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CNN Live Saturday

Travel Tips For People On A Budget; FDA Advises Against Using Celebrex; White House Predicts 2.1 Million Jobs To Be Created in 2005

Aired December 18, 2004 - 12:00   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 ANCHOR: It is 12:00 p.m. on the East coast, 9:00 a.m. out West. I'm Fredricka Whitfield at CNN's global headquarters in Atlanta. Welcome to cnn live Saturday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have been in law enforcement 20 years and 12 as sheriff and this is one of the worst ordeals we've got -- had to deal with.

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WHITFIELD: The search is over. A suspect want nd a gruesome killing is in custody, but the question remains, why did it happen. We'll have an update.

Another drug scare for millions of Americans: Still, important differences between the reported dangers between Celebrex and Vioxx. We'll have the news you need to know.

And record numbers of holiday travelers will jam the airports and highways. How to avoid some travel hassles. We'll have expert advice for you, but first, here are some stories now in the news.

Some of the biggest name in the former Saddam Hussein regime face their accusers in court. The general known as "Chemical Ali" and Saddam's former defense minister are the subjects of pre-trial hearings in Baghdad. Saddam and eleven of his aides face war crimes and other charges.

Chilean general, Augusto Pinochet is hospitalized in Santiago undergoing tests. The 89-year-old former dictator suffers from several ailments. He's accused of kidnapping nine dissidents and killing one of them during his regime. Three years ago, he avoided trial on other charges because of the health problems.

Another key suspect believed linked to the deadly Madrid train bombings and three other suspected Islamic militants have been arrest in the Canary Islands. Spanish police accuse them of building a base of operations there.

First, today, the story that has shocked America. A Missouri town tries to cope with a grizzly crime. Mother to be, Bobbi Jo Stinnett was killed and the fetus inside her cut out of her body.

Police found the baby alive and a suspect who confessed, Jim Flink, of CNN affiliate KMBC has more.

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TODD GRAVES, U.S. ATTORNEY: Our victim had pictures on the internet of herself, and so forth, and they hooked up through that message board.

JIM FLINK, KMBC REPORTER (voice-over): And it was that internet meeting, authorities say, that ultimately led to Bobbi Jo Stinnett's murder. Authorities say she was suppose today meet a woman named Darlene Fisher at her home Thursday to sell her a pure bread Rat Terrier. Darlene Fisher, authorities say, was Lisa Montgomery with murder on her mind. Police believe Montgomery strangled Stinnett from behind then cut her 8-month-old baby fetus from her stomach. Stinnett left in a pool of blood. Family and neighbors are still shocked.

ROMAINE HENRY, RELATIVE: And I just can't understand why anybody would do a trick like that, you know. I just don't know why.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This stuff doesn't happen. You know, these are the really bad TV shows that you don't watch. And this happened.

FLINK: Police say two threads of information clinched this case. First, an Amber Alert putting out a call for a red car. It almost didn't happen.

SHERIFF BEN ESPEY, NORWAY CO. SHERIFF'S DEPT.: Why wee may not have recovered this little baby if Amber -- the Amber Alert system was not put into place.

TROOPER SHELDON LYON, MISSOURI HIGHWAY PATROL: It's also apparent that after this case is over there's going to have to be a little adjustment made to this.

FLINK: The other, the FBI tracked all communication on the victim's computer, which led right to the doorstep of Lisa Montgomery.

GRAVES: They were virtually and literally simultaneous, a tip and they were going through the computer forensics at the same time and two leads -- you know, crossing make that the best lead you've got and the one you move the quickest on.

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WHITFIELD: And that was reporter Jim Flink of CNN affiliate KMBC.

Police are trying to pin to down another mystery this one concerns an Arizona couple missing since just before Thanksgiving. Police in Newport Beach, California, arrested a man who bought Tom and Jackie Hawks' 55-foot yacht for at least $400,000. The 25-year-old suspected was arrested for money laundering, an account police say the money linked to the boat purchase. Meanwhile, the couple's car has been found in Mexico.

Turning to medicine, the Food and Drug Administration is advising doctors to think giving patients something other than the popular pain drug, Celebrex. A new study shows the pain killer could increase the risk of heart attacks. Jason Carroll looks at how Celebrex users are reacting.

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JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For the past year, Neala Rastogi Shapiro has had to walk slowly on lunch breaks ever since she hurt her knee from overdoing it in the gym. As recently as Thursday, she took Celebrex. Not anymore.

NEALA RASTOGI-SHAPIRO: I'm in my 30s. I shouldn't be worried about heart problems and cardiovascular problems. I'm too young for this. I only have knee problems.

CARROLL: Shapiro started out taking Vioxx, but that pain killer upseted her stomach, so her doctor suggested Celebrex and that was weeks before Vioxx was pulled for its risk of causing heart attacks and strokes. Now, there may be risks associate with Celebrex. Shapiro wonders what to do now.

DR. GARY MEREDITH, RHEUMATOLOGIST: How are you today?

CARROLL: Rheumatologist, Gary Meredith is Shapiro's doctor.

MEREDITH: I think people area going to ask is it safe to continue to take it. What we'll probably try to see if we can minimize the dose or possibly substitute another medication for those that are at high risk.

CARROLL: Dr. Meredith says as late as Thursday, he spoke with representatives from Pfizer, the company that manufacturers Celebrex. He says that company rep made no mention of any potential problems.

SHAPIRO: My pain comes and goes.

CARROLL: now, Shapiro says she's going to look at other options.

SHAPIRO: At this point, I want to experiment on other alternatives, natural remedies, homeopathic remedies, holistic medicine or maybe not take anything.

CARROLL (on camera): Medical experts say people taking Celebrex should meet with their doctors and if there's a history of heart disease, weigh the risks versus the benefits of staying on Celebrex.

Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well, which Celebrex users are at highest risk? An associate professor of medicine from New York University joins us a bit later with that and other details on the pain killer.

President Bush focuses on the economy in his radio address today. He's talking about moderate economic expansion next year. That comes amid reports of a possible freeze on government spending. Meantime, the president's economic advisors are sharply cutting the forecast on job growth this year to just over 1 million jobs. More now on the economic developments, this hour, at the White House, from CNN's Elaine Quijano -- Elaine.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon to you, Fredricka. That's right. Each year, the White House comes out with its economic snapshot, essentially, a look at where things stand now and also where official think they'll be down the road. And as you mentioned, the jobs growth numbers down from original predictions. This year that job growth forecast down about 1.4 million jobs from the original predictions and the Bush administration is saying the reason is because productivity has gone up in recent years and officials argue that in the long run, that's good for the economy because higher productivity, they say, leads to higher wages and eventually higher living standards.

Now, looking ahead at next year, the president's economic team is projecting a boost in job growth to 175,000 jobs created every month or 2.1 million new jobs total and that, they say, would play a role in reducing unemployment now at about five-and-a-half percent estimated to be down to 5.3 percent next year.

Officials also are taking a look at inflation, saying that will hold at around two percent. Now, earlier this week, the White House held an economic conference, here in Washington, and this was a chance for President Bush to lay out his priorities and sell some of his ambitious economic goals. A centerpiece, really, of his domestic agenda is privatizing part of Social Security, a topic that he discussed today in his weekly radio address.

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GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: To help our young people, we must also fix the long-term problems in the Social Security system. Worker in their mid 20s today will find Social Security bankrupt when they retire unless we act to save it. As we reform and strengthening the system, we will deliver all the benefits owed to current and near retirees.

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QUIJANO: Now, critics question how exactly President Bush will pay for some of these reforms, also the president looking at tax reforms, as well, the money will obviously have to come to from somewhere, but Fredricka, the White House is not out with its final budget, as you know, just yet. But, President Bush has already indicated that some tough spending choices are going to have to be made -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Elaine, thanks so much.

Well, now for the latest on the fight for Iraq, starting with an attack on American civilians. Four people were injured in a car bomb attack north of Baghdad. All four worked for a Florida-based security company. The U.S. embassy now confirms American contractor, Roy Hallums, was taken hostage six weeks ago in Baghdad. Hallums is a contractor for a Saudi company, but does catering for the Iraqi army.

And now to the ongoing investigation into the Saddam Hussein subversion of the United Nation's oil-for-food program. The program's former boss is the target of suspicion that is he was involved in pocketing bribes as part of Saddam's scheme. But as CNN's Liz Neisloss reports, he insists he is innocent.

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LIZ NEISLOSS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He was chosen by Secretary General Kofi Annan to head the U.N. Program intended to keep Iraqis from starving under sanctions, a key post he held for seven years.

BENON SEVAN, FMR. DIR. OIL-FOR-FOOD PROGRAM: We did manage to make a big difference in the lives -- daily lives of Iraqi people.

NEISLOSS: But these days, he is hounded by accusations he pocketed millions in illegal profits from the program he ran.

The Oil-for-Food scandal has thrown the U.N. into turmoil, with member of U.S. Congress calling for Annan to resign, but so far, Sevan is the only U.N. official publicly implicated in any corruption. Now, breaking several months of silence, Sevan tells CNN, through his attorney, that he's done nothing wrong.

"Mr. Sevan is cooperating fully with the independent investigative committee," his attorney says. "He has provided all the information that they have asked for and he is confident that he will be fully vindicated." The independent investigative committee, headed by Paul Vulcar, is hunting for any wrong doing by U.N. staff, one early objective to find out why Sevan's names on a list of individuals and companies that had been given vouchers by Saddam Hussein to buy Iraqi oil.

Former Iraqi Oil Ministry documents show Sevan was allotted 13 million barrels and indicate he cashed in just over half of that. The top U.S. weapons inspector, who examined the list, says he has high confidence in the information.

SEN. CARL LEVIN (D), MICHIGAN: Do you know that Benon Sevan received a voucher? That's my question.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Iraqis firmly believe that.

NEISLOSS: In his last official appearance as head of the program, Sevan insisted Oil-for-Food was corruption free.

SEVAN: With over $48 million of commercial contract, I think we did a very good job. I'm proud of all my colleagues. And nobody has been able to point a finger about any corruption with all that money involved.

NEISLOSS: Kofi Annan says he'll wait for investigators to get the facts before drawing conclusions.

KOFI ANNAN, UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL: These allegations, we take very seriously, and we want to get at the bottom of this.

NEISLOSS (on camera): Benon Seven had hope today retire from the United Nations last May. For now, he is being kept on the U.N. payroll at $1 a year, as he works with investigators probing his former program.

Liz Neisloss, CNN, United Nations.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: When treating aches and pains becomes dangerous: Stay with us for a closer look at the possible implications facing Celebrex users. What you should know.

And one very special emergency medical unit, we go inside Florida's snake bite unit. Saving lives on short notice.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it could catch on, allowing us to greet and offend everyone all at once.

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WHITFIELD: See if you think this new holiday greeting will catch on, indeed, and more importantly, see if you can actually say it. This is CNN LIVE SATURDAY.

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WHITFIELD: Well, if you're a Celebrex user, you're probably wondering what to do after reports said the pain killer could increase the risk of heart attack. Experts say talk to your doctor before you do anything and we're going to talk to one, as well. Dr. Marc Seigle is an associate professor of medicine at NYU Medical School.

Good to see you Dr. Seigle.

DR. MARC SEIGLE, NYU MEDICAL SCHOOL: Good afternoon.

WHITFIELD: Well, let's look quickly at what the study is saying. If taking 400 to 800 milligrams of Celebrex, you face up to more than three and a half times the risk of heart attacks. Now, if you're taking Celebrex for osteoporosis, you're taking between 100 to 200 milligrams, for rheumatoid arthritis, you're taking 200 to 400 milligrams. So, it seems these numbers suggest that perhaps most Celebrex abusers are standing a great risk. Is that true?

SEIGLE: Well, I don't really think that's true, because I think in the first place that Celebrex is not a drug that people should be taking every day for two to three years, like the people in this study were taking it. These types of drugs are not only potentially problems with the heart, they can also be potential problems with the kidney and liver as well. So, you know, I think we need to bring that to light. How many people are taking these medications every day and at what dose? I think a low dose of Celebrex taken sporadically on and off for -- you know, a two to three-week period of time is undoubtedly safe. But, the larger question that comes up is why are we prescribing so much of this drug? You know, 21 million prescriptions of Celebrex last year. It's a really high amount when there are plenty of other arthritis drugs on the market.

WHITFIELD: So then, you wonder, what does this underscoring? A problem with federal regulation or a problem with drug manufacturers?

SEIGLE: Well, I think it's both, Fredricka. I mean, I think that we physicians tend to overlook the more tried and true remedies: Aspirin -- you know, ibuprofen. We have plenty of medications around that have been around longer and have been shown not have a problem with the heart. Again, I think the problem with Celebrex and the heart that's coming out, is that very high dose is over a prolonged period of time.

WHITFIELD: Well -- go ahead. Sorry.

SEIGLE: I think -- you know, the FDA has to play a stronger role here in determine a risk-benefit analysis. What is a safe drug and what are we getting out of it?

WHITFIELD: Well, are some mixed messages being sent if the FDA is saying here's the warning out to doctors -- be careful how you prescribe Celebrex. Why isn't a warning or a mandate going to Pfizer to remove this product off the shelves? Because, as it stands, Pfizer says they have no reason to remove it from the shelves.

SEIGLE: Well, I think they're afraid of losing a lot of money on this drug. I think the FDA may make a move, I'm not sure they won't. I think they're studying this issue seriously. I'm concerned about the fact that we have a pendulum in this society were people either think a drug is a panacea or they panic over it. You know, we go wildly from one drug fo another and that's partly because these medications are hyped so much to begin with.

WHITFIELD: A lot of patients might be wondering now how safe any of their drugs are if you're got Merck taking Vioxx off the shelves just a few months ago and now Pfizer dealing with this problem with Celebrex. Would you understand that so many patients are now questioning whether any of their medications, aside from these two name brands, are safe anymore?

SEIGLE: Fredricka, I think that's a normal reaction and I think that shows we need an agency that comes out and can give us perspective on our medication so we know what to do about this. Also, I would urge the public to realize that, overall, your medications are safe, but don't think that you're necessarily being informed properly by ads. You know, basically, we need more unbiased articles and physicians to try to provide the proper information.

WHITFIELD: Dr. Marc Seigle at NYU. Thanks so much.

SEIGLE: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Well, there's a warning label for another medication used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD. The new label for Strattera says it shouldn't be used in patients who develop jaundice or evidence of liver problems. That comes after reports of liver problems in two patients, an adult and a teenager using the medication. More than two million people have used Strattera since it went on the market back in 2002.

Well, nearly three-quarters of older Americans support the use of marijuana for medical purposes. AARP sponsored the poll, but isn't taking a political position on the matter at all. More than half of those questioned in the survey say they think the drug does have medicinal benefits.

Well, if you are facing child molestation charges would you throw a big party for a bunch of kids? Welcome to Michael Jackson's world. We'll take you there coming up next.

And if you're facing an ethical dilemma with family, friends, or coworkers this holiday season, why not ask for some help? Send e- mails to ethics@cnn.com and the "Ethics Guys," Bruce Weinstein, will answer some of questions when we come right back.

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WHITFIELD: Despite a pending trial on child molestation charges, entertainer Michael Jackson greeted groups of children at his Neverland Ranch in California. CNN's Miguel Marquez has more.

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MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Michael Jackson welcomes children to his Neverland Ranch, something his public relations person says he does all the time. What's different this time? The media was invited to watch.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey, Michael.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.

MARQUEZ: The visit comes days before a lengthy pre-trial hearing during which Jackson's legal team is expected to ask for the trial date of January 31 be pushed back by six week.

RAYMONE BAIN, MICHAEL JACKSON'S SPOKESPERSON: I can't answer any questions which regards to his trial and I'm sorry.

MARQUEZ: Jackson spokeswoman, Raymone Bain, says he has groups of kids to Neverland Ranch, but he usually doesn't greet them. He did this time, she says, because it's the last tour of the holiday season.

(on camera): Why allow press into this particular gathering, at this particular time?

BAIN: Because you've asked over the last several months.

MARQUEZ (voice-over): Jackson's been charged with, among other things, lewd acts against a child and conspiracy. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

(on camera): While we were in Neverland Ranch, there were about 80 kids and about three dozen adults who were greeted by Michael Jackson. They were expecting around 200. CNN asked several times to speak to some of the adults who were supervisizing the kids. We were denied that request.

Miguel Marquez, CNN, Los Olivos, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And attorney, Avery Friedman, and Richard Herman, will take a closer look at the Jackson case and what's ahead for the entertainer in the "Legal Roundup" and that's here on CNN at 2:00 Eastern, so stick around for that.

Once bitten, never shy: We go inside Florida's Emergency Snake Bite Unit where seconds count in saving a life.

And hitting the road for the holidays? How to cope with the hassles during this record travel year.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KRISTA CRABTREE, SKI MAGAZINE: It's hard to find the best skiing when you go to a mountain you've never been before. So, here's some tips on you can ski like a local.

(voice-over): Find a trail map. Examine it and look for the runs that face nort. That's where the snow is the most dependable. It's the least affected by the sun, so it remains good all day long.

Find a ski patroller and ask them where the good skiing is. Patrollers are in touch with the mountain, they decide which runs to open and they always sky them first, so they are the best ones to ask.

Find a local. Locals ski at the mountains everyday, so they're going to be in touch with where the best conditions are. They might not tell you where the secret stashes are, but they'll tell you where the good skiing is.

If you follow these tips, you'll be skiing like a local in no time.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Bottom of the hour now, and here are our top stories. New video from Baghdad: Two top members of Saddam Hussein's former regime at an investigative hearing in Baghdad. Ali Hassan al-Majid, better known as "Chemical Ali" and Iraq's former defense minister, Sultan Hashim Ahmed, face war crimes proceedings. Iraq's interim prime minister has said al-Majid's trial could begin next week.

Former Chilean dictator, Augusto Pinochet, is in a Santiago hospital, this hour. Doctors say the 89-year-old general suffers from many ailments. Next week a court will decide if Pinochet will remain under indictment and house arrest for crimes committed during his regime.

The FBI is questioning more people in connection with an arson fire the destroyed 10 homes and damaged 16 others in Maryland. A security guard already has been charged with the December 6 fires, however investigators say they believe more than one person was responsible.

The most dramatic U.S. intelligence reform bill in more than 50 years was signed into law this week. But while President Bush vowed it will help protect Americans, some lawmakers recall the president was not always this bills biggest booster. CNN White House Correspondent Dana Bash makes a reality check.

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DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The president gets credit from all involved for personally pushing the intelligence reform measure over the finish line. However, many recall he was initially a skeptic if not a critic of the effort.

TIM ROEMER, (D), 9/11 COMMISSION MEMBER: The president was Johnny-come-lately to this. Better late than never.

BASH: At first, he fought creating the independent 9/11 Commission, saying a congressional probe was adequate.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: My judgment is best for ongoing war against terror that the investigation be done in the Intelligence Committee.

BASH: September 11 victims families lobbied and six months later, the president signed on. Then, a series of skirmishes. From some quiet struggles over boosting its initial $3 million budget to larger public battles turned political pressure points.

The commission wanted broad access to classified documents, especially the president's own daily intelligent briefings, what he knew about Al Qaeda's threat.

BUSH: It's important for the writers of the presidential daily brief to feel comfortable that the documents won't ever be politicized and/or unnecessarily exposed for public purview.

BASH: The president resisted, but later compromised. Another flashpoint, whether National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice would testify at commission hearings. The White House initially refused, citing executive privilege. Again, it later gave in, as it also did in agreeing the president and vice president would answer commissioners questions, though that was still private.

JIM THOMPSON, (R), 9/11 COMMISSION MEMBERS: There was controversy along the way and obviously disagreements from time to time. BASH: The 9/11 commission's recommendations were yet another example. In the heat of the presidential campaign, Democrat John Kerry embraced them immediately. Mr. Bush initially was more circumspect.

BUSH: The 9/11 commission also made...

BASH: But then backed the reforms and after public pleas from some fellow Republicans still unsure how serious his support was, Mr. Bush eventually used his reelection capital to push the bill through Congress.

DAVID GERGEN, FMR. WHITE HOSUE ADVISER: The president faced the political necessity of not losing on this, not being overrun, and not seeming to care about this intelligence. I think that's one of the reasons they came around.

BASH (voice over): Some of the president's critics also note he initially resisted, then embraced creating the Homeland Security Department, but even they say these reforms were enacted relatively quickly and the bottom line, it's the Bush signature on this law and that's what history will remember. Dana Bash, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Time for stories making news across America now.

That is the implosion of the old Washington Convention Center in the nation's capital, the arena built in 1982, was the fourth biggest at the time, but since has been dwarfed by larger arenas.

A judge is blocking efforts to count newly discovered ballots in Washington State's governors race. The Republican won the contest by just 42 votes. Democrats say they're going to appeal.

And flying cows in Georgia. The animal had been stranded on a island in a lake because of rising waters. Apparently she lost about 150 pounds during that three-week ordeal. Veterinarians tranquilized the cow for that airlift to shore.

Florida is famous for beaches, hurricanes and not just gators but also snakes, in fact, more types of snake than any other state. Florida responded with a snake bite unit. Here's CNN's John Zarrella.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Two hundred times a year Captain Al Cruz and Lieutenant Ernie Jilson responds to call about a snake in the grass. In this case, a python loose in a backyard.

Cruz and Jilson, Miami Dade paramedics run Venom 1, the county's anti-venom unit. When they're not rounding up snakes, they teach first responders how to identify what they're dealing with.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is what we call a carpet python, it was taken, caught locally here, it was somebody's pet.

ZARRELLA: But the paramedics are more than snake handlers. They save lives. They keep on hand at all times 40 types of anti-venom. They have responded to calls for help from across the country.

CAPT. AL CRUZ, MIAMI-DADE VENOM 1 UNIT: The amount of anti-venom we have on hand here at one particular location is probably the largest anywhere in the United States.

ZARRELLA: And it is needed. There are more species of snakes in Florida, about 70, than anywhere else in the country, from water moccasins to rattle snakes. In fact, South Florida has been called the Ellis Island of exotic animals.

Many, like this none venomous albino python are not native. They were pets that is got too big and were simply let loose.

CRUZ: We got a call that said an individual had this snake in the yard, it was chasing their cat around the backyard, trying to eat him.

ZARRELLA: There are about 250 snakebites a year in Florida. And 25 percent are venom venomous.

Mario Tabraue runs Zoological Imports, was bagging a cottonmouth for shipment when he was bitten. Cruz rushed the serum to the hospital.

MARIO TABRAUE, BITTEN BY COTTONMOUTH SNAKE: Sometimes you get bit by a snake that nobody knows what it is or they know what it is by they don't have the anti-venom. They have to make a wild goose chase to find it. He's got it.

ZARRELLA: There have been no snakebites deaths in Florida since the anti-venom unit was formed in 1998. The team knows there will always be another urgent call because there will always be another snake in the grass. John Zarrella, CNN, Miami.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Aside from that, the holidays usually bring times of joy and sometimes stress. The ethics guy is up next with some helpful advice for all of us.

Also, he didn't want to go back to Iraq. So, he took some drastic measures and now he is in big trouble. His story when CNN LIVE SATURDAY continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: An army man from Philadelphia might be headed to jail rather than returning to Iraq following bizarre shooting in this country. We get more details now from CNN's Adaora Udoji, in New York.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ADAORA UDOJI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Marquise Roberts, an Army specialist, spent seven months fight in Iraq; 23 years old, on leave in Philadelphia, police say he took a bullet rather than return to war.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can't even begin to explain it. I just don't understand how something like this happened.

UDOJI: But his aunt says her son Rowland Fuller told her, Roberts asked his cousin to shoot him, telling her ...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I didn't think it would be nothing serious, you know, just shoot me in the leg, artificial wound. The young man is terrified of going back to the war.

UDOJI: Police say the cousins went to this nearby park and that Fuller used a .22 caliber gun to shoot Roberts in the leg. One apparently told police it was a robbery. The other said a stray bullet. Confronted, police say, the story changed.

LT. JAMES CLARK, PHILIDALPHIA POLICE: They gave it up, that they concocted the whole story in an effort for him not to have to back to the war in Iraq.

UDOJI: A Pentagon spokesman said this was the first case of a soldier deliberately hurting himself, that he can recall, in 22 years. However, there have been high-profile deserters, like Staff Sergeant Camilo Mahia (ph), a 28-year-old National Guardsman who sought conscious objector status. He was denied and sent to prison.

In 2004, the Army says nearly 2,400 soldiers deserted. That's down, they say, from nearly 3,700 in 2003. Paul Rieckhoff, a veteran working with vets says Roberts' case is not surprising.

PAUL RIECKHOFF, FOUND OPERATION TRUTH: I fear this is the tip of the iceberg. I worry we'll see more incidents like this and a greater degree of damage to the people that has been done, either by themselves, or by the experience itself of being in combat.

UDOJI (on camera): Roberts was apparently not hurt badly and now faces criminal charges along with his cousin, including filing a false police report. He may also face military charges. Adaora Udoji, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: A philandering sister and a doubting daughter present today's dilemmas for the Ethics Guy Bruce Weinstein. Bruce joins us from New York, now.

Bruce, we're glad to have you back. Happy holidays, again.

BRUCE WEINSTEIN, ETHICS GUY: Happy holidays, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. So, we have a couple of e-mails. Let's get started here. The first one is from Tammy, who asks this. If you know that someone is cheating on their spouse, fiance boyfriend or girlfriend, is it ethical to say nothing to their partner? Tammy says, quote, "My sister is cheating with a married man, and another guy, as well. I would like to her fiance and the married guy's wife. What should she do?

WEINSTEIN: Yes, Fredricka, this is a bizarre question, I believe.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

WEINSTEIN: Because we have really strong obligations to family members. The closer someone is to us, the more we have moral obligations to them. So, I wonder if there's something else going on in this scenario besides Tammy's impulse to blow the whistle. I wonder if there are issue in her relationship with her sister that would prompt her to consider such an option, because ...

WHITFIELD: As opposed to just going to her sister and having a heart-to-heart? What are you doing?

WEINSTEIN: Exactly. We can't force someone else to do what we think is in their best interest. If we have a sibling who is overweight, we can't force them to go on a diet. The most we can do is persuade them, lovingly and compassionately to consider another lifestyle.

So, the idea of ratting out one's sister, so to speak, strikes me as untoward, to say the least.

WHITFIELD: So, it sounds like your best advice is, perhaps she needs to have a heart to heart with her sister, since we really don't know the circumstances of their relationship. As opposed to, I'm not hearing you advocate her, Tammy, going to this fiance or these other guys involved?

WEINSTEIN: I believe, right, Fredricka, that it would be wrong for Tammy to go beyond her family and blow the whistle on her sister in this case.

WHITFIELD: OK, Well, here is another one. This one coming from someone who signs "A girl who is not going to have a very jolly Christmas".

She says Christmastime is approaching and my mother, a devout Christian, has been spewing out stories of all these modern-day miracles that have been occurring on missionary trips to remote place in China, Africa, so forth.

The problem is, these miracles seem a little too far-fetched. How can I present a reasonable argument to my mother without morally offending her? Whatever approach I take seems to be dismissed by her as being cynical or atheist.

WEINSTEIN: This question reminds me of the Henny Youngman joke, where someone goes to a doctor and says, doctor, it hurts when I go like this with my arm. And so the doctor says, well, stop doing that with your arm.

And it just seems to make sense to avoid delicate controversial subjects around the holiday season. It's not the writer's place to reform her mother, just as it is not her mother's place to reform the writer of the question.

Simply the principle of respect for persons applies to everyone, especially to families in the holiday season. So, avoiding hot-button topics like religion would probably be the way to go for this writer.

WHITFIELD: And perhaps if the topic comes up, because people are obviously spending a lot more time talking with one another for the holidays, maybe the best advice, too, you're saying to this young lady is to keep your mouth shut?

WEINSTEIN: Or to say to one's mother, I respect your point of view, even though it's different from mine. And I ask that you respect mine and simply leave it at that.

That will probably make for the most peaceable kind of holiday season. Wouldn't you agree?

WHITFIELD: Absolutely. Bruce Weinstein. Thank you very much.

WEINSTEIN: Thanks, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: If you have a question for the Ethics Guy, e-mail your questions and dilemmas to ethics@cnn.com. We'll get them on the air and he will answer them for you on the air.

Getting home for the holidays. Straight ahead, your best way to make your way home through the masses.

And what to say when you get there. A new holiday greeting that encompasses almost all of the faiths, but is it more offensive, than funny? You be the judge.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Triple A is predicting a record number of travelers this season, 63 million people, a fifth of the entire U.S. population will be on the go. That means last-minute travel deals are rather scarce. Pauline Frommer is a contributor to "Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel" magazine and Budget Travel Online, she joins us from the Time Warner Center in New York.

Good to see you, Pauline.

PAULINE FROMER, ARTHUR FROMMER'S BUDET TRAVEL: Good seeing you.

WHITFIELD: All right. Is it too late? We're at least inside seven-day advance if perhaps you haven't gotten a ticket and you want to get somewhere by Christmas, or at least on Christmas day. Any deals out there left? FROMMER: There are very few. A couple have been coming across my desk about last-minute charter flights to Cancun that are not fully filled. You can go to places like Travel Zoo or Smarterliving.com to find those. But for the most part, there's so many people traveling this year, there aren't that many deals.

WHITFIELD: For people who already have their tickets in hand, they're heading to the airport, you have recommendations on perhaps the best way to get there to reduce the amount of hassle they're likely to encounter?

FROMMER: It's going to be stressful at the airport this holiday season, just because of the great number of people who are going to be there.

If you're planning on driving to the airport, think about using a private parking lot. Often, airport parking lot's fill up. Better yet, use public transportation, if you can. If you want to figure out how far in advanced to get to the airport, go to tsa.gov, which is the TSA's web site. And it gives average waiting times for the various airports.

The best thing to do, look at Friday nighttimes, those tend to be the most crowded times of the week. That will give you a good idea of what it will be like over the holidays.

WHITFIELD: Once you get in the terminal, expect that lines are going to be long, the security. People have packages that they're taking to grandma ...

FROMMER: Yes.

WHITFIELD: ...and their nephews and nieces. Some advice on how to, perhaps, reduce the amount of time that folks are going to spend in that line?

FROMMER: Well, make sure you take off your shoes. Make sure you have anything metal or sharp in your carry on that's going to go through the screening, make sure you're not carrying anything that's forbidden, like knives. If you're planning on bringing gifts with you, don't wrap them in advance. They'll probably be unwrapped if you try to get them through security.

WHITFIELD: Once you get to your destination, a lot of folks end up renting a car once they get to their destination. Will there be many hassles this is year?

FROMMER: Just like the airlines do, rental car agencies overbook. They often have less cars than they have reservations. If you know you're going to need that car, call the day of, to reconfirm and try to make your reservation earlier in the day, if you can. This may be for next Christmas if you already have your flights, because they tend to run out of cars at the end of the day.

WHITFIELD: And not everyone is flying, a lot of folks, record numbers of folks are hitting the roads, whether it be in a rental car or in their own vehicle. Gas prices are high. You say there might be a way around to try to find the most economical route?

FROMMER: Yes, well, gas prices are 38 cents higher than they were last year, which is really going to hit travelers hard. One of the things you may want to do is check in with a site like gasbuddy.com or gaspricewatch.com. These are sites run by volunteers who go to all the gas stations in their neighborhoods and record which are the cheapest. That way before you get on the road, you can figure out where are the cheap gas stations where I'm going.

WHITFIELD: Does there seem to be a best time to hit the road?

FROMMER: I suggest leaving either during a mealtime. Lunch is a pretty good time to hit the roads, especially if you are leaving a congested urban center, or leave early in the morning. The vast majority of the people leave between 3:00 and 7:00 p.m.. So, if you're trying to get out of town during that time period, you'll get into traffic.

Next week, Tuesday through Friday will be the heaviest travel days for the next two weeks.

WHITFIELD: No doubt about that. Pauline Frommer of Budget Travel Online. Thanks so much. Happy holidays to you.

FROMMER: Happy holidays.

WHITFIELD: Thanks a lot.

Nashville, Tennessee, the holidays have simply gone to the dogs, literally. More than 200 homeless canines were served a feast yesterday at Nashville's Metro Animal Control Center. That's nice.

Chefs from three Nashville restaurants prepared the meals. The event is part of an effort to promote the adoption of these homeless animals. So, they got a good mean, and hopefully now they'll get a good home.

Political correctness gone wild. The efforts to avoid offending people with holiday greetings. See what you think of the new way to say happy holidays. Do everyone, all at once. This is CNN LIVE SATURDAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: The hills are still alive with "The Sound of Music".

(MOVIE CLIP, "THE SOUND OF MUSIC")

WHITFIELD: Well, if you are a fan of the movies, you'll know the story line. It is based on the singing Von Trapp family, who performed all over Europe. When the Nazis marched in Austria during World War II, they escaped over the mountains into Switzerland, leaving their belongings behind. They traveled on to America. Were they settled in Vermont.

Today the great-grandchildren of Captain George Von Trapp are carrying on the family tradition.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(CHILDREN SINGING CHRISTMAS CAROLS)

WHITFIELD: Wow, they sound good, don't they? Sophia, Melanie, Amanda and Justin Von Trapp have all performed around the world. Their repertoire includes everything from classical to folk music to Christmas carols. This weekend they're singing with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. This morning they performed right here at the CNN Center.

Well, the holiday season covers much more than just Christmas. Jewish and Muslim celebrations are also part of the holiday mix. So, in today's politically correct environment, what's the proper holiday greeting? CNN's Tom Foreman has come up with an idea that's all inclusive. Or is it?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): During the most celebrated holiday in America are you, like so many businesses, not sure how to greet people? Are you embarrassed by misplaced Merry Christmases and ill-targeted Happy Hanukkahs?

But are you already tired of the lukewarm happy holidays?

(on camera): Have no fear. A new seasonal greeting is here. And I call it Happy Christma-Kwanz-Hanu-Dan. Christma-Kwanz-Hanu-Dan, a little hard to say, but it has a nice swing to it. And I think it could catch on, allowing us to greet and offend everyone all at once.

(voice over): It's not a fairly balanced greeting. After all, despite declines in organized religion, about 76 percent of Americans still call themselves Christians. And 13 percent profess no faith; 1.3 percent are Jewish and Buddhist, Muslims and agnostics are 0.5 percent each.

(on camera): But Christma-Kwanz-Hanu-Dan covers almost all the bases. The Buddhists get a little short-changed, but I think they're pretty easy going. We'll have to iron out some of the details anyway.

The post office might struggle to fit Christma-Kwanz-Hanu-Dan onto a stamp. And I'm not sure St. Rabbi Mohamed Imbuto will be all that popular or even fit into a chimney.

There could be unintended consequences, too. Movements to combine other holidays, the Fourth of Thanksgiving and Valenoween come to mind.

(On camera): But we have to do something. With more schools, offices and local governments giving up Christmas parties in favor of winter celebrations, nobody knows what to say.

I don't throw Merry Christmas at friends of differing faiths. Rather, I wish them the best of their own holidays, but as a practicing Christian, I do say Merry Christmas a lot. I don't think respecting other people's beliefs means hiding your own.

(Voice over): That's why, even if Christma-Kwanz-Hanu-Dan does not work in the long run I'm not sure happy holidays does either, not when what we mean is Happy Hanukkah, a Joyous Kwanza, a Peaceful Ramadan and a Merry Christmas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And those thoughts from CNN's Tom Foreman. So much more ahead on CNN SATURDAY. In few moments, "In the Money". At 2 Eastern, CNN LIVE SATURDAY. And new details on the capture of Saddam Hussein, from a man who was there. It is a CNN exclusive.

And at 3, it is Next @ CNN. But first, Jack Cafferty with a preview of "In The Money".

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR, IN THE MONEY: Thanks.

Coming up on IN THE MONEY, no secrets. It is vetting time for the president's new Cabinet nominees. We'll find out whether the standards might be a little too high.

Also, ahead, the ring of truth: As Sprint and Nextel pair off, see how mergers are changing the companies that keep us all connected.

Plus, a little too available. We'll look at whether gadgets like cell phones are more trouble than they're worth. Why yes, Virginia, they are.

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 18, 2004 - 12:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: It is 12:00 p.m. on the East coast, 9:00 a.m. out West. I'm Fredricka Whitfield at CNN's global headquarters in Atlanta. Welcome to cnn live Saturday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have been in law enforcement 20 years and 12 as sheriff and this is one of the worst ordeals we've got -- had to deal with.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: The search is over. A suspect want nd a gruesome killing is in custody, but the question remains, why did it happen. We'll have an update.

Another drug scare for millions of Americans: Still, important differences between the reported dangers between Celebrex and Vioxx. We'll have the news you need to know.

And record numbers of holiday travelers will jam the airports and highways. How to avoid some travel hassles. We'll have expert advice for you, but first, here are some stories now in the news.

Some of the biggest name in the former Saddam Hussein regime face their accusers in court. The general known as "Chemical Ali" and Saddam's former defense minister are the subjects of pre-trial hearings in Baghdad. Saddam and eleven of his aides face war crimes and other charges.

Chilean general, Augusto Pinochet is hospitalized in Santiago undergoing tests. The 89-year-old former dictator suffers from several ailments. He's accused of kidnapping nine dissidents and killing one of them during his regime. Three years ago, he avoided trial on other charges because of the health problems.

Another key suspect believed linked to the deadly Madrid train bombings and three other suspected Islamic militants have been arrest in the Canary Islands. Spanish police accuse them of building a base of operations there.

First, today, the story that has shocked America. A Missouri town tries to cope with a grizzly crime. Mother to be, Bobbi Jo Stinnett was killed and the fetus inside her cut out of her body.

Police found the baby alive and a suspect who confessed, Jim Flink, of CNN affiliate KMBC has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TODD GRAVES, U.S. ATTORNEY: Our victim had pictures on the internet of herself, and so forth, and they hooked up through that message board.

JIM FLINK, KMBC REPORTER (voice-over): And it was that internet meeting, authorities say, that ultimately led to Bobbi Jo Stinnett's murder. Authorities say she was suppose today meet a woman named Darlene Fisher at her home Thursday to sell her a pure bread Rat Terrier. Darlene Fisher, authorities say, was Lisa Montgomery with murder on her mind. Police believe Montgomery strangled Stinnett from behind then cut her 8-month-old baby fetus from her stomach. Stinnett left in a pool of blood. Family and neighbors are still shocked.

ROMAINE HENRY, RELATIVE: And I just can't understand why anybody would do a trick like that, you know. I just don't know why.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This stuff doesn't happen. You know, these are the really bad TV shows that you don't watch. And this happened.

FLINK: Police say two threads of information clinched this case. First, an Amber Alert putting out a call for a red car. It almost didn't happen.

SHERIFF BEN ESPEY, NORWAY CO. SHERIFF'S DEPT.: Why wee may not have recovered this little baby if Amber -- the Amber Alert system was not put into place.

TROOPER SHELDON LYON, MISSOURI HIGHWAY PATROL: It's also apparent that after this case is over there's going to have to be a little adjustment made to this.

FLINK: The other, the FBI tracked all communication on the victim's computer, which led right to the doorstep of Lisa Montgomery.

GRAVES: They were virtually and literally simultaneous, a tip and they were going through the computer forensics at the same time and two leads -- you know, crossing make that the best lead you've got and the one you move the quickest on.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And that was reporter Jim Flink of CNN affiliate KMBC.

Police are trying to pin to down another mystery this one concerns an Arizona couple missing since just before Thanksgiving. Police in Newport Beach, California, arrested a man who bought Tom and Jackie Hawks' 55-foot yacht for at least $400,000. The 25-year-old suspected was arrested for money laundering, an account police say the money linked to the boat purchase. Meanwhile, the couple's car has been found in Mexico.

Turning to medicine, the Food and Drug Administration is advising doctors to think giving patients something other than the popular pain drug, Celebrex. A new study shows the pain killer could increase the risk of heart attacks. Jason Carroll looks at how Celebrex users are reacting.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For the past year, Neala Rastogi Shapiro has had to walk slowly on lunch breaks ever since she hurt her knee from overdoing it in the gym. As recently as Thursday, she took Celebrex. Not anymore.

NEALA RASTOGI-SHAPIRO: I'm in my 30s. I shouldn't be worried about heart problems and cardiovascular problems. I'm too young for this. I only have knee problems.

CARROLL: Shapiro started out taking Vioxx, but that pain killer upseted her stomach, so her doctor suggested Celebrex and that was weeks before Vioxx was pulled for its risk of causing heart attacks and strokes. Now, there may be risks associate with Celebrex. Shapiro wonders what to do now.

DR. GARY MEREDITH, RHEUMATOLOGIST: How are you today?

CARROLL: Rheumatologist, Gary Meredith is Shapiro's doctor.

MEREDITH: I think people area going to ask is it safe to continue to take it. What we'll probably try to see if we can minimize the dose or possibly substitute another medication for those that are at high risk.

CARROLL: Dr. Meredith says as late as Thursday, he spoke with representatives from Pfizer, the company that manufacturers Celebrex. He says that company rep made no mention of any potential problems.

SHAPIRO: My pain comes and goes.

CARROLL: now, Shapiro says she's going to look at other options.

SHAPIRO: At this point, I want to experiment on other alternatives, natural remedies, homeopathic remedies, holistic medicine or maybe not take anything.

CARROLL (on camera): Medical experts say people taking Celebrex should meet with their doctors and if there's a history of heart disease, weigh the risks versus the benefits of staying on Celebrex.

Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well, which Celebrex users are at highest risk? An associate professor of medicine from New York University joins us a bit later with that and other details on the pain killer.

President Bush focuses on the economy in his radio address today. He's talking about moderate economic expansion next year. That comes amid reports of a possible freeze on government spending. Meantime, the president's economic advisors are sharply cutting the forecast on job growth this year to just over 1 million jobs. More now on the economic developments, this hour, at the White House, from CNN's Elaine Quijano -- Elaine.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon to you, Fredricka. That's right. Each year, the White House comes out with its economic snapshot, essentially, a look at where things stand now and also where official think they'll be down the road. And as you mentioned, the jobs growth numbers down from original predictions. This year that job growth forecast down about 1.4 million jobs from the original predictions and the Bush administration is saying the reason is because productivity has gone up in recent years and officials argue that in the long run, that's good for the economy because higher productivity, they say, leads to higher wages and eventually higher living standards.

Now, looking ahead at next year, the president's economic team is projecting a boost in job growth to 175,000 jobs created every month or 2.1 million new jobs total and that, they say, would play a role in reducing unemployment now at about five-and-a-half percent estimated to be down to 5.3 percent next year.

Officials also are taking a look at inflation, saying that will hold at around two percent. Now, earlier this week, the White House held an economic conference, here in Washington, and this was a chance for President Bush to lay out his priorities and sell some of his ambitious economic goals. A centerpiece, really, of his domestic agenda is privatizing part of Social Security, a topic that he discussed today in his weekly radio address.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: To help our young people, we must also fix the long-term problems in the Social Security system. Worker in their mid 20s today will find Social Security bankrupt when they retire unless we act to save it. As we reform and strengthening the system, we will deliver all the benefits owed to current and near retirees.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

QUIJANO: Now, critics question how exactly President Bush will pay for some of these reforms, also the president looking at tax reforms, as well, the money will obviously have to come to from somewhere, but Fredricka, the White House is not out with its final budget, as you know, just yet. But, President Bush has already indicated that some tough spending choices are going to have to be made -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Elaine, thanks so much.

Well, now for the latest on the fight for Iraq, starting with an attack on American civilians. Four people were injured in a car bomb attack north of Baghdad. All four worked for a Florida-based security company. The U.S. embassy now confirms American contractor, Roy Hallums, was taken hostage six weeks ago in Baghdad. Hallums is a contractor for a Saudi company, but does catering for the Iraqi army.

And now to the ongoing investigation into the Saddam Hussein subversion of the United Nation's oil-for-food program. The program's former boss is the target of suspicion that is he was involved in pocketing bribes as part of Saddam's scheme. But as CNN's Liz Neisloss reports, he insists he is innocent.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LIZ NEISLOSS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He was chosen by Secretary General Kofi Annan to head the U.N. Program intended to keep Iraqis from starving under sanctions, a key post he held for seven years.

BENON SEVAN, FMR. DIR. OIL-FOR-FOOD PROGRAM: We did manage to make a big difference in the lives -- daily lives of Iraqi people.

NEISLOSS: But these days, he is hounded by accusations he pocketed millions in illegal profits from the program he ran.

The Oil-for-Food scandal has thrown the U.N. into turmoil, with member of U.S. Congress calling for Annan to resign, but so far, Sevan is the only U.N. official publicly implicated in any corruption. Now, breaking several months of silence, Sevan tells CNN, through his attorney, that he's done nothing wrong.

"Mr. Sevan is cooperating fully with the independent investigative committee," his attorney says. "He has provided all the information that they have asked for and he is confident that he will be fully vindicated." The independent investigative committee, headed by Paul Vulcar, is hunting for any wrong doing by U.N. staff, one early objective to find out why Sevan's names on a list of individuals and companies that had been given vouchers by Saddam Hussein to buy Iraqi oil.

Former Iraqi Oil Ministry documents show Sevan was allotted 13 million barrels and indicate he cashed in just over half of that. The top U.S. weapons inspector, who examined the list, says he has high confidence in the information.

SEN. CARL LEVIN (D), MICHIGAN: Do you know that Benon Sevan received a voucher? That's my question.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Iraqis firmly believe that.

NEISLOSS: In his last official appearance as head of the program, Sevan insisted Oil-for-Food was corruption free.

SEVAN: With over $48 million of commercial contract, I think we did a very good job. I'm proud of all my colleagues. And nobody has been able to point a finger about any corruption with all that money involved.

NEISLOSS: Kofi Annan says he'll wait for investigators to get the facts before drawing conclusions.

KOFI ANNAN, UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL: These allegations, we take very seriously, and we want to get at the bottom of this.

NEISLOSS (on camera): Benon Seven had hope today retire from the United Nations last May. For now, he is being kept on the U.N. payroll at $1 a year, as he works with investigators probing his former program.

Liz Neisloss, CNN, United Nations.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: When treating aches and pains becomes dangerous: Stay with us for a closer look at the possible implications facing Celebrex users. What you should know.

And one very special emergency medical unit, we go inside Florida's snake bite unit. Saving lives on short notice.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it could catch on, allowing us to greet and offend everyone all at once.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: See if you think this new holiday greeting will catch on, indeed, and more importantly, see if you can actually say it. This is CNN LIVE SATURDAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Well, if you're a Celebrex user, you're probably wondering what to do after reports said the pain killer could increase the risk of heart attack. Experts say talk to your doctor before you do anything and we're going to talk to one, as well. Dr. Marc Seigle is an associate professor of medicine at NYU Medical School.

Good to see you Dr. Seigle.

DR. MARC SEIGLE, NYU MEDICAL SCHOOL: Good afternoon.

WHITFIELD: Well, let's look quickly at what the study is saying. If taking 400 to 800 milligrams of Celebrex, you face up to more than three and a half times the risk of heart attacks. Now, if you're taking Celebrex for osteoporosis, you're taking between 100 to 200 milligrams, for rheumatoid arthritis, you're taking 200 to 400 milligrams. So, it seems these numbers suggest that perhaps most Celebrex abusers are standing a great risk. Is that true?

SEIGLE: Well, I don't really think that's true, because I think in the first place that Celebrex is not a drug that people should be taking every day for two to three years, like the people in this study were taking it. These types of drugs are not only potentially problems with the heart, they can also be potential problems with the kidney and liver as well. So, you know, I think we need to bring that to light. How many people are taking these medications every day and at what dose? I think a low dose of Celebrex taken sporadically on and off for -- you know, a two to three-week period of time is undoubtedly safe. But, the larger question that comes up is why are we prescribing so much of this drug? You know, 21 million prescriptions of Celebrex last year. It's a really high amount when there are plenty of other arthritis drugs on the market.

WHITFIELD: So then, you wonder, what does this underscoring? A problem with federal regulation or a problem with drug manufacturers?

SEIGLE: Well, I think it's both, Fredricka. I mean, I think that we physicians tend to overlook the more tried and true remedies: Aspirin -- you know, ibuprofen. We have plenty of medications around that have been around longer and have been shown not have a problem with the heart. Again, I think the problem with Celebrex and the heart that's coming out, is that very high dose is over a prolonged period of time.

WHITFIELD: Well -- go ahead. Sorry.

SEIGLE: I think -- you know, the FDA has to play a stronger role here in determine a risk-benefit analysis. What is a safe drug and what are we getting out of it?

WHITFIELD: Well, are some mixed messages being sent if the FDA is saying here's the warning out to doctors -- be careful how you prescribe Celebrex. Why isn't a warning or a mandate going to Pfizer to remove this product off the shelves? Because, as it stands, Pfizer says they have no reason to remove it from the shelves.

SEIGLE: Well, I think they're afraid of losing a lot of money on this drug. I think the FDA may make a move, I'm not sure they won't. I think they're studying this issue seriously. I'm concerned about the fact that we have a pendulum in this society were people either think a drug is a panacea or they panic over it. You know, we go wildly from one drug fo another and that's partly because these medications are hyped so much to begin with.

WHITFIELD: A lot of patients might be wondering now how safe any of their drugs are if you're got Merck taking Vioxx off the shelves just a few months ago and now Pfizer dealing with this problem with Celebrex. Would you understand that so many patients are now questioning whether any of their medications, aside from these two name brands, are safe anymore?

SEIGLE: Fredricka, I think that's a normal reaction and I think that shows we need an agency that comes out and can give us perspective on our medication so we know what to do about this. Also, I would urge the public to realize that, overall, your medications are safe, but don't think that you're necessarily being informed properly by ads. You know, basically, we need more unbiased articles and physicians to try to provide the proper information.

WHITFIELD: Dr. Marc Seigle at NYU. Thanks so much.

SEIGLE: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Well, there's a warning label for another medication used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD. The new label for Strattera says it shouldn't be used in patients who develop jaundice or evidence of liver problems. That comes after reports of liver problems in two patients, an adult and a teenager using the medication. More than two million people have used Strattera since it went on the market back in 2002.

Well, nearly three-quarters of older Americans support the use of marijuana for medical purposes. AARP sponsored the poll, but isn't taking a political position on the matter at all. More than half of those questioned in the survey say they think the drug does have medicinal benefits.

Well, if you are facing child molestation charges would you throw a big party for a bunch of kids? Welcome to Michael Jackson's world. We'll take you there coming up next.

And if you're facing an ethical dilemma with family, friends, or coworkers this holiday season, why not ask for some help? Send e- mails to ethics@cnn.com and the "Ethics Guys," Bruce Weinstein, will answer some of questions when we come right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Despite a pending trial on child molestation charges, entertainer Michael Jackson greeted groups of children at his Neverland Ranch in California. CNN's Miguel Marquez has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Michael Jackson welcomes children to his Neverland Ranch, something his public relations person says he does all the time. What's different this time? The media was invited to watch.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey, Michael.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.

MARQUEZ: The visit comes days before a lengthy pre-trial hearing during which Jackson's legal team is expected to ask for the trial date of January 31 be pushed back by six week.

RAYMONE BAIN, MICHAEL JACKSON'S SPOKESPERSON: I can't answer any questions which regards to his trial and I'm sorry.

MARQUEZ: Jackson spokeswoman, Raymone Bain, says he has groups of kids to Neverland Ranch, but he usually doesn't greet them. He did this time, she says, because it's the last tour of the holiday season.

(on camera): Why allow press into this particular gathering, at this particular time?

BAIN: Because you've asked over the last several months.

MARQUEZ (voice-over): Jackson's been charged with, among other things, lewd acts against a child and conspiracy. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

(on camera): While we were in Neverland Ranch, there were about 80 kids and about three dozen adults who were greeted by Michael Jackson. They were expecting around 200. CNN asked several times to speak to some of the adults who were supervisizing the kids. We were denied that request.

Miguel Marquez, CNN, Los Olivos, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And attorney, Avery Friedman, and Richard Herman, will take a closer look at the Jackson case and what's ahead for the entertainer in the "Legal Roundup" and that's here on CNN at 2:00 Eastern, so stick around for that.

Once bitten, never shy: We go inside Florida's Emergency Snake Bite Unit where seconds count in saving a life.

And hitting the road for the holidays? How to cope with the hassles during this record travel year.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KRISTA CRABTREE, SKI MAGAZINE: It's hard to find the best skiing when you go to a mountain you've never been before. So, here's some tips on you can ski like a local.

(voice-over): Find a trail map. Examine it and look for the runs that face nort. That's where the snow is the most dependable. It's the least affected by the sun, so it remains good all day long.

Find a ski patroller and ask them where the good skiing is. Patrollers are in touch with the mountain, they decide which runs to open and they always sky them first, so they are the best ones to ask.

Find a local. Locals ski at the mountains everyday, so they're going to be in touch with where the best conditions are. They might not tell you where the secret stashes are, but they'll tell you where the good skiing is.

If you follow these tips, you'll be skiing like a local in no time.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Bottom of the hour now, and here are our top stories. New video from Baghdad: Two top members of Saddam Hussein's former regime at an investigative hearing in Baghdad. Ali Hassan al-Majid, better known as "Chemical Ali" and Iraq's former defense minister, Sultan Hashim Ahmed, face war crimes proceedings. Iraq's interim prime minister has said al-Majid's trial could begin next week.

Former Chilean dictator, Augusto Pinochet, is in a Santiago hospital, this hour. Doctors say the 89-year-old general suffers from many ailments. Next week a court will decide if Pinochet will remain under indictment and house arrest for crimes committed during his regime.

The FBI is questioning more people in connection with an arson fire the destroyed 10 homes and damaged 16 others in Maryland. A security guard already has been charged with the December 6 fires, however investigators say they believe more than one person was responsible.

The most dramatic U.S. intelligence reform bill in more than 50 years was signed into law this week. But while President Bush vowed it will help protect Americans, some lawmakers recall the president was not always this bills biggest booster. CNN White House Correspondent Dana Bash makes a reality check.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The president gets credit from all involved for personally pushing the intelligence reform measure over the finish line. However, many recall he was initially a skeptic if not a critic of the effort.

TIM ROEMER, (D), 9/11 COMMISSION MEMBER: The president was Johnny-come-lately to this. Better late than never.

BASH: At first, he fought creating the independent 9/11 Commission, saying a congressional probe was adequate.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: My judgment is best for ongoing war against terror that the investigation be done in the Intelligence Committee.

BASH: September 11 victims families lobbied and six months later, the president signed on. Then, a series of skirmishes. From some quiet struggles over boosting its initial $3 million budget to larger public battles turned political pressure points.

The commission wanted broad access to classified documents, especially the president's own daily intelligent briefings, what he knew about Al Qaeda's threat.

BUSH: It's important for the writers of the presidential daily brief to feel comfortable that the documents won't ever be politicized and/or unnecessarily exposed for public purview.

BASH: The president resisted, but later compromised. Another flashpoint, whether National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice would testify at commission hearings. The White House initially refused, citing executive privilege. Again, it later gave in, as it also did in agreeing the president and vice president would answer commissioners questions, though that was still private.

JIM THOMPSON, (R), 9/11 COMMISSION MEMBERS: There was controversy along the way and obviously disagreements from time to time. BASH: The 9/11 commission's recommendations were yet another example. In the heat of the presidential campaign, Democrat John Kerry embraced them immediately. Mr. Bush initially was more circumspect.

BUSH: The 9/11 commission also made...

BASH: But then backed the reforms and after public pleas from some fellow Republicans still unsure how serious his support was, Mr. Bush eventually used his reelection capital to push the bill through Congress.

DAVID GERGEN, FMR. WHITE HOSUE ADVISER: The president faced the political necessity of not losing on this, not being overrun, and not seeming to care about this intelligence. I think that's one of the reasons they came around.

BASH (voice over): Some of the president's critics also note he initially resisted, then embraced creating the Homeland Security Department, but even they say these reforms were enacted relatively quickly and the bottom line, it's the Bush signature on this law and that's what history will remember. Dana Bash, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Time for stories making news across America now.

That is the implosion of the old Washington Convention Center in the nation's capital, the arena built in 1982, was the fourth biggest at the time, but since has been dwarfed by larger arenas.

A judge is blocking efforts to count newly discovered ballots in Washington State's governors race. The Republican won the contest by just 42 votes. Democrats say they're going to appeal.

And flying cows in Georgia. The animal had been stranded on a island in a lake because of rising waters. Apparently she lost about 150 pounds during that three-week ordeal. Veterinarians tranquilized the cow for that airlift to shore.

Florida is famous for beaches, hurricanes and not just gators but also snakes, in fact, more types of snake than any other state. Florida responded with a snake bite unit. Here's CNN's John Zarrella.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Two hundred times a year Captain Al Cruz and Lieutenant Ernie Jilson responds to call about a snake in the grass. In this case, a python loose in a backyard.

Cruz and Jilson, Miami Dade paramedics run Venom 1, the county's anti-venom unit. When they're not rounding up snakes, they teach first responders how to identify what they're dealing with.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is what we call a carpet python, it was taken, caught locally here, it was somebody's pet.

ZARRELLA: But the paramedics are more than snake handlers. They save lives. They keep on hand at all times 40 types of anti-venom. They have responded to calls for help from across the country.

CAPT. AL CRUZ, MIAMI-DADE VENOM 1 UNIT: The amount of anti-venom we have on hand here at one particular location is probably the largest anywhere in the United States.

ZARRELLA: And it is needed. There are more species of snakes in Florida, about 70, than anywhere else in the country, from water moccasins to rattle snakes. In fact, South Florida has been called the Ellis Island of exotic animals.

Many, like this none venomous albino python are not native. They were pets that is got too big and were simply let loose.

CRUZ: We got a call that said an individual had this snake in the yard, it was chasing their cat around the backyard, trying to eat him.

ZARRELLA: There are about 250 snakebites a year in Florida. And 25 percent are venom venomous.

Mario Tabraue runs Zoological Imports, was bagging a cottonmouth for shipment when he was bitten. Cruz rushed the serum to the hospital.

MARIO TABRAUE, BITTEN BY COTTONMOUTH SNAKE: Sometimes you get bit by a snake that nobody knows what it is or they know what it is by they don't have the anti-venom. They have to make a wild goose chase to find it. He's got it.

ZARRELLA: There have been no snakebites deaths in Florida since the anti-venom unit was formed in 1998. The team knows there will always be another urgent call because there will always be another snake in the grass. John Zarrella, CNN, Miami.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Aside from that, the holidays usually bring times of joy and sometimes stress. The ethics guy is up next with some helpful advice for all of us.

Also, he didn't want to go back to Iraq. So, he took some drastic measures and now he is in big trouble. His story when CNN LIVE SATURDAY continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: An army man from Philadelphia might be headed to jail rather than returning to Iraq following bizarre shooting in this country. We get more details now from CNN's Adaora Udoji, in New York.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ADAORA UDOJI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Marquise Roberts, an Army specialist, spent seven months fight in Iraq; 23 years old, on leave in Philadelphia, police say he took a bullet rather than return to war.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can't even begin to explain it. I just don't understand how something like this happened.

UDOJI: But his aunt says her son Rowland Fuller told her, Roberts asked his cousin to shoot him, telling her ...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I didn't think it would be nothing serious, you know, just shoot me in the leg, artificial wound. The young man is terrified of going back to the war.

UDOJI: Police say the cousins went to this nearby park and that Fuller used a .22 caliber gun to shoot Roberts in the leg. One apparently told police it was a robbery. The other said a stray bullet. Confronted, police say, the story changed.

LT. JAMES CLARK, PHILIDALPHIA POLICE: They gave it up, that they concocted the whole story in an effort for him not to have to back to the war in Iraq.

UDOJI: A Pentagon spokesman said this was the first case of a soldier deliberately hurting himself, that he can recall, in 22 years. However, there have been high-profile deserters, like Staff Sergeant Camilo Mahia (ph), a 28-year-old National Guardsman who sought conscious objector status. He was denied and sent to prison.

In 2004, the Army says nearly 2,400 soldiers deserted. That's down, they say, from nearly 3,700 in 2003. Paul Rieckhoff, a veteran working with vets says Roberts' case is not surprising.

PAUL RIECKHOFF, FOUND OPERATION TRUTH: I fear this is the tip of the iceberg. I worry we'll see more incidents like this and a greater degree of damage to the people that has been done, either by themselves, or by the experience itself of being in combat.

UDOJI (on camera): Roberts was apparently not hurt badly and now faces criminal charges along with his cousin, including filing a false police report. He may also face military charges. Adaora Udoji, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: A philandering sister and a doubting daughter present today's dilemmas for the Ethics Guy Bruce Weinstein. Bruce joins us from New York, now.

Bruce, we're glad to have you back. Happy holidays, again.

BRUCE WEINSTEIN, ETHICS GUY: Happy holidays, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. So, we have a couple of e-mails. Let's get started here. The first one is from Tammy, who asks this. If you know that someone is cheating on their spouse, fiance boyfriend or girlfriend, is it ethical to say nothing to their partner? Tammy says, quote, "My sister is cheating with a married man, and another guy, as well. I would like to her fiance and the married guy's wife. What should she do?

WEINSTEIN: Yes, Fredricka, this is a bizarre question, I believe.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

WEINSTEIN: Because we have really strong obligations to family members. The closer someone is to us, the more we have moral obligations to them. So, I wonder if there's something else going on in this scenario besides Tammy's impulse to blow the whistle. I wonder if there are issue in her relationship with her sister that would prompt her to consider such an option, because ...

WHITFIELD: As opposed to just going to her sister and having a heart-to-heart? What are you doing?

WEINSTEIN: Exactly. We can't force someone else to do what we think is in their best interest. If we have a sibling who is overweight, we can't force them to go on a diet. The most we can do is persuade them, lovingly and compassionately to consider another lifestyle.

So, the idea of ratting out one's sister, so to speak, strikes me as untoward, to say the least.

WHITFIELD: So, it sounds like your best advice is, perhaps she needs to have a heart to heart with her sister, since we really don't know the circumstances of their relationship. As opposed to, I'm not hearing you advocate her, Tammy, going to this fiance or these other guys involved?

WEINSTEIN: I believe, right, Fredricka, that it would be wrong for Tammy to go beyond her family and blow the whistle on her sister in this case.

WHITFIELD: OK, Well, here is another one. This one coming from someone who signs "A girl who is not going to have a very jolly Christmas".

She says Christmastime is approaching and my mother, a devout Christian, has been spewing out stories of all these modern-day miracles that have been occurring on missionary trips to remote place in China, Africa, so forth.

The problem is, these miracles seem a little too far-fetched. How can I present a reasonable argument to my mother without morally offending her? Whatever approach I take seems to be dismissed by her as being cynical or atheist.

WEINSTEIN: This question reminds me of the Henny Youngman joke, where someone goes to a doctor and says, doctor, it hurts when I go like this with my arm. And so the doctor says, well, stop doing that with your arm.

And it just seems to make sense to avoid delicate controversial subjects around the holiday season. It's not the writer's place to reform her mother, just as it is not her mother's place to reform the writer of the question.

Simply the principle of respect for persons applies to everyone, especially to families in the holiday season. So, avoiding hot-button topics like religion would probably be the way to go for this writer.

WHITFIELD: And perhaps if the topic comes up, because people are obviously spending a lot more time talking with one another for the holidays, maybe the best advice, too, you're saying to this young lady is to keep your mouth shut?

WEINSTEIN: Or to say to one's mother, I respect your point of view, even though it's different from mine. And I ask that you respect mine and simply leave it at that.

That will probably make for the most peaceable kind of holiday season. Wouldn't you agree?

WHITFIELD: Absolutely. Bruce Weinstein. Thank you very much.

WEINSTEIN: Thanks, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: If you have a question for the Ethics Guy, e-mail your questions and dilemmas to ethics@cnn.com. We'll get them on the air and he will answer them for you on the air.

Getting home for the holidays. Straight ahead, your best way to make your way home through the masses.

And what to say when you get there. A new holiday greeting that encompasses almost all of the faiths, but is it more offensive, than funny? You be the judge.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Triple A is predicting a record number of travelers this season, 63 million people, a fifth of the entire U.S. population will be on the go. That means last-minute travel deals are rather scarce. Pauline Frommer is a contributor to "Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel" magazine and Budget Travel Online, she joins us from the Time Warner Center in New York.

Good to see you, Pauline.

PAULINE FROMER, ARTHUR FROMMER'S BUDET TRAVEL: Good seeing you.

WHITFIELD: All right. Is it too late? We're at least inside seven-day advance if perhaps you haven't gotten a ticket and you want to get somewhere by Christmas, or at least on Christmas day. Any deals out there left? FROMMER: There are very few. A couple have been coming across my desk about last-minute charter flights to Cancun that are not fully filled. You can go to places like Travel Zoo or Smarterliving.com to find those. But for the most part, there's so many people traveling this year, there aren't that many deals.

WHITFIELD: For people who already have their tickets in hand, they're heading to the airport, you have recommendations on perhaps the best way to get there to reduce the amount of hassle they're likely to encounter?

FROMMER: It's going to be stressful at the airport this holiday season, just because of the great number of people who are going to be there.

If you're planning on driving to the airport, think about using a private parking lot. Often, airport parking lot's fill up. Better yet, use public transportation, if you can. If you want to figure out how far in advanced to get to the airport, go to tsa.gov, which is the TSA's web site. And it gives average waiting times for the various airports.

The best thing to do, look at Friday nighttimes, those tend to be the most crowded times of the week. That will give you a good idea of what it will be like over the holidays.

WHITFIELD: Once you get in the terminal, expect that lines are going to be long, the security. People have packages that they're taking to grandma ...

FROMMER: Yes.

WHITFIELD: ...and their nephews and nieces. Some advice on how to, perhaps, reduce the amount of time that folks are going to spend in that line?

FROMMER: Well, make sure you take off your shoes. Make sure you have anything metal or sharp in your carry on that's going to go through the screening, make sure you're not carrying anything that's forbidden, like knives. If you're planning on bringing gifts with you, don't wrap them in advance. They'll probably be unwrapped if you try to get them through security.

WHITFIELD: Once you get to your destination, a lot of folks end up renting a car once they get to their destination. Will there be many hassles this is year?

FROMMER: Just like the airlines do, rental car agencies overbook. They often have less cars than they have reservations. If you know you're going to need that car, call the day of, to reconfirm and try to make your reservation earlier in the day, if you can. This may be for next Christmas if you already have your flights, because they tend to run out of cars at the end of the day.

WHITFIELD: And not everyone is flying, a lot of folks, record numbers of folks are hitting the roads, whether it be in a rental car or in their own vehicle. Gas prices are high. You say there might be a way around to try to find the most economical route?

FROMMER: Yes, well, gas prices are 38 cents higher than they were last year, which is really going to hit travelers hard. One of the things you may want to do is check in with a site like gasbuddy.com or gaspricewatch.com. These are sites run by volunteers who go to all the gas stations in their neighborhoods and record which are the cheapest. That way before you get on the road, you can figure out where are the cheap gas stations where I'm going.

WHITFIELD: Does there seem to be a best time to hit the road?

FROMMER: I suggest leaving either during a mealtime. Lunch is a pretty good time to hit the roads, especially if you are leaving a congested urban center, or leave early in the morning. The vast majority of the people leave between 3:00 and 7:00 p.m.. So, if you're trying to get out of town during that time period, you'll get into traffic.

Next week, Tuesday through Friday will be the heaviest travel days for the next two weeks.

WHITFIELD: No doubt about that. Pauline Frommer of Budget Travel Online. Thanks so much. Happy holidays to you.

FROMMER: Happy holidays.

WHITFIELD: Thanks a lot.

Nashville, Tennessee, the holidays have simply gone to the dogs, literally. More than 200 homeless canines were served a feast yesterday at Nashville's Metro Animal Control Center. That's nice.

Chefs from three Nashville restaurants prepared the meals. The event is part of an effort to promote the adoption of these homeless animals. So, they got a good mean, and hopefully now they'll get a good home.

Political correctness gone wild. The efforts to avoid offending people with holiday greetings. See what you think of the new way to say happy holidays. Do everyone, all at once. This is CNN LIVE SATURDAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: The hills are still alive with "The Sound of Music".

(MOVIE CLIP, "THE SOUND OF MUSIC")

WHITFIELD: Well, if you are a fan of the movies, you'll know the story line. It is based on the singing Von Trapp family, who performed all over Europe. When the Nazis marched in Austria during World War II, they escaped over the mountains into Switzerland, leaving their belongings behind. They traveled on to America. Were they settled in Vermont.

Today the great-grandchildren of Captain George Von Trapp are carrying on the family tradition.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(CHILDREN SINGING CHRISTMAS CAROLS)

WHITFIELD: Wow, they sound good, don't they? Sophia, Melanie, Amanda and Justin Von Trapp have all performed around the world. Their repertoire includes everything from classical to folk music to Christmas carols. This weekend they're singing with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. This morning they performed right here at the CNN Center.

Well, the holiday season covers much more than just Christmas. Jewish and Muslim celebrations are also part of the holiday mix. So, in today's politically correct environment, what's the proper holiday greeting? CNN's Tom Foreman has come up with an idea that's all inclusive. Or is it?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): During the most celebrated holiday in America are you, like so many businesses, not sure how to greet people? Are you embarrassed by misplaced Merry Christmases and ill-targeted Happy Hanukkahs?

But are you already tired of the lukewarm happy holidays?

(on camera): Have no fear. A new seasonal greeting is here. And I call it Happy Christma-Kwanz-Hanu-Dan. Christma-Kwanz-Hanu-Dan, a little hard to say, but it has a nice swing to it. And I think it could catch on, allowing us to greet and offend everyone all at once.

(voice over): It's not a fairly balanced greeting. After all, despite declines in organized religion, about 76 percent of Americans still call themselves Christians. And 13 percent profess no faith; 1.3 percent are Jewish and Buddhist, Muslims and agnostics are 0.5 percent each.

(on camera): But Christma-Kwanz-Hanu-Dan covers almost all the bases. The Buddhists get a little short-changed, but I think they're pretty easy going. We'll have to iron out some of the details anyway.

The post office might struggle to fit Christma-Kwanz-Hanu-Dan onto a stamp. And I'm not sure St. Rabbi Mohamed Imbuto will be all that popular or even fit into a chimney.

There could be unintended consequences, too. Movements to combine other holidays, the Fourth of Thanksgiving and Valenoween come to mind.

(On camera): But we have to do something. With more schools, offices and local governments giving up Christmas parties in favor of winter celebrations, nobody knows what to say.

I don't throw Merry Christmas at friends of differing faiths. Rather, I wish them the best of their own holidays, but as a practicing Christian, I do say Merry Christmas a lot. I don't think respecting other people's beliefs means hiding your own.

(Voice over): That's why, even if Christma-Kwanz-Hanu-Dan does not work in the long run I'm not sure happy holidays does either, not when what we mean is Happy Hanukkah, a Joyous Kwanza, a Peaceful Ramadan and a Merry Christmas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And those thoughts from CNN's Tom Foreman. So much more ahead on CNN SATURDAY. In few moments, "In the Money". At 2 Eastern, CNN LIVE SATURDAY. And new details on the capture of Saddam Hussein, from a man who was there. It is a CNN exclusive.

And at 3, it is Next @ CNN. But first, Jack Cafferty with a preview of "In The Money".

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR, IN THE MONEY: Thanks.

Coming up on IN THE MONEY, no secrets. It is vetting time for the president's new Cabinet nominees. We'll find out whether the standards might be a little too high.

Also, ahead, the ring of truth: As Sprint and Nextel pair off, see how mergers are changing the companies that keep us all connected.

Plus, a little too available. We'll look at whether gadgets like cell phones are more trouble than they're worth. Why yes, Virginia, they are.

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