Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Saturday
Couple Freezes To Death In Nebraska; Interview with Bruce Weinstein
Aired January 22, 2005 - 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 Noon in New York, where a blizzard warning is going up this hour; 9:00 a.m. on the West coast. Hello. I'm Fredricka Whitfield at CNN's global headquarters in Atlanta. Ahead this hour:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You just never know when you're going to get that needle in the hay stack.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: The needle that she's talking about is a potential terrorist. We'll show you her critical role in defending America.
A winter wallop is heading east and may give enough snow to make driving impossible in parts of the northeast. And, if you want to get away from that snowy weather, well, we've some ideas that will make you laugh at old man winter.
But first, a look at the top stories:
Protesters are on the march across the country to mark the 32nd anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion. Supporters of a woman's right to choose say that they're concerned a few retirements on the high court might lead to a reversal of Roe v. Wade.
Just eight days before election day in Iraq, and government officials there are making more moves to beef up security. They've decided to close Baghdad's airport next Saturday and Sunday. Other security measures include a curfew and tighter restrictions on weapons and cars.
And the U.N. conference on disaster prep ends today in Japan with a focus on the recent tsunami. Delegates agreed on a plan that calls on nations to put disaster risk on political agendas and invest in disaster readiness. They also pledged support for an Indian Ocean tsunami warning system.
We begin with the big winter storm barreling toward the northeast and New England. Just moments ago, a blizzard warning went into effect for New York City. The storm is expected to dump more than a foot of snow on areas around the Big Apple and the wood, the wind rather, could be howling at more than 50 miles an hour. And in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, up to a foot of snow is expected. But the storm should pass in time for tomorrow's NFL conference championship games in both of those cities. And in Boston and other areas, get ready. It's also heading your way. The Midwest has already felt the blast. Cleveland is expecting up to a foot of snow by the time the storm moves through there and brutal winds are making the situation even worse.
And this is what motorists in Minnesota experienced: A lot of snow and a lot of gridlock. The storm's snarled rush hour traffic yesterday in the twin cities and it shut down Interstate 94 in western Minnesota. Let's get a big look at the big picture out there where Rob Marciano is in our very warm weather center, at least for now, Rob. How's it looking?
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It looks -- this is a big storm and it's getting more intense. Chad Myers, by the way, will be out of the studio and in Philadelphia, reporting from there in a couple of hours.
Look how fast this storm is moving. It is just ripping across the Ohio River Valley, and the Great Lakes and now moving in towards the northeast. Still snowing in places like Chicago where they could get another several inches before this is done.
The red indicates winter storm warnings that are posted for a good chunk of the northeastern third of the country. The white indicates a blizzard warning, which Fredricka mentioned, now in effect from New York, as of Noon, and it will be in affect later on today in Boston, which could see the brunt of this storm.
Watch how things move into the northeast, bitterly cold air here, now beginning to snow in Philadelphia and in D.C., not quite snowing in Newark or in New York, but that will come to fruition as we go throughout the day and this storm sits off the coastline. When it does that it'll grab even more moisture from the Atlantic Ocean.
And these are the expected tallies later on tonight and tomorrow: New York, 15 to 20 inches; Boston, 18 to 24 inches; Philadelphia, 10 to 15; Baltimore and D.C. also getting into the act.
Mentioned the cold temperatures, it's seven right now in Boston; 14 in New York and that doesn't take into consideration the wind. Fredricka, at times, often, I should say, the wind chills will be below zero tonight and tomorrow, dangerously cold wind chills and, Freddy, winds could gust in Boston over 60 miles an hour. They've actually posted a hurricane wind warning for Boston.
WHITFIELD: Wow!
MARCIANO: And I haven't seen that in the wintertime, so it's going to be a -- the wind is probably a bigger issue than the snow, as matter of fact.
WHITFIELD: Well, that's a scary situation. Stay indoors.
MARCIANO: Yeah.
WHITFIELD: Rob Marciano, thanks so much.
MARCIANO: OK.
WHITFIELD: Well, hope if this weather system does not bring a repeat of this situation. During a snow storm in Nebraska, two weeks ago, a desperate call for help. Two young people were lost on a highway. While they pinned their hopes on cell phone, something went terribly wrong. The technology did nothing to save their lives. The story now from Keith Oppenheim.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In a subzero snow storm, Michael Wamsley and Janelle Hornical, two 20-year-olds, got lost riding to Omaha, Nebraska. They made repeated calls to 911.
OPERATOR: Sarpy County, 911.
WAMSLEY: Yes, my girlfriend placed a call earlier out by -- sandpit.
OPERATOR: Out by where?
WAMSLEY: Out by sandpit.
OPPENHEIM: Because he is using a cell phone, his signal is bouncing to other regions and dispatchers want to transfer him to where he think he is so he can get help faster.
No, no, no please...there's no (UNINTELLIGIBLE) my phone's going to die. I need some help now.
OPERATOR: I don't understand. But I can't help you because I'm
OPPENHEIM: Wamsley and Hornical are stuck near a gravel pit near the rural outskirts of Omaha, slowly freezing to death.
WAMSLEY: Please, can you get over here now?
OPPENHEIM: But despite the anguish, dispatchers don't have the technology to pinpoint the call.
DAN PETERSON, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS: It was just not possible to locate where they were.
OPPENHEIM: Days of searching follows the phone calls. The bodies Wamsley and Hornical were found outside, frozen.
They left their vehicle not dressed for the weather.
DR. HENRY NIPPER, CREIGHTON UNIV. MEDICAL CTR.: Both individuals were impaired at the time of death.
OPPENHEIM: An autopsy revealed that both bodies had high traces of the drug methamphetamine or crystal meth which may explain their confusion in the storm, and that may have made the calls even more challenging for 911 dispatchers. Still the question is, was this a bad mix of drugs and inadequate technology, or were the calls transferred so often that time was wasted in the search for two people calling for help?
Keith Ompenheim, Chicago.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Sad situation.
Well, "News Across America" now, police are combing the woods across Georgia, searching for this man, Frederick Fretz. He's a convicted sex offender believed to have kidnap an 11-year-old boy in Florida. The child was found alive last night on a ramp off Interstate 75, about 400 miles from his home outside of Atlanta. Authorities say the child appears unharmed.
But, police say the man suspected of kidnapping and killing a 19- year-old Texas woman appears to have been on a multistate crime spree. Johnny Lee Williams is being held in an Arizona jail. Megan Holden was abducted Wednesday from a Wal-Mart parking lot in Tyler, Texas. Her body was found yesterday in a ditch along a west Texas highway.
And in Santa Maria, California, the jury in the Michael Jackson molestation case will hear from an expert about how victims of sexual abuse behave. Prosecutors say they want to know why victims are sometimes fond of their abusers, don't tell relatives, or wait to report the abuse. The judge agreed to allow the testimony. Jury selection begins January 31st, with opening statements set to begin in March.
Here's the latest in the fight for Iraq with the January 30 elections just eight days away, now. The Iraqi government is trying to put in place security measures to protect the election process. One official says that includes closing Baghdad's airport on the day before the election and keeping it closed through election day.
In unrelated news, Ahmed Chalabi, former Iraqi exile leader, is expected to be arrested sometime today on bank fraud charges. Iraq's interim defense minister says that Chalabi will be turned over to Interpol. Chalabi faces charges in Jordan where he was tried and convicted in absentia for fraud connected to a bank collapse in the 1980s.
According to the Chinese embassy eight Chinese hostages being held in Iraq have been released unharmed. The men were kidnapped earlier this week. A group calling itself the Islamic Resistance Movement had released several videotapes showing the men during the past few days.
Our next report contains graphic images that may be disturbing, especially for children. Almost every day, the fighting in Iraq claims more lives, often the victims are civilians. Recently, a photographer captured one tragedy involving an Iraqi family, victims of mistaken identity. The horror produced an unusually quick apology from the U.S. military. CNN Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr, has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was just after 6:00 pm Tuesday, already getting dark, past curfew when U.S. troops fired shots at this car in the northern Iraqi town of Tal Afar. The military says the soldiers, on foot patrol, were on alert for suicide car bombs. The photographer who took these pictures watched as the tragedy unfolded.
CHRIS HONDROS, GETTY IMAGES: I realized that some shots are going to get fired. I know, I mean, I can know -- I knew that their car would have a hard time seeing these camouflaged soldiers, so I sort of scooted off to the side outside of anybody's line of fire and the car kept approaching. I could hear it.
STARR: In moments, it was a nightmare on the street. An Iraqi man and his wife in the frontal seat killed by U.S. gunfire. Six terrified children emerged from the backseat, one slightly wounded, blood everywhere. A small boy, bewildered at what he has just seen.
HONDROS: The soldiers, when they realized what was going on, they very professionally and apathetically swept into action, picked the kids up, immediately, the medics came over, immediately tried to assess any injury the children had.
STARR: Soldiers upset as well, as they tried to help the children. They took them to a nearby hospital. A U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad says there was no intention to harm innocent civilians. He says, "While the pictures are heart wrenching, they also go to show in the moments immediately following, soldiers went from trying to protect their patrol to rendering comfort and assistance to the children suffering a tragic loss." The military spokesman says procedures were followed. There were hand signals to the driver, warning shots fired and then shots to disable the vehicle, and then shots that were fatal. No one may ever know if the Iraqi driver didn't see the soldiers, didn't understand the order to stop, or if there was panic. But with five car bomb attacks in Iraq in the last three weeks against patrols and checkpoints, security concerns are at an all-time high. Still, the human tragedy.
HONDROS: The captain was adamant about making sure the children were all in a room when the two bodies of the adults were brought in to the morgue, in the hospital. He specifically said he didn't want the children to see any more.
STARR: The orphan children now in the custody of the oldest teenager. The military may compensate the family, but the faces of this war show their agony. One small Iraqi girl sits at the feet of U.S. soldiers, waiting for someone to tell her what happens now.
Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.
(END VIDEOTAPE) WHITFIELD: And how long will U.S. troops have to remain in Iraq? And what is the exit strategy to get them out? We'll hear from one expert who says that's part of the problem. There is no exit strategy that he can make of.
And on this 32nd anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision Roe v. Wade, ruling legalizing of abortion, protesters on both sides are in Washington. Is this emotional issue coming back to the forefront of American politics?
And later, defending America: Her eyes and ears are part of a first line of defense against terrorists trying to cross into the United States. Her story when CNN LIVE SATURDAY continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Back now to Iraq and its upcoming election. What happens to the U.S. presence there once the voting is complete? And what is the U.S. exit strategy? And what voice should Iraqis have in that process? With us now, Rick Barton, the co-director of the Post- Conflict Reconstruction Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He joins us from Washington.
Good to see you, Rick.
RICK BARTON, CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTL. STUDIES: Thank you. Nice to be here.
WHITFIELD: All right. Well, hat evidence need there be in place to convince you that there is an exit strategy?
BARTON: I don't think there really is. Essentially, the president has said we'll stay until Iraq is free and stable and can really rule itself, and none of those conditions are there yet. The continuing attacks, the insurgency has been -- really exceeded anybody's expectations. And until we really get on top of this really decisive issue, which is how do we stop being the occupiers and how do we become the ally of the Iraqi people, we will not find an exit strategy.
WHITFIELD: At the same time, without sufficient security in place, you see the need for the U.S. to remain in place so, thereby, you also see a need perhaps there ought to be a referendum that the Iraqis ought to decide on when the U.S. ought to pull out?
BARTON: Really, the suggestion that we have made, with my colleagues, Sheba Crocker and Craig Cohen, is that we feel that we should give the Iraqis the right to vote on whether there should be an international force in their country.
WHITFIELD: When would they do that?
BARTON: Well, they would do it after this election, because obviously, it hasn't been planned in this case. But, it should be done as soon after this election is possible. Because, then you really have the Iraqis focusing their attention on how their country will become safe and what their own role should be, rather than this being a U.S. centric exercise.
WHITFIELD: So, if the Iraqis, as a whole, to participate in this referendum said that we want the U.S. to withdraw, would it be up to the U.S. or would it be up to the Iraqis to determine how long it would take before withdrawal would take place? I understand you've made a suggestion of nine months.
BARTON: Right. We think that -- we think that nine months is a fair time for an orderly withdrawal. That seems to be the main concern people have had who have reacted to this suggestion. But, I think most people recognize it is consistent with the values that the United States is trying to promote in Iraq and in that part of the world and there's no better way to do that than to give people, who are not that really experienced in the democratic process, a very clear and understandable ballot, one that says do you want foreign forces in your country or not? If you do, we'll stay another nine months and do this again. If you don't, we'll leave in the next nine months.
WHITFIELD: If the U.S. were to withdraw, then consequently, its allies, Britain and Australia, would immediately follow. Wouldn't that then potentially lead to the civil war that so many have expressed having concern about?
BARTON: I think there is a real threat of civil war under the present scenario or perhaps even under this referendum scenario. But, what you want to do is to separate the people who are nationalists who just don't like having foreigners all over the country and from those people who just want to cause trouble. And I think this kind of an opportunity, a national up or down referendum would give the Iraqi people that choice and would separate out the two parties.
WHITFIELD: Rick Barton, co-director of the Post-Conflict Restructure Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. What a mouthful. Thanks so much, Rick, for joining us from Washington.
BARTON: My pleasure.
WHITFIELD: Coming up, protesters planning to gather at the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court. Gary Nuremberg is there.
GARY NUREMBURG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is the Supreme Court that they hope will overturn that decision that granted abortion rights 33 years ago, more on one of the most decisive issues in American politics coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Protests and vigils in Washington today on the 23nd anniversary of the Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion. CNN's Gary Nuremberg is at a very snowy U.S. Supreme Court steps.
Hi Gary.
NUREMBERG: Hello Fredricka. About 100 demonstrators showed up here at the Supreme Court to mark the 32nd anniversary of the Row versus Wade decision that, as you said, granted abortion rights in this country in 1973. Organizers had expected a better turnout, but as you can see, it is snowing here, predictions of up to 10" in Washington today and organizers say that dampened the turnout, today. The Supreme Court was an important top for these demonstrators, but today, it was the second stop.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jesus, may it be his legacy.
NUREMBERG (on camera): A small group of demonstrators began their day with a prayer vigil outside a Planned Parenthood clinic a few blocks from the White House. That clinic is providing medical and counseling services for 24 hours straight to commemorate the anniversary of the Roe decision.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Which does more to prevent unwanted pregnancies and abortions than the amount of protesting they do one day a year.
NUREMBERG: Abortion opponents include women who have had the procedure and regret it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I wasn't the same girl going into that clinic that I was when I came out.
NUREMBERG: Demonstrators left the clinic at mid-morning for their march to the Supreme Court.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NUREMBERG: Abortion opponents are as optimistic as they have been since 1973. They have an advocate in the White House to signed a ban on the late abortion procedure in 2003, although three federal courts since have found that ban to be unconstitutional. When they looked at the inauguration on Thursday and saw a very frail chief justice administering the oath of office to President Bush, abortion opponents realized that in this second Bush term, the president could appoint as many as four justices to the Supreme Court and they're hoping he will appoint justices who will vote to overturn Roe versus Wade. They vow to stay with this until that happens -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And we'll all be watching. Thanks very much, Gary Nuremberg from Washington. And put a hat on, Gary.
Although emotions continue to run high on abortion rights the number of abortions taking place in the United States in recent years has been on the decline. The federal government says legal abortions peaked in 1990 and have been on a downward trend ever since. In 2001, there were 853,485 legal abortions reported to the Centers for Disease Control, that amounts to 16 legal abortions per 1,000 live births.
Coming up, from the Midwest to the northeast, a winter blast is bearing down. Rob Marciano is up next with a forecast. And defending America: Ed Lavandera takes a closer look at the people on the frontlines protecting our borders. This is CNN LIVE SATURDAY.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: A look at our top stories, now. New York City is hunkering down this winter weekend. A blizzard warning went into effect about half an hour ago. Folks are buying their supplies, getting ready for it with snow shovels, rock salt, etcetera. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, in fact has just one public event on his agenda, checking up on snow removal preparations at a city garage.
The same storm is blasting the upper Midwest, right now. Forecasters in Michigan say anyone going outside is putting their life at risk. In Ohio, two people died of apparent heart attacks after shoveling snow. Let's check in with Rob Marciano where the weather is already pretty ugly in the Midwest and making its way east.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much, Rob.
Well, now to our CNN "Security Watch" with the focus on "Defending America." The FBI says a possible revenge motive by a police tipster may be behind a potential terror plot to attack Boston. Police say the plot allegedly involved at least a dozen Chinese nationals and two Iraqis. Security was stepped up this week, but Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney downplayed the report, saying he's less concerned about it now.
Our "Security Watch" segment continues on the border between Mexico and Texas, with a look at one agents struggle to sort the bad from the good among the crush of people entering the U.S. every single day. CNN's Ed Lavandera has this hour's "Defending America" report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED LAVANDERA, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Laura Jimenez is a door keeper. Her post is at the bridge of the Americas, which connects El Paso to Juarez, Mexico. Her job, she says, is like answering the door at home, deciding who comes in and who stays out.
LAURA JIMENEZ, CUSTOMS & BORDER INSPECTOR: You just never know when you're going to get that needle in a haystack.
LAVANDERA: Jimenez has worked the Texas-Mexico border the last eight years. She became an Customs and Border Protection agent after spending the first part of her professional life working for a defense contractor.
Now, she helps determine who gets special visas allowing free access inside the United States. The most important part of her job, she says, is making sure a villain doesn't slip through.
JIMENEZ: It's fun. For me, it's fun when you can actually go in and pick -- you know, you pick up the bad people, who are trying to snatch somebody away, or from trying to come in and do something vicious.
LAVANDERA: It's not lost on her that many of the 9/11 hijackers entered the United States legally. She knows every person who steps up to her window must be scrutinized.
JIMENEZ: We really don't rest. You can't. You can't really take a backseat into thinking, well, no, this subject is the same. He comes in every day. He's not going to do anything. We don't know that.
LAVANDERA: Jimenez is trained to sniff out liars, asking questions in a soft, methodical manner. She studies movements, always listening.
JIMENEZ: Those things will give it away sometimes in a heartbeat. We look for those kinds of things all the time. So, we do study the persons and their behavior and anything they may give us an inclination that there's something shady going on.
LAVANDERA: Jimenez and the other agents here know even the most intense vigilance won't keep out everyone who desperately wants in.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We just had about six of them come across through there.
LAVANDERA: Border Patrol agents here pick up hundreds of illegal immigrants every day. Agent Sergio Arambula asks this man why he is so nervous. Arambula has worked the border 10 years; he relies on the latest fingerprint and facial image technology to learn about those who have been captured.
SERGIO ARAMBULA, BORDER PATROL AGENT: We take all 10 fingerprints, palms, everything. Then it's submitted to the FBI network.
LAVANDERA: Arambula can instantly get a person's criminal background and a list of when and where that person has made other attempts to across into the country. It was this man's first attempt. If he is captured again, the government will know all about him, even if he's captured in California.
ARAMBULA: They won't be honest or forthright with their information, so they will come and give you false names, whatever. But this one, takes a lot of the guesswork out.
LAVANDERA: The agents like to say fingerprints don't lie.
(On camera): Customs and Border Protection rolled out the fingerprint technology toward the end of last year. In the first three months, Border Patrol agents caught more than 23,000 people trying to sneak back into the United States who were wanted on criminal charges.
(voice over): More than 50 million people cross the El Paso bridges every year. Agents check what they can. But they can't inspect every car in detail. At the end of the day, every border agent will tell you it's impossible to keep everyone out. It's the nature of illegal immigration, seal up one weak spot, another will open.
JIMENEZ: Time to head home and make dinner.
LAVANDERA: That doesn't mean Laura Jimenez is giving up.
JIMENEZ: They're very creative, they're very inventive, they're very crafty, they're very good, but I like to think that we're better.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: See you later.
JIMENEZ: Catch you later.
LAVANDERA: Jimenez ends another shift, but the doorkeeper knows the knocking on the border door never ends -- Ed Lavandera, CNN, El Paso, Texas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.
Coming up tomorrow, another special report in our series, "Defending America". Teams of correspondents from coast-to-coast report on the security of the nation's airports, seaports and rail stations. That's tomorrow afternoon beginning at 5:00 Eastern.
Up next, a diamond ring and an old grudge stir up an ethics dilemma for Bruce Weinstein, The Ethics Guy. He joins us, coming up next.
Hi, Bruce.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: A found diamond, an overpriced real estate, prompt more than one guilty conscious in today's question for our Ethics Guy. With us from New York is our Ethics Guy, Bruce Weinstein.
Good to see you, Bruce.
BRUCE WEINSTEIN, THE ETHICS GUY: You, too, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Our first question is coming from Marlene: "My 15-year-old niece found a diamond ring under the stove in her mother's home. The assumption was made that the ring belonged to the previous original owner of the house.
Her father explained root right thing to do is at least make an attempt to find out if the ring belongs to the previous owner. Her mother knows how to get in touch with the previous owner, but refuses to give my niece their name and number because she didn't like something that occurred during the real estate transaction when she bought the home.
I hope you are be able to assist us. What should she do? WEINSTEIN: That diamond ring is what Gomer Pyle's grandmother would call ill-gotten gains. It doesn't belong to this young person. Therefore, it should be given back. The fact that the mother and previous tenant had an argument is morally irrelevant. This one is pretty straightforward. The diamond ring doesn't belong to that woman. She should give it back.
WHITFIELD: Maybe the niece should go around mom and get the information.
WEINSTEIN: Unfortunately, I hate to argue against mom, but in this case, mom does not know best.
WHITFIELD: All right. The next e-mail is from Cheryl, owner of a cabin near San Francisco in an area that commands big real estate bucks and she writes, "I'm having a very difficult time with even considering listing this cabin for the going rate, which is somewhere around a quarter of a million dollars up to maybe $275,000. Morally, it just does not seem ethical for me to extort this kind of money from a potential buyer.
My children on the other hand are counseling me to accept what is the going right since they feel it's an OK thing to do." It sounds like a market value issue, though, isn't it?
WEINSTEIN: Not really. Speaking of mothers, most of our mothers taught us, when we were young, just because somebody else does something doesn't make it right. Just because Billy jumps off the roof, does that mean you have to jump off the roof?
I mean, the person submitting this question really has the answer in the question, because she says I don't feel right about extorting money. The question becomes is it right...
WHITFIELD: But the issue is the going rate. Isn't that usually based on the market value?
WEINSTEIN: Well, but the going rate may be unfair. The question is, is it right to do something unfair? If the owner of this home believes that it is overpriced, then she ought to charge what she believes -- and has good reason to believe -- is a fair and equitable price for the property, just because other people are charging more doesn't make it right.
WHITFIELD: All right. Bruce Weinstein, thanks so much for helping us with our weekend dilemmas.
WEINSTEIN: Thanks, Fredricka. Absolutely.
WHITFIELD: All right. Well, if you have a question for the Ethics Guy, we want to hear from you. E-mail your dilemma to ethics@cnn.com.
Coming up, the Northeast prepares for a winter blast. Rob Marciano will be along with the forecast. Later, a steal for the deal for "The Donald" and his bride. From the ring, to the dress, to the catering, the man who can pay for just about anything -- at any cost seems to be paying for nothing -- or at least getting a bargain or two. Anderson Cooper totals up the wedding bling.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Updating our top story now, millions of Americans are bracing for the worst as a big winter storm had heads their way. And millions more have already felt the storms impact.
In Philadelphia, heavy snow is already falling. With the city hosting a rather significant NFC championship game, a mad scramble is under way to clear the snow from the site of tomorrow's big showdown between the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons.
Just minutes ago, a blizzard warning went into effect for New York City and other parts of the Northeast and New England. The Big Apple could get slammed with more than a foot of snow. The winds and cold temperature will also be brutal.
Rob Marciano already saying those folks need to brace for hurricane force winds in the middle of the winter?
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Unbelievable. It's a warning I have yet to see in my career, but Boston National Weather Service putting out a hurricane force wind warning, meaning winds could gust to 65 knots, especially along the coast line. (WEATHER FORECAST)
WHITFIELD: We've seen some of the pictures, snowy pictures in Washington and further north into Pennsylvania. Let's head even further north into New York City and check in with Alina Cho. And see how things are looking right now.
Yes, you got a little snow already. But you're bundled up and ready for it.
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Like clockwork, the snow did start falling here in New York City at exactly noontime. By the time this is all over, the city could get anywhere from a foot to two feet of snow. As you have been hearing by all accounts, this is the biggest storm of the season and the city is ready.
The Department of Sanitation has 1800 pieces of equipment, including salt trucks, snowplows and snow melters. There is a lot of road to plow. New York City has 6300 miles of streets and highways.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg said this morning with any luck by Monday morning, hopefully by 5:00 a.m., every street will have been plowed at least once.
Residents are getting ready as well, places like hardware stores, Home Depots selling out of snow blowers and shovels. While grocery stores are busier than ever, people are stocking up on essentials like food and water, as they always do in times like this. Anecdotally, I can tell you I was at this very grocery store last night. I have never seen anything like it. I have lived in New York City for nearly eight years and I have never seen it busier.
Back here on a more serious matter, Mayor Bloomberg did say that this is a very dangerous storm and it can be life threatening. As you may be able to see behind me, there are some people out here, albeit they are moving a bit slower. The traffic is moving slower as well.
The mayor says if there is anything you need to do outside, at this point, you should wait until about noontime tomorrow. That is when the snow should stop. That is when the mayor says the kids can come out and have some fun and play in this weather. Until then, the best advice, Fredricka, is to hunker down.
WHITFIELD: All right. Great advice. Thanks so much. Alina Cho in New York.
If all these wintry landscapes have you done, stick around. A weekend get away, perhaps somewhere warm, if not balmy, might be in order. We'll take you there in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All that snow you've been seeing all morning, it's enough to put a skier in the mood for a long weekend at a rustic mountain retreat. Plenty of time on the slopes, perhaps, "Travel + Leisure" highlights great destinations in the January issue. There is more to a winter vacation than snow, by the way. Hilary Geronemus joins us at the Time Warner Center, in chilly New York.
Good to see you, Hillary.
HILLARY GERONEMUS, "TRAVEL + LEISURE": Thanks for having me today.
WHITFIELD: It seems like it would be hard to find a good deal out there, because it would seem like it's peak season whether you want ski or surf these days?
GERONEMUS: That's true but there are some great deals out there.
WHITFIELD: All right, let's begin with the ski deals, or at least one of them, at Bachelor Gulch at Beaver Creek. Why is this such a great deal?
GERONEMUS: Well, it is the Ritz Carlton at Bachelor Gulch. It's a new property. It's the ultimate of ski in, ski out, Rocky Mountain luxury. They thought of everything here, from a ski concigneire to they even have a loan a lab program where you could borrow their resident Labrador Retriever if you left your friend at home.
It's a great program. And what they've done is for their early winter ski package that goes until February 9th they have reduced their rates on Valley View rooms for four nights. And they have also thrown in a pair of three-day lift tickets. It's a great deal. You're saving about 33 percent. And it's $1500 for the four nights.
WHITFIELD: Wow. That alone seems like a misnomer. Ritz, discount. You don't usually see those two names together.
GERONEMUS: I know. You can't pass it up.
WHITFIELD: OK, let's head to a warm place. Tortola, perhaps. Why is this a select peak of yours?
GERONEMUS: It is the Long Bay beaches of Tortola. And for those who don't know, Tortola is one of the British Virgin Islands, actually the largest British Virgin Island, right about where the Caribbean meets the Atlantic, 60 miles east of Puerto Rico.
And it is a beautiful island with mountains on one side that are covered in French apponi (ph) and sage and other side is beautiful, white, sandy beaches. One of those beaches is the Long Bay Resort. It's a beautiful resort with villas and rooms scattered from the beach all the way up through the hills. You can pick which preference you have.
They're offering a great deal, where they are offering a fourth night free. If you book three nights through March 31st, you get the fourth night free. You're saving 25 percent.
WHITFIELD: What are the prices we're talking about?
GERONEMUS: For two people, it would be $720 for the room only, or if you want to go the all-inclusive route, which includes meals, beverages, entertainment, non-motor water sports, that will cost about $1,320 for two.
WHITFIELD: And is this a place that is fairly exclusive or might you find it will still have significant crowds just like any of the other British Island resorts?
GERONEMUS: It is not too bad. The great thing I like about this resort is because of the different accommodations they have, you really can find privacy if you take a villa up in the hills. You really can be away from everybody and find a hammock along the beach and find a lot of privacy there.
WHITFIELD: Perhaps you want to stay States side. It's not necessarily balmy, but it's a little bit warmer, by going to a place like Sea Island, Georgia. Why is this such a great place to go to this time of year?
GERONEMUS: It's a great resort year round really. It's one of those type of places that know how to do Southern hospitality right. Generations come back year after year after year, no matter what time of year it is.
It's a great time. It's perfect for their natural environment right now. That's one of the things they're known for. They have these beautiful salt marshes. They're offering an eco-adventure package, which is three nights, breakfast each day included, one picnic lunch and a guided tour through the local salt marsh. You get nature up close and personal.
WHITFIELD: We're looking at the golf courses, perhaps this is not the ideal time of year to partake in the golfing there at Sea Island. Instead, you're saying it's a place to enjoy the natural wonders of this barrier island?
GERONEMUS: Exactly. They have a great ecosystem and wildlife. You can learn a lot about it with the local guide.
WHITFIELD: Hillary Geronemus, joining us from the Time Warner Center in New York with "Travel + Leisure" magazine. Thanks so much for helping us think about a nice little place or two to get away while it's so chilly and cold outside.
GERONEMUS: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: Coming up, the irony of being a billionaire groom and the freebies and deals that is go along with it. Anderson Cooper takes a closer look when we come right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Well, will the third time be wedded bliss or another miss for Donald Trump? He marries his Slovenian model bride tonight in Palm Beach and parties hard at his mansion with 400 guests. Seems "The Donald" is a bit of a penny pincher these days. He is saving a few bucks on the nuptials with cost-cutting deals with what amounts to corporate sponsors for the wedding. It's enough to make Miss Manners blush. Here is CNN's Anderson Cooper.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Melania Knauss is marrying money and she wants you to know it. The soon-to-be Mrs. Donald Trump number three is flouting superstition and flaunting her wedding dress, before the big day, on the cover of "Vogue."
Well, maybe her hubby-to-be doesn't read "Vogue".
ANDRE LEON TALLEY, "VOGUE": It was our idea to put her on the cover before the wedding so we scooped the world.
COOPER: We even have all the specs.
TALLEY: There were 98 yards of satin woven in France, with some of the finest textile looms just for this dress, they way Marie Antoinette would have had a dress made.
COOPER: The price, reportedly between $100,000 and $200,000. Really, what top Paris fashion designer would put scissor to taffeta for less than $100 grand?
The publicity, priceless -- or not? There has been speculation "The Donald" may have cut one of his artful deals with the designer John Galiano (ph) and the House of Dior. Some say that's not the only deal The Donald made to save a few quid on the accoutrements, like the engagement ring.
SARAH BERNARD, "NEW YORK" MAGAZINE: He actually got that half off.
COOPER: And the food.
BERNARD: John George is also -- he is donating, I guess we can say, the steak and the shrimp and it's going to be about $46,000.
COOPER: So, suddenly, the most expensive wedding of the year, OK, it's January, may not be costing the self-described billionaire groom all that much. But the man who helped Melania make her choice assures The Donald paid, at least a little something.
TALLEY: She bartered for the dress. I mean, there was a price.
COOPER: And if you are wondering if "Vogue" pitched in a few pennies to put the bride-to-be on the cover?
TALLEY: Oh, my goodness! I never heard such a thing. And it would never -- the standards at "Vogue", "Conde Nast" are the highest in the world. We are not a tabloid.
COOPER: If selling off pieces of her wedding day for profit or publicity sounds tacky, well, the rich and famous obviously have a different definition of tacky. When Michael Douglas married Catherine Zeta-Jones, they sold their wedding snaps to "OK" magazine for millions.
Then there is Star Jones, she wasn't even coy about cashing in, selling sponsorships for her big day to Continental Airlines, Stationery Studios, bridal shops, dry cleaners, even Nintendo.
OK, wretched excess costs, that is why celebs try to turn their vows into cash cows. But what do the buyers get. Consider this, when "OK" printed photos of David Beckham's wedding to Posh Spice, purchased for a reported $1.5 million, sales quadrupled. These days, savvy celebs know, you only have well, maybe five, six wedding days in a lifetime. You might as well share the joy and fill up on the freebies.
(END VIDEOTAPE)\
WHITFIELD: Well, Trump apparently put a gag order on guests and hired help, so we can just give you a few names. Among those who are invited to attend, Oprah, David Letterman, Katie Couric and Clint Eastwood.
Still much more ahead on CNN SATURDAY. In a few moments, "In The Money" with Jack Cafferty.
At 2 Eastern, CNN LIVE SATURDAY, preventing a Beslin school tragedy from happening in the U.S., Jill Dougherty takes a closer look.
Then at 3, it is "Next @ CNN. 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 January 22, 2005 - 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 Noon in New York, where a blizzard warning is going up this hour; 9:00 a.m. on the West coast. Hello. I'm Fredricka Whitfield at CNN's global headquarters in Atlanta. Ahead this hour:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You just never know when you're going to get that needle in the hay stack.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: The needle that she's talking about is a potential terrorist. We'll show you her critical role in defending America.
A winter wallop is heading east and may give enough snow to make driving impossible in parts of the northeast. And, if you want to get away from that snowy weather, well, we've some ideas that will make you laugh at old man winter.
But first, a look at the top stories:
Protesters are on the march across the country to mark the 32nd anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion. Supporters of a woman's right to choose say that they're concerned a few retirements on the high court might lead to a reversal of Roe v. Wade.
Just eight days before election day in Iraq, and government officials there are making more moves to beef up security. They've decided to close Baghdad's airport next Saturday and Sunday. Other security measures include a curfew and tighter restrictions on weapons and cars.
And the U.N. conference on disaster prep ends today in Japan with a focus on the recent tsunami. Delegates agreed on a plan that calls on nations to put disaster risk on political agendas and invest in disaster readiness. They also pledged support for an Indian Ocean tsunami warning system.
We begin with the big winter storm barreling toward the northeast and New England. Just moments ago, a blizzard warning went into effect for New York City. The storm is expected to dump more than a foot of snow on areas around the Big Apple and the wood, the wind rather, could be howling at more than 50 miles an hour. And in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, up to a foot of snow is expected. But the storm should pass in time for tomorrow's NFL conference championship games in both of those cities. And in Boston and other areas, get ready. It's also heading your way. The Midwest has already felt the blast. Cleveland is expecting up to a foot of snow by the time the storm moves through there and brutal winds are making the situation even worse.
And this is what motorists in Minnesota experienced: A lot of snow and a lot of gridlock. The storm's snarled rush hour traffic yesterday in the twin cities and it shut down Interstate 94 in western Minnesota. Let's get a big look at the big picture out there where Rob Marciano is in our very warm weather center, at least for now, Rob. How's it looking?
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It looks -- this is a big storm and it's getting more intense. Chad Myers, by the way, will be out of the studio and in Philadelphia, reporting from there in a couple of hours.
Look how fast this storm is moving. It is just ripping across the Ohio River Valley, and the Great Lakes and now moving in towards the northeast. Still snowing in places like Chicago where they could get another several inches before this is done.
The red indicates winter storm warnings that are posted for a good chunk of the northeastern third of the country. The white indicates a blizzard warning, which Fredricka mentioned, now in effect from New York, as of Noon, and it will be in affect later on today in Boston, which could see the brunt of this storm.
Watch how things move into the northeast, bitterly cold air here, now beginning to snow in Philadelphia and in D.C., not quite snowing in Newark or in New York, but that will come to fruition as we go throughout the day and this storm sits off the coastline. When it does that it'll grab even more moisture from the Atlantic Ocean.
And these are the expected tallies later on tonight and tomorrow: New York, 15 to 20 inches; Boston, 18 to 24 inches; Philadelphia, 10 to 15; Baltimore and D.C. also getting into the act.
Mentioned the cold temperatures, it's seven right now in Boston; 14 in New York and that doesn't take into consideration the wind. Fredricka, at times, often, I should say, the wind chills will be below zero tonight and tomorrow, dangerously cold wind chills and, Freddy, winds could gust in Boston over 60 miles an hour. They've actually posted a hurricane wind warning for Boston.
WHITFIELD: Wow!
MARCIANO: And I haven't seen that in the wintertime, so it's going to be a -- the wind is probably a bigger issue than the snow, as matter of fact.
WHITFIELD: Well, that's a scary situation. Stay indoors.
MARCIANO: Yeah.
WHITFIELD: Rob Marciano, thanks so much.
MARCIANO: OK.
WHITFIELD: Well, hope if this weather system does not bring a repeat of this situation. During a snow storm in Nebraska, two weeks ago, a desperate call for help. Two young people were lost on a highway. While they pinned their hopes on cell phone, something went terribly wrong. The technology did nothing to save their lives. The story now from Keith Oppenheim.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In a subzero snow storm, Michael Wamsley and Janelle Hornical, two 20-year-olds, got lost riding to Omaha, Nebraska. They made repeated calls to 911.
OPERATOR: Sarpy County, 911.
WAMSLEY: Yes, my girlfriend placed a call earlier out by -- sandpit.
OPERATOR: Out by where?
WAMSLEY: Out by sandpit.
OPPENHEIM: Because he is using a cell phone, his signal is bouncing to other regions and dispatchers want to transfer him to where he think he is so he can get help faster.
No, no, no please...there's no (UNINTELLIGIBLE) my phone's going to die. I need some help now.
OPERATOR: I don't understand. But I can't help you because I'm
OPPENHEIM: Wamsley and Hornical are stuck near a gravel pit near the rural outskirts of Omaha, slowly freezing to death.
WAMSLEY: Please, can you get over here now?
OPPENHEIM: But despite the anguish, dispatchers don't have the technology to pinpoint the call.
DAN PETERSON, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS: It was just not possible to locate where they were.
OPPENHEIM: Days of searching follows the phone calls. The bodies Wamsley and Hornical were found outside, frozen.
They left their vehicle not dressed for the weather.
DR. HENRY NIPPER, CREIGHTON UNIV. MEDICAL CTR.: Both individuals were impaired at the time of death.
OPPENHEIM: An autopsy revealed that both bodies had high traces of the drug methamphetamine or crystal meth which may explain their confusion in the storm, and that may have made the calls even more challenging for 911 dispatchers. Still the question is, was this a bad mix of drugs and inadequate technology, or were the calls transferred so often that time was wasted in the search for two people calling for help?
Keith Ompenheim, Chicago.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Sad situation.
Well, "News Across America" now, police are combing the woods across Georgia, searching for this man, Frederick Fretz. He's a convicted sex offender believed to have kidnap an 11-year-old boy in Florida. The child was found alive last night on a ramp off Interstate 75, about 400 miles from his home outside of Atlanta. Authorities say the child appears unharmed.
But, police say the man suspected of kidnapping and killing a 19- year-old Texas woman appears to have been on a multistate crime spree. Johnny Lee Williams is being held in an Arizona jail. Megan Holden was abducted Wednesday from a Wal-Mart parking lot in Tyler, Texas. Her body was found yesterday in a ditch along a west Texas highway.
And in Santa Maria, California, the jury in the Michael Jackson molestation case will hear from an expert about how victims of sexual abuse behave. Prosecutors say they want to know why victims are sometimes fond of their abusers, don't tell relatives, or wait to report the abuse. The judge agreed to allow the testimony. Jury selection begins January 31st, with opening statements set to begin in March.
Here's the latest in the fight for Iraq with the January 30 elections just eight days away, now. The Iraqi government is trying to put in place security measures to protect the election process. One official says that includes closing Baghdad's airport on the day before the election and keeping it closed through election day.
In unrelated news, Ahmed Chalabi, former Iraqi exile leader, is expected to be arrested sometime today on bank fraud charges. Iraq's interim defense minister says that Chalabi will be turned over to Interpol. Chalabi faces charges in Jordan where he was tried and convicted in absentia for fraud connected to a bank collapse in the 1980s.
According to the Chinese embassy eight Chinese hostages being held in Iraq have been released unharmed. The men were kidnapped earlier this week. A group calling itself the Islamic Resistance Movement had released several videotapes showing the men during the past few days.
Our next report contains graphic images that may be disturbing, especially for children. Almost every day, the fighting in Iraq claims more lives, often the victims are civilians. Recently, a photographer captured one tragedy involving an Iraqi family, victims of mistaken identity. The horror produced an unusually quick apology from the U.S. military. CNN Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr, has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was just after 6:00 pm Tuesday, already getting dark, past curfew when U.S. troops fired shots at this car in the northern Iraqi town of Tal Afar. The military says the soldiers, on foot patrol, were on alert for suicide car bombs. The photographer who took these pictures watched as the tragedy unfolded.
CHRIS HONDROS, GETTY IMAGES: I realized that some shots are going to get fired. I know, I mean, I can know -- I knew that their car would have a hard time seeing these camouflaged soldiers, so I sort of scooted off to the side outside of anybody's line of fire and the car kept approaching. I could hear it.
STARR: In moments, it was a nightmare on the street. An Iraqi man and his wife in the frontal seat killed by U.S. gunfire. Six terrified children emerged from the backseat, one slightly wounded, blood everywhere. A small boy, bewildered at what he has just seen.
HONDROS: The soldiers, when they realized what was going on, they very professionally and apathetically swept into action, picked the kids up, immediately, the medics came over, immediately tried to assess any injury the children had.
STARR: Soldiers upset as well, as they tried to help the children. They took them to a nearby hospital. A U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad says there was no intention to harm innocent civilians. He says, "While the pictures are heart wrenching, they also go to show in the moments immediately following, soldiers went from trying to protect their patrol to rendering comfort and assistance to the children suffering a tragic loss." The military spokesman says procedures were followed. There were hand signals to the driver, warning shots fired and then shots to disable the vehicle, and then shots that were fatal. No one may ever know if the Iraqi driver didn't see the soldiers, didn't understand the order to stop, or if there was panic. But with five car bomb attacks in Iraq in the last three weeks against patrols and checkpoints, security concerns are at an all-time high. Still, the human tragedy.
HONDROS: The captain was adamant about making sure the children were all in a room when the two bodies of the adults were brought in to the morgue, in the hospital. He specifically said he didn't want the children to see any more.
STARR: The orphan children now in the custody of the oldest teenager. The military may compensate the family, but the faces of this war show their agony. One small Iraqi girl sits at the feet of U.S. soldiers, waiting for someone to tell her what happens now.
Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.
(END VIDEOTAPE) WHITFIELD: And how long will U.S. troops have to remain in Iraq? And what is the exit strategy to get them out? We'll hear from one expert who says that's part of the problem. There is no exit strategy that he can make of.
And on this 32nd anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision Roe v. Wade, ruling legalizing of abortion, protesters on both sides are in Washington. Is this emotional issue coming back to the forefront of American politics?
And later, defending America: Her eyes and ears are part of a first line of defense against terrorists trying to cross into the United States. Her story when CNN LIVE SATURDAY continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Back now to Iraq and its upcoming election. What happens to the U.S. presence there once the voting is complete? And what is the U.S. exit strategy? And what voice should Iraqis have in that process? With us now, Rick Barton, the co-director of the Post- Conflict Reconstruction Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He joins us from Washington.
Good to see you, Rick.
RICK BARTON, CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTL. STUDIES: Thank you. Nice to be here.
WHITFIELD: All right. Well, hat evidence need there be in place to convince you that there is an exit strategy?
BARTON: I don't think there really is. Essentially, the president has said we'll stay until Iraq is free and stable and can really rule itself, and none of those conditions are there yet. The continuing attacks, the insurgency has been -- really exceeded anybody's expectations. And until we really get on top of this really decisive issue, which is how do we stop being the occupiers and how do we become the ally of the Iraqi people, we will not find an exit strategy.
WHITFIELD: At the same time, without sufficient security in place, you see the need for the U.S. to remain in place so, thereby, you also see a need perhaps there ought to be a referendum that the Iraqis ought to decide on when the U.S. ought to pull out?
BARTON: Really, the suggestion that we have made, with my colleagues, Sheba Crocker and Craig Cohen, is that we feel that we should give the Iraqis the right to vote on whether there should be an international force in their country.
WHITFIELD: When would they do that?
BARTON: Well, they would do it after this election, because obviously, it hasn't been planned in this case. But, it should be done as soon after this election is possible. Because, then you really have the Iraqis focusing their attention on how their country will become safe and what their own role should be, rather than this being a U.S. centric exercise.
WHITFIELD: So, if the Iraqis, as a whole, to participate in this referendum said that we want the U.S. to withdraw, would it be up to the U.S. or would it be up to the Iraqis to determine how long it would take before withdrawal would take place? I understand you've made a suggestion of nine months.
BARTON: Right. We think that -- we think that nine months is a fair time for an orderly withdrawal. That seems to be the main concern people have had who have reacted to this suggestion. But, I think most people recognize it is consistent with the values that the United States is trying to promote in Iraq and in that part of the world and there's no better way to do that than to give people, who are not that really experienced in the democratic process, a very clear and understandable ballot, one that says do you want foreign forces in your country or not? If you do, we'll stay another nine months and do this again. If you don't, we'll leave in the next nine months.
WHITFIELD: If the U.S. were to withdraw, then consequently, its allies, Britain and Australia, would immediately follow. Wouldn't that then potentially lead to the civil war that so many have expressed having concern about?
BARTON: I think there is a real threat of civil war under the present scenario or perhaps even under this referendum scenario. But, what you want to do is to separate the people who are nationalists who just don't like having foreigners all over the country and from those people who just want to cause trouble. And I think this kind of an opportunity, a national up or down referendum would give the Iraqi people that choice and would separate out the two parties.
WHITFIELD: Rick Barton, co-director of the Post-Conflict Restructure Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. What a mouthful. Thanks so much, Rick, for joining us from Washington.
BARTON: My pleasure.
WHITFIELD: Coming up, protesters planning to gather at the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court. Gary Nuremberg is there.
GARY NUREMBURG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is the Supreme Court that they hope will overturn that decision that granted abortion rights 33 years ago, more on one of the most decisive issues in American politics coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Protests and vigils in Washington today on the 23nd anniversary of the Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion. CNN's Gary Nuremberg is at a very snowy U.S. Supreme Court steps.
Hi Gary.
NUREMBERG: Hello Fredricka. About 100 demonstrators showed up here at the Supreme Court to mark the 32nd anniversary of the Row versus Wade decision that, as you said, granted abortion rights in this country in 1973. Organizers had expected a better turnout, but as you can see, it is snowing here, predictions of up to 10" in Washington today and organizers say that dampened the turnout, today. The Supreme Court was an important top for these demonstrators, but today, it was the second stop.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jesus, may it be his legacy.
NUREMBERG (on camera): A small group of demonstrators began their day with a prayer vigil outside a Planned Parenthood clinic a few blocks from the White House. That clinic is providing medical and counseling services for 24 hours straight to commemorate the anniversary of the Roe decision.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Which does more to prevent unwanted pregnancies and abortions than the amount of protesting they do one day a year.
NUREMBERG: Abortion opponents include women who have had the procedure and regret it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I wasn't the same girl going into that clinic that I was when I came out.
NUREMBERG: Demonstrators left the clinic at mid-morning for their march to the Supreme Court.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NUREMBERG: Abortion opponents are as optimistic as they have been since 1973. They have an advocate in the White House to signed a ban on the late abortion procedure in 2003, although three federal courts since have found that ban to be unconstitutional. When they looked at the inauguration on Thursday and saw a very frail chief justice administering the oath of office to President Bush, abortion opponents realized that in this second Bush term, the president could appoint as many as four justices to the Supreme Court and they're hoping he will appoint justices who will vote to overturn Roe versus Wade. They vow to stay with this until that happens -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And we'll all be watching. Thanks very much, Gary Nuremberg from Washington. And put a hat on, Gary.
Although emotions continue to run high on abortion rights the number of abortions taking place in the United States in recent years has been on the decline. The federal government says legal abortions peaked in 1990 and have been on a downward trend ever since. In 2001, there were 853,485 legal abortions reported to the Centers for Disease Control, that amounts to 16 legal abortions per 1,000 live births.
Coming up, from the Midwest to the northeast, a winter blast is bearing down. Rob Marciano is up next with a forecast. And defending America: Ed Lavandera takes a closer look at the people on the frontlines protecting our borders. This is CNN LIVE SATURDAY.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: A look at our top stories, now. New York City is hunkering down this winter weekend. A blizzard warning went into effect about half an hour ago. Folks are buying their supplies, getting ready for it with snow shovels, rock salt, etcetera. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, in fact has just one public event on his agenda, checking up on snow removal preparations at a city garage.
The same storm is blasting the upper Midwest, right now. Forecasters in Michigan say anyone going outside is putting their life at risk. In Ohio, two people died of apparent heart attacks after shoveling snow. Let's check in with Rob Marciano where the weather is already pretty ugly in the Midwest and making its way east.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much, Rob.
Well, now to our CNN "Security Watch" with the focus on "Defending America." The FBI says a possible revenge motive by a police tipster may be behind a potential terror plot to attack Boston. Police say the plot allegedly involved at least a dozen Chinese nationals and two Iraqis. Security was stepped up this week, but Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney downplayed the report, saying he's less concerned about it now.
Our "Security Watch" segment continues on the border between Mexico and Texas, with a look at one agents struggle to sort the bad from the good among the crush of people entering the U.S. every single day. CNN's Ed Lavandera has this hour's "Defending America" report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED LAVANDERA, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Laura Jimenez is a door keeper. Her post is at the bridge of the Americas, which connects El Paso to Juarez, Mexico. Her job, she says, is like answering the door at home, deciding who comes in and who stays out.
LAURA JIMENEZ, CUSTOMS & BORDER INSPECTOR: You just never know when you're going to get that needle in a haystack.
LAVANDERA: Jimenez has worked the Texas-Mexico border the last eight years. She became an Customs and Border Protection agent after spending the first part of her professional life working for a defense contractor.
Now, she helps determine who gets special visas allowing free access inside the United States. The most important part of her job, she says, is making sure a villain doesn't slip through.
JIMENEZ: It's fun. For me, it's fun when you can actually go in and pick -- you know, you pick up the bad people, who are trying to snatch somebody away, or from trying to come in and do something vicious.
LAVANDERA: It's not lost on her that many of the 9/11 hijackers entered the United States legally. She knows every person who steps up to her window must be scrutinized.
JIMENEZ: We really don't rest. You can't. You can't really take a backseat into thinking, well, no, this subject is the same. He comes in every day. He's not going to do anything. We don't know that.
LAVANDERA: Jimenez is trained to sniff out liars, asking questions in a soft, methodical manner. She studies movements, always listening.
JIMENEZ: Those things will give it away sometimes in a heartbeat. We look for those kinds of things all the time. So, we do study the persons and their behavior and anything they may give us an inclination that there's something shady going on.
LAVANDERA: Jimenez and the other agents here know even the most intense vigilance won't keep out everyone who desperately wants in.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We just had about six of them come across through there.
LAVANDERA: Border Patrol agents here pick up hundreds of illegal immigrants every day. Agent Sergio Arambula asks this man why he is so nervous. Arambula has worked the border 10 years; he relies on the latest fingerprint and facial image technology to learn about those who have been captured.
SERGIO ARAMBULA, BORDER PATROL AGENT: We take all 10 fingerprints, palms, everything. Then it's submitted to the FBI network.
LAVANDERA: Arambula can instantly get a person's criminal background and a list of when and where that person has made other attempts to across into the country. It was this man's first attempt. If he is captured again, the government will know all about him, even if he's captured in California.
ARAMBULA: They won't be honest or forthright with their information, so they will come and give you false names, whatever. But this one, takes a lot of the guesswork out.
LAVANDERA: The agents like to say fingerprints don't lie.
(On camera): Customs and Border Protection rolled out the fingerprint technology toward the end of last year. In the first three months, Border Patrol agents caught more than 23,000 people trying to sneak back into the United States who were wanted on criminal charges.
(voice over): More than 50 million people cross the El Paso bridges every year. Agents check what they can. But they can't inspect every car in detail. At the end of the day, every border agent will tell you it's impossible to keep everyone out. It's the nature of illegal immigration, seal up one weak spot, another will open.
JIMENEZ: Time to head home and make dinner.
LAVANDERA: That doesn't mean Laura Jimenez is giving up.
JIMENEZ: They're very creative, they're very inventive, they're very crafty, they're very good, but I like to think that we're better.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: See you later.
JIMENEZ: Catch you later.
LAVANDERA: Jimenez ends another shift, but the doorkeeper knows the knocking on the border door never ends -- Ed Lavandera, CNN, El Paso, Texas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.
Coming up tomorrow, another special report in our series, "Defending America". Teams of correspondents from coast-to-coast report on the security of the nation's airports, seaports and rail stations. That's tomorrow afternoon beginning at 5:00 Eastern.
Up next, a diamond ring and an old grudge stir up an ethics dilemma for Bruce Weinstein, The Ethics Guy. He joins us, coming up next.
Hi, Bruce.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: A found diamond, an overpriced real estate, prompt more than one guilty conscious in today's question for our Ethics Guy. With us from New York is our Ethics Guy, Bruce Weinstein.
Good to see you, Bruce.
BRUCE WEINSTEIN, THE ETHICS GUY: You, too, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Our first question is coming from Marlene: "My 15-year-old niece found a diamond ring under the stove in her mother's home. The assumption was made that the ring belonged to the previous original owner of the house.
Her father explained root right thing to do is at least make an attempt to find out if the ring belongs to the previous owner. Her mother knows how to get in touch with the previous owner, but refuses to give my niece their name and number because she didn't like something that occurred during the real estate transaction when she bought the home.
I hope you are be able to assist us. What should she do? WEINSTEIN: That diamond ring is what Gomer Pyle's grandmother would call ill-gotten gains. It doesn't belong to this young person. Therefore, it should be given back. The fact that the mother and previous tenant had an argument is morally irrelevant. This one is pretty straightforward. The diamond ring doesn't belong to that woman. She should give it back.
WHITFIELD: Maybe the niece should go around mom and get the information.
WEINSTEIN: Unfortunately, I hate to argue against mom, but in this case, mom does not know best.
WHITFIELD: All right. The next e-mail is from Cheryl, owner of a cabin near San Francisco in an area that commands big real estate bucks and she writes, "I'm having a very difficult time with even considering listing this cabin for the going rate, which is somewhere around a quarter of a million dollars up to maybe $275,000. Morally, it just does not seem ethical for me to extort this kind of money from a potential buyer.
My children on the other hand are counseling me to accept what is the going right since they feel it's an OK thing to do." It sounds like a market value issue, though, isn't it?
WEINSTEIN: Not really. Speaking of mothers, most of our mothers taught us, when we were young, just because somebody else does something doesn't make it right. Just because Billy jumps off the roof, does that mean you have to jump off the roof?
I mean, the person submitting this question really has the answer in the question, because she says I don't feel right about extorting money. The question becomes is it right...
WHITFIELD: But the issue is the going rate. Isn't that usually based on the market value?
WEINSTEIN: Well, but the going rate may be unfair. The question is, is it right to do something unfair? If the owner of this home believes that it is overpriced, then she ought to charge what she believes -- and has good reason to believe -- is a fair and equitable price for the property, just because other people are charging more doesn't make it right.
WHITFIELD: All right. Bruce Weinstein, thanks so much for helping us with our weekend dilemmas.
WEINSTEIN: Thanks, Fredricka. Absolutely.
WHITFIELD: All right. Well, if you have a question for the Ethics Guy, we want to hear from you. E-mail your dilemma to ethics@cnn.com.
Coming up, the Northeast prepares for a winter blast. Rob Marciano will be along with the forecast. Later, a steal for the deal for "The Donald" and his bride. From the ring, to the dress, to the catering, the man who can pay for just about anything -- at any cost seems to be paying for nothing -- or at least getting a bargain or two. Anderson Cooper totals up the wedding bling.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Updating our top story now, millions of Americans are bracing for the worst as a big winter storm had heads their way. And millions more have already felt the storms impact.
In Philadelphia, heavy snow is already falling. With the city hosting a rather significant NFC championship game, a mad scramble is under way to clear the snow from the site of tomorrow's big showdown between the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons.
Just minutes ago, a blizzard warning went into effect for New York City and other parts of the Northeast and New England. The Big Apple could get slammed with more than a foot of snow. The winds and cold temperature will also be brutal.
Rob Marciano already saying those folks need to brace for hurricane force winds in the middle of the winter?
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Unbelievable. It's a warning I have yet to see in my career, but Boston National Weather Service putting out a hurricane force wind warning, meaning winds could gust to 65 knots, especially along the coast line. (WEATHER FORECAST)
WHITFIELD: We've seen some of the pictures, snowy pictures in Washington and further north into Pennsylvania. Let's head even further north into New York City and check in with Alina Cho. And see how things are looking right now.
Yes, you got a little snow already. But you're bundled up and ready for it.
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Like clockwork, the snow did start falling here in New York City at exactly noontime. By the time this is all over, the city could get anywhere from a foot to two feet of snow. As you have been hearing by all accounts, this is the biggest storm of the season and the city is ready.
The Department of Sanitation has 1800 pieces of equipment, including salt trucks, snowplows and snow melters. There is a lot of road to plow. New York City has 6300 miles of streets and highways.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg said this morning with any luck by Monday morning, hopefully by 5:00 a.m., every street will have been plowed at least once.
Residents are getting ready as well, places like hardware stores, Home Depots selling out of snow blowers and shovels. While grocery stores are busier than ever, people are stocking up on essentials like food and water, as they always do in times like this. Anecdotally, I can tell you I was at this very grocery store last night. I have never seen anything like it. I have lived in New York City for nearly eight years and I have never seen it busier.
Back here on a more serious matter, Mayor Bloomberg did say that this is a very dangerous storm and it can be life threatening. As you may be able to see behind me, there are some people out here, albeit they are moving a bit slower. The traffic is moving slower as well.
The mayor says if there is anything you need to do outside, at this point, you should wait until about noontime tomorrow. That is when the snow should stop. That is when the mayor says the kids can come out and have some fun and play in this weather. Until then, the best advice, Fredricka, is to hunker down.
WHITFIELD: All right. Great advice. Thanks so much. Alina Cho in New York.
If all these wintry landscapes have you done, stick around. A weekend get away, perhaps somewhere warm, if not balmy, might be in order. We'll take you there in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All that snow you've been seeing all morning, it's enough to put a skier in the mood for a long weekend at a rustic mountain retreat. Plenty of time on the slopes, perhaps, "Travel + Leisure" highlights great destinations in the January issue. There is more to a winter vacation than snow, by the way. Hilary Geronemus joins us at the Time Warner Center, in chilly New York.
Good to see you, Hillary.
HILLARY GERONEMUS, "TRAVEL + LEISURE": Thanks for having me today.
WHITFIELD: It seems like it would be hard to find a good deal out there, because it would seem like it's peak season whether you want ski or surf these days?
GERONEMUS: That's true but there are some great deals out there.
WHITFIELD: All right, let's begin with the ski deals, or at least one of them, at Bachelor Gulch at Beaver Creek. Why is this such a great deal?
GERONEMUS: Well, it is the Ritz Carlton at Bachelor Gulch. It's a new property. It's the ultimate of ski in, ski out, Rocky Mountain luxury. They thought of everything here, from a ski concigneire to they even have a loan a lab program where you could borrow their resident Labrador Retriever if you left your friend at home.
It's a great program. And what they've done is for their early winter ski package that goes until February 9th they have reduced their rates on Valley View rooms for four nights. And they have also thrown in a pair of three-day lift tickets. It's a great deal. You're saving about 33 percent. And it's $1500 for the four nights.
WHITFIELD: Wow. That alone seems like a misnomer. Ritz, discount. You don't usually see those two names together.
GERONEMUS: I know. You can't pass it up.
WHITFIELD: OK, let's head to a warm place. Tortola, perhaps. Why is this a select peak of yours?
GERONEMUS: It is the Long Bay beaches of Tortola. And for those who don't know, Tortola is one of the British Virgin Islands, actually the largest British Virgin Island, right about where the Caribbean meets the Atlantic, 60 miles east of Puerto Rico.
And it is a beautiful island with mountains on one side that are covered in French apponi (ph) and sage and other side is beautiful, white, sandy beaches. One of those beaches is the Long Bay Resort. It's a beautiful resort with villas and rooms scattered from the beach all the way up through the hills. You can pick which preference you have.
They're offering a great deal, where they are offering a fourth night free. If you book three nights through March 31st, you get the fourth night free. You're saving 25 percent.
WHITFIELD: What are the prices we're talking about?
GERONEMUS: For two people, it would be $720 for the room only, or if you want to go the all-inclusive route, which includes meals, beverages, entertainment, non-motor water sports, that will cost about $1,320 for two.
WHITFIELD: And is this a place that is fairly exclusive or might you find it will still have significant crowds just like any of the other British Island resorts?
GERONEMUS: It is not too bad. The great thing I like about this resort is because of the different accommodations they have, you really can find privacy if you take a villa up in the hills. You really can be away from everybody and find a hammock along the beach and find a lot of privacy there.
WHITFIELD: Perhaps you want to stay States side. It's not necessarily balmy, but it's a little bit warmer, by going to a place like Sea Island, Georgia. Why is this such a great place to go to this time of year?
GERONEMUS: It's a great resort year round really. It's one of those type of places that know how to do Southern hospitality right. Generations come back year after year after year, no matter what time of year it is.
It's a great time. It's perfect for their natural environment right now. That's one of the things they're known for. They have these beautiful salt marshes. They're offering an eco-adventure package, which is three nights, breakfast each day included, one picnic lunch and a guided tour through the local salt marsh. You get nature up close and personal.
WHITFIELD: We're looking at the golf courses, perhaps this is not the ideal time of year to partake in the golfing there at Sea Island. Instead, you're saying it's a place to enjoy the natural wonders of this barrier island?
GERONEMUS: Exactly. They have a great ecosystem and wildlife. You can learn a lot about it with the local guide.
WHITFIELD: Hillary Geronemus, joining us from the Time Warner Center in New York with "Travel + Leisure" magazine. Thanks so much for helping us think about a nice little place or two to get away while it's so chilly and cold outside.
GERONEMUS: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: Coming up, the irony of being a billionaire groom and the freebies and deals that is go along with it. Anderson Cooper takes a closer look when we come right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Well, will the third time be wedded bliss or another miss for Donald Trump? He marries his Slovenian model bride tonight in Palm Beach and parties hard at his mansion with 400 guests. Seems "The Donald" is a bit of a penny pincher these days. He is saving a few bucks on the nuptials with cost-cutting deals with what amounts to corporate sponsors for the wedding. It's enough to make Miss Manners blush. Here is CNN's Anderson Cooper.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Melania Knauss is marrying money and she wants you to know it. The soon-to-be Mrs. Donald Trump number three is flouting superstition and flaunting her wedding dress, before the big day, on the cover of "Vogue."
Well, maybe her hubby-to-be doesn't read "Vogue".
ANDRE LEON TALLEY, "VOGUE": It was our idea to put her on the cover before the wedding so we scooped the world.
COOPER: We even have all the specs.
TALLEY: There were 98 yards of satin woven in France, with some of the finest textile looms just for this dress, they way Marie Antoinette would have had a dress made.
COOPER: The price, reportedly between $100,000 and $200,000. Really, what top Paris fashion designer would put scissor to taffeta for less than $100 grand?
The publicity, priceless -- or not? There has been speculation "The Donald" may have cut one of his artful deals with the designer John Galiano (ph) and the House of Dior. Some say that's not the only deal The Donald made to save a few quid on the accoutrements, like the engagement ring.
SARAH BERNARD, "NEW YORK" MAGAZINE: He actually got that half off.
COOPER: And the food.
BERNARD: John George is also -- he is donating, I guess we can say, the steak and the shrimp and it's going to be about $46,000.
COOPER: So, suddenly, the most expensive wedding of the year, OK, it's January, may not be costing the self-described billionaire groom all that much. But the man who helped Melania make her choice assures The Donald paid, at least a little something.
TALLEY: She bartered for the dress. I mean, there was a price.
COOPER: And if you are wondering if "Vogue" pitched in a few pennies to put the bride-to-be on the cover?
TALLEY: Oh, my goodness! I never heard such a thing. And it would never -- the standards at "Vogue", "Conde Nast" are the highest in the world. We are not a tabloid.
COOPER: If selling off pieces of her wedding day for profit or publicity sounds tacky, well, the rich and famous obviously have a different definition of tacky. When Michael Douglas married Catherine Zeta-Jones, they sold their wedding snaps to "OK" magazine for millions.
Then there is Star Jones, she wasn't even coy about cashing in, selling sponsorships for her big day to Continental Airlines, Stationery Studios, bridal shops, dry cleaners, even Nintendo.
OK, wretched excess costs, that is why celebs try to turn their vows into cash cows. But what do the buyers get. Consider this, when "OK" printed photos of David Beckham's wedding to Posh Spice, purchased for a reported $1.5 million, sales quadrupled. These days, savvy celebs know, you only have well, maybe five, six wedding days in a lifetime. You might as well share the joy and fill up on the freebies.
(END VIDEOTAPE)\
WHITFIELD: Well, Trump apparently put a gag order on guests and hired help, so we can just give you a few names. Among those who are invited to attend, Oprah, David Letterman, Katie Couric and Clint Eastwood.
Still much more ahead on CNN SATURDAY. In a few moments, "In The Money" with Jack Cafferty.
At 2 Eastern, CNN LIVE SATURDAY, preventing a Beslin school tragedy from happening in the U.S., Jill Dougherty takes a closer look.
Then at 3, it is "Next @ CNN. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
