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CNN Saturday Morning News
Obama Travels From Philadelphia to Washington Today, Mirroring Lincoln's Journey; Circuit City Going Out of Business, Others Cutting Employees; Workers Hoping to Raise U.S. Airways Jet That Landed in the Hudson
Aired January 17, 2009 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: From the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING. Hello to you all. I'm T.J. Holmes.
ALINA CHO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Good morning, everybody. I'm Alina Cho. Betty has the morning off. Thanks so much for spending your day with us. It's going to be a busy one.
Here's what we're following for you, all aboard for the Obama express. The president-elect takes a railcar from Philadelphia to Washington today. He is mirroring Lincoln's journey. We'll bring that for you.
An economy unraveling. Circuit City going out of business, laying off 34,000 workers. Hertz also cutting employees. We'll have much more on the economy minutes.
And in New York, workers are hoping to raise that U.S. Airways jet from the water in New York today. All 155 people aboard survived when it splash landed Thursday on the Hudson River.
HOLMES: We're going to take a closer look now at the Obama whistle stop express, as it's being called. Barack Obama and his family, the Obamily I guess I'm trying to call them aboard some special rail car about 10:00 Eastern. It wasn't that funny, Alina.
But from there, they're going to head to Claymont, Delaware. They're going to slow down a crawl at some of these stops and let people there at some of those train stops just get a good look at the Obamas. The next stop after that is going to be Wilmington, Delaware. He's going to pick up his guy, Joe Biden, the vice president-elect. He's going to hop on board. We expect to hear from Obama at that stop.
From Wilmington the Obama express will roll to Edgewood, Maryland. It'll slow down there as well. Again, people going to be gathered those stops, going to give them a good wave. Then the next stop will be Baltimore where the incoming president will make remarks from the rail car. More than 100,000 people are expected to attend. From Baltimore the train then rolls towards Washington's Union Station and a new chapter in American history.
CHO: It's an hour trip by air, but it's going to take all day for the Obamas and the Bidens. It's something to watch certainly. You know, two million people, giant TV monitors, don't forget the port-a-potties. A giant operation also known as the inauguration of Barack Obama, an historic occasion.
Our Kate Bolduan watching the preparations for Tuesday's big day. Hey, Kate, good morning. Set the scene for us.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey there, the sun is finally up here on the national mall and a very welcome sunshine as it's warming us up a little bit here. Temperatures are cold. They can be expected to be cold again on Tuesday. What's going on here right now, preparation has been going on and it continues yet again this morning.
You can probably see behind me the things that have changed that I've been seeing even still this morning. They're setting up security barriers, setting up those metal fence that we see so often in big events, also setting up sound system equipment and getting ready to put up the jumbo television screens that you mentioned.
There are going to be 20-plus of them throughout the mall in order to help everyone down here to see what's going on up there. So lots of preparations going on throughout. Everyone is waiting for the president-elect and vice president-elect to show up here later today, Alina.
CHO: 240,000 lucky ticket holders, Kate. Kate Bolduan in Washington for us. Kate, thank you -- T.J.
HOLMES: The president-elect says it will be a remarkable moment when he takes the oath of office. He talked to our chief national correspondent John King, talked to him during a stop in Bedford Heights, Ohio and you might not be surprised if you do see the President-Elect Obama get a little choked up during his inauguration speech.
Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Remarkable moment but you're still pretty cool in describing it. In private do you get more emotional? John Lewis for example, he was beaten. He was jailed. He walked the walk of the journey. He thinks you're helping almost complete. He says he might not be able to keep it together at the inauguration.
PRESIDENT-ELECT BARACK OBAMA: Well, I'm going to try to keep it together. But I will tell you that during the convention, there's a moment at the end of my convention speech where I talk about Dr. King and what he accomplished and the first time we practiced it, I had to stop. I started choking up.
Because, you know, when you start thinking about it's not just your own personal journey, but you think about all the women who walked instead of riding the bus out in Montgomery and Birmingham and what a moment like this would mean to them and what's remarkable is some of them are still alive. They're still there and some of them are going to be standing there at the inauguration.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: We will all see that moment on Tuesday and can you see President-Elect Obama's full interview tomorrow morning. You can watch our news show. "STATE OF THE UNION" with John King, premieres tomorrow morning, 9:00 Eastern. Bush White House press secretary Dana Perino and former Clinton White House press secretary Dede Myers (ph) among some of the other guests that'll be on the show.
You can stay with CNN as we continue the inauguration coverage here. This morning, we travel along with the Obama express and the historic trek to Washington, D.C. Every stop, every speech, every wave, every smile, everything. We got you covered right here, beginning 10:00 Eastern only right here on CNN.
CHO: Anderson, Wolf and Soledad heading up our coverage. Turning now to the president-elect's top priority and America's priority, we're talking about the economy, of course. The latest news, bankrupt Circuit City is calling it quits, shutting down and selling all of its merchandise. The electronics retailer says it failed to reach a deal with its creditor or find a buyer. So around 34,000 employees will be laid off and 567 U.S. stores shuttered.
Chrysler is getting another $1.5 billion from the Federal government so it can buy new cars. That is on top of the $4 billion loan it got last month for operational costs. And the National Bank of Commerce in Illinois, the first bank to fail in 2009, quite a distinction. Customers, though, can access their money when it reopens today under another name, the Republic Bank of Chicago. Finally, Hertz slashing 4,000 jobs, citing a drop in car rentals.
California is running out of cash and now the state is telling taxpayers due a budget shortfall, they may have to delay sending out some income tax refunds. Imagine getting that notice? Taxpayers may get IOUs.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN CHANG, CALIFORNIA STATE CONTROLLER: The moment we issue IOUs is the moment we run out of cash in the state of California.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: The state set February 1st at the date to stop refunds, that's unless lawmakers agree on a plan to erase a nearly $42 million deficit.
HOLMES: Let's take you now, take a live picture now, we need to show you out of New York, the Hudson River. You see there through the trees a bit, you can kind of make out that obstruction there in the back. That is a plane sitting where it's not supposed to be. That's not a runway. That's the Hudson River. We know which plane we're talking about now. We saw this drama play out this week.
This US Airways jet is actually expected to be plucked out of the Hudson today, could be hauled out in the next couple of hours. Again this is a live picture this morning, starting to get a little light on it this morning. We've been watching as the crews continue to work around the clock.
What they've been doing, engineers, they have been kind of putting all kinds of harnesses on this thing. They're going to use a couple of huge cranes to try to lift it up and put it on a barge. They're going to take it to a safe location for inspection. They also need to try to pull up the two engines. Apparently the engines were blown off from the plane, from the force of the impact there on the water. So they're somewhere down at the bottom of the Hudson.
Well, as we know, miraculously, everybody survived that crash, 155 people onboard. The passengers on that jet praised the captain, the crew and the respondents for saving them, but the passengers have stories of bravery to tell of their own.
Listen to some of the survivors who appeared last night on "LARRY KING LIVE."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARRY KING, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, Vince. Where were you on the plane and tell us what happened.
VINCE SPERA, U.S. AIRWAYS CRASH SURVIVOR: Larry, I was on seat 16c, on the aisle, on the left-hand side of the aircraft. Obviously, we took off, a little light chop when we took off, something normal. As we ascended, we heard a large, a loud boom and then the plane started to decelerate.
The pilot started to make a bank left and then he really made a hard bank left after that, positioned himself over the water. At the whole time there was no communication with us from the pilot. And as the plane started to descend into the water, he then said, brace for impact. In no uncertain terms he said, brace for impact and about 15 seconds later we hit the water.
L. KING: And Darren, what was that like, hitting the water in a plane?
DARREN BECK, U.S. AIRWAYS CRASH SURVIVOR: That was unlike anything I'd ever experienced. You know, I can't say I've ever been in a plane crash before. I was more fearful that we were going to flip over or cartwheel or something. We did lift out of the water slightly, but we fortunately fell back down flat. I was incredibly relieved.
KING: And, Dan (sic), when you got in the life raft, you called home?
BECK: I did, yes, probably not the best thing to do. I probably should have been trying to get on the ferry, but I didn't want my wife to see it on the news. I knew it would be all over. I could see the helicopters swirling already. And I called her and said, you know, honey, I can't talk now. My plane crashed, but I'm fine. I don't know if that was good thing or a bad thing, but -- KING: What did she say?
BECK: I just wanted her to know from me. She said what are you talking about? Normally when I fly out of New York, the biggest concern, usually when I call her that means the flight's delayed. That's a very common thing out of LaGuardia. But in this case, she probably wishes it was a delay instead of a plane crash.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Yes. She'll probably take a delay over a plane crash, I'm guessing.
President Bush just another big name on the very long list of people who are calling Chesley Sullenburger a hero. Sully is his name. He also got a call from President-Elect Barack Obama, the White House confirming that President Bush though called the U.S. Airways pilot and praised him for his skill in bringing down that damaged plane. He also thanked him for his bravery, for thinking first about the safety of passengers on the plane and people in the area.
Sully was the last person to leave the sinking plane. He went back through the plane and made sure that every single person had gotten off of that plane, was empty before he stepped off the plane. So indeed, lord of the fly, as we decided to coin it, very nice, Alina.
CHO: Ironic that a plane crash has made it to lift America's spirits, but that's exactly what happened.
We want to turn to this, several U.S. service members wounded in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan overnight. The attack came near the German embassy in Kabul. At least two civilians were killed in the blast. U.S. military sources say six American troops were wounded, three of them seriously. An American civilian was also wounded. The Taliban has claimed responsibility saying they were targeting embassy vehicles.
Diplomacy dotted with new explosions this morning in the Middle East. The U.N. says Israeli artillery shells hit a school killing two children. More than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed in more than three weeks of fighting. Cease-fire discussions are under way in Egypt and Lebanon today.
Israel's security cabinet is expected to get together in a couple of hours for a vote on whether to call a unilateral cease-fire, but no word on whether it will stick. Hamas is saying they won't stand down regardless of the vote. They want a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza as part of any cease-fire agreement.
HOLMES: All right. The severe weather animation, that can't be good. You'll change anything up. You'll put some wind in there sometimes, some lightning at times, sometimes some snow.
(WEATHER REPORT)
CHO: From slogans to campaigns, it's all about finding a way to make a buck. We'll have that, coming up.
HOLMES: Yes, advertisers. They are finding some ways now to tap into the campaign theme from Obama of hope.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: All right. This is a little different. People finding ways to show their patriotism and their support for the Obamas in (INAUDIBLE) Connecticut. You don't have to pick out polish. Is that the --
CHO: Looks like a sticker.
HOLMES: ...stickers -- you can pick a portrait. You get the idea.
CHO: Hand painting.
HOLMES: Yes. That was what I was expecting, but still, whatever works. Some are going for it. You see the wife, Michelle there, along with President-Elect Barack Obama.
CHO: A little glitter.
HOLMES: What you got here? Keep it pretty simple.
CHO: I'm simple, basic pink.
Hey you know, people are so excited about this and right now more and more companies are thinking, yes, we can, make buck off President- Elect Barack Obama. From campaign logos to slogans, it appears nothing is off limits, really, hope sells.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHO (voice-over): Commercial or campaign message. It's all about optimism with a logo that's all too familiar. But tis has nothing to do with Barack Obama. It's an ad for Pepsi.
LINDA KAPLAN THALER, CEO, THE KAPLAN THALER GROUP: I think it's different, because there's this enormous hope and optimism in this country now for Obama and I think people can help by trying to sell their product in the same voice.
CHO: It's called the Pepsi optimism project, or POP. And just like Obama's campaign, change is the message from Ikea. Starting Monday, it's showcasing a replica of the oval office using Ikea furniture. Both Pepsi and Ikea tell CNN there's nothing political about their ads, but the Pepsi and Obama logos are strikingly similar. Both use swirls of red, white and blue. So can you sell a product in the same way you sell a presidential candidate?
BARBARA LIPPERT, AD CRITIC, ADWEEK: You wouldn't buy anything unless you had some hope and they're not going to show a guy saying, my car is under water and my house mortgage is falling apart, but I want to have a Pepsi. Unfortunately, a soda can really can change your life or give you hope.
CHO: One area where Madison Avenue has learned from Pennsylvania Avenue is how to target an audience.
THALER: Obasanjo's campaign did something absolutely brilliant and almost impossible. He captured the youth market. He went to the people who don't vote.
CHO: And you say that goes against everything that advertising's about.
THALER: It goes against advertising 101.
CHO: Like trying to sell a cookie to a person who's never tried one. It's just not done. But maybe change is coming. If we're talking about a country that is half Democrat and half Republican --
THALER: Oh! You know what? We're all behind the president. And on the day of the inauguration, everybody in this country is going to be rooting for this man.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHO: Joining me live now is the CEO of Kaplan Thaler Group, Linda Kaplan Thaler. Linda, you're in New York. Good morning. Thank you so much for joining us this morning. You're a branding expert. You came up with the Aflac duck among many other things.
THALER: Aflac.
CHO: Exactly. And you gave me a duck, by the way. So thank you very much. Listen, hope is clearly not a new concept. You're not going to buy a product unless you are hopeful that it is going to change your life in one way, shape or form. Now having said that, I know that you believe that these companies really need to be careful that they don't try sell their product with the same message. Why?
THALER: You have to do it with a bit of a wink. If you try to take it too seriously, people are going to go, wait a second. We're not talking about tax relief here. We're talking about a soda or a pizza. But when Ben & Jerry's comes out with yes, pecan, which is one of the new flavors, it makes you chuckle and you get it and you jump on the bandwagon and maybe I'll try some of that.
CHO: Like with Ikea and this mockup oval office with $100 desks.
THALER: Exactly, exactly.
CHO: You have to have a sense of humor about it. Listen, you touched on this in the piece, but I want you to elaborate. Madison Avenue really is learning from Pennsylvania Avenue or the Obama campaign in particular on how to target people, right? Talk about that.
THALER: Absolutely. I mean, he did not just go to the base of people who normally vote. He went to people who never vote, who have never voted.
CHO: And that's unprecedented.
THALER: It's unprecedented and in advertising you go to your demographic. You go to your strongest base. But I think he's taught us all a lesson on a new way to kind of target, is maybe kind of really thinking outside the box.
CHO: Hey, Linda, I don't have a lot of time, but I do have one more question for you. For all those people out there who are watching these ads, that Pepsi tune is catchy, but listen, I don't think anybody wants four more years of ads about hope and optimism blanketing the airwaves. So how long is this going to last?
THALER: Not to worry, because right now I'm sure McDonald's is coming up with a Sully burger. And, by the way, if anybody asks how it's made, I would just say it's a "plane" burger.
CHO: Very good. Sully, of course, the heroic pilot who splash landed that U.S. Airways jet on to the Hudson River on Thursday. Linda Kaplan Thaler, thank you so much.
THALER: Thank you.
CHO: We'll talk to you again very soon.
THALER: Bye-bye.
HOLMES: She's good.
CHO: She is good.
HOLMES: I want her to do the Aflac thing one more time.
It's a seven-hour drive and they got no tickets, but that is not stopping one 13-year-old girl. It's Washington or bust. She's heading to the inauguration and if you see her coming you better get out of her way.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, we've come a long way since the first photograph and the first radio broadcast. Here we are to today. We coming up on, just a couple of days away from Tuesday. We've been telling you that some two million people are expected in Washington, D.C. to see the inauguration of Barack Obama.
We are two of those expected two million with us right now, 13- year-old Skye and her mother, Lisa Maddox, from North Carolina. They're not in North Carolina right now. They are in Washington, D.C. They have already arrived, not a ticket in hand. Is that right?
LISA MADDOX, DROVE FROM NORTH CAROLINA: No ticket.
HOLMES: All right. Now Tell me, which of the two of you, whose idea was this, really? SKYE MADDOX, DROVE FROM NORTH CAROLINA: My mom's.
HOLMES: It was mom's idea!
L. MADDOX: Of course.
HOLMES: OK, mom. Now why did you think this was so important, given what you were going to have to go through, finding a place to stay, we'll get into that in just a second. But everything you would have to endure. Why was it so important that you'd insist on going?
L. MADDOX: I volunteered down in Charlotte, North Carolina with voter registration and I just had a good time. It was kind of like, OK, let's just keep this momentum going. I've got to go.
HOLMES: Sky what did you think about that? Were you immediately onboard, because it is, you've got to drive there. You got to endure the crowds and all this stuff. Were you onboard immediately?
S. MADDOX: At first I was worried about missing school and soccer practice and basketball practice. But then I realized this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and it's definitely worth missing school for.
HOLMES: And you all tell me what the plan is. Most people don't have tickets. Everybody's going to go down to the mall, but you don't have a plan to speak of.
L. MADDOX: We have no plan. We've gone through every degree of separation and come up short. So I've got friends coming in and we're just going to be spread all over D.C. and hopefully we'll just hook up and have a good time.
HOLMES: OK, but you do plan on going down to the national mall. Both of you, Skye, you first what do you anticipate that will be like? I mean I don't know how close you'll be able to get. But you all plan on going to camp out for a good spot or just show up and be in the masses? They'll have big jumbotrons. So what do you think you'll be able to see?
S. MADDOX: I think we'll try and see whatever we can see.
L. MADDOX: Yes. We're going try to get out early in the morning and see how far we can go before the cold turns us around, or --
HOLMES: All right.
L. MADDOX: Or the crowd gets too big, but we hope to get there.
HOLMES: Certainly good luck to you. Last thing, tell everybody. There are no hotel rooms. We all know people are bunking with all kinds of folks. Where are you staying?
L. MADDOX: We're in my sister's office in her house on a futon. She's got friends and family coming in. So we're all just going have a big party there and have fun. HOLMES: You know, people are doing what they've got to do right about now. You all are doing it as well, two of the two million I should say that are expected, Lisa Maddox and her 13-year-old daughter Skye. Ladies, thank you so much for joining us. Maybe we have better digs in CNN in D.C., we can let you take a nap there. Ladies, thank you so much.
Those are two of the faces we just introduced you to that will be there, but a lot of familiar faces will be there as well. Barack Obama is the big star there, but you know, Beyonce ain't bad either. We'll tell you about some of the entertainment that will be there. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Welcome back, everybody. Exactly half past the hour. Good morning, I'm Alina Cho along with T.J. Holmes.
Checking our top stories, he landed his crippled jetliner in New York's frigid Hudson River, saving the lives of more than 150 passengers and crew. Now U.S. Airways pilot Chesley Sully Sullenberger is being called a national hero. Investigators are hoping to pull the jetliner from the river today.
HOLMES: Also, House Democrats are calling for $275 billion in tax breaks as part of a new $825 billion package to stimulate the economy. The Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee introduced the tax part of the plan, saying the state of the economy calls for some swift action.
Well, the stimulus package, federal bailout fund, are at the top of the to-do list for Barack Obama. He's already been working on both, even though he hasn't taken office yet. He will here in just a few days.
Our CNN deputy political director Paul Steinhauser has moved from inside his comfy, cozy warm digs to outside, outside there in D.C.
All right, Paul. Let's -- talking about this package. Obama's got a little pushback already from not just Republicans, from some of his own Democrats. What is the sticking point here? Is this another thing where they're worried Americans are going to see that $825 billion astronomical tab and go wait a minute, we don't want to do this again?
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Exactly, T.J. And just one thing, you questioned my manhood, so I had to come outside. But yes, some Republicans and even Democrats are saying that price tag is too high, $825 billion. They're pushing back on that. And some Democrats, as you mentioned, Democrats from his own party are pushing back, saying maybe too much money it going to big business and not enough money to the average people.
So Barack Obama on the road yesterday going to Ohio, going to northern Ohio, visiting a plant that makes turbines. And that's part of this whole thing, T.J., because he wants to create more green jobs by promoting clean energy. So that's why he was at this turbine plant. He was pushing his job. He wasn't looking for votes anymore. Looks like a flashback to the campaign. But no, he was there to push his plan. As you mentioned, $825 billion includes tax cuts, money for bridges, highways, tunnels, hospital, schools, and also jobs.
Take a listen to what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: The first job of my administration is to put people back to work and get our economy moving again. That's why I've moved quickly to work with my economic team and leaders of both parties on an American recovery and reinvestment plan that will immediately jumpstart job creation and long-term growth. And I'm pleased that Congress has seen the urgency as well and is moving quickly to consider such a plan.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEINHAUSER: And the timetable, T.J., he would like to see a bill on his desk by the middle of next month. We'll see if that happens, T.J.
HOLMES: We will see, but what are we seeing right now as far at public opinion goes? A lot of people have a lot of opinions about giving the money to the financial institutions and not giving it directly to the people. How are people feeling about this latest package?
STEINHAUSER: Exactly. And you saw Congress, the Senate vote, the other day, to allow that money to go out, that second $350 billion installment. But Americans, they don't like this. We have a brand new CNN Opinion Research Corporation poll, and put it out yesterday. Take a look at this.
Six in ten Americans, 61 percent do not want that extra $350 billion to go out to help out banks and Wall Street institutions. That is a majority there, obviously. More than a majority.
And here's why. Take a look at this number. 86 percent say that so far the bailout has not worked. Remember, the first $350 billion was put out and given to the banks and Wall Street last fall. 86 percent say it is not working, T.J.
HOLMES: Well, like you say, he's not shopping for votes anymore, at least from the American people, but still needs some votes he needs to shop for up there in Congress in support from Democrats and Republicans.
Paul, never question your manhood. I know you can handle the cold. Paul, good to see you. We'll talk to you again soon, buddy.
STEINHAUSER: Thanks, T.J.
CHO: Well, Barack Obama boards a special train in Philadelphia this morning. He's taking the same route that Abraham Lincoln took for his inauguration back in 1861. The incoming president and his family will board the special railcar at about 10:00 Eastern. It's called the "Obama Express." From there, they head for Claymont, Delaware. It'll slow to a crawl before moving on from there, so people can wave hi to the president-elect.
Next stop, Wilmington, Delaware. That, of course, is the home of Vice President-elect Joe Biden. He will hop onboard there. And of course, we expect to hear from Obama in Wilmington.
From Wilmington the Obama Express rolls on to Edgewood, Maryland. It'll slow down there as well, a little bit of waving. Next stop, Baltimore, where the incoming president will make a short speech. More than 100,000 people are expected. And from Baltimore, the train rolls towards Washington's Union Station, and a new chapter in American history.
It's normally about an hour by flight. It's going to take all day by railcar. We're going to see what it's like this morning at Philadelphia's 30th Street Station. That's where Barack Obama is boarding just about 90 minutes from now.
Our Jason Carroll, my friend, already there. So Jason, set the scene for us. What's it like? A lot of excitement I would imagine?
JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, it is building Alina. About 200 people are expected here today. Some are them are already starting to file into the room here. You can see they're starting to take their seats. They are invited guests. Again, about 200 of them. A lucky 50 or so will actually get to ride with Obama and the Bidens on that train ride that you talked about.
But let's first talk about the 200 invited guests. I've got two of them that are with me right now who are invited. We've got Heather Wehr. And we also have Talia Kassie. Both of them 20 years old.
Tell me -- let's start with you, Heather. Why do you think you were chosen?
HEATHER WEHR, OBAMA VOLUNTEER: Well, I volunteered with the campaign at Temple University in North Philly. And I got an e-mail from my field organizer asking for volunteers for this event. And I volunteered to help out. And turns out I guess I was invited. I'm not volunteering.
CARROLL: Lucky you. And Talia, how about you? Why do you think you got the invite?
TALIA KASSIE, OBAMA VOLUNTEER: Well, I volunteered at the Ardmore office during the elections. And I did a lot of phone calling and stuff. And then a few days ago, I got a phone call asking if I wanted to come to this event. And I was like, yes.
CARROLL: Now let's talk about what -- let's talk about the event itself. What are you expecting to hear from Obama? Anything you'd like to hear from him when he gives a speech at about 10:15 or so?
KASSIE: Really, I just want to hear him talk. I just like listening to him talk, because he's so smart and he always has the right words to say.
CARROLL: Heather, how about you?
WEHR: Yes, I think really what -- you know, I'd love to hear something, you know, letting us know that this -- we're in really tough timing right now, but you know, he's going to try his best to pull for us. And I'd love to hear, you know, how he wants to do that.
CARROLL: Now very quickly, I know it's going to be tough to get a shot of this, but I asked you about the inauguration. Neither one of them are going, Alina. And the reason they're not going is because each one of them broke their foot on separate occasions, down there. Both of you, yes.
CHO: Oh, what?
CARROLL: So neither of you are going to be going to the inauguration.
CHO: Oh, my goodness. What are the odds of that?
WEHR: I was lucky enough to get some tickets from Senator Casey's office, but had to pass them off to a friend because of my foot and the crowds. It just wouldn't have been able to work out.
CARROLL: Talia, you too, correct?
KASSIE: Yes, I hurt my foot during gymnastics. And I wanted to go, but then I figured it would be a bad idea. My foot got stepped on.
CARROLL: Yes, not such a good idea. But at least you'll get a taste of the inauguration here.
All right, Heather and Talia, thank you so very, very much.
And you know, this is part of what Obama is trying to do. He's trying to make this whole inauguration accessible to as many people as possible, especially those people that he was impressed with during the campaign, or people who he felt especially moved by. He'll be giving his speech at about 10:15 here. It's expected to last for about 15 minutes.
We got an advanced copy of the speech, Alina. And thematically, basically much of it has to do with the challenges that the country has to face and how Obama feels we can meet those challenges -- Alina?
CHO: We look forward to that. And Jason, hey, before you come back, bring me back a souvenir. And I don't want that any of that...
CARROLL: OK.
CHO: ...funny stuff that you usually bring me back. CARROLL: I'll look for something.
CHO: All right, Jason. Thank you, Jason Carroll in Philadelphia -- T.J.?
HOLMES: All right, thank you, Alina.
Well, the cease-fire talks over the crisis in the Middle East seem to be gaining a bit of steam in Israel today. The security cabinet there is voting in a couple hours on a plan that could lead to a possible end to the offensive. We're not there yet, obviously because just this morning, Israeli artillery shells continue to batter buildings in Gaza.
CNN'S Ben Wedeman is one of the few Western journalists to independently make their way into Gaza. He visited a hospital there, where they're helping some of the thousands wounded by Israeli attacks. We do want give you a heads up here that some of these pictures are going to be a bit disturbing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The surgeons have been working on 25-year-old Allah for more than five hours. He was hit in an Israeli air strike Friday at 7:00 in the morning. Allah's body is riddled with shrapnel.
MOHAMMED SHAMA, EGYPTIAN DOCTOR: You have here one in the eye. OK? Multiple in the chest. Multiple in the lungs. Bleeding from the lungs. And multiple in the intercoastals, inside the abdomen, multiple injuries inside the intestine.
WEDEMAN: Egyptian Dr. Mohammed Shama has joined the exhausted staff of Rafah Yussed Najal Hospital.
SHAMA: Doing a lot of work, and the medical advances (INAUDIBLE). And as science, use it. On the alternative, we cannot live, let the patient on the ground, bleed until death. You have to show them. Doing seven hours of work and lose a patient, or let him die.
WEDEMAN: Five patients had already died before he finished operating on Allah. Seven died the day before.
Outside the operating theater, Allah's mother, sister, brother and aunt wait for news. His sister tells me the doctors say he'll be fine, but he won't. The doctors told us his chances are survival of slim.
We can't know whether Allah was a target of the Israelis or another of the thousands of civilians killed and injured in Gaza. Israeli claims it turned the neighborhoods of Rafah newer the Egyptian border into a wasteland, targeting a network of smuggling tunnels underneath.
Some residents venture back to survey the damage. But thousands have taken refuge at United Nations schools, hoping they'll be spared more bombing. The latest to arrive at the school wait to sign up for a space to live and a few blankets.
"They bombed our house and four houses around us," says this Hanan, who fled the area beforehand. On the outskirts of Rafah, another funeral. Rafah's main cemetery is full of freshly dug graves waiting for bodies.
(on camera): At this moment there are three funerals going on simultaneously. This place will be very busy until the fighting ends.
Ben Wedeman, CNN, Rafah, Gaza.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHO: Trying to get the gas flowing again, Ukraine's prime minister is in Moscow today for high-level talks there. The dispute between Russia and the Ukraine over prices has stopped the flow of natural gas to other parts of Europe as well. Earlier talks in Ukraine failed to fix the problem. The now 11-day outage has been especially tough on people in Eastern Europe who are having to suffer without heat during a historic cold snap across the region.
HOLMES: All right, the inauguration, we've been talking about and covering. Going to be covering a lot this weekend as well. It's going to be like one we have never seen.
CHO: Historic, as we've been saying.
HOLMES: Yes.
CHO: And we are covering it all, watching every part of that whistle stop tour that Obama will be taking starting in Philadelphia...
HOLMES: Yes.
CHO: ...going through Wilmington and on to D.C. It's going to be all day for him.
HOLMES: He's going to get started about 10:00. Now he's not supposed to take that seven hours whatever hours it's going to take. He's not getting to D.C. until 7:00 tonight. Not supposed to take that long.
CHO: But you know, we want to mention that for those of you who can't be on that whistle-stop tour, and we're going to be watching from home, there's some new technology that goes along with this year's ceremony, how you can watch from home and still interact with millions of people.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: All right. We heard just a few minutes ago from a mother and daughter who are going to be two expected to be in Washington, D.C. for Barack Obama's inauguration. They're actually sleeping in an office on somebody's cot.
Well, somebody else who's going, another ticketless one, is Alison Wu. She's a 20-year-old NYU student. And she is an Obama supporter. Tell us first of all where you're staying.
ALLISON WU, NYU STUDENT: I'm not staying anywhere.
HOLMES: Not staying anywhere. Well, let us explain, people. Explain what your plan is like. You're there in D.C. and you're just going down on Monday night. It's kind of a quick road trip and quick round trip for you?
WU: Yes, exactly. We're going down on Monday night pretty late around 11:00, but it should be a four or five-hour drive. So we'll be there in early, early morning. And...
HOLMES: Now what do you expect to do or expect to see there? Of course, you know how many people are going to be there. So are you going to try to nudge up close? Or you're just -- you're happy seeing the jumbotron? Or you just want to be in the masses?
WU: I think just anywhere is fine, but as close as possible.
HOLMES: Why go through this? A lot of people talk about it's a part of history. And we know you're an Obama supporter. So what is your reasoning for going through all this that you're going to have to go through to be there?
WU: I love Obama. The first time I went to see him, I saw him at a rally in Washington Square Park last year. And he really move me. I really liked him. So I've been a supporter ever since.
HOLMES: Well, now what are you expecting from the inauguration speech? High expectations certainly on the campaign trail. He kind of set a high bar for himself with some of the speeches he gave. So what are you hoping to hear and what are you expecting to hear from that speech?
WU: I have really liked all the speeches. I think this will be monumental. Not really sure what I'm expecting, but I hope he tells the American people how excited that he is to be in the office.
HOLMES: OK, you -- last thing here. Tell me what would be an absolute perfect success for this trip of yours? And what would be kind of a letdown, if you get there and it doesn't work out? So tell me what the best case scenario and the worst case scenario is?
WU: I don't really have any expectations. I know it's been crazy. I just want to be part of it. I don't really mind. I'm a little bit worried about the cold, but...
HOLMES: Yes.
WU: OK.
HOLMES: So maybe that'll be it. That's the, that might be the worst scenario, but Allison Wu, again, 20-year-old NYU student. Glad we could to talk to you. One of the millions expected there. Good luck on that bus trip. Again, she's making it with her boyfriend. I told her make sure she packs a toothbrush at least, but enjoy your stay. Thank you so much for being here and talking to us this morning.
WU: Thank you.
CHO: Oh, to be a college student.
HOLMES: Be a college student.
CHO: You know, I have only done that once in my life where I've gone somewhere without a place to stay. BC/Notre Dame game back in 19 blah, blah.
HOLMES: Wow. OK, BC/Notre Dame. OK, we'll get back to that in just a second. But...
CHO: Let's not.
HOLMES: Well, we talk about Facebook and inauguration.
CHO: Yes.
HOLMES: Obama has used the Internet. And really, it's become more a part of these campaigns.
CHO: Yes, I mean, he targeted people who don't vote. And they actually went out and they voted. You know, this has been unprecedented in so many ways with more watching around the world than ever before.
HOLMES: Now as part of that scene, CNN has taken some unprecedented steps as well, including a way for you to interact online with your friends while you watch the inauguration.
Josh Levs explains to you how you can do that. Hey there, Josh.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, guys. There's really cool stuff. You know, we've been talking about it for a while. Right? Now I can actually show you. It's so cool. It's not up yet, but this is a sign of what it's going to look like on Tuesday.
Let's zoom in so you can tell -- I can tell you what you've been hearing about, CNN on Facebook getting together. Now here's the deal. You know if you go to cnn.com already, you can see our live video player.
Well, on Tuesday, this is what it will look like to everyone, if you're part of Facebook or not. This right here will be the live video player, showing you everything that goes on at the inauguration.
Then enter the right a little bit. This right here is Facebook. So on this part of the screen, you'll be able to sign if in, if you're a part of Facebook. And you have two choices here. You can interact with everyone watching, all of the Facebook users at the same time, or you can just click on your friends. Anyone who's registered is your friend on Facebook. You can interact during it.
And keep in mind, some of the people here are people who will be there in the crowd. A lot of people update their Facebook pages from their mobile phone. So you'll hear from them and the crowd, or anyone there. You have this sense of community while you're watching this. Interact with friends or with anyone.
Let's quickly go a graphic so you can see what it looks like there. Might be a little bit clear for you guys to see. The same idea basically. That's what it will look like to you on Tuesday. You'll be able to sign in really early. And I'll tell you guys, they're expecting more people than ever before literally. Any moment, any more than the election night and the victory speech, to be watching at the same time on cnn.com/live on Tuesday.
CHO: We look forward to it.
HOLMES: That will be cool. All right.
CHO: Nice stuff.
HOLMES: Josh, we appreciate you keeping an eye on things online for us. Of course, Barack Obama will be the biggest star there. But you know, Aretha Franklin, Yo-yo Ma, that ain't bad either. It's going to be a star studded affair.
CHO: That's right. Yo-yo Ma, Aretha Franklin, Beyonce, I mean, you name it. Bruce Springsteen, U2. I mean, it's an A-list.
HOLMES: Beyonce...
CHO: You know, but we want to know, and I'm sure you want to know, how does this year's celebration compare to years' past? We'll tell you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: It's going to be 34 degrees and partly cloudy in D.C.
HOLMES: Kind of cold.
CHO: That's what we're expecting. Reynolds Wolf said that. We trust him.
HOLMES: We have to attribute it to him.
CHO: That's right. Hey, get ready for the inauguration to look like the red carpet of the Golden Globes.
HOLMES: Yes. This going to be a star-studded affair. Who's who of Hollywood, folks and entertainers that'll all be there. And our CNN contributor Shannon Cook. I understand, Alina, she's got the scoop.
CHO: That's right. Hey, Shannon, good morning.
SHANON COOK, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Good morning, great to see you.
CHO: Great to see you, too. So there's three major events starting with...
COOK: Yes.
CHO: ...tomorrow. A big concert at the Lincoln Memorial.
COOK: Huge concert.
CHO: It'll be broadcast on HBO. You know, U2, Beyonce. Tell us what that's going to be all about?
COOK: Well, it's going to be called "We Are One." As you said, it takes place at the Lincoln Memorial. It is free. So anybody can go. And they are expecting a pretty huge crowd, even though it's going to be really, really cold.
The lineup is staggering. U2, Beyonce, Stevie Wonder, Sheryl Crow to name just a few. Now organizers and publicists are being really, really tight-lipped about what all the musicians are actually going to perform, but I did manage to glean that James Taylor will be performing his hit song "Shower the People" along with John Legend and Jennifer Neddals.
And yesterday at rehearsal at the Lincoln Memorial, Josh Groban sang the song "My Country 'Tis of Thee" with Heather Hedley and the Gay Mens Chorus of Washington.
So the mood is obviously going to be uplifting. A lot of patriotic-type songs. And I think it's safe to assume that U2 is probable going to do their hit song "One."
CHO: Oh, yes, of course.
COOK: I would hope so. Oh, I am, too.
CHO: I heart Bono.
COOK: I think Bono hearts me. He hasn't met me yet, but I think there's a good chance Bono would heart me.
CHO: Oh, I love him. He's a great guy.
HOLMES: Yes, you all...
CHO: Duke it out, Shanon. OK.
HOLMES: Don't do it here, ladies. Let's talk about kids before you get out of hand here.
CHO: Yes.
HOLMES: But yes, that concert you spoke of, you know, everybody loves those folksy names, but they're going to -- there's going to be a concert specifically geared -- the talent's going to be geared toward children.
COOK: There's going to be a kids' inaugural concert, which takes place on Monday night at the Verizon Center in D.C. Miley Cyrus is going to be there, the Jonas Brothers, Usher is going to be performing there. This event is going to be hosted by Michelle Obama and also Jill Biden. And it's going to air on the Disney Channel. And most of the tickets for this event have actually gone to military families.
CHO: Oh, wow. That's great. That's great. I mean, you can bet Malia and Sasha will likely be there as well.
COOK: Yes.
CHO: Hey, very quickly, Shanon, we don't have much time. But the headliners, Aretha Franklin and Yo-yo Ma on Tuesday?
COOK: Yes.
CHO: Springsteen, but tell us what we can expect on Tuesday? What do we know?
COOK: Well, Aretha Franklin hasn't actually told anybody what she's going to be performing. But this is really cute. Apparently she bought her dress and reserved her hotel room long before she was even invited to perform at the inaugural ceremony. And I don't think she's going to sing her song "Chain of Fools," but did you know that Obama actually sang a couple of lines of that song to her at a rally in Detroit on Labor Day? So do you know what I'm thinking? I'm thinking that it might not actually be a solo performance by Ms. Franklin.
CHO: Oh.
COOK: I think maybe we can expect a little bit of a duet.
CHO: Wow. Now that would be something.
COOK: That would be...
CHO: That would be something.
COOK: That would be something for the history books.
CHO: Shannon, thank you so much.
COOK: Thank you.
HOLMES: All right, many of you might have been with us a little earlier. 7:00, we had a lady here who's going up to D.C. through the help of her friends and what not, but she was looking for inauguration tickets. Would you believe it's now just two hours since then. Someone has stepped forward, a good Samaritan, stepped up to help. We'll explain. We're excited to bring you this story. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Well, we just can't say enough about people's generosity. Really. I mean, this is such a heartwarming story. Our work is over today.
HOLMES: You know, we should just pack it up right now, before we mess this thing up.
CHO: We still have one more hour. You know, just last hour on our show, we talked to a woman named Helen Jackson about her efforts to go to the inauguration.
HOLMES: An Atlanta cafeteria worker who's customers pooled their money and bought a plane ticket for her so she could get to D.C. That was great enough.
CHO: That's right, but she didn't have inauguration tickets. Only 240,000 of them. And they were gone. So someone after they saw the interview, a viewer called and said she will give Jackson...
HOLMES: Wow.
CHO: ...two tickets to the inauguration itself. Take a listen to what she says.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: What does this historic inauguration mean for you?
HELEN JACKSON, ARAMARK DINER SERVER: Well, I never met Martin Luther king in person, but when he passed, my father, we stood in line for, like, four hours just to go and view his body. And that was just...
CHO: Wow.
JACKSON: And I was like about 12 years old. And it was just amazing, how long we stood in line. And this means a lot to me because I want to be there, even if I'm a mile away. Just to be in the number. It's a thrill to me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
