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President Obama in India; Attacking Health Care; Battling Cholera in Haiti; Teen Raises Awareness of Texting While Driving Danger; A Talk Between Generations; Town Blocks Funeral Protest; Stars of the NYC Marathon

Aired November 07, 2010 - 14:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Five days ever after that midterm shellacking, President Obama, traveling in India, promises a midterm correction back home.

At 4:00 Eastern, face to face with two stars of the new movie "For Colored Girls." They tell me their roles off the movie set are equally challenging and rewarding.

And looking to land a holiday job? At 5:00 Eastern Time, how to stand out in the crowd.

You're in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

All right. President Obama may be overseas, but that's not keeping him from thinking about domestic policies. He wrapped up his second day in India with a lavish dinner. The president and first lady dined at the prime minister's residence, along with business and political leaders and celebrities, that ended a day that included a town hall meeting with college students, a little bit of sightseeing, and even a little dancing.

Here now is CNN White House Correspondent Ed Henry.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED HENRY, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: The president mixing sightseeing with substance here in India.

He started his Sunday in Mumbai with some young schoolchildren, celebrating Diwali, a major holiday here. And they wanted to dance with the president and first lady. And President Obama, perhaps thinking back to those pictures of President Bush dancing in Africa which became a highlight, maybe a lowlight, depending on your view, where President Bush sort of got into it and was dancing to the beat, President Obama maybe thinking about whether he really wanted to be on the nightly news dancing with these kids, so the first lady, she dove right in.

She was dancing with them, celebrating this holiday. The president seemed very reluctant at first, but then he eventually got in there. He wasn't necessarily following the beat, but he had a little bit of fun with the schoolchildren, some memorable pictures, no doubt. But then it was on very quickly to substance. The president choosing a forum he really likes when he's overseas, which is a town hall meeting with university people and young students, and basically the president got some pretty interesting questions.

It was sweltering. An outdoor venue at St. Xavier's College. And everybody was sweating, really intense heat. No air conditioning around.

And the president got a question, first of all, about spirituality, a young student wondering about that. And the president said that while India now has a thriving economy, they've got to be careful to make sure that material goods do not drive anything.

Secondly, the president question got a tough question about Pakistan. Obviously an uneasy between India and Pakistan. The president basically said that while he believes Pakistan is making some progress against extremists and terrorists, that enough has been made, but that India needs to be rooting for Pakistan, because a strong and stable Pakistan will be good for India.

And then, maybe in a little bit of a surprise, the president got a question about those midterm elections back home. A young Indian student saying, basically, you won on change in 2008, but it seems like maybe there's more change coming for you now. The president had an interesting answer about the days ahead working with Republicans.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: But it also requires me to make some midcourse corrections and adjustments, and how those play themselves out over the next several months will be a matter of me being in discussions with the Republican Party, which is now going to control the House of Representatives, and there are going to be areas we disagree, and hopefully there are going to be some areas where we agree.

HENRY: And the president and first lady came here to New Delhi, right back to sightseeing. The Humayun tomb, dating back to the 1500s, just spectacular to see. Basically, many people think this was a model for the Taj Mahal.

Then president very quickly back to substance. He and the first lady had a private dinner with Prime Minister Singh and his wife. And on Monday, the president will be having a joint press conference with the prime minister. Then he will be addressing the Indian parliament.

All of this wrapping up with a really big state dinner thrown in the honor of the president and first lady here. You'll remember that when the Obamas threw a state dinner for Prime Minister Singh and his wife back in Washington last year, the Salahis crashed it. It became a big embarrassment. You can bet that this state dinner is going to have intense security.

Ed Henry, CNN, with the president in New Delhi.

(END VIDEOTAPE) WHITFIELD: OK. So, after that, one more day in New Delhi. The next stop for President Obama, Indonesia, where he spent much of his childhood. However, he may not be receiving an entirely warm welcome from everyone.

Today, anti-American protests unfolded across Indonesia. The message these demonstrators are trying to send to President Obama, pull U.S. troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan to end what they call blind support for Israel. A Muslim group organized the protests. Indonesia is the world's largest Muslim country.

Also in Indonesia, big concern about spewing hot ash and gas from an erupting volcano. Search crews are pulling more bodies from the ash and debris from Mount Merapi on the island of Java. The death toll is now at least 156.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: OK. Well, let there be no doubt about the game plan for the Republican Party for the next two years. Their message is very clear. It's all about health care reform.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. This story out of California with a happy ending involving missing kids.

Take a look at the Web site dedicated to finding brothers Alex and Zaven Silah and their cousin Greg. The word "missing" is crossed out.

The boys disappeared two years ago when their fathers allegedly grabbed them and fled the country. The boys were discovered this past week in the Netherlands. Greg's grandmother responds to the news that the boys have been found.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABRAXIE JEAMBART, GRANDMOTHER: These children, if they haven't had any education, that means they have no -- two years. Their future is -- they need help. We have spent so much money, so much time, so much crying, so much suffering. Now we want to see it by eyes to believe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: The boys' mothers immediately headed for The Hague, Netherlands, to pick up the boys. The boys' fathers, who are brothers, have been arrested in the Netherlands. They will likely be extradited to the U.S. to face federal child abduction charges.

And violence along the Texas/Mexico border has shaken things up at the University of Texas Brownsville. Tomorrow students will return to schools after classes were canceled because of a shootout just across the border impacting their campus just on Friday. The shooting actually left a suspected drug cartel leader dead in Matamoros, Mexico. And on Friday, students were asked to stay inside the buildings for their safety because bullets from the gunfire in Mexico have actually landed on the university in the past.

All right. Turning to politics now, most Republican governors agree, repeal health care. Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty said he'll go as far as signing an order to stop health care legislation in his state.

Let's bring in CNN's Sandra Endo.

And I guess the arsenal that was unleashed today.

SANDRA ENDO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, absolutely, on the morning talk shows, Fred. And Republicans definitely have new vigor after their big win on Tuesday, and they want to take on President Obama's health care reform measures.

As you know, the president spent a lot of time and political capital since he took office pushing through reform. But now, with a split Congress, Republicans have their own agenda.

They say the president's health care reform law is too costly and are looking to repeal it. GOP lawmakers talked up their strategy on the morning talk shows this morning, including Congressman Eric Cantor, who is looking to take on a leadership role in the House.

Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. ERIC CANTOR (R), VIRGINIA REPUBLICAN WHIP: We've got to stop this bill from taking place, and we've got to go and reset the dial and insist that the American people are given a choice to have the kind of health care that they want and also to bring down costs. The Obamacare bill will bankrupt states, as well as this country, and take people's health care away. We can't have that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. TIM PAWLENTY (R), MINNESOTA: I think Obamacare is one of the worst pieces of legislation passed in the modern history of the country. I'm doing everything I can in Minnesota to stop, delay or avoid its implementation in my state, including signing an executive order saying we're not going to participate unless required by law or approved by me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ENDO: But take a look at this, Fred. CNN exit polls show Americans are pretty split over what to do with the new health care law. Thirty-one percent say expand it, 16 percent leave it as it is, and 48 percent say repeal it.

So, House Republicans say it's issue number one on their legislative agenda when they take control -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: And what about the Democratic response to all that was said today specifically?

ENDO: Well, as you can imagine, a lot of Democrats this morning on the talk shows were pretty much recapping what went wrong for them on Tuesday, and some of them were licking their wounds. But Democrats insist their reform plan is being misconstrued by Republicans.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JAMES CLYBURN (D), MAJORITY WHIP: That's why I say that when you get into what we really did, and the American people understand what we really did, I think this health care plan is going to be with us for a long, long time, and it's something we'll build upon.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ENDO: So get ready for another showdown on Capitol Hill -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Sandra Endo.

Thanks so much from Washington. Appreciate that.

All right. Experienced drivers listening to a 15-year-old with a learner's permit. Straight ahead, the message that he is trying to get across that could save lives.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. The flooding, Hurricane Tomas are a couple of things that have come the way of Haiti. And now aid workers continue to struggle to keep up with the cholera outbreak and the impact from -- that Hurricane Tomas could make jobs, the jobs that people are trying to offer, help a lot tougher.

CNN's Paula Newton is on the phone with us from Port-au-Prince.

So, Paula, give me an idea of how this entire situation has been exacerbated.

PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we have the swollen rivers, the swollen streams, and we have water sloshing everywhere, water that may now be contaminated with cholera. You know, it's adding to the sense of confusion and really utter hopelessness in terms of trying to get fresh water, and leaving (INAUDIBLE) of water that people do not believe now, or really have no other choice but to use, even though it's contaminated with cholera. And that's the problem that they're having since Hurricane Tomas.

They did a fairly decent job of containing the outbreak. According to (INAUDIBLE), that includes the CDC that was here on the ground, we're up to a little bit more than 500 deaths and more than 7,000 confirmed cases. But the challenge continues, and that challenge now will be made worse by all the floodwaters and, again, that contaminated water that continues to funnel through this country.

WHITFIELD: And so, Paula, give me an idea. There are still millions of people who are staying in tent cities as a result of the January earthquake. With Tomas, with this cholera outbreak, how is this impacting people who are still in these precarious situations?

NEWTON: Well, it's minimal, especially, Fred, since there doesn't seem to be any change on the horizon. OK, we talk about the hurricane season, and Hurricane Tomas may be the last significant season.

Well, guess what? (INAUDIBLE) hurricane season again. And where will these people be? In the same tents that they are now. One of the things that we've been talking about here is the fact that in 10 months, hardly anything has changed, and the bottom line is there is no hope of anything to change to come.

Now, look, Hurricane Tomas really spared them the worst. They didn't have high winds. Although they were driving rains, they were not the high winds that were expected. But coming out of hurricane season, and really even with the severe rainy season that they had here, people are still in miserable conditions in what are really just makeshift shelters.

WHITFIELD: Paula Newton in Port-au-Prince.

Thanks so much.

All right. Stopping teens from texting while driving. We'll look at that after a look at these headlines.

Jurors in the Connecticut murder trial of Steven Hayes are back at work there determining if Hayes should be put to death or sentenced to life in prison for the 2007 rapes and murders of Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her daughter daughters.

And a group of underground Iranian rappers, music rappers, are under arrest in Tehran. Police raided various buildings and houses that the young rappers used to record and videotape their rap music. Rap music and rock 'n' roll are considered un-Islamic, but are not considered a serious crime. Ignoring the law, however, can lead to flogging or a night in jail.

And for the first time in 20 years, voters have cast ballots in Myanmar. President Obama says the voting isn't free or fair. Critics say the election in this secretive, military-ruled nation is a democratic sham. Ballot counting is now under way.

OK. We hear it all the time, but it's not necessarily very easy to convince people not to text while driving. And it's even harder to get them to heed that advice if they're teenagers in particular.

Carl Azuz with CNN Student News has found someone who I guess might get the attention of a lot of the other younger people because he's a young person too.

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: He's a young person and a race car driver, 15 years old, whips cars around. He's one of the folks who was discovered by the same people who helped discover Danica Patrick. And he still drives at over 150 miles an hour, but cannot legally drive alone to the grocery store. So, that was one of the things I tried to touch on in my first question with Zach Veach, "How are you going to convince adults like me and you to drive more safely when you yourself drive pretty fast?"

You can take a listen to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: How does someone who races cars convince people who drive them every day to drive them more safely?

ZACH VEACH, 15-YEAR-OLD RACE CAR DRIVER: Well, you know, when we're out on the track, we have 100 percent of our attention on the other cars around us, our shifting points, our brake markers. And, you know, really, we're thinking of 1,000 things for each corner.

And when you are driving a street car, you are not thinking as many things, but it still needs to have 100 percent of your attention, because you don't know if there's somebody in front of you that's going to hit their brakes, or there might be an accident you need to avoid. So, when you are texting while driving, and you're not looking at road, a fatal crash could occur.

AZUZ: And you have created a smartphone app that actually helps people drive more safely. Tell us about that, Zach.

VEACH: Yes. It's on the marketplace for DROID. It's called "Your Text." And it works as an auto reply feature.

So, when you get in your car, you turn it on, and you either create your very own personal message, or select one of the pre-made messages, and you turn on my applications. And while you're driving, as you get a text message, you automatically send a reply back so you don't have to worry about somebody knowing what you're doing.

AZUZ: Zach, just out of curiosity, is it even possible to text while driving a race car?

(LAUGHTER)

VEACH: I don't think it has been done, but --

AZUZ: Don't be the first one to do it.

VEACH: Yes. Definitely not. But I would say it would be pretty much impossible, because, you know, when we're taking our hand off the wheel to shift, it's still kind of hairy. So it takes your full attention.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: So, not a good idea to text while racing, or text while driving, as we all know.

But one thing I loved about his invention is it's a simple idea, but it could help, because many members of our teen audience have told us on CNN Student News, "I feel guilty if a friend is messaging me and I don't get back to that friend immediately." So this could sort of accomplish that purpose and potentially let the friend know that you're busy.

WHITFIELD: Oh, please. Yes, let the guilt go. You know, you're really going to feel bad if you get into a car accident.

AZUZ: Much worse.

WHITFIELD: I mean, common sense.

OK. So, now, how did he get started in the first place? What was the real impetus for him?

AZUZ: Well, he's always loved racing since he was a kid. He started out with carting and that sort of thing, in that area. But what really got him hooked on this anti-texting while driving campaign was the fact that he simply didn't want to see his friends involved in fatal crashes.

He knew some people who were involved in accidents and that sort of thing. And he decided to sort of take action, use his knowledge of racing and his sort of reputation as a racer to kind of get people's interest and get his friends to be safe for themselves.

WHITFIELD: Excellent. All right. Carl Azuz, thanks so much. Hopefully that campaign works for everybody, adults and young people.

Don't text while driving.

AZUZ: We can all use a reminder.

WHITFIELD: I know. I know. I think that even counts for, like, traffic lights, too, right?

AZUZ: Absolutely. I mean, everything counts if you're not focusing on the road.

WHITFIELD: All of it while you're driving. Two hands on the wheel.

All right. Thanks, Carl. Appreciate it.

AZUZ: Thank you. Appreciate it.

WHITFIELD: All right. Well, it started when an 8-year-old reporter for an elementary school newspaper interviewed a civil rights icon. It turned into a lifelong conversation, and now it's a book. We'll talk to the authors.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: OK. So many of us have had a mentor in our lives, but for Kabir Sehgal, that mentor was Andrew Young, a mayor of Atlanta, a U.N. ambassador, a civil rights icon, congressman. The list goes on.

Well, the two have written a book about their conversations over the years, and the life lessons learned and shared. It's called "Walk in My Shoes: Conversations Between a Civil Rights Legend and His Godson on the Journey Ahead."

And Ambassador Andrew Young is here in our Atlanta studio. Kabir Sehgal is in New York.

All right. Good to see both of you.

ANDREW YOUNG, CO-AUTHOR, "WALK IN MY SHOES": Good to see you, too.

WHITFIELD: Even though we couldn't all be in the same room, it's nice that we're all here. This is an extraordinary book, which I suppose when you all started your conversations you had no idea would really serve itself in the way of a book. How did this book come about, Ambassador?

YOUNG: I think it was more Kabir's idea that we tape our conversations and as a result of his relationship also with Doug Brinkley, the historian.

And since we're exactly 50 years apart, we always disagree and I get a lot from hearing his views of the world.

WHITFIELD: There's a great give and take here.

YOUNG: There really is.

WHITFIELD: So, Kabir, did you expect that throughout these conversations over the years that you would actually hear, you know, Uncle Andy as you refer to him in your book, your Godfather, that he's learning from you just as you are learning from him.

KABIR SEHGAL, CO-AUTHOR, "WALK IN MY SHOES": That wasn't expected at first. I was learning so much from him and just like when you go back and read a great Mark Twain classic or another novel, I wanted to go back and transcribe some of these lessons and then overtime, Uncle Andy really challenged me.

He said I want you to criticize me. I want you to disagree with me because it's one thing for someone to be your ventriloquist, but eventually, you know, you want to create your own voice and acquire your own voice and Andy said keep on challenging me. One of these days you're going to be somewhere and you'll be able to form your own opinions.

That was with the process of writing this book was discovering my own voice and I'm very grateful to have Uncle Andy to kind of coach me through this.

WHITFIELD: And it's interesting too, we see it in the book and it would be presumed that, of course, your conversations over the years where you would talk about public service because of your background Ambassador Young and of course, you would talk about economics too.

Because for you, you know, Kabir working for JP Morgan in New York, economics is very important to you. So as you see kind of politics played out this week, a few days after midterm elections and see that the economy is at the root of a lot of people's judgments and sentiments, is it rather prophetic that you would end up talking about how economics really is at the root of so many troubles?

YOUNG: I think it's inevitable. When the campaign started and he was wanting to get in somebody's campaign, I said you already have a campaign. No matter who gets elected, the problems they face are going to be how to deal with a global economy.

And very few people in Congress know very much about economics and unfortunately most of them don't know much about the world and yet America has got to be in a position to give global leadership. It's not just the U.S. economy. The whole global economy is floundering.

I think President Obama is uniquely equipped to give global leadership at a time when everybody wants a simple local answer. Unfortunately I don't care how much you vote, it does not exist.

WHITFIELD: So, I wonder, Kabir, now you are not really interested in politics, you know, economics is really your thing, the ambassador is chuckling here, maybe you are.

But, you know, when you hear about the president while he's in India right now and making a promise to try to get more U.S. exports into India, you know, from an economist point of view you hear this and based on the dialogue you have had over the years, is this what an economist such as yourself wants to hear?

SEHGAL: Well, I like the idea of America starting to manufacture again. I mean, we became too much dependent on consumption and you know, people say, well, we should really look at revaluing the currency of China and you know, is there going to be a trade war that breaks out?

We're already in a trade war and we've run up $1.4 trillion in debt to the Chinese. We use a lot of consumer goods and half those consumer goods are sitting in landfills across America and we really need to get back to producing things in America.

With Obama, you're going to see, you know, Tim Geithner, all the economic team and also the foreign policy team, going around the world and asking for I think better trade terms. The key word is going to be rebouncing. How do we rebalance our economy? How to rebalance our government in a way so we're saving more and building things here?

I think it was a great trip to India. I think Obama needed a trip to India to go on his own pilgrimage after what he called a shellacking in the midterms. So maybe he's getting a gain in India that we need to get back to producing things.

WHITFIELD: In this book, conversations, you talk about the economy, you talk about public service and you don't necessarily see eye to eye on everything. That really is the beauty of this inter-generational conversation.

Do you feel like, Ambassador Young, this is kind of an example of this should be kind of an impetus for a lot of young people and elders to talk and talk, you know, and really talk about history and talk about the future and how the two should go together?

YOUNG: You should talk to your elders and it's not easy to disagree with them, but it's important that you disagree with them to think for yourself. I constantly remember the lessons I learned from my grandmother for instance and he from his grandfather.

But at the time you have to challenge, the important thing about growing up is coming to your own idea of who you are and who God made you.

WHITFIELD: Talk about that inner voice and outer voice.

YOUNG: And I think that that is what I challenged him -- and frankly there are no easy answers. There are no simple solutions to any of today's problems.

WHITFIELD: And Kabir, you know, what do you say --

YOUNG: It's living through them.

WHITFIELD: It is. It has to be fun. I wonder if it is fun for you too, Kabir, you know, to hear the stories from Ambassador Young and then to try to get your colleagues, your peers, to relate to the kind of conversation and kind of dialogue you've had all these years.

SEHGAL: Well, the challenge is when he started this project a lot of my peers didn't know who Andy Young was. They say who is that?

WHITFIELD: Which is astounding?

SEHGAL: Right, right. That's why we are trying to get this message out that it is important to talk to people who have been there and done that and got a few holes in their t-shirt and can apply it.

Because I don't really think our generations going to have a Civil Rights Movement that looked exactly like the one in the '60s, but if we learn principles from where they were and where they came from, we can apply it to things that we're doing in life.

Anytime, we can learn from someone who's been in the complex. We really apply this to our life and you know, it's not always easy working with Andy Young or speaking with him. He challenges me on a lot of things. He uses some salty language with me to challenge me. I really appreciate that.

WHITFIELD: I wonder if you all talked about that. Should we really include all that? It seems like the conclusion was, yes, we should.

YOUNG: It was because I think that's the way kids talk to each other. That's the way guys talk and I said this is mostly boy talk. I wouldn't have talked this way to my granddaughters.

WHITFIELD: Great. Well, Ambassador Andy Young and Kabir Sehgal out of New York, thanks so much to both you. "Walk in My Shoes." Conversations contain a civil rights legend and his Godson on the journey ahead. Really fantastic reading. Thanks so much. Good to see you. Good to see you even from afar. Appreciate that.

All right, high tech gadgets are becoming a staple on the holiday wish list. Doesn't that always seem to apply every year? Ambassador Young, do you think you have high tech stuff on your list?

YOUNG: I do.

WHITFIELD: You do?

YOUNG: You know, my Kendel went out this weekend. I feel frustrated.

WHITFIELD: OK, well, you need to stick around because Marc Saltzman is going to be with us in our tech time segment. He's got some great ideas on those perfect gadget gifts for the holiday.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, the day after Thanksgiving is one of the busiest shopping days of the year, but many retailers are offering black Friday deals throughout this entire month of November. So you don't have to wait until the end.

Some of the bargains are on high tech gifts, which can be real budget busters. So here to tell us how to find the best deals right now, syndicated technology columnist Marc Saltzman. Good to see you.

MARC SALTZMAN, SYNDICATED TECHNOLOGY COLUMNIST: You too, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Are you at home there in Toronto?

SALTZMAN: I'm in Toronto, yes.

WHITFIELD: OK, looks different there in your backdrop. Joining us from Skype as you do every weekend. So your first piece of advice begins with research.

SALTZMAN: That's right. So let's look at five ways to get a great deal on your tech toys beginning with research rules. So not only should you be using the internet to read professional and customer reviews of gadgets that you want to gift because nobody wants to give a lemon, of course, you want to read if that product is any good.

But you should also be using comparison shopping engines where you type in the name of a product, let's say a Cannon camera, a Garmin GPS, Samsung TV, and then what these web sites do is that they will scour all online retailers as well as traditional stores and it will tell you who has the best deal.

So it's really an efficient way of taking a look at the landscape and then picking out which retailer has the best deal and some of these places will also tell you the shipping costs and fold that in as well. That's tip number one. Do research.

WHITFIELD: Now, why do I want to check out auction sites and classifieds? That usually means it's going to be used. How do I know it's going to be in good condition or am I wrong on that?

SALTZMAN: No, you're not wrong, but it's a bit of a misconception that sites like eBay for example sell only second-hand or previously enjoyed products. Many millions of products are on sale that are brand new, never opened from individuals like you and I, from small stores, distributors, importers, so they are brand new.

It's also a bit of a misconception that you need to bid on everything. Not everyone likes that auction process. Whereas more than half of the products available have a buy it now option. You can pay outright.

And similarly those classified sites like Craigslist or eBay classifieds where it's more local, they also sell lots of new products. So if budgets are tight this year, consider these places, you know, these non-traditional places you've go online instead of your local big box store or their web site.

WHITFIELD: And then for some people they have tools it right there at their fingertips so to speak. Your Smartphones, social networking, all those can help you find a good deal how?

SALTZMAN: That's right. There are lots of great apps or applications. Most of them are free. That will tell you if you're going to get a good deal or not on a product you see right there in the store.

I know retailers hate this, but check this out. Web sites like - apps like SnapTell, for example, lets you take a picture of a product like a DVD, a book, a video game, music CD and it will tell you who has the best deal online.

It takes that photo and matches to a database and tells you who has the best deal online or in your general area. It will say 0.3 miles away. There is a target and this has the product on sale.

So you're in the store and it might tell you don't buy here. You can find a cheaper a block down the road. There's another one called Red Laser that lets you take pictures of bar codes and does the same thing and then Facebook recently launched an app called Deals that also is an opt in location based service that tells you the best deals in your geographical area.

WHITFIELD: OK, and so price guarantees. How do we get some assurances that we're not getting ripped off?

SALTZMAN: Yes, so make sure that the retailer you want to buy from that they will honor any price drops. Let's say, you know, around the holidays or in Canada here, we have boxing weeks sales where prices are really dropped.

A lot of retailers will say, OK, you know, they will match that or they'll give you a guarantee or if you take a flyer in a circular from one retailer and go to your favorite retailer that's maybe closer.

Make sure they match or if not beat the price to get your business. Times are tough this holiday. So you'll be surprised if you put pressure on your retailer, the one you want to shop at, they'll match if not beat the price for competing store.

WHITFIELD: OK, and then you say keep it digital. What do you mean by that?

SALTZMAN: Right, so the last tip is to gift something digital if the recipient is good with that. So, I mean, traditionally, we want to get something tangible that you can hold, but if you think about it, our entertainment is going digital.

We're downloading movies and games and music and other apps so you can always gift, for example, I heard one of your guests talk about their kindle. You can give a book digitally. You know, you can get gift cards so they can download a book digitally instead of giving a traditional book.

You can save money by keeping it digital. Similarly, you can give an iTunes gift card if you know that there's an iPhone or iPad lover on your gift list and they can download songs instead of buying the physical CD because often the prices are cheaper when you keep it digital.

WHITFIELD: So many options. Marc Saltzman, count on you for that. Thank you so much. Appreciate it.

SALTZMAN: Thanks, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Have a good rest of the weekend.

WHITFIELD: All right, well, how about this? A patriotic show of support at the funeral for a fallen U.S. troop. How a small town stood up to outsiders to keep them from disturbing a grieving family.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, worried that protesters might disrupt the funeral of one of their own, residents of a small Missouri town took action. People in Weston bonded together forming a human shield. They crowded out the protesters so the family of the fallen soldier could bury him in peace.

Here now is Meredith Hoenes (ph) of CNN Affiliate WDAF.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Probably half of the people of Weston are here.

MEREDITH HOENES, WDAF-TV (voice-over): In a town of less than 2,000 people, several hundred showed up to show support for the family of First Sergeant CJ Sadal.

ERIC MOSER, FALLEN SOLDIER'S SUPPORTER: CJ's a member of our community here in Weston. A lot of people that are here today are members of this community that came out to honor him.

HOENES: Sadal was in Arif Kala, Afghanistan when his unit was ambushed October 5th. Five soldiers died. He was badly injured. He lost that battle October 24th.

REECCA ROONEY, WESTON RESIDENT: You think about it, they've gone and served just so we could do this and, you know, to be able to have our say. That's what it was all about. He didn't die in vain that's for sure. We remember.

HOENES: Rebecca Rooney is a Weston resident who wanted to stand up against Fred Phelps and his followers.

ROONEY: We got everyone here early to take up all of the parking spots so that Mr. Phipps wouldn't have a contingency that was really close.

MOSER: This corner is where they had a permit that they got to protest is for this corner. So we got here long before they did so that they couldn't have this corner.

HOENES: They came armed with patriotic music, American flags and one large enough to cover unwanted protestors.

MOSER: Pride, honor, love.

HOENES: And the town's arsenal work. Westborough church members disappeared.

ROONEY: I'm glad they left. I'm sad they came, but I'm glad they left as well. I'm glad that the family didn't have to see them.

HOENES: People came from Blue Spring, California, and even Australia to be a part of the band of patriotic supporters, half of the intersection, the other half creating a human shield at the funeral home.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that they didn't do their opposition research really well. If they knew Weston it's a patriotic town anyway.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right, among those protected from seeing the funeral protestors were Sadal's wife and two sons.

All right, time for a CNN Equals Politics update. The Republican running for House majority leader is criticizing Democrats for considering electing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as their leader in the next Congress.

Representative Eric Cantor says voters rejected Pelosi's agenda outright and he says, if House Democrats elect Pelosi House minority leader, then they don't get the election message.

Pelosi has at least one top Democrat in her corner. Maryland Congressman Chris Van Holland, he tells CNN's "STATE OF THE UNION" that he'll support Pelosi for minority leader in January.

That's exactly when two Republicans will make a major decision. Indiana Congressman Mike Pence and Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty said they will decide whether to run for president after the first of the year.

All right, tens of thousands are running in today's New York City marathon, but one of the rescued Chilean miners is overshadowing all of them. We're going live to New York next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, if you are a runner, you may be among those who wait all year long for this very moment, the New York City marathon. On the sidelines, our Susan Candiotti, you mean, she's not suited up to get going this year? How did it go? You had a couple headliners.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Everyone is looking at what's happening with Edison Pena. We are six hours into the race so far. At last word he's about 45 minutes out and what a race it has been for him. He started of running and then a few hours into it, he stopped off at the first aid tent and then packed his knees with ice. He's been walking ever since.

They say he has about 45 minutes to go before he cross the finish line. Because of contractual obligations, we can't show you any pictures of the race for another or so. But until then I can tell you that the fastest woman finish in 2:28 and fastest man in 2:08.

As you said, a lot of people are stargazing especially looking out for Edison Pena. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CANDIOTTI (voice-over): The celebrity king of this year's New York City marathon is Edison Pena, a huge fan of king of Rock and Roll, Elvis. The rescued Chilean miner shined on David Letterman and appears to be getting a kick out of all the attention.

EDISON PENA, RESCUED CHILEAN MINER (through translator): I have to take advantage of it in case I can and I will be an idiot if I didn't do it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It does actually seem like the Chilean miner is going to upstage any of the other stars who are running in the New York City marathon.

CANDIOTTI: Stargazing is half the fun of watching about 45,000 runners over 26 miles. Actors Anthony Edwards and Mrs. Tom Cruise Katie Holmes, Rapper P. Diddy, Rockers (INAUDIBLE) and David Lee Roth, former Governor Mike Huckabee and TV chef, Bobby Blade have all crossed the finish line. This year, Howard Stern's psychic and new jogger Robin Quivers is challenging herself.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My runners high hits me after I stop.

CANDIOTTI: For stars, running a marathon is hardly for laughs.

SUZANNE ZUCKERMAN, PEOPLE MAGAZINE: When celebrities are doing this, they're not just sort of running through their own glory. It's often to shine their spotlight on a cause close to their heart.

CANDIOTTI: Quivers who has her own foundation is running for two children's charities. Last year actor Edward Norton raised more than $1.2 million for charity.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How good is that?

UNIDENTIFEID FEMALE: That's good stuff.

CANDIOTTI: Subway spokesman, Jared Fogle famous for dropping 245 pounds on all subdiet put the marathon on his bucket list.

JARED FOGLE, SUBWAY SPOKESMAN: I'm going to say it's done. It's over.

CANDIOTTI: Howard Stern said don't expect a day off Monday.

ROBIN QUIVERS, 15FOUNDATION.ORG: Come on, I'm running 26 miles. He said don't die, but make sure you get to work.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CANDIOTTI: And Edison Pena said he wanted to inspire himself. He's done both. Back to you.

WHITFIELD: Yes, he has. All right, all of the best to him. All you need to do is just finish, right? It doesn't matter how fast or how slow. Just finish. All right, thanks a lot, Susan.

All right, coming up in one hour, what would you tweet your 16- year-old self? Kind of an advice that you would you give yourself if you communicated with yourself when you were 16, a trending topic on twitter.

And at 5:00 Eastern, landing a seasonal job. We has some tips on how you make yourself stand out from the other job seekers. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. See you in an hour from now. Right now time for "YOUR MONEY."