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Video Released of Terrorist States His Motives for Attack in Afghanistan; Homeless Shelters Seeing Significant Increase Due to Cold Weather; Consumer Electronics Show Displays Latest Devices; Free Legal Advice for Victims of Domestic Violence

Aired January 09, 2010 - 10:00   ET

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

T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: You good? You ready now?

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: I still had my badge on.

HOLMES: It's all right.

NGUYEN: I guess it's pretty apparent that I work here, right?

HOLMES: No, sometimes we forget who you are and we need to check the name badge ...

NGUYEN: To make sure.

HOLMES: ...for people that don't know you. That's Betty, though.

NGUYEN: I'm legit.

HOLMES: By the way, that is Betty Nguyen. I'm T.J. Holmes. This is CNN SATURDAY MORNING for January 9th. Glad you could be here with us.

NGUYEN: Thanks for being here with us. It's 10:00 a.m. in Atlanta, 7:00 a.m. in Seattle, Washington.

So, you know, while you were sleeping there's been a disturbing new development in the suicide attack that killed seven CIA workers in Afghanistan last month. Before the attack, the suspected bomber made a tape detailing his motives. And we'll have a live report on that in just a minute.

HOLMES: Also, terrorism on the minds of people here at home, as well. The suspect in that Christmas Day bombing attempt aboard a Northwest airplane had his day in court yesterday. We've got the details on that appearance and also where we're going now in this case.

NGUYEN: And then, of course, there is the sound that no driver ever wants to hear. Oh, right there. Wrecks like this all across the south thanks to a wicked streak of icy, frigid weather.

Just part of the damage sweeping the country in this deep freeze, and we're going to get more on these temperatures because, listen up, folks, they are still going down. It is not over. We're going to bring you the latest from the weather center coming right up.

HOLMES: We want to start this morning with new video we are just getting a look at this morning. This comes from the Taliban in Pakistan. The Jordanian doctor believed to have carried out that suicide attack that killed seven CIA employees in Afghanistan claims revenge is the motive. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HUMAM AL-BALAWI: We will never forget the blood of our leader, Baitullah Mehsud, may god have mercy on his soul. It will remain that we take revenge for his death inside America and outside America. There's a trust on every person who left everything for the sake of god who Baitullah Mehsud supported.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: You hear him them making references to Baitullah Mehsud, the former leader of the Taliban in Pakistan. He was killed last summer.

Nic Robertson had been talking with Haman Albalawi, he's the suspected bomber, talking with his family, joining us now from Amman, Jordan. Nic, hello to you. And it leaves a lot of people scratching their heads that the family is not denying it, not necessarily saying he didn't do it. Instead, some are actually proud of it.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: His wife has said she is proud of him. I spoke to his father a little while ago. He said he was very upset. He said he was upset about the people that had done this to his son. He implied people essentially brainwashed him.

But when we asked him, you know, who do you mean here specifically, he wasn't very clear. He seems to be implying that he thinks the intelligence agencies were trying to run his son as an agent to get inside Al Qaeda are responsible for what happened.

He was asked whether or not what he thought about the fact that people were killed by his son. He said if there were civilians killed then I would be absolutely angry about it. That's not the way I brought up my son. But they were people in essentially military operations officers, and for that reason he says he's not going to criticize his son.

But he was nevertheless a father still in distress because until now they've never really, really known for sure exactly what happened, and they've heard a lot of different stories.

Now they've actually heard directly from the son who was also very clear in this statement as a warning for intelligence agencies just how hard it is to get into Al Qaeda, because the son is saying it doesn't matter how much money we're offered, we're not going to break our faith with god. And that was a direct message, he said, for the CIA and the Jordanian intelligence who were running him as a operative in Pakistan. T.J.? HOLMES: Nic Robertson for us in Amman, Jordan. Nic, thank you.

NGUYEN: The young Nigerian man accused of trying to blow up a Northwest flight over Michigan on Christmas day has pleaded not guilty. Security was tight in Detroit at the plea hearing yesterday for Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. At least three police dogs were inside that courtroom. Security guards covered the doors.

The hearing, though, took less than ten minutes.

HOLMES: Would you believe a hug and a kiss can lead to an arrest? It led New Jersey police to arrest a 28-year-old grad student from China in connection with Sunday's breach of security at Newark airport.

Take a look at the video here of the suspect. This is him being taken into custody at his home in New Jersey. This was yesterday. He now faces a charge of defiant trespass.

Airport officials say he walked the wrong way through an airport security exit to greet a woman. The man's roommate told CNN he was excited to see his girlfriend. That incident, though, prompted authorities to shut down a terminal for hours and rescreen all the passengers there.

NGUYEN: Well, freezing temperatures are being blamed for at least nine deaths in the U.S. so far this week. These pictures now from Nebraska, where people are being warned to stay indoors. The fear there is hypothermia because temperatures are staying around zero today.

And it is snowing in Florida this morning near Tampa. The low temperatures there this week are causing millions of dollars in damage to crops. Many of you will feel it through higher prices at the supermarket.

And we want you to check out the conditions right here in Atlanta, Georgia. Boom -- not what you want to see or experience on the roadways here, icy streets all over causing all kinds of problems, in fact, for drivers.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HOLMES: The cold hard on a lot of folks. A lot of people complain about how cold they are. But a lot of times you might have to just walk from your house to your car or from your car into the office.

But can you imagine having to live out in it? The homeless right now are exposed to these elements. CNN's Catherine Callaway joins us live from the Gateway Shelter here in Atlanta. Good morning to you. I can't imagine what a lot of people are having to go through out there, trying to find somewhere to stay warm outside.

CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's definitely the hardest for those who not only are homeless but also, T.J., may be living someplace that is not adequately heated. They don't have all the facilities they need to stay safe in this type of -- it was 15 degrees when we drove up this morning, and we are here at the gateway center.

And as you can see, it is packed and has been since we arrived this morning. They were able to have a nice breakfast, and now they're just staying here because of the weather.

And as you can see behind me, lots of families here, unfortunately. You see these adorable children. They're actually playing with -- the volunteers are playing with them. There are several here from out of state working in the center. And I'll tell you more about that in a moment.

But we're going to pan over here to where a lot of the people are just huddled together here watching television, CNN, of course, and trying to stay warm. It's just not safe out there when the wind chill factor is where it is right now.

We are seeing about 500 people here, and right now I'm going to bring in Vince Smith. He is the executive director of the Gateway center -- 500 people, but this morning we had much more than that. You're seeing quite an increase in this, not only because of the economy, but this cold weather is really bringing in people that you normally wouldn't have here.

VINCE SMITH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GATEWAY CENTER: Absolutely. We've seen a 20 percent increase just due to the cold. And individuals that would find themselves in places that most of us would say aren't meant for habitation have gravitated to the Gateway center and shared in the wonderful breakfast this morning provided by volunteers and other services.

CALLAWAY: We should mention that this facility is not just one floor. There are several floors. We have a family center next door. There's many people there today.

But you said bad situation, bad, perfect storm combination of economy tanking, many people out of jobs that may have had them a year or so ago, now we have this freezing cold weather. But you're trying to make lemonade out of lemons. Tell us what you mean by that.

SMITH: This cold weather gives us an opportunity to deepen our relationship, build the relationship with individuals and help them to focus on how they can get out of their homelessness.

We have more time with the homeless, and that opportunity gives us a wonderful privilege to talk with them about programs and services that are offered here that move people out of homelessness.

CALLAWAY: Thank you so much, Mr. Smith.

They not only provide a warm place to rest and food, showers, but they have many programs to try to get people out of the situation that they're in. And T.J. and Betty, they're able with this cold weather to spend more time with them. Normally they're in and they're out, but they're able to actually move them into another part of the building that they're able to talk with them more, show them what's available to try to get them back on the road to not be homeless.

And want to tell you before I go the people in the green headbands that you see here were here to work on another mission, but because of the cold weather were diverted here to the gateway center to help with the families.

HOLMES: We can see that help going on. Maybe some good will come out of it. Like you said, they get to spend more time there. Everybody in the newsroom just lit up. That little girl behind you playing with the volunteer's hair, she's just the cutest little thing. We're watching her back there.

NGUYEN: She moved on to another one. It's beauty shop in the building.

HOLMES: That is the cutest little thing we've been watching there. Catherine, thank you so much, and some good certainly coming out of what's happened the other day.

NGUYEN: I see a career in the making for that little one, right?

HOLMES: That was the cutest little thing.

Coming up here, we're going to be sharing with you some gadgets, some new things.

NGUYEN: These are cool.

CALLAWAY: Yes. We've been looking at some of this stuff. We're going to be buying in the future.

NGUYEN: One of them, you may not want T.J. to have if he's your neighbor. We'll explain in a little bit. Josh Levs, here's a look at it.

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You are going to be able to get one of these. I'm going to show you. We have some new information for you, how much it costs, where you'll be able to get it, and folks, watch out for it, because it can see and hear you even if you're not right underneath it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: All right. So how would you like a floating camera that you control with your iPhone?

HOLMES: Yes, I will take it.

NGUYEN: You like this. How about a keyboard that appears just about anywhere you want it to be?

HOLMES: Like where?

NGUYEN: Like ... HOLMES: Like what?

NGUYEN: Away from your computer. Look, I'm no expert at this. Why are you asking me these questions? Josh Levs is here with the latest on the greatest electronics that are out there on the market. Hey, Josh.

LEVS: I like that -- "like where?"

I'll show you how it works. Take a look at this. Everyone is talking about it. This is a consumer electronics show in Las Vegas. This is it. The whole world is talking about it now. The AR drone from a French company called Paret (ph).

You can play games with it. You have a controller that comes along with it. But you can also sync it to your iPhone or to another phone and control it that way. And there are various ways to use this.

One thing you can do with it is mount a camera on it, also mount listening devices, and people are talking about the big brotherishness of it all. You can do things with advanced cameras, but there are more fun and innocent ways to use it like fun and games with your friends.

Not available in stores yet, but when it is this summer, they're saying it will cost less than $500, which means pretty much anyone will be able to get away with one of those.

Let's take a look at the next thing here, the 3-D TV. We have some video of that. We have some prices on this for you, as well. Mitsubishi is talking about having one out that's $5,000. And our folks at CNN money are saying it's possible that there could be an 82- inch 3-D TV set this year that falls below the $3,000 mark.

So that's becoming more affordable to people who would want that in the first place. Of course there aren't that many 3-D programs yet but networks are apparently building more.

And one more video. This is from Lenovo. It's a laptop in which you can remove monitor. You're able to take that with you, and it becomes a touch screen. So there a lot you can do with it as a tablet, and then you can plug it back into your computer. And the price under $1,000 when this goes on sale.

So a lot of these in the more affordable range, not that people have thousands of bucks sitting around, but people are still spending on technology, even in this economy.

Let me show you how you can see that and a lot more. CNN.com and folks at CNNmoney.com have put together a great spread here. This is what Betty and T.J. were talking about, most portable keyboard ever. See the hand, how it looks like it's touching keys? There's actually nothing there.

This is a laser system right here. It projects a keyboard, and wherever you are, you can project it onto a surface. Potentially someday you could project it into the air. This is one thing they unveiled at the CES this year. You don't need a keyboard. If this works, you can move your fingers around and the laser reads your fingers and you're typing without touching anything in the real world.

Two more things to show you. This Android phone from Google might allow you to make video calls this year. Look at your friends at the same time.

We can end on this one. Live TV in your car. T.J., I bet you like that. They're coming up with a special broadcast service that will send games and other programming directly to this kind of a device so you don't lose it while you're traveling. You can see continuously.

All that stuff for you, CNN.com/josh.

HOLMES: It's not enough, Betty, that I tweet and e-mail and on the phone and working on navigation while I'm driving.

NGUYEN: Now you can watch live television.

LEVS: Not while you're driving.

NGUYEN: There is that, of course.

Let's get back to the drone because can you imagine once the paparazzi gets a hold of these? They are going to be swarming all over L.A.

LEVS: I'm wondering if they'll make one strong enough that you can put your hands on it and fly.

NGUYEN: Oh, my goodness. That's for next year's consumer electronics show.

LEVS: The 2011 CES, here it comes.

NGUYEN: All right, see you, Josh.

LEVS: Thanks, guys.

NGUYEN: There are more cases of airline passengers behaving badly.

HOLMES: Yes, not just one, not just two. We have several, but a couple in particular we'll focus on and tell you about. We'll tell you exactly what happened and where it happened.

NGUYEN: Also, she is a trucker, an attorney, and now a CNN hero. One woman's crusade to stop domestic violence.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Checking our top stories right now, there is some new video from the Taliban in Pakistan. Take a look at it right there. And what it shows is the suicide bomber believed to have killed seven CIA employees last month in Afghanistan.

The guy's name is Humam al Balawi, and what he's doing on this tape is vowing revenge for the killing of a Taliban leader in Pakistan. He died in a missile strike last August. We're going to continue to follow this story and bring you the latest.

HOLMES: Well, it seems we are seeing more and more incidents of airline passengers behaving badly. On Wednesday, officials detained one passenger on board a Hawaiian Airlines plane whose behavior got so bad the plane was forced to return to Portland.

You're seeing some video of one of the passengers took, a fellow passenger, seeing the guy there. The federal complaint says the man gave threatening note to an airline attendant. He is expected to surrender to airline authorities on Monday.

Also yesterday, a plane was rerouted after another incident with a passenger. An airline spokesman said the man got mad, appeared to be drunk, and refused to leave the bathroom. Both planes were escorted back by military jets.

NGUYEN: Vice President Joe Biden's mother has died. Catherine Eugenia Finnegan Biden died yesterday at the family home in Wilmington, Delaware. She was surrounded by friends and family. Mrs. Biden was 92 years old.

HOLMES: It was a short stint for president Obama as the model for the Weatherproof garment company. Have you heard this story? There was a big billboard, an ad, put up at Times Square, there it is. This is the Weatherproof garment company. This was their advertisement. It was up earlier this week.

The company licensed the photo of the president who was wearing one of their jackets. They got the pic from the AO and they planned to leave the ad up for some months along with the second one in midtown Manhattan.

But yesterday a spokesperson said after a cordial chat with the White House counsel, the ads will be removed in, quote, "an expeditious manner." Nothing like a chat with the White House counsel.

NGUYEN: A cordial chat. Apparently that's the way you get it done, and quickly, right? Yes, I'd like to have heard that phone call.

Well, for three years we've been proud to introduce you to CNN heroes, everyday people making a world of difference. Our first CNN hero in 2010 is a trucker turned lawyer helping domestic abuse victims in Vermont. Her name is Wynona Ward, and her motto -- "have justice, will travel."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WYNONA WARD, PROTECTING THE POWERLESS: When I was growing up to a rural back road, family violence was an accepted way of life. This is my mother and I am the baby, and my father and brother, Richard, and sister.

WARD: My father would commonly abuse all of us. He raped me and beat my mother and my other siblings. When the neighbors heard screaming coming from our home, they just turned their heads.

For domestic violence victims in rural areas, it can be very devastating. They're out there on the back roads with no access to in town services. Many of them do not have telephones. Some of them do not have a driver's license or an automobile, so we go to them.

My name is Wynona Ward. The turning point for me was when a child in my family revealed she had been abused by my father and my brother. I just said, this has to stop.

When I graduated from law school, I was 48 years old.

Good morning, my dear.

I go to peoples' homes and give them in home consultations, provide them with free legal services and transportation to and from court hearings. I don't want children to have to go through what I did as a child. I want to see my clients become empowered. I can understand them, and they know that I will be there to protect them.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: And CNN hero nominations are open now for 2010. So if you know someone who is protecting the powerless or defending the planet, let us know. Fill out a nomination form online at CNN.com/heroes.

HOLMES: Parents in California now have more power when it comes to their kids' education and who's doing the teaching. They now have a greater say on firing the teachers if they're not making the grade.

NGUYEN: Yes. It takes it to a whole different level. We're going to be talking about that.

Also, two men are arrested and charged with planning terror in New York, one of them appearing in court today.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Good morning, everybody, on this Saturday. I'm sure it's quite cold where you are unless you're in southern California. I'm Betty Nguyen.

HOLMES: And hello to you all. I'm T.J. Holmes.

NGUYEN: Just out this morning, a new video from the Taliban in Pakistan. It shows the suicide bomber believed to have killed seven CIA employees last month in Afghanistan.

And on this tape Human al Balawi vows revenge for the killing of a Taliban leader in Pakistan. Al Balawi's brother in Jordan confirms to CNN that the man seen in this video is, indeed, him.

HOLMES: Two men also under arrest in connection with a New York terror plot. One of them is a New York City cabdriver. The other is a Bosnian immigrant who is expected in court today. He was caught after a traffic incident. We have CNN national correspondent Susan Candiotti with the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Law enforcement sources say Adis Medunjanin crashed into another car while the FBI's terror task force was tailing him. The sources say he was going faster and faster before he rear ended another car.

Just before the wreck, sources tell CNN Medunjanin inexplicably called 911. Before Thursday's accident, the FBI had served a search warrant at Medunjanin's home to get his passport. They said he voluntarily turned it over.

After the FBI left, his family says he took off. Agents were following him. His attorney says he does not know why authorities moved against his client.

CANDIOTTI (on camera): Do you have any idea why they wanted to seize his passport now?

ROBERT GOTTLIEB, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I have absolutely no idea.

CANDIOTTI (voice-over): Law enforcement sources say after he was treated for minor injuries, he agreed to questioning. Hours later, he was arrested. His attorneys said authorities were on notice to call him before any questioning, but they did not.

GOTTLIEB: This is not a joke. This is not something to look the other way when basic constitutional rights are violated. It was a despicable display of what is going on in this country by certain people, not everybody. In this case, shame on them.

CANDIOTTI: After Medunjanin was taken into custody, another man, New York cabdriver Zarein Ahmedzay was arrested. Law enforcement sources describe both men as friends of Najibullah Zazi. He's pleaded not guilty to buying and testing bomb making ingredients with the aim of blowing up a New York area target. It's been called the biggest post-9/11 terror investigation.

Last fall the homes of both men were searched and his attorney says Medunjanin was questioned for 14 hours. Agents made no secret they were following the two men. Sources say the surveillance never stopped.

JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: The very nature of anti-terrorism investigations is that there is long-term surveillance of people under suspicion. Often that leads to nothing. Sometimes it can lead to a mother lode of evidence that people were up to no good.

CANDIOTTI: Medunjanin's attorney says he has nothing to hide. GOTTLIEB: He denied being involved in any terrorist activities. He spoke to them for countless hours explaining his relationships and that he's not involved in terror.

CANDIOTTI (on camera): A law enforcement source tells CNN Medunjanin is expected to be indicted on a conspiracy count and receiving military training from a foreign terrorist organization. His arraignment is scheduled for Saturday.

Susan Candiotti, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: Up next, parents in California now with more power when it comes to their kids' education, including who is doing the teaching.

NGUYEN: Right. Think now have a greater say on the firing teachers if they don't make the grade.

Also, we'll explain the ugly side of a website meant for very pretty people.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Welcome back, everybody.

Parents in California now have more power when it comes to their children's education thanks to new legislation passed by Governor Schwarzenegger. It not only increases the state's eligibility for federal grants, but, listen to this, parents can now transfer their children out of schools, petition changes, which includes getting teachers and principals fired.

Teachers' unions and groups are highly opposed to this. So we want to talk more about it, and we want to turn to our education contributor Steve Perry. I know you have an opinion about this, so let me start with yours. Is this legislation a good idea?

STEVE PERRY, CNN EDUCATION CONTRIBUTOR: It's absolutely a good idea. It comes out of the race to the top effort that the president's making. He's right on with that.

We need to give parents more power. The only people who are ever opposed to any progress are the teachers' unions. Are we surprised that they're against parents have more say as to what happens to their children? If the parents don't have say, then who should?

NGUYEN: But isn't it also the parents' responsibility, too? Should all of this fall solely on the teacher and the principal to which they could be fired if the grades don't come home and is not what the parents' want them to be?

PERRY: I don't think we're necessarily talking about grades, As or Bs. I think we're talking about overall performance on standardized texts and other measures of performance of whether or not the schools is effective.

The principal is the most important public employee the child will ever meet, followed by the teacher. Too many of our schools are run by people who simply can't run schools. They might have been good teachers and nice people, but they're sorry principals. They don't have the capacity to lead an organization, a specifically a building.

So what happens is the building languishes and the children's performance suffers. We don't have any more time, we don't have any more children to lose. We've lost almost an entire generation because we have schools that are horrible. At some point, somebody has to be held accountable.

We can say parent, parent, parent, but the parents are not employed by the community. The parents are there. We cannot take their children away from them. We can, however, take the opportunity to work in public schools away from people who can't do the job.

NGUYEN: Doesn't this, Steve, open the door to say a parent who doesn't like a particular way of teaching or just doesn't like a particular teacher or principal to say, you know what, I'm going to get that person fired? What kind of recourse do teachers and principals have under this?

PERRY: It absolutely does, and nothing should be done in a capricious manner. There should be a method that is identified and accepted by all parties and then go forward from there.

A school should have a board that has members of the community, some of the faculty, as well as the parents who are there, and they're making these decisions. These are public schools with public money and our children in them. The public should have a say.

NGUYEN: Let's talk about that money for just a second because I want to read you something from the California Teachers' Union. It says "If it was not for the money that you are chasing in this onetime application, speaking to the governor, would you have seriously considered taking such an expeditious, such a short-circuited and ill- considered approach?"

That's from Patricia Rucker of the California Teachers' Association. So, Steve, is this really all about money?

PERRY: We're talking about money, not money to build him a bigger pad. We're talking about money to run schools more effectively. So, yes, he should go after it. This is grant money, this is title I money, money that's used to run the school to pay their salaries so they can live in the suburbs and teach in the hood. This is the money that's essential to the organization itself.

So, yes, he should have made these decisions. And if they don't want to always be the ones who were coming after them, they should come in under the tent and they should come up with some solutions as opposed to always reacting to the solutions that the community comes up with.

NGUYEN: Speaking of that money, California stands to get as much as $700 million from the Obama administration.

PERRY: Yes. He should definitely chase that money, all day.

NGUYEN: Steve Perry, breaking it down like you always do. We appreciate it. Thank you, Steve.

PERRY: My pleasure.

HOLMES: We got to find a way to get Steve to open up a little bit.

NGUYEN: Come out of his shell.

HOLMES: He's still a little shy, still falling into the role of CNN contributor. That's OK. He'll figure it out.

NGUYEN: It takes a little time.

HOLMES: He's a good friend of ours so we give him a hard time. He always great.

Coming up next, Gilbert and the guns. Yes, the NBA star, now this whole controversy started out light, and now it's some serious business.

NGUYEN: No joke, and now his teammates has actually gotten stuck in a situation, as well. We look at the legal side of this hot button sports story.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Our top stories right now.

A New York cabdriver pleads not guilty in connection with an alleged terrorist plot. Zarein Ahmedzay was indicted on allegations he lied to a federal agent. Police arrested him on Thursday along with a second man who is due in court today according to the Associated Press.

Authorities believe they're both linked to Najibullah Zazi, who is accused of planting a bomb in New York on the anniversary of the September 11th attacks.

President Obama is talking health in his weekly message to the country and is emphasizing the changes to insurance plans.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Insurance plans will be required to offer free preventative care to their customers so we can start catching preventable diseases and illnesses on the front end.

They'll no longer be allowed to impose restrictive annual limits on the amount of coverage you receive or lifetime limits on the amount of benefits you receive. They'll be prohibited from dropping your coverage when you get sick and need it most. And there will be a new independent appeals process for anyone who feels they were unfairly denied a claim by their insurance company.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: President Obama also said reform will mean costs for health care will come down for families, businesses, and state governments. If the president gets his way, the most sweeping change to the country's medical system could be law by next month.

NGUYEN: Well, we don't need to tell you about the increased scrutiny passengers are being subjected to when they fly. You already know that, many of you flying a lot these days.

But do you know that your feet are being subjected -- or what they're being subjected to when you go through the airport security? Well, Isha Teshbar (ph) has some tips on how to put your best foot forward when you are "On the Go."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ISHA TESHBAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know the drill. Before going through security at the airport, you have to remove your shoes. But it may be risky.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I certainly have concerns about being barefoot at the security terminals at the airports.

TESHBAR: Podiatrists Dr. Perry Julian say some foot problems can be passed from one person to another.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are so many things that could happen with somebody walking barefoot around those terminals, conditions such as athlete's foot, bacterial infections, even warts.

TESHBAR: Dr. Julian says cover your feet.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think as long as there are some barriers, certainly a thicker sock would be better, but even nylon hose is a better barrier than being barefoot.

TESHBAR: And walking around shoeless at airport security exposes your feet to other hazards.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My biggest concern, somebody dropping a bag on somebody's foot without the protection of footwear.

TESHBAR: A good reason to stay on your toes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: All right, surely you've heard this story by now. Gilbert Arenas, an NBA all-star, superstar in the league with a $100 million-plus contract, has been suspended indefinitely after some kind of altercation he got into in his locker room with one of his teammates in which he brandished guns.

He apparently brought the guns to the locker room unloaded, but still brought them there.

Now, he is under investigation by all kinds of folks -- the police, the feds -- about the guns. And, again, he has been suspended indefinitely without pay.

We're going to get some insight on this, some legal insight and also some inside knowledge, if you will, as well, from a couple guys here.

Let me show you who we've got here. You'll recognize both of them. One, Turner Sports analyst Kenny "the Jet" Smith, who knows Arenas from covering basketball all these years, also retired from the league, and Avery Freedman with us, one of our legal analysts.

Avery, I'm going to get to you in a second with some of the legal questions. Kenny, let me bring you in here. You know just about all these guys from covering the league and being in the league so long. He is known as being kind of a quirky guy, kind of a little different, a little off, but still fun and certainly a jokester.

But what he has done since all this came out about him having guns, have you been surprised by some of his behavior since?

KENNY SMITH, SPORTS ANALYST: Well, I think I'm surprised at the behavior because it shows a lack of -- being insensitive and being a little immature.

But it also makes me laugh when these stories become big, because people don't realize or they think that because you're in a certain income bracket, because you can catch a pass or catch a basketball or shoot a basketball, that you are alleviated from all the ills of society, guns, teen pregnancy or infidelity.

It doesn't stop when it hits the arena those social issues that go on outside of the arena.

HOLMES: Do you think sometimes people rightly or wrongly still hold athletes and these guys, these stars, to a standard that sometimes you think maybe is unreasonable?

SMITH: Well, if you don't change who you are when you're able to get a big contract or you're able to shoot a basketball. It just gives you more access to who you are and what you want to do. It really doesn't change your character that much at all or at all. I think the one thing that we have to understand is that.

What he did was immature. It was reckless because it's kind of like drunk driving. It's not what happened, it's what could have happened by bringing those guns into the arena. HOLMES: So what's going to happen or what should happen to this young fellow? And is he in a position now where David Stern has another issue -- the last thing you want in a sentence is "NBA and guns" if you're the NBA commissioner. Is he going to have to come down so hard on this young fellow? I mean, what can you imagine the punishment will be beyond this indefinite suspension?

SMITH: Well, I think there's definitely going to be big consequences, but I think also, in regard to Gilbert, I they lot of times the NBA -- I don't know if it's fair or unfair -- kind of gets lumped in together when there's one player that does something wrong.

I think in other sports, you think about the Plaxico incident in the NFL, it was a Plaxico incident. It really wasn't an NFL with guns. So I think that the NBA fairly or unfairly gets treated that way, but in the same sense, he needs to come down, and there's going to be some serious consequences, and deservedly so.

HOLMES: Also you think because it's lumped in, but we've seen several incidents -- it's a smaller club certainly from the NFL, the NBA has so fewer guys. You go from Sebastian Telfair, Jayson Williams, Stephen Jackson, so many of them and such a smaller group of guys.

Some people think it's some kind of a mentality in the NBA, but you tell me as a former player -- and you hear players say this -- that when we go out, we are targets. Do you buy that? Is that the truth, that some of these guys feel the need they have to protect themselves when they go out?

SMITH: Well, let's be honest. Most of these young guys are one degree of separation from wealth. So their friends, their associates, their family still don't live in the same neighborhoods or have the same social standards that they have or have to live by. So I can imagine, yes, they do feel like they're a target.

But there's a responsibility. There's nothing wrong with carrying -- nothing illegal about carrying a registered handgun. But bringing it to your workplace and pulling it out in the locker room with your teammates, that's immaturity, and that's something wrong with that.

So you can't separate the two because, yes, you can feel like a target but you have to be responsible when you feel that way.

HOLMES: And Avery, I hear you trying to get in here. So it doesn't matter the intent, if it was malicious intent or not with the guns. He still did something stupid, but you're saying he did something illegal.

What are the rules there in D.C. for having handguns after the Supreme Court essentially struck down the handgun ban there a few years ago?

AVERY FRIEDMAN, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: Well, they struck down part of it, T.J. But actually Kenny teed up the very issue that you're asking, and that is that, and you can go to the computer, 4504 of the D.C. code makes it a misdemeanor if you bring a gun in if you don't have a license -- if you have a license.

If you don't have a license, T.J., that is a felony. And the most serious thing we're looking at right now, four guns, four felonies, maximum 20 years in the penitentiary. So you're not getting around that.

HOLMES: Each gun is a separate felony?

FRIEDMAN: Each gun is a separate felony under D.C. code. This is an enormous -- as serious as a heart attack, T.J. There's no getting around it.

HOLMES: How can you go about it, then because it sounds at least he admitted it, that he made a mistake and stored the guns there. Is there any way around it to plea? Is he going to have to go to jail?

FRIEDMAN: I hope not, but the fact is the release came out from his attorney who's a former United States attorney for the District of Columbia. There's damage control.

The problem is especially complicated, T.J., because Gilbert has a former -- or a previous weapons conviction which fits into the formula. He may be looking at jail. I think it's very, very serious.

HOLMES: Your prediction -- last thing -- your prediction -- from what you know of this case, what's going to happen to this young fellow?

FRIEDMAN: He's got a problem. He might be looking at jail.

HOLMES: Avery Friedman, civil rights attorney, one of our legal analysts, always good to have you on.

FRIEDMAN: Good to be with you, T.J.

HOLMES: Kenny, look forward to seeing you back on TNT. You guys are back next week? You were off this week, right?

SMITH: We're back next week. The bowl game was last week, but we'll be back.

HOLMES: Gentlemen, appreciate it. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

All right. Going to have another check of the morning's big stories at the top of the hour, a whole lot more ahead here on CNN Saturday morning. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: I'll just start the story like that -- beautiful people...

NGUYEN: Yes. HOLMES: ... showing their ugly side. Now, this is just odd anyway. A lot of people have heard this. And these are self- proclaimed beautiful folks, by the way. But there's a Web site, a dating Web site, called beautifulpeople.com.

NGUYEN: That's enticing.

HOLMES: I tried to get on this thing. I was rejected.

NGUYEN: You didn't pass?

HOLMES: I did not.

NGUYEN: To keep up appearances they're getting rid of what they consider to be dead weight, AKA, 5,000 members who is picked up, shall we say, a few pounds over the holidays. Jeanne Moos has the skinny on this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Sure you can tell everyone where to stand. But getting kids to stand still, good luck.

SEN. CHRIS DODD, (D) CONNECTICUT: I'm still driven by the same passions.

MOOS: We were more interested in what Senator Chris Dodd's daughter was whispering.

DODD: So many years ago.

MOOS: Than we were in his speech. Four-year-old Christine had her hand on dad's shoulder.

DODD: Wishing that I could have seen ...

MOOS: And on mom's nose.

DODD: The political shape of my career.

MOOS: And check out the older daughter going gaga at the mention of her name.

DODD: These young children of mine, Grace, who's eight ...

MOOS: When her dad kisses her, she wipes it off. Judging from her parting words, Grace would rather be saying grace.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm starving. I'm starving. I'm starving.

MOOS: But beware what they eat, the man voters picked to be New Jersey's next governor wasn't the only thing picked at his acceptance speech.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... to fix every problem. They just want to give a hand up. MOOS: We've seen enough of the lieutenant governor elect's son getting his hand up. Remember Chief Justice John Roberts' son? He made the papers for escaping his mom's clutches and crawling around as the president introduced his dad.

GEORGE W. BUSH, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: He's an honors graduate of both Harvard College and Harvard Law School.

MOOS: Young Jack graduated to hand signals and fancy footwork.

BUSH: After he was nominated for the court of appeals in 2001 ...

MOOS: Eventually, Jack had to be marched off the stage.

BUSH: I received good advice from Republicans and Democrats.

MOOS: Even older kids can't stand still. Letterman made this kid famous.

BUSH: Worried about the quality of the place in which you live. We stand for the fair treatment of faith-based groups receiving federal support ...

MOOS: Of course there was Rudy Giuliani's son, all grown up now, but will he ever live down his dad's swearing in as mayor, blowing kisses, joining in the oath?

You know, it's one thing when your kids steal the show, but how about when it's a couple of koalas? Tennis star Andy Roddick was talking to reporters at an Australian koala sanctuary. Who cares about the tennis court when you can watch koalas courting?

Jeanne Moos, CNN. New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Where do we begin? That obviously was not the right piece about the beautiful people and the Web site. We're going to try to get that for you. Not being told exactly when that will come, but in all transparency, we will try.

HOLMES: But instead we gave you koalas humping. That's what we decided to do instead.

(LAUGHTER)

NGUYEN: It was not our decision.

HOLMES: Forgive us, folks. We just got a few numbers mixed up. We'll get it corrected. We'll get you the right piece.

NGUYEN: Hey, it was a technical difficulty. It's live TV. What can you say? Right?

HOLMES: Yes, stay with us.