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Christmas Eve Party Rampage Leaves 9 Dead; Killer Commits Suicide; Tensions on Pakistan-India Border Prompt Troop Movements
Aired December 26, 2008 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, it is like he planned it, for him to come and do this on such a special night.
RICHARD LUI, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Christmas Eve bloodbath. A killer dressed as Santa, a crime that defies all reason.
Hunkered down in the heartlands, snow, wind, ice and forget about traveling, just going out the door is dangerous.
And resurgence in Afghanistan, but not the kind you think. Those little blue pills join the war on terror.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Hello. I'm Richard Lui at CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta, in for Kyra Phillips on this day. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Well, just a short time ago, we learned a ninth body has been found in what is left of a burned out house near Los Angeles. That is the house where a man dressed as Santa went to confront his ex-wife, and former in-laws, and unleashed hell. The Covina, California, police chief describes the first few minutes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: An eight-year-old girl at the party ran to the front door and opened up the door where she was immediately shot by Mr. Pardo. She was shot once in the face. It appears Mr. Pardo then entered the residence and began to fire indiscriminately at the people inside the house. Naturally, everybody fled the house as best they could even jumping from the second-floor windows.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LUI: The gunman torched the house and later took his own life. Let's go now to CNN's Chris Lawrence for the latest on this story. Hey, Chris.
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Richard.
Yes, the coroner's office has been here all morning taking away evidence and going through what is left of the house. Take a look. Recently, in the last hour, we were allowed back to get a closer view. And it really gives you a sense of the difficulty and some of the challenges that the investigators have in going through some of what is left of the house; literally burned down to the ground.
The coroner's office had to use dental records and other methods like that in order to identify some of the victims involved. This was a party. You are talking about Christmas Eve, literally just a few minutes before midnight, and 25 or 30 people in the house, children there, and annual family gathering. When that eight-year-old went to door, we are learning now that that may have had something to do with the holiday tradition here. In that every year here, a neighbor who lives here would dress up as Santa Claus and come to the party and come to the door to try to get the kids in the holiday spirit. That may be one reason why the eight-year-old even opened up the door in the first place.
We have now learned that although she sustained some horrible injuries to the face, she did survive that shooting - Richard.
LUI: Well, thank you, Chris Lawrence for the latest there in Los Angeles.
And we should learn more about this ongoing case later this afternoon. A news conference is set for 5 o'clock Eastern in Covina, California. CNN will be on top of it and bring those details for you right here.
More than a dozen people were hurt, including several young children, when a car plowed into Long Island building. The crash happened yesterday as Orthodox Jewish families were inside celebrating Hanukkah. Police say a 78-year-old man was behind the wheel and somehow lost control and plowing through the plate glass window. Police are not sure yet whether charges will be filed.
Well, can the weather get any worse? To answer your question, definitely, yes. Parts of the U.S. are getting slammed by more big winter storms as we speak. In New Hampshire, some customers there are without power after a Christmas ice and wind storm.
In the Pacific Northwest, well, this sure doesn't happen very often, day after day of heavy snowfall. There is so much snow that rooftops are caving in, in that part of the country. And then parts of California and Nevada also slammed by heavy snow on Christmas Day. A skier was killed at an avalanche at the Squaw Valley Ski Resort, and two other skiers are missing at a resort near Reno.
Well, Seattle is one of cities crippled by these big winter storms. Reporter David Quinlan from our affiliate KIRO, joins us now with the latest on that.
You guys are going to be getting a lot of weather coming your way, if it is not already there.
DAVID QUINLAN, REPORTER, KIRO: Right, Richard. In fact, we are finally getting that break in the snow. It has been a week, but the concern right now, is not with the now and icy roads, because it is starting to melt, the concern switches to flooding. A lot of those storm drains that we have been talking about all morning long, all of the storm drains are starting to fill up as all this snow and slush start to go down those drains and overwhelm those systems.
So it is going to be interesting over the next few days. I want to show you what we are dealing with here in parts of Seattle. We are in central Seattle. The side streets are still a big problem for a lot of drivers and a lot of homeowners. They are waking up to this. You can't even drive through parts of these neighborhoods, in fact, some of the people that we spoke with out here, say that they have been basically in their homes for several days. They have not even gotten into their car; they don't even want to risk it. They have been walking places. And of course, concern with a lot of snow build up on top of flat roofs and carports.
Back to flooding, though, Richard, real quick. The Weather Service now pronouncing there is going to be a flood watch/warning in effect here in about an hour for more than 10 counties in Western Washington. So as the winds pick up, as temperatures start to warm up here in Seattle and Western Washington, and again, as that rain starts to fall, it will be very interesting to see how it all plays out here in the Pacific Northwest - Richard.
LUI: David, one of the challenges, certainly in that area at this moment is keeping the roads nice and clear. Have there been discussions about how to get the plows out there in time as well as use of salt?
QUINLAN: Well, it has been a big controversy in Seattle. They don't want to use salt, because there is some environmental danger. So what they have been doing; they have been utilizing a lot of the plow trucks and a lot of the sand trucks, and they have been nailing these main thoroughfares. This is Martin Luther King, Jr. Way, a main thoroughfare here in Seattle. So this isn't too bad. But the side streets, the neighborhood roads, those are really rough. In fact, some people have been out here for a week now and they have not even seen a plow.
So again, they are not getting into their cars. If they want to go somewhere, they have to walk. In fact, one couple we talked with, they decided to postpone Christmas a week, because they can't see their relatives.
LUI: Well, you cannot postpone Christmas, but I guess you have to if you can't get around. David Quinlan, from KIRO, appreciate all the latest for us.
QUINLAN: No problem.
LUI: Let's go over now to Chad Myers who has been keeping track of these latest winter storms in the CNN Weather Center. We just heard from David Quinlan how tough it has been for them.
(WEATHER REPORT)
LUI: Pakistani troops are on the move and on alert. We are keeping an eye on the developing story along the Indian/Pakistani border, where the fear of an Indian attack has Pakistan up in arms. Our Senior International Correspondent Nic Robertson, who has done a lot of reporting from that part of the world in the last decade.
What do you think, Nic. Is this a big deal? Should there be concern?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIRR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: There should be concern and there has been concern since the attack in Mumbai, about a month ago, where 10 gunmen went on a rampage in that financial capital of India; held the city for three days, killed dozens and dozens of people in those attacks.
India blamed Pakistan and Pakistan has asked India for evidence. And India said hand over these people and Pakistan said, we need to see the evidence. They say India has not given it to them; tensions are growing ever since. This is where we are at with it right now, according to the Pakistani officials, India has massed troops on their side of the border, the Pakistanis says they cannot be caught, in their own words, napping. So they say they have to be ready if there is a ground incursion, and that is why they are moving their own troops to the border.
And why is it dangerous? Because these two countries have been at war before, and they have both readily admit that this time of heightened tensions, if there is any misstep, that is misinterpreted this could lead to an action that would further escalate the situation, potentially, in the conflict. Both sides say they don't want to go to war right now, but right now, it is escalating the tensions are getting higher.
LUI: And, Nic, they are also going to be marking a sad anniversary tomorrow in Pakistan.
ROBERTSON: The anniversary of the death of Benazir Bhutto, who was killed in a suicide bombing and gunshot attack, that has yet to be fully solved. There is not full evidence of exactly who committed the attack, and how it was done. There is certain evidence pointing to who is responsible, but it will be a time of great sadness in Pakistan. Many people have been going to visit her grave already. Her husband was elected prime minister, and her widower rather, was elected president just a few months ago. Mr. Zardari, he is now leading the country and his government is now in place, but it is a relatively weak government according to Western diplomats. So right now, for Pakistan, a time of great sadness, but also a time of political instability with these pressures not just from India, but Afghanistan as well, and Taliban and Al Qaeda elements in Pakistan's border region, Richard.
LUI: And important allies, both Pakistan and India, to the United States, so what can be done, do you think, here, to improve the relationship during this very difficult time, with the tensions of saber rattling?
ROBERTSON: Well, Richard, one of the things that needs to be tackled here, and this is what Western diplomats will tell you, is that both countries need to go back to talking to each other, and that there were talks underway before the attacks in Mumbai. And the talks have essentially, even though they were low-level talks, have been essentially suspended. So that is one step that needs to be taken.
Pakistani diplomats will tell you that they need to see more help from the United States, in particular, in helping the United States in the war on terror in the tribal border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan. They want help with equipment, military equipment. They want help and money and funding to close down some of these religious madrases, where they say the Taliban get their religious and military training. So, there is a lot of assistance that Pakistan says that it could have that would help. But essentially, a period for intense diplomatic activity with both countries to tell them to lower the pressure, lower the tensions.
LUI: All right. Tense times there on the Pakistan and India border. Thank you so much, Nic Robertson, our senior international correspondent, for giving us context on that.
And we are going to stay on top of the story for you, and we will bring in an international security expert in, Jim Walsh, he joins us live at the half hour.
Now to another tense border, the one between Israel and Gaza. The Israelis have reopened three border crossings allowing relief supplies into Gaza for the first time in 10 days. Israel had shut the crossings because of intense rocket fire from Palestinian militants, and there are fears the Israelis might launch a fill scale attack. Meanwhile, Palestinian sources say, a rocket fired by militants fell on a Gaza home today, killing two children, and critically wounding a third.
Four aging Afghan warlords with multiple wives, it is the gift that keeps on giving. U.S. intelligence officials are using some creative incentives, shall we say, to get the warlords and other Afghans to cooperate in the war on terror. "The Washington Post" reports those incentives include offering Viagra, and other medications. In other words, as one CIA operative puts it, whatever it takes to make friends and influence people. Another operative says one warlord provided a bunch of information about Taliban movement in exchange for Viagra. Oh, by the way, for you here, he also made a request for more pills. The power of Viagra.
The spending this year is frightful, but the sales are so delightful. So if you have no place to go, let's just say your friendly retailers will make it worth your while to come out and take a look.
And it takes money to make money, which could explain a downturn in of all things, lottery ticket sales, as the economy tanked.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LUI: Christmas may be over as far as you're concerned at this moment, but the merchants who live or die on holiday sales are still waiting. In a year-old recession, nobody's surprised that the pre- Christmas shopping season was very humbug-ish. But the early data is dismal.
MasterCard estimating an overall sales decline of three percent in the last two months of the year. Sales of electronics have fallen by more than a quarter, and luxury sales have collapsed down more than one-third. But it is not too late for retailers to turn it around, and not too late for you to find wicked bargains. CNN's Allan Chernoff saw for himself at Roosevelt Field Mall on Long Island.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It is bargains galore at the shopping mall today, 50 percent off in many cases, and in some, even 60 percent off. The retailers are offering steep discounts, even steeper than normal for the day after Christmas. Why is that? Because this has simply been an awful holiday season for them. And they are left with lots of merchandise that has to be cleared out. As a result, the shoppers just have fantastic deals today. We have one shopper with us.
(on camera): What is your name?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My name is Gensi (ph).
CHERNOFF: You have a shopping bag full over here. Oh, my goodness, this is pretty heavy.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I know, it's pretty heavy.
CHERNOFF: What did you get?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I got jeans and a bag and lots of stuff today. Great sales.
CHERNOFF: What kind of discounts?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Forty percent, 50 percent, that sort of thing.
CHERNOFF: And it paid to wait a bit?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, definitely, definitely today.
CHERNOFF: Lots of happy shoppers here. As I said, they are enjoying these steep discounts. And the retailers, well, they have pretty much given up on the idea of coming away with this holiday season with some serious profits. At this point, they are merely hoping to be able to clean out the winter merchandise so they can bring in the spring, and hope that the economy improves by springtime.
Reporting from Garden City, New York, Allan Chernoff, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LUI: When the going gets tough, the tough get lottery tickets, right? Well, maybe not. You would think the get-rich-quick games would hold even more appeal when everybody feels broke, but "The Wall Street Journal" says a drop off of almost 10 percent in lottery ticket sales in California, 4 percent in Texas. An industry report finding that nationwide, ticket sales fell 2 percent or $215 million from July through September.
Retailers are contending with more than just lousy sales this holiday season. Alison Kosik is at the New York Stock Exchange with the very latest.
Hey, Alison, what do you have for us?
ALISON KOSIK, CNN FINANCIAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, this is an interesting twist, Richard. With shoppers watching their wallets, retailers are keeping a closer eye on the merchandise. In a survey by the retail industry leaders association, 84 percent of national retail chain stores report an increase in shoplifting since the recession began; 80 percent say organized retail crime is on the rise. The retail association is concerned that cuts in local law enforcement due to budget shortfalls could make the matter worse, Richard.
LUI: And I guess that we all end up paying the price somehow, huh?
KOSIK: Yes, exactly. Retailers often pass along the losses they suffer from shoplifting. There is also another crime they are contending with and that is counterfeiting. If you bought a product for half what it would cost at say, Wal-Mart there is a good chance it was a fake. Federal officials recently announced they seized a $6 million worth of fake goods. Among them, a half million dollars worth of Christmas lights, which authorities say are substandard. They warn consumers could be at risk when they purchase products that are untested.
"The Chicago Tribune" says counterfeiting and piracy costs the economy $200 billion per year and 750,000 jobs.
Jobs and the economy continue to be issues here on Wall Street today. But not much going on here today as investors shrug off a lousy report on holiday retail sales. Take a check on the numbers, now: The Dow industrials are about 15 points higher; the Nasdaq is a fraction lower.
But I'll tell you what, Richard, not much going on here. When I was back on the floor, a little bit, a short time ago, I saw traders playing backgammon and singing to Kenny G Christmas music.
LUI: Did you join in? Did you win a couple of games along the way?
KOSIK: I hummed a few bars of Kenny G, yes.
LUI: There you go, Alison Kosik. Having a relaxing day. A lot of people deserve it right now, there in the New York Stock Exchange.
KOSIK: Exactly.
LUI: Talk to you soon.
KOSIK: OK. LUI: Nobody drops in on the Marine base for food. Camaraderie brought the incoming commander in chief to Marine Corps Base Koni Ohi (ph), that's the bay, for Christmas Dinner.
And the gift of light. A Baltimore neighborhood goes all out to make sure people in that city are dazzled during the holidays.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LUI: Christmas with the troops is a must for commanders in chief. This year the commander in chief-elect spent part of his holiday with the Marines and sailors of Kani Ohi (ph) Bay, Hawaii.
Barack Obama showed up as the troops and their families sat down to roast beef, ham and turkey dinners. In a radio address to air nationwide tomorrow, Obama salutes, and we quote, "An unbroken line of heroism that has made our freedom and prosperity possible for over two centuries."
A big Christmas reunion for the first family. Here is a photo of President Bush and wife Laura spending time with extended family at Camp David; joining the president at the Maryland retreat, his parents, and siblings and their families, and daughters, Barbara and Jenna, and Jenna's new husband, Henry Hager. The Bushes feasted on a traditional Christmas dinner of turkey, sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie.
Well, every year people travel from near and far to see the spectacular display of holiday lights on 34th Street in Baltimore. Photojournalist Jay McMichael takes us for a ride through a neighborhood that gives the gift of light and love, part of CNN special "Focus on Giving" holiday series.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JAY MCMICHAEL, PHOTOJOURNALIST: Here we are 34th Street and Hamden (sp), some call it the "Miracle of Lights". It is one more wonderful year of having lights come on for all the people.
Some neighbors it takes a month, so they start the day after Halloween. Other neighbors it just takes a few days, and if any of the neighbors need help, we're there to help them.
At different times we've had traffic backed up for four miles all the way up to exit 10. I had one gentleman say "I saw your hub cap tree on my tele." I said where is your tele located? He said Australia.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My name is Tuen (ph). I'm from Sydney, Australia.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Nobody in Australia decorates their house, like to this extent. Like maybe put up a few lights and you know, maybe like a blow up doll or something, but not like this, yes.
MCMICHAEL: A blow up doll? UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You know, a blow up ornament.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You know a reindeer or Santa!
MCMICHAEL: For Christmas?
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The other night when I was up here, young girls from Italy, that lady there from Ecuador, people come from all over. They love it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's pretty tacky, but pretty awesome.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I like the hub cap tree. It's my favorite.
This is so unique, this is so Baltimore.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They take whatever they've got, they make what they can out of it. Put up a bunch of Christmas lights, people come look at it. It is a good time. It is free fun.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This has been a long-standing generational tradition. The whole neighborhood cooperates. Everybody is lit up. It's famous. People come from all across the country.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LUI: An already tense border grows even more tense. Pakistani troops on the move, bracing for what they fear will be an assault from rival India. We will take a closer look.
Awful weather and it's getting worse in parts of the U.S. , in Chicago, snow and ice and lots of it. And now a flooding threat, too. We will check out the weather map.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LUI: It is 11:30 in the West, 2:30 in the East. Here are some of the stories we are working on for you in the CNN NEWSROOM.
The death toll rises from a horrific Christmas Eve shooting rampage outside Los Angeles. The LA County Coronor tells CNN a ninth body has been recovered from the house where a man dressed as Santa Claus shot up a party and started a raging fire. The gunman later killed himself.
The lawyer for embattled Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has his sights set on Barack Obama's inner circle. He is asking the panel who is considering the governor's impeachment to subpoena Obama's incoming Chief of Staff, senior adviser and others.
Pakistani troops are deploying to India's border. The army is on alert amid fears of an Indian incursion into Pakistani territory. India blames militants from Pakistan for last month's deadly Mumbai attacks.
These developments have implications far beyond the Indian- Pakistani border.
International Security Analyst, Jim Walsh, joins on the phone for more on this story.
And Jim, when we take a look at what has been said by both the Pakistani ambassadors to the United States as well as to the UK, we're getting different stories.
First of all, is it a realignment of troops, as we have heard, or is this the readying for a possible confglict? What would you say?
VOICE OF JIM WALSH, INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Well, Richard, I think you put your finger precisely on one of the problems here. And that is we are getting different reports.
That are rumors. There is uncertainty, and any time you have two rivals, two countries that don't like each other very much armed with nuclear weapons in the situation following a terrorist attack. And there's uncertainty about what's happening, then you -- the situation is ripe for miscalculation, for accidents, for crisis escalation. So, that s what worrying about this.
The reports are that Pakistan has moved as many as 20,000 troops towards the Indian border as a defensive measure.
It remains to be seen whether India will see that as a drefensive measure and whether they will feel compelled to out of pride or credibility to respond by moving their troops to the border.
LUI: Put this into historical context, if you could. In the last 60 years, three wars, 18 years we have seen separatist militants working in the Kashmiri region. Put it into an understanding that we all can take a look at here, when you look at the recent developments there in Pakistan.
WALSH: Well, Pakistan was borne of violence, whereas the British withdrew sort of arbitrarily drew lines, new borders for the countries, as they withdrew. And left a legacy of ethnic partition and ethnic conflict that has simmered to this day.
The countries have in recent years started to reach out to each other and try to resolve some of their differences, and in fact, Richard, one of the tragedies of this particular situation is that if it is true that Pakistan is moving troops to the border, and if india responds in kind, where are they moving them? They going to move them into Kashmir, and Kashmir is this troubled region that only a month ago had elections. A tentative small step towards a peaceful resolution of some of those issues, and now the region may be flooded with troops. I am sure that will make progress even more difficult. So in addition to India, Pakistan, Islamabad versus Delhi, the particular region of Kashmir that lies between the two, now that may be unsettled as well.
LUI: When we look at this Jim, the question that comes to mind, two nuclear states as you started by mentioning. Two key allies to the United States. What can be done to start improve the relationship?
WALSH: Well, I think, Secretary Rice was active right after the Mumbai attack, and I think President Clinton coming into office will have to make this a tough priority.
We are closer today than we were yesterday towards a nuclear war. That doesn't mean it is going to happen. I still think the probability is low, but it is greater today than yesterday, and if it were to happen, the consequences would be unimaginable.
So Obama is going to have to address it, and what it means is trying to reassure both parties.
To say to the Indians, there's no need to overreact. To say to the Pakistanis, there's no need for you to make rash actions.
And please also continue to make statements that are reassuring to India and continue to try to help to try to find the terrorists that carried out the attacks.
We need both Pakistan and India. We need Pakistan. The U.S. needs Pakistan if we are going to be successful in Afghanistan where Pakistan is a major player and if we going to get the Taliban and al Qaeda, we need Pakistan.
And similiarly, India has had having better relations with the U.S. in recent years. We need them both, and we need to be an honest broker and a friend of both and to encourage restraint.
Because the domestic politics, Richard, right now, you know, both sides are going to play a political card. The Hindu party in India is going to say these nasty Pakistanis and vice versa, so politically, domestically, it is very difficult for both governments right now.
LUI: International Security Analyst Jim Walsh. Thank you so much. Appreciate it.
WALSH: Thank you.
LUI: From India now, we take you to Indonesia places in between. A day for prayers and pause. Today marks four years since a great tsunami swept away 223,000 lives and since then hundreds of thousands of homes, schools and businesses have been rebuilt, but despite the massive relief operation, thousands of people are still living in camps.
The storms just keep on coming as the western U.S. gets slammed by more snow. Parts of the Midwest are coping with ice on top of snow. The situation especially dangerous early today in Chicago.
Here is reporter Jonathan Cho with our affiliate CLTV.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JONATHAN CHO, CLTV REPORTER (voice-over): The ice is starting to melt, and the roads are drying up.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have just been on 90, and that seems fine. it's just the exit ramps that seem a little icy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is 100 percent better.
CHO: But early this morning freezing rain and black ice turned into a nasty combination for drivers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A couple of spinouts on the way here. So, you should take it easy.
CHO: From crashes to spinouts, state police spent most of the morning responding to accidents.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We saw probably at least one wreck, and people were doing way faster than the speed limit.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As long as I don't hit a patch of ice, I should be just fine.
CHO: Even with the expressways glazed with ice, Shubush Mukerji (ph) developed a plan to stay on the road.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whenever I am turning, I am really reducing speed, and not increasing speed over the speed limit. That is what I am trying to do today.
CHO: Black ice and freezing rain, a gift nobody wanted a day after Christmas.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just reducing speed and hoping to get home as quick as possible.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LUI: Our Chad Meyers is keeping track of these latest winter storms in the CNN Weather Center.
Hey, Chad --
(WEATHER REPORT)
It would be easy to understand if he needed time alone to deal with his loss, but one young athlete found another way to cope with his soldier father's death overseas.
Honor him by leading the high school football team to another state championship. If it is the second day of christmas, it must be the first day of Kwanzaa. Today, we celebrate unity.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LUI: Ft. Campbell High School in Kentucky recently won its second straight state football championship. These kids play while their military parents serve. Many of them overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan. This repeat championship is a bit different though than last year's. One soldier's son refused to let the team quit even though he played the whole season with the heaviest of hearts.
Joe Dubin from CNN affiliate WKRN reports for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOSH CARTER, FORT CAMPBELL HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYER: I enjoyed this year, but last year was a little bit more important. I had my dad.
JOE DUBIN, WKRN REPORTER (voice-over): Last year Josh Carter was a big reason Ft. Campbell High School captured the state championship.
And this year, he led his team to the title again, but this was different, much different. You see, on one hot June day last summer, Josh Carter went from being a teenager to a man.
CARTER: I had just come back from practice. We went to the pool afterwards and I came home to find the news that my dad had passed away.
DUBIN: Josh's father, Joseph Carter, died when the helicopter he was in crashed in Afghanistan.
CARTER: It was terrible, and it was like one of the worst feelings I have ever dealt with. And I really can't explain it.
JOSH MCKILLIP, FT. CAMPBELL HIGH SCHOOL LINEBACKER COACH: I got a phone call the night that he was notified.
DUBIN: Josh Mckillip is Josh Carter's linebacker coach. He is perhaps closer to Josh than anyone.
MCKILLIP: When I got that phone call, it was brutal. You know, not just because we had lost a parent, but we had lost a parent that was very involved in our program.
DUBIN: McKillip also shares a special bond with Josh Carter, they are both soldiers' kids.
MCKILLIP: I was the first coach to get there, because I live right down the street from him, but he actually met me at the door, and you know, very straight faced, and I think I was a little bit more emotional than he. Sorry.
DUBIN: It is all right. MCKILLIP: Football is not just football around here.
DUBIN: And for about 30 seconds Josh Carter said good-bye to football.
CARTER: I didn't even know if I wanted to play football at that time, but I knew my dad wanted me to.
DUBIN: Shaun Berner is the head coach at the Ft. Campbell High School. He marvels at how Josh coped with everything.
SHAUN BERNER, HEAD COACH, FT. CAMPBELL HIGH SCHOOL: I never saw him mourn a whole lot, but the way he handled it was just tremendous, and he has been such the backbone for his family.
DUBIN: So Josh went on a mission of his own to get his team back to the finals. He did so in dramatic fashion. In the semi-finals he had 25 tackles and was unstoppable.
BERNER: But to see him take over the game the way he did, I have never been a part of that.
MCKILLIP: I really felt that it was Josh that said, you know what, my time is not up. I'm not ready to turn my gear in. I want to put these guys on my back and do what I am supposed to be doing, and I'm going to carry them to the next level.
DUBIN: That next level, another state title, led by a man who is not a kid anymore. Someone who needed his coaches and teammates as much as they need him.
CARTER: From day one they have been there, the coaches that stood outside of my house the night that I found out. Teammates have come by and spent time with me when I needed it. And they are just a great bunch of guys.
BERNER: But Josh has my 100 percent loyalty, my heart and everything goes out to him, and again, we are here always for he and his family.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LUI: WKRN's Joe Dubin with that report.
Josh Carter and his coach, Shaun Berner, join us now live from Nashville.
And good afternoon to both of you, thank you for stopping by.
BERNER: Thanks.
CARTER: Thanks. How are you?
LUI: Josh, I want to start with you, you have been praised for how well that you handled the aftermath, the loss of your father, as well as the season, itself. What kept you strong?
CARTER: The coaches, the team, my family. They have always been supportive of me, and yes, it is hard to explain.
LUI: No doubt the memory of your father, also, and what he would want you to do kept you strong?
CARTER: Yes.
LUI: Coach Berner, how would you describe Josh's father?
BERNER: Oh, he is a tremendous guy. I mean, the perfect guy to defend our country, and, you know, he did a tremendous job raising Josh, and you know, what he stood for. He really, he is the guy that you always kind of imagine out there fighting for our country.
LUI: And Josh, what was your father like? How would you describe him?
CARTER: He was strict.
LUI: He kept you straight and narrow?
CARTER: Yes, sir.
LUI: And throughout the season, last year, when you first took the state championship, was he by the sidelines when he could be?
CARTER: He was.
LUI: And what was he saying to you? Keep going?
CARTER: Congratulations and he was like, just keep working hard. It is not over yet.
LUI: And you did. We saw a lot of the tape. Coach, how did the other players react to what was a very difficult situation when they had found out about Josh's father's loss?
BERNER: We talked about it briefly after it happened, but I thought that that was an instrumental part of us supporting Josh was his teammates.
They are great kids. You know, and I think that they all kind of understand that, you know, their parents are over there as well, and they kind of sympathize for what happened to Josh, but I really think that those guys and the way they helped Josh get through, you know, some hard times as far as being there for him and just supporting him and playing hard for him. And it really showed and paid off throughout the season.
LUI: We appreciate all that you do there, as well as all of the other coaches that we have been able to hear from in that piece. As well as those that work with you.
Coach Berner, Josh, thank you both for stopping by today.
Congratulations, again. Have a great season when you go to Western Kentucky University, my friend, Josh Carter.
CARTER: Thank you. Thanks.
LUI: Saving energy, creating jobs, President-elect Obama is promising a nationwide energy fix, but can he deliver?
He has a plan that could affect all of us. We will take a closer look.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LUI: As always, the teams back there are working hard on the next hour of NEWSROOM. And that is the man, T.J. Holmes, he is in for Rick this week.
T.J., you're the hardest working man in TV today, right?
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, just today. Just today.
LUI: What have you got?
HOLMES: Wolf Blitzer really has that title, that is just year- round.
But what we've got today -- we are talking about that sludge spill we talked about in Tennessee that we saw earlier this week. It is actually bigger than a lot of people first thought. Also, a lot of concerns about the environmental impact, and is the drinking water safe. The authority there, they say the drinking water is just fine. The people thinking not so much. They don't really believe what they are hearing. Going to be talking about that.
Also, the Bush pardons. We saw I think 19 this week. Well one of them caught a lot of people's attention. And then two days later, Bush reverses course and pulls that pardon. Well, exactly why did that happen? And why did that particular pardon not go through the normal pardon process?
And also one more thing here to bring to people's attention, Richard. Everybody knows the name; even though he is a sheriff out in Arizona, a lot of people know him as America's toughest sheriff, a lot of people know him as that -- Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Well he is doing something else now that is getting a lot of attention, getting a lot of people upset, a lot of critics really. A lot of the decisions he's made over the years anyway has people talking about him. But always one known -- that many would say, Richard, is hungry for some publicity. Well, he is going to get some more.
We will explain why. That is coming up in a few minutes.
LUI: Drill down with T.J. Holmes. That starts in about seven minutes. It's going to be good stuff.
Thanks, T.J.
HOLMES: All right, buddy.
LUI: After President-elect Barack Obama takes the oath of office next month, an economic stimulus plan is likely to be his top priority. And energy efficiency could be a big part of this package. Diane King has our "Energy Fix" from New York for us.
Hi, Diane. How are you doing?
DIANE KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Richard. I'm well.
But let's start with the economic recovery bill. It could top $800 billion and includes everything from tax breaks to road repairs. But don't be surprised if energy projects are also featured prominently. President-elect Obama campaigned on a pledge to create five million new jobs over the next 10 years by investing in clean energy.
Conservation projects can be done relatively quickly using existing state and local agencies. The electric utility industry, and a handful of environmental groups, are pushing one possible plan. It would devote more than $30 billion of stimulus money to making the nation more energy efficient; $3 billion alone would be devoted to encouraging energy efficiency at home. That could include rebate checks for buying energy efficient appliances.
Another $6 billion could be spent on retrofitting public and commercial buildings for energy efficiency. Projects at schools, construction of a better electric grid and low income home weatherization are also part of the proposal.
The Alliance to Save Energy, the group calling for the $30 billion, says its plan will directly create 190,000 jobs. General contractors are also on board.
Now one trade association says every $1 billion spent on infrastructure creates nearly 30,000 jobs.
But, there are no guarantees. Critics say there's plenty of potential for waste here and these projects could take a long time to start up at a time when we need to rev up the economy quickly.
For more energy fixes, check out cnnmoney.com.
Richard, back to you.
LUI: Diane King, thank you.
KING: Thank you.
LUI: Singer, actress, and cabaret star Eartha Kitt has died. Just last week, Kitt's "Santa Baby" hit was certified gold. But she was far more than a seductive crooner. Kitt was a killer Catwoman on the "Batman" television show, taunting the caped crusader with her purrs and growls. Some CNN i-Reporters will not ever forget her. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID J. WHITE, IREPORTER: Anybody who 45 years old or older could tell you that of all of the people who ever played this role since in the 1960s, this Catwoman, she was the best. Nobody purred the way she did. She will be missed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LUI: David, thanks for that.
A family spokesman says Kitt died of colon cancer. Eartha Kitt was 81.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LUI: Happy Kwanzaa. Today is the first day of the week-long nonreligious holiday that started back in 1966. It celebrates family, community and culture for seven days. Kwanzaa calls on all of us to focus on seven principles: unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith. Kwanzaa runs from December 26th to January 1st. Today, we celebrate unity.
A lot of people in Iowa are seeing double and will be for decades to come. In the past few weeks, a single hospital in Des Moines has delivered 11 sets of twins.
Reporter Emily Price of CNN affiliate, KCCI, is keeping track for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I got my hands full.
EMILY PRICE, KCCI REPORTER: Suzie and Nick's mom isn't the only one. It started just before Thanksgiving.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cooper was born one minute after Delaney.
PRICE: And ever since, 11 sets of moms and dads have been giving thanks for two healthy babies.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The day we delivered we knew there were like nine -- or eight others, we were the ninth. And then a tenth one came in that weekend.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is pretty cool. It's a lot different than one.
PRICE: Justin Camen's (ph) baby girl already went home. Waiting on Cooper to gain weight, he and other dads have weighed what the future will be like.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Talking about possible future relationships.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Setting them up?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
PRICE: Cooper could have his choice of girlfriends.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He is kind of a mighty mouse (ph).
PRICE: Of the 22 babies born, 16 are girls.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is Greta over here and Lydia.
KAREN ARCHIBOLD, NEONATAL NURSE: We have Amera (ph) and Talya (ph).
PRICE: Karen Archibold (ph) has been working the neonatal intensive care unit for 23 years and has never seen so many sets. Keeping them healthy and gaining weight is one thing, keeping them straight is quite another.
ARCHIBOLD: Alice (ph) and Daphney (ph), Matthew and William, who just went home today, Greta and Lydia. We have Annaleigh (ph) and Vanessa, Suzanne and Nicholas (ph), Victoria and Vanessa, Delaney and Cooper and Evelyn (ph) and Edison.
PRICE: Statistics show there is only a 3 percent chance of ever having twins, leaving many at Methodist wondering what was in the water.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They told us that they had been pretty busy.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well about every other room is a set of twins, so --
PRICE: In Des Moines, Emily Price, KCCI News Channel 8, Iowa's news leader.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LUI: And up next, T.J. Holmes in the CNN NEWSROOM.
