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CNN Sunday Morning

Insurgents Kill 21 in Ramadi; Arafat Supporters Keep Vigil Outside Hospital

Aired November 07, 2004 - 07:00 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.

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: From the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. It is November 7th, 7:00 a.m. here in the East, 3:00 p.m. in Falluja. And good morning, everyone. I'm Tony Harris.

NGUYEN: And I'm Betty Nguyen. Thanks so much for being with us this morning.

Insurgents are attacking police stations this morning around the Iraqi city of Ramadi, killing 21 people, some of them police officers. Nearby at Falluja, U.S. Marines surrounding the city say they have killed dozens of insurgents, but the survivors are reported digging in to face a major U.S. and Iraqi onslaught. We head live to Iraq for the latest in just two minutes.

Meanwhile, supporters of Yasser Arafat keep vigil outside the Paris hospital, where reports on his condition are still conflicting and confusing. The latest from the senior Arafat aide is that the Palestinian leader is not comatose, just asleep, and he is in stable condition in intensive care. We've got an update from Ramallah, that is, just ahead.

From Tehran this morning, a report the Iranians have struck a deal with the European Union's big three powers on Iran's nuclear program. No details just yet. The agreement with British, French, and German officials is preliminary. And it will be presented to their respective governments.

Well, the Iditarod, the Tour de France, the Kentucky Derby, and the presidential campaign are all behind us. And the last great race of 2004, well that's the New York Marathon. Everything is ready. And 30,000 runners step off an hour and a half from now on the 26 mile course that runs through all five New York boroughs.

HARRIS: Well, we have a lot coming up this hour on CNN SUNDAY MORNING. Just ahead, a view inside Saudi Arabia rarely seen by Westerners. And the American sentiments in the kingdom are so strong in places, that CNN's Nic Robertson could only pass through in a speeding car, and then at great peril.

Also ahead, the outcome of Tuesday's election has energized the political opposition. A new season of dissent may be dawning. And the ghost of Shoeless Joe Jackson speaks softly, but carries a big price tag. NGUYEN: Now to our top story this Sunday morning. Explosions echo through the streets of Falluja, as U.S. artillery and war planes turn suspected rebel positions into piles of rubble. The Marines surrounding Falluja have been skirmishing with the insurgents, but the much anticipated major offensive has yet to jump off.

CNN correspondent Karl Penhaul is embedded with Marines at Falluja and has filed this report overnight.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, just real quick, Alpha company are you hear? Engineers?

KARL PENHAUL (voice-over): U.S. Marines get ready to roll out on a night mission to the edge of Falluja.

CAPTAIN TENET: My name is Captain Tenet. For this evening, I'll be the serial commander for this movement.

PENHAUL: Preparations are almost complete for an all out assault on the insurgent stronghold. The aim tonight is to probe Falluja's outer defenses to see how the estimated 3,000 fighters holed up inside react.

But they go (UNINTELLIGIBLE) order and call him to tanks on attack vehicles and humvees roll across the desert. Stopping and starting as commanders navigate under cover of darkness. Along dirt tracks, and over sand berms.

Overhead, there's a faint rumble from the engines of a U.S. war plane.

(on camera): Then it opens up with 105 millimeter cannons. We're the northern gateway of Falluja here, a short distance from the city limit. A U.S.A. C-130 gunship appears to have struck a power grid and electricity is out across much of the city.

(voice-over): Tracer fire and the rattle of machine guns cut through the night over northwest Falluja. The AC-130 specter gunship pounds away at suspected insurgent targets.

This Marine unit's observing the northeast sector, where Omar Hadeed, one of the top rebel commanders, is believed to be based. Tonight, Falluja's defenders appear to keep their nerve and don't open fire on the U.S. patrol, waiting perhaps to lure the Marines into their city with booby traps and bombs.

Karl Penhaul, CNN, near Falluja.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Now this just into CNN. In the run up to this major offensive, Iraqi officials have declared a state of emergency in Iraq for the next 60 days. Of course, we'll continue to follow this. The question, though, how did the U.S. military get to where it is in Falluja? Back in March, the Army's 82nd Airborne Division transfers authority over the city to U.S. Marines. In April, the Marines siege of Falluja begins. But in May, the 700 Marines pull out, turning over the city to the so-called Falluja brigades.

Now in June, U.S. forces target followers of top terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in Falluja. In September, more than 100 suspected insurgent fighters are killed. In October, Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi threatens military action if al-Zarqawi is not handed over.

And just last week, with Marines and Iraqi troops surrounding the city, Allawi says, "The window is closing for a peaceful settlement in Falluja."

HARRIS: OK, back in this country, hundreds of people unhappy with the war and President Bush's re-election, took the streets of Seattle to let their voices be heard. They called for an end to the war and vowed to be vocal critics of the president until their interests are represented.

Organizers plan another protest on January 20th. That's the first day of the president's second term.

A merely identical scene also unfolded in Hollywood. Police estimate about 1,000 protesters took part in a March to denounce the president's re-election and the ongoing war in Iraq. Minor disturbances erupted when riot police got between the demonstrators and a military recruiting office on Sunset Boulevard. Two people were arrested for vandalism. Two others for disturbing the peace.

NGUYEN: Now we want to take you back to Iraq. There are some developments. We want to go live now to CNN correspondent Karl Penhaul, who is embedded with U.S. Marines.

Karl, what do you know so far?

PENHAUL: Hi, Betty. We can only say at this stage, the U.S. Marines are in their final stages of preparation. In the course of this morning, the commanding general of the first Marine expeditionary force, General John Sadler, came to visit the troops here. He got two battalions together and gave them a very strong pep talk. He told them to focus. He said he was proud to serve alongside them. And he said the mission, when the order comes, will be to liberate Falluja from a band of thugs, mugs, and people who are murdering Iraqi civilians.

He then handed over to the Sergeant Major of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. And he gave also a very strong pep talk to the troops, comparing the fight for Falluja when it happens to some of the historical Marine battles during the second World War. Iwo Jima, for example. He also compared the fight for Falluja to the fight for Quay City in Vietnam in 1968.

Basically, the message here is these Marines are ready to go when the order comes for them to take back Falluja -- Betty? NGUYEN: Karl, that is the message. What is the mood among Marines there as they prepare for this?

PENHAUL: The Marines now, after those talks, now seem very, very focused. A lot of young Marines here, they're keen to get this job done because they know that this is a job that won't go away.

Some of them have said it's a bit like going to the dentist. You might not look particularly forward to it, but it's better to get in there and get it over and done with. It's a job they know will have to be done if they stand any chance of crushing the resistance across Iraq. They also know that this is a vital job if Iraq can get together and clear the playing field ready for elections in January -- Betty.

NGUYEN: Karl, I think some people are concerned about the civilians. They are still in Falluja. Some estimates put it at 50,000 civilians still in the city. What is being done about those folks in an effort to perhaps get them out or get them out of harm's way at least?

PENHAUL: Well, certainly. During normal peace time, if one can speak of normal peace time for Falluja, something that it's not seen for many, many months now, that in normal times, Falluja has a population of around 260,000 people. Current estimates suggest 50,000 civilians are still inside the city. Military intelligence analysts believe that the insurgents there may be trying to use some of these civilians as human shields and won't allow them to leave.

What the U.S. military has done, and what their psychological operations teams will be doing is broadcasting messages to the civilians, calling on the women and children to leave now while they still have a chance. It does seem clear, though, that as the Marines and the Army tighten the noose around Falluja, that no men of fighting age will be allowed to leave. They will all be suspects, as the Marines move in and try to round up the insurgent force that has been holed up in Falluja for so long, Betty.

NGUYEN: Staying on top of all the developments, CNN's Karl Penhaul near Falluja, embedded with U.S. Marines. Thank you for that report, Karl.

Tony?

HARRIS: Senator Charles Schumer says there is speculation that Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton could be a frontrunner for the Democratic party's presidential nomination in 2008. That brings us to our e-mail question this morning. Is America ready to elect a woman president?

E-mail us now at wam@cnn.com and we will read some of your responses throughout the morning.

NGUYEN: A powerful symbol of U.S. capitalism in a Saudi neighborhood where hating America is kind of like a religion. Coming up, Nic Robertson takes a chilling drive through a terrorism hotbed. HARRIS: Also, now that the U.S. election is over, some unhappy Americans may be preparing to vote with their feet. We will tell you where they could be going.

NGUYEN: And later, the steep price of notoriety. When it comes to sports memorabilia, shoeless Joe Jackson is a grand slam.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Here are some stories now from across America. In Florida, many people hard hit by Hurricane Charley, are still trying to piece their lives and their homes back together. Nearly three months after the storm, hundreds still do not have temporary housing. One politician estimates only half of the people who need mobile homes and travel trailers actually have them. Many who don't are staying with family, friends, or at motels.

Oh, Canada, our home and native land. That's part of the Canadian national anthem and words this couple may soon be singing. They and thousands of other Americans may be considering immigrating to Canada, angry over the results of the presidential election.

Officials say a record number of Americans are checking out the Canadian immigration Web site, looking for information.

And the call for curfew in Kentucky, where a gunman is on the loose in Louisville. There have been at least six shootings throughout the city over the last four days. Two men shot yesterday are still in critical condition. And Friday, two people were shot to death and three others wounded. Fearful residents are calling for an emergency curfew. Right now, police are increasing their patrols in the area.

Well, a sports scandal more than 80 years ago that still echoes today in the phrase, say it ain't so, Joe. Perhaps no one can put a price on such a dubious legacy, but plenty of collectors are willing to try. That is coming up in about 25 minutes.

HARRIS: The oil rich kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a close White House ally has been hit with a wave of terrorism from al Qaeda during the past 18 months. Taking his life in his hands, senior international correspondent Nic Robertson goes into what may be the most dangerous neighborhood in Saudi Arabia, a breeding ground for terrorists.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ABDULLAH AL-OTABI, FORMER MILITANT: OK, this is terrorists will be -- this is way the street...

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): And this is Abdullah Al-Otabi.

AL-OTABI: This my house, the green house.

ROBERTSON: He's taking me and my cameraman to Suwaidi, one of the capital's poorest districts.

They arrested you here?

AL-OTABI: Yes.

ROBERTSON: That was more than 10 years ago. He was a radical jihadi and went to jail for his beliefs. Today, he says he's reformed, but not Suwaidi.

It's become over the years a recruiting ground for al Qaeda. And government officials here say it's not safe for us to get out of the car.

AL-OTABI: You see McDonalds? McDonalds in Suwaidi.

ROBERTSON: The drive is a surreal and chilling experience.

AL-OTABI: BBC came here.

ROBERTSON: The month before, journalist Simon Cumbers, a close friend of mine, was shot dead while filming for the BBC. Local jihadis were blamed.

AL-OTABI: They hate American -- hate the British.

ROBERTSON: The simple understanding in Suwaidi, Westerners are not welcome.

From an office across town, Abdullah's working to undermine the extremists. But it's not been easy. Government clerics got him banned from writing for months for saying their religious teachings helped breed terrorism.

AL-OTABI (through translator): It is one of the first articles that directly say that we have flaws in the locally preached religious message.

ROBERTSON: A missive that in Suwaidi spawned the now dead al Qaeda leader Abdul Aziz al-Muqrin. Muqrin rose to prominence through a spate of violent attacks, beginning with the Muhaya compound in November, 2003.

He's best known in the west for his brutal beheading of U.S. engineer Paul Johnson.

To Abdullah, Muqrin was an angry man, propelled towards terrorism by the same radical interpretation of the Koran that religious teachers used to ensnare him.

It was a message that was everywhere in Suwaidi, not just the mosque.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Let's go live now to Nic Robertson to hear first hand about his work on this look inside Saudi Arabia. That is very compelling work, Nic.

Let me first ask you about Suwaidi. The royal family -- has the royal family tried to do anything about that place?

ROBERTSON: They have. The crown prince has recognized it as being an economic problem, an area of poverty within Saudi Arabia. And that is perhaps about as far as it's gone. When you look at the sort of buildings that are going on in Suwaidi, there's a new mosque that's being built. The real issues are understood in that context there as being unemployment and poverty in the area of Suwaidi.

But concrete steps of the government has taken to alleviate that directly in Suwaidi are not really apparent to most people. And they're not apparent to a lot of people in Suwaidi. But they have acknowledged it. And that in Saudi Arabia's terms is a very big step, Tony.

HARRIS: Nic, anything surprise you in what you saw while on the ground, what you learned while on the ground in Saudi Arabia?

ROBERTSON: I think one of the things that surprised me the most was a young man we met, who works in a factory, who has satellite TV in his house and can see how the rest of the world functions. And he is very frustrated about his life in Saudi Arabia. He was very depressed, actually, about that situation.

Nobody -- I don't think other journalists have been able to get to people like this in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia's just beginning to open up to Western correspondents a tiny amount. And I was surprised at how outspoken this young man was about the situation. He gave a very good insight into the feeling of the young people there.

And that's the real problem for Saudi Arabia, the increasing unemployment, the economy that is not doing very well. And the real boom in the young population, one-third of the people in Saudi Arabia born after the last Gulf War. 75 percent of the population there younger than 27. That's where the real issues are for the royal family to deal with that and bring in political reform as well.

HARRIS: It is fascinating work. Nic, thank you. We appreciate it.

Nic Robertson's look inside Saudi Arabia, the growing threat from al Qaeda and the stability of the royal family, "KINGDOM ON THE BRINK: THE BATTLE FOR SAUDI ARABIA" premieres tonight at 8:00 Eastern, 5:00 Pacific here on CNN.

NGUYEN: It is a fascinating look.

Well, eight years after retirement, the Army wants this reservist to report back to duty. That story later this hour on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.

HARRIS: But up next, it's time to enjoy the bright colors of the fall. Rob Marciano will stop by with the forecast for the rest of your weekend. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: Well, new information out this morning on Yasser Arafat's condition. We are going live to Ramallah next on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.

HARRIS: And later, meet an Army reservist who finished his military obligations years ago, only to find out he is essentially being drafted to Iraq.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: He is not in a coma. He's sleeping. A Palestinian Authority spokesman describes Yasser Arafat's condition.

We want to welcome you back. I'm Betty Nguyen.

HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris. A live report from Ramallah in a minute. First headlines at this hour.

More deadly attacks in Iraq this morning, where the government declared a 60 day state of emergency just minutes ago. The targets, Iraqi police stations near the city of Ramadi. Insurgents attacked three stations with grenades and other weapons, killing more than 20 people. Some of the victims were police officers, but it's not clear how many.

In and around Falluja, U.S. forces are again firing on rebel sites this morning in what's become a daily series of attacks. U.S. and Iraqi troops are gearing up for what's expected to be a major offensive on the rebel stronghold.

In Afghanistan, possible progress in ending a hostage standoff. Militants holding three United Nations workers say the representatives are talking this morning with U.N. and Afghan officials. A man claiming to be a militant spokesman suggests the hostages released could be worked out soon.

NGUYEN: A senior aide to Yasser Arafat says the Palestinian leader is not in a coma. The aide says Arafat is in stable condition in intensive care at a hospital near Paris.

And in the West Bank, just minutes ago. A Palestinian leaders say they have decided on a plan to maintain order in Gaza and the West Bank. We want to go now to CNN's Michael Holmes, who has a live report from Ramallah.

Good morning to you, Michael.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Betty. Yes, meetings, meetings and more meetings. And there are more plans as well.

Let's start with Mohammed Dahlan. He is the former head of security in Gaza. He's in Paris with the Palestinian delegation there, watching over Yasser Arafat's progress or otherwise.

Well, he's coming back here. He's coming through Ramallah tomorrow. He will be meeting with senior members of the Palestinian Authority. And we're told he will be laying out in very clear details exactly what Yasser Arafat's situation is.

That message will also include discussions on where to go from here should Yasser Arafat die. Now we can't be more specific than that. What we can tell you is what we're hearing about Yasser Arafat's health. Now you mentioned just a moment ago that one source has been saying that he is not in a coma. Well, we hear that he is in a coma. He has been in a coma since Wednesday, but not a medically induced one. He has been in a coma. And we have been told, however, that his brain is functioning well. He had an MRI today in Paris. And that showed good brain function.

However, our source who's very close to the upper echelons of the Palestinian Authority tells us that Yasser Arafat's death, however, is a matter of time. Not imminent, but a matter of time.

Now the meetings that you mentioned, the National Security Council meetings started here. And we heard just a little while ago some of the results from that meeting. This is a group that was set up by Yasser Arafat, chaired by him and tightly controlled by him in the wake of criticism about the disparate nature of security groups in the Palestinian territories.

What we've heard is as a result of that meeting, there will be more visible security patrols in the West Bank. This follows a similar recommendation from a meeting in Gaza.

Part of this is to show visibility as we tried to keep everybody calm to show that the Palestinian Authority is in concern. But one of the others things is that there's going to be a beefing up of security at various Palestinian institutions and also guarding individual senior members of the Palestinian Authority. This is -- we're told that to preempt any thought of taking over institutions should Yasser Arafat die by various factions, and any assassination attempts on Palestinian Authority officials.

Not that they say they fear this will happen, but it's a precaution at this stage. One final thing. The Israelis are obviously key to what happens after Yasser Arafat dies. We've been told that the Israelis have met. They have finalized their own security arrangements should Yasser Arafat die. We have been told that the plan that they're laying out involves him being buried in Gaza. This is not what Palestinians want. They would like him buried in Jerusalem. And more and more, we're hearing the notion perhaps buried right here in Ramallah -- Betty.

NGUYEN: Of course, we'll hear much more on that when the time comes. Michael Holmes in Ramallah this morning for us. Thank you, Michael.

HARRIS: Time for our weekly look at America's heroes. Army Staff Sergeant Grant Ray has served in several war zones, including Iraq. And despite getting injured, this soldier is ready for more action.

Our Casey Wian has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Staff Sergeant Grant Ray's work day begins before dawn.

SGT. GRANT RAY, U.S. ARMY: Army, it's not hard job. I love my job. I wouldn't change my job for any other job.

WIAN: Ray had already served in Bosnia and Kosovo when he was sent to Iraq at the beginning of the war, crossing into the country from the South and moving North to Tikrit. He earned his first medal, a Bronze Star, 3 months later, rescuing an Iraqi woman caught in crossfire while crossing the street. Three months after that, an ambush during a routine patrol turned deadly.

RAY: Two guys got hit by an RPG. As we were returning fire, my gunner took a round and he collapsed.

WIAN: When he realized the rear vehicle wasn't moving, Ray gave orders to turn back into the so-called kill zone and retrieve the fallen soldiers.

RAY: They were deceased, and they went down fast and hard.

WIAN: Returning fire as he went, Ray sustained two injuries himself.

RAY: I had small RPG shrapnel hit me in the back side and kind of made me realize, am I taking fire from the backside? Come to find out, it was an RPG. And then my second injury, while was returning fire holding my weapon up, I took a round right at the fingertips, and it bounced ricocheted off of my weapon. So thank God it didn't hit in the face, because it was close.

WIAN: Ray lost the tops of two fingers and was sent home to recover. Weeks later, he was back in Iraq completing the mission. His bravery earned him a silver star.

RAY: You hope that everybody can do the right thing, and not run and hide.

WIAN: Ray is a married father of 4 boys, but his experience with death and war hasn't deterred him from continuing his military career. Now he's preparing for a second deployment to Iraq. Casey Wian, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: And we bring you heroes stories every week on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.

NGUYEN: Coming up, your responses to our e-mail question this morning a little bit later on. Questions on the screen. Check it out.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Lining up and ready to run. About 30,000 runners will be racing through all the five boroughs of New York City this morning. The annual marathon starts less than an hour. Some interesting souvenirs this year. How about this? The runners will be able to order a plaster cast of their footprints.

Well, good morning to you, New York. We'll tell you if the weather will cooperate in about 15 minutes.

First, let's turn it over to Betty.

NGUYEN: That's some interesting memorabilia. Well we're talking about another piece right now. The world knew him as Shoeless Joe. He was given that nickname when a pair of new shoes hurt his feet so bad, that he played barefoot in a minor league game.

Then came the majors and a scandalous 1919 World Series when eight White Sox players were accused of throwing the Fall Classic. Until his dying day, Jackson swore he did his best in that series and was not part of the six. But say it ain't so, Joe, is part of baseball lore. Jackson has the second highest lifetime batting average in baseball history. Yet he is forever banned from the Hall of Fame.

Now yesterday, a bat signed by Shoeless Joe was auctioned at the Louisville Slugger Museum. It's being called one of the most important baseball items ever sold. The last time Shoeless Joe memorabilia was put on the auction block was back in 2001. It was an unsigned bat. The black Betsy. And it sold for an incredible $500,000 plus.

For more on Saturday's sale, we turn now to sports and memorabilia auctioneer, David Han. He joins us from Louisville, Kentucky.

Good morning to you.

DAVID HUNT, SPORTS MEMORABILIA AUCTIONEER: Hi, how are you?

NGUYEN: I'm doing great. Well, let's get right to it. Of all the memorabilia out where, why is this bat considered one of the most important sports item in baseball to go on the auction block?

HUNT: Well, we were thrilled to have this auctioned in conjunction with Louisville Slugger. And this bat was rare because Jackson was semi illiterate. And the fact that he signed this, this is the only signed bat that we know of. There's -- you know, to have been offered publicly.

And the other pieces that were signed by him were public documents, wills, things like that. So it's really significant item. And as you mentioned, he's really a legendary figure in baseball history. NGUYEN: Oh, absolutely. But now, the black Betsy, which was not signed, fetched about $500,000. This one didn't do so well. Tell us how it did?

HUNT: Well, it's a different animal. It's comparing apples and oranges. You know, the -- this piece is more of an autograph piece. You're not buying it as a game used bat.

If this was a documented, game used Joe Jackson bat signed by him, it probably would have been $500,000 to $700,000. So it's really not a -- they're comparable in that the player's the same, but as far as objects, they're not really comparable.

NGUYEN: So how much did you get for it?

HUNT: This bat brought $137,500.

NGUYEN: Not too bad.

HUNT: Not too bad.

NGUYEN: Who bought it? Can you tell us a little bit about the now owners?

HUNT: Well, a private collector bought it. And what they -- obviously the auction was yesterday. So I haven't spoken with him yet. So I'm not sure exactly what they plan to do with it, but...

NGUYEN: Now I have to talk about this, because there are people still trying to get Shoeless Joe into the Hall of Fame.

HUNT: Yes.

NGUYEN: Why is there still such an intrigue about this man?

HUNT: You know, it's fascinating. You're -- as you mentioned at the top, you know, it's -- since 1919, when he was banned, I think it's just the kind of primitive beginnings that he had down in South Carolina. And yet, he was regarded by many of his peers, Ruth and Gehrig and Cobb to be one of the greatest peer hitters in major league history. So I think -- and when you couple that in with all the lore and the movies and everything else that you mentioned about him, I think that's what just brings it to light.

NGUYEN: David, let's talk about some of the other items. You know, the Shoeless Joe bat, the signed bat...

HUNT: Right.

NGUYEN: ...was auctioned off yesterday. But there are a number of other memorable items. Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Hank Aaron, lots of folks signing and perhaps just contributing, at least their families, to this auction.

Tell us about some of the items up for auction yesterday? HUNT: Well, again, we have -- we were honored to be conducting the auction on behalf of the Louisville Slugger Museum. And their marquis piece was a Ty Cobb use bat, which was signed, written from their factory vaults. They had two bats. And this is part of a program that they're going to be -- deconcessioning some items to purchase other items for the museum. And that did very well. It brought $132,000, which broke our previous record that we sent at our Hunt Auction Sale last year of $115,000.

And there are autographed pieces, such as the 1918 Babe Ruth letter, which was very timely given the curse this year with the Red Sox. And that did quite well. It did about $41,000. Lefty Grove bat brought $55,000.

To be honest with you, we haven't really tallied exactly how many records were broken, but it was a really historic day as far as auctions are concerned.

NGUYEN: Some pretty good numbers.

HUNT: Yes.

NGUYEN: Now I'm going to put you on the spot. And we don't have much time.

HUNT: Yes.

NGUYEN: So make it quick. Of all these items, not just yesterday, but of all the items that you have auctioned, what's your favorite?

HUNT: I'll tell you -- I would say we sold Ty Cobb's jersey about three years ago for $236,000. It wasn't so much the money, it was just a great historical piece.

NGUYEN: All right. David Hunt, sports memorabilia auctioneer. We thank you for your information and time this morning.

HUNT: No problem. Thank you.

NGUYEN: Tony?

HARRIS: Checking our top stories this Sunday morning, emergency measures in Iraq. Just minutes ago, the government declared a state of emergency for most of the country for the next 60 days.

The move comes as U.S. and Iraqi forces gear for what's expected to be an all out assault in rebel held Falluja. No word yet on how officials will apply the emergency measures.

There is word this morning of a tentative agreement between Iran and the European Union. No word on the details. The union has been trying to get Iran to suspend some of its nuclear activities. The agreement still has to be formally approved.

More reported calls in Afghanistan this morning aimed at freeing three United Nations workers. The militants holding them say that their go betweens have been negotiating with U.N. and Afghan officials.

Several years after finishing his obligation to the Army, a former Reservist in Hawaii gets some shocking news.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Eight years is enough.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: We'll meet the man who served in Iraq in Desert Storm and never thought he'd be forced to head back to the combat.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Well, David Miyasato was supposed to report for active duty on Tuesday in South Carolina for deployment to Iraq. The problem is, he's been out of the Army for many years living and working as an ordinary civilian in Hawaii.

Ron Mizutani of affiliate KHON has the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RON MIZUTANI, KHON NEWS CORRESPONDENT: David Miyasato thought he said aloha to the Army in 1996.

DAVID MIYASATO, FORMER SOLDIER: I basically have documentation of serving out my time. Eight years enough.

MIZUTANI: But a month and a half ago, he was stunned to receive these orders. "You are relieved from your present Reserve component status and are ordered to report for a period of active duty." He was to report to North Carolina on November 9th.

MIYASATO: Been out 13 years now. And actually 9 since my obligation. It was just something I never thought of. I had never thought I'd get called back.

MIZUTANI: He never thought he'd be called back to Iraq. He served in 1990 in Operation Desert Storm.

MIYASATO: Basically that's my job to fuel anything that needs to be fueled out there. So it is a critical job and one of the most dangerous out there.

MIZUTANI: The 34-year old Miyasato wrote a letter in September, pointing out his enlistment expired many years ago. He got no response from the Army. Neither did Hawaii's congressional leaders.

REP. ED CASE (D), DISTRICT 2: We did for him what we do for anybody, which is try to get answers. And we've written to the Army and asked them to explain this in a way that he can understand and that I can understand. MIZUTANI: But he's not alone. In June, the Army announced as many as 5600 reservists would be recalled to active duty, particularly those with critical specialties, like Miyasato.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: From my perspective, I think they're trying to get warm bodies, any place, anywhere they can.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Well after Miyasato file suit, the Army notified him the reactivation had been delayed 30 days while the matter is being reviewed.

HARRIS: The richest man in Britain gives his daughter away, but it's these dapper dudes that make the wedding a real hit. Royal details are just ahead on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.

And here's something we found in our e-mail box this morning from one of our viewers. And you know who you are. An adjustment of the land mass and some new geographic names in North America post-election 2004.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Wondering what the nation is reading these days? Well, here's a look at the top five bestsellers on amazon.com. Jon Stewart's "America" is a real hit, an unconventional look at the fundamentals of this country. Tom Wolfe's "I Am Charlotte Simmons" comes out Tuesday, but it's already selling at a fast number, too.

Now if you're still digesting election results, take a look at "What's the Matter with Kansas: How Conservatives Won the Heart of America." And what about a guide for single women trying to find Mr. Right? Well, "He's Just Not That Into You" can provide some insight into the male soul. Maybe interesting questions there.

And finally for the kids, polar express is number five. The number based on this book starring Tom Hanks, that comes out on Wednesday.

HARRIS: If you can find the male soul in a book, you've got real problems.

NGUYEN: Real problems?

HARRIS: Yes. Much of Britain's royal family attended the society wedding of the year. The groom is a close friend of Princes William and Harry, who both served as ushers. He's also the godson of Prince Charles, who declined to attend after finding he would not be seated next to Camilla Parker Bowles. The bride is the daughter of the Duke of Westminster, the richest man in Britain. The groom works as a banker.

NGUYEN: What a beautiful dress there.

HARRIS: Snazzy, snazzy, snazzy. NGUYEN: Yes, very snazzy.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: And let's get to a couple of e-mails. The question today is do you believe the country's ready to elect its first female woman president?

NGUYEN: Julie from Harrisville, New York writes, "I would like to think that it wouldn't matter if the president was male or female, but unfortunately, I think that many 'older Americans' couldn't handle a woman president. I don't care if a woman or a man is president, as long as they have what it takes.

HARRIS: And this e-mail from Lee, "Considering how many states have elected women to the Senate and as governors and have for so long, I think it's way past time to consider a qualified woman for president." Here, here, Lee. Appreciate it.

NGUYEN: And of course we really want to urge you to send in more of your responses to the e-mail question today. We've got lots of them so far. Very interesting.

HARRIS: We sure have.

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 November 7, 2004 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: From the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. It is November 7th, 7:00 a.m. here in the East, 3:00 p.m. in Falluja. And good morning, everyone. I'm Tony Harris.

NGUYEN: And I'm Betty Nguyen. Thanks so much for being with us this morning.

Insurgents are attacking police stations this morning around the Iraqi city of Ramadi, killing 21 people, some of them police officers. Nearby at Falluja, U.S. Marines surrounding the city say they have killed dozens of insurgents, but the survivors are reported digging in to face a major U.S. and Iraqi onslaught. We head live to Iraq for the latest in just two minutes.

Meanwhile, supporters of Yasser Arafat keep vigil outside the Paris hospital, where reports on his condition are still conflicting and confusing. The latest from the senior Arafat aide is that the Palestinian leader is not comatose, just asleep, and he is in stable condition in intensive care. We've got an update from Ramallah, that is, just ahead.

From Tehran this morning, a report the Iranians have struck a deal with the European Union's big three powers on Iran's nuclear program. No details just yet. The agreement with British, French, and German officials is preliminary. And it will be presented to their respective governments.

Well, the Iditarod, the Tour de France, the Kentucky Derby, and the presidential campaign are all behind us. And the last great race of 2004, well that's the New York Marathon. Everything is ready. And 30,000 runners step off an hour and a half from now on the 26 mile course that runs through all five New York boroughs.

HARRIS: Well, we have a lot coming up this hour on CNN SUNDAY MORNING. Just ahead, a view inside Saudi Arabia rarely seen by Westerners. And the American sentiments in the kingdom are so strong in places, that CNN's Nic Robertson could only pass through in a speeding car, and then at great peril.

Also ahead, the outcome of Tuesday's election has energized the political opposition. A new season of dissent may be dawning. And the ghost of Shoeless Joe Jackson speaks softly, but carries a big price tag. NGUYEN: Now to our top story this Sunday morning. Explosions echo through the streets of Falluja, as U.S. artillery and war planes turn suspected rebel positions into piles of rubble. The Marines surrounding Falluja have been skirmishing with the insurgents, but the much anticipated major offensive has yet to jump off.

CNN correspondent Karl Penhaul is embedded with Marines at Falluja and has filed this report overnight.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, just real quick, Alpha company are you hear? Engineers?

KARL PENHAUL (voice-over): U.S. Marines get ready to roll out on a night mission to the edge of Falluja.

CAPTAIN TENET: My name is Captain Tenet. For this evening, I'll be the serial commander for this movement.

PENHAUL: Preparations are almost complete for an all out assault on the insurgent stronghold. The aim tonight is to probe Falluja's outer defenses to see how the estimated 3,000 fighters holed up inside react.

But they go (UNINTELLIGIBLE) order and call him to tanks on attack vehicles and humvees roll across the desert. Stopping and starting as commanders navigate under cover of darkness. Along dirt tracks, and over sand berms.

Overhead, there's a faint rumble from the engines of a U.S. war plane.

(on camera): Then it opens up with 105 millimeter cannons. We're the northern gateway of Falluja here, a short distance from the city limit. A U.S.A. C-130 gunship appears to have struck a power grid and electricity is out across much of the city.

(voice-over): Tracer fire and the rattle of machine guns cut through the night over northwest Falluja. The AC-130 specter gunship pounds away at suspected insurgent targets.

This Marine unit's observing the northeast sector, where Omar Hadeed, one of the top rebel commanders, is believed to be based. Tonight, Falluja's defenders appear to keep their nerve and don't open fire on the U.S. patrol, waiting perhaps to lure the Marines into their city with booby traps and bombs.

Karl Penhaul, CNN, near Falluja.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Now this just into CNN. In the run up to this major offensive, Iraqi officials have declared a state of emergency in Iraq for the next 60 days. Of course, we'll continue to follow this. The question, though, how did the U.S. military get to where it is in Falluja? Back in March, the Army's 82nd Airborne Division transfers authority over the city to U.S. Marines. In April, the Marines siege of Falluja begins. But in May, the 700 Marines pull out, turning over the city to the so-called Falluja brigades.

Now in June, U.S. forces target followers of top terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in Falluja. In September, more than 100 suspected insurgent fighters are killed. In October, Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi threatens military action if al-Zarqawi is not handed over.

And just last week, with Marines and Iraqi troops surrounding the city, Allawi says, "The window is closing for a peaceful settlement in Falluja."

HARRIS: OK, back in this country, hundreds of people unhappy with the war and President Bush's re-election, took the streets of Seattle to let their voices be heard. They called for an end to the war and vowed to be vocal critics of the president until their interests are represented.

Organizers plan another protest on January 20th. That's the first day of the president's second term.

A merely identical scene also unfolded in Hollywood. Police estimate about 1,000 protesters took part in a March to denounce the president's re-election and the ongoing war in Iraq. Minor disturbances erupted when riot police got between the demonstrators and a military recruiting office on Sunset Boulevard. Two people were arrested for vandalism. Two others for disturbing the peace.

NGUYEN: Now we want to take you back to Iraq. There are some developments. We want to go live now to CNN correspondent Karl Penhaul, who is embedded with U.S. Marines.

Karl, what do you know so far?

PENHAUL: Hi, Betty. We can only say at this stage, the U.S. Marines are in their final stages of preparation. In the course of this morning, the commanding general of the first Marine expeditionary force, General John Sadler, came to visit the troops here. He got two battalions together and gave them a very strong pep talk. He told them to focus. He said he was proud to serve alongside them. And he said the mission, when the order comes, will be to liberate Falluja from a band of thugs, mugs, and people who are murdering Iraqi civilians.

He then handed over to the Sergeant Major of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. And he gave also a very strong pep talk to the troops, comparing the fight for Falluja when it happens to some of the historical Marine battles during the second World War. Iwo Jima, for example. He also compared the fight for Falluja to the fight for Quay City in Vietnam in 1968.

Basically, the message here is these Marines are ready to go when the order comes for them to take back Falluja -- Betty? NGUYEN: Karl, that is the message. What is the mood among Marines there as they prepare for this?

PENHAUL: The Marines now, after those talks, now seem very, very focused. A lot of young Marines here, they're keen to get this job done because they know that this is a job that won't go away.

Some of them have said it's a bit like going to the dentist. You might not look particularly forward to it, but it's better to get in there and get it over and done with. It's a job they know will have to be done if they stand any chance of crushing the resistance across Iraq. They also know that this is a vital job if Iraq can get together and clear the playing field ready for elections in January -- Betty.

NGUYEN: Karl, I think some people are concerned about the civilians. They are still in Falluja. Some estimates put it at 50,000 civilians still in the city. What is being done about those folks in an effort to perhaps get them out or get them out of harm's way at least?

PENHAUL: Well, certainly. During normal peace time, if one can speak of normal peace time for Falluja, something that it's not seen for many, many months now, that in normal times, Falluja has a population of around 260,000 people. Current estimates suggest 50,000 civilians are still inside the city. Military intelligence analysts believe that the insurgents there may be trying to use some of these civilians as human shields and won't allow them to leave.

What the U.S. military has done, and what their psychological operations teams will be doing is broadcasting messages to the civilians, calling on the women and children to leave now while they still have a chance. It does seem clear, though, that as the Marines and the Army tighten the noose around Falluja, that no men of fighting age will be allowed to leave. They will all be suspects, as the Marines move in and try to round up the insurgent force that has been holed up in Falluja for so long, Betty.

NGUYEN: Staying on top of all the developments, CNN's Karl Penhaul near Falluja, embedded with U.S. Marines. Thank you for that report, Karl.

Tony?

HARRIS: Senator Charles Schumer says there is speculation that Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton could be a frontrunner for the Democratic party's presidential nomination in 2008. That brings us to our e-mail question this morning. Is America ready to elect a woman president?

E-mail us now at wam@cnn.com and we will read some of your responses throughout the morning.

NGUYEN: A powerful symbol of U.S. capitalism in a Saudi neighborhood where hating America is kind of like a religion. Coming up, Nic Robertson takes a chilling drive through a terrorism hotbed. HARRIS: Also, now that the U.S. election is over, some unhappy Americans may be preparing to vote with their feet. We will tell you where they could be going.

NGUYEN: And later, the steep price of notoriety. When it comes to sports memorabilia, shoeless Joe Jackson is a grand slam.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Here are some stories now from across America. In Florida, many people hard hit by Hurricane Charley, are still trying to piece their lives and their homes back together. Nearly three months after the storm, hundreds still do not have temporary housing. One politician estimates only half of the people who need mobile homes and travel trailers actually have them. Many who don't are staying with family, friends, or at motels.

Oh, Canada, our home and native land. That's part of the Canadian national anthem and words this couple may soon be singing. They and thousands of other Americans may be considering immigrating to Canada, angry over the results of the presidential election.

Officials say a record number of Americans are checking out the Canadian immigration Web site, looking for information.

And the call for curfew in Kentucky, where a gunman is on the loose in Louisville. There have been at least six shootings throughout the city over the last four days. Two men shot yesterday are still in critical condition. And Friday, two people were shot to death and three others wounded. Fearful residents are calling for an emergency curfew. Right now, police are increasing their patrols in the area.

Well, a sports scandal more than 80 years ago that still echoes today in the phrase, say it ain't so, Joe. Perhaps no one can put a price on such a dubious legacy, but plenty of collectors are willing to try. That is coming up in about 25 minutes.

HARRIS: The oil rich kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a close White House ally has been hit with a wave of terrorism from al Qaeda during the past 18 months. Taking his life in his hands, senior international correspondent Nic Robertson goes into what may be the most dangerous neighborhood in Saudi Arabia, a breeding ground for terrorists.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ABDULLAH AL-OTABI, FORMER MILITANT: OK, this is terrorists will be -- this is way the street...

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): And this is Abdullah Al-Otabi.

AL-OTABI: This my house, the green house.

ROBERTSON: He's taking me and my cameraman to Suwaidi, one of the capital's poorest districts.

They arrested you here?

AL-OTABI: Yes.

ROBERTSON: That was more than 10 years ago. He was a radical jihadi and went to jail for his beliefs. Today, he says he's reformed, but not Suwaidi.

It's become over the years a recruiting ground for al Qaeda. And government officials here say it's not safe for us to get out of the car.

AL-OTABI: You see McDonalds? McDonalds in Suwaidi.

ROBERTSON: The drive is a surreal and chilling experience.

AL-OTABI: BBC came here.

ROBERTSON: The month before, journalist Simon Cumbers, a close friend of mine, was shot dead while filming for the BBC. Local jihadis were blamed.

AL-OTABI: They hate American -- hate the British.

ROBERTSON: The simple understanding in Suwaidi, Westerners are not welcome.

From an office across town, Abdullah's working to undermine the extremists. But it's not been easy. Government clerics got him banned from writing for months for saying their religious teachings helped breed terrorism.

AL-OTABI (through translator): It is one of the first articles that directly say that we have flaws in the locally preached religious message.

ROBERTSON: A missive that in Suwaidi spawned the now dead al Qaeda leader Abdul Aziz al-Muqrin. Muqrin rose to prominence through a spate of violent attacks, beginning with the Muhaya compound in November, 2003.

He's best known in the west for his brutal beheading of U.S. engineer Paul Johnson.

To Abdullah, Muqrin was an angry man, propelled towards terrorism by the same radical interpretation of the Koran that religious teachers used to ensnare him.

It was a message that was everywhere in Suwaidi, not just the mosque.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Let's go live now to Nic Robertson to hear first hand about his work on this look inside Saudi Arabia. That is very compelling work, Nic.

Let me first ask you about Suwaidi. The royal family -- has the royal family tried to do anything about that place?

ROBERTSON: They have. The crown prince has recognized it as being an economic problem, an area of poverty within Saudi Arabia. And that is perhaps about as far as it's gone. When you look at the sort of buildings that are going on in Suwaidi, there's a new mosque that's being built. The real issues are understood in that context there as being unemployment and poverty in the area of Suwaidi.

But concrete steps of the government has taken to alleviate that directly in Suwaidi are not really apparent to most people. And they're not apparent to a lot of people in Suwaidi. But they have acknowledged it. And that in Saudi Arabia's terms is a very big step, Tony.

HARRIS: Nic, anything surprise you in what you saw while on the ground, what you learned while on the ground in Saudi Arabia?

ROBERTSON: I think one of the things that surprised me the most was a young man we met, who works in a factory, who has satellite TV in his house and can see how the rest of the world functions. And he is very frustrated about his life in Saudi Arabia. He was very depressed, actually, about that situation.

Nobody -- I don't think other journalists have been able to get to people like this in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia's just beginning to open up to Western correspondents a tiny amount. And I was surprised at how outspoken this young man was about the situation. He gave a very good insight into the feeling of the young people there.

And that's the real problem for Saudi Arabia, the increasing unemployment, the economy that is not doing very well. And the real boom in the young population, one-third of the people in Saudi Arabia born after the last Gulf War. 75 percent of the population there younger than 27. That's where the real issues are for the royal family to deal with that and bring in political reform as well.

HARRIS: It is fascinating work. Nic, thank you. We appreciate it.

Nic Robertson's look inside Saudi Arabia, the growing threat from al Qaeda and the stability of the royal family, "KINGDOM ON THE BRINK: THE BATTLE FOR SAUDI ARABIA" premieres tonight at 8:00 Eastern, 5:00 Pacific here on CNN.

NGUYEN: It is a fascinating look.

Well, eight years after retirement, the Army wants this reservist to report back to duty. That story later this hour on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.

HARRIS: But up next, it's time to enjoy the bright colors of the fall. Rob Marciano will stop by with the forecast for the rest of your weekend. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: Well, new information out this morning on Yasser Arafat's condition. We are going live to Ramallah next on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.

HARRIS: And later, meet an Army reservist who finished his military obligations years ago, only to find out he is essentially being drafted to Iraq.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: He is not in a coma. He's sleeping. A Palestinian Authority spokesman describes Yasser Arafat's condition.

We want to welcome you back. I'm Betty Nguyen.

HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris. A live report from Ramallah in a minute. First headlines at this hour.

More deadly attacks in Iraq this morning, where the government declared a 60 day state of emergency just minutes ago. The targets, Iraqi police stations near the city of Ramadi. Insurgents attacked three stations with grenades and other weapons, killing more than 20 people. Some of the victims were police officers, but it's not clear how many.

In and around Falluja, U.S. forces are again firing on rebel sites this morning in what's become a daily series of attacks. U.S. and Iraqi troops are gearing up for what's expected to be a major offensive on the rebel stronghold.

In Afghanistan, possible progress in ending a hostage standoff. Militants holding three United Nations workers say the representatives are talking this morning with U.N. and Afghan officials. A man claiming to be a militant spokesman suggests the hostages released could be worked out soon.

NGUYEN: A senior aide to Yasser Arafat says the Palestinian leader is not in a coma. The aide says Arafat is in stable condition in intensive care at a hospital near Paris.

And in the West Bank, just minutes ago. A Palestinian leaders say they have decided on a plan to maintain order in Gaza and the West Bank. We want to go now to CNN's Michael Holmes, who has a live report from Ramallah.

Good morning to you, Michael.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Betty. Yes, meetings, meetings and more meetings. And there are more plans as well.

Let's start with Mohammed Dahlan. He is the former head of security in Gaza. He's in Paris with the Palestinian delegation there, watching over Yasser Arafat's progress or otherwise.

Well, he's coming back here. He's coming through Ramallah tomorrow. He will be meeting with senior members of the Palestinian Authority. And we're told he will be laying out in very clear details exactly what Yasser Arafat's situation is.

That message will also include discussions on where to go from here should Yasser Arafat die. Now we can't be more specific than that. What we can tell you is what we're hearing about Yasser Arafat's health. Now you mentioned just a moment ago that one source has been saying that he is not in a coma. Well, we hear that he is in a coma. He has been in a coma since Wednesday, but not a medically induced one. He has been in a coma. And we have been told, however, that his brain is functioning well. He had an MRI today in Paris. And that showed good brain function.

However, our source who's very close to the upper echelons of the Palestinian Authority tells us that Yasser Arafat's death, however, is a matter of time. Not imminent, but a matter of time.

Now the meetings that you mentioned, the National Security Council meetings started here. And we heard just a little while ago some of the results from that meeting. This is a group that was set up by Yasser Arafat, chaired by him and tightly controlled by him in the wake of criticism about the disparate nature of security groups in the Palestinian territories.

What we've heard is as a result of that meeting, there will be more visible security patrols in the West Bank. This follows a similar recommendation from a meeting in Gaza.

Part of this is to show visibility as we tried to keep everybody calm to show that the Palestinian Authority is in concern. But one of the others things is that there's going to be a beefing up of security at various Palestinian institutions and also guarding individual senior members of the Palestinian Authority. This is -- we're told that to preempt any thought of taking over institutions should Yasser Arafat die by various factions, and any assassination attempts on Palestinian Authority officials.

Not that they say they fear this will happen, but it's a precaution at this stage. One final thing. The Israelis are obviously key to what happens after Yasser Arafat dies. We've been told that the Israelis have met. They have finalized their own security arrangements should Yasser Arafat die. We have been told that the plan that they're laying out involves him being buried in Gaza. This is not what Palestinians want. They would like him buried in Jerusalem. And more and more, we're hearing the notion perhaps buried right here in Ramallah -- Betty.

NGUYEN: Of course, we'll hear much more on that when the time comes. Michael Holmes in Ramallah this morning for us. Thank you, Michael.

HARRIS: Time for our weekly look at America's heroes. Army Staff Sergeant Grant Ray has served in several war zones, including Iraq. And despite getting injured, this soldier is ready for more action.

Our Casey Wian has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Staff Sergeant Grant Ray's work day begins before dawn.

SGT. GRANT RAY, U.S. ARMY: Army, it's not hard job. I love my job. I wouldn't change my job for any other job.

WIAN: Ray had already served in Bosnia and Kosovo when he was sent to Iraq at the beginning of the war, crossing into the country from the South and moving North to Tikrit. He earned his first medal, a Bronze Star, 3 months later, rescuing an Iraqi woman caught in crossfire while crossing the street. Three months after that, an ambush during a routine patrol turned deadly.

RAY: Two guys got hit by an RPG. As we were returning fire, my gunner took a round and he collapsed.

WIAN: When he realized the rear vehicle wasn't moving, Ray gave orders to turn back into the so-called kill zone and retrieve the fallen soldiers.

RAY: They were deceased, and they went down fast and hard.

WIAN: Returning fire as he went, Ray sustained two injuries himself.

RAY: I had small RPG shrapnel hit me in the back side and kind of made me realize, am I taking fire from the backside? Come to find out, it was an RPG. And then my second injury, while was returning fire holding my weapon up, I took a round right at the fingertips, and it bounced ricocheted off of my weapon. So thank God it didn't hit in the face, because it was close.

WIAN: Ray lost the tops of two fingers and was sent home to recover. Weeks later, he was back in Iraq completing the mission. His bravery earned him a silver star.

RAY: You hope that everybody can do the right thing, and not run and hide.

WIAN: Ray is a married father of 4 boys, but his experience with death and war hasn't deterred him from continuing his military career. Now he's preparing for a second deployment to Iraq. Casey Wian, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: And we bring you heroes stories every week on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.

NGUYEN: Coming up, your responses to our e-mail question this morning a little bit later on. Questions on the screen. Check it out.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Lining up and ready to run. About 30,000 runners will be racing through all the five boroughs of New York City this morning. The annual marathon starts less than an hour. Some interesting souvenirs this year. How about this? The runners will be able to order a plaster cast of their footprints.

Well, good morning to you, New York. We'll tell you if the weather will cooperate in about 15 minutes.

First, let's turn it over to Betty.

NGUYEN: That's some interesting memorabilia. Well we're talking about another piece right now. The world knew him as Shoeless Joe. He was given that nickname when a pair of new shoes hurt his feet so bad, that he played barefoot in a minor league game.

Then came the majors and a scandalous 1919 World Series when eight White Sox players were accused of throwing the Fall Classic. Until his dying day, Jackson swore he did his best in that series and was not part of the six. But say it ain't so, Joe, is part of baseball lore. Jackson has the second highest lifetime batting average in baseball history. Yet he is forever banned from the Hall of Fame.

Now yesterday, a bat signed by Shoeless Joe was auctioned at the Louisville Slugger Museum. It's being called one of the most important baseball items ever sold. The last time Shoeless Joe memorabilia was put on the auction block was back in 2001. It was an unsigned bat. The black Betsy. And it sold for an incredible $500,000 plus.

For more on Saturday's sale, we turn now to sports and memorabilia auctioneer, David Han. He joins us from Louisville, Kentucky.

Good morning to you.

DAVID HUNT, SPORTS MEMORABILIA AUCTIONEER: Hi, how are you?

NGUYEN: I'm doing great. Well, let's get right to it. Of all the memorabilia out where, why is this bat considered one of the most important sports item in baseball to go on the auction block?

HUNT: Well, we were thrilled to have this auctioned in conjunction with Louisville Slugger. And this bat was rare because Jackson was semi illiterate. And the fact that he signed this, this is the only signed bat that we know of. There's -- you know, to have been offered publicly.

And the other pieces that were signed by him were public documents, wills, things like that. So it's really significant item. And as you mentioned, he's really a legendary figure in baseball history. NGUYEN: Oh, absolutely. But now, the black Betsy, which was not signed, fetched about $500,000. This one didn't do so well. Tell us how it did?

HUNT: Well, it's a different animal. It's comparing apples and oranges. You know, the -- this piece is more of an autograph piece. You're not buying it as a game used bat.

If this was a documented, game used Joe Jackson bat signed by him, it probably would have been $500,000 to $700,000. So it's really not a -- they're comparable in that the player's the same, but as far as objects, they're not really comparable.

NGUYEN: So how much did you get for it?

HUNT: This bat brought $137,500.

NGUYEN: Not too bad.

HUNT: Not too bad.

NGUYEN: Who bought it? Can you tell us a little bit about the now owners?

HUNT: Well, a private collector bought it. And what they -- obviously the auction was yesterday. So I haven't spoken with him yet. So I'm not sure exactly what they plan to do with it, but...

NGUYEN: Now I have to talk about this, because there are people still trying to get Shoeless Joe into the Hall of Fame.

HUNT: Yes.

NGUYEN: Why is there still such an intrigue about this man?

HUNT: You know, it's fascinating. You're -- as you mentioned at the top, you know, it's -- since 1919, when he was banned, I think it's just the kind of primitive beginnings that he had down in South Carolina. And yet, he was regarded by many of his peers, Ruth and Gehrig and Cobb to be one of the greatest peer hitters in major league history. So I think -- and when you couple that in with all the lore and the movies and everything else that you mentioned about him, I think that's what just brings it to light.

NGUYEN: David, let's talk about some of the other items. You know, the Shoeless Joe bat, the signed bat...

HUNT: Right.

NGUYEN: ...was auctioned off yesterday. But there are a number of other memorable items. Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Hank Aaron, lots of folks signing and perhaps just contributing, at least their families, to this auction.

Tell us about some of the items up for auction yesterday? HUNT: Well, again, we have -- we were honored to be conducting the auction on behalf of the Louisville Slugger Museum. And their marquis piece was a Ty Cobb use bat, which was signed, written from their factory vaults. They had two bats. And this is part of a program that they're going to be -- deconcessioning some items to purchase other items for the museum. And that did very well. It brought $132,000, which broke our previous record that we sent at our Hunt Auction Sale last year of $115,000.

And there are autographed pieces, such as the 1918 Babe Ruth letter, which was very timely given the curse this year with the Red Sox. And that did quite well. It did about $41,000. Lefty Grove bat brought $55,000.

To be honest with you, we haven't really tallied exactly how many records were broken, but it was a really historic day as far as auctions are concerned.

NGUYEN: Some pretty good numbers.

HUNT: Yes.

NGUYEN: Now I'm going to put you on the spot. And we don't have much time.

HUNT: Yes.

NGUYEN: So make it quick. Of all these items, not just yesterday, but of all the items that you have auctioned, what's your favorite?

HUNT: I'll tell you -- I would say we sold Ty Cobb's jersey about three years ago for $236,000. It wasn't so much the money, it was just a great historical piece.

NGUYEN: All right. David Hunt, sports memorabilia auctioneer. We thank you for your information and time this morning.

HUNT: No problem. Thank you.

NGUYEN: Tony?

HARRIS: Checking our top stories this Sunday morning, emergency measures in Iraq. Just minutes ago, the government declared a state of emergency for most of the country for the next 60 days.

The move comes as U.S. and Iraqi forces gear for what's expected to be an all out assault in rebel held Falluja. No word yet on how officials will apply the emergency measures.

There is word this morning of a tentative agreement between Iran and the European Union. No word on the details. The union has been trying to get Iran to suspend some of its nuclear activities. The agreement still has to be formally approved.

More reported calls in Afghanistan this morning aimed at freeing three United Nations workers. The militants holding them say that their go betweens have been negotiating with U.N. and Afghan officials.

Several years after finishing his obligation to the Army, a former Reservist in Hawaii gets some shocking news.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Eight years is enough.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: We'll meet the man who served in Iraq in Desert Storm and never thought he'd be forced to head back to the combat.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Well, David Miyasato was supposed to report for active duty on Tuesday in South Carolina for deployment to Iraq. The problem is, he's been out of the Army for many years living and working as an ordinary civilian in Hawaii.

Ron Mizutani of affiliate KHON has the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RON MIZUTANI, KHON NEWS CORRESPONDENT: David Miyasato thought he said aloha to the Army in 1996.

DAVID MIYASATO, FORMER SOLDIER: I basically have documentation of serving out my time. Eight years enough.

MIZUTANI: But a month and a half ago, he was stunned to receive these orders. "You are relieved from your present Reserve component status and are ordered to report for a period of active duty." He was to report to North Carolina on November 9th.

MIYASATO: Been out 13 years now. And actually 9 since my obligation. It was just something I never thought of. I had never thought I'd get called back.

MIZUTANI: He never thought he'd be called back to Iraq. He served in 1990 in Operation Desert Storm.

MIYASATO: Basically that's my job to fuel anything that needs to be fueled out there. So it is a critical job and one of the most dangerous out there.

MIZUTANI: The 34-year old Miyasato wrote a letter in September, pointing out his enlistment expired many years ago. He got no response from the Army. Neither did Hawaii's congressional leaders.

REP. ED CASE (D), DISTRICT 2: We did for him what we do for anybody, which is try to get answers. And we've written to the Army and asked them to explain this in a way that he can understand and that I can understand. MIZUTANI: But he's not alone. In June, the Army announced as many as 5600 reservists would be recalled to active duty, particularly those with critical specialties, like Miyasato.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: From my perspective, I think they're trying to get warm bodies, any place, anywhere they can.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Well after Miyasato file suit, the Army notified him the reactivation had been delayed 30 days while the matter is being reviewed.

HARRIS: The richest man in Britain gives his daughter away, but it's these dapper dudes that make the wedding a real hit. Royal details are just ahead on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.

And here's something we found in our e-mail box this morning from one of our viewers. And you know who you are. An adjustment of the land mass and some new geographic names in North America post-election 2004.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Wondering what the nation is reading these days? Well, here's a look at the top five bestsellers on amazon.com. Jon Stewart's "America" is a real hit, an unconventional look at the fundamentals of this country. Tom Wolfe's "I Am Charlotte Simmons" comes out Tuesday, but it's already selling at a fast number, too.

Now if you're still digesting election results, take a look at "What's the Matter with Kansas: How Conservatives Won the Heart of America." And what about a guide for single women trying to find Mr. Right? Well, "He's Just Not That Into You" can provide some insight into the male soul. Maybe interesting questions there.

And finally for the kids, polar express is number five. The number based on this book starring Tom Hanks, that comes out on Wednesday.

HARRIS: If you can find the male soul in a book, you've got real problems.

NGUYEN: Real problems?

HARRIS: Yes. Much of Britain's royal family attended the society wedding of the year. The groom is a close friend of Princes William and Harry, who both served as ushers. He's also the godson of Prince Charles, who declined to attend after finding he would not be seated next to Camilla Parker Bowles. The bride is the daughter of the Duke of Westminster, the richest man in Britain. The groom works as a banker.

NGUYEN: What a beautiful dress there.

HARRIS: Snazzy, snazzy, snazzy. NGUYEN: Yes, very snazzy.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: And let's get to a couple of e-mails. The question today is do you believe the country's ready to elect its first female woman president?

NGUYEN: Julie from Harrisville, New York writes, "I would like to think that it wouldn't matter if the president was male or female, but unfortunately, I think that many 'older Americans' couldn't handle a woman president. I don't care if a woman or a man is president, as long as they have what it takes.

HARRIS: And this e-mail from Lee, "Considering how many states have elected women to the Senate and as governors and have for so long, I think it's way past time to consider a qualified woman for president." Here, here, Lee. Appreciate it.

NGUYEN: And of course we really want to urge you to send in more of your responses to the e-mail question today. We've got lots of them so far. Very interesting.

HARRIS: We sure have.

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