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CNN Live Saturday
Liberty Playing Cards Hits Jackpot
Aired April 19, 2003 - 18:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: The arrest of Iraq's former finance minister means five out of the 55 most wanted Iraqis depicted on those famous playing cards are in custody. And you might be interested to know where those custom-made cards came from. Reporter Dawn Tongish of affiliate KDAF in Dallas has the answer.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAWN TONGISH, KDAF CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Pictures of Iraqi fugitives are rolling off the presses at Liberty Playing Card Company. The search for Saddam and his regime leaders has the Arlington business humming, printing Iraq's most wanted list on a deck of cards.
MOHAMMED KAMAL, LIBERTY PLAYING CARD COMPANY OWNER: We have the Saddam Hussein as the ace of spades, the most important guy to catch.
TONGISH: Owner Mohammed Kamal says he and his partner took a gamble, thinking the government would need a lot of the cards, now being handed out overseas. Last week, the two started printing and put a notice on their Web site. After that came a call from the U.S. embassy in Kuwait, ordering thousands.
KAMAL: That's quite exciting. That's our business, playing cards.
TONGISH (on camera): Liberty produces playing cards for a lot of companies. Here's Dow Chemical. Over here is Beck's Beer. But lately, business has been a little slow. Not now. Because it took a gamble on these Iraqi bad guys, they've hit the jackpot.
(voice over): The orders for the hot cards are pouring in. The company is cranking out 5,000 a day. The government's order, with this special U. S. embassy stamp, is Liberty's largest ever.
WADE O'DONALS, LIBERTY CARD COMPANY EMPLOYEE: I just started keeping score, kind of, on when I hear who got captured or whatever.
TONGISH: Employee Wade O'Donals crosses out each Iraqi as they're nabbed. He's thrilled his company is playing a role in their capture.
O'DONALS: That was really something. I -- when I found out we were going to do it, I couldn't believe it. I thought it was really great, that we would be the ones to do this.
TONGISH: So far, Liberty is the only company printing the cards, and the deck is stacked in its favor that this venture will pay off, at least until the faces on the cards, right up to the ace of spades, are no longer.
In Dallas, Dawn Tongish for CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired April 19, 2003 - 18:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: The arrest of Iraq's former finance minister means five out of the 55 most wanted Iraqis depicted on those famous playing cards are in custody. And you might be interested to know where those custom-made cards came from. Reporter Dawn Tongish of affiliate KDAF in Dallas has the answer.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAWN TONGISH, KDAF CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Pictures of Iraqi fugitives are rolling off the presses at Liberty Playing Card Company. The search for Saddam and his regime leaders has the Arlington business humming, printing Iraq's most wanted list on a deck of cards.
MOHAMMED KAMAL, LIBERTY PLAYING CARD COMPANY OWNER: We have the Saddam Hussein as the ace of spades, the most important guy to catch.
TONGISH: Owner Mohammed Kamal says he and his partner took a gamble, thinking the government would need a lot of the cards, now being handed out overseas. Last week, the two started printing and put a notice on their Web site. After that came a call from the U.S. embassy in Kuwait, ordering thousands.
KAMAL: That's quite exciting. That's our business, playing cards.
TONGISH (on camera): Liberty produces playing cards for a lot of companies. Here's Dow Chemical. Over here is Beck's Beer. But lately, business has been a little slow. Not now. Because it took a gamble on these Iraqi bad guys, they've hit the jackpot.
(voice over): The orders for the hot cards are pouring in. The company is cranking out 5,000 a day. The government's order, with this special U. S. embassy stamp, is Liberty's largest ever.
WADE O'DONALS, LIBERTY CARD COMPANY EMPLOYEE: I just started keeping score, kind of, on when I hear who got captured or whatever.
TONGISH: Employee Wade O'Donals crosses out each Iraqi as they're nabbed. He's thrilled his company is playing a role in their capture.
O'DONALS: That was really something. I -- when I found out we were going to do it, I couldn't believe it. I thought it was really great, that we would be the ones to do this.
TONGISH: So far, Liberty is the only company printing the cards, and the deck is stacked in its favor that this venture will pay off, at least until the faces on the cards, right up to the ace of spades, are no longer.
In Dallas, Dawn Tongish for CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
