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CNN Saturday Morning News
Deadly Storm Hits Philippines; CNN Weather Update; FAMU Band Death Reaction; Iowa Caucuses Happening Soon; A Christmas Tradition; Google's 2011 Top Search Terms; World's Richest Pets; Anonymous Donors Pay Off Layaways
Aired December 17, 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, everybody. It is 6:00 a.m. here in Atlanta, Georgia. It's 7:00 p.m. in the Philippines. And that is where at least 180 people are dead after a tropical storm. And there is a desperate rescue operation going on right now.
Also here in the U.S., Congress reaches a deal that will keep your paycheck from going up on January 1st. But, this is only a temporary fix.
And, would you ask your boss's wife out on a date? Especially if your boss is the president of the United States?
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: Let's start with the Senate, open for business today. It will be open about three hours from now. They've got some work to do. They need to work on a couple of bills effecting you. One is a big spending bill. It will fund the government through September. A deal was reached, so that will keep us from having a government shutdown. The government was supposed to run out of money at midnight last night. They passed a one-day extension so they could vote today. So it looks like crisis averted there.
The other issue is the payroll tax holiday extension. That one could mean an extra $1,000 in your pocket. Or at least will mean you won't lose that $1,000 beginning at the end -- the beginning of the year. But a compromise deal keeps it going just for another two months.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ERIN BURNETT, CNN: OK. Two months, though, is really not something that makes people feel very good. I mean are going to be having the same conversation in 60 days with another countdown?
SEN. JOHN THUNE (R), SOUTH DAKOTA: Well, my guess is, we probably will. We'll have to revisit this issue. And like I said, that was not the preferred alternative for many of us. We wanted to see the same things that passed through the House of Representatives pass in the Senate, which was a one year extension.
But, the Democrats would not accept credible offsets to pay for it in the Senate. And so this is what we got down to in terms of a package that we could get support from both Republicans and Democrats for.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: All right, so you see what we're talking about here, folks. Yes, they reached a deal. Your taxes not going to go up January 1st. But this whole debate, this fight you've been seeing over the past few weeks, they're going to do this whole thing over again two months from now.
Now, the House already passed a longer spending bill as well. Members are expected to come back from their holiday vacations to vote on the payroll tax bill next week if it gets through the Senate today. Are you following all this?
Coming up next hour, we'll go live to the White House to hear what the president has to say about the bills, including a deadline on the controversial Keystone pipeline project that was added to the payroll tax bill by Republican leaders.
Turn to presidential politics now. And Mitt Romney has picked up a big supporter in the race for the Republican presidential nomination. South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley says Romney is the guy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. NIKKI HALEY (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: It is with great pride, great respect, great support, that Michael and I are very proud to say that we are endorsing Governor Mitt Romney for president of the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Now Haley won the governor's race in South Carolina with big support from the Tea Party groups. South Carolina's primary is third in the nominating calendar after, of course, Iowa and New Hampshire. A bigger endorsement is up for grabs later today when "The Des Moines Register" will pick its candidate for the Iowa caucuses.
Here's a look now at how things are shaping up in Iowa, just a couple of weeks until they start voting there in the caucuses. This American Research Group poll has Newt Gingrich out front by five points, as you see there, but his lead getting a little smaller. He's just a few points ahead of Romney and Paul, both at 17 percent. We'll have much more on the Iowa race coming your way about 20 minutes from now.
Iowa certainly the place to be unless, apparently, you're leading the race. Rick Santorum, Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann, all in Iowa today. Mitt Romney staying in South Carolina there, while Newt Gingrich is in Virginia. He's there to attend a book signing for his wife's new children's book. Coming up next hour, a closer look at the impact the candidates' wives are having on the race.
Turn to another big story, a weather story we're watching in the Philippines right now. The Philippines slammed by a major tropical storm. Almost 200 people confirmed dead now. We still have another 400 or so missing. Twenty thousand soldiers are being mobilized to help with search and rescue efforts there. We have on the line with us from Manila, Maria Ressa.
Maria, tell us the issue, the problem here. I guess, give us the current update. I guess they're still in a desperate search and rescue mode right now?
MARIA RESSA (voice-over): Absolutely. The storm is supposed to exit this evening, but it's no longer really the storm itself but its aftermath. We're turning to the aid and rescue workers who are looking for the hundreds missing. They are trying to supply drinking water. They're asking for volunteers to try to get food and clothes to the 20,000 -- actually the government estimates that about 100,000 people were displaced by the storm. World Vision said that they are particularly concerned about children, saying that many face conditions like 13-year-old Bemni (ph), whose mother was killed in the flood and whose father and two siblings remain missing -- T.J.
HOLMES: And what was the issue here? And again, this was a tropical storm. It wasn't necessarily winds that came blowing through. This was a flooding issue.
RESSA: Absolutely. The tropical storm dropped more than 10 hours of heavy rain Friday night. And its effects, not the storm itself, actually caused the casualties and the most damage. The government says that it warned residents to evacuate the areas that they felt would be prone to damage, but most of the residents ignored it because these areas have not been traditionally hit by flash floods and landslides. Friday night the floodwaters rose alarmingly fast, reaching roof levels, while residents were sleeping. Nearly all the casualties died in flash flood, five were killed in a landslide triggered by rain, according to national officials of the Coordinating and Disaster Council.
HOLMES: All right, Maria Ressa on the line for us. Thank you so much. We'll check back in with her. Again, an ongoing situation there as I bring in Reynolds Wolf.
Just a mess there. The, again, the rain -- tropical storm. We're kind of accustomed here in the U.S., we here about hurricanes. We hear tropical storm and actually we don't feel so threatened, unfortunately, sometime. But here it was this rain. This flash flooding that got them.
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: To be honest, though, there really isn't a huge surprise when you have one of these things. I mean think about any kind of tropical system that we've had that's hit the United States, be it Hugo, be it -- some of the storms we had last year that actually brushed along the eastern seaboard. One of the number one byproducts, flooding.
HOLMES: Yes.
WOLF: Always, always, always. What happens, when you have these tropical systems, they make their way on shore. They bring a lot of heavy rainfall. Wind is certainly a factor also. But the issue that you have in a place like say, well, Manila and the Philippines, you've got some high elevation around the area. So when you have one of these tropical storm that pushes through, we have what we refer to as orographic lift. It enhances the rainfall. Makes it incredibly heavy. And with the heavy rainfall, what happens when you have the steep terrain, the ground can only hold so much. Then the sheer weight of that rainfall absorbs in the soil and then gravity takes its toll and it's basically just -- causes some of the hillsides to collapse and that's where you get the mudslides.
Let's take a look as to what's happened over the last couple of hours with the system. What's amazing about it, if you take a look at this tropical system, the center of circulation is -- oh, let me get that thing back here a second. The center of circulation is actually right about here. It's amazing.
Then you take a look at Manila, way up here. So basically what caused a lot of this is just really an outer band that made its way right through Manila. So there it is right there. Just that one big cluster. That deep tropical moisture that came through. And, boom, that's where you had your heavy rainfall. And, of course, you've had the widespread damage and, of course, the fatalities.
The problem is, is that it's going to take a while to really get a true assessment of the damage they had here, T.J. I mean, of course, they've got nightfall there now. As soon as the daylight comes and things begin to dry out a bit, they're going to get a better assessment -- unfortunately, it's going to a grim one too -- of exactly the true damage, the true cost of this system and how it impacted the Philippines -- T.J.
HOLMES: All right, Reynolds, thank you. We'll check in with Reynolds plenty throughout the morning. And again, we'll keep an eye on that situation in Manila in the Philippines where an ongoing search and rescue is happening as we speak.
But we're nine minutes past the hour now. Coming up, we know Marines are known for their bravery, but this is a little too brave. You're going to meet a Marine, might be the bravest of them all. You see that guy right there? He was brave enough to ask the first lady out on a date. He asked his boss' wife out on a date. Dude, you know she's married, right? We'll get into this in just a little bit.
Also coming next, those who stand in harm's way coming home from Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If he were here right now, I'd tell him thanks for serving us and our country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: We're 11 minutes past the hour now. And the trial of an Army private, suspected of behind the biggest intelligence leak in history, resumes this morning. Private Bradley Manning, the guy you're going to see in the photo here -- actually kind of hard to make him out here. He's the smaller guy you're going to see in the video with the glasses there. Kind of hard to make him out, but he's a shorter fellow. That is Bradley Manning. He's been let out of the courtroom there at Ft. Meade. The judge refused an attempt by Manning's attorney yesterday to get him removed from the case. They wanted the judge to recuse himself. Manning is accused of leaking classified military documents to WikiLeaks.
And after more than eight years of war, the last of America's military forces will soon be out of Iraq. We've been seeing so many of those great homecomings. Here are now some of those sweet reunions between troops and their families.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If he were here right now, I'd tell him thanks for serving us and our country.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just happy and shocked, but I'm happy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is a tremendous feeling and one that very few moments in life parallel. Just really thankful to be home.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I love you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, baby. Oh, my God.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mommy.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What a surprise. What a shock. And this is the best Mother's Day present.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have a surprise for you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Very blessed, very proud to be the mother of a soldier.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Well, be sure to tune in all day today for the CNN NEWSROOM special reporting, "Home From Iraq."
We're at about 14 minutes past the hour now. Santa needs a little help and he's getting some this year. Anonymous donors paying off the layaways of cash-strapped families.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EDNA DEPPE, KMART ASSOCIATE MANAGER: An angel dropped in our store last night. That's the only way you can -- that's the only way you can say it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Now, this is happening at stores across the country. We'll tell you more about these acts of kindness in just a moment. Also, First Lady Michelle Obama. You know, the married first lady of the United States. Married to the president of the United States. She gets asked out on a date by a guy who works for the president of the United States. Is this OK or has he lost his mind? Stay with me.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Sixteen minutes past the hour on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING. Give you a look at some of the stories making news across the country.
We start with a college fraternity that is in some trouble. All right, well, sorry, we don't have the sound there for you, but that is a story you may have heard about this -- about this fraternity actually in Vermont. They leaked out now -- it's gotten on the Internet. They actually put out a list. They asked a survey of their members saying, who would you rape if you had the chance? Well, that survey got out. That university chapter of this fraternity has now been suspended. This happened in Burlington on the campus of University of Vermont up there. We'll get that back to you. We'll have more news for you across the country here in just a moment.
Also, something I was telling you about a second ago. Families getting some help. Yes, Santa needs some help around this time of year. Anonymous donors are now popping up all across the country paying of the layaway bills of families who could use some help. In Indianapolis, a woman walked into a Wal-Mart and went right for the layaway department. She says she wanted to make the holiday better for as many people as she could. She paid off the layaway bills of more than 50 customers. The balances ranged from $10 to almost $800. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EDNA DEPPE, KMART ASSISTANT MANAGER: She said that she had money, she wanted to make Christmas happy. And it was like an angel had just dropped out of the sky.
ANGIE TORRES, CUSTOMER: I took out my credit card to pay my minimum balance. She said, don't pay that. I'm going to pay it for you. I said, what can we do for you? She said the only thing you can do for me is to give back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Now, we want to hear from you on this story. Tell us something nice maybe you plan to do for someone over the holidays. Or maybe, what's the nicest thing a stranger ever did for you. I'm already talking to some of you this morning. I have my Twitter feed up right here on the desk with me. So, by all means, send me a message. I will reply as much as I can this morning. But, still, we want to hear your responses to this -- the nicest thing you've ever had done for you maybe over the holidays and maybe something nice you plan to do. You know where to find us @tjholmes, also the blog and the Facebook page.
Also, another story that got us really talking in the newsroom this morning. Can you really ask your boss' wife out on a date? Would it matter if her husband is the president of the United States? Well, that's kind of what happened here. Take a look at this. This is at a Toys For Tots event in Washington. You see that young man. That's 20- year-old Marine Lance Corporal Aaron Leaks. He's standing there, he's leaning over, trying to get her attention, and asked the first lady of the United States to accompany him to the Marine Corps Ball next November. Now she said she'd love to. Leaks, however, is going to be doing a tour in Afghanistan next month, but he plans to be back and plans to go to that ball.
Now, Reynolds, Tanisha (ph), our wonderful EP (ph), who has a level head and just one of the wisest women we know, she's tells me --
WOLF: Amen.
HOLMES: I'm looking into this a little too much. OK. I'm just looking at it on the surface of, a guy is asking his boss' wife out on a date. She said, no, it's not that simple. It's a little different here. What do you think?
WOLF: I'm not going to go there. I'm just -- I'll tell you one thing, he's got guts. That's definitely for sure. I mean he --
HOLMES: Yes.
WOLF: President Obama is definitely the boss in a situation.
HOLMES: Yes.
WOLF: And she's more than a little bit taken, I would think.
HOLMES: Yes.
WOLF: So probably not, I would say, available.
HOLMES: Yes, the guy is serving his country. And we've seen this with Mila Kunis, Justin Timberlake. They were asked out by both Marines, I believe.
WOLF: Yes.
HOLMES: They went to the balls. So, maybe this will be the new trend. We'll see if this happens.
WOLF: Regardless, though, she has to be -- has to be touched. I mean it was a nice gesture.
HOLMES: Yes. Yes. Oh, of course.
WOLF: Yes. And it was a nice gesture for her to say, I'll pass, to be honest.
All right, one thing I'm sure a lot of people could pass on in parts of southern California has been the strong wind. You know, a couple of weekends ago we were talking about the Santa Ana wind. They are back and with full force again. They're going to range anywhere from 40 to 50 miles per hour. We could see damage once again today. And with that damage, you could also see some delays. A lot of those cross winds affecting places like LAX and as far south as say Burbank, you could have all those problems in terms of the winds.
Scratch what I said earlier about the gusts. We could see them anywhere from 45 to 60 miles per hour, especially into the afternoon as they pass through the high mountain passes of the San Gabriels. They will tend to accelerate when they do. That's when you could see some of the damage. Downed trees, power lines. Basically the same recipe that we saw a few weeks ago. It could certainly be back again.
Something else we're going to be seeing with this is the potential for some, well, some snow in the high parts of, say, back towards Yosemite. You could have a nice dusting up on half dome. But also look for the possibility of seeing some snow in places like Chicago. And with that, you also have a chance of some delays. Delays are centered now at all your major airports in that part of the world.
In Orlando, fog along the I-4 corridor is going to keep you driving fairly slow. And, of course, some delays can be expected at the airports. So if you're going to International Drive or maybe going to visit the mouse house, you're going to have a few backups.
In San Diego, the showers. Farther north, of course, the wind we talked about. In Boston, rain and snow showers. In Detroit, the motor city, if you're driving on the lodge this morning, expect a little bit of the snow to stick around, at least through the midday hours. A little bit of light stuff. Not as heavy as we might see in Chicago.
All right, T.J., we've got a lot to talk about weather wise. Not just here, but in other points around the globe. We'll share that with you coming up very soon.
HOLMES: Reynolds, thank you, as always.
WOLF: You bet.
HOLMES: We'll see Reynolds again here shortly.
We're at 21 minutes past the hour now and a coroner has now ruled the death of a Florida A&M drum major was homicide. We'll show you how the suspected hazing now is impacting other schools even outside Florida. Stay with us on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: About 25 minutes past the hour now. And the coroner in Orange County has ruled that last month's death of a Florida A&M band member, ruled it was a homicide. Twenty-six-year-old Robert Champion died November 19th in a suspected hazing incident. The coroner determined blunt force trauma is the cause of death. And last night an "AC 360," an internal medicine specialist put the coroner's finding into some perspective here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. JORGE RODRIGUEZ, INTERNAL MEDICINE SPECIALIST: Well, Anderson, they were severe. Let me put it in perspective. Mr. Champion's blood count was approximately 13 grams of blood. By the time that they performed the autopsy, it had dropped down to seven. That means that he lost approximately six to seven pints of blood into the muscles where he was beaten. That's what causes hemorrhagic shock. It's the same thing as if his carotid artery had been cut and he had bled to death. All the blood went to the bruising within the chest and within the arm. And within a matter of minutes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Well, three people have been arrested in connection with a separate hazing incident at Florida A&M University that happened roughly two weeks before Champion's death. Both incidents now have sent shock waves beyond the FAMU campus, and that one high school even in Georgia in particular. Our George Howell now with more on that and the hazing culture that surrounds both cases.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GEORGE HOWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Southwest DeKalb High School Marching Band has performed for presidents, they've played at the Rose Bowl. And when you ask band parents, like Annie Brown --
ANNIE BROWN, BAND PARENT: The band, you know, it's like family. It's a real nice family atmosphere.
HOWELL: But Brown tells me her suspicions are now raised about the culture within that family. The DeKalb County School District in suburban Atlanta started an investigation into all of its bands after the death of Florida A&M drum major Robert Champion, a Southwest DeKalb graduate, whose death is believed to be the result of hazing. Administrators say they discovered two cases of what they can only describe as "inappropriate behavior" over the summer.
HOWELL (on camera): Inappropriate behavior. What is that?
WALTER WOODS, DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOLS: Well, I don't want to get too into the specifics of the behavior, but we had two incidents over the summer of inappropriate activity associated with band at two different schools. That was part of the evidence that we collected that determined that we needed a formal investigation.
HOWELL: Sitting here waiting for your son, do you worry about all these things that you've heard on the news?
BROWN: Yes. Even when I was in high school, back then, it happened then.
HOWELL: In high schools?
BROWN: In high school, colleges.
HOWELL (voice-over): The DeKalb County School District suspended all outside activity for its 20 bands, a decision Robert Champion's parents say is a move in the right direction. PAM CHAMPION, ROBERT CHAMPION'S MOTHER: I wouldn't have never thought the band, the one thing he loved the most, that this would happen like this.
WALTER M. KIMBROUGH, PRES., PHILANDER SMITH COLLEGE: People don't want to go to high school and be the kid that's left out. You don't want to be the kid in college that you don't have any friends. And so that becomes -- you go through those processes, you become a member of one of these groups and then you automatically have status.
HOWELL: The president of Philander Smith College, Walter M. Kimbrough, wrote a book on hazing and says it's important to examine student organizations, clicks and subgroups from high schools to colleges.
HOWELL (on camera): There's always been a long history, a strong connection, between the Southwest DeKalb High School Band and FAMU's band. And in this case, both victims, both Robert Champion and Bria Hunter, went to school here. Not to mention the fact that two of the three people arrested for allegedly beating Hunter also went to this school. Parents tell me they appreciate the fact that this school district is investigating all of its bands.
ROBERT CHAMPION, VICTIM'S FATHER: If that would help one kid not be hurt, be hazed, even losing their life, it would be worth it.
HOWELL (voice-over): DeKalb school officials say it could be two months before their investigation is complete and band activities can resume.
George Howell, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Well, did you hear about the big breakup in the NBA? No, a player is not leaving a team. A wife is leaving a husband. Kobe Bryant's wife has filed for divorce after a decade with the Lakers star. A little more on that a little later.
Also, Newt Gingrich, he's riding pretty high in the Republican presidential race. But will his lead in Iowa hold up for another two weeks? Lee and Matt are going to answer that question for me and we will see if their answer is the same. Look at them looking all political over there this morning. We'll talk to them after the break. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: We're just past the bottom of the hour on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING. Welcome back to you all. I'm T.J. Holmes. Glad you can spend part of your weekend here with us. Give you a look at some of the stories that are making headlines this morning.
And a major tropical storm has killed at least 180 people in the Philippines and there's a desperate search going on right now. Most of these deaths were caused from flash flooding. It was raining there for some 10 hours. Still have about 400 people missing. Another 100,000 people forced from their homes. Also, 20,000 soldiers have been mobilized to help in this search and rescue efforts.
ETTA JAMES, SINGER: (SINGING "AT LAST").
HOLMES: Oh, you know that singer, that song from Etta James "At Last." Well, her manager now giving us the news that she's in the last stages of a terminal illness. She was diagnosed with leukemia and Hepatitis C for more than a year ago and we got that news. She's 73 years old now.
Now, turn back to Washington, D.C. here where there will be some work going on this Saturday. U.S. Senate convening in just about two and a half hours. They're going to consider a couple of important bills. One is a spending bill to fund the government through September. It looks like we will avert a government shutdown.
Also, the other is the payroll tax holiday extension. That's the one that could mean a tax increase if they don't get this thing passed. It looks like there may be a deal, so these things are expected to pass. So that will mean you will not see a roughly $1,000 tax increase starting January 1st. But the other part of that, they're only extending it for two months. That means we've got to do all this over again in two months. Looking forward to it fellows.
The Iowa caucuses, they are upon us, aren't they? Just a couple of weeks away now, Newt Gingrich leading in the polls. Mitt Romney has picked up a big endorsement, however.
Here with me now, Matt Towery, Syndicated Columnist and former campaign adviser to Newt Gingrich; and Lee May, a Democratic County Commissioner in suburban Atlanta's DeKalb County. Gentlemen, good to have you both here.
We saw another debate. I think it was debate number 813 of the season. But we always learn something. What did we learn from this debate?
LEE MAY, DEMOCRATIC COUNTY COMMISSIONER IN DEKALB COUNTY, GEORGIA: Well, we learned that - that all the candidates are putting in their closing arguments now. They have been building their case for the past year and they are at the end, and they're trying to sway the jury, as any voter. They're hoping that they can make that last little determination with the candidates.
HOLMES: Did we learn that Newt Gingrich maybe can hold on until Iowa?
MATT TOWERY, SYNDICATED COLUMNIST: I think this is what we learned. Romney can have a good debate. Gingrich can take a lot and still stand. Bachmann can really dish it out. Rick Perry can still hang in there and get some votes. Santorum is still getting some votes, but I don't think he's really taking off.
And finally, we finally got an opportunity to see the real Ron Paul and he's taking a huge amount of votes right now in our poll and all the other polls. If he starts to shred off a bit, those votes are going to go somewhere else and that could really make this a jump ball in the next three weeks. HOLMES: OK. That jump ball possibly, who - who benefits from that? If some of those votes start to - to spread for Ron Paul, are they going to folks who are polling in single digits now or are they going to go to people who are already on top?
TOWERY: Depends on who has the best game of turning out voters. Right now, here's what you got.
HOLMES: We always hear that's Ron Paul all over now.
TOWERY: Here's the deal. There's two ways to turn out voters right now. You can either do it on the ground or you can use systems that can call 100,000 to 200,000 households in one hour and find out if they like the candidate and then work to turn that candidate out.
I tend to like the latter, because it works. The old ground game of making telephone calls and knocking on doors is over in Iowa.
HOLMES: All right. Well, Iowa's first, New Hampshire is second, South Carolina third. Will it make a difference? Mitt Romney picked up a pretty big endorsement. It could certainly have an effect in South Carolina. But are people in Iowa paying attention to that that he got the endorsement of the governor of South Carolina?
MAY: No, I think Iowans are concerned about Iowa. And it's really about building that organization that Matt is talking about, it's pressing the flesh. It's shaking hands, kissing babies. And whoever has that best, that better retail organization I think is going to come out on top.
Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, they have a clear organization that they've been working on for years now.
HOLMES: OK. How big of a deal is that in South Carolina at least for him to pick up Nikki Haley's endorsement?
MAY: I think it benefits Mitt Romney in terms of national politics more. Newt Gingrich is polling on average about 20 percentage points higher than Mitt Romney. Nikki Haley endorsed Romney in 2008. Mitt Romney endorsed Nikki Haley for governor in 2010. And so she's repaying the favor now.
But in South Carolina, Nikki Haley, her polling is down. I mean, there are some polls that show President Obama having a higher approval rating than Nikki Haley. And so, in South Carolina maybe, but 20 percentage points is pretty tough to - to close in on before that time.
TOWERY: I think he's totally right, by the way. I think that that endorsement means very little. What has to happen is Gingrich has to stay competitive in Iowa and New Hampshire. If he can stay competitive -
HOLMES: And get to South Carolina.
TOWERY: -- and goes to South Carolina, he can really get back in this game.
MAY: And it helps Mitt Romney in terms of his conservative credentials. I think that's what helps him more on nationally.
HOLMES: Let me try to get this in here. Go ahead and roll that for me, Deidre.
Newt Gingrich trying to defend his zany self, I suppose, from the other night. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NEWT GINGRICH, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I sometimes get accused of using language that's too strong. So I've been standing here editing. I'm very concerned about not appearing to be zany.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Good idea? Can he hold on? Does he have to edit himself in the next couple of weeks? And is he making a conscious effort to make sure he doesn't say the wrong thing?
TOWERY: Not only is he doing that, but he's being funny. I mean, this is the Newt Gingrich that I never knew until the last five years or so. But he actually is enjoying this campaign. And I think that's coming through on the stage and it's why he doesn't seem as mean- spirited as he used to be and I think that's why he's hanging in there.
HOLMES: Wrap it up for me, warm and fuzzy Newt?
MAY: Warm and fuzzy Newt, has to be that. He has to be very thoughtful and deliberate with his words. Get away from those grandiose ideas that his Republican Party isn't really comfortable with in the future.
HOLMES: All right. Lee, Matt, good to see you guys as always.
MAY: Good to see you.
TOWERY: Good to see you.
HOLMES: We got a couple of more weeks of this -
MAY: Absolutely.
HOLMES: -- and then it's time to finally start voting.
TOWERY: Yes.
HOLMES: We can stop listening to you experts. All right, guys. Good to see you, as always.
TOWERY: Good to see you.
HOLMES: We're about 39 minutes past the hour now. A quick break here on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Goodness gracious. Forty-two minutes past the hour. I feel like we should have like a fireplace going and you might have tell us a Christmas story here now.
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: I should. I should. I probably also need to put on about 100 pounds, get a beard and wear weird, fuzz red hat and we're ready to rock and roll.
HOLMES: What is this tradition? This is a 100-year plus tradition, you tell us about this.
WOLF: It's a 100-year tradition that takes place in one of America's most famous houses. We're talking about the Biltmore Estate. I just got back from Asheville, North Carolina, and was able to just take in the beauty and splendor of not only that you see itself (ph) but how they celebrate Christmas and of course the big tree. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF (voice-over): It's one of America's most iconic traditions. That happens to be in one of our nation's grandest homes - Christmas at the Biltmore.
CATHY BARNHARDT, BILTMORE FLORAL DISPLAY MANAGER: Around 125 to 130,000 lights are used across the estate. We have probably 200 to 250 poinsettias just inside Biltmore House and that many again in the other estate facilities. There are on the estate about 110 decorated trees.
WOLF: In the estate's grand hall, there's one tree that towers above the rest. Over three stories tall, 25 feet wide with ornaments the size of basketballs. And maneuvering it inside is no easy task. Ten hours of back breaking work after 12 months of preparation.
RICK CONARD, V.P. OF GUEST OPERATIONS: It takes about 50 people to put this tree up and a lot of strong backs. A lot of pulling and tugging. And after a few minutes it rises in the air and you hear lots of cheers and we know we're there.
WOLF: But getting it here is 31 years in the making. It first took root in the sun splashed hills of the Carolina Mountains under the watchful eyes of George and Greg Andrews.
(on camera): What is the thing that makes the perfect Christmas tree?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For Biltmore, it's layered. It's got to look natural. Nice taper to it. But the branching, the layering and branching.
WOLF: So the dude that used to stand here is now standing in the Biltmore.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. WOLF: Wow.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, that's where it is.
WOLF: This is part of the Biltmore tree?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, right.
WOLF (voice-over): They planted this grove of trees decades ago, all of them destined to carry one the Biltmore holiday tradition.
BARNHARDT: George Vanderbilt invited his family and friends to Biltmore in 1895 and we still do that today. We do try to put things back that are authentic to Biltmore that we know were part of the Vanderbilt celebration.
I think the Banquet Hall probably is as close as we're going to get to the time capsule of the Gilded Age.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF: Yes, it's funny. When I look back, I just said I got to think about how my family when I was growing up as a kid, how my dad used to take the Christmas tree into the house. So it was basically, all right, kids, let's go. Let's put it inside. And he's kind of shoved the thing to the door.
Well, at the Biltmore, everything has got to be down to a science. Because they've got these priceless articles that are all over this tremendous house.
HOLMES: You can't bump into something.
WOLF: You can't bump in anything. You can't bump in anything.
And what's even more amazing about it, I was asking them, well, how do you keep the tree looking so fresh? What do you do? What kind of water do you add to it? Do you add a little smoothing, a special ingredient? They don't add water at all. And they actually replace that tree with another tree. So they go through that whole process not once but twice.
HOLMES: Wait a minute. They do two trees? One season?
WOLF: It's crazy. Two trees, one season. I mean, to be honest, when - I don't want to sound like, you know, I'm the scrooge or anything, but when Christmas comes around, I'll put up an ornament, help the kids with a few and I'm just kicking back with eggnog.
(CROSSTALK)
WOLF: It is. But these guys, I mean, it is - it is all hands on deck working hard to put this tree up two times. So they bring that tree out and they replace with another tree -
HOLMES: Wow. WOLF: -- relatively the same height, 35, 38 feet or so, 25 feet wide, two times.
HOLMES: You all have a tree up, right?
WOLF: Yes.
HOLMES: OK. Just checking.
WOLF: Yes.
HOLMES: One ornament, Reynolds.
WOLF: One ornament right in there (ph) then the kids. So it's - yes. The lower branches get hit pretty hard. The top looks like it's getting an eagle's nest or something.
HOLMES: Thank you, buddy.
WOLF: You bet.
HOLMES: We'll see you again plenty throughout the morning, of course.
We're quarter of the top of the hour. Getting a look at some of the stories making news in sports today.
And the Chicago Bears have waived wide receiver, Sam Hurd, not because of his play on the field, but he's accused of trying to be the Tony Montana of the NFL. He was arrested a couple of days ago on charges of conspiring to possess and distribute cocaine, allegedly accepted a kilo of cocaine from an undercover agent inside a Chicago area restaurant and he's accused of trying to set up buying several kilos per week. We shall see how this case plays out. He says he's innocent.
Also, Barry Bonds sentenced Friday to two years probation and 30 days of house arrest. Yes. after all this, the past 10 years, this whole BALCO scandal, he's getting house arrest for 30 days. Keep in mind, he was only charged with - or convicted in obstruction of justice to Grand Jury inquiry into that alleged illegal steroid use by pro athletes. He was not convicted of the more serious crime of perjury. So 30 days house arrest.
Also, Kobe Bryant's wife says she's done. His wife Vanessa, you're seeing there on the left of the screen has filed for divorce. She did this on Friday. They've been married for 10 plus years. She asked for joint custody of their two children. They have two little girls. You see them there as well. Asking for spousal support. And many of you will remember she was right there with Kobe Bryant holding his hand at that press conference after he was accused of sexual assault in Colorado all those many years ago. She stood by him then but now she says she's done.
Why do you have that look on your face, Reynolds?
WOLF: I'm still getting over the whole Tony Montana reference you made. Not every day, you know, you say hello to my little friends.
HOLMES: You don't get that every day.
WOLF: No. It's concise (ph). It's enjoyable. I'm down.
HOLMES: All right. Have you heard about this cat? It's what literally a cat has inherited $13 million.
WOLF: Your Elvis and Priscilla don't have that kind of gold.
HOLMES: They don't have that. Leaving something to the cat. Are you kidding me? That story is minutes away in our "Passport." Seriously, a cat. Someone left a cat $13 million. We'll get into that.
Also, we'll get into this. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And it seems like you got -
GINGRICH: How would you know?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You've been cheating on your wife -
GINGRICH: How - how would you - other than - other than personal hostility.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Yes. Getting a little loud out there on the campaign trail and personal for Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich, why his marriage track record could become a factor as this race gets closer and closer to votes in Iowa.
But first, who or what did you look for online this year? Google has released its top search terms of 2011.
Number five on the list, Battlefield 3. Yes, award-winning video game by Electronic Art. It was released October 25th. Also, at number four, you see there, Casey Anthony, the young Florida mother acquitted of murder and the death of her daughter Caylee. Also, Ryan Dunn, one of the stars of MTV' "Jackass" reality series, came in at number three. He was killed this past summer in that car accident you may remember.
The top two search terms for 2011, we'll have that for you after the break. Stay with us.
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HOLMES: About nine minutes off the top of the hour now.
Before the break, we showed you some of Google's top search terms of 2011. Battlefield 3, Casey Anthony, Ryan Dunn.
On the list, the top Google search terms for 2011. Number two is Google Plus +. Oh, come on, Google, you just threw that in there, didn't you? Now, the social networking website was launched in June, had everybody talking.
And number one on the list, pop sensation Rebecca Black.
REBECCA BLACK, SINGER: (SINGING "FRIDAY").
HOLMES: I know, I know. You're saying, T.J., stop playing the song. OK. You all remember this young lady. She became a viral star after this music video "Friday" got literally 100 million hits on YouTube and other social media sites. And they weren't saying kind things about it. It got so many hits because people were amazed on just how bad it was.
But she put this together on her own. She's trying to become a star. We're talking about her now. She's the number one search term. OK. She needs a little help in the studio, but give the girl some credit for taking initiative.
OK. Please, stop the song now, Deidre. That is just awful.
A few minutes to the top of the hour. Let's listen to the sweet voice of Nadia Bilchik. Just say good morning in that lovely voice.
NADIA BILCHIK, CNN EDITORIAL PRODUCER: Very good morning to you -
HOLMES: Hello to you.
BILCHIK: -- even though it's not Friday, but it's Saturday.
HOLMES: It's not Friday. Maybe we can make our own mix, a Saturday edition.
BILCHIK: Exactly.
HOLMES: Tell me. A cat, seriously?
BILCHIK: Yes. A 94-year-old Italian woman leaves her cat, Tommaso, $13 million. But there's more to the story. -
HOLMES: Please tell.
BILCHIK: Because here is a woman who doesn't have anyone else. And in fact her nurse, Stefania, landed up looking after the cat and she says this was such a lonely lady. And that's why I think it's such a heartwarming story.
And particularly this time of the year, T.J., think about how many people there are during the holidays who are alone. And loneliness is heightened during the holidays because families get together. Here she is rich but lonely.
HOLMES: You've got to help me with this cat thing. How can you even leave money to an animal?
BILCHIK: Well, she left it in the care of her lawyers. HOLMES: OK.
BILCHIK: Stefania should take care of the cat. So that's how it works. And this is a stray cat. She only got the cat four years ago as a kitten in the alley. She found the cat.
HOLMES: So they had to spend the money on the cat? Is that it?
BILCHIK: Well, they have to spend the money on the cat, looking after the cat. And the caregiver obviously receives the money. You can't actually leave money to the cat, but it's in the care of the lawyers. And the lawyers have agreed that, Stefania, her nurse is an animal lover and will be the right person to take care of little Tommaso.
HOLMES: OK. What happens if the cat runs away or the cat dies?
BILCHIK: Well - or gets kidnapped. Think about this.
HOLMES: I will hold that cat for ransom.
BILCHIK: I think that all kinds of legalities - this is hardly the first time that this has happened.
HOLMES: OK.
BILCHIK: I mean, there's a British heiress that leaves a lot of money to Calu (ph), the Congolese chimp. But she's lost the money now. But at one point, the Congolese chimp was worth $18 million is (INAUDIBLE).
HOLMES: Sorry? How much?
BILCHIK: $18 million. But the richest dog in the world is Gunther IV.
HOLMES: OK.
BILCHIK: Now, Gunther IV actually inherited $327 million from Gunther III, and this was (INAUDIBLE) by the eccentric German countess. Yes, Gunther IV is currently the richest dog in the world or one of the richest dogs in the world.
HOLMES: OK. I'm not crazy, right? This makes no sense. Why - give it to charity.
BILCHIK: I know. One would think. One would think. But, you know, there are people who love their animals more than they people. Remember Leona Helmsly, she left $12 million to Trouble. And, well, the human heirs cut her to $2 million.
HOLMES: Oh, my goodness gracious. Nadia Bilchik with our "Morning Passport." And outrageous "Morning Passport" this morning. Thank you. Good to see you again in the next hour.
Well coming up as well, we're getting close to the top of the hour and we're getting closer to the Senate putting in some work today, trying to decide if you'll get a few extra bucks in every paycheck every week next year and trying to make sure you don't get a tax increase and able hold on to that money.
More about that. It sounds like a deal has been reached. But, hey, it's Congress, you never know.
Also, holiday layaway angels. We've been asking you to weigh in on this story. Asking some of you, you know what, what is maybe the sweetest thing someone has ever done for you or maybe something you planned to do for someone?
Well, here's one from Jackie51 saying, "A few of us have adopted a family with eight children. We tried to get the kids everything they want! So Santa has a full sleigh."
That's a good one. More of your comments. Stay with us.
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HOLMES: As we get close to the top of the hour, anonymous donors are paying off the layaway accounts of families who are struggling this holiday season. And they're asking in return that people pay the kindness forward.
So we, to jump off this story, asked you. What is something you plan to do nice for somebody out there this holiday season? Or maybe what is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you? A lot of responses this morning and thank you for sending them in.
One from Tonya saying, "A stranger paid off all my student loans! I was able to finish college debt-free. That act of generosity changed my life."
Another one from AROD saying -- well, not the ARod, I assume - "I plan to surprise somebody. He's a homeless man who lives behind a Target Store in Central Florida. He's always on the move."
Another here saying, "We're having a holiday toy drive and all the gifts are going to go to a Children's Hospital on Christmas morning."
