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CNN Saturday Morning News

Iraq War Ends; Soldiers Returning From Iraq; Florida College Student Death Ruled Homicide; Political Analysts Examine GOP Debate; South Carolina Governor Endorses Mitt Romney; Woman Pays For Layaway Gifts For Customers At K-Mart; Senate Passes Payroll Tax Cut Extension

Aired December 17, 2011 - 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: We are at the top of the hour on this CNN Saturday morning, 10:00 a.m. Eastern time, and the Senate is getting to work getting some something done for you.

This just happened a few minutes ago. You're seeing live pictures of a debate going on the Senate floor. They've got more work to do, but what happened minutes ago is they voted to extend that payroll tax cut. If they had not, that would mean if it's not extended your paycheck will go up January 1st. So they have passed it. That's good news. Still, the House has to take it up as well. Still, we're not done. We'll have much more on this on Capitol Hill.

Also, this is a brave Marine. But he didn't do something brave out on the battlefield necessarily this time. I'm sure he has before, but this time he's pretty brave to ask the first lady of the United States to the ball. He asked her out. We'll see how this is played out.

Also, for Kobe Bryant, we know how this is going to play out. His wife, Vanessa, of 10 years, has now filed for divorce. Details on why in just a moment.

But from the CNN center here in Atlanta, George, this is your CNN Saturday morning. I'm T.J. Holmes. So glad you could spend part of your weekend with us.

We've got one down, one to go. After just minutes to go, the Senate approved one of the bills in front of them. Today and so far this morning, it was that payroll tax extension. That means your paycheck should stay about the same, but only for the next couple of months. If it had expired, the government would have been taking a bigger chunk out of your paycheck. By some estimates the average American family would see about $1,000 increase in their paychecks per month.

The House still has to take this up, however. Expected to do that next week. Let me get to our Kate Bolduan. Kate, let's start with that one. All right, the payroll tax extension is expected to pass and it did. What are we expecting in the House maybe come Monday?

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: T.J., that's actually very unclear still at this moment. Since this extension two month extension agreement came really late last night, we've been trying to find out how this is going to play out in the Senate. And I'll tell you it is not clear quite yet.

Coming out of the meeting early Friday morning of House Republicans, rank and file Republicans were not happy about the idea of a short extension, saying it's kind of the kicking the can down the road, not helping recovery, not helping recovery and they will not support it. This was before the details of how exactly what is involved in the short-term provision had come out.

So many rank and file Republicans in the House did not seem happy about it Friday. Speaker Boehner even came out saying if the Senate sent over a short-term provision, he was going to attach a Keystone provision and send it right back over to the Senate. In the end, the Keystone provision was included in this final bill for this two-month deal, so it's unclear if that's going to be enough to win over enough Republicans to push this through.

I guess if we had to guess, we would say that this short-term extension would get -- would get Democratic support. But, again, how much is unclear. And you have to hit that threshold of 218, if you will, over in the House. So we're trying to find out exactly how it's going to play out and exactly when the House will come in to consider it.

HOLMES: You mentioned that Keystone provision. A lot of people have been hearing this over the past couple of weeks. The Keystone pipeline is supposed to run from Canada down to Texas, supposed to create thousands of jobs in this country. But environmentalists certainly have some questions about it. We did hear from Senator McConnell about it in a moment. Let's listen to it and I'll bring you back in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITCH MCCONNELL, (R-KY) SENATE MINORITY LEADER: I have no idea why it could be called controversial. The labor unions like it, many Democrats want it. It strengthens our national security by decreasing the amount of oil we get from unfriendly countries. And it wouldn't cost the taxpayers a dime, not a dime, a private sector project ready to go.

All we're doing is saying the president has 60 days to decide whether the project is in the national interests or not, 60 days for the president to make a decision one way or the other. And since most of us have not heard a good reason from the White House as to why they would block it, I'm very hopeful that the president in this course of 60 days would do the right thing for the country and get this crucial project under way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: We hear him there refer to this 60 days. We thought this would be delayed until after next year's elections. So they're certainly moving it up. Does that give the president, the White House enough time and do they at all plan to adhere to that 60-day timeline?

BOLDUAN: The Keystone provisions seem pretty straightforward, but there's actually a lot at play. There's a few things going on for this. This is a win for Republicans because as you heard Senator McConnell say, it's a job creator, they believe. And they've been demanding and insisting on it all along.

Many Democrats and the president have been opposed to that because they don't think it's related to the payroll tax issue, number one. And number two, the president had decided to put off deciding on this pipeline for further environmental review. Republicans dispute that and say it's politically motivated.

But putting that aside, I was speaking to administration officials last night, and they say with the Keystone provision in it that says that it's going to really cut the time that they would have to kind of study this, it's almost certain that the State Department and the president would not be able to approve it because the State Department has already put out a statement saying if you cut this time in half, you don't give us the amount of time we need to review this, we're not going to be able to review it.

So a win for Republicans, but Democrats say they were able to go along with it being included in this bill because the way the provision is written it gave the president leeway to block it, major leeway in his decision, T.J.

One down, but the work continues for the Senate. Kate Bolduan, we'll check in with you again. Thank you so much.

BOLDUAN: OK.

HOLMES: We're coming up on six minutes past the hour now. We'll turn to presidential politics. And Mitt Romney picked up a pretty big supporter in the race for the Republican presidential nomination, South Carolina governor Nikki Haley.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. NIKKI HALEY, (R) SOUTH CAROLINA: It is with great pride, great respect, great support that Michael and I are very proud to say that we are endorsing governor Mitt Romney for president of the United States.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Haley won the governor's race in South Carolina with big support from the Tea Party. South Carolina's primary, as you know, third on the nominating calendar after Iowa and New Hampshire. A bigger endorsement up for grabs a little later today. "The Des Moines Register" will pick up its candidate for the Iowa caucuses.

You're seeing some front-runners who are there. Rick Santorum, Rick Perry, Michele Bachmann are all in Iowa today. But Mitt Romney is staying in South Carolina. Newt Gingrich, meanwhile, is in Virginia. He's there to attend a book signing for his wife's new children's book. So they all have a shot in Iowa and we'll break all this down with our good friend Maria Cardona and Lenny McAllister. They'll join us to handicap the Iowa race. They're coming your way at the bottom of the hour. That's about 25 minutes from now they'll be with us.

Also in the Philippines today, thousands of soldiers have joined the search and rescue efforts. The country got hit by a major tropical storm. The numbers keep going up this morning. More than 430 people dead. That is according to the Red Cross. I did talk to one of our reporters on the ground, journalist Maria Ressa. She is in Manila.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARIA RESSA, JOURNALIST IN MANILA, PHILIPPINES: The storm is supposed to exit this evening, but it's no longer really the storm itself, but its aftermath. We're turning to the aid and rescue workers who are looking for the hundreds missing. They're trying to supply drinking water. They're asking for volunteers to try to get food and clothes. Friday night, the flood waters rose alarmingly fast, reaching roof level while residents were sleeping.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: And we bring in Reynolds Wolf on that story. It's that flooding.

REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Ironic, too, because one of the first things people need in a community during a flood is water. It's one of the first requirements that we have.

What's also bizarre about this rough weather scenario is that the Philippines didn't even take a direct hit by this, more of a glancing blow. You had the heavy rain that's on a rapid rate, and with that you have the heavy rainfall and then the flooding. Now you have a nightmare scenario. T.J., I fear we're going to see these numbers increase. Certainly it's a nightmare situation.

Let me show you if we can. We've got Manila, take the top half, one of the outer bands came through Manila and that was the thing that did the trick. The issue now, what's left of this is the town moving right towards Vietnam, possibly affecting Ho Chi Minh City within hours. We'll keep a sharp eye on that for you too. T.J., back to you.

HOLMES: All right, Reynolds, thank you. We'll check in with Reynolds plenty throughout the hour.

And the coroner in Orange County, Florida, has ruled last month's death of a Florida A&M band member was a homicide. Twenty-six-year- old Robert Champion died November 19 in a suspected hazing incident. The coroner determined blunt force trauma as the cause of death. Last night on "AC 360," an internal medicine specialist spoke about that autopsy report.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. JORGE RODRIGUEZ, INTERNAL MEDICINE SPECIALIST: Anderson, they were severe. Let me put it into perspective. Mr. Champion's blood count was approximately 13 grams of blood. By time that they performed the autopsy, it had dropped down to seven. That means that he lost approximately six to seven pints of blood into the muscles where he was beaten. That's what caused this hemorrhagic shock. It's the same thing as if his carotid artery had been cut and he had bled to death. All the blood went to the bruising within the chest and within the arms within a matter of minutes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Three people have been arrested in connection with a separate hazing incident at Florida A&M University. That happened roughly two weeks before Champion's death.

Also, officials at the national Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity have closed its chapter at the University of Vermont. The fraternity is under investigation after a survey showed up online asking the frat brothers who they would like to rape. The fraternity's executive director calls the questionnaire deplorable. University officials say they respect and support the organization's decision.

Also, two former officials at Penn State University will go to trial on perjury charges relating to the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal. Former athletic director Tim Curley is seen on the left of your screen, and former university vice president Gary Schultz are both charged with failure to report a crime. Yesterday a Pennsylvania judge ruled there is enough evidence for both men to go to trial.

And some surprises in a San Francisco courtroom yesterday. Pro baseball's retired homerun king Barry Bonds was sentenced yesterday and is going to get two years probation and 30 days of house arrest. Bonds is charged with obstruction of justice in the grand jury's inquiry into illegal steroid use by pro athletes. He was not found guilty on the harsher charge of lying to the grand jury that would have been a perjury conviction. So 30 days house arrest.

Also, Kuwait is the last stop for most U.S. troops returning home from the war in Iraq. And our own Martin Savidge is there talking to some of the soldiers.

Also, a Marine has a question for the first lady of the United States -- do you want to go out on a date? I'm not kidding. We'll tell you what she said, and do a little more explaining after the break. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: The war in Iraq is officially over. All but a handful of U.S. troops will be home for the holidays. The last stop before getting on those airplanes is Kuwait. That is where we find our Martin Savidge.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: At Camp Virginia in Kuwait, the war ends several times a day. For Captain Ben Carpenter of Texas, it ended around 10:00 on a Friday morning when he and his company arrived after driving most of the night from a base inside Iraq.

(on camera) How did it go?

CAPTAIN BEN CARPENTER, U.S. ARMY: It went very well. It was very uneventful.

SAVIDGE: That's the way you would like it to be.

(voice-over) It doesn't take long to realize there was more to his journey than just a drive.

(on camera) What is that feeling like? Is there any kind of real feeling as you make that crossing from Iraq into Kuwait?

CARPENTER: A sense of relief in some respects, a sense of accomplishment. My gunner tapped me on the shoulder as we crossed through the fence and I thought, I didn't think that would be as big of a deal as it was, but that was something special.

SAVIDGE (voice-over): Carpenter first came to Iraq during the dark days of 2006. Three deployments later, he feels good about was been accomplished.

(on camera) The war is over for you.

CARPENTER: It is, hopefully.

SAVIDGE: It's a simple thing to say, but I mean, that's essentially kind of a big thing.

CARPENTER: You know, it is. We've been to -- we've been here for a long time. There are a lot of soldiers that aren't here today to see the end. This company and many other companies do get to see the end, and that's something special.

SAVIDGE: What lies ahead for you?

CARPENTER: Well, we finish unloading our equipment and get on a plane and fly home. For me personally, I'll go back and transition to my family and get out of the army shortly and go home.

SAVIDGE (voice-over): After eight-and-a-half years, America's war in Iraq is coming to an end one convoy, one soldier at a time.

Martin Savidge, CNN, Camp Virginia, Kuwait.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: Meanwhile, the nation's first female prisoner of war every to be rescued has some sound advice for U.S. troops coming home -- get educated and make the most of the military's G.I. Bill. That's what former private first class Jessica Lynch did. She graduated from the University of West Virginia yesterday, earning her bachelor's degree in elementary education. She made headlines back in 2003 when she was captured and tortured by Iraqi soldiers and then was later rescued by U.S. forces. And 18 other veterans graduated from the school yesterday.

Please be sure to tune in. Stay with us today in the CNN Newsroom, special coverage of home from Iraq.

It's 17 minutes past the hour now. And the question I've been asking all morning, would you ask your boss's wife out on a date? Would you do it if your boss was the president of the United States? That is what happened, folks. This was yesterday at a Toys-for-Tots event in Washington. And there he is, the brave young man, 20-year-old Marine lance corporal Aaron Leaks. He asked first lady Michelle Obama to accompany him to the Marine Corps ball next November.

Now, the first lady, she had cameras around, responded to him, said she would love to. Leaks, meanwhile, is going to be leaving for Afghanistan next month. He does plan on being back in time for the ball, which is, again, next November.

Are you ready for that holiday cheer? We've got some here for you. Call her Santa with a twist. One shopper is making the season a whole lot better for some families, and she's doing it with one layaway payoff at a time.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: It's about 20 minutes past the hour now. And a special group of angels pitching in this holiday season. In Indianapolis a woman walked into a K-Mart, paid off the layaway bills of several cash strapped families. She said she wanted to make the holiday better for as many people as you could. She paid off the layaway bill for almost 50 customers. The balances ranged from $10 to $800.

We are seeing now this happen at several places all over the country.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANGIE TORRES, CUSTOMER: She said that she had money and she wanted to make Christmas happy. I was just like, an angel has dropped out of the sky. I took out my credit card to pay my minimum balance. She said, don't pay that. I'm going to pay it for you. She said the only thing you can do for me is to give back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: I love this stuff, Reynolds.

WOLF: I can't believe your mom is that incredible that she would go and do those kind of things. I mean, just remarkable.

(CROSSTALK)

WOLF: It is cool, though, the time of the year that you actually see some of the very best of people that come out. It's an amazing thing.

HOLMES: There seems to be so much back and forth. We don't treat each other well a lot of times. It's great to see a story like that.

WOLF: And many will be out there today trying to treat their family to some great things.

(WEATHER BREAK)

HOLMES: We're at 22 minutes past the hour. The army private accused of leaking thousands of classified documents to WikiLeaks expected back in court today. We will have those details for you shortly.

But first, news about a legendary singer, Etta James. We're told she is now in the fight for her life.

(MUSIC)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: It's about 24 minutes past the hour now. He is the likely most notorious teen burglar in our time. Now Colton Harris-Moore has plenty of time to regret his two-year long crime spree in the Pacific northwest. Yesterday, the courthouse in Washington state, the so- called the barefoot bandit, he pleaded guilty to all 33 state charges he was facing. Moore reached cult-like status while dodging police on a two-year manhunt that included stealing cars, boats, and even a plane. He was captured in the Bahamas last year after crashing a stolen plane. Part of the plea agreement includes surrendering any money he makes on books or movies relating to his crime and paying more than $1 million in restitution.

Also, the U.S. army private accused of leaking classified information to WikiLeaks was in court yesterday. CNN's Brian Todd was there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He sat upright in court, gave crisp "yes, sir" answers when asked if he understood the charges against him. Wearing thick-framed glasses, Private Bradley Manning appeared robust and laser focused. As Manning took notes, his attorney came out firing, laying down an early mark on how tough he'll be.

Defense lawyer David Coombs accused the investigating officer, who is essentially the judge, of being bias against Manning. Coombs said that officer, Lieutenant Colonel Paul Almanza, is an official at the department of justice which is conducting a separate investigation of WikiLeaks. A former Navy Jag officer says that shouldn't raise red flags.

MICHAEL NAVARRE, FORMER NAVY JAB OFFICER: That's a broad brush. That's a broad accusation of bias. We didn't hear any facts that related him specifically to this case or to the facts of the case.

TODD: That presiding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Almanza, points out he's in a completely different division of the Justice Department and refuses to pull himself off the case. Outside the gates of Fr. Meade, dozens of Manning supporters continue their fervent pleas for his freedom.

But it appears this hearing to determine whether Manning will be court-martialed will roll on. Manning, charged with 22 counts in the largest intelligence leak in U.S. history, hundreds of thousands of documents published on WikiLeaks.org. His attorney now gives a hint of what tack he'll take, saying this case rises and falls on whether information was properly classified.

Manning supporters say this about many of the documents leaked.

KEVIN ZEESE, LAWYER, BRADLEY MANNING SUPPORT NETWORK: They shouldn't have been of a classified nature and that they didn't do any harm to national security.

TODD: But Michael Navarre says that may be countered by prosecutors.

NAVARRE: We don't know what all the evidence is regarding potential harm to national security or intelligence interests. At this point I think the jury is still out on that.

TODD (on camera): Michael Nevarre says despite losing his challenge to the presiding officer in this case Bradley Manning's attorney is planting seeds, signaling he'll challenge these proceedings at every step. If Manning is convicted of the most serious charge, aiding the enemy, his most likely sentence will be life in prison.

Brian Todd, CNN, Ft. Meade, Maryland.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: As we get closer to the bottom of the hour, I know what you're thinking. What is Herman Cain up to these days now that he's out of the presidential race? We'll let you see and hear his latest project.

Also, Maria and Lenny time. They're standing by. We had another great debate, debate number 813 in the Republican presidential calendar. And it turned out to be a doozy, as well. Our conversation with our good friends after the break. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: We're at the bottom of the hour. Welcome back, everybody. Thank you for spending part of your weekend here with us.

Time now for our Saturday morning political discussions with two of our dear, dear friends here, CNN political contributor Marie Cardona and Republican strategist Lenny McAllister both join me, as always. First, I have got something I want to play for you guys. Just about a half-hour ago Senator McCain on the Senate floor talking about this nearly $1 trillion spending bill. You let me know if he sounds happy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R) ARIZONA: Here we are again, a bill, 1,221 pages long not one member of this committee has read, of this body has read -- 1,221 pages representing $915 billion of the taxpayers' money, and here we are with not an amendment, I didn't -- we do have a few minutes to debate. We have 15 minutes, 15 minutes to consider a document 1,221 pages long representing $915 billion of the taxpayers' money, filled with unauthorized, unrequested money.

And $100 million for the next generation bomber which the air force says they don't want examine they don't need, some cockamamie outfit like a combat dragon, which would be crop dusters equipped with weapons. It's outrageous.

I have amendments to save the taxpayers billions of dollars that's associated with this bill, but never mind, because we're going to go home for Christmas. Well, all I can tell you, I'm going home to a state where they don't have enough in the book banks to take care of the homeless this year. I'm going home to a state where half the homes are under water. What have we done? We've just billions and billions of taxpayer money on projects that are either unneeded, unwanted, unrequested. And this system is broken. This system is broken.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Well said. But what do we do, Maria? Because we told the American people, getting close to a shutdown, there's a deal, a crisis averted. No government shutdown, but we're in the same place with the Bill that has waste in it. What do we do, Maria?

MARIA CARDONA, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: And that's a question I would ask Senator McCain. Would he rather shut the government down? What's interesting, he talks about projects in there that either weren't need or the air force didn't want when he was one of the senators who went to bat for a project that the defense department said was absolutely unnecessary in the last go-around.

So I think both sides are guilty of this, T.J. I'm think what the American taxpayers really want and need from their Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle has been lack. And frankly, I'm putting it at the Republicans' feet, but they are the ones who have been intransigent in working with this president and working with Democrats on what needs to be done to create jobs, to avert these government shutdowns, and to work together in a bipartisan manner to find solutions for the American people.

HOLMES: Go ahead, Lenny. I was trying to hit on it. And I know you're a democrat, Maria, and I respect that. But still, here, Lenny, on the principle of it, we give these guys credit saying, agree, they worked it out, but the system is the same. We're getting nowhere. What did he talk about, a crop duster with weapons on it?

LENNY MCALLISTER, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: I'm sitting there and listening to Maria and she's this close to agreeing with her 100 percent. And then she put it at the Republicans feet all over again.

Listen, as Americans, let's drop the partisanship for a second and look the politicians in the eye in Washington, D.C. and say if you didn't waste so much time bickering with each other and you spent more time leading this nation, we won't have to were about reading a 1,000 page bill in 15 minutes. I commend what Senator McCain is saying on the back end of this, but where was he and other leaders when it came to the front end of this? As we move into 2012, I know people are going to contend with each other. The win that somebody get in office and lead from a humble standpoint instead of doing the bickering back and forth for gamesmanship. That's why what he said makes sense, but it sounds a little hollow at this stage of the game.

HOLMES: Yes, it does. And Maria, what was your political highlight of the week?

CARDONA: I think it has to be the Iowa debate. I have to say Michele Bachmann stood out for me because she really took it to her colleagues on that stage, especially Newt Gingrich on the issues of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and his hypocrisy there and late term abortion as well as Ron Paul on his policies in Iran. If she had done that from the get-do, she might be more ahead in the polls. But I have to give her credit for taking it to her lesion issues that I think are important for conservative voters in Iowa.

HOLMES: Lenny, what stood out for you this week?

MCALLISTER: It's basically can the mouth from the south hold off the storming Mormon and defeat the president ears from the past four years. We're going to find out in Iowa.

(LAUGHTER)

HOLMES: We're going to find it out. Nobody has voted yet, and we know these things can be up in the air. But Lenny, right now, how does this race look to you? Does anyone have treatment now 20 make, really, some kind of a change or maybe some kind of headway two weeks before they start voting?

MCALLISTER: Sure, there's some people that can do it. Rick Perry, when you look at the lead for Gingrich shrinking when it comes to Romney and Paul coming up closer to him, it's not because they gained so much. Look at Rick Perry starting to gain points again. All of a sudden, he's in fourth place, he's a factor. Don't be surprised if Perry does better than we thought he would in a couple of weeks and then perhaps uses that bankroll that he has to try to rebuild his campaign. That's probably the one to watch. Can Gingrich hold on to the lead and can Perry rebuild his campaign now that he's had a couple of solid debates underneath his belt?

HOLMES: Wrap this thing up, Maria.

CARDONA: I tend to agree with Lenny on this. A day is a lifetime in politics. But if this is going to be a drawn out battle, a drawn out battle always goes to the candidate with the most money and the best infrastructure. Right now, that person is Mitt Romney and going into this, as Lenny mentioned, Newt Gingrich who had seen the surge is now seeing that surge disappear as we go into the most important time in this process.

HOLMES: All right, Lenny, Maria, a little fired up today. I like the income from you, though. Good to talk to you, as always.

CARDONA: Thank you.

MCALLISTER: God bless.

HOLMES: We'll check back in with Reynolds Wolf here in just a minute keeping an eye on the weather situation in this country and what's happening in the Philippines today where that tropical storm has taken the lives of at least 400 people there. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER BREAK)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: It's about a quarter of the top of the hour now. Some of the stories making headlines. In sports today, the Chicago Bears have now cut wide receiver Sam Hurd. Federal authorities arrested him two days ago on charges of conspiring to possess and distribute cocaine.

Also Barry Bonds sentenced Friday to two years probation and 30 days of house arrest for obstruction of justice in a grand jury inquiry into illegal steroid use by pro athletes.

Also Kobe Bryant, just as the NBA season is set to get underway on Christmas Day, his wife, Vanessa, has filed for divorce. They've been married ten years. Vanessa Bryant has asked for joint custody of their two children. She's also asking for spousal support. The couple's publicists issued a statement saying, quote, "The Bryants have resolved all issues, incidents related to their divorce privately and a judgment dissolving their marital status will be entered in 2012. We asked in the interest of our children and in light of the upcoming holiday season, the public respect our privacy during this most difficult time."

Now to the war in Iraq, officially over. Just ahead, reflections from the troops.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: About 10 away to the top of the hour now. Giving you a look at some of the stories making news across the country. and we begin at the Ohio doorstep of Republican House Speaker John Boehner.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(CHANTING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: You're hearing protesters here angry with Congressman Boehner's vote for a proposed trans-Canadian oil pipeline. They're voicing their anger at the speaker's office near Cincinnati. A similar demonstration was held outside Boehner's residence in Washington. Also authorities in Philadelphia are investigating how a 13-year-old boy got locked up in his school overnight. David Fields didn't come home Thursday. His mom was worried. She called police. She called the school. Nine hours later he was found in a locked stairwell. He says he was trying to dodge bullies at his school.

Also an invasion of black tiger shrimp has fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico worried that the Asian species might threaten those native to the gulf. Roughly 200 have recently been harvested. There are concerns they could throw the gulf ecosystem out of balance and threaten that $700 million industry.

Herman Cain and his wife have a message for you -- Merry Christmas. The couple is appearing in a web video posted on YouTube.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HERMAN CAIN, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

Merry Christmas, and a happy holiday season from our family to yours.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Now, Cain, as you know, dropped out of the Republican presidential race a couple weeks ago. His Republican rivals are hoping for a different Christmas present from Cain. They're all working right now to get his endorsement.

About nine minutes to the top of the hour. Take a look at what's happening at LAX.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Now that the war is officially over in Iraq, some combat vets telling us how they feel about. Our senior Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr asked some bets about their experiences fighting in Iraq and their futures. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN SENIOR PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: The war in Iraq may have been one of the most controversial wars in American history. At a Veterans of Foreign Wars lodge, we sat down with five Iraq combat veterans, asking some of the toughest questions. Is the war really over for them and was it all worth it?

(on camera) You've been out of Iraq a number of years. Is it really over for you? KAYLA WILLIAMS, FORMER ARMY SERGEANT: There are fundamental ways in which I am changed as a result of my service. I now identify as a veteran and that is a key part of my identity. And there are ways in which having been to Iraq, I feel separates me from civilian -- separates me from those who have never served and that is a barrier that I still haven't been able to overcome.

IAN SMITH, FORMER ARMY SERGEANT: No, it's not over once you come back. We can't leave the game on the court. We're struggling with things such as epidemic levels of unemployment and suicide rates.

STARR: Your thoughts?

CAPT. SHANNON MEEHAN, U.S. ARMY (RET.): I agree a lot with what Ian said. I think that it's just beginning for many of these veterans now that they are returning home. The war may be coming to an end, but it's a whole new world that they're coming home to now.

STARR: In some way, do you feel the bar is still and always will be a part of who you are?

LUIS CARLOS MONTALVAN, FORMER ARMY CAPTAIN: The war is very ongoing. And it's ongoing for the Iraqi people who being spoken about. Iraq still has the largest refugee crisis in the world.

STARR: What about for you?

JOHN KAMIN, FORMER ARMY SPECIALIST: It's still not over that, you know, we, I think, as advocates and as veterans in the community receive correspondence and dialogue from veterans all over the country. And they're all, so many of them, not just these wars, they're asking for help. They're in dire straits right now. So I don't think anyone in good conscious, be a general, a VA official or politician can say that the war is over.

STARR: Is the war over for you?

KAMIN: I think that if we don't carry the burden of the war, then we are not -- we're doing a disservice to those that went over there and gave it their all. For those that did not return, that weren't able to go to school and live a little better of a life, to forget about that and say it's all over and close the book and that was yesterday and today is today, no, it's not an option.

STARR: Do you worry whether it's five years from now or ten years from now or next year, do you worry that Americans are going to forget?

MEEHAN: That's the one thing I wonder is what the cultural memory of this war is going to be. I think it's going to be remembered as a mistake war. I feel that's the shape this war is taking in our society, that it was a mistake.

Well, I mean, that's something that I -- I can't answer. I know what I did over there and I'm proud of my soldiers and what we were able to accomplish. There's a public perception of this war. And it's disheartening in a way to endure this, this position, to know that my greatest achievements in life were nothing more than a mistake.

MONTALVAN: What you're defining is PTSD. That is something veterans have faced in time and memorial is whether my contributions were really in the best interests of me, my soldiers, my country, et cetera.

STARR: There's no question this war has been a great subject of political and intellectual conflict in this country. So the thing that a lot of Americans might wonder is how you rationalize as a veteran in your own mind, was it worth it.

WILLIAMS: I frankly did not support the war in Iraq when I deployed. I thought the reasons we were being sent were disingenuous at best. But that didn't matter because I swore to obey the lawful order of those above me.

Coming home, there was a time when things were terrible, that I really wondered whether the war had been a terrible, terrible mistake. And I have come to the conclusion that we won't know for a generation or more. There have been times when I thought, god, we have actually -- even if we went in for the wrong reasons, perhaps we have given the Iraqi people the opportunity to forge a better future for themselves, because I was thanked by people in Iraq over and over who wanted to tell me how horribly they suffered under Saddam Hussein.

KAMIN: I was so proud of the people I served with. And at the end of the day, it wasn't about country. It wasn't about foreign policy. It wasn't even so much about winning any type of war as much as it was about doing what we can do for our particular area of operations and making sure we all got back.

(END VIDEOTAPE)