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Vote Tonight on Motion to Start Debate; Protesters Plan Rallies; Focus on Hasan's Pretrial Confinement
Aired November 21, 2009 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everybody. From the CNN Center, you are in the CNN NEWSROOM. It is Saturday, November 21st. Good morning everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen.
RICHARD LUI, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Richard Lui in for T.J. Holmes. It is 11:00 a.m. in the east, and 8:00 a.m. out west.
NGUYEN: All right. So, can they get the votes? That is the question today. The big question this Saturday as the Senate holds a rare Saturday session on the future of health care reform. A vote tonight will determine whether to start debate on the Democratic health care bill.
Now, Democratic leaders are scrambling to get enough votes to head off a Republican filibuster. And the rhetoric is getting more heated from both sides.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R), MINORITY LEADER: We know that Americans oppose this bill. They are not buying the claim that this legislation would do anything whatsoever to lower our staggering deficit.
SEN. HARRY REID (D), MAJORITY LEADER: My friend, the distinguished Republican leader, is living in a different world than most everyone else. For him to lecture the Senate on debt is really beyond the pale. He, one of the Republican leaders during last year's voting for every opportunity to spend more money in Iraq without a penny of it being spent -- paid for. A trillion dollars it's now said to be on a war ...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Well, CNN Senior Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash is on Capitol Hill. And Kate Bolduan is at the white house with reaction there. First we want to go to Dana. So, the Democrats have those 60 votes, that magic number that they say they need.
DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You know what Betty? If you listened to the Democratic leader this morning, he was ostensibly targeting the Republican leader when he said, what are you afraid of? Why are you afraid of starting debate?
But if you know what's going on behind the scenes, he could have been targeting actually some Democratic senators, because there are still some who so dislike his health care bill that they have not publicly said whether they will vote yes tonight, and they still have the power to put the brakes on the president's top priority.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BASH (voice-over): Behind the scenes, it's a Democratic scramble to secure 60 votes needed to start the Senate health care debate.
SEN. RICHARD DURBIN (D), ASST. MAJORITY LEADER: We're not assuming a thing. We are working hard to bring all Democrats together for the 60 votes necessary to proceed to this historic debate.
BASH: And all eyes are on one of the last Democratic holdouts, the senator inside this office, Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas.
UNIDENTIFIED EMPLOYEE: Senator Blanche Lincoln's office.
BASH: Phones are ringing off the hook, constituents trying to get through to influence her vote.
UNIDENTIFIED EMPLOYEE: Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry about that.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: OK. I can let her know that.
UNIDENTIFIED EMPLOYEE: Well, we're getting a lot of people calling.
BASH: Lincoln holds the power to stop President Obama's top priority in its tracks or let it proceed. She's got a tough re- election battle next year in a state Obama lost in 2008 by 20 points. And conservative voters now worry the health care bill spends too much and gives too much power to the government. Democratic leaders are well aware of her political pickle but try to pressure her with this argument.
DURBIN: I would say to Senator Lincoln that I believe most people in Arkansas will be relieved and happy to see health care reform. I think the failure to pass a bill is not good for America, it isn't good for any of us in congress or those standing for re- election.
BASH: Another Democratic senator who hasn't formally announced her vote is Mary Landrieu of Louisiana. Aides released these photos to CNN, showing her working with staff, going through the 2,000-plus- page health care bill. One thing she'll find is this, sweetener Democratic leaders added to help persuade Landrieu. One hundred million dollars in Medicaid assistance she's been trying to get for her home state of Louisiana, still struggling from Katrina.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: And that Medicaid money is something that the whole delegation from Louisiana and also the Republican governor has -- they've all been pushing for, for a long time. And this is I think good timing politically for the president and Democratic leaders to give them that $100 million in money for Medicaid for Louisiana. Now, Betty, Landrieu still says she has concerns about many aspects of her party's bill, the overall cost, the fact it includes a government-run insurance plan, but she does seem to be leaning towards agreeing with the Democratic leader that, you know, at least they should start debate and she'll have an opportunity to change those things once they start voting on amendments on the Senate floor.
NGUYEN: Hey, let's talk about Senator Ben Nelson for just a second because he's one of the Democrats who had some concerns but he announced yesterday that he would vote for it. Correct?
BASH: Exactly. For the same reason. He is somebody who you talk to in the hallways and he can give you a long, long list of the things he doesn't like that are in this bill, similar to Senator Landrieu, like that public option and other specifics. He comes from a very conservative state.
But he did release a statement saying that he believes, look -- he actually said, quote, "If you don't like a bill, why block your own opportunity to amend it?" So, the hope and frankly at this point the expectation inside the Democratic leadership is that all 60 Democrats, even if they don't like the bill, will at least agree with that argument.
NGUYEN: All right Dana Bash reporting to us live. Thank you, Dana.
LUI: Over to the White House. It issued a statement yesterday urging, quote, "Quick action on the landmark bill", end quote. Kate Bolduan is at the White House. And Kate, I guess the president -- is he planning a major role in making sure the Democrats have the needed votes that we've been talking about tonight?
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, there Richard. Well, you can be sure that the president is being very much kept up to date on the debate and especially the vote count in the Senate as the day proceeds. While we haven't heard of any specific efforts from here, from over here at the White House, I am told by a White House aide that they are monitoring the debate very closely. And I'm sure you can expect and get.
Now, the White House has long called for the Senate to pass -- for congress to pass a bill and get it to the president's desk by the end of the year. Can congress pull off that kind of timetable? It's still unclear.
But regardless of the deadline, President Obama, in an interview with CNN last week, said he is optimistic congress will succeed. Listen here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I remain confident that we are going to get this done and we're going to have a bill that reduces our deficit, bends the cost curve, covers millions of people who don't have health insurance right now, and for people who do have health insurance, makes their insurance more secure. I'm absolutely confident that we're going to get that done.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: Now, to pile on the pressure just a little bit more, the White House released a statement of administration policy last night. That's basically helps makes very clear the president's position on different types of policy. And in part, I want to read to you what it says, it says, "The administration strongly supports Senate passage of the patient protection and affordable care act."
The Senate bill that is under consideration. "Which represents a critical milestone in the effort to reform our health care system." The statement goes on to say as you mentioned at the very top, Richard, that they urge quick action on this bill. So, that's their very diplomatic way of saying get to it from here at the White House.
LUI: So, anything but a quiet Saturday in Washington, D.C., I guess. Everything but that. Thank you, Kate Bolduan at the White House.
NGUYEN: Well, protesters, do they plan to hit the streets today to rally against the health care bill. There are rallies planned for Los Angeles, Salem, Oregon, Indianapolis, Chicago, and Atlanta, Georgia. And a group of specialty surgeons called doctors for patient care is hosting these events. The rally against a government-run health care plan.
In other news, we want you stay right here all day because we do want to keep on top of the Senate's planned vote. Just a reminder, it's expected tonight around 8:00 Eastern. We'll take you there live to the Senate chambers when it happens.
LUI: The army psychiatrist accused of the Fort Hood shooting massacre has his first hearing. It will be in his hospital room. The attorney for 39-year-old Major Nidal Hasan says he will ask the court to let his client remain hospitalized in today's pretrial confinement hearing. Doctors say Hasan is paralyzed from the waist down after being shot by military police. Hasan is accused of killing 13 people, and if convicted he could face the death penalty.
Making sure an incident like Fort Hood never happens again at any U.S. Military base. That is what U.S. senators hope to achieve with the series of hearings. Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut heads the Homeland Security Committee and he wants to know if someone could have connected the dots in this case and what might be done in the future.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOE LIEBERMAN (I), HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE: Congress is interested in this from a preventive point of view. Was something missing in the behavior of people who work for the federal government and the rules that guide that behavior, whether in the justice department or in the military that will help us prevent a soldier from wreaking the havoc and pain and death that Dr. Hasan allegedly did at Fort Hood. (END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Well, the Pentagon has also ordered a review of its policies aimed at preventing a similar attack.
LUI: Federal prosecutors are dropping a manslaughter charge against one of the backwater security guards accused of a shooting that killed 17 Iraqis. Now, this motion to dismiss was filed yesterday involving Nicholas Slatten. No reason was given. Four other U.S. contractors still face manslaughter charges in this shooting in Baghdad two years ago.
NGUYEN: The woman accused of cutting in line at a Missouri Wal- Mart and igniting a racial firestorm in the process has taken an 11th- hour plea deal. Last night the judge presiding over Heather Ellis' trial announced that an agreement had been reached between the defenses and the prosecutors. And it comes nearly three years after the defendant said race played the factor in a checkout line dust-up between her, other customers and police.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MORLEY SWINGLE, SPECIAL PROSECUTOR: During jury deliberations, the prosecution and the defense continued plea negotiations that have basically been going on for three years, and we reached an agreement where Heather Ellis pled guilty to the class a: misdemeanor of resisting arrest and the class b: misdemeanor of peace disturbance.
HEATHER ELLIS, DEFENDANT: I was responsible for my actions. And I was able to say what I did wrong, and I think that it's important that everybody else step up to the plate and admit their wrong, too.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Well, Ellis will spend four days in jail and a year on probation. She was facing up to 15 years in prison on multiple charges of assaulting police and resisting arrest. We'll have more on this from our legal guys' next hour right here in the NEWSROOM.
LUI: And more details on our top story this Saturday. Senate health care showdown. Let's debate or not. Find out more about the showdown in the Senate.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: All right. So if you think Cooler Heads are prevailing days after regions raised tuition at all university of California campuses a whopping 32 percent, you better think again. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
Hey, hold the line! Hey, hold the line! Hey, hold the line!
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Yes. Security guards not able to hold the line against these protesting students yesterday at UC Berkeley. In all, 41 people were arrested on trespassing and related charges. Regents say the tuition hike is in response to budget cash (ph) from California's cash-strapped state government.
We're watching also the Senate today because they are working on this Saturday, watching that very closely because the vote is coming later today.
LUI: Yes, Betty. Democratic unity will likely be tested here in a crucial vote to move forward with the health care reform debate or not.
NGUYEN: Yes, it's a debate over whether to debate. Got it? Well, CNN'S Deputy Political Director, Paul Steinhauser, joins us. And you know, Paul, both bills call for Medicare cuts to pay for all of this. Does that sit well with the public? And I think I already know the answer.
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN'S DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Yes, It is pretty obvious and the answer here is no. You're right, both bills, do you call for cuts in Medicare, make it more streamlined, and make it more efficient. Take a look at this. This is our CNN Opinion Research Corporation and National Poll.
We conducted it recently and you could see, Betty two out of three Americans oppose that idea of trimming Medicaid there to pay for this bill. And this bill, as you know, almost $900 billion in the Senate, over $1 trillion in the house. And one thing, Betty, just about every national poll indicates that seniors really oppose this, and that's pretty obvious there. Overall, seniors oppose these health care reforms more than younger Americans.
LUI: Hey, Paul, you know, we' been talking about the threat of a Republican filibuster. That's why that magic number 60 is important either this weekend or when a final vote does come along for this health care reform bill coming out of the Senate. Do Americans like the idea that 40 senators can stop a bill in its tracks?
STEINHAUSER: It's a great question. We asked that in our recent survey, as well. And you can see this may surprise the people, take a look at this number here from our poll and yes Americans -- a majority our poll indicates do favor the filibuster, 56 percent. Only a little less than four in ten oppose it.
And maybe one of the reasons why is because, you know, the Democrats are now in the majority, they're the party that will have to stop the filibuster. But it wasn't that long ago the Democrats were in the minority and they were threatening to use the filibuster just as Republicans are now. So, I think most Americans, at least according to our poll, feel it is an important part of, you know, how the Senate works, Richard.
LUI: What's good for the goose is good for the gander, Democrats or Republicans. Paul Steinhauser, our Deputy Political Director. Thank you so much. NGUYEN: Let's get a look at the weather outside. It is the weekend right before a big holiday to come, a lot of people hitting the roadways or maybe headed to the airports in advance of Thanksgiving. Got some weather going on behind you?
REYNOLDS WOLF, METEOROLOGIST: Yes, we certainly do. You know, we were focusing on our last weather heading parts of the Gulf Coast. But now, we're going to shift gears a little bit and go to the Pacific Northwest, where they are getting pummeled by then again another storm system that's been coming in, now primarily heavy rainfall.
But take a look at this, heavy snowfall, especially back on parts of I-84 and even in higher elevations, places like Mount Hood. Yes, they're getting to really really rough stuff. In fact, take a look at this video that we have for you. This just came in.
And we have the icicles down but also the snow that's coming in sideways at times. You have the snowplows out all over the freeways, the back roads, trying to keep this clear so that people can make their way to their loved ones' homes. And it will be a tall order for them for the rest of the day into the evening.
And get this, guys, as we get to the end of the weekend, possibly over foot, maybe as much as 18 inches of snowfall before all is said and done. Certainly rough times. This I mention the reason why we're seeing this because the storm is coming in off the Gulf of Alaska, and pummeling parts, this is the second of several storms have been doing that.
As we see here we're back to the Gulf Coast, here's the rainmaker for you in parts of Texas, Louisiana, even in the Alabama and perhaps even Atlanta before the day is out. But just today in the early parts of the day, scattered showers along the Gulf Coast.
But we do anticipate this low is going to track its way up into parts of Georgia, eventually bringing the rainfall right to some places like Atlanta and maybe even in place in the outer banks and into the northeast. But for the time being, northeast is just picture-perfect, a lot of sunshine today, going to be nice in Boston and New York, high temperatures pulling up all the way to the 50s and 60s in both locations. Atlanta, 61 your high, 54 in Chicago, 53 in Denver, 76 in Phoenix and 66 in Los Angeles.
That is a wrap on your forecast. OK. We're done. Back to you guys.
NGUYEN: All right. Thank you, Reynolds.
LUI: All right. The man accused of the Fort Hood shooting has an important court date today, but he's still in a hospital intensive care ward. A look at what the hearing is about and how will be handle.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LUI: It's a rare Saturday session for the U.S. Senate. It's leading up to a critical vote tonight to determine whether debate will go forward on a Democratic health care reform plan. Democratic leaders are optimistic that time will turn in their favor and they'll end up with enough votes to head off a filibuster.
NGUYEN: Well, Italian police have arrested two Pakistani nationals in connection with last year's terrorist attack in Mumbai that killed 160 people. The suspects, a father and son, and they're accused of wiring money to a U.S. company to activate internet phone accounts. Police say those accounts allowed terrorists to keep in touch during the attacks.
LUI: At least 42 miners are dead, 66 others are believed trapped after an explosion at a coal mine in northeastern china. China's vice premier said to be on his way to direct that rescue effort. Early reports suggest it was a gas explosion. Another check of our top stories for you in 20 minutes.
NGUYEN: Listen to this. A hospital room hearing for the alleged Fort Hood gunman. Major Nidal Hasan is in intensive care reportedly paralyzed from the waist down. He was shot by civilian police officers during the rampage of Fort Hood. Well, today's hearing will focus on whether his pretrial confinement is appropriate.
Our Brian Todd has the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Nidal Hasan's attorney tells CNN Hasan has been conversing with him from his bed in the intensive care unit at the Brooke Army Medical Center near San Antonio. The attorney, John Galligan, who did not want to be interviewed on tape, said his conversations with Hasan have been coherent, that Hasan comprehends who Galligan is and what the next steps are in the legal process.
Galligan says during his last meeting with Hasan, after about one hour, it was clear Hasan was fatigued and couldn't continue. Galligan says Hasan is paralyzed from the waist down, said he tapped Hasan on the thigh and quote, "There's no feeling there." Galligan says Hasan, who has several guards around him, was scheduled to have his first court hearings Saturday at his hospital bed on the status of his confinement.
CNN is also getting new details of Hasan's alleged shooting rampage. Texas congressman, John Carter, whose district includes Fort Hood, has met with victims and commanders at the base. Carter says victims are telling him when the shooting first started, many of them thought it was some kind of paint ball drill. They told Carter, Hasan had a laser sight on the gun and was shooting everyone he could get a laser on.
And Carter says victims are telling him this about who they think Hasan wanted to hit.
REP. JOHN CARTER (R), TEXAS: Everybody was convinced he was targeting soldiers and not civilians, because some of the civilians said he looked them in the eye, shook his head and passed over them. So, they really think, he was targeting soldiers, and not targeting civilians.
TODD: We have to stress these are second-hand accounts and eyewitness statements can often be inconsistent. Carter says one victim he spoke with, a soldier, said he was less than four feet away when Hasan started shooting. Then, he told Carter ...
CARTER: He shouted, "Allah Akbar, and he shot me three times. I went down and he shot me three more times because I wasn't completely down."
TODD (on camera): When I asked Hasan's attorney about Carter accounts from victims, John Galligan said he is saddened by the remarks, calls him inflammatory, premature, and prejudicial.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LUI: Brian Todd, CNN Washington. President Obama is highlighting progress made during his Asian trip in his weekly address. He says the overseas tour was a way of stimulating the economy and drumming up jobs back home.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: This was this recession has taught us that we can't return to a situation where America's economic growth is fueled by consumer who is take out more and more debt. In order to keep growing, we need to spend less, save more, and get our federal deficit under control. We also need to place a greater emphasis on exports that we can build, produce, and sell to other nations, exports that can help create new jobs at home and raise living standards throughout the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LUI: President Obama also touched on the subjects of climate change and energy, saying finding solutions to both will take the cooperation of Asian and pacific nations.
NGUYEN: Well, there are troubling signs, President Obama depicted as a witch doctor, go back to Kenya signs, racial comments about the president were certainly a part of the angry health care protests over the summer. But just how big of a role does racism play in the overall critique of the president? It is a topic that is still unresolved for many Americans.
And CNN'S Tony Harris took that question to a group of college students at Georgia State University for his "Class in Session" series. And boy, did they give him some feedback.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TONY HARRIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): I started off asking these students about whether some of the criticism the president has gotten is partly due to his race. But the conversation quickly broadened.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE STUDENT: To us it has nothing do with his race. He could be a gay Hispanic woman and we still would see no difference between what he's saying then and what he's saying now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE STUDENT: That's not exactly the truth. In 1968, Nixon had this southern strategy. They used race way back when to build their party.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE STUDENT: I look at the Republican Party, and I don't see that they've excluded at all minorities.
HARRIS (on camera): You see the Republican Party as a big tent party?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE STUDENT: Yes. I mean, now ...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE STUDENT: The difference is we don't point out the race. We talk about them as just Republicans.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE STUDENT: Right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE STUDENT: Something Democrats don't do.
HARRIS: OK. So you elected Michael Steele just because he is Michael Steele.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE STUDENT: There have been examples of people behaving towards this president in ways that are unconscionable. I mean, going to a rally is American. Going to a rally and carrying a gun to where the president is going to be is unconscionable.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE STUDENT: I saw the protests during George W. Bush, and he was a white man, and there were some violent protests against George W. Bush. I saw protests here three years ago of people holding up signs of him, calling him a warmonger. I've seen effigies of him being hanged. I've seen people walk around with blood dripping off their shirt dressed by George W. Bush.
So if you're going to talk about the August town hall meetings, there were plenty of things that Democrats did during the President Bush administration that is ten times more unconscionable.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE STUDENT: I went, and I saw a lot of confederate flags. And it wasn't the Georgia flag. This was the actual confederate flag.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE STUDENT: You look at in the confederacy it was very states rights, which is what ...
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE STUDENT: Go ahead.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE STUDENT: States rights were keeping slaves. That's particularly the reason why ... UNIDENTIFIED MALE STUDENT: States' issues now though.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE STUDENT: Like I say, again, not sure where you were standing. I myself did not see mass confederate flags.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE STUDENT: I feel as though confederate flags, we have them as a symbol of, hey, I don't like this group of people because that was the driving issue for slavery, that's the reason why, it's a giant reason why there's a schism between the union and the southern states because they wanted to keep slavery.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE STUDENT: The confederate flag brings hate, brings disturbance. I saw it at my High School. That was part of the culture. And they -- the way the neighborhood I live in, it's very conservative. They do talk about the N word, this president is such and such.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE STUDENT: There's always a part of whatever political spectrum you're looking at, not even just Republicans and Democrats, you know, the libertarians, there's both good sides and extreme sides.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Well, Tony's next "Class in Session" topic, no snitching. How much pressure are high school kids under the say silent about the crimes they see?
We'll look for it on Tony show, Monday to Friday noon Eastern.
LUI: The health care reform battle is heating up. Why senators are meeting in a rare session today right now. We'll look at just how unusual these Saturday sessions really are.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: All right, folks. It is shaping up to be a showdown. Democratic unity will likely be tested tonight in a crucial first- Senate vote on overhauling health care.
LUI: Lots of folks watching the Democratic leaders are optimistic though that they will have the backing that they need for this. The vote will determine whether they go forward with a debate, as you've been telling us, Betty, and as well as many of the folks that we've been interviewing this morning, after the Thanksgiving break.
Now CNN's Louise Schiavone looks at this rare Saturday session for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The majority leader has scheduled a culture vote for Saturday at 8:00 p.m.
HARRIS: The film says Saturday night's all right for fighting. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There is going to be a vote on Saturday night to start debate.
LOUISE SCHIAVONE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): So, with the clock ticking on the legislative year, Senators braced for yet another rare Saturday session in an attempt to cake off their health care debate.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Congress is going to have to break their 15- to 20-hour work week and work like every hard American, work on a Saturday.
MARK EATON, "THE CAPITOL STEPS:" That's right.
SCHIAVONE: Former Senate staffer turned humorist Elena Newport of "The Capitol Steps" plays to the public skepticism about Capitol Hill's performance. When asked one month ago in a CNN poll, do you approve or disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job, 69 percent disapproved less than a third approved.
EATON: Ironically, this one is, you know, right before Thanksgiving, the Republicans want to kill this turkey and the Democrats are hoping to have a stay of execution with 60 votes.
SCHIAVONE: This weekend will mark the 97th Saturday session of the U.S. Senate since March of 1968. Previous Saturday votes were called on key government spending bills, tax bills, impeachment, and in the summer of 1994 the Democratic Senate leader called a Saturday session to debate health care.
Former director of the Senate radio TV gallery Larry Janiezich says there are many reasons to call members in on the weekend.
LARRY JANIEZICH, FRM. DIR. SENATE RADIO-TV GALLERY: It might be a little bit of an opportunity for the majority leader to exercise a power play and demonstrate in that way to his own party and to the members of the opposite party his resolve to move this issue forward.
SCHIAVONE: Are lawmakers running up the light bills in the Senate chamber so far this year? Here's what we know. Out of the 324 days of this year the Senate has met 165. They met one Sunday in January and one Saturday in February.
In fairness, members of Congress do spend a lot of time traveling to their home districts, and they're essentially in a permanent campaign for re-election. There was talk that the Senate might meet Sunday, too, but that would be even more rare. There have been only 31 Sunday sessions since 1861. But they'll be back at their desks Monday, the Monday after Thanksgiving that is.
Louise Schiavone, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LUI: A CNN Special Investigation, "Killings at the Canal, the Army Tapes," premieres tonight at 8:00 Eastern. This is the story about the murders of four Iraqi detainees by three decorated army sergeants at a canal in Baghdad.
Special Investigation correspondent Abbie Boudreau has a preview.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ABBIE BOUDREAU, CNN INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: We've obtained 23 and a half hours of army interrogation video tapes, tapes you'll only see on CNN. On those tapes one of the sergeants Michael Leahy confesses to the crime. We asked his wife about her reaction to finding out her husband was being charged with murder.
JAMIE LEAHY: Oh, wow.
BOUDREAU: Do you love it?
LEAHY: I do. It was the most beautiful thing I had seen and it just looked wonderful on. It's really good to see it again and it's kind of bitter sweet, but I know it's going to happen.
BOUDREAU: Life is on hold for Jamie Leahy.
LEAHY: I will wear it. I'm determined to wear it someday with him.
BOUDREAU: They were married by a Justice of the Peace when her husband was between deployments, but she wanted a traditional wedding, the beautiful gown, the big reception in her grandparents' backyard.
LEAHY: This is exactly where it's going to be. The ceremony over here with an arch. We were going to have round tables placed all around.
BOUDREAU: Did you ever have the ceremony and the reception?
LEAHY: No, we haven't yet because our plans were in February of 2008. So -- but the investigation started in January, so.
BOUDREAU: Her husband, Sergeant Michael Leahy, a purple heart recipient and a medic, was charged with the unthinkable, premeditated murder. He was one of three army sergeants accused in the execution of four Iraqi detainees and the dumping of their bodies into this canal. It was a secret he eventually would have to tell his wife. He described that conversation in this army interrogation tape.
Did you ever think that your husband was capable of killing like this?
LEAHY: No, I didn't. So that's -- that's why I'm trying to understand what was going on in his head, what was going on around him that could bring him to something -- a situation like that.
BOUDREAU: Sergeant Leahy's confession is just one part of the army interrogation tapes you'll see in our documentary. The tapes also reveal the army's concern that the fallout from the murders would turn into a public relations nightmare. It's all part of our Special Investigations unit documentary "Killings at the Canal: The Army Tapes" tonight at 8:00 Eastern right here on CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LUI: CNN tonight. Was it murder or battlefield justice? See what CNN uncovered, then decide for yourself. As Abbie Boudreau was saying "Killings at the Canal: The Army Tapes" a CNN Special Investigation tonight and tomorrow tonight at 8:00 Eastern only on CNN.
NGUYEN: Well, the rocket attacks in Afghanistan to tell you about. It exploded near a luxury hotel known for hosting foreign diplomats. One of the top stories that we are watching for you this morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Time now for our top stories of the hour. A rare Saturday afternoon session for the U.S. Senate. Lawmakers are taking up their version of proposed health care reform. You're looking at a live picture right now. Senate majority leader Harry Reid trying to muster 60 votes to get the measure onto the floor for debate.
LUI: The accused gunman in the Ft. Hood shooting rampage is set to go before a military judge today. Now the pretrial confinement hearing for Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan will be held inside of his hospital room. Doctors say Hasan remains paralyzed following the shooting spree two weeks ago. He's charged with 13 counts of murder and could be sentenced to death if convicted.
NGUYEN: And we're trying to get more information about a rocket attack in the center of Kabul, Afghanistan. Initial reports suggest at least two people were hurt when a rocket exploded in front of a hospital in the Afghan capital. The hospital is near the luxury Serena Hotel, the hotel choice for visiting VIPs. We will continue to follow that story and bring you the latest.
LUI: So the weekend is here and of course we're concerned about weather. Those folks who are thinking about getting away today or tomorrow or the day after. If you're going through the south you better think twice, Reynolds Wolf.
NGUYEN: Yes, bring an umbrella.
WOLF: Yes, I am telling you what, that would be a good thing to do especially along the Gulf coast say from Texas back to Louisiana, that is where we're seeing some of the heaviest rainfall. Now if you look carefully at this radar image, a couple things you might notice, maybe you won't so I will point them out to you.
Look at these showers. They're moving towards the south. These are moving towards the north. Counterclockwise rotation, which usually means an area of low pressure and that is what we have here, scattered showers and storms that will continue for this part of the Gulf Coast.
We anticipate that storm system is actually going to continue to march its way to the east and then eventually up to the northeast, which means places like, say, Birmingham, Alabama, even back over to, say, Atlanta, we're going to see some scattered showers and some storms perhaps into the evening and eventually into the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
But for the time being it's going to be a beautiful day for you in New England, Great Lakes same situation, Ann Arbor if you are going to watch the Ohio State/Michigan game starting pretty soon, it will be great for you there.
In the pacific northwest, an entirely different story for Seattle, for Portland, as far south as parts of northern California, maybe even into Reading you are going to be dealing with the heavy rainfall. In the higher elevations some heavy snowfall, some places over a foot of snow.
In terms of your delays take a look, very quickly, for New Orleans and Houston, obviously the clouds and the rain are going to cause some issues. Dallas and Atlanta could see some of those problems later on today. In Seattle and Portland, delays anywhere from an hour to 30 minutes due to the snow, the rain, and the wind, too.
All right. Let's send it back to you guys.
NGUYEN: All the places I need to go on that list.
WOLF: You're going to be busy.
NGUYEN: My goodness. Delays, delays, delays. Get ready. Thanks, Reynolds. Work your magic.
LUI: In line for this weekend's big movie, "New Moon," a favorite for teens, tweens, CNN I-reporters and Betty Nguyen.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Well, "New Moon" is in theaters everywhere this weekend. Have you seen the tweens and the teens standing in line?
LUI: Oh, yeah.
NGUYEN: Oh my goodness, they already know about it.
LUI: Maybe you're a fan of the brooding supernatural love story that happens in these movies like a lot of our I-reporters are aware of. Here's what they're saying about the second installment of "The Twilight Saga."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What did you think?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I thought it was awesome.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Awesome?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Better than the first, actually.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I kind of thought that. What did you think of the special effects?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The special effects were better than movies that I've seen in the past. So I would say on a scale of 1 to 10, a 10.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kristen Stewart, you guys!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just saw "New Moon," and it was awesome, much better than the first one. Loved it. Some things were goofy but it was really good. My favorite part was I really like Jacob now. I'm a huge fan of Jacob. I was always a fan of Edward but now Jacob.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bella!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not really a "New Moon" fan, but honestly, I enjoyed it. It was entertaining. What did you think about it?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I loved it a lot more than I thought I would because, gosh, I mean, yeah, if -- anyone who's seen it, Jacob's body. I'm sorry.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LUI: So I guess you're going to go now, Betty.
NGUYEN: I haven't seen any of -- I never saw "Twilight" or "New Moon." But apparently Jacob's body is worth going to see.
LUI: Better line up right now along with the tweens.
NGUYEN: He's a little young for me.
All right. Well, Michael Jackson's first sequined glove, the glove that wowed, you remember him doing the moon walk in, the first time he did the moon walk he was wearing it, and well it could be yours if you're the highest bidder.
LUI: Yes, bring out the cash for this one. The auction is being held at Times Square today. Jackson wore that glove you see there during his first moon walk back in 1983. Kind of dates us, too. He gave it to one of the members of the Commodores. It is expected that it will go for between $40,000 and $60,000, $10,000 a finger.
NGUYEN: I kind of think it's going to go for more than that. Just think about it. That is the glove. And some people were saying, I was looking at my twitter and facebook sites that it's an investment piece. That thing is only going to go up in value throughout the years.
LUI: Unless you spent all your money on the Bernie Madoff stuff.
NGUYEN: The victims got the money from that auction.
All right. Let's talk about another icon aside from Michael Jackson, this one being Oprah Winfrey. She says that interviewing Michael Jackson was one of the highlights of her career. Well, now that she is calling it quits, we look back at some of the other moments that we all remember.
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NGUYEN: NEWSROOM continues at the top of the hour with the lovely Fredricka Whitfield.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: How are you? Had a good morning?
NGUYEN: So far so good.
WHITFIELD: OK. We are going to have a busy day. All right. Well beginning with, we have some interesting legal cases, you know when you go to the storm there is a long line, feathers get rather ruffled if someone cuts line.
We've heard about this case in Missouri involving a Wal-Mart where someone allegedly cuts the line, people get rather upset, allegedly racial slurs are even tossed around and, allegedly, it also gets physical. Apparently now there is a deal in the works. Our legal guys are going to delve into that and see exactly what's at stake and what happened and where we go from here.
And also, we're going to talk about a case in New Orleans involving the federal government as well as some plaintiffs there in New Orleans. Apparently many people victimized by Katrina and the flooding, loss of their homes and they take on big government and, guess what, in part they win.
And now we're going to find out whether, indeed, the flood gates will open and whether there might be other cases that will soon follow to allege that the government, the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers could have maintained those shipping channels s a little bit more to prevent this kind of flooding. We talked to Ray Nagin; we talked to the president of St. Bernard Parish, we are going to talk to our legal guys, too about what happens next.
NGUYEN: Good stuff.
LUI: And then there's the Senate, too.
NGUYEN: And that little increment.
LUI: That little small thing.
NGUYEN: That's taking place at this hour, all day long.
WHITFIELD: We'll be following the debate.
NGUYEN: The debate over the debate.
WHITFIELD: The debate over the debate, all day long and a vote maybe at 8:00 this evening.
NGUYEN: All right. Lots coming up. So, don't go anywhere. Absolutely. Thank you, Fred.
Well, the end of an era for Oprah. She announced that she is going to walk away after 25 years, but that doesn't necessarily mean that she will be out of the spotlight.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Well she is a one woman empire but now the queen of daytime talk is pulling the plug on her own show.
LUI: Oprah Winfrey may be calling it quits with that show, but in doing so, she made a promise to her fans. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OPRAH WINFREY, TALK SHOW HOST: Over this holiday break, my team and I will be brainstorming new ways that we can entertain you and inform you and uplift you when we return here in January. And then, season 25. We are going to knock your socks off. So, the countdown to the end of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" starts now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LUI: All right. Oprah's decision here sent shockwaves across local television stations. Many of us were talking about it in THE NEWSROOM when that happened. People are counting on her and her show to lead them to their daily newscasts, not any more.
NGUYEN: Her couch has long been a friendly seat for celebrities, authors and even fallen politicians looking to do a bit of an image reconstruction, if you will. CNNs Tom Foreman looks at Oprah's impact over all these decades.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The show became an institution.
OPRAH WINFREY: I'm Oprah Winfrey and welcome to the first national "Oprah Winfrey Show."
FOREMAN: That host's one of the world's most influential people that began on local TV in Chicago grew into a media empire a phenomenon of entertainment and a whole lot more. For the last 23 years, Oprah Winfrey has made news, made history and presided over some of the most famous moments ever broadcast.
It's impossible to list them all here, but we've chosen a few that have made a lasting impression. Like this one, her 1993 interview with Michael Jackson at his Neverland Ranch. She said it was like meeting the Wizard of Oz.
WINFREY: This is the most exciting interview I had ever done and certainly was going to be the most watched interview I'd ever done.
FOREMAN: Oprah's encounter with Jackson friend Elizabeth Taylor did not fair, as well. Oprah called it one of her worst interviews. Right before it began Oprah said the legendary actress asked her not to bring up any of her relationships. Stars flocked to Oprah to talk, to plug their movies and, in Tom Cruise's case, to get weird.
WINFREY: I've never seen you like this.
FOREMAN: That's the couch jumping incident from 2005. Cruise went overboard expressing his love for then girlfriend Katie Holmes. It's a clip that has been seen countless times. And so has this one -- the start of season 19 when to the surprise of everyone Oprah handed out presents to her audience members. Each one of them, the keys to their very own new car.
As we have seen, she can be incredibly generous and profoundly moving, breaking down on camera. Oprah is a self-made success story. "Forbes" ranks her among the wealthiest people on the planet and says she's worth $2.5 billion. She's also donated $40 million to create two girl schools in South Africa and dozens of other schools through her Angel Network have built around the world. The network has also helped build and restore hundreds of homes in the wakes of hurricane Katrina and Rita.
She has also shared personal battles, especially with her weight. In 1988 she wheeled out 67 pounds of fat, that's how much weight she lost back then, many women followed her lead and went on diets. Since then, she's continued struggling and it's always center stage. There are a lot of firsts for Oprah, 1996; Deep End of the Ocean was chosen as her first book club choice. Her book club has motivated millions of people to read since and has helped sell millions of books.
It's also given us another memorable moment when she confronted author James Frey after recommending his book "A Million Little Pieces" a memoir filled with fiction. From the big hair to the big interviews to the big heart to the big difference she has made in so many people's lives. Now, Oprah is saying good-bye. In an interview with "60 Minutes" back when it all started Oprah said what matters isn't longevity.
WINFREY: It will do well.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If it doesn't?
WINFREY: And if it doesn't I will still do well. I will do well because I'm not defined by a show. I think we are defined by the way we treat our selves and the way we treat other people.
FOREMAN: Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: That is a good way to live. I have a feeling though we are going to continue to see her after that 25th season of "The Oprah Winfrey Show." She has her own network now.
LUI: Yes, why not? Strong brand, you got to leverage it.
OK, over to Fred Whitfield.
NGUYEN: Yes, Fredricka Whitfield. Hey, Fred.
WHITFIELD: Yes, good to see you, guys. Yes, I have a feeling we're going to see a lot more of her, too.
NGUYEN: Yes, she's not gone.
WHITFIELD: She's not saying goodbye to the public, just ...
LUI: Right.
WHITFIELD: ...you know, she's transitioning onto something bigger and better.
NGUYEN: It's just a new kind of hello.
LUI: That's right.
WHITFIELD: Yes, exactly. All right, you all have a good day.
NGUYEN: All right, you too.
LUI: You too.
