Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
Privacy Versus Public Safety; Icy Crashes in Minnesota; Bieber Fever; Privacy Vs Public Safety; Cyndi Lauper Raises AIDS Awareness; Miners Rescued in China
Aired November 22, 2010 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JIM ACOSTA, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. It is Monday, November 22nd. And it's sort after new look here at AMERICAN MORNING.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, when the new music plays, I wonder, what show is coming on? What's up?
ACOSTA: It's this show actually.
CHETRY: You can also --
ACOSTA: And the music sounds quite nice and you can take look at the set there. We did a little painting over the weekend.
CHETRY: That was a quick paint job, huh?
ACOSTA: Kiran working the roller, which was quite nice. I thought that was Kiran.
CHETRY: That's right. I'm known for cornering. I don't accidentally hit the ceiling, so they brought me in.
ACOSTA: And, you know, we peeled off the blue tape JUST minutes before the show. So, I hope that looks good.
CHETRY: Well, good to have you with us this morning.
ACOSTA: Good to be with you.
CHETRY: John is on assignment. I'm Kiran Chetry. Thanks for being with us.
We have a lot to talk about this morning. It is, of course, the beginning of what will be one of the busiest travel weeks of the entire year. As you know, there is a lot of talk what's going on at airports.
ACOSTA: Oh, yes.
CHETRY: The TSA sending some mixed signals when it comes to continuing the controversial enhanced pat down procedures. For now, passenger privacy is taking a backseat to safety and it has a lot of air travelers angry.
ACOSTA: Heads up, freezing rain turning roads in the Twin Cities into ice skating rinks. Hundreds of crashes reported and dozen involving injuries and one death. A new freezing rain advisory has been issued for today.
CHETRY: Cyndi Lauper, Lady Gaga, they put their lips together to help people leaving with HIV/AIDS. We mean they're selling lipsticks. We're going to talk to Cyndi Lauper live about her new charity work and how you can get involved.
ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.
ACOSTA: But we begin the hour with a CNN security watch and breaking news from Berlin, Germany, where officials have closed off part of the Reichstag parliament building to the public. Over the weekend, German police denied reports that terrorists might be planning a strike on the building.
CHETRY: Yes. Police insist that there is no specific threat that exists. Right now, the public is restricted, though, from entering the parliament's rooftop terrace for security reasons.
ACOSTA: And if you happen to be flying this holiday week, prepare for the possibility of a body scan or enhanced pat down at the airport. We've been talking about this for it seems for weeks now. The TSA has been saying all along that passenger privacy is going to have to take a back seat to public safety and folks are just going to have to be patient as we get through this.
CHETRY: Yes. But earlier on AMERICAN MORNING, the top man at the TSA, John Pistole, seemed to be softening his position a bit.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN PISTOLE, TSA ADMINISTRATOR: Clearly, common sense has to play a role in this. But we also have to remember how can we best -- provide the best possible security while working with the traveling public as a partnership.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Carol Costello live this morning from Reagan National Airport in Washington, where we are kicking off one of the busiest travel weeks of the year.
And just help us with put into a perspective this morning, of course, because of cell phone video, et cetera -- a lot of the nightmare scenarios are playing out there and going viral. But what is it like for the average person trying to get through airport security today?
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Actually here at Reagan National, Kiran, it's pretty calm. I've been here since 5:00 a.m. Eastern. There are no meltdowns, no freak-outs. Most people are pretty much resigned about going through the full body scanner.
In fact, you can see behind me they're just going through, perhaps they are opting for the full body scanner knowing that if they opt-out, they are in line for that full body intrusive pat down. And most people do not want to go through that.
Although I did talk to two women who said they would rather do the full body pat down than go through the full body scanner. They said, come on, feel me up, it's for security, go ahead, do it. I'm sure they were joking. But that's the attitude that passengers have. They have a sense of humor.
People who have a little more anxiety are people with children. I talked to one family on their way to Fort Lauderdale. This woman had three children, all under the age of 12. She had to sort of explain to them what the full body scanner meant.
Here's what she had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Do you have any concerns bringing your kids through the full body scanner?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I guess the radiation levels and all of that and the whole photograph thing -- I'm not very excited about. But I prefer that to being touched.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: And she said better safe than sorry.
You heard there was a little wiggle room from the TSA and involves probably children 12 years old and under. If they opt out of the full body scanner, they'll be subject to a modified pat down. We don't know exactly what that means, but we assume that means no touching of sensitive areas, and, of course, you should never take off your child's clothes or your own clothes, the TSA says that is definitely not necessary.
I'm sure you saw that YouTube video where a father was at security at the Salt Lake City airport and he took of his little boy's shirt so that he could quicken the process so they wouldn't miss their flights. Please don't do that. The TSA says do not do that.
One caveat to that modified pat down for children 12 years old and under, though, Kiran and, Jim, if the child sets off the alarm, that child, no matter the age, is subject to that full body invasive pat down. Just so you know.
ACOSTA: And, Carol, we want to make sure that folks understand at home that not everybody who goes through the airport is going to go through this, and not -- you know, it's not going to happen at every security checkpoint every time. I mean, we don't want to create a false impression.
COSTELLO: It's very unlikely -- that's right. It's very unlikely it will happen at all. Only 69 airports have these full body scanners, not everybody will opt out. If you don't opt out, you don't have to go through the full body scan. Just keep that in mind.
But if you create a problem and you kind of go halfway through the process, you are subject to arrest and perhaps as much as an $11,000 fine.
ACOSTA: Wow.
COSTELLO: So you kind of have to follow the rules at least right now.
ACOSTA: And as you've been saying, you know, all morning, things are going well at Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. So, it may be going well at your airport as well. So, we don't want to, you know, completely alarm everybody.
COSTELLO: What are you going to do? You either go through -- what are you going to do? You go through the process or you don't get on your plane and you don't see your family for Thanksgiving.
CHETRY: Right.
COSTELLO: So, what are you going to do?
CHETRY: Hey, Carol. Let's listen to what Hillary Clinton said about it and I'm going to take your take.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOB SCHIEFFER, HOST, CBS' "FACE THE NATION": Final question, my time is up. But would you submit to one of these pat downs?
HILLARY CLINTON, SECRETARY OF STATE: Not if I -- not if I could avoid. No. I mean, who would?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: What did you think about that?
COSTELLO: She's absolutely right. Well, she's absolutely right. Who would want to subject themselves to a full body pat down like that? No one would. But right now, the TSA is probably not going to change their procedures, not until after the holidays.
It's a pretty dangerous time according to the TSA in America for flyers because of the Christmas holiday, because of the Thanksgiving Day holiday. So, it's unlikely anything is going to be much -- much be modified at this point in time.
CHETRY: All right.
ACOSTA: All right. Carol Costello live at Reagan National Airport, outside Washington, D.C. -- thanks, Carol. Appreciate it.
And in five minutes, we'll be joined by Thomas Sawyer, a retired special ed teacher from Michigan. He says the TSA officers that he experienced left him humiliated and crying after a recent enhanced pat down at Detroit Metropolitan Airport. It's really a horrendous story and we want to bring it to you in just a few moments. So, stick around for that.
CHETRY: All right. Well, as a Thanksgiving travel week begins, here's a big red flag. Caution going up for drivers in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area: More freezing rain in the forecast.
ACOSTA: Icy roadways in Minnesota are a blame for hundreds of accidents over the weekend, including at least one fatal crash. We get more from reporter Jeff Olson with CNN affiliate KARE in Bloomington, Minnesota.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEFF OLSON, KARE REPORTER: From Bloomington, Minnesota, the Twin Cities suburb that is home to the Mall of America, we're just a few miles from the mall right now. Take a look at the commute here this morning. It's generally a smooth sail although some light precipitation has started to fall right now. Still, this is a far cry from the ice rink-like conditions from this weekend here in the Twin Cities.
The Minnesota State Patrol is reporting two people died in separate weather-related crashes over the weekend. In the metro, 57 accidents caused injuries. In all, there were hundreds of crashes late Saturday and early Sunday because of this weekend's ice that's being called one for the ages.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These ice storms are probably the worst to deal with just because it's not obvious like when a snow that the roads are going to be a problem.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We just had snow last week. So, there's not a lot of residue of salt. So, we didn't have the head start like we usually do. So, it's all from scratch again, you know, because sometimes that salt lays on the roads and we're lucky enough to get the head start.
OLSON: Kevin Walker is with the Minnesota Department of Transportation. He says that Mn/DOT is out in front of this morning's possible ice and today's expected snow here in the Twin Cities.
We found lots of trucks out overnight. In fact, more than 200 trucks are scheduled to be on the roads in the Twin Cities this morning to keep things from getting slippery.
But the big worry is what could happen on Wednesday. It could be a messy start to the holiday as some more snow is expected here in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, and there could be blizzard conditions up in northern Minnesota.
Reporting from Bloomington, Minnesota, I'm Jeff Olson.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHETRY: All right. Jeff, thanks so much. Rob Marciano is in the extreme weather center for us this morning.
So, we'll see more scenes like that play out obviously throughout the week, Rob.
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, and it's unusual to see this happen back-to-back. Really three pulses of cold air and moisture coming into the western third of the country. And freezing rain advisories are up for southeast Minnesota and right back through eastern parts of Nebraska right now. Actually, right now, it's 30 degrees and freezing rain in Minneapolis-St. Paul. So, that advisory may have to be shifted a little farther to the north and west.
As he mentioned, there's another storm coming for Wednesday. But we have to get through this storm, which is much, much weaker than the one that's going to come through later in the week.
Chicago, you're about to get hit with rain. Plain old rain as that line of heavy rain heads toward Lake Michigan, and then Fort Wayne, Indiana, back through Detroit, looking at just light to moderate rain.
On the East Coast, where temperatures are more mild, we have an issue with fog this morning from D.C. back through Richmond, Raleigh, Charlotte and Columbia. These areas will see limited visibilities over the next couple hours. But temperatures will rebound nicely eastern third.
The western half of the country, unreal -- five for a high temperature in Billings, but barely staying at freezing in Seattle. That is unusual in the middle of January, let along the middle of November.
We'll try to detail this storm. That's upcoming later on the broadcast. But Wednesday and Thursday, it looks kind of messy -- guys.
CHETRY: Just in time for the holiday, unfortunately. Thanks, Rob.
MARCIANO: All right.
CHETRY: Justin Bieber, teen idol and heartthrob, making the ladies scream (ph). He had a big night at the American Music Awards.
And also, Taylor Swift, who had all the drama last year.
ACOSTA: Right.
CHETRY: She debuted a new sexy look.
We have some of the big moments of the AMAs -- coming up.
ACOSTA: Also ahead, he says it was a humiliating TSA screening. A retired teacher from Michigan who has also a bladder cancer, Kiran, he is filing complaints with the TSA, saying airport security disregarded his medical condition. And wait until you hear what he went through at the airport when he went through security and a pat down. It is just horrific.
And you would not want this to happen to your loved ones, what you're about to hear, coming up. So, we'll let him speak about that in just a few moments.
It's 8:10 -- 10 minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ACOSTA: Turning now to an airport horror story from a retired Michigan teacher who says an encounter with airport screeners earlier this month left him feeling violated and humiliated. It happened at Detroit's Metropolitan Airport.
Thomas Sawyer is also a bladder cancer survivor and wears equipment to help him in his recovery. He is in Holt, Michigan, this morning, outside of Lansing.
And we thank Mr. Sawyer for joining us. Thanks for your time, sir.
And I wanted to ask you because I think this story, more than a lot of others, really captures the controversy surrounding these enhanced pat downs at the airport. And I'm wondering, Tom, if you could just walk us through exactly what happened.
THOMAS SAWYER, RETIRED SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER: Sure. I was at the Detroit airport going to Orlando, Florida, and I went through the new X-ray machine and it must have picked up on my urostomy bag.
I'm a bladder cancer survivor -- had to have a procedure called a radical cystectomy, and had to have my bladder removed and formed an ileal conduit, it's called, which is a bag with the stoma on the side of my stomach now to collect urine.
It must have picked up on the bag. So, a TSA agent came and said, we'll need to do a pat down. And I did ask to go private. And they kind of -- he kind of said we don't really have any place. And I just quietly said again I want to go private. And he took me privately.
And when we got into this little office, he started to talk about the pat down procedure, and I said, excuse me, but I need to tell you about my medical condition. And he said, no, you don't need to tell me. And I said, no, really, I need do need to tell you. And he said, no, really, you don't have to tell me about your medical condition.
And I said the third time, I want to tell you about my medical condition. And he proceeded just with the pat down. So, I just let him do the pat-down. There's more to the story. But when he got to my chest area, he used his open palm and started going down my chest quite hard. And I knew that if he got down near where my urostomy bag was, there was a possibility of pulling the seal off it. And I said at that point, you need to go slower and you need to go softer or you're going to pull my urostomy bag off.
And he said, what's that? And I said it doesn't matter, just go softer. And low on behold, he got down to where the urostomy bag was. I happened to have one of the bags here to show you and pulled the seal kind of half off it. And once that happened, it was kind of like pulling the seal off, half off a bottle of orange juice and tipping it upside-down. The urine started coming out of my bag and onto my shirt and down my pants.
ACOSTA: And it just sounds like -- horrendous experience, Tom. I mean --
SAWYER: It was embarrassing. Very embarrassing. It's been three years for me, so I'm used to my urostomy now, but it's something I like to show the world.
ACOSTA: Sure.
SAWYER: I think one of the biggest fears for all ostomy patients is that we'll have a leak in public, level (ph) alone at airport.
ACOSTA: So, this was your worst nightmare.
SAWYER: And he didn't apologize. He didn't do anything. Well, I probably, there are worse nightmares, but it certainly was a horrible nightmare.
ACOSTA: Yes.
SAWYER: And I had to walk out in the airport, try to get cleaned up.
ACOSTA: This sounds like a text book case of a security screener just not being sympathetic to a person's medical condition, in one of these scenarios. I mean, just a classic case just disregarding your condition.
SAWYER: Right. It may be a classic case of that. I don't think he was trained to deal with me. As I reflect back on it now, I think maybe he was as much shock of what he has done than I was and that's why he didn't respond at all. He didn't apologize, didn't offer help. I don't think he was trained for -- he didn't know what the urostomy was. These people need to be trained on medical conditions and emotional conditions of some patients.
ACOSTA: Well, Tom, let me ask you this because earlier this morning, John Pistole, the administrator of the TSA, came on this program and he said despite all of this controversy that we're looking at ways that we can evolve the technology and our protocols, but for the time being, there will not be any changes to these pat downs, these enhanced pat downs at the airport. What would you say to the TSA and to John Pistole about what they should do about this security procedure?
SAWYER: I totally disagree with John. I haven't heard that quote. This is the first time I've heard that. But no, I do not believe the pat down should go on as they're going on right now. They have to be -- these new pat downs have to be stopped until these people are trained and are comfortable doing what they need to do. I'm a good American. I know why we're doing this, and I understand it. But this was extremely embarrassing, and it didn't have to happen. With educated TSA workers, it wouldn't have happened.
ACOSTA: And do you think that's key to all of this?
SAWYER: I don't want it to happen to anybody else. Pardon?
ACOSTA: You think that's the key to all of this?
SAWYER: A half a million to a million people in America with ostomies.
ACOSTA: Well, Tom Sawyer, you're a great spokesman for your condition and for what people are going through at the airports these days with the security procedures. And we appreciate you coming on this morning because, obviously, as you mentioned earlier, this is not something that you want to advertise or folks in your condition want to advertise. So, appreciate you having the courage of coming on this morning and talking about it and giving the folks at the TSA something to think about it. Thank you, sir.
SAWYER: Thank you very much.
ACOSTA: Thanks for your time. Appreciate it.
SAWYER: You're welcome.
ACOSTA: Tom Sawyer there in Michigan. And it is 19 minutes after the hour. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Morning talker time. And if you were able to stay up late which we're not.
ACOSTA: No.
CHETRY: There's always DVR.
ACOSTA: That's right.
CHETRY: The American Music Awards last night, and Bieber fever was heating up. The 16-year-old singing sensation dominated last night's American Music Awards. He took home four awards including the night's top honor --
ACOSTA: That's him right there.
CHETRY: Yes. He is a shorter Bieber, actually.
ACOSTA: Yes, the half Bieber.
CHETRY: It's usually comes all the way almost to his nose.
ACOSTA: Yes. CHETRY: Four awards, Artist of the Year and the show also featured a blast from the boyband past. Here's a look some of us would consider bliss.
ACOSTA: This was your highlight, correct?
CHETRY: That's right. The Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block reunited.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SINGING) All you people can't you see, can't you see.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: There you go. Taylor Swift also debuted a sleek new look. Gone were the dresses and the curls, instead she had long straight hair, beautiful bangs. Swift by the way, who was last year's big winner with five awards. She won favorite country female artist.
ACOSTA: My daughter loves Taylor Swift. I think all girls should, right? Bristol Palin will be dancing for a title tonight on "Dancing With The Stars." You might have heard, Kiran, there's been a little controversy about this.
CHETRY: There's a little.
ACOSTA: Just a little. But some say she is getting unfair support. Viewers decided to keep Bristol and dump Brandy last week, and some are calling it a conspiracy. We spoke to another reality show star who faced similar criticism earlier this morning, and it was "American Idol" Sanjaya -- am I pronouncing --
CHETRY: Sanjaya Malakar.
ACOSTA: Sanjaya Malakar. He says it doesn't matter what the critics say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SANJAYA MALAKAR, FORMER "AMERICAN IDOL" FINALIST: You're always going to have haters. So, for me, I kind of took it all with a grain of salt. There's always going to be people that think you shouldn't be doing what you're doing or think that you're not good enough to be there, but as long as you put your full capacity into it and you put your heart into it, then you can't really change what other people think.
You're always going to have like that little trouble, that controversy, but it makes the show. It's reality television in the long run, and they're looking for the voting and all of that, but they're also looking for a show and they're looking for entertainment and they're looking for controversy because the more that people are talking about it, the more that they're going to get people watching.
(END VIDEO CLIP) ACOSTA: Sanjaya sporting a different do there. So, will it be Bristol the Pistol, Kyle Massey or Jennifer Gray? They'll dance tonight and a winner will be crowned (ph) tomorrow.
CHETRY: We'll see what happens. If Bristol Palin's mom, Sarah, runs for president in 2012, she probably will not be getting Barbara Bush's vote at least perhaps it's safe to say. The former first lady appears tonight on "Larry King Live" along with her husband, the former president. But they were doing a little bit of talking.
ACOSTA: Yes.
CHETRY: The former president says that there are aspects of the tea party that are good, but it could be confusing. Barbara Bush also pulled no punches when Larry asked her opinion for Sarah Palin. Listen (ph).
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARRY KING, CNN ANCHOR: What's your read about Sarah Palin?
BARBARA BUSH, FORMER FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: I sat next to her once, thought she was beautiful, and I think she's very happy in Alaska. And I hope she'll stay there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: That does not sound like an endorsement.
CHETRY: Doesn't. She did say she was beautiful, but, she's never one to mince words, as well, Barbara Bush. She'll give it to you straight. And you can catch the entire interview with George and Barbara on "Larry King Live" tonight, 09:00 eastern, right here on CNN.
ACOSTA: And look at this video. An on field punch leads to an ejection in Pittsburgh. Watch this. Unbelievable. Wow. That is Ben Roethlisberger, the quarterback for the Steelers going down and talk about roughing the passer. The player on the other end of that, he was ejected from the game. It's not clear what led to the punch, but the Steelers were blowing them out, anyway. So, it didn't matter. They went on to win 35-3.
CHETRY: All right. Well, former NFL quarterback, Kurt Warner, suffered five documented concussions in his career, probably a lot more than that undocumented from tough hits.
ACOSTA: Yes.
CHETRY: Up next, Dr. Sanjay Gupta sits down with Warner to talk about what does concussion felt like, and if he thinks he's suffering any lingering effects today. Our series on "Pro Football's Concussion Crisis" next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) CHETRY: Crossing the half hour right now, time for a look at our top stories. The security threat forcing the German parliament to shut down one of its tourist hot spots. The public is now restricted from entering a dome-shaped (INAUDIBLE) center. The move comes after German police denied reports over the weekend that terrorists may be planning a strike on the building.
ACOSTA: If you're among the millions of Americans who are flying this week, prepare for the possibility of a body scan or an enhanced pat down at the airport. All along, the TSA has been insisting passenger privacy is going to have to come first and public safety as well. But earlier on AMERICAN MORNING, the top man at the TSA conceded his agency is looking at refining its policies in light of all of the passenger complaints.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN PISTOLE, TSA ADMINISTRATOR: Clearly, common sense has to play a role in this. But we also have to remember how can we best provide the best possible security while working with the traveling public as a partnership.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: President Obama says he understands the frustration of air travelers and is calling on the TSA to constantly refine its techniques and think of ways to keep people safe less intrusively.
CHETRY: It was 47 years ago today that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. The Secret Service agents who are with the president in Dallas have had little to say until now. Gerald Blaine and Clint Hill, two members of the Kennedy detail tell CNNs Brian Todd that they still have vivid memories of that day.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We couldn't help but we felt like we failed. We all had the same mission and it was a terrible feeling.
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You had a tough time there in those years after the assassination, after your resignation. Can you talk about what you went through?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I had nightmares. It seemed like every time I turned around it was something that reminded me of what happened. And so I just clammed up and went in my basement with some alcohol and some cigarettes and stay there had for a few years.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Gerald Blaine also reveals in his book "The Kennedy Detail" the same day President Kennedy was killed he almost shot newly sworn in Lyndon Johnson by accident.
ACOSTA: Another big weekend in pro football, one that featured more violent hits. Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Ellis Hobbs was taken off the field on a stretcher during last night's game against the Giants after suffering a neck injury.
CHETRY: This morning we have a special series about this, "Hard Hits, Dangerous Game, looking at why many say there is a concussion crisis in pro football. Chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins us from Atlanta now. You had very candid conversations, Sanjay, with former football players. What did players tell you about this?
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: They acknowledge there is this paradox, that in part people like to watch the game of football because they like to see those big hits in part. But also it's the same thing that makes us cringe.
So when you watch a lot of these big hits on television, what's unsettling I think for a lot people is how much we know about the brain science, what is happening inside the brain and what happens to the brain if a second hit is also delivered.
It's also unsettling that we -- there's a lot of ignorance still about what concussion is and how best to treat it. That's why I talked to former quarterback and super bowl MVP Kurt Warner about the culture of football specifically, and what he's learned professionally and personally about this topic.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Warner steps up.
GUPTA: It's a chilling moment in football.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kurt Warner is hurt. Warner is down.
GUPTA: A player is hit and does not get up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kurt Warner who is on his back.
GUPTA: January 16, 2010, former NFL quarterback Kurt Warner was that player.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trainers race out.
GUPTA: He got up and later he returned to the game.
GUPTA (on camera): Do you feel like now in retrospect you stayed in the game or sort of you know, pushed to stay in the game when you shouldn't have?
KURT WARNER, FORMER NFL QUARTERBACK: Yes. There is no question that's happened. A lot of guys when they get those hits or those concussions, they think OK, I'm just going to play through it here for the short-term and it's going to get better.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was just lifted up --
GUPTA (voice-over): Playing through it is part of football, says Warner, a big part. WARNER: Probably 100 percent of the guys that played my sport in the NFL have been there. I think for a long time it was felt like, well, if you didn't get up dizzy or with no memory, then you really didn't suffer a concussion.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What does a concussion feel like?
WARNER: It's like a mental fogginess. Where you almost seem like you're separated from the situation. You're in it but you're kind of looking at it from the outside looking in.
GUPTA: According to the NFL, there are more than 100 documented concussions every season. After a big hit, doctors on the sidelines test players for signs of concussion -- memory problems, confusion, dizziness. But there is no definitive answer to the most important question -- who should continue playing and who should come out of the game?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How many of you have, by a show of hands, had a concussion?
GUPTA: Kevin Duckiwitz (ph), formerly a Pittsburgh Steelers trainer, studies concussions' impact on the brain in high school players.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This shows moderate levels of atrophy.
GUPTA: And retired NFL athletes. In his study, players who had three or more concussions get MRIs and memory tests.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm going to say three words. Apple, penny, table. You say those.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Apple, penny, table.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good. What were those three words I asked you to remember earlier?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't remember. Penny. That's all I remember.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.
GUPTA: Memory problems are not the only thing they are finding.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The brain has shrunk.
GUPTA: Concussions may be shrinking memory and learning centers in the brain, thwarting its ability to transmit signals.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you retire because of concussions?
WARNER: No. Not because of concussions but there is no question you know, as I contemplated the big picture and thought about life after football, do I want to put myself at risk for another concussion, or for a worse concussion? GUPTA: Many players, of course, decide to play through it.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GUPTA: I'll tell you, Kurt Warner knows a lot about this topic. Personally he has had five concussions documented, maybe more than that, he says. There are two-pronged problem. One is that a lot of players may continue to play despite their symptoms or minimize symptoms. And a lot of organizations want to win.
He says he was never specifically told that he had to play despite his symptoms, but that specifically is what he worries about as far as the culture goes.
We talked to the NFL as well. I got a statement from them to address this point. They say if anything we're going in the other direction, where people sit out until they are totally symptom-free. There are so many protocols now. That's a little bit of the issue there.
Also Ellis Hobbs, you showed that video, a quick follow-up. He was taken out on a stretcher. He gave the thumbs up. We got x-rays we hear this morning that did not show evidence of fracture. So he's expected to do well, but again, just such a frightening hit to watch, and there are so many hits like that.
CHETRY: Yes, and the other thing you were saying if they take the decision out of the hands of the player so it's not this pressure or you know, you could have gone in to play. You could have won it for us but you chose not to. If it's a zero tolerance rule it would relieve the pressure.
GUPTA: I think you're absolutely right. I think because the players, because it is subjective sometimes as well, players may minimize their symptoms. If you take it out of their hands you have no choice. You can change the culture that way.
And you are driven by the science that says a concussion is bad, but if the brain is allowed to rest and heal, then a second concussion, the second impact may not be as devastating. You got to get the healing time in. That's the critical gray period that a lot of doctors are focusing on.
CHETRY: And part two is tomorrow. Thanks, Sanjay.
GUPTA: Thank you.
ACOSTA: Tomorrow part two of his series, Sanjay looks at the case of 17-year-old Max Conrad a high school quarterback whose life took a turn after a series of violent hits in a high school football game, and you're looking at one there. And Sanjay will have that story tomorrow.
CHETRY: Still ahead, pop music icon of the 80s Cyndi Lauper is now on an anti-HIV and AIDs mission to help with HIV and AIDS. And she's doing it in time for the holidays. She is live to tell us.
ACOSTA: There she is.
CHETRY: Looking as beautiful as always. She's putting on the very lipstick that is helping the cause. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ACOSTA: Welcome back. Grammy award winner Cyndi Lauper is using her voice to help people with HIV-AIDS. Today she will present a $175,000 check to the organization "God's love, We Deliver."
CHETRY: It's part of the most successful campaign ever launched by Mac Cosmetics and their Viva Glam Fund, and we're thrilled to have Cyndi Lauper with us to talk about it. Great to see you.
CYNDI LAUPER, SPOKESWOMAN, MAC AIDS FUND/VIVA GLAM: Thank you.
CHETRY: I live "Time after Time." I remember lip-syncing to it and wishing I was you when I was younger. Great to have you with us.
LAUPER: Thank you.
CHETRY: The campaign has been successful. You and Lady Gaga at the photo shoot.
LAUPER: Thank you so much for the opportunity. We're here -- for those of you who are just tuning in to this, lipstick, it's 14.50, guiltless shopping. They have the gloss that goes over it. If you like it, get it now, because it's limited. It won't be around in January.
We raised $32 million. Come on, let's make it $35 million. It's still killing a lot of people and it's 100 percent preventable. But there is no cure. So, please, please.
CHETRY: Where does the money go that you guys --
LAUPER: And 100 percent goes to the Mac AIDS fund. They support God's Love, We Deliver. We're giving them that check so they can buy Thanksgiving meals. This is the holiday season. It's only $14.50. Give it to your sister, give it to your mother, to your best friend and remind them of AIDS. Put it on and remember to protect yourself.
Everybody has the heat of the moment, but it's hard to live with aids. I have a friend who just went blind from it. It's a serious, serious disease.
ACOSTA: And why did you decide to get involved with this charity?
LAUPER: Well, I I've always been involved in AIDS prevention but Mac Cosmetics is one of the companies that has always been there, you know, from the 80s, supporting people with AIDS and trying to work in AIDS prevention.
CHETRY: It goes hand in hand because you're glamorous, Lady Gaga is glamorous.
LAUPER: I love makeup. I have only one face to put it all on.
(LAUGHTER)
CHETRY: So many lipsticks, so little time.
LAUPER: Right. This is a great utility kit color because you can put it over other colors. It looks great.
CHETRY: You and Lady Gaga each have your own.
LAUPER: This is mine. Lady Gaga is a nice usable pink. And it's another great utility color. You put it over a lot of colors. I prefer putting it over amped, which is another Mac color. You can be creative when you go to work.
CHETRY: Jim's eyes are glazing over. We care about this.
ACOSTA: I'm going to let you talk. As long as I take mine off before I go home.
LAUPER: There you go.
But I do want to say that AIDS is still, and I just learned this, it's the leading killer of African-American women from the ages of 18 to 34. And that's in this country, not a foreign country, this country. Tell your girlfriends, tell your friends, protect yourself.
And you know, give them a lipstick, tell them about AIDS.
CHETRY: Right.
LAUPER: Tell them it's 100 percent prevention --
CHETRY: But the purchase price goes to the --
LAUPER: Yes, but it's also 100 percent prevention. And you cannot -- there is no cure. And it is hard to live with AIDS. I have friends that tell me they are dying of old AIDS. And let me tell you that if the disease don't get you the medicine will because it's all a rough ride.
CHETRY: Yes absolutely.
LAUPER: You have to prevent it. You have to protect yourself. There are women at risk my age, that's why they chose me and Gaga -- Lady Gaga because the both of us are in those age brackets from -- from 35 to 60, there's all these new numbers of people getting AIDS. And as far as being prevalent in the bisexual male and gay male, the numbers are still rising.
CHETRY: Right.
LAUPER: Why is this? Happy people don't self destruct. You need to take care of yourself. Have the holiday spirit, be grateful, be thankful for life and give the gift of life of $14.50, right, 100 percent goes to help AIDS.
CHETRY: That's wonderful. Hey, quickly your thoughts on the American Music Awards last night, Justin Bieber fever. Do you love that? Does it crap you up, the little kids crying over 16-year-old Justin?
LAUPER: You know -- well, you know, that is --
(CROSSTALK)
ACOSTA: Girls just want to have fun.
LAUPER: That is the -- there you go. But that is the -- I didn't understand why they were screaming over me when that happened to me. I didn't understand.
ACOSTA: I was screaming too.
LAUPER: Oh ok, well --
ACOSTA: But that's ok.
CHETRY: I would take off my shoes every time I did my "Time after Time". You know I just --
LAUPER: And danced around barefoot?
CHETRY: Of course.
LAUPER: It's the best, dancing bare foot. But anyway I didn't -- there were a lot of games. I'm in a guy house so there were a lot of games on right now.
CHETRY: You didn't get a chance to watch it?
LAUPER: No.
CHETRY: You were first to watch football.
Cyndi Lauper joins us this morning. Thanks so much.
ACOSTA: But a great cause.
CHETRY: Yes, it's the Mass AIDS Fund. We're going to link it up with our Web site as well to let people know. You got to get Gaga and you got to get Cyndi Lauper because it's limited edition.
LAUPER: You won't get them in January.
CHETRY: Thanks so much for being here.
LAUPER: Thank you.
ACOSTA: Act now.
Cyndi Lauper says act now. LAUPER: Act now and be here now.
ACOSTA: All right, thanks. We appreciate it.
Well, speaking of this Thanksgiving travel week and the holiday season we've got unseasonably warm temperatures in some part of the country but lots of cold temperatures across a big chunk of the country. So be -- be on the lookout for that.
Plus a snowstorm, Rob Marciano is live coming up in just a few moments with the holiday travel forecast. Just snow.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Fifty minutes after the hour right now with a look at New York City, Columbus Circle.
ACOSTA: There you go.
CHETRY: It's 55 degrees. But a little bit later some sun, 62 degrees. You're heading back to Washington today.
ACOSTA: I am, I am. And you can tell Paula Stern to end a little bit there which is kind of sad to think about.
CHETRY: It is sad in there, yes. Some trees are bare and yes.
ACOSTA: I'm glad I don't have to rake that lawn.
CHETRY: I know. That would take a while.
ACOSTA: Welcome back.
CHETRY: Rob Marciano is with us this morning where he's talking about some 48 inches of snow in some of the higher elevations in California.
ACOSTA: What?
CHETRY: Ski season is upon us.
MARCIANO: Yes it is. And a lot of those places opening up early. They'll try to get open for Thanksgiving but a lot of them have been open for a couple of weeks already. We'll talk about that in a second.
First off you may be looking like you're -- you're skiing through some winter storms across D.C. It's foggy in D.C., in Richmond, bad visibility this morning. Pretty warm air across the East Coast today in the past couple of days and it will continue for the next couple. But the down side of that is with the long nights of fog you do get -- tend to get some fog.
The cold air is in -- in place across the Northwest and the upper Midwest. This is where we've seen the freezing rain and ice over the weekend. This is where we're seeing it right now. This is where we'll see it again come Wednesday and Thursday. Right now, some light precip heading into Minneapolis-St. Paul, there is freezing -- reports of more freezing rain on top of what they saw over the weekend. And more snow to the north and west and some heavy thunderstorms right now heading into Chicago.
So air certainly warm enough here for just plain old rain; the temperatures are well above average in this part of the country. Chicago, you are under a ground stop because of the thunderstorms both at O'Hare and Midway; and Philadelphia you're under a ground stop because of the fog and low ceilings until 9:45.
Meanwhile, here is the snow out west, 45 inches in Truckee. It's actually below Lake Tahoe. Tahoe City seeing 36 inches, Mammoth Lake 24. So a good head start to what's to come not only this season but again this week. A number of winter weather watches and warnings and an advisory is up for the entire northwestern third of the country. Unseasonably cold temperatures dropping in behind what's already fallen so it's not going to melt, that's for sure.
As a matter of fact, snow levels are going to drop to about 1,000 feet in Seattle all the way down to San Francisco. Actually it's snowing right now in Seattle. So the snow level is all the way down to the Valley of Florida. It will be a little bit on the windy side up ahead of this system. Definitely warm and above average, at least to start this week, but look at all that cold air bottled up across the northwest that's going to driving down to the south.
Sixty-one right now in Chicago, meanwhile it's 30 with freezing rain in Minneapolis. Quite a contrast in temperatures. Everybody in the East Coast will get a piece at least of the cold come Thanksgiving and Friday. But I think most of the wintry precip will stay across the Great Lakes.
Jim, Kiran, back up to you.
ACOSTA: All right, thank you, Rob. Appreciate it.
A dramatic mine rescue overnight in China. The news is all good, developments are coming up in just a few moments. They look happy there.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ACOSTA: New developments overnight as a dramatic rescue is documented on live television in China, this is good news, folks. Twenty-nine miners are alive this morning after being trapped underground for more than 30 hours. Rescuers pulled them out of the mine one after another on live television. Sounds like Chile, what --
(CROSSTALK)
CHETRY: Yes. Condensed version since they were underground for 30 hours as opposed to 68 days.
ACOST: Yes, that's -- that would be way more than that. CHETRY: Stay with CNN this holiday. We have a very special event coming up Thursday, Thanksgiving night. All 33 Chilean miners and some of their rescuers will be special guests at the "CNN HEROES ALL STAR TRIBUTE". Nearly two million of you voted. Now we're going to watch and see who becomes this year's CNN Hero; Thanksgiving night 8:00 Eastern.
We're going to take a quick break. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ACOSTA: Well, leave it to the cast of "Saturday Night Live" to give us something to chuckle about after all that controversy at the airport security line.
CHETRY: Yes. In case you missed it, here is their twisted take on TSA pat-downs.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Spending time with the TSA agent couldn't be easier. Simply book a flight departing from any American airport. When selected for a full body scanner say no. You'll be pulled aside by a TSA agent and that's when the fun begins. And you never know who your agent will be.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It could be me.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Or me.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Or even me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But it probably is going to be us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: There you go.
ACOSTA: Yes.
CHETRY: It's not always good when you're a federal agency that's the butt of jokes but --
ACOSTA: You know what, its sometimes helps to laugh and smile.
CHETRY: Very true.
Well, that's going to do it for us on this Monday. So glad you were with us. Hope to see you back here bright and early tomorrow morning.
ACOSTA: And thanks for having me.
CHETRY: Great to have you today.
ACOSTA: "CNN NEWSROOM" with Kyra Phillips starts right now. Happy Thanksgiving, by the way.
CHETRY: You too.
ACOSTA: And to you as well.
