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CNN Sunday Morning
U.S. Troop Surge Begins in Afghanistan; Soaring Unemployment Hits Youth Hard; Small Businesses Plead for Access to Credit
Aired December 06, 2009 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(LAUGHTER)
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everybody. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING, December 6. Did you get much sleep last night? We didn't.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: No.
NGUYEN: Watching that game.
HOLMES: That was - that was the best college football day of the year.
NGUYEN: Oh, Longhorn football, let me tell you about it.
HOLMES: Yes.
NGUYEN: Also, Alabama going to the national championship.
HOLMES: Yes.
NGUYEN: Congratulations to both of those teams.
Good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen.
HOLMES: And hello to you all. I'm T.J. Holmes. No Razorbacks involved yesterday.
(LAUGHTER)
HOLMES: It's 6 a.m. here in Atlanta where we sit; 5 a.m. in Nashville; 3 a.m. out in Sacramento. Wherever you are, thank you for being here with us.
Well, the president, of course, made the announcement, Defense Secretary Gates signed the order, and now the first round of troops preparing to head into Afghanistan. Our Barbara Starr on the front lines for us in Afghanistan. We'll be taking you there.
NGUYEN: And he's back.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I believe that he's going to have a lot of mixed emotions. Because, you know, there are people who don't agree with what he did. But there are a lot of people that are - that are excited about him coming back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: For the first time since serving 18 months in prison, Michael Vick returns to the city that launched his NFL career, the same place where his career - well, we got that word about all the dog fighting and all that other stuff. Well, we take the pulse of the city. Will they welcome him with open arms. And how has his image changed since being back on the field?
But first, let's start with this: President Obama heads to Capitol Hill later today. He will meet with Senate Democrats in hopes of keeping the public option in health care - or in the health-care reform bill. The issue has divided has divided some moderate and liberal Democrats.
Now, the Senate has been in a weekend session over health care. And yesterday, Republicans tried and failed to strike more than $42 billion in Medicare cuts from that bill.
Well, the Senate is debating two key amendments today. One from Senator Blanche Lincoln that would limit tax deductions that insurance companies take on executive pay. The Democrats believe that would lead to lower premiums.
And the other, from Senator John Ensign, would - would limit medical practice damages. The Republican says that would give patients better access to care by keeping more health-care providers in business.
HOLMES: And Senator Baucus' office confirms that indeed he recommended his girlfriend for a U.S. attorney post. But the Montana Democrat says Melody Haynes withdrew her name as the two became closer.
Baucus says they weren't having an affair because both were separated from their spouses at the time. They've since both gotten divorces.
Baucus is a key figure in the health-care debate. He is the chair of the Senate Finance Committee. Republican National Committee chairman, meanwhile, Michael Steele, he wants an ethics investigation.
NGUYEN: Well, in the Houston area, the hunt intensifies for a prison inmate who fakes paralysis only to get out of his wheelchair and run to freedom. Prison officials say he pulled a gun on two guards while being transferred between prison facilities on Monday. He was serving a life sentence for aggravated sexual assault.
U.S. Marshals have put him on their list of 15 most-wanted fugitives.
Reinforcements in Afghanistan - let's talk about that for just a second, because just in days after - or - or just days, I should say, after President Obama called for 30,000 more troops, Afghanistan now says it, too, will bolster its manpower. For American troops, the buildup is already under way.
CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr is in Afghanistan this morning, and has this report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: It's another cold, blustery day in Afghanistan, and winter is setting in. That's going to be a major challenge for U.S. troops as the surge of 30,000 U.S. forces is beginning to become under way here.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates has already signed the orders that will send some of the first troops here. The Marines are expected to be among the first to arrive, to be followed by a good number of Army forces and other support units. All of this aimed at carrying out this policy, this strategy, if you will, of protecting the Afghan people and providing enough security to take the oxygen out of the Taliban movement, out of the insurgent forces.
And we already saw some of that at work earlier today when we went on a foot patrol with some U.S. forces and saw them interact directly with Afghan villagers. That's what it's all about, trying to provide this new profile of U.S. troops being here to help but also here to provide that security to make the Taliban realize they don't have a future in the country.
It's going to take a long time to see if all of that works. And security will continue to be job No. 1. The Air Force planes you see behind me here, they are a crucial part of that. They are here to work, to provide that security, to conduct air missions against the insurgents when they find them, but also to make sure that they are not inadvertently killing civilians in their missions as, unfortunately, they have done so in the past.
So all of this working together, all of it is going to take a long time. But the hope - the hope of the U.S. strategy is that they can begin to see progress and begin to perhaps withdraw some U.S. forces in 18 months.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Well, a look now at the cost of Operation Enduring Freedom. According to a Congressional Research Service report, the Defense Department budget - since the operations in 2001 through this year, is $210 billion. The DOD is spending around $3.6 billion a month on Afghanistan.
For 2010, the budget request for the mission in Afghanistan is $68 billion. And that does not include the 30,000 extra troops President Obama just ordered earlier - actually, that was last week. The president says that'll cost an additional $30 billion.
And now that President Obama has laid out his plan, you can get an in-depth look into what's happening in Afghanistan. Watch CNN I- Reports from around the world and read blog posts. Just go to CNN.com/Afghanistan. You can also get first-person accounts from the region as well as charts on U.S. troop levels through the years. Again, that's on CNN.com/Afghanistan.
NGUYEN: All right. So how's the weather going to be on your Sunday? Let's check in with Bonnie Schneider. She's in for Reynolds Wolf, who's taking a little bit of a day off. Maybe he's having a snow day.
(LAUGHTER)
HOLMES: Yes.
(LAUGHTER)
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We certainly didn't get much of a snow day in Atlanta.
NGUYEN: No.
SCHNEIDER: Now it is still snowing in the Northeast, but the big story as we go through the weekend on into Monday is a very powerful storm system coming in from the Pacific, headed straight to California and the Mountain West. I'll have more on that coming up.
NGUYEN: All right. Thank you, Bonnie.
HOLMES: All right. And we're used to supermodels not wearing a whole lot. You know, they wear very little.
(LAUGHTER)
NGUYEN: OK.
HOLMES: You're wondering where I'm going with this, right?
NGUYEN: I'm trying to figure this out.
HOLMES: OK. We're not used to...
NGUYEN: Oh, that's where you're going.
HOLMES: Yes. We're not used to seeing them wearing crosses. There was a picture the week (ph) before...
NGUYEN: Or wings.
HOLMES: That one there. She is wearing a cross - a perfectly placed cross, if you will.
NGUYEN: Strategically.
(LAUGHTER)
HOLMES: Yes. The feedback is coming in, and a lot of folks not too happy about it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Hello, everybody. Welcome back.
(WEATHER REPORT)
NGUYEN: So we heard the good news this week, a slight drop in the unemployment rate. But for one group, unemployment is still double the national average.
HOLMES: Yes, Josh Levs looking into that for us this morning. Good morning to you, Josh.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Hey, good morning to you, guys.
It's at nearly 20 percent unemployment. I'm going to tell you who's facing that and what they're asking from President Obama.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Well, the jobs picture not good for many Americans. But it is especially ugly for one group. Unemployment nearly double the national average for the nation's youngest workers.
HOLMES: Yes, and some are calling for action from the White House.
Josh Levs looking into that for us. Hello, Josh.
LEVS: Hey there to you guys.
Yes, it's really interesting to see these numbers. And a lot of young people struggling. We talked about it once yesterday, and we're hearing from so many out there.
Let me first get straight to the figures, because I want you all to see where this comes from. This is a group that's compiled these called the Student Association for Voter Empowerment.
Nineteen percent of the nation's youngest workers, age 16 to 24 - so those are people in those age group, available for full-time work, looking for full-time work - 19 percent unemployment. And as we know, that's nearly double the national average.
Young African-American unemployment, 29 percent. Young Latino unemployment, 21 percent. And keep in mind, so many of these young people are saddled with huge amounts of debt. For example, the average undergraduate debt upon graduation, $27,000. And that's average, which means there's a lot there with more.
Plus, as we know, a lot of credit-card companies have targeted younger people. Average $2,000 credit-card debt by age 24. And on top of that, one more thing: So many people are uninsured. Thirty percent of young people in that age group are uninsured, according to the Kaiser Foundation.
So you're seeing some groups out there that are trying to take action about this. I was just showing you this, the Student Association for Voter Empowerment. You can see - actually, that's us there. We've talked to them before. And 80millionstrong.org, which is a related organization. They are specifically pushing for jobs for what they call "the millennial generation," kids born after 1980.
I spoke with the organizer of that, who's a young man who actually took part in the summit with President Obama. And I asked him what he wants from the White House.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATTHEW SEGAL, 80MILLIONSTRONG.ORG: A, freeing the flow of credit for young entrepreneurs, providing tax breaks and lower interest rates on the loans they take out to start young companies.
I mean, ultimately, if we're going to pull ourselves out of this recession, we need to invest in young companies and young ideas. And we need to have a legislative environment that's receptive to freeing credit and - and giving young people some incentive to innovate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEVS: We would love to hear what your position is on all of this. And if - especially if you're a young person out there who's struggling with this, here's how you can get in touch with me. You've got my page, CNN.com/josh; Facebook and Twitter, joshlevscnn. We've been getting a lot. And also, a lot of people talking to each other.
Also, I always like to remind you about some possibilities for solutions. We do have a Web site here, CNN.com/jobs. One of the features I really like here is this map that talks to you about different industries in different states. If you're a young person who's in college, looking ahead till next year, this map might help you decide where you want to move, where you might have a better shot at finding a job in a certain kind of industry, CNN.com/jobs.
But Betty and T.J., obviously, the whole nation is struggling. It's interesting to look at this fraction of the economy and see how young people are as well.
NGUYEN: Yes, and kind of depressing, too.
(LAUGHTER)
LEVS: Yes, it really is.
(LAUGHTER)
NGUYEN: All right. Thank you.
LEVS: Good morning, everyone!
(LAUGHTER)
HOLMES: Yes.
NGUYEN: Well, let's go from no money to a whole lot of it.
HOLMES: Yes.
NGUYEN: Three million, in fact. And that can buy you many things, including this.
HOLMES: Yes.
NGUYEN: Wow.
HOLMES: A bra. They do this every year, Victoria's Secret fashion show. Now, they have a new bra every year, and this is the one they came out with this year. They call it the Fantasy Bra. It's on display now at a jewelry store in Arizona.
This thing is worth, like Betty, 3 mil.
NGUYEN: Three million.
HOLMES: As...
NGUYEN: And that's the main reason that huge...
HOLMES: What was the big - the big diamond in the middle?
NGUYEN: Yes, the 16-carat heart-shaped pendant, which was, they're saying, strategically placed.
I don't know. I mean, where - where do you put something like that on a bra, you know?
(LAUGHTER)
NGUYEN: That's about the only place it can go.
(LAUGHTER)
HOLMES: But they say this is quite comfortable, yes.
(LAUGHTER)
NGUYEN: Really? They do, huh?
(LAUGHTER)
HOLMES: They do. They say it's comfortable.
NGUYEN: And how did you get that information, T.J.?
HOLMES: Because I research such things.
(LAUGHTER)
NGUYEN: OK.
HOLMES: But - but if you're wearing the $3 million bra, you don't necessarily want to wear it under. You want to show that, I assume, right?
NGUYEN: Yes, you want to show - well, yes. You spent a lot of money on it.
HOLMES: On the - on the bra. But they say that over the years - they've done this three or four years - nobody's ever bought one. So it's going to end up being deconstructed and sold in other ways (ph).
(LAUGHTER)
NGUYEN: Deconstructed.
HOLMES: Yes.
(LAUGHTER)
NGUYEN: All righty then.
HOLMES: It's going to be scrap metal, essentially.
NGUYEN: I get it.
(LAUGHTER)
NGUYEN: And we're going to see that around someone's neck, on their...
HOLMES: Yes.
NGUYEN: ...fingers and, you know, all kinds of stuff for those...
HOLMES: But how do you - would you...
NGUYEN: What - how many diamonds was in that thing?
HOLMES: What did you say? Twenty-three hundred or something like that?
NGUYEN: Was it 2,300 (INAUDIBLE) ...
HOLMES: A lot.
NGUYEN: ....the 16-carat heart-shaped pendant. I'll take that part. If you're going to deconstruct it, give me that part.
HOLMES: But would you want it if it was on a bra that a woman wore?
NGUYEN: You can always clean it up. It'll be fine.
(LAUGHTER)
NGUYEN: It's 16 carats.
HOLMES: All right. You all are probably were thinking this about 30 seconds ago, that we should move on. NGUYEN: We should.
(LAUGHTER)
HOLMES: Let's turn - let's go from a bra to underwear to a woman wearing no underwear.
NGUYEN: Nothing.
HOLMES: Instead, she's wearing a cross. Yes, the animal-rights group PETA once again stirring some controversy with a controversial advertising campaign.
NGUYEN: Right.
HOLMES: Let's show it.
NGUYEN: And that's what you want to see right there, what we're talking about. The image that is raising eyebrows and the ire of religious groups.
It features Playboy model and "Dancing With the Stars" contestant Joanna Krupa and the well-placed cross over specific body parts. You see it right there.
Well, that has outraged Catholic groups.
So we want to know what you think. Take a look at this ad. Do you think it's appropriate? Do you think they've gone too far? What's the message that PETA is trying to send here?
Go to our Facebook and Twitter sites. And you can reach us that way. And we want to hear what you think about it, because we will be reading your responses on the air. You can also go to our blog at CNN.com/Betty and CNN.com/TJ.
But we want to hear from you this morning. So send in your thoughts.
HOLMES: Well, Sunday mornings, got to get a little religion in there. Not sure if that was the...
NGUYEN: Not exactly that type, right?
HOLMES: That type. We have "Faces of Faith" coming up later, and everybody will be clothed.
NGUYEN: Everyone will be clothed, yes.
(LAUGHTER)
NGUYEN: No one's naked in that one.
(LAUGHTER)
HOLMES: If you're just getting up, thank you for being with us. We're going to be giving you your top stories here in just a couple of minutes from now.
NGUYEN: And pro quarterback Michael Vick returns to the city that made him a superstar. We're talking Atlanta, Georgia.
Let's find out how they are going to receive him today. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, the hunt for Osama bin Laden may take more than just manpower. It may take a big break. That's according to Defense Secretary Robert Gates in an interview that will air a little later today on "This Week."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT GATES, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Well, we don't know for a face where Osama bin Laden is. If we did, we'd go get him.
But...
GEORGE STEPHONOPOLOUS, HOST, "THIS WEEK": When was the last time we had any good intelligence on (INAUDIBLE)?
GATES: I think it's been years.
STEPHONOPOLOUS; Years?
GATES: I think so.
STEPHONOPOLOUS: So these reports that came out just this week about a detainee saying he might have seen him in Afghanistan earlier this year, we can't confirm that?
GATES: No.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Wow. Again, that's going to air a little later today on ABC's "This Week." Bin Laden is believed to be hiding in Pakistan, near the Afghan border.
NGUYEN: Near Houston, Texas, the hunt continues for a prison inmate who got - listen to this - out of his wheelchair and then ran to freedom. Prison officials say they long suspected Arcade Comeaux was faking his paralysis, and he confirmed their suspicions on Thursday. But get this: He pulled a gun on two guards during a prison transfer.
Comeaux was serving a life sentence for aggravated sexual assault.
HOLMES: Well, former NFL superstar quarterback Michael Vick returning to Atlanta today. And believe it or not, the focus is going to be mainly on football. Debate over the former Falcons quarterback largely divided Atlanta when he was charged with and then later convicted of dog fighting.
Today, he's just the third-string quarterback for Philadelphia. Only gets a couple plays a game. He landed in Philadelphia after he served 18 months in prison. Next hour, we'll talk to someone from the National Humane Society.
Stay here with CNN SUNDAY MORNING. We're back in 60 seconds.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: All right. So when you think about the American dream, a lot of people think that means, 'I'm owning my own business.' That's key for many folks.
HOLMES: Yes, but as CNN's Kate Bolduan tells us, it's getting harder and harder to hold on to it. And that's having a devastating effect on jobs.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Denise D'Amour opened Capitol Hill Bikes in 2000.
DENISE D'AMOUR, OWNER, CAPITOL HILL BIKES: Our first expansion was really to open up that back room, where we had a lot of our accessories, pumps, helmets.
BOLDUAN (on camera): You just outgrew your space.
D'AMOUR: We outgrew the space.
BOLDUAN (voice-over): When economic times were good, D'Amour needed to expand to make room for the booming business, a small- business owner's dream.
D'AMOUR: Then came the perfect storm of the recession, the lack of cash. We couldn't support this real estate anymore.
BOLDUAN: D'Amour cut payroll from 20 to eight employees. She even tapped into her retirement fund to keep the business afloat, but frozen credit and limited access to cash is forcing Capitol Hill Bikes to close its doors.
Small businesses across the country are facing the very same painful decisions. ADP, a payroll processor, estimates companies with fewer than 50 employees cut another 68,000 workers last month. It's something President Obama is trying to show he's tackling head-on, hosting a jobs forum Thursday and promising new ideas to kick-start hiring once again.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: We are constantly looking for more ways that we can push the banks and the credit markets to get money into the hands of small and medium-sized businesses.
BOLDUAN: Seven hundred and thirty million dollars of stimulus money went to the Small Business Administration to unlock lending markets.
But small-business owners on the front lines say they need more help.
RYAN FOCHLER, OWNER, DOG PAW'N CAT CLAWS: The lack of capital has just completely stunted our growth and has prevented us from even hiring even more people than what we, you know, currently have.
BOLDUAN: Until that happens, Ryan Fochler says for his pet daycare and grooming company, the credit crunch is like working with his hands tied behind his back.
Back at Capitol Hill bikes, Denise D'Amour is proof that doesn't work for long. And she hopes Washington is listening.
(on camera): What would you say to them about your situation and what you need?
D'AMOUR: We need ready access, easy access to cash, to - to -- to support some cash flow through the - through the hard times.
BOLDUAN: Democrats on Capitol Hill are already considering a jobs package of sorts to include more direct lending to small business, among other measures. And President Obama is expected to lay out his specific ideas for spurring job creation in a speech scheduled Tuesday.
Kate Bolduan, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: All right. Up next, how a career criminal may have done lasting damage to one of the GOP's brightest stars.
HOLMES: Yes, that's former Governor Mike Huckabee. He pardoned that criminal who went on to commit a shocking killing spree. A look a the political fallout, when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Hey, there, everybody. Welcome back to CNN SUNDAY MORNING. I'm T.J. Holmes.
NGUYEN: Good morning, everyone. I'm Betty Nguyen.
President Obama heads to Capitol Hill later today. Yes, working on a Sunday. He is going to meet with Senate Democrats in hopes of keeping the public option in the health care reform bill.
Now, the issue has divided some moderate and liberal Democrats. The Senate has been in a weekend session over health care and yesterday Republicans tried and failed to strike more than $42 billion in Medicare cuts from the bill.
HOLMES: Russia's president has declared tomorrow a national day of mourning for victims of a deadly nightclub fire; 112 people dead in this fire. You are looking at some amateur video that was taken that night. Officials believe this fire, which broke out early yesterday, was started by a performer who was juggling fireworks. They have detained now five people, including the club's owners and the fireworks supplier.
NGUYEN: Well it is still not clear what caused a deadly fire at a racetrack just outside of Cincinnati. But investigators have ruled out arson. Two people, and 43 horses died yesterday. Firefighters say the blaze ripped through the barn and then collapsed the roof before they could even get to the scene.
Washington allies, they are answering the call. The secretary general of NATO says member states are promising 7,000 more troops for Afghanistan.
HOLMES: That is a show of support for President Obama's new war plan.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERS FOGH RASMUSSEN, SECRETARY GENERAL, NATO: I agree with the president, and I share his wish and his hope. And I'm pleased to inform you that according to our latest figures, at least 20 allies and partners will contribute additional troops to Afghanistan and I expect more to come in the coming weeks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Those new NATO troops will strengthen the 30,000 additional U.S. forces heading to the war, which means a combined U.S.-NATO troop presence of almost 150,000 in Afghanistan by the end of next year. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the first U.S. troops start arriving in Afghanistan in about two or three weeks.
Now that President Obama has laid out his plan you can get an in- depth look at what is happening there in Afghanistan. Watch CNN iReports from around the world and read blog posts. Go to CNN.com/Afghanistan. You can also get first-person accounts from that region, as well as charts on U.S. troop levels through the years. Again, CNN.com/Afghanistan.
NGUYEN: Well, when four police officers in Washington State were killed last weekend, allegedly by a career criminal, no one expected that tragedy to put one of the country's most Republicans in the hot seat.
HOLMES: Yes, the Republican we are talking about former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. Nine years ago, he was the one that pardoned that criminal, sending him back out to society. CNN's Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser has more on a twist of fate that could affect Huckabee's future political ambitions.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Betty, T.J., with for police officers in Washington State dead, politics pales in importance. But there could be some campaign consequences for Mike Huckabee, if he decides to run for Republican presidential nomination again.
This is not the first time former Arkansas governor has faced criticism about prisoners released during his years in office. Two years ago this month, when Huckabee was running for the White House, he was questioned about the release during his watch of a convicted rapist who later murdered a Missouri woman.
If-if Huckabee decides to make another bid for the presidency, could this come up again? Huckabee has a slight lead over other possible contenders in some of the very early polls of a hypothetical 2012 GOP match up. Including a recent CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey. Would primary opponents bring this up two years down the road, in the next race for the White House? Probably. Could this be damaging for Huckabee? Of course. Especially with law and conservatives who vote in big numbers in the Republican presidential primaries.
Mitt Romney, who also ran for the 2008 GOP nomination, told CNN's Larry King that he takes Huckabee at his word for taking responsibility for granting the clemency. But Romney added if he never acted on a pardon or clemency when he was governor of Massachusetts.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIT ROMNEY, (R) FMR. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If somebody has been convicted by a jury of their peers and they have been prosecuted and the police were able to get the evidence necessary to put them behind bars, why in the world would I step in and reverse that sentence?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEINHAUSER: Romney, along with Huckabee, could possibly make a bid for the White House again, in the next election. Already there, are comparisons to the Willy Horton ads that help sink the candidacy of Democratic presidential nominee Michael Dukakis in the 1988 election. Horton committed rape and robbery while released from a prison through a weekend furlough program in Massachusetts, when Dukakis was governor at the time - Betty, T.J.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: All right. Thank you for that.
Let's get you to some weather information this morning. Because it is a Sunday. A lot of people headed outside and want to know if you should bundle up, or maybe watch it on television if you have a few games to go to, or things to attend.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HOLMES: Still to come on this CNN SUNDAY MORNING, a strange story out of Texas. The details here, will keep you shaking your head.
NGUYEN: Yes, we can't make this up, folks. This man, an prison inmate, supposedly handicapped and supposedly bound to a wheelchair? Well pulled off a stunt and escaped on foot. We'll show you the rest of the story and why he's on the most wanted list.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Top stories right now for you. The hunt for Osama bin Laden, the trail, well, that may be getting even colder than any of us knew. In an interview that will air later today on "ABC This Week," Defense Secretary Robert Gates says there have been no good leads on Osama bin Laden's whereabouts for years. Gates also said he could not confirm media reports that bin Laden had been seen recently in Afghanistan.
HOLMES: In the Houston area, the hunt is on for a prison inmate -- a prison inmate who was in a wheelchair who has managed to escape. It's not what you think. He got up out of that wheelchair and ran for freedom. The man we're talking about is Arcade Joseph Comeaux. He pulled a gun on two guards while he was being transferred between prison facilities on Monday. He was serving a life sentence for aggravated sexual assault. U.S. Marshals have put Comeaux on their list of 15 most-wanted. But, again, he had been faking paralysis and got up and ran away.
NGUYEN: Well, the elections board in Atlanta has just declared Kasim Reed the winner of last week's runoff for mayor. But his opponent is not ready to concede just yet. The campaign manager for Mary Norwood says she will call for a second recount tomorrow, because of how close this race was. Reid won by less than 1 percent of the vote.
CNN SUNDAY MORNING, back in less than one minute.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Lovely shot of the capitol this morning, with the red glow, maybe from all of the heated exchanges.
NGUYEN: That take place, and will continue to take place.
HOLMES: Today, yes. Well, the president actually going up to Capitol Hill to talk to Democrats about health care reform. And one of those people he will surely be talking to, Senator Max Baucus, of Montana, a big player in this whole thing. Now, some a-I don't know what you would call this, embarrassing news? Something he has had to admit to here.
And some are saying he used some bad judgment in nominating his girlfriend for U.S. attorney. The two started dating after Baucus separated from his wife. He was married for some 25 years, but the girlfriend we're talking about was one of three people nominated, by Baucus, to that position of U.S. attorney.
He said that it was an open and fair process still, but the girlfriend later withdrew her name from consideration because the two planned on living together in Washington. His girlfriend is now working at the Justice Department. Senator Baucus, now divorced, but still he has had to come out and make that admission.
NGUYEN: We've been asking to you today to weigh in on this new ad campaign from PETA. We'll throw the picture up for you, it is of model Joanna Krupa wearing nothing more than a cross. There it is, right there. And a lot of people really taking issue with that. We want to see what you think about it. And let's first go to my Twitter site.
And AKDarrylG (ph) says, "That's rather sacrilegious. But they knew it would cause a firestorm of controversy.
MarvelousOT says, "I'm a 32-year-old heterosexual male and I am not offended."
All right.
HOLMES: Well, there is that. Any ideas about the picture, we'll flash it one more time before our recent comments. It is, in fact, you're being an angel by saving a pet, is what they are trying to say here. You see the angel wings and it has the cross there. But that is the idea. And PETA is known for doing this. They use people all the time. And they are naked and they say, "I'd rather wear nothing".
NGUYEN: I would rather go naked than wear fur.
HOLMES: There it is. But this one kind of crossed the line. A few comments I'll share. One at the top, here from Twitter, says, "Offensive, however, nothing Krupa does shocks me. No morals."
I'll go down. A couple here, where somebody says, "PETA always goes too far with what they do, but criticize everyone else. They are such hypocrites."
And one more I'll share, "PETA has crossed the line so many times that they are no longer considered an animal rights group. More, sex sells ad agency."
So some people, mostly men, don't have a problem with the ad. But some think, eh, this one goes just a little bit too far.
Appreciate your comments. Continue to send them in Betty and I both have Facebook pages, and Twitter accounts. You can reach us at our blog at CNN.com/Betty or TJ.
NGUYEN: Well, saying good-bye is not easy thing to do, but saying good-bye and going into war, well that is even harder.
HOLMES: Still to come this morning, 30,000 more troops headed to Afghanistan. We're follow one soldier as he says good-bye to his family and then heads off to basic training.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) NGUYEN: How do you prepare to go to war? Well, a new Army recruit takes us through his final days at home before he leaves for basic training. The Pentagon has allowed CNN to us follow Will McLean, as part of a new series, "A Soldier's Story." Here's CNN's Jason Carroll
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILL MCLAIN, U.S. ARMY RECRUIT: Joey, at the last party.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): This is Will McLean, 18 years old, and a week away from taking the oath to enlist in the Army.
MCLAIN: More people in here.
CARROLL: We gave him a video camera to show us how he was passing the time. There were lots of parties.
MCLAIN: It was always funny, because even when I party with my friends or something like that, they always got to throw those Army jokes in.
CARROLL (On camera): How have your friends taken the news so far?
MCLAIN: They think I'm doing a good thing. Like they figure it is better than just rotting away in Rosamond.
CARROLL (voice over): Rosamond, California, Will's hometown. It is in the western Mojave Desert, a large stretch of land with a small population, about 14,000.
A place where dirt bike riding is surpassed only by motorcycle racing in popularity. A place Will McLain can't wait to leave.
MCLAIN: I'm kind of glad to be getting out of this little town, you know, just because it gets old. But there's a lot of things you will miss, you know?
CARROLL: We met up with Will his last day at home before he left to join the Army. A day his 12-year-old brother didn't want to leave his side.
MCLAIN: I think it kind of hits him more, like that I'm leaving. Like this last week I think it has truly hit him and my family.
CARROLL: Like a lot of high school football players, McLean had dreams of pursuing a career in the pros.
MCLAIN: All I could think about, you know, is I'm going to go pro. No matter what, you know? And then pretty much I guess, junior year I realized there were a lot bigger fish in the sea.
CARROLL: McLain says early this year, he began to really think about advice from his uncle. MCLAIN: I know my uncle always used to yell at me, you need to have a backup plan. You need to have a backup plan. And that is why I figured the military would be the best bet.
CARROLL: Will had grown up with guns and always liked the idea of joining the military, so he tried to convince his parents to allow him to enlist before his 18th birthday in May.
MCLAIN: They didn't want to sign the papers and me to come back a year later, like I hate you, you signed the papers. So, this way, they made me wait until I was 18, so that the blame is fully on me. So, because the way my mom worded it, she doesn't want to be responsible for sending me to Afghanistan.
CARROLL: And now, with time running out at home, reality is setting in.
MCLAIN: I would say about a week ago it truly hit me. That is when I forgot how to sleep and stuff. So, I pretty much just lay there and think about it. Man, I'm leaving in a week, I'm leaving in three days, I'm leaving in a day.
CARROLL: For Will's parents, Bill, a construction worker, and his wife, Laurie, Will's future now taking shape.
BILL MCLAIN, ARMY RECRUIT'S FATHER: We're worried that he will come home in one piece. He might be 5,000 miles away, but he knows there are people that care about him.
CARROLL: The next morning came the good-byes.
MCLAIN: All right.
B. MCLAIN: There it went.
CARROLL: And one last word of advice.
B. MCLAIN: Head down, bring it on, OK?
MCLAIN: Fair enough.
B. MCLAIN: She wasn't looking forward to this moment.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Well, next, we'll show you Will, the civilian, becomes Private Will. He'll be heading to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, where he'll go through 13 weeks of basic training.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Hello, everybody. Welcome back.
Just a few minutes ago our Jason Carroll began the story of an 18-year-old Army recruit, who began his first few days in the Army, in fact. So we want to pick up the story with Will McLain's first few hours in the system. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MCLAIN: All right.
B. MCLAIN: There it went.
CARROLL (voice over): Tearful good-byes as Will McLain's parents see their 18-year-old son leave home in Rosamond, California, for the first time.
B. MCLAIN: She wasn't looking for to this moment.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody understand that?
MCLAIN: Yes, sir.
CARROLL: As McLain takes his first steps toward joining the Army, questions about his future begin to weigh on him.
MCLAIN: The major unknown, I guess, I want to know where I'm ending up stationed at, you know? You know you have a four-year contract, but it is like, are these four years going to be fun and enjoyable, or be like I hate my job?
CARROLL: For now, those answers will have to wait.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good luck.
MCLAIN: Thank you.
CARROLL: First, there's registration.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Any tattoos?
CARROLL: At a nearby Army processing station in Los Angeles.
MCLAIN: I'm anxious, but I'm kind of glad it's starting finally. Like one of those days you didn't think would come, and, bam, it's here.
CARROLL: This is where Will McLain finally becomes ...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ten-hut, shoulders back, chest is out.
CARROLL: ... Private McLain.
MCLAIN: I will obey the orders of the president of the United States.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So help me, God.
MCLAIN: So help me, God.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When I tell you to exit the bus quickly and but safely, is that understood? SOLDIERS: Yes, Drill Sergeant!
CARROLL: Twelve hours later, McLain is now more 1,600 miles from home.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pick up your bag!
SOLDIERS: Yes, Drill Sergeant!
CARROLL: At an Army base in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Row by row, let's go!
CARROLL: For several days of orientation.
(On camera): You look a little different. You shaved the goatee, how does it feel?
MCLAIN: It feels weird. It is the first time in awhile. I expected them to come yelling on the bus. They did. You know, I mean? The only thing I'm surprised I haven't had to do push ups or anything yet. So that is always a plus.
(LAUGHTER)
CARROLL: Oh, it's coming.
MCLAIN: Oh, I know. I'm sure it is.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you do not have an electronic device, do not take an envelope.
CARROLL (voice over): After turning in personal items for safe keeping, Will and other privates are issued gear.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Set this by me, open up your bag.
CARROLL: Will finds his bunk and turns in for a short night. Four hours later, his morning begins on unfamiliar territory.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What are you doing? What is going on?
CARROLL (On camera): I'm thinking of all of these movies that I've seen with the drill sergeant, and you can pretty much fit that role.
SGT. JOSHUA SMITH, U.S. ARMY: I guess you just have to say it's a type A personality.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hurry up.
CARROLL: Will couldn't eat much in the three minutes it took him to finish. Not a problem for sergeants eyeing his weight. He's 5'9", 228 pounds.
(On camera): You look at him, and your assessment is, he has a little weight to lose.
SGT. CRYSTAL SCOTT, U.S. ARMY: Yes, sir.
CARROLL: You think you can get that off of him?
SCOTT: Oh, yes, sir. There are plenty of ways to get that off of him.
CARROLL: There are just a few more tests. And then the regulation cut.
(On camera): What do you think?
MCLAIN: It's so short, and I'm white.
CARROLL (voice over): But he still sees the same Will.
(On camera): Do you feel like a soldier yet?
MCLAIN: Not yet. I haven't been through boot. I won't even claim to be a soldier until I'm done with that.
CARROLL: That basic training comes next.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Hello, everybody. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. It is a cold December 6th here in Atlanta. I imagine it is in many places across the nation. We'll get your forecast very shortly.
In the meantime, hello, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen.
HOLMES: Hello to you all. I'm T.. Holmes. It is 7:00 a.m. in Atlanta, where we sit. It is 6 a.m. in Madison, Wisconsin, it is usually kind of cold up there, isn't it?
NGUYEN: Yes.
HOLMES: It is 4:00 a.m. out in Monterey, California. Cold over there on the water, as well. Where ever you may be, thanks for being here with us.
Many of you this morning, unfortunately, looking for a job. President Obama says he has one for you. The president will lay out ways to create jobs. That is coming in a speech on Tuesday. We have a preview for you.
NGUYEN: And he is back.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I believe he will have a lot of mixed emotions. There are people who don't agree with what he did. But there are a lot of people excited about him coming back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: For the first time since serving 18 months in prison, Michael Vick returns to the city that helped launch his NFL career. We are going to take a look at the city thinks. What the pulse of Atlanta is saying about Michael Vick. Will they welcome him with open arms? How has Vick's image changed since being back on the field?
But first, our top stories. The hunt for Osama bin Laden, the trail may be even colder than any of us knew. In an interview that will air later today on "ABC This Week," Defense Secretary Robert Gates says there have been no good years on bin Laden's whereabouts years. Gates also said he could not confirm media reports that bin Laden had been seen recently in Afghanistan.
HOLMES: President Obama is heading to Capitol Hill today. He will be meeting with Senate Democrats in hopes of keeping the public option in the health care reform bill. The issue has divided some moderate and liberal Democrats. The Senate has been in a weekend session over health care. Yesterday, Republicans tried and failed to strike more than $42 billion in Medicare cuts from that bill.
NGUYEN: The Senate ends debating two key amendments today. One from Senator Blanche Lincoln that would limit tax deductions that insurance companies take on executive pay. The Democrat believes that would lead to lower premiums.
Now, the other from Senator John Ensign, which would limit medical malpractice damages. The Republican says that would give patients better access to care by keeping more health care providers in business.
HOLMES: And tempers flaring up in the Senate over health care. Republican John McCain accused Democratic leaders of making closed- door deals with industry lobbyists. Democrat Max Baucus took issue with that and then the two men spoke cordially.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: They're not too interested in seeing...
(CROSSTALK)
SEN. MAX BAUCUS (D), MONTANA: The senator yield and the time be equally allocated both sides on this colloquy, Mr. President.
(CROSSTALK)
MCCAIN: I don't know what the deal was. I don't know what the deal was.
BAUCUS: I'm going to tell the senator. I'm going to tell the senator the deal. I'm going to tell the senator the deal.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The senator from Arizona has the floor.
MCCAIN: I don't know what the deal was. But we'll find out what the deal was. Just like the deals were cut...
(CROSSTALK)
BAUCUS: I could tell the senator what the deal was.
MCCAIN: ... which is full of lobbyists. I can't walk through the hallway here without bumping into one of their lobbyists.
BAUCUS: The senator wants to hear the deal?
MCCAIN: And the senator keeps interrupting, he is violating the rules of the Senate. I thought he would have learned them by now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Betty, what's the deal? Can we please find out what the deal was?
NGUYEN: Right.
HOLMES: All right. One deal that is often criticized by Republicans, that June cost-cutting agreement between the Obama administration and pharmaceutical companies. That one is included in the current bill before the Senate.
Well, John King will have more on today's Senate showdown, hopefully, he will be nicer to us than those two were to each other. "STATE OF THE UNION" this morning, 9:00 a.m. Eastern. We'll be hearing from him in just a bit.
NGUYEN: Well, President Obama, he hits the road this week and he's pushing for more jobs for Americans. But he's also taking time to head overseas to accept this year's Nobel Peace Prize.
HOLMES: And CNN's deputy political director, Paul Steinhauser, has more on that and the rest of the political week ahead.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Good morning, Betty, T.J.
Creating jobs is job number one for Barack Obama. So, expect the president to talk about jobs when he gives a speech on Tuesday at one of the oldest and most prestigious think tanks here in Washington. Mr. Obama hinted to this yesterday in his weekly radio and Internet address.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'll be unveiling additional ideas aimed at accelerating job growth and hiring as we emerge from this economic storm.
STEINHAUSER: Our senior White House correspondent Ed Henry reports the president may use the speech to talk about his support for a plan congressional Democrats are working on. That plan would create jobs by using federal funds unspent from the Wall Street bailout program.
Wednesday night, the president hops on Air Force One. Destination: Oslo, Norway, where Thursday, he'll be awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. Mr. Obama will become the fourth U.S. president and third sitting president to win the award.
Back here in the U.S. this week, campaign politics. Its primary election day Tuesday in Massachusetts, where voters will pick Democratic and Republican nominees in the battle to fill the late Senator Ted Kennedy's seat. This week's primary winners will face off in a general election next month. Whoever wins that contest will serve the final three years of Kennedy's Senate term --Betty, T.J.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Well, after two months of debate, several months of debate, the president has unveiled his new war strategy for Afghanistan.
NGUYEN: Yes. In Tuesday's primetime speech, he called for 30,000 more U.S. troops to be in place early next year. But lawmakers, especially his fellow Democrats, are voicing grave concerns about that.
I want to give you details from CNN's senior congressional correspondent, Dana Bash.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Day two on Capitol Hill pushing the president's new Afghanistan policy, and members of his war council faced a barrage of friendly fire.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I do not support the decision to prolong and expand a risky and unsustainable strategy in the region.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am unconvinced of the need for the additional troops.
BASH: Democrats, usually the president's allies, unhappy about his decision to send 30,000 additional troops, and the defense secretary revealed he has the authority to deploy 3,000 more.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, we are really looking at potentially 33,000 additional troops.
ROBERT GATES, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: Potentially.
BASH: Then there was the issue of starting to bring home troops in July 2011. The president's team says that withdrawal is flexible. That frustrates Democrats, like Bob Menendez, who wants troops out.
SEN. ROBERT MENENDEZ (D), NEW JERSEY: Can any of you tell this committee that, in fact, after July 2011, we won't have tens of thousands of troops for years after that date? HILLARY CLINTON, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Senator, I can tell you what the intention is. And the intention is...
MENENDEZ: I don't want -- Madam Secretary, I don't want to hear the intention. I want to know, can you tell the committee that there won't be tens of thousands of troops after July of 2011, for years after that?
BASH: Not all Democrats are incensed.
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MASS.), FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE: I believe that the president appropriately narrowed the mission in Afghanistan.
BASH: The committee's chairman, an Obama confidant on Afghanistan, asks the president's team to calm a central concern of his Democratic colleagues, that the U.S. is sending more troops than the threat requires.
KERRY: What is it that compels you to say al Qaeda in Pakistan remains (INAUDIBLE) requires 100,000 troops in Afghanistan?
GATES: Whether or not the terrorists are homegrown when we trace their roots, they almost all end up back in this border area of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
BASH: But that didn't seem to change the deep, bipartisan skepticism about the money and manpower being spent in one narrow region, and an overwhelming concern that neighboring Pakistan is an unreliable ally, not doing enough to root out al Qaeda inside its border.
Dana Bash, CNN, Capitol Hill.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Well, now that President Obama has laid out his plan, you can get an in-depth look into what's happening in Afghanistan. Watch iReports from around the world and read blog posts, just go to CNN.com/Afghanistan. You can also get first-person accounts from the region as well as charts on U.S. troop levels through the years. That's CNN.com/Afghanistan.
NGUYEN: Well, let's get the latest now on the weather outside and what you're going to be facing on this Sunday morning. Bonnie Schneider is in for Reynolds Wolf.
Hey there, Bonnie.
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hi, Betty.
Well, if you're waking up in New York City this morning, there was snow yesterday, but no problems today, looking a lot better and a lot more clear. I want to show you a live picture outside this morning of the Hudson River to the west side. There's the Statue of Liberty, first off, to the south, looking very nice this morning. Nice and cool.
But watch out, Betty and T.J., we are looking for a big storm to develop out west. This is a Pacific storm coming into California, the Rockies. I'll have more on that -- coming up.
NGUYEN: All right, Bonnie, thank you so much for that.
HOLMES: Meanwhile, Michael Vick, he is coming back to Atlanta with a different team. There's the new uniform and a new role for him on that team. But can this city -- the city that really embraced him and loved him and made him, can it forgive and forget?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Hey, Bonnie, you've got a lot going on on that screen.
SCHNEIDER: Yes, both coasts.
(LAUGHTER)
HOLMES: So, tell us, where do we even start with this mess today?
SCHNEIDER: Well, let's -- we'll start with the snow. We had it down South and we had in New England, and now, the storm is exiting. So, we really started off early this morning with snow that continued well up into northern Maine.
But things are looking much better. Nice and clear for Boston, down through Connecticut into New York City. We have a live picture of New York City to show you.
To the south of New York City, it's certainly not snowing. We're getting some snow up in Syracuse, well, in Upstate New York, we are looking at some very nice conditions. There's the Statue of Liberty right there, and Central Park, looking good. As we look to the north, you can see the reservoir off in the distance, looking very nice so far. You can't even see the trees that look snow covered because most of it really didn't stick, it didn't amount to too much.
But we are watching for another storm. A big one that's going to develop out to the west and this one, not only will bring snow, but also the threat for heavy rain -- particularly here in southern California. Remember, we had a really bad burn season last year. So, any heavy rain coming into those burn areas will result possibly in mudslides.
So, this is a serious situation. We're monitoring more for Monday than for today. Today, we're still looking at the threat for rain across much of the South, on top of whatever snow fell. A couple inches into Louisiana and Texas, which is unusual -- though this time last year, we actually had an early snowfall as well, unusual for sure, because normally, it's only every four years that you do see the snow.
Temperatures outside this morning outset are setting the stage for the wintry weather. It's going to be much cooler in Seattle and Portland. It has been over the past few days. Still very early in the morning right now in the 30s for both cities, but we are looking at the threat for snow and rain, particularly in the higher elevations, where we'll see some very heavy snow.
This is a big storm system. I think it's the first really big, powerful Pacific storm of the season. We had the first big snowstorm, of course, in the southeast already. Now, it's the west's turn at the bat.
So here's the storm right now over the Pacific. It will advance in the overnight hours, bringing about one to two feet of fresh snow into many locations and then we'll be seeing the threat for those winter weather advisories, and they will extend all the way across the mountain west into Utah. And the mountains of Colorado, you'll see the threat for a blizzard. That's right. We have wind gusts that will climb well up to 50 miles per hour. It will create a whiteout situation. This is more in the Telluride area.
So, if you're heading to the ski resorts, you'll be looking for that fresh powder, just note, getting there is going to be a big problem because the wind will blow about the snow. And we're going to see some problems as a result.
Now, to the south, some heavy rain expected for southern California. We'll be watching for that. Overcast conditions and much colder temperatures across the northwest. And into Utah, we'll also be seeing some very heavy snow.
So, this will all begin Monday. The advisories start at 6:00 a.m. on Monday morning and continue, Betty and T.J., straight into the evening hours. So, Monday is going to be a tough travel day out west. I'm anticipating airport delays from Seattle down to Los Angeles, due to this big, massive storm system.
NGUYEN: Oh, goodness. Well, hey, we have been warned.
SCHNEIDER: Yes.
NGUYEN: All right. Thank you, Bonnie.
HOLMES: Bonnie, thanks.
SCHNEIDER: Sure.
HOLMES: Well, Facebook, Twitter, they are major powerhouses out there on the Internet. But they have some major competition now. Another online social network is one of the fastest rising in the world.
NGUYEN: Interesting. So, which is it? Well, our Josh Levs has that.
Hey, Josh.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, guys. What has suddenly gotten the world's attention this year and what has lost the most attention? There's this new list. There's insight -- on a social network, you probably haven't heard of it and also, on Sarah Palin.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC)
NGUYEN: Well, Levs has been on the lookout and there, in fact, is a new list out, showing what's been getting the world's attention online and what people have suddenly stopped caring about. It shows another social network site is on the rise, as fast as, really Facebook and Twitter?
LEVS: Have you heard of something called Tuenti with the "U"?
NGUYEN: I'm not that cool probably.
(LAUGHTER)
LEVS: I haven't heard of it either. I guess none of us. But it's big.
This is a new list from Google. It's called Google Zeitgeist.
We'll go straight to the first screen.
NGUYEN: OK.
LEVS: It shows you what the five fastest rising Web sites have been in the world throughout this entire year. Search topics rather. Now, the first is Michael Jackson. No surprise. In 2009, a lot of people searching there.
Facebook, a lot of people searching.
Then the number three, ahead of Twitter, Google searches for this year is Tuenti with a "U." That's a Spanish language social networking site. This looks at 50 different countries, so that probably explains why it's not just the U.S. But even in the U.S., Tuenti is growing fast.
Then, Twitter.
And then number five, Sanalika. I want to show you this, because this is one of the fastest growing sites in the world. This is it right here. It is a Turkish Web site in which people can get on the site together around the world and play video games. And apparently, it's very popular among Turkish speakers all over the world and they like to access it via Google.
This right here is the number five fastest growing Google search in the world over the past year. Now, this list also shows some of the fastest falling search terms. What was really hot in 2008 and suddenly plummeting most -- including this. Go to video. (VIDEO CLIP)
LEVS: Amy Winehouse, one of the five fastest falling search terms this year. And maybe that's a good thing, you know, the troubled British singer. Maybe it just means that she's getting less attention for some of her troubles. But she was one of the fastest falling.
And also this, which is little surprise. The Beijing 2008 is no longer one of the fastest growing terms. It's actually one of the fastest falling search terms.
Here's the list of the five fastest falling search terms. In 2009, according to Google, Beijing 2008, Euro 2008, Heath Ledger, Barack Obama, one of the fastest falling searches -- and also, Amy Winehouse.
And notice what's not on that list -- Sarah Palin. Last year, Sarah Palin was the fastest growing search term in the world on Google. She's not one of the fastest falling, which suggests that there's still lots and lots and lots of people who are searching for information on her all the time.
You can get more about all of this; we posted it for you at the blog, CNN.com/Josh. It's also up at Facebook and Twitter, JoshLevsCNN. Tell us what you think about this Google Zeitgeist list and is Google really having its finger on the pulse on the zeitgeist for you.
Betty, T.J., there you go.
HOLMES: All right, Josh. We appreciate you. Thanks so much.
LEVS: Thanks.
HOLMES: Well, a few short years ago, Michael Vick was the face of the Atlanta Falcons -- in some ways, the face of the NFL. Hours from now, he will be back in Atlanta at the Georgia Dome, just a short place or a short jump from where we are in downtown Atlanta. There for the first time since his 18-month dog fighting conviction. And he'll be wearing a Philadelphia Eagles uniform.
And according to "L.A. Times," Vick expects a standing ovation maybe from the fans today. That, he says, Atlanta, still his city. On Tuesday, though, he visited a school in Newark to warn kids about animal cruelty. His talk there however had a much more humble tone than the "L.A. Times" quote. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL VICK, NFL PLAYER: I wish I could have a dog right now more than -- more than anything in this world. Throughout my entire life, I always had some breed of dog. It wasn't always a pit bull, it may have been a German shepherd, may have been a Dalmatian. But whatever it was, I took care of it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Now, the president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, Wayne Pacelle joins me now.
I think you just heard that sound bite. Would you be OK -- you think it's all right Michael Vick to get a dog?
WAYNE PACELLE, CEO, HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES: You know, I think he still has a way to go. You know, our attitude with Michael has been -- let's allow him to go speak to young kids all across the country, in Newark, Atlanta, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and offer his story as a cautionary tale about not getting involved in this horrific and barbaric practice of dog fighting.
HOLMES: So, what do you think, Wayne? Since he -- since he got out of prison, has he met your expectations at the Humane Society? Has he exceeded them? Or are you a little disappointed you think he could be doing more out there?
PACELLE: No, I think he's fulfilled his pledge. He said he would do two events every month, frankly, indefinitely, not just for three months or six months, but for the long haul. So, we're just starting that process. He has done events all across the country. And, frankly, we're having an opportunity to speak to kids that we would not otherwise have an audience with. We're very excited about that.
HOLMES: That was going to my next question there and maybe it's crass almost, as this question even seems the way I'd phrase here. Has he been -- the Michael Vick story, Michael Vick himself -- been a boon for the national Humane Society of the United States? Because, of course, you all have been out there talking about and trying to combat dog fighting for some time. But has he really been in some ways, in his story, a Godsend for you and your message?
PACELLE: Well, I think it's been a very important moment for the campaign to end dog fighting in America. A lot of people thought that was kind of a relic issue that people weren't doing it. People realized, with the Vick case, this was an activity that was going all across the country, they then turned to us. And we said, "Hey, there may be 100,000 people involved in this activity across the country."
Since the Vick case, we strengthened 27 state laws, we've upgraded the federal law, arrests have doubled, our rewards program -- we have an 800-number for tips that leads to the arrest of illegal animal fighting criminals has gone wild.
So, yes, in terms of the issue, it's gone up. I mean, some of our members have been upset that we would even work with him because they can't get passed their anger toward him. But we're focused on the issue in trying to stop dog fighting.
HOLMES: And I'm going to -- like you mentioned, he goes around, he's been speaking to kids. We're going to listen to something he told the kids at one location when he was asked about dog fighting. Let's take a quick listen.
Well, we don't have that, quite frankly. But he's talking about dog fighting, encouraging kids not to do -- make the mistake that he made.
So, you tell me you never really know what's in somebody's heart, but in your gut, and being around him and working with him, do you think he's doing this because, sure, he wants to improve his image -- but do you think he has learned the lesson and he is sincere?
PACELLE: You know, he is really not obligated to do this. This is not part of his court-ordered, you know, post-prison rehabilitation. This week, he drove down from Philadelphia to Newport News and spoke to 400 kids there. The next day, he drove up to Newark, New Jersey, which is many hours away, and spoke to about 250 people there.
He's fulfilling what he promised and that's the key to me. You know, if he strays from this, then we'll be the first to be critical. But he -- if he fulfills his pledge and speaks to these young kids and steers them away from dog fighting, we will feel good about this outcome.
HOLMES: Well, last thing here, Wayne. And you talk about some of the anger some of your members have at even working with him.
But, at the end of the day, and really on a personal note, do you think the punishment fit the crime? When you take into -- the two years in prison he got, and not just that, the public scrutiny, he's got the anger directed towards him, and the fact that he essentially lost his livelihood -- we're talking about a hundred million dollar contract he had, all that, do you think the punishment fit the crime?
PACELLE: Dog fighting is a horrible activity. There's a reason that the Congress passed legislation to criminalize it. There's the reason that the sentencing guidelines were as they were.
And Michael Vick himself at this forum has said he deserved the penalty that he received, that what he did was horrible and barbaric and cruel to the animals and he wishes he could take it back.
So, I think, again, the key is how is he affecting the views of these young kids, because they're getting drawn into the world of pit bulls and animal fighting. And we want them to treat the dogs as companions, not as fighting instruments.
HOLMES: Well, Wayne Pacelle, again, head of the Humane Society of the United States -- you're right. If something good can come out of this and other people can learn lessons, then you -- maybe you're right. It was all -- absolutely worth it for him to go through and now, you all have him to get your message out as well. Wayne, we absolutely appreciate your being here this morning. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday.
PACELLE: Thank you so much.
HOLMES: All right -- Betty.
NGUYEN: All right. Let's take a look at some of the top stories for you right now.
In southwest Ohio, near Cincinnati, investigators are still searching for the cause of a tragic barn fire. Two people died along with more than 40 horses at Lebanon race way. The barn's roof has already collapsed by the time firefighters arrived. The victims' identities weren't immediately released.
Well, the maker of one of the hottest toys of the season on the defense today. It is denying claims that the consumer group that Mr. Squiggles hamster contains high levels of a chemical known to cause cancer.
In a statement yesterday, the company says, quote, "We are disputing the findings of Good Guide and we are 100 percent confident that Mr. Squiggles, and all other Zhu Zhu Toys, are safe and compliant with all U.S. and European standards for consumer health and safety in toys.
We'll be right back on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
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MELISSA DAWN JOHNSON, MORNING MOTIVATIONAL MINUTE: What will mark today? Will it be positive and productive, or slow and status quo? The choice is up to you.
Let me let you in on a secret. You have the power to make your day whatever you desire. So this morning, I challenge you to wake up and say, "Today is my day. Today, I will move past the pain of my past. Today, I will not accept no for an answer."
Whatever it is that you desire, get it in your head. Think it, speak it, but most importantly, mean it. And watch you turn your brand into your reality.
So, when life gets a little challenging -- remember, you've got the power to brand your day.
This is Melissa Dawn Johnson with your "Motivational Minute," and always remember: make every day brand-tastic.
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NGUYEN: Well, CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues in 30 minutes. But first...
HOLMES: Yes, we got "HOUSE CALL" with Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
