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CTE On Baseball Players; Winterstorm Hits Midwest; China's Jade Rabbit in Mars; Actor Peter O'Toole Dies at Age 81; Actress Tells How Mandela Inspired Her; Documentary Investigates Bible Stories; Dennis Rodman Going to North Korea
Aired December 15, 2013 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Much more ahead from the NEWSROOM in just a moment.
First up, he suffered several concussions on the baseball field. Now we're just learning how damaging that was to the late Ryan Freel. He is the first MLB player to b e diagnosed with the devastating brain condition as typically associated with football players. That story just ahead.
And a huge winter storm barrels across the mid west and the northeast, dumping up to a foot and a half of snow on millions of people. The impact of this brutal winter storm could be felt for days.
Those stories and much more. It all starts right now.
Today there is a new stunning development in the major baseball league news. For the first time doctors have diagnosed a player with CTE. That is chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
It is the case of former player Ryan Freel. He played eight years including six seasons for the Cincinnati Reds last December. He took his own life and now doctors at Boston University have confirmed that Freel did have CTE, the disease distorts the structure of the brain. People who suffer from that disease can become irritable, aggressive and depressed. Family members gathered in Jacksonville, Florida today to remember Ryan Freel.
CNN's Carol Costello spoke with the family recently about his life and struggle.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NORMA VARGAS, RYAN FREEL'S MOTHER: He was always very active, impulsive person. I didn't understand why would he be depressed when he basically had it all?
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): And Ryan Freel did have it all. A career in the major and fans loved him. After all his style of play was fearless but it cost him dearly. As many as 10 concussions in eight years.
Something his mother constantly worry about. VARGAS: I kept saying to Ryan, "Ryan, why don't you go to a doctor. You know, have some tests done." And I'm fine. I'm fine. You know - I'm not sure that Ryan thought that his problem was a concussion at all.
COSTELLO: Three years after Freel retired he took a shotgun and killed himself. He was 36 years old.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: If someone has a concussion, and it's not recognized, because people aren't paying attention to it in a sport like baseball and then they get another concussion on top of it. That's not just potentially a small problem but that is potentially a lethal problem.
COSTELLO: Increasingly, concussions are sidelining some of baseball's brightest stars. This season alone 28 major leaguers suffered concussion. Twins catcher, Joe Mauer, Phillie's outfielder Dominic Brown and Tigers catcher Alex Sevilla among them. Other players including San Diego's Nick Hundley now wonder if they'll be healthy in retirement.
NICK HUNDLEY, PADRES CATCHER: You're responsible to your family first, and if you continually play through concussion and stuff and you see the long-term effects of it, I just had a daughter. That makes it, puts it in perspective a little bit more.
COSTELLO: Major league baseball is trying to better protect its players. It has implemented a seven-day concussion disabled list separate from the normal 15-day disabled list to encourage more players to admit they have a problem.
DR. GARY GREEN, MEDICAL DIRECTOR, MLB: Now that we've started to identify these injuries, we're going to start to do is focus on ways of reducing it. One of the things we've done, study catcher's helmets.
COSTELLO: MLB is especially concerned about catchers, but Green also says reinforced hats are a possibility for pitchers. Possibly as soon as next season. Something Tiger's ace Max Scherzer told me he welcomes.
MAX SCHERZER, TIGERS PITCHER: I'm kind of in a vulnerable spot. A lot of balls that come back at me that I react later than most pitchers. So if it's something that's comfortable and something that's practical I think - I know personally I would want to wear it.
COSTELLO: But other players and managers are not sold on the idea. In spite of the danger. But for Ryan Freel's family, the risks are not worth a life.
VARGAS: I asked my just about every day what could I have done to save Ryan? But, you know what I feel like I did a lot. I - even the day before he took his life, I went to his house and I remember holding him. He was in bed. I held his hand and I said, "Son, let's go to a counselor." He already had been taken for counseling, and he said, "Don't worry about it, mom. I will Monday. I will start on Monday."
COSTELLO: Carol Costello, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: Thank you, Carol.
And the family of deceased NFL player Jovan Belcher wants to know if he too suffered from CTE. Belcher who played linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs, fatally shot his long-time girlfriend and then killed himself. You'll remember them, about a year ago. The family's lawyer told the Kansas City Star that Belcher's body was exhumed Friday so that researchers can perform tests on his brain. The family wants to know if CTE or something else played a role in that murder/suicide.
The Heisman trophy was awarded to, and this is no surprise. Florida state quarterback Jameis Winston last night. That and the lingering question about his sexual assault allegation. Winston is the youngest player at 19 to receive the Heisman. Prosecutors said recently they are not going to filed charges against Winston for a rape allegation that became public last month. A lawyer for the alleged victim is asking for further investigation.
And now to that huge snowstorm that has impacted much of the country. It is about 1,000 miles swath of area that's been hit, and it's seeing anywhere from six to 16 inches of snow. That's Kansas to Maine. Roads are slick, flights are cancelled and the snow plows, they are out in force.
Alexandra Field joins us live now from Woolburn, Massachusetts, just outside of Boston. Alexandra, it looks like the snow stopped, but how bad are conditions at the moment?
ALEXANDRA FIELD, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well, we got about half a foot of snow here and the cleanup has been under way all day. You can see, Martin, where these snow banks are piled up. But here's the tricky part, the snow is starting to ice over and we know that makes this clean up work harder and heavier.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FIELD (voice-over): The sights and sounds of a fierce winter storm. Overnight, the large swath of snow and ice moved in to the northeast, packing a punch that has many in the region digging in for a long winter.
LARS NELSON, POTTSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA RESIDENT: We've got plenty of salt. The back roads are starting to stick a little bit. It looks like it's coming down pretty good now. They might get a little wear especially the back roads.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm staying in for this, and just get out of the way.
FIELD: Boston's mayor Tom Menino, cautioning everyone this holiday season before the worst hits his city.
MAYOR THOMAS MENINO, BOSTON: Be very careful as you're coming back from those parties this evening. The roadways will be, snow on them, and just ask you, when you celebrate, celebrate responsibly.
This is a snowstorm that is not of major proportion. Any city of our size should be able to handle it.
FIELD: The 1,000 mile path of this system has put states from Kansas to Maine in the bull's eye with winter storm warnings and watches across the board. Airport delays caused by the storm are forcing many flights to be cancelled with a ripple effect being felt coast to coast.
Dangerous conditions on the roads are also a major factor. At least one person was killed when a car slid off a Missouri interstate, but in New England, the Massachusetts D.O.T. says they're ready.
FRANK DEPAOLA, MASSACHUSETTS DOT (over the phone): We have almost 4,000 pieces of equipment. We have both salt spreaders and plows, and heavy, really heavy pieces of equipment as well as some specialized large snow-blowing equipment.
FIELD: And yet despite the blizzard-like conditions, not everything came to a halt. The annual Army game went on as planned. The Navy midshipman beat Army for the 12th straight year in a row 34-7, and Erin Flanagan, got here wish of a white wedding. The Pottstown, Pennsylvania bride and groom said their I-dos in the middle of the snowstorm.
ERIN FLANAGAN, POTTSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA RESIDENT: I just wanted a white wedding and I wanted it to snow, and I think snow is beautiful because I'm from Massachusetts. So it works for me, and I got it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You hit the jackpot.
FLANAGAN: Yes, I did.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FIELD: This storm is finally out of here but there's another small one on its heels. We could see another two to four inches in the Boston area by Tuesday. So Martin, winter here is just getting started.
SAVIDGE: Well, looks like you're in the middle of a holiday postcard, really. It looks beautiful. Thank you very much.
The National Weather Service is confirming what people in Flagler County, Florida probably suspected that the damage done to homes and businesses during a violent storm last night was most likely caused by a tornado. The weather service says that officials are still surveying the neighborhoods. So far it says the worst damage is consistent with an EF-1 tornado.
It took only 80 seconds for a gunman to march into Arapahoe high school shooting another student and turning the gun then on himself. The latest information now from police in Colorado. They say that the gunman, Carl Pierson, walked into the school with a shotgun, a machete and Molotov cocktails. Will Ripley with our affiliate KUSA has more from a student who knew the shooter. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
You know, you never think it's going to be your school. He just told me that they're all really scare and that they're locked in their classrooms.
WILL RIPLEY, KUSA REPORTER: Friday's chaos - Saturday's belief.
JOE REDMOND, ARAPAHOE HIGH STUDENT: Here, like my school? Like the people that I know?
RIPLEY: Arapahoe senior Joe Redmond was hiding in a hallway listening to a school administrator's radio.
REDMOND: So we heard a play by play of everything that happened while we're sitting in this hallway.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's a student down in the athletic hall.
REDMOND: And I heard it was Carl Pierson, and I - I broke down, because he's my friend.
RIPLEY: Close friends for three years. Co-captains of the speech and debate team.
CARL PIERSON, ALLEGED GUNMAN: Hi, I'm Carl Pierson, a freshman at Arapahoe High School in Middleton.
RIPLEY: During this 2010, Nine News debate, he asked a question that now seems chilling.
PIERSON: What would you like your legacy to be?
RIPLEY: Concerned about his own legacy even then, he told friends he had big future plans. Plans centered around his passion for speech and debate. His coach and mentor was school librarian Tracy Murphy.
REDMOND: He went to nationals with Mr. Murphy and they do not get along on this trip to Nashville. Carl had threatened to kill Mr. Murphy kind of half jokingly, and Mr. Murphy brought that to the administration and Carl got suspended for that.
RIPLEY: He says his friend was never the same after that suspension in September.
REDMOND: When Carl came back, he was pretty angry. He felt like the suspension had ruined his chances into college and ruined his future.
RIPLEY: Looking back, Redmond says there were signs of trouble. Classmates say Pierson was punished in the past for using strong language and could be verbally combative.
REDMOND: Whenever he was angry, you know, I just want to shoot everyone up.
RIPLEY: Redmond and others assumed he was joking. REDMOND: Obviously, he wasn't kidding.
RIPLEY: Never did he think his friend was capable of this.
REDMOND: Carl was a good guy and he made my days better and that's what make hurts most. He wasn't a villain.
RIPLEY: Today's disbelief. Tomorrow's determination.
REDMOND: I want to see Arapahoe recover from this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: Thanks to Will Ripley with our affiliate KUSA for that report.
The student who was shot on Friday was 17-year-old Claire Davis. She is in critical condition at the hospital.
Actor Peter O'Toole from the film "Lawrence of Arabia" has died.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why don't you take a picture?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: That film gave O'Toole his big break and made him an international sensation and also got him his first nomination for an Academy award. He was nominated seven more times but he never won. O'Toole's agent says that he died peacefully at the hospital yesterday and he has been sick for a while. He was 81 years old.
China is now a player in space. Its unmanned rover exploring the moon, and that's only the start of some ambitious plans for the future.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: China may have surprise a few people in the past 48 hours. Because it's been showing off its space program with a successful landing on the moon. Their first try no less.
China's solar powered rover called Jade Rabbit is exploring the planet looking for valuable minerals. It's a robot, there are no humans. But China has even bigger plans for the future. Here's CNN's Ivan Watson.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): China's Jade Rabbit lunar recover is now exploring the moon. This vehicle detached itself from a larger chunk of three lunar probe in the early hours of Sunday Beijing time.
Now, the probe itself made a historic soft, unmanned landing on the moon Saturday night, Beijing time, and it now puts China as the third country to accomplish this technological feat coming after the U.S. and Russia.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It landed on the moon. (INAUDIBLE) is on the moon.
WATSON: And we saw scenes of scientists from China's space agency celebrating, embracing each other, at the moment that that lunar probe made its successful landing on the moon.
Now, one of the missions of this lunar probe, which is partially solar powered, it's a six-wheeled vehicle weighing about 140 kilograms, one of its missions is to explore part of the moon known as Sinus Iridum or the Bay of Rainbows. It's also tasked with looking beneath the surface of the moon using ground penetrating radar. In part, to search for possible valuable mineral deposits.
Now, some experts tell CNN that they think the Chinese may be looking at the possibility at future prospecting and mining missions to the moon. The Chinese acknowledged that their space program is decades behind the U.S. and Russia, for example, but this does seem to be a part of a much bigger strategy that also involves establishing China's own global positioning system of satellites around the earth, and also building its own manned space station.
That's very significant, because if everything goes according to plan, when the International Space Station is decommissioned in 2020, in the subsequent decade it will be the Chinese that will have the only manned space station orbiting around the earth.
Ivan Watson, CNN, Beijing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: Thanks, Ivan.
Dennis Rodman, he loves North Korea so much, he's going back. What his big trip means for the U.S., coming up.
But next, a rich teen gets off after killing four people while driving drunk. His lawyer says he's a victim of his own privileged upbringing. Our legal team takes on this controversial case. That will be right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: I doubt there's anybody that has not heard about this story but I'll rehash it quickly for you. There was a wealthy Texas teenager who admits to driving drunk when he plowed into and killed four people. But the judge in his case. It was a juvenile case, gave him only probation. No prison time.
The judge bought in to the defense's claim that Ethan Couch was a victim of, listen carefully, affluenza. He grew up rich and privileged with parents who never set limits. So he basically didn't know right from wrong. Again, that's the defense. A man whose wife and daughter were killed by Ethan Couch could barely control his grief when he talked to Anderson Cooper about losing them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ERIC BOYLES, WIFE AND DAUGHTER KILLED IN CRASH: You know, Holly and Shelby - were strong in their faith, and their family and their friends, and they were givers. There are some people in life that are givers and takers, and they were truly givers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: It is so difficult to watch. I get choked up. Let's bring in Mo Ivory, she is the host of "The Mo Ivory Show" and Ashleigh Merchant, who is a criminal defense attorney to get some legal perspective on this case. That's part of the difficulty here. There's a lot of emotions that are tied up in this. But let me ask you, Mo, what did you think of this defense?
MO IVORY, THE "MO IVORY SHOW" HOST: I couldn't believe it when I heard it. I've heard the term before used in a satirical way, sort of as commentary to what happened to over privileged children but never as a defense that actually works. I think the lawyering was fabulous in this case. They figured out a way to do this and make it effective, but I think it's just - it's a shame on the law for allowing this kind of result based on that presentation.
Now, if this would have been about not sending a child to jail, I think a lot of people could have taken it differently, but this in itself I think is egregious.
SAVIDGE: Who's at fault here actually? I mean, the defense obviously came up with a clever defense. What about the judge?
ASHLEIGH MERCHANT, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: And that's part of what the defense does. Trying to blame everybody else except for the defendant to try and shift blame. That's what we do. But I think that the judge was the person who actually saw this child and actually - this was a kid. 16-year-old kid. That judge would have had to send a 16-year-old kid to prison.
I know that it resulted in the death of four people and I think that's horrible, but what he did was drink and drive. That's the crime that he did. He didn't go out and intend to murder anybody. There's no history of a pattern here. The judge found that he needed treatment and thought that it was best to treat him because he is 16. She thought he could be rehabilitated and put on court probation.
SAVIDGE: But we look at this and of course, we got four people who were killed. We have two people severely injured. There doesn't seem to be a punishment and granted, all right, he's 16. Although in many cases we know 16-year-olds try it as an adult here. That's really key here. That seems to have appointed, the defense won even before they went to trial?
IVORY: Sure, obviously, I mean, this was a juvenile case and there was a lot of sympathy for him being a child. But again, that defensive affluenza I think sends a terrible message. Because what it says in America, since we're already obsessed with materialism and wealth, that the more money you have, you even can be - kill four people and if your parents have enough money, you can come up with a crazy defense and you can win.
SAVIDGE: And if you're poor -
IVORY: And you suffer from let's say poveritis, is that a defense? That would be children whose parents can't give them anything or unable to provide for them. Can a lawyer come in and say well, according to poveritis, this child never had a fair opportunity. Of course not, that would never, ever wash. And so I just want - real problematic that we're focusing on affluenza as a defense that a child will now go to a half million dollar facility that his parents are able to pay for while he somehow gets a little bit better and pays for his sentence.
SAVIDGE: Which Ashleigh, you said, is not to treat him for his affluenza but it is to treat him for his alcohol problem?
MERCHANT: Right. For substance abuse issue.
SAVIDGE: Do you think this defense is going to catch on? I mean, are we going to hear this.
MERCHANT: You know, I don't know because of the public outcry we've had. But I think the key issue in this point is because he was treated as a juvenile. The point of juvenile justice is not punishment.
SAVIDGE: So that's the whole difference in this?
MERCHANT: The point is not retribution, it's not punishment. It's rehabilitation.
That is the entire focus of juvenile court. And so the judge did her job by focusing on that.
SAVIDGE: Yes. All right. I wish we could talk more, because there's so much more. Mo Ivory, Ashleigh Merchant, thank you both for coming on and talking to us.
Actor Peter O'Toole is being remembered as an absolute genius. His agent says the legendary actor died peacefully after a long illness. We're going to look back at his career, his life and everything you saw on screen coming up next in the "Newsroom."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: Actor Peter O'Toole has died at the age of 81. The iconic actor was most famous for his role in "Lawrence of Arabia "and "The Lion in Winter." Irish President Michael D. Hagins release this statement. "Ireland and the world lost one of the giants of film and theater." Here's a look back at O'Toole's legendary career.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE (voice-over): He was one of the greats. Peter O'Toole was simply an icon who even towards at the end of his life continued to wow audiences with his screen presence. Born Peter Seamus O'Toole in Ireland in 1932, his adolescence was spent in England. He made his professional debut on the London stage in 1955. From the West end, O'Toole quickly transitioned from the stage to the silver screen.
PETER O'TOOLE, ACTOR: I have drunk from it.
SAVIDGE: His appearance in 1962s "Lawrence of Arabia" catapulted him to worldwide stardom and earned him his first Oscar nomination.
O'TOOLE: Why don't you take a picture?
SAVIDGE: Lawrence was the beginning of a spectacular string of successful films during the 1960s. Including another Oscar nominated performance opposite Katharine Hepburn in "The Lion in Winter."
O'TOOLE: If you oppose me I'll strike you anywhere I can.
SAVIDGE: Admittedly a heavy drinker his taste for alcohol not only threatened his career but also his life. He managed to give up the drink and mounted a comeback as a crazed director in "The Stunt Man."
O'TOOLE: Shut up. It stills me up, it stills you up.
SAVIDGE: A self-described entertainer by trade, O'Toole mocked his own image as an alcoholic over-the-hill matinee idol in "My Favorite Year," a performance that earned him his seventh Oscar nomination.
Though he made have some forgettable films through the '80s such as 1984s "Super Girl" O'Toole continued to work appearing in several made-for-TV films including "Joan of Arc."
O'TOOLE: I know a good deal about all of that, but this work is every bit as important as the other.
SAVIDGE: In 2003, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences honored the then 71-year-old actor with the Oscar for Lifetime Achievement. Initially he declined the accolade fearing that it would signal the end of his career.
O'TOOLE: I suppose fighting for love makes more sense than all the rest.
SAVIDGE: But O'Toole carried on returning to the desert sands where his career began with a turn in 2004's sword and sandals epic "Troy."
O'TOOLE: I've got you a job. Modeling.
SAVIDGE: His role as an out-of-work actor in his golden years who became obsessed with a much younger woman, in 2006's "Venus" earned him yet another best actor nomination. Further cementing his status as a legendary performer.
O'TOOLE: In terms of people that have gone, I've lost a few. In the last few years. And I miss them dreadfully, but they're not here. On we go. SAVIDGE: Finally in July of 2012, O'Toole himself admitted that he could not go on in the acting business. He officially retired, giving the profession of, quote, "profoundly grateful farewell."
Peter O'Toole, an immortal on the screen, uniquely human off.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: And O'Toole's daughter said that he had been ill for some time and she added that her family, his family, "are very appreciative and completely overwhelmed with the outpouring of real love and affection being expressed towards him and to us during this unhappy time." That's a quote.
The world may well have said good-bye to former South African president Nelson Mandela today. He was buried in the hills of his childhood village with full military honors. Mandela was 95. He transformed South Africa surviving decades in prison and then leading the fight against apartheid and proving that with its defeat he could become and was president.
Actress Alfre Woodard had a friendship with Nelson Mandela that lasted more than two decades. She says that Mandela inspired her as a person and as an activist and described the man who pushed for change.
CNN's Fredricka Whitfield has more on this "Impact Your World" segment.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Actress Alfre Woodard lives her life inspired by Nelson Mandela. A leading voice against Apartheid, she co-founded what is now Artist for a New South Africa in 1989. And she introduced Mandela on his first trip to the United States after his release from prison.
ALFRE WOODARD, ACTRESS/ACTIVIST: Papa Mandela, when I see you walking about in this country, my joy overflows and my faith is made real enough to touch.
I said to him, in his ear, I said, Madiba. How are you? Have you eaten? Have you slept?
(LAUGHTER)
Really, nobody has asked me that, Alfre, in my entire trip.
WHITFIELD: Later, Mandela saw to it that Woodard was added to the guest list for a dinner in his honor at the White House.
WOODARD: He sees me about three people away, and he leans over, he goes, Alfre, Alfre, remember me? It's Nelson. And I said, Madiba, I don't think anybody will ever forget you, and certainly not me.
WHITFIELD: Over the years, Woodard joined Mandela in the fight to end the AIDS pandemic in Africa as an activist and friend. NELSON MANDELA, FORMER SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT: Alfre, how are you?
WOODARD: I'm so happy, Madiba, to be walking around in your land. I am so happy.
I think what Madiba demonstrated to all of us is not what he was capable of but what every single person is capable of. It does not matter what circumstance you're put into. It's how you respond to circumstance. I am just so grateful that I got to live in the time of Mandela.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: Great.
The oceanographer who discovered the wreckage of the "Titanic" says that he has found evidence of the biblical story of Noah's great flood might be true. The details just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: The Bible contains ancient and dramatic stories. Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, the exodus of the Jews out of slavery in Egypt, and Noah escaping the great flood.
This weekend CNN's Christiane Amanpour investigates these stories in her documentary "BACK TO THE BEGINNING." She talked with oceanographer Robert Ballard who believes that he's found evidence of Noah's flood.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): Ballard believes about 12,000 years ago much of the earth was covered in ice that began to melt. The oceans began to swell, causing a series of devastating floods all over the world.
ROBERT BALLARD, OCEANOGRAPHER: We talk about the floods of our living history. Boy, they don't compare at all to the floods of ancient time. The question is, was there a mother of all floods?
AMANPOUR: Ballard thinks there was and he's testing a controversial theory that the biblical flood happened here.
BALLARD: Why the Black Sea? Well, because the Black Sea appears to have had a giant flood. Not just a slow moving advance rise of sea level but a really big flood and people were living there.
AMANPOUR: The theory goes, this was once an isolated freshwater lake, but then when the Mediterranean swelled --
BALLARD: At some magic moment, it broke through and flooded this place violently.
AMANPOUR (on camera): What did Noah, or the people who lived there, during what you believe to be this huge flood -- what did they see?
BALLARD: It probably was a bad day, and a lot of real estate, 150,000 square kilometers of land went under.
AMANPOUR (voice-over): And 400 feet below the surface, Ballard believes he's found proof of that catastrophic event.
BALLARD: And I love it. I love it. I love it. I love it. I love it.
AMANPOUR: They unearthed an ancient shoreline.
BALLARD: Well, we actually dated it about 5,000 B.C.
AMANPOUR (voice-over): And that is about the time that the bible says Noah and the great flood happened.
BALLARD: Exactly.
AMANPOUR: I mean, wow.
BALLARD: Wow. So it nailed it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: Wow is exactly the right word.
Christiane joins me now live from London.
And it is really fascinating stuff to watch this, and by the way, Christiane, it is wonderful to see you again having shared a number of "Datelines" with you.
You know, you have covered so many events around the world, you've covered wars and interviewed world leaders. So what inspired you to want to retrace the steps in the bible? Why take this on?
AMANPOUR: Well, likewise, good to be with you, Martin. And you're absolutely right. I've covered so much of our modern history, wars, conflicts, religious wars and particularly. That is one of the reasons why I was inspired to do this because this whole documentary "BACK TO THE BEGINNING" actually traces the common history of all three major faiths. The Jews, the Christians, the Muslims.
All the Abrahamic faith which trace their religion back to Abraham. He's the patriarch of everybody.
Now the Ballard that we're talking about, and why it's so exciting, this Noah story, is none other than Doctor Robert Ballard of the "Titanic" fame. He's found the "Titanic" and he is absolutely sure that he's on to something when it comes to this huge flood. And that just shows that some of these bible stories which were written so many years ago, but after the fact.
They were not written contemporaneously with what they were talking about, but after the fact, may, indeed, have quite a lot of evidence to show that some or other parts of it did actually happen, and that's so, so interesting, and we have a fantastic journey to take everybody through. It's almost like viewers can sit back at home and travel back through the millennia without moving a muscle. And it's fantastic. SAVIDGE: What I think is really interesting in the storytelling that you use is that you describe the bible as a family saga, which it is.
AMANPOUR: Yes.
SAVIDGE: And you've even shared this journey with your own son Darius. So this was also a very personal journey for you?
AMANPOUR: Do you know what? It really was very personal, because it is a family saga in the greater sense of the word. The way the patriarch, the way the stories got passed down, the way the whole Old Testament, you know, unfolded. And given the fact that in my family we embrace all three of the major monotheistic religions, my mother is a Catholic Christian, my father is a Muslim, my husband is Jewish, that all of these come together in my son Darius.
And I wanted to take him along, not the whole journey, but parts of this journey to show him the importance of actual religious reconciliation and the commonalities that we all have, because one of my other major pieces of documentary were for CNN before this was "GOD'S WARRIORS," which showed that in modern times, actually religion has been politicized and has been used as a source of conflict.
But if you go all the way back to the beginning, you can see that we all have this common thread.
SAVIDGE: One of the things that I always find amazing when I'm in the Middle East and I know that you have noticed this, too, is that, you know, you are a kind of in the same steps, if you will, of Moses, of Abraham, and Jesus.
AMANPOUR: Yes.
SAVIDGE: So I'm wondering, as you retrace that, what was the most surprising thing that you discovered in making this?
AMANPOUR: What surprised me the most was actually finding where the three religions intersect and cross and are so similar. You know, the name Abraham is said in three different languages. It means the same thing. The same with Moses.
You know, we all share the same history, the same patriarch, and I think that is absolutely fascinating and, of course, also, the old testament is a real story of very violent history, and it's very interesting to see how all this comes to play, and how some of it is now used in modern day reality and politics, not in the best way, let's say, and I think, also, perhaps -- you know, this is unfolding and this will be airing in the aftermath of the death of Nelson Mandela, who really embodies the great spiritual act of forgiveness and reconciliation. And so I think that, you know, the timing of this couldn't be better.
SAVIDGE: I agree, and it's beautifully shot. It's wonderfully told.
AMANPOUR: Yes.
SAVIDGE: And it's just a delight.
Christiane, thank you very much. Happy holidays to you. Nice to see you again.
AMANPOUR: To you and to all your viewers.
SAVIDGE: I love history. It really is a great documentary, if you want to see Christiane's documentary "BACK TO THE BEGINNING," that'll be tonight at 9:00 Eastern Time, right here on CNN.
Dennis Rodman, he was known for his stunts on the basketball court, but his new moves, well, they could be his most interesting yet. What the star says his goal is with his upcoming North Korea trip. Next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: Sometimes there's stuff we just have to share. And this is just too rich to pass up. This Christmas there are a bunch of Santas who are definitely going to be on the naughty list.
I love the running narration there. That brawl between a group of men dressed as Santas broke out on the streets of New York last. It followed an event called Santa-con where thousands of -- that's right, thousands of Santas get together for a giant pop crawl.
Who would have thought this could have happened? They're encouraged to raise money for charity but the critics of the event say it has just gotten too rowdy. Well, now they've got the tape to prove it.
Basketball star Dennis Rodman has some serious travel plans.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So, Mr. Rodman, round trip to North Korea?
DENNIS RODMAN, BASKETBALL STAR: One way.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: One way?
(LAUGHTER)
Whew. One way. He said, one way.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's never coming back.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(LAUGHTER)
SAVIDGE: All right. That footlocker commercial might be poking fun, might be, but Rodman really is going to North Korea this week. He was there in February to meet with Kim Jong-Un, now he's going to train a basketball team that will play against former NBA players for Kim Jong-Un's birthday. Rodman told the Associated Press, quote, "I'm going to be the most famous person in the world when you see American people holding hands and hoping the doors can be opened, if they can." Unquote.
I'm now joined by CNN political commentator Will Cain and "Newsday" columnist Ellis Henican.
Thank you both for joining us.
ELLIS HENICAN, NEWSDAY COLUMNIST: Hey.
WILL CAIN, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Thanks, Martin.
SAVIDGE: Ellis, let me ask you this. You had a column today, and I believe you said that some things are better left to the professionals. It's really a great read. What's your reaction to this trip? I mean, obviously, you are not in agreement.
HENICAN: Well, I have so many questions, honestly, guys. The first one is whether Dennis Rodman is going to be able to teach Kim Jong-Un how to shoot 13 straight three pointers from half court the same way Kim's father was able to hit 13 holes in one, the first time he played golf.
I mean, you've got to analyze this thing as stupid theater a whole lot more than serious diplomacy, I'm afraid.
SAVIDGE: The thing is, Will, of course, you know, this has got the potential for nuclear fallout. You've just had the death, execution, of Jong-Un's uncle here. If you're the White House, if you're the State Department, what do you look at this? This must be harmful.
CAIN: You know, how horrible can it be, Martin? First of all, let's set the standard. I think Ellis started us off there. Kim Jong-Il, Kim Jong-Un's father, said he shot 13 holes in one. This is a -- this is a regime that is -- that if you could say an institution is certifiably crazy, this regime would be that. I mean, if you saw the press release when Kim Jong-Un had his uncle executed this past week because he said things like, he was a traitor for all ages, and he was worse than a dog.
What I'm saying to you is, there's no rational prism through which to view the North Korean regime. You can't say, well, how should we deal with them? Because you're imposing some kind of rationale -- rationality standard on it. So maybe seeing a crazy guy like Dennis Rodman over there, maybe it doesn't hurt. In fact maybe meeting crazy with crazy has some -- I don't know -- promise or hope to it.
SAVIDGE: And, you know, I guess, sure, I can laugh at it and I do find there are comical aspects to it. But, you know, this is a regime that does so much hard, has the potential to do so much harm, and of course, you know, if we talk about nuclear proliferation, we really a serious problem.
But I'm wondering, you know, do we laugh too much? I mean, and maybe I should also ask, what harm does this do to Dennis Rodman?
Ellis, do we worry about that at all?
HENICAN: Well, listen. I think chances are Dennis is going to get out all right. Although you do make a point. I mean, they did just kill the uncle and, you know, fortunes change very quickly in Pyongyang. That's absolutely true.
You know what would worry me, though, honestly, Martin, would be if the State Department would him this too seriously. If they were having briefings and getting together with Dennis after he game back. You know what he's -- why don't we say he's about half as nutty as the last two rulers we've had in North Korea, and you know what, let him go do his little stunt and let's let life move on.
SAVIDGE: All right. You know, like I say, there's plenty more I could talk to you about. I think it's very, very funny and, Will, I would have liked -- well, here, I will let you have the last word.
Do we care when he comes back, to talk to Rodman at all and hear what happened?
CAIN: Yes, sure. I mean, look, we -- again, you're putting it out, we could be laughing at this, but there's actually some serious -- no other Americans had access to this regime for --
SAVIDGE: Right.
CAIN: I don't know, what, 50 years? So Dennis Rodman sitting down with one of the world's most dangerous, I guess, dictators and has some insight into what makes this guy tick?
SAVIDGE: Yes, exactly.
CAIN: Yes, I think we should talk to Dennis Rodman.
SAVIDGE: He looks into their -- in his head. All right. I got to go.
Will, Ellis, thanks very much for being on. We'll talk to you, maybe, when Dennis comes back, if he does. Thanks.
All right. What do you do? The Obamas, members of the Senate and some rock 'n' roll legends. What do they all have in common? That's coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: There is a lot going on this week. Here is your official "Heads Up."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: On Monday, a panel that President Obama assembled to review NSA operations will hand over its final report at the White House. The team of former officials and experts is also assessing the damage that was done by leaks from former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.
On Tuesday, the Senate is due to take up the bipartisan budget deal that was passed by the House last week. Votes expected later in the week. Also Tuesday, we'll find out who's going to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next year. Nominees include, Kiss, Peter Gabriel, LL Cool J and Cat Stevens.
On Wednesday, former NBA star Dennis Rodman takes another controversial trip to North Korea. He will be training a team of North Korean basketball players for a match against Rodman's dream team of former NBA players in Pyongyang next month. A spokesman says that Rodman has no plans to meet with dictator Kim Jung-Un but yes, the two are friends and it could possibly happen.
And then on Friday, President Obama leaves for Hawaii where he will spend both Christmas and New Year's. One last thing it could be a very big day at the box office that day. The highly anticipated movie "Anchorman 2" make its debut.
Can't wait for that. Thanks for joining us. I'm Martin Savidge. My colleague Rosa Flores will take it from here -- Rosa.
ROSA FLORES, CNN ANCHOR: Martin, thank you so much. The next hour of NEWSROOM begins right now.
