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CNN Live Today

VP Debate Recap; Voluntary Rationing of Flu Shots Due to Shortage; Author Kristin Gore's Book "Sammy's Hill"; The Life of Rodney Dangerfield

Aired October 06, 2004 - 11:30   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Daryn Kagan in Atlanta. Let's check what's happening now in news. It is Wednesday the 6th of October.
President Bush defended his policies on terrorism and the economy today in a speech in Pennsylvania with pointed jabs at his challenger. It's his 38th trip to the battleground state as president.

Democratic Presidential Candidate John Kerry is off the campaign trail today. He's spending the day in Colorado, preparing for Friday's second debate with President Bush.

And Howard Stern is taking his morning radio show to satellite radio in 2006. He has signed a five-year multimillion dollar deal with Sirius.

Keeping you informed, CNN is the most trusted name in news.

They may be number two on their tickets, but the debate between Vice President Dick Cheney and Senator John Edwards was no sideshow. In the neck and neck race for the White House, both were looking to give their campaigns an edge.

National correspondent Kelly Wallace has some of the highlights.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLY WALLACE (voice-over): Side by side, they dueled.

DICK CHENEY (R), VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It is, indeed. You suggested that somehow...

WALLACE: Vice President Cheney accusing Senators Edwards and Kerry of letting primary politics influence their votes on Iraq.

CHENEY: So, they, in effect, decided they would cast an anti-war vote, and they voted against the troops. Now, if they couldn't stand up to the pressures that Howard Dean represented, how can we expect them to stand up to al Qaeda?

WALLACE: Edwards going after the vice president's credibility.

SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Mr. Vice President, there is no connection between the attacks of September 11th and Saddam Hussein. And you've gone around the country suggesting that there is some connection. There's not.

WALLACE: And they battled over experience.

CHENEY: Your hometown newspaper has taken to calling you "Senator Gone." You've got one of the worst attendance records in the United States Senate.

EDWARDS: The vice president and president like to talk about their experience on the campaign trail. Millions of people have lost their job. Millions have fallen into poverty. Mr. Vice President, I don't think the country can take four more years of this kind of experience.

WALLACE: It wasn't nasty, but tough -- with the exception of one gentle exchange on the subject of outlawing same-sex marriages. The vice president's daughter is openly gay.

EDWARDS: And you can't have anything but respect for the fact that they're willing to talk about the fact that they have a gay daughter, the fact that they embrace her.

CHENEY: Let me simply thank the senator for the kind words he said about my family and our daughter. I appreciate that very much.

WALLACE: The stakes were certainly high, with Cheney trying to stop the president's decline in the polls and Edwards trying to keep Kerry's sudden momentum going.

(on camera): And the days ahead will reveal which man was more successful.

Kelly Wallace, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Now to the debate over who won the debate. Vice President Cheney was the winner in a snap poll taken by ABC News in the survey of registered voters: 43 percent said Cheney did best, compared to 35 percent for Edwards.

A poll by CBS showed just the opposite. In a survey of uncommitted voters, 41 percent thought Edwards won the debate, compared to 28 percent for Cheney; 31 percent said it was a tie.

So, did you get the answers you were looking for from the VP candidates? CNN put together our own audience to watch the debate. Our Bill Hemmer got their reaction.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: In our audience, quickly, Paul, before this debate began, you told me you wanted to hear these two men tell you what they were going to do. Did you hear that tonight?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I heard far more definitive answers than I heard from the previous debate between our presidential candidates. I still heard too much "he said, she said, you said" accusations, but there were definitive answers to specific questions.

HEMMER: Overall, I sense some satisfaction in your voice.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I didn't expect the satisfaction of their answers.

HEMMER: OK. Over here to Felicia (ph). Your big topic tonight was Iraq. Were you satisfied with what you heard tonight in that conversation?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, not really. They talked a lot about the war, but I would have liked to hear more about how and when we're pulling the troops out, not how we got there.

HEMMER: Now, Joseph, final comment here -- the whole issue of flip-flop, you were keen on that tonight. What did you hear?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Think both candidates -- vice presidential candidates missed the boat on the flip-flop issue. I think any reasonable person should take new information as it comes and incorporate it into their decision-making. If you make a decision in 2001 and ignore all that's happened since then, I think you're just being stupid.

HEMMER: Overall, two dozen people here in central Ohio, have you made up your mind who you will vote for come November 2nd? Let's see a show of hands, yes or no.

Just about half, which means you're still a bit undecided. So, therefore it takes debate number two between the presidential ticket and then possibly debate number three between George Bush and John Kerry.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And CNN's coverage of the second presidential debate will begin Friday night at 7:00 Eastern live from St. Louis.

For a lot of Americans, it is the most important story of the day. Coming up, the latest on the decision that is keeping the flu vaccine from getting to millions this year. That is coming up next.

And later, Kristin Gore joins me to talk about her new book.

CNN LIVE TODAY is coming right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Federal health officials are calling for a voluntary rationing of flu shots because of an expected shortage. British officials shut down a major supplier of flu vaccine for the U.S. because of manufacturing problems.

On CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING," a top infectious disease specialist said that available vaccines should be reserved for high-risk groups.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, NATL. INST. OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: What we were hoping is that people would comply with the issue, that if you're a healthy adult, you will in fact forestall your vaccination.

Earlier we had recommended essentially to everyone who was within the categories of possibly getting it to get the vaccine. What we're doing right now is that we're telling people to forestall that so that we can get to the people who really do need it and are of the highest risk.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: A shortage of flu vaccine is the focus of our "Daily Dose" of health news. Medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is here to talk about who should be first in line to get that vaccine. Good morning.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. Well, you and I should probably not be first in line.

KAGAN: I'm good with that.

COHEN: Young, healthy. All of that...

KAGAN: Young, young, young, young.

COHEN: Young, young, young, young. I'll keep saying that. I'll keep saying that. It sounds good.

As we just heard from Dr. Anthony Fauci, there is definitely going to be a pecking order for who gets the vaccine this year, and it's going to be worst than in other years.

Now, this is the third time since the year 2000 that there's been a shortage or a delay in the flu vaccine, but this year portends to be much worse.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over): It couldn't have happened at a worse time. Nearly half of the nation's supply of flu shots will now not be available because of fears the vaccine might have been contaminated during the production process at the Chiron Corporation. And this, just as the flu shot season was getting underway.

HOWARD PIEN, CEO, CHIRON CORPORATION: We profoundly -- and I cannot overemphasize how profoundly -- we profoundly regret that we will be unable to meet public health needs this season.

COHEN: The timing is especially bad because many expected last year's severe flu season would mean even more people lining up for shots this year.

TOMMY THOMPSON, HHS SECRETARY: This is very disappointing news that creates a serious challenge to our vaccine supply for the upcoming flu season.

COHEN: The government's strategy now? Get flu shots only to those who really need it.

THOMPSON: Our immediate focus will be on making sure that the supply of vaccine we do have reaches those who are the most vulnerable.

COHEN: The CDC says among those who should get flu shots first: children ages six to 23 months, adults over age 65, adults and children with chronic illnesses, pregnant women, and anyone who could spread the flu to those at high risk.

And health officials say everyone else should wait until those who really need the shot get them first.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(on camera): Now, there shouldn't be a problem with the pediatric vaccine -- we mentioned for kids ages six to 23 months. That's because a different company makes the pediatric vaccine, and they are not having supply problems.

KAGAN: We're talking about this so-called line -- like get in line -- and where you should go. Are flu shot police out there that are regulating who's going to get it and who isn't?

COHEN: You know what? There are no flu shot police. And so, really it's kind of an ethical decision that each person needs to make -- if you're not really old, if you're not really young, if you don't have a chronic disease, and you know in your heart, "Really, I ought to wait. I ought to not just be at the front of the line. I really ought to be at the back of the line."

But no one is going to tell you no. Chances are if you show up at, you know, your supermarket, they're offering flu shots, or your doctor's office, chances are no one's going to tell you no. It really is a sort of a self-control issue, if you will.

KAGAN: All right, based on information. Thank you so much, Elizabeth Cohen.

And your "Daily Dose" of health news is always just a click away. Log onto cnn.com/health for the latest medical news, a health library, and information on diet and fitness.

Up next, you know her family's name -- it's familiar in politics -- now she's making it on her own, making her own name at the local bookstore. Kristin Gore joins me live up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: All right. You're going to get to meet Sammy Joyce -- actually, the person who created her. She's a Senate staffer, a romantic, and a little kooky. She is a lead character in Kristin Gore's debut novel. It's called Sammy's Hill, set in the intriguing world of Washington politics. This is a place that Kristin Gore knows only too well as the daughter of former Vice President Al Gore.

Good morning. It's a pleasure to have you here with us...

KRISTIN GORE, AUTHOR, "SAMMY'S HILL": Thank you. It's great to be here.

KAGAN: ... on your massive book tour.

GORE: Right.

KAGAN: More fun to do the book tour than the whole political thing like four years ago?

GORE: Well, you know, it's really different. I definitely -- the cause was so important four years ago. And though obviously I think this cause is important, it's really -- you know, the stakes aren't as high.

So, but it is an interesting -- there's some similarities with, you know, the schedule, going to lots of different cities and getting to talk to people.

KAGAN: We were interesting in our schedule to see that we had you on the night -- the day after the vice presidential debates.

GORE: Right.

KAGAN: Did you even watch?

GORE: I wish I could have. I actually was in a bookstore in Chicago during the event last night. So, I have it on tape, and I'm going to. Although, I do know who I'm backing in this race already.

KAGAN: Really -- need I ask?

GORE: It's probably not a mystery.

KAGAN: OK. We can then just move on with our short time together here.

Let's talk about the book. News to a lot of people that a Gore is funny. This just in.

GORE: Right, I know. I guess it's funny -- I've always wanted to be a writer, and I've always done -- I've done comedy writing professionally for five years now. I understand that people didn't see my parents' sense of humor on display very much, because my dad was never running for stand-up comic or anything, you know? He was "I like my national leaders serious," so I was fine with that.

But yeah, I've been writing for a while. This is my first novel, and it's really exciting.

KAGAN: Which is a different -- you used to write for "Saturday Night Live." GORE: I guest wrote for "Saturday Night Live," yes, which was really fun, and I wrote for "Futurama" for a long time, which was great, and a couple of other sitcoms.

KAGAN: But that's in a big group.

GORE: Yes, it is.

KAGAN: That's a very different experience than sitting in the room in front of a blank computer screen.

GORE: Completely different. Yes, it is.

In a lot of ways, it was really liberating to write the novel, because for the first time it was my characters and my story. And I got to write whatever I wanted, and I loved that. But I definitely was by myself.

But it turns out I'm an excellent recluse, so that's good. I didn't miss the -- I missed the collaboration and the energy of being in a room with other people, but I loved having the control over my own story.

KAGAN: When you say it's your own story, you mean it's your own made-up story? How much from your experience in Washington fits into this novel.

GORE: Well, it's funny. I grew up -- it's completely fictional. But I, you know, grew up -- my dad was elected to Congress a couple of months before I was born. So, that place and the people are so threaded through my life automatically that there's a very deep well there to draw upon when writing fiction.

So, it was easy to make things up, but there's also a lot of inspiration that comes from my life.

KAGAN: Your heroine, Sammy Joyce, really believes in what she does.

GORE: Yes.

KAGAN: Do you think young people today are politically motivated, that there are still people out there who believe in the process and the system? Or are they jaded?

GORE: You know, I know a lot of people who are like Sammy, and I was inspired to write her based on coming across people who devoted their lives to these causes they believed in, that threw themselves into something with this sort of the passion that often isn't considered so cool these days.

You know, it is actually much more hip, it seems, to be detached or, you know, not really care. And I understand young people who are cynical about politics. But I think there's a shift now. I think people are waking up and realizing that we're in charge of our future, so we might as well have a hand in shaping it. And Sammy certainly believes that.

KAGAN: And what is in Kristin Gore's future? What next, besides the big wedding?

GORE: Yeah. Yes, I've got to work on that. I am writing the screenplay for "Sammy's Hill" now for Columbia Pictures, which is great, and working on another novel.

KAGAN: All right. Well, congratulations on that. Good luck, and thanks for stopping by.

GORE: Thank you.

KAGAN: Kristin Gore -- the book is called "Sammy's Hill."

GORE: Yes.

KAGAN: And also out of the world of entertainment, fans are remembering the comedian with the trademark one-liner today. Rodney Dangerfield died following complications from heart surgery.

On his life and his times now, here's CNN's Sean Callebs.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEAN CALLEBS (voice-over): He was a master of self-deprecating humor.

RODNEY DANGERFIELD, COMEDIAN: ... no respect at all, no respect at all.

CALLEBS: But while his onstage persona got no respect, Rodney Dangerfield, the comedian, got plenty.

Born Jacob Cohen in 1921, Dangerfield began performing as a teenager, but quit after a short stint in showbiz to raise a family. After working as a salesman, Dangerfield, at age 40, relaunched his comedy career. This time around, his image as the hapless, fidgety everyman clicked with audiences.

DANGERFIELD: Last night, she told me she wants to have sex in the backseat of the car. I drove her and that guy around all night.

CALLEBS: A Las Vegas headliner who became a fixture on television, Dangerfield soon appeared in movies, including "Caddyshack" in 1980...

DANGERFIELD: Hey, boys, how are you?

CALLEBS: ... "Back to School" in 1986...

DANGERFIELD: Hey, folks, it's on me. Shakespeare for everyone, OK?

CALLEBS: ... and "Ladybugs" in 1992. Dangerfield won a Grammy for Best Comedy Album, and even had a hit music video. (MUSIC -- RODNEY DANGERFIELD - "RAPPIN' RODNEY)

CALLEBS: While his personal life included divorce and a battle with depression, Dangerfield never seemed to slow down, entertaining audiences into his 80s.

DANGERFIELD: It's how you look at life. Without a sense of humor, I guess it's very difficult, you know? But if you look at the funny side of things, it's -- you have an edge.

CALLEBS: A comic talent who was always content being the butt of the joke.

In Atlanta, I'm Sean Callebs.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

KAGAN: All right, Rhonda. Thank you for that. Time to check in on weather. Jacqui Jeras is doing that for us. Hi, Jacqui.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: All right, Jacqui. Thank you for that.

And that is going to wrap up what has been a busy day -- a busy day for me. I will be right back with you tomorrow morning. I'm Daryn Kagan.

Wolf Blitzer takes over from Washington, D.C. Wolf, hello.

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 October 6, 2004 - 11:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Daryn Kagan in Atlanta. Let's check what's happening now in news. It is Wednesday the 6th of October.
President Bush defended his policies on terrorism and the economy today in a speech in Pennsylvania with pointed jabs at his challenger. It's his 38th trip to the battleground state as president.

Democratic Presidential Candidate John Kerry is off the campaign trail today. He's spending the day in Colorado, preparing for Friday's second debate with President Bush.

And Howard Stern is taking his morning radio show to satellite radio in 2006. He has signed a five-year multimillion dollar deal with Sirius.

Keeping you informed, CNN is the most trusted name in news.

They may be number two on their tickets, but the debate between Vice President Dick Cheney and Senator John Edwards was no sideshow. In the neck and neck race for the White House, both were looking to give their campaigns an edge.

National correspondent Kelly Wallace has some of the highlights.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLY WALLACE (voice-over): Side by side, they dueled.

DICK CHENEY (R), VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It is, indeed. You suggested that somehow...

WALLACE: Vice President Cheney accusing Senators Edwards and Kerry of letting primary politics influence their votes on Iraq.

CHENEY: So, they, in effect, decided they would cast an anti-war vote, and they voted against the troops. Now, if they couldn't stand up to the pressures that Howard Dean represented, how can we expect them to stand up to al Qaeda?

WALLACE: Edwards going after the vice president's credibility.

SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Mr. Vice President, there is no connection between the attacks of September 11th and Saddam Hussein. And you've gone around the country suggesting that there is some connection. There's not.

WALLACE: And they battled over experience.

CHENEY: Your hometown newspaper has taken to calling you "Senator Gone." You've got one of the worst attendance records in the United States Senate.

EDWARDS: The vice president and president like to talk about their experience on the campaign trail. Millions of people have lost their job. Millions have fallen into poverty. Mr. Vice President, I don't think the country can take four more years of this kind of experience.

WALLACE: It wasn't nasty, but tough -- with the exception of one gentle exchange on the subject of outlawing same-sex marriages. The vice president's daughter is openly gay.

EDWARDS: And you can't have anything but respect for the fact that they're willing to talk about the fact that they have a gay daughter, the fact that they embrace her.

CHENEY: Let me simply thank the senator for the kind words he said about my family and our daughter. I appreciate that very much.

WALLACE: The stakes were certainly high, with Cheney trying to stop the president's decline in the polls and Edwards trying to keep Kerry's sudden momentum going.

(on camera): And the days ahead will reveal which man was more successful.

Kelly Wallace, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Now to the debate over who won the debate. Vice President Cheney was the winner in a snap poll taken by ABC News in the survey of registered voters: 43 percent said Cheney did best, compared to 35 percent for Edwards.

A poll by CBS showed just the opposite. In a survey of uncommitted voters, 41 percent thought Edwards won the debate, compared to 28 percent for Cheney; 31 percent said it was a tie.

So, did you get the answers you were looking for from the VP candidates? CNN put together our own audience to watch the debate. Our Bill Hemmer got their reaction.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: In our audience, quickly, Paul, before this debate began, you told me you wanted to hear these two men tell you what they were going to do. Did you hear that tonight?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I heard far more definitive answers than I heard from the previous debate between our presidential candidates. I still heard too much "he said, she said, you said" accusations, but there were definitive answers to specific questions.

HEMMER: Overall, I sense some satisfaction in your voice.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I didn't expect the satisfaction of their answers.

HEMMER: OK. Over here to Felicia (ph). Your big topic tonight was Iraq. Were you satisfied with what you heard tonight in that conversation?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, not really. They talked a lot about the war, but I would have liked to hear more about how and when we're pulling the troops out, not how we got there.

HEMMER: Now, Joseph, final comment here -- the whole issue of flip-flop, you were keen on that tonight. What did you hear?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Think both candidates -- vice presidential candidates missed the boat on the flip-flop issue. I think any reasonable person should take new information as it comes and incorporate it into their decision-making. If you make a decision in 2001 and ignore all that's happened since then, I think you're just being stupid.

HEMMER: Overall, two dozen people here in central Ohio, have you made up your mind who you will vote for come November 2nd? Let's see a show of hands, yes or no.

Just about half, which means you're still a bit undecided. So, therefore it takes debate number two between the presidential ticket and then possibly debate number three between George Bush and John Kerry.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And CNN's coverage of the second presidential debate will begin Friday night at 7:00 Eastern live from St. Louis.

For a lot of Americans, it is the most important story of the day. Coming up, the latest on the decision that is keeping the flu vaccine from getting to millions this year. That is coming up next.

And later, Kristin Gore joins me to talk about her new book.

CNN LIVE TODAY is coming right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Federal health officials are calling for a voluntary rationing of flu shots because of an expected shortage. British officials shut down a major supplier of flu vaccine for the U.S. because of manufacturing problems.

On CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING," a top infectious disease specialist said that available vaccines should be reserved for high-risk groups.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, NATL. INST. OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: What we were hoping is that people would comply with the issue, that if you're a healthy adult, you will in fact forestall your vaccination.

Earlier we had recommended essentially to everyone who was within the categories of possibly getting it to get the vaccine. What we're doing right now is that we're telling people to forestall that so that we can get to the people who really do need it and are of the highest risk.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: A shortage of flu vaccine is the focus of our "Daily Dose" of health news. Medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is here to talk about who should be first in line to get that vaccine. Good morning.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. Well, you and I should probably not be first in line.

KAGAN: I'm good with that.

COHEN: Young, healthy. All of that...

KAGAN: Young, young, young, young.

COHEN: Young, young, young, young. I'll keep saying that. I'll keep saying that. It sounds good.

As we just heard from Dr. Anthony Fauci, there is definitely going to be a pecking order for who gets the vaccine this year, and it's going to be worst than in other years.

Now, this is the third time since the year 2000 that there's been a shortage or a delay in the flu vaccine, but this year portends to be much worse.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over): It couldn't have happened at a worse time. Nearly half of the nation's supply of flu shots will now not be available because of fears the vaccine might have been contaminated during the production process at the Chiron Corporation. And this, just as the flu shot season was getting underway.

HOWARD PIEN, CEO, CHIRON CORPORATION: We profoundly -- and I cannot overemphasize how profoundly -- we profoundly regret that we will be unable to meet public health needs this season.

COHEN: The timing is especially bad because many expected last year's severe flu season would mean even more people lining up for shots this year.

TOMMY THOMPSON, HHS SECRETARY: This is very disappointing news that creates a serious challenge to our vaccine supply for the upcoming flu season.

COHEN: The government's strategy now? Get flu shots only to those who really need it.

THOMPSON: Our immediate focus will be on making sure that the supply of vaccine we do have reaches those who are the most vulnerable.

COHEN: The CDC says among those who should get flu shots first: children ages six to 23 months, adults over age 65, adults and children with chronic illnesses, pregnant women, and anyone who could spread the flu to those at high risk.

And health officials say everyone else should wait until those who really need the shot get them first.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(on camera): Now, there shouldn't be a problem with the pediatric vaccine -- we mentioned for kids ages six to 23 months. That's because a different company makes the pediatric vaccine, and they are not having supply problems.

KAGAN: We're talking about this so-called line -- like get in line -- and where you should go. Are flu shot police out there that are regulating who's going to get it and who isn't?

COHEN: You know what? There are no flu shot police. And so, really it's kind of an ethical decision that each person needs to make -- if you're not really old, if you're not really young, if you don't have a chronic disease, and you know in your heart, "Really, I ought to wait. I ought to not just be at the front of the line. I really ought to be at the back of the line."

But no one is going to tell you no. Chances are if you show up at, you know, your supermarket, they're offering flu shots, or your doctor's office, chances are no one's going to tell you no. It really is a sort of a self-control issue, if you will.

KAGAN: All right, based on information. Thank you so much, Elizabeth Cohen.

And your "Daily Dose" of health news is always just a click away. Log onto cnn.com/health for the latest medical news, a health library, and information on diet and fitness.

Up next, you know her family's name -- it's familiar in politics -- now she's making it on her own, making her own name at the local bookstore. Kristin Gore joins me live up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: All right. You're going to get to meet Sammy Joyce -- actually, the person who created her. She's a Senate staffer, a romantic, and a little kooky. She is a lead character in Kristin Gore's debut novel. It's called Sammy's Hill, set in the intriguing world of Washington politics. This is a place that Kristin Gore knows only too well as the daughter of former Vice President Al Gore.

Good morning. It's a pleasure to have you here with us...

KRISTIN GORE, AUTHOR, "SAMMY'S HILL": Thank you. It's great to be here.

KAGAN: ... on your massive book tour.

GORE: Right.

KAGAN: More fun to do the book tour than the whole political thing like four years ago?

GORE: Well, you know, it's really different. I definitely -- the cause was so important four years ago. And though obviously I think this cause is important, it's really -- you know, the stakes aren't as high.

So, but it is an interesting -- there's some similarities with, you know, the schedule, going to lots of different cities and getting to talk to people.

KAGAN: We were interesting in our schedule to see that we had you on the night -- the day after the vice presidential debates.

GORE: Right.

KAGAN: Did you even watch?

GORE: I wish I could have. I actually was in a bookstore in Chicago during the event last night. So, I have it on tape, and I'm going to. Although, I do know who I'm backing in this race already.

KAGAN: Really -- need I ask?

GORE: It's probably not a mystery.

KAGAN: OK. We can then just move on with our short time together here.

Let's talk about the book. News to a lot of people that a Gore is funny. This just in.

GORE: Right, I know. I guess it's funny -- I've always wanted to be a writer, and I've always done -- I've done comedy writing professionally for five years now. I understand that people didn't see my parents' sense of humor on display very much, because my dad was never running for stand-up comic or anything, you know? He was "I like my national leaders serious," so I was fine with that.

But yeah, I've been writing for a while. This is my first novel, and it's really exciting.

KAGAN: Which is a different -- you used to write for "Saturday Night Live." GORE: I guest wrote for "Saturday Night Live," yes, which was really fun, and I wrote for "Futurama" for a long time, which was great, and a couple of other sitcoms.

KAGAN: But that's in a big group.

GORE: Yes, it is.

KAGAN: That's a very different experience than sitting in the room in front of a blank computer screen.

GORE: Completely different. Yes, it is.

In a lot of ways, it was really liberating to write the novel, because for the first time it was my characters and my story. And I got to write whatever I wanted, and I loved that. But I definitely was by myself.

But it turns out I'm an excellent recluse, so that's good. I didn't miss the -- I missed the collaboration and the energy of being in a room with other people, but I loved having the control over my own story.

KAGAN: When you say it's your own story, you mean it's your own made-up story? How much from your experience in Washington fits into this novel.

GORE: Well, it's funny. I grew up -- it's completely fictional. But I, you know, grew up -- my dad was elected to Congress a couple of months before I was born. So, that place and the people are so threaded through my life automatically that there's a very deep well there to draw upon when writing fiction.

So, it was easy to make things up, but there's also a lot of inspiration that comes from my life.

KAGAN: Your heroine, Sammy Joyce, really believes in what she does.

GORE: Yes.

KAGAN: Do you think young people today are politically motivated, that there are still people out there who believe in the process and the system? Or are they jaded?

GORE: You know, I know a lot of people who are like Sammy, and I was inspired to write her based on coming across people who devoted their lives to these causes they believed in, that threw themselves into something with this sort of the passion that often isn't considered so cool these days.

You know, it is actually much more hip, it seems, to be detached or, you know, not really care. And I understand young people who are cynical about politics. But I think there's a shift now. I think people are waking up and realizing that we're in charge of our future, so we might as well have a hand in shaping it. And Sammy certainly believes that.

KAGAN: And what is in Kristin Gore's future? What next, besides the big wedding?

GORE: Yeah. Yes, I've got to work on that. I am writing the screenplay for "Sammy's Hill" now for Columbia Pictures, which is great, and working on another novel.

KAGAN: All right. Well, congratulations on that. Good luck, and thanks for stopping by.

GORE: Thank you.

KAGAN: Kristin Gore -- the book is called "Sammy's Hill."

GORE: Yes.

KAGAN: And also out of the world of entertainment, fans are remembering the comedian with the trademark one-liner today. Rodney Dangerfield died following complications from heart surgery.

On his life and his times now, here's CNN's Sean Callebs.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEAN CALLEBS (voice-over): He was a master of self-deprecating humor.

RODNEY DANGERFIELD, COMEDIAN: ... no respect at all, no respect at all.

CALLEBS: But while his onstage persona got no respect, Rodney Dangerfield, the comedian, got plenty.

Born Jacob Cohen in 1921, Dangerfield began performing as a teenager, but quit after a short stint in showbiz to raise a family. After working as a salesman, Dangerfield, at age 40, relaunched his comedy career. This time around, his image as the hapless, fidgety everyman clicked with audiences.

DANGERFIELD: Last night, she told me she wants to have sex in the backseat of the car. I drove her and that guy around all night.

CALLEBS: A Las Vegas headliner who became a fixture on television, Dangerfield soon appeared in movies, including "Caddyshack" in 1980...

DANGERFIELD: Hey, boys, how are you?

CALLEBS: ... "Back to School" in 1986...

DANGERFIELD: Hey, folks, it's on me. Shakespeare for everyone, OK?

CALLEBS: ... and "Ladybugs" in 1992. Dangerfield won a Grammy for Best Comedy Album, and even had a hit music video. (MUSIC -- RODNEY DANGERFIELD - "RAPPIN' RODNEY)

CALLEBS: While his personal life included divorce and a battle with depression, Dangerfield never seemed to slow down, entertaining audiences into his 80s.

DANGERFIELD: It's how you look at life. Without a sense of humor, I guess it's very difficult, you know? But if you look at the funny side of things, it's -- you have an edge.

CALLEBS: A comic talent who was always content being the butt of the joke.

In Atlanta, I'm Sean Callebs.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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KAGAN: All right, Rhonda. Thank you for that. Time to check in on weather. Jacqui Jeras is doing that for us. Hi, Jacqui.

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KAGAN: All right, Jacqui. Thank you for that.

And that is going to wrap up what has been a busy day -- a busy day for me. I will be right back with you tomorrow morning. I'm Daryn Kagan.

Wolf Blitzer takes over from Washington, D.C. Wolf, hello.

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