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Memo to the President; Another Brigade Packing Up; Michael Crichton Dies of Cancer; Austin, Texas Manhunt; The Nation's First Lady
Aired November 06, 2008 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right. The next step, Barack Obama begins his move to the White House. The to-do list today: Intelligence briefing and team-building.
Plus, more misery on Wall Street? What could be driving the markets down today?
It's Thursday, November 6th. I'm Fredericka Whitfield in for Heidi Collins. And you are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
No rest for the elected. With 75 days to his inauguration President-elect Barack Obama is busy putting his transition team into place and looking at who he wants to advise him these next four years.
Today the incoming president is expected to receive his first top secret intelligence briefing. CNN has learned that Michael McConnell, director of national intelligence, and a team of CIA officers will be in charge of that.
They will also brief Vice President-elect Joe Biden.
So already a few names are being tossed out for his Cabinet.
CNN's Suzanne Malveaux is in Chicago.
Suzanne, what are you hearing?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fred, Barack Obama is really wasting no time at all in trying to assemble his Cabinet. He has a transition team that's already in place. He met with them yesterday.
John Podesta, the former chief of staff under Clinton, is heading up that transition team and, of course, the one thing that you're looking at is his own chief of staff. Who would that be?
Well, top of the short list is Rahm Emanuel, the Illinois congressman. They are very close. He is widely credited for bringing Democrats back into power in 2006. And -- so he is somebody who is in discussion with the Obama camp to see if that is indeed a fit.
And Barack Obama also making a very big deal about the financial crisis that he's going to be announcing his treasury secretary soon as well. There's a number of people who are on that short list as well that they're looking at. One of them being former treasury secretary, Larry Summers. He was also the former president of Harvard University, that he is somebody that has consulted with Obama when it comes to the financial crisis.
Another person that they're looking at is Timothy Geithner. He is the president of the Federal Reserve Bank in New York and he has been a critical -- a critical member, a key member and somebody who's actually been taking a look at that bailout plan and this whole economic mess since September or so.
Another person, a former Federal Reserve chair, Paul Volcker. He is an adviser of Obama's once again. And finally, a New Jersey governor, Jon Corzine, somebody who was an executive at Goldman Sachs.
These are all people who are on the short list. They're looking at these names very closely and obviously, Fred, the priority is going to be to assemble his chief of staff and his economic team as quickly as possible -- Fred?
WHITFIELD: Right. And lots of lists and lots of things to do within the next 75 days. But what do we understand or what do we think we know, Suzanne, about where exactly Barack Obama and his family will be within the next 75 days, spending most of their time still in Chicago or starting to make that move to D.C.?
MALVEAUX: I think we'll be in Chicago for quite some time, Fred. Obviously, Barack Obama, he loves his daughters tremendously. He missed them terribly, Michelle and the daughters, and so he's going to try to spend as much time here in Chicago.
And what they're doing is they're going to divvy it up. There's an office here, a whole operation here. That's where he's going to get those briefings, the secure briefings. They're going to get a kind of a makeshift briefing room, if you will, for press conferences, things like that.
And then the government offices have already opened up in Washington, D.C. for low-level or low-level management positions to get the furniture and all that stuff into place. It's something that they've been working on for the last two years.
Those government offices -- the transition team getting ready now, welcoming Barack Obama and his group -- Fred?
WHITFIELD: All right. Suzanne Malveaux, thanks so much, from Chicago this morning.
All right. Well, before he can call it quits, President Bush still has three months of work ahead of him. Next hour, he plans to meet with his Cabinet and on the table most likely, how to get the $700 billion financial rescue program up and running.
And when the meeting ends, President Bush is expected to talk to reporters about the transition from his administration to Barack Obama's. And we'll take you to the White House for those comments as they happen.
Well, meantime, during this transition period, on both sides, keeping America safe is a very big priority for those still in charge and those about to take to the ring.
CNN's Justice correspondent Kelli Arena looks at this huge challenge.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It's called the Presidential Daily Brief or PDB. It contains the most classified information about covert activities, military operations and threats facing the United States.
FRANCES FRAGOS TOWNSEND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CONTRIBUTOR: He will begin to see not only the threat but also the response and he will have to begin to make decisions about what his policy will be.
ARENA: It will be a sobering experience for the president-elect. He'll be able to see top secret satellite photos, hear what the nation's spies are reporting, and he'll get the latest intelligence from the world's hot spots.
What's happening with the insurgency in Iraq? How sick is North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Il? And what's the status of the hunt for terrorists in Pakistan?
The sooner he hears it, the better.
MIKE MCCONNELL, DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE: Those who wish us harm realize this is a period for us when we are still adjusting to making decisions and understanding and so on.
ARENA: McConnell points out the first and second attacks on the World Trade Center happened during the first years of the Clinton and Bush administrations. The fact that has not escaped the president- elect or his number two.
SEN. JOE BIDEN (D), VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT: Mark my words, we will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy.
ARENA: Officials stressed there's no intelligence to suggest that any attack is eminent but they remain on guard.
MICHAEL CHERTOFF, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: We have put into effect some additional measures to just make sure we're really scrubbing all the intelligence, working very carefully anything that might be a vulnerability.
ARENA: A smooth transition also calls for the fast placement of a new national security team.
(On camera): Experts say the president-elect needs to get that team which will include a new Homeland Security secretary and attorney general in place as soon as possible. So he's prepared for the many challenges that he will face on day one.
Kelli Arena, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right. President-elect Barack Obama, the eyes of the world turned to Washington. So what is the international reaction and what's his message to other world leaders?
CNN State correspondent Zain Verjee joins us now from New York with more on that.
Zain?
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT: Fredericka, global expectations of the president-elect are sky high. So how is he going to navigate all that international demands for his attention?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENT-ELECT: The new dawn of American leadership is at hand.
VERJEE (voice over): The president-elect set the bar high.
OBAMA: To those who would tear the world down, we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security, we support you.
VERJEE: The world shared in America's historic moment but now has great expectations.
Nicholas Burns is the former under secretary of state.
NICHOLAS BURNS, FORMER UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE: We have to be engaged. We have to kind of win back the confidence of some people around the world who've lost confidence, clearly, in American leadership.
VERJEE: The world wants the U.S. to fix the global financial crisis, and for Barack Obama to deliver on campaign pledges, to withdraw from Iraq, to confront terrorists in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and to fight global warming.
BURNS: I fear that perhaps the international expectations of what can realistically be accomplished will be too high.
VERJEE: As he rides the wave of global good will, the president- elect will have to reduce those expectations and prioritize.
Already, Russia's president Medvedev has greeted the Obama election by blasting the U.S. on the Georgia conflict, blaming it for the financial crisis, and threatening to deploy Russian missiles against the U.S. missile defense shield.
Candidate Obama promised to make Mideast peace a priority on day one. Israelis and Palestinians are looking to the U.S. to lead them out of the deadlock.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VERJEE: The challenge for the president-elect will also be to protect U.S. interests that some U.S. allies may not like or expect -- Fredericka?
WHITFIELD: That's interesting. And so, Zain, we know that Barack Obama's grandmother is still in Kenya. And there might be grand expectations from that entire continent on him. Are they reasonable expectations or what do we know about those expectations?
VERJEE: There are many people in Kenya, in Africa that say that their lives will improve now that Barack Obama has been elected president. But many, too, Fredericka, say that they understand that that just may not happen because -- specifically, because of the financial crisis that Barack Obama has to grapple with and that may not mean Africa is a priority.
But there are other intangible things. Many people in Africa say this is a huge source of pride. This has broken racial barriers. And that it sends a signal to other dictators in Africa that just won't let go and just stay on until their twilight years that they shouldn't hang on to power.
Look at the transition of power that happened in the United States and the loser gracefully stepped out. And that's -- a powerful message to many leaders like that. Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe, for example.
WHITFIELD: All right. State Department correspondent, Zain Verjee, from New York, thanks so much. Appreciate it.
All right. Let's talk about your money now. It was "ISSUE #1" in this presidential election. And now that the votes are counted, recession fears are fueling new volatility on Wall Street.
CNN's Christine Romans has a closer look at New York from there -- Christine?
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Fred. Well, we're watching every one of these economic reports for the drum beat of grim news that faces the president-elect.
And many economists say that between now and inauguration, another half million jobs could be lost. So this is definitely a priority for this new transition and this new president.
And today we got weekly jobless claims. It shows that, for the most recent week on record, 481,000 people lined up at the unemployment office for jobless benefits for the first time.
So those are first-time jobless benefits, 481,000 people. And the week before was revised upward to 485,000 people. Anything above 400,000 is seen as a sign of significant weakness in the labor market. And so this is sort of telling us that what we've been telling you, that the jobs market is weak. The labor market is weak. We know that banks are laying people off. We know that this week GlaxoSmithKline laid off some -- 1,000 drug sales reps.
We know that the auto industry has lost a lot of jobs. And tomorrow we're going to get a big jobs report that's going to -- really tell us what it looked like in October.
Where has there been jobs growth for anybody who's looking for the silver lining out there? Government jobs, education jobs, and some healthcare jobs. So we're going to break that down further tomorrow.
But what does it mean for the president-elect and the promises he has made, his economic plan? He's got a few things that he said on the trail, Fredericka, that would -- that would provide some immediate relief. Among them, he would like to provide tax credits for businesses to create jobs. $3,000 per new job created.
He wants a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures. He wants to, at least temporarily, eliminate the taxes that people pay on unemployment insurance. Those are those 481,000 last week who signed up for jobless claims for the first time. They have to pay taxes on that.
He would like to at least temporarily eliminate those taxes. And he'd like to allow early 401(k) and IRA withdrawals so that people who are in trouble can maybe get a source of income in the very near term.
There already are some hardship withdrawal rules already out there but that at least sends the message that he's willing to do a few things. Now whether he can get these things through and how quickly remains to be seen.
But we do know that the transition has great urgency. You heard Suzanne Malveaux talk about the treasury secretary short list. A lot of people on Wall Street is telling me that indeed it's like picking the defense secretary during a time of war. That's how important this treasury secretary pick is and how important the economic transition is at this point.
WHITFIELD: All right, Christine Romans, thanks so much, from New York.
ROMANS: You're welcome.
WHITFIELD: Appreciate it.
All right. Well, if it were a contest -- just if it were -- women would win hands down. But this is one time where both sexes feel a little dirty about it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. From the storm of presidential politics to now Rob Marciano in the weather center talking about, what, a tropical storm? We forgot all about that potential, didn't we?
(WEATHER REPORT)
MARCIANO: A quick shot of some of the action that we saw in the mountains. This is what happened while we were deciding who is going to be president on election night, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Yes?
MARCIANO: Park City, Utah. Check that out.
WHITFIELD: Oh my gosh.
MARCIANO: And this is in town. One of my favorite things to do as a kid was to look out the window, see what was going on on the picnic bench. And that's how you measure the snow and they're adding to it with some snow guns as well.
WHITFIELD: That is neat. I love Park City. God, that's a gorgeous place.
MARCIANO: Yes. It is some good powder out there, for sure.
WHITFIELD: I'm heading there this winter. I just know it.
MARCIANO: All right.
WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks a lot, Rob. Appreciate it.
MARCIANO: You bet.
WHITFIELD: OK. So here's a dirty little secret. A new study claims that women have far more bacteria on their hands than men. And, guys, before you feel smug about it all, we all have more types of bacteria than even the researchers actually expected.
So here to explain, CNN's chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
OK, I'm very surprised, because women do everything, you know?
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Right.
WHITFIELD: And we wash our hands a lot. So why in the world...
GUPTA: I would shake your hands but I'm going to give you an elbow.
WHITFIELD: OK.
GUPTA: Well...
WHITFIELD: I mean we wash our hands a lot, don't we?
GUPTA: You do. And studies confirm what you're saying, Fredricka. Absolutely. Women wash their hands more often than men. Having said that, though...
WHITFIELD: You didn't like to do everything, fine.
GUPTA: Do everything, I've not much choice anyway.
But having said that, as it turns out, according to the study, it's not so much that their hands are dirtier, is that they have more species of bacteria on their hands. Pretty interesting. A new study actually confirming that.
In terms of the types of bacteria, they said they have 40 percent more species of bacteria on their hands as compared to men. You're asking, of course, why, same question we asked.
A couple of reasons. I'm not exactly sure but it could be that the sweat on men's hands a little bit more acidic, a little bit more acid in it.
WHITFIELD: Wow.
GUPTA: A less hospitable environment for bacteria. Another possibility is that the hormonal changes that women go through could make their hands a little bit more hospitable for bacteria.
Either way, there's some fascinating things came out of this study about bacteria and our bodies. Overall, first of all, there are many more types of bacteria on our hands that we even previously imagined. About 100 times more types of bacteria than we previously imagine.
So we're nowhere near figuring this out yet. Also between people, so between you and I, for example, only 13 percent of the bacteria do we share in common. So even though, we're -- you know right here next to each other, only 13 percent. And even between our hands there's only 17 percent of bacteria that are in common.
So a left hand, literally, very different from our right hand.
WHITFIELD: That's interesting.
GUPTA: They use the human genome technology to figure this out.
WHITFIELD: I'm starting to get itchy, though.
GUPTA: Right. Might be me, sorry about that.
They use the human genome technology to figure this out.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
GUPTA: One thing they concluded was that we've only found about 1 percent of the bacteria that exists in the world today.
WHITFIELD: Oh my goodness.
GUPTA: I got 4700 species on my hands here.
WHITFIELD: That's so scary.
GUPTA: You got a few more, I'll tell you.
WHITFIELD: We'll stick with the elbow shakes.
All right. Well, I'm a little bit of a germaphobe, which is why I'm washing my hands all the time.
GUPTA: Right.
WHITFIELD: Thinking I'm getting rid of most of the germs or this bacteria, but now you're going to tell me something about all that hand washing?
GUPTA: No, I think -- you know hand washing is good. I will always advocate hand washing as a doctor. You know, I mean, I think it's going to -- especially this time of year, it reduces the spread of the flu bug, for example, and will decrease the number of bacteria overall.
But it doesn't decrease the number of types of bacteria that you have on your hands. And I don't want you to look at your hands every time and say 4700 different types of bacteria but that's about what it is.
That's about how many it is. Pretty remarkable.
WHITFIELD: Good to see you.
Well, what about other liquids that -- you know, the anti- bacteria?
GUPTA: Yes, no...
WHITFIELD: Helps?
GUPTA: Those are all fine. And there was a concern that do they increase the resistance bacteria.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
GUPTA: That really hasn't panned out to be true. And there's some bacteria that are good for you. They actually fight off the bad bacteria. So not all bacteria are bad.
WHITFIELD: Yes. I'm not kidding. I'm starting to get a little itchy and a little uncomfortable now.
GUPTA: Sorry about that. You're not going to have me back, are you?
WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks, Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
GUPTA: Yes. Thank you. WHITFIELD: It was good to see you, even if it is icky, an icky problem.
GUPTA: (INAUDIBLE)
WHITFIELD: Yes, (INAUDIBLE). Thanks a lot.
GUPTA: See you.
WHITFIELD: All right. Well, let's talk again about all the big, I guess, to-dos that we've seen across the country coming from this election season.
Well, how about demonstrators that are making a big bang outside a CNN bureau.
A hot button issue gets even hotter on the streets of Los Angeles. We'll explain why.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. Protesters taking to the streets in Los Angeles. They're angry over the passage of Proposition 8 which bans same-sex marriages.
CNN's Thelma Gutierrez joins us live now -- Thelma?
THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredericka, I can tell you that last night it was a very emotionally charged demonstration. It began in West Hollywood with about 2500 people. They've gathered to protest the apparent passing of Prop 8 which recognizes marriage as a legal union between a man and a woman.
Well, that protest then became a march and according to Los Angeles police about 1,000 protesters took to the streets. You can see aerial views from up above, looking down below of a swarm of people that were crowding the major thoroughfares coming into Hollywood.
They are gathered around cars. Some drivers said that they felt trapped in those cars.
Well, then they came up to the CNN building right here on Sunset Boulevard. They gathered here. They were chanting. They were waving cards. And they were, for the most part, peaceful.
At that point Los Angeles police say that one of the protesters jumped on top of a patrol car. Things became very intense. Some of the other protesters jumped the scrimmage lines and police called in back-up, called tactical alert. But they quickly were able to detain those people and get this under control -- Fredericka?
WHITFIELD: Wow, all right, fiery moments there.
Thanks so much, Thelma Gutierrez, in Los Angeles. Appreciate it. Well, same-sex is just one of the major battle issues decided on Tuesday. Coming up, we'll take a closer look at some of the others that we were keeping an eye on.
And she may be exiting the national stage right now, but don't be shocked when she re-enters in the next act. What's ahead for Sarah Palin.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: Live in the CNN NEWSROOM, Fredricka Whitfield.
WHITFIELD: All right. The market are just about to open. We understand it's probably going to open pretty low. And it was a pretty brutal day on Wall Street yesterday. Possibly a repeat.
Recession worries sent all the major averages down more than 5 percent. And then overnight, Asian markets followed suit.
For a look at what to expect today, let's go to Stephanie Elam. She's looking into her crystal ball from the New York Stock Exchange.
What do you have, Stephanie?
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fred, yes, well, you know, those recession fears, they are growing thanks to more troubling economic news. So stocks are set to pull back once again.
There's the bell. We'll keep our eyes on it. The nation's retailers are reporting October sales today and early results show most companies like Limited Brands and Costco missed expectations.
Wal-Mart bust a trend posting a nearly 2.5 percent increase through the bargain hunting shoppers and demand for Halloween merchandise.
But the overall weakness is spreading to the technology sector as well. Network equipment maker Cisco expects sales to tumble up to 10 percent this quarter. The company is also freezing hiring. Cisco shares are down about 4 percent. And it's not just Cisco alone. Toyota slashed its earnings forecast for the rest of the year. The automaker sees annual profits falling for the first time in seven years. Toyota shares are plunging 12 percent.
And when companies are suffering, they typically cut jobs. About an hour ago, we learned the number of people continuing to receive unemployment benefits rose to a 25-year high. That's a bad omen for tomorrow's big monthly jobs report.
All right. Let's take a look at the numbers in the early going here. The Dow, up 41 points, 9595. Nasdaq off 19 at 6062. The S&P 500 off fractionally at this time as well.
Fred, so we'll see how it develops. Back to you.
WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much, Stephanie. Appreciate it.
All right. Well, many people are saying today congratulations, President-Elect Barack Obama, now get to work. But where does the new president actually begin? Here now is CNN White House correspondent Elaine Quijano on presidential priorities.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Mr. President, Americans want the broken economy fixed first. Maybe a good time for that promised tax cut. If that goes well, experts say, keeping other promises on energy alternatives and getting health care for millions more will be easier.
STUART ROTHENBERG, THE ROTHENBERG POLITICAL REPORT: In Washington, winning leads to winning and losing breeds losing.
QUIJANO: But setting priorities means navigating treacherous waters.
ROTHENBERG: Between now and inauguration, every group in the country is going to lay down their marker at what they think should be done, what they need, what they want, and how they got him elected.
QUIJANO: And in the first 100 days, a president's agenda can easily get derailed, especially if he or she provokes a fight with Congress.
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This compromise is not everything I would have hoped for.
QUIJANO: In 1993, Bill Clinton set out to undo the ban on gays in the military.
DAVID GERGEN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Bill Clinton, as talented as he was, and he was enormously talented, came in with some uncertainty about where to go each week, each month. And there was a certain amount of flailing. It's really important to hit the ground running as president if you want to accomplish a lot.
QUIJANO: Democratic expectations are running high.
ROTHENBERG: They don't think that he's merely going to be president. They think that he's been elected, savior.
GERGEN: Barack Obama has to avoid the pitfalls of being -- of dillydallying, of not being certain where he's going to go. I must say about Barack Obama, he's one of the most strategic and discipline political leaders we've had in a long time.
QUIJANO (on camera): But foreign policy crises have a way of knocking presidential plans off track. And on the domestic front, analysts say, even as the honeymoon phase continues, the expectations and list of demands are soaring.
Elaine Quijano, CNN, the White House. (END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right. More troops now are coming home earlier than expected. Senior military officials tell CNN that two brigades, not one, will be pulled out of Iraq this month. Only one of them will be replaced. A brigade is 3,000 or so troops. The decision said to be based on a decline in violence.
President-Elect Obama has pledged to make Middle East peace a priority beginning on day one. Ready to help engage those nations, the top military commander in that region. More from CNN's Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (on camera): The morning after the election, we caught up here with General David Petraeus in Afghanistan. He told us, like other top commanders, he's already getting ready for the transition to the new Obama administration. We asked him flat out, what he would tell the president-elect about talking to Iran.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEN. DAVID PETRAEUS, COMMANDER, U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: Well, I wouldn't go into specifics here, obviously. But, clearly, what is required is a comprehensive approach. It has to be an approach of partnership with the other nations in the region. All of them demonstrating a degree of unity, if you will, in response to potentially provocative actions by Iran.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: General Petraeus made it clear, he favors a U.S. policy of engagement with countries throughout this troubled region -- talking to the Syrians, talking to the Taliban here in Afghanistan about laying down their arms. It may not be the U.S. military that does the talking, but he is in favor of discussions with countries throughout this area.
General Petraeus also telling us he's already hearing from leaders in this region that they believe this election was a historic moment for the U.S. on the world stage.
Barbara Starr, CNN, Bagram, Afghanistan.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: And last week, we showed you some of the more interesting issues on ballots across the country. Our own top ten of ballot initiatives. So how did they do on Election Day?
Massachusetts voters decided to change the way marijuana possession is viewed. For an ounce or less of pot, people will now face a $100 fine instead of criminal prosecution. San Francisco voters were given a chance to stop police from investigating, arresting or prosecuting anyone selling sex. Proposition K failed by a wide margin.
And Arizona voters passed the homeowners bill of rights. Proposition 201, forces home sellers to give buyers a ten-year warranty on construction. That will allow homeowners to be compensated for construction problems.
Number 7 comes in measure from Sacramento. The city wanted to start taxing phone services like texting. That measure also passed. And Oregon voters approved a mandatory sentences law. A 36-month sentence for anyone convicted of identity theft. That's identical to the mandated sentence for anyone manufacturing meth.
And California voters shows their support for farm animals by passing Proposition 2. The measure calls for certain farm animals to be allowed to stretch their legs or wings for a majority of every day. That will set them free from small cages. No kidding.
All right. Number four on our list was Act One, Arkansas. The measure says unmarried couples cannot adopt kids or become foster parents. That one passed. And number three is another one from San Francisco. Voters were able to decide whether they wanted to change the name of the areas Ocean Side Water Pollution Control Plant to the George W. Bush Sewage Plant. Proposition R was defeated.
In Colorado, Amendment 48, would have defined a fertilized egg as a person entitled to full constitutional protections by the state. It failed by a 73 percent to 23 percent margin.
And finally, Iowa voters struck idiot from the state constitution. The constitution said idiots and insane persons couldn't vote. Now, it's officially changed to just saying people a judged mentally-incompetent to vote.
I thought you would like that update.
All right. Time now to check the "Political Ticker." The clock is ticking on one of the Bush administration's top priorities. And Israeli-Palestinian peace deal. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is on her eighth trip to the Middle East in just the past year. Rice will meet with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, and she will also visit Egypt and Jordan to shore up Arab support for the talks.
Former GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is waking up in Alaska today. She and husband Todd returned home late last night. The Alaska governor says she has no political ambition beyond her state duties.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. SARAH PALIN (R), ALASKA: I see my role as a governor of Alaska, allowing our nation to become energy secure, again understanding the importance of energy security. It's a national security issue. It's an energy and economic independence issue that we need to be working on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Some analysts say Palin could make a White House run in 2012, or perhaps a bid for the U.S. Senate.
And thanks are in order from us here at CNN to you, the viewers. You helped us break audience records on election night. More than 13 million people tuned in as we announced Barack Obama as the nation's next president. Our coverage drew a bigger audience than any other broadcast or cable network. Again, thanks and we hope you keep watching.
All right. The transition to power. What you need to know as President-Elect Obama starts picking his team and making plans for the White House. It's all in our "Political Ticker." Just logon to CNN.com/politics. Your source for all things political.
Well, they can affect your mood, your weight, even your sex drive. Hormones. How to handle the changes as you age.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. This sad story. The hit show "E.R." Well, the creator Michael Crichton is being remembered as an inspiration to students and a challenger to scientist. The million- selling author of "Jurassic Park" and "The Andromeda Strain" died of cancer yesterday at the age of 66. Crichton's long-running TV show "E.R." earned him an Emmy and numerous other awards. He was a medical doctor whose book turned blockbuster movie.
"Jurassic Park" brought dinosaurs to life using their DNA. Crichton made environmentalists angry when he questioned global warming in a 2004 novel "State of Fear." Michael Crichton, dead at the age of 66.
And legendary country singer Merle Haggard is recovering from lung cancer surgery. His wife says the 71-year-old, Haggard, had a cancerous growth removed from his right lung. She says he is, quote, "recuperating and doing better and better each day." Haggard has had a dozen of -- dozens, rather, of number one songs during his career that has spanned more than 40 years. According to his Web site, Haggard, a former smoker, learned of this spot on his lung just last May.
All right. In today's, "30, 40, 50" report, drops in hormone levels can have serious effects as we age. CNN's Judy Fortin looks at what you can do.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JUDY FORTIN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Jay Smith is a big guy, a former football player for the University of Maryland, and an avid weight lifter. Smith is a man's man. But when he hit 45, things just didn't seem right. JAY SMITH, PATIENT: Even at body building, you know, feel strong physically, mentally. But I started to notice that my libido was starting to drop.
FORTIN: Smith had low levels of the male hormone testosterone. It's a condition common in men as they age. Hormones are important to our bodies. They strengthen the heart, maintain brain function, including memory and mood, control metabolism and healthy weight and strengthen our bones. But as we get older, hormone levels start to wean.
In our 30s, men and women begin to see subtle effects from hormonal changes. For men, it's their growth hormone.
DR. MICHAEL IRWIG, GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL: Sometimes, low levels of this hormone IGF-1 are associated with changes in body composition, such as increase in fat and decrease in muscle.
FORTIN: That can cause a man to go from lean machine to marshmallow man. For woman, pregnancy can cause hormone changes that can lead to facial breakouts, changes in hair and nails, even cause gestational diabetes.
IRWIG: That's related to insulin and diabetes. And, in fact, many women who have gestational diabetes will later develop type II diabetes later on in life.
FORTIN: In our 40s, men begin to see a drop in testosterone, about one percent a year. Common side effects are hair loss, drop in sex drive, erectile dysfunction, osteoporosis, even depression. In severe cases, guys can be treated with testosterone replacement using shots, patches, even creams that raise testosterone levels. Jay Smith said it worked for him.
SMITH: It helps me sexually. And my partner is very happy with it.
FORTIN: As a woman enters menopause, several hormonal changes occur. The estrogen level in the body begins to decline, and women will begin to notice the thinning of their skin and loss of elasticity. Hair begins to thin and the body changes.
IRWIG: The most common one is hot flashes. The other symptoms are vaginal dryness and pain during intercourse. And this is due to a lack of estrogen.
FORTIN: Doctors recommend exercise and diet to control menopause symptoms. Some women take hormone replacement therapy or HRT to relieve these symptoms. However, HRT also has risks. According to the National Institutes of Health, it can increase woman's risk of breast cancer, heart disease and stroke. Because each woman is different and the risks vary, health experts recommend women talk to their doctor before beginning HRT.
Judy Fortin, CNN, Atlanta. (END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right. And this story that developing out of northeast Austin that we're following. Apparently, law enforcement is looking for three suspects armed with assault rifles after an early morning shooting. Two people were shot. One person apparently taken to the hospital.
KXAN's Kate Weidaw joins us now from Austin, Texas, with the very latest, Kate?
KATE WEIDAW, KXAN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Good morning. We have a very serious situation in the eastern part of Austin this morning. So far, at this point now, two suspects are on the loose. One man is dead, who was wearing a bullet proof vest and firing an AK-47 at police. And we also have six schools in our area that have now been closed.
And this all started around 4:00 this morning with a shooting that took place on the east side of Austin. Police tell us that one person was hit, taken to the hospital. A second person was unhurt. And they were able to give a description of the vehicle to police. Now, when police spotted that vehicle, the pursuit ensued. That pursuit lasted nine minutes. Ending actually just over to my right hand side.
WHITFIELD: Oh, man. All right. Sorry about that. We're going to try and re-establish communications with Kate Weidaw there, KXAN. But, again, reporting on what appears to be now the search for two suspects. One suspect may have been taken down already, but two suspects armed with assault rifles there after an early morning shooting. When we get more information, we'll be able to bring that to you.
All right. Meantime, a newborn with a name to live up to. A baby born on election night has something in common with the winner election night.
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WHITFIELD: All right. The presidential election and a celebration to the letter. When the election results were in, a Memphis homeowner updated her grassroots tribute to Barack Obama. She fired up her lawn mower and added the word president. The 60-year- old, first, adorned her front yard with his name during the campaign. And there you see a great view there of that update.
All right. Well, here's a living legacy. A baby born on election night given the middle name Obama. The South Florida parents are among the country's first to bestow the president-elect's name on their newborn. In fact, the couple was signed to the name even before most experts had actually declared Obama the winner.
Well, many African-Americans never imagined a black president in their lifetime. Consider the awe of the nation's oldest man. He endured decades of segregation. Well, today, he is celebrating a new page of history. Details now from Karen Massie of CNN's Sacramento affiliate, KXTV.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAREN MASSIE, KXTV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At age 112, George Renee Francis's mind is still sharp. He's a bit hard of hearing so his daughter, Lelia, helps ask him questions.
LELIA FRANCIS, DAUGHTER: Daddy, how do you feel about the election and about Barack?
GEORGE RENEE FRANCIS, 112 YEARS OLD: I feel very good.
MASSIE: Francis lives in a Sacramento care home, but like so many of us, followed the presidential campaign on TV.
L. FRANCIS: He's been an absentee ballot person for years. So when I got the ballot, I brought it here, and he signed it.
MASSIE: Relatives visit him often. But they say this centenarian made his own decision to pick Barack Obama.
L. FRANCIS: How did you make up your mind who to vote for?
G. FRANCIS Reporter: For a black man. I made up my mind when the first put it out in (INAUDIBLE).
MASSIE: Born in New Orleans in 1896, Francis and his family felt the sting of Jim Crow Laws of the segregated south.
L. FRANCIS: When my dad left the house, my mom didn't know if he was coming back dead or alive, because he was the kind of man that was not going to let anybody call him any names.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENT-ELECT: We are and always will be the United States of America.
MASSIE: He was watching as Obama made his victory speech.
L. FRANCIS Did you hear Obama's speech?
G. FRANCIS: Yes.
L. FRANCIS: What did you think of it?
G. FRANCIS: I think it was fine.
MASSIE: If he hears anyone say they won't vote because their vote won't make a difference.
G. FRANCIS: I think they're crazy.
MASSIE: In Sacramento, Karen Massie News 10.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right. Well, she's got a transition as well. From candidate's wife to now First Lady. What's in store for Michelle Obama?
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WHITFIELD: Drawing up defense plans. The work Barack Obama is doing now that could affect the Pentagon next year.
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WHITFIELD: Barack Obama, the first African-American elected president. We all witnessed history this week. A Denver museum is scrambling to preserve it. The Blair-Caldwell African-American Research Library and Museum is saving many of the things that could wind up in next week's trash, like newspapers, stickers, buttons, documents, all bearing the name and image of the president-elect.
Transition to power. President Bush spoke to his successor and Laura Bush has spoken to hers. The current First Lady has invited Michelle Obama to bring her daughters on a visit to the White House. How will the next First Lady define her new role? CNN's Eric Hill takes a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OBAMA: I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years, the rock of our family, the love of my life, the nation's next First Lady, Michelle Obama.
ERICA HILL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): She may be the rock behind the man, but Michelle Obama has never stayed in the shadows.
AUDIENCE: Yes, we can! Yes, we can!
HILL: On the campaign trail, Mrs. Obama drew crowds in the thousands.
CARL ANTHONY, HISTORIAN, NATIONAL FIRST LADIES LIBRARY: I think her greatest asset is her natural charisma. Unlike most first ladies, she seems comfortable being in public. She's seems comfortable giving a spontaneous speech without notes, perhaps because of her training as an attorney and that will, I think, allow her to light up a room.
HILL: Described as passionate, intelligent, independent, this Harvard-educated lawyer says her most important title is mom.
MICHELLE OBAMA, WIFE OF SEN. BARACK OBAMA: I'm a mother first. And I'm going to be at parent-teacher conferences in where I'm going to be the things that they want me to attend. I'm not going to miss a ballet recital.
ANTHONY: Her time and her priority and her energies are going to be a little bit press in that regard.
HILL: A daily challenge for millions of American families. Michelle Obama has pledged to help these working parents and military families. M. OBAMA: You're just asking for a Washington that understands what's happening to our military family.
HILL: Raised in a tight-knit, middle-class family, on Chicago's south side, she was taught to believe anything is possible if you work for it.
CRAIG ROBINSON, MICHELLE OBAMA'S BROTHER: It is surreal to think of my sister as being the First Lady. You know, astronaut, maybe, or, you know, first woman to swim around the world or something -- you know, something completely out of the ordinary. But, First Lady? That would have been at the bottom of my list.
HILL: It's impossible not to mention the historic nature of this election. And of this First Lady. But not for the reasons you might expect.
ANTHONY: I do not think that Michelle Obama will be held to different standards because she's a black woman. I think that she can't help but be a role model.
HILL: Michelle Obama, meantime, will likely be calling on her personal role models for inspiration. Her late father and her mother who started her on this path many years ago.
Erica Hill, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
