Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Saturday

Eastern Phillipines Decimated By Storms; Russian Model Natalia Vodianova Gives Back To Her Community; Iraq War Creating Another Baby Boom

Aired December 11, 2004 - 16:00   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 CORRESPONDENT: It sounds like the plot for a book or a movie. Doctors reveal that a presidential candidate was poisoned. And this --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTINE LORIA, SOLDIER'S WIFE: He signed up for this because he wanted to serve his country. He wanted to do something he could be proud of. And they're making it very hard for him to feel proud.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: He lost an arm fighting in Iraq, but the U.S. government wanted more from him, his money.

And are you keeping it real this Christmas? What tree growers are doing to try and stop you from faking it. Hello and welcome to CNN LIVE SATURDAY. I'm Fredericka Whitfield. Those stories and more coming up, but first a look at the headlines.

A top job opens in Washington. Bernard Kerik, the man tapped to replace outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge withdraws himself from consideration. He talked this morning about the reasons why. We'll have more on that in a moment.

Fit for duty. President Bush is given a clean bill of health at his annual physical. Doctors at the national Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland say they expect Mr. Bush to remain in good health for the duration of his presidency.

Search suspended. The Coast Guard stops its search for six shipmates lost in the high seas near Alaska. The ship plunged into the frigid water Wednesday when a rescue helicopter that evacuated them earlier had them off a broken freighter that had crashed.

Well, we begin with an apology to the president. Mr. Bush's nominee for homeland security chief, Bernard Kerik, is speaking publicly today, expressing his gratitude to the president and his decision to bow out as a candidate. Our Mary Snow is in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey with more details on that. Mary?

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredericka, Bernard Kerik came out of his home, talking to reporters, calling this a grueling experience. Last night, he said he called the White House and asked that his nomination be withdrawn, a nomination to be the head of homeland security. Kerik says he believes it was the right thing to do. This after the immigration status of a nanny who works at his home or had worked at his home raised a red flag. And Kerik said he knew he had a problem midweek.

Kerik saying that on Wednesday, he had been going through financial documents relating to the nanny who had taken care of his children and that he realized that there were tax questions about the nanny. And then two days later, realized that there were legal questions about her immigration status.

Now, Kerik became nationally known after 9/11. He was serving at police commissioner under then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Giuliani has been a big advocate for Kerik. He lobbied on behalf of Kerik to get this job. Rudy Giuliani spoke with reporters earlier today as well, saying that he was heartbroken, but felt that Kerik had no other choice.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUDY GIULIANI, FMR NEW YORK MAYOR: I have great confidence in Bernie. He made a mistake. Human beings make mistakes, even the very best of us, including you and me. Unfortunately, that's a mistake that you can't deal with in a process like this where he's going to run the immigration service and he had this oversight in terms of the immigration status and tax situation of this woman who was working for him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNOW: Now, Kerik today said that he owed the president and the American public an apology for this distraction. But Kerik insists that the issue over the nanny was the only reason why he withdrew his nomination. Although, there is a report from "Newsweek" today saying that there had been an arrest warrant issued back in 1998. This linked to a New Jersey property that Kerik owned saying that there was a complicated series of lawsuits and that's why a judge issued that arrest warrant. Kerik said that there is no arrest warrant and that he said it had nothing to do with his decision. Fredericka?

WHITFIELD: All right. Mary Snow in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, thanks so much.

So just who is Bernard Kerik? He was raised in New Jersey and Ohio and served as an MP in the U.S. Army. He worked his way up through the NYPD, eventually heading the corrections department, then becoming police commissioner. Kerik later trained security forces in Iraq. And he is a senior vice president with a business strategy company that is run by the former New York mayor, Rudy Giuliani. Kerik says his decision to withdraw was his alone. The White House did not pressure him, he says. But it does throw a bit of a monkey wrench into the Bush administration's laid out personnel changes. Our Elaine Quijano is at the White House with more on that. Elaine?

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you Fredericka. That's right. Now, White House officials are insisting that they have a thorough vetting process in place for nominees and that despite this development, they remain confident, they say, about its effectiveness. But, of course, this a big misstep as President Bush looks to get his team in place for his second term. The president today was asked a question about Kerik, but ignored it as he left Bethesda Naval Medical Center today outside Washington. He was there for his annual physical and to visit with wounded troops.

Now, a White House official says the president respects Kerik's decision and wishes him and his wife well but this official also saying that Mr. Kerik should have told the White House about this sooner, should have brought it to the White House's attention sooner. Still some Democrats are already criticizing the way the administration handled the nomination.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BILL NELSON (D) FLORIDA: I think they got caught up in the post-election euphoria. And as a result, their emphasis was a rush to get the new nominees out and they did not cross all their "Ts" and dot all their "Is."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUIJANO: Now it was one week ago yesterday that Mr. Bush stood in the Roosevelt room of the White House and announced Kerik would be his pick to replace Tom Ridge as homeland security chief. At that time, the White House said that it was Kerik's background, officials calling him a proven crisis manager that made him the top candidate for the job. And New York Democrats, notably Senators Chuck Schumer and Senator Hillary Clinton came out very quickly and praised President Bush's decision. Now today Senator Clinton coming out with a statement saying that she hopes, whomever it is that the president does pick, will take into account the needs of New York, obviously a disappointment, those Democrats in New York getting behind Bernard Kerik, saying they believe, because of his firsthand experience in the war on terror, that he would have been a good person for the job. Fredericka?

WHITFIELD: Elaine Quijano at the White House, thanks so much.

Coming up at the half hour, our Bill Schneider weighs in on who could be the top nominee to be the nation's next director of homeland security.

Now to a growing political scandal overseas. Doctors treating Ukraine opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko believe someone poisoned him with dioxin. It's left visible bloating and puff marks on Yushchenko's once photogenic face, excuse me. Our Moscow bureau chief Jill Dougherty, has the latest. Jill?

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Fredericka, tonight in Vienna, Mr. Yushchenko is still in that clinic. He'll be undergoing even more tests this weekend. And then back to Ukraine, back to the campaign trail on Monday. But he goes back armed with more ammunition for what he has been alleging all along.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) DOUGHERTY (voice-over): Ukrainian presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko maintained all along he was poisoned by his political enemies in an effort to kill him. Saturday, after an exhaustive battery of medical tests at an Austrian clinic, an international group of doctors agreed, saying he was poisoned with the highly toxic chemical dioxin. Most likely administered, they say, by a third party.

TRANSLATOR: After having completed our examinations, which we have conducted in the course of the past 24 hours, as well as after having conducted various blood tests, there is no doubt about the fact that Mr. Yushchenko's disease has been caused by a case of poisoning based on dioxin.

DOUGHERTY: Doctors say they found concentrations of dioxin more than 1,000 times the norm in samples from Yushchenko's body. His face tells the story. Just a few months ago, a telegenic 50-year-old, he now looks much older, his face pockmarked and disfigured. Yushchenko's staff tells CNN that the candidate attended a dinner September 5th with the leadership of the SBU, Ukraine's national security service. They think he could have been poisoned there.

The dioxin, which is soluble, could have been put in soup, doctors say. Yushchenko's wife, Katerina, an American citizen, told U.S. television, she tasted something metallic on his lips that night and the next day, he fell ill. A few days later, he flew to the clinic in Vienna, but was soon back on the campaign trail.

The U.S. State Department, reacting to news of the poisoning diagnosis, says it is deeply concerned about the findings and is urging Ukrainian authorities to investigate. Yushchenko is back in Vienna for more tests, but he's eager to return to campaigning.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DOUGHERTY: So there will be a repeat runoff in this election December 26th, just about two weeks from now. And it's unclear how all of this will affect that race. After all, the people who support Yushchenko are saying, we told you so. We knew he was poisoned. And the political opponents are saying, well, it's just a bit of last- minute campaigning. Fredericka?

WHITFIELD: And in a strange way, Jill, it seems like Yushchenko is rather lucky that internally he's not sustaining more damage. However, will doctors continue to treat him, or what can they do to try to get some of these poisons that may still be in his system out?

DOUGHERTY: It may just take time, Fredericka. Unfortunately, even if his internal organs and physically he feels a lot better and gets on the mend, cosmetically, his face could continue, in fact, for several years, the doctors are saying.

WHITFIELD: All right. Jill Dougherty from Moscow, thanks so much.

Well, so many questions surround Yushchenko's poisoning and the choice of poisons used. Exactly what is dioxin, and how does it work and can it be traced? Dr. Marc Siegel is an associate professor at NYU's medical school and is an expert on dioxin. Good to see you again, Dr. Siegel.

DR. MARC SIEGEL, NYU MEDICAL SCHOOL: Hi, Fredericka. How are you?

WHITFIELD: I'm doing pretty good. So dioxin is an unintentional byproduct, isn't it, of many industrial processes from pesticides to used in pulp and paper productions, et cetera. How does it work?

SIEGEL: Well, first of all, dioxin is actually found naturally. It's an herb. But it's also a chemical that's produced as a byproduct, as you say, industrially. And it can be made in the laboratory, which, I think, is probably what happened here, because, again, a very high concentration of this was used, probably in oral form. It was probably put in something he drank, possibly soup, as was said. But it led to a level of greater than 1,000 times normal when it was finally traced in his blood.

WHITFIELD: So you don't have to necessarily be in a lab, however to have access to it. It sounds like almost anybody could get their hands on it.

SIEGEL: That's right. It's absolutely the case. But this was a very powerful form. And I think it was purified to the extent that it had this effect. So you're right, it is a common substance. But, you know, we've seen it. It's also known as Agent Orange. We've seen it in southeast Asia. It's a very very potent carcinogen. But that's a chronic exposure. In this case, it was an acute exposure. It led to a severe pancreatitis, liver problems, kidney, also he had stomach problems. These things are resolving. But as was just said, the skin problems take a long time to resolve.

WHITFIELD: Let's talk about how it's absorbed in the body or perhaps even in the food chain. Apparently, it's hydrophobic, meaning it's water-fearing or it's lipofilic (ph) which means it's fat loving. So once it's in your system, it is absorbed rather readily and it's difficult to get out. Is that what those things mean?

SIEGEL: Exactly. Lipofilic means it stays in the tissues for some time, and that's how it causes all the damage. The good news is that they've rechecked him now and it looks like his dioxin levels are back down to zero which is why he's feeling much better. Again, the fatigue, the pain he's having, the facial changes, these persist for a very long time. And I do believe he may be at an increased risk of cancer down the line.

WHITFIELD: Hmm. And the ways it can be ingested, in Jill's report, there are some sources who are saying they think it may have been slipped into some soup or some sort of liquid that Yushchenko was ingesting. How else might this kind of exposure affect the human body?

SIEGEL: Well, you know, it can be inhaled also and it can be gotten in through the skin. But I think, given the high concentrations and given the cause and effect that he was at a party one night and the next day he gets sick, I think that an oral concentration of this in a soup where it can be masked, like a cream soup, you couldn't see it, I think that is --

WHITFIELD: Wouldn't you taste it, though especially since it sounds like such a very high content as you described?

SIEGEL: You should taste it. It has a metallic flavor to it. It's surprising that he didn't taste it. But that his wife said she tasted it on his lips. That is surprising.

WHITFIELD: Hmm. And now, you talk long term, potentially it could mean that he would have to deal with cancer. Internally, his organs seem to be doing well. But externally, he's still, obviously, has the disfigurement. How long before that would change?

SIEGEL: He's quite fatigued. He's quite fatigued. The skin changes, it's unpredictable how long this is going to take. But over a couple of months he may very well show significant improvement. I expect him to have some scarring from this. And it's also possible that it will take longer than months for it to get better.

WHITFIELD: Associate professor at NYU, Dr. Marc Siegel, thanks so much for joining us from New York.

SIEGEL: Thank you Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld gets an earful from soldiers in Kuwait about their safety. Days later, hear what steps the government is taking to better protect U.S. forces on the front lines. That's straight ahead. Plus this --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everyone should be shaking my husband's hand and saying what can I do for you because of all you gave for me, not the reverse.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Apparently that's not happening. One vet's homecoming story coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Taking action, days after Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld came under verbal fire for a shortage of armor for U.S. troops overseas, the Army is bowing to pressure to do something about it. Here's CNN's senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMIE McINTYRE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Army is moving to buy more armored Humvees and to see if other production lines can be accelerated. Just two days after a pointed question from this soldier put Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on the spot about the lack of armor for military vehicles. Army officials say they were surprised to hear from news reports that Armor Holdings of Jacksonville, Florida, was prepared to sell the Pentagon 550 armored Humvees a month. Because originally the Army was told it could buy only 450 a month because of commitments to other customers.

Pentagon officials said the new Army secretary, Francis Harvey, who was sworn in less than a month ago, called the head of the company directly and is negotiating to buy all the Humvees the company can supply. The company says it can produce another 100 Humvees a month by next March but wants to make sure it can accommodate the Marine Corps as well as other customers it did not identify. Another company, Armorworks of Tempe, Arizona, says it could double production of armor plates that can be added to existing Humvees.

MATT SALMON, PRESIDENT, ARMORWORKS: We produce 300 kits a month. We could be doing 600 kits a month. So when you hear language from the Pentagon that we're doing everything humanly possible, I'm telling you that the industry base is being underutilized.

McINTYRE: But the Army says it already has a backlog of armor kits for Humvees and can't install them any faster. Meanwhile, CNN has learned that the U.S. Army arsenal in Rock Island, Illinois, was ordered just this week to resume around the clock shifts to make cav (ph) armor kits for five-ton trucks and fuel tankers, which is a critical need. And the Army secretary has created a new armor task force to examine all existing contracts to see if there are other opportunities to speed up production of armor or other ways to get it to the battlefield faster.

Immediately upon returning from his overseas trip, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld went back to work at his Pentagon desk. Sources say he had a conversation with the new Army secretary about the armor crisis. What was said has not been disclosed. Jamie McIntyre, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Getting more armor to troops is of paramount concern with the growing violence in Iraq. Insurgents shot and killed two high-ranking interior ministry officials as they headed to work today in Baghdad. The victims worked in the ministry's criminal intelligence department.

Some British troops in Iraq are home for the holidays. 200 members of Britain's black watch regimen arrived back in England today. The unit relieved U.S. Marines ahead of last month's offensive in Falluja.

And a U.S. soldier has been sentenced to three years in prison for killing a wounded Iraqi teenager. Staff Sgt. Johnny Horne (ph) Jr. was accused of killing a teen back in August in Baghdad's Sadr City. Horne agreed to a plea deal that allowed him to avert a possible death sentence.

Well, a positive side effect of the war in Iraq is ahead on CNN LIVE SATURDAY. New additions to soldiers' families just in time for the holidays.

And new meaning to the phrase "fashion friendly." How a model is helping keep young children safe in her homeland.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: It's a time-honored tradition, a soldier's return from war. Homecoming is especially poignant for soldiers wounded in combat, a time for family and reflection. U.S. Army Specialist Robert Loria lost part of an arm fighting in Iraq, but upon arriving home, he quickly learned his fight had only just begun. Here's CNN's Ed Lavandera.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Last February, Army Specialist Robert Loria was helping rescue a fellow soldier who had just been injured by a roadside bomb north of Baghdad. Loria and a group of soldiers drove in, loaded the soldier's body in a Humvee, but as Loria started driving away, a second bomb detonated. Loria looked down and saw his left arm mangled and shrapnel wounds along the left side of his body.

ROBERT LORIA, WOUNDED SOLDIER: When he got me fully out of the vehicle and laid me on the ground, the first things I said to him, I told him my wife was going to be pissed at me because I told her a long time ago that I'd be back all right and I wouldn't get hurt. I felt like I lied to her.

LAVANDERA: Specialist Loria is getting used to life with part of an arm. Nerve damage has left him without feeling in his left foot but as Loria prepared to discharge from the military after serving five years, he was told that he owed the army more than $6,000 for pay, the Army says, he shouldn't have received and for travel expenses to get treatment. The bill also included $310 for equipment that Loria didn't bring back from Iraq, like a sleeping bag, suspenders, and a rucksack, among other things.

LORIA: I didn't have anything to say to them. I didn't know what to say to them. I was pretty much in shock. They were, like, hey, screw you, bye.

LAVANDERA: The Army even took his last paycheck and applied it to the debt. After that, he still owed almost $2,000. Loria and his wife started to worry the 27-year-old specialist had no idea how he would afford to get back home to New York. Unsure what to do, Christine Loria started calling her local congressmen, a couple of U.S. senators and their hometown newspaper.

CHRISTINE LORIA, SOLDIER'S WIFE: He signed up for this because he wanted to serve his country. He wanted to do something he could be proud of. And they're making it very hard for him to feel proud. By trying to take more from him? What more do they want? What?

LAVANDERA: Right now, the Army wants to get out of the spotlight on this one. So they're making the debt disappear. An Army spokesman says these actions clearly demonstrate that once the command leadership is involved, the Army does its utmost to correct and satisfy the needs of the soldiers and their families. But the Lorias are left wondering why it was so hard to make this happen.

CHRISTINE LORIA: Everyone should be shaking my husband's hand saying, what can I do for you because of all you gave for me, not the reverse.

LAVANDERA: In a couple of days, Specialist Robert Loria will jump in his car and start driving home to New York. The best part of all is, he'll be home for Christmas and have some money to spend on gifts. Ed Lavandera, CNN, Dallas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well, they're the lucky ones though it may not seem that way. Straight ahead, residents in the Philippines with help of U.S. Marines try and dig out following devastating floods.

Also, a terrorist attack and hostage drama at a Russian school inspires a model to help out children from her homeland.

And in "Living Well," what's in that bowl of cereal you had for breakfast this morning? Just might surprise you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: I'm Fredericka Whitfield. Here's what's happening in the news. Doctors say Ukraine's opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko was poisoned with dioxin. They say the poison's presence in Yushchenko's system explains the dramatic change in his appearance and the decline in his health.

President Bush got a clean bill of health today. Doctors at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland pronounced Mr. Bush fit for duty. The president's annual physical exam took about 3 hours. Afterwards Mr. Bush handed out Purple Hearts to wounded U.S. service members there.

And President Bush's choice to head the Department of Homeland Security has withdrawn his name from consideration. Bernard Kerik said he decided not to seek the cabinet post after questions about the immigration status of his former housekeeper.

With Kerik out of the running, President Bush has a big gap in his new cabinet. He must now turn his attention to finding a new Homeland Security director nominee. Our senior political analyst, Bill Schneider is in London, but even from across the pond, he has some pretty thought-provoking ideas about the top contenders.

But before we get to that part, Bill, before we talk about the contenders, let's talk about what may have precipitated this. It may not be just the immigration status, the unpaid taxes of this former employee?

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: There are lots of controversies surrounding Bernard Kerik. I mean this story, I should point out, has been reported and commented on widely overseas where I am now. I heard about it in Paris and in London.

The nanny problem certainly made it very difficult for him to face confirmation, because remember, one of the responsibilities of the Homeland Security Secretary is to be in charge of immigration policy. And if he once had a possibly illegal imgrant in his employ, that in itself could be disqualifying.

He also had a lot of financial controversies in his record. He was on the board and made a lot of money on stock options with Taser International, a controversial company that makes high-powered stun guns that some like Amnesty International, have charged with unnecessary deaths accidentally because of the use of these guns. And also, the dealings with the government. They've sold these stun guns to police departments and to the Department of Homeland Security. That was a controversy.

"Newsweek" has uncovered records of an arrest warrant for Bernard Kerik having to do with some still-pending lawsuits over mismanagement of a condominium he owned in New Jersey. He once paid a fine over misuse of police personnel to research his book. So there are a lot of controversies there.

WHITFIELD: All right. Well, now let's talk about the short list that the White House has to deal with. Originally, part of that list included former New York mayor Rudy Guiliani. But at this point, we know that Guiliani really had been campaigning hard for Kerik. He's no longer going to be put back on the short list, is he? Who are the others?

SCHNEIDER: I don't think so. I mean, this is a very big embarrassment for Guiliani, because Kerik was always seen as Guiliani's man. He worked for Rudy Guiliani's company. He was close to Guiliani. And the two -- he was really Guiliani's man. Guiliani made a strong case for him.

Who's left on the list? The most prominent, widely known possibility would be Tom Kean, who was a chairman of the 9/11 commission. That, I think, would be a noncontroversyial appointee and be widely applauded. He's a very liberal Republican, but I think he has such stature as a result of the distinguished work of the 9/11 commission that he'd be easy to confirm.

There's some insider candidates, Francis Townsend, who is the White House homeland security adviser, Asa Hutchinson, who is the undersecretary already in the Homeland Security Department. Some people are talking about Massachusetts governor Republican Mitt Romney, also Mike Levitt, who is with the Environmental Protection Administration, recently appointed. And Joe Albaugh (ph), who used to be the federal emergency management agency director. Those are all names that are on the list, but it could be someone else, we don't know.

WHITFIELD: All right. Senior political analyst Bill Schneider to us from London. Thanks so much. Embarrassing not just for Rudy Guiliani, but certainly an embarrassment also for the White House.

Well, in the Philippines now hundreds of people are dead. Victims of flooding and landslides from a recent spate of brutal storms that ravaged islands. But many survivors have little time to mourn as they're now facing an unfolding humanitarian disaster. CNN's Aneesh Raman explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): These are the lucky ones, survivors emerging nearly 2 weeks after deadly storms blasted the eastern Philippines. Rescue operations are all but over. It is now a matter of relief. Getting clean water and food to the desperate half million people stranded without either.

This weekend, a critical boost to the effort, some 600 members of the U.S.'s 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade are now in country.

1ST LT. JEREMY ADVISE, U.S. MARINE CORPS: This is a big deal for us. It really means a lot to us. Naturally, on a daily basis, this is not what we do.

RAMAN: But weather is, once again, an enormous obstacle. With roads still flooded and key bridges destroyed, the only way into the devastated area is by helicopter. The problem is that when the rain starts, the visibility ends and the supplies don't arrive. On this day, the Marines just stand by.

(on camera): As they wait for relief to get here, residents can now only dig their way out. Everywhere is covered with mud, and weeks beyond the storm's passing, all they can do is try to rebuild.

(voice-over): It is a gargantuan task. Each day its own struggle. Emotions are quick to surface here.

Why does god hate us? Asked this man. He lost everything but the water buffalo he clings to.

Logistically for the country, relocating and rebuilding will take months. The cost, estimated at around $55 million, is nowhere near what the Philippine government can afford. And the work is more than they can handle.

ADVISE: It's going to take them quite awhile, because they don't have the technology we have. They don't have the heavy equipment that we have.

RAMAN: But for the affected residents, that is a matter for the future. Today is simply about staying alive. Aneesh Raman CNN, Real, Eastern Philippines.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: News around the world now. A setback for independence in Taiwan: The country's opposition party has retained control of parliament in elections today. This comes as a major upset for the president's pro-indendence coalition which wants more freedom from China.

Pakistan makes an arrest in connection with a kidnapping of 2 U.N. aide workers. The workers were captured in Afghanistan in November and freed almost a month later. Pakistani authorities say the suspect is the leader of a Taliban splinter group.

And an aide worker believed to have been captured and killed in Iraq was remembered in London today. More than 2,000 mourners gathered to say good-bye to Margaret Hassan. The director of the aid agency CARE International was kidnapped in Baghdad back in October. A video believed to show her killing surfaced last month, but her body still has not been found.

A Russian model with a Cinderella rise to fame is devoting her energies to the welfare of Russian children. Her concern has sparked -- was rather sparked by the brutal massacre of Russian children in Beslan, Russia. Now she's teaming up with the New York fashion world to provide safe and secure play areas for the children of Beslan and other Russian cities. Natalia Vodianova has created the Naked Heart Foundation to help with her efforts. And she joins us now from New York. Good to see you Netalia.

NATALIA VODIANOVA, MODEL: Thank you, Fredericka.

WHITFIELD: All right. So how does it work? You all want to put together prefabricated playgrounds in many places throughout Russia?

VODIANOVA: Yes, that's right. I created the Naked Heart Foundation in order to bring safe, colorful environment for Russian children which they're unfortunately lacking.

WHITFIELD: And you're starting with Beslan. Is that mostly, in part, because of the tragedy that took place there, and you felt that was a good place to start?

VODIANOVA: Well, those children really deserve it the most. This is what encouraged me in the first place to really start and coordinate and make the Naked hheart Foundation together.

WHITFIELD: Why is it called the Naked Heart Foundation?

VODIANOVA: Well, I wanted to do something tangible for Russian people. And there is this beautiful story called Danka about a general who takes his heart out of his chest and leads a Russian army through a dark forest with his open heart.

WHITFIELD: And while this may have been an idea that you had, you've been able to make this happen, because of the effort of so many people around you. Who are some of the folks who have contributed, whether it be in, you know, sweat or in dollars?

VODIANOVA: We have an event on the 15th of December, that's sponsored by Song and L'Oreal. And there's a lot of other -- everyone who donated to the auction that we're doing -- actually we're doing an auction on eBay, which is very exciting. And anyone could go on www.ebay.com/natalia and bid on these amazing prizes. Like Vera Wang is doing a wedding dress, and Jay Jaggar doing a wedding bands. Bruce Weber is doing a family portrait, and there are tickets to Vanity Fair party. There is a lot of really wonderful items. Please come.

WHITFIELD: Wow! So besides you taking to the airwaves, how are you getting the word out so people can take part in this auction on the web?

VODIANOVA: Yes, absolutely.

WHITFIELD: What are some of the other, you know, ways in which you're getting the word out?

VODIANOVA: Well, of course, it's the benefit, which is going to be a lot of people there. And it's all about just really coming and talking to everyone I know and spread the word out one by one person. That's how it works. It's a chain.

WHITFIELD: Have you had a chance to talk with any of the children or anyone that you're close to? Have they had a chance to talk to any of the kids, particularly in Beslan, about how needed, how much they're looking forward to having these kind of fabricated playgrounds?

VODIANOVA: Well, the thing is I grew up in Russia myself. And it was my life. And I still go back there a lot. And even with my son -- I come to my hometown, Nizhni Novgorod, and I have 6 kids, and there is not even anywhere to take them for ice cream when it's minus 25 freezing cold.

And of course, you can't go to the parks. And there is no sort of places like that to go. So that's how the idea came around, really.

WHITIFELD: Natalia Vodianova, the organization is called Naked Hearts Foundation. Taking a little time from your contracts with Calvin Klein and L'Oreal to do some great deeds for these young kids in Russia. Thanks so much for joining us.

VODIANOVA: Thank you, Fredericka.

WHITFIELD: Well, doctors and nurses at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, are dealing with an unexpected yet welcome side effect of the war: A baby boom. That story coming up.

And Dr. Lloyd is once again serving up some advice. You'll want to hear what he has to say before you search your next bowl of cereal and pouring that milk. A look at what's for breakfast when we come right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Well, time now for Living Well. We've all been told about the importance of starting each day with a good breakfast. But some people who think they're eating a nutritious meal may not be, especially people who start with a bowl of cereal. Depends on what kind, right? Dr. Bill Lloyd joins us live from Sacramento with information on how to wake up and make smarter choices. You're not telling us that all cereals are bad, are you?

DR. BILL LLOYD, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS: I eat breakfast every day, Fredericka. You know, most people, when they wake up, they haven't had anything to eat for eight, ten, maybe 12 hours. So, it's important they start their day with a good source of energy to make it to the lunch hour.

I've got a couple tips on why it's important that we do eat our breakfast, though. We mentioned that it's a vital source of fuel to get you through your day. Also, if you eat complex carbohydrates with that breakfast, you'll be more satisfied, less inclined to get that doughnut around 9:30 and you'll eat a lighter lunch.

Did you know that by eating breakfast, medications that you take in the morning will actually be better absorbed and work better during the day? We know this works in patients that take pills for acid reflux, for example, a one a day pill. Be sure I take it with food.

And finally, dentists tell us that if you eat breakfast, you're prone to have fewer cavities because of salvation and all that goes on in your mouth with digestion, protects your teeth.

WHITFIELD: So now, how do we make smart choices about what we eat?

LLOYD: It doesn't take long. And there are many, many popular and healthy cereals to eat for breakfast. And it only takes about ten seconds.

Here's what you need to do in just ten seconds, when you're in the store, to decide whether this box is a keeper or not. First, look and find out if it's full of whole grains. That means it's full of fiber. It should have five, six or seven grams of fiber in order to be a quality breakfast cereal. And that's grams per serving, not per unit weight.

You also want to check to make sure it doesn't have any of those partially hydrogenated oiled, because that means it's loaded with transfats. Remember, fiber lowers your cholesterols, transfats increase cholesterol.

And finally, check how much added sugar's that there. If you have too much added sugar, you're eating wasted calories. So, stick with the healthy brands. They're easy to find. You could pick the right box in less than ten seconds.

WHITFIELD: Wow! That's right. And I guess, you know, big clue, if sugar is the first ingredient you know there's too much in it. But a lot of times when you see whole grains, you see high fiber. It also means high carbs. And so there's this great emphasis for people to cut down on carbs.

LLOYD: Well, there certainly is. But savvy carb counters know that when you have those complex carbohydrates that we find in fiber and in products like this, you can subtract those grams of carbohydrates. The number's on the box, from the total consumption of your carbohydrates to get to those net carbs. So, you subtract those fiber grams, and you'll end up with a low low-carb diet anyway.

WHITFIELD: So, a lot of folks have the excuse of I don't have time for breakfast. So, sometimes they grab a cereal bar or they just grab anything and make their way out. It's important to be selective about what you grab, isn't it?

LLOYD: A portable breakfast is a wonderful way to start the day. And people don't have time to sit down all the time. Here's two good portable breakfasts you can think about. Fix yourself a smoothie that's loaded with yogurt and fresh fruit. You can enjoy it in the car. Or my personal favorite is peanut butter-stuffed celery. You could almost operate a cell phone while eating this.

WHITFIELD: All right. A little crunchy, a little loud, but at least it's healthy.

LLOYD: We'll talk to you again soon.

WHITFIELD: All right, Dr. Bill Lloyd, thanks so much, from Sacramento.

Well, the holiday season is shaping up to be a busy one at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky. Nine months after the return from Iraq, the men and women of the 101st airborne division are having babies in record numbers. CNN medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can handle having a little baby girl.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: When he's not swaudleing his new baby girl, 33-year-old Jeff Lamprecht flies in an Apache helicopter for the Army's 101st Airborne Division. He came home from Iraq last winter along with thousands of other soldiers from Ft. Campbell. And a little more than nine months later, a full- fledged baby boom is under way.

(on camera): Usually in one month, they deliver about 130 babies here. But this month they're expecting to deliver 220 babies.

(voice-over): Jeff says being in the delivery room for the birth of baby victoria was more intense than being on the battlefield.

JEFF LAMPRECHT, APACHE PILOT: People shooting at me, you know, that's all right. But seeing my wife helpless on that table, that brought a tear to my eye.

COHEN: It's a tender moment for the new family. All the more sentimental knowing Jeff will be shipping out again sometime soon.

DONNA LAMPRECHT, WIFE: You know, he's going to do what he has to get done. And Torre and I will be back here just rooting him right along.

COHEN: Victoria was delivered by an obstetrician called in from another state to help handle the overload.

DR. LORRAINE MARTINEZ, RELOCATED OBSTETRICIAN: A few weeks ago I got a call saying, can you be here by November 1? So I packed up and here I am.

COHEN: Several babies were born the day we visited. In each case, the father on hand. But in today's military, it's not just fathers who serve.

TRACEY BAILEY, BLACK HAWK PILOT: I am a spouse, but I'm also a soldier.

COHEN: Tracy Bailey pilots a Black Hawk helicopter. So does her husband. They both served in Iraq. And when they returned, they didn't waste any time.

BAILEY: We've been married for three years. And the Army just hasn't allowed us to stop and have babies. So this has been planned.

COHEN: The twins make theirs a family of 6. A family looking forward to an extra-special holiday season.

BAILEY: This is the first Christmas we were together in the United States with our daughters and our sons, and everybody's together. And looking at the future, we don't know if there will be one, we're all going to be together. This is going to be the one to remember.

COHEN: Elizabeth Cohen, CNN, Ft. Campbell, Kentucky.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well, it's the holiday debate that doesn't seem to go away. Real or fake? Tom Foreman weighs the pros and cons straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Love the Christmas tree but hate the mess? If so, you're not alone. Most Americans, whether they want to admit it or not, they're faking it. CNN's Tom Foreman takes a look at the phenomena of the fake Christmas tree.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Capitol Christmas tree has risen to ooze and ahs and lot of applause, but the government may be out of touch because this is a real tree, and most Americans are going artificial.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I like a real Christmas tree. But my wife doesn't like cleaning up all the needles. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'd rather get a fake one, because at the end of the season then I see the people throw them out on the street, you know. It looks so sad.

FOREMAN: The National Christmas Tree Association, yes, Virginia, there is such a group, says in 1990, about half the people who put up trees went with real ones. Now, 60 to 70 percent are faking it.

(on camera): This can't be true. Next someone's going to say martha stewart has a new tv deal. But the quality of artificial trees has been improving for years, and people do like the convenience.

(voice-over): Consider this: While real trees require an annual pilgrimage to pick one out, cart it home and put it up, a prelit artificial tree is cleaner, faster, and in the off-season, can park in the basement next to all that exercise gear you once had delusions of using.

(on camera): Christmas tree growers, however, are launching aggressive marketing campaigns to slow this trend. They say there really is nothing else quite like a real tree. And they don't come from the woods.

(voice-over): Christmas trees are a crop, grown and harvested like corn. And 93 percent are recycled from holiday masterpieces into springtime mulch.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This isn't one of those trees that all the needles falls off, is it?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, that's Simbalsams.

FOREMAN: Still, popular culture has long noted this epic and unending struggle.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He just bought one of those brand-new green plastic trees.

FOREMAN (on camera): I am a real tree person. I've never really considered a fake. On the other hand, my Christmas music is not all Bing Crosby.

(RAPPING)

FOREMAN: So maybe, even for traditionalists, cultural tasts are changing. And this Christmas, fake firs are all the rage.

(SINGING)

FOREMAN: Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And that's all we have time for now. But stay with CNN. Up next "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS," a profile of Donald trump.

Then at 6:00 pm Eastern, CNN correspondent Jane Arraf, she'll be talking about her days on the front-lines in Iraq.

And at 7:00 p.m., the "CAPITAL GANG" takes a look at Bernard Kerik's withdrawal and the cabinet shuffle.

And I'll be back after a quick break with today's top stories.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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 December 11, 2004 - 16:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It sounds like the plot for a book or a movie. Doctors reveal that a presidential candidate was poisoned. And this --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTINE LORIA, SOLDIER'S WIFE: He signed up for this because he wanted to serve his country. He wanted to do something he could be proud of. And they're making it very hard for him to feel proud.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: He lost an arm fighting in Iraq, but the U.S. government wanted more from him, his money.

And are you keeping it real this Christmas? What tree growers are doing to try and stop you from faking it. Hello and welcome to CNN LIVE SATURDAY. I'm Fredericka Whitfield. Those stories and more coming up, but first a look at the headlines.

A top job opens in Washington. Bernard Kerik, the man tapped to replace outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge withdraws himself from consideration. He talked this morning about the reasons why. We'll have more on that in a moment.

Fit for duty. President Bush is given a clean bill of health at his annual physical. Doctors at the national Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland say they expect Mr. Bush to remain in good health for the duration of his presidency.

Search suspended. The Coast Guard stops its search for six shipmates lost in the high seas near Alaska. The ship plunged into the frigid water Wednesday when a rescue helicopter that evacuated them earlier had them off a broken freighter that had crashed.

Well, we begin with an apology to the president. Mr. Bush's nominee for homeland security chief, Bernard Kerik, is speaking publicly today, expressing his gratitude to the president and his decision to bow out as a candidate. Our Mary Snow is in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey with more details on that. Mary?

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredericka, Bernard Kerik came out of his home, talking to reporters, calling this a grueling experience. Last night, he said he called the White House and asked that his nomination be withdrawn, a nomination to be the head of homeland security. Kerik says he believes it was the right thing to do. This after the immigration status of a nanny who works at his home or had worked at his home raised a red flag. And Kerik said he knew he had a problem midweek.

Kerik saying that on Wednesday, he had been going through financial documents relating to the nanny who had taken care of his children and that he realized that there were tax questions about the nanny. And then two days later, realized that there were legal questions about her immigration status.

Now, Kerik became nationally known after 9/11. He was serving at police commissioner under then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Giuliani has been a big advocate for Kerik. He lobbied on behalf of Kerik to get this job. Rudy Giuliani spoke with reporters earlier today as well, saying that he was heartbroken, but felt that Kerik had no other choice.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUDY GIULIANI, FMR NEW YORK MAYOR: I have great confidence in Bernie. He made a mistake. Human beings make mistakes, even the very best of us, including you and me. Unfortunately, that's a mistake that you can't deal with in a process like this where he's going to run the immigration service and he had this oversight in terms of the immigration status and tax situation of this woman who was working for him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNOW: Now, Kerik today said that he owed the president and the American public an apology for this distraction. But Kerik insists that the issue over the nanny was the only reason why he withdrew his nomination. Although, there is a report from "Newsweek" today saying that there had been an arrest warrant issued back in 1998. This linked to a New Jersey property that Kerik owned saying that there was a complicated series of lawsuits and that's why a judge issued that arrest warrant. Kerik said that there is no arrest warrant and that he said it had nothing to do with his decision. Fredericka?

WHITFIELD: All right. Mary Snow in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, thanks so much.

So just who is Bernard Kerik? He was raised in New Jersey and Ohio and served as an MP in the U.S. Army. He worked his way up through the NYPD, eventually heading the corrections department, then becoming police commissioner. Kerik later trained security forces in Iraq. And he is a senior vice president with a business strategy company that is run by the former New York mayor, Rudy Giuliani. Kerik says his decision to withdraw was his alone. The White House did not pressure him, he says. But it does throw a bit of a monkey wrench into the Bush administration's laid out personnel changes. Our Elaine Quijano is at the White House with more on that. Elaine?

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you Fredericka. That's right. Now, White House officials are insisting that they have a thorough vetting process in place for nominees and that despite this development, they remain confident, they say, about its effectiveness. But, of course, this a big misstep as President Bush looks to get his team in place for his second term. The president today was asked a question about Kerik, but ignored it as he left Bethesda Naval Medical Center today outside Washington. He was there for his annual physical and to visit with wounded troops.

Now, a White House official says the president respects Kerik's decision and wishes him and his wife well but this official also saying that Mr. Kerik should have told the White House about this sooner, should have brought it to the White House's attention sooner. Still some Democrats are already criticizing the way the administration handled the nomination.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BILL NELSON (D) FLORIDA: I think they got caught up in the post-election euphoria. And as a result, their emphasis was a rush to get the new nominees out and they did not cross all their "Ts" and dot all their "Is."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUIJANO: Now it was one week ago yesterday that Mr. Bush stood in the Roosevelt room of the White House and announced Kerik would be his pick to replace Tom Ridge as homeland security chief. At that time, the White House said that it was Kerik's background, officials calling him a proven crisis manager that made him the top candidate for the job. And New York Democrats, notably Senators Chuck Schumer and Senator Hillary Clinton came out very quickly and praised President Bush's decision. Now today Senator Clinton coming out with a statement saying that she hopes, whomever it is that the president does pick, will take into account the needs of New York, obviously a disappointment, those Democrats in New York getting behind Bernard Kerik, saying they believe, because of his firsthand experience in the war on terror, that he would have been a good person for the job. Fredericka?

WHITFIELD: Elaine Quijano at the White House, thanks so much.

Coming up at the half hour, our Bill Schneider weighs in on who could be the top nominee to be the nation's next director of homeland security.

Now to a growing political scandal overseas. Doctors treating Ukraine opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko believe someone poisoned him with dioxin. It's left visible bloating and puff marks on Yushchenko's once photogenic face, excuse me. Our Moscow bureau chief Jill Dougherty, has the latest. Jill?

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Fredericka, tonight in Vienna, Mr. Yushchenko is still in that clinic. He'll be undergoing even more tests this weekend. And then back to Ukraine, back to the campaign trail on Monday. But he goes back armed with more ammunition for what he has been alleging all along.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) DOUGHERTY (voice-over): Ukrainian presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko maintained all along he was poisoned by his political enemies in an effort to kill him. Saturday, after an exhaustive battery of medical tests at an Austrian clinic, an international group of doctors agreed, saying he was poisoned with the highly toxic chemical dioxin. Most likely administered, they say, by a third party.

TRANSLATOR: After having completed our examinations, which we have conducted in the course of the past 24 hours, as well as after having conducted various blood tests, there is no doubt about the fact that Mr. Yushchenko's disease has been caused by a case of poisoning based on dioxin.

DOUGHERTY: Doctors say they found concentrations of dioxin more than 1,000 times the norm in samples from Yushchenko's body. His face tells the story. Just a few months ago, a telegenic 50-year-old, he now looks much older, his face pockmarked and disfigured. Yushchenko's staff tells CNN that the candidate attended a dinner September 5th with the leadership of the SBU, Ukraine's national security service. They think he could have been poisoned there.

The dioxin, which is soluble, could have been put in soup, doctors say. Yushchenko's wife, Katerina, an American citizen, told U.S. television, she tasted something metallic on his lips that night and the next day, he fell ill. A few days later, he flew to the clinic in Vienna, but was soon back on the campaign trail.

The U.S. State Department, reacting to news of the poisoning diagnosis, says it is deeply concerned about the findings and is urging Ukrainian authorities to investigate. Yushchenko is back in Vienna for more tests, but he's eager to return to campaigning.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DOUGHERTY: So there will be a repeat runoff in this election December 26th, just about two weeks from now. And it's unclear how all of this will affect that race. After all, the people who support Yushchenko are saying, we told you so. We knew he was poisoned. And the political opponents are saying, well, it's just a bit of last- minute campaigning. Fredericka?

WHITFIELD: And in a strange way, Jill, it seems like Yushchenko is rather lucky that internally he's not sustaining more damage. However, will doctors continue to treat him, or what can they do to try to get some of these poisons that may still be in his system out?

DOUGHERTY: It may just take time, Fredericka. Unfortunately, even if his internal organs and physically he feels a lot better and gets on the mend, cosmetically, his face could continue, in fact, for several years, the doctors are saying.

WHITFIELD: All right. Jill Dougherty from Moscow, thanks so much.

Well, so many questions surround Yushchenko's poisoning and the choice of poisons used. Exactly what is dioxin, and how does it work and can it be traced? Dr. Marc Siegel is an associate professor at NYU's medical school and is an expert on dioxin. Good to see you again, Dr. Siegel.

DR. MARC SIEGEL, NYU MEDICAL SCHOOL: Hi, Fredericka. How are you?

WHITFIELD: I'm doing pretty good. So dioxin is an unintentional byproduct, isn't it, of many industrial processes from pesticides to used in pulp and paper productions, et cetera. How does it work?

SIEGEL: Well, first of all, dioxin is actually found naturally. It's an herb. But it's also a chemical that's produced as a byproduct, as you say, industrially. And it can be made in the laboratory, which, I think, is probably what happened here, because, again, a very high concentration of this was used, probably in oral form. It was probably put in something he drank, possibly soup, as was said. But it led to a level of greater than 1,000 times normal when it was finally traced in his blood.

WHITFIELD: So you don't have to necessarily be in a lab, however to have access to it. It sounds like almost anybody could get their hands on it.

SIEGEL: That's right. It's absolutely the case. But this was a very powerful form. And I think it was purified to the extent that it had this effect. So you're right, it is a common substance. But, you know, we've seen it. It's also known as Agent Orange. We've seen it in southeast Asia. It's a very very potent carcinogen. But that's a chronic exposure. In this case, it was an acute exposure. It led to a severe pancreatitis, liver problems, kidney, also he had stomach problems. These things are resolving. But as was just said, the skin problems take a long time to resolve.

WHITFIELD: Let's talk about how it's absorbed in the body or perhaps even in the food chain. Apparently, it's hydrophobic, meaning it's water-fearing or it's lipofilic (ph) which means it's fat loving. So once it's in your system, it is absorbed rather readily and it's difficult to get out. Is that what those things mean?

SIEGEL: Exactly. Lipofilic means it stays in the tissues for some time, and that's how it causes all the damage. The good news is that they've rechecked him now and it looks like his dioxin levels are back down to zero which is why he's feeling much better. Again, the fatigue, the pain he's having, the facial changes, these persist for a very long time. And I do believe he may be at an increased risk of cancer down the line.

WHITFIELD: Hmm. And the ways it can be ingested, in Jill's report, there are some sources who are saying they think it may have been slipped into some soup or some sort of liquid that Yushchenko was ingesting. How else might this kind of exposure affect the human body?

SIEGEL: Well, you know, it can be inhaled also and it can be gotten in through the skin. But I think, given the high concentrations and given the cause and effect that he was at a party one night and the next day he gets sick, I think that an oral concentration of this in a soup where it can be masked, like a cream soup, you couldn't see it, I think that is --

WHITFIELD: Wouldn't you taste it, though especially since it sounds like such a very high content as you described?

SIEGEL: You should taste it. It has a metallic flavor to it. It's surprising that he didn't taste it. But that his wife said she tasted it on his lips. That is surprising.

WHITFIELD: Hmm. And now, you talk long term, potentially it could mean that he would have to deal with cancer. Internally, his organs seem to be doing well. But externally, he's still, obviously, has the disfigurement. How long before that would change?

SIEGEL: He's quite fatigued. He's quite fatigued. The skin changes, it's unpredictable how long this is going to take. But over a couple of months he may very well show significant improvement. I expect him to have some scarring from this. And it's also possible that it will take longer than months for it to get better.

WHITFIELD: Associate professor at NYU, Dr. Marc Siegel, thanks so much for joining us from New York.

SIEGEL: Thank you Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld gets an earful from soldiers in Kuwait about their safety. Days later, hear what steps the government is taking to better protect U.S. forces on the front lines. That's straight ahead. Plus this --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everyone should be shaking my husband's hand and saying what can I do for you because of all you gave for me, not the reverse.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Apparently that's not happening. One vet's homecoming story coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Taking action, days after Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld came under verbal fire for a shortage of armor for U.S. troops overseas, the Army is bowing to pressure to do something about it. Here's CNN's senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMIE McINTYRE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Army is moving to buy more armored Humvees and to see if other production lines can be accelerated. Just two days after a pointed question from this soldier put Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on the spot about the lack of armor for military vehicles. Army officials say they were surprised to hear from news reports that Armor Holdings of Jacksonville, Florida, was prepared to sell the Pentagon 550 armored Humvees a month. Because originally the Army was told it could buy only 450 a month because of commitments to other customers.

Pentagon officials said the new Army secretary, Francis Harvey, who was sworn in less than a month ago, called the head of the company directly and is negotiating to buy all the Humvees the company can supply. The company says it can produce another 100 Humvees a month by next March but wants to make sure it can accommodate the Marine Corps as well as other customers it did not identify. Another company, Armorworks of Tempe, Arizona, says it could double production of armor plates that can be added to existing Humvees.

MATT SALMON, PRESIDENT, ARMORWORKS: We produce 300 kits a month. We could be doing 600 kits a month. So when you hear language from the Pentagon that we're doing everything humanly possible, I'm telling you that the industry base is being underutilized.

McINTYRE: But the Army says it already has a backlog of armor kits for Humvees and can't install them any faster. Meanwhile, CNN has learned that the U.S. Army arsenal in Rock Island, Illinois, was ordered just this week to resume around the clock shifts to make cav (ph) armor kits for five-ton trucks and fuel tankers, which is a critical need. And the Army secretary has created a new armor task force to examine all existing contracts to see if there are other opportunities to speed up production of armor or other ways to get it to the battlefield faster.

Immediately upon returning from his overseas trip, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld went back to work at his Pentagon desk. Sources say he had a conversation with the new Army secretary about the armor crisis. What was said has not been disclosed. Jamie McIntyre, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Getting more armor to troops is of paramount concern with the growing violence in Iraq. Insurgents shot and killed two high-ranking interior ministry officials as they headed to work today in Baghdad. The victims worked in the ministry's criminal intelligence department.

Some British troops in Iraq are home for the holidays. 200 members of Britain's black watch regimen arrived back in England today. The unit relieved U.S. Marines ahead of last month's offensive in Falluja.

And a U.S. soldier has been sentenced to three years in prison for killing a wounded Iraqi teenager. Staff Sgt. Johnny Horne (ph) Jr. was accused of killing a teen back in August in Baghdad's Sadr City. Horne agreed to a plea deal that allowed him to avert a possible death sentence.

Well, a positive side effect of the war in Iraq is ahead on CNN LIVE SATURDAY. New additions to soldiers' families just in time for the holidays.

And new meaning to the phrase "fashion friendly." How a model is helping keep young children safe in her homeland.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: It's a time-honored tradition, a soldier's return from war. Homecoming is especially poignant for soldiers wounded in combat, a time for family and reflection. U.S. Army Specialist Robert Loria lost part of an arm fighting in Iraq, but upon arriving home, he quickly learned his fight had only just begun. Here's CNN's Ed Lavandera.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Last February, Army Specialist Robert Loria was helping rescue a fellow soldier who had just been injured by a roadside bomb north of Baghdad. Loria and a group of soldiers drove in, loaded the soldier's body in a Humvee, but as Loria started driving away, a second bomb detonated. Loria looked down and saw his left arm mangled and shrapnel wounds along the left side of his body.

ROBERT LORIA, WOUNDED SOLDIER: When he got me fully out of the vehicle and laid me on the ground, the first things I said to him, I told him my wife was going to be pissed at me because I told her a long time ago that I'd be back all right and I wouldn't get hurt. I felt like I lied to her.

LAVANDERA: Specialist Loria is getting used to life with part of an arm. Nerve damage has left him without feeling in his left foot but as Loria prepared to discharge from the military after serving five years, he was told that he owed the army more than $6,000 for pay, the Army says, he shouldn't have received and for travel expenses to get treatment. The bill also included $310 for equipment that Loria didn't bring back from Iraq, like a sleeping bag, suspenders, and a rucksack, among other things.

LORIA: I didn't have anything to say to them. I didn't know what to say to them. I was pretty much in shock. They were, like, hey, screw you, bye.

LAVANDERA: The Army even took his last paycheck and applied it to the debt. After that, he still owed almost $2,000. Loria and his wife started to worry the 27-year-old specialist had no idea how he would afford to get back home to New York. Unsure what to do, Christine Loria started calling her local congressmen, a couple of U.S. senators and their hometown newspaper.

CHRISTINE LORIA, SOLDIER'S WIFE: He signed up for this because he wanted to serve his country. He wanted to do something he could be proud of. And they're making it very hard for him to feel proud. By trying to take more from him? What more do they want? What?

LAVANDERA: Right now, the Army wants to get out of the spotlight on this one. So they're making the debt disappear. An Army spokesman says these actions clearly demonstrate that once the command leadership is involved, the Army does its utmost to correct and satisfy the needs of the soldiers and their families. But the Lorias are left wondering why it was so hard to make this happen.

CHRISTINE LORIA: Everyone should be shaking my husband's hand saying, what can I do for you because of all you gave for me, not the reverse.

LAVANDERA: In a couple of days, Specialist Robert Loria will jump in his car and start driving home to New York. The best part of all is, he'll be home for Christmas and have some money to spend on gifts. Ed Lavandera, CNN, Dallas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well, they're the lucky ones though it may not seem that way. Straight ahead, residents in the Philippines with help of U.S. Marines try and dig out following devastating floods.

Also, a terrorist attack and hostage drama at a Russian school inspires a model to help out children from her homeland.

And in "Living Well," what's in that bowl of cereal you had for breakfast this morning? Just might surprise you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: I'm Fredericka Whitfield. Here's what's happening in the news. Doctors say Ukraine's opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko was poisoned with dioxin. They say the poison's presence in Yushchenko's system explains the dramatic change in his appearance and the decline in his health.

President Bush got a clean bill of health today. Doctors at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland pronounced Mr. Bush fit for duty. The president's annual physical exam took about 3 hours. Afterwards Mr. Bush handed out Purple Hearts to wounded U.S. service members there.

And President Bush's choice to head the Department of Homeland Security has withdrawn his name from consideration. Bernard Kerik said he decided not to seek the cabinet post after questions about the immigration status of his former housekeeper.

With Kerik out of the running, President Bush has a big gap in his new cabinet. He must now turn his attention to finding a new Homeland Security director nominee. Our senior political analyst, Bill Schneider is in London, but even from across the pond, he has some pretty thought-provoking ideas about the top contenders.

But before we get to that part, Bill, before we talk about the contenders, let's talk about what may have precipitated this. It may not be just the immigration status, the unpaid taxes of this former employee?

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: There are lots of controversies surrounding Bernard Kerik. I mean this story, I should point out, has been reported and commented on widely overseas where I am now. I heard about it in Paris and in London.

The nanny problem certainly made it very difficult for him to face confirmation, because remember, one of the responsibilities of the Homeland Security Secretary is to be in charge of immigration policy. And if he once had a possibly illegal imgrant in his employ, that in itself could be disqualifying.

He also had a lot of financial controversies in his record. He was on the board and made a lot of money on stock options with Taser International, a controversial company that makes high-powered stun guns that some like Amnesty International, have charged with unnecessary deaths accidentally because of the use of these guns. And also, the dealings with the government. They've sold these stun guns to police departments and to the Department of Homeland Security. That was a controversy.

"Newsweek" has uncovered records of an arrest warrant for Bernard Kerik having to do with some still-pending lawsuits over mismanagement of a condominium he owned in New Jersey. He once paid a fine over misuse of police personnel to research his book. So there are a lot of controversies there.

WHITFIELD: All right. Well, now let's talk about the short list that the White House has to deal with. Originally, part of that list included former New York mayor Rudy Guiliani. But at this point, we know that Guiliani really had been campaigning hard for Kerik. He's no longer going to be put back on the short list, is he? Who are the others?

SCHNEIDER: I don't think so. I mean, this is a very big embarrassment for Guiliani, because Kerik was always seen as Guiliani's man. He worked for Rudy Guiliani's company. He was close to Guiliani. And the two -- he was really Guiliani's man. Guiliani made a strong case for him.

Who's left on the list? The most prominent, widely known possibility would be Tom Kean, who was a chairman of the 9/11 commission. That, I think, would be a noncontroversyial appointee and be widely applauded. He's a very liberal Republican, but I think he has such stature as a result of the distinguished work of the 9/11 commission that he'd be easy to confirm.

There's some insider candidates, Francis Townsend, who is the White House homeland security adviser, Asa Hutchinson, who is the undersecretary already in the Homeland Security Department. Some people are talking about Massachusetts governor Republican Mitt Romney, also Mike Levitt, who is with the Environmental Protection Administration, recently appointed. And Joe Albaugh (ph), who used to be the federal emergency management agency director. Those are all names that are on the list, but it could be someone else, we don't know.

WHITFIELD: All right. Senior political analyst Bill Schneider to us from London. Thanks so much. Embarrassing not just for Rudy Guiliani, but certainly an embarrassment also for the White House.

Well, in the Philippines now hundreds of people are dead. Victims of flooding and landslides from a recent spate of brutal storms that ravaged islands. But many survivors have little time to mourn as they're now facing an unfolding humanitarian disaster. CNN's Aneesh Raman explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): These are the lucky ones, survivors emerging nearly 2 weeks after deadly storms blasted the eastern Philippines. Rescue operations are all but over. It is now a matter of relief. Getting clean water and food to the desperate half million people stranded without either.

This weekend, a critical boost to the effort, some 600 members of the U.S.'s 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade are now in country.

1ST LT. JEREMY ADVISE, U.S. MARINE CORPS: This is a big deal for us. It really means a lot to us. Naturally, on a daily basis, this is not what we do.

RAMAN: But weather is, once again, an enormous obstacle. With roads still flooded and key bridges destroyed, the only way into the devastated area is by helicopter. The problem is that when the rain starts, the visibility ends and the supplies don't arrive. On this day, the Marines just stand by.

(on camera): As they wait for relief to get here, residents can now only dig their way out. Everywhere is covered with mud, and weeks beyond the storm's passing, all they can do is try to rebuild.

(voice-over): It is a gargantuan task. Each day its own struggle. Emotions are quick to surface here.

Why does god hate us? Asked this man. He lost everything but the water buffalo he clings to.

Logistically for the country, relocating and rebuilding will take months. The cost, estimated at around $55 million, is nowhere near what the Philippine government can afford. And the work is more than they can handle.

ADVISE: It's going to take them quite awhile, because they don't have the technology we have. They don't have the heavy equipment that we have.

RAMAN: But for the affected residents, that is a matter for the future. Today is simply about staying alive. Aneesh Raman CNN, Real, Eastern Philippines.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: News around the world now. A setback for independence in Taiwan: The country's opposition party has retained control of parliament in elections today. This comes as a major upset for the president's pro-indendence coalition which wants more freedom from China.

Pakistan makes an arrest in connection with a kidnapping of 2 U.N. aide workers. The workers were captured in Afghanistan in November and freed almost a month later. Pakistani authorities say the suspect is the leader of a Taliban splinter group.

And an aide worker believed to have been captured and killed in Iraq was remembered in London today. More than 2,000 mourners gathered to say good-bye to Margaret Hassan. The director of the aid agency CARE International was kidnapped in Baghdad back in October. A video believed to show her killing surfaced last month, but her body still has not been found.

A Russian model with a Cinderella rise to fame is devoting her energies to the welfare of Russian children. Her concern has sparked -- was rather sparked by the brutal massacre of Russian children in Beslan, Russia. Now she's teaming up with the New York fashion world to provide safe and secure play areas for the children of Beslan and other Russian cities. Natalia Vodianova has created the Naked Heart Foundation to help with her efforts. And she joins us now from New York. Good to see you Netalia.

NATALIA VODIANOVA, MODEL: Thank you, Fredericka.

WHITFIELD: All right. So how does it work? You all want to put together prefabricated playgrounds in many places throughout Russia?

VODIANOVA: Yes, that's right. I created the Naked Heart Foundation in order to bring safe, colorful environment for Russian children which they're unfortunately lacking.

WHITFIELD: And you're starting with Beslan. Is that mostly, in part, because of the tragedy that took place there, and you felt that was a good place to start?

VODIANOVA: Well, those children really deserve it the most. This is what encouraged me in the first place to really start and coordinate and make the Naked hheart Foundation together.

WHITFIELD: Why is it called the Naked Heart Foundation?

VODIANOVA: Well, I wanted to do something tangible for Russian people. And there is this beautiful story called Danka about a general who takes his heart out of his chest and leads a Russian army through a dark forest with his open heart.

WHITFIELD: And while this may have been an idea that you had, you've been able to make this happen, because of the effort of so many people around you. Who are some of the folks who have contributed, whether it be in, you know, sweat or in dollars?

VODIANOVA: We have an event on the 15th of December, that's sponsored by Song and L'Oreal. And there's a lot of other -- everyone who donated to the auction that we're doing -- actually we're doing an auction on eBay, which is very exciting. And anyone could go on www.ebay.com/natalia and bid on these amazing prizes. Like Vera Wang is doing a wedding dress, and Jay Jaggar doing a wedding bands. Bruce Weber is doing a family portrait, and there are tickets to Vanity Fair party. There is a lot of really wonderful items. Please come.

WHITFIELD: Wow! So besides you taking to the airwaves, how are you getting the word out so people can take part in this auction on the web?

VODIANOVA: Yes, absolutely.

WHITFIELD: What are some of the other, you know, ways in which you're getting the word out?

VODIANOVA: Well, of course, it's the benefit, which is going to be a lot of people there. And it's all about just really coming and talking to everyone I know and spread the word out one by one person. That's how it works. It's a chain.

WHITFIELD: Have you had a chance to talk with any of the children or anyone that you're close to? Have they had a chance to talk to any of the kids, particularly in Beslan, about how needed, how much they're looking forward to having these kind of fabricated playgrounds?

VODIANOVA: Well, the thing is I grew up in Russia myself. And it was my life. And I still go back there a lot. And even with my son -- I come to my hometown, Nizhni Novgorod, and I have 6 kids, and there is not even anywhere to take them for ice cream when it's minus 25 freezing cold.

And of course, you can't go to the parks. And there is no sort of places like that to go. So that's how the idea came around, really.

WHITIFELD: Natalia Vodianova, the organization is called Naked Hearts Foundation. Taking a little time from your contracts with Calvin Klein and L'Oreal to do some great deeds for these young kids in Russia. Thanks so much for joining us.

VODIANOVA: Thank you, Fredericka.

WHITFIELD: Well, doctors and nurses at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, are dealing with an unexpected yet welcome side effect of the war: A baby boom. That story coming up.

And Dr. Lloyd is once again serving up some advice. You'll want to hear what he has to say before you search your next bowl of cereal and pouring that milk. A look at what's for breakfast when we come right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Well, time now for Living Well. We've all been told about the importance of starting each day with a good breakfast. But some people who think they're eating a nutritious meal may not be, especially people who start with a bowl of cereal. Depends on what kind, right? Dr. Bill Lloyd joins us live from Sacramento with information on how to wake up and make smarter choices. You're not telling us that all cereals are bad, are you?

DR. BILL LLOYD, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS: I eat breakfast every day, Fredericka. You know, most people, when they wake up, they haven't had anything to eat for eight, ten, maybe 12 hours. So, it's important they start their day with a good source of energy to make it to the lunch hour.

I've got a couple tips on why it's important that we do eat our breakfast, though. We mentioned that it's a vital source of fuel to get you through your day. Also, if you eat complex carbohydrates with that breakfast, you'll be more satisfied, less inclined to get that doughnut around 9:30 and you'll eat a lighter lunch.

Did you know that by eating breakfast, medications that you take in the morning will actually be better absorbed and work better during the day? We know this works in patients that take pills for acid reflux, for example, a one a day pill. Be sure I take it with food.

And finally, dentists tell us that if you eat breakfast, you're prone to have fewer cavities because of salvation and all that goes on in your mouth with digestion, protects your teeth.

WHITFIELD: So now, how do we make smart choices about what we eat?

LLOYD: It doesn't take long. And there are many, many popular and healthy cereals to eat for breakfast. And it only takes about ten seconds.

Here's what you need to do in just ten seconds, when you're in the store, to decide whether this box is a keeper or not. First, look and find out if it's full of whole grains. That means it's full of fiber. It should have five, six or seven grams of fiber in order to be a quality breakfast cereal. And that's grams per serving, not per unit weight.

You also want to check to make sure it doesn't have any of those partially hydrogenated oiled, because that means it's loaded with transfats. Remember, fiber lowers your cholesterols, transfats increase cholesterol.

And finally, check how much added sugar's that there. If you have too much added sugar, you're eating wasted calories. So, stick with the healthy brands. They're easy to find. You could pick the right box in less than ten seconds.

WHITFIELD: Wow! That's right. And I guess, you know, big clue, if sugar is the first ingredient you know there's too much in it. But a lot of times when you see whole grains, you see high fiber. It also means high carbs. And so there's this great emphasis for people to cut down on carbs.

LLOYD: Well, there certainly is. But savvy carb counters know that when you have those complex carbohydrates that we find in fiber and in products like this, you can subtract those grams of carbohydrates. The number's on the box, from the total consumption of your carbohydrates to get to those net carbs. So, you subtract those fiber grams, and you'll end up with a low low-carb diet anyway.

WHITFIELD: So, a lot of folks have the excuse of I don't have time for breakfast. So, sometimes they grab a cereal bar or they just grab anything and make their way out. It's important to be selective about what you grab, isn't it?

LLOYD: A portable breakfast is a wonderful way to start the day. And people don't have time to sit down all the time. Here's two good portable breakfasts you can think about. Fix yourself a smoothie that's loaded with yogurt and fresh fruit. You can enjoy it in the car. Or my personal favorite is peanut butter-stuffed celery. You could almost operate a cell phone while eating this.

WHITFIELD: All right. A little crunchy, a little loud, but at least it's healthy.

LLOYD: We'll talk to you again soon.

WHITFIELD: All right, Dr. Bill Lloyd, thanks so much, from Sacramento.

Well, the holiday season is shaping up to be a busy one at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky. Nine months after the return from Iraq, the men and women of the 101st airborne division are having babies in record numbers. CNN medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can handle having a little baby girl.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: When he's not swaudleing his new baby girl, 33-year-old Jeff Lamprecht flies in an Apache helicopter for the Army's 101st Airborne Division. He came home from Iraq last winter along with thousands of other soldiers from Ft. Campbell. And a little more than nine months later, a full- fledged baby boom is under way.

(on camera): Usually in one month, they deliver about 130 babies here. But this month they're expecting to deliver 220 babies.

(voice-over): Jeff says being in the delivery room for the birth of baby victoria was more intense than being on the battlefield.

JEFF LAMPRECHT, APACHE PILOT: People shooting at me, you know, that's all right. But seeing my wife helpless on that table, that brought a tear to my eye.

COHEN: It's a tender moment for the new family. All the more sentimental knowing Jeff will be shipping out again sometime soon.

DONNA LAMPRECHT, WIFE: You know, he's going to do what he has to get done. And Torre and I will be back here just rooting him right along.

COHEN: Victoria was delivered by an obstetrician called in from another state to help handle the overload.

DR. LORRAINE MARTINEZ, RELOCATED OBSTETRICIAN: A few weeks ago I got a call saying, can you be here by November 1? So I packed up and here I am.

COHEN: Several babies were born the day we visited. In each case, the father on hand. But in today's military, it's not just fathers who serve.

TRACEY BAILEY, BLACK HAWK PILOT: I am a spouse, but I'm also a soldier.

COHEN: Tracy Bailey pilots a Black Hawk helicopter. So does her husband. They both served in Iraq. And when they returned, they didn't waste any time.

BAILEY: We've been married for three years. And the Army just hasn't allowed us to stop and have babies. So this has been planned.

COHEN: The twins make theirs a family of 6. A family looking forward to an extra-special holiday season.

BAILEY: This is the first Christmas we were together in the United States with our daughters and our sons, and everybody's together. And looking at the future, we don't know if there will be one, we're all going to be together. This is going to be the one to remember.

COHEN: Elizabeth Cohen, CNN, Ft. Campbell, Kentucky.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well, it's the holiday debate that doesn't seem to go away. Real or fake? Tom Foreman weighs the pros and cons straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Love the Christmas tree but hate the mess? If so, you're not alone. Most Americans, whether they want to admit it or not, they're faking it. CNN's Tom Foreman takes a look at the phenomena of the fake Christmas tree.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Capitol Christmas tree has risen to ooze and ahs and lot of applause, but the government may be out of touch because this is a real tree, and most Americans are going artificial.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I like a real Christmas tree. But my wife doesn't like cleaning up all the needles. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'd rather get a fake one, because at the end of the season then I see the people throw them out on the street, you know. It looks so sad.

FOREMAN: The National Christmas Tree Association, yes, Virginia, there is such a group, says in 1990, about half the people who put up trees went with real ones. Now, 60 to 70 percent are faking it.

(on camera): This can't be true. Next someone's going to say martha stewart has a new tv deal. But the quality of artificial trees has been improving for years, and people do like the convenience.

(voice-over): Consider this: While real trees require an annual pilgrimage to pick one out, cart it home and put it up, a prelit artificial tree is cleaner, faster, and in the off-season, can park in the basement next to all that exercise gear you once had delusions of using.

(on camera): Christmas tree growers, however, are launching aggressive marketing campaigns to slow this trend. They say there really is nothing else quite like a real tree. And they don't come from the woods.

(voice-over): Christmas trees are a crop, grown and harvested like corn. And 93 percent are recycled from holiday masterpieces into springtime mulch.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This isn't one of those trees that all the needles falls off, is it?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, that's Simbalsams.

FOREMAN: Still, popular culture has long noted this epic and unending struggle.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He just bought one of those brand-new green plastic trees.

FOREMAN (on camera): I am a real tree person. I've never really considered a fake. On the other hand, my Christmas music is not all Bing Crosby.

(RAPPING)

FOREMAN: So maybe, even for traditionalists, cultural tasts are changing. And this Christmas, fake firs are all the rage.

(SINGING)

FOREMAN: Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And that's all we have time for now. But stay with CNN. Up next "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS," a profile of Donald trump.

Then at 6:00 pm Eastern, CNN correspondent Jane Arraf, she'll be talking about her days on the front-lines in Iraq.

And at 7:00 p.m., the "CAPITAL GANG" takes a look at Bernard Kerik's withdrawal and the cabinet shuffle.

And I'll be back after a quick break with today's top stories.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com