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American Morning

Watching Holiday Shoppers; WHO: Bird Flu Pandemic to Sweep Globe; The Toure Experience

Aired November 26, 2004 - 08:30   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.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: It's just half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING. In a few minutes...
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: And what a morning it's been.

WOMAN: We've been in Wal-Mart for a good bit of this morning. That's why I'm so disconnected to things. Frankly, Wal-Mart would be scary on Black Friday. That's where David Mattingly is. He is in a Wal-Mart in Georgia. He's watching the holiday shopping. They got off to a bang at about 4:30 Eastern Time. We'll see if shoppers are still jamming the aisles or if they're already worn out somehow. I don't think they're tired.

MAN: He's protected, wearing a suit of armor. You need it.

Also the World Health Organization is warning that as many as 7 million people could be killed in a bird flu pandemic that could sweep the globe. They say billions of people could fall ill with the disease. That's why it's so important. Sanjay will tell us about the warning and how and who -- pardon me, how they say it arrived when it did.

Let's get another check on the headlines with the Tony Harris, the Tony Harris, but just Tony Harris at the CNN Center in Atlanta, bringing us up to date on things. Tell me what you got.

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: You're right, Rick. The Tony Harris. Now in the news, good morning, everyone, we're learning more details of an attack in Baghdad. Four workers of a British security firm were killed and more than a dozen others injured in a so-called Green Zone. The attack took place yesterday. The four were described to be of Nepalese origin.

New attempts to end the political crisis in Ukraine. European envoys are set to mediate talks this morning between government and opposition leaders. Thousands of opposition supporters had been demonstrating against what they say are rigged elections. The country's supreme court has put election results on hold, a final decision could come on Monday.

And we can learn by next week whether more doses of flu vaccine will become available here in the U.S. According to "USA Today" the Food & Drug Administration is trying to determine whether at least 5 million flu shots can be imported from Europe and Canada to boost supplies here in the States. So far, health officials have been urging only those most at risk to get the flu shot because of the shortage. 8:32. Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: Good morning, Tony. Thank you so much. It's the day many stores have been waiting for. Across the country holiday shoppers are out in full force this morning, to take advantage of great prices on this season's gifts. David Mattingly is inside a Wal- Mart in Alpharetta, Georgia. Good morning, David.

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. The early morning rush rushed into this store and has since rushed off to other stores to take advantage of other deals they might find elsewhere. Here's the video of what happened this morning. The line started forming about 4:00 this morning. At 6:00, the store personnel unwrapped the specially marked items and then put the rope down. It was every shopper for himself. People here were telling us that it's all about savings, taking advantage of lower priced items retailers have early in the morning and say it's also become something of a tradition for them, enough for them to get up early year after year.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Every year, I get up and I come out to shop. This is the best place to shop, best bargains.

MATTINGLY: Why?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wal-Mart just beats everybody's prices.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I knew I was coming. We got up around 3:30 and made it here around 4:30. I'm glad we did seeing how long this line is. So I'm make the front of the line. That helps a lot.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Last year, I was way out in the parking lot in line. This year, I'm up front. You either have to come real early to get up front or you have to stand in line and wait until a lot of it's picked over because it goes fast.

MATTINGLY: It does go fast. Some of the items disappeared in the first 12 minutes. We have a shopping cart to show you the big hot toys this year. Here's one, a very familiar item, Spiderman Web Blaster, it blasts out webbing, waters and missiles. So I sense some early morning Christmas disasters coming on under the Christmas tree this year.

Also something very familiar from last year. Girls night out. Part of the Brats collection for the girls. Another familiar face, Elmo. Another Elmo item very hot this year. Something making a comeback this year. You might remember this from a few years ago, Cabbage Patch Kids are expected to make a comeback this year.

One big item and I mean big, this is something the dads will fighting for some play time over on Christmas morning, a remote control Escalade. So Carol, something a little bit here for everybody to play with under the tree.

COSTELLO: I can't believe Cabbage Patch dolls are back, the ugliest dolls ever made!

MATTINGLY: They were awfully popular about 10, 15 years ago and they're expecting them to make a comeback this time. You have to admit, though, they were awfully cuddly when they were around the first time.

COSTELLO: I know you have a bunch. Live from Alpharetta, Georgia. Thank you.

Every Friday at this time we tune to our give me a minute gang for their take on the week's big stories. With us now from Washington, Republican consultant Tara Setmayer. From Boston, Democratic consultant Doug Hardaway (ph) and with us here Andy Borowitz, master and commander at Borowitz Report.com. Master and commander. I'm cracking up this morning. Let's run down our list of topics. Falluja. There's a chemical lab found in Falluja. But do WMDs really matter politically anymore? Let's start with you, Tara?

TARA STEMAYER, REPUBLICAN CONSULTANT: Of course they do. It just adds credibility to the Bush administration's position. And I think that with patience, as we can see now we're finding that there are these chemical weapons caches and more and more discoveries will be found. So I think it is still politically important.

COSTELLO: Doug.

DOUG HARDAWAY: I saw the pictures of this chemical lab on the Internet. It was a bunch of brown bottles that looked like the inside of my grandmother's medicine cabinet. The administration has changed its story on WMD in Iraq so many times that it was not relevant to more than 50 percent of people voting November 2, I don't think it's relevant now.

COSTELLO: Andy.

ANDY BOROWITZ, BOROWITZREPORT.COM: This looks like it was major bomb-making factory. They also found the screenplay of the film "Alexander" there.

COSTELLO: Thank you, master and commander. Let's move on to Dan Rather. We're going to get a last word on him this morning. Will his retirement change the face of news, Doug?

HARDAWAY: Well, I think he set a new standard of broadcast journalism for saying the most insane things on air without getting hauled off in a straitjacket. When I was Al Gore's spokesman in 2000, very close election, obviously, he asked my boss Bill Daly if his fingernails were sweating. I don't think we're going to see anything like that again.

COSTELLO: Tara.

SETMAYER: Dan Rather participated in one of the most perverse stories against the president and he was complicit in a journalistic black eye. I think I'm glad to see him go and some fresh blood needs to be instituted at CBS and I think it will be a welcome introduction whoever that person may be.

COSTELLO: Andy. BOROWITZ: Well, this just in, Carol, Dan Rather is not resigning. He said his information was based on false information.

COSTELLO: Thank you, master and commander. Let's move on to the latest Martha Stewart appeal. It looks like she will remain in jail at Camp Cupcake through the Christmas holiday. What do you think, Tara?

SETMAYER: This is absurd. I think Martha Stewart represents what everyone can't stand about elitist snobs. Even in jail it carries over. We're worrying about her smuggling in spices and having butter. It's ridiculous and I think it just speaks for our society that is obsessed with the elite. And we need -- enough with Martha Stewart. Let her serve her time.

COSTELLO: Doug, say it ain't so.

HARDAWAY: It brought a tear to my eye yesterday on Thanksgiving to think of Martha on her favorite holiday being served her turkey dinner on an aluminum tray. I think that was sad. It was very Martha to put out a statement from prison saying she was fit and healthy.

COSTELLO: She did indeed. Andy, I just can't wait to hear what you have to say about this?

BOROWITZ: The good news for Martha is the prison is actually safer than an NBA game right now.

COSTELLO: That is true, sadly enough. Tara, Doug, Andy, thank you -- Rick.

SANCHEZ: Somehow, I can't see Martha at an NBA game. But maybe it's happened. Let's check back on the weather now. Chad Myers, who has gone, I am positive, to several Atlanta Hawks games is joining us now from the CNN Center with the very latest forecast. You can literally walk there, right?

(WEATHER REPORT)

SANCHEZ: Hordes of holiday revelers came out yesterday for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. You remember. We were telling you about it yesterday right here. What we didn't tell you about was a scuffle in the stands. Here's David Letterman's take.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, "THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN": There's always trouble at the parade and this year, I don't know if you saw this, but some jerk throws a beer and Santa went into the stands and punched the guy. Boy, I hate to see that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Didn't know about that, did you?

COSTELLO: Didn't know. But in light of what happened at that basketball game, there will be many jokes to come about many things associated with that.

SANCHEZ: A great line.

Still to come on AMERICAN MORNING, searching for new investment strategy. You may not need to look any further than your desk calendar.

COSTELLO: Hopefully so. Plus preparing for a flu pandemic. The World Health Organization says it's not a matter of if, but when will what will happen. Stay with us on this AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING. The World Health Organization is urging countries around the world to prepare for a flu pandemic because they predict it will happen. We're paging Dr. Gupta on this, this morning. Sanjay, try and make us understand what this all means.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Rick. A lot of people are on high alert but not alarm. Regarding some cases they've talked about bird flu in Asia specifically. That's been what's go some World Health Organization officials concerned. Starting to see some cases in Asia. Maybe even a case of human to human transmission. Some dire warnings from the World Health Organization. This is how they put it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. KLAUS STOHR, GLOBAL INFLUENZA PROGRAM: Even with the best case scenario, it's the most optimistic scenarios, the pandemic will cause a public health emergency. There are estimates which would put the number of death in the range of between 2 to 7 millions. The number of people affected would go beyond the billions because between 25 percent and 30 percent will fall ill.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GUPTA: Now you talk about pandemics. Those numbers obviously sound pretty alarming. What a pandemic is, contextualizing this, is when a new strain of a virus appears in a community for which we have no immunity against. In previous years, even like hundreds of years ago, they started to see evidence of pandemics, one of the biggest flu outbreaks that we remember in recorded history, 1918, about 20 million people they imagine may have died from that. It could have been higher, not very good tracking records. 1957, 39 years later, 1 to 4 million people died from a flu outbreak. 1968, 11 years after that, 1 to 4 million more.

People say it's been 36 years since the last big flu pandemic. We may be due for another one which is why so many people are on high alert, specifically concerned about something known as the H-5-N-1 virus. This is the bird flu we're talking about here. Hundreds of millions of birds have either died or had to have been killed because of this virus. Dozens of people have been affected and there maybe one case of human to human transmission. A lot of people paying attention to this right now. Again, not alarm but high alert, Rick.

SANCHEZ: Usually it starts in that province in China down in the southeast part, right? Very far away from us, Sanjay. What are the chances that it could affect us? What are we doing to make sure it doesn't?

GUPTA: Things have changed a lot since one of the first recorded flu pandemics. One of the big things is global travel. People move around the world faster and further than ever before. So that really changes the equation in terms of transmitting these viruses over. So the fact that it's in China and not here in the United States, that's not what people are really focused on. Instead people are focusing on it could come here. Let's build the vaccine. In fact, two companies, interestingly the same companies that make the flu vaccine, Aventis and Chiron. Rick, you and I have talked about Chiron. They are the ones that fell short on the flu vaccine this year. They're working on the flu vaccine for this bird flu vaccine as well. As early as spring of next year they hope to be in clinical trials, Rick.

SANCHEZ: Generally speaking, as far as flus are concerned here in the United States, it's been pretty good so far, right? No major reports anywhere in the country?

GUPTA: That's right. A lot of concern. You and I talked about this a lot when the flu vaccine shortage started to crop up. But as far as flu activity this year, it's actually been a pretty good year. You can see the map there. Alaska, that's way off to the left. New York and Delaware, those are the states that are reporting some regional widespread activity. But besides that, a pretty slow year. Of course it's not until January typically that you see your peaks but so far it doesn't look like it's going to be that bad, Rick.

SANCHEZ: Good to report that. Sanjay Gupta, bringing us the latest. Sanjay makes a house call this weekend as a matter of fact, to examine the new face of HIV and AIDS. That's Saturday and Sunday at 8:30 a.m. Eastern, 5:30 a.m. Pacific.

COSTELLO: Talk about the health of your bank account, shall we? Some say we're getting to the best time of year to invest in the markets. Gerri Willis is in for Andy Serwer this morning. She is minding your business. So is this really a good time?

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

SANCHEZ: Still to come, let it be Lennon. The latest offering from John Lennon, topping the Toure experience. That's next. Stay with us here on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: I can't believe it, this argument we've been having. Take it away, Carol.

COSTELLO: We're here for the Toure experience. I'm telling you, Toure, hip-hop is dead. TOURE, JOURNALIST: Read what's on the prompter. What did it say? Bill, Jack, and Soledad are off. Toure is the only one who loves this. That's what she's supposed to say.

(CROSSTALK)

TOURE: When you really, really love a song, it gets in deeper than your conscious processing. There's three levels of musical greatness. Level three, involuntary head nodding great. Like your song comes on you can't help but start nodding your head. Level two, uncontrollable dancing great. We've all been there. You jump out your seat, can't help yourself. The top level, face crinkling great. This doesn't come along every day, I'm talking about when the song comes on, you go ooh, like that. I have three new face crinkling great albums to tell you about. First off, John Lennon has got a new acoustic album. Let's listen a little.

I love that song. It's a crazy little quirky song. It's very pro-Irish when you get to the end of the song. Yoko Ono pulled this together with stuff from the archives. There are seven previously unheard songs and Yoko sings a little which is kind of frightening. But we are not going to hold that against John. He's not here to defend her anymore.

The next, Eminem's new album "Encore" is great. Already sold more than 1 1/2 million copies because it's more of the twisted virtuoso being his obnoxious and brilliant self. Now I love Eminem so much. But at a certain level he's artifice.

COSTELLO: No!

TOURE: Easy, Carol.

Nas is an artist in the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) sense of the word. And "Street Disciple" his new double album is the best hip-hop album in years, a career achievement full of face crinkling greatness.

Yes! We have hip-hop on CNN. The whole album is a tribute to old school hip-hop. Very modern at the same time. At the end of the day, hip-hop is all about black male massive confidence and Nas communicates that better than anybody. It's been a long year, people. Nas will get you through the winter. Once upon a time there was no hip-hop on CNN. But there's a new sheriff in town, kids.

SANCHEZ: We have hip-hop on CNN.

TOURE: I love it!

SANCHEZ: We've achieved hip-hop.

COSTELLO: Answer me one thing.

SANCHEZ: An exciting moment by the way.

COSTELLO: Does Nas denigrate women anywhere on this CD?

TOURE: No, he doesn't. And actually his fiancee Kelis is on there. There's a whole song about getting married.

COSTELLO: Kelis, the "Milkshake" woman?

TOURE: Yes. They're getting married. She's got a gigantic ring. And the whole song about getting married and looking forward to that and the women he's had in the past. He's left that behind.

COSTELLO: That ain't hip-hop.

SANCHEZ: Does he have any lines that say something like her name was Lola, she was a show girl.

TOURE: No, but I'll tell you, he takes on Condoleeza Rice. And there's some stuff really battling against her, really nasty stuff.

SANCHEZ: Politically?

TOURE: Politically. Yes.

COSTELLO: Maybe I'll listen to Nas.

TOURE: We're easing CNN slowly into the hip-hop world.

SANCHEZ: Great Nasing (ph) going on here. Don't worry about it. Thanks, Toure. To bring us that excitement, if nothing else.

COSTELLO: In a moment, we're going to have today's top stories. Will it be a green holiday season for retailers? Live to Macy's Department Store as the Christmas rush begins.

I'll by you a Nas -- oh, you already have one.

SANCHEZ: Stay right there. This is AMERICAN MORNING with a little hip-hop.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired November 26, 2004 - 08:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: It's just half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING. In a few minutes...
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: And what a morning it's been.

WOMAN: We've been in Wal-Mart for a good bit of this morning. That's why I'm so disconnected to things. Frankly, Wal-Mart would be scary on Black Friday. That's where David Mattingly is. He is in a Wal-Mart in Georgia. He's watching the holiday shopping. They got off to a bang at about 4:30 Eastern Time. We'll see if shoppers are still jamming the aisles or if they're already worn out somehow. I don't think they're tired.

MAN: He's protected, wearing a suit of armor. You need it.

Also the World Health Organization is warning that as many as 7 million people could be killed in a bird flu pandemic that could sweep the globe. They say billions of people could fall ill with the disease. That's why it's so important. Sanjay will tell us about the warning and how and who -- pardon me, how they say it arrived when it did.

Let's get another check on the headlines with the Tony Harris, the Tony Harris, but just Tony Harris at the CNN Center in Atlanta, bringing us up to date on things. Tell me what you got.

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: You're right, Rick. The Tony Harris. Now in the news, good morning, everyone, we're learning more details of an attack in Baghdad. Four workers of a British security firm were killed and more than a dozen others injured in a so-called Green Zone. The attack took place yesterday. The four were described to be of Nepalese origin.

New attempts to end the political crisis in Ukraine. European envoys are set to mediate talks this morning between government and opposition leaders. Thousands of opposition supporters had been demonstrating against what they say are rigged elections. The country's supreme court has put election results on hold, a final decision could come on Monday.

And we can learn by next week whether more doses of flu vaccine will become available here in the U.S. According to "USA Today" the Food & Drug Administration is trying to determine whether at least 5 million flu shots can be imported from Europe and Canada to boost supplies here in the States. So far, health officials have been urging only those most at risk to get the flu shot because of the shortage. 8:32. Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: Good morning, Tony. Thank you so much. It's the day many stores have been waiting for. Across the country holiday shoppers are out in full force this morning, to take advantage of great prices on this season's gifts. David Mattingly is inside a Wal- Mart in Alpharetta, Georgia. Good morning, David.

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. The early morning rush rushed into this store and has since rushed off to other stores to take advantage of other deals they might find elsewhere. Here's the video of what happened this morning. The line started forming about 4:00 this morning. At 6:00, the store personnel unwrapped the specially marked items and then put the rope down. It was every shopper for himself. People here were telling us that it's all about savings, taking advantage of lower priced items retailers have early in the morning and say it's also become something of a tradition for them, enough for them to get up early year after year.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Every year, I get up and I come out to shop. This is the best place to shop, best bargains.

MATTINGLY: Why?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wal-Mart just beats everybody's prices.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I knew I was coming. We got up around 3:30 and made it here around 4:30. I'm glad we did seeing how long this line is. So I'm make the front of the line. That helps a lot.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Last year, I was way out in the parking lot in line. This year, I'm up front. You either have to come real early to get up front or you have to stand in line and wait until a lot of it's picked over because it goes fast.

MATTINGLY: It does go fast. Some of the items disappeared in the first 12 minutes. We have a shopping cart to show you the big hot toys this year. Here's one, a very familiar item, Spiderman Web Blaster, it blasts out webbing, waters and missiles. So I sense some early morning Christmas disasters coming on under the Christmas tree this year.

Also something very familiar from last year. Girls night out. Part of the Brats collection for the girls. Another familiar face, Elmo. Another Elmo item very hot this year. Something making a comeback this year. You might remember this from a few years ago, Cabbage Patch Kids are expected to make a comeback this year.

One big item and I mean big, this is something the dads will fighting for some play time over on Christmas morning, a remote control Escalade. So Carol, something a little bit here for everybody to play with under the tree.

COSTELLO: I can't believe Cabbage Patch dolls are back, the ugliest dolls ever made!

MATTINGLY: They were awfully popular about 10, 15 years ago and they're expecting them to make a comeback this time. You have to admit, though, they were awfully cuddly when they were around the first time.

COSTELLO: I know you have a bunch. Live from Alpharetta, Georgia. Thank you.

Every Friday at this time we tune to our give me a minute gang for their take on the week's big stories. With us now from Washington, Republican consultant Tara Setmayer. From Boston, Democratic consultant Doug Hardaway (ph) and with us here Andy Borowitz, master and commander at Borowitz Report.com. Master and commander. I'm cracking up this morning. Let's run down our list of topics. Falluja. There's a chemical lab found in Falluja. But do WMDs really matter politically anymore? Let's start with you, Tara?

TARA STEMAYER, REPUBLICAN CONSULTANT: Of course they do. It just adds credibility to the Bush administration's position. And I think that with patience, as we can see now we're finding that there are these chemical weapons caches and more and more discoveries will be found. So I think it is still politically important.

COSTELLO: Doug.

DOUG HARDAWAY: I saw the pictures of this chemical lab on the Internet. It was a bunch of brown bottles that looked like the inside of my grandmother's medicine cabinet. The administration has changed its story on WMD in Iraq so many times that it was not relevant to more than 50 percent of people voting November 2, I don't think it's relevant now.

COSTELLO: Andy.

ANDY BOROWITZ, BOROWITZREPORT.COM: This looks like it was major bomb-making factory. They also found the screenplay of the film "Alexander" there.

COSTELLO: Thank you, master and commander. Let's move on to Dan Rather. We're going to get a last word on him this morning. Will his retirement change the face of news, Doug?

HARDAWAY: Well, I think he set a new standard of broadcast journalism for saying the most insane things on air without getting hauled off in a straitjacket. When I was Al Gore's spokesman in 2000, very close election, obviously, he asked my boss Bill Daly if his fingernails were sweating. I don't think we're going to see anything like that again.

COSTELLO: Tara.

SETMAYER: Dan Rather participated in one of the most perverse stories against the president and he was complicit in a journalistic black eye. I think I'm glad to see him go and some fresh blood needs to be instituted at CBS and I think it will be a welcome introduction whoever that person may be.

COSTELLO: Andy. BOROWITZ: Well, this just in, Carol, Dan Rather is not resigning. He said his information was based on false information.

COSTELLO: Thank you, master and commander. Let's move on to the latest Martha Stewart appeal. It looks like she will remain in jail at Camp Cupcake through the Christmas holiday. What do you think, Tara?

SETMAYER: This is absurd. I think Martha Stewart represents what everyone can't stand about elitist snobs. Even in jail it carries over. We're worrying about her smuggling in spices and having butter. It's ridiculous and I think it just speaks for our society that is obsessed with the elite. And we need -- enough with Martha Stewart. Let her serve her time.

COSTELLO: Doug, say it ain't so.

HARDAWAY: It brought a tear to my eye yesterday on Thanksgiving to think of Martha on her favorite holiday being served her turkey dinner on an aluminum tray. I think that was sad. It was very Martha to put out a statement from prison saying she was fit and healthy.

COSTELLO: She did indeed. Andy, I just can't wait to hear what you have to say about this?

BOROWITZ: The good news for Martha is the prison is actually safer than an NBA game right now.

COSTELLO: That is true, sadly enough. Tara, Doug, Andy, thank you -- Rick.

SANCHEZ: Somehow, I can't see Martha at an NBA game. But maybe it's happened. Let's check back on the weather now. Chad Myers, who has gone, I am positive, to several Atlanta Hawks games is joining us now from the CNN Center with the very latest forecast. You can literally walk there, right?

(WEATHER REPORT)

SANCHEZ: Hordes of holiday revelers came out yesterday for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. You remember. We were telling you about it yesterday right here. What we didn't tell you about was a scuffle in the stands. Here's David Letterman's take.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, "THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN": There's always trouble at the parade and this year, I don't know if you saw this, but some jerk throws a beer and Santa went into the stands and punched the guy. Boy, I hate to see that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Didn't know about that, did you?

COSTELLO: Didn't know. But in light of what happened at that basketball game, there will be many jokes to come about many things associated with that.

SANCHEZ: A great line.

Still to come on AMERICAN MORNING, searching for new investment strategy. You may not need to look any further than your desk calendar.

COSTELLO: Hopefully so. Plus preparing for a flu pandemic. The World Health Organization says it's not a matter of if, but when will what will happen. Stay with us on this AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING. The World Health Organization is urging countries around the world to prepare for a flu pandemic because they predict it will happen. We're paging Dr. Gupta on this, this morning. Sanjay, try and make us understand what this all means.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Rick. A lot of people are on high alert but not alarm. Regarding some cases they've talked about bird flu in Asia specifically. That's been what's go some World Health Organization officials concerned. Starting to see some cases in Asia. Maybe even a case of human to human transmission. Some dire warnings from the World Health Organization. This is how they put it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. KLAUS STOHR, GLOBAL INFLUENZA PROGRAM: Even with the best case scenario, it's the most optimistic scenarios, the pandemic will cause a public health emergency. There are estimates which would put the number of death in the range of between 2 to 7 millions. The number of people affected would go beyond the billions because between 25 percent and 30 percent will fall ill.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GUPTA: Now you talk about pandemics. Those numbers obviously sound pretty alarming. What a pandemic is, contextualizing this, is when a new strain of a virus appears in a community for which we have no immunity against. In previous years, even like hundreds of years ago, they started to see evidence of pandemics, one of the biggest flu outbreaks that we remember in recorded history, 1918, about 20 million people they imagine may have died from that. It could have been higher, not very good tracking records. 1957, 39 years later, 1 to 4 million people died from a flu outbreak. 1968, 11 years after that, 1 to 4 million more.

People say it's been 36 years since the last big flu pandemic. We may be due for another one which is why so many people are on high alert, specifically concerned about something known as the H-5-N-1 virus. This is the bird flu we're talking about here. Hundreds of millions of birds have either died or had to have been killed because of this virus. Dozens of people have been affected and there maybe one case of human to human transmission. A lot of people paying attention to this right now. Again, not alarm but high alert, Rick.

SANCHEZ: Usually it starts in that province in China down in the southeast part, right? Very far away from us, Sanjay. What are the chances that it could affect us? What are we doing to make sure it doesn't?

GUPTA: Things have changed a lot since one of the first recorded flu pandemics. One of the big things is global travel. People move around the world faster and further than ever before. So that really changes the equation in terms of transmitting these viruses over. So the fact that it's in China and not here in the United States, that's not what people are really focused on. Instead people are focusing on it could come here. Let's build the vaccine. In fact, two companies, interestingly the same companies that make the flu vaccine, Aventis and Chiron. Rick, you and I have talked about Chiron. They are the ones that fell short on the flu vaccine this year. They're working on the flu vaccine for this bird flu vaccine as well. As early as spring of next year they hope to be in clinical trials, Rick.

SANCHEZ: Generally speaking, as far as flus are concerned here in the United States, it's been pretty good so far, right? No major reports anywhere in the country?

GUPTA: That's right. A lot of concern. You and I talked about this a lot when the flu vaccine shortage started to crop up. But as far as flu activity this year, it's actually been a pretty good year. You can see the map there. Alaska, that's way off to the left. New York and Delaware, those are the states that are reporting some regional widespread activity. But besides that, a pretty slow year. Of course it's not until January typically that you see your peaks but so far it doesn't look like it's going to be that bad, Rick.

SANCHEZ: Good to report that. Sanjay Gupta, bringing us the latest. Sanjay makes a house call this weekend as a matter of fact, to examine the new face of HIV and AIDS. That's Saturday and Sunday at 8:30 a.m. Eastern, 5:30 a.m. Pacific.

COSTELLO: Talk about the health of your bank account, shall we? Some say we're getting to the best time of year to invest in the markets. Gerri Willis is in for Andy Serwer this morning. She is minding your business. So is this really a good time?

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

SANCHEZ: Still to come, let it be Lennon. The latest offering from John Lennon, topping the Toure experience. That's next. Stay with us here on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: I can't believe it, this argument we've been having. Take it away, Carol.

COSTELLO: We're here for the Toure experience. I'm telling you, Toure, hip-hop is dead. TOURE, JOURNALIST: Read what's on the prompter. What did it say? Bill, Jack, and Soledad are off. Toure is the only one who loves this. That's what she's supposed to say.

(CROSSTALK)

TOURE: When you really, really love a song, it gets in deeper than your conscious processing. There's three levels of musical greatness. Level three, involuntary head nodding great. Like your song comes on you can't help but start nodding your head. Level two, uncontrollable dancing great. We've all been there. You jump out your seat, can't help yourself. The top level, face crinkling great. This doesn't come along every day, I'm talking about when the song comes on, you go ooh, like that. I have three new face crinkling great albums to tell you about. First off, John Lennon has got a new acoustic album. Let's listen a little.

I love that song. It's a crazy little quirky song. It's very pro-Irish when you get to the end of the song. Yoko Ono pulled this together with stuff from the archives. There are seven previously unheard songs and Yoko sings a little which is kind of frightening. But we are not going to hold that against John. He's not here to defend her anymore.

The next, Eminem's new album "Encore" is great. Already sold more than 1 1/2 million copies because it's more of the twisted virtuoso being his obnoxious and brilliant self. Now I love Eminem so much. But at a certain level he's artifice.

COSTELLO: No!

TOURE: Easy, Carol.

Nas is an artist in the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) sense of the word. And "Street Disciple" his new double album is the best hip-hop album in years, a career achievement full of face crinkling greatness.

Yes! We have hip-hop on CNN. The whole album is a tribute to old school hip-hop. Very modern at the same time. At the end of the day, hip-hop is all about black male massive confidence and Nas communicates that better than anybody. It's been a long year, people. Nas will get you through the winter. Once upon a time there was no hip-hop on CNN. But there's a new sheriff in town, kids.

SANCHEZ: We have hip-hop on CNN.

TOURE: I love it!

SANCHEZ: We've achieved hip-hop.

COSTELLO: Answer me one thing.

SANCHEZ: An exciting moment by the way.

COSTELLO: Does Nas denigrate women anywhere on this CD?

TOURE: No, he doesn't. And actually his fiancee Kelis is on there. There's a whole song about getting married.

COSTELLO: Kelis, the "Milkshake" woman?

TOURE: Yes. They're getting married. She's got a gigantic ring. And the whole song about getting married and looking forward to that and the women he's had in the past. He's left that behind.

COSTELLO: That ain't hip-hop.

SANCHEZ: Does he have any lines that say something like her name was Lola, she was a show girl.

TOURE: No, but I'll tell you, he takes on Condoleeza Rice. And there's some stuff really battling against her, really nasty stuff.

SANCHEZ: Politically?

TOURE: Politically. Yes.

COSTELLO: Maybe I'll listen to Nas.

TOURE: We're easing CNN slowly into the hip-hop world.

SANCHEZ: Great Nasing (ph) going on here. Don't worry about it. Thanks, Toure. To bring us that excitement, if nothing else.

COSTELLO: In a moment, we're going to have today's top stories. Will it be a green holiday season for retailers? Live to Macy's Department Store as the Christmas rush begins.

I'll by you a Nas -- oh, you already have one.

SANCHEZ: Stay right there. This is AMERICAN MORNING with a little hip-hop.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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