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CNN Sunday Morning
More Winter Weather; Wolf Attack; Update on Afghanistan Activities
Aired December 23, 2007 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
T.J. HOLMES, HOST: Hi there, everybody. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. It is the 23rd now of December. Good morning to you all, I'm T.J. Holmes.
RANDI KAYE, HOST: And I'm Randi Kaye, in for Betty Nguyen. It's 7:00 a.m. here in the east, 6:00 a.m. in the west, where there is a mess on the roads.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's a lot of cars in the ditch and (INAUDIBLE), in fact it's pretty ugly.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Snow, ice and sleet swirl into a deadly nightmare for drivers and those emergency crews sent to help.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALYICA BELERGROHSLEIN, ATTACKED BY PACK OF WOLVES: And they're so big and so many and they start howling. And we thought they were circling us and it got us really panicked, but we just kept screaming.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: I bet, you would be screaming, too, if a pack of angry wolves were at you. Yes, how did they keep this wolves' pack at bay? Three women and their dog, the targets of wolves. We'll have more on their daring escape.
KAYE: Plus: Two days before Christmas and two weeks before the first caucus, there's no holiday break on the presidential campaign trail just yet.
We begin with the dangers of travel this morning. Millions of you are on the roads this long, holiday weekend, but the weather, not exactly cooperating.
HOLMES: No. A powerful winter storm is moving across the central part of the nation and bad weather is being blamed for multiple vehicle accidents in several states. When I say multiple, we're not talking two, three, four cars. We're talking about 30, 40, 50 car pileups. At least five deaths are blamed on the weather. Three of those deaths in Minnesota and while, in Texas, one person was killed in a pileup involving more than 50 vehicles. They're saying some of the mess here happened in Interstate 40 near Amarillo. Now, in all this tragedy and all this sadness and this mess really on the roads, there were some nice stories that came out of it, because some of the uninjured accident victims were children and people who came up on the accident who weren't injured, they actually of course were doing holiday traveling, they started opening the holiday gifts that they had and handing out coats and hats and gloves to other people to help keep them warm for a lot of people who weren't bundled up like they should have been traveling across some of the roads, at least 18 people were taken to hospitals. Firefighters say cars were still crashing into each other even after emergency crews arrived on the scene.
KAYE: In Kansas, another person died in a 30-car pileup on Interstate 70. This chain reaction pileup happened about 30 miles west of Rapiko (ph). Accidents and whiteout conditions forced authorities to close a 40-mile stretch of I-70 in Kansas. Among the victims, army medics headed home for the holidays before shipping out to Iraq and many of them actually helped treat the accident victims.
HOLMES: And also, whiteout conditions near St. Josephs, Missouri. That's what we're seeing here. Pretty much zero visibility at times of these accidents. Police, they say more than 40 vehicles involved in this pileup on Interstate 29. At one point, the Missouri highway patrol shut down about 100 miles of the interstate from St. Joseph to Iowa State.
KAYE: As you might expect, the weather isn't just jamming roads, it's also affecting airports. At Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, flights were delayed an average of one hour. Officials say, about 170 flights were canceled yesterday. Delays there have had a ripple affect across the country with flights delayed across the east coast.
HOLMES: Well, it seems like the sun can be shining, it can be 80 degrees and we still got flight delays.
KAYE: Always.
HOLMES: But you throw in these whiteouts conditions and this weather, Reynolds and certainly we've got all kinds of travel issues.
REYNOLDS WOLF, METEOROLOGIST: I know, you know, it is a terrifying prospect for many people. I mean, think about it. I mean, you people on the roads are certainly have a tough time. People in the air, it's just really an exercise in futility. You're at the airport on time, you think everybody should be picture perfect, but there are going to be delays. And weather of course, is one of the number one reasons why. Hey, just a little bit of insight for you, on the side of the screen, right over here, you're going to see the very latest in your holiday travel updates. You're going to see that. And obviously, in Philadelphia, you've got a 40-minute delay. Also, at the bottom of the screen, you're going to see the very latest in some of your favorite cities across the country right now - Seattle, now, St. Louis, those, not only the sky conditions, but also the temperatures you can expect through the holiday weekend. And let's go back to what we are here on the big map. And here is what we have. Here is our big troublemaker. This big winter system that is over 1,000 miles long, forming mainly some snow showers. In parts of Minnesota this morning, they could see a few inches of snow before all is said and done by Monday morning. We're looking at one to maybe two feet of snowfall. Some of this though is coming down in the form of rain, some of it, very heavy. Even several thunderstorms mixed in this morning. From (INAUDIBLE) point, we mainly have some snowfall. But if you got on your phone and called your friends in Marinette, they're dealing with rain. They have no idea what you're talking about when it comes to snow. In Michigan, it's primarily a rain event from midland southward to Jackson, scatter showers and storms. In Flint, you've got a little bit of a break. But farther out to the west, the heavier thunderstorms were come on through. Columbus, Ohio, we're seeing the rain drops. Farther south, we're getting some rain also, in parts of Johnson City back into Knoxville and thankfully, some beneficial rainfall again in the southeast for Atlanta back in Alabama. Gulf shores even pretty routine getting on the rain action. And farther back out into the Pacific Northwest, we haven't forgotten about you. Rain along the coast, along the I-5 corridor but in the upper elevations, we're already seeing a touch of snowfall along parts of Mt. Rainier and Mt. Hood this morning. That's the latest on your forecast. We've got so much to share with you throughout the day. Of course, we're going to be here, right here on CNN giving you the very latest. Thanks to both of you.
KAYE: Spreading all that holiday cheer. Thanks, Reynolds.
WOLF: That's what we do.
HOLMES: That's what Reynolds does.
KAYE: I need that as well.
HOLMES: He does, doesn't he? Look at this mountain. We have a postcard picture here for you. This comes to us from an I-reporter. Gary Jordan sent us this from just outside, Oregon in the foothills east of Eugene. He says the area got about a foot of snow yesterday. Jordan is a night watch man at a helicopter logging company. He shot this photo out of a snow-covered chopper awaiting its next mission. There it is, that's the picture we're talking about.
KAYE: Very cool. Firefighters in Fairfield towns of New Jersey are battling a huge blaze at a tire dump, that's in the northwest corner Essex County. Several thousand old tires are on fire right now. Emergency officials say, a 12-foot 12 pile of tires caught fire last night. They're having trouble though putting it out. There are no hydrants in the area, so crews are bringing in water from a nearby pond. CNN just spoke with the owners of the dump and they told us, their only comment would be that they think this is an arson investigation, that's what they believe. They believe that this was arson. We're following this story and we'll bring you more as we get it.
Now to something you don't hear about every day, in Anchorage, Alaska, the latest in the series of bold attacks. A pack of hungry wolves surrounded three female joggers and attacked one of their dogs. Experts believe it is the same pack that preyed on pets in the area 13 years ago. This latest attack happened Thursday, just hours after another dog was killed nearby. The women say at least seven wolfs circled them and then attacked their bulldog.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAMAS BERKEMEYER, ATTACKED BY PACK OF WOLVES: I was rainbowing my pepper spray and they fell back a little bit, but as soon as we would turn our backs to try to go, they would run up on us. And then, when we turn around and start screaming again and I would spray my pepper spray.
ALYCIA BELERGROHSLEIN, ATTACKED BY PACK OF WOLVES: We just kept going and they're so big and so many and they started howling. And then we thought they were circling us. And it got us really panicked, but we just kept screaming.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Imagine how scary that must have been. The women eventually escaped. They were not hurt, but the American bulldog was. He's recovering from his injuries. Experts are warning residents to keep their pets inside.
HOLMES: We turn now to the campaign trail. It seems like every election, somebody can be called the comeback kid. Well, maybe, Rudy Giuliani this time. He's actually coming back from the hospital. The Republican is going to see (ph) voters in New Hampshire. This is his first event since health scare landed him in the hospital last week. CNN chief national correspondent, John King, the picture of perfect health, he's live for us in Manchester, New Hampshire this morning. John, always good to see you. What's happening up there today?
JOHN KING, CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: T.J., good morning to you. you know, you make an interesting point. As you get closer and closers to first contest and now less than two weeks away in Iowa and then here in New Hampshire, you want to be talking about your plans to keep America safe or to fix the schools or keep taxes low. Instead, Rudy Giuliani is trying to reassure voters and across the country that he is in very good health. That's because of that hospital scare last Thursday, his plane turns around, he goes to a hospital in St. Louis, he's treated overnight, then, he goes back to New York, sees his doctor that night and then after we freeze the campaign, they can see, he also went to see his doctor again on Friday. But they won't tell us specifically what tests he had. They do say though he was given a battery of tests, that doctors told him, he should take an aspirin a day. We've been trying to get more information from the campaign; it's been a bit of a frustration tug of war back and forth there. But mayor Giuliani telling reporters here in New Hampshire that just after Christmas, he will release a health history not only this particular episode but his entire health history.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUDY GIULIANI, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: They've checked out everything. My doctor will do a report. And also address the cancer part. I mean, might as well address that, as well. You know, I'm a cancer survivor. I had cancer. I get tested for it all the time. So, he'll put out those results, as well, so people can get a complete picture of the fact that I am in good health. This was something that came about because of I'm tired, not sleeping. Who knows exactly why, but I had a very bad headache.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
J. KING: Now, as he says, his doctors told him to take as aspirin a day, we talked to a number of experts, including our own Dr. Sanjay Gupta yesterday, he says that that prescription or that recommendation is usually made in a condition when that concern about heart health. But the Giuliani campaign says that is not the case. They said the doctors said that only because he was having these very bad headaches. Again, T.J., they say look just after Christmas for his doctors to put out some statements, put out some additional records, trying to explain this particular episode. His entire health history, as you heard the mayor said there. He is, of course, a cancer survivor. On the meantime, he's focusing on getting votes here in the lead of primary state, a few events here in New Hampshire today before a break for the Christmas holidays. T.J.
HOLMES: All right, John. We don't want to here who else is there in New Hampshire and what else they're doing, but to follow-up - answer that for us as well but the follow up on Giuliani here, he kind of left alone. We know kind about his health history, but the timing of this is terrible, for him, I assume. Now, that people are really starting to question, wait, is this guy in good enough health to handle this office?
J. KING: Well, you don't want those questions close to an election. If you're watching campaign, he is a very robust man, he has a lot of energy, he's making his way through. But you certainly don't want questions like this and this tension comes up from time to time. Running for president is different than running for mayor or governor or anything else. And so, we in the news media expect a little bit more candor about health history and about the records. And I was, I can tell you the other day; I was trying to find out about the appointment Friday. I was told he had gone to the doctors, the campaign kept saying he was home, he was resting. Only after we pressed them about our source they kind of - they concede that. So, there's a little bit of tension back and forth. And we don't want to be talking about his health. Assuming that he'd live to a hundred an be great but we keep asking specific questions of the campaign, you can't get specific answers but again, he says he is strong as a bull and we'll get that statement from his doctor hopefully a day or two after Christmas
HOLMES: John, you've been around enough. You don't always get candor sometimes from the campaign. You know better. All right. John King, we're going to see you again a little later, we'll talk about who else is in New Hampshire and what else is happening with the other campaigns. We'll see you soon, buddy.
J. KING: You got it.
HOLMES: And we do have some friction to tell you about now between Democrats, Barack Obama and John Edwards. Obama going on the attack over certain political ads playing in Iowa, those ads known as 527 are being produced by an independent organizations.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: When he said that he's opposed to him, we found out today that there's an outside group spending $750,000 just bought three quarters of a million dollar worth of television time and the individual who's running the group used to be John Edwards' campaign manager.
JOHN EDWARDS, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I do not support 527, they're part of law. I don't have any direct control over it. The law requires that I stay out of it. But I would prefer all the 527s, I just listened and all the 527s stay out of Iowa, and I have no legal authority over that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Well, these two going out of this were supposed to be the nice guys in the campaign, aren't they? Well, the 527s aren't ruled by campaign finance laws and they aren't tide to any single candidate. Obama has taken some little slice from the Clinton campaign for the same kind of independent ads. Well, we have of course, been bringing you all the latest on all of the candidates. In the next half hour, we'll take a look at candidate Fred Thompson. Randi.
KAYE: A screen may have saved a little girl's life.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAPT. JORGE VILLEGAS, LOS ANGELES POLICE: Do you recognize what was going on was not correct, wasn't the right thing to do, so essentially he put a stop to it. And quite possibly could have saved her life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: How a little boy came to the rescue and may have helped nab a suspected predator.
And we go to the front lines in the war on terror on the ground, in the mountains of Afghanistan with the troops. As we go to break, a look at CNN staffers who helped bring you the news every day.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: A possible break in an attempted abduction case. Police in Mission Hills, California believe they now have a suspected sexual predator in custody. Just days after he was caught on tape trying to walk away with a four-year-old girl. CNN's Kara Finnstrom has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CAPT. JORGE VILLEGAS, LOS ANGELES POLICE: You look back, specifically identifies the target of his victim.
KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): On the videotape, police point out a man brazenly trying to kidnap a crying four-year-old from an apartment complex while a security guard was out of sight.
VILLEGAS: He grabbed her. He's now trying to escape with her. Another child is calling out for her where he eventually puts down the child.
FINNSTROM: That boy's screams and tugs may have saved the little girl's life. The drama ends when the attacker depicted in this police sketch calmly walks away.
VILLEGAS: And he's probably not a rookie. He didn't appear to be afraid of what was his surroundings and what was occurring. He looked like he was specifically targeting and casing that group of kids.
FINNSTROM (on camera): And police believe that about an hour earlier, just down the street, the same man grabbed and fondled a teenage girl. He's now been arrested in connection with both of those attacks as well as two earlier attacks in this same area.
VILLEGAS: This person is a danger to the community. He's certainly a danger to kids and quite possibly a sexual predator.
ANGELA CARDENAS, NEIGHBOR: I'm kind (INAUDIBLE). No, it don't matter if you have security cameras, security, you're not safe anymore.
FINNSTROM (voice over): The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children says high profile abductions by strangers are rare, but statistics suggest the victims are most often girls who are abducted outdoors. Police say the response of that little boy who screamed until the attacker let the little girl go is a textbook example of how children can fight back.
VILLEGAS: Somebody had a conversation about stranger danger with him. He called enough of him. He recognized that what was going on was not correct, it wasn't the right thing to do, so, essentially he puts a stop to it and quite possibly could have saved her life.
FINNSTROM: Experts say teach your children anyone invading their personal space is dangerous. Tell them to run away from danger and make a scene -- kicking, screaming and loudly yelling, this person is not my parent. In this apartment complex with locked gates, security cameras and even a patrolling security guard, what stopped the attacker ended up being a child. Kara Finnstrom for CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: What's in store for American troops in Afghanistan? We'll talk to General David Grange about the situation in the war on terror.
KAYE: And a small show of unity in another war-torn country
Children of different ethnic groups coming together with one voice in Iraq.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Everyone knows children are the future. But when you're talking about Iraq, that simple truth takes on a whole lot more significance.
HOLMES: And in Baghdad, a children's theater is helping kids prepare for the role of rebuilding their country. Here now CNN's Alfonso Van Marsh.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALFONSON VAN MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): At the Darfur Hill plays the rabbit in the classic story of "The tortoise and the hare," a rabbit who turns to the turtle he once shun for help. Instead of rejecting him, the turtle agrees, a move Abadar says more Iraqis could imitate.
ABADAR FADHIL, CHILD ACTOR (translator): The message is that we have to have friends. You may need a friend one day or your friend may need you. We must have friends to build one homeland.
VAN MARSH: In a country where divisions between Sunnis and Shiites and other ethnic groups help fuel violence. This children's theater festival is meant to showcase the power of unity and pride in a post-Saddam Iraq.
BAKIR NAIF, PLAY DIRECTOR (translator): It is no longer suitable to show children only fairytales and stories. We need to introduce reality of their daily life, the fear they have of going to school when at any moment, there could be an explosion or they could be kidnapped.
VAN MARSH: The recent lull in violence across Iraq has seen larger numbers of child actors and attendees attending this, the fourth annual festival. Where folka (ph) dancers singing long live Iraq meet the roar of the crowd. In this play, a red and green mouse have team up to help their friends. Group that even the weakest working together to make a difference.
UNIDENTIFIED CHILD (translator): My family says bravo.
VAN MARSH: Festival organizers say the theater is a safe haven from the violence, where kids can express their hope for the future, that peace and reconciliation don't have to be fairytales. Alfonso Van Marsh, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: There are many organizations reaching out to the children in Iraq. You can help make a difference just by going to CNN.com/impact to help impact your world. Well, how do you deal with the pit falls in everyday life? We'll have some motivations to get you up and going in today's faces of faith.
HOLMES: All right. Reynolds Wolf always motivated to get up and going every single morning, there he is. Good morning to you, sir. What you got going over there?
WOLF: I've got all kinds of stuff happening. Take a look behind me. This is Google Earth. And each one of the airplanes you see here represents a plane is taking off, landing, or is in mid-flight. People going all around the country to see their loved ones. Yes, we'll have the very latest on your Travel Weather coming up. Plus: We have the very latest on what you can expect on the roadways as well (INAUDIBLE). It's all coming up right here on CNN SUNDAY. Don't go anywhere.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Welcome back. I'm Randi Kaye in for Betty Nguyen.
HOLMES: And I'm T.J. Holmes. We have two weeks now into the Iowa caucus and we're having up our candidate profiles in just a few minutes, we've got Fred Thompson, former senator and actor, now, eyeing the West Wing.
KAYE: Plus: In his father's footsteps, Robert Shuler is profiled in our faces of faith.
But first: Facing an increasing emphasis on Afghanistan. Two world leaders there this weekend, Australia's new Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd arriving after an unannounced trip to Iraq. Also, in Kabul, French president, Nicholas Sarkozy. France and Australia have about 3,000 troops in Afghanistan.
HOLMES: Meanwhile, the U.S. about 26,000 troops there. CNN senior international correspondent, Nic Robertson went on patrol with some of them. Here now, part of Nic's report.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED U.S. ARMY: Hey, we're moving around the east side of the camp right now.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: High in Afghanistan's Hindu Kush Mountains, Lieutenant Alex Newsome (ph) leads his platoon on a hunt for Taliban and al Qaeda. The air is thin. The peak so steep, the soldiers struggle under heavy body armor, weapons and ammunition. Less than 15 miles from the border with Pakistan, Newsome and his men are at the far edge of the war on terror.
UNIDENTIFIED U.S. ARMY: The only way to get anything done is on the high ground. Down there on the road, by the river, you get the target.
UNIDENTIFIED U.S. ARMY: Get your rifle.
UNIDENTIFIED U.S. ARMY: Keep your hands up!
ROBERTSON: Their tiny base, surrounded by mountains.
UNIDENTIFIED U.S. ARMY: We've got one on top of the building right here, too.
ROBERTSON: Is a magnet for insurgents' attacks, hit regularly by rocket and sniper fire.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
T.J. HOLMES, CNN, ANCHOR: We'll talk more about what is happening in Afghanistan and the possible U.S. plans to change the game up over there. For that, we turn now to CNN military analyst General David Grange joining us this morning from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Sir, thank you for being with us. Senior administration officials quoted in the "Washington Post" a couple days ago in an article saying that Afghanistan could pose a more serious, long-term threat than Iraq. Most people in this country have been focused on Iraq, just in their heads. They're not really thinking about Afghanistan as much, not getting as much coverage. Explain to people how that is possible, that Afghanistan could be the more serious long-term threat.
BRIG. GEN. DAVID GRANGE (RET.), CNN, MILITARY ANALYST: Well, first of all, you have to look at Iraq and Afghanistan as a regional problem, a challenge for the United States and actually the rest of the world. Economically for no other reason, the success of both of these campaigns tied to oil, tide to stability and future agreements between countries in the area that are having some issues. That's one reason.
The other is, of course, Afghanistan borders Pakistan and the big problem in Pakistan is a sanctuary for Taliban or terrorist organizations, could be, you know, the Al Qaeda network with Bin Laden, but it has a long-term implications that way.
HOLMES: Sir, how is it possible? What do you think has been the attitude? What would you describe the U.S. attitude since the war in Iraq began in '03? What has the U.S. attitude been towards Afghanistan?
GRANGE: It's kind of been the other war, the little brother. And it's a significant issue if this mission is not accomplished. It's not what can we do about Afghanistan. It's what we must do. It's the reputation of the United States and its allies in this part of the world. It's key to denying the sanctuary back to the Taliban and Al Qaeda. It's a place that an alternative to extremism may take route and we should ensure that it does that because it will have effect in the rest of the region.
HOLMES: Well, I hear you say what we must do, but are we limited in what we can do? Because so much of the U.S. military is tied up in Iraq that we are limited in what we are able to do in Afghanistan. No matter what our desires may be, it's just something we just can't do. You just stretch the whole thing.
GRANGE: When you look at the military context, you're right. It's stretched to the limit, much too small for the commitments around the world. However, what happens is just like in Iraq right now, when you start to have success, you start to have momentum, it's not the time to reduce too quickly. When you have a situation in Afghanistan where the ground commander says, I need at least this to do this properly, without doing that, you actually prolong the ability to reach success. And it's not just the military. It's the other means of power, the economic, the diplomatic and the informational means of power that is being shortchanged right now in Afghanistan.
HOLMES: So you mention it there, but you don't think it's really a feasible option that's being talked about now, possibly shifting because of the success we're seeing in Iraq, shifting some of those troops over to Afghanistan. You don't see that as a good idea because you might hurt some of those gains you made in Iraq as soon as you start pulling the troops out?
GRANGE: Well, I believe so if you try to do it too rapidly. I'm not saying you can't reduce the force levels in Iraq. Eventually, I think eventually that's obviously going to happen. But first of all, those that are going to be reduced out of Iraq are those due to rotate back to the United States because they've been there a long time. You're going to have to use new units to go to Afghanistan.
HOLMES: Oh, my goodness. It's a catch-22. Ain't, General?
GRANGE: No commitments. All over.
HOLMES: We shall see. It's all over the place. CNN military analyst Gen. David Grange. Sir, we always appreciate you and appreciate your time and your expertise. We'll see you.
GRANGE: Thank you very much.
HOLMES: We got a quick note here for you. You can catch all of Nic Robertson's report "On patrol with the troops" at cnn.com. Also, you can check out "This Week at War" for much more on the strategy in Afghanistan and hear more from General Grange, actually.
Plus, our lists of the overlooked stories, as you say, of 2007. "This week at War" comes your way this afternoon at 1:00 p.m. Eastern.
RANDI KAYE, CNN, ANCHOR: Interstates and highways in Kansas and Missouri are back open this morning after being shut down by blinding snow and dozens of accidents. A winter storm triggered multiple vehicle pileups in three states. In Texas, at least one person was killed in a 50-vehicle accident on interstate 40 near Amarillo. Further north, blowing snow triggered a 40-car pileup on interstate 29, near St. Joseph, Missouri. Whiteout conditions and accidents forced a shut down of 100 miles of that interstate. And in Kansas, another person was killed in a 30-car pileup on interstate 70 near Topeka. Officials closed 40 miles of i-70. Three deaths in Minnesota are blamed on the weather there.
Time now to check in with Reynolds Wolf who is keeping an eye on all the conditions for us, tracking it all. I tell you Reynolds, I lived in Minnesota for seven years and it can be treacherous there.
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN, METEOROLOGIST: Oh, but it's so much fun especially this time if year. Isn't it just great?
KAYE: It's beautiful but I don't know about fun.
WOLF: It's a beautiful thing to see but we need to shovel that beauty off your front driveway, it just kind of goes out the window, which is not fun anymore. This is a nightmarish thing.
Hey, right now, something else is counting nightmares with air travel at this time. Take a look at what we have for you. I mean, up and down the eastern seaboard, we got tons of planes, thousands in fact in the air. But with all those planes and all that traffic, we don't have a lot in terms of delays in Philadelphia, a grand delay of about 55 minutes. But trust me later on today, that's going to be absolutely nothing. That's going to be easy to deal with. And Atlanta, about 30 minutes. In Cincinnati, you had about a 25 minute delay, but as we go all through the morning, that is expected to decrease, which is wonderful news.
Now, I know we talked about air travel. Many people will be on the roads today. You have to get out there and you got to do some driving. Hey, it's going to be a rough time for you. As Randi mentioned, parts of the Midwest, we're looking at Minneapolis, St. Paul, things are fine for you but a little bit further up the road, in Duluth, you could see two feet of snow by the time the weekend is out. We're also seeing a combination of some scattered rain showers. Here are the watches and the advisories that we have around the area, including Green Bay, Wisconsin, Rapids back in (inaudible). The dry from (inaudible) and southward to Wisconsin Rapids will be very, very slick out there with all that ice and all the snow on the roads. Detroit, some scattered showers for you. Thunderstorms farther to the south. We're seeing some rain drops there as far south as Atlanta and into Albany, Georgia. That is a look at the forecast. We got so much to talk about throughout the day and we're going to have the latest for you on this side of the screen. Your travel delays on the bottom. Your five-day forecast. Back to you, Randi.
KAYE: All right. Thanks so much, Reynolds.
WOLF: Anytime.
KAYE: T.J..
HOLMES: We got to get the graphic in there. It helps us get into the whole mood of the caucuses, which are on January 3rd in Iowa. Yes, if you're like a lot of voters out there, you are still undecided. Well, the candidate calculator at vajoe.com could help narrow down your choices. For example, let's say, you support no child left behind, if you're strongly opposed a ban on assault weapons and on gun background checks and you're against granting citizenship for illegal immigrants and finally, you embrace the concept of free trade. Well, according to the calculator, your ideal candidate should be - that guy. Former republican senator from Tennessee and former "Law and Order" district attorney, Fred Thompson.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FRED THOMPSON (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I put term limits on myself, for one thing. I never planned on spending a career in Washington. You know, I often say after eight years in Washington, I long for the realism and sincerity of Hollywood.
HOLMES (voice-over): It's those two cities where the Tennessee attorney has gained his notoriety. He entered the political arena during Watergate as a minority council and then he helped exposed the politically motivated cash for clemency scandal propelling himself into the spotlight when producers of a movie about the scandal asked him to play the role of himself. Thus, the back and forth began. A campaign in a big red truck returned him to Washington where he served from 1994 to 2003 in Al Gore's old Senate seat, including the oversight of campaign finance reform hearings.
THOMPSON: If I wanted a yes man, you would have been out on your butt a long time ago. I need someone who can tell me when my britches are unbuttoned.
HOLMES: Then, back to Hollywood which is where after many months of speculation and fund raising, the final announcement.
THOMPSON: I'm running for president of the United States.
HOLMES: He supports enforcing existing immigration laws, the war in Iraq and dissolving the IRS as it is today. He backs the second amendment even going to gun stores or gun shows while he's campaigning. Thompson opposes a federally mandated health system, same-sex marriage and abortion.
THOMPSON: I think Roe versus Wade was a bad decision. I never think it was bad law and bad medicine.
HOLMES: Thompson is a cancer survivor. His first marriage ended in divorce in 1985. He married his current wife, Gerri, in 2002. They have two children.
THOMPSON: I was a conservative then. I am a conservative today and I'll be a conservative tomorrow. I was walking the walk when others weren't even talking the talk yet.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Well, another candidate profile still coming your way this morning. Next hour, a democratic Senator Hillary Clinton of New York.
KAYE: Are you wired for success? One pastor answers the question, are we born with what it takes to succeed? And this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Dear soldier, I'm sorry you got hurt in the war. Thank you for keeping us safe and our country safe.
KAYE: Tens of thousands of holiday cards going out to wounded war vets. We deliver the story, just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well "In our faces of faith" segment - it's just faith, right?
KAYE: It's just faith, last I checked.
HOLMES: Well, fate-ments. We should look that up probably. You know...
KAYE: It's just faith.
HOLMES: OK. I just want to see maybe. In our "faces of faith" segment today.
KAYE: There you go.
HOLMES: Success of the divine destiny. A prominent minister says we all have a plan and a purpose for our lives.
KAYE: Betty Nguyen talked to the pastor of Crystal Cathedral Ministries about his new book "Walking in your own shoes" and about success from a Christian perspective.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN, ANCHOR: Are we all born with what it takes to succeed?
REV. ROBERT SCHULLER, CRYSTAL CATHERDRAL MINISTERIES: I believe it's a combination. I believe that god gives us a pair of shoes, which is the DNA that we have. And that's basically the first chapter of my book, where we are designed for the journey that god has called us to live. Secondly, we are designed to by the journey, so it is a combination of both DNA and culture.
NGUYEN: You know, sometimes when you talk about that journey and our personal dreams, our desires, those burning desires within, how do you know when those desires are part of that ultimate destiny, that ultimate purpose that god has for our lives?
SCHULLER: Well, you know, god has given each of us the ability to be able to see something that we want. I don't think there's a child that goes and sits on Santa's knee who doesn't have a desire and a wish list. And that's part of the internal clock that god gives us as people to be able to see a future and a hope that can transform lives. And most people, once they get beyond materialism and start living the life that is pleasing to god, start to see things beyond themselves and start looking at ways to make a difference. And that's what "Walking in your own shoes" is all about. It's about not the success as a destination, but it's about success as a journey.
NGUYEN: You know, and on this journey, there are a couple of topics in the book that I found pretty interesting. You talk about praying for god's will, and then you also say and really, the very next topic there, don't worry. So I mean, it must take a lot of faith to pray for that will and then just step aside and say, you know what I've done all I can do. I'm not going to worry about it.
SCHULLER: You know, that's one of the greatest statements we have is to - is to just realize that god is blessing you at all times and that all things do work together for good. In other words, if you got the faith. ...
Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, we thank you for this time that we can be in your presence and feel your spirit and exercise the gifts that you have given to us.
God has got the power. As we continue to walk by faith, god will reveal his will in our lives as we take one step at a time and he will direct and guide our lives.
NGUYEN: And you know, there can be pit falls along the way. You say that one of the greatest challenges that we face is the thoughts in our own minds. What do you mean by that?
SCHULLER: Well, you know, so many people get up in the morning and the alarm clock goes off and they say, you know what, I have to get up and go to work and do my job. And I want to change people's perception in the morning when that alarm clock goes off. The perception I want to change is I'm not going to work and do a job. Most people like that idea of not going to work and doing a job.
NGUYEN: Oh, yes.
SCHULLER: And here's what I want you to do. When that alarm clock goes off, I want you to tell yourself, I'm going to go to my destiny and fulfill my calling. You may do the exact same thing you did the day before, get up the same time, brush your teeth the same way, get in the car the same way but your mindset has changed to accept and receive the blessings that god has for you by going to your destiny and fulfilling your call.
NGUYEN: Pastor Schuller, thank you so much for spending some time with us on today's "faces of faith." We do appreciate it.
SCHULLER: You're very welcome.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: A special delivery for wounded troops across the world.
HOLMES: And volunteers become Santa's elves to get the cards in the right hands by Christmas. We'll show you how they did it, coming up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SPEC. DANIEL ARNOTT, IRAQ: This is Specialist Arnott from NSA Anaconda. Just calling to wish happy greetings, holidays and merry Christmas to my family back home - my wife, Trina, my son, Cody, daughter Dominique, Nevay and Maggie. Love you, mom. Happy holidays.
(END VIDEO LCIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
REYNOLDS WOLF: I'm Reynolds Wolf with a look at today's cold and flu report. And do the cold with the flu. Well, sometimes they say that misery loves company. And if that's the situation for you, then you have plenty of company in parts of Arizona and Colorado, even into Virginia, Florida and parts of Massachusetts because we do have reports of local activity. Where you see the purple. Where you see blue, it indicates regional activity. But where it's green and where it is yellow, which indicates much of the United States, that indicates no activity or just sporadic cases. That is a look at today's cold and flu season report.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: During this holiday season, some wounded U.S. troops are getting a boost from cards, from letters written by complete strangers wishing them a speedy recovery. CNN's Gary Nuremberg introduces us to some Red Cross volunteers who are helping to make this special delivery.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you ready to open some mail?
GARY NUREMBERG, CNN, CORRESPONDENT: Well, yes. More than 100 volunteers in Washington Saturday.
CAROL HALL, AMERICAN RED CROSS: We're anticipating three times the volunteers we had last weekend, which is good because we have three times the mail.
NUREMBERG: About 180,000 cards and letters on this day alone addressed generically to American troops recovering from their wounds.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Dear soldiers. I'm sorry you got hurt in the war. Thank you for keeping us safe and our country safe.
NUREMBERG: The government stopped delivering letters without a specific addressee because of fears they could include hazards like anthrax or insults. The Red Cross stepped in.
NEAL DENTON, AMERICAN RED CROSS: All of the mail here has been screened for biohazards. Everything that we want to make sure is sent to the soldiers here is uplifting and a positive message and that's what we're screening to do here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you for the serving our country. Merry Christmas and stay safe. Your friend, Amy.
NUREMBERG: The cards and letters are boxed and sent to military hospitals worldwide. Colonel Dennis Doyle has been on the receiving end in Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. COL. DENNIS DOYLE, U.S. ARMY: It really does touch your heart when you see and when you realize how many people support the soldiers, the sailors, the airmen, the marines that are out there.
NUREMBERG: It touches the volunteers, too. We caught the intense look on Preston Jacobs face as he read a card.
PRESTON JACOB, VOLUNTEER: They were talking about they would love to be a soldier, but they don't know if they could deal with blasting and people dying around them.
NUREMBERG: 14-year-old Boy Scout Matthew Oclander is doing this as a Christmas present for his dad.
MATTHEW OCLANDER, BOY SCOUT: He's in Iraq right now, and I think it's really special. And it's the least I can do for him.
NUREMBERT: The messages are often simple and heartfelt.
JACOB: Come home safely. Merry Christmas, Happy new year.
NUREMBERG: Gary Nuremberg, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: All right now, write down the address you see on your screen. There is still time for you to mail a card to a wounded veteran. The Red Cross is accepting letters until December 27th.
HOLMES: We're also getting some i-report pictures of troops serving overseas. Most of these are coming to us from their families back home. We got one here. Airman First Class Dan Ardery. This is sent in by his Aunt Nancy Rutledge. Ardery is on his second tour of duty in Qatar. His mom sent him a Christmas tree and he decorated a bus with these trees.
Here is another photo we have of Dolfi Manriquez. He's serving in Iraq. He's the soldier there that's squatting with his (inaudible). OK. There he is. I'm trying to find him in the picture. It was sent in by his mother, Celeste. She said, kids, they just love him. Obviously.
KAYE: Those are great. Keep those coming. Our Josh Levs is checking the web for those feel-good stories.
JOSH LEVS, CNN, CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I'll tell you, a web site is really simple and it's about gloves. It has become an international phenomenon and I think I understand why. I'm going to tell you about that coming up. Also, I'll let you know what CNN's feel-good story of the year has been declared to be. T.J..
HOLMES: We could use a feel-good story.
LEVS: Tell me about it.
HOLMES: Because here we go, we are going to talk about the down and dirty on the campaign trail. The caucuses, the primaries, the accusations, the denials, dirty politics mixed in with a little feel- good stories of 2007, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Contrary to what some of you might think, not all bad news is bad. This time of year tends to bring out the better angels, I guess we'll call them.
HOLMES: Is that what we want to call them? It's better angels. You got some good stories. I know you always covering some kind of keeping them honest and sometimes controversial. You good stuff for us this morning.
LEVS: And Randi, you've seen this. He is always making fun of me for bringing depressing news up to the table.
KAYE: I know.
LEVS: Today, they are awarding me while I do the good stuff.
KAYE: We like that. We need some.
LEVS: But you guys have to hear this because it's so simple. What happened here is it's such a simple idea. One student at Carnegie Melon who got this idea about setting up a web site to help people find lost gloves. Right, sounds really simple. Well, it turned into this, onecoldhand.com. That in the first 10 days, has been getting some publicity, got 55,000 hits all over the world. People flooding her with mail and e-mail saying what a beautiful idea it is and now it's taken off. They're building them in New York and Milan and they're creating more all over the world and it's getting all this publicity. You might say, what's the big deal, right?
HOLMES: OK. That's what I'm going to ask.
KAYE: Right, where do all of these gloves go?
LEVS: Well, there are some differences here. One is that here's something really simple in the wintertime that people can actually do to help each other. You know, the broad problems in the world that can often feel that there's not much you can do. But here, somebody loses a glove, you can actually get it to them. There's that feel good moment of it. But also, people are talking about this. And I remember this. When you're a kid, I'm not sure about to you guys - when you're a kid, when you lose that glove, that's like a big deal. Because one of the first things that you're responsible for.
HOLMES: A glove?
KAYE: A glove?
LEVS: I remember this. I was 6, 7 or 8 and I'm out walking. Don't you're your gloves, honey. I totally remember this.
KAYE: I never lost them because they were always, because my mom always clips them to my jacket.
LEVS: Yes, that's why they did it. They don't want you to lose it. Anyway, people are sending her all these e-mail thing - this is so great, thank you so much for doing this.
HOLMES: People are losing gloves like crazy all over the world.
KAYE: So, you really think people...
LEVS: OK. Hey, when you're from Arkansas, you didn't have that problem.
HOLMES: We didn't.
KAYE: All right. Are people thrilled to get their gloves back? Honestly? Is it that important?
LEVS: Yes. They really are and what happens is you go there if you lost a glove and people who may have found it, can send it and they now have set up thousands of drop boxes all over Pittsburgh and more cities are creating them, including New York.
HOLMES: OK. I'm blown away.
KAYE: (inaudible) just pick up any glove that you want there?
LEVS: I'm telling you it's so random but it's such a great story that I just took off.
KAYE: Wow.
HOLMES: Wow.
LEVS: Tens of thousands of hits and now it's in the hundreds of thousands already. I never got the tally. I want to tell you real quickly. CNN's feel good story of the year as you guys know, Yousef. This is the five-year-old Iraqi boy. So sad what happened to him when he was burned and we all know in that horrible attack.
But outpouring of support really brought him to the United States and now he has gotten surgeries and we are obviously following his story very closely, the whole story from Baghdad to Southern California. It's going to premier, we're telling it to you, Christmas Eve night at 10:00 p.m. Eastern. CNN's first "Impact your World" special calling it "Rescuing Yousef." So, obviously you do not want to miss that. We're going to keep following his story for quite a long time, guys.
HOLMES: I don't know what segment you're doing next hour. We got to talk about the gloves.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
T.J. HOLMES, HOST: Hey, hello, there folks. From the CNN Center, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. Have you lost your gloves lately?
RANDI KAYE, HOST: I think so. Would you mind?
T.J. HOLMES: Yes, better question. This is December 23rd, 8am, good to see you. Here at CNN Center Headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. Still in Iowa, where some presidential candidates are out in the cold. (INAUDIBLE). I'm T.J. Holmes.
KAYE: And I'm Randi Kaye in for Betty Nguyen. Take a look at this video. A would be robber at the fast food restaurant tackled by a customer.
(BEGIN VIDEO FEMALE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Since that I have been medium this year. That means that I've been good and bad but mostly good.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Yes, that's one way to put it, writing to Santa. You've been good, bad or medium. We'll take you inside one distinctive folk and (INAUDIBLE) is pretty busy as you can imagine, write about them.
KAYE: We start though on the campaign trail. The race is heating up even as the temperatures drop, the countdown clock stands at 11 days for Iowa.
HOLMES: And it said 16 days for New Hampshire. Time for a full court press by the candidates, we're going to get now right to CNN chief national correspondent, John King joining us this morning from Manchester, New Hampshire. Good morning to you, sir. Why are the candidates in the New Hampshire with the Iowa caucuses, what's coming up first here in less than two weeks?
JOHN KING, CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, TJ and Randi. Like anything in life, T.J. you might say it's good to have a backup plans. So, some candidates are campaigning here in New Hampshire, in case maybe, they don't do so well out in Iowa. And different candidates have different strategies. Here in New Hampshire today, we'll see the former New York mayor, Rudy Giuliani for example. His not playing that much out in Iowa at all, a very evangelical based of the Republican Party out there, Giuliani is pro choice when it comes to abortion. He also has view as a generally liberal record on gay right, not playing in Iowa at all but he is campaigning here in libertarian mind in New Hampshire quite a bit, making a late push, trying to do better here that many had anticipated.
Another candidate here today is former Massachusetts governor, Mitt Romney. He also owns a vacation home here in New Hampshire. He was leading all summer out in Iowa. That lead has disappeared because of the boom of Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor. So, Romney knows New Hampshire could will be his fire wall. So, he's here trying to build up his support as well as its neighboring Massachusetts, T.J. So, if he doesn't win here in New Hampshire, I think the word would be trouble.
HOLMES: The word would be trouble to put it plainly. We know that a lost folks still have their minds on the holidays right now. People are trying to get to somewhere, to get to their family, they're trying to get those last minute shopping done and there a lot of people who are undecided out there right now. How is that looking in New Hampshire with undecided voters and also independent voters in the state?
J. KING: Well and some of the independents are the bulk of the undecided. So, in many ways it's the same group. Let me tell you one story to give you a reflection of how this state is different from many others. Independents could pick on New Hampshire whether they vote on Democratic or the Republican primary. Independents are viewed as critical to Barack Obama's chances on the Democratic side, viewed as critical to John McCain's chances on the Republican side. We've been following the story of a woman named Erin Flanagan, she's a mother of three here, a remarkable woman. Her brother, Michael was killed two years ago right around this time, the holiday season in Iraq. And her big issue is her anguish over the Iraq war. And she's torn, T.J. between Barack Obama, a candidate who says end the war as soon as possible and John McCain, a candidate who says after all the mistakes the surge is working and the American troops need to stay and succeed in Iraq. Well, she's had McCain to her house for dinner in Bedford, just outside of Manchester here and she's talked to him several times and this past week after we did a report on Erin Flanagan, the Obama campaign called and she meet him after an event this past week in Manchester. She says she's still undecided. She's very impressed with both of these men. She says she wants in a candidate someone who reaches across the aisle, work on a bipartisan basis and yet, she can't make up her mind, T.J. because she's torn. She doesn't know who's right. Obama when he says end the war as soon as possible, McCain when he says stay and succeed. She told us just the other day she is undecided. She is one of the many independents whose choices over 10-15 days could decide the winner here in New Hampshire.
HOLMES: Maybe she should just go with whoever had better manners at the dinner table. John, that's the possibility as well. And John I see you got -
J. KING: She makes banana bread. I saw that story in the last hour. I have bought of mind to it.
HOLMES: OK, you are good to go. All right, John, we appreciate you and we will see you again a little later this morning. And of course, all the candidates are playing a bit of political games right about now, each trying to gain an edge in the early voting stage. But is one campaign playing especially dirty? CNN Joe Johns is Keeping Them Honest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Hit-and-run politics. Attack and retreat. Throw the rock and hide your hand. It's practice 365 days a year in this country. But when it's this close to actually casting votes, people really start paying attention. Example, Clinton supporter, Bob Carey apologizing after using Senator Obama's full name, Barack Hussein Obama to make a point. Carey said he did not mean to insult him or contribute to misinformation about Obama's heritage. Another example: A Clinton official in New Hampshire will raise questions about how Republicans might exploit Obama's drug use when he was young. Hit and run: Clinton apologized, the official resigned. But, when it comes to Obama's voting record as a state senator in Illinois, no apologies from the Clinton camp. Clinton supporters didn't hesitate to talk about how often Obama voted present instead of taking a stand on things by voting yes or no.
REP. ANTHONY WEINER, CLINTON SUPPORTER: And you believe it's OK to look at what they're for, you believe it's OK to look at what they're against, why can't you look at the votes they ducked?
JOHNS: That's not hit-and-run politics. It's a full frontal above the board attack. The Clinton team registered two domain names on the Internet to highlight the issue but decided not to put anything on a Web site.
(on camera): What's significant about this is that it suggests the Clinton campaign is so worried about Obama, it's resorting to these kinds of tactics.
(voice over): Not lost here is that Barack Obama was the first campaign to go on the offensive, sharpening his rhetoric, what they call contrasting himself with Senator Clinton before she started fighting back.
STEPHANIE CUTTER, FMR. KERRY COMMUNICATIONS DIR.: I think Barack Obama you know, started to do a sharp contrast on Hillary Clinton about six weeks ago. And he didn't pay a price for that. I think Hillary Clinton started to do a sharp contrast against Barack Obama just about four weeks ago and in the media at least, she had pay a price for that.
JOHNS: Opening salvo, but if the race stays this close, prepare for a Barack. Joe Johns, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: Interstate highways in Kansas and Missouri are back open this morning after being shut down by blinding snow and dozens of accidents. A winter storm triggered deadly pile ups in three states. In Kansas, one person was killed in a 30 vehicle accident in Interstate 70 near Topeka. Officials closed the 40 miles stretch of the Interstate. In Texas, another person was killed in a 50 vehicle accident on interstate 40 near Amarillo, 18 people taken to hospitals there. Blowing snow triggered a 40-car pile up on Interstate 29 near St. Joseph, Missouri. Whiteout conditions and accidents forced a shut down of 100 miles of that Interstate.
There are delays in the skies as well. Meteorologist, Reynolds Wolf is in the severe weather center tracking it all for us.
REYNOLDS WOLF, METEOROLOGIST: That's what we do here and I'll tell you, I know it's really beginning to pile up. We're getting thousands of planes now in the air; the biggest congestion we're seeing is along parts of the eastern seaboard. Take a look what we have in terms of delays across some of the airports. That's no surprise in some of these spots. In Charlotte, we've got a ground stop still being effect until about 8:30 this morning eastern time. Ground stoppage for 8:30 in Washington. And let's see, at Philadelphia with grand delays there. No surprises. But in Philadelphia (INAUDIBLE) 55 minutes; and in Atlanta at Hartsfield, Jackson. I know this is mind boggling, delays at Hartsfield. It's true. They're increasing. Right now, it's about 30 minutes, but that is going to stretch a little bit more through the midday hours. In Cincinnati, though the situation is getting a little bit better right now in 25 minutes and beginning to decrease. However in Cincinnati, you could see some splash rainshowers and maybe even some scattered thunderstorms. So, could be a busy morning for you. And it's all due to the system still well over 1,000 miles long. It stretches from parts of the great lakes down into the Gulf of Mexico. And what a difference in precipitation you have on different sides of this boundary. Further to the north, the cold air coming in behind the area of low pressure. You have snow. Some places a lot of it. You could see a foot of snowfall in parts of Minnesota and some places maybe even up to two feet of snow. We already have the watches, the advisories and in fact for a good part of Michigan back into Wisconsin, even into well, parts of Minnesota. Wow, even into Iowa for that matter. So, it's going to be a messy time for you on the roadways. This snow is going to be one issue, another issue - the wind. The wind can be quite strong. We could be seeing a gust there for 35 to 40 miles an hour in the west of the great lakes. And we have the live image or we do not. Thought might get one coming up very soon in parts of New Hampshire but that's not the case. We're going to have so much more though. That is the case on your travel weather throughout much of the morning. Let's send it back to you at the news desk.
KAYE: Thank you, Reynolds.
WOLF: We just want to sit there and watch you for a minute.
HOLMES: Hey, that happens quite often.
KAYE: Good enough.
HOLMES: We will turn to this story. A lot of people now their eyes on New York. A guilty verdict in a racially-charged case.
KAYE: Last night, a jury in Riverhead convicted John White, a black man of killing a white teen in a confrontation outside the man's home. White said he was afraid of a lynch mob when a group of teens showed up, threatening his son. White says he accidentally shot 17- year-old, Daniel Cicero. The victim's family cried and hug after White was convicted of second degree manslaughter. They said the case was never about race.
HOLMES: Meanwhile, police in Connecticut looking for the person who set fire to six handicapped-accessible vans. The vans were owned by American Share Car Services (ph), a medical transport company. Each of the vans worth about $40,000 and this is the second time arsonist have struck this company in the past two years.
KAYE: The Pentagon has ordered the Navy to spend millions to repair a fleet of presidential helicopters. The Pentagon had been waiting for the release of a new model helicopter, but that has been marred with delays. Inside the Pents.com is reporting it would cost $34 million to service the existing fleet.
She could be the first female president. Hillary Clinton is taking the political world by storm and has for a while now. Our close up with the candidates continues.
HOLMES: But first: We got a look here at some holiday photos from the CNN staffers and their families.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Though whether you are a Democrat, Republican, or independent, it's certainly can be difficult to have a favorite candidate amid the crowded field. That's why we've got the candidate calculator at VAJO.com that we'd been telling you about. This might come in handy for you; it can help you narrow your choices. So, let say, you are a strong supporter of no child left behind. Also, you are a supporter of building a fence along the border with Mexico and also, you strongly oppose same-sex marriage and you favor universal health care and you are against the fair tax proposal. And just for good measure, you are a fan of Bill Clinton. OK. I just added that last one but all the other things and the survey says that New York Democratic senator, Hillary Clinton should be your ideal candidate.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEN. HILLARY CLINTON, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm running for president and I'm in it to win it.
HOLMES (voice over): Ambitious.
CLINTON: I'm not sitting here as some little woman standing by my man (INAUDIBLE).
HOLMES: Outspoken.
CLINTON: After six years of George Bush, it's time to renew the promise of America.
HOLMES: And aiming to make history. Hillary Rodham Clinton, the Democratic front-runner from the start is the first woman with the real chance of winning the White House. Born in Illinois and raised in a Conservative Republican household, she broke their GOP upbringing to become a prominent Democrat and she's never looked back. Spending the last 15 years in the national stage as first lady and as a New York senator, her public battles and private humiliations are well- known. On the trail, she's ran a determined and disciplined campaign, sometimes playing the tough guy role.
CLINTON: When you are attacked you have to deck your own opponent.
HOLMES: But still reminding us at times that though she can compete with the guys, she's not one of them. CLINTON: In so many ways this all women's college prepared me to compete in the all boys club of presidential politics.
HOLMES: Her signature domestic issue is health care reform. Sometimes, she's championed as first lady and famously failed to push through. She favors abortion rights and rolling back the Bush tax cuts. Originally a backer of the use of force in Iraq, Clinton now says she would have voted differently had she known then what she knows now and supports a phase redeployment from the region. Married for 32 years to former President Bill Clinton, if she makes history, he will too as the first first husband.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Next hour, what should we expect two weeks from now in Iowa caucuses? CNN political producer, Sascha Johnson joins us to discuss the latest from the Hawkeye state.
KAYE: Millions of children write their Christmas list and send it to the North Pole every year.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who are is that coming?
UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Santa.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: We wondered are they ever even read? Do they get to Santa? We'll show you right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: All right. It's Christmastime now. And, there about 2.2 billion children in the world. So, each and every one of them has probably written to Santa right about now and so, Santa Claus is a pretty busy guy this time of year.
KAYE: Read at least once, I'm sure. Thanks for you the jolly fellow in the red suit has some friends helping in to all those letters. Photojournalist Bob krouly met one in south Walpole, Massachusetts.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TERI ROSS, U.S. POSTAL SERVICE: Now, the snowfall has really makes it like Christmas. This town of South Walpole is quaint and cozy and it's a place where everybody knows your name.
What would you like? This is a busy office. I have been with the post office for much of the 24 years and I love it. Confirmed delivery. December is a hectic month for the post office. Lots of Christmas cards, lots of packages and lots of letters to Santa.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Where is that going to? UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Santa.
ROSS: Most of the local post offices, we find the Santa letters. These are the letters to Santa and his helper has to look some of the letters. This is fine one. It says -- are Santa's other reindeers ready for the big night? In the course of a month, I will probably get three dozen or so. How is Mrs. Claus doing? She's get quite a list. Web cams, (INAUDIBLE), perfume, (INAUDIBLE), Nintendo games, new web cams. A lot of web cams these days. Santa, I have been medium this year. That means I have been good and bad, but mostly good. I guess we're all been medium. Good at one time, sometimes this get some great effort. Some drawings and photos. It brings joy to me as well. We have a letter that we send. It says - dear, friend, thank you so much for writing to me way up here in the north pole. My letter carrier just delivered your letter to our North Pole post office. I think kids really enjoy getting a response back from Santa.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That would be great. Wouldn't it be wonderful?
ROSS: Seeing the letters brings you back to some of simple memories of the holidays and it brings you joy and makes you smile to see the letters from the kids. All part of the small town community post office. Thank you very much. Have a great day. Merry Christmas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: All right, we are going to show you just how you can help for more stories like this. Go to CNN.com and click on the living section. There it is. We make it easy for you.
Well, if you're waiting for relatives, maybe some family coming into town, Reynolds has an update on all those travel delays coming your way next.
HOLMES: As well as Joshua Levs is here with those feel good stories that we so desperately need this time of year. Hello there, sir.
JOSHUA LEVS, CNN REPORTER: I know you are skeptical about last hour, so I making it up this hour because this one is about football. So, I know for a fact that you're going to love it. In fact, America might even see a tear come to T.J.'s eye. We'll see about that, also, I'm going to let you all in on a big surprise happening for a man who is returning from Iraq to his family today. You get to know about it in advance because we're assured that he cannot hear us right now. It will be cool. Stick with us CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
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WOLF: And for millions, the journey is about to begin. You load up the minivan, the two screaming kids in the back, the dog that barks at everything. Your spouse is in the seat next to you barking out orders like Mussolini and you just want to get to Aunt Brenda's house. That's all you want to do. Well, problem is you've got some rough weather to deal with. Take a look at this images that we got for you. Right now, we've got well, pretty nasty conditions in parts of the Midwest, but in Atlanta not snow and rain. And I will let you know how long it will last coming up in just a few moments right here on CNN SUNDAY.
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KAYE: Welcome back. A would be robber in Ohio could give lesson on how not to hold up a store.
HOLMES: All right. We'll show you this surveillance video, Michael Lee, according to police decided to snatch a deposit bag from a fast food restaurant manager. Well, you you're your life is not too good if you need to rob a restaurant anyway but you know things really are not going well for you if you decide to rob one and it happened to be a six foot four, 300 pound, off-duty corrections officer in the restaurant at the same time. And that big guy took some action.
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JEREMIAH, GOOD SAMARITAN: I saw him grab a bag and came out and that's when I tackled him.
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HOLMES: Yes, that's a bad day. Six four, 300 pounds, your trying to rob a place, he just happens to be in there grabbing a snack. Well, surveillance shows the alleged robber being wrestled to the floor as you see here and you can guess which one is the six four, 300 pounder. He's the one winning. Police arrived as short time later. Arrested the guy, well, the good Samaritan identified only as Jeremiah got a free meal. That's it? Free meal. He just saved a bag of money from the restaurant and you gave him a meal?
KAYE: He's probably hungry with all that work.
HOLMES: He's not. Come on. It's a holiday. Wrap something for him.
KAYE: Speaking of the holiday, we want to share some good news with everybody. We're still thinking about your gloves Web site you showed us in the last hour, this branded lost gloves. We're still looking up and see for any of ours around there. But you have more good news to share. You promised you will make T.J. cry.
LEVS: I know. I do have some work to do here to rectify it. I understand you guys were not as struck by the gloves story.
KAYE: I'm amazed by it still.
LEVS: We appreciate that. But here's one that everybody is going to get into. All right. Listen to this story. The kids embrace their dads, but this holiday season, 12 sons of American soldiers have something else to put a smile on their faces. A football championship trophy. The boys at Fort Campbell in Kentucky, they won the states class to a championship game. A dozen players' fathers are deployed in Iraq where they followed the game live on laptops. Now, in the championship game, (INAUDIBLE) outscored (INAUDIBLE) prevailed 21-7 over Newport Catholic Central. Guys, you're going to see here, Newport's coach did not sound defeat.
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BOB SCHNEIDER, NEWPORT CATHOLIC COACH: What a great thing for Fort Campbell. After what they go through on a daily basis and to have that shown over there and their kids winning, it's just -- it gives me a little chill right now just thinking of those folks seeing their kids win a state championship.
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LEVS: I think it's really powerful story. You know, so many of those kids have parents currently there and they won the trophy and someone's going to make a movie. We're still one more here, I let you guys know. Another military-related story to tell you about here.
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DARLENE DOMBROWSKI, MARINE'S MOTHER: Anything for my son. I'm serious because I think he deserves it.
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