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CNN Saturday Morning News
NBA & Players Have An Agreement; Battleground Iowa; American Students Heading Home; Soldiers Killed In Pakistan; Gingrich's Immigration Stand; Countdown to "Curiosity"; Texting While Sleeping; Black Friday Violence
Aired November 26, 2011 - 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: Good Saturday morning. We have breaking news from the NBA. A tentative deal is in place that could end the lockout and save the season. It's 6:00 a.m. in Atlanta right now, 5:00 a.m. in Fayetteville, Arkansas, 3:00 a.m. in Los Angeles, where the Lakers could be playing by Christmas Day.
ANNOUNCER: From CNN's world headquarters, bringing you news and analysis from across the nation and around the globe, live from Studio 7, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING with T.J. Holmes.
HOLMES: And we just got that breaking news from the NBA just a matter of hours ago. They were working overnight. We've got a live report on that coming your way literally in seconds.
But I do want to get you caught up on some other morning headlines, including an important story out of Pakistan, where Pakistan is now saying NATO helicopters opened fire on a military checkpoint killing 20 soldiers. This happened near the border with Afghanistan. Pakistan and military officials say another 12 soldiers were injured in this attack. NATO is saying they are aware of the incident but they have yet to release any details. We have a live report from Afghanistan coming up just a little later in the show.
Also, three American students arrested during protests in Egypt are all expected to be headed home this weekend. They're accused of taking part in the sometimes violent protests in Tahrir Square. But parents of at least two of the teenagers say they didn't do anything wrong. Tens of thousands of Egyptians have been gathering in Cairo to protest the government ahead of Monday's scheduled elections.
Also, police searched the home of a Syracuse University assistant basketball coach who's been accused of molesting two ball boys. They didn't say what they were looking for, however. Bernie Fine is the coach's name. He is on leave from the team right now. Two former ball boys say Fine molested them between the 1970s and 1990s. Fine has denied those claims.
Also, fears over car fires are leading to a formal safety investigation into the Chevy Volt. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the Volt's batteries could catch fire in a crash. But they did admit that it hasn't happened in real time. It hasn't happened in a real accident yet. This has only happened in simulations. Chevy says they're working with the federal government on this investigation.
Also, NASA, we've got a big morning. We'll be keeping an eye on this. It's happening in a matter of hours. NASA launching a mission to Mars. It's the Curiosity Rover. It's on the launch pad this morning ready to go at a 10:02 a.m. Eastern Time launch scheduled today. The new mission is supposed to look for evidence of water and life on Mars.
We'll be talking to a number of people from the space center this morning, including the administrator for NASA, also will.i.am, you know, the pop star, he'll be joining us a little later this morning. He's there for the launch trying to get kids excited about things like this. We'll be talking to all of them. But a big morning for NASA.
Also, a big morning for you NBA fans. It seems it's possible the NBA, the players, they will be playing by Christmas Day. Just a matter of hours ago, they announced a handshake deal. Can I call it that? HLN Sports, our friend here Joe Carter with me this morning. A handshake deal.
JOE CARTER, HLN SPORTS: Yes.
HOLMES: Still not done. But this is encouraging.
CARTER: Very encouraging considering that it's been five months that we've been waiting for them to say they have some deal in place. But, yes, as you said, tentative deal, handshake. That's because they're going to take about the next 10 days to put this official deal together, put it on paper.
A lot has to happen, but right now they're looking at starting the season on Christmas Day. It's going to be a shortened season. It's going to be 66 games long. But as I said, a lot has to happen between now and then.
They're looking at basically rewriting this deal over the next 10 days, then both sides are going to have to vote on it. The players are going to have to recertify as a union. They're going to have a mad dash towards free agency. Then they're going to open up training camps. And then, as I said, December 25th, they're looking at a triple header starting the new NBA season.
This is David Stern, the commissioner, just moments ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID STERN, NBA COMMISSIONER: We've reached a tentative understanding that is subject to a variety of approvals and very complex machinations. But we're optimistic that that will all come to pass and that the NBA season will begin on December 25th, Christmas Day.
DEREK FISHER, PRESIDENT, PLAYERS' ASSOCIATION: The most important key thing here is that, you know, our fans and the support from the people and the patience, you know, through a large part of this process, you know, that's who a lot of this credit goes to. You know, the efforts that have been made have been largely with them in mind.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CARTER: You know, they're really feeling that pressure, I think, from fans and from anybody related to the NBA business wise, sponsor wise, because they worked for 17 hours yesterday and into this morning to get this deal tentatively done.
HOLMES: Were they trying to keep a lot of this a little hush-hush and quiet or people frankly weren't paying attention? We've got college football. We've got the holidays going on. And maybe people just kind of gave up on them in some way.
CARTER: You know, they had a secretive meeting earlier in the week and then they took a break for the holiday and then got back to work yesterday in New York. So, yes, I think internally they knew, we've got to get this deal done and we've got to get it done now because we want to create some sort of excitement. Putting the start of the season on Christmas Day really gives fans an opportunity to forget all that happened the last five months and say, you know what, all right, we've got basketball back on Christmas Day, we can get excited about that.
HOLMES: And they've got some marquee match-ups playing for that day as well.
Joe Carter, we're going to see you a little later this morning.
CARTER: Sounds good.
HOLMES: Thanks for coming up. Thanks so much.
CARTER: Uh-huh.
HOLMES: All right, we're at just about six minutes past the hour now and we'll turn to some politics and the race for the Republican presidential nomination. Our Paul Steinhauser picks up the reporting for us here. There is a main focus for these candidates and, you guessed it, it's in Iowa.
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Hey, good morning, T.J.
While many Americans have holiday shopping on their minds this weekend, for some of us, it's all about the race for the Republican presidential nomination. With Thanksgiving over, the GOP presidential candidates are back on the campaign trail with just five and a half weeks to go until the first votes in the nomination battle.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And Iowa has the first, and in some respects one of the most powerful voices, as to who our nominee will be.
REP. MICHELE BACHMANN (R-MN), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I want to thank Iowa for taking this process so seriously.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEINHAUSER: And expect to see most of the major candidates spend lots of time in Iowa from now until the January 3rd caucuses, which kick off the primary and caucus calendar.
A poll out this week of people likely to take part in the Republican contest there, it indicates that House Speaker Newt Gingrich is on top of the field with former Massachusetts governor, Mitt Romney, second, and Congressman Ron Paul third. Everyone else in single digits. This survey was conducted almost entirely before our Tuesday night debate right here in Washington.
Now, coming up in just over two weeks, the next two debates in Iowa, of course -- T.J.
HOLMES: All right, thanks, as always, to our Paul Steinhauser.
Still on the political front, Newt Gingrich, he's defending what he said about illegal immigration at Tuesday's Republican debate. His rivals came out blasting him for being what they say is soft on illegal workers after the former House speaker said families who had been in the U.S. for a long time should not be torn apart. But at a town hall event in Naples, Florida, this was yesterday, Gingrich said he does not support amnesty.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NEWT GINGRICH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think the vast majority of them, they should go home. And we should be very clear about (ph) this. So if you're here without any great ties to the United States, you came here illegally, you just need to leave and apply to the guest worker program from back home, period.
I do think if somebody in your neighborhood who has been here 25 years and they belong to your church and they have three kids and two grand kids and they've been paying taxes and working hard that entire time, it's going to be very, very hard to get the American people to agree (ph) that we're going to tear up those families and expel (ph) them (ph).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: So, will Speaker Gingrich have to continue to stay on defense on this issue? Coming up at the bottom of the hour, our conversation with a former Gingrich campaign adviser. Stick around for that.
Also this morning, the weather? Bonnie Schneider is keeping an eye on it for us this weekend.
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, AMS METEOROLOGIST: You don't look happy about the weather.
HOLMES: But, you know, the weather, though, is killing some Christmas trees. We're going to be talking about that.
SCHNEIDER: Oh. HOLMES: But people could probably figure out, we talk about drought conditions.
SCHNEIDER: Yes.
HOLMES: That's unfortunate. I hated to hear that.
SCHNEIDER: I do too. But there's some positive there too.
HOLMES: OK.
SCHNEIDER: Thanksgiving and Black Friday have really been nice across the country, so travel, no troubles there.
As we go into the weekend, though, we are going to face some challenges. I'll tell you all about the travel trouble spots and the forecast ahead, because big changes are on the way across the country. It's going to feel a whole lot colder. That and more is coming up on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: We're about 10 minutes past the hour. Good morning, Atlanta, Georgia. Good morning, Atlanta, home of the Hawks, where they might actually get to play this season. You might have heard the news this morning, that, yes, the NBA has reached a tentative deal. Still some things to work out, but it looks like they might have basketball by Christmas Day this year.
But something else to tell you about here. Christmas. Got a little shortage of Christmas trees possibly here. Had a devastating drought in the southwest. We've been reporting about it for the past several months here. And now it appears it's been killing off thousands of Christmas trees in Texas, as well as Oklahoma. They are essentially dying of thirst here, Bonnie, and that's unfortunate to hear.
SCHNEIDER: It is unfortunate.
HOLMES: So some of those lots and a lot of people who wanted to go and, you know, that family tradition of actually chopping down their own Christmas tree --
SCHNEIDER: Oh, yes.
HOLMES: Not going to be able to do that.
SCHNEIDER: Oh, that's a shame.
HOLMES: It is a shame. But it's a holiday weekend. You said some good stuff. Weather cooperated.
SCHNEIDER: Mostly.
HOLMES: Yes.
SCHNEIDER: A lot of people were talking about how it didn't feel like Thanksgiving because it was so warm out there in many locations, but don't worry, if you want the colder weather, even right here in Atlanta, T.J., it's all changing.
HOLMES: Oh, is it? How soon? Immediately?
SCHNEIDER: Well, we're going to feel it on Monday.
HOLMES: OK. On Monday. All right.
SCHNEIDER: I know. But everyone's like, well, actually, I didn't want it to be colder. Well, it's going to get a lot colder. You know, so good weather we had for Thanksgiving, but some travel trouble spots are popping up. Let's take a look.
Well, you can see plenty of rain working its way across Kansas at this hour. We're also looking at some rain in the Midwest. This is a very powerful cold front that's going to really bring about some changes. It's already triggering thunderstorms through the Dallas area. So if you're catching a flight this morning, so far, no delays. But that's one of the places I'm anticipating possible airport delays later on.
Again, this is the beginning of some colder air coming through. It's a cold front that will work its way across the country and that's what's going to make for some changes as we go through much of the day today. We'll be watching for that.
Here's a look at our service map. You can see low pressure right over Arkansas and that's going to cause some storms there. But it's also going to do two other important things. We're seeing it tap into some Gulf moisture that will bring about the potential for severe storms in cities like Biloxi and New Orleans and Baton Rouge later on this afternoon.
And then, to the north, this front will pull down some much colder air. So it'll kick up the winds behind it and that brisk wind will make the temperatures feel even colder than it actually is. So wind gusts today will be soaring up to 60 miles per hour. And that's particularly true through the plain states. We saw that yesterday. So it's been windy in Nebraska all weekend. That will continue. And the winds will also get strong through Oklahoma, like Oklahoma City, down through Amarillo, Texas. And even towards the Houston area, I'm expecting those winds to pick up. So this is a powerful storm system that will bring about changes in the weather.
So highs today in Minneapolis, 45, but the temperature will actually be falling throughout the day and the wind will make it feel even colder. It was in the 50s yesterday there. So this is a big change.
Sixty-three in Dallas. Again, your forecast will call for colder conditions. And 67 in Atlanta. But what a difference a day makes. Notice the temperature in Minneapolis drops down to 38 for the high. Chicago, today's high is in the mid-50s. By the time we get to Sunday, 41 is the high temperature. So it's not quite December, but it's definitely feeling like things are changing.
There's always a bright spot on the map, T.J. Florida will stay nice and mild. A lot of people there for the holiday weekend. In the 80s for Tampa and Miami.
Back to you.
HOLMES: All right, Bonnie Schneider, thank you. Good to have you with us as always this weekend.
We're at 13 minutes past the hour.
Were you one of those folks who went out and did that Black Friday shopping? Well, it got, frankly, a little dangerous. We have reports pepper spray, Tasers, shootings. This is not supposed to be the stuff we're talking about on this shopping day. We'll tell you what happened around the country.
Also, got a question we want you to chime in on this morning.
Also, another story. A developing story. Egypt frees three American college students, but we're not sure if their ordeal, necessarily, is over.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Fifteen minutes past the hour now. Get back to one of the top stories we're keeping a close eye on. We told you, three American students arrested for allegedly taking part in antigovernment protests in Tahrir Square are now expected to be headed home this weekend.
We got that word just a short time ago, some kind of back and forth earlier this week on whether or not they would be released. They were actually accused of not just taking part in protests, but some authorities there in Egypt said they actually had Molotov cocktails -- had been throwing Molotov cocktails. The students, through their parents, at least, denied that. But after being held for several days, it appears now they have been released and will be making their way home this weekend. Meanwhile, let me turn to our Ivan Watson, who is in Cairo for us. And we have been, again, watching these protests for the past several days, getting ready for these elections just a couple of days away.
Have things calmed down?
IVAN WATSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, there have been intermittent problems, T.J. One protester killed this morning outside the headquarters of the Egyptian government, and several others wounded. There appeared to have been a clash there. A group of demonstrators had gathered outside the entrance to try to block the newly appointed prime minister, Dr. Kamal el-Ganzouri, from being able to get into that building.
The people here in Tahrir Square still arguing they do not want this man, who was just appointed by the army generals who have been ruling this country since former President Hosni Mubarak was overthrown. The demonstrators in Tahrir Square, they have proposed -- some of them have proposed a liberal politician, Mohamed ElBaradei, who used to run the International Atomic Energy Agency, as well as a moderate Islamist who broke off from the very well-organized Muslim Brotherhood. But, we also saw on Friday a very interesting gathering of thousands, if not tens of thousands of demonstrators who wanted to show that not all Egyptians support the Tahrir Square demonstrations here behind me. These people gathered to show their support for the ruling military council and to say that Tahrir does not represent all Egyptians. Take a listen to what one university professor had to say to our own CNN's Ben Wedeman. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAREEM KAMEL, UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR: Our police is the last remaining institution along with the army. If they -- if these two institutions fall, anarchy is going to prevail in Egypt. The only way -- the only way to say whether the people in Tahrir or the people here represent Egypt is through elections.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON: So, T.J., expect a battle over the next government and the formation of that even as Egyptians are preparing to go to the polls on Monday -- T.J.
HOLMES: All right, Ivan Watson there for us in Cairo. We'll continue to check in with you. Thanks so much.
We're at 18 minutes past the hour now. And I know what you're thinking, Congress isn't getting anything done and they're certainly not getting anything done for you. Well, how about this for a change? They might be working to eliminate those checked bag fees when you fly. Yes, folks, it's possible. The story next. Stay with me.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, at 21 minutes past the hour on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING, give you a check at some of the news making headlines across country.
In San Francisco, demonstrators in the streets causing traffic jams. The police ready in riot gear. It's all part of the Occupy San Francisco movement going on now for more than 60 days.
Also, Washington may be getting rid of some airline baggage fees. A proposed bill would require every U.S. airline to accept one checked bag and one carry-on bag for free. Right now some airlines charge up to $35 for the first bag and one airline wants you to pay up to $45 for a carry-on.
And this Alabama man is sky diving 100 times in a day. He's going to do about 12 jumps an hour. He's doing it to remember the first American killed in combat in Afghanistan.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Put himself in harm's way for our country.
(END VIDEO CLIP) HOLMES: Johnny Mike Span (ph) died in November of 2001.
Well, were you out there with all of those Black Friday shoppers? Well, it wasn't all fun and games, was it? It turned ugly in a number of places across the country. Violent incidents reported in at least nine states.
This is the scene out of a Wal-Mart in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Shoppers in a near riot to get a shot at what? $2 waffle irons.
Also, in Kissimmee, Florida, two men got into a fistfight over some jewelry. One man then resisted arrest. Police had to wrestle him to the ground.
Also in Los Angeles, this may have been the incident you heard a lot about. The woman pulled out a can of pepper spray and used it on other shoppers. She and the others were grabbing for some Xboxes that were on sale. Several people injured in the stampede that followed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUAN CASTRO, WITNESS: I didn't see her personally, but I sure got the scent of the mace. I got it in my throat. It was burning. I saw people around me, they got it really bad. I tried to get away from it as quickly as possible because I didn't think those were worth it. No deal's worth that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: So why are we seeing all of this go on? Have we always seen these? Are we seeing more of them? And what's behind it? That's the question we have for you today. Maybe the economic hard times playing a role in it.
So that's our question. We want to ask you -- and we want you to chime in this morning. Send your comments to us. You know where to find me on twitter @tjholmes. Been talking to you already. Some of you this morning chiming in on this story. Also you can find us at CNN.com/tj and a Facebook page, as well. Send us your comments. What do you think is behind the violence we are seeing? And has Black Friday just gone a little too far?
We're at 25 minutes past the hour now. Pakistan says NATO helicopters opened fire on a checkpoint near the Afghanistan border and the death toll is now more than 20. We have a live update for you.
Also, he's retiring. An important Democrat says he's done with Washington.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, as we approach the bottom of the hour on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING. Welcome back to you all. Thank you for spending parts of your holiday weekend here with us.
And an important and breaking story we're getting out of Pakistan, where at least 26 Pakistani soldiers were killed at a checkpoint near the Afghan border. Let me bring in our Nick Paton Walsh who joins me live this morning from Kabul, Afghanistan.
And we hear that 26 have been killed, but a lot of people are disturbed, including Pakistan, in hearing who is responsible for this.
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's correct. They blame ISAF NATO helicopters. Pakistani military officials saying they crossed over the border inside Pakistan and attacked this Pakistani military checkpoint killing 26 and injuring many others. Outrage across Pakistan. The prime minister already calling for his foreign ministry to take this up at the highest levels with NATO and American officials, as well.
I should point out that NATO have not released their version of events as yet. They waited a couple of hours and put out a statement, which you'll see in just one second, putting out a statement in which they said this would have the highest attention of its top official. Let's have a look at what they said.
HOLMES: We're seeing this on the screen. It says it has the "Highest personal attention." At least we're getting this -- this is the ISAF commander, actually, Nick Paton Walsh, we have up on the screen from General John Allen saying, "this incident has" his "highest personal attention and commitment to thoroughly investigate it to determine the facts. My most sincere and personal heartfelt condolences go out to the families and loved ones of any members of Pakistan Security Forces who may have been killed or injured."
Nick, help us understand, or our viewers understand this region a little better. I mean there is no answer yet as to why. Why in the world would ISAF NATO have attacked this checkpoint? A Pakistani checkpoint?
WALSH: Well, you should point out, I mean General Allen's statement there is actually more illuminating in what it doesn't say. It doesn't accept there was an attack. It does not actually accept that there were casualties from it.
But we should also point out, as you say, this part of the world enormously complicated. An operation apparently happening on the Afghan side of the border to flush out the Taliban. And this attack occurs on the Pakistani side. Not clear why NATO helicopters crossed over if they did as Pakistani the officials say, but the border itself poorly delineated.
Many American troops I've spent time with, they're not quite sure where Pakistan begins and Afghanistan ends. And certainly great violence in Kunar where on the Afghan side there's a large American presence and also huge concerns on the Pakistani side that (INAUDIBLE) it's at times used as a sanctuary for insurgents and accusations from Americans that Pakistani military intelligence officials assist the insurgency in hiding out there.
So an enormously confused area as you say, T.J., and this incident going right to the heart of an exceptionally tense relationship right now since the killing of Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan recently - T.J.
HOLMES: Nick, thank you so much. We'll check back in with you. Nick Paton Walsh there for us in Kabul, Afghanistan.
We'll give you a look now as we approach the bottom of the hour at some other stories that are making headlines. Including three American students arrested and detained during protest in Egypt are expected back in the United States this weekend. They were accused of being involved in the recent violent clashes in Tahrir Square. All three have been attending American University in Cairo on a semester long study abroad program.
Also, maybe NBA basketball by Christmas? The owners and players have reportedly agreed on a tentative deal that could end the lockout. It's been going on for 149 days now. According to ESPN, the league is playing a 66-game season with training camps opening somewhere around December 9th. This handshake deal has to be ratified by both players and owners.
Also, a formal safety investigation has been launched into General Motors Chevy Volt. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the car's lithium ion battery could catch fire in a crash. So far it's only happened in simulations, however. Chevy is working with the federal government on this investigation.
Also, Texas Congressman Charlie Gonzalez has decided he will not seek reelection. The seven-term Democrat chairs the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. He's also one of the Texas lawmakers who sued the state over a controversial redistricting map. He'll hold a news conference a little later today.
Well, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich was the latest Republican to rise in the polls. But will he also be the next to fall?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: About 35 minutes past the hour.
We turn back to politics. And already? A potential stumbling block this week for Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich. He just became the front-runner in a lot of ways. And already some are saying he might not survive this. He's facing some criticisms from his Republican rivals over this debate answer that he gave on immigration.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GINGRICH: If you've come here recently, you have no ties to this country, you ought to go home period. If you've been here 25 years and you've got three kids and two grand kids, you've been paying taxes and obeying the law, you belong to a local church, I don't think we're going to separate you from your family, uproot you forcefully, and kick you out.
(END VIDEO CLIP) HOLMES: Now, here with me now, Matt Towery, syndicated columnist and former campaign adviser to Newt Gingrich. Also, Lee May, Democratic County Commissioner in Atlanta's DeKalb County, Suburban Atlanta DeKalb County. You used to work for this guy. Were you surprised by that answer?
MATT TOWERY, SYNDICATED COLUMNIST: He actually worked for me.
HOLMES: He worked for you.
TOWERY: I was his chair - No, but I did work for him as his debate coach when I was very young. I was a little surprised in the language that he used.
But let me put it in context as I think no one else has explained. Newt Gingrich about 10 or so years ago converted to Catholicism. In the Catholic Church, I converted, as well. In the Catholic Church, you have a very high Hispanic population. Many times they're admissions, many times they're part of the church. You see families coming with their bibles and their children. That's what Newt was talking about.
I haven't even asked him, but I know that's what he was talking about. So he wasn't talking about just every illegal alien or immigrant in the country. He was talking about the families that have been here for a long period of time and he even said you were part of the community and church and the like. And he clarified it yesterday. I don't think this is going to be the death of his campaign -
HOLMES: It sounds like from you he gave an honest, a sincere answer that was shaped by his personal surroundings.
TOWERY: Yes. What's so funny is, you know, he gets - he's always being called the Grinch and mean guy and everything else, and he used the word "humane." And apparently in this year you're not allowed to use the word "humane" in the Republican Party. HOLMES: As you sit back as a Democrat and watch this and a guy, who a lot of people would say he said something humane. He said something that wasn't extreme to the right, and now he's getting criticized for it. Where are we when you - when you can't give that kind of answer?
LEE MAY, CHAIRMAN, DEKALB COUNTY'S BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE: Well, his approach is a bit risky for the Republican primary. But Newt is the big thinker in the - in the room, in this Republican debate. And what he's done is he's put a big idea on the table.
And I think it's genius because he takes the debate off of his baggage, off of his previous marriages, off of all of that and he moves forward on this policy issue. It positions him well for the general election, but also it takes the - the scrutiny off of his personal life.
HOLMES: So you think he can survive it? You sound like you think he can. But we had Bachmann to rise and fall. We had Perry to rise and fall. Cain did the rise and fall. Gingrich did the rise and - what?
MAY: Thirty-eight days till the Iowa caucus.
HOLMES: Can he hold on?
MAY: Well, you know, he has the opportunity to - to continue the conversation. He put out a - what he's calling a 10-step plan to a legal nation. And it reminds me of the contract with America and it's just laying out his immigrant stance on policies. And so he's trying to communicate what he's really saying in his stance, as well.
HOLMES: Are Republicans looking at this - and I believe - I can't remember who wrote it in the "Washington Post." Forgive me, but I'm going to use the quote they used (ph). The Republicans are trying to decide between steady Romney or risky Gingrich. Do that appear to be the shape or the fight that's shaping up?
TOWERY: Well, the polling that we see shows that there's sort of an anybody but Romney crowd, and it's pretty big. Gingrich may go down a little bit in the polls right now. Iowa's not going to be the litmus test, by the way. I would not be surprised if Ron Paul won the Iowa caucus he's doing so well.
So that thing's sort of a fruit basket turnover. New Hampshire's not going to be the litmus test. It's going to be South Carolina and Florida that will decide this nomination. Those are the first states you have where really - that are totally reflective of the National Republican Party.
HOLMES: Who has - who has the chance then?
TOWERY: Gingrich in South Carolina, Romney's strong in Florida. So they really have to battle it out in those two states.
HOLMES: We're going to stretch this thing out. What does it mean for Democrats sitting back watching - watching the Republicans fight it out? It could be a good and bad thing.
MAY: Well, Democrats are looking and saying, you know, these Republicans they can't make up their mind. And, you know, just a piece of advice free of charge, the Republicans, they just have to make up their mind. They can't determine what they want to do on the deficit. They can't determine who they want, you know, for their Republican nominee. They're just kind of all over the place.
And until they make up their mind, they're going to be in shambles and the Democrats are going to sit back and just continue grinning.
HOLMES: But at the same time, if there is that interest, like there was the interest with Obama and Clinton, you know, stretching that thing out. People thought it might hurt them, but still, they were battered and bruised, sure, but it kept a national attention and interest in those candidates.
MAY: But there was just two. You know, now you're talking about a litany of people and it keeps going - it's like, you know, it's just a test dance for each candidate.
TOWERY: I think you probably will agree with me. A lot of those -
HOLMES: I love it when you say that -
(CROSSTALK)
MAY: Yes. We know each other. We know politics.
TOWERY: And we sit back and we're thinking if everyone can just, you know, kind of go back and forth like we do, you know -
MAY: It would be less trouble.
TOWERY: Exactly. Right.
HOLMES: OK. Give me an honest answer that I usually don't get out of too many Democrats, but I'll try you.
MAY: Yes.
HOLMES: Be honest with me. Who would you love for President Obama to go up against, who would you fear him going up against in the general?
MAY: I would fear Mitt Romney, and I would love Rick Perry.
HOLMES: Rick Perry. I wouldn't ask you that question, actually.
TOWERY: I think he pretty much nailed it.
HOLMES: Well, good to see you guys as always. Thank you so much for coming in. All right.
We're 40 minutes past the hour, and we're just a couple of hours away from blast off. Yes, we have a mission to Mars taking off this morning. A new rover is going to be heading to the Red Planet. So what can we expect to get out of this Mini Cooper-sized Rover? We'll explain, stay with us.
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HOLMES: Good morning, everybody. Good morning Port Canaveral, and good morning, NASA.
NASA TV, it's live, it happens. We'll be watching NASA TV a lot this morning because we've got a mission going and we're going to figure out if there's life on Mars. Yes, well, maybe.
NASA's spending - or sending up a new rover this morning to find out what's happening on the surface of the Red Planet. This is the "Curiosity Rover." It's sitting atop the Atlas Five Rocket set to launch in just a few hours from now. And you will see it when it happens.
And somebody who will be watching very closely this morning is a NASA administrator, Charles Bolden, who is joining me from Kennedy Space Center in Florida this morning. Sir, thank you so much for being here. A big day for you. You tell me what is on the line for NASA today?
MAJ. GEN. CHARLES BOLDEN (RET.), NASA ADMINISTRATOR: T.J., this is a huge day for us. This is a very exciting day. This is the precursor for human flight to Mars.
You know, "Curiosity" is about, as you mentioned earlier, about a Mini Cooper-sized vehicle. It's the largest rover we've ever sent to the Red Planet. It represents quite a challenge because it's got about 8 - 8-1/2-month coast journey to get there. And then when it gets there in August, August 5th is our target landing date, we're going to put it on the surface, relatively precise landing in the Gale crater where we most likely think we - if there is life or if there has been life, we'll find it there.
HOLMES: And, Sir, when I asked what was on the line, and I know you don't like to think about the possibility of something not going well, but given that we just retired the shuttle program and we don't have that many things in line, if you will, to inspire, to do these live events, and blastoffs and landings, what is on the line for NASA if this thing doesn't go so well?
BOLDEN: Well, we're always positive thinkers.
HOLMES: Yes.
BOLDEN: And so it's going to go well. And it - and there are a number of things that are coming right behind it. We have a number of launches coming up throughout this year and the next year.
This is going to be the busiest two years for us with about 40 launches in which we're participating. Not to mention the continued launches of our crew members to the International Space Station. Because that will happen every six months as it always has. We are constantly rotating the crews. Every - you know, in three-month centers, but with six-month increments on the International Space Station.
But "Curiosity" is the - is the thing of the day. And we're going to launch it out of here, get it out of here by 10:02 on its eight-month journey. And it - this is going to be hard, T.J. You actually hit the nail on the head. You know, we make it look easy, but it's going to be pretty difficult.
HOLMES: Yes. You do make it look easy. But the fact it's going to be traveling all of these millions of miles for the next eight plus months and then you have to land this sucker on the Red Planet, yes, that's pretty impressive.
Tell me, what is the ultimate payoff here for this mission? What would be, I guess, the ultimate goal and you would say this is an ultimate success for this mission?
BOLDEN: Oh, I'll tell you, T.J. It boggles the imagination. The ultimate payoff would be to go have its robotic arm and drill, take some samples from the soil there and find not only that - that there are signs that life once existed on the planet, but there are actually living microbes there now. That would be the ultimate pay off.
And I'll tell you, we wouldn't be able to march fast enough to start to get humans ready to go to Mars. So for us, there is no question. The ultimate payoff would be to find signs of life on the Red Planet.
HOLMES: All right. And remind people - because people - and I know there was a lot of talk about this particular mission because it was - it was a little behind schedule and certainly over budget you'll admit. So remind people who do have those questions, and people will have those criticisms, at least, why is this still important for us to do? And this is an important $2.5 billion investment for us to find out about microbial life. Why is that still worth the investment?
BOLDEN: T.J., like everything we do at NASA, we do spend lots of money, but it's all spent right here on Earth. I couldn't - we couldn't have a better day than today, which is Small Business Day in the United States. A day in which we focus on - on the heart and soul of what is the economic engine of our nation. It's small businesses.
I've visited with one yesterday down in - near here that actually has a role to play there. They're using their sounders to determine weather profile - the wind profile for the launch. This is important for America to maintain its leadership in exploration. It's critical for us.
And you know, we have hundreds of people here who are here for a tweet up (ph). We're going to show the world how we do this. And hopefully we'll find if there was or maybe is life on Mars. That's the ultimate.
HOLMES: All right.
BOLDEN: So we can send humans there in 2030, as President Obama has asked us.
HOLMES: All right. Administrator Bolden, good luck today. Thank you for taking some time. I know it's a busy morning for you all, but we're excited to see it. We're certainly going to bring it to our viewers live. So thank you so much. Good luck, all right?
BOLDEN: Well, T.J., thank you very much. We're looking for a great show this morning.
HOLMES: All right. We will have more on this mission and how NASA's trying to get kids excited about science.
We'll be talking in just about 30 minutes to an astronaut, Leyland Melvin, who will be joined by, yes, Will.I.Am of the Black Eyed Peas. He's been a part of this initiative, working together, trying to encourage kids to study math, science, as well as engineering.
But we're about 12 off the top of the hour now. And you hear about people sleep walking, even people who actually eat in their sleep. Now a doctor in Australia says some of his patients are sending text messages in their sleep.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She told me how she text somebody, close the door. And then she (INAUDIBLE) and I was like, are you really joking? Like I sent that to you at, like, 3:00 in the morning? He was like, yes, you did.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Yes. That's coming up in your "Morning Passport" on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
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HOLMES: All right. About 10 off the top of the hour on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING. It's time for our "Morning Passport" with Nadia Bilchik.
We do all kinds of crazy stuff when we sleep. We never really know what we're up to. But can you really sleep text?
NADIA BILCHIK, CNN EDITORIAL PRODUCER: Well, according to Dr. Cunnington, who is in a Melbourne Sleep Disorder Clinic, he is seeing cases. Now, I will say they are rare cases.
HOLMES: Sure.
BILCHIK: But what I'm seeing is people who are very active during the day and the mind doesn't stand still and what's happening is not during REM sleep, which is rapid eye movement sleep, but he is finding that there are cases of people who are texting and in the morning have absolutely no recollection of having texted.
HOLMES: Now, are they sending coherent texts?
BILCHIK: No.
HOLMES: No. OK.
BILCHIK: Things like, "shut the door," "keep it open," things that are fairly incoherent.
But what's interesting about this, is around 2008, there was a study about e-mailing and sleep e-mailing and one woman saying something like 44 e-mails during her sleep. But think about it, your PC is away from the bedroom. Where is your cell phone at night?
HOLMES: It's right next to you.
BILCHIK: Where is your smartphone? Exactly.
HOLMES: It's right next to you.
BILCHIK: So it becomes dangerous. But really the point of both the Ohio Medicine Study and the one in Melbourne - Sydney - in Melbourne, Australia, is that they are saying to people, you need to shut down. You need to take a moment and completely shut off either your phone or put it away.
Because what's happening is, think about this, sometimes at night, you have a moment - and what do you do? You check your phone. So there's a greater point to all of this, which is, are people going to be sleep texting, so never mind sleep walking or sleep talking, doing things during the sleep that they regret in the morning, and they are finding increased cases.
And is this going to be the new phenomenon? We don't know.
HOLMES: Are they sure? Because you do, you wake up in the middle of the night and sometimes you can't remember what you did.
BILCHIK: Right.
HOLMES: Are we sure that people didn't just wake up at 2:00 in the morning and kind of out of it and they did a little something? Or he's saying they're actually asleep while they're doing this?
BILCHIK: Well, the particular woman that he looked at was sleep texting because she was a very conservative woman. And what she did was take pictures of herself, rather compromising pictures he said and then text them. So with absolutely no recollection the next morning.
But it's one of these things that's unexplored. But, again, the greater point is you need a moment to shut down. And what these doctors are saying is either switch off your phone completely, which apparently only around 1 in 10 people do and 4 out of 5 people have their phone next to their bed. So -
HOLMES: Do you?
BILCHIK: Absolutely.
HOLMES: I do, too.
BILCHIK: I mean, that's why I was getting e-mails all hours of the morning.
HOLMES: Oh, yes. That's right.
BILCHIK: Exactly.
HOLMES: All right.
BILCHIK: And you feel an urge to respond. So what these doctors are saying is remember other people's urgency isn't necessarily yours. And because other people are e-mailing you, you do not need to respond, so take a moment.
HOLMES: You know what? That was the best line, best advice I'll probably give for a while. Other people's urgency is not necessarily yours.
BILCHIK: It's not necessarily yours.
HOLMES: Right. Nadia Bilchik with the "Morning Passport." And good words for all of us.
Thank you and we'll see Nadia again a little later this morning.
And also, for you NBA fans out there, there's still some of you left, I'll assume, right? Well, some good news for you. The owners and players have reached a tentative deal to finally end the lockouts - a tentative deal. Just a handshake deal right now. Still a few more steps to go. We'll have the very latest in just a few moments.
Also, we've been asking you your thoughts on Black Friday violence. One of you wrote, "Hard times make people crazy. Imagine if there was a food shortage. People act this way over a $2 waffle iron?"
We'll have more of your responses right after the break. Stay with us.
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HOLMES: As we get closer to the top of the hour now, thank you for sharing your comments on what we saw on Black Friday.
And, yes, we saw a lot of deals. We saw a lot of shopping. We saw a lot of crowds. But can you believe we saw a lot of violence, as well. At least nine states reported some kind of violent incident.
And we were asking you, what do you think is behind some of what we have been seeing? Well, a lot of you wrote in. Here are a couple of them.
One person writing, "Violence has always been there with smartphones, YouTube, Twitter, and 24-hour news cycles, incident seems numerous."
Another from newsjunkie365 saying, "Obviously retailers created a situation that practically begs for these incidents to occur. People need to reevaluate their priorities."
Also another one from Pjack saying, "What do you think? Greed and selfishness have overtaken the holiday season. Shame on the greedy retailers and consumers." And then one other we can share with you saying, "Extreme responses to everyday life have become the new norm for us bringing mace to normal activities like shopping defies logic."
Thank you. We'll keep that conversation going with you this morning. You know where to find - we've been talking to some of you on Twitter already this morning. Please keep it going.
Well, as we get close to the top of the hour, we know the Thanksgiving holiday, Bonnie Schneider, is over now, or the day is. But it's still the holiday weekend. A lot of people trying to travel. Are they going to have issues trying to get back home? SCHNEIDER: That's true.
This weekend, I think a lot of people will be traveling. And unfortunately, there are issues that are going to come up today that weren't present for Thanksgiving or for Black Friday. I want to show you this storm system. It's triggering showers and thunderstorms all the way out from parts of Minneapolis, getting some rain and even some snow in Northern Minnesota, and then further to the south, some very heavy rain.
And this is going to be a problem for those of you that are up early this morning in Dallas, Texas, for example. Driving northward into Tulsa, Oklahoma, lots of rain causing some visibility problems. Those of you flying, we are anticipating some airport delays across the country due to the same storm system, and you'll really see this kind of exists from north to south.
Chicago may see the worst of it. Possibly delays an hour or longer due to wind, low clouds and rain. I mentioned Texas, so Dallas and Houston both facing the threat for airport delays. Memphis and St. Louis, wind, low clouds, and rain, you've seen foggy weather in the mid south, and Minneapolis and even Miami may see some delays. But in Miami, the consolation is the high is 81 degrees - T.J.
HOLMES: All right. Bonnie Schneider, thank you so much.
