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Small Protest Over Whole Foods' Holiday Hours; Storm Affecting Flights Across Country; Airlines Work To Lessen Storm Impact; 24 Hours At Nation's Biggest Airport; CNN/ORC Poll: 59 Percent Are NFL Fans; Bad Weather Fails To Stop Holiday Travel

Aired November 27, 2013 - 14:30   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: So we're making things a little interesting for some of our CNN crews today. We're calling it CNN's Great Race Home. We have plucked three correspondents and we have placed each of them in different forms of travel. So you have Nic Robertson in the middle of the screen. He is on a plane. You have Brian Todd. He's in a car, and Lisa Desjardins, she is on a train.

Here is the news. I just talked to Nic Robertson. He is now off the plane. He hopped a shuttle from New York. So they all began in Manhattan, at the CNN Bureau in Manhattan, just about 2-1/2 hours ago, and Nic somehow miraculously got on the shuttle, has already landed at Regan National in Washington, D.C., but now has to face the arduous journey that is that taxi cab line.

So that is where Nic stands right now. We have Brian Todd and Lisa Desjardins standing by. We want to check on their status. Here he is, Brian Todd, grooving along, looks like you're moving. Where are you, Brian Todd?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brooke, we're just north of the Delaware Memorial Bridge, about to get off the New Jersey turnpike. My colleagues and I have been on the road now for 2-1/2 hours. Have gone through two cups of coffee, one almond power bar, one Subway lemonade, two sticks of gum, and a couple Lady Gaga songs, a couple Macklemore songs.

We're going a little crazy here, but the traffic is now moving, thankfully. The rain is very steady, so we don't know exactly what's up ahead. We have gone through two traffic jams, but we're moving now. Still, I think my competition is successfully smoking me.

BALDWIN: I hope we still have you. Yes, they might be smoking you a little bit, but you know, listen, Nic Robertson is not there yet, and mentioning the songs, it sounds like Julian's Spotify play list. You can tell him I said that. What's been the worst part of driving for you? When were you really in the thick of it? I knew you hit some traffic.

TODD: (Inaudible) as the lanes merge going south, we just -- you know, that slowed us down. But that's the most frustrating part. The traffic jams where you don't know what the cause is. You can't see an accident. You can't see, you know, anything that's going wrong with a disabled vehicle.

BALDWIN: OK. Got to leave you, Brian Todd. Keep your eyes on the road for us. Brian Todd and crew, they're en route to Washington via car. Lisa Desjardins, as I mentioned, on a train. You can follow her on Twitter @lisadcnn. We'll check in with Lisa and see how that food car is treating her as she's in route to the nation's capital as well.

And again, we're watching and waiting to see who officially wins. You can tune in on "THE SITUATION ROOM" at 5:00 Eastern to see the official winner in Washington, D.C.

And now to this, you know what some workers are doing today. They are not prepping the big meal but protesting the big boss specifically, Whole Foods. One company is trying to cash in on a consumer shopping wave as more stores are opening on Thanksgiving. These protesters against Whole Foods say workers deserve a whole Thanksgiving.

I want to turn now to CNN business correspondent, Zain Asher, and when we're talking about these protests, how big are they, Zain?

ZAIN ASHER, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Brooke. They are pretty small right now, roughly around 12 workers so far at two Whole Foods in the Chicago area. Now, part of the problem is there's been this trend of Black Friday sales happening earlier and earlier and beginning to encroach on Thanksgiving. You have to understand, part of the problem for the retailers is that Black Friday really is the moment of truth.

This is the time where a lot of retailers depend on this. The economy is still weak right now. A lot of these retailers see the holiday shopping season as their life line, and also the period this year between Thanksgiving and Christmas is actually a lot shorter because Thanksgiving starts a little bit later. So they're trying to make up for it on the back end.

But on the other hand, a lot of workers, Brooke, actually want to work on Thanksgiving. Why, because they make time and a half. When you talk to the organization that's arranging this protest, they're called fight for 15 on Facebook, they're saying, listen, if you paid workers a living wage, roughly $15 an hour is what they're asking for.

They wouldn't have to work on Thanksgiving. So yes, Whole Foods workers striking today for the right to spend Thanksgiving with their families -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: What about, Zain, the store itself. What is Whole Foods saying?

ASHER: So we reached out to Whole Foods. They're basically saying that it's not their policy to stay open on Thanksgiving. We did get a quote from them. They're saying their Chicago store, I'm reading it to you now, decided to be open part of the day, closing early to allow for holiday celebrations.

They're also saying that, listen, workers have the choice to work on Thanksgiving. Nobody is forcing them. They're also saying we going to pay our workers time and a half, and get this, Brooke, they did also say that they have more volunteers to work on Thanksgiving than they know what to do with -- Brooke. Two sides to every story.

BALDWIN: Two sides to every story. Glad we have both. Zain, thank you very much.

ASHER: Of course.

BALDWIN: Now this. OK.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When I saw my body, I going to say that was the first time that I actually thought, well, I guess I am dead. I guess I really did die.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In the book, you write about dancing with them. Were you celebrating?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: A woman survives a brush with death, and she says she saw heaven. You're going to hear about her experience in a CNN Special Report next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Chicago's O'Hare Airport avoided the big storm that is messing up travel on the east coast, but they are certainly feeling the ripple effect of plane delays. Ted Rowlands is at the United Airlines Operation Center there in Chicago. Ted Rowlands, how are things looking where you are?

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, a very busy day here, Brooke. This is an amazing facility. We're in the Sears Tower or the Willis Tower. This is where United has all of their operations and it's a massive operation, 1,300 people work here 24/7. This is the ATC coordinator you're looking at, air traffic control, folks, they deal with air traffic control.

Behind them are the narrow body control, they deal with the smaller aircraft and they deal literally with everything. Passenger issues, with flight attendant issue, where are they going to stay tonight and of course, they are supporting and monitoring every flight that is in the air.

Today, most of the focus on the eastern seaboard as you might imagine because of the weather. Not too bad. About 20, 30 flights were cancelled. This is Jim Deyoung, he is the operations manager here. All in all, you were bracing for a horrible day that turned out pretty good.

JIM DEYOUNG, MANAGING DIRECTOR, OPERATIONS CONTROL CENTER, UNITED AIRLINES: It's all about planning. You know, we see these types of winter events before. We don't like them during the busiest travel season, but we plan days in advance. This room full of professionals is here just to make sure it's a seamless experience for our customers.

ROWLANDS: Including a full weather department. They have a full weather department here, Brooke, and they monitor the weather. Would you say the weather is the biggest concern you come up against on a daily basis?

DEYOUNG: Yes, I would say so, weather, and how it's going to play with the air traffic control environment as well. A lot of airplanes in the sky, weather kind of make it a little bit difficult to route airplanes around. So therefore it has an impact as well.

ROWLANDS: Right now, you're looking at Washington, D.C. because you had icing issues. How's that looking?

DEYOUNG: Actually right now for the Washington Dulles hub, it's rain right now, and we're going to de-ice and hopefully minor bump in the road.

ROWLANDS: Brooke, it's amazing. Anything you can think of as a passenger that could go wrong, they're actually monitoring it here in Chicago with every flight that United has worldwide. So if your flight is delayed, they know about it. If you're sitting on the tarmac, they know about it and they're trying to deal with it.

At one particular time, there could be up to 20 people working on one aircraft, dealing with gasoline, de-icing, you name it, they're dealing with it here while you're dealing with them on the airplane.

BALDWIN: Crazy. Just to think what that place going to look like come Sunday when everyone is going home. Ted Rowlands in Chicago, Ted, thank you very much. Crazy, with more than 43 million people expected to go somewhere today for the holidays, a glimpse now into a city of sorts that never sleeps, Atlanta-Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Folks, this is the nation's busiest and biggest airport. Many people had stories they simply had to share with CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm coming from San Jose, California. I'm headed to Memphis, Tennessee.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Columbia, South Carolina.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: New Jersey.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Des Moines, Iowa.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Edmonton, Canada.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Boston via London, via Ireland.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Coming from Frankfurt going to Baton Rouge to visit my mother.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm coming from Washington, D.C. I'm heading to Minneapolis. I'm going to go see my brand new grandson, who was born just 36 hours ago to my little boy, and we're on our way to see him.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The most shocking thing I've ever seen.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I had somebody try to get in the cockpit. I was able to calm her down and talk to her and bring her away from the front door of the cockpit.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Someone tried going through security with a fully oiled and fuelled chain saw. That was weird.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I saw somebody coming through the airport in their wedding dress. Complete wedding party.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just saw a small child wander around a few gates with a large suitcase, and no one claimed him.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ever caught someone doing the mile-high? I knocked on the door and said that's not allowed.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I never have anything eventful happen. Speaking to CNN has been the most eventful thing to happen to me in the airport.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In the airport, looking at all the different people.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Kind of like people watching.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I enjoy going through all the Duty Free shops.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I kind of like how they're like a little microcosm of an independent city.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I actually love coming to the airport. We always meet new people.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's about it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: This is really for all you airport nerds, and you know who you are. You will love this. Go to CNN.com/atl24.

Coming up here, as the NFL gets ready for a big, big football day tomorrow, the hits keep coming. Surprising poll numbers as football fans reveal whether concussions and alleged bullying at all impact the love of the game. Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins me next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: For the National Football League, the hits keep on coming. Viewers are tuning in to the NFL in lofty numbers this season. A CNN poll taken last week found that nearly 60 percent of Americans call themselves fans, 59 percent to be precise, and those fans don't seem to care too much at all with the ongoing problems with concussions.

You see here 60 percent say it doesn't at all temper their zeal for the game. How to explain that? Well, our chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, asked our sports correspondent, Andy Scholes to take a look -- Sanjay.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: We have been covering this issue for a long time, just concussions in sports. I do this from a neurosurgery perspective. What's interesting is it doesn't seem to affect the fans' love for the game. There was some polling data that showed about 60 percent of people, they don't view the NFL any less favorably. As a sports reporter, what have you sensed? Has this affected how you report?

ANDY SCHOLES, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: You know what it seems like no matter what, the NFL is untouchable when it comes to these kinds of scandals. You know, this has really been two of the worst PR years ever for the NFL between the concussion lawsuit, bounty gate, two lockouts, and Aaron Hernandez trial, yet the numbers are higher than ever when it comes to TV ratings.

You know, 19 of the top 20 watched shows or programs this year have all been NFL games. It goes to show it seems like we're trained, no matter what happens outside the game of football or even inside the game of football, we're still going to want to watch the game.

GUPTA: I know you don't report on middle school and high school, obviously, but there seems to be more of a concern there. I think about 80 percent of people who were polled say they worry more about kids at that level. Is this just a question of these are adults when they're in the NFL, they're making their own decisions?

SCHOLES: Well, I think that's part of it. You know, they know what they're getting into. They're paid millions of dollars and make the choice to play that game. I think the NFL and at the college level, they're trying to institute, we're not going to hit with the head anymore. They're trying to lessen these kinds of injuries, but the NFL players they struggle with it every week.

You see every week in the news a player is fined and suspended. In the college game, if you hit someone head to head, you're flagged and suspended for the next game. That's a targeting rule this year, but the players right now aren't trained to play that way.

GUPTA: Right. That's part of the thing they have to play through it. That's their job. Although that culture does seem to be changing and especially in players who were retired, but very well-known players, Brett Favre, Tony Dorsett, both coming out and telling their stories.

Brett said he could not remember a soccer season for his daughter. As a father of three daughters myself, that's a huge loss in terms of his memory. What about that? SCHOLES: You're right. There's actually a couple of players who have walked away from the game recently after now these guys weren't high- profile players, weren't making the tens of millions of dollars a year some of the guys are, but they actually said, I don't want to have this life that some of these guys are having, like the Tony Dorsett, Brett Favre, Earl Campbell.

I don't want to be like that. A couple guys have walked away. It's going to be an interesting question that people deal with near year to year, if they want to keep playing this violent game.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: And I want you to tune in to watch more of Sanjay's conversation with Andy this weekend on SJ, M.D., that is Saturday at 4:30 p.m. Eastern and Sunday at 7:30 in the morning right here on CNN.

Every now and then, you perhaps have heard about someone who survived a brush with death and then told of returning from a place that they couldn't quite explain, heaven? I don't know. This Sunday, Anderson Cooper brings us the fascinating stories of these three people who came close to clinical death and say they actually went somewhere or at least something profound and otherworldly happened to them. Mary Neal is one of these people. Here she is with CNN's Randi Kaye.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARY NEAL: I could see the scene on the riverbank. I could see them pull my body to the shore. I could see them start CPR. I had no pulse, and I wasn't breathing. One fellow was yelling at me to come back.

RANDI KAYE, CNN INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: You were unconscious so how do you know all this was happening?

NEAL: I felt my body break free, and I felt my spirit break free and I was greeted by these people or these spirits. I could be with them and be going down this incredible pathway and simultaneously look back at the river. When I saw my body, I going to say that was the first time that I actually thought, well, I guess I am dead. I guess I really did die.

KAYE: In the book, you write about dancing with them. Were you celebrating?

NEAL: Yes.

KAYE: What? What were you celebrating? You had just died?

NEAL: It was a great homecoming and I was really surprised by the fact that I had no intention of going back.

KAYE: You didn't want to return?

NEAL: No. And I had all the reasons to return. I had a great life. I had a great job. I had a great husband. My children are wonderful and I love them more than I could ever imagine loving something on earth. But the love that I felt for them in comparison to God's love that was absolutely flowing through everything was just pale in comparison.

And then at a certain point, one of the people or the spirits told me that it wasn't my time and I had more work to do on earth and I had to go back to my body.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: That is just one of those stories we invite you to watch. Anderson Cooper's special report, "To Heaven and Back," it airs Sunday at 7:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. right here on CNN.

Coming up, three CNN correspondents in a race to get home for the holiday from New York to Washington, they have come, one of them, it looks like, may soon be hitting the finish line at our Washington, D.C. Bureau. We have cameras on standby, tracking their progress, one by car, one by plane, one by train. The leader, very, very close to that finish line, we're watching the Great Race Home. Stay tuned.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: If you thought tiny unmanned vehicles buzzing through the sky were only for sci-fi movies, think again. Mike Galanos has this week's "Technovations" that may leave your head spinning.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIKE GALANOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They navigate through windows, fly in formation, and take off and land with ease, and these tiny unmanned aerial vehicles called quad rotors are doing it on their own.

MATTHEW TURPIN, PH.D. STUDENT, UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA: This is a robot that is completely autonomous. By that I mean, there's no remote control in the background.

GALANOS: Most of the test flights are done here at the University of Pennsylvania's grass lab, decked out with a state of the art motion capture system. And students give the quad rotor simple commands via compute, but the vehicles decide how they'll go from point A to point B on their own.

TURPIN: We have the bike-on system or the red lights, which allow us to figure out where the robot is. Then we're able to send it commands about what we would like it do and group behaviors that you'll see.

GALANOS: Other quad rotors at the lab have worked together to carry cargo, build structures, and have been equipped with cameras and lasers to create 3D images inside buildings. With better batteries and a bigger pay load capacity, they could be used in the real world for surveillance and search and rescue.

TURPIN: We can send them in ahead of people, and this is potentially lifesaving for first responders. GALANOS: For now, most of the research on the remarkable robots is still done in in the lab, but you could say their potential is sky high.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Mike Galanos, thank you. Top of the hour, I'm Brooke Baldwin. Twenty four hours ago, we expected to see jammed highways, chaotic airports as millions of Thanksgiving travellers face this massive wintry storm. All up and down the east coast, it has been cold, snowy, and rainy. You can see these pictures, windy, but for the most part, I am happy to report here on this thanksgiving eve, it has not stopped people from getting to their Thanksgiving destinations thus far.

Airports reporting relatively few delays and cancellations today. Highway traffic seems to me moving in most places. Chad Myers is in the CNN Weather Center. Chad, let's just begin with the worst of the worst. Where is that?

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Probably driving up and down I-95 is still pretty bad. Anywhere here where it's raining, and even in some spots here, the snow kind of encroaching from the west and that's right at sunset. We're going to start to see these roads ice up, maybe even I-95, close to Washington, D.C., around the beltway as well.

Back out here, we're beginning to see the first signs of lake effect snow that we knew would come through as the snow and the cold air come across the lakes like that, and you get these lake effect snow bands to come through. The wind hasn't yet developed for the big cities yet because we're almost in the eye of the low.