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Deal Reached in Geneva; Winter Storm Affecting Travel Rush; American Tourist Held in North Korea

Aired November 24, 2013 - 16:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: In fact, here we go right now, 4 o'clock Eastern time. I'm Fredricka Whitfield, 1:00 pm out West. These stories topping our news at this hour.

A decades-old diplomatic standoff comes to an end as Iran and six world powers reach a nuclear deal. We'll bring you reaction to this historic pact from the White House, Tehran and Capitol Hill.

And millions of Americans are bracing for a major winter storm. It could become a nor'easter at the height of the Thanksgiving day travel rush.

And an American citizen left in Mexico as a boy sees his mother after spending decades apart. This emotional reunion straight ahead.

It's a potentially game-changing deal between Iran and world leaders to put serious restrictions on Iran's nuclear program. And some major breakthrough considering there has been no progress on the issue for decades. Here's what the deal says. It scales back Iran's enrichment of uranium to prevent the country from working toward a nuclear weapon. It also calls for more monitoring and inspections. And in exchange, some crippling economic sanctions on Iran might be eased.

This deal is just preliminary and it holds up for about six months. Officials in both the U.S. and Iran say it's a good deal for both sides. But major critics, like Israel, say it's a historic mistake.

This deal is a breakthrough after decades of gridlock between Iran and other leaders. It was an exciting moment in Switzerland when it was announced early this morning. Matthew Chance joins us live now from Geneva.

So, Matthew, what are the key points of this plan? The key points are a couple of compromises that lie at the heart of the plan. The first one being the compromise over the issue of Iran's right to enriched uranium. It's something that the United States has said it's very much opposed to but it's something that found its way in some form into the agreement, essentially the agreement allows Iran to continue enriching uranium to the level of five percent which is needed for the production of electricity, for nuclear power stations.

It also says that it needs too convert its medium enriched radioactive uranium and convert it into an oxide and to put it essentially out of use. It also brings to an end any work on a heavy water reactor that's being built by Iran in a place called Iraq which could be a second route to a bomb.

In exchange for that, what the western powers have agreed to is some alleviation of the sanctions, of course, so much damaged to Iran's economy over recent years. And so each side because of the wording of this agreement, each side managed to be able to say they were victorious in these negotiations. They both came away from negotiation with something to sell to their own electorates. And so that's why I think that there's such a lot of congratulations going on, so much congratulations going on to the people who have forged this. Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And Matthew, you had a chance to see Secretary Kerry as he emerged from those meetings. What was that moment like?

CHANCE: Yes, well, I just managed to grab him before he went to give him a press conference. I took him to one side, (INAUDIBLE) camera position, this is what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHANCE (on camera): Are you happy with the deal, Mr. Secretary?

JOHN KERRY, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We think we have a good, strong agreement.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHANCE: He says he thinks he has a good, strong agreement. Not just because this deal, remember, essentially, is a first step towards making sure that Iran does not produce a nuclear weapon. But, it also has a big impact on relations, potentially, between the United States and Iran that not had diplomatic relations since 1980. And this is a sort of first instance of them really cooperating together. It could be the start of (INAUDIBLE) between the two countries.

WHITFIELD: All right. Matthew Chance in Geneva. Thanks so much.

Iranian journalists applauded their foreign minister after that deal was announced in Switzerland and when the news reached Iran's capital, the excitement spread. Reza Sayah has the reaction.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REZA SAYAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Many Iranians were sleeping when word came that Iran (INAUDIBLE) plus one had finally reached an interim agreement on Iran's nuclear program. That's because this deal was signed around 5:00 a.m. local time on Sunday. But when Iranians finally woke up and learned the news, the overwhelming reaction was positive.

Many Iranians were thrilled that finally a deal had been reached. This is what many Iranians had wanted. This is why they voted Hassan Rouhani into office. Let's hear from some of those Iranians themselves. Dabu (ph) what about you. What was your reaction when you heard? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Actually, I was very happy about this agreement. But (INAUDIBLE) we hope all the world knows they use this just for peace, not for war.

SAYAH: Here's the question. How important was it for you that Iran's leadership fought for the right for Iran to enrich uranium and have a peaceful nuclear program. How important was that for you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.

SAYAH: Not really. So it didn't matter to you. What about uranium enrichment for you? Was it important that they maintained the right?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Actually, it was important for me.

SAYAH: It was important.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. It's really important because (INAUDIBLE) other people try to use this nuclear - can use this. But you cannot. It is a little not fair for Iranian people -

SAYAH: To gain the technology that you have right now?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the technology. And I think this is really (INAUDIBLE) for all the world. You know at the (INAUDIBLE), we don't have any winner.

SAYAH: Right. When there's war, there's no winners.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody lose.

SAYAH: All right. For many Iranians, their nuclear program has been a symbol of national pride and a symbol of defiance against what many call western imperialism and western hejemani (ph) here in the Middle East. And although this agreement doesn't specifically say that Iran has a right to enrich uranium, Iran will be able to enrich uranium according to the agreement and what officials have said, up to five percent and that's what many Iranians are celebrating as well.

Reza Sayah, CNN, Tehran.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Secretary of State John Kerry insisted today that the interim agreement to halt Iran's nuclear programs makes Israel safer. Israel's prime minister disagrees. Benjamin Netanyahu says this deal is "a historic mistake." The prime minister's spokesman says Israel worries that Iran will not stick to its promises.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK REGEV, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER SPOKESMAN: Of course we want to see diplomacy succeed. Of course we'd like to see a peaceful solution. Israel, more than any other country has an interest in a successful diplomatic outcome ultimately we're the first people on the firing line. But we want to see a genuine deal, a good deal, a deal that has the ability to sustain itself that actually does dismantle the uranium military nuclear program. And we're concerned that this deal that came out of Geneva is a bad deal and does not actually attain that goal. I mean, ultimately, we want to see the Iranian nuclear military program dismantled. That's the goal and frankly, we're not shown that this deal accomplishes that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Some in Congress also believed the deal with Iran is a mistake. Tory Dunnan joins us live now with some reaction from Capitol Hill. So Tory, what's being said?

TORY DUNNAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: All right. So Fred, first of all, I want to tell you that we're just getting information from the White House that President Obama actually spoke with Netanyahu about the deal with Iran for about 30 minutes on the phone today that it was a useful discussion. We're hoping to get more information on that.

But I do want to answer your question. Because there's really just a whole lot of skepticism going on now. And lawmakers are really focused today on one key part of the deal during the Sunday shows. President Obama says the U.S. and its partners have agreed to no more sanctions on Iran for the next six months. And, of course, that's if Iran keeps its part of the bargain. Now, some members of Congress are saying this is really not the time to lighten up. So take a listen to this. This is from House intelligence committee chairman Mike Rogers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MIKE ROGERS (R), MICHIGAN: What we are finally starting to do is start to impact the elite in Iran. The business class of Iran. Finally, we were getting to the place that was actually going to really bite. And they are going to have make the determination is a nuclear weapon worth the destruction of our country financially? What they have just done is stop the second realm.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DUNNAN: But it's not just Republicans. It is important to point out that an influential democratic senator Chuck Schumer from New York is saying that he is disappointed with this deal. Take a listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHARLES SCHUMER (D), NEW YORK: As for additional sanctions that Congress is considering, the disportionality of this agreement makes it more likely that Democrats and Republicans will join together and pass additional sanctions when we return in December. I intend to discuss that possibility with my colleagues.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DUNNAN: So Fred, as we can already tell, this is going to be a tough sales job ahead for President Obama and also for Secretary of State John Kerry just after listening to those Sunday talk shows today.

WHITFIELD: All right. Indeed, thanks so much, Tory from D.C..

Meantime, a dangerous storm is threatening to become a major nor'easter and ruin Thanksgiving day travel plans for millions of people. Find out which states are getting hit the hardest, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A major winter-like storm could turn into a powerful nor'easter and hit the Boston and New York areas right before Thanksgiving day. Right now, the storm is dumping snow and ice on the southwest. Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico are getting hit the hardest. The rough weather took a lot of people by surprise.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm from Maryland. Just coming down here to visit for my niece's wedding. It got, caught me as a shock when I arrived at the airport and I really had to get my jacket on and everything. I was really surprised coming back to Texas and realize how cold it was down here.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 80 degrees the other day. Now it's like 37 degrees. I'm freezing. But I got all my food and everything ready, my gas. I'm ready.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Nick Valencia joining us live now from Dallas. So Nick, the strength of the storm was a real shocker to people who aren't used to this kind of weather. So this is also a warning to the people in the east what to expect.

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, this kind of weather is not typical for this time of year. Although it may look nice right now behind us here in Dallas, Texas, officials do say that they expect conditions to worsen throughout the night. Across the country, Fred, this weather system has already caused a mess.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VALENCIA (voice-over): Coast to coast, the country is feeling the impact of an earlier than expected winter weather system and in Texas, it's already proving fatal. Icy road conditions causing this major accident along Interstate 40 forcing multiple cars to collide. The Texas Department of Public Safety warns it may only get worse.

SGT. LONNY HASCHEL, TEXAS DEPT. OF PUBLIC SAFETY: In the Dallas, Fort Worth area, we're bracing for a wintery mix, anything from sleet to freezing rain, if it gets really bad, we're going to encourage folks to stay home.

VALENCIA: This deadly winter storm started out west. Strong winds in the San Francisco Bay area downed trees and power lines.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I heard a big crack and the house started banging and things started kind of falling and I thought it was a huge earthquake.

VALENCIA: And flooding hit Phoenix, Arizona with almost two inches of rain but now the winter threat is on the move, a dangerous system which has the potential to create chaos for millions of travelers all the way into the heavily populated northeast.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's crazy, it's super, super crazy. I hope it's going to be gone soon.

VALENCIA: Right now, the snow impacts are being felt in New Mexico, Texas and part of the great plains.

With many people coping with treacherous ice covered roads and bridges.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It feels like the wind is going to blow you over. You know, it feels like it's going to push into the next lane.

VALENCIA: Te winter weather also hit the grid iron. In Ohio, snow and freezing temperatures played out on Saturday during the Ohio State, Indiana football game in Columbus. Officials had to scrub the snow off the goal line. Now in the days ahead, more than 40 million Americans are expected to hit the nation's roads and millions of others to fly the skies. Unfortunately, dangerous snow, sleet, snow and rain could be your travel companion.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VALENCIA: The Dallas Morning News is reporting that flights leaving the Dallas Ft. Worth area have been delayed or cancelled due to the anticipation of this severe weather. It's been a big problem here locally. Worse case scenario, Fred, according to the Department of Public Safety, about a quarter inch of freezing rain on those roads. So you guys stay safe out there, if you're driving in this area. Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, great warning. Thanks so much. Nick Valencia there in a very chilly Dallas, Texas.

All right. The family of an 85-year-old American tourist says he was pulled off a plane in North Korea without an explanation. He's saying he's now being held by authorities. But a remaining question, how does a westerner get to North Korea as a tourist destination in the first place? That answer is straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Reaction to the west nuclear agreement with Iran is pouring in. President Obama calls it "an important first step," but not everyone agrees. Israel calls the deal a "historic mistake based on global self delusion." CNN's chief political correspondent Candy Crowley joins us now from Washington.

So Candy, you asked Secretary Kerry about concerns from Israel and others that Iran is not to be trusted. What did he say?

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, in the end, when you look at this, not only does the U.S. suspect that Iran was - is building a nuclear weapon, they have also condemned it as a nation state of that spread and supports terrorism. It is a bad apple in the Middle East supporting many people that the U.S. does not, including the Syrian president as well as Hezbollah. So there are many, many reasons for the United States not to trust Iran at this point and Kerry's simple answer was we don't trust them and we don't have to.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KERRY: None of this is based on trust. It's not a question of trust. It's a question of having the verification and the intrusive inspections and the insights into the program and the commitments that can be held accountable so that you are in fact creating a fail safe mechanism by which you are making your judgments.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And what about members of Congress? What action might there be this week?

CROWLEY: Well, this week, none because of the Thanksgiving week. But Harry Reid, the majority leader in the Senate has said when we get back, the Senate will deal with sanctions. The House has already passed a bill to up sanctions.

Now, what we're hearing is really bipartisan agreement. By many that this is a bad deal. The president does have his supporters, Diane Feinstein, a very pro democratic supporter. But he also has people like Senator Chuck Schumer, a big Democrat from New York who says it's a bad deal and we need to seriously look at sanctions.

Now, we have also heard Republicans say that and Lindsey Graham has suggested that perhaps what the Senate might do is change it slightly and say we will impose new sanctions in six months and we will decide whether the six months has been a success or not before those sanctions can be weighed.

So I think you will see something but there will be big hesitancy despite how much they don't like the deal, for many Democrats to do what the administration will say would undermine these talks. You should take a look at the agreement, by the way, where it says that there will be no new sanctions on Iraq. Except if it's according to the political dynamics in any of the states and that seems to have been written for the U.S. administration because if Congress wants to impose more sanctions, certainly they could.

WHITFIELD: All right. Candy Crowley, thank you so much and have a great Thanksgiving week.

CROWLEY: Hey, thanks, Fred. You too.

WHITFIELD: North Korea confirms to Swedish diplomats that it is detaining an American citizen. The family of 85-year-old Korean war veteran Merrill Newman says the country had been holding him since October 26. His wife is pleading for his release saying he only have enough heart medicine for the 10 day tour he was on. North Korea hasn't said why they were holding Newman. It is possible that authorities mistook him for a different Merrill Newman decorated for his Korean war service.

So this incident is putting a spotlight on the fact that North Korea has actually become a tourist destination for westerners. Our Nic Robertson looks at the tourist industry that has built up around getting tourists into the country.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): North Koreans as you've never seen them before. Having fun at the beach. Stefan Krasowski, an insurance salesman from New York shot this video on his North Korea vacation a few months ago.

STEFAN KRASOWSKI, TOURIST: Pulled me right into their dance circle and we had a great time for about an hour and a half.

ANDREA LEE, URI TOURS: We actually have a beer tour. Beer and fishing.

ROBERTSON: A beer tour in North Korea?

LEE: Yes, we have beer, fishing, boats and guns tour.

ROBERTSON: Beer, fishing boats and guns.

LEE: All four, yes.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Andrea Lee runs Uri tours, helping hundreds of Americans get to North Korea, the so-called hermit nation every year. Week long packages to the nuclear armed dictatorship begin around $2,200. Expect surprises, she says.

LEE: I think that most people don't know that North Korean beer is very good.

ROBERTSON (on camera): Really?

LEE: Yes, it is. It is.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Her clients range from Dennis Rodman -

LEE: Yes, that was very interesting.

ROBERTSON: To the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and beyond.

LEE: We do a lot of students and scholar, the more academic travelers. We draw adventure travelers.

ROBERTSON: (INAUDIBLE) went because -

STEFAN KRASOWSKI: I had to see it.

ROBERTSON: He admits what he did see was heavily controlled by the government. But, at the beach and the military parade where he shot this video, he says he got closer to reality than the government knows.

KRASOWSKI: The person next to me got splattered with tank grease when we're right up there and having a great time - although many of the North Korean next to us have this look of "Do I have to still be here?"

ROBERTSON: Did he ever feel unsafe?

KRASOWSKI: In many other aspects, I feel that it's about the safest place I can go because everybody is making sure I don't get into trouble. But none of that explains this. 85-year-old American Merrill Newman, a Korean war vet pulled off his plane at the end of his nine day North Korea vacation.

JAY NEWMAN, SON OF DETAINED AMERICAN (ON THE PHONE): Five minutes before they were ready to depart, an authority came on the plane, looked at my dad and asked to see my dad's passport and he was asked to leave the plane.

LEE: Never. This is very unusual and rare. We have taken Korean war vets in the past as well.

ROBERTSON: Newman's plight has prompted Lee to put a cautionary blog on the tour company's website. So far, she says, no cancellations.

(on camera): If you are thinking about going to North Korea right now, she tells me that it takes about two weeks, one week if you're lucky, to get a visa to go to the country. Reasons to go this winter? She says North Korea has finished building its first-ever ski station. And, for the first time ever, they're letting outsiders, tourists, share their New Year celebrations.

Nic Robertson, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And as you get ready for your holiday travel, a rare glimpse behind the scenes with a K-9 officer at the world's busiest airport. You'll only see it here on CNN, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Next Sunday, December 1st is expected to be the busiest day of the year for air travel. Some 2.5 million people are expected to pass through airports in those 24 hours. Ahead of the rush, CNN spent a day at the world's busiest airport, Hartsville Jackson International Airport in Atlanta. And here is a behind-the-scenes look at a canine officer who screens cargo before it goes on to passenger planes.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She takes one step, I need to take two. That place together is just like a song and dance. Zera and I we became partners in 2010. And we have been together ever since. A daily life with Zera is a great thing. The dog is highly intelligent and I am always driven by that fact. We screen cargo. That is uploaded to passenger aircraft. It may seem chaotic. It's symphony to me, it is the play of music.

When we to get to that point where the dog encounters odor, that's the fun of the game. We're looking to see if that dog will actually sit. You want that dog not to nudge it or not to touch it. It can be very sensitive. It can literally trigger something that you and I don't want to be here today talking about. What's most important is ensuring that we're doing every single thing that we can do to ensure that nothing harmful is being up loaded to any of these aircrafts.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Twenty four hours in the world's busiest airport. Go to CNN.com/ATL24 to see everything our reporters found there.

All right. It's a moment that will go down in history. The U.S. Secretary of State and Iran's foreign minister shaking hands. Many worry about the new nuclear deal between the west and Iran. But one international security analyst says it is a positive step forward next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Let's return now to the new agreement on Iran's disputed nuclear program. It came after four days of negotiations between Tehran and western powers in Geneva. The deal slows Iran's nuclear activity and eases some international sanctions. It's a preliminary deal lasting six months while a permanent deal is worked out. Let's bring in Jim Walsh he is an international security analyst who joins us from Watertown, Massachusetts. Good to see you.

So President Obama is calling this an important first step. Is it in your view?

JIM WALSH, INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: I think is. I know we're all rushing, this is the nature of the Medias cycle and Net and Yahoo says this and someone says that. But if we step back for a minute the U.S. and Iran have had terrible, god awful relations for thirty years. And in the last three months, we've made more progress than in three decades. And we have a nuclear program that absent a deal would just grow and grow and grow. There would be 20 percent. You know, a building war, and enriching war, and instead we have a deal that caps that. I think that's a good first step and we'll probably be followed by a comprehensive agreement.

WHITFIELD: So Secretary Kerry says that means Iran dismantles centrifuge. But said that there will be some daily monitoring. Do you believe that? Is that realistic?

WALSH: Yes. I think it's almost unprecedented to have daily inspections of their centrifuge facilities. I would say you know we are thinking about the big wins here. Again, one of these is these daily inspections, the possibility of daily inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The U.S. doesn't submit to that. France doesn't submit to that. Most countries don't do that. Iran is willing to do that. I think that's very useful. The more transparency there is, the more confidence we can have this agreement is going to go forward. Plus they are not enriching to 20 percent. For folks like me who study write about nonphaliferation (ph). That was our number one worry. The number one concern was 20 percent enriched uranium, having a bunch of that sitting around that can be quickly be converted up to 80 or 90 percent enriched uranium . Now, that's not going to happen, that is over assuming the deal goes forward, that is over and you cannot make a nuclear weapon with 2 to 5 percent enriched uranium. So I think that's a win.

WHITFIELD: So Jim what is different now? Why is the climate right for Iran's foreign minister to be part of these talks with the U.S. Secretary of State and help broker this deal?

WALSH: Fredricka great question. I think you've had an alignment. Now, we've had some opportunities in the past. We had a chance in 2003 one side wanted to dance, the other didn't. We had a chance in 2009 with a reverse role, the U.S. was ready to do something and Iran wasn't. Now, we have a situation because of the surprise election of Rohani who is an insider but can win the confidence of reformers and hard liners. So he has the support-- that's a unified government and to negotiate, you have to have a partner who is unified. And on our side we are ready to negotiate, the Europeans are ready to negotiate and this has gone on for so long that this program was getting to a point where something had to happen. And Rohani wants a victory, he wants after being newly elected to return home to his home constitutes and say look, you voted for me. I've produced results. All of that together meant both that sides wanted to get a quick deal.

WHITFIELD: Jim Walsh, thank you so much.

WALSH: Thank you, Fredericka.

WHITFIELD: All right. And now from a major deal to a major storm now dumping ice and snow on much of the southwest right now. And its marching east threatening to become a Thanksgiving week nor'easter. We'll tell you which cities may get hit the hardest next.

But, first, the Philippines is the location for the current season of CBS's "Survivor." "Survivor" host Jeff Probst has shot four seasons in the Philippines and he talks about how typhoon Haiyan is impacting his world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF PROBST, HOST, "SURVIVOR:" I've spent over the last two years, eight months in the Philippines. And while we didn't shoot in that exact area there is such a sense of community in that country because it is an island, it is an island community. They don't have much to begin with. It was not uncommon when we would go to the villages to see people in a tin shack with wood on the side and maybe a fire burning inside and with a clothes line with a few shirts on it. That was their daily life and you wouldn't know anything was not OK because everybody had this joy in their heart. But when you take that very little bit they have away, and you combine it with all of this disaster, now you have just a major catastrophe. And rebuilding that is going to be enormous. "Survivor" has always been connected to the communities we go to so we even have our own internal stuff that we are doing with the doctors we have worked with there who are on the ground and we are helping support them. You can't help but feel simultaneously helpless and on the other hand grateful that you are safe. Because this can hit us, it can hit anybody.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A dangerous storm is dumping ice and snow across the U.S. just as millions of American's hit the road for the Thanksgiving holiday. Let's check in to the CNN Weather Center.

KAREN MAGINNIS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: I'm CNN meteorologist Karen Maginnis. We have got a heavy load of weather to tell you about that will impact your travel going through the Thanksgiving holiday. With a developing storm system in the Gulf of Mexico transitioning off the eastern seaboard and moving up the eastern seaboard. So a lot of folks will see rainfall leading up to the big holiday travel. Interior sections of the northeast and New England looks to be a snow event. But let's break it down for you.

We go from Monday, take a look at your travel weather, and for Monday the storm system a little sluggish over the last 24 hours with the expected icy conditions in the Metroplex of Dallas. Very poor along the Gulf Coast region. That is the primary impact. Then by Tuesday it becomes more for the mid Atlantic with snow fall in the backside of this area of low pressure. So the spine of the Appalachians that could be some difficult traveling if you are going up through some of those mountain highways.

Then, by Wednesday, more widespread, more deteriorating weather conditions, very poor travel conditions. New York City, Washington, D.C., Boston those key cities along the I-95 corridor that will be the greatest impact, the airports will be greatly impacted. The roadways to the west of that, that looks to be a significant impact as well. Thanksgiving Day, the weather system moves off the eastern sea board. We start to clear out. At least for the Thanksgiving Day it looks to be a much quieter scenario. But it's going to be those 72 hours leading up to that that would have its greatest impact.

I'm meteorologist Karen Maginnis that is a look at your travel forecast.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much, we'll all be bracing this week. Thanks Karen.

All right. This week, recipients of the highest civilian award are giving thanks among the sixteen given the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Civil Rights leader C.T. Vivian, he was honored alongside former President Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey and others. Vivian was a critical part of the Civil Rights Movement and worked with Martin Luther King Jr.

Before the ceremony I asked Vivian what the honor means to him.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Not only be one of the 16 recipients, but to share this day, this honor, with the names like Ernie Banks, Oprah Winfrey, Gloria Steinan, Ted Bradley, Sally Ride --

CORDY TINDELL, "C.T." VIVIAN, MINISTER AND CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER: It sounds good. But let me tell you. If it doesn't allow you to help other people, it doesn't matter who you've got them with and it doesn't matter what the honor looks like or where it comes from. You see what I mean? It's only the things that help you help somebody are really worth the effort.

WHITFIELD: So this in your view is not an honor to represent all that you have done. But instead you say, this is an incentive to continue to do more.

VIVIAN: Of course and you got it exactly right. But to make it possible to do more that is the wonder of it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Can do more. President Obama called Vivian an inspiration and a pioneer for greater justice and equality.

Family reunions are always touching to witness. But especially for this mother and son who were separated by an international border for more than three decades. That most be moment straight ahead.

But first, we're preparing our own holiday tradition with CNNheroes. An all star tribute, it's a celebration of the top ten heroes of the year and their work helping others. This star studded gala airs next Sunday, December 1 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, CNN entertainment correspondent Nischelle Turner gives us a behind the scenes peak at preparations for the big event.

NISCHELLE TURNER, ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Hey, there everybody, I'm Nischelle Turner and I'm going to give you a backstage look at what it takes to put this whole CNN heroes award show together. Are you ready for this? It is going to be cool. All right, come with me.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TURNER (voice over): This year, we're back in New York, baby at the American Museum of Natural History where the very first CNN Hereo's took place seven years ago.

KELLY FLYNN, SENIOR EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, CNN HEROES: I can't believe it's been that long. We're thrilled to be back here. It's iconic and it's beautiful.

TURNER: And the first stop of the night for these everyday heroes and celebrities. The red carpet. Wow, look at it in here, look at all these lights. You know, work like this takes hundreds of people to set up working around the clock. And then the center piece of the evening. This year's CNN Heroes will honored right here in the whale room where one of the museums biggest treasures will be watching over us all night. I'm talking about this lady right here. That's not all that has to be done to get ready for this special event. Fifty one tables to set up, nine cameras to put in place and one giant video monitor.

JEFF KEPNES, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, SPECIAL EVENTS: You wouldn't believe just really what it takes to put something like this on. And, you know, we had two days to bring it in and set it all up.

TURNER: Transforming this beautiful room from this to this all to honor ten everyday people who are changing the world.

ANDERSON COOPER, HOST, "CNN HEREOS: AN ALL-STAR TRIBUTE:" It is just a nice thing to honor these people. They don't get the lime light, they don't get honor, they don't have celebrities saying their name and praising their work. It is a nice thing for them; it is a nice pat on the back.

TURNER: A pat on the back from CNN and becomes a very special night of inspiration.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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WHITFIELD: People sneak across the Mexican border into the U.S. every day. But how often do American citizens try to cross illegally. CNN's Casey Wian has story of one man who did and found his mother.

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CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Thirty seven year old David Amaya crossed illegally into the United States here. That is Mexico on the other side of this tunnel.

DAVID AMAYA, CROSSED U.S. MEXICO BORDER: Yes.

WIAN: You can't smell it, but just imagine a polluted flood control tunnel frequented on one side of the border by i.v. drug users and on the other by their waste.

Agents say Amaya spoke no English and had no ids. Saying he was robbed before his border crossing.

TROY MATTHEWS, BORDER PATROL WATCH COMMANDER: His initial claim was that he was a citizen of Mexico.

WIAN: Agents at first suspected he was an immigrant smuggler because he crossed with seven other undocumented immigrants.

AMAYA: They didn't believe me. They would tell me no that I was Mexican and that I had to tell them the truth or they were going to send me to jail.

WIAN: Then, after 16 hours in custody, Amaya changed his story saying he was born in Chicago and was actually a U.S. citizen. MATTHEWS: For him to cross in the manner in which he did just did not make sense to us at all.

WIAN: Amaya said he was abandoned by his mother as a toddler and taken to Mexico by his father.

AMAYA: My dad told me that my mom had abandoned me at an orphanage center because she didn't love me. She dropped me off with my grandparents and went back to Chicago. He almost never spent time with me.

WIAN: Border patrol agents began a different kind of search.

MATTHEWS: Our agents were able to reach out to the county clerks in Chicago to get some information and they told us a birth certificate did exist.

WIAN: Not only did Amaya get his birth certificate, agents found his mother on Kathy living in Wisconsin and got her on the phone.

MATTHEWS: We told him it was true. He actually started crying. It was something I won't soon forget.

WIAN: Amaya's mother said she never abandoned him 34 years ago, blaming his father for leaving him in Mexico without her permission. Amaya's father did not respond to CNN's inquiry. The border patrol released David and he was taken in by San Diego Pastor Freddy Rivas.

FREDDY RIVAS, IGLESIA DE CRISTO: We fed him and we gave him a warm bath. He hadn't taken a shower for ten days.

WIAN: A San Diego man offered to pay for Amaya's air fare to Wisconsin.

AMAYAS: I immigrated here in '77 so I saw my mother twelve times.

FRANK TSIMBOUKAIKIS, AIRFARE DONOR: And -- any way she passed away this year. I know what it feels to miss a mother.

WIAN: But first a long overdue reunion in San Diego.

(UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE): I'm very happy. I'm not going to let you go.

WIAN: David said he is speechless. Kathy's first impression.

(UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE): He is all grown up.

WYAN: Kathy and David plan to spend a few days in California and visit the beach and then they will spend a month in Wisconsin. David says he hopes to settle in San Diego to pursue his American dream and leave this nightmare behind.

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WIAN: As for what's next for David Amaya, he says he's going to write a book about his experiences. Could be a best-seller. Casey Wian, CNN San Diego.

WHITFIELD: Wow, that's an incredible story. Christmas officially comes to the nation's capitol this week. It already did for that family. But we're going to begin our look at the week ahead in D.C.

The capitol Christmas tree arrives in Washington on Monday. You are looking at last year's tree here. This year, is an Angleman Spruce from Washington State. The tree-lighting ceremony happens on December 3rd.

For the first time since 1947; you can bid on a copy of the first book ever printed in America. The whole book of Psalms was made by puritan settlers in 1640. Sotheby's expects it will sell between $15-30 million dollars at auction on Tuesday.

President Obama pardons a turkey on Wednesday but this isn't just any bird, it is the national Thanksgiving turkey. After the ceremony, the turkey and its alternate will be part of the Christmas at Mt. Vernon display.

Thursday is Thanksgiving and it is also the first day of Hanukkah. In a rare conversion both fall on the same day this year. Call it Thanksgivahah (ph). The last time this happened was 1918 and it won't happen again until 2070.

On Black Friday, millions of us will hit the malls to shop for those holiday gift deals. It's always one of the busiest shopping days of the year. Last year, 89 million people either went to stores or shopped online. And that set a record.

No matter what kind of family bonding time there is while shopping, you will not find me in a mall, in a store on Black Friday. But I wonder if Martin Savidge is going to take a little time for it. Let's find out.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Hopefully no. Most of the time, when I do go, I have to report.

WHITFIELD: Working. Hopefully not this year. But then the advantage with that sometimes when you are working on a Black Friday is you can pick up a couple little things at commercial breaks. And then your shopping is done, wa la.

SAVIDGE: Advice from Fredricka.

Thank you very much.

WHITFIELD: Have a good one.

SAVIDGE: Have a wonderful holiday.

WHITFIELD: Much more of THE NEWSROOM straight ahead.