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President Obama: Time for Talk is Over; Health Care Reform Troubles; Queen on a Train

Aired December 18, 2009 - 12:00   ET

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

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: OK, time for your top of the hour reset. I'm Tony Harris in the CNN NEWSROOM.

It's 6:00 p.m. In the evening in Copenhagen where climate talks are in cry sis. With time running out for world leaders to strike a deal.

It is noon at the capitol where senators are headed for a Christmas week showdown on health care reform, one vote shy.

And the former American hostage in Iraq talks to CNN Michael Ware, himself a onetime captive.

Let's get started. Warning to the world from President Obama, the time for talk is over. He's pushing hard for a new deal on climate change, as the U.N. summit in Copenhagen comes down to the wire.

Live now to the Danish capital and CNN Senior White House Correspondent Ed Henry.

Look, Ed, the clock is running, just past 6:00 in the evening in Copenhagen, where you are. At least no one publicly seems to be throwing in the towel.

ED HENRY, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Nobody is, Tony. They're still working away.

In fact, the president of the United States just came out of a meeting with the Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev. The president saying he's still hopeful they can get a deal, they're still working on that. But as you say, they're still far apart.

Here's basically where we are.

The president came here and really issued a call to action to his fellow leaders. He was pretty blunt with them about saying stop the posturing, it's time for action, specifically laying out a three-point plan that he believes the leaders, nearly 200 of them, need to come together on a uniform plan to cut carbon emission emissions.

Secondly, he wants more transparency from China and the other countries to make sure they are living up to those commitments in terms of the new cuts. That's something China has resisted so far.

And third, the president talking about money, putting financial aid on the table. That U.S. and other great powers will put together a $100 billion fund that will help some of the developing countries deal with the effects of global warming, of climate change, that maybe they can't do on their own.

Nevertheless, they're still far apart, and that's frustrating a lot of people not just here in Copenhagen, but around the world. A young activist -- take a listen to what he had to say -- Juan Carlos, he's from a group that they've been around here, we've seen them wearing T-shirts saying, "How old will you be in 2050?"

This kid is 14 and said he will be 64. And he wants to make sure that the Earth is still here. Take a listen to how he put it in terms of really holding these leaders accountable.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUAN CARLOS, INTERNATIONAL YOUTH CLIMATE MOVEMENT: We have all worked for the past two years with the promise of a strong deal in Copenhagen to safeguard our future. Now it seems you will not get it done.

This is unacceptable. We placed our trust in you. You should be ashamed.

The United Nations was created to solve humanitarian and social crises, but instead of standing united, you are now the divided nations. Humanity can and must do better.

Mother Nature will not negotiate with us. You must set targets to get us back below 350 parts per million. You must agree on a fair, sufficient and additional financing to pay back the ecological debt to those most vulnerable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: It gives you a flavor for the fact that if President Obama and these other leaders all go back to their home countries empty-handed, they are going to have their feet held to the fire by many people around the world, wondering why they could not come together. And that's why originally the president was supposed to be leaving here in a couple of hours, but the White House has since said that his departure is TBD, as in "to be determined."

So, it's possible that the president of the United States stays in Copenhagen a bit longer, perhaps hoping that, somehow, staying here a bit later could actually forge a deal. We'll see, Tony. They still seem pretty far apart.

HARRIS: Wow. That 14-year-old, that is really some -- boy, you could see it in his face. You could hear it in his voice. He is fired up. That is passion on display.

Ed, appreciate it. Thank you. Good stuff.

Checking the CNN wire now. President Obama could come home from the Copenhagen summit meeting with an arms agreement with Russia. You just heard Ed Henry mention that.

The president met last hour with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on the sidelines of the climate summit. They're expected to reach a new nuclear arms control agreement. Russian's Foreign Ministry says a deal can come anytime now.

The Pentagon has fixed a cybersecurity flaw that allowed Iraqi insurgents to hack U.S. spy drone videos using $26 software. The Pentagon's top officer, Joint Chiefs Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen, is downplaying the breach. He says the hacking caused no significant military damage. Defense officials say they'd known about the problem for months and it wasn't difficult to fix.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SIOBHAN GORMAN, INTELLIGENCE CORRESPONDENT, "WALL STREET JOURNAL": It's a little bit harder than just simply putting a box on the drone, because part of the problem is the Predator networks are 1990s era, and so you have to upgrade some of the computer networks as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Again, the Pentagon says the problem has been fixed.

Incredible new images of a fierce firefight in Mexico. Have a listen.

OK. You're looking at Mexico's military taking on a powerful drug cartel. This happening on Wednesday.

Troops there killing one of the country's most notorious drug lords. Six other cartel members also killed in the operation.

Take a look at some of these still pictures from inside one of the homes as the operation was unfolding. Photos from the scene indicate the incredible amount of firepower used here. Several people were also arrested.

President Obama may not be getting what he wants for Christmas. At least that's what Democratic Senator Ben Nelson says. He is predicting health care reform will not pass by the end of the year. Nelson wants stricter abortion elements.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

SEN. BEN NELSON (D), NEBRASKA: As it is right now, without further modifications, it isn't sufficient. There's a lot of improvement on the legislation, but the basic question about funding of abortion has not been fully answered yet.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is still hunting for the 60 votes he will need to get a health care bill passed. We will tell you where he's searching today.

First, though, our "Random Moment" in 75 -- not 90 -- 75 seconds.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: OK. Time for our "Random Moment of the Day." Why, you ask? Well, because we can. It's random, and it's not for little children, either.

Parents, if you would, cover their eyes.

Look at this. A California man's Christmas display shows Jesus holding a double-barreled shotgun on Santa.

Now, he is protesting the commercialization of Christmas in his own back yard. Free speech, you know? But the neighbors aren't too happy about it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUSANA CRUZ, NEIGHBOR: I know it's freedom of speech, but it's pretty disturbing. There are lots of children, and that's our main concern.

RON LAKE, COMMERCIAL CHRISTMAS PROTESTER: You can tell your kids and make it as though there is a Santa Claus, and let them believe all that, but you can't explain this thing or ignore this thing? I don't get it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Santa Claus under the gun, our "Random Moment of the Day."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: And we just told you moments ago that President Obama had just wrapped up a meeting with the Russian president, Medvedev, and that out of this meeting we may get word of a new nuclear arms agreement.

Here are the pictures of the two men meeting last hour. And obviously, this is the photo-op after the real work was done behind closed doors. They're expected to reach a new nuclear arms control agreement, and we're hearing from Russia's Foreign Ministry that it could happen at any time now.

Here's some comments from the president.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our main focus today was the new START treaty that we had been negotiating.

"We've been making excellent progress. We are quite close to an agreement. And I'm confident that it will be completed in a timely fashion."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: OK. We will watch developments on this story and all of the rest of the news coming out of Copenhagen.

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, Queen Elizabeth's a royal, but that doesn't mean that she has to act like she's flush. Find out how she's saving her subjects a few pounds.

That's next in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Boy, got to tell you, it is a sign of the tense wrangling over health care reform in the Senate. During comments yesterday, Independent Senator Joe Lieberman asked for more time to speak, a routine request usually approved.

Listen to this exchange.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. AL FRANKEN (D), MINNESOTA: The senator's spoken for 10 minutes.

SEN. JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (I), CONNECTICUT: I wonder if I could ask unanimous consent for just an additional moment.

FRANKEN: In my capacity as senator from Minnesota, I object.

LIEBERMAN: Really? Oh, OK. Don't take it personally.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: I just saw -- I've been around here 20-some years. The first time I've seen a member denied an extra minute or two to finish his remarks. And I must say that I don't know what's happening here in this body, but I think it's wrong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Lieberman, as you know, has sided with Democrats on many occasions, but his opposition to a government-run insurance plan has many liberal Democrats upset.

Let's see where things stand right now with respect to health care reform.

CNN Congressional Correspondent Brianna Keilar joining us from Capitol Hill.

And Brianna, look, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is still looking for the votes he needs. Who is he concentrating on right now today?

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, right now, who appears to the lone holdout, Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska. He is a moderate Democrat, very much towards the middle of the political spectrum. He is anti-abortion, and it is this abortion issue in the health care reform bill that is really bothering him and making it, he says, so that he cannot sign on at this point.

What he wanted to do, Tony, and we followed as he tried to do this, he put up an amendment that would have tightened up the abortion language to make sure that no federal dollars would pay for abortions. That amendment failed. And so, what he's trying to do is work out some sort of provision in the bill that can be to his liking.

He's been working with Senator Bob Casey, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, who is also anti-abortion. But so far, they've not been able to work anything out that really makes Senator Nelson happy.

And, what's more, Tony, is he's also upset about a couple of other issues that are dealt with in the bill. He has some concerns about Medicare cuts. He has some concerns about expanding Medicaid, which you know this bill does, and he's worried that that's going to put an undue burden, as he puts it, on the state.

So, a lot to work through, and the clock is ticking, because tomorrow morning -- or, really, tomorrow, Senate Democratic leaders are going to try to move forward with the new, revised bill which you know we haven't seen yet, and they're going to try to move forward with that so that they can aim for a vote on Monday. So, they would need to come to a deal by then, is the understanding.

HARRIS: Well, you mentioned tomorrow, you mentioned the weekend. How is the work of the Senate going to be impacted by this major winter storm that is headed your way?

KEILAR: Yes, this is really interesting. And this is kind of the talk today, because, you know, normally the Senate, normally Congress in general, is not around this late into December. And we are expecting some pretty nasty weather here tomorrow.

Some projections say a couple of feet of snow here in the nation's capital. And anyone who lives in Washington, D.C., will tell you that is enough to really shut the place down.

So, you know, everything is stacked up like dominos, Tony, where they're go trying to get things done. The deadlines, they just keep pushing, pushing, pushing towards Christmas. It is a total pressure cooker.

What do you do? Add a couple of feet of snow to that. We're interested to see how this is going to affect people coming to the Capitol, being able to vote. It's possible it's just going to add a whole new additional bit of pressure.

HARRIS: What a weekend. What a weekend shaping up.

All right. On Capitol Hill, our congressional correspondent, Brianna Keilar.

Brianna, thank you.

Let's do this -- let's get a quick check of our top stories right now.

President Obama showing frustration today at the U.N. climate change conference in Copenhagen. He told delegates from 193 nations that there is no time to waste in reducing the amount of carbon emissions.

Our Ed Henry is at the conference. He tells us the president is staying longer in hopes of getting an agreement.

General Motors is shutting down its Swedish brand Saab after attempts to find a buyer fell through. GM will now begin winding down Saab production. The company says warranties will continue to be honored and spare parts will still be available.

The Twitter Web site was hacked overnight by an Iranian Cyber Army. It is not clear who that is or if the group is even connected to Iran. Iranians rely heavily on Twitter to stay connected after this year's disputed presidential election.

We will get another check of our top stories in 20 minutes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: OK. These are hard economic times. But, really, one of the world's richest women boarding a train like an ordinary commoner?

ITN reporter Annabel Roberts has the pictures.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNABEL ROBERTS, REPORTER, ITN (voice-over): Is that really the queen strolling towards the 10:45 from King's Cross to King's Lynn? The headscarf was one giveaway of her identity, and the lack of luggage, setting her apart rather from the rest of us as a start of a long winter holiday. For the monarch, this was a rare outing on public transport as she headed to Sandringham for Christmas.

(on camera): The queen's journey in a first-class compartment like this lasted 25 minutes, rattling through the countryside to King's Lynn in comparative peace. But what would she have made of the rush hour?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pretty nice to see her. Maybe look forward to seeing her more often during the recession.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's excellent. I think, first, it gives her a chance to identify with, you know, her subjects, but also to experience how it is for us. Sadly, she didn't take in the rush hour. Then she would have really gotten the experience of what it's like for us and getting the elbows out, but I'm really happy that she tried at all. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's quite possible taking public transport is quite a good role model. It's a shame she's in first class and we didn't' get to see her in cattle class with the rest of us.

ROBERTS: In one stroke, the queen has shown respect for the public purse and the environment. Though pictured here through the carriage window, it's hard to be sure she enjoyed it enough to make a habit of it.

Annabel Roberts, ITV News, King's Cross.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: A 14-year-old already in college. It's what we're talking about in our "What Matters" segment.

Ty Hobson-Powell started at Howard University this year, and is wasting no time in getting his bachelor's degree. Pretty impressive, I'd say.

But to this Washington, D.C., teenager it's no big deal.

Stephanie Elam has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ty Hobson-Powell may look like your average student, but that's hardly the case.

TY HOBSON-POWELL, ATTENDING COLLEGE AT THE AGE OF 14: Hi. My name is Ty Hobson-Powell. I'm 14 years old, and I attend Howard University.

ELAM: A political science major, Ty is the youngest student ever to attend Howard University. With credits earned from a community college and online courses, he started at the historically black college as a sophomore this year, but for Ty, that's not surprising.

HOBSON-POWELL: I was in the Chinese immersion program at the age of 3.

ELAM: His dad, who teaches pediatric medicine at Howard, says it was an obvious choice.

EDWIN POWELL, TY'S FATHER: I identified early that his strength was language. And so, the fact that he had very strong language skills, I thought it would probably be in his best interest to pick up a second language.

ELAM: From there, Ty continued to excel both academically and socially. He believes that traveling to places like France, Greece and Turkey may have played a role in his overall development.

T. HOBSON-POWELL: Seeing different cultures, different customs, stuff like that, allows me to see a side of the world that, you know, many young people aren't allowed to see. That gives me the upper hand as far as social level, me being able to deal with different people.

ELAM: Including people six to seven years his senior. Last year, Ty expressed an interest in attending college. At first his parents dismissed the idea, but that soon changed.

E. HOBSON-POWELL: He came to us one day. I'll never forget that day. He said, "I'm ready to move on."

And after understanding how he felt, I thought it was time to give him the opportunity to make some of his choices that I thought that probably would be in his best interest. And we allowed him to move.

ELAM: But his parents faced some criticism for his decision.

E. HOBSON-POWELL: I would like to always respond to the critics by saying that Ty is at an institution of higher learning. There are so many other kids out there his age who are incarcerated and who have criminal histories. So, I appreciate their concerns, but at the same time know that he is doing well.

ELAM: He is one of the top students in his class. And he says his age is just a number.

T. HOBSON-POWELL: Intellectually and socially I'm there, so I don't feel any different than I would in a junior high school classroom or a high school classroom.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING CHINESE)

ELAM: His professor agrees.

V. NENAJI JACKSON, ASST. PROFESSOR, HOWARD UNIVERSITY: Ty's asks questions and volunteers information like everyone else. One thing that I find fascinating is we'll be talking about something that everyone's involved in, and all of a sudden, at the height of the discussion, somebody will say, "OK, stop, stop. What does Ty think?"

And he'll smile. He has the -- this quiet confidence.

ELAM: The D.C. teen plans to graduate in 2011 and looks forward to studying law and medicine in grad school.

And as for his career goals?

T. HOBSON-POWELL: I know for sure that I want to do an incorporation of the law in the medical interests, and whatever I do will be a helping profession.

ELAM: Some believe whatever Ty decides, his future is a bright one.

JACKSON: Ty's going to be a success. I don't think he has any real, identifiable fears, and I think that's the thing that makes him extraordinary.

ELAM: Stephanie Elam, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Boy, I know the family is watching.

Ty, you're a great kid from a great family, but I've got to tell you something, you make a real mistake when you challenge me in basketball, as I understand you did. Pump the brakes, young fellow. You don't want this.

To read more stories that matter to all of us, pick up the latest issue of "Essence" magazine on newsstands now, or go online to CNN.com/whatmatters.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Got to tell you something, I'm just looking at CNNMoney.com, and the top story there reads "The Unemployment Rate is Falling!"

Huh? Is that the under reported story of the day? I'm going to head on over shortly you can do it now if you'd like -- to cnnmoney.com for more on that story and, of course, the latest financial news and analysis.

To the big board now. Three hours into the trading day for a Friday. And the Dow still in negative territory, down 10 points. But the Nasdaq is up 17 at last check. Following these numbers throughout the day with you, Susan Lisovicz is here in the NEWSROOM.

New credit card rules take full effect in February. Got to tell you, some banks are finding sneaky ways to get around them. Your personal finance editor, Gerri Willis, is back.

Boy, we saw this, Gerri, we had to get you on the phone. A credit card with a 79.9 percent interest rate?

GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Can you believe this?

HARRIS: No. No.

WILLIS: Look, Tony, this is one -- this is one that has even the industry experts shaking their head.

First Premier Bank, now that's a South Dakota credit card issuer that targets folks with poor credit scores. It is charging, as you said, 79.9 percent interest rate on its newest card. That is the highest we've ever heard of.

According to experts, the subprime card issuer boosted rates as a way of making up profits expected to be lost once the new cards law goes into effect in February. That's the reform of the credit card industry. The new law doesn't cap interest rates, though it caps other fee. Banks have been complaining that the consumer-friendly rules will hurt their bottom line. Let's take a look at what it will do to yours, this particular card. If you had a $500 balance at a 79.9 percent APR, that's an annual percentage rate, and made only the minimum payment, you'd pay $348 more than that in interest in the first year. But by making the minimum payment, you'd take 29 years and three months to pay off the balance and you'd pay $3,200 in interest over the life of the loan. And we got those numbers from Bankrate.

Experts say that as we get closer to that February 21st deadline for compliance with the new law, more and more card issuers will be trying to squeeze out as much in profits as they can, and that means higher interest rates. Subprime cards will see significantly higher rates, 35 to 40 percent, Tony.

You don't want -- this is a terrible deal for consumers. Your regular credit card should see 16 to 17 percent interest rates by the end of the year. That's higher than we've had. You do have the right to opt out of the increased rate, but you won't be able to use the card going forward.

HARRIS: Well, I'm glad we're . . .

WILLIS: I know.

HARRIS: calling these folks out today.

WILLIS: Amazing.

HARRIS: How do you protect yourself, Gerri?

WILLIS: Well, there's a lot going on in the industry right now as these companies are trying to find their way with these new rules. You can expect a lot of changes from credit limit shrinkage, which we've seen, to interest rate changes, increased minimum payment amounts. You're going to have to read what you get in the mail from these companies.

If you have credit cards, open up everything you get from them because they're going to be telling you how they're changing terms and you're going to need to know that. If you can only charge less, if you're going to pay a higher rate of interest, if there's any other changes, you're going to want to know what it is. Read that what looks like junk mail. It's not junk mail.

HARRIS: Boy, oh, boy.

WILLIS: You need to know the changes. And, boy, if that doesn't show you how much you need to know the changes, I don't know what will.

HARRIS: Yes. Yes. Well, we appreciate you jumping on that for us, Gerri. Have a great weekend. Thank you.

WILLIS: My pleasure. You, too.

HARRIS: As President Obama pushes for a climate change agreement in Copenhagen, he is also focused on cutting greenhouse gas emissions here at home. One of the keys is improving vehicle fuel efficiency, but there are real challenges. Alison Kosik has our "Energy Fix" from New York.

Hi, Alison.

ALISON KOSIK, CNNMONEY.COM: Hi, Tony.

You know, this is a pretty ambitious plan for the administration. It wants to see one million plug-in hybrid and electric cars on the road by 2015, but costs could be a major obstacle in this. A new study from the National Research Council finds that next year it's going to cost $18,000 more to manufacture a plug-in hybrid than a conventional car, because the battery is so expensive. And it could be decades before the upfront costs come down enough to cover the fuel savings.

Let me give you an example. Let's look at GM's Chevy Volt. It goes on sale next year, but the report finds it won't be cost effective for buyers until the year 2040. And that's assuming gas prices hold below $4 a gallon. GM calls the NRC's battery cost estimates bloated and it says that those costs are going to come down quickly, Tony.

HARRIS: Well, Alison, so, look, if these cars are expensive, and may not pay for themselves for years, how are you going to move these cars? Will they ever catch on?

KOSIK: Well, that's a good question. And, you know, to make these cars more attractive to buyers, Tony, the study says big government subsidies are going to be needed. And that's actually something we're seeing already.

The stimulus act provides a federal tax credit, up to $7,500 for plug-in hybrids next year. That would bring the Volt's estimated $40,000 price tag down below $33,000, but that's really still a pretty good chunk of change. And at the same time, ordinary gas-powered cars, they keep getting more fuel efficient, they're a lot cheaper and they don't need to be plugged in. Definitely some challenges for reaching the administration's goal of one million plug-ins on the road by 2015.

Of course, there's more on this story on cnnmoney.com. Follow us there and on Twitter -- Tony.

HARRIS: Alison, appreciate it. Thank you.

KOSIK: Sure.

HARRIS: You know, at one point in his career, CNN's Michael Ware was kidnapped by al Qaeda. He got a chance to compare notes with a man who was rescued from kidnappers in Iraq. Their stories are riveting. And you will see them right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Checking our top stories now.

A major winter storm, and we mean major, moving from the Gulf of Mexico and across the Florida peninsula and now barreling up the U.S. East Coast. The Carolinas already getting hit. The D.C. area is bracing for 10 to 20 inches of snow.

Washington, D.C., Mayor, Adrian Fenty, signing a bill legalizing same-sex marriage into the nation's capital -- in the nation's capital. The bill also requires the district to recognize gay marriages from other states. The measure still needs congressional approval.

Polish police say the historic iron sign at the main entrance to the Auschwitz death camp was stolen earlier today. It bears the phrase in German that translates to "work sets you free." The Auschwitz Memorial now stands at the site.

You know, sometimes reporters become the story. CNN's Michael Ware was kidnapped briefly in the early period of the war in Iraq. Michael recently sat down to compare notes with U.S. contractor Roy Hallums, who was also abducted and held for nearly a year in Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL WARE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Three months after Roy Hallums disappeared in Baghdad in 2004, this proof-of-life video appeared.

ROY HALLUMS, KIDNAPPING SURVIVOR: My name is Roy Hallums. I'm an American national. Please help me.

WARE: Hallums was an American contractor, building mess halls and providing food to the U.S. military. And his kidnappers were demanding $12 million for his release.

HALLUMS: You're just basically in shock. And you're moving and you're walking, but it's almost like an out-of-body experience. You can see what's going on, but you don't believe it.

WARE: Before it was over, Hallums would be held nearly a full year by Iraqi insurgents, 311 days. Something I know a little about, having been taken by al Qaeda myself.

(on camera): When I was grabbed by al Qaeda and pulled from my car, I mean, they were just going to cut my head off. But it's like it was someone else. At that moment, it felt to me like it was happening to someone else, even though I was completely or even hyper aware of the moment.

HALLUMS: You're right, it's like it's almost third person, that I can sit there and tell the story, I can answer any question anybody has, and it's, you know, it doesn't bother me and what's for lunch.

WARE (voice-over): This is Hallums at the end of his ordeal. He'd lost 40 pounds but says he never lost hope. For most of the time, his kidnappers kept him in a secret and cramped underground cell. The entrance sealed shut.

HALLUMS: And you could hear them trolling this concrete over the door and then they would shove a freezer over the top of that to hide where the door was. You're buried in there and if they decide, well, it's just too dangerous to go back to the house, and they never come back, then you're in your tomb.

WARE (on camera): Dead men tell no tales.

(voice-over): Eight months after his proof-of-life video had appeared, U.S. special forces received a crucial tip on his whereabouts. Worried Hallums would be moved, they instantly launched a daylight rescue. Four helicopters sweeping into a village south of Baghdad. This video shot on a soldier's helmet camera and beamed back live to headquarters.

The men smashed their way into the house. They knew to look under the freezer, under the rug, and then under the concrete.

HALLUMS: I heard special forces pounding on the little door in the room where I was and the guy jumps down in there and says, "are you Roy?" It's like, well, this can't really be happening, you know, because after all this time, they actually found where I was, you know, which was a miracle.

WARE: Two days after Roy Hallums was rescued, I joined a U.S. hostage team gathering information and I shot this video as they returned to the Iraqi farmhouse and Hallums' hell hole. It gave me a sense of what may have awaited me, or any of the other westerners kidnapped in Iraq. And now, talking with Hallums, it's forcing me to deal with things I'd rather forget.

My experience began here. I was grabbed in late 2004, not far from where you see this burning American Bradley fighting vehicle. This is Haifa Street in the center of Baghdad, and al Qaeda had just taken over the neighborhood.

Like Hallums, I was taken at the height of al Qaeda's campaign of their videotaped beheadings, like this one. The last images of contractor Nicholas Berg alive. I actually videotaped my own capture, my camera catching one of my abductors pulling the pin on a grenade before they pulled me from the car.

Unlike Hallums, for me, there was to be no imprisonment. This was al Qaeda and I was going to die. They readied me immediately for beheading, to be filmed with my own camera. I was only saved by Iraqi insurgents I knew who resented al Qaeda's takeover. HALLUMS: (INAUDIBLE) brother.

WARE: Meeting Hallums, sharing our experiences, flushed up in me a mix of emotions. I can't even bear the thought of being held for months on end like he was.

HALLUMS: You're laying there in this little hole in the dark. You're tied up, hands and feet. And every little noise, every bump, it's, is this it, you know? Is this when they're going to do it? WARE: And as with much in war, you get a new perspective on life. We both know nothing's ever going to be the same for us again.

(on camera): Is it the little things? Is it like, for me with, you know, all the conflict I've been in, it's the tiny things. It's a smell. Or it can be a sound. Or it can be a certain texture or color or word that triggers or evokes memory. What is it for you?

HALLUMS: Usually little things. I mean, I had those -- I had nylon zip ties on my wrists 24 hours a day for ten and a half months. The other day I was out walking and my dog and my neighbor had brought something home from the store and he was cutting the zip ties off of the bundle. And I looked down at his yard and there's these zip ties laying there and they'd been cut off and, you know, it's just one of those things you -- you remember you had a different relationship with that zip tie than he has.

WARE (voice-over): In the end, though, it's those who love us, waiting back home, often unknowing, who suffer the most. While survivors, like Hallums, barely able to walk or talk after not being able to do either for so many months, know just how lucky we are to be alive.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Boy. Roy Hallums was kidnapped November 4, 2005, and held underground for 311 days.

The CDC is out with new information about autism this hour. Elizabeth Cohen explains what it says.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Boy, 750,000 kids are living with autism in this country. And a new report out today by the Centers for Disease Control finds a dramatic 57 percent increase in the number of new cases in just four years. CNN's patient advocate, Elizabeth Cohen, joining me now.

Elizabeth, this is a pretty shocking number. And you need to help us here, put this in a bit of perspective for us.

ELIZABETH COHEN, SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Oh, absolutely. I mean we've been hearing that autism rates have gone up over like the course of let's say decades.

HARRIS: Yes, for years.

COHEN: But to see that kind of a sharp increase in four years, that's a tiny period of time. They looked at the numbers from 2002 to 2006, as Tony says, up 57 percent, so that in 2006, look at these numbers. What they found is that in the United States, one in 70 boys has the diagnosis of autism.

HARRIS: Wow.

COHEN: And one in 350 girls. I mean the it's just . . .

HARRIS: One in 70 boys. One in 350 girls. What is going on here, Elizabeth?

COHEN: You know, the quick answer is, they don't know. However, what they -- they have a few theories. They think possibly it might be that doctors are just doing a better job of diagnosing kids with autism. It may be also that some of these kids, who they found had autism, didn't really have autism.

But, having said those two things, there is general agreement that there is more real autism in this country than there used to be. Why? Could it be that parents are having their kids older? When you have your kids older, mother or father, that could increase your risk of having a child with autism. Could it be that there are more preemies in this country. Born prematurely might increase your risk of having autism later. Could it be that kids are exposed to toxins after birth? I mean, put question marks here because we don't know.

HARRIS: We don't know.

COHEN: Those things might contribute to it. They might not. They just don't know. It's a puzzle.

HARRIS: Yes, so we want all of our viewers, of course, to be empowered patients. So how can parents help their children, protect their children?

COHEN: Right, it's so important to get an early diagnosis. That's so crucial. Because the kinds of therapies that you can give your child at a young age, if they have autism, can really help them.

So what you want to do is make sure your pediatrician is following the suggestions of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Get your child screened for autism at 18 months and at 24 months. And if your -- if the doctor says that your child does not have autism, and you, in your heart, feel that your child does, go to another doctor. Get a second opinion.

Tony, I've talked to so many families where the mother or father just had a hunch, just knew that their child had autism. The doctor said, don't worry, you'll grow out of it, the kid will grow out of it and they didn't. The child really did have autism. Mom and dad were right.

HARRIS: A 57 percent increase in the number of new cases in just four years.

COHEN: Yes, among eight year olds. That's right.

HARRIS: That will get your attention.

COHEN: Oh, absolutely.

HARRIS: Elizabeth, appreciate it. Thank you. Have a great weekend. COHEN: Thanks.

HARRIS: You know, it's being called the new Gitmo by some. We're going to take you to Thomson, Illinois, and show you what people there are saying about plans to move suspected terrorists to their community.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Got to tell you, a mixed reaction coming in from people in rural Illinois as plans move forward for terror detainees to be brought to their backyard. President Obama, as you know, has ordered the federal government to purchase a nearly empty prison in the town of Thomson. Our Kara Finnstrom talks to folks there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Jason Stahl just moved into a small horse farm in northwestern Illinois, and he's about to get new neighbors.

JASON STAHL, FORMER GUANTANAMO GUARD: It is very ironic.

FINNSTROM: Ironic, because just down the road at the Thomson Prison, the federal government now hopes to hold terror suspects. The same suspects Stahl guarded as one of the first MPs at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, after 9/11.

STAHL: We traveled 3,000 miles to Cuba to care for them there. And now they're flying 3,000 miles to sit in my backyard up here.

This is the inside of where we lived.

FINNSTROM: Stahl, who is now an Army reservist, guarded terror suspects in leg shackles, handcuffs and belly chains.

STAHL: Many times they would turn on you.

FINNSTROM: And Stahl says there was constant shouting and chanting.

STAHL: You had so much aggression, so much anger after what had happened in 9/11 and you didn't know how to act. You had to maintain your military bearing. There's rules and there's guidelines that we have to follow and it's our job down there to keep them safe.

FINNSTROM: Stahl strongly opposes bringing the detainees here. He believes the prison can safely guard them, but fears holding the prisoners here makes his community a more visible terrorism target.

STAHL: We've got the Rock Island Arsenal. We've got the nuclear plant in Cordova. We've got the Iowa munitions plant 100 miles south of us.

FINNSTROM: But Stahl knows his position isn't popular right now in the town surrounding the prison in Thomson.

FINNSTROM (on camera): Just a half mile away from the prison here on Thomson's main street, many are hoping for an economic boost. This town of 550 has been struggling with the stagnant economy and an unemployment rate of 12 percent.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Warm you up again? All righty.

LUANN BRUCKNER (ph): It was a Norman Rockwell town type, you know? Everybody kind of cared for each other. It's gotten to the point where we're just desperate. Depressed and desperate. We need -- we need the jobs.

FINNSTROM (voice-over): Luann Bruckner's family helped found Thomson in the 1800s.

BRUCKNER: It's been -- it's been horrible. It's been horrible to watch it go.

FINNSTROM: Six generations later, she says the town is dying, dragged down by the nearly vacant $145 million prison that was built in 2001, offering the prospect of new jobs badly need even then. Bruckner banked her retirement on it, opening a motel and restaurant. But amid a political fight over operational funding, the prison sat empty for five years and now houses just 144 prisoners.

BRUCKNER: We were left with kind of a white elephant so to speak.

JOHN WHITNEY, NEWSPAPER PUBLISHER: I fully expected there to be a lot of anger and a lot of people against it. That hasn't happened.

FINNSTROM: John Whitney is publisher of Thomson's town paper and head of its chamber of commerce.

WHITNEY: They've been unhappy, I think, that the state's second largest capital expenditure, the state of Illinois ever made, is sitting out here unused. That's not criminal, but it's tragic, in a way.

STAHL: (INAUDIBLE), you want to take that over there and dump it out?

FINNSTROM: Jason Stahl says as a father, now supporting a family, he, too, wants his hometown to get an economic boost. But as a reservist, sworn to protect, he worries at what cost. STAHL: Why bring these detainees from Cuba onto American soil? I don't agree with that.

FINNSTROM: Kara Finnstrom for CNN, Thomson, Illinois.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: And it is go time. We are pushing forward now with the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM with Kyra Phillips.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Have a great holiday. I won't see you next week.

HARRIS: Yes, I won't see you next week. Have fun.

PHILLIPS: All right, Tony, enjoy.

HARRIS: Merry Christmas.

PHILLIPS: Have fun with the kids.