creating some really sweet deals for consumers this year. And I'm talking about incentives worth $5,000, $6,000, even $7,000 on some cars. One analyst we talked to called it a once in a lifetime opportunity for buyers.

Next year, though, a different story. With sales expected to improve, prices will likely go higher. Edmunds.com is expecting an 11 percent sales increase to 11.5 million vehicles, but that's still not even close to the 16 million vehicles sold just a few years ago. So analysts expect the market will still be very price competitive next year, but you won't see another Cash for Clunkers incentive or the extraordinary deals that were available this year that we saw, Tony.

HARRIS: You never say never.

KOSIK: OK.

HARRIS: Alison, what about used cars? Are they going to be more affordable next year?

KOSIK: No such luck. You know, that's exactly what analysts are not predicting. In fact, Edmunds said used car prices are rising because there's limited inventory and pretty strong demand. I want you to check out these numbers. Take a look. The retail value of a three-year-old vehicle rose 4 percent this year. And prices for five and even 10-year-old cars, they jumped as well. Edmunds expects that trend to continue next year as supply will be tight.

There are fewer used cars available because in this economy people are holding on to their vehicles longer. There are also fewer vehicles coming off lease, and that's really a big supplier to used car lots. I want you to remember this, a lot of cars that would have ended up on used car lots were destroyed as part of the clunkers program.

So be careful if you're shopping used. Edmunds says the markups on some of those certified pre-owned vehicles can actually get pretty close to what you'd wind up paying for some new cars. So it's all about comparing, Tony, when you're shopping for that new car for you.

HARRIS: Yes, that makes sense. Yes, absolutely.

All right, Alison, good to see you again. Thanks you.

Nasty weather in the Midwest and the South, causing all kinds of travel trouble. We will check in once again with Chad Myers. The man.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello, this is Captain Brian Moran (ph). And I'd just like to wish my family and friends back in the quad cities happy holidays here from Drawridge (ph) Valley, Afghanistan. I hope you're doing well and wish you happy holidays. We'll see you soon. Love you.

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HARRIS: Still to come in the NEWSROOM, when you think of lobbyists, you probably don't think about religion. Do money and prayers go hand in hand?

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HARRIS: $2.5 billion spent on lobbying politicians in Washington this year alone. That's according to the Center of Responsive Politics. The money coming from more than 15,000 groups, thousands of individuals, including religious lobbyists. CNN's Kate Bolduan reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) SISTER MARGE CLARK, LOBBYIST: So I think at some point we do need to kind of go through question by question and I don't . . .

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Sister Marge Clark has been a nun for more than 46 years. She's also a registered lobbyists working just blocks from Capitol Hill.

CLARK: I think we're always looking through a faith lens. We're always looking at it from the cry of the poor.

BOLDUAN: Her firm, Network, considers itself a catholic social justice advocate, lobbying on issues and legislation ranging from immigration, to health care, fair pay, even F-22 fighter jet programs.

BOLDUAN (on camera): Why is it important to you to take your advocacy out of the church and on to Capitol Hill?

CLARK: Because the church can't change the systems. It's law that has to be changed.

BOLDUAN (voice-over): Sister Marge is far from unique. Political and religious experts say there has been a surge in religious lobbying in recent years, including Sikh, Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish and Muslim groups.

ALLEN HERTZKE, POLITICAL PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA: If you belong to a church or a synagogue or a temple or a mosque, chances are your denomination or your faith has a Washington office. It has become that broad.

BOLDUAN: Allen Hertzke is the author of a soon-to-be released Pew study on religious advocacy. He estimates the religious lobby is a multimillion dollar enterprise with more than 200 official and unofficial groups vying for influence in Washington. While the scope of religious lobbying may be modest compared to the entire lobbying industry, those who study money and politics add, it's very difficult to measure the muscle of faith.

And skeptics say that is a problem. What they see as undue influence these groups wield even as some maintain tax-exempt status.

BARRY LYNN, AMERICANS UNITED FOR SEPARATION OF CHURCH & STATE: I'm not saying that people don't have the right to make moral arguments to Congress, but Congress has to make its decisions, not based on pressure from any church, but on the basis of the constitutional values of all of us.

BOLDUAN: So, is the line separating church and state beginning to blur? Sister Marge says, not at all.

CLARK: Jesus was a political activist. He was trying to change unjust systems. And I think that's one of the ties for being a lobbyist.

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HARRIS: And we are pushing forward now with the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM with that man, Richard Lui!