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Bombers Hit Embassies in Rome; Mudslides in California; North Korea Threatens War on South; Al Qaeda Targeting America's Food?; Interview With New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson; Bad Weather Hits West Coast; WikiLeaks Document Drop Reveals Conversation About Anna Nicole Smith in Bahamas; Wounded Veterans Give Shout-Outs to Friends and Colleagues; Harry Reid Credits Comity in Senate as Reason for Recent Legislative Successes

Aired December 23, 2010 - 15:00   ET

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

T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Here we are coming to the top of the hour now. I am T.J. Holmes.

We are keeping an eye on a story we have been watching throughout the day and getting new developments and new information about it. It's about those bombs that went off this morning in Rome. You probably heard about these, sent a couple of people to the hospital, not exactly huge bombs, but they were packages that were mailed to the Swiss and Chilean embassies in Rome.

Right now, nearly all the embassies and the consulates in Rome being swept, checked for any other explosives -- explosives or suspicious packages. There was no warning of these beforehand. And, so far, we don't have a claim for responsibility.

One bit of new info that we do have involves where the bombs may have come from. That is important because there could be possibly a pattern developing.

Here with me in our Atlanta studio, Harold Copus. He's a former FBI special agent who can -- who can no doubt help us connect some of these dots. We have talked to you plenty over the -- over the years on a lot of these terrorism issues.

You stand by. We are going to talk to you in just a second.

I want to first go to London, though, where our senior international correspondent, Dan Rivers, has been watching this throughout the day for us there in Rome.

Dan, hello to you.

What are those new developments we have now, and yet has there been a claim of responsibility for this?

DAN RIVERS, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, T.J., there's no claim of responsibility yet.

But a key piece of information now is that the Italians think that these parcels came from Greece. Now, that would tie in with the idea that this was sent by an anarchist group in Greece which has done this kind of thing before. In fact, in November, quite recently, they targeted a whole bunch of different embassies, even sending parcel bombs to Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, and the German chancellor, Angela Merkel.

Two people have been arrested in that plot. They're awaiting trial next month in Greece. But this would seem to fit in. They are from a group called the Conspiracy of Fire Nuclei. They're a sort of anarchist group that rails against modern society.

We don't know for sure if this latest batch of parcel bombs was connected to them, but it looks pretty likely. It's the same sort of operating method, if you like. And, at the moment, as you say, they're sweeping the other embassies.

The problem is, tomorrow is a holiday in Rome. A lot of the embassies are shut already. So, that's complicating things further. And they're trying to find out if there are other packages sitting there in other embassies, but, so far, two confirmed explosions, as you say, in the Chilean Embassy and in the Swiss Embassy.

HOLMES: Dan, give us an idea. What kind of alert are these embassies now on? What kind of alert is the city now on as we head into this holiday?

RIVERS: Well, clearly, you know, this is very worrying. The Italian authorities are now trying to go around to all of the other embassies, a huge task in itself, and going through all of that post as well that's sitting there, complicated by the fact that clearly a couple of days before Christmas, a lot of them are shut. A lot of the staff have gone home.

There has been, you know, quite a bit of violence in Rome. I was there last week for the protests around the prime minister's vote of no confidence that he survived, Silvio Berlusconi. There's lots of anger at the austerity measures being pushed through there. But this might be something different.

And it sounds as if this is -- is playing more towards this idea of a Greek anarchist group doing this. Quite why they have targeted these embassies isn't clear, but, as I say, there is a pattern here that they -- in a previous plot, they plotted similar targets using the same sort of method. It -- it would seem to fit in with -- with -- with that pattern.

HOLMES: All right, Dan, thank you.

Let me turn now to Harold Copus, who is standing here with me now.

We're hearing a lot, it seems, about packages being mailed, bombs in packages being delivered, whether that's on a plane or whether that's delivered to an embassy like this. You say this is the future of terrorism.

HAROLD COPUS, FORMER FBI AGENT: I think it is. It's simple. It's easy to do.

And I have been there when you have to take those things apart and you look at them. And they're so simple. And it doesn't take much to explode. And they're not designed to create a lot of damage, except to the person opening, and it puts then fear through everybody in that organization.

HOLMES: Is that the point there? Because we think they're supposed to be, you know, maximum damage. And a couple of people sent to the hospital, some fairly serious injuries, but expected to survive.

So I guess what is the point then would a terrorist group be going after? You're going to injure one person, but?

COPUS: Psychologically, you have injured -- injured a lot.

HOLMES: Right.

COPUS: And, you know, and it could be anarchists, it could be terrorists, but the word is still the same. What they're doing is striking terror.

HOLMES: What are you supposed -- how in the world are you supposed to stop this if a small package is being delivered to an embassy, embassies that you say you were surprised did not have X-ray machines?

COPUS: Well, that was more shocking than anything, that, today, in the world we're living in, that the embassies would expose their staff to -- to not doing just basic security, X-raying any package or letters coming into their facility, maybe even doing it off site, don't even let it get to that facility.

HOLMES: What is the timing here with the holidays? It seems like we are just going to have to get used to every time around the holidays, you get increased chatter, you get new warnings from the government, and sometimes you see actual attacks? Is this just what we have to deal with around the holidays?

And what should Americans be looking out for, even though, yes, this is happening over in Europe right now?

COPUS: I think that's our future also.

I believe that we will see not these bombs and packages going to TV stations or police stations or government agencies, smaller businesses that won't X-ray. We will see something like that. It's an easy target.

And I think car bombs are meant to produce a lot of damage, and we will see that. There have been failures, but these guys learn from every failure.

HOLMES: What are we supposed to do to combat it? If you say there is no X-ray, it is just so simple, can you really stop this? COPUS: I don't think you can. And I think that's where these guys win. And I think the only thing that's available to us is you see really, if you hear of something like this, you think that, gee, that's really -- I have got this suspicious guy in the neighborhood that's just moved in. He doesn't work, doesn't do a lot of other things. I think then you start saying, what's going on here?

HOLMES: Are you piecing all of this together as well? You heard Dan there a moment ago talking about some of the issues back in November with those couple of arrests with packages coming around Athens.

Earlier this year, not too long ago, the U.S. had an alert, a travel alert, not a warning, not telling people not to travel there, but just be on alert traveling through Europe. Now you have this. What's going on in Europe?

COPUS: Oh, I think Europe is a powder keg. I was in London about three weeks ago.

The police are everywhere. They have got more cameras than you can imagine. And the fear is there. Now, what you have to do is you have to keep going around, just saying you're not going to stop me, but they're going to do everything they can, meaning these anarchists or terrorists, to push their agenda. And we're just going to have to be ready for them.

HOLMES: All right, last thing here, and I just want to hit you on this because you're an intelligence guy yourself. And there was so much made about director of national intelligence, James Clapper. And you're smiling because you know what I'm talking about here.

He was asked by Diane Sawyer a question about the terror arrests in London, and just a bad moment for him, just an embarrassing moment, really. He had no idea about it. And it was clear he did not. What did you make of that moment? And is too much being made of it, quite frankly?

COPUS: Maybe too much is being made, but I have to tell you something. That was a softball toss, and he just whiffed it.

And, you know, you could check with anybody in your neighborhood. In fact, I checked with a couple of my neighbors who are not in the business like this. And I said, what do -- what do you know about the London thing? And they rattled off more information.

So, this guy obviously wasn't watching CNN -- maybe the Cartoon Network, but not CNN.

HOLMES: But is it fair to say, in his defense, you know what, he's not looking at newspapers constantly, he's not looking at the TV constantly; he depends on his people to brief him, and, if they didn't put it high enough on the list that he needed to know about it, then he didn't know about it? Is that a fair argument?

COPUS: Oh, I think that's fair. And if I -- if it was either the two of us in that job --

HOLMES: Yes?

COPUS: -- there would be some vacancies on my staff.

HOLMES: It's their responsibility. He should have known.

COPUS: Certainly.

HOLMES: It was a tough moment for you.

Good to have you, as always. Harold Copus, good to see you.

COPUS: Thank you.

HOLMES: Thank you so much. You have a good holiday. And, hopefully, we won't be having to talk to you. Around the holidays, something seems to always happens.

COPUS: Same to you. Thank you.

HOLMES: All right. Thanks so much, buddy.

Well, coming up, we're going to be turning back to North Korea threatening war after South Korea conducts large-scale military drills. We are going to be talking to Governor Bill Richardson live. Of course, as you know, he just returned from meetings in North Korea. Going to be asking him about his trip, if his trip actually helped, possibly literally, keep the peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Also, look at this, aftermath of rainstorms in California. There's a lot of mud. There's a lot of it. There is a mess out there right now. A report on what's happening in California -- coming your way next. Stick around.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Well, welcome back, everybody, at nine minutes past the hour.

Taking a look at some of the stories making headlines, they're trying to prevent war on the Korean Peninsula. But, if you look at this, it looks like war. And that's the point. The South Korean army and air force ran through a series of artillery and fighter jet drills today just about 15 miles from the 38th Parallel.

South Korean officials say the exercises were planned long before the current spike in tension between the two countries. North Korea issued a statement threatening to launch what they call -- quote -- "sacred war" southward at any time.

All right, here, we're going to be talking about North Korea with Governor Bill Richardson. That's coming your way in just a couple of minutes. And, as you know, he just returned from the region on an unofficial diplomacy trip there. Also, a terror warning in India today. Police in the city of Mumbai say four members of the terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba have entered the city, may be plotting violence over the Christmas and New Year's holiday. Now, the name of the group may sound familiar because it's the same terror group based in Pakistan that was responsible for the Mumbai attacks in November of 2008.

And Southern California not going to wash away completely, apparently. Three long-awaited words for the West Coast: Rain is stopping. Plenty of mopping up, cleaning up needs to be done, though. Residential streets east of Los Angeles. Rain-soaked hills suddenly gave way, buried cars up to the doors in mud. Flash flood and mudslide danger is still there. The latest forecast with our Reynolds Wolf, he is standing by. We are going to chat with him in just a moment.

Well, holiday time at Walter Reed Hospital. Injured U.S. soldiers share tell how they're coping this holiday season, but their thoughts are with their buddies on the battlefield. We're going to hear their stories just ahead.

Also, how far-fetched it, al Qaeda interested in our food? You may be surprised. It's a story you need to hear -- the report coming your way next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: All right, here is what is literally on al Qaeda's back burner, striking terror in America's ho hearts through our stomachs. But this terror scheme proves that everything old is new again.

Here now, our Brian Todd.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): U.S. officials tell CNN people associated with one of al Qaeda's most dangerous branches have contemplated an unconventional, but potentially lethal attack, spreading poison on salad bars and buffets at American hotels and restaurants.

Homeland security officials tell us people connected with al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula considered placing ricin and cyanide poisons into food supplies. This is the same group that launched failed attempts to bomb cargo planes this year and a Christmas Day passenger flight last year.

U.S. officials downplay this recent disclosure, saying there is no imminent threat, that discussions of that tactic came into the threat stream months ago. But it's method of attack that has been on the general radar longer than that.

(on camera): A concern that experts have always had is the openness of the American food supply in delis like this with salad bars right out in the open. I'm joined now by Colonel Randy Larsen, a homeland security expert. He is the CEO of the WMD Center. He worked with the USDA after 9/11 to help secure the American food supply.

Colonel, just how easy is it to spray a deadly agent into something like this?

RANDY LARSEN, CEO, WMD CENTER: Well, you see how easy it is. They put up these cough shields just so you don't cough into it. So you can imagine how easy it would be to have a small spray bottle, which has been done before in certain cases.

TODD: Is it odorless, colorless, tasteless?

LARSEN: There's many different things you could use, most of them you would never know that have been sprayed on there.

TODD (voice-over): Larsen doesn't believe this would be a weapon of mass destruction, and he points out thousands of people die every year of naturally occurring food poisoning.

But U.S. officials were concerned enough about what they heard that they met through regular channels with leaders in the hotel and restaurant industries to discuss the tactic and to make sure they took steps to protect against it.

CNN national security contributor Fran Townsend says there is another potential safeguard.

FRANCES TOWNSEND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CONTRIBUTOR: The other thing you want to do is alert public health officials to be on the lookout for an increase, a spike in what may appear to be food poisoning, and that they ought to question and be suspicious and do further testing, so that we can get an early warning if such an attack is under way and limit the amount of damage it can do.

TODD: This story was first reported by CBS News. In a statement to CNN on this latest disclosure, a Homeland Security spokesman said -- quote -- "We are not going to comment on reports of specific terrorist planning. Al Qaeda has publicly stated its intention to carry out unconventional attacks for well over a decade. And AQAP propaganda in the past year has made similar reference. We get reports about the different kinds of attacks terrorists would like to carry out that frequently are beyond their means."

But a similar attack has been carried out on American soil. In 1984, followers of a cult spiked salad bars at several restaurants in a town Oregon with salmonella. Hundreds of people got sick.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: Now, as we mentioned, this has been done before. 1984, that salad bar incident that he just mentioned in that piece, it was the first bioterror attack in the United States. It was a bizarre scheme to hijack an election. You might recognize the cult's leader. This is Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, driving one of the 90 Rolls-Royce vehicles that he owned. His followers, as you see there, Rajneeshees, thousands lived on a commune near Antelope, Oregon, took over the town's city council. They wanted more power, tried to rig county elections by making the locals too sick to vote.

They spiked almost a dozen restaurant salad bars with salmonella. At least 750 people did get sick in what was supposed to be a practice run for a plot to contaminate the water supply. Now, this all fell apart a year later. And Bhagwan was kicked out of the U.S. for immigration fraud, died in 1990. But his writings have been repackaged under the name Osho.

All right, Southern California, somebody said it never rains in Southern California. They lied. We will have a live report on the forecast and talk to a local official about the damage being done. That's just ahead.

Also, as we know, tensions are high once again -- it seems like they stay high -- on the Korean Peninsula, but, once again, the South conducting more military drills. Did Governor Richardson's recent trip to North Korea help avoid a conflict? We're going to be asking him right after the break. He's standing by for us.

Quick break -- right back with the conversation.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Well, at 20 past the hour, former U.N. Ambassador Bill Richardson is calling his trip to North Korea a bit of a success here, went as a private citizen, though, of the U.S., not as an official U.S. envoy.

Mission there was to prevent the region from potentially exploding into war. The governor joins me now.

Governor Richardson, sir, thank you for being here.

We heard you repeatedly call this a tinderbox, some calling this, even you, the most serious crisis on that peninsula in some 60 years. So, my question is, how close were they to war before you went on this trip? Are they still that close to war after you have come back now?

GOV. BILL RICHARDSON (D), NEW MEXICO: Well, I'm not going to take full credit for this, but I do believe our trip helped calm the North Koreans.

They did not react militarily. They also gave me some concessions in the arms control area, more international inspectors, a sale of spent fuel rods to South Korea, a military hot line between the two militaries.

But, nonetheless, it's still a tinderbox. And South Korea has a legitimate right to conduct their military drills. But the problem is, the North Koreans right now are faced with another situation because of the increased drills. Are they going to react, or are they not going to react?

Obviously, my hope is that, once again, they -- they defer on reacting militarily, because these also are fairly routine naval drills. But it's such a tinderbox that I think the time has come for some diplomacy in that region, T.J.

HOLMES: Some diplomacy there. And we keep emphasizing that you were not an official U.S. envoy. But what would happen? Do we need an official U.S. envoy? You talked about diplomacy just there. Does that need to come from the top?

RICHARDSON: Well, here's what I think needs to happen.

The United Nations, the Russians proposed a special U.N. envoy to maybe go and calm the waters there. I think that makes sense. The North Koreans have to demonstrate that they're not going to continue their bad behavior of shooting at civilians on an island, of sinking a ship.

I think, if they take these promises they made to me, they don't react militarily again to this recent drill, then maybe the time has come for the six-party talks, for the administration and the South Koreans and the Russians and the Japanese and others that -- the Chinese, that have a stake in this, to maybe say to the North Koreans, OK, we're going to give you another chance, and let's negotiate. Get rid of your nuclear weapons. In exchange, perhaps you get some food, fuel, an end of sanctions.

Look, what we don't want is a conflagration there, T.J. We have 27,000 American troops. We're tied to South Korea. That's good. It's a good alliance. But what you don't want is an outbreak, an escalation based on a mistake or a miscalculation from both sides. That's what I went there, at their invitation, the North Koreans, to try to avoid it.

I didn't represent the administration. But I have experience with North Korea. I have dealt successfully with them in the past. And I think, once in a while, you need some citizen diplomacy outside government.

HOLMES: Well --

RICHARDSON: But now it's up to the governments to come in and -- and try to engage in some kind of diplomacy.

HOLMES: Well, Governor, like you said there, you're not an official U.S. envoy. Even in the past, I believe the administration has tried to discourage you from even going over to North Korea.

But was the administration, the president, were they clamoring for your information when you came back? Did you start getting calls from them, they -- wanting to know what you found out?

RICHARDSON: Well, while I was in North Korea, I did talk to the State Department. I just finished briefing some officials today.

But, look, they want official channels to prevail. And I was an unofficial channel. But, twice before, I postponed trips to North Korea at the request of the administration in the next -- in the last six months, when things were really, really hot. And I went. And the administration said, as long as you say that it's a private trip, go ahead.

So, again, I think we shouldn't get into semantics. I think the time has come for governments to step in. I will gladly step aside. But I just worry that it's such a tinderbox. There -- there's such potential for miscalculation. And you can't guarantee that North Korea is going to do the right thing every time.

HOLMES: Well --

RICHARDSON: They did this last time in not reacting, but I think our visit had something to do with that.

HOLMES: Well, Governor, how high up did your conversations go in the State Department? Did you talk to Secretary Clinton? And, also, it sounds like you maybe you're saying that you want other governments, sure, to get involved more. But do you think the United States and this administration could be doing more to engage North Korea?

RICHARDSON: Well, I think the administration policy is the right policy: Have North Korea improve their behavior before we talk to them. I think that makes sense.

But I think it's reaching a point where they have done a little bit of positive things. Maybe there's an opening. I have talked to very high levels. I don't want to get into who I talked to at the State Department.

But, clearly, I will -- I will step aside and -- and let officials from -- China has a lot of leverage on North Korea. Japan can also play a very important role. The six-party countries, which are Russia, China, North -- North Korea, South Korea, they are the ones that should engage, and the U.N. Security Council. It's too bad they didn't reach agreement on a resolution.

It's the international community that has to step in. I'm just a private citizen, as governor of New Mexico, with about eight days to go, and I'm out of office.

(LAUGHTER)

RICHARDSON: But I have had some experience, and I believe my trip was a success.

HOLMES: Yes. You're -- you're more than just a private citizen.

But , on that note about the remaining days of your -- of your term there as governor, I will switch gears here and ask you one question about a decision you're going to have to make that maybe nationally a lot of people haven't been keeping up with, but, there, it has been a big issue in your state.

And, of all things, we're talking about a question of whether or not to pardon Billy the Kid. This has been going on for some time now. There are some who say there's no way he should be given a pardon. He was a murderer, a criminal, a thief. Others say that he was -- a promise was made to him by Governor Lew Wallace back in the day to give him a pardon in exchange for testifying.

You have been taking public comment. You said you will make the decision. I will ask you, have you made the decision yet?

RICHARDSON: No, I haven't. And I have eight days to go, T.J.

But you frame the issue exactly the way it is. I felt a responsibility to deal with this issue, at the request of many New Mexicans, because it involves the word of a previous New Mexico governor, Lew Wallace, by the way, the author of "Ben-Hur." He was one of the territorial governors.

And the issue is, did he keep his promise to Billy? That's what I'm researching. That's the historical documents that I'm trying to find out. Again, it's also part of the West, part of New Mexico history.

So, you know, getting a little bit ginning up of this issue brings the state what I think is good -- good exposure.

(LAUGHTER)

HOLMES: Oh.

(LAUGHTER)

RICHARDSON: But I will take this decision after I review all the documentation. It's not going to be a decision based on -- on what gets the most attention. Now, I have tried to do this quietly. We're bringing all data and --

HOLMES: Oh, come on, Governor. Come on, now.

RICHARDSON: -- and experts together.

HOLMES: It's been good -- it's been good publicity. Everybody has been fascinated by this. And I'm sure it's done wonders for tourism in your state there.

RICHARDSON: Well, it does, because Billy the Kid is part of Lincoln County, part of New Mexico.

HOLMES: Right.

RICHARDSON: And, yes, sure, sure. I -- I admit that.

(CROSSTALK)

RICHARDSON: I love the tourism value for our state. HOLMES: Well, we will be standing by for that decision. We certainly appreciate the conversation. And, certainly, you call yourself a private citizen, but everybody is aware of what you have done over the years as far as being a diplomat and a representative of this country when it comes to that region.

So -- so, thank you for taking time with us. Thank you for taking our Wolf Blitzer along with you. And we will be standing by for that decision on Billy the Kid.

Sir, thank you so much. You enjoy your holiday weekend.

RICHARDSON: Thank you. Thank you, T.J.

HOLMES: All right.

Well, coming up: "Spider-Man," how many more problems can they have with this on Broadway? Are the lights going to go out again tonight on this Broadway musical? Of course, there have been some safety issues as of late. You may have heard about that. We will be getting into it.

Also, flooded California, a flooded California stadium, a place where there's supposed to be a game played there this evening. Our Reynolds Wolf is up next with the forecast.

We're coming up on the bottom of the hour. Stick around.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: All right, California, it has been a mess out there, California and the southwest really. They could be getting a break for nasty weather. Meteorologist Reynolds Wolf here with me right now.

I've got pictures here to go through. The pictures, you helped me go through these. First from San Bernadino County, 40 homes in the community damaged by mud and water. We see these pictures. What kind of rain event are we talking about that got here?

REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Six to eight inches of rainfall that fell at a very quick rate. Just basically the water combined with the mud, came down and you see the result. That's going to take a while to clean up. More rain expected by Saturday.

HOLMES: We think this was a catastrophic or historic event. Not necessarily the case, even though it was certainly a major event.

WOLF: It definitely catastrophic. But in terms of what we talked about rain in California, this happens. It happens this time of year.

HOLMES: All right, let's go down. This is one -- down to San Diego now. Supposed to be a game tonight at Qualcomm stadium. This is what it looked like. The Poinsettia bowl taking place there this evening. But they had to get -- am I reading this right? Up to one million plus gallons of water had to be pumped out of there into the San Diego river. Are they done in San Diego with water and rain right now?

WOLF: Basically the same story. They may see rainfall into the weekend. But I think they missed out on a great opportunity because Qualcomm stadium is the Aztec's home stadium. The Navy operates very well in water. So you think about that.

HOLMES: Who gets that advantage? Probably the Navy. They only so many parking spots will be available. For the most part, this thing is going to go off at about 5:00 pacific time tonight. We'll see if that thing is ready.

Also, one more to look at here. San Diego's Mission Valley. Flood waters got five feet high in parts of the low-lying areas there. Hotels had to be evacuated as well. Kind of the same story.

WOLF: Devastating situation. We've seen these pictures. You've got massive cleanup that's going to take place days and days and days. Long after the flood waters recede. Long after the clean-up begins. You still have the threat of mudslides weeks after this event. And what's even more interesting, you think about the heavy rainfall and the devastation in parts of the state, T.J., get this, up to 18 feet of snow in places.

HOLMES: And it's the holiday weekend now. We're coming up on it, people don't want to have to deal with this. More weather, more rain could be coming their way.

(WEATHER BREAK)

HOLMES: One of the hardest hit areas, San Bernadino, look at these small planes, water up to their wings. And 250 homes had to be evacuated. A bridge collapsed. Mud floes picked up cars and buried them under mud and debris.

I want to bring in Bill Peters. He is the spokesman for the California department of forestry and fire protection. He's on the line with me now. Sir, thank you for joining us. I know it's a busy time for you. What is your most pressing issue right now?

BILL PETERS, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE PROTECTION: The most pressing issue is finding a way for the people to get back into their homes. As you mentioned earlier, it is Christmas. And, you know, we're working diligently to get that done. We have what we -- there's an area in highland there called the bluffs. It literally is a cliff of about 100 feet high. We're not sure of the stability of that.

And that's where a lot of those home evacuations were made. Because of public safety, we want to err on the side of safety. We have been the last day and a half getting what we call sloughing, you know, little patches of mud coming down that cliff side and going into the backyards. Nothing major yet, but we're concerned.

We are -- our crews laid 7,000 sandbags behind these homes just last night. So that is kind of the pressing concern at this point.

HOLMES: Mr. Peters, you mentioned safety. Have you had many injuries, god forbid deaths, to report or many rescues either?

PETERS: Well, early on yesterday morning in the southeastern part where most of those shots of the cars being buried nose first are, in that community the water and the mud was rising so fast, our firefighters and rescue crews did rescue 26 people from their homes. Nobody that we know of that was rescued from a vehicle.

But the Christmas miracle here this year is that nobody was injured and fortunately nobody was killed. Remember back in 2003 after the devastating fires, we had the Christmas floods of Christmas Eve, and about 14 people died in those, including one lady who was swept off of a road here in highland and drowned in her car. Fortunately, none of that this year.

HOLMES: Like you said, sir, a Christmas miracle. Good to hear that. But certainly devastating for a lot of these folks getting into the holidays. Safety first and foremost important. Good to know there are no injuries. Thank you for taking the time out. Good luck to you guys out there, all right?

PETERS: Merry Christmas.

HOLMES: That's Bill Peters, spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Coming up, is this show going to go on or not? The Broadway musical "Spiderman" considers changes and safety concerns. Sandra Endo has your stories that are trending. She is coming your way next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: All right, the WikiLeaks documents, you've heard plenty about those over the past few weeks and months certainly. And you heard a lot of back-and-forth a lot in there about diplomats talking about other diplomats and other world leaders. That's not all they were talking about in there.

Sandra Endo, here with me now to talk about what's trending. Who else are they talking about?

SANDRA ENDO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You wouldn't really equate these two things together, T.J., right? WikiLeaks and Anna Nicole Smith. All right, this is almost an unbelievable story about the late actress and model, Anna Nicole Smith.

Now, London's "Guardian" newspaper is producing a U.S. state department cable from WikiLeaks talking about how smith brought down the government of the Bahamas. Say what?

HOLMES: How does that make sense?

ENDO: In 2006, government officials in the Bahamas were accused of giving smith special treatment when she applied for permanent resident status in the island nation. She was approved in just a matter of weeks, T.J., while it took most people around a year to get that status.

So it was a salacious scandal. The resulting fire storm led to a change in power in the Bahamas. So in these WikiLeaks cables, Smith is called a "femme fatale" and the state department official is quoted as saying, "not since category four hurricane Betsy made landfall in 1965 has one woman done as much damage."

HOLMES: They are really giving her a lot of credit there. What kind of pictures are we talking about? Just being seen with them or something more than that?

ENDO: Well, yes. No, just kind of out there with him.

HOLMES: That's enough. Just being photographed with Anna Nicole. God rest her soul, people are still talking about her.

Everybody is talking about Spiderman on Broadway. I really wanted to see this, but now, my goodness.

ENDO: I know, it's kind of tainted. This is a story that's been talked about a lot. It's a $65 million production. It continues to be plagued with problems.

As we know, Monday, there was shocking video released of an incident where a spider-man stuntman fell 20 feet. It led to the cancellation of two preview performances Wednesday.

But a spokesman says that the show is scheduled to resume tonight with added safety precautions in place. The Actors Equity Association, the New York Labor Department and state lawmakers insist they are working closely with "Spiderman" producers to ensure safety. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ERIC ADAMS, NEW YORK SENATE: Our children and theater goers should not see tragedies. That's not what they're there for. They're there to see real life productions, and we want to see that it's done in a very safe manner.

That is our goal. Our goal is not to dim the lights on Broadway but make sure they're not replaced with ambulance and sirens or to make sure that the stage is secure. We want the show to go on, but to go on in a very safe manner.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ENDO: We always know safety first, right? The spider-man musical is expected to officially open in February and thankfully that performer who fell is going to be OK, according to the show's director, so some good news there.

HOLMES: Over budget and all of this bad press. Safety issues, but the show will go on.

ENDO: Yes.

HOLMES: And nobody in the crowds or anything have been injured. It's all been the actors and people.

ENDO: Yes, it was the stunt guy. We should go see it together.

HOLMES: I really want to go see the show. I'll take you up on that. Sandra, thank you. We'll chat.

ENDO: Thank you.

HOLMES: Coming up, injured U.S. soldiers at Walter Reed give holiday shout-outs to others still on the front lines.

Also, an emotional rescue caught on camera. You need to see this play out. That's coming your way next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: All right, you've seen some of this weather. Been kind of a crummy week some places. Certainly out west, we've got a lot of pictures to show you, or a few we thought you might be interested in.

Here's a few. Take a look here at these teenagers, two friends in San Diego. They didn't have anything else to do. Apparently school is out. And they are looking for a way to pass the time. What did they do, they put on wet suits and sat on the curb and got wet intentionally. They seemed to enjoy themselves. Oh, American's youth. Don't you love them?

Next, we'll let this one play out for you a bit. Look at this. Look at this. This is from Bend, Oregon. One of our writers on the show just loved this video. It all worked out. Police were called to bend golf course. They found an elk had fallen through the ice. Tried to get out, it couldn't. Need a little help. It got the help.

Eventually they were able to get the course members out there to help the stranded elk get to the shore wet, cold, in shock, not doing the best as you see there, but got out of there. It's doing just fine.

All right, we'll continue to talk about weather here. I want to go back to a story we told you about earlier this week. A group of teenagers, some of them college football players, accused of horrific sexual acts on underclassmen on their high school team in Blackfoot, Idaho. Suspects were in court today. A lot of families and friends were there as well.

We have a reporter on the line with us, Marissa Bodnar from our affiliate KIFI just outside of the court proceedings. Tell us what went down in the courtroom.

MARISSA BODNAR, KIFI TELEVISION: Well, T.J., today was just an initial appearance. So the four young men faced the judge for the first time in district court. The judge read off the charges. Each of them says they understood what they were being charged with. Not -- you know, not too much happened as far as court today, but they made that initial appearance.

You know, they really didn't show much emotion when they were talking to the judge.

HOLMES: Tell us what the courtroom was like. Again, this is a small community. These are young guys. They were on, you know -- on the local basketball team. What was the turnout there in the courtroom?

BODNAR: Well, the courtroom was absolutely packed, lots and lots of family and friends of the defendants in particular, but also a lot of curious people from the community coming out. They've been talking about this nonstop. It's taking a huge toll on Blackfoot.

It's a very small town. Everyone knows everyone. It's a very small town. People know victims and defendants. It's very divided. People are passionate either way. Some saying that these athletes were just boys' normal behavior, joking around, and then others are very passionate that, you know, they're outraged. These kids need to be held accountable for what they did. So it is taking a big toll and dividing the community a lot.

HOLMES: Some people take the stand and say, hey, these are young people being young people, just hazing a little bit. But if you can describe for me, some of the things right now some of the things they are accused of doing aren't the normal type of hazing. So, go through, again, delicately as you can here kind of what these young men are accused of doing.

BODNAR: Well, you know, a couple of charges are misdemeanor, false imprisonment, battery, some of that is kind of just the horse pile, holding some kids down. You know, and the other more serious charges are what, you know, police are calling sexual assault. You know, they say these boys were in the locker room on buses and used foreign objects to sexually assault their teammates. You know, some of these are very serious.

HOLMES: All right, Marissa Bodnar from our affiliate KIFI, the court appearance, the young men accused. We appreciate you hopping on the line for us, Marissa. Thanks so much.

Here again close to the top of the hour again, about ten minutes away. U.S. troops recovering at home from injuries send holiday well wishes to their buddies still on the front lines of war. You will hear their words, next.

Also, it is a rescue day, why not? We'll show you how a little guy gets rescued after being stuck in a frozen river, kind of the theme of this hour, isn't it? Quick break. We are right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: All right, well, U.S. troops recovering from their injuries at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington are remembering their buddies still in harm's way. They're sending messages of support, encouragement, and greetings from holiday season to bring us those shout-outs. Our own Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All of you, thank you for your service, we really appreciate it.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Holiday time for the wounded, the hard work of getting better doesn't stop.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How you doing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Doing real good, holding up very well.

STARR: Marine Corps Corporal Anthony McDaniel stepped on an IED in Afghanistan, grievously wounded but still, a smile and holiday hello for his buddies.

CPL. ANTHONY MCDANIEL, U.S. MARINE CORPS: I'm here at Walter Reed doing my rehab, and I want to give a shout-out to my unit, the whole 111 battalion, my family back in Pascagoula, Mississippi, my best friend, Bogen (ph) in San Diego. Just wanted to give you guys a shout-out, and I love you guys and I will be seeing you soon.

STARR: A bond unbroken by distance.

LANCE CPL. CORY SZUCS, U.S. MARINE CORPS: Hi, I'm lance Corporal Corey Szucs, United States marine corps, combat logistics unit 2, say hi to unit 2 in Afghanistan, especially Arango (ph) man, you saved my life. I can't wait to see you, have a merry Christmas.

SGT. MARCUS HAYWARD, U.S. ARMY: My name is Sergeant Marcus Hayward from Fort Stewart, Georgia. I want to give a big shout-out to my boys in Afghanistan fighting the war. So my one good boy in Iraq, two good boys over in Iraq, sergeant ford and sergeant turner, keep doing your thing and can't wait to get you guys home.

STARR: Army First Lieutenant Nicholas Massie says that Christmas, he is doing just fine.

FIRST LT. NICOLAS MASSIE, U.S. ARMY: You know, we are just all thankful to be back and to be alive really.

SGT. JOHNNY JONES, U.S. MARINE CORPS: My name is Sergeant Johnny Jones. I'm with first cod company, like to give a shout-out to all the marines and servicemen fighting over in Afghanistan and Iraq.

STARR: Marine Corps Sergeant Thomas Humphrey's unit has suffered one of the highest rates of casualties in the war. Morale and pride, he says, remains high as well.

SGT. THOMAS HUMPHREY, U.S. MARINE CORPS: I'm Sergeant Humphrey, United States Marine Corps, and I want to say merry Christmas to my boys in Afghanistan, I think about you guys every day and I'm praying for you.

STARR: Marine Corps Corporal Gabriel Martinez lost his legs in a blast attack the day after Thanksgiving.

CPL. GABRIEL MARTINEZ, U.S. MARINE CORPS: I just want to give the biggest shout-out to, you know, all my marines out there serving in Afghanistan and first battalion. I wish I could be there with you guys but wish you the best of holidays and, you know, Semper Fi. And I'm out here recovering and I will see you guys when you come home.

STARR: Sergeant Hayward says it is all about getting home for the holidays.

HAYWARD: I think everybody just wants to get out of here and go be around friends and family for holidays.

STARR: The journey back. Barbara Starr, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: I want you to take a look now at this surveillance video, the most part, you can't make out exactly what's happening there, but police believe that what you're seeing is a man drag a suitcase that contains a dead body. A report with the details coming your way just ahead.

Also, the widow of the man who opened fire on a school board meeting says he did not aim to kill. You will hear from her yourself. Stick around.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Getting close to the top of the hour. It is ticker time, time for Dana Bash joins me now with the latest from our CNN Political Ticker. Hello to you, Dana.

DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good to see you, T.J. The first is something that is very interesting, especially where I am, and that is the Capitol, which now you can hear crickets it is so empty, everyone is gone.

But the person who is getting the most kudos for the accomplishments of the lame duck session especially is Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader. He gave an interview to CNN exclusively and told John King that he actually thinks part of the reason why they got so much done is because he said they worked together, and he said that was one of the things that came out of the -- excuse me, out of the election, which was actually very interesting since he was somebody who almost -- almost lost his own seat, T.J.

And last thing on the ticker I'm going to tell you about, let me toss back to you, I have to cough, I will toss back to you. You can ask me a question and I will cough --

HOLMES: By all means, get that cough out. It is that time of year. It is that season. I have been doing with a little something of my own here.

BASH: Reporters are human, too.

HOLMES: It is quite all right. Get that cough out.

BASH: Got it.

HOLMES: Now, where should we pick up now?

(LAUGHTER)

BASH: Let's pick one Nancy Pelosi, how about that? I think this is another interesting story. Thank you for that.

Nancy Pelosi, Tony -- excuse me, T.J., she is somebody who is -- we are not going to see as speaker of the House anymore. With the end of the 111th Congress, she is packing her office, her very plush, plush suite that she has in the United States capitol, and she is getting ready to give it over to John Boehner.

Before she left though, T.J., she talked to some reporters and she said that she feels that she certainly did get a lot accomplished in 111th Congress, but she obviously realizes that she and the Democrats have a lot more to do because unemployment is so high.

But she also, interestingly, said that she is interested in looking ahead to working with Republicans. So, that is going to be something that is going to be very interesting to see, especially on the House side, where things are so partisan, and Republicans obviously are going to take over the House with big, big numbers, T.J.

HOLMES: Well, Dana, that was one of our more eventful Political Ticker's that you and I have shared.

(LAUGHTER)

HOLMES: We have another one I believe coming. But good to see you, Dana. Thank you so much.

BASH: You, too.

HOLMES: Take care of that cough, all right?

BASH: OK. Thank you.

HOLMES: And we're going to have another update in about 30 minutes.