Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Saturday Morning News

Cuba Pardons Prisoners; Gingrich, Perry Out of VA Primary; Obama Finally on Vacation

Aired December 24, 2011 - 09:00   ET

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

T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to reset this thing on this CNN Saturday morning on this Christmas eve. Here is a look at some of the stories that are making headlines. We start in Syria where the president there is blaming terrorists for twin suicide bombing in Damascus. Opposition groups however say yesterday's attacks are the work of the regime. One opposition group says violence this week killed almost 300 people.

Also something we are watching out of Russia. This morning thousands of people braving the bitter cold in Moscow to protest what they claim are rigged elections. They're calling into question parliamentary elections earlier this month and returned Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's party to power.

Also in Cuba, the government will pardon nearly 3,000 prisoners, set them free. The Castro administration published an announcement saying prisoners over the age of 60, women as well as sick inmates are among those being released. President Raul Castro cited the upcoming visit of Pope Benedict as the reason for the pardon.

Just past the top of the hour here. We turn to some politics and the battle for Republican president just got a little tougher for Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry. Both candidates failed to qualify for the Virginia primary in March. They didn't come up with enough valid signatures. Virginia is not only an important super Tuesday state, it is the state where Newt Gingrich currently lives.

Our Athena Jones has been on this for us this morning. Athena, I was talking to some of our political players this morning and they could not say strongly enough just how big of a deal and embarrassment this is. If you're a serious candidate. You got to be on the ballot in an important state like Virginia.

ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, exactly. Of course, you have to be on the ballot and as you mentioned, Newt Gingrich is living in Virginia. The most recent Quinnipiac poll had him at the top of the polls there, about five points ahead of Romney. And so it looked like he could do well in that state. There are 49 delegates at stake. But you can't do well if you're not on the ballot as you mentioned. That is the real problem here.

It really does show what a lot of people have been asking questions about these last several weeks when we've seen Gingrich surging in the polls. It's really whether he has the campaign organization to do this long slog. Whether he has the ground game as you'll know. As you remember from back in 2008 it ended up being a really long slogan. It is important to rack up these wins in state primaries and caucuses. That's where Obama ended up besting Hillary Clinton was by racking up those wins sometimes in various states that maybe she wasn't paying attention to.

And so it really, really matters to be on the ballot and in all of these states especially a state where he was expected to do pretty well in. T.J.

HOLMES: OK. We know there are several candidates but only a couple are going to actually be on the ballot in Virginia.

JONES: Right. So Mitt Romney and Ron Paul get to divide up those delegates and that is a big deal. We don't know as I mentioned, you know, where the campaigns will stand, who will have how many delegates by March. It's not one of the first primaries but it is just a really important state and as these - your earlier guests mentioned and as we all know it really matters whether you have the organization and so people who may have been giving Gingrich a real look before might now be scratching their heads and thinking maybe he doesn't have it all together. That is a real problem clearly for him and for Perry.

HOLMES: All right. Athena Jones for us this weekend in Washington. Thank you as always.

JONES: Thanks.

HOLMES: We're going to turn back to one of the candidates who is on the ballot in Virginia. We're talking about Ron Paul. And a problem, an old problem just won't seem to go away for him. Some old newsletters are being deemed racist and homophobic. Our Brian Todd looks at the letters and the issues that continue to haunt this Republican presidential candidate.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): As he surges in the polls before Iowa, Ron Paul is again having to defend himself over language in a letter written on his behalf. We've reported recently and in previous campaigns how Ron Paul has disavowed newsletters with his name on them, newsletters from the 1980s and '90s with racial insults toward African-Americans and others.

With those newsletters Paul said he didn't write them, didn't know who did, and that he rarely read them. Now we're learning of a solicitation letter for those newsletters not only written on Paul's behalf but with what appears to be his signature on them. And the language is incendiary. In the direct mail letter, it warns of "the coming race war in our big cities." It mentions, "the federal homosexual cover-up on aids and then says in brackets "my training as a physician helps me see through this one."

It references the Israeli lobby, which plagues Congress like a cheap harmonica. The letter is an effort to get people to send in money to subscribe to three newsletters put out by Paul, including one called "Surviving the New Money" where they lay out what they say is a government conspiracy to track people through new currency.

But unlike those letters, there is one item worth mentioning with the solicitation letter. This letter has Ron Paul's signature indicating possibly a closer connection. The Reuters News Agency, which first reported on this and obtained a copy of the letter says this solicitation was written around 1993. Reuters says it got the letter from James Karcik, contributing editor of "The New Republic" magazine.

We contacted Ron Paul's campaign. In an e-mail to CNN campaign chairman Jessie Benton said "Dr. Paul did not write that solicitation and the signature is an auto pen. It does not reflect his thoughts and is out of step with the message he has espoused for 40 years." The campaign says Paul disavows the letter, abhors that content. They say there were multiple ghost writers involved in writing all these letters and that Paul does not know who wrote the offensive material.

But the campaign also says that because they appeared under his name, "He should have better policed it and that he has assumed responsibility and apologized." We also tried to find out whether Ron Paul's campaign is going to try to find out who wrote the letter and maybe admonish that person. We didn't hear back.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: Six minutes past the hour now. You can join CNN Tuesday, January 3rd, for live coverage of the Iowa caucuses. A special live "America's Choice" 2012 coverage of the caucuses begins Tuesday night, January 3rd, at 7:00 Eastern time.

A lot of you all aren't done yet. It's Christmas eve. And you got something to do today. You forgot a couple of gifts. You got to head out to the mall. But we will be out there with some of those last- minute shoppers in New Jersey. Our Alison Kosik, we sent her out and we'll talk to her and see who she has been talking to. Also our Reynolds Wolf has the important forecast for you. Good morning to you once again.

WOLF: Good morning, T.J.. We got two big weather stories we're following. First and foremost your travel weather. You got to know what is going to happen out there if you're trying to get from one side of the country to the other or just right down the street to get those last minute presents you're referring to.

The second big thing we're following is who is getting a white Christmas and who is going to miss out on Mr. Snow man? We're going to let you know, coming up in a few moments, T.J..

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

HOLMES: Ten minutes past the hour on this Christmas eve and "CNN Saturday Morning," the day before Christmas. You're not done, are you? You didn't finish did you? Your Christmas shopping? You got to go out and brave that mess today because you procrastinated. And they are not going to be alone, are they? Alison Kosik, a lot of people waited until the last minute.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And the malls know it. The shopping malls know it. I'm at Newport Center in Jersey City, New Jersey. And, yes. They are very much aware of how many people procrastinate. Yes, we are just a day before Christmas so this mall in particular opened at 7:00 a.m. this morning. And believe it or not people were shopping at that hour.

You know, I had some time to kill so I took a stroll around, did a little window shopping. But I noticed a couple things. Ricky (ph), moved a little over here. I noticed that a lot of these stores are offering some pretty good discounts this day before Christmas. You know, a lot of these retailers - they're still trying to push the merchandise off their shelves so don't be surprised if you get some really good deals today.

There is a second thing I noticed, T.J.. The second thing I noticed today on this day before Christmas as we see procrastinators walking around. A lot of them are men. This is an unscientific survey, of course, but a lot of these shoppers are men.

One of them we found here is Bobby Warren. Bobby, you are out here shopping the day before Christmas. A little late to the game?

BOBBY WARREN, LAST-MINUTE SHOPPER: Yes, I'm not used to doing this that often. Usually I have people do shopping for me but now my sister wanted a gift this year from me personally so now I'm trying to find something for her. I took care of my grandson already but I'm looking for my sister right now.

KOSIK: OK. You don't have any bags. I don't think you're doing too well, Bobby.

WARREN: It's hard to shop for my sister. My sister really is a strange person. I have to find something for her.

KOSIK: So what do you think you're going to be looking to get her at this point?

WARREN: Something in electronics like with the iPad or the notebooks or something like that, some type of thing to hook up (INAUDIBLE).

KOSIK: That sounds like a great gift. I certainly wouldn't mind that. Well, good luck to you. I hope you walk out with a bag or two. Thanks for talking with us.

WARREN: You're welcome.

KOSIK: And you know, he is not alone because, T.J., would you believe that 25 percent of people as of Thursday haven't done any Christmas shopping at all. So you know what, Bobby is in good company. Anyone out there who is getting ready to go shop at the malls today you're in good company. Right, T.J.? HOLMES: Well, I'm just listening to Bobby there. He just called his sister strange and on top of that he is out last minute trying to get her a gift.

KOSIK: I know.

HOLMES: Come on, Bobby. All right. We do see a lot of men behind you.

KOSIK: At least he is trying.

HOLMES: He's trying. We'll give him credit for that.

KOSIK: Yes, there are.

HOLMES: Alison, we'll check in with you again. We're not going to go too far from the gifting idea but we're going to be talking about regifting. Do you do it? Can you do it? Has it been done to you? Well, maybe it's not so taboo. We'll give you the do's and don'ts of regifting.

Also CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta launched a new program called "The Next List" and each week he profiles innovators from all walks of life. This week he talks to a techno illusionist.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Making art is not my aspiration. My aspiration is to do what I love. Like to show my passion to my audiences. And I can show that to my audience. That's totally enough. That's exactly what I want to achieve.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Seventeen minutes past the hour. Hello, Los Angeles. A little Earth, Wind, and Fire for you on this Christmas eve. Got a couple entertainment headlines for you. Listen to this.

Mel Gibson is officially divorced from his wife of 30 years, Robin. That is not the biggest headline out of this story. These two have been separated since 2006 right after his drunken driving arrest in California and a slew of racial remarks. You remember that.

Now tabloids are reporting Robin is going to get half of Gibson's $850 million net worth. That would make it the largest Hollywood divorce settlement in history. By the way, robin is going back to using her maiden name. So now it's going to be Robin Moore.

Christmas time here. Let's talk about happier news, shall we? Robert De Niro and his wife, Grace, have received a very special holiday gift, a healthy seven-pound, two-ounce baby girl. The newborn's name? Ellen Grace, arrived via a surrogate.

Also, some happy people. Maybe another happy guy here. I don't know if he's happier than De Niro with a new child but it is reported Leonardo DiCaprio, they gave me this story this morning. I haven't seen the woman yet but that is we're told his new woman. She dresses a little funny but I'm sure she is a nice lady. That is Victoria Secret's angel Erin Heatherton. The two were seen together in Sydney, Australia. DiCaprio was shooting his film "The Great Gatsby." In the past, you know, the "Titanic" actor has been linked to other angels and just about every gorgeous woman in Los Angeles.

But let me move on. It's official. A lot of people still trying to come up with a Christmas gift. We know it is last minute. You might not want to hit the mall. If you're desperate it may be time to consider regifting. That is not my advice. Other people will tell you about that. We're told it is not as tasteless as you may think.

Newspaper columnist and blogger Carol Townsend has some of the do's and don'ts. This is incredibly tasteless. You can't do this.

CAROL TOWNSEND, COLUMNIST AND BLOGGER: I personally do not do it, no. But I have been the victim of a regift.

HOLMES: So, it's OK. When you say you don't do it and you say victim it still sounds like something we should not do.

TOWNSEND: It's not something that we own up to. But I think in this economy people are forced to be resourceful.

HOLMES: Yes.

TOWNSEND: So if you're going to do it, follow some rules.

HOLMES: Follow some rules. OK.

What should - let's go with what we should do. Does it matter who you give it to? Maybe somebody you're close to, not that close to, family member, distant cousin, what?

TOWNSEND: I believe that if you're going to regift it shouldn't be your mom. Shouldn't be your husband.

HOLMES: OK.

TOWNSEND: Probably not one of your children.

HOLMES: OK.

TOWNSEND: But there are always last-minute gifts, things that pop up THAT you didn't expect to have to purchase. And there are some gifts that are perfectly fine to regift someone.

HOLMES: What types of things are we talking about?

TOWNSEND: One of the examples I like to use is those beautiful food baskets, wine, cheese, chocolate. You may get so many you can't use.

HOLMES: OK.

TOWNSEND: There may be something in it that you don't care for.

HOLMES: OK.

TOWNSEND: Great hostess gifts. Same season.

HOLMES: Same season.

TOWNSEND: Don't stick it in the closet and use it next year.

HOLMES: OK. So are we getting over, we talked about this being taboo. Do you see - you said people still don't own up to it so if you don't that means it's a little taboo.

TOWNSEND: It is still taboo. I think that will always be the case. I think again in this economy people are being forced to be resourceful. As long as you do it with taste you can still show consideration and care in selecting a gift. A lot of times what people will do is regift say a wedding present.

HOLMES: OK.

TOWNSEND: To someone during the holidays. It can be something very nice.

HOLMES: We'll get to the don'ts here in a second. But two things here. How do you handle, I guess, who is it more offensive to, the person you are giving the regift to or the person who gave you the gift that you're now giving away?

TOWNSEND: I think it's about an even call.

HOLMES: OK.

TOWNSEND: If you're caught it is.

HOLMES: Should you ever own up to it?

TOWNSEND: I believe, no. You should not.

HOLMES: Oh!

TOWNSEND: You just have to be careful about it. So yes.

HOLMES: OK. So let's go through the don'ts. OK. You said, OK. One big don't is don't own up to it. Don't tell somebody you're doing it. What else do you need to watch out for if you want to do this?

TOWNSEND: Well, and I'm going to add there if you have young children don't tell your children that you're - this s our secret. We're going to give this to aunt so and so. That is the first thing they'll say when they walk in the room. Don't share the secret with your children.

HOLMES: OK.

TOWNSEND: Another don't is oh, my goodness don't scratch out the to/from name on the tag. Rewrap the present. And yes I've seen that done. Rewrap the whole thing. That makes it yours plus you can check for personal notes that might be tucked inside of some things say if it were a wedding gift. You don't want to hand someone a present that has a note written to you tucked inside.

HOLMES: It makes sense.

TOWNSEND: Just be careful. Gosh, another don't.

HOLMES: You know what? How about this? Would you be offended if you knew someone regifted to you? OK. Gave you a gift that someone had given them?

TOWNSEND: It depends on who did it.

HOLMES: OK.

TOWNSEND: And truly, I mean, if I knew that they had to make the choice of regift or be embarrassed, and not have a gift, it depends on the circumstances.

HOLMES: OK. Reynolds, are you hearing this? This is so disturbing to me sometimes. Reynolds and I get that about the tough times, tough economic times.

WOLF: I'm perplexed. I'm with you, T.J.. When I think about the type of gift, for example, if someone gives you a Rolex watch and it's regifted I'm all there. But I think when it does come to food it has to get sketchy. For example, hold on, America. Hold on one second.

T.J., one thing I was thinking of giving you was actually a half eaten box of donuts. But if you open up the box itself you don't have to zoom in or anything because I am going to hold it up. Look at this. Delectable donut. You know, this could be a decent gift. But watch this. Not anymore. It's not a delectable - T.J. does not want this for Christmas.

HOLMES: You're saying that as a don't.

TOWNSEND: Yes. That is a don't.

HOLMES: Did you see a time that over time and I know part of it is the economy now and it is a more understandable but do you see over time that this could become not even a common practice but an accepted practice that's out there in the open?

TOWNSEND: You know, I read the other day that regifting is being considered now under the umbrella of the green movement and recycling.

HOLMES: Oh, OK.

TOWNSEND: That may be the in.

HOLMES: That may be it.

TOWNSEND: If it is going to become an accepted practice, I mean, that's politically correct.

HOLMES: All right. Well, again, Carol Townsend here schooling me on regifting. But whatever you do, don't tell anybody. Good to have you. Thank you so much. Really timely here on Christmas eve. A lot of people might need to go this route.

TOWNSEND: Exactly. You don't want to go to the mall.

HOLMES: Thank you so much. Reynolds, I'm learning here.

WOLF: I know. It's amazing. Everything is relative on things you can regift and not. And just as a heads up, tomorrow afternoon after my three kids are full of punch and cookies that kind of stuff, I think my wife and I are going to regift our kids to you and your wife at your house. OK? It's just how it is. Only a temporary gift but still it's a gift all the same. Consider it from one dear friend to another.

Hey, we're getting the gift of snowfall in parts of Texas right now, especially back towards West Texas, Amarillo, Lubbock. Just really a light dusting in some higher spots especially in the (INAUDIBLE) and Apache Mountains. You might have a couple inches of snowfall but when you get into Dallas itself, it's all going to be rain, everything flowing up from the Gulf of Mexico. Some of these might be heavy but we aren't expecting any flooding situation or anything like that.

We might also have a little bit of a snowfall forming in parts of the great lakes back into Lake Eerie, we're talking about you. We got the prevailing wind out of the northwest. That northwest breeze is going to give you that wind off the lake, that moisture so expect a little bit of light snowfall there. Chilly conditions through the northern plains into the Rockies where highs are going to be into the 40s. 45 in Billings. This is as high as you're going to go. 41 in Denver. 42 in Kansas City. 62 in San Francisco. 45 in Dallas and 61 in Atlanta.

T.J., your turn.

HOLMES: All right. Reynolds, thank you, kind sir.

We're getting close to the bottom of the hour and it is a major setback for two republican presidential hopefuls. The former House Speaker and the governor. Neither will have their name on the ballot on super Tuesday in one state. What in the world happened? Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: As we get closer to the bottom of the hour, a look at stories making headlines. In Cuba nearly 3,000 prison inmates about to be set free. We're talking about in Cuba, (INAUDIBLE) the government published an announcement saying prisoners over the age of 60, women, and sick inmates are among those to be released. President Raul Castro cited the upcoming visit of Pope Benedict as the reason for the mass pardon. Also Newt Gingrich and Texas Governor Rick Perry, neither of those names will be on Virginia's Republican primary ballot. They both failed to generate the minimum number of signatures required by the state. Virginia Republicans hold their primary in early March.

Also, President Obama finally made it to vacation. Hawaii. He was a bit delayed here. You see him arriving though in Honolulu. Touchdown there. The sun was setting. Yesterday, he met up with his wife and two daughters who had been there a week already. Of course, the president was delayed by the tax cut extension fight in Washington.

Coming your way, next hour, we're taking a look back at the celebrity headlines that got everybody talking this year and of course, Charlie Sheen made the list. Also, a new version of old shoes went on sale yesterday. We're talking about the new Jordans and everybody went crazy about these shoes across the country. Sacramento, hundreds of people waited in the cold all night to get their hands on a pair. Now waiting in line that's one thing.

But look at some of the scenes though. This one in Kansas City. We'll show you this next one here. People in a mad dash, a sprint to get to the front of the line to get their hands on the shoes. Sorry I don't have the sprint video for you but another, we could show, there it is, this one is out of Kansas City. Again, they're after Jordans. These are old shoes. The man hasn't made a jump shot in almost 10 years and he can still send people into a frenzy there.

Another chaotic scene in Indianapolis, more than 300 shoppers rushed a mall, even ripped the doors off the hinges. People were being trampled as you see in some of this video. Again, we're talking shoes. Also in Georgia four people arrested trying to get their hands on a pair. $180 pair of shoes for a guy who has been retired almost 10 years. Whatever floats your boat. I'll be back with you at the top of the hour.

Right now, "Your Bottom Line."