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Obama Receives Nobel Peace Prize; Rangel's Money Muddle

Aired October 09, 2009 - 11:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Heidi, thank you very much. It is Friday, October 9th. Here's some of the faces of the stories driving the headlines today. President Barack Obama, the surprising choice to receive the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. He's going to speak momentarily. We are standing by live.

Budi Soehardi, orphanage founder and one of CNN's top ten CNN heroes for 2009. And here's a question, Tim Tebow, quarterback for the Florida Gators, sidelined by a concussion. Is it safe for him to play tomorrow? We're going to talk about that.

Good morning everyone, I'm Don Lemon. Tony's off and you're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Well, the White House says President Barack Obama is humbled to be chosen as this year's Nobel Peace Prize winner and we expect to hear from the president himself at any moment now. We're standing by live watching it. There you go. The president, you see him inside of the White House right there on the telephone. It appears getting ready to come out and talk about his Nobel Peace Prize win. The announcement made this morning. He is going to make that announcement from the Rose Garden in just a bit, a statement from the president.

The Nobel Committee cited President Barack Obama's extraordinary efforts towards international diplomacy. And you could hear the surprise in the room where the decision was announced. Let's take you there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: President Barack Obama for extraordinary...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Almost the same reaction as the Olympics last week. The Nobel Prize comes just eight months into President Obama's presidency. Critics question whether he has accomplished enough to deserve the honor. So as we're waiting on the president to come out again, as you see him there, obviously not on the phone. It appears that he was contemplating something, maybe going over his speech.

I'm going to bring in our White House correspondent Dan Lothian, awaiting the president's remarks. Dan, good to talk to you today. Quite an interesting choice and very early on in a presidency. He's not the first one but this is pretty fast.

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: He is the first one to get this award so early in his presidency. Typically when presidents get this, it would be in the case of President Carter, long after he left office, or other presidents after they have signed some kind of accord or some peace agreement that ends a conflict.

But in this case, this is a president who at least to the committee that awarded him the Nobel Peace Prize saw a lot of promise. Essentially he has -- he's a president in progress and he has already at least according to the administration, started changing the tenor and the tone of how the U.S. is viewed overseas from an administration.

Perhaps in the past, they believe that used to only use a hammer to bully around, you know, other world leaders to an administration, at least according to the White House, that has now decided to sit down and have some dialogue with some of these difficult countries, such as Iran and North Korea.

And so it is unusual to see a president receive this kind of honor so early in his presidency, but that's exactly what happened. And the White House pointing out they were also taken by surprise.

LEMON: You know, and some say this is support really from the international community because the international community wants peace. It appears in all of his rhetoric as you have been saying, in all of his speech and even before he became president, that he spoke up for peace and for speaking to allies and enemies as well, to try to bring some peace throughout the world. Is that correct? Is this a message, you think, from the international community possibly?

LOTHIAN: You know, perhaps -- perhaps that's correct. And as you pointed out, this is something that President Obama has been pushing even before he became president and was criticized by his now Secretary of State Clinton for talking about wanting to have a dialogue with Iran without preconditions.

So, you know, and we've seen now for the first time of the P-5 plus 1 meetings in Geneva recently where the United States and Iran not only engage with each other, but agree to have additional talks with these other world leaders as well in the future.

So certainly this is something the administration has been pushing for long before the president came into office, and it certainly got noticed.

LEMON: OK Dan Lothian, we're standing by. Dan is going to join us in just a little bit to talk about the president meeting today. Very busy for him, in just about an hour or so. The president's meetings regarding Afghanistan. But we're standing by the White House. You see the Rose Garden there. The president is going to speak in just a moment to talk about his Nobel Peace Prize win. He's the fourth U.S. president to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He's the third to receive the honor while still in office. Former President Jimmy Carter was awarded the prize in 2002. That was more than 20 years after left office, though.

And the last sitting president to achieve the honor was Woodrow Wilson. That was back in 1919. Teddy Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt, was selected back in 1906.

Lots of news for you today so we want to get through some of it really quickly for you. Here's some of our top stories. Pakistan is promising a strong response to today's car bombings in the city of Peshawar. The suicide attack at the market killed 49 and wounded 135. Pakistan said it has no option but to launch an offensive against the Taliban in tribal territories.

U.S. Navy ships, well they're parked off Indonesia today ferrying supplies to earthquake victims. U.S. helicopters are already ferrying aid to Padang, the hardest-hit city. American soldiers from Guam and Japan were flown in early this week to set up a 300-bed field hospital.

Queen Elizabeth II is paying tribute today to Britons who fought in Iraq. The service at St. Paul's Cathedral in London honored 179 U.K. service members killed in the war and the 120,000 who serve. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LANCE CPL. GARETH THOMAS, ROYAL MARINES: It's an honor to be here and it's nice to shed some light on the Iraq War under Afghanistan's more problematic. It's nice to shed a bit of light on the Iraq war and just remember. And it's a nice closure to it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Prince Charles and son William attended as did former Prime Minister Tony Bair.

On Capitol Hill today, boy, the investigation into New York Congressman Charlie Rangel is getting even bigger. Republican calls for him to give up his powerful House post are getting louder. CNN's Brianna Keilar joins me now. Brianna, good to see you. The committee was already looking at the unreported income and incomplete disclosure forms. What's the new angle today? I'm sure there is one.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Don, they're expanding this investigation to include corrections that Chairman Rangel made to his mandatory financial disclosure statements. So this will now encompass his failure to report hundreds of thousands of dollars in assets. The way it works is members of Congress in the Senate and the House have to publicly disclose really how much money they're worth, their assets, et cetera. And we did know that Chairman Rangel had not disclosed that he had these assets to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

But what's new here is that this committee, the Ethics Committee, is now saying it's going to include those corrections that he made in its investigation. So the scope is widening. And they've been considering really a list of some admitted mistakes and some alleged mistakes with the Chairman Rangel's personal finances.

But he is the powerful head of the House Ways and Means Committee. This is the tax writing committee in the House. And some of the issues here, Don, have to do with his taxes. We already knew that he had not only not disclosed $75,000 that he had earned by renting out a beach property that he owns in the Dominican Republic but also that he had not paid taxes on that $75,000 in earnings.

So those are another couple of thing that's we've known for a while, he is going to be under investigation for. Rangel's office calling this just a technicality. They say there's nothing new here. But certainly, Republicans don't see it this way. They say this is just another reason for Chairman Rangel to step down from this really powerful perch that he has in the House of Representatives, Don.

LEMON: CNN's Brianna Keilar. Brianna, thank you very much.

We're going to take a closer look now at the specific allegations against Charlie Rangel. Peter Flaherty, president of the nonpartisan National Legal and Policy Center, spoke to CNN's Anderson Cooper.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, "ANDERSON COOPER 360": What is he accused of doing? I mean, he has this house down at the Dominican Republic, been renting it out, I think last night on the program you said, for more than $1,000 a night at times. And he never claimed any of that? He -- he never admitted to -- to any of that?

PETER FLAHERTY, PRESIDENT, NATIONAL LEGAL AND POLICY CENTER: Never reported it to the IRS, never disclosed it on his financial disclosure forms.

The Ethics Committee is looking at four other things, the fact that he has four rent-controlled apartments in New York City for which he doesn't qualify, two issues connected to the so-called Charles B. Rangel School for Public Service at the City College of New York.

Number one, he solicited gifts for that institution on congressional letterhead, which is against the rules. He also protected a lucrative tax break for company called Nabors Industries while the CEO of that company, Eugene Isenberg, was pledging a million dollars to the school.

And, lastly, the committee is looking at a congressional junket to the Caribbean led by Rangel and paid for by Citigroup. But I actually crashed and brought back photographs and recordings that are the basis for the Ethics Committee probe.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Congressman Rangel has represented his Harlem district since 1971. His attorneys blame his muddled finances on sloppy book keeping.

NASA bombing the moon, using spacecraft as a missile to see if there is water.

And we take you live to the White House and the Rose Garden, where we're awaiting remarks from President Obama, the fourth president to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. We're going to have to for you right here live on CNN. You won't miss any of it.

And also, let's get you now down to Wall Street. The Dow is up 34 points. Nasdaq up 9 points. A full report coming up from the New York Stock Exchange in just a bit. We're back in a moment. The president live here on CNN.

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(WEATHER REPORT)

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LEMON: All right, as we are awaiting President Barack Obama's remarks on his Nobel Peace Prize, we're going to get you some other news. But again, the president is going to come out in just a bit and speak from the Rose Garden. The fourth president to be awarded the Nobel Prize and it's sort of interesting. Very early on in his administration, it hasn't happened to any president in history. So we're standing by for that. You're not going to miss any of it. We'll bring it to you live right here on CNN.

In the meantime, did you check you out space today? NASA banged into the moon today and they did it on purpose. Scientists hope to kick up a dust prime in their search for moon water there. CNN's Jason Carroll has our story. Jason?

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Don, NASA in one word is moonstruck. Scientists calling the mission a success but not answering that crucial question about how much of any water they may have found. The actual video feed of the lunar mission did not visually hit with an impact. The computer animation of the mission, much more compelling. So, Don, we're going to show you both so you can take a look for yourself.

First, take a look at what happened when a rocket plunged into the crater of the moon at the moon's south pole. This happened just around 7:30 this morning, a place that hasn't seen the sun in billions of years. You can see it as it descends to the lunar surface. The force of the impact, kicking up a cloud of debris.

Again, the computer animation much more compelling. It showing the satellite probe then flew through the plume of debris. That satellite then crashed, creating a second cloud. Both clouds analyzed for signs of frozen water. NASA scientists say they've got a lot of data, but will not say what it all means, at least not yet.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTHONY COLAPRETE, PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR NASA AMES: So we have the data we need to actually address the questions we set out to address. That's the fundamental bottom line. That's what I hope you take away today is I'm not going to say anything about water or no water but we got the measurements we need to address the questions.

JEN HELDMANN, OBSERVATION CAMPAIGN LEAD: We have images, we have video, we have squiggly lines that scientists love. So we have a little bit of something for everyone. And I can only show you a snapshot here given time restrictions but there's a lot more that's available.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: Well here's the deal. Finding water is key to the prospect of setting up a moon base some time in the future. Lunar water can be transformed into fuel or even breathable air. So what happens if they do find traces of water with that data? Well, the next step could be to send a drill to the moon to dig. If they don't find water in the data, it is back to the drawing board and the search will continue elsewhere. Don?

LEMON: Jason, thank you very much. Jason, couldn't have finished at a more timely place here. The president in the Rose Garden talking about his Nobel Peace Prize.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Good morning. This is not how I expected to wake up this morning. After I received the news, Malia walked in and said, "Daddy, you won the Nobel Peace Prize, and it is Bo's birthday." And then Sasha added, "Plus, we have a three-day weekend coming up."

So it's -- it's good to have kids to keep things in perspective. I am both surprised and deeply humbled by the decision of the Nobel Committee.

Let me be clear, I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations. To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who have been honored by this prize, men and women who have inspired me and inspired the entire world through their courageous pursuit of peace.

But I also know that this prize reflects the kind of world that those men and women and all Americans want to build, a world that gives life to the promise of our founding documents. And I know that throughout history, the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement, it's also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes.

And that is why I will accept this award as a call to action, a call for all nations to confront the common challenges of the 21st century. These challenges can't be met by any one leader or any one nation. And that's why my administration's worked to establish a new era of engagement in which all nations must take responsibility for the world we seek.

We cannot tolerate a world in which nuclear weapons spread to more nations, in which the terror of a nuclear holocaust endangers more people. And that's why we have begun to take concrete steps to pursue a world without nuclear weapons. Because all nations have the right to pursue peaceful nuclear power but all nations have the responsibility to demonstrate their peaceful intentions. We cannot accept the growing threat posed by climate change, which could forever damage the world that we pass onto our children. So in conflict, in famine, destroying coastlines and emptying cities, and that's why all nations must now accept their share of responsibility for transforming the way that we use energy.

We can't allow the differences between peoples to define the way that we see one another, and that's why we must pursue a new beginning among people of different faiths and races and religions. One based upon mutual interest and mutual respect. We must all do our part to resolve those conflicts that have caused so much pain and hardship over so many years.

And that effort must include an unwavering commitment to finally realize that the rights of all Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security in nations of their own. We can't accept a world in which more people are denied opportunity and dignity that all people yearn for, the ability to get an education and make a decent living, the security that you won't have to live in fear of disease or violence without hope for the future.

And even as we strive to seek a world in which conflicts resolve peacefully and prosperity is widely shared, we have to confront the world as we know it today. I am the commander in chief of a country that's responsible for ending a war and working in another theater to confront a ruthless adversary that directly threatens the American people and our allies.

I'm also aware that we are dealing with the impact of a global economic crisis that has left millions of Americans looking for work. These are concerns that I confront every day on behalf of the American people. Some of the work confronting us will not be completed during my presidency. Some, like the elimination of nuclear weapons, may not completed in my lifetime.

But I know these challenges can be met, so long as it's recognized that they will not be met by one person or one nation alone. This award is not simply about the efforts of my administration. It's about the courageous efforts of people around the world.

And that's why this award must be shared with everyone who strives for justice and dignity, for the young woman who marches silently in the streets on behalf of her right to be heard, even in the face of beatings and bullets, for the leader imprisoned in her own home because she refuses to abandon her commitment to democracy, for the soldier who sacrificed through tour after tour of duty on behalf of someone half a world away.

And for all of those men and women across the world who sacrificed their safety and their freedom, and sometimes their lives, for the cause of peace. That has always been the cause of America. That's why the world has always looked to America, and that's why I believe America will continue to lead. Thank you very much.

QUESTION: What did your wife say, Mr. President?

QUESTION: What will you do with the money, Mr. President? LEMON: President Barack Obama in the Rose Garden responding to being given the Nobel Peace Prize just this morning by the Nobel Peace Prize Committee in Norway. Just very interesting some of the things that he said, really personalized it that saying he woke up this morning and saying his daughter Sasha came and Malia came into the room saying, "Daddy, you won the Nobel Peace Prize," and he said, on top of that it's Bo's birthday. And he said they have a big weekend ahead of them.

He said he was surprised and humbled about this and this was not a sign of his accomplishments, he said, but it was a sign that the world anticipates and wants peace, and he realizes the U.S. cannot do it alone. He is fighting a war in Afghanistan, one in Iraq. He said that he is trying to end and trying to obtain peace in Afghanistan and he also talked about the economy, saying that this is also a sign of the future, that people need hope, wanted to end the economic crisis. So he had a lot to do.

But, again, not a sign of his own accomplishments but just a signal to the world about wanting peace. And that you can always talk and try to get to some sort of peace. So the president responding there. We're going to have much, much more, dig through this and talk to some players about exactly what this means. What does it mean overseas? What does it mean here in the United States? A lot of people were surprised by this. We're going to talk it out for you so you won't miss any of it.

OK, let's move on now because more Americans are needed in Afghanistan. You heard the president said he's trying to bring peace to that region. We're going to have new details on how many and when troops could be going to fight that war.

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LEMON: In January, we asked that you nominate CNN heroes for 2009. We received more than 9,000 nominations, 9,000 nominations, from 100 countries, more than twice the number from 2008. An independent blue ribbon panel selected the top ten CNN heroes, and we'd like to introduce you to one of them.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DEEPAK CHOPRA, BLUE RIBBON PANEL: Hello. I'm Deepak Chopra. For the past two years I've had the honor of serving on the blue ribbon panel that selects the top ten CNN Heroes. As a contributor to the Star Fund Global, which sponsors projects that transforms communities around the world, I see just how much we all need heroes. Now I'm thrilled to help CNN introduce one of this year's top ten heroes.

BUDI SOEHARDI, CNN HERO: It was riots, buildings being burned, people just trying to save their lives. The children are supposed to have proper upbringing, and what they were having there was far from being normal. My name is Budi Soehardi. I'm a pilot. I founded an orphanage to help the children in West Singapore. Right from the beginning, we give them vaccination, clothing, food. A, A. But we cannot give them anything more valuable than a proper education. A, B, C, D, E, F, G. Very, very good. We also are able to provide and to teach them just be who you are, help others, and do it from your heart.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: You know what, you can help select the CNN hero of the year. You have until November 19th to cast your vote. It's at CNN.com/heroes. Again, CNN.com/heroes. The top ten CNN hero who receives the most votes will be revealed Thanksgiving night during CNN Heroes. It's an all-star tribute.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: President Barack Obama named the world's preeminent peacemaker but war is the main focus today for the nation's commander- in-chief. In just a few hours from now, the president will meet again from his national security team to plan the future of U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Live to the Pentagon now and our correspondent -- I should say Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr.

Barbara, we're inching closer to just how many troops are needed and when they're needed, and, yeah, I'm sure you're hearing a lot but you heard the president talk about it even when he was commenting on the Nobel Peace Prize. He asked to bring peace to that region under considerable amount of pressure.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Don. You know, war really is all about bringing peace to a region. That's what the president's aim is for both Afghanistan and Pakistan. Today he sits down yet again with his top military advisers in the White House this afternoon.

General Stanley McChrystal expected to join by secure video conference from his headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan. By all accounts, they are now getting to the point where they are discussing troop requirements. So, now we have both strategy and troop requirements on the table.

Let's be blunt -- none of us really know what decisions, if any, have been made inside that secure White House room. Officially everyone in Washington is quiet about it all, keeping the big secret. Unofficially, spin all over town.

What we do know, though, is if there is a decision to send tens of thousands of additional troops, and we believe General McChrystal is asking somewhere in the neighborhood of 40,000, there will be a significant impact on men and women in the U.S. military. Perhaps that's the real bottom line for them.

The Army and Marine Corps are now calculating if they have to send significant numbers of additional troops to the war in Afghanistan. They may have to cut time at home for these young military people who are just beginning to get back to that rotation of being able to spend a considerable amount of time with their families back home before they have to go out again. So, that's going to be something that's going to be very tough on military families and not welcome news if that happens -- Don.

LEMON: All right. CNN's Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr. Barbara, we appreciate it.

We have a programming note for you. This Sunday at 2:00 p.m., the challenges that face the United States, including the war in Afghanistan and the nuclear tension with Iran. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates in a rare joint interview. Our Christiane Amanpour leads a roundtable discussion at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, only here on CNN.

Another horrific terrorist attack blamed on the Taliban, this one a massive suicide car bombing in the Pakistani city of Peshawar. Let's go now live to CNN's Reza Sayah. He is in the capital of Islamabad.

Reza, first, let's get the latest casualty numbers. How many people?

REZA SAYAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Don, 49 people dead, 135 people injured, according to officials. Let's put in perspective how awful this suicide car bombing was. The city of Peshawar, where this attack happened, has seen its share of blasts and suicide attacks. One senior government official telling CNN this was the deadliest attack ever Peshawar.

Once again, 49 people killed after a suicide car bomb hit a market. The head of the bomb disposal unit in Peshawar is saying this car bomb packed with more than 120 pounds of explosives.

What has outraged and shocked people is where this happened. This happened in Khyber Bazaar in Peshawar, the commercial hub of this city. This is the busiest market in the city of Peshawar. Thousands of people exposed to this attack. Here's how witnesses describe the blast.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

INAAM ULLAH, BOMB VICTIM (through translator): I got down from the bus, and then there was a blast. I was not in my senses after that.

DOST MOHAMMAD, SHOPKEEPER (through translator): There was a blast, and no one was in their senses afterwards. There was a lot of smoke, and anyone who was alive was running away, and the injured were lying on the ground.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): It happened in front of us, the blast. It was such a horrible and terrifying incidence, which I will never forget in my life.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAYAH: Now, officials say it's not clear what the target of the suicide attack was. You have about a mile way from this explosion the provincial assembly lawmakers were in session. But investigators say it's too early to say if they were targeting the national assembly. What is clear is there's been an uptick in suicide attacks. You had this attack five days after a suicide attacker targeted the U.N. offices of the World Food Programme in Islamabad two weeks ago. Another suicide attack in another busy market in Peshawar, Don.

LEMON: Reza, thank you very much for your reporting.

All right, so staying active is key to becoming a fit nation. Some seniors are getting their workout on with high-tech games.

Details now from CNN's chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Team shirts, commentators, cheerleaders, trophies, fierce opposition. It has all the makings of a championship event. But this is not ordinary competition.

TED CARPENTER, CEO, TEXANPLUS: What's going on here today is the largest Wii bowling senior championship ever held.

GUPTA: TexanPlus, one of the Houston area's largest Medicare HMOs, came together with Nifty after Fifty -- that's a senior-only fitness program -- to get these seniors moving in a high-tech way, using Nintendo's Wii video game bowling system.

CARPENTER: We have 600 participants who are bowling, and they brought with them another 1,500 family and friends.

GUPTA: But it's more than just a fun way to stay in shape. These seniors could also be saving themselves from a major medical concern. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls are the leading cause of injury deaths among seniors, costs Americans nearly $20 billion a year. Those are statistics that Dr. Sheldon Zinberg (ph) says could be improved simply by exercise.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Proper exercising can improve bone mineral density, improve balance, joint stability and result in a decrease in falls by almost 89 percent.

GUPTA: Improvements that are good for the seniors and good for insurance companies.

CARPENTER: The healthier our seniors are, quite frankly, the better the plan works.

GUPTA: But saving money isn't what brought these elderly athletes here today.

SARAH PILGREEN, WII BOWLER: It was great. We all did good.

GUPTA: For Sarah and the NCI West End Bowlers, it's about making friends, having fun, staying active.

PILGREEN: I think it's very important for us that as you get older, to stay in sports and whatever we can do.

GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: All right, University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, he suffered a concussion. How soon is too soon to get back in the game?

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LEMON: Let's take a look now at some of our top stories. A horrific stabbing attack at a chemistry lab at UCLA. A 20-year-old male student was arrested. He is accused of slashing the throat of a female student. University officials say the victim and suspect were in a teaching lab when the attack occurred. Police say the woman is in stable condition.

In Cave Creek, Arizona, a couple of political signs vandalized with the words "kill Obama." The county sheriff calls it a complete disgrace. He said he's investigating the incident as a top priority.

Elizabeth Taylor feeling fine after a heart procedure to repair a leaky valve. The 77-year-old actress told fans via Twitter -- she did it on Thursday -- the procedure went perfectly. Earlier this week, Taylor tweeted she'd be going into the hospital and asked for her fans' prayers.

University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow suffered a concussion. How soon is too soon to get back in the game?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: I think it's fair to say that there was some surprise and there was praise and skepticism as well today over the decision to award the Nobel Peace prize to President Barack Obama. The Nobel committee cited the president's effort to strengthen international diplomacy and stop the spread of nuclear weapons.

CNN's international correspondent Jonathan Man, well, he spoke by phone with the chairman of the committee about the decision. Listen to their conversation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

THORBJORN JAGLAND, NOBEL COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN (via telephone): President Obama, he has made extraordinary efforts to improve the international climate and strengthen international diplomacy, and also the fact that he has endorsed the so-called zero emission for a world free of nuclear arms.

So, he has done a lot already. So, that's why we have awarded him the prize this year.

JONATHAN MANN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A great many people are delighted, some people are shocked. He's been in office less than a year. Most of what he's tried, he still really just at the start of. Was the committee acting a little fast?

JAGLAND: No, not at all. We want to promote what he stands for. And this is a longstanding history of the Nobel committee, namely to try to enhance exactly those ideals that Barack Obama is promoting.

And it's not the first time we have given the prize to one that started a process. For instance, here in Europe, when (INAUDIBLE) launched the so-called all politic (ph), this was the starting of the process that ended with the fall of the Berlin Wall many, many years later, and when Mikhail Gorbachev got the prize also. So, we want to promote what he is standing for and what he has already done.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: President Obama getting accolades from one of his predecessors. Former President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Jimmy Carter issued a statement saying, "I congratulate President Obama on being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize today."

We're using the global resources of CNN to bring you reaction to President Obama's Nobel Prize. Now, here's what some of you had to say from around the world. Check it out.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MORGAN NEILL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Morgan Neill in London, where people can't believe Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize.

They just named the Nobel Peace Prize winner today. Have you heard who won?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I haven't.

NEILL: It was Barack Obama. What do you think of that?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's a bit early, isn't it, to be giving him a Nobel Peace Prize?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't think he's been in office enough to warrant it. He hasn't changed the world in any way so far.

NEILL: Barack Obama has just been named the Nobel Peace Prize winner. Had you heard that?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.

NEILL: What do you think about it?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can't believe it.

NEILL: No?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can't believe it.

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm David McKenzie in Nairobi, Kenya. We've come here to the streets of Nairobi to tell people and ask people what they think about President Barack Obama winning the peace prize. There's certainly diverse opinions, but it is a proud day for many Kenyans.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a prize for all the world. I mean, he came with a platter -- on a platter of peace for the world. And during his campaigns, he was this guy who came out strongly wanting peace in the world. So, he's winning (INAUDIBLE) applause for all peace lovers and for those people out there who are out -- make people suffer with war, hey, Barack has won. You could win. I mean, war doesn't win? Peace wins.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I think it's very exciting for myself as a Kenyan and also for Americans all over the world and for him as a black man. I'm happy about it. And I think it's interesting times for us as Kenyans.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He has revolutionized Africa and Kenya, and he has put Kenya to a world map, so now the world knows that Kenya gives back to leaders of the world.

MCKENZIE: Kenya, of course, has its very own Nobel Peace Prize winner in Wangari Mathai, who won it for environmental activism some years ago. But still, they call President Obama their favorite son. So, a lot of excitement here in Nairobi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: All right. We're going to continue to get reaction from here in the U.S. and around the world on that story. I want to tell you that Wall Street aims to end the week on a high note. We're tracking the stock market right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: So, if you're an LSU fan, you'll recognize this. It's our fight song.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: I wish I could sing along with you. I don't know it.

LEMON: We've got to talk about something serious, because, Elizabeth, all eyes are going to be on Baton Rouge this weekend, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, because will University of Florida, the quarterback, Tim Tebow, is he going to take the field in that big game against LSU? Well, the Heisman Trophy winner suffered a concussion September 26 in a game against Kentucky.

Tebow's condition raises the question, when should a player who suffers a concussion be allowed back in the game? We're having a little fun, but we wish him, you know, the very best in all of that.

COHEN: Oh, of course.

LEMON: But everyone's asking, is he going to play and even some really, really, you know, hardline, as I say, devoted fans from Florida say he shouldn't because one game isn't worth it, even though it's a crucial game. Medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen joins us now with some insight on this.

Elizabeth, so tell us what happened to Tebow, and do you think he's going to play? I don't think they're going to let him.

COHEN: I don't know. I'll be very curious to see what they did because they're much more hesitant now than they were years ago to put someone back out on the field, even though this was a couple of weeks ago. So, what happened to Mr. Tebow is that he was hit in the head and the chest while he was playing, and then went backwards, and a player's knee went into the back of his head.

So, he had a hit to the front. You can see that right there. A hit to the front of the head, hit to the back of the head. He was diagnosed immediately with a concussion, immediately taken out of the game. And then he was cleared for practice on Tuesday, but a practice with no contact.

So, that's where we are right now. As you said, everyone's waiting to see what's going to happen this weekend.

LEMON: I think most of the talk around situations like this has been around professional players...

COHEN: Right.

LEMON: ... when they do it, but now, you know, this is talking about college, and perhaps the overall discussion should just be on athletes. So, how do you know when to send the player back on the field who's had a concussion? Does it depend on the severity of it?

COHEN: It does. It depends on the severity and how he's recovering. I'll tell you, in the old days, which was only, like, say, 10 years ago, they were pretty quick to put players back out on the field. I mean, if you could walk and talk, and a doctor kind of sometimes would even just get on the phone with you and say, OK, you're fine.

They don't do that anymore. They give a series of tests. For example, there are balance tests where you're asked to stand on one leg, perform certain tasks, and that helps -- will help them to decide whether you're ready to go play.

There are also interesting tests that are computer-based. You can sit at a computer. You're told, we're going to flash up a bunch of playing cards. Click the mouse when the ace of spades come up. And they look at how quickly you can identify a card that comes up. So, those are just two of the tests that they'll do, and then they'll look at the results and sort of look at them as a package and decide if he's ready or not to go back out there.

LEMON: OK, so what can happen then if a player is sent back on the field? Because, you know, I would imagine if he gets another hit, it can be bad. But the thing that I wonder is, do you lose any sort of cognitive ability or sense of balance or anything when you have a concussion? So, how (INAUDIBLE)? COHEN: You do in the immediate sense for the concussion, and you can also in the long term if you don't take care of yourself. So, there's something -- there's a phenomena where someone has a concussion, goes back too soon, and if they get hit on the head again, they're especially vulnerable to having a trauma.

So, a hit on the head that might not be a big deal to somebody who hasn't had an injury before is a big deal to someone who's recently had a concussion. Now if you look at this long term, like over a career, where you might have hit after hit after hit, studies have shown that even 30 years later, you might suffer cognitive problems because of all those hits you took when you were much younger.

LEMON: OK, I remember, I think -- and I'm pretty sure that there was some players' union debating this and whether or not, you know, people who had been hit got compensation because they didn't know. They just didn't know back then.

COHEN: Right. They just didn't know. Right.

LEMON: So, then, how do you tell the difference, and real quickly, between a concussion and a less serious injury? Is it that easy to tell?

COHEN: It's not always completely easy to tell, but some of the things you look for are dizziness, lack of balance, headache, confusion about where you are or what's happened. Those are some of the things they look for to diagnose the concussion.

LEMON: We wish the best for Tim Tebow...

COHEN: Absolutely.

LEMON: ... obviously, but we know the Tigers are going to win the game.

COHEN: You've already decided that. OK. OK. Glad to hear it.

LEMON: Thank you very much for that.

You know what, next hour in the CNN NEWSROOM, she is the most decorated player in the history of the WNBA, and it's time for her to say goodbye. We'll have a chat with basketball's first lady, Lisa Leslie. It's part of our "What Matters" segment with "Essence" magazine.

Plus, he is the talk of the town and beyond. President Barack Obama honored this morning with a Nobel Peace Prize. It is drawing mixed reaction. What's being said overseas in the next hour of the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: All right, in business news we want to tell you something interesting. It doesn't pack the punch of Brad and Angelina, but there's a new couple that's all the talk in retail. Liz Claiborne has inked an exclusive deal with JCPenney in a move that both hope will help -- they both hope will help the struggling sales there for both of them.

Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange with all the details on this. So, it's a marriage of sorts, correct?

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, no question about it. A marriage of convenience, if you will, Don. JCPenney signing the deal to become the only department store to sell Liz Claiborne. Now, the fashion icon that you are, Mr. Lemon, you know that it's not just clothes when you have a brand like Liz Claiborne. There are dozens of categories, accessories, bed, bath, home. And there is a line for men, Don.

LEMON: Oh, really?

LISOVICZ: Claiborne line.

LEMON: I know that.

LISOVICZ: Jeans, shirts, blazers. It ends a ten-year relationship between Liz and Macy's, so you see, there was a divorce, if you will. And the news, believe it or not, sent Liz shares up 33 percent yesterday.

And the market's doing well today as well. Not quite those kind of gains, but nice gains. And a terrific week -- Don.

LEMON: Yes, Susan, you know, it's always risky, though, when you go from a high-end retailer to, you know, something that may be deemed as a little bit more discount. But this is really becoming a trend. A lot of other retailers doing the same kind of deals.

LISOVICZ: No question about it. You know, when we were growing up, most department stores carried the same brands. But there's so many specialty stores now. There's so much stuff online. You need to distinguish yourself, especially in an environment like this one.

Macy's this week, by the way, signed an exclusive deal with Ellen Tracy. It's already an exclusive seller of Tommy Hilfiger. You know, Wal-Mart's got these exclusive deals with Miley Cyrus, Max Azria, you get the idea. It could be a win/win for both, and that's what they're hoping with this deal.

LEMON: All right. We shall see. Thank you very much, Susan. Always good to see you.

LISOVICZ: OK, Don. Likewise.