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Israeli Airstrikes Detailed; More Severe Weather; Treats for the Troops
Aired December 28, 2008 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RICHARD LIU, CNN ANCHOR: The wailing of sirens fills the streets of Gaza. Palestinians saying almost 300 are dead, hundreds more wounded. Israel unleashing air strikes on Hamas targets for a second day, bombing tunnels that Israel says are used to funnel weapons, as Hamas fires back, many Palestinians are fleeing for safer land in Egypt. Protests meanwhile, worldwide call on Israel to stop its attacks. It is a Sunday. I'm Richard Lui, in for Fredricka Whitfield. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
First off, it's the second day of Israeli air strikes in Gaza and there is no sign of a letup right now. Here's what we do know. Palestinian security sources say at least 277 people are dead in Gaza and hundreds more are wounded. The Israelis say their assault has targeted Hamas militants and is sharply reduced Hamas rocket attacks on Israel. Israel is calling up 7,000 military reservists meanwhile. Tanks are being deployed around Gaza, but Israel denies having any plans to reoccupy that territory. CNN's Cal Perry is watching today's developments. He joins us live from Jerusalem at this moment. Cal, is there any evidence of impending troop movements in Gaza at this moment?
CAL PERRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Richard, there is, it's like when you're cooking pasta and you turn down the heat just before the water boils over. Everybody in the region is looking at that pot to see if that water is going to boil over. There are tanks now that have been deployed along the border with Gaza. But Israel has always been open handed about this as they say they're only leaving that as an option. There needs to be a precipitating event for them to go back into Gaza. As of right now, all they're doing is literally dismantling Hamas from the air. They said over 200 targets in over 200 air strikes including those 40 tunnels that run between Egypt and Gaza where they say weapons have been smuggling. So far it's just an air operation. But certainly they're staged and prepared to go back into Gaza, as they say if they need to. Richard.
LUI: Cal, this reminds us of summer 2006, when rockets were coming in to Israel and we saw a buildup of troops on the border. Might this blow up? What is the sense there?
PERRY: Well, that's the big question. We just heard from Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah. He gave an address to the Arab world. He called on Egypt to protest by the millions, he said, tomorrow, to take to the streets against what he calls a humanitarian crisis in the Gaza strip but as you said in 2006, all the elements that were there then are there now. There is trouble in Gaza. Let's not forget, the Israeli soldier, Gilat Shalit who was abducted by Hamas is still being held somewhere in Gaza, whether he's alive or dead is unclear at this point. That was when trouble began on the northern border. Now all Hezbollah has said from Lebanon is that they are concerned that Israel could potentially attack Lebanon. They say for their part they have no interest in attacking Israel but again all of the elements are there that were there in 2006 and all eyes right now are certainly on Israel.
LUI: The elements are there, Cal. The question also that has been out there is why now? We have a lame duck president in the United States. Is Israel taking advantage of that timing?
PERRY: Well, that I think is the key question, Richard. I think you hit the nail right on the head. When you speak to anyone in the Israeli government and when you watch them on TV, they say no this has nothing to do with it. But when you look at the timing of this, when Hamas came to power in a democratic election that was overseen by Jimmy Carter, the former U.S. president the Israelis and the Americans did not recognize Hamas because they had already labeled them a terrorist organization. Certainly, Israel is taking advantage right now of dismantling what they say is a terrorist organization and they're doing it when there is a power vacuum in Washington but there is also a power vacuum here in Israel. There are elections coming in February so time is running out. They may be taking advantage of that time right now. Richard.
LUI: And quickly here, Cal, international reporters not being allowed into Gaza is that correct?
PERRY: That's correct. The border is completely shut down from both ends. Palestinians are trying to get out into Egypt. But Egypt doesn't want to be called in the middle. They don't want a humanitarian crisis and that border, that northern border along the border with Israel, they are not letting reporters in for their own safety, and because, quite frankly, they don't want people running around Gaza as they are trying to dismantle Hamas from the air. Richard.
LUI: Cal Perry, live in Jerusalem, watching what's happening there in the Gaza strip. Thank you so much.
You know, the Israeli air strikes are stoking outrage in the Arab world. More than 5,000 protesters staged a march in Syria, for instance. An Israeli flag and a U.S. flag were set on fire. The Syrian government has suspended indirect peace talks with Israel. Lebanese demonstrators denounced Egypt for joining Israel and closing its borders with Gaza. They threw rocks at the Egyptian embassy. Police responded with tear gas and then looked at this huge crowd in Yemen, protests also took place in Egypt, Turkey, Jordan, Dubai and Iraq.
Joining us right now to discuss the reaction so far in the Arab world, CNN's senior editor for Arab affairs, Octavia Nasr. Octavia, thanks for stopping by. This reaction, first of all, very fast but put this into context comparing it back to 2006, if you will, as well as going back further. OCTAVIA NASR, CNN SENIOR EDITOR FOR ARAB AFFAIRS: First of all, for the moment these events just happened and we're seeing these massive demonstrations, and what are they asking for? they're really asking their leaders to be accountable. This is a first in the Arab world where people demonstrate and basically they're complaining the most about their own leaders. They're complaining also about the Arab league. We all know that the Arab league said they're going to meet on Wednesday -
LUI: Right.
NASR: -- to decide how to deal with the crisis, and to issue a statement about the crisis. So people are pretty upset, anywhere you look, all these demonstrations, as you said, from Yemen to Egypt to Sudan to Lebanon, Syria, all these unusual places for demonstrations as well.
LUI: Let's break out the maps and show people where we are seeing this, because it is quite widespread, and maybe you can articulate for us the regions and the areas where you're seeing demonstrations.
NASR: Well, yes, that's good. Here you're looking at Gaza. This is where the trouble is and the West Bank is also the Palestinian territories, also although we're not seeing much action here but there are massive demonstrations here in this area. Now, you're looking at Syria, this is Lebanon right here, this little corner is Lebanon. You know, you have Jordan, Egypt, and beyond, the entire Middle East.
LUI: Yemen, Dubai.
NASR: You're right. All the way up to North Africa, massive demonstrations really, a lot of burning of flags, the U.S. flag is being burned because of the association of the U.S. with Israel. The Israeli flag is being burned. As a matter of fact today in the Jordanian parliament a parliamentarian just burned a flag, and stepped on it and his colleagues cheered them on.
LUI: Despite calls not to do that.
NASR: Exactly, because it's very clear that governments do not want to take stands at this point and that's why these people were demonstrating. They're saying no that's not OK, that's not all right to do.
LUI: That's why the protesters are out there. Let's dig down into the protesters themselves. Are these extremists or are these moderates?
NASR: These would be the moderates of the Arab world, but basically if you look at them, actually when you look at the pictures you're seeing a lot of women in the crowds, a lot of women speakers, a lot of women basically just expressing how they feel about this whole thing. You're looking at students also, many, many students, students in Qatar, for example, the University of Qatar just decided they're not going to go to classes. They're going to demonstrate basically saying they have an historic responsibility. They feel that their government should be taking a stand, should be doing something, saying something that what they're doing is not enough and they feel that it is time for them to act and say something. So really the moderates are the ones taking to the streets.
LUI: And Octavia, you monitor all of the media across the Middle East for reactions, as well as the stories that are being covered. What have you seen in terms of coverage?
NASR: Very interesting coverage, already a major story. We know it's a major story when they create new graphics and a new look for them. If you're watching Al Jazeera, or (inaudible), they have specific opens for their coverage. They're showing a lot of graphic images, as a matter of fact, from the last 24 hours in Gaza, emotional music, emotional pictures. Basically they are reflecting the Arab street as the Arab street is reflecting what they're reporting on.
LUI: And some very graphic pictures of Gaza that they're showing.
NASR: Very graphic pictures, really.
LUI: Senior Arab Affairs editor, Octavia Nasr, thank you so much for giving us a fresh perspective.
NASR: Any time.
LUI: Appreciate it.
NASR: Thank you very much.
LUI: A look at the Israeli perspective coming up in half an hour. We'll talk with Salai Meridor, Israel's ambassador to the United States. Stay around for that.
You know, the United Nations is calling for an end to the violence in the Middle East. A four-hour emergency meeting of the U.N. security council ended with this call for a new ceasefire.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NEVEN JURICA, CROATIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N.: The members of the security council expressed serious concern at the escalation of the situation in Gaza, and called for an immediate halt to all violence.
RIYAD MANSOUR, PALESTINIAN ENVOY TO U.N.: I can assure you that we, the Arab nations and our friends in the security council and the international community, we will come back, knocking on the door of the security council, in order to bring Israel into compliance.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LUI: And we'll be hearing more from the Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations. He'll join us live in the next hour of NEWSROOM.
The Bush administration is lined up behind Israel in the current conflict. CNN's Elaine Quijano reports for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The images of the devastation replaying over and over in the Middle East are fueling anger in the Arab world.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, even if you don't like Hamas, but in the end you blame the other side and I think the Arab public is very angry. That's showing up.
QUIJANO: Over the weekend, Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah called President Bush to discuss what the official Saudi news agency described as Israeli aggression in the Gaza strip. Bush aides are not commenting on the conversation. They are however were pinning the blame for the violence squarely on Hamas.
GORDON JOHNDROE, WHITE HOUSE DEP. PRESS SECRETARY: Hamas must stop launching rockets into Israel. The United States holds Hamas responsible for breaking the ceasefire.
QUIJANO: Calling Hamas nothing but thugs, White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe left no doubt the Bush administration believes Israel's actions are justifiable self-defense.
JOHNDROE: We understand that Israel is reacting to the hundreds of rockets that have been fired upon innocent people of Israel over the last few days.
QUIJANO: At the same time, Johndroe said the United States is concerned about Palestinian civilians caught in the cross-fire. Already more than 250 people have died. He says the U.S. has urged Israel to avoid civilian casualties and wants all sides to work on getting the people of Gaza humanitarian relief.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LUI: Elaine Quijano joins us live from the Bush ranch in Crawford, Texas. Elaine, are any of the president's top advisers with him now, in Crawford?
QUIJANO: They are not with him. President Bush has been consulting with his top advisers via phone calls and secure video, including his national security adviser, Stephen Hadley as well as his secretary of state Condoleeza Rice and we should mention, Richard, that Secretary Rice has also spoke on President-elect Barack Obama, giving him an update on the developments as well. Richard.
LUI: Elaine Quijano in Crawford, Texas, for us. Thank you so much.
Lots of weather to talk about this weekend, and throughout the week and as you can tell we are in this sort of squeezed back format, you can see on my left or your right a lay down of holiday travel, and then below at the bottom, the cities and the expected weather forecasts. OK, sparks are flying in Kansas city. Winds of more than 60 miles an hour knocked down power lines and causing this power line fire, and extremely strong storm system moved through the midwest yesterday. Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses are without power, and then flooding, another big concern, heavy rain and melting snow are pushing rivers and streams higher in several midwestern states.
In Illinois, people are using sandbags to protect their homes. Officials outside Chicago are urging who live along the Des Plaines River to evacuate there. The river crested this morning two feet above flood stage. And then there's the mounds of heavy melting snow, brought down, rain down rather part of a grocery store roof near Portland, Oregon. No one was hurt there. Two other roofs collapsed under heavy snow in that area, a paper company and a car dealership there. No injuries were reported.
In other parts of the Pacific northwest, the snow is still coming down. The person watching all of this is Karen Maginnis, tracking all the storms in the CNN weather center for us right now. And Karen it looks like you've got a lot of white mass above there in the Pacific northwest.
KAREN MAGINNIS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. We've been watching this the last several days. It's become critical now because we see one rain event after the other. This moisture bumps up against the cascades and produces heavy snowfall there. So the Cascades and the Olympics, they are going to see in some cases as much as a foot of snowfall. But we got back-to-back weather systems moving on through, as they do, then we just that enhancement of the melting snow, because yesterday, they had fairly mild temperatures.
So here's one weather system, there's going to be a little trough that moves in behind it, with the enhanced moisture for the most part across northern California, but watch as this moisture just kind of backs up across the cascades, what we do have is winter weather advisories and winter storm watches. However, right around Portland to Salem, a couple of inches of rainfall expected there, but the big problem is going to be from about Eugene southward towards North county and Humboldt county, both in Crescent City and Eureka, California. We've got a live picture coming out of Seattle. Take a look at this. It is overcast. We got a little bit of misty precipitation outside, and the temperature right now is about 39 degrees in Seattle.
All right, let's move on and show you what's happening around the Great Lakes. You see a lot of the green on this map, all the way from Green Bay, through Milwaukee and Chicago. The Des Plaines River as you just heard Richard talk about, the Des Plaines River, also Kankakee, the Fox River, the Du Page River, just various areas along those rivers, running fairly high, we're seeing moderate to minor flooding in some of those areas but now the temperatures are colder. So the runoff is going to decrease just a little bit. Now, Richard, when I come back we're going to show you Maury, the sled dog. He really is pretty amazing but we'll also talk about some of the wind across the northeast it's been gusty over the last 24 hours. Back to you.
LUI: Maury, the sled dog.
MAGINNIS: Maury, the sled dog. LUI: Hopefully Maury, the sled dog likes snow because there's a lot of it out there right now.
MAGINNIS: Yes.
LUI: All right. Thanks, Karen Maginnis.
A billion gallons of nasty coal ash sludge. A community tries to figure out what to do with that next.
And another piece in the puzzle surrounding that Christmas eve massacre in California.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LUI: Living in the wake of disaster. City officials in Kingston, Tennessee are holding an emergency meeting this hour. This area is awash in more than a billion gallons of coal ash sludge from a ruptured retention pump. CNN's Brooke Baldwin is live in Kingston with the very latest on this and what has been a huge catastrophe. Hey, Brooke.
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Richard. Yes, we were able to take a tour of it. We can talk about it to tell you some of the stuff in just a moment but that meeting that you mentioned is about to start in about ten minutes and it's significant. Because obviously it's involving Kingston City council members, also concerned citizens who live in this area, (Rome) county emergency management, but also the Tennessee Valley Authorities, TVA. This is the first time they're all getting this opportunity to sit down and speak publicly about this whole thing.
It happened about six days ago. You mentioned more than a billion gallons of this coal ash, essentially it's a byproduct of this plant, the plant that burns coal to provide electricity, and some of the big concerns amongst some of the residents, because it sort of ranges the spectrum of emotion from sort of panic to just sort of concern about their own home value, is not only the water quality, and you can bet that a number of water quality tests are being done right now. But also in terms of the air, and this dust as it starts to dry out, this coal ash.
We did talk to a couple, their back yard they described once as peaceful, they're sitting on a cove just off of the Emory river. Now it is just a disaster zone full of sludge and he told me the biggest concern he has is the unknown.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM VEREB, HOMEOWNER: We're hearing all kinds of stories, hearing everything from this is perfectly fine to be around to get away, as far as you can from it. So we really don't know what the right answer is there. We're not going to panic about it.
(END VIDEO CLIP) BALDWIN: The meeting starts in about 10 minutes' time. You can see sort of a steady stream of people heading inside this small community center, Richard, and you can bet this place will be packed with people wanting answers.
LUI: Brooke, an amazing story. We can't even imagine what a billion gallons of this coal ash sludge looks like. We hear that it's made it into a lot of the waterways. You had a chance to see this up close, haven't you? What does it look like?
BALDWIN: We did. We just got back from the scene just about 10 minutes ago and I think the best description I heard, it's sort of like a wet moonscape. Imagine sort of moon craters yet it's muddy and full of sort of dislodged boats and docks. I have some of the sludge. You can see it right here, sort of concrete colored. This is the sludge and this is just sort of like a fraction, the most minute fraction of what you can see in some of the videos we've been showing and also this what's been taken from some of the water so this is river water and you can see when you shake it up, see that muddy color, Richard, that's kind of what it looks like throughout this entire portion of eastern Tennessee.
LUI: Great demonstration. That means that that billion gallons can affect a lot of water, just based on that one example you have of that small jar that one gallon. All right. Brooke Baldwin. Thanks.
BALDWIN: A lot of water, a lot of people, a lot of wildlife. Yes.
LUI: Thanks. Brooke Baldwin with the latest for us, appreciate it.
In California, police have found a second rental car used by apparent Christmas eve killer Bruce Pardo. Pardo's believed to have killed his ex-wife and eight other people while dressed like Santa Claus. The car he drove to his former in-laws house was rigged with explosives and it later blew up. No explosives were found in the second car. Police say Pardo later shot himself.
And the downward slide, police say ended with the Christmas eve killings may have started years earlier. A 2001 swimming pool accident left his young son with severe brain damage that left him a paraplegic. An attorney who represented the child's mother says Pardo may have suffered lingering guilt, and then in February his wife asked for a divorce. In July, Pardo lost his engineering job. He found himself in such financial straits then he wanted his ex-wife to pay him support. Well, that did not happen. The couple appeared then in court, just days before the killings, to finalize their divorce.
They lost their shirts, but still had their jewels, until now. Victims of the alleged Madoff fund fraud selling their gems to now pay the bills.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LUI: All right. These pictures from earlier today coming out of Chicago, Michigan Avenue, protests against the air strikes into Gaza, the result of the air strikes over 275 people dead, including civilians. Protests have occurred all across the Middle East, also outside the Middle East, this example in Michigan, excuse me, Michigan Avenue in Chicago, downtown Chicago, and we saw it a little bit earlier. We'll be watching that story of course for you right here on CNN throughout the next couple of hours and this evening.
Embattled Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich doing some work today, approving $2 million in grants for ramps to help the handicapped. Tomorrow, the panel of Illinois lawmakers considering impeaching him may reconvene. The chairwoman says they will not subpoena any of President-elect Obama's advisers. Blagojevich is accused of trying to sell Obama's former senate seat. Now Blagojevich is adamant that he will clear his name, but Illinois Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn does not agree. He says the governor may be impeached and convicted by February.
Well-heeled investors who lost fortunes in the alleged Madoff fund fraud now forced to sell the family jewels. Susan Roesgen has that story for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOVINA KAHN, HOUSE OF KAHN: 14.16 carats of emerald (inaudible) with 3.33 carats of diamonds.
SUSAN ROESGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is not the ring you'd find in a jewelry store in the mall. It's an estate piece which is a fancy name for expensive jewelry that used to belong to someone else.
KAHN: Just the workmanship on it is just really, really unique.
ROESGEN: Tovina Kahn is part of the family owned house of Kahn, well- known estate jewelers with two locations. This one in Chicago and another one in Palm Beach, Florida, and it's the one in Palm Beach that suddenly is buying a lot of estate jewelry.
Mega investment broker Bernard Madoff did a lot of business in south Florida. When he was arrested for investment fraud, many of his clients lost their shirts, but still have a necklace or two, to try to make ends meet.
KAHN: Granted we probably cannot give them what they paid for it but at least we can recognize what a beautiful item. I'm a gemologist so I can tell them what fantastic stones that you picked out. We can appreciate the workmanship, the craftsmanship in these pieces.
ROESGEN: In fact the Palm Beach socialite who parted with this aquamarine necklace had very good taste. Now it will be sold to someone else for $85,000.
KAHN: Queen Isabella sold her jewels to finance Christopher Columbus's discovery of the New World, and that's what a lot of people with the Madoff scam, you know, are going to be doing too, a lot of them selling their jewels to create a new world and create a new world quickly for themselves and we hope that we can do it for them. ROESGEN: A fortune in jewels, for a fortune that's lost. Susan Roesgen, CNN, Chicago.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LUI: Air strikes in Gaza, Israel says it is targeting Hamas. We talked to the Israeli ambassador.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LUI: Back to our top story this hour, Israeli war planes continue to pound Gaza and there's no end in sight. Here's what we know right now for you. Palestinian security sources say at least 277 people are dead in Gaza, and hundreds more are wounded. The Israelis say their assault has targeted Hamas militants ands has sharply reduced Hamas rocket attacks on Israel. Israel is calling up 7,000 military reservists, meanwhile. Tanks are being deployed around Gaza but Israel denies having any plans to reoccupy the territory.
Now a look at the conflict from the Israeli perspective. A few minutes before the show, I had the opportunity to speak with Israel's ambassador to the United States, Sallai Meridor.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LUI (voice over): Mr. Meridor, thank you very much for joining us this afternoon on CNN.
SALLAI MERIDOR, ISRAEL AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S: Thank you for having me.
LUI: Let me start with numbers that you're very familiar with. First off, Palestinian reports have casualties at over 275 at this moment as a result of Israeli air strikes. On the other side we have reports of one Israeli casualty as a result of Gaza rocket fire. The question is, is the force being undertaken at the moment proportional and reasonable?
MERIDOR: Well, I think it's very reasonable, given the threat the Israeli civilians are under. We are talking about more than half a million Israelis, one of every ten Israelis living under constant daily threats of rocket barrage. We are talking about children who are wetting their beds at night. We're talking about parents who don't know what of their children to go to a safe room when the rockets are being fired. We are talking about elderly people who can not take a shower, because they don't know whether they will make it in 15 seconds into a shelter.
LUI: How many more casualties is Israel going to accept to achieve its goals?
MERIDOR: We are not looking to accept any casualties. We are -- and we don't really to have casualties on the other side. What we want is the fire of terror to stop. What we want is for our children to be able to live in peace, and we are taking action in order to defend our people, as I believe every normal nation, be it Israelis, Americans or others will do to protect their citizens.
This is a horrible situation, where we have to take actions of self- defense, in doing so, we are trying to make every possible effort to minimize the damage to uninvolved civilians, but we have to take steps to protect our people.
LUI: You are very aware of the reaction around the world from these air strikes, and the military action that has been taken over the last 24 hours. Among those reactions, al minar TV, the Hezbollah TV station the statement was made that the north of Israel will be put on fire just as Gaza has been put on fire. Tanks and troop carriers have been moved to the border regions of Gaza. We've seen the pictures of that. You've also called up 7,000 reserve troops and then there are street protests from Yemen to Morocco. Is there some concern, is there the awareness that this could go down a path that is both broader and more uncontrollable than originally thought?
MERIDOR: Well, we certainly hope that nobody extremists in the region like Iran or Hezbollah will try to exploit the situation. We are obviously taking this into account and are ready for every eventuality. However, I think that your question, there is this context that is broader and regional and we have in this region Iran, that is trying to undermine any progress towards peace, it's trying to undermine any beginning of democracy that is supporting two proxies, Hezbollah in Lebanon, north of Israel, Hamas and Gaza, southwest of Israel and in this regional context, all of us together, people of goodwill, and of shared values, have to stand together against terror, and against this attempt to destabilize the region, and undermine any efforts for democracy and peace.
LUI: There are many similarities here, Mr. Ambassador, to the Hezbollah/Israeli war. Will we then see troops on the ground, movements of troop carriers as well as tanks into the Gaza strip?
MERIDOR: Well, I am not going to discuss at this stage where probably some people of Hamas and some people in Tehran may listen to our discussion. However, I think what's important to note is that there is a line connecting all of those dots, which is starting in Iran, which is basically the center of an octopus, with proxies throughout the region, and same tactics that they are using in Lebanon, they're trying to use in Gaza.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LUI: And coming up in the next hour of NEWSROOM, the Palestinian perspective. We'll talk live with the Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations.
President-elect Obama is following Middle East developments from Hawaii, where he is vacationing. CNN's senior White House correspondent Ed Henry joins us now live from Honolulu with the latest for us. Hey Ed.
ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well Richard as you know yesterday the president-elect was on the phone with current secretary of state Condoleezza Rice trying to get the latest briefing on the matter. He spoke by phone with her for about eight minutes to try to get a sense of the situation, but he's walking a very fine line here. His staff put out a statement yesterday pointing out again as we've heard before, a mantra of there's only one president at a time.
The president-elect doesn't want to get too involved in this crises right now to send any confusing signals around the world, he wants to make sure that the U.S. is speaking with one voice right now, and David Axelrod, senior adviser to the president-elect was on NBC's "Meet the Press" today and he repeated the same line but he did go a little further by pointing out that when the president-elect as a presidential candidate this summer was in Israel, he did note that in a situation like this, Israel has a right to defend itself.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID AXELROD, SR. ADVISOR TO THE PRESIDENT ELECT OBAMA: He did, as you said, visit in July and he said then that he thought that, when bombs of raining down on your citizens, it's obviously unacceptable, and there is an urge to act, and but again, I don't want to go beyond that, because we only have one government and one president at a time, and he's going to continue to consult with Secretary Rice and the president and the administration on this and monitor these events and he'll be prepared to take over on the 20th, and discharge his responsibilities then.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: So you see the message there clearly trying to send is that he will be able to hit the ground running on January 20th, when he's sworn in and this is a reminder this crises of the fact while we've spent a lot of time in recent weeks talking about the financial crisis, it still could be national security crisis that define the Obama presidency, not just what's going on in Gaza right now but you look around the entire Middle East, between the war in Iraq, the war in Afghanistan, threats from Iran, clearly a lot of national security challenges to confront come January 20th.
LUI: So much to do while on vacation, in Hawaii, no doubt for president-elect. Ed Henry, live in Honolulu with that, appreciate it.
Winter snow is not unusual for many areas in the U.S., but how about 70 inches of that stuff? This is the town of Liberty in central Utah we're showing you here. Over the past ten days, snow has been piling up. Residents say they don't mind. Deep drifts keep the, as they call them, flatlanders away. Meteorologists Karen Maginnis is keeping an eye on the forecast for us right now. Are you a flatlander, my friend?
KAREN MAGINNIS, CNN METEOROLGIST: No, I love the mountains. We've got some problems at the airports primarily along that I-95 corridor, Newark, also Philadelphia, and JFK, although Newark and Philadelphia ground stops here, up to just about two hours in some cases. JFK we've watched this back off just a little bit. The weather is not great, but it's not horrible either. Cloudy skies, just a little bit breezy so I can't help to think that maybe it's just sheer volume.
Into the northeast in New England we have seen the gusty winds, they are not quite as strong as they were earlier this morning but Watertown, New York, 63 mile-an-hour wind gusts, Erie, Pennsylvania, 53 mile-an-hour gusts and Lexington, Kentucky, a 60 mile-an-hour gust. Now there is a frontal system that is seeping through. We'll see the wind shift a little bit. Certainly yesterday from Messina, New York, into Buffalo, into Cleveland we saw temperatures in the 60s, very unheard of for this time of year.
Now take a look at the winds right now as you see in Buffalo, the wind has gusted to about 46 miles an hour as compared to what we have seen in the last 12 hours or so, when some of the winds were gusting up to around 60. All right, for tomorrow in the pacific northwest, we've got a little bit of a warm up taking place here but we've got these back-to-back storm systems, so that's allowing some of the snow melt, the runoff, the additional rainfall in some cases, some areas have seen almost seven inches of rain especially up there in Del North County and Humboldt County in northwestern California, that's where they've seen the heaviest rainfall.
Chicago a little bit more back to normal. I want to show you very quickly what's happening with Maury, the sled dog. I-reporter Terry Anderson he is in Springfield, Wisconsin. The dog went down a couple of times with his owner; this beautiful black lab decided I can do that. And so I'm just a sucker for any black lab on the planet and there he goes, having a good time. His friend is behind him. Go to IREPORT.com and take a look at this again and again and again. I did that yesterday, Richard. Back to you.
LUI: Maury is no flatlander either. He forgot to bring back the sled. He is going to go get that now.
MAGINNIS: But he picked up a stick so, it's a lab.
LUI: Karen Maginnis, thank you so much and have fun as you head up to the hills whenever you do. By the way we are going to bring back this "l" bar that you just saw zoom in, that will show you on the right side the holiday travel situation as you try to move around the country and at the lower half, again, the temperatures as well as the forecasts in your city.
Rising temperatures, melting snow and heavy rains, three reasons why mid westerners are bracing for flash flooding in the Chicago area. They are getting the sandbags ready. Ashley Yarchin with CNN affiliate CLTV reports.
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ASHLEY YARCHIN, CLTV: The work is tough.
MICHAEL BYRNES: First of all let's address one thing at a time. I'm really tired right now. I'm out of shape.
YARCHIN: But Michael Byrnes knows that's to be done.
BYRNES: When it's not being flooded, it's beautiful, the river and the deer going by. It's quite a sight. YARCHIN: In September his home here on the Des Plaines River flooded just before he was supposed to move in. Before they had time to set up sandbags and believe it or not, renovations from that flood just finished.
PAT LEONE: It got below the windows last time and if it gets above that much again, there could be a problem. But we're going to try to prevent, you know, some long-term damage by sandbagging around this lower area in front here.
YARCHIN: Pat Leone is Michael's brother and builder and has heard that the National Weather Service is predicting water levels to be about the same, cresting at over nine and a half feet. When the flood stage is at just seven.
LEONE: We try to dot best we can, with everyone helping it worked out pretty well.
YARCHIN: And some neighbors have done the same. Though none they know have plans to evacuate.
BYRNES: We saw shipments of food and beverages coming in to some of the places around here. People saying they will not leave. Heard that story before, but I will leave quickly. As soon as I'm done trying to protect.
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LUI: An unusual holiday house guest.
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(UNIDENTIFED FEMALE): Ate the same food we ate, he was wearing some of our clothing, which is a little bit disturbing.
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LUI: What else was missing? How about an invitation? His!
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LUI: Yes it is the holiday season, people waving, they are also celebrating and having a good time they are just finishing up the Falcons game they played the St. Louis Rams. They are on their way to the playoffs, the Falcons are, they won 31-27 also why people are crowding here at CNN Center here in Atlanta is because there's a hockey game, that starts in 15 minutes so a lot of people holidaying and enjoying their sports activities, and waving it up so hopefully all of you out there are having a good holiday and enjoying yourselves, too.
During the holidays, many people play host to house guests but a Pennsylvania family had a bizarre and unwelcome one. A man they didn't know living in their attic. Kyla Campbell with CNN affiliate WBRE has the story.
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STACEY FERRANCE, HAD UNWELCOMED GUEST: It's disgust.
KYLA CAMPBELL, WBRE: We've all heard about unwelcome house guests.
FERRANCE: He stayed with us basically for a week, you know.
CAMPBELL: Those seven days were too much for Stacy Ferrance.
FERRANCE: He ate the same food we ate; he was wearing some of our clothing which is a little bit disturbing to know he went through our dresser drawers and took some clothes.
CAMPBELL: Disturbing because he wasn't someone she knew. Police say 21-year-old Stanley Carter, who was staying with friends next door made his way into a shared attic space on December 19th. They didn't have a clue until Christmas morning. They opened presents and then visited family.
FERRANCE: We came back two and a half hours later, and noticed some things missing from the house.
CAMPBELL: The police came and Ferrance went to another get-together.
FERRANCE: We left about 6:00, came home approximately 11:00, 11:30 later on Christmas night and noticed more things missing.
CAMPBELL: The police came again, no sign of the intruder until Friday afternoon. Ferrance's dad owns the house and suggest that she check the attic crawl space.
FERRANCE: When I went up there and I just glanced over at the side wall and there was a perfect footprint at eye level. That was it.
CAMPBELL: As soon as Stacy noticed the footprint she called police and when they got here they heard the man walking around upstairs in the attic.
FERRANCE: Once they got here with the dog is when he started saying "I'm coming out."
CAMPBELL: The police can't believe what happened.
SGT. RON: One of the oddest. I'm going to write a book and tell everybody about it.
CAMPBELL: Carter took blankets, a laptop computer, and candles.
FERRANCE: My toothbrush!
CAMPBELL: And made a makeshift living space in the attic.
FERRANCE: It's absolutely bizarre, but it's just -- I'm glad just that everybody's safe.
CAMPBELL: And happy to know Carter's extended stay has been moved to the Luzerne County Prison.
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LUI: A home invasion as part of a bank robbery that is in the next hour in THE NEWSROOM.
But first how charities are surviving in this distressed economy with fewer donations and more demands.
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LUI: Well the recession is creating a harsh one-two punch. The number of people needing help is still growing, but charities are feeling the economic pinch as well. Here's our Kate Bolduan.
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KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Joy in the face of hardship. Melissa Buckle's 4-year-old daughter, Erin has born a conjoined twin and was paralyzed during the separation surgery; her older sister needs treatment for a tumor on her spine.
(UNIDENTIFED FEMALE): Put your head under there.
BOLDUAN: But despite these challenges, Buckle says her family is thankful this holiday season, grateful to the nonprofit Ronald McDonald house where the family lives while her daughters get medical care.
MELISSA BUCKLES: Our financial situation is pretty dire right now, and being able to stay at the Ronald McDonald house, where it costs a lot less than staying at a hotel every night it's the only way that we could receive the treatment that we do.
MARIANNE ROWAN-BRAUN: Each night, 36 families share our home. The sad reality is that each night we also have a waiting list.
BOLDUAN: Ronald McDonald house is lucky. Like charities across the country, it's seeing increased need because of the struggling economy, but unlike so many non-profits right now, the organization is surviving because of funding from a private foundation, the Harry and Jeannette Weinberg Foundation, rather than depending solely on donations or government grants.
DONN WEINBERG: Last year, we gave away about $99 million. This year it will probably be $100 million or a little more than $100 million.
BOLDUAN: According to Giving USA which tracks philanthropy, charitable giving reached a record high of $306 billion last year. Experts predict a much gloomier forecast for 2009, as Americans tighten their belts, foundations scale back and state and local governments slash budgets to weather the economic storm.
TOM POLLAK: We show around 1.5 million nonprofit organizations currently registered with the IRS. Inevitably, some fail each year and next year I expect many, many more to fail than usual. BOLDUAN: Ronald McDonald house acknowledges next year is a great unknown financially. Melissa Buckles hopes for the best, betting on the generosity of others.
BUCKLES: They're really paying it forward, and giving a great gift, when they donate money and so if they can even spare a couple dollars; it's a blessing to these families.
BOLDUAN: Underscoring these volatile times, even the Weinberg Foundation is now reconsidering its giving, its leaders say they're not accepting any new grant requests until April in order to assess the new economic landscape they're facing.
Kate Bolduan, CNN, Washington.
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LUI: Working extra hard, one charity is making sure the troops are not overlooked during this season of giving.
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LUI: Impact your world, CNN photo journalist Debra Brunswick introduces us to volunteers she spent this week boxing donations for U.S. troops.
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UNIDENTIFED FEMALE: We need batteries, anything that you can send.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Give to the troops, makes sense to me, that's what we're all doing here.
UNIDENTIFED FEMALE: Most of these troops we're packing for today do not know who we are. The idea to send a 65-pound box and to make a huge impression on them.
ANDI GRANT, FOUNDER: Give to the Troops is a non profit organization. We send care packages to lift the morale of troops deployed in combat zones.
UNIDENTIFED FEMALE: My son Rali is in Iraq also.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are going back to Afghanistan again.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The guys and girls that over there fighting representing us, they need to know someone back here loves them and is concerned about them.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Marines, 180.
UNIDENTIFED FEMALE: Christmas or not.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I actually got regular food, not just eating the all military food. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I like Snickers bars so I know I got a huge bag like this full of Snicker bars, chocolate doesn't usually last too long in the desert.
UNIDENTIFED FEMALE: The heavy goes in the bottom.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People sending over that much, it's crazy to see that much and it helps a lot of guys through difficult times.
UNIDENTIFED FEMALE: They're going to need a tissue because when you read the letters, it really gets your heart.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're not alone. We are there with he, we support you and love you and hurry back home.
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LUI: Find out more about Give to the Troops by visiting our "Impact your World" Website, go to CNN.com/impact.
The next hour of CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.
