Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Saturday Morning News

Holiday Shopping Chaos On Black Friday; U.S. And Iraqi Troops Kick Off Operation Tigers. J.K. Rowling's New Harry Potter Book A Sell-Out; New Games For The Christmas Season; Jose Padilla Charged With Terrorism; World's Ugliest Dog Dies

Aired November 26, 2005 - 11:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Another season of giving is upon us, and you're looking at live pictures from Paramus, New Jersey. But is chaos at the mall the only thing holiday shoppers have to worry about?
It's Saturday, November 26th. Good morning, everyone, from the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Tony Harris.

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Betty Nguyen. You're not kidding when you talk about chaos.

HARRIS: Yes.

NGUYEN: It was like a wrestling match yesterday at many of the malls.

Thank you for starting your day with us on this Saturday morning. We've got a lot to tell you about today.

Now, in the news, one of Saddam Hussein's lawyers tells CNN the former Iraqi leader's defense team wants another delay. The trial for Hussein and his seven codefendants is scheduled to resume on Monday. Hussein's attorneys say the court has not provided enough time to do proper legal work. The first trial was delayed just a few hours after it began last month.

A car bomb exploded at a gas station in Samara, Iraq this morning. The city's police chief says the suicide blast killed three people and wounded nine others. Five civilian vehicles were destroyed as well.

Now yesterday, Iraq's former interior minister escaped a roadside bomb attack as he traveled on a road between Samara and Baghdad.

Police, carrying shields and batons, broke up a government opposition demonstration in Azerbaijan today. Nearly 15,000 protesters, look at this, were demanding a re-vote in the November 6 parliamentary elections. It's reportedly the first time authorities used force against demonstrator in the nation's capital.

And the 5.5 magnitude earthquake in eastern China has killed at least 12 people. Nearly 400 others are injured; 20 of them seriously. China's state-run media reports more than 8000 homes have been destroyed and 29,000 other homes damaged.

HARRIS: At the airports, on the roads and in the malls, take a look at this divine picture up there, four ways.

NGUYEN: Which one do you want us to look at, Tony?

HARRIS: Well, look at it all, if you can.

NGUYEN: Where should we start?

HARRIS: Take your time. Start at the top left and work your way around clock-wise.

NGUYEN: OK.

HARRIS: A plethora of people traveling and shopping, and now a treacherous weather system could create a Grinch in their travel plans, Betty. And there's information holiday shoppers also need to know.

First, the shopping -- absolute chaos best describes the scene at two malls yesterday. People got out of control, desperate to get their hands on holiday bargains.

Checking out the scene today at a mall in Paramus. Look at this, in Paramus, New Jersey, as CNN's Susan Lisovicz, where Susan, I understand all is calm? All is bright where you are? Sorry.

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Everything is building into a crescendo. You know, the mall, this particular mall has been open for three hours now, and my very unscientific shopping-bag-in-hand survey tells me business is increasing steadily.

But, you know, there's 2 million square feet of retail in this Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus, and now I truly understand why senior citizens walk shopping malls for exercise. I think it qualifies as aerobic exercise.

The mall opened here today at 8:00 am. The folks here are happy, because they say that yesterday Black Friday business increased volumes, increased 5%. They were estimating 130,000 shoppers, one day alone.

And, you know, industry experts are saying that 130 million people will shop this important Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

The retail industry has learned it has to be very promotion- oriented, and no better example was last year. Wal-Mart missed its sales numbers on Black Friday because shoppers thought they weren't aggressive enough in price-cutting. So the consumers were watching too.

The folks we talked to today, very focused, coupons in hand, and one visitor from the U.K. even had a map in hand. You've got a bag, you've got a Coupon, and you've got it all.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LISOVICZ: You've got a bag, you've got a coupon, and you've got it all.

DANIELLE CHARLES, SHOPPER: Yes, I'm trying to rush around, do my shopping before I go back home.

LISOVICZ: Why don't you do your shopping in the U.K.?

CHARLES: I was visiting relatives anyway and I do like to shop over here. I think there's just so much more variety and options, and the pound exchange is good, so it's good to get my stuff here.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LISOVICZ: Danielle Charles, I have to say, had an absolute laser-like approach to her shopping. She's living tonight at 7:00 to go back to London. She was shopping until noon. She was going to shop at every store that she had pinpointed on her map. So she was very focused here.

HARRIS: I love that.

LISOVICZ: Tony, back to you.

HARRIS: Zoom. I love that. I love that approach. Get in, get it done, and get out. Susan Lisovicz for -- Susan, thank you.

LISOVICZ: Exactly.

HARRIS: Susan Lisovicz for -- Susan, thank you.

NGUYEN: Well, you have to have a game plan these days...

HARRIS: You have to have a game plan.

NGUYEN: ... because there's so much out there and there's so many people. Here's a part of that game plan. If you're planning on shopping, do it today, because tomorrow it all changes.

HARRIS: Oh. The sales are gone? What changes?

NGUYEN: No, the weather. You may be staying inside. Bonnie Schneider joins us now to talk about that.

It comes at the worst time. That's a big travel day.

BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It is a big travel today.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: That's another collision of these systems again.

NGUYEN: And at the worst possible time. All right. Bonnie, thank you.

More than 500 U.S. and Iraqi troops kicked off "Operation Tigers" today in Ramadi, which is north of Baghdad. U.S. military officials say the operation is designed to stabilize the region ahead of the elections. Military officials say previous operations in Al Anbar Province have resulted in the arrest or killings of numerous terrorists.

Now, a car bomb that targeted a convoy went off in central Baghdad today. Iraqi police say four civilians were killed, and a suicide car bombing went off in Samara, about 60 miles north of Baghdad. At least three people were killed in that attack.

HARRIS: In his weekly radio address today, President Bush thanked the military families for their sacrifice in the war on terror. Mr. Bush also paid tribute to the more than 2,000 men and women who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan.

(BEGIN RADIO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The military families who mourn the fallen can know that America will not forget their sacrifice. And they can know that we will honor that sacrifice by completing the noble mission for which their loved ones gave their lives.

(END RADIO CLIP)

HARRIS: His words were of little comfort to anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan. She is in Crawford, Texas again to protest the president's policies in Iraq.

Yesterday, near the president's ranch, a small stone monument, with the words "Sheehan's Stand" was unveiled. Her son Casey was killed in Iraq last year. Sheehan and her supporters plan a protest rally this afternoon in Crawford, and she vows to return to the small central Texas town every time Mr. Bush visits.

NGUYEN: Hundreds of Palestinians crossed from Gaza into Egypt today over an international border terminal run by Palestinians. It is the first time in nearly four decades that did not have to submit to Israeli security officials to leave Gaza. Following Israel's pullout in September, international officials made reopening the fenced in coastal strip at Rafah a top priority.

We're going to get more now from CNN's John Vause in Gaza.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The border between Gaza and Egypt is only open for four hours today, but there have been hundreds of Palestinians.

(voice-over): A real crush there this morning. People wanting to leave Gaza. Some wanted to see relatives, who they haven't seen for years. Others were traveling for business. Some leaving for medical reasons. Others leaving simply because they can. Some leaving Gaza for the very first time. All because they can now travel.

For the first time in almost 40 years, Palestinians can leave Gaza without having to pass through Israeli security.

And for the first time, they are crossing an international border, which is being controlled by Palestinian officials.

European monitors are in place to supervise the process. And the Israelis are also watching closely via security cameras. But the day- to-day operation is now in the hands of the Palestinians.

This is an historic day for the Palestinians. Before, when the Israelis were in charge of this border, it would often by closed for weeks, sometimes months at a time, because of security reasons. That was according to the Israelis.

But now this crossing between Rafah and Egypt is now open. It's a doorway to the outside world, say Palestinians.

(on camera): And also an important step towards an independent Palestinian state.

John Vause, CNN, Gaza.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: A violent day in Azerbaijan. Police break up protests. You're looking at new video into CNN.

Ahead, we'll bring you all the details on this story.

NGUYEN: Plus, he was accused of planning a terrorist attack inside the U.S. So why wasn't he charged in connection with the allegation? The lawyer for Jose Padilla will join us this hour on "CNN SATURDAY MORNING."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED CNN CORRESPONDENT (off-camera): More than anyone else this year, J.K. Rowling proved magic is found between the pages of books. Her latest, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, sold about 9 million copies in Britain and the U.S. in its first 24 hours alone, making J.K. Rowling a candidate for "Time Magazine's" Person of the Year.

PRISCILLA PAINTON, EXECUTIVE EDITOR, TIME MAGAZINE: After about a decade, almost, of producing these books, one could ask oneself, you know, has this franchise been exhausted. And what she proved this year was that no, it's not the case. And, in fact it's stronger than ever.

She published a book in the late spring, early summer that was a huge success. Then came the movie. And what this proves is that she not only has been able to convert that first generation of readers, but successive ones after that. Not to mention their parents.

And that her legacy gets stronger, and that legacy is reminding people that, in the age of IM'ing, you cannot tear a book out of the hands of a young reader in love with a book. (END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Top stories today, U.S. military officials say about 550 U.S. and Iraqi troops are taking part in "Operation Tigers" in eastern Ramadi. The mission is intended to stabilize that volatile region ahead of next month's elections.

A deadly earthquake rocks eastern China today. State-run media and government officials say the 5.5 magnitude quake killed at least 12 people and left nearly 400 wounded. In one county alone, more than 8,000 homes collapsed.

And in the U.S., many people are jamming malls across the country this weekend determined they can score some post-Thanksgiving bargains. Many retailers report bigger crowds on the first day of the holiday shopping season compared to a year ago.

NGUYEN: You know what that sound is, Tony?

HARRIS: Going global?

NGUYEN: We're going global. Time now to check some of the other stories making news all around the globe today.

HARRIS: Trouble for two U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan. For details on that story and others, we turn now to CNN's Shanon Cook in Control B.

Hi, Shanon.

SHANON COOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Tony. Greetings from Control B.

You might remember the incident a month ago where two U.S. troops burned the bodies of two suspected insurgents in Afghanistan. Two other troops then taunted Taliban fighters over a loudspeaker.

Well, the U.S. military is now saying all four of those troops will face disciplinary action. The Pentagon says those broadcasts were unauthorized.

But investigators said the troops burned the bodies for hygienic reasons, and they were unaware that the Muslim faith forbids cremation.

To Azerbaijan now were riot police disperse a crowd of protesters with beatings and water cannons. Thousands of demonstrators gathered in the nation's capital. They claim parliamentary elections earlier this month were rigged.

Azerbaijan, if you're not familiar with it, is an oil-rich former Soviet state situated between Russia, the Caspian Sea and Iran.

Now to India where rain has been soaking the southern state of Tamil-Nadu for about five days now, very wet conditions there. And authorities say more than 70 people were killed in separate bus accidents. Rising floodwaters basically swept the buses away.

Tony, obviously not good driving conditions there at all.

HARRIS. Yes, that's a terrible story. But you know, Shanon, we're not going to let you leave us on that downer. You've got a story here that's going to take up, up and away?

COOK: Up diddly up dup, I guess you could say.

A 67-year-old textile millionaire went to new heights in a hot air balloon today. He went up to almost 70,000 feet. That means he was pretty much touching the edge of space. If you can imagine that.

This balloon, by the way, weighs about 44 tons and it's powered by 18 burners loaded with kerosene. The adventurer lifted off from downtown Mumbai, and he says it took him just over two hours to reach his goal.

NGUYEN: What? That's a fast balloon.

HARRIS: Yes. We're talking fast balloon, great heights, 70,000 feet.

NGUYEN: Rocket speed on a balloon?

HARRIS: That's got to be close to a record, I would think.

COOK: Well, interesting you say that. That was kind of his goal to break the record. The current hot-air ballooning height in the Guinness Book of World Records is about 65,000 feet, and Mr. Sing Han Yah, as his name is, is going to submit instruments sealed inside his capsule for verification of his flight, because he went to 70,000 feet. Which, by the way, is twice as high as commercial airliners fly.

HARRIS: Yes. Yes.

COOK: I would imagine that his ears were doing some serious popping up there.

HARRIS: Popping, great.

NGUYEN: That's Mr. Record Holder to you.

HARRIS: That's right.

NGUYEN: Thank you, Shanon.

HARRIS: Thanks.

COOK: Thanks, guys.

NGUYEN: OK, Tony, you got game this holiday season?

HARRIS: Yes, I know what you're talking about, and the answer is no.

NGUYEN: On all levels.

HARRIS: Well, Santa, listen up, from the Xbox 360 to the PSP, we have what you need to know about all those hot new gaming devices.

Keep it here, "CNN SATURDAY MORNING" will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Other stories across America. Now, authorities in Washington state are searching for four inmates, one of whom is awaiting trial for murder. They escaped from the Yakima County jail yesterday, using a rope made from bed sheets. Five other inmates, who also attempted to escape the facility, were quickly recaptured.

Wisconsin officials are reminding people of the dangers of thin ice. That's after three people died in two incidents yesterday. The victims, two children and a man, broke through frozen ponds in southeastern Wisconsin. Authorities warned that ice in the region is still not thick enough for recreational use.

California's governor says he'll consider granting clemency to convicted killer Stanley "Tookie" Williams. The Cripps gang co- founder is scheduled to die by lethal injection by December 13 for the murders of four people in 1979. Williams maintains he's not guilty and has become an anti-gang activist. Governor Schwarzenegger plans a private hearing on the matter, five days before William's scheduled execution.

A huge fire damages part of the downtown shopping district in Annapolis, Maryland. Fire officials say they received a call last night about an electrical fire outside a building, but the flames quickly spread and gutted three buildings that housed shops and restaurants. Officials point out the rest of downtown Annapolis is okay.

NGUYEN: Tony, it's at the top of plenty of Christmas lists right now. You know what I'm talking about, the new Xbox 360 video game. But the price tag, pretty hefty.

And many parents wonder exactly what they're getting for the money. So here to spell out that. Consumer electronics expert Robin Liss joins us from Columbus Circle in New York. Good morning to you.

ROBIN LISS, CONSUMER ELECTRONICS ANALYST: Good morning, Betty.

NGUYEN: We're talking about $400 for one of these. So I have to ask you, what's the difference between the old and new?

LISS: Well, the big difference is there's four times the processing power and four times the resolution, so this new Xbox 360 supports high-definition televisions.

The order great upgrade is a 20-Gigabyte hard drive, which is included on the higher-level model. There's actually two Xbox 360's. There's the core and the full system. The other thing is the controller is wireless, so you can not, you know, yank controllers out if you want to make your friend lose their game.

NGUYEN: If you want to cheat. Is that what you're saying? That's how you cheat?

LISS: Right. Oh, I don't cheat ever.

NGUYEN: Never, neither do I. I never would do that. So when it comes to these new Xboxes, I've heard stories of people, they stood in line all night to get them, they finally get them home, plug them in, try to play them, and there's all kinds of problems.

LISS: Right. You know, actually, they're having some difficulties with the new Xbox 360s crashing. A small percentage, according to Microsoft, of people have been reporting some problems. Xbox and Microsoft have agreed to overnight the console back if you're having problems.

The number to call is 1-800-4myxbox.

The other thing is this power controller, the power adapter is huge, and it's actually overheating on some systems as well.

NGUYEN: Oh, that can be dangerous, yes.

LISS: You know, though, you have to give Microsoft some credit on this. It's a big product, a big roll out, so there's bound to be some glitches.

NGUYEN: Yes, there's going to be some kink in the system. So for those that do work, and most of them do work, there's got to be these popular games that everyone wants that you can't find anywhere because they're all gone. So what are they?

LISS: Right, well the big game is "Quake 4." It's kind of a continuation of the popular Quake series. That's a first-person shooter game.

Another cool one that is out there is "Project Gotham Racing." So this lets you take kind of real models of cars and race them through the streets of big cities, like L.A. and New York.

One other good one is "Call of Duty 2." It's an incredibly realistic World War II kind of reenactment game. And it really utilizes the graphics of the new Xbox 360.

NGUYEN: Robin, we've been talking a lot about this Xbox, but there are a lot of people out there who are PlayStation people, players, whatever you want to call them, and they like these other types of games. So what are the options for those folks? And on top of that, people want the portable games as well?

LISS: Right, well, the Xbox 360 is the first of a new generation of game consoles. The next one that there come out is the PlayStation 3, which is expected sometime in the spring. And the Nintendo Revolution, which is expected sometime in 2006.

Now, a lot of people are waiting for the PlayStation 3 because apparently it's going to have better graphics and it will be able to play Blu-ray DVD high-definition videos, something that the...

NGUYEN: Hold up. What is that? You're speaking another language. What is that?

LISS: Well, so there's kind of a debate going on right now between what the new generation of the DVD format will be that supports high-definition televisions. Because the current high- definition televisions, they work with the DVDs, but they aren't high- def.

NGUYEN: I've got you.

LISS: So this new PlayStation 3 will support Blu-ray, which is one of the two...

NGUYEN: Blu-ray.

LISS: Right, Blu-ray. It's one of two warring factions of high- definition TV.

NGUYEN: I see. I'm learning way too much about all of this techno stuff. All right, so bottom line though, when it comes down to it, it's all about the money. Yes, you may but, gosh, you want to get it for a deal. Are there any deals out there?

LISS: Yes, there are some really great deals out there. The Sony PSP is available for $250 at Circuit City. That's a great portable gaming device. Target has the Game Boy Advance for just $68.88. And you know, I wanted to include the Lego Mindstorms in here. It's a Lego product that hooks up to your computer. It's not exactly a computer game, but it allows you to make a robot with your Legos. You program the robot. It's a great learning tool, but its lots of fun.

NGUYEN: Just another way that kids can terrorize their parents. Way to go, Lego.

All right, Robin Liss, thank you as always. Important and good information.

So, Tony, there you know everything you ever wanted to know about those games.

HARRIS: I can't stop scribbling down the information. Thank you both.

He was accused of plotting terrorist attacks inside the United States and being trained by Al Qaeda. So when Jose Padilla was indicted by a grand jury this week, why wasn't any of that included? We'll get both sides of the story and talk to Padilla's lawyer straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Jose Padilla has been held in the U.S. for more than three years, accused of planning terrorist attacks in this country. Now he's indicted, but not on that charge. It is Saturday, November 26th, good morning everyone from the CNN center in Atlanta, I'm Tony Harris.

NGUYEN: And good morning, I'm Betty Nguyen. We have that story just ahead, but first, here are some of the other headlines right now in the news.

Saddam Hussein's trial may not resume on Monday as planned. One of Hussein's attorneys tells CNN he plans to ask for a delay, saying the defense needs more time to prepare. If granted, it will be the second delay in Hussein's trial. The first was granted just hours after his trial began last month.

Operation Tigers is underway in Ramadi, Iraq. It is the latest in the series of military crackdowns on insurgents there. The U.S. military says about 400 coalition forces and 150 Iraqi soldiers are taking part. Now the mission is designed to stabilize the volatile region ahead of next month's elections.

An historic day in the Gaza strip. A border crossing from Gaza into Egypt reopened under Palestinian control. This means that Palestinians for the first time are in charge of an international border. Israel agreed during U.S.-led negotiations earlier this month to give Palestinian officials control of that Rafah crossing.

HARRIS: For three years, Jose Padilla, an American convert to Islam, has been held in a Navy brig in South Carolina. He was accused of plotting terrorist attacks inside the United States and was described by the Justice Department as an alleged al Qaeda-trained terrorist. However, none of that appeared in a Federal indictment unsealed this week in Miami. CNN's national security correspondent David Ensor explains why.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID ENSOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): One reason they did not charge Jose Padilla with plotting dirty bomb or apartment bombings, law enforcement officials have acknowledged, is that the government is unwilling to allow testimony from senior members of al Qaeda now in the hands of the CIA.

ROSCOE HOWARD, FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY: The government wants to bring an indictment that they want to make sure is clean and that they can win. They want to make sure that there are charges that won't present any problems or could be witness problems. There are classified-information problems.

ENSOR: U.S. officials have previously said Abu Zubaydah, and 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed were the original sources of the information on Padilla and the dirty bomb and apartment plots. Since al Qaeda prisoners have reportedly been subjected to harsh interrogation techniques, including one that simulates drowning, Padilla's lawyers would be sure to say their evidence was produced using torture.

DONNA NEWMAN, PADILLA DEFENSE ATTORNEY: God knows what kind of torture they were exposed to and they don't want that to come out in the litigation.

ENSOR: CIA officials refused all comment but former officials say tough interrogation techniques used on al Qaeda prisoners have saved American lives and need to be kept secret, not discussed in open court.

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN, FORMER CIA DEPUTY DIRECTOR: I think it's important we not be highly specific about what it is we will do and not do in dealing with detainees. If we are, that's going to go right into the al Qaeda counter-interrogation manual and come right back at us in what is still a war.

ENSOR: Also while in military hands, Padilla has spoken about the dirty bomb and apartment plots, but he was denied access to a lawyer during the time, so that evidence could not be used in civilian court.

(on camera): So the government has settled for lesser charges of support for terrorism against Jose Padilla who officials say may be moved into the regular prison system as early as next week. David Ensor, CNN Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Joining me now to talk more about this case, the attorney for Jose Padilla, Donna Newman. She is in New York and from Philadelphia Temple University law professor Jan Ting. Thank you both for being with us and Donna, first I got to tell you that both Jan and I appreciate the work that you've done on behalf of Jose Padilla. And Jan, let me have you explain why you in particular appreciate what she's done in this matter.

JAN TING, LAW PROFESSOR, TEMPLE UNIV.: I've often said to students, Tony, that if I'm ever in trouble with the government and I need a public defender, I hope they give me Donna Newman. I think the work that she's done, her tenacious defense of her client, she's really been a role model for aspiring lawyers. Having said that...

HARRIS: Yes, go ahead.

TING: I want to say I think the government lawyers have done a good job, too. I think they have defended their client, the United States government. I think they've defended the powers, the war powers of the United States government. And so I think everyone's done a good job on this case.

HARRIS: I wanted to set that out first, because there may be a healthy disagreement down the road as we get into some of the issues here and Donna, let me start with you. What happened to the dirty bomb charges?

DONNA NEWMAN, ATTORNEY FOR JOSE PADILLA: Well, as far as I know from what the government has said in the press lately, they're just irrelevant. To me they're not irrelevant. Three and a half years Mr. Padilla has been held incommunicado, solitary confinement. And to say that a citizen being held under those conditions is simply irrelevant, it's not irrelevant to me.

It's not irrelevant to my client, not irrelevant to our team and it is not irrelevant to the American public. What's important to realize here that issue does not go away, and that's why it's our position that the Supreme Court should hear the petition now pending before them, because it is something that can reoccur not only to any citizen, you, me, or whoever else is in the street, but to Mr. Padilla again, because their claim is he remains an enemy combatant. And that means that if in fact when he goes to trial on the pending indictments, he's acquitted, well they can just do it again.

HARRIS: And Jan, let me ask you, do you have some concerns about the way this case has been handled by the government? Pointedly, has it been botched by the government? I mean when you think about the shifting status of Padilla, first he's an alleged dirty bomber, then a material witness, then an enemy combatant. It seems that the government can't come to terms with its own story here.

TING: It's completely normal for prosecutors to want to bring the charges that they feel confident that they can prove and win in court. I think that's what's going on here. Personally I'm a little disappointed that the case isn't going to go to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court doesn't normally give declaratory judgments as to future cases, so I'm sorry we're not going to hear from the Supreme Court.

My belief is that the Supreme Court, given the opportunity, would have affirmed the lower court decision in Mr. Padilla's case and reaffirmed its own opinion in the Hamdi case where the Supreme Court said it is part of the government's war powers to detain enemy combatants for the duration of hostilities and that is true even if they happen to be United States citizens.

HARRIS: Donna, here's the question.

NEWMAN: Oh, I disagree with that analysis.

HARRIS: I know you do. You want to take it on?

NEWMAN: Well, simply that I do not believe - I do believe that the Supreme Court should take the case. I think that there's still an issue that needs to be resolved. It's an issue that is recurring as I said and as far as I can count, we have at least five justices that would agree with our position. So I don't agree that if it goes to the Supreme Court, if they take it, that we will not -- our position would not be the one that comes forward.

HARRIS: Jan, do you feel the detention of Padilla was constitutional?

TING: Well, I do believe, as the Supreme Court said in Hamdi, that the United States government does have war powers and those war powers include the ability to detain enemy combatants. And the only limitation is that there has to be a hearing to determine that these are enemy combatants, but that can be done before a military tribunal. The Supreme Court has said has much, and the Supreme Court did not put any limitation on the detention of enemy combatants, and Mr. Hamdi was a United States citizen, so that issue has been addressed.

HARRIS: And Donna, let me set you up a bit. Donna, can I set you up a little bit. I know where you're going with this, but let me set you up a little bit with words from Justice Scalia, when he wrote in the Hamdi case as part of the majority the very core of liberty secured by our Anglo-Saxon community of separated powers has been freedom from indefinite imprisonment at the will of the executive. Isn't that what we believe as a nation?

NEWMAN: Yes. Not only do we believe that, but I don't believe that the Supreme Court decision in Hamdi supports the government's position with respect to Padilla. And I will say this. This is really important distinguishing fact. Mr. Hamdi was caught on a battlefield and there's no question that under the laws of war, that is typical for obviously a combatant to be captured.

Mr. Padilla on the other hand, was seized from a jail cell in Manhattan, totally different circumstances, and the reading of the Hamdi case will demonstrate that the justices in the plurality were very much concerned about the fact that Mr. Hamdi was on a battlefield and that's where the distinction lies. It was very important obviously constitutionally.

HARRIS: And Jan, let me give you the last word on this.

TING: Where a battlefield lies is an open question, I suppose, but I think after 9/11, most Americans would agree that the battlefield can be anywhere. And, again, I think Donna and I are in agreement that it's too bad the Supreme Court won't, probably won't have a chance to address this issue. I don't expect them to take the case for declaratory judgment.

HARRIS: We'll end there on a note of agreement. Thank you both --

TING: Everyone should read Hamdi, too.

HARRIS: Let's leave it there, Donna Newman, attorney for Jose Padilla and Jan Ting, Temple University law professor, thank you both for being with us this morning.

NEWMAN: Thank you.

NGUYEN: Well, this isn't such a happy note. There's some wicked weather out there, but is it going to cause problems for those holiday travelers?

HARRIS: Sure.

NGUYEN: You can expect so. We're going to check in with Bonnie Schneider as she gives us the lowdown on all of it. HARRIS: Plus, is this holiday shopping or fight night?

NGUYEN: Fight club.

HARRIS: Yes, the details on the Wal-Mart wrangling when CNN SATURDAY MORNING returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Updating our top stories right now, more than 500 U.S. and Iraqi troops launched operation tigers today in Ramadi, which is just north of Baghdad. U.S. military officials say the operation is aimed at flushing out terrorists ahead of December 15th, which is when the elections will be carried out in Iraq.

At least a dozen people are dead following an earthquake, a very powerful one in eastern China. Look at this damage. Officials say the 5.5 magnitude quake was centered in a rural area in China's Hubei province. China's news agency says hundreds of thousands of people have evacuated their homes.

And police in Azerbaijan clash with thousands of demonstrators in the capital city of Baku. They were protesting a November 6th parliamentary elections, the results that gave a landslide victory to the ruling party. The protesters are demanding new elections.

HARRIS: 'Tis the season to do everything, surf the Web, whatever you want.

NGUYEN: Do everything. Definitely to surf the web this morning.

HARRIS: And you're here, Veronica de la Cruz from the dot com desk to share some of the hottest stories at cnn.com.

VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: People are logging onto cnn.com. We've got some great video, great video, and we've been showing it to you all morning, but it's so good Tony, that we've got to show it to you again. All right, shoppers, shoppers gone wild. This is video from Wal-Mart but some might say, Tony, it looks a little more like the "WWF Smackdown."

HARRIS: Smack down, sure. Steel cage activity.

DE LA CRUZ: Over eager shoppers lost their tempers and their heads, fighting over laptop computers on sale. The day after Thanksgiving sale or black Friday is among one of the busiest shopping days of the year and apparently now it's something that you've got to get into shape for. Shoulder pads, knee braces, full gear. All right, guys.

You know those video games where there's blood everywhere? This is not one of them. This Christmas you have another option out there for your children, video games that are rated R, R for religious. It's rated R for religious. Some game makers are pushing for a Christian message that might appeal to the mainstream and video game analysts say the quality is on par with mainstream games. Finally, the world's ugliest dog has died.

NGUYEN: You have to see this, look at this.

DE LA CRUZ: He won the ugliest dog contest three times in a row. He turned his bad looks into fame though with appearances on shows like "Carson Daly" and "Live with Regis and Kelly." And a side note here, you guys. Susie Lockheed, who's the owner of the dog, says she once had a boyfriend dump her...

NGUYEN: Look at that thing.

DE LA CRUZ: ... because he claimed the dog was so ugly, he actually gave her the ultimatum of me or the dog. He's the dog here. Anyway, everything did turn out for the best because Sam actually brought her and her current boyfriend together when he saw the two in a photo on an online dating site. So...

NGUYEN: I have to admit, Tony, come on, the dog is not cute.

HARRIS: If you're trying to date the lady and the dog is disconcerting to you...

NGUYEN: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I think Sam - he's kind of cute. He's probably really a very sweet dog.

DE LA CRUZ: May Sam rest in peace.

NGUYEN: All right. Let's move on. Thank you, Veronica.

Pre-winter snow is proving deadly in Wisconsin. It's believed to have played a factor in at least two traffic-related deaths. Parts of Wisconsin saw one to four inches of snow on Friday. Now Buffalo, New York is also feeling the effects of snowfall. Black Friday turned into white Friday yesterday afternoon. Whiteout conditions were reported along parts of the New York Thruway creating headaches for shoppers and commuters alike. It was just a crazy day yesterday all around.

HARRIS: And that's only going to get worse tomorrow, absolutely. Bonnie is here is tell us about more severe weather that is going to be making its way into the Midwest. Good morning Bonnie.

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: All right, Bonnie, a lot of folks not happy about that news, but hey, that's the way the cards are dealt this time around.

A Christmas controversy in Boston, Tony, look at this one or should I say a holiday controversy. Either way we're going to explain this problem with whether it's "Christmas" or "holiday." Those are the key words when CNN SATURDAY MORNING returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: It's that time of year again. Controversies are flaring up over religious symbols and holiday celebrations. One dispute in Boston has people lit up like a Christmas tree or is it a holiday tree?

NGUYEN: That's the question.

HARRIS: Chris May from CNN affiliate WHDH explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS MAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This time of year when you see a tall tree strewn with lights and topped with a star, what do you call it?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Christmas tree.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Probably a Christmas tree.

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Christmas tree.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I call it Christmas tree.

MAY: The people seem to agree, but on the city of Boston's Web site, it's a holiday tree lighting, not a Christmas tree lighting that's scheduled for December 1st on the common and that caught the attention of the Reverend Jerry Falwell. Calling a Christmas tree a holiday tree isn't be inclusive he says. It's disenfranchising people of faith. It's like calling a menorah a candlestick.

MAYOR THOMAS MENINO, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS: I grew up, my world was always a Christmas tree and it's going to be a Christmas tree as long as I'm around.

MAY: During the Thanksgiving eve event, Mayor Tom Menino tried to steer clear of any controversy saying the reference to a holiday tree was the work of a Web site operator, not a statement of policy. Other politicians, including Governor Romney, House speaker Sal Dimasi and Attorney General Tom Reilly agreed, saying Boston's symbol of the season should be called a Christmas tree. Even the local chapter of the ACLU, which opposes any government-sponsored religion, says the city should not fear the word "Christmas."

SARAH WUNSCH, MASSACHUSETTS ACLUE: The Supreme Court has said the Christmas tree is a secular symbol, so governments can put up a Christmas tree. They can even call it a Christmas tree.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: OK, again, that was Chris May from CNN affiliate WHDH reporting.

NGUYEN: And the debate rages on. You know it will.

We want to thank you for watching us. And I'll see you back here tomorrow morning beginning at 7:00 Eastern.

HARRIS: And I believe I'm back at the top of the hour, coming up ...

(CROSSTALK)

NGUYEN: All afternoon. Go ahead used to him.

HARRIS: Finding a voice in Saudi Arabia, we will introduce you to a woman who's working to create a better life for all women in the country. CNN LIVE SATURDAY straight ahead after a break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com