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CNN Sunday Morning
Bush Visits China; Interview With Della Reese
Aired November 20, 2005 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: A healthy society is a society that welcomes all faiths.
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ROB MARCIANO, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush sends out a message of faith in Beijing, but are his words getting a warm reception or a cold shoulder?
At CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. It's 7:00 a.m. here on the East Coast, 8:00 p.m. in Beijing, where President Bush is pressing on with his Asia tour.
Good morning. I'm Rob Marciano. Tony has the day off.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Yes. Look who's back today. Glad to have you back, Rob.
MARCIANO: Thanks for having me.
NGUYEN: And I'm Betty Nguyen. We want to thank you for being with us today.
"Now in the News," a deadly weekend of violence in Iraq. A roadside bombing near a military convoy wounds five Iraqi civilians. A rocket hits a house in Baghdad, wounding the couple inside. And three bodies are found shot execution style. Plus, a U.S. Marine, five soldiers and 15 Iraqi civilians are killed in roadside bomb attacks.
A damp ocean breeze helps firefighters in southern California. A 4,000-acre wildfire north of Los Angeles is now 60 percent contained. Homes are no longer threatened, and no roads are closed.
A crowd outside California's San Quentin Prison is protesting next month's scheduled execution. Crips gang founder Stanley "Tookie" Williams was condemned for four murders back in 1979. In prison, Williams has gained international acclaim for writing children's books about the dangers of gang life. With his appeals exhausted, Williams is now seeking clemency from Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
MARCIANO: And here's a quick look at what else is ahead this first hour of CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
A proud single father at 16, but a promising life cut short at 18, as another senseless killing goes into the books.
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DELLA REESE, ACTRESS: Once you change your mind you can change your life.
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MARCIANO: "Touched By an Angel" star Della Reese talks about her battle with the silent killer. And a warning: don't think it can't happen to you.
And 75 million fans and growing. They're revving up for today's Super Bowl of NASCAR. Our Rick Horrow tells us why so many corporations are going along for the ride.
NGUYEN: Well, just after 8:00 at night in Beijing right now, and President Bush is attending a dinner hosted by China's President Hu. But the meaty issues of the diplomatic trip were discussed during an earlier meeting. In those talks, President Bush said he stressed to President Hu the need for Chinese citizens to enjoy greater freedom, including religious rights. China is officially an atheist country.
Now, on trade, Mr. Hu promised President Bush that China will move to reduce its trade imbalance with the United States, but he did not discuss any specific steps.
And the two leaders also discussed Taiwanese independence. The Chinese leader said he's committed to peace and stability in Taiwan in the strait there, but he also said Beijing would not tolerate independence for Taiwan.
CNN White House Correspondent Dana Bash is traveling with the president, and she joins us now from Beijing with the latest on these talks.
Hi, Dana.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Betty.
And freedom, religious freedom in particular, was how President Bush decided to start his Sunday here in Beijing. A symbolic move, attending a church here in Beijing, but one sanctioned by the communist government. And that means censored by the government as well. But the president wanting to make the point, and even came out of the church and saying that he hopes that this gives the message to China's leaders that it's important for China's people to be able to express themselves and worship freely.
Now, that is one of the messages he took directly to President Hu Jintao, China's president. In addition, as you mentioned, major economic issues on the table. But all signs are that not very much progress with regard to what makes the U.S. at quite a disadvantage to China when it comes to the economic issues.
A $200 billion trade deficit, from the U.S. point of view, expected this year. And also some currency issues. None of that really were -- none of those issues were worked out in these meetings as far as U.S. officials tell us.
But as with the rest of the president's trip, Betty, Iraq was following Mr. Bush around. And earlier today he did speak for the first time direction about a call from an influential Democratic congressman, John Murtha, to withdraw troops in six months.
Let' listen to what he said.
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BUSH: Congressman Murtha is a fine man. He's a good man who served our country with honor and distinction as a Marine in Vietnam and as a United States congressman.
He is a strong supporter of the United States military. And I know the decision to call for an immediate withdrawal of our troops by Congressman Murtha was done in a careful and thoughtful way.
I disagree with his position.
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BASH: Now, there the president talking about Congressman Murtha's position and decision, coming to it in a careful and thoughtful way, quite different from the tone that we heard from the official statement from his press secretary earlier in the week, comparing Congressman Murtha to Michael Moore, the liberal filmmaker, and making it sound like they believe at the White House that Congressman Murtha is in the extreme of the left wing of the Democratic Party. Certainly a very different tone from the president today talking about the fact, once again, as he has many times over the past several days, that he believes that U.S. troops should stay in Iraq until his U.S. military commanders tell him it's OK for them to start coming back home -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Dana Bash in China.
And President Bush, we do want to mention, leaves later today for Mongolia.
Thank you, Dana -- Rob.
MARCIANO: Another very bloody weekend in Iraq. In one of the latest attacks, a roadside bomb blast killed a U.S. Marine and 15 Iraqi civilians. By some accounts, more than 150 people have been killed across Iraq this weekend alone.
CNN's Nic Robertson joins us from Baghdad with the latest.
Hello, Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, that attack, Rob, that killed the U.S. Marine occurred in the town of Haditha, northwest of Baghdad, on the way towards the Syrian border. And perhaps it is typical in the nature of many of these attacks, the roadside bomb killing a Marine, wounding five others. But by the very number and nature of the attack, 15 Iraqis killed in that same roadside bombing.
It appears, therefore, to have happened at a very crowded location. And as we have seen with -- with many of these types of attacks, the insurgents apparently laying an ambush.
There was a lot of heavy gunfire on the scene. And the U.S. troops killing eight insurgents, wounding one other.
Often it seems the insurgents planned a roadside bomb, have an ambush waiting there to shoot on the vehicle, shoot on the troops after the bomb has gone off. That's what happened this day.
We've also heard this morning three bodies discovered in Baghdad, shot in the head. That's not uncommon. People taken from their homes disappear from the streets. It's not clear the reason, but three people reported found dead this morning.
And another report surfacing today that four people, formerly in Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath Party, killed over the weekend as well.
But by far the bloodiest attack was an attack on a funeral last night.
The funeral goers were gathered in a tent. And that's where the suicide bomber drove his car into. And he killed 25 people, wounded 30 others there -- Rob.
MARCIANO: Nic, any word or feel for maybe why this is happening? The upcoming elections, or maybe the insurgents are gaining more recruits? Any feel for it on the ground there in Baghdad?
ROBERTSON: I think perhaps it's -- it all looks very sectarian in nature. The attack was on a Shia funeral. The attack in a market yesterday morning was on a Shia neighborhood of Baghdad. The Sunni- led insurgency has -- tends to attack the Shia community.
We don't know yet whether bodies discovered in Baghdad may well be Sunnis. It's often Sunnis that turn up shot dead in the head.
We've also seen these Ba'athists kill south of Baghdad. Generally sectarian, generally they've been Sunnis killed. We don't know by whom.
It seems that the sectarian tensions have been raised, particularly because earlier in the week the discovery of this detention facility, a government detention facility, where people were being tortured. That's really set the scene for some escalated political rhetoric.
Why it's triggering, or if it's triggering, this upsurge in violence it's not clear. But as a run-up to elections, it does -- it's certainly something people are expecting here, the possibility of more violence -- Rob. MARCIANO: Nic, a complicated scene. Thanks again for your insight.
Nic Robertson live for us in Baghdad.
As we've reported, the American death toll in Iraq continues to climb. Right now there have been 2,090 U.S. troops killed in Iraq since the war began. That includes a U.S. Marine and five American soldiers killed in separate insurgent attacks this weekend.
NGUYEN: Back here in the U.S., it is about 4:09 out in California, where a cool, damp breeze blows off the ocean to the relief of southern California firefighters.
Kareen Wynter is on the scene of that blaze north of Los Angeles, and she filed this report.
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KAREEN WYNTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So far, a successful weekend for fire crews here in the canyons of Ventura County working to put out those hotspots. Nothing in the way of flare-ups or even fires, but just those smoldering locations. That's where they've been focusing their efforts.
Now, containment is at 60 percent. We're still looking at Tuesday evening as a possible timeline for when this fire will be fully contained. But nothing in the way this weekend of evacuations or homes that were threatened.
A vastly different picture from Friday, where we saw the hillsides just erupting in flames. There were people evacuating their homes.
The conditions here have just been cooperating all weekend long. The conditions are still quite dry, however. But the wind has cooperated just about five to 10 miles per hour in some locations.
Now, as the day progresses, officials are keeping their eye on that, because if things pick up and the winds shift, it could be a completely different situation out here.
In Ventura County, I'm Kareen Wynter.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MARCIANO: Well, there is hardly a place anywhere on the planet where Muhammad Ali...
NGUYEN: Who doesn't know Muhammad Ali?
MARCIANO: ... you know, he's a household name.
NGUYEN: Yes.
MARCIANO: And I'm sure where he's from as well. I mean, the boxing legend's hometown? You bet he is a hero there as well. We're going to show you a star-studded tribute there.
Plus, more drivers still have a mathematical chance at walking away with a Nextel Cup championship today. We'll tell you who the real winners are when "Beyond the Game" goes live to Miami -- Bonnie.
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, good morning, everyone.
We have a look at your cold and flu report to show you where we've had reports of the flu across the country. Only sporadic outbreaks in most places like Texas and California, with most of the country reporting no activity.
That's good news. Hope everyone stays healthy.
Well, stay tuned. We're going to have a complete check of the forecast coming up next on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
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MARCIANO: Plains, trains and automobiles. Get a real workout this time of year as we move into the holiday travel season. We're going to give you some tips on saving money live on CNN SUNDAY MORNING. That's in our 9:00 Eastern hour.
Also, will high energy prices curb your travel this year? We'll put that question to you straight ahead.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It really will. It sure will. We won't go very far.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not at all?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not at all. I'm going to my family's regardless.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you driving?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, but I only live an hour from my mother.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With the high gas prices and all that, and people losing their jobs, I don't think many people will be doing that much shopping anyway. So I'll try to be cutting back on a lot of my spending.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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NGUYEN: Well, for those of you just tuning in, here are this morning's top stories. President Bush talks trade and religious freedom with his Chinese counterpart, Hu Jintao. The president is in Beijing on the third leg of a four-nation visit to Southeast Asia. He heads to Mongolia this evening.
More havoc in Iraq. Sixteen people, including a U.S. Marine, have been killed in a roadside bombing in Iraq. A military statement says that bomb went of near Haditha. Gunmen attacked the military convoy immediately following the bombing, and Iraqi army soldiers, along with Marines, returned fire, killing eight suspected insurgents and wounding another.
In South Africa, scientists are coming out against a proposal to kill about 5,000 elephants at a national game park. They government has warned that Kruger National Park cannot handle a projected doubling of the elephant population. And environmental groups, they have proposed using contraceptives to control elephant birth rates.
Very interesting. I don't -- you know, I don't even want to begin to know how that works, Rob.
MARCIANO: No.
NGUYEN: Too much of a visual this early in the morning.
MARCIANO: There are probably several options, and describing them at this hour is probably not a good idea.
NGUYEN: Yes.
Bonnie Schneider, can you help us out here?
SCHNEIDER: No.
MARCIANO: Yes, I didn't think you were going to touch that, Bonnie.
SCHNEIDER: I wasn't going to.
NGUYEN: Just change the subject, shall we?
SCHNEIDER: Right. Right.
MARCIANO: Tropical Storm Gamma at this time yesterday was making folks in Florida nervous. Made that nudge yet, or what?
SCHNEIDER: It just goes to show you, Rob, about the power of positive thinking.
NGUYEN: That's true.
SCHNEIDER: Everybody was -- fingers were crossed, let this one not affect Florida, and it looks like your prayers were answered.
Gamma is now really breaking up. The wind shear that was coming from the southwest at about 40 miles per hour ripped the tops off the thunderstorms. And remember, these thunderstorms kind of stack vertically. So if you don't have that vertical development, you're not going to have a big tropical storm.
And looking at our satellite perspective, notice these bright orange areas here. Well, they indicate the higher cloud tops. And as the loop plays, you can just see them, going, going, gone.
But we still have a tropical storm out there. The good news for the Yucatan, though, it is turning away. And according to this chart from the National Hurricane Center, look at this. It becomes a area of low pressure, more of a depression, really, probably even today. Good news regarding Gamma.
But we have other things to be concerned with. It's never quiet in the world of weather.
(WEATHER REPORT)
SCHNEIDER: But what's good news to report, Betty and Rob, what we're looking at is, since this storm is not going to come from the ocean, it's not going to be a major snowstorm for Thanksgiving travel, which is good news.
NGUYEN: That is, indeed, as folks hid the roadways. Thank you.
MARCIANO: Thanks, Bonnie. Good news across the board there. Obviously folks who live in Yucatan, or maybe in Cancun, they're breathing a sigh of relief, especially after last month's Wilma. They managed to dodge the wrath of Gamma, which was just moments ago, as Bonnie mentioned, you know, taking that right turn.
The area is still recovering from the beating it took from Wilma just three weeks ago. Karl Penhaul is there in Cancun. He joins us live now from videophone.
Hi, Karl. What's going on?
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Rob.
Well, as you know, Gamma was, or is the 24th named storm of what's become a record hurricane season in the Atlantic. There's been so many storms, they've run out of names. That's why they've gone into the Greek alphabet.
Now, according to forecasts even as late as yesterday, this storm was going to hit the Yucatan peninsula, but then the forecasts have changed, and now there's no chance that this storm is going to hit the peninsula. And one of the deputy directors of the Civil Protection Force here had this to say...
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MARIO STOUTE, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR CIVIL PROTECTION: At the moment it's no risk because it's not heading this way. It's curving toward Cuba. Right now it's in the Bay of Honduras, near (INAUDIBLE). And it's curving toward the northeast, toward Cuba. And the influence of the winds are about 165 kilometers from the center. That's way, way far from here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PENHAUL: Now, of course, Cancun a major tourist destination. According to authorities here, about 10,000 tourists, both international and Mexicans, on vacation here.
We talked to some of the American tourists here down here for the Thanksgiving holiday. They're obviously breathing a sigh of relief.
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DALE SCHNEL, U.S. TOURIST: Are we afraid? Absolutely not. No. We'll be back again. Cancun, the people in Cancun treat us very well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PENHAUL: But, of course, as you mentioned, Rob, the cleanup from Hurricane Wilma a month ago still is far from complete here in Yucatan. We were talking to some of the hotel owners and hotel managers yesterday, and they say they don't believe they'll be up and running fully even before the Christmas holidays. They believe they'll take them into January before they recover from the damage inflicted by Wilma -- Rob.
MARCIANO: Very good, Karl. We're happy that this storm is moving away from you.
Karl Penhaul live for us in Cancun, Mexico. And for a change of pace, he may very well have an easy day today, maybe with some sunshine.
NGUYEN: Yes. He might actually get to enjoy being there. Those tough assignments.
All right.
More than 95 million racing fans are keeping an eye on Miami today. The Nextel Cup championship winner will be crowned this evening, but it comes down to just one race -- Rob.
MARCIANO: Our Rick Horrow joins us live from Miami to tell you who the real winners...
NGUYEN: With his ticket in hand.
MARCIANO: ... might be. Oh, that looks like a pit pass.
NGUYEN: Uh-oh.
MARCIANO: That looks like a pit pass, Rick. I love it when we don't turn his mike turned on.
NGUYEN: I know. Keep his mike turned off. MARCIANO: But we're going to talk to him. Always informative, always entertaining. That's coming up in just a little bit.
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MARCIANO (voice over): NASCAR's popularity is growing faster than any other major sport in America. This year alone, a 90 percent growth rate. And only pro football consistently has higher TV ratings.
This is NASCAR's biggest weekend of the year, its Super Bowl, the Ford championship race in Miami. The end of the Nextel Cup chase for the best driver of the year.
The topic this morning, as we take you "Beyond the Game."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MARCIANO: Ninety-five million fans and growing. But just who are these NASCAR fans? And where's the money coming from to keep this sport so popular?
Turning now to the man with the answers, the author of "When The Game Is On The Line," Rick Horrow joins us live from Homestead, Miami, the speedway there where the big race is going to take place today.
Rick, thanks for joining us. I know you want to -- it looks like you want to say something.
RICK HORROW, CNN SPORTS BUSINESS ANALYST: Hey, Rob, I just want to tell you, congratulations, my weatherman friend. No Tropical Storm Gamma. The weather is perfect, at least for now.
You did it, man. Thank you.
MARCIANO: Oh, I -- that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me.
HORROW: That is.
MARCIANO: Let's move on to business, big man.
We've got -- this seems to be the last race that actually maters. Tony Stewart's in the lead, and from what I'm reading, all he needs to do is come in ninth and he clinches the title.
How does that work?
HORROW: Well, because they had a chase for the championship with the top 10 guys, and now we're down to the Super Bowl, and he's 52 points ahead of his nearest challenger, Jimmie Johnson, 87 ahead of Carl Edwards, and 102 ahead of Greg Biffle. Biffle. So, yes, you have to finish ninth. It's like, you know, the Steelers finish ninth and winning the Super Bowl, but he's earned it through the season. MARCIANO: OK.
HORROW: That's the difference.
MARCIANO: Well, who else has a realistic chance of winning this thing, those three guys you mentioned?
HORROW: Yes. And frankly, that's why you're going to have, you know, hundreds of thousands of people tune tuning in, you're going to have 150 countries and 32 languages. That's why the Super Bowl of racing has taken on pretty significant implications.
MARCIANO: So, a huge fan base. Who are these fans, other than the ones you see on race day?
HORROW: Well, the bottom line is, the fans are growing and growing every year. The demographics are much better today than they used to be.
Forty-one percent executive capacity, by the way, and 48 percent have incomes over $50,000. It's diverse as well.
Twelve percent are Hispanic, 12 percent are African American. It is also international, the 150 countries I told you about. And it's beyond the southeastern roots.
You have got fans now, because of new tracks that have opened up in Las Vegas and California and Kansas. They're trying to build a new track in Seattle, Washington, as well as New York. And so there is that significant increase in fan base.
MARCIANO: So we've really grown out of the perception that NASCAR is the good old boys, you know, white man's sport in the South. We're starting to grow -- grow the fan base to other minorities, and that's why, I assume, sponsors are pretty pumped up.
HORROW: Well, it's also because the NASCAR fan is more loyal than any sport. And that's why $2 billion in merchandising here.
Nextel, by the way, spends $100 million a year, a billion-dollar sponsorship. And their fans, the NASCAR fans, are 50 times more likely to buy a Nextel phone than the competition. Wilson's Leather Goods increased sales 13 percent the day they announced a NASCAR affiliation.
The real key, though, Rob, is the hearts and the minds of the next generation. The 7 to 11-year-olds say NASCAR is their fourth family sport -- their fourth favorite sport.
Now, you know, they can pick up a golf club, they can pick up a basketball, but my 11-year-old ain't going to drive my family car. So it's a challenge of what to do as far as diversifying NASCAR and keeping the youngsters interested.
MARCIANO: Well, it seems like they're on the right track. Maybe some other sports want to take note to increase their bottom line. I see you have a pit pass there. Are you going to enjoy the race today, my friend?
HORROW: Yes, I am. And fair ball, fowl ball.
We've got the Busch family, by the way. One of the brothers won the race in Phoenix last week, the other brother was suspended after he was picked up by police. He's going to a new race car and race family. But the bottom line is, everybody's really excited about this sport and this race.
And more important than that, I'm real excited about this sport, this race, because it's going to be a heck of a race. And I'll be right there.
MARCIANO: My money's on Carl Edwards, the back flipper. He runs at the poles and he's pretty darn close to Tony. So we'll see what happens there.
HORROW: Yes. Well, it will be -- like I said, everybody is going to be watching it. You should even tune in.
MARCIANO: Rick Horrow, thanks for joining us.
Rick Horrow, author of "When The Game Is On The Line." And he's at NASCAR today -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Always colorful comments from Rick. Thank you.
Still to come on CNN SUNDAY MORNING, this young dad recently received nationwide honors for his dedication and perseverance. Now his friends and family are mourning his loss.
Also, it's easy to see why Muhammad Ali is still the greatest. A star-studded gala honors the man and his legacy.
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NGUYEN: Welcome back and good morning everybody, on this Sunday. I'm Betty Nguyen.
MARCIANO: And I'm Rob Marciano in for Tony Harris. Now in the news, Beijing talks are over with no real breakthroughs. President Bush called for more human rights and religious freedom, while China's president promised to try to ease trade tensions. Bush added the relationship between the U.S. and China is quote, good, vibrant, and strong.
In Iraq, 16 people are dead following an ambush on a joint U.S./Iraqi patrol northwest of Baghdad. The U.S. military says one Marine was among those killed by a roadside bomb. Iraqi and U.S. Marines returning gunfire and they killed eight insurgents.
California firefighters are watching for hot spots from a wildfire in Ventura County, but the worst appears to be over. Cool ocean breezes are helping out. About 60 percent of the fire is under control. So far, no homes have been destroyed, but nearly 4,000 acres of brush has been blackened.
NGUYEN: Well, statistically, Terrell Pough is the 337th homicide in Philadelphia so far this year. A father at the age of just 16, he was honored as "People" magazine's outstanding single father. Terrell went to school in the morning, worked at night, and raised his two- year-old daughter in between. Amanda Martin of CNN affiliate WTXF has more.
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AMANDA MARTIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At almost two years old, Diamond can't yet understand exactly what she's lost. She's lost her protector, her caretaker, her dad.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's where he got his drive. I mean you look at his daughter, how can you not -- how can you not want to give your all to her?
MARTIN: After she was born, when he was 16 years old, Terrell Pough made a lifetime commitment giving her his all.
RICHARD NESBITT, POUGH'S UNCLE: He was the personification of excellence. He had every opportunity, because of his background, to do the wrong thing. And it would kind of been statistically understandable, but he chose -- he was the exception to the rule.
MARTIN: Terrell made Diamond his number one priority, raising her on his own while going to school and holding a steady job. He was recognized by "People" magazine in August for being an outstanding single father and then earlier this month, honored by the 76ers to stand at the game (ph) for being a responsible young adult.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was capable of doing anything.
MARTIN: Terrell's mentor in a teen parenting program says he was on the path of true success.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's not much that Terrell probably couldn't do with his life.
MARTIN: But now someone has taken Terrell's life and a major part of hers. Thursday night at 10:30 police say Terrell was shot and killed in the 5400 block of Wayne Avenue in Germantown. He was leaving work on the way to pick up Diamond. Police say they have no suspects and no motive.
LIZ POUGH, TERRELL'S MOTHER: What happened to Terrell was senseless; it's sad, and if anyone knows anything about what happened to him, if they would come forward, I would be grateful.
MARTIN: For Diamond, life will never be the same.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: And that is Amanda Martin of WTXF Philadelphia with the report. Well "People" magazine did issue this statement, saying quote, we at "People" are deeply saddened by the death of Terrell Pough, who won the admiration of our readers when he shared his story about raising his young daughter as a teenaged single father. Our thoughts are with his family, particularly his daughter Diamond as they try to cope with the loss of this fine young man.
Time now to check on other stories making news around the world today.
MARCIANO: There are some harsh words that prompted delegates to storm out of an Iraqi conference being held in Egypt. Shannon Cooke has more on that story from CNN's international desk. Some drama over there, Shannon. What happened?
SHANNON COOKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A little bit of drama. Thanks, Rob. Good morning to you. This conference that's being held in Cairo, Egypt was aimed at reconciling opposing factions in Iraq. Iraqi politicians from all parties were present, but Shiite and Kurdish delegates abruptly walked out of the conference at one point. They were angry over a speaker who called them U.S. sellouts. Fifteen minutes later though, the Iraqi delegates returned to the meeting after receiving an apology. This conference, by the way, was organized by the Arab League in hopes of scheduling reconciliation talks in Iraq next year.
Now to Israel where Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's political future is unclear. Mr. Sharon is considering whether to leave the Likud party and create a new party before an early election next year. Sharon is expected to announce this decision tomorrow. He's Israel's most popular politician, but he faces strong opposition within the Likud party over concessions that have been given to Palestinians, such as the recent Gaza strip withdrawal. Polls show that a new party led by Sharon could get enough support to put together a new government. Rob.
MARCIANO: Shannon, I hear something about kangaroo -- I didn't know people ate kangaroo.
COOKE: Say it isn't so.
MARCIANO: Apparently they do. There's some sort of situation going on over there, right?
COOKE: Right, yes. Kangaroo meat is actually quite a popular menu item on restaurants in Australia, but a competition is being launched to find a new name for kangaroo meat. You know, kangaroos are considered a national symbol and icon of Australia. They're even on the coat of arms. So calling it kangaroo meat makes some Aussies recoil, kind of understandably so. The kangaroo industry is calling for Aussies to weigh in on a new way to describe it.
NGUYEN: So I guess it's a way of disguising the fact that it's kangaroo, even though you kind of know it is. It's a nicer way of saying, hey, you're about to order some kangaroo.
COOKE: Exactly.
NGUYEN: OK, so how popular is kangaroo meat? Do a lot of people eat it?
COOKE: Yeah, actually, it's surprising popular in Australia and overseas. The kangaroo export -- kangaroo meat export business is a multimillion dollar business and it's very popular in Europe. Some countries in Europe like France and Germany, it became increasingly popular during the mad cow disease scare as an alternative.
NGUYEN: Because it's a red meat, right?
COOKE: It's sort of a lean red meat, haven't tried it myself. Because I can't get over the fact that it's a cute kangaroo.
MARCIANO: We probably should stop showing that video with the little child playing with the kangaroo. That gets everybody (INAUDIBLE)
COOKE: Yeah, better than showing a big slab of red meat, though, at this hour of the morning anyway.
MARCIANO: All right, Shannon.
NGUYEN: Thank you.
MARCIANO: Thanks very much, kind of like deer, I suppose. Venison, a nice fancy name like that.
NGUYEN: A little Bambi. Venison, I still think Bambi.
OK, you could call it angel food, right? But it's a dessert that is very dangerous for one winged messenger. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DELLA REESE, ACTRESS: I felt it was my just desserts to have a bowl, not a dip, not a spoonful, a bowl full of butter pecan ice cream every night. Well, I have changed my mind about that. That doesn't mean I'll never have another dip of butter pecan ice cream but I can't go to bed with it every night like I've been doing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Yeah, she can't do it every night, but she still loves it. "Touched by an Angel" star, Della Reese, talks about her battle with the silent killer.
MARCIANO: And it's a big day in Miami. There's a live shot for you, thanks WPLG, a little cloudy there. Will it rain, because there are implications. The city is psyched up, the Nextel cup race there at the Homestead Miami raceway. Can Tony Stewart hang onto the lead? The race day forecast a little bit late later here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Actress Della Reese has lived many show biz lives in Hollywood. She's a singer, a movie star and a minister, but most remember her as co-star of the hit TV series "Touched by an Angel." What many people don't know is that she battles diabetes daily. Now earlier this week I talked with Reese about the dangers of what's known as the silent killer.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Well, you have joked and I'm going to read it to you, you wanted to be rich so you could eat butter pecan ice cream every day.
DELLA REESE, SINGER/ACTRESS: Absolutely.
NGUYEN: Who knew, though, that you'd be diagnosed with diabetes. When did you find out?
REESE: Well, it's been about -- going on five years ago now. I was doing "Touched by an Angel," and I had a two-story house, and I started down the stairs, and it was as if something hit me in the back of the head and I sat down on the steps, I don't know how long. And then as quickly as it had come, it left. So I went to work. And I went through hair and makeup and wardrobe and it was going to be a wonderful day. Wynona Judd was going to sing. I was going to conduct a choir of gospel music, which is my favorite, by the way, and it was going to be wonderful. And I had to stand on a box in order to conduct. And once I got on the box, I heard the director say, "action," and I began to conduct. But I don't remember what happened after that.
NGUYEN: Really?
REESE: The next thing I heard was "cut," and I had to get down off of this box, which suddenly became an issue and two gentlemen helped me down. And about 25 feet away I saw this fence, and I knew I should get there and hold on. The director saw me and said to his assistant, what's wrong with Della, because I play all the time? The assistant said, oh, she's just playing as usual. And he said, no, look at how she's walking and how she's holding that fence. And so they took me to central paramedics, and that's how I found out.
NGUYEN: So what type of diabetes do you have?
REESE: Type II diabetes is attacking my body. I don't have it. I'm fighting a war against it.
NGUYEN: That's right.
REESE: For the quality of my life.
NGUYEN: You are in control of it.
REESE: So if I had it, I just kick it to the side and keep moving.
NGUYEN: Kick it to the curb. Now, does your family have a history of diabetes? REESE: No. I had no way of knowing. Nobody in my family had it. I didn't have -- it wasn't by hereditary. I had had no symptoms. There was no numbness. There was no anything to give me any indication of it.
NGUYEN: How has diabetes changed your life?
REESE: It's changed my life because, as I said to you earlier, I'm in a serious war for the quality of my life. I've lived a wonderful, happy, peace of mind, peaceful life, and I want to continue to live that way. And working on this diabetic situation is an inside job. Yes, you do need some medication. Yes, you might need insulin. But what you need is to go inside and change your mind. Once you change your mind, you can change your life. I had to change my mind. You spoke about the butter pecan ice cream. I felt it was my just desserts to have a bowl, not a dip, not a spoonful, a bowlful of butter pecan ice cream every night. Well, I have changed my mind about that. That doesn't mean I'll never have another dip of butter pecan ice cream, but I can't go to bed with it every night.
NGUYEN: Yeah, it's all in moderation. I also want to read something that you said, too, which I found really kind of humorous. You said your folks are from Tennessee and there's only one way to cook chicken there and that's to deep fry it.
REESE: That's what chickens were created for.
NGUYEN: Exactly, it tastes so good.
REESE: They were created to be deep fried.
NGUYEN: But you have changed that, though. You've changed your life and you changed the way you eat.
REESE: Absolutely. I found out that chicken can be cooked some other way.
NGUYEN: And it's good the other way.
REESE: I was over 50 years old when I found that out. Because all the rest of my life I thought that it was meant -- if it wasn't fried, it should be smothered in brown gravy. That was it. That's all a chicken was for.
NGUYEN: Oh, goodness. Let me ask you something serious. Mary Tyler Moore obviously we know, is among the long list of celebrities with diabetes. She has come out in support of stem cell research. You, not only an actress, not only having diabetes, but you're also a minister. Where do you stand on that issue?
REESE: I think that God is all there is. There is nothing else. And so all of the things that we can use to help people to help ourselves, I think, are God things.
(END VIDEOTAPE) NGUYEN: She is definitely touched by an angel. Well, here are some signs of Type I diabetes. It comes on suddenly and requires immediate treatment, frequent urination, excessive thirst, extreme hunger, rapid weight loss, fatigue, irritability, and mood changes, as well as nausea and vomiting. If you have those symptoms, do seek medical help immediately. Here's Type II diabetes. Here's the whole list for you. The signs are more gradual, but they also require immediate medical attention. Symptoms include blurred vision, tingling or numbness in the legs, feet or fingers, frequent infections of the skin, recurring gum or urinary tract infections, itching of the skin and/or genitals, drowsiness, and slow healing of cuts and bruises. Rob?
MARCIANO: Betty, we're going to have the latest on the California wildfires, that's one of the day's headlines that we're following. We'll have that check for you in just a moment. And meanwhile, good morning, Miami. Big things happening down there. We've got the Nextel cup finale later on today. The race gets a start this evening at the raceway.
First, though, will high energy costs affect your holiday travel?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not at all. No, not at all. It's the cost you have to pay for it, and it's kind of not going to change it at all.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not at all. High gas prices haven't really affected me at all. It hasn't changed my commute to work, my travel plans, weekends trips. It hasn't really been a factor in any of that this year.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mostly likely not. I'm flying out actually. I live in Atlanta, but I'm from New York and I'm flying out to New York. Honestly, it wouldn't affect me, but I know a lot of people who are driving for the holidays and yeah, they are upset about the rising prices in gas and oil and everything.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Time now for a check of the top stories, just in case you're just joining us this morning. Amid all the pictures of posing with President Bush pressed China's president though to rein in his country's trade love affair with American consumers. Now Mr. Bush is also pushing for greater religious freedom for the Chinese people and he worshipped at a Protestant church in Beijing, the latest stop in his Asian trip.
Back here in the U.S., cooler temperatures are helping California firefighters battle a nearly 4,000 acre wildfire in Ventura County. That fire is now 60 percent contained. No homes have been burned.
And finally, it's the super bowl of NASCAR as they call it. Carl Edwards has the pole for tonight's season-ending Ford 400 race at Homestead Miami speedway. More than 90 million people are expected to watch. Wow. Tony Stewart has all but sewn up the Nextel cup championship.
MARCIANO: Here's a look at news happening across America this morning. It could be Monday before an underwater search and rescue team can retrieve a downed plane. The single engine Cessna crashed Saturday in (INAUDIBLE) harbor near Los Angeles. Authorities believe four people may have died in that crash.
Rapper and former gang member Snoop Dogg joins the fight to save the life and gang cofounder Stanley "Tookie" Williams, a man many say has changed. But one woman says she's not buying it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARA OWENS, VICTIM'S STEPMOTHER: I do not believe Tookie has changed. I believe he's still reaping the rewards of his gang life. I believe this is just a manipulation from him. I believe that he is saying words like redeemed in his own code, not the true form of redemption. I believe Tookie has not changed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARCIANO: Snoop, Jamie Foxx and others are asking for clemency for Williams. Supporters say he has turned over a new leaf and is now a peacemaker. Williams is scheduled to be executed in San Quentin next month. He was convicted of killing four people during a string of robberies in the 1970s.
In Colorado it's a happy ending for a missing snowboarder. His name is John Ryan. Ryan was lost for three days in the woods near Keystone ski resort. Searchers found him Saturday morning. He was treated for frostbite.
The Muhammad Ali center opens its doors this weekend in Louisville, Kentucky, how home town. It's a six-story tribute to Ali's legendary career and a legacy to his humanitarian ideals of peace and tolerance. A few of Hollywood's finest attended the celebration, including former President Bill Clinton, Jim Carrey and Angelina Jolie.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANGELINA JOLIE, ACTRESS: Whether it was the pictures of him young and so proud and so full of fire or even knowing him now and seeing what he's just gone through and how he's just accomplished it with such grace and strength and dignity and just carries on with such -- you know, he's just glorious. So I think he's just that person that you just -- he's one of those you pull to when you need strength, when you need guidance.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARCIANO: Betty, Christina Aguilera is a married woman.
NGUYEN: Oh, is she?
MARCIANO: She and boyfriend Jordan...
NGUYEN: Bratman.
MARCIANO: Bratman, thank you, tied the knot.
NGUYEN: You got to read "Us Weekly" to know that.
MARCIANO: They tied the knot in a quiet Napa Valley vineyard. That's nice -- Saturday. Sources say the two will whisk away into seclusion and an extended honeymoon at an undisclosed location.
NGUYEN: She gets what a girl wants, right?
MARCIANO: I suppose so.
NGUYEN: Just like the song says. Well, we're going to be talking about Gamma, because Gamma has changed a little bit.
MARCIANO: Thank goodness. It's tough for one of these storms to get going this time of year, and look at that little guy, gal or it.
NGUYEN: Whatever Gamma is.
MARCIANO: It's falling apart and that's good news. Bonnie Schneider is going to be up with a full forecast to talk about where that storm is headed after this break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: You know, Gamma is changing. We've been watching, especially Florida, really did not want to get hit by Gamma. But this is kind of a depression that people are excited about, right, Bonnie?
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That's one way to look at it Betty. I like that.
NGUYEN: I worked on that for a little while.
SCHNEIDER: Well, right now Gamma really is losing its intensity very quickly. You can even see it on our satellite perspective. The color orange indicates the higher cloud top and as you watch this loop play, you'll see that you don't see as much orange as we did in the beginning of the loop. That's because Gamma is now a tropical depression with maximum winds at 35 miles per hour. It will still bring some rain, three to six inches to the southern half of Cuba and also we'll see two to four inches in Honduras, but the storm is turning away from Central America, turning away from the Yucatan and it will stay far enough south enough that we're not going to see too many effects in Florida, though we are getting some clouds right now in Miami.
In fact, let's show you a live picture of Homestead, Florida, just to the south, where they're getting ready for the Nextel cup championship today. A couple of clouds there. Oh, there it is, doesn't look too bad, but I think we could see some showers and some thunderstorms in the forecast for south Florida possibly later today. The morning though looks good.
Let's take a look at that Miami forecast for today. You'll find temperatures will still be mild, but there's actually a cold front that is coming through. Look at the drastic change there from Monday to Tuesday when that cooler air comes in. This is really the forecast for most of Florida. We'll be seeing occasional showers and thunderstorms as the cold front works its way through and then temperatures drop down into the mid 50s. And if you've ever been to Florida and it gets into the mid 50s, people talk. That's a big deal, so it's going to be chilly there. But at least they are not going to be feeling too many effects from Gamma, which is very good news.
Elsewhere across the country, we are catching some influence from Gamma believe it or not on the East coast. We have an area of low pressure developing in the northeast coast right now in the Gulf of Mexico. This will kind of slide its way up the corner of the country here right through Georgia on into the Carolinas, eventually work its way to the north replacing the high pressure that's in place right now. It'll bring some rain and wind through Monday into Tuesday from many of the cities in the east coast, but today's still chilly for much of the nation's midsection. Warm down in California, Arizona looking good, fog this morning in northern California so watch out for that if you're up early.
MARCIANO: Thanks, Bonnie. We'll talk to you later.
NGUYEN: Yeah we will. Next hour of CNN SUNDAY MORNING begins right now.
MARCIANO: President Bush meets with Chinese leaders in Beijing. He apparently wins, on one issue, at least -- that's trade; but loses on another -- that is Chinese people's rights.
At a news conference, the president responds to critics of the war in Iraq. A live report on Mr. Bush's Asian trip is one-minute away.
And personal information on thousands of present and past Boeing workers may be floating in cyberspace. A laptop with names, Social Security numbers, and banking information was recently stolen. This is the latest in a string of identity thefts at big corporations, including Time Warner -- that is CNN's parent company.
And get your motor running: It's the chase for the championship in Homestead, Florida. You're looking at a live picture from the racetrack, this morning. Carl Edwards is on the pole for the Ford 400. The points leader Tony Stewart is the odds-on favorite to win his second Cup championship. And he doesn't even have to win the race. He just has to finish ninth or better. But, you know, if he crashes, that could be a problem.
All right, from the CNN Center it's CNN SUNDAY MORNING, November 20. 8:00 in the morning here; 7:00 a.m. in the Heartland. Good morning, I'm Rob Marciano, in for Tony Harris. NGUYEN: In for Tony today. And I'm Betty Nguyen. We want to thank you for joining us.
Now in the news, we're we will be telling you about President Bush. He may be around the world in China, but he is hearing all the political bashing over who's right and who is wrong about Iraq. The president met with reporters within the last few hours, praising his most potent Iraq war critic.
CNN's Dana Bash is traveling with the president, and joins us live from Beijing.
Dana, was this a surprise move?
BASH: Well, you know -- as you know, Betty, today is Sunday, and in Washington that means, the Sunday talk shows, and all of the talk, is expected to be about Congressman John Murtha, the Democratic congressman who called for troop withdraw within six months. So Mr. Bush and the White House clearly wanted to get his voice into the mix, if you will, on this particular issue. So here in China, he met with reporters and without prompting, without even being asked, he talked about the congressman, and here's what he said:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUSH: Congressman Murtha is a fine man, a good man, who served our country with honor and distinction as a Marine in Vietnam and as a United States congressman. He is a strong supporter of the United States military. And I know the decision to call for an immediate withdrawal of our troops, by Congressman Murtha, was done in a careful and thoughtful way.
I disagree with his position.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: The president went on to say that he disagrees with his position because it would strengthen the terrorist's hand in Iraq and broaden the war on terror. Those were Mr. Bush's words.
But, Betty, what was interesting about this is how conciliatory, if you will, Mr. Bush's tone was when it comes to Congressman Murtha -- quite different from a White House statement put out just a few days ago, right after the congressman came out with his position. That statement linked the congressman to liberal filmmaker Michael Moore. It was quite a striking statement that was part of the political battle that the White House is engaged in to try to hit back at Democrats, as they feel the heat on the president's Iraq policy and, certainly, watch the poll numbers back home go down, in terms of support for the war in Iraq -Betty.
NGUYEN: Dana, let's shift gears just a little bit, because we've heard these stories before. Did the president take another spill off that bike once again, this time in China?
BASH: Well, you know, he has been doing a lot of talking, very intense talks about everything from human rights, religious freedom, to economic issues -- really big differences between the two countries. But he did shed his suit for some bike shorts earlier today, and showed us something that we really never get to see, and that's pictures of Mr. Bush riding his bicycle. He went out with six Olympic hopefuls from China and clearly had a very good time, made some jokes about the differences between riding here and riding back home, in Crawford. So that was a little bit of recreation for the president in the middle of a pretty intense eight-day trip, here in Asia.
NGUYEN: But no injuries reported -- because we were hearing, though, that he may have been injured -- no?
BASH: As far as we know, no injuries reported. But if that changes, we will definitely get back to you.
NGUYEN: No. Well, that's a good thing that no injuries were reported.
BASH: OK.
NGUYEN: Good job -- Dana Bash, thank you.
MARCIANO: Another offensive against suspected insurgents in Iraq is underway. About 150 Iraqi soldiers and 300 U.S. Marines have launched Operation Bruins in northern Ramadi. The force is blocking off escape routes for insurgents and searching for weapons. The operation is aimed at stabilizing the area ahead of the December 15th elections.
More carnage in Iraq: 16 people, including a U.S. Marine, have been killed in a roadside bomb there. A military statement says, the bomb went off near Haditha. A gunman attacked there; the military convoy immediately following the bombing. Iraqi army soldiers and Marines returned fire killing eight suspected insurgents and wounding another.
And funerals are being held today for some of the 25 people killed in a suicide bombing near Baquba on Saturday. The bombing drove -- the bomber drove a car packed with explosives into a mourning tent in front of a house. People had gathered for a funeral at the time.
And later today, a "LATE EDITION" with Wolf Blitzer: The debate over the Iraqi war is getting more intense and louder by the day. Critics are pressing the administration to outline a clear exit strategy for the U.S. troops. Wolf Blitzer talks to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. "LATE EDITION" at 11:00 a.m. Eastern; 8:00 a.m. Pacific.
NGUYEN: After the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, an alarming finding by investigators: They say, pilings along the London Street levee in New Orleans were only pounded down to about 10 feet. That is considerably less than indicated in some pre-construction design drawings, which called for a 26-foot barrier. Meanwhile, the White House says, the federal government will continue to pay for the removal of hurricane debris through January. The extension will ease the financial burden on some cash-strapped state agencies and local authorities. The final cost of relief and recovery is expected to run into billions, with a "B" -- billions of dollars.
MARCIANO: In St. Bernard Parish, the cleanup effort has drafted a Marine Reservist and Iraq war veteran. CNN's Alina Cho has that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Nearly three months after Hurricane Katrina, St. Bernard Parish looks a lot like it did the day after the storm.
LT. COL. DAVID DYSART, U.S. MARINES: That's one of the shrimping boats that came from Lake Pontchartrain, about six miles to the north.
CHO: Lt. Col. Dave Dysart is the man the parish has hired as its director of recovery. He's done this type of job before on the other side of the world. Dysart, a U.S. Marine Reservist, helped rebuild Fallujah, the Iraqi city that also suffered a flood. That experience got him this job.
(on camera): When you first walked around this parish and you saw the devastation, did you immediately think Fallujah?
DYSART: Oh, man, I had chills going up and down my spine. The streets were under water. I was actually riding in my vehicle and I reached for my weapon, and it wasn't there.
CHO (voice-over): Katrina damaged half of the homes in St. Bernard Parish beyond repair. The same was true in Fallujah.
DYSART: We actually went in and cleared out every single home and put markings on the buildings, and those indicated that the Marines had gone into that house and ensured that there was no weapons or insurgents in the house. Now, these are marked to make sure there was no one dead found inside the building.
CHO (on camera): In terms of strategy, how is the strategy similar?
DYSART: Well, the, when I was in Fallujah, I was -- worked with an incredible officer named Col. Shep, and he said that extreme times called for extreme measures. And the first thing that he did in the rebuilding of that particular city was we removed all of the debris.
CHO (voice-over): Dysart says, when that's complete, residents will have a reason to come back; so will the businesses.
DYSART: We're looking at setting up a couple of factories here in the parish that are going to be able to produce 10 homes a day on a conveyor belt type assembly. So we'll be able to drop these into the community. CHO: For now, the 500 or so residents who have returned are living in trailers. Dysart says, by Christmas, he hopes thousands more will be back. But he admits, it's going to take time.
Alina Cho, CNN, St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MARCIANO: Still ahead, New York City goes after a deadbeat diplomats ducking their parking tickets.
NGUYEN: And later, we are going to meet a man who's mission is to reach out to Muslim young people before al Qaeda does. Dr. Eboo Patel in his fight for the future of Islam, that is in our "Faces of Faith" segment.
SCHNEIDER: And we are looking at a live picture of Miami, Florida. Homestead today is getting ready for the Nextel Cup Championship.
Looks pretty good there. The good news is Gamma won't be headed that way. That's great news. We are going to have a lot more coming up on what happened to Gamma. It doesn't look menacing at all, at this point -- very good news. I'll have more on that, and the rest of your forecast, coming up next on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARCIANO: Good morning, Miami -- big doings there. The Ford 400 Nextel Cup Race gets underway, later this afternoon. We are going to have your complete forecast for that area and other spots in about five minutes -- Betty.
NGUYEN: In New York, it is no secret, parking spaces are at a premium. But that hasn't slowed the pace of some foreign diplomats at the United Nations. Many of their drivers have wracked up millions of dollars worth of parking tickets that the diplomats refuse to pay.
CNN's Liz Neisloss has the details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LIZ NEISLOSS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's a diplomatic mess, but it's the kind that puts the brakes on your average New York driver.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a horror show. They don't let us park nowhere.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have to get too hurry up, you know. We got to get too much tickets, you know.
NEISLOSS: Near United Nations headquarters, a neighborhood packed with diplomatic cars, there has been a long-running battle between the diplomats and the city over parking tickets -- the kind most people can't afford to ignore. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: $50, right now, I paid.
NEISLOSS: But the diplomats have piled up a debt they don't want to pay.
SEN. CHARLES SCHUMER (D), NEW YORK: These countries are taking advantage of our hospitality, and they are sort of thumbing their nose at us.
NEISLOSS (on camera): Several years ago, New York City and the State Department brokered an agreement that added parking spaces. Drivers for diplomats say things have gotten a lot better on the streets; but still unresolved, the millions of dollars in old parking debts.
(voice-over): The biggest debtors: Egypt with $1.9 million in unpaid parking tickets; Kuwait, $1.3 million; Nigeria, $975,000. All told, countries owe New York City $18 million in parking fines, money the city very much wants in its coffers.
New York senators Charles Schumer and Hillary Clinton say they have the answer. They tacked an amendment on to a foreign aid bill, now awaiting signature by President Bush.
SCHUMER: It's very simple. It says to any country that has an embassy here, that doesn't pay their parking tickets, doesn't pay their taxes, it is deducted automatically from their foreign aid.
NEISLOSS: The U.S. would withhold the money until the debt is repaid to the city.
None of the top debtor countries would talk on camera. The ambassador from Cyprus heads a U.N. committee that deals with disputes between the city and its diplomatic guests. He was, not surprisingly, diplomatic about the idea.
ANDREAS MAVROYIANNIS, CYPRIOT AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: We should be very cautious and -- in the relationship between the diplomatic community and the host country. There should be, on both sides, full respect of the respective rights and obligations.
NEISLOSS: But for diplomatic drivers, the issue is simple.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Police say, move, move, move on. I wait. It's difficult for my work, right.
NEISLOSS: Debt or no debt, they keep their engines running.
Liz Neisloss, CNN, United Nations.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MARCIANO: Let's run down top stories we're following for you this morning: President Bush says he disagrees with Democratic Congressman John Murtha's call for an immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. But he says he believes Murtha himself is a fine man and a strong supporter of the U.S. military.
Mr. Bush is currently in Beijing. He heads to Mongolia later.
Funeral services held today for a Pennsylvania couple. They were shot to death, allegedly, by their 14-year-old daughter's boyfriend. Police say, Michael and Cathryn Borden were killed after an argument about the teen's relationship.
And rapper Snoop Dogg led hundreds of people protesting yesterday to spare the life of L.A. Crips gang founder, Stanley "Tookie" Williams. Protesters argue, Williams is reformed, and his teachings have actually steered youth away from violence. He was sentenced to death in 1981 for the murders of four people. He is set to die by lethal injection on December 13.
NGUYEN: Let's talk about the weather because, you know, the holiday is right around the corner. Some people have already started traveling.
Bonnie Schneider, how is it shaping up out there?
SCHNEIDER: It is shaping up OK for today, especially those in Florida, wondering what's going on with Gamma. Everybody was very concerned about this yesterday, because Florida was in that cone of uncertainty. But gradually, we saw our computer models shift south and south and south, and now, it's just a tropical depression. And it will dissipate even further.
This wind sheer is really coming in fiercely, and we're seeing the thunderstorms being torn apart -- good news there. Bad news for Cuba, though. Unfortunately, we are still expecting several inches of rain across parts of Cuba today.
Some rain this morning, a little bit, moving into southwest Louisiana at this hour, and we're also getting some rain for St. Louis and into Memphis, Tennessee.
But we're watching for the moisture from Gamma to influence another storm that will come in Monday into Tuesday, and this is likely to affect those that are getting a head start on Thanksgiving travel. What's happening is the low pressure that is developing off the coast of Texas today will cross Florida, into Georgia and then, eventually, work its way off the Carolina coast. It will travel inland, not over the ocean, but over land, which will keep windy and warm conditions for the major cities of the Northeast. If this storm had traveled over the ocean and pulled down all this cold air, instead of over here, over here, we would have seen a major snowstorm on Tuesday.
Instead, cities like Boston, New York City, even Washington, D.C., coastal Maryland, very heavy rain in the forecast. We could see up to two inches in some areas, especially in the mid-Atlantic coastline. That will keep some travel troubles going if you're driving. That will be for Tuesday. Then behind it, we have much colder air, and that's what's in the forecast, along with some snow, for Wednesday into Thursday. So Thanksgiving week is going to be very tricky. If you can head out today, I'd advise it.
NGUYEN: All right. Yes, just tell all the bosses out there that...
MARCIANO: Yes.
NGUYEN: ... just go ahead and take off.
MARCIANO: Get a head start.
NGUYEN: Get a head start.
Thank you, Bonnie.
MARCIANO: Thanks, Bonnie.
Well, it is a race to reach Muslim youth before the terrorists do.
NGUYEN: Sure is.
MARCIANO: Up next, we'll meet Dr. Eboo Patel and hear about one of his many missions to save youngsters at risk.
NGUYEN: And next hour, rebuilding New Orleans: We'll meet some people who are heading to the devastated region to help a family move back home just in time for the holidays.
CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: There are thousands of youth organizations out there trying to teach kids to make a difference in the world. But when it comes to Muslim kids, our next guest says, there is one youth movement that stands a head and shoulders above the rest, and that is al Qaeda.
Dr. Eboo Patel is the executive director of the Interfaith Youth Core. Dr. Patel joins us now from London.
First thing I want to ask you, Doctor, besides want to thank you for being with us, is you call al Qaeda one of the...
DR. EBOO PATEL, INTERFAITH YOUTH CORE: Good morning, Betty.
NGUYEN: Good morning -- one of the most effective youth organizations out there. Why is that?
PATEL: Well, Betty, the reason al Qaeda is so effective is because they target young people, and they speak to young people's desire to have an impact on the world. There's a great line by the poet Gwendolyn Brooks, speaking as if she was a young person, she writes: "I shall create, if not a note, a whole; if not an overture, a desecration." And I think, those of us who care about a world in which young people from different faith backgrounds build understanding and cooperation haven't worked as effectively with young people as al Qaeda has.
NGUYEN: But what do they do? What does al Qaeda say that gets young people to want to strap themselves with explosives and kill people?
PATEL: Betty, it's not just what al Qaeda says, it's how al Qaeda invests its energies in building effective youth programs. There's a lot of money that goes towards schools which nurture a totalitarian identity in young Muslim youth. There is a lot of money that goes towards training camps in training young Muslims to carry out these totalitarian identities.
What we need on the other side, in the area of religious peace- building, is equally effective programs that speaks to the idealism and power in young people that tell them, we can together, with you as the cutting edge, build a world where people from different backgrounds are engaging in understanding and cooperation.
NGUYEN: So do you believe that you're in a fight with al Qaeda to get these young people on your side, to really explore their religion and be passionate about it, but for good and not for blowing up people, suicide bombings, and things like that?
PATEL: Betty, I think al Qaeda is just one example of religious totalitarianism. The fact is religious totalitarianism exists in every faith. And I do think that we're currently in a struggle for what kind of world we're going to have in the 21st century.
We live in a world that's dominated and divided by the faith line. And it's young people from different religious backgrounds who are doing the fighting and the killing and the dying on either side of that faith line. Unfortunately, religious totalitarians of all faiths have figured out that young people are very powerful, and those of us who care about religious peace-building haven't invested in the same way.
So what I'm calling for is a massive investment in religious peace-building with an important youth dimension. It's young people who made the difference in the civil rights movement; young people who made the difference in the movements in South Asia; young people who made the difference in South Africa in the struggle; and, I really believe, it's young people from different religions who will make the difference in building a world of understanding and cooperation.
NGUYEN: You want people to celebrate their own religion. But I also want to ask you, though, in doing so, that's a fine line to walk, because there is passion and then there is also extremism.
So what kind of examples do you have of the work that you done that shows it's working, that people can come together, of different religions, and celebrate what they know and what they believe, and do good with those works? PATEL: Betty, that's a great question. I know hundreds of contemporary heroes who are teenagers and 20-somethings (ph): Ashram Agasi (ph), Rami Nashashibi (ph), Anon Olsmon (ph); and hundreds of young Christians and Buddhists and Jews and Hindus and Muslims, who are on the frontlines of building a world of understanding and cooperation.
But it's interesting, if we think of the heroes of the 20th century, they were so often young people of faith. I mean, Martin Luther King, Jr., when he led the Montgomery bus boycott in 1955 was only 26 years old. And I believe that my generation walks in that path. What we need to do is give my generation a platform and a spotlight to do their work and invest in that kind of work.
NGUYEN: There are great examples.
PATEL: Otherwise, we are going to see religious totalitarians win.
NGUYEN: Right. And, you know, just to speak on those examples -- Martin Luther King, Jr. and, as you said, Gandhi, the Dalai Lama -- there are so many examples out there of young people. They were young at the time when they made a difference in the world. Your work, it does that as well. Interfaith Youth Core is the name of it.
Eboo Patel, we appreciate your time today -- thank you.
PATEL: Thanks, Betty -- take care.
MARCIANO: Well, coming up on the next hour of CNN SUNDAY MORNING, we will meet an Army sergeant who is working to help Iraqi orphans and street kids get the help them need. That is in our "Soldier's Story."
NGUYEN: And straight ahead on "HOUSE CALL," Dr. Sanjay Gupta takes a closer look at the latest breakthroughs in cardiac treatment.
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