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What to Expect From Security Screenings While Traveling; Weekend's Big Plays; What's Trending; Tips to Stay Healthy While Flying; Verdict Reached in Chandra Levy Case
Aired November 22, 2010 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone.
Live from Studio 7, CNN world headquarters, the news and information you need for Monday, November 22nd.
Outrage grows as holiday travel picks up this week. The government's new buzzwords for airport pat-downs, "minimally invasive."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For the safety of everyone, you have to find out what people have on them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Yes, absolutely.
If you drive to avoid airport security hassles, get ready to shell out more money at the pump. Gas prices are up a pretty penny over last year.
And you never leave home without them. Germs follow you on your holiday travels. We look at ways to dodge bugs that could wreck the holiday season for you.
Good morning, everyone. I'm Tony Harris.
Those stories and your comments right here, right now in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Let's get to it.
The holiday travel rush is on, but don't expect any major changes to the new enhanced airport security despite the backlash. The head of the TSA says the agency is trying to strike a delicate balance between privacy and security.
In a statement, John Pistole says, "We welcome feedback and comments on the screening procedures from the traveling public, and we work to make them as minimally invasive as possible while still providing the security that the American people want and deserve."
New incidents are adding to the backlash over those more invasive pat- down searches. A cancer survivor and flight attendant in North Carolina says she was forced to show her prosthetic breasts. She calls the incident "embarrassing and degrading."
A Michigan man says he was humiliated by a pat-down search. Thomas Sawyer is a bladder cancer patient and he wears a bag attached to his kidneys. He says a TSA screener ruptured the bag, spilling urine on him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
THOMAS SAWYER, HUMILIATED BY TSA SCREENING: I don't think he was trained to deal with me. As I reflect back on it now, I think maybe he was as much shocked at what he had done than I was, and that's why he didn't respond at all.
He didn't apologize, didn't offer me help. I don't think he was trained for -- he didn't know what a urostomy was. These people need to be trained on medical conditions and emotional conditions of some patients.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Oh, boy.
And then there is this viral video we're going to show you of a little boy with no search receiving a pat-down search. Just to clarify here, the officials say the father removed the shirt to speed up the screening process after he set off a metal detector. It happened at the airport in Salt Lake City.
The TSA administrator was asked about complaints from people who say they feel violated, and the incident involving the young boy in particular. Here's what he told Kiran Chetry on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN PISTOLE, TSA ADMINISTRATOR: What I understand is when the boy walked through the metal detector and alarm, his father decided to take matters into this own hands and took his shirt off, showed the resolve that there was no issue there. And so the father and the security officer helped the boy get the shirt back on and they went along.
So that's the information I have now. So, clearly, common sense has to play a role in this, but we also have to remember, how can we provide the best possible security while working with the traveling public as a partnership?
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: How do you make sure this goes smoothly and that you don't have more situations where people feel violated?
PISTOLE: Sure. And actually, we're having over two million people a day travel, especially Tuesday and Wednesday, and next Sunday, the busiest traveling days. And so the advanced imaging technology is simply our best technology that will detect the plots that we saw, for example, on Christmas Day, with the non-metallic device that would not be picked up on a walk-through metal detector. People can opt out of that, and if they do opt out, then we just ask that they have a thorough pat-down to make sure there is not a Christmas Day bomber.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: OK. So a full show of the majority of Americans support enhanced security like the body scanners. Most travelers won't be subjected to the more intense screening.
So what can you expect when you get to the airport?
CNN's Carol Costello joining us now with the view from Reagan National in Washington, D.C.
And Carol, let's do this -- let's put this into real perspective. What is the experience going to be like for folks traveling this week?
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you have to keep in mind, Tony, that there are only, what, 70 full-body scanners -- no, there are full-body scanners in only 70 airports out of hundreds of airports. So most people won't even have to endure that. You won't have to endure those pat-downs unless you opt out of the full-body scanner.
Now, here at Reagan National in Washington, D.C., passengers seem kind of resigned by it all. There is a full-body scanner right behind me. People have been going through all morning.
I have been here since 5:00 a.m. Eastern Time. Nobody has really complained or opted out. Passengers say, "I've got to get where I'm going. I know it's intrusive, but maybe better safe than sorry."
I talked with a few passengers. Here's what they had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm going to opt for the pat-down.
COSTELLO: Even though some people say it's very intrusive?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It can't be any more intrusive than the full- body scan and the image they get.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The body scan for everyone.
COSTELLO: Why?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Simply because I'd prefer them not to be touched by strangers, which I think most -- many parents feel that way.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: And, Tony, many parents do feel that way. I mean, what do you tell your kids when a stranger is touching them in ways that you tell them that strangers ought not to touch them? So, most of the parents going through have opted to take their children through the full-body scanners so strangers don't touch them.
Now, there's a bit of bright news, a little teeny, tiny bit. And I'm going to throw that your way right now. Are you ready for it, Tony?
HARRIS: Please. Yes, absolutely.
COSTELLO: OK. So, the TSA has modified its pat-down procedures for children 12 years old or under. We don't know exactly what that means, but we presume it means that the groin area and other areas that are private are probably not patted down as intrusively. Now, if your child sets the metal detector off, though, then all bets are off, and your child will get the full-body pat-down, invasive as it is.
HARRIS: Right.
So, Carol, here's the thing. You have got to respond to the threats that are known and what may be coming. So you get the Christmas Day bombing attempt, and you have to institute some new rules. And then whenever you do that, there are unintended consequences. And it sounds like, with the modification that you just detailed, it is a response by the TSA to some unintended consequences, and there are some ways that we can make this simpler and a better experience for folks.
COSTELLO: Right. It's just a tiny modification, but with Christmas coming up, the TSA is not going to change things drastically. It may change things after the holiday season, when they feel it's safer to do so, but right now passengers are kind of stuck.
HARRIS: That's a great point.
All right. Carol Costello for us.
Carol, as always, good to see you. Thank you.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton weighs in on the security firestorm. She says she understands the importance of the screenings, but on CBS's "Face the Nation," she admitted should would have personal reservations about the pat-downs.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOB SCHIEFFER, "FACE THE NATION": Well, would you submit to one of these pat-downs?
HILLARY CLINTON, SECRETARY OF STATE: Not if I could avoid it. No. I mean, who would?
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Yes, who would?
(NEWSBREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: OK. Making news around the nation this morning, a big sting on the north side of Chicago.
Two brothers under arrest for allegedly buying and selling millions of dollars' worth of stolen goods. Investigators say the brothers are accused of removing security tags, identification labels, and changing dates on some products to sell them past their expiration.
In Los Angeles, it was police to the rescue after a man apparently jumped into a rain-swollen river. Rescuers and a helicopter finally were able to pull him out four miles downstream.
I'm trying to watch this with you here. The man is hospitalized in stable condition.
And talk about impatient, one of Oklahoma's newest residents couldn't wait for the doctors. He was born in the backseat of his parents' car with help from Tulsa paramedics. Mama and baby boy just fine.
Jimmie Johnson revs into NASCAR history. And Michael Vick, MV7, looking like a bit of a lock for the NFL MVP.
J.A. joining me to talk about the biggest plays for the weekend. Jamaal Anderson, leader of the -- are you ramped? Are you ready to do this?
JAMAAL ANDERSON, FMR. NFL PLAYER: I'm ready to do this.
HARRIS: Let's do a break.
ANDERSON: By the way, the dirty birds leading, too.
HARRIS: Eight and two.
ANDERSON: Eight and two.
HARRIS: We're back in a moment. Jamaal Anderson's here.
You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Hello? Hello?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: I'll tell you, we just love talking sports with Jamaal Anderson.
So, two weeks ago, Peyton Manning; last night, Donavan McNabb; and last night, Eli Manning, the latest star quarterback to get burned by Michael Vick. Plus, the Jets' narrow escape.
Do we even want to talk about the Jets? They're a good story. They're a great story.
ANDERSON: They are a good story. I mean, the Jets came back yesterday --
HARRIS: They were playing Houston. ANDERSON: They were playing the Houston Texans.
HARRIS: And they had the lead and lost the lead.
ANDERSON: Right. You had a 16-point fourth quarter deficit that the Jets -- the Jets had -- excuse me, they blew a 16-point --
HARRIS: Right, they had the lead.
ANDERSON: They had the lead. Sanchez does a great job in the last drive to come back.
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: Fantastic.
The key here on this play -- everybody is talking about fantastic pass from Sanchez.
HARRIS: That's a great pass.
ANDERSON: Santonio Holmes does an excellent job --
HARRIS: Was it a pick?
ANDERSON: No. He does an excellent job of using late (ph) hands. I don't think it was a pick.
HARRIS: No? OK. OK.
ANDERSON: Everybody runs that play.
HARRIS: Yes, everybody does. Well, is it a rub (ph)?
ANDERSON: If you can -- they don't call it --
HARRIS: It's not a pick. It could be illegal.
ANDERSON: If they don't call it, it's a touchdown.
HARRIS: It's a touchdown.
ANDERSON: Yes.
HARRIS: Absolutely.
OK. Let's talk about Michael Vick.
ANDERSON: Right.
HARRIS: Is it possible for him to win comeback player of the year and MVP? Talk to me about how this guy is playing from a bit of a football perspective as a man who has played the game. What are you seeing?
ANDERSON: Yes, and played with Michael Vick. HARRIS: Yes, that's right. That's right.
ANDERSON: He is completely focused and has an understanding of where he is trying to go with the ball. I talked about this before.
He's a fantastic athlete. At any given time, he would be one of the top four runners on the football field regardless of the team that they're playing. Regardless of the team you're playing.
HARRIS: Yes.
ANDERSON: Then he has a fantastic arm. Now he understands where he's going with the ball. He's surrounded by a level of continuity in the coaching staff that he's never had, Tony. Four different coordinators in six seasons in Atlanta.
HARRIS: But he says he could have been better, too. He could have prepared better. He could have been better to the sport that was loving him.
ANDERSON: No question about it. We did not get the full version of Michael Vick. He had to go through what he had to go through, obviously jail and everything else. And now look what he's doing.
HARRIS: So, you see the scenario that's setting up here. It's unavoidable.
We could have a situation where we have the NFC Championship game in Atlanta. If the records stay the same and the Falcons stay a game ahead of Philadelphia -- there a lot of games to play, obviously.
ANDERSON: Right. There are.
HARRIS: But can you imagine a scenario where the Eagles come to Atlanta to play the Falcons, the Eagles, led by Vick, taking on his former team for a trip to the Super Bowl?
ANDERSON: Yes. Listen, Tony, it could easily be Dirty-Birding all of the way to Dallas, seriously.
Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles are playing good, the first place now in the division. We went to Philadelphia a couple weeks ago and saw Kevin Kolb. We want to be at home.
The people -- nobody is talking about the Falcons, but, oh, by the way, guys, the Falcons are 8-2. First place, the best record in the NFC.
You guys better wake up around the league. This is a team that Matt Ryan is very comfortable --
HARRIS: He is such a good-looking quarterback.
ANDERSON: We would prefer to keep home field advantage, the Atlanta Falcons, so people can cheer and we can play in the dome.
HARRIS: Take about the dominance of Jimmie Johnson. Let's take a NASCAR turn here for a second.
ANDERSON: Yes.
HARRIS: His fifth win in a row.
ANDERSON: Fifth win.
HARRIS: He is the king of NASCAR. This was the most difficult road for him because he went into the final race trailing at points.
ANDERSON: Yes.
HARRIS: Talk about the dominance of this guy.
ANDERSON: Well, Winston Cup -- the championship has been around for seven years, Jimmie Johnson has won five.
HARRIS: Yes.
ANDERSON: Five. OK. Well, we're not talking about people who are born differently -- this guy is taller, he can jump faster, he can throw harder.
HARRIS: Yes.
ANDERSON: They all have the same car. Tony, they all have the same car.
HARRIS: Right.
ANDERSON: And we're not talking about a guy who's always getting pole (ph) position. He came from behind.
HARRIS: Exactly.
ANDERSON: OK? So it's a level playing field. Three weeks ago, in Texas, (INAUDIBLE) benches the pit crew, then he switches pit crew with Jeff Gordon for the last two races --
HARRIS: Yes, with Jeff Gordon. Right.
ANDERSON: -- and he still ends up winning.
HARRIS: Good for the sport, this kind of dominance, or bad for the sport for this kind of dominance, year after year?
ANDERSON: Well, and it's interesting because Dale Earnhardt is popular.
HARRIS: Right.
ANDERSON: Denny Hamlin had a 15-point lead coming in.
HARRIS: Jeff Gordon had a nice run.
ANDERSON: Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick. Carl Edwards, who actually won the race, is going to be very tough and is very, very popular.
It's interesting. You know how it is when you win too much?
HARRIS: Right. Right. Right.
ANDERSON: It's kind of like, people are like, oh, I don't know, I want to see some changes. But his dominance is exceptional.
HARRIS: All he does is win, win, win, as the song goes.
ANDERSON: Absolutely.
HARRIS: Jamaal Anderson, good to see you, baby.
ANDERSON: Always a pleasure.
HARRIS: Have a good day.
Still to come, you might not be doing laps around a NASCAR track, right? But your trip to grandma's will cost a bit more when you stop at the gas station. We'll explain in a moment.
You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BUSINESS REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: We are online, just like you, keeping an eye on some of the trending stories.
Sandra Endo joining me from Washington.
Sandy, good morning. Good to see you.
SANDRA ENDO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey there, Tony.
Trending today, well, all the talk is about the TSA pat-downs, as you know. And usually the subject sparks heated debate and anger, pitting security over privacy rights.
Well, leave it to "Saturday Night Live" to have their own take on the matter, with, of course, a lot of humor.
Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE")
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Feeling lonely this holiday season?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Looking for a little human interaction?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you want to feel contact in certain special places? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Then why not go through security at an airport?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The TSA.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Oh, that's good.
ENDO: Yes, and that video is trending on CNN.com right now if you want to take a look at the fuller length of the clip.
And on Twitter -- remember, Tony, when we didn't have social media?
HARRIS: Oh, yes. I do.
ENDO: Yes. Well, the hash tag "Remember When" is trending on Twitter and getting a huge response from people with a little nostalgia. They are tweeting and reminiscing about their past.
We have a little example here. Check it out.
"Remember when following people you didn't know was called stalking, not Twitter."
And this guy writes, "Remember when 99 cents a gallon gasoline?" I don't really remember that, but --
HARRIS: Oh, you're so young. You don't remember 99-cent-a-gallon -- oh my goodness?
ENDO: I remember this, though. Remember when cassette tapes were awesome to have in your car?
HARRIS: Oh my God. I remember eight tracks.
ENDO: Yes. That was, like, back in the day.
HARRIS: In the day.
All right, Sandy. Good to see you. See you next hour. Thank you.
ENDO: You got it.
HARRIS: Such a baby.
You never leave home without them. We're talking about germs here. Steer clear of bugs that could wreck your holiday. Elizabeth Cohen will show you how.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: A view of what's being called America's most dangerous city, St. Louis, Missouri. That's based solely on a study comparing the latest crime data. We're just swinging around the country here with our tower cams. A representative for the St. Louis Police called that irresponsible. New York, by the way, ranked 269th. Feels unfair to have a picture that beautiful of St. Louis and throw that stat up.
In Chicago, another great day to be in the audience for the "Oprah Winfrey Show." The talk show queen is talking about her ultimate favorite things. And again, today, she is giving the audience, Elizabeth, we're talking about tons of goodies. How about the iPad. People are telling me that is going to be the gift of the holiday season, the iPad. And she's giving them away. What about adding a lovely Coach purse, maybe silk and cashmere. Would you like to have that in your wardrobe?
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Why am I here and not there?
HARRIS: Why are we here? Yes, Chicago on a great day?
OK. So you want to get to your thanksgiving destination and you have to fly. You're in the tube, right? So, how can you avoid getting sick when someone on your plane is sneezing up a storm? Ah, great question.
So Elizabeth Cohen is here, and you have some Empowered Patient tips for us for the holiday season. Where do you want to start with this?
COHEN: I want to start by saying that this is not just an urban myth. Diseases do travel on planes. It's been documented. It's in medical journals. There was a lady who flew back in the '90s with tuberculosis and gave it to six of her fellow passengers. Do you remember that?
HARRIS: Yes. I do. I do.
COHEN: There was someone who traveled with SARS. Remember SARS? This would have been 2003. Twenty-two people got SARS from that person on the airplane. So it really does happen.
And I want to show you an animation that kind of illustrates what happens when someone sneezes on plane. Because it really says it all. All right, there's the sneezer, the person in red. See those germs? Do you see what they're doing? They actually could figure out where germs are going. So, it's the people next to you, the people behind you.
HARRIS: What about 10 rows or so? I'm 10 rows away from the sneeze episode. Do I need to be concerned?
COHEN: Not really. I know people talk about the lack of circulating air, but there is some circulating air. And if it's 10 rows away from you, probably then it's not going to get to you.
HARRIS: All right. What are the Empowered Patient tips, keeping these germs away from you when you travel?
COHEN: All right. Let's go through three big things that you can go.
HARRIS: Let's do it. COHEN: All right. Number one, what you can do is you can sanitize after you're on the escalator of after you use an ATM. Airport escalators and ATMs are incredibly busy. You're touching --
HARRIS: I would never think of that.
COHEN: I know. I know. But look at the escalator. See how many hands are on there? Everything you've touched has been touched before and those germs could still be running around there.
Also, if you have an option, opt for the front of the plane because there generally is better circulation there and the germs aren't quite as like, sort of hanging around, getting people sick.
Now, here's another one, is turn away from a sneezer. I mean, I have been on long flights next to someone who looks like they really should have stayed at home. And even if you sort of just position your body a bit, kind if away, it can actually help. It's not going to completely help, but it can help.
And here's another one. You know that air thing they have above you?
HARRIS: Yes.
COHEN: Send the air away from you, so that the air is not going towards you, it's going away from you.
HARRIS: So, send it to you, in your direction?
COHEN: Right, exactly. Send it to the other person.
HARRIS: But you're going to reach up and turn that thing off, but, no, it's fun if you can get away with it. Do it when they're sleeping.
All right, Elizabeth, appreciate it. Thank you. Good tips as always.
The fastest gun on two feet. Unless you see the video, you have no idea of what we're about to show you, but we will. We're going to tease it a bit more and make you wait until after the break. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: OK, you know, they're putting on the show chains right now in Spokane, Washington. A big winter storm moved in overnight, bringing that area the season's first major snowfall and giving commuters a really slippery drive into work today.
(WEATHER REPORT)
(CROSSTALK)
HARRIS: Let's look at some of the video here, amazing video, right? If you need six arms to help out with one back flip, maybe you shouldn't bother, right? Take a look. M: Yes, this guy is not going to make it in the Cirque de Soleil auditing.
HARRIS: It's not going to happen.
All right. And check this one out now. I haven't seen this one. Ready for this? So the man has no arms but he can definitely defend himself. Look at this. He's going to fire that thing.
M: That is a skilled sportsman right there. Fantastic.
HARRIS: OK, got to go. We're so long in the segment. Got to go. Back in a moment. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: So, let's get you caught up on top stories now. Germany is sealing off the top of its parliament building. A weekend media report claiming al Qaeda was planning an attack. Tourists now need reservations to get into the rooftop restaurant.
NATO's top civilian in Afghanistan clarifying his remarks on a current affairs programs for children. Mark Sedwill says kids in Kabul are probably safer than those in New York or London. Contradicting a U.N. report, Sedwill says he was trying to make British children understand violence in Afghanistan is uneven and there are safe spots.
And an about-face with the Pope. He says it may be OK for male sex workers to use condoms. Just a year ago Benedict said you can't resolve HIV with the distribution of condoms. In fact, he said increase the problem.
Sarah Palin gives us a sneak peek at her new book. Ed Henry, part of the Best Political Team on Television, live from the White House.
You want to talk about a brand, you want to talk about an industry. Ed, first of all, good to see you. Talk about Sarah Palin, please, sir.
ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Sarah Palin, Inc., I guess is what you're suggesting.
HARRIS: Yes.
HENRY: It's pretty interesting, as well, how someone like Sarah Palin is using social media, as you were just talking to Sandy (ph) about, which is interesting because she's very carefully selecting what she wants to put out there. Gawker, the web site, had gotten some excerpts from her new book and it put out some sort of unflattering excerpts, such as how she was beating up on "American Idol" contestants, for example.
She made sure that a federal judge stopped Gawker from moving forward with the excerpts and put out some of her on own on Facebook and, surprise, surprise, they've very glowing excerpts about people who have inspired her, including Ronald Reagan, a previous Republican president, saying at one point in her book, it is a challenge both for our country and for us individually. I take this challenge seriously, passing on peace, prosperity, and liberty. Certainly sounding at least like a Republican presidential candidate there.
Someone who is not sounding like a presidential candidate is Bobby Jindal, the governor of Louisiana. He was on NBC's "Meet the Press" yesterday and he basically said he's going to be focused on running for re-election as governor in 2011, and is not really entertaining talk of running for president. But interestingly, when he was asked whether he might be a vice presidential candidate in 2012, he kept the door wide open saying, quote, "I'm not going to turn down something offered to me," Tony.
HARRIS: Interesting. Ed, if you would, help folks watching us remember the 1970s, oh yes, and we're not talking about the big afros of the day and bell bottoms and everything else.
The Carter administration, right? And then alleged bunny killer. Will you connect these dots for us, please?
HENRY: OK. Well, Jimmy Carter, former president's got a book out, "White House Diary," all of these behind-the-scenes tales. One thing he did not talk about is what was the real story behind the so-called killer rabbit. So Howie Kurtz had him on "Reliable Sources" this weekend and President Carter finally explained what really happened.
This was the incident where he was out in a boat in Plains, Georgia, and a rabbit got a little close to the boat and so the president splashed him with some water, the rabbit ran away. There was a photo, though, of this rabbit near the president. It became sort of a one- week story. There was a headline in the "Washington Post" saying, "Killer Rabbit." You know, president splashes this killer rabbit.
Well, Jimmy Carter basically says that where this all started was his press secretary, Jody Powell, after this innocuous incident had told sort of a reporter, or maybe multiple reporters about it in a bar, late at night after some drinking had gone on. So the story got blown out of proportion.
Some people think that the moral of the story is it that the media sometimes blow things out of proportion. I sort of take away, as a White House correspondent, it's good to hear that some things never change. White House press secretary still giving out information late at night in bars, you know, maybe or maybe not alcohol or not being consumed. Kind of interesting.
HARRIS: We can make some assumptions there.
All right, Ed. Appreciate it. Good to see you, sir. Thank you.
Your next political update in an hour. For the latest news, you know where to go. That's CNNPolitics.com.
This week, CNN is celebrating heroes from all over the world. What a show for you on Thursday. Can you guess how many nominations we received this year? (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Wow, I didn't know it was this many. Boy, just this year, 2010 only, CNN received more than 10,000 hero nominations from 100 countries.
Thanksgiving week means, you know, travel, family, food, and of course the CNN Hero of the Year. This is the fourth year for CNN Heroes, recognizing people who unselfishly take on huge problems and make a real difference.
CNN's Brooke Anderson brings us the all-star tribute for the Top 10 Heroes of the year.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Chilean miners, the most inspiring story of the year, kicked off an evening dedicated to people from around the world who are changing the world.
ANDERSON COOPER, HOST, "CNN HEROES": They are warriors against injustice, doing battle for all of us.
ANDERSON (voice-over): CNN'S 2010 Top 10 Heroes include a Cambodian man dedicated to clearing the land mines he was forced to plant as a child soldier, and a Scotsman whose program feeds hundreds of thousands of children in 15 countries.
MAGNUS MACFARLANE-BARROW, TOP 10 CNN HERO: Every child in the world should be able to receive at least one good meal every day.
ANDERSON (voice-over): An ex-con and former drug addict who helps other women just out of prison stay out and stay clean. And a 74- year-old grandmother whose hospital in Juarez, Mexico is an oasis in that violent city.
GUADALUPE ARIZPE DE LA VEGA, TOP 10 CNN HERO: Do not be afraid, and never, never, never give up.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Seeing it through. That commitment, with no fear.
ANDERSON (voice-over): A host of celebrities were on hand to pay tribute to each hero.
AARON ECKHART, ACTOR: It is inspiring for our young children and for me and for all those people out there who want to do good for the world.
ANDERSON (voice-over): Sugarland, John Legend, featuring Common and Melanie Fiona, and Bon Jovi provided the music, and nearly two million online votes provided the Hero of the Year.
COOPER: Anuradha Koirala.
(CROWD CHEERS)
ANDERSON (voice-over): Anuradha was awarded an additional $100,000 for her work in Nepal rescuing thousands of girls from sexual slavery.
ANURADHA KOIRALA, CNN HERO OF THE YEAR: We need to do this for all our daughters.
ANDERSON (voice-over): All ten heroes received $25,000 each, but the examples they set are priceless. Brooke Anderson, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: And you can watch the entire special event here on CNN on Thanksgiving night at 8:00 Eastern, that is 5:00 Pacific. You will be stunned. Amazing television you will see this night.
And watch for the star-studded tribute on "Showbiz Tonight," the preshow at 7:00 Eastern, that's 4:00 Pacific, here on CNN and on our sister network, that is HLN. Straight from the red carpet. That's going be amazing.
Of course the American Music Awards is all the rage right now in the entertainment world, from Bieber fever to the blast from the past that rocked the house. "Showbiz Tonight" host A.J. Hammer has everything you want to know. That's live, next hour.
We're back in a moment.
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HARRIS: OK. We're getting news into the CNN NEWSROOM that the jury has reached a verdict in the trial of the man accused in the slaying of Chandra Levy. Ingmar Guandique, as you know is charged with the murder in connection with Levy's death nearly a decade ago. So the jury has reached the verdict. We obviously don't know what that verdict is at this point. Everyone has to be reassembled for the reading of that verdict. When that begins, when that process gets underway and we have the verdict, of course, we will bring it to you right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Do you remember where you were, what you were doing when President Kennedy was assassinated? For those assigned to protect him, the memories are painfully clear. Now, 47 years later, many of those Secret Service agents recall that fateful day.
Also, next hour, pro-football's concussion crisis. Former NFL quarterback Kurt Warner talks with our Dr. Sanjay Gupta about all the hard knocks he took and how he is still suffering the effects of those concussions. That's next hour in the CNN NEWSROOM.
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HARRIS: Once again we understand that the jury has reached a verdict in the trial of a man accused of the slaying of Chandra Levy. Boy, that is a murder that took place nearly a decade ago now. Our senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin is on the line with me.
Jeffrey, we understand that the jury has reached a verdict. Maybe you can remind us how this trial has played out, the evidence presented. Direct evidence? Circumstantial evidence? How did this case play out in court?
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST (via telephone): Well, it certainly played out under a much less of a media spotlight --
HARRIS: I think you're absolutely right about that.
TOOBIN: -- than the investigation when Gary Condit, then a congressman, was under so much a focus of media attention, if not police attention. During the summer of 2001, it was really sort of the signature story of cable news in the period right before 9/11.
For many years it was a cold case. Then at last Chandra Levy's body was discovered in Rock Creek Park and the police began to focus on the Salvadoran immigrant named Ingmar Guandique, I believe, is the proper pronunciation, who had been convicted earlier of assaulting two women in almost exactly the same place.
The case against him is pretty circumstantial. There is no DNA test. There is an apparently, much contested by the defense, confession to a cell mate by Guandique. But that -- those kind of confessions are highly questionable. And that's the heart of a case. This all had a pattern of attacking women there. But there is no confession to police and there's no DNA evidence tying him to the crime.
HARRIS: All right, Jeffery, let's do this. Let's leave it there until we get the verdict. In this process we have a period of time once the jury announces that it has reached a verdict and then everyone has to be assembled back into the courtroom, correct?
TOOBIN: That's right.
HARRIS: OK. And let's do that and we'll talk a little later.
Jeffrey Toobin on the line with us.
Let's get to the top of the hour here.
