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CNN Saturday Morning News
Karzai Foe May Boycott Afghan Election Runoff; H1N1 Spreading Even as Vaccine Supply Grows; Web Sites Help Parents Keep Trick-or- Treaters Safe
Aired October 31, 2009 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, it's Halloween, folks.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Happy Halloween, everybody.
HOLMES: Yes, it's October 31, of course. We are at the CNN Center. I'm T.J. Holmes. Glad you could be here.
NGUYEN: Looking scary as ever.
(LAUGHTER)
NGUYEN: Good morning, everybody.
HOLMES: That's how you want to start with me?
(LAUGHTER)
NGUYEN: Well, I was referring to myself as well.
HOLMES: Sure you were, yes.
NGUYEN: Hello, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen. It's 6 a.m. in Atlanta; 3 a.m. in Las Vegas, where they are probably still celebrating the pre-Halloween parties.
(LAUGHTER)
NGUYEN: Thanks for starting your day with us.
HOLMES: Yes, start with a scary topic here, H1N1. It continues to spread. At the same time though, vaccine production is behind. We've got cases now in 48 of the 50 states. We'll get the latest from the CDC's point person this morning.
NGUYEN: Yes. Also, the White House been silent about whose been visiting -- well, until now. We're going to look at some of the names on a newly released list.
HOLMES: Also, how well do you know your neighbors? Well, on this night, where there will be trick-or-treaters out and about, parents might want to know their neighbors really, really well before their kids go knocking on those doors in the neighborhood. We'll going to tell you about Web sites that can show you if sex offenders are actually nearby. NGUYEN: And an uplifting story for you today. A do-over, if you will, at a Georgia high school where blacks and whites were separated during their high-school prom. Now, 50 years later, the students have come together.
But we do want to start with a dilemma for Afghanistan and the White House, to be frank. Afghan President Hamid Karzai, forced into a runoff, may not have an opponent to run against.
HOLMES: Yes, his chief opponent, Abdullah Abdullah, may boycott the Nov. 7 runoff.
We want to head now live to journalist Nima Elbagir, who is Kabul for us.
Nima, please help us understand: Is this a legitimate threat? Could Abdullah possibly pull out?
NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, today is, of course, that deadline that Dr. Abdullah (AUDIO GAP) for a series of demands to be met for him to take part in the second-round runoff. Amongst these was the sacking of the independent election commission chief, as well as the dismissal of three cabinet ministers.
Now, it's past midday here in Kabul, and as yet, none of these demands have yet to be acquiesced to. And President Karzai has said that they will not be met.
The last we're hearing from Dr. Abdullah's camp is that there is a last-minute meeting, a last (INAUDIBLE) attempt, if you will, for the two camps to get together and try and reach some kind of resolution. As you can imagine, a lot of expectation here, and a lot of momentum for a compromise to be reached. But as yet, it is really looking like Dr. Abdullah's camp are not happy with the situation as it stands.
One of his advisers said to us, "The infrastructure of fraud is all still in place. Why would we trust and take part in a second-round runoff?"
HOLMES: So why -- I guess, Nima, what happens if he -- if he decides not to actively participate? I assume, at this point, his name is still on the ballot and is going to be on the ballot.
So does the runoff still go forward even if Abdullah is not participating?
ELBAGIR: Well, one of the main issues you have here is that, of course, this is only the second presidential election. And there is absolutely no precedent; there's no case law for this. But President Hamid Karzai has said that if Dr. Abdullah withdraws, he will not automatically be announced as the winner. He says that he will send it to the Afghan Supreme Courts, and he will allow the chief justice to rule on this.
Obviously, there's a massive necessity for some kind of legitimacy to be grabbed from this in spite of any kind of boycott on his opponent's side.
HOLMES: All right. Well, Nima Elbagir, we appreciate you. We're going to be checking in again with you this morning. Thank you so much.
NGUYEN: All right. Want to get you to our top stories overnight. And we're following them for you today.
Somali pirates are demanding a $7 million ransom for a British couple, seen right here, who have been kidnapped from their boat last week. The British Foreign Office says it will not meet the pirates' demand for money in return for the release of Rachel and Paul Chandler.
HOLMES: The police are searching for a convicted rapist suspected of killing six people in Ohio. Police had gone to Anthony Sowell's Cleveland home late on Thursday after a woman had accused him of rape. He was not there, but police did find two bodies in the home. And then the day later, which was yesterday, they found four more bodies. Three were hidden in the house, the other in a grave outside.
Police say Sowell had spent 15 years in prison for a 1989 rape.
NGUYEN: Well, documents declassified by the Justice Department reveal that the FBI and the CIA weren't always on the same page on how to interrogate terror suspects. They suggest the FBI questioned some CIA interrogation methods after they were allowed an interview with a CIA detainee. He was naked and chained to the floor.
Details of the interrogation were released yesterday as part of a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit. It was brought by the American Civil Rights Union and other groups.
HOLMES: Well, you might have noticed a few more people around you fighting fatigue, some coughing, body aches. Well, probably because the CDC says H1N1 even more widespread now than just a week ago. And this morning, we're hearing the virus prevalent in 48 states now. You're seeing video here from Children's Hospital in Boston, where there's been a 40 percent increase in patients from just last week.
There's a lot of confusion still out there about who exactly needs the H1N1 vaccine. And it's -- those questions, that confusion just as far-reaching as the flu itself.
I caught up with Dr. Anne Schuchat of the CDC. Asked her point blank: Who needs to get this shot?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. ANNE SCHUCHAT, ASSISTANT SURGEON GENERAL: We really want to remind people who is supposed to be vaccinated. The five groups that are in that group for the beginning, that's pregnant women, health- care workers, caretakers of babies under six months of age, children and young adults, six months of age to 24 years of age, and adults 24 to 64 years of age who have chronic health conditions. HOLMES: Are -- and help -- and -- and that's important to note there. And -- and what's going to happen -- tell people around the country, will a lot of these hospitals and clinics get to make up their own minds? Because I do have a friend whose wife had H1N1, but she wasn't allowed to get the vaccine because she didn't fall into one of those five categories.
So is -- is that how it goes? Can -- do -- do hospitals and clinics have the discretion to say, 'You know what? You're not in this group; we don't have a lot of this stuff. You go home and drink your fluids.'
SCHUCHAT: The -- the states and city health departments are working really actively with the doses that they get. And they're using our national standards. The Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices has recommended these five groups. It's a lot of people in those five groups.
And we really think adults over 25 who don't have chronic health conditions really can wait. There's time all of us who are not in those groups to let others get vaccinated first.
But local areas and doctors' offices and community clinics and so forth will really be trying to bring in the priority populations and focus on getting them vaccinated. Day by day, whether additional people can be vaccinated, will be a question of the available supply.
We're trying to learn from the past. In 2004 and 05, we had a big problem with vaccine availability, and we really overprioritized, and at the end of the year, we had extra vaccine. So we're trying to make sure that we are addressing demand. And if there's lots of pregnant women in line, of course we want them to be vaccinated. But if -- if there's not so many coming in, those local decisions for flexibility are there.
HOLMES: And -- and I want to get your opinion on this question, because I -- I always ask health officials, and -- and I don't seem to get just a straight answer sometimes, and I'm trying to put this in the -- in -- in layman's terms for our viewers, who understand, year and year out, there's a -- a seasonal flu. And a lot of people just don't get a flu shot.
Suppose they get the flu; suppose they don't. If they do, they -- they stay home, they drink their fluids and they flush it out. This particular flu, this H1N1 we're talking about, is a -- a young, health person need to be any more worried about this particular H1N1 flu than they would be if they were getting the seasonal flu? Is there any more to be fearful of, or -- or just the same as the other?
SCHUCHAT: With seasonal flu, about 90 percent of deaths and about 60 percent of hospitalizations occur in people 65 and over. But with the H1N1 virus, it's all turned on its head. We've got 90 percent of the hospitalizations in people under 65. More than half of the hospitalizations are in people under 25. Ninety percent of the deaths are in people under 65. So really, younger people seeing these severe outcomes that in -- much more frequently than we would with seasonal flu. So we think it's important to protect kids and young adults, pregnant women, adults with chronic health conditions. We think seniors probably don't need to get this H1N1 vaccine, particularly not at this point. We aren't seeing a lot of disease in them. Very important for seniors to get the seasonal-flu vaccine, and of course for seniors who are having fever and respiratory problems, to check with their health-care provider.
HOLMES: Thank you so much. That was a very good point to make, and you made it very clearly. And that's good information for people always to have.
Again, Dr. Anne Schuchat from the CDC, thank you so much, as always, for giving us the updates.
SCHUCHAT: My pleasure.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: And you'll want to stick around for our next hour here of CNN SATURDAY MORNING. We're going to be talking live to the secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius. Want to know if you have questions for the secretary.
E-mail us those at Facebook and on Twitter. You know how to find us there. Also, our blog at cnn.com/tj or /betty.
NGUYEN: All right. It is Halloween. We've been talking about trick-or-treating, candy. What's this about you becoming a ladybug for Halloween?
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It's not going to happen.
(LAUGHTER)
WOLF: No way in hell is that going to happen.
What we're talking about is, we've got two -- two things, two costumes my youngest daughter...
NGUYEN: His -- his daughter.
WOLF: ...is thinking about, either a frog or a ladybug. I'm not going to be a ladybug. It's just not going to happen.
NGUYEN: Whichever she's not, he's going to be the other.
WOLF: Sure.
NGUYEN: But I'm -- I'm enjoying your Halloween tie.
WOLF: It's festive.
NGUYEN: You're very festive.
WOLF: It's (INAUDIBLE).
NGUYEN: You know, some people aren't enjoying this weekend though because of all the flooding, especially in Arkansas.
WOLF: Oh, it's been awful.
NGUYEN: We've had two deaths because of that.
WOLF: It's been terrible what they've had there.
You know, we often say that -- that flooding is the No. 1 cause of death when it comes to rough weather.
NGUYEN: Yes.
WOLF: And that was the case in parts of -- of Arkansas. I mean, just an awful thing to see.
You know, Betty, they're going to have a better day today in terms of all that precipitation now moving a bit farther to the east. But what a mess they've got to clean up. And of course, you've got some heartbroken families this morning. It is just a rough time.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HOLMES: You're talking to us about weather now, but you're coming back in a few minutes. What you got coming up? You talked to a -- not your -- your regular student, really here.
WOLF: Yes. I mean, this is a little bit different. I mean, when you think about a college freshman, or at least a -- a college student, you don't think of someone who's getting close to 80 years old. We've got a remarkable story and a very inspiration one at that, coming up in just a few moments right here on CNN.
HOLMES: Wow, that's cool, Reynolds.
NGUYEN: Yes.
HOLMES: We're looking forward to it, buddy. We'll see you here shortly.
NGUYEN: Also, a breaking-news story that we have been watching for you this morning. Only one week until the runoff elections in Afghanistan, and there is a communication breakdown. We'll explain.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC, "HALLOWEEN" THEME)
NGUYEN: Ooh. If that doesn't say "scary," I don't know what does.
HOLMES: I get my themes mixed up sometime. The "Halloween," and then you got Jason.
NGUYEN: What is this one?
WOLF: And the "Jaws" kind of thing. It's all...
HOLMES: Yes.
WOLF: The shark is (INAUDIBLE) scary scary (ph).
(CROSSTALK)
WOLF: Yes. It really is.
NGUYEN: It's all (INAUDIBLE).
You know, we've been looking at this National Retail Federation list of the most popular adult costumes. No. 1 is the witch; No. 2, a vampire; 3, a pirate; 4, a clown. The 10th one though, police officer. Hmm.
WOLF: I -- I don't know. I mean, if -- if you go -- if you go to some place like, you know, a Halloween store and you look at some of the costumes...
NGUYEN: Yes.
WOLF: ...the costumes themselves are really bizarre, because if you notice -- and there is a difference among the sexes, that if you -- if you're a female, the female costumes are somewhat suggestive.
NGUYEN: Oh yes. They're totally sexy. For sure.
WOLF: Whereas if you're a dude, it's -- it's -- which is great if you're a guy. But if you happen to be a lady, it's like, 'Hey, I'm dressed as a -- you know, a suggestive nurse, and my husband's dressed as Spock.'
(LAUGHTER)
WOLF: I mean, come on. You see what I'm talking about? Didn't seem to work.
NGUYEN: Yes, and T.J. was like, (INAUDIBLE), make sure that you go as something...
HOLMES: Yes.
NGUYEN: ...like a goblin or a ghost.
HOLMES: You -- it's Halloween. It's supposed to be scary.
WOLF: Yes.
HOLMES: Tell everybody what you're going to be tonight, Betty.
NGUYEN: It -- it has a scholastic theme. That's all I'm going to say.
HOLMES: Wow.
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
HOLMES: Let your imagination run wild.
NGUYEN: No, no -- wait. No, don't do that.
HOLMES: You're better off to be specific, Betty.
(LAUGHTER)
WOLF: Wow.
HOLMES: Wow.
NGUYEN: I'm an athlete. No, (INAUDIBLE)
HOLMES: All right.
WOLF: OK. We're saving you. It's called "Weekend Events." We're going to right to it and give us (ph) a little bit of a break.
NGUYEN: Thank you.
(LAUGHTER)
WOLF: Really, Betty? I can't get over this. The mind is wandering.
NGUYEN: (INAUDIBLE)
WOLF: All right. Let's go right into it.
"Weekend Events," we have the American Film Institute International Film Festival that's in LA. It's going to be a great thing. It's the longest-running film festival and one of the most influential festivals in North America.
Coming up next, we've got the Voodoo Music Experience. Now, this really does sound cool. Music at this year's festival in New Orleans include Eminem, Kiss, Lenny Kravitz and Widespread Panic.
NGUYEN: Oh wow.
HOLMES: Wow.
WOLF: I know.
NGUYEN: That's cool.
WOLF: And then -- then we get to the Chocolate Show in New York. It's -- one of the highlights of -- of this event is a chocolate fashion show where all the schools are made of -- or, actually, all the clothes are made of chocolate. Don't know if that can be educational theme (INAUDIBLE) for you there, Betty.
NGUYEN: That's a scholastic theme right there, yes.
HOLMES: (INAUDIBLE)
WOLF: Yes.
Then, the National Peanut Festival in Dothan, Alabama. Self- explanatory.
And then the Haute Dog Charity Halloween Parade in Long Beach, California, where they get a bunch of animals -- cats, dogs, all kinds of silly little freaks get out there and they dress up in Halloween costumes. Nothing more bizarre or weird, seeing a Pomeranian dressed up like a devil.
(LAUGHTER)
WOLF: You know, it's just weird.
NGUYEN: You know what? There was a makeup artist here who was telling me that she is going to dress her cat up as a dog. How mean (ph) is that?
HOLMES: How do you do that?
NGUYEN: I have no idea.
HOLMES: We got to get that picture.
NGUYEN: But yes, we need that picture.
WOLF: One of many pictures we need to take.
NGUYEN: Hey, you know what? You know, we've been asking you, what are going to be Halloween? You know, what are you dressing up as, what are your plans?
Well, don't just tell us. If you have pictures, please, send them in as well. You can send them to ireport.com, or you can just e-mail them or post them on Facebook or Twitter. And we will be happy to show those.
Where -- OK, we've talked about me. What are you doing for Halloween? What are you dressing as?
WOLF: Again, probably the ladybug or the frog. But probably going frog, yes.
NGUYEN: The ladybug. OK. The ladybug.
And. T.J.?
HOLMES: Texas-Oklahoma State playing tonight at 8:00, prime time. I'm watching football.
NGUYEN: That's it?
HOLMES: That is it, yes.
NGUYEN: All right. Anyways.
WOLF: Good times.
HOLMES: Yes.
NGUYEN: We'll move right along, shall we?
(LAUGHTER)
HOLMES: What do you want from me? My Larry King outfit wasn't a hit last year.
NGUYEN: I told you to be Larry King. That would be great. The suspenders, that's all you need, right?
HOLMES: (INAUDIBLE). It's not happening.
NGUYEN: The glasses.
HOLMES: All right, Reynolds, appreciate you as always.
NGUYEN: Yes.
WOLF: Be good, guys.
NGUYEN: You'll -- you'll be a cute ladybug....
WOLF: That's what they tell me.
NGUYEN: ...I'm sure.
OK, so before you and the kids head out tonight for Halloween -- this is serious business though. Because Josh Levs has some safety information.
Hey, Josh.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey there to you guys.
Yes, you know, millions of parents are keeping a close eye on the areas where their children will be going tonight trick-or-treating. We're going to show you how to check for registered sex offender in any neighborhood in the country.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Now a look at some of our top stories this morning.
First, suspected terrorist being held at the Navy's Guantanamo Bay facility will be offered vaccinations for the H1N1 flu virus. The Pentagon says the detainees are at high risk for the pandemic. NGUYEN: Well, more cases of the H1N1 flu to report this weekend. But there is also more vaccine to deal with the virus. That's a little bit of good news.
Forty-eight states now report, though, widespread flu activity, two more than a week ago. But more than 26 million doses of the H1N1 vaccine are available in the U.S. That is 10 million more than just a week ago. Production delays have affected the supply.
HOLMES: Now, President Obama still weighing his decision about Afghanistan. He held the seventh in a series of high-level discussions about Afghan strategy yesterday. The Joint Chiefs of Staff and other top military officials were there, as you see in this picture here. President Obama considering whether to send as many as 40,000 more U.S. service members to Afghanistan.
NGUYEN: Well, it is part of keeping kids safe on Halloween, and that's knowing areas where sex offenders live.
HOLMES: Yes, and some Web sites make that information a little easier to find. Josh Levs here to show us.
Good morning to you, Josh.
LEVS: Good morning to you guys.
And, you know, as a dad I take a look at these things. And we know a lot of people do. We've shown some of these on the air before.
Here's what I'm going to do: I'm going to show you some of the best Web sites to use to look for sex offenders in any area in America. You don't need to write these down, because at the end, I'll show you one place where we've linked all of them for you.
Let's zoom right in. We're going to start off with this one right here, which is familysafetyreport.com. Now, what this does is, you can provide the area where you live or any area you're concerned about, and they will send you reports, including alerts if a convicted sex predator moves into your area. This is a sample of the kind of the report they send out. But this one does have a cost. It's $30 a month to join up after you get an initial free trial.
This one over here is Family Watchdog. And this one's free. And what they do is pretty similar. You can type in any area, and they'll give you immediately some information right there. For example, I typed in the area where we are at CNN. You can see Atlanta here. Everywhere where there's a little red box is someone who was convicted of a crime against children. So you can click on any of those, find out information about the person, even see a photo if you're concerned about recognizing someone.
Also, a couple from the government here. This is from the FBI. And what they allow you to do -- this whole section on "Crimes Against Children," is they allow you to type in any area, any state, and you can even do a search for a specific last name if there's someone you're concerned about. So for example, I went to my home state. I typed in -- Sumingford (ph), New York, 12208. One of the ZIP codes right near where I grew up. You just click "Search" and it will bring you to a list of people who are in that ZIP code and have had to register as sex offenders.
One more from the government to show you. This is this -- this is a national sex-offender public Web site. And even through this year, the Obama administration has been collecting more information about people who are registered sex offenders, telling them -- telling each state to provide information so it all goes down to this site right here.
Let's go to the graphic. I want you to see where everything is listed. All the links we just showed you are up at the blog now, CNN.com/josh. Also, Facebook and Twitter, joshlevscnn. Not only are they there for you, but you let us know, too. Are these working for you? Are there other sites that work better for you? And if there's something great out there, maybe we'll share that on the air later this morning.
Guys -- Betty, T.J., hopefully that'll help some families feel a little safer this Halloween.
NGUYEN: Yes. All right. Thank you, Josh.
LEVS: Thanks, guys.
HOLMES: Well, she may gone from the governor's mansion, but you haven't had any shortage of news coverage about her.
(LAUGHTER)
HOLMES: You're still seeing the name, seeing her face.
NGUYEN: Yes, you are. And of course, who are we talking about? That lady right there, Sarah Palin, hitting the spotlight once again. We'll take a look at her next big move.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Hello, everybody, and welcome back...
HOLMES: Yes.
NGUYEN: ...on this Halloween. Boy, it's early, isn't it?
HOLMES: It is early, but already, we're acting a little ghoulish in here today, aren't we?
NGUYEN: Yes, we are. We haven't had candy; we haven't had a sugar high just yet.
Hello, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen.
HOLMES: I'm T.J. Holmes. Glad you could be right here with us on this Halloween morning. NGUYEN: All right. Want to take a quick look at our top stories for you today.
This is important news to tell you about: Abdullah Abdullah, Afghan President Hamid Karzai, his opponent, who is Abdullah Abdullah, will -- for next week's presidential-runoff election, he may actually boycott the election. The decision could come tomorrow.
Now, representatives of the two men, they are meeting today. We'll continue to follow this and bring you any new developments.
HOLMES: Police are searching for a convicted rapist suspected now of killing six people in Ohio. Police had gone to Anthony Sowell's Cleveland home late Thursday, after a woman accused him of rape. He was not there but police did find two bodies in that home. Yesterday they found four more bodies. Three were hidden inside the house, the other in a grave outside. Police say Sowell spent 15 years in prison for a 1989 rape.
NGUYEN: The Philippines hit by a record fourth typhoon in just one month. Typhoon Mirinae weakened to a tropical storm today, dumping heavy rain and causing flash floods across Manila. The first two typhoons, that struck in late September and early October, killed more than 800 people, destroying 55,000 homes.
All right. Well, the Sarah Palin promotional machine gearing up once again? Yes, she has a new book on the way. Seems like we've been talking about that for a while.
HOLMES: For a while, yeah.
NGUYEN: It's obviously highly anticipated. And also an interview with Oprah that's highly anticipated, as well, and some speaking engagements lined up. Boy, she's busy.
HOLMES: You're saying we'll be talking about her for a little while?
NGUYEN: Sounds like.
HOLMES: That's all right. She also has certainly a polarizing effect on the public. According to new polls, Americans seem to like her, just not enough to make her president.
CNN's Senior Political Correspondent Candy Crowley with the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In some ways the majority of the Americans view Sarah Palin positively; 64 percent consider her a good role model for women. And 56 percent say she cares about people; 55 percent call her honest and trustworthy.
Is she qualified to be president? Uh-oh. Just short of a year since the McCain/Palin ticket was defeated a CNN Opinion Research Corporation poll found only 29 percent of Americans think that John McCain's vice-presidential pick is qualified to be president? A whopping 71 percent say she is not, a number that is both stunning, and not.
ANNE KORNBLUT, "THE WASHINGTON POST": I think that was always going to be the steep hill for her was to prove her credentials. And that's something that if she's going to run, she's going to have to do after the book comes out.
CROWLEY: That's another number Palin will like. Her book, due out next month, is second on Amazon's best-seller list. Palin suffers from disconnect. While many Americans find positive attributes in her, they don't think she has the right stuff to sit in the Oval Office. Fewer than half say she's a strong leader, shares their values or agrees with them on issues.
Political reporter Anne Kornblut, author of a soon-to-be-released book "Notes from the Cracked Ceiling", is surprised Palin's numbers are as high as they are.
KORNBLUT: I think certainly and candidate who is in the high 40s on any of those attributes, obviously room to grow, would need to grow, but that's not really that far outside the ballpark of where you would expect somebody, who's that controversial, to be.
CROWLEY: Certainly Palin still has a home in politics, in the heart of the GOP. She ranks No. 2 in the Republican-only presidential preference poll. The problem is, her did disapproval rating, 51 percent, is higher than any of her fellow Republicans on that list. So, though a good majority of Americans find reason for positive feelings about Sarah Palin, the person, Palin the politician, remains a divisive figure?
Candy Crowley, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: So it's Palin the person versus Palin the politician. Our Paul Steinhauser has some insights for us. He's our deputy political director and friend of our show here.
Paul, hello. What jumps out here as being a problem for her, if you will, in these poll numbers?
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Yeah, I guess if Sarah Palin does decide to run for the Republican nomination next time, the real troubling one is that only three out of 10 people, according to our new poll, think she's qualified to be president. Seven out of 10, our poll suggests, say she is unqualified.
T.J., remember, last year, when she was Alaskan governor and she was also John McCain's running mate, that was the big question, is she qualified to be president? Well, it was a question mark then, it certainly still is now, T.J. HOLMES: All right. How much time does she have to get all her ducks in a row, quite frankly, if she does decide she wants to run in 2012?
STEINHAUSER: Well, you know, 2012 sounds like it is a long way away, three years from now, is the presidential election. But the race for the White House, on the Republican side, really starts in earnest about a year from now. We're still in the pre-game show, I guess you could say, where these people who may want to run, may want to run, are out helping Republican candidates, setting up political action committees, speaking out, doing stuff like that.
But about a year from now, once the midterm elections are over in November of 2010, that is really when the next battle for the Republican nomination begins in earnest, T.J.
HOLMES: This book, everyone's waiting for here, we know it's going to help her bank account, but is it going to help her or hurt her when it comes to politics?
STEINHAUSER: Well, one thing for sure, it is going to keep her in the spotlight. And that is important for somebody like Sarah Palin, because, remember she doesn't have a job anymore. So, it is good for her to stay in the spotlight. This will definitely keep her in the spotlight.
You know, we heard that she is going to be Oprah the day before the book comes out. She is going to do a big media tour. People will be talking about her and what is in the book. So, that cannot hurt.
And, as you mentioned, yes, the money is probably not going to hurt either. According to her reports, $1.25 million from the advance, and we know that according to online sales so far, this book is going to be a big, big seller, T.J.
HOLMES: All right? We know we're going to see her a few places? You mentioned, Oprah, there, also this book coming out? How else is she being heard? She doesn't have -at least that governor's bully bull pit up there in Alaska anymore. Like you said, she's out of a job. So, how else is she being heard, getting that message out?
STEINHAUSER: Well, since she's no longer the governor of Alaska that frees her up now to come down to the Lower 48 more often and speak. And she will be doing that. In fact, we believe she'll be speaking next month to a right-to-life group in Wisconsin.
And I think you will see her more often, over the next year, out there, supporting other fellow conservatives or Republicans that she agree with on the issues. And you are going to see her speaking to various Republican organizations. That's one way for her to stay in the spotlight and also reach out to those Republican voters who, if she wants to run for president, those are the people she needs to reach out to, T.J.
HOLMES: All right. Our Paul Steinhauser, always appreciate your insights. We'll talk to you again soon. STEINHAUSER: Thanks.
NGUYEN: OK, attention trick-or-treaters. Scattered showers, thunderstorms expected tonight. Not what I wanted to hear.
WOLF: Yeah, but that's only mostly for the Eastern Seaboard.
NGUYEN: OK, great.
WOLF: It's not everybody. I mean, other people are going to be trapped underneath several feet of snow, which makes it all much better. But, no, it is going to be -really depends on where you happen to be. If you happen to be in parts of Texas, your weather is going to be picture perfect.
In fact, take a picture, take the shot that we have for you, what you can expect nationwide. Again, Eastern Seaboard, it's going to be mostly rainy up and down the coast line. Same story for part of the extreme north, but as evening goes on you'll dry out. Look for fairly cool conditions across the Rockies. Temperatures drop back into the 30s. Then, onto the West coast, dry until you get to about Portland, Oregon, and then it gets kind of rainy for you?
Yeah?
NGUYEN: You're out of control.
WOLF: Yeah? Trying to pick out that music?
NGUYEN: What is this? "The Monster Mash?"
WOLF: I think so, yeah. Something like that. Wow!
NGUYEN: All right. Speaking of Halloween, let's just get right to it. You've got a couple of pets, don't you?
WOLF: Yes.
NGUYEN: Are you dressing them up?
WOLF: There's no way, because they're cats. They don't need a costume.
(CROSSTALK)
HOLMES: People do that? Yes, they dress up their animals?
NGUYEN: Apparently they do. Because I've got the list right here in the my hands, folks, of the top ten pet costumes. What do you think No. 1 is?
WOLF: Colonel Sanders!
NGUYEN: No.
HOLMES: Top ten? A ghost or something, a simple goblin, or something.
NGUYEN: Pumpkin. You and your goblins.
HOLMES: I'm sorry.
NGUYEN: That's what you suggested everyone be. That is what he suggested I be, a goblin. What is that? And No. 2, a devil.
WOLF: Magnum P.I? No?
NGUYEN: No. 3, bow ties and fancy collars? I don't know if that is really a costume, but OK.
Four is a witch. Five is a Super Dog, Super Cat. Six is a princess. Last one is a bee. If your dog is -- I mean, if you have a dog or cat, why would you want it to be a bee?
WOLF: Why go into another corner of the animal kingdom, especially one where you might not be comfortable?
NGUYEN: Yes, exactly.
I can see leaving the species all together, but try maybe go towards, maybe human, if you are already a cat. But, bee? No. It's a lesser being?
NGUYEN: All right. Interesting stuff, though. Happy Halloween, everybody.
We've got more to talk about this morning g. And actually you've got a really cool story coming up?
WOLF: Very cool story coming up. This is no trick or treat, we're talking about one of the oldest students in America. There are 77 people that actually go to school, go to college every single year. We've met the oldest one that we can find. It's an amazing and very inspirational story we'll be sharing with everyone coming up.
NGUYEN: All right.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because if he's doing something, he's not driving me crazy.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: OK, she's happy to have him out of the house, huh?
WOLF: Apparently so? I mean, they're a wonderful couple, and certainly a great story. I think it's one of those that I think can reach anybody of all ages. It is the importance of education, the importance of following your dreams.
HOLMES: He wants to get that degree by the time he's 80 years old, right?
WOLF: I think he's going to make it? I think so.
NGUYEN: Hey, it's never too late?
HOLMES: All right. We're looking forward to that, here, shortly? Thanks, Reynolds.
NGUYEN: We're also following this story, really a breaking news story; watching very closely for you. Only one week until the run-off elections in Afghanistan, and there's a communication breakdown.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Taking a look now at some of our top stories.
More cases of H1N1 flu to report this weekend. There is also more vaccine to deal with the virus; 48 states now report widespread flu activity. Two more than a week ago. But more than 26 million doses of H1N1 are available -- the vaccine at least -- are available in the U.S. That's 10 million more than just a week ago, however, there have still been some production delays, so we're still behind the numbers of the CDC, also the government, thought we would have at this point.
NGUYEN: Documents declassified late Friday by the Justice Department reveal that the FBI and the CIA weren't always on the same page on how to interrogate terror suspects. They suggest the FBI questioned some CIA interrogation methods after they were allowed an interview with a CIA detainee, who was naked and chained to the floor. The details of the interrogation were released yesterday as part of the Freedom of Information Act lawsuit. It was brought by the American Civil Rights Union and other groups.
HOLMES: Somali pirates want $7 million in ransom for a British couple kidnapped from their boat last weekend. The British foreign office said it will not meet the pirates' demand for that money in return for the release of Rachel and Paul Chandler. Rachel Chandler spoke with a British TV network reporter, on the telephone.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
RACHEL CHANDLER, HELD HOSTAGE BY PIRATES: They're all telling -- well, they tell us that we're safe, and that we shouldn't worry, and that if we want anything they'll provide it in terms of food.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes?
CHANDLER: And you know, we've plenty of water and everything like that, you know. So, you know, they're very hospitable people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: The couple, initially, was being held on a cargo vessel off Somalia. Officials now don't know where they are.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WOLF: I always get misty eyed when I listen to Cher.
NGUYEN: That's "Turn Back Time."
HOLMES: For what reason?
WOLF: Well, this reason, this one actually is a big reason.
NGUYEN: It is fitting, the story, yes.
WOLF: It really is. I mean, think about this for a moment. We've got roughly 300 million people in the United States. You think about 300 million people that have dreams, then you think about 300 million people that are in college and have dreams of getting a diploma. And then you squash that to, the people who have dreams, in this country, going to school who happen to be 77 years old, whose dreams include getting that wonderful sheet, the diploma.
Well, we found that man. He's a father, a grandfather, great grandfather. He's attending a place called Strayer University in North Charleston, South Carolina. I wanted to give you a chance to meet this incredible person.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF (voice over): 77-year-old Edward Guest may look like a professor, but the Navy veteran and cancer survivor is actually a student.
EDWARD GUEST, STUDENT: Right now, yes. This is one for tonight.
WOLF (On camera): English Comp.
GUEST: English Comp.
WOLF (voice over): Guest is attending Strayer University in North Charleston, South Carolina, working toward a degree in marketing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What fuels your passion? What motivates you? What drives you?
WOLF: For Guest, that question is like fuel-stoking fires of a dream that began more than a generation ago. Married with four sons, Guest retired from the Navy after 21 years of service, and started college at the age of 42. He reached his junior year, but had to stop taking classes.
GUEST: I always wanted to finish out what I started several - about 25, 26 years ago, and I decided now's the time.
WOLF: So in December of 2011, at the ripe age of 80, Guest will obtain his degree. That decision has made him a source of inspiration. WOLF (On camera): You're a father, you're a grandfather, you're a great grandfather, and you're also a role model for all these people in your family.
GUEST: I sure hope so.
WOLF: Well, especially the younger ones. What do you hope that they can take from your experience?
GUEST: That it is possible to obtain a college degree, if you want to.
WOLF (voice over): His wife of 57 years, agrees.
JOAN GUEST, EDWARD'S WIFE: I thought it was a great idea because if he's doing something, he's not driving me crazy.
(LAUGHTER)
WOLF: But Ed isn't driving his school mates and teachers nuts. In fact, he's the big man on campus, and he's the oldest among Strayer's 50,000 students nationwide.
(On camera): Is it kind of an inspirational thing to see someone who's 77 years old, who some would say, should be fishing or maybe on the golf course, or doing something else besides being schools?
ROBERT SILBERMAN, STRAYER UNIVERSITY: It's incredibly inspirational. In classes that I've taught I've had people in their late 50s. I haven't had anyone as old as Ed, but it is just a very exciting aspect of what we do, to realize that we're that relevant to people throughout their whole lives.
WOLF (voice over): Proving that you're never too old to learn.
(On camera): What do you hope to achieve, long term?
GUEST: I hope to be alive to get my degree!
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF: He's a great guy. You know, I think it would be ...
NGUYEN: They have a sense of humor, both of them.
WOLF: He'd be a great guy to have as a friend, but to be his teacher, I'd be a little intimidated. Because the guy knows everything. He really does. I mean, life experience can really teach you a lot. And this man has got plenty of degrees when it comes to that, but an amazing guy, nonetheless.
HOLMES: How does he do -- I mean, you know, the coursework. Yo have homework and all this? Does it wear him out? Does he keep up with the pace just fine, what? WOLF: No answers, the guy has got -he's a high-energy guy. He's a former military guy, spent 40 years in the Navy and just an amazing guy. He's one of those guys who has all the wheels are clicking. Everything is turning. And I have no doubt he's going to get that degree.
NGUYEN: We're pulling for him. That is such a great story. Thank you, Reynolds.
HOLMES: Thanks, Reynolds.
NGUYEN: You know, they had been classmates, instead though they were strangers. It was an ugly black and white reality for some Georgia high schoolers some 50 years ago.
HOLMES: Yes, it was a time when separate was supposedly equal, but now alumnae erasing those old prejudices to write a new chapter.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: This week House Democrats revealed their health care reform plan, all 1,900 pages of it.
NGUYEN: Have you read it all, yet?
HOLMES: I'm about on page, 1,400.
NGUYEN: OK.
HOLMES: I'm getting there, though.
They say that it will help insure some 96 of all Americans.
NGUYEN: Yes. But the top Republican in the House is objecting in this week's GOP address. Minority Leader John Boehner says his party has an alternative.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. JOHN BOEHNER, (R) MAJORITY LEADER: I just want to share with you four ideas that Republicans have proposed. No. 1, let families and businesses buy health insurance across state lines. No. 2, allow individuals, small businesses, and trade associations to pool together and acquire health insurance at a lower prices, the same way large corporations and unions do today.
No. 3, give states the tools to create their own innovative reforms that lower health care costs. And No. 4, end junk lawsuits that contribute to higher health care costs, by increasing the number of tests and procedures that physicians sometimes order, not because they think it's good medicine, but because they're afraid of being sued.
These are four smart, fiscally responsible reforms that we can implement today to lower costs and expand access at a price our nation can afford. (END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Well, the plan by House Democrats is nearly 2,000 pages long, as we talked about, and it does include a form of the public option.
HOLMES: In our next hour of CNN SATURDAY MORNING, we're going to be talking live to the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius? If you have questions for her, by all means, send them to us. You can send them to our Facebook or Twitter pages, or leave comments on our blog, CNN.com/TJ or, /Betty.
Again, talking to Secretary Sebelius about this H1N1, and the vaccine, which is coming up a bit short in production right now.
NGUYEN: And Speaking of questions, there are some about the brother of Afghanistan's president. He has a lot of people talking.
HOLMES: We'll tell you what "The New York Times" is reporting. We're going to be talking to the Pulitzer prize-winning journalist who wrote an interesting story about the brother of the Afghan president.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: We're having such a good time on this Halloween. Hello, everybody. Welcome back.
HOLMES: Yes, we have -this is a cool story here. It takes you back to 1959, small southern city, Macon, Georgia. Segregation was simply the way of life, like so many places, actually in the South at that time. Separate drinking fountains, separate lunchrooms, separate schools.
NGUYEN: Absolutely. So, OK, so fast forward a half century later. The alumnae of three very different schools have finally come together as classmates, regardless of color.
Here's CNN's Brooke Baldwin.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you would like to sign in here?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right.
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): There are the name tags, the nerves. The hugs of recognition.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How in the world are you doing?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good.
BALDWIN: But a typical 50th high school reunion, this is not. Instead, this luncheon marks the first time Macon, Georgia's classes of 1959 have sat side by side -- ever. BETTY WEBB-HAYES, 1959 GRADUATE, BALLARD-HUDSON H.S.: I grew up in the town, almost 50 years, with all those people around and never knew who they were.
BALDWIN: Betty Webb-Hayes knows, 1959 the Southern city's three public high schools, Ballard Hudson, Lanier, and Miller, were segregated. In the 1950s Jim Crowe laws ruled, and separate was supposedly equal. For this Ballard-Hudson alumnae, as a young child she says segregation was simply a way of life.
WEBB-HAYES: We didn't find out that we were being discriminated against until we were in high school. Until that high school teacher told us that we were living in a segregated society. We didn't know it.
BALDWIN: Fifty years later, Lanier alumnus Tom Johnson, a former CNN president and publisher of the "LA Times", had an idea to close the five-decade gap. In a letter to Macon's three classes of 1959 he Johnson wrote, "It was a different world then. We were divided by policies, politics, and tradition. It is a different world today? We no longer are separated except by personal choice."
That letter, and several months of planning later, 210 members of the class of 1959 sat together at last.
RUBY DEAN DUPREE, 1959 GRADUATE, BALLAR-HUDSON H.S.: Well, the old saying is better late than never. I could not sleep last night. So it just means the world to me. It was just like waiting for Santa Claus to come.
LINDA CARSTOFFEN GUGEN, 1959 GRADUATE, A.L. MILLER H.S.FOR GIRLS: I realized how much we actually missed, people that we could have known.
BALDWIN: For this former class president the gathering of old and new friends brings tears to her eyes, not just because of symbolism, but for the empty seats. Classmates whose attitudes on race, 50 years later, haven't changed.
GUGEN: There are some people who still feel resistant to the idea. And think that what we're pushing for is not a good thing. I mean, I think we have to focus on the ones that were here today. I think those people went away with a changed heart.
BALDWIN: It may have taken those people 50 years to come together, and unlike these old-fashioned photos, their story is no longer told in black and white.
Brooke Baldwin, CNN, Macon, Georgia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Hello, everyone. From CNN Center, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING. Happy Halloween. It is 7 a.m. in Atlanta, We're getting an early start. It's 4:00 a.m. in Los Angeles, if you're just getting home. Good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen.
HOLMES: Where ever you are good morning to you. Glad you could be here with us.
We have some overnight developments to tell you about. A really serious one happening in Afghanistan where Abdullah Abdullah, he has a decision to make? He's the one taking on Hamid Karzai, the president there, in a runoff in about a week. Actually we don't know if there will be a run-off. Abdullah has a decision to make? Stay with us.
NGUYEN: There's been a bit of a communication breakdown between those two.
Also on the latest, regarding that British couple held for ransom by Somali pirates. The government is taking a tough stance on that. We'll bring you the information.
HOLMES: Also, house hunting. Maybe that is on your to do list this weekend. You want to know the true value of that property. We're taking a closer look at home appraisals and a controversial new rule that buyers and sellers need to know about.
NGUYEN: Absolutely.
All right, so we do want to begin with this and we've been talking about it a lot this morning -- a new dilemma for Afghanistan and the White House to be frank. The presidential run-off election is in jeopardy. Afghan President Hamid Karzai's -- his opponent, who is Abdullah Abdullah, he may boycott the November 7th run-off.
I want to take you live now to Nima Elbagir in Kabul. She joins us now. So, explain what this means if there is a boycott. It seems -- essentially, it means that the run-off is done, correct?
ELBAGIR: Well, yes. I mean, the issue here in Afghanistan is of course that it's a very young democracy. This is only since the fall of the Taliban, of course. This is only the second presidential election. So, there really is no case call (ph), there is absolutely no legal precedent for this.
President Hamid Karzai has come out and said that if -- talks (ph) to Abdullah were to withdraw his candidacy that he would not immediately proclaim himself as the automatic winner, that he would raise this to the Supreme Court and allow the Chief Justice to rule whether or not the incumbent becomes the next president of Afghanistan.
NGUYEN: So, do you think that in any way, is this a ploy or a way for Abdullah Abdullah to create some kind of power-sharing opportunity? Because some of the analysts say that even if there was a run-off, he probably wouldn't win.
ELBAGIR: Absolutely. Dr. Abdullah hands, in this sense, is not very strong. You have to remember, Betty, that in the first rounds, that Dr. Abdullah was lagging behind by at least 18 percentage points. Hamid Karzai was only a third of a point off an absolute -- win of completely not having to go to a second round.
So, Dr. Abdullah, now this is really his time. This is a time to try and push for some kind of deal. I mean, we're hearing that a coalition is not on the table. The incumbent president Hamid Karzai will not agree to any kind of a coalition, but what we are hearing from our sources is that he's not averse to offering positions to people put forward by Dr. Abdullah and it's all being done into some form of a national unity government.
But really, if this goes to a second round, Dr. Abdullah does not look in any way like the favorite. Very much the second round would favor the incumbent president Hamid Karzai.
NGUYEN: Yes, and we're hearing that a news conference may come as early as tomorrow on this. Hopefully, we'll get some more answers. But in the meantime, Nima Elbagir, thanks so much for your information today. We'll be checking in with you throughout the morning.
HOLMES: And Afghanistan's run-off election not the only reason we're talking about Afghanistan and talking about Hamid Karzai this morning. This weel, the "New York Times" published a front page article, saying Karzai's brother is on the CIA's payroll. This is the same brother that has also been reported to have ties to Afghanistan's drug trade that funnels money to terrorists.
Well, Pulitzer Prize award-winning journalist James Risen wrote the book about the CIA and the Bush administration in '06. It's called "State of War," you see it there. He was one of the reporters who worked on the "New York Times" article. Joins us now from D.C.
Sir, good morning to you here. Help us understand who exactly is this guy? Is he a help or a hindrance? Well, it looks like James -- James, it's T.J., CNN -- Alana (ph), doesn't look like he can hear me. We are going to work on that audio and get him back up in just a second. It's important to talk about Hamid Karzai's brother this morning.
In the meantime, want to go ahead and move forward and give you some of our top stories that we are keeping an eye on this morning. Among them, police searching for a convicted rapist suspected of killing six people in Cleveland, Ohio. Police had gone to Anthony Sowell home late Thursday after a woman accused him of rape. He was not there, but police did find two bodies in that home. Yesterday, they found four more bodies, three hidden in the house, the other in a grave outside. Police say Sowell spent 15 years in prison for a 1989 rape.
NGUYEN: Well, the British government says no to a demand from Somali pirates. The pirates want a $7 million ransom for a British couple kidnapped from their boat last week. You see them right there -- Rachel and Paul Chandler spoke with a British reporter on Thursday and then, Rachel Chandler says they are safe and they are being fed and cared for by those pirates.
HOLMES: And more cases of the H1N1 flu to report this weekend, but there's also more vaccine to report. Forty-eight states now report widespread flu activity. That's two more states than we had a week ago. Also, more than 26 million doses of H1N1 vaccine are available in the U.S., that's 10 million more than we had a week ago. Production delays, however, have affected the supply.
Also, in our next hour of CNN SATURDAY MORNING, we'll be talking live right about an hour from now to the Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius. We'd like to know if you have questions for her. E-mail them to us on our Facebook and Twitter pages. Also, check out our blog, CNN.com/tj or /betty.
NGUYEN: In the meantime though, it is Halloween. A lot of you getting ready for trick-or-treating tonight, especially with those kiddos. So, how's the weather going to play out for you? Well, let's turn to our expert Reynolds Wolf joining us live.
Hey, Reynolds.
WOLF: Hey, guys. Yes, it is that Halloween time and weather's going to be kind of interesting for parts of the nation. It looks like we may be in more for a trick than a treat, especially in terms of scattered showers.
(WEATHER REPORT)
NGUYEN: OK, attention, homeowners. There is a new rule that could make it tough for people looking to sell their house, possibly meaning less money in your pocket.
HOLMES: That's no good. Also this morning, Jeremiah Wright, William Ayers, R. Kelly -- all names on a list of people who have visited the White House.
NGUYEN: Really?
HOLMES: However, the White House cautions you it's not really what you think. Stay tuned.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, Afghanistan's run-off election. We've been talking about that this morning, not just talking about it because of the race itself but because of the brother of the president there, Hamid Karzai. This week, the "New York Times" published a front page article, saying that Karzai's brother is on the CIA's payroll. This is the same brother that is also reportedly tied to Afghanistan's drug trade which, of course, funnels money to terrorists.
Pulitzer Award winning journalist James Risen wrote the book about the CIA and the Bush administration in 2006 called "State of War." He was one of the reporters who worked on the "New York Times" article. Joining us now from D.C., we've got him hooked up here.
James, good to have you with us this morning. Who is this guy, the brother of the president? Who is he really? What do we know? He is denying that he received CIA money, but from what you all have been able to tell, he's both of these things, tied to the drug trade there and also tied to the CIA and getting paid, being an informant for the U.S.
JAMES RISEN, NEW YORK TIMES: Yes. He -- his name is Ahmed Wali Karzai and he is the younger brother of Hamid Karzai. He's also -- really, the most powerful political figure in Kandahar, which is the second largest city in Afghanistan and it's the largest city in southern Afghanistan. He's a power broker for most of southern Afghanistan. Some people call him the godfather of southern Afghanistan today.
And so, he is a force to be reckoned with by the United States. He controls the logistics in and out of Kandahar supply routes for the United States Army in that area and he -- if the United States was not working with him, I guess that would be the biggest surprise. The problem is many people in the United States government believe he is thoroughly corrupt ...
HOLMES: Right.
RISEN: ...and that he is the most important drug trafficker in southern Afghanistan.
HOLMES: Now, does that leave the United States in a position -- you talk about this power he has, but also corrupt. But do -- well, do you see it as the United States doesn't have a choice but to deal with him and deal with him directly versus dealing with his brother, the president?
RISEN: I think that's one of the arguments the U.S. government has been making to itself over the last few years, that they didn't see much of a choice. The problem really is not just about him, but it's about Hamid Karzai, the president. During the Bush administration, the Bush White House never saw an alternative to Karzai partly because I think they never were willing to really devote the resources to Afghanistan that they had to Iraq.
The shift of resources in 2003 from Afghanistan to Iraq meant that they kind of wanted Afghanistan to run on the cheap, and that meant sticking with what we knew, which was Karzai.
HOLMES: Exactly.
RISEN: And if he was corrupt and if he had corrupt people around him and if there were corrupt warlords, then that was just the cost of having kind of a low rent war going on while we were fighting Iraq.
HOLMES: Well, James ...
RISEN: Now, I think we're kind of ...
HOLMES: You know, excuse ...
RISEN: I just think now we're kind of facing that consequence.
HOLMES: Yes, excuse me there. What -- how is this -- or is this much of a game changer since certainly people in the U.S. government were aware of him and what he -- and what the brother here, what he's capable of, what he is known for there.
But how much of a game changer -- how much does it hurt things to have all this come out publicly here now and kind of undermine, maybe continues to undermine the government there and also the United States, which is trying to fight this war and now the Taliban can point and say, look, the United States in business with one of the Karzai brothers. We've been telling you, Karzai is just a puppet of the United States?
RISEN: I think it's very important for this information to be public in the United States so we can have a thorough public and honest debate about our real presence in Afghanistan. Clearly, this is a problem politically for Karzai, for President Karzai and for Ahmed Wali Karzai, but I think that's part of the price of having, you know, a thorough, honest debate about where we go from here in Afghanistan.
HOLMES: All right, James Risen. Again, the article in the "New York Times," by all means take a look at them. You all have been on this story for, certainly the past month or so with a couple big stories. But James Risen, we appreciate your time and your expertise as always. You enjoy your holiday weekend, all right? Halloween weekend.
RISEN: Thanks. Thanks for having me.
NGUYEN: All right. Well, chances are the value of your home has dropped over the past year, and experts say it could take decades to recover from the housing crisis. But there is more than just the economy at play here, there's a new appraisal code, and it's very controversial to many.
Housing expert Clyde Anderson's been looking into this and he joins us now live. OK, Clyde. Explain to us how this new appraisal code works. What's different about it?
CLYDE ANDERSON, EDUCATOR, ENTREPRENEUR, HOUSING AND FINANCE ADVISER: Really, what's different -- they've taken some of the control away from the lender. The lender in the past could call up an appraiser and say hey, I need an appraisal done, this is kind of the value I'm looking for, and the appraiser would take care of it.
NGUYEN: All right. And the controversy lies in the fact that because of this new code, it could actually lower the value of your home, correct?
ANDERSON: It could, it could, possibly.
NGUYEN: How so?
ANDERSON: Well, what they're doing now, you're dealing with decentralizing it. So, when a lender calls, a lot of times they may call a company or they cannot tell if this appraiser has, you know, is familiar with the area that they're appraising.
NGUYEN: OK. ANDERSON: And so, a lot of times, they don't know the comps, they're not looking at the true value and they come in a lot lower sometimes than they have in the past.
NGUYEN: They come in a lot lower and that is beneficial to the buyer, but who gets to say hey, I want this appraiser? Is it the buyer, is the finance company, the seller? Who does that?
ANDERSON: It's actually the finance company.
NGUYEN: OK.
ANDERSON: The finance company chooses the appraiser. Again, they choose an appraiser, but it may not be an appraiser they have a relationship with.
NGUYEN: So, that means it's to the buyers' benefit?
ANDERSON: It can be to the buyers' benefit at the beginning. But you know, you think about it, once you're in the house and then you turn around and that buyer becomes a seller, it can become a problem as you mentioned.
NGUYEN: Got you, OK. So, if you are the seller and you're realizing whoa, they have appraised my home a lot less than what I think it's worth ...
ANDERSON: Right.
NGUYEN: ...that means the buyer may not want to buy it for what I'm asking.
ANDERSON: Right.
NGUYEN: What do you do?
ANDERSON: Well, really, and the bank won't allow them to buy it. So, if it comes in less than the contract price, they won't allow them to buy it. So, what you really have to do -- I've seen some people actually go and get their own appraisal as insurance and then say, OK, well, I want to get an appraiser that I know knows this area and they're really going to look at all the comparables in the area as well as what my house has to offer.
NGUYEN: Yes, but will the finance company accept that, though?
ANDERSON: No, but you can challenge it.
NGUYEN: OK.
ANDERSON: So, they won't accept it as the appraisal to use, but you can challenge it. And then, you can go to an underwriter and say, listen, Mr. and Mrs. Underwriter, I'm having a problem here. Look at the comps, look at the houses that have sold in the last six months, they're comparable to my home. And this is the value they got compared to the value that you received here. NGUYEN: Got you. What other kind of recourse do you have besides that?
ANDERSON: Really, you don't have a lot of recourse when it comes to that.
NGUYEN: That's it?
ANDERSON: I mean, you really got to do your homework. Know your area, know your comparables ...
NGUYEN: Got you.
ANDERSON: ...that are there, but besides that, you're really at the mercy then of that mortgage company and the appraiser.
NGUYEN: Well, make sure you follow those numbers very closely ...
ANDERSON: Yes.
NGUYEN: ...so that you're not losing money on this and ...
ANDERSON: Exactly.
NGUYEN: ...and that you can actually get a buyer financed so that you can sell that house.
ANDERSON: That is key, that is key.
NGUYEN: Clyde, thank you so much. As always, good information. There you go, T.J.
HOLMES: All right, thanks, guys. We're going to move on to the president here now. This weekend, President Obama claiming signs of economic recovery. On Thursday, the latest report on the gross domestic product came out. The president says it's encouraging info.
We heard this from him in his weekly address.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We learned that the economy grew for the first time in more than a year and faster than at any point in the previous two years. So, while we have a long way to go before we return to prosperity, and there will undoubtedly be ups and downs along the road, it's also true that we've come a long way. It's easy to forget that it was only several months ago that the economy was shrinking rapidly and many economists feared another Great Depression.
Now, economic growth is no substitute for job growth, and we will likely see further job losses in the coming days. The fact that's both troubling for our economy and heartbreaking for the men and women who suddenly find themselves out of work. But we will not create the jobs we need unless the economy is growing. That's why this GDP report is a good sign.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: The president also says his Recovery Act has created or saved more than a million jobs in the U.S. so far. Actually, put that number around 650,000 officially, but saying with some of the other numbers and some money that's gone out, he's -- they think at least, they think it's about a million, even though they can -- say they can prove about 650,000.
NGUYEN: Interesting math, though.
HOLMES: Yes. It's all fuzzy math as they say.
NGUYEN: It's all numbers.
OK, so a lot of you are sharing your Halloween moments with us and Josh is tracking them as well with your i-Reports. What are you getting in, Josh?
LEVS: Hey, guys.
Well, you were talking about the fact that this is one of the most popular holidays ...
NGUYEN: You know what, it is the second most popular holiday behind Christmas, according to the National Retail Federation. You know that?
LEVS: That's where we've got that from, the Retail Federation.
NGUYEN: Yes. When it comes to the mullah, the money ...
LEVS: Well, I guess that makes sense.
NGUYEN: ...and all that candy, the costumes, all of that.
LEVS: Because everybody celebrates Thanksgiving, but what are you going to buy for it? It's not like you're going to buy retail product ...
NGUYEN: Food.
LEVS: Turkey isn't retail, right. Wrapped up candy is.
Well, here's someone who agrees it's a big deal and thinks it deserves its own rap.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GREGORY REESE, CNN I-REPORTER (RAPPING): I've got a ghost on a stick. If you got one, put yours in the air ...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEVS: We'll show you what this is all about. Plus, some of the best Halloween displays in the country.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: It is Halloween.
HOLMES: I love that song. It doesn't have the same feel at 7:00 in the morning, though.
NGUYEN: No, not at all.
HOLMES: Hey, we're trying, though.
NGUYEN: Well, there you go. We're getting there.
HOLMES: Well, our i-Reporters, they are always pretty creative folks and now, one has sent us what he thinks should be a Halloween rap anthem.
NGUYEN: I kind of like this one.
HOLMES: Nah.
NGUYEN: It's a little catchy. Our Josh Levs has that. Plus some of the best Halloween displays in the country. I know you're not talking about T.J.'s house because he doesn't do Halloween.
HOLMES: No, no.
NGUYEN: He does football.
HOLMES: Football.
NGUYEN: That's what's on tonight.
LEVS: It's a way to get into the ...
HOLMES: It's on on Halloween, what do you want?
LEVS: ...Halloween spirit. I'm with Betty, though. I like this rap anthem. I mean, it's funny. I think he probably realizes how hilarious it is.
Anyways, from one of our frequent i-Reporters. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REESE (RAPPING): Ghost on a stick, let's just say wow. Follow me now and I'll show you how. I'm not the only one, you can make one too. You can have a ghost on a stick, ghost on a stick, ghost on a stick.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEVS: All right, and then there's this part where he gets everyone kind of singing along. Take a look at the next section.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REESE (RAPPING): Ghost on a stick. Put your hands if you've got a ghost on a stick. Everybody say boo, boo, boo.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEVS: See, I think that's pretty cool. Put your hands in the air if you've got a ghost on a stick. Everybody say boo, boo, boo. Well, we'll have to give this one a few days and see if it catches on, becomes the new national anthem for Halloween. From Gregory Reese there. We can go back to that.
But it's just one of the many i-Reports we've been getting here. Let me show you this special section we've going, the new CNN.com has a whole new way to showcase some of the great i-Reports we get. It's got -- let's see if we can zoom in here and I'll show you what we have going and I'll show you where you can get a link to this, too.
Basically, these are some of greatest Halloween displays in the country. Just click on any one of them and we bring you to it directly and you can play it from there. This one has a little music that's going with it, too. Let's see if we can get a little bit of the sound here. This is the Transformers outside one home. They've gone a little bit crazy there.
Let's close up this one here. We can see some more of the greatest Halloween displays in the country -- wait. Can we stop that one? There you go. More of the greatest Halloween displays in the country, the ghoulish graveyard is one of them. We've also got this one. Take a look at how far someone goes at her grandma's house. Jean Traxler sent us -- Joanne rather, Traxler sent us this from Galion, Ohio. Can you get way in on those hands there in the shower.
Going a little bit crazy, everyone trying to get a little bit spooky this Halloween. And I think we've got time to get to one more. These are some of the best ones from our hundreds of i-Reports we've been receiving here. Take a look at this over here, the entire Wizard of Oz clan. They've even set up a yellow brick road on their property. This is the Motte (ph) family. And there you go, listen to that.
There you go. just a few of the i-Reports we're getting here. Let me show you all how to send us your great i-Reports. You've got ireport.com, also you got the graphic here, CNN.com/josh, Facebook and Twitter. People are sending us so many.
I don't know if anybody, Betty and T.J., can quite top the anthem that we got there for Halloween, but certainly ...
NGUYEN: The boo, boo, boo.
LEVS: ...everybody got a ghost on a stick.
NGUYEN: Oh no, it made me think of Ghetto Boys, you know, this year Halloween fell on a weekend.
HOLMES: Fell on a weekend. We're trying to get the clean version of that song.
NGUYEN: Have to get that, yes. Play that for you.
HOLMES: We'll try to find it.
NGUYEN: It's a pretty cool rap. I'm digging it.
LEVS: I think it's catchy.
NGUYEN: Boo, boo, boo.
LEVS: There it is.
NGUYEN: OK.
LEVS: Everybody say boo, boo, boo.
NGUYEN: Thank you.
LEVS: Ghost on a stick.
NGUYEN: So ...
HOLMES: Yes.
NGUYEN: ...what are your Halloween plans? E-mail them to us. You can go to our Facebook, our Twitter page. You can even reach us on the blog. We want to hear from you. What are you doing, what are you dressing up as this Halloween. Let us know.
HOLMES: Also in our next hour of CNN SATURDAY MORNING, we're going to be talking live to the Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. If you have questions for her regarding H1N1 ...
NGUYEN: Yes.
HOLMES: ...that's what we're going to be talking about. You know you probably do, you know where to find Betty and I. Send those questions to Facebook, Twitter, also to our blog, you can send those there as well. But we'll be talking to her, asking questions in our 8:00 a.m. -- almost right at the top of the hour of CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Well, the White House is now releasing the names of people who paid them a visit and it was a campaign promise by Barack Obama to make this list public.
HOLMES: OK, now hundreds of thousands of people visit the White House every single month. So, it's going to be a big list.
NGUYEN: Yes.
HOLMES: They've started at least the process. Just released some last night. Let's show you, just let you read some of the names that are on the list that was just released. Some of them will be familiar to you. William Ayers, you remember that controversial name. Michael Jordan, Michael Moore, Jeremiah Wright, who can forget him.?
NGUYEN: Yes, that controversial name, yes.
HOLMES: R. Kelly. However, the White House says don't be fooled by those names. Those are not the people they think they are. They just happen to be regular old folks who have the same names as some of those famous people.
NGUYEN: Really?
HOLMES: Yes. So, R. Kelly was not in the Lincoln bedroom.
NGUYEN: And Ayers wasn't there.
HOLMES: William Ayers ...
NGUYEN: Michael Jordan, not there.
HOLMES: Michael Jordan was not there.
NGUYEN: Michael Moore, not there.
HOLMES: Not there either. So, a lot more to come on those names. But you can check it out, whitehouse.gov. They actually have the list up.
NGUYEN: Well, who were these people then and why were they there?
HOLMES: Regular old Joes, just ...
NGUYEN: Talking about what?
HOLMES: They -- maybe they were just going for the White House tour. I don't know.
We're going to ...
NGUYEN: Just being a journalist, that's all.
All right, more of the top stories at the top of the hour here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
HOLMES: Yes. First though, "HOUSE CALL" with Dr. Sanjay Gupta right now.
