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CNN Live Sunday

English Professor At Drew University Requires Voting As A Course Requisite; Kerry, Bush Campaigning Furiously In Battleground State; Zarqawi Claims Resposibility For Execution Of Dozens Of Iraqi National Guard

Aired October 24, 2004 - 16:00   ET

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

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


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Should the president get a flu shot? That's part of our debate during this hour. Then we head to the northeast where the pumpkins are big adn the turkey is even bigger.
And what does a skunk have to do with calling in sick to work? Stay tuned.

Hello and welcome to CNN SUNDAY. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. All of that and more after this check of the headlines.

U.S. war planes pound targets in the rebel stronghold of Fallujah. Iraqi police say 4 people, including 2 police officers, were killed in the attack, 5 others were wounded, including a child.

The husband of kidnapped aid director Margaret Hasan makes plea to his wife's captor. Tasin Ali Hasan (ph) appeared on al Arabiya Television and asked insurgents holding his wife in Iraq to release her. Hasan reminded his wife's captors that she's an Iraqi citizen and considers Iraq her home.

The nation's capital is remembering one its most prominent religious leaders. Cardinal James Hickey, the man who led the Roman Catholic Church in Washington for 2 decades died today at the age of 84. Hickey retired in 2000. His successor calls his death a poignant loss for the Church

First, a developing story in Iraq. A group led by Abu Musab al Zarqawi is claiming responsibility for a brazen attack on dozens of Iraqi soldiers. Forty-four soldiers, fresh out of boot camp, were heading home when they were ambushed and shot execution style near the Iranian border. CNN's Karl Penhaul joins us from Baghdad with the latest -- Karl.

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This was a massacre, Fredricka. These people were heading home on mini buses for a few days rest and relaxation. As you say, fresh out of boot camp, they've just finished their military training. This was supposed to be the new face of security and stability in Iraq, instead, they ended up face down in the dirt and the insurgents shot them in the back of the head.

Their bodies have been brought to an Iraqi National Guard compound close to the Iranian border where this attack occurred. In the course of the day these bodies in a terrible state, many of them caked with blood and dirt.

The attack happened Saturday afternoon, late in the afternoon. And then as a result of a tip-off to the Iraqi National Guard, the Iraqi National Guard put together a patrol and went out and found this site. As I say, about 15 or 20 miles from the Iranian border due East of Baghdad.

All of this fits very much into a pattern that we've been seeing over the last weeks and months. And that of the insurgents attacking Iraq's homegrown security forces. They seem to view these security forces as a softer target than the U.S. forces which are better protected, better equipped and better trained than these Iraqi forces -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And Karl, what kind of response is coming from the interim government?

PENHAUL: There is one today of somewhat disbelief so far. Of all of the attacks that we have seen, certainly over the last few weeks, this has been one of the most terrible. No official response yet from the Iraq interim government, except of course, to confirm some of the details of the attack, but this is certainly something that is not going to away. We expect to hear much more about this in the coming days, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Karl Penhaul, thanks so much for that live report from Baghdad.

We turn now to the presidential race here in this country, where everything is in single digits. There are just nine days left until the election. Poll after poll shows President Bush and Senator Kerry only a few points apart. And our poll of polls average has a three- point lead, or spread, rather. And Senator Kerry is concentrating on just one state today, Florida.

National correspondent Frank Buckley join us from Fort Lauderdale -- Frank.

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, Senator Kerry appearing today and concentrating, as you say, on one state, Florida. But also delivering a speech today that is really for national consumption, a speech on values. Senator Kerry aides, campaign advisers saying this is an attempt to reassure those voters, that the majority of Americans, who say they want a president who is grounded in faith.

They also believe this was a chance for Senator Kerry to connect with those undecided voters who might want to know what motivates a candidate who has said he doesn't wear his religion on his sleeve. Today Senator Kerry addressed at one issue that's come up about faith, about Kerry's decision making process as a Catholic if he were to be elected president.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN KERRY, (D-MA) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I know there are some bishops who have suggested that as a public official I must cast votes, or take public positions on issues like a woman's right to choose, or stem cell research that carry out the tenets of the Catholic Church. I love my Church, I respect the bishops, but I respectfully disagree.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BUCKLEY: Earlier, Senator Kerry attended church services at a prodominately African-American church to rally an important part of the Democratic base and presidential politics, Africa-American voters and to reassure people in a state where questions still remain about voters who were turned away from polls in the 2000 election.

(BEGIN VIDEO CILP)

KERRY: I want it tell every single one of you here in Florida, you're reading in the newspapers about the possibilities of problems and this and that if you don't vote. Don't worry. I want you to turn out. I put together the strongest legal team in the history of our efforts.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BUCKLEY: Now, Senator Kerry after his tour of Florida today will be moving onto New Hampshire tomorrow. And then later tomorrow, on Monday afternoon, he'll be appearing in Philadelphia in the major battleground state of Pennsylvania, appearing with former President Bill Clinton -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And Al Gore is also going to be campaigning on Kerry's behalf. What's the plan there?

BUCKLEY: Well, he is campaigning on behalf of Senator Kerry here in Florida today. Al Gore's primary role, again, to fire up the base of the Democratic Party, to get those people here in Florida excited, to remind them of the outcome here in Florida that many Democrats are still very angry about and to get them fired up about that so they'll turn out to the polls this year in 2004.

WHITFIELD: All right. Frank Buckley, traveling with the Kerry camp in Ft. Lauderdale. Thanks so much.

Well, the election is boiling down to about a dozen key states where the Bush-Kerry race could go either way. If you want to know which states, just look at the candidates's travel schedules. Again, Kerry is spending the rest of today campaigning in Florida. He also plans to visit New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin.

And he keeps going west to Iowa, New Mexico and Nevada. And all that just over the next 48-hour period.

And don't forget the battleground state of Ohio. Senator John Edwards is spending this Sunday campaigning in Cincinatti, Dayton and Lima. Vice president Cheney is in Ohio tomorrow.

President Bush is heading to a campgian rally in New Mexico this afternoon. He spent most of the day at his ranch in Texas. And will be back there tonight. Suzanne Malveaux joins us from Crawford -- Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, President Bush, of course, hoping to get the Hispanic vote in New Mexico today. And I have to tell you, of course, they look at who is campaigning for Senator Kerry, that is going to be the former President Bill Clinton and Gore heading out on Monday.

Well, they've got their own star power that is backing President Bush this week. Senior campaign officials confirming that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California will be with the president late this week. They'll campaign together in Ohio, the key battleground state of Ohio.

Really this is seen as quite a coup for them. As you know, of course, Schwarzenegger spoke at the Republican convention. But he is widely regarded as the most popular Republican, has mass appeal to the moderates. That is certainly what they are hoping to get is that moderate vote.

Now, of course, President Bush not only pulling out all of the stops in star power, but also kind of the theatrics as well, almost looking like a Hollywood set yesterday in Melbourne, Florida. That is where President Bush landed Marine One in a park before a cheering crowd.

The president yesterday traveling with the first lady, his brother, Florida's governor Jeb Bush. Of course, all of this trying to rally the party faithful. The strategy is really two-fold: To try to get those out to the polls, to try to appeal to the undecideds.

Earlier today I spoke with Dan Bartlett. He's the White House communications director who says that these next 9 days are critical for a Bush win.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAN BARTLETT, WHITE HOUSE COMM. DIRECTOR: I think there's a very small undecided group compared to past elections, because people have paid such attention to this. But if you look at the type of support President Bush is receiving, if you look at the CNN/Gallop poll, President Bush is getting over 50 percent approval, or in the ballot. That means he's pulling together a coalition that is not just Republicans, but Democrats and independents. And that's who we're going to appeal to the last few days of this campaign.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: And Fred, also of course, they are a bit more confident when they take a look at specific groups, particularly Hispanic and African-American voters in New Mexico today. This is a state that the president lost 4 years ago by 366 votes. He is specifically targeting the Hispanics in that state.

He believes that they will get more than the 35 percent that they did last time around when it comes to the African-American vote. It was 9 percent the last presidential election. They think they can double that number this year -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: And Suzanne, back to Ohio. We know it is an important battleground state. Already polls are showing that Kerry is the one in the lead in Ohio. But what is the significance as to why the Republicans feel like Arnold Schwarzenegger's appearance with the president in Ohio may make the difference?

MALVEAUX: Well, you may recall that back in 1988, 1992 Schwarzenegger was actually campaigning for President Bush's father back then in Columbus, Ohio. It was received very well in that state. That is one of the reasons why the 2 of them will appear together in that state.

We also understand, as well, there is a body building competition that Schwarzenegger sponsors in the state of Ohio, so he is especially popular in that particular area.

WHITFIELD: All right. Suzanne Malveaux in Crawford, Texas, thanks so much.

Well, there are plenty of reasons why voters will be motivated to go to the polls this year. For some students at Drew University, however, in New Jersey, the motivation is pretty simple. They'll flunk if they don't vote. Jason Caroll explain why that has caused a bit of a stir.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At a small private university in New Jersey, in an English Literature class smaller than most, a controversial assignment from professor Merrill Scaggs.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She confidently believes she is..

CARROLL: One that requires her students to vote in the presidential election.

UNIDENTIIFED FEMALE: Just the idea of a professor deciding you must vote is just something that rubs students the wrong way.

CARROLL: How many supported the idea of maditory voting as a course requirement?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I thought it was great.

CARROLL: You thought it was great?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Because she, by this requirement, we're either forced to drop the class, or to go out and actually research the candidate.

CARROLL: And opposed? Professor Scaggs course is foundations of American culture. She thought requiring students to vote would help them see the impact of the electoral process on American culture these days. The administration thought otherwise.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think people are uncomfortable with the idea of forcing people to participate in a democracy.

CARROLL: Under pressure from her bosses, she changed the requirement.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What I'm requiring my students to do, is to enter the voting booth. What they do once in that is their private bus.

CARROLL: Is up to them, I see.

Mandatory, or compulsory voting may sound undemocratic, but it is standard in Australia for all citizens. The same in more than a dozen other Democratic countries. Not showing up can result in fines.

Many students had trouble imagining that kind of a system in the United States.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's just a bit strange. You have a Democracy. You get to choose who you vote for, yet, you do not get to choose whether you vote or not.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm American. It's my God given right to eat Cheetos and not watch the news and not vote if I want to.

CARROLL: Professor Scaggs would like mandatory voting for all U.S. citizens, but won't require her students to vote next semester.

(on camera): Why not?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm teaching Henry James next semester. It's not relevant.

CARROLL: Back to literature, political lesson learned.

Jason Carroll, CNN, Madison, New Jersey.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: So, assuming you want to vote, more of the nation's newspapers are offering advice on who you should be supporting. John Kerry was endorsed today by the Des Moines Register, The Chicago Sun Times, The Washington Post and the Orlando Sentinel. The Orlando paper hasn't endorsed a Democratic presidential candidate in 40 years.

President Bush today won the backing of the Columbus Dispatch in Ohio and the Denver Post.

Well, will any of these endorsements have an impact? Let's ask our senior political analyst Bill Schneider who joins us now from New York.

Good to see you, Bill.

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Hi, Fred.

WHITFIELD: How significant is it for a candidate to receive an endorsement from a major newspaper?

SCHNEIDER: Well, interestingly, the major newspapers don't usually have a big impact. Because, look, a presidential race people can see for themselves. They know who the candidates are. They follow it on television. They are intensely familiar with the campaign.

This is one of the campaigns that people have followed more than most. So, they don't really need a newspaper to help them make up their minds. Newspapers are often influential in very low visibility races, local races, legislative races where people really aren't familiar with the candidates so they look at the paper and see who the Denver Post, or the Orlando Sentinel likes in that race.

The interesting thing is, newspapers do often have an impact in rural areas and in small towns, because there people feel identified with and attached to their local paper. And as you know, a lot of this race in these battleground states is being fought in rural areas and small towns. So, it is the smaller newspapers that may matter more.

WHITFIELD: So, you have to wonder how a lot of these newspapers are justifying throwing their support behind a candidate, especially when most readers like to think that these are unbiased outlets. Papers like the Washington Post, the Orlando Sentinel, don't they lose an awful lot by throwing their support behind a certain candidate, as well?

SCHNEIDER: Certainly a risk for newspaper. Most towns, most major metropolitan areas today have one or at most two newspapers. They are seen as a civic institution. For them to endorse a candidate does antagonize and alienate some voters who then will say, this newspaper is biased and all of its news coverage is going to be in favor the newspaper supports.

Now that does happen sometimes. And frankly, for most of American history, that was the rule. What newspapers do today is try to build some kind of a wall between their editoral department, which endorses candidates, and their news coverage, which almost every newspaper in the country, certainly every major newspaper insists must be kept unbiased. It's just that readers don't see that wall.

WHITFIELD: Well, interesting. Well, let's talk further about influencing factors and talk about some of the polls. With 9 days to go, you have to wonder, are these polls out this week later on, are they going to influence the candidates? Are they going influence the voting public, especially those who claim to be undecided still?

SCHNEIDER: Well, these polls show a race that is neck in neck. And what that does to voters is get them interested. Hey, this is a horserace. You're not supposed to talk about a campaign as a horserace, it is a very serious matter, but there's no question that when it is really close, voters get interested.

The highest turnout we have seen in the last 50 years, was in 1960 which wasn't a hugely different ideological showdown like it is now, but that was really a horserace.

So you're going to see a lot of voters energized by this. The polls are not predictive. But I'll tell you the number to keep an eye on, the number is Bush's support. He's the incumbant. And voters have to make up their minds whether to rehire him, or fire him the way they did his father back in 1992. If Bush's number, his support number in these polls, is significantly below 50 percent, if it is 46 percent or 45 percent, then he is in trouble, even if he may be a couple points ahead of Senator Kerry.

Keep an eye on the Bush number. That's the one to watch, because undecided voters in the end usually come out and vote for the challenger.

WHITFIELD: And significant, too, you talk about these new voters. Something like 1.5 million new registered voters, and many of whom have not been polled. So, it really is difficult to discern which way they might be going.

SCHNEIDER: They're polled, they're polled if they are new voters. And they are eligible to go into the likely voter pool in every poll that I know of. It's just that many of them don't have the habit of voting. So, it is a big question whether they will come out this year.

If a newly registered voter, who has been eligible to vote in the past, if a newly registered voter expressed a lot of interest and engagement in this election, yes, they are in the likely voter group and they're part of the poll. But history shows that when a person has not voted his or her entire life and suddenly is signed up to vote by a political party or a worker, it is often that voter just doesn't show up at the polls. So, it going to be real effort, not just to register people, but to get them to show up.

WHITFIELD: Wow. It is going to be interesting to watch. And it is hard not to call it a horserace. Agree with you on that, Bill.

All right. Thanks a lot.

SCHNEIDER: Sure.

WHITFIELD: Well, electronic voting machines are supposed to prevent a repeat of the hanging chad fiasco. Will they produe a debacle of another sort? Diebold is a leading maker of e-voting machines, and a big contributor to the Republican Party, facts that tickle the imagination of conspiracy theorists. And a comedy group called Boom Chicago of Amsterdam. Here's their take on the new technology.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. Here we go. OK. John kerry. Hello. John Kerry. John Kerry. Next.

Are you sure?

Yes. Yes. Yes. I'm really, really sure. I don't want to not vote for John Kerry.

No. All right. Come on. John Kerry.

OK. Maybe I want to vote for George Bush.

Come here. Come here. Come here. Come here. John kerry.

What? No!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: That produced by Boom Chicago.

Well, the race for the White House, computer glitches and all is getting a lot of attention on late night television as well. Comedians have been merciless in lampooning both President Bush and John Kerry. Take a look at a sampleling.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID LETTERMAN, TALK SHOW HOST: Down in Florida, there were computer glitches in early voting, there were confusing ballots, long lines and chaos. And when President Bush heard about this, he said mission accomplished.

JAMES CARVILLE, CROSSFIRE CO-HOST: People watch a political show, a political show for the reason a drunk uses a lamp post, it wants support, not illumination.

LETTERMAN: John Kerry went duck hunting. And he's doing that to fulfill his campaign pledge to hunt down the ducks and kill them wherever they are.

CARVILLE: The good thing about "CROSSFIRE" is, is that we kind of (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Because if you think like a Democrat, you can watch our side. If you think like a Republican -- well, Republicans don't think, but if you act -- or whatever it is...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Which candidate looks more like a goat?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Definitely John Kerry.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: John Kerry, OK

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have a plan.

JAY LENO, TALK SHOW HOST: Well, neither Bush nor Kerry have gotten the flu shot. And both of them said today they're not going to get one. And Ralph Nader said he's not getting a flu shot either. Although in his case, he doesn't really need one, because he doesn't come in contact with any large crowds.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: John Kerry said in an interview with "Rollingstone" magazine that he would end the color-coded terror alert system and find a more thoughtful way of alerting the American people.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well, game one of the World Series was a wild and record setting ride. And our own Larry Smith was there for it all.

LARRY SMITH, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: I tell you what, we expect another wild game tonight as well, game 2 of the World Series. And coming up, we'll tell you why Curt Schilling believes this start for the Red Sox starter is so special for him.

WHITFIELD: Also ahead, what do members of Congress, prison inmates and Chicago Bears have in common? They're getting a free pass to the front of the line. Coming up, the flu shot shortage and who is actually getting the vaccine.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: The St. Louis Cardinals hope to even the score tonight against the Red Sox in game two of the World Series. The Cardinals were beemed in Boston last night in the highest scoring opener in World Series history. CNN's Larry Smith is live at Fenway in Boston with the very latest.

Hello, again, Larry.

SMITH: Hello, Fredricka. Yes. A little bit of a rain now falling here at Fenway Park in Boston. And certainly the St. Louis Cardinals will arrive at the park today, here at Fenway Park, with a positive attitude. They must win at least game here at Fenway if they are to win the World Series, so why not tonight?

Well, last night the Cardinals had to believe that they let one slip away in game one Saturday night. After falling behind 7-2, and again 9-7, the Cardinals, the National League champions, rallied twice to tie it up only to see it undone by Mark Bellhorn's 2 run homerun in the 8th inning. That was the difference in an 11-9 Red Sox victory.

In game two tonight, the Cardinals will send Matt Morris to the mound. He's was their work horse through more innings than anybody else on the Cardinal's staff this year. He will go against Curt Schilling.

The 37-year-old has etched his name is red sox lure after pitching seven strong innings in the game six victory in the ALCS over the Yankees. That despite a dislocated tendon in his right ankle. And he had suchures put in a couple of days ago in an attempt to kind of ease the pain that he will face tonight, certainly. That injury, though, will require surgery at season's end.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CURK SCHILLING, RED SOX PITCHER: These are times in your life, and not just baseball, but no one believes it is possible but you. When you succeed and you come through in moments like this, no one can question what you're made of.

TERRY FRANCONA, RED SOX MANAGER: I have known Schill long enough where I expect him to pitch. That's why he's here. That's why we want him so badly, because he'll be a good pitcher through thick and thin. He's a competitor. He's good. That's why he came here. And he wants to fulfill that. And he will.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: Curt Schilling led the majors in 21 win this is year. He's 7-2 all-time in his playoff starts. One of those losses coming in game one versus the Yankees, again, with his injury. But he'll be facing a Cardinals lineup that's going to be trying to make amends for last night. The three, four and five hitters in the St. Louis lineup, the heart of that line-up, just one hit combined last night and three strikeouts. They expect to do better in game two. Let's go back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much, Larry Smith in Boston.

Well, talk about getting beamed. Did you watch "Saturday Night Live" last night? Painful. Pop singer Ashlee Simpson is blaming her band for some trouble during a musical number on SNL.

(SINGING)

WHITFIELD: Whoops. Simpson's first appearance on last night's show featured that hit single, "Pieces of Me." It went off without a hitch. But then, she was supposed to come back for a second song and mysteriously a recording of that first song was played by mistake. Well, you saw right there, she was kind of awkwardly started dancing, and kind of shrunk off the stage.

Well, later, she said her band actually played the wrong tune. And guess what, folks, it is live TV. No comment, yet, from NBC.

And what was the most lame excuse you ever gaven when you called if sick to work? Think it made the top ten? We've got a list straight ahead.

And does Heidi Klum think of herself as a CEO? She talks to our Carlos Watson. And we'll have a sneak peak of that interview when we come right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Here's look at what's happening now in the news a group led by suspected terror master mind Abu Musab Al Zarqawi is claiming responsibility for the ambush of 44 newly trained Iraqi soldiers at a fake checkpoint near the Iranian border. The soldiers and their four drivers were each shot in the head as they lay face down on the ground.

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry is meeting with the faithful in Florida today. He picked up the endorsements of the Orlando "Sentinel" newspapers and outside Florida the "Washington Post" and the "Chicago Sun Times." It is the first time in 40 years the Orlando paper supported a Democrat for the presidency.

President Bush is receiving his share of newspaper endorsements as well. The Columbus "Dispatch" and the Denver "Post" are supporting him. He's also going to get some more muscle on the campaign trail. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is expected to begin campaigning with Bush this week.

Well usually he talks mostly politics but tonight our political analyst Carlos Watson goes off topic with three famous faces. The show debuts tonight. And in it an inside look at the lives of NBA star Shaquille O'Neal, super model Heidi Klum and Senate candidate Barack Obama. And Carlos Swanson joins us now with a preview. All right this was a lot of fun. I'm sure they had to twist your arm to do this one.

CARLOS WATSON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: The Heidi Klum part was probably the hardest of all.

WHITFIELD: Really well lets talk about her first. I mean most folks think you know the pretty face the model. But little do they know she's quite the business woman.

WATSON: She is, runs a complex global business in a dozen different countries. Shoes, candy, jewelry. What I like about her is she was down to earth. And you are going to see it at one point in the interview she wants to choke me.

WHITFIELD: Oh really, she was frank? Let's take look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: Do you think of yourself as CEO like when you get up in the morning do you think I'm Heidi Klum the model?

HEIDI KLUM, MODEL: Yes.

WATSON: You know what I mean.

KLUM: I do. Yes because nothing gets done before I sign it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: She's lot of fun.

WATSON: She's ton of fun. Because you think of Victoria Secret's catalogs and you think of the covers of "Sports Illustrated" but she was great. And then we had Barack Obama and remember a lot of people fell in love with him when he gave his speech in front of the Democratic Convention. Really hasn't had a major interview in-depth since then and I got him to talk about everything from Flip Wilson to growing up in Hawaii to if he is elected you know how involved he wants to be in Supreme Court nominations which obviously will be a big deal.

WHITFIELD: All right let's take peek.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: You have a very clean, great wife, two kids, and yet you yourself don't come from a very kind of conventional family.

BARACK OBAMA, (D) ILLINOIS SENATE CANDIDATE: Maybe that's why it is so important to me is because I had that instability when I was young. We traveled a lot. My father wasn't in the house, I was raised by a single mom for a while. And I was born in Hawaii, lived in Indonesian, I'm sure that I'm not the only Illinois politician ever who speaks Indonesian.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Does he talk much about his opponent and what this has meant for him to be in this battle in Chicago when at first it seemed like it was all Barack all of the time.

WATSON: He does, although you know the latest poll shows him up by 40 points. His level of concern is different than say in a state like Colorado where the Senate battle is very close. But it was very interesting. One of the other things he talked about was the fact that like President Bush and like John Kerry he lost his very first congressional race and so interesting conversation. Then my last guy was the biggest guy of all. The biggest in size and statue.

WHITFIELD: Big in lots of ways.

WATSON: The big fellow. The daddy as he's known Shaquille O'Neal. I was surprised a little bit because I didn't know maybe you did that he's in graduated school.

WHITFIELD: I didn't know that I knew that he completed under grad just a couple years ago at LSU. That was interesting. But I didn't know he went back to school again.

WATSON: He's thinking about running for office.

WHITFIELD: I love that part.

WATSON: We're breaking some new news here.

WHITFIELD: OK, that was very inviting. Let's look at this clip and see what he is talking about..

WATSON: Let's do it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: What about as dad. Everybody calls you daddy. How many boys and how many girls?

SHAQUILLE O'NEAL, NBA STAR: I have three boys and two girls. WATSON: OK, any Shaquille juniors?

O'NEAL: No.

WATSON: Would you ever do that?

O'NEAL: No.

WATSON: Too much pressure?

O'NEAL: I don't want my children to think they have to do what I did. They have to be respectable. They have to be smart and they have to know how to handle business.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: I don't know the man but it is hard to see him as dad because he seems like such a big kid himself.

WATSON: You know what's so funny and I hope people will enjoy tonight if they watch, he's very down to earth. In some ways he's even shy. I had to tease him during the conversation but he reminded me that at age 11 he was 6'4". And he said often when gets one-on-one he still feels like that big gangly kid and speaks in a very low voice. I loved it. He kind of relaxed as did Heidi and Barrack and I think as a result it was a different conversation.

WHITFIELD: Did he ever talk much or did he talk much about the whole parent child relationship? Because I know he and his parents had a great, strong relationship. Does he talk about how he learned from that to be the parent that he is?

WATSON: He did actually he talked about it on two dimensions both in terms of being dad now to five kids and also a very close relationship with his own father who interestingly enough was a supply sergeant in the army and Shaquille grew up over seas in part and so he kind of talked about that relationship and what it still means even today.

WHITFIELD: Lots of fun, 10:00 p.m. Eastern tonight.

WATSON: 10:00 p.m. Eastern on obviously here and then also 10:00 p.m. Pacific, so you know a chance for those folks out in the west coast to watch, as well.

WHITFIELD: All right. "Off Topic" lots of fun with these three well known famous faces. But dimensions that we have never even known before. You uncover it all for us.

WATSON: We got it. We got it.

WHITFIELD: All right thanks Carlos.

WATSON: Good to see you.

WHITFIELD: Well a hot topic also causing a lot of talk and furor, flu shots or lack there of. Coming up, who is getting them and why? It is sparking a whole new debate.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Well federal health officials scramble to fill the gap between the flu shot supply and demand, outrage is growing over just who is rolling up their sleeves and getting the vaccines. Let's take up the debate with radio talk show host Martha Zoller from WDUN News Talk, 550 she is here in Atlanta. And Joe Madison with WOL in Washington. Good to see you Joe and Martha.

JOE MADISON, WOL: Good to see you.

MARTHA ZOLLER, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: I'm not hearing Joe, I'm hearing something else in my ear.

WHITFIELD: OK we'll try to work that out audio so that she can hear Joe as well because that will be important. All right well let me begin with you Martha. You know who should get the flu vaccine besides the most vulnerable anyone?

ZOLLER: Well I think that if you fall into that category and you are part of the high risk group, then it is perfectly OK if you happen to be a famous person, too, if you fall into the high risk group like Vice President Cheney who has had several heart surgeries. He certainly is high risk. You have Bill Clinton that had heart surgery recently. He certainly is high risk even though his age doesn't fall into it. I think it should be more about who falls into the category rather than who just whether you're famous or not.

WHITFIELD: Well Joe you agree with that. Are there certain politicos by virtue of them being hold and very powerful positions that they should get the flu shot not necessarily because they have had heart surgery, etc.

MADISON: Oh I agree that if they are in high risk because that's the standard that the government has established so whether you're the vice president or a member of Congress, what I disagree with though is what happened here in Washington where you had young staffers that were standing in line getting flu shots while seniors were down grocery aisles for hours trying to get shots. That is where it breaks down.

And also I think --

WHITFIELD: Who should be making these decisions?

MADISON: Well I think the Health Department should be making these decisions. The doctors. NIH should be making these decisions. This really is a medical and economic problem. I found out today talking with one of our radio doctors Dr. Gay Murcon (ph) that the reason we're in this problem is because one pharmaceutical company can produce more vaccine than four or five together because of the cost factor.

The nasal mist which is available it cost $80 a shot or $80 a take and you need two which is $160 so you don't see people standing in line to get that in order to prevent flu.

ZOLLER: Another problem with the nasal it does have a live virus versus a dead virus. So you can't use the nasal spray for someone who is high risk. You are going to use the nasal spray for someone who is basically a healthy person that would want to use it. Maybe they are not in high risk but they think they are. That's the problem. It has a live virus versus a dead virus.

WHITFIELD: Let's stick with the shot.

MADISON: That is true but it is $80, too.

WHITFIELD: Let's stick with the shot. That is really what is at issue right now when we talk about the shortage. And why some tempers are flaring over who gets to get these shots. Let's talk about some high risk places like in large groups such as prison facilities. Joe, Martha I understand that you guys almost see eye to eye on some essential workers in prison facilities who should be able to get the vaccine but you don't necessarily think that all prison inmates should? Joe.

MADISON: Well I don't think all prison inmates should. If they are high risk, no question they should. There is no if, ands, buts about it. And that would also be true for the prison personnel. If they are part of that high risk and there are inmates who are part of that high risk, we certainly don't want inmates dying in our prisons because they didn't get the flu shot. That's a controversy in itself.

WHITFIELD: Isn't an issue of health care being extended to everyone whether you're in prison or not?

ZOLLER: Well and I think that is -- it should be extended to everyone and that if you don't want high risk groups in prison going without the vaccine because if they do that and they get sick then they can spread it throughout the prison. I mean they're high risk because they're more likely to get the flu and if they get the flu they're more likely to pass it on to someone else.

It is an access issue. But I tell you what has got to happen is we have got to allow companies to have the freedom to develop this stuff. The reason why they're not developing it is it is a loss leader. It is a low markup kind of issue. A vaccine is. And if you don't give them the ability to develop it and make it worth wile and not put caps on what they can make on it, they are not going to go out and gouge people on this, on the shot. The shots are $10 or $15 or in a lot of places free. That certainly doesn't cost itself out of the market.

WHITFIELD: Go ahead.

MADISON: I was just going to say, in part I disagree with that. There is an effort in the medical community and it is well known, one company can produce all of the flu vaccine that we need. That's why we ended up in England with them producing 50 percent. The problem is that this is a very difficult vaccine to produce. It does have some serious risks. The thing that's interesting is this time last year we were arguing on radio whether or not people should even get the flu vaccine because of alleged complications. Today that's not even a factor.

WHITFIELD: And now you feel like this debate is inspiring so many people to wonder oh my gosh if I don't get it am I at risk.

ZOLLER: And does that hurt you when you start worrying about. One thing I would say and one thing that Kerry campaign says he would stockpile the flu vaccine. And you have to make that very clear to people that are listening you cannot stockpile this vaccine it is different vaccine every year. And they guess really if they have the right virus involved. So there is a lot of misinformation going on there, too. I think worry and stress and that kind of thing could hurt people, too.

WHITFIELD: All right.

MADISON: Well I think the thing people need to do is to maybe stop shaking hands for a while and rub elbows and tell my friend Carlos when he interviews me that I hope he smiles as much as he did with Heidi.

WHITFIELD: All right well I'm sure he will. He's always smiling. And if anything -

MADISON: He was enjoying that interview.

WHITFIELD: I have a feeling he was too. OK, and if anything everyone should just wash their hands a whole lot more and try to cut down on contamination.

MADISON: And you're going to get sick. If you're healthy, OK. But you're going to get sick.

WHITFIELD: All right, Joe Madison of "Mornings with Madison" on WOL in Washington.

MADISON: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: And Martha Zoller radio talk show host of "Martha Zoller Show."

ZOLLER: Good to see you Joe.

WHITFIELD: Good to see both of you. Thank you so much.

Well everyone knows someone who has perhaps called in sick just to play hooky. What do you think some of the best excuses have been? We'll share few good ones coming up.

And a little later the sights and sounds of fall.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right not long from now "CNN Live Sunday" with Carol Lin. What's on tap?

CAROL LIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well turquoise and black certainly.

WHITFIELD: That is right the colors of the day. You were just talking about the flu vaccine outrage. I am going to talk with the doctor who is so fed up with all the panic out there, he has got some alternatives and he is going to give a reality check to whether you know all these people who think they don't get a flu shot think they'll die. That's not the case. So we are going to talk about. And then at 10:00 tonight in our "Prime Time" show, I'm going to be talking to a mother. Twelve woman killed by a serial killer out in Los Angeles. They think they caught the man ID evidence. She lost a daughter to this killer and so did her best friend. What are the odds of that? So we are going to get an update on that very important case out west.

WHITFIELD: That is remarkable and remarkable that they're willing to share their story like this too. Because I'm sure even after all of this time it still is so painful to talk about.

LIN: Yes, absolutely. Especially since they thought that another man was going to be serving for the crime and now a whole new trial gets opened up. We'll see what happens.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much we will be tuning in for 6:00 and 10:00 East Coast time. Thanks Carol. Well it is sort of the grown up version of the dog ate my homework. Calling in sick for work. Sometimes the excuses are legitimacy and sometimes they aren't. Richard Castellini is the CareerBuilder.com in Chicago and they have taken a survey of the most bizarre excuses people use to play hooky.

All right good to see you Richard.

RICHARD CASTELLINI, CAREERBUILDERS.COM: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Did you expect when you were conducting this study that people are really creative out there when they try to play hooky?

CASTELLINI: Well it is always interesting to see what people will say to get out of work and we certainly found a few that we didn't think existed.

WHITFIELD: And remarkably, an awful lot of folks are calling in sick. Is it something like a third of the people that you polled actually call in sick, play hooky and that's just over the last year?

CASTELLINI: That's correct. A little more than a third about 35 percent of people said that they actually have called in sick when they weren't actually sick. They use those days to do anything from errands to just relaxing to catching up on sleep but they use those sick days for something more of a mental health day than a true sick day.

WHITFIELD: Wow so those are some of the motivating factors of why they call in sick, but what are some the excuses that some of these folks drummed up to justify this playing hooky?

CASTELLINI: Sure we do have a lot that fall under the dog ate my homework. Animal aspect, we have I fell over my dog and was knocked unconscious.

WHITFIELD: Who would buy that anyway? Some are too embarrassed to admit this stuff.

CASTILLINI: A venomous snake spit on me. I ran into a cow with my car and totaled my wife's jeep.

WHITFIELD: I love the one my cat unplugged the alarm clock.

CASTILLINI: Yes.

WHITFIELD: How fun. So people were pretty forth right in giving up these excuses. They weren't embarrassed in any way, shape or form?

CASTILLINI: Hey it was unanimous. I guess they'll be willing to give you more information if you know they won't tell their boss.

WHITFIELD: So now what about all the employers I mean they hearing some of these excuses being made with an eyebrow raised I'm sure. Does this now kind of inspire a lot of employers so second-guess when someone calls in sick they really mean it or not?

CASTILLINI: Well they certainly have to be mindful of the unexcused absences that may not necessarily be from illness. But I don't know how much you can do to protect against people shading the truth so to speak on whether they are truly sick or not.

WHITFIELD: And some of those other items that we had on the screen there on the list, my bus broke down. I was held up by robbers. I was arrested as a result of mistaken identity. A hit man was looking for me. I eloped. It runs the gamut, folks are creative out there.

CASTILLINI: They certainly are.

WHITFIELD: All right Richard Castillini thank so much for joining us. Appreciate it.

CASTILLINI: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Lots of fun.

When we come back, the colors of fall. We'll take you on a gondola ride through the northeast.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: In case you haven't noticed, there's an explosion of color bursting over the northeast right now. It is peak colors for the fall foliage. And a gondola ride show these spectacular views through a camera lenses of Doug Carrol.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DOUG CARROL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): I think fall is one of those seasons that it shows you the beauty of nature and how it can change so dramatically from being lush green to being full of vibrant different colors. You can come out here and it is peaceful. If you listen there is the sounds of birds, brooks, there is the wind through the trees. It is a very peaceful environment to just relax and have some fun with your family or with your friends.

The leaves change color this time of year because the days get shorter and nights get longer and temperatures drop. Leaves stop producing chlorophyll so the green begins to fade and the other colors present in the leaves start to become visible which are the yellows and the browns and the golds. A separate pigment creates the red color.

Once leaves are on the ground they provide a great service to the forest bay. They create a rich layer of organic matter which lots of organisms you know used to survey as food. They also insulate the ground, protect the root systems of other plants. Mountain Creeks have been providing the fall foliage scenic sky rides for three years now.

A four-minute ride in the winter. But we slow the gondola down in the fall so it is a longer ride of six to eight minutes. Guests can come and look over the entire valley and enjoy the view and come to the top and spend the day hiking or picnicking or riding mountain bikes. In this area there is lots to do in the fall. There is pumpkin picking, there is apple orchards, there is antiquing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our biggest crop today is pumpkins. We grow approximately 40 acres of pumpkins. A couple thousand people will come pumpkin picking over the weekend.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot of carving to do tonight.

MARTIN THEOHOLD, HEAVEN HILL FARM: It is a family tradition I think for families to come to the farm and bring their kids to the farm and pick pumpkins and go for a hayride. I think it is the last outing before winter sets in and you can't do anything outside.

COLLEEN BENNAN, HEAVEN HILL FARM: A lot of kids that come up are from the inner city so they appreciate the farm environment. We are 52 miles from the George Washington Bridge. We are in the country. This is rural. It is absolutely beautiful. You'll see mountains up here exactly like you have seen in Vermont without having to travel three, four or five hours. It shows the evolution and never ending circle of life plus it is just beautiful.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Gorgeous indeed. You can almost feel that crisp air. That's it for us. "Next @ CNN" is straight ahead. Here's Daniel Sieberg with a preview.

DANIEL SIEBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Ahead on "Next @ CNN" how safe is your ballot? A look at the promise of electronic voting and some of the potential problems. Also what are pythons doing in the Florida Everglades. We'll tell you how they got there and why they worry wildlife officials.

WHITFIELD: And we will be right back with the headlines right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com


Aired October 24, 2004 - 16:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Should the president get a flu shot? That's part of our debate during this hour. Then we head to the northeast where the pumpkins are big adn the turkey is even bigger.
And what does a skunk have to do with calling in sick to work? Stay tuned.

Hello and welcome to CNN SUNDAY. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. All of that and more after this check of the headlines.

U.S. war planes pound targets in the rebel stronghold of Fallujah. Iraqi police say 4 people, including 2 police officers, were killed in the attack, 5 others were wounded, including a child.

The husband of kidnapped aid director Margaret Hasan makes plea to his wife's captor. Tasin Ali Hasan (ph) appeared on al Arabiya Television and asked insurgents holding his wife in Iraq to release her. Hasan reminded his wife's captors that she's an Iraqi citizen and considers Iraq her home.

The nation's capital is remembering one its most prominent religious leaders. Cardinal James Hickey, the man who led the Roman Catholic Church in Washington for 2 decades died today at the age of 84. Hickey retired in 2000. His successor calls his death a poignant loss for the Church

First, a developing story in Iraq. A group led by Abu Musab al Zarqawi is claiming responsibility for a brazen attack on dozens of Iraqi soldiers. Forty-four soldiers, fresh out of boot camp, were heading home when they were ambushed and shot execution style near the Iranian border. CNN's Karl Penhaul joins us from Baghdad with the latest -- Karl.

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This was a massacre, Fredricka. These people were heading home on mini buses for a few days rest and relaxation. As you say, fresh out of boot camp, they've just finished their military training. This was supposed to be the new face of security and stability in Iraq, instead, they ended up face down in the dirt and the insurgents shot them in the back of the head.

Their bodies have been brought to an Iraqi National Guard compound close to the Iranian border where this attack occurred. In the course of the day these bodies in a terrible state, many of them caked with blood and dirt.

The attack happened Saturday afternoon, late in the afternoon. And then as a result of a tip-off to the Iraqi National Guard, the Iraqi National Guard put together a patrol and went out and found this site. As I say, about 15 or 20 miles from the Iranian border due East of Baghdad.

All of this fits very much into a pattern that we've been seeing over the last weeks and months. And that of the insurgents attacking Iraq's homegrown security forces. They seem to view these security forces as a softer target than the U.S. forces which are better protected, better equipped and better trained than these Iraqi forces -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And Karl, what kind of response is coming from the interim government?

PENHAUL: There is one today of somewhat disbelief so far. Of all of the attacks that we have seen, certainly over the last few weeks, this has been one of the most terrible. No official response yet from the Iraq interim government, except of course, to confirm some of the details of the attack, but this is certainly something that is not going to away. We expect to hear much more about this in the coming days, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Karl Penhaul, thanks so much for that live report from Baghdad.

We turn now to the presidential race here in this country, where everything is in single digits. There are just nine days left until the election. Poll after poll shows President Bush and Senator Kerry only a few points apart. And our poll of polls average has a three- point lead, or spread, rather. And Senator Kerry is concentrating on just one state today, Florida.

National correspondent Frank Buckley join us from Fort Lauderdale -- Frank.

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, Senator Kerry appearing today and concentrating, as you say, on one state, Florida. But also delivering a speech today that is really for national consumption, a speech on values. Senator Kerry aides, campaign advisers saying this is an attempt to reassure those voters, that the majority of Americans, who say they want a president who is grounded in faith.

They also believe this was a chance for Senator Kerry to connect with those undecided voters who might want to know what motivates a candidate who has said he doesn't wear his religion on his sleeve. Today Senator Kerry addressed at one issue that's come up about faith, about Kerry's decision making process as a Catholic if he were to be elected president.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN KERRY, (D-MA) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I know there are some bishops who have suggested that as a public official I must cast votes, or take public positions on issues like a woman's right to choose, or stem cell research that carry out the tenets of the Catholic Church. I love my Church, I respect the bishops, but I respectfully disagree.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BUCKLEY: Earlier, Senator Kerry attended church services at a prodominately African-American church to rally an important part of the Democratic base and presidential politics, Africa-American voters and to reassure people in a state where questions still remain about voters who were turned away from polls in the 2000 election.

(BEGIN VIDEO CILP)

KERRY: I want it tell every single one of you here in Florida, you're reading in the newspapers about the possibilities of problems and this and that if you don't vote. Don't worry. I want you to turn out. I put together the strongest legal team in the history of our efforts.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BUCKLEY: Now, Senator Kerry after his tour of Florida today will be moving onto New Hampshire tomorrow. And then later tomorrow, on Monday afternoon, he'll be appearing in Philadelphia in the major battleground state of Pennsylvania, appearing with former President Bill Clinton -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And Al Gore is also going to be campaigning on Kerry's behalf. What's the plan there?

BUCKLEY: Well, he is campaigning on behalf of Senator Kerry here in Florida today. Al Gore's primary role, again, to fire up the base of the Democratic Party, to get those people here in Florida excited, to remind them of the outcome here in Florida that many Democrats are still very angry about and to get them fired up about that so they'll turn out to the polls this year in 2004.

WHITFIELD: All right. Frank Buckley, traveling with the Kerry camp in Ft. Lauderdale. Thanks so much.

Well, the election is boiling down to about a dozen key states where the Bush-Kerry race could go either way. If you want to know which states, just look at the candidates's travel schedules. Again, Kerry is spending the rest of today campaigning in Florida. He also plans to visit New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin.

And he keeps going west to Iowa, New Mexico and Nevada. And all that just over the next 48-hour period.

And don't forget the battleground state of Ohio. Senator John Edwards is spending this Sunday campaigning in Cincinatti, Dayton and Lima. Vice president Cheney is in Ohio tomorrow.

President Bush is heading to a campgian rally in New Mexico this afternoon. He spent most of the day at his ranch in Texas. And will be back there tonight. Suzanne Malveaux joins us from Crawford -- Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, President Bush, of course, hoping to get the Hispanic vote in New Mexico today. And I have to tell you, of course, they look at who is campaigning for Senator Kerry, that is going to be the former President Bill Clinton and Gore heading out on Monday.

Well, they've got their own star power that is backing President Bush this week. Senior campaign officials confirming that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California will be with the president late this week. They'll campaign together in Ohio, the key battleground state of Ohio.

Really this is seen as quite a coup for them. As you know, of course, Schwarzenegger spoke at the Republican convention. But he is widely regarded as the most popular Republican, has mass appeal to the moderates. That is certainly what they are hoping to get is that moderate vote.

Now, of course, President Bush not only pulling out all of the stops in star power, but also kind of the theatrics as well, almost looking like a Hollywood set yesterday in Melbourne, Florida. That is where President Bush landed Marine One in a park before a cheering crowd.

The president yesterday traveling with the first lady, his brother, Florida's governor Jeb Bush. Of course, all of this trying to rally the party faithful. The strategy is really two-fold: To try to get those out to the polls, to try to appeal to the undecideds.

Earlier today I spoke with Dan Bartlett. He's the White House communications director who says that these next 9 days are critical for a Bush win.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAN BARTLETT, WHITE HOUSE COMM. DIRECTOR: I think there's a very small undecided group compared to past elections, because people have paid such attention to this. But if you look at the type of support President Bush is receiving, if you look at the CNN/Gallop poll, President Bush is getting over 50 percent approval, or in the ballot. That means he's pulling together a coalition that is not just Republicans, but Democrats and independents. And that's who we're going to appeal to the last few days of this campaign.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: And Fred, also of course, they are a bit more confident when they take a look at specific groups, particularly Hispanic and African-American voters in New Mexico today. This is a state that the president lost 4 years ago by 366 votes. He is specifically targeting the Hispanics in that state.

He believes that they will get more than the 35 percent that they did last time around when it comes to the African-American vote. It was 9 percent the last presidential election. They think they can double that number this year -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: And Suzanne, back to Ohio. We know it is an important battleground state. Already polls are showing that Kerry is the one in the lead in Ohio. But what is the significance as to why the Republicans feel like Arnold Schwarzenegger's appearance with the president in Ohio may make the difference?

MALVEAUX: Well, you may recall that back in 1988, 1992 Schwarzenegger was actually campaigning for President Bush's father back then in Columbus, Ohio. It was received very well in that state. That is one of the reasons why the 2 of them will appear together in that state.

We also understand, as well, there is a body building competition that Schwarzenegger sponsors in the state of Ohio, so he is especially popular in that particular area.

WHITFIELD: All right. Suzanne Malveaux in Crawford, Texas, thanks so much.

Well, there are plenty of reasons why voters will be motivated to go to the polls this year. For some students at Drew University, however, in New Jersey, the motivation is pretty simple. They'll flunk if they don't vote. Jason Caroll explain why that has caused a bit of a stir.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At a small private university in New Jersey, in an English Literature class smaller than most, a controversial assignment from professor Merrill Scaggs.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She confidently believes she is..

CARROLL: One that requires her students to vote in the presidential election.

UNIDENTIIFED FEMALE: Just the idea of a professor deciding you must vote is just something that rubs students the wrong way.

CARROLL: How many supported the idea of maditory voting as a course requirement?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I thought it was great.

CARROLL: You thought it was great?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Because she, by this requirement, we're either forced to drop the class, or to go out and actually research the candidate.

CARROLL: And opposed? Professor Scaggs course is foundations of American culture. She thought requiring students to vote would help them see the impact of the electoral process on American culture these days. The administration thought otherwise.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think people are uncomfortable with the idea of forcing people to participate in a democracy.

CARROLL: Under pressure from her bosses, she changed the requirement.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What I'm requiring my students to do, is to enter the voting booth. What they do once in that is their private bus.

CARROLL: Is up to them, I see.

Mandatory, or compulsory voting may sound undemocratic, but it is standard in Australia for all citizens. The same in more than a dozen other Democratic countries. Not showing up can result in fines.

Many students had trouble imagining that kind of a system in the United States.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's just a bit strange. You have a Democracy. You get to choose who you vote for, yet, you do not get to choose whether you vote or not.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm American. It's my God given right to eat Cheetos and not watch the news and not vote if I want to.

CARROLL: Professor Scaggs would like mandatory voting for all U.S. citizens, but won't require her students to vote next semester.

(on camera): Why not?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm teaching Henry James next semester. It's not relevant.

CARROLL: Back to literature, political lesson learned.

Jason Carroll, CNN, Madison, New Jersey.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: So, assuming you want to vote, more of the nation's newspapers are offering advice on who you should be supporting. John Kerry was endorsed today by the Des Moines Register, The Chicago Sun Times, The Washington Post and the Orlando Sentinel. The Orlando paper hasn't endorsed a Democratic presidential candidate in 40 years.

President Bush today won the backing of the Columbus Dispatch in Ohio and the Denver Post.

Well, will any of these endorsements have an impact? Let's ask our senior political analyst Bill Schneider who joins us now from New York.

Good to see you, Bill.

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Hi, Fred.

WHITFIELD: How significant is it for a candidate to receive an endorsement from a major newspaper?

SCHNEIDER: Well, interestingly, the major newspapers don't usually have a big impact. Because, look, a presidential race people can see for themselves. They know who the candidates are. They follow it on television. They are intensely familiar with the campaign.

This is one of the campaigns that people have followed more than most. So, they don't really need a newspaper to help them make up their minds. Newspapers are often influential in very low visibility races, local races, legislative races where people really aren't familiar with the candidates so they look at the paper and see who the Denver Post, or the Orlando Sentinel likes in that race.

The interesting thing is, newspapers do often have an impact in rural areas and in small towns, because there people feel identified with and attached to their local paper. And as you know, a lot of this race in these battleground states is being fought in rural areas and small towns. So, it is the smaller newspapers that may matter more.

WHITFIELD: So, you have to wonder how a lot of these newspapers are justifying throwing their support behind a candidate, especially when most readers like to think that these are unbiased outlets. Papers like the Washington Post, the Orlando Sentinel, don't they lose an awful lot by throwing their support behind a certain candidate, as well?

SCHNEIDER: Certainly a risk for newspaper. Most towns, most major metropolitan areas today have one or at most two newspapers. They are seen as a civic institution. For them to endorse a candidate does antagonize and alienate some voters who then will say, this newspaper is biased and all of its news coverage is going to be in favor the newspaper supports.

Now that does happen sometimes. And frankly, for most of American history, that was the rule. What newspapers do today is try to build some kind of a wall between their editoral department, which endorses candidates, and their news coverage, which almost every newspaper in the country, certainly every major newspaper insists must be kept unbiased. It's just that readers don't see that wall.

WHITFIELD: Well, interesting. Well, let's talk further about influencing factors and talk about some of the polls. With 9 days to go, you have to wonder, are these polls out this week later on, are they going to influence the candidates? Are they going influence the voting public, especially those who claim to be undecided still?

SCHNEIDER: Well, these polls show a race that is neck in neck. And what that does to voters is get them interested. Hey, this is a horserace. You're not supposed to talk about a campaign as a horserace, it is a very serious matter, but there's no question that when it is really close, voters get interested.

The highest turnout we have seen in the last 50 years, was in 1960 which wasn't a hugely different ideological showdown like it is now, but that was really a horserace.

So you're going to see a lot of voters energized by this. The polls are not predictive. But I'll tell you the number to keep an eye on, the number is Bush's support. He's the incumbant. And voters have to make up their minds whether to rehire him, or fire him the way they did his father back in 1992. If Bush's number, his support number in these polls, is significantly below 50 percent, if it is 46 percent or 45 percent, then he is in trouble, even if he may be a couple points ahead of Senator Kerry.

Keep an eye on the Bush number. That's the one to watch, because undecided voters in the end usually come out and vote for the challenger.

WHITFIELD: And significant, too, you talk about these new voters. Something like 1.5 million new registered voters, and many of whom have not been polled. So, it really is difficult to discern which way they might be going.

SCHNEIDER: They're polled, they're polled if they are new voters. And they are eligible to go into the likely voter pool in every poll that I know of. It's just that many of them don't have the habit of voting. So, it is a big question whether they will come out this year.

If a newly registered voter, who has been eligible to vote in the past, if a newly registered voter expressed a lot of interest and engagement in this election, yes, they are in the likely voter group and they're part of the poll. But history shows that when a person has not voted his or her entire life and suddenly is signed up to vote by a political party or a worker, it is often that voter just doesn't show up at the polls. So, it going to be real effort, not just to register people, but to get them to show up.

WHITFIELD: Wow. It is going to be interesting to watch. And it is hard not to call it a horserace. Agree with you on that, Bill.

All right. Thanks a lot.

SCHNEIDER: Sure.

WHITFIELD: Well, electronic voting machines are supposed to prevent a repeat of the hanging chad fiasco. Will they produe a debacle of another sort? Diebold is a leading maker of e-voting machines, and a big contributor to the Republican Party, facts that tickle the imagination of conspiracy theorists. And a comedy group called Boom Chicago of Amsterdam. Here's their take on the new technology.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. Here we go. OK. John kerry. Hello. John Kerry. John Kerry. Next.

Are you sure?

Yes. Yes. Yes. I'm really, really sure. I don't want to not vote for John Kerry.

No. All right. Come on. John Kerry.

OK. Maybe I want to vote for George Bush.

Come here. Come here. Come here. Come here. John kerry.

What? No!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: That produced by Boom Chicago.

Well, the race for the White House, computer glitches and all is getting a lot of attention on late night television as well. Comedians have been merciless in lampooning both President Bush and John Kerry. Take a look at a sampleling.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID LETTERMAN, TALK SHOW HOST: Down in Florida, there were computer glitches in early voting, there were confusing ballots, long lines and chaos. And when President Bush heard about this, he said mission accomplished.

JAMES CARVILLE, CROSSFIRE CO-HOST: People watch a political show, a political show for the reason a drunk uses a lamp post, it wants support, not illumination.

LETTERMAN: John Kerry went duck hunting. And he's doing that to fulfill his campaign pledge to hunt down the ducks and kill them wherever they are.

CARVILLE: The good thing about "CROSSFIRE" is, is that we kind of (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Because if you think like a Democrat, you can watch our side. If you think like a Republican -- well, Republicans don't think, but if you act -- or whatever it is...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Which candidate looks more like a goat?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Definitely John Kerry.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: John Kerry, OK

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have a plan.

JAY LENO, TALK SHOW HOST: Well, neither Bush nor Kerry have gotten the flu shot. And both of them said today they're not going to get one. And Ralph Nader said he's not getting a flu shot either. Although in his case, he doesn't really need one, because he doesn't come in contact with any large crowds.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: John Kerry said in an interview with "Rollingstone" magazine that he would end the color-coded terror alert system and find a more thoughtful way of alerting the American people.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well, game one of the World Series was a wild and record setting ride. And our own Larry Smith was there for it all.

LARRY SMITH, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: I tell you what, we expect another wild game tonight as well, game 2 of the World Series. And coming up, we'll tell you why Curt Schilling believes this start for the Red Sox starter is so special for him.

WHITFIELD: Also ahead, what do members of Congress, prison inmates and Chicago Bears have in common? They're getting a free pass to the front of the line. Coming up, the flu shot shortage and who is actually getting the vaccine.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: The St. Louis Cardinals hope to even the score tonight against the Red Sox in game two of the World Series. The Cardinals were beemed in Boston last night in the highest scoring opener in World Series history. CNN's Larry Smith is live at Fenway in Boston with the very latest.

Hello, again, Larry.

SMITH: Hello, Fredricka. Yes. A little bit of a rain now falling here at Fenway Park in Boston. And certainly the St. Louis Cardinals will arrive at the park today, here at Fenway Park, with a positive attitude. They must win at least game here at Fenway if they are to win the World Series, so why not tonight?

Well, last night the Cardinals had to believe that they let one slip away in game one Saturday night. After falling behind 7-2, and again 9-7, the Cardinals, the National League champions, rallied twice to tie it up only to see it undone by Mark Bellhorn's 2 run homerun in the 8th inning. That was the difference in an 11-9 Red Sox victory.

In game two tonight, the Cardinals will send Matt Morris to the mound. He's was their work horse through more innings than anybody else on the Cardinal's staff this year. He will go against Curt Schilling.

The 37-year-old has etched his name is red sox lure after pitching seven strong innings in the game six victory in the ALCS over the Yankees. That despite a dislocated tendon in his right ankle. And he had suchures put in a couple of days ago in an attempt to kind of ease the pain that he will face tonight, certainly. That injury, though, will require surgery at season's end.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CURK SCHILLING, RED SOX PITCHER: These are times in your life, and not just baseball, but no one believes it is possible but you. When you succeed and you come through in moments like this, no one can question what you're made of.

TERRY FRANCONA, RED SOX MANAGER: I have known Schill long enough where I expect him to pitch. That's why he's here. That's why we want him so badly, because he'll be a good pitcher through thick and thin. He's a competitor. He's good. That's why he came here. And he wants to fulfill that. And he will.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: Curt Schilling led the majors in 21 win this is year. He's 7-2 all-time in his playoff starts. One of those losses coming in game one versus the Yankees, again, with his injury. But he'll be facing a Cardinals lineup that's going to be trying to make amends for last night. The three, four and five hitters in the St. Louis lineup, the heart of that line-up, just one hit combined last night and three strikeouts. They expect to do better in game two. Let's go back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much, Larry Smith in Boston.

Well, talk about getting beamed. Did you watch "Saturday Night Live" last night? Painful. Pop singer Ashlee Simpson is blaming her band for some trouble during a musical number on SNL.

(SINGING)

WHITFIELD: Whoops. Simpson's first appearance on last night's show featured that hit single, "Pieces of Me." It went off without a hitch. But then, she was supposed to come back for a second song and mysteriously a recording of that first song was played by mistake. Well, you saw right there, she was kind of awkwardly started dancing, and kind of shrunk off the stage.

Well, later, she said her band actually played the wrong tune. And guess what, folks, it is live TV. No comment, yet, from NBC.

And what was the most lame excuse you ever gaven when you called if sick to work? Think it made the top ten? We've got a list straight ahead.

And does Heidi Klum think of herself as a CEO? She talks to our Carlos Watson. And we'll have a sneak peak of that interview when we come right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Here's look at what's happening now in the news a group led by suspected terror master mind Abu Musab Al Zarqawi is claiming responsibility for the ambush of 44 newly trained Iraqi soldiers at a fake checkpoint near the Iranian border. The soldiers and their four drivers were each shot in the head as they lay face down on the ground.

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry is meeting with the faithful in Florida today. He picked up the endorsements of the Orlando "Sentinel" newspapers and outside Florida the "Washington Post" and the "Chicago Sun Times." It is the first time in 40 years the Orlando paper supported a Democrat for the presidency.

President Bush is receiving his share of newspaper endorsements as well. The Columbus "Dispatch" and the Denver "Post" are supporting him. He's also going to get some more muscle on the campaign trail. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is expected to begin campaigning with Bush this week.

Well usually he talks mostly politics but tonight our political analyst Carlos Watson goes off topic with three famous faces. The show debuts tonight. And in it an inside look at the lives of NBA star Shaquille O'Neal, super model Heidi Klum and Senate candidate Barack Obama. And Carlos Swanson joins us now with a preview. All right this was a lot of fun. I'm sure they had to twist your arm to do this one.

CARLOS WATSON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: The Heidi Klum part was probably the hardest of all.

WHITFIELD: Really well lets talk about her first. I mean most folks think you know the pretty face the model. But little do they know she's quite the business woman.

WATSON: She is, runs a complex global business in a dozen different countries. Shoes, candy, jewelry. What I like about her is she was down to earth. And you are going to see it at one point in the interview she wants to choke me.

WHITFIELD: Oh really, she was frank? Let's take look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: Do you think of yourself as CEO like when you get up in the morning do you think I'm Heidi Klum the model?

HEIDI KLUM, MODEL: Yes.

WATSON: You know what I mean.

KLUM: I do. Yes because nothing gets done before I sign it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: She's lot of fun.

WATSON: She's ton of fun. Because you think of Victoria Secret's catalogs and you think of the covers of "Sports Illustrated" but she was great. And then we had Barack Obama and remember a lot of people fell in love with him when he gave his speech in front of the Democratic Convention. Really hasn't had a major interview in-depth since then and I got him to talk about everything from Flip Wilson to growing up in Hawaii to if he is elected you know how involved he wants to be in Supreme Court nominations which obviously will be a big deal.

WHITFIELD: All right let's take peek.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: You have a very clean, great wife, two kids, and yet you yourself don't come from a very kind of conventional family.

BARACK OBAMA, (D) ILLINOIS SENATE CANDIDATE: Maybe that's why it is so important to me is because I had that instability when I was young. We traveled a lot. My father wasn't in the house, I was raised by a single mom for a while. And I was born in Hawaii, lived in Indonesian, I'm sure that I'm not the only Illinois politician ever who speaks Indonesian.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Does he talk much about his opponent and what this has meant for him to be in this battle in Chicago when at first it seemed like it was all Barack all of the time.

WATSON: He does, although you know the latest poll shows him up by 40 points. His level of concern is different than say in a state like Colorado where the Senate battle is very close. But it was very interesting. One of the other things he talked about was the fact that like President Bush and like John Kerry he lost his very first congressional race and so interesting conversation. Then my last guy was the biggest guy of all. The biggest in size and statue.

WHITFIELD: Big in lots of ways.

WATSON: The big fellow. The daddy as he's known Shaquille O'Neal. I was surprised a little bit because I didn't know maybe you did that he's in graduated school.

WHITFIELD: I didn't know that I knew that he completed under grad just a couple years ago at LSU. That was interesting. But I didn't know he went back to school again.

WATSON: He's thinking about running for office.

WHITFIELD: I love that part.

WATSON: We're breaking some new news here.

WHITFIELD: OK, that was very inviting. Let's look at this clip and see what he is talking about..

WATSON: Let's do it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: What about as dad. Everybody calls you daddy. How many boys and how many girls?

SHAQUILLE O'NEAL, NBA STAR: I have three boys and two girls. WATSON: OK, any Shaquille juniors?

O'NEAL: No.

WATSON: Would you ever do that?

O'NEAL: No.

WATSON: Too much pressure?

O'NEAL: I don't want my children to think they have to do what I did. They have to be respectable. They have to be smart and they have to know how to handle business.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: I don't know the man but it is hard to see him as dad because he seems like such a big kid himself.

WATSON: You know what's so funny and I hope people will enjoy tonight if they watch, he's very down to earth. In some ways he's even shy. I had to tease him during the conversation but he reminded me that at age 11 he was 6'4". And he said often when gets one-on-one he still feels like that big gangly kid and speaks in a very low voice. I loved it. He kind of relaxed as did Heidi and Barrack and I think as a result it was a different conversation.

WHITFIELD: Did he ever talk much or did he talk much about the whole parent child relationship? Because I know he and his parents had a great, strong relationship. Does he talk about how he learned from that to be the parent that he is?

WATSON: He did actually he talked about it on two dimensions both in terms of being dad now to five kids and also a very close relationship with his own father who interestingly enough was a supply sergeant in the army and Shaquille grew up over seas in part and so he kind of talked about that relationship and what it still means even today.

WHITFIELD: Lots of fun, 10:00 p.m. Eastern tonight.

WATSON: 10:00 p.m. Eastern on obviously here and then also 10:00 p.m. Pacific, so you know a chance for those folks out in the west coast to watch, as well.

WHITFIELD: All right. "Off Topic" lots of fun with these three well known famous faces. But dimensions that we have never even known before. You uncover it all for us.

WATSON: We got it. We got it.

WHITFIELD: All right thanks Carlos.

WATSON: Good to see you.

WHITFIELD: Well a hot topic also causing a lot of talk and furor, flu shots or lack there of. Coming up, who is getting them and why? It is sparking a whole new debate.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Well federal health officials scramble to fill the gap between the flu shot supply and demand, outrage is growing over just who is rolling up their sleeves and getting the vaccines. Let's take up the debate with radio talk show host Martha Zoller from WDUN News Talk, 550 she is here in Atlanta. And Joe Madison with WOL in Washington. Good to see you Joe and Martha.

JOE MADISON, WOL: Good to see you.

MARTHA ZOLLER, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: I'm not hearing Joe, I'm hearing something else in my ear.

WHITFIELD: OK we'll try to work that out audio so that she can hear Joe as well because that will be important. All right well let me begin with you Martha. You know who should get the flu vaccine besides the most vulnerable anyone?

ZOLLER: Well I think that if you fall into that category and you are part of the high risk group, then it is perfectly OK if you happen to be a famous person, too, if you fall into the high risk group like Vice President Cheney who has had several heart surgeries. He certainly is high risk. You have Bill Clinton that had heart surgery recently. He certainly is high risk even though his age doesn't fall into it. I think it should be more about who falls into the category rather than who just whether you're famous or not.

WHITFIELD: Well Joe you agree with that. Are there certain politicos by virtue of them being hold and very powerful positions that they should get the flu shot not necessarily because they have had heart surgery, etc.

MADISON: Oh I agree that if they are in high risk because that's the standard that the government has established so whether you're the vice president or a member of Congress, what I disagree with though is what happened here in Washington where you had young staffers that were standing in line getting flu shots while seniors were down grocery aisles for hours trying to get shots. That is where it breaks down.

And also I think --

WHITFIELD: Who should be making these decisions?

MADISON: Well I think the Health Department should be making these decisions. The doctors. NIH should be making these decisions. This really is a medical and economic problem. I found out today talking with one of our radio doctors Dr. Gay Murcon (ph) that the reason we're in this problem is because one pharmaceutical company can produce more vaccine than four or five together because of the cost factor.

The nasal mist which is available it cost $80 a shot or $80 a take and you need two which is $160 so you don't see people standing in line to get that in order to prevent flu.

ZOLLER: Another problem with the nasal it does have a live virus versus a dead virus. So you can't use the nasal spray for someone who is high risk. You are going to use the nasal spray for someone who is basically a healthy person that would want to use it. Maybe they are not in high risk but they think they are. That's the problem. It has a live virus versus a dead virus.

WHITFIELD: Let's stick with the shot.

MADISON: That is true but it is $80, too.

WHITFIELD: Let's stick with the shot. That is really what is at issue right now when we talk about the shortage. And why some tempers are flaring over who gets to get these shots. Let's talk about some high risk places like in large groups such as prison facilities. Joe, Martha I understand that you guys almost see eye to eye on some essential workers in prison facilities who should be able to get the vaccine but you don't necessarily think that all prison inmates should? Joe.

MADISON: Well I don't think all prison inmates should. If they are high risk, no question they should. There is no if, ands, buts about it. And that would also be true for the prison personnel. If they are part of that high risk and there are inmates who are part of that high risk, we certainly don't want inmates dying in our prisons because they didn't get the flu shot. That's a controversy in itself.

WHITFIELD: Isn't an issue of health care being extended to everyone whether you're in prison or not?

ZOLLER: Well and I think that is -- it should be extended to everyone and that if you don't want high risk groups in prison going without the vaccine because if they do that and they get sick then they can spread it throughout the prison. I mean they're high risk because they're more likely to get the flu and if they get the flu they're more likely to pass it on to someone else.

It is an access issue. But I tell you what has got to happen is we have got to allow companies to have the freedom to develop this stuff. The reason why they're not developing it is it is a loss leader. It is a low markup kind of issue. A vaccine is. And if you don't give them the ability to develop it and make it worth wile and not put caps on what they can make on it, they are not going to go out and gouge people on this, on the shot. The shots are $10 or $15 or in a lot of places free. That certainly doesn't cost itself out of the market.

WHITFIELD: Go ahead.

MADISON: I was just going to say, in part I disagree with that. There is an effort in the medical community and it is well known, one company can produce all of the flu vaccine that we need. That's why we ended up in England with them producing 50 percent. The problem is that this is a very difficult vaccine to produce. It does have some serious risks. The thing that's interesting is this time last year we were arguing on radio whether or not people should even get the flu vaccine because of alleged complications. Today that's not even a factor.

WHITFIELD: And now you feel like this debate is inspiring so many people to wonder oh my gosh if I don't get it am I at risk.

ZOLLER: And does that hurt you when you start worrying about. One thing I would say and one thing that Kerry campaign says he would stockpile the flu vaccine. And you have to make that very clear to people that are listening you cannot stockpile this vaccine it is different vaccine every year. And they guess really if they have the right virus involved. So there is a lot of misinformation going on there, too. I think worry and stress and that kind of thing could hurt people, too.

WHITFIELD: All right.

MADISON: Well I think the thing people need to do is to maybe stop shaking hands for a while and rub elbows and tell my friend Carlos when he interviews me that I hope he smiles as much as he did with Heidi.

WHITFIELD: All right well I'm sure he will. He's always smiling. And if anything -

MADISON: He was enjoying that interview.

WHITFIELD: I have a feeling he was too. OK, and if anything everyone should just wash their hands a whole lot more and try to cut down on contamination.

MADISON: And you're going to get sick. If you're healthy, OK. But you're going to get sick.

WHITFIELD: All right, Joe Madison of "Mornings with Madison" on WOL in Washington.

MADISON: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: And Martha Zoller radio talk show host of "Martha Zoller Show."

ZOLLER: Good to see you Joe.

WHITFIELD: Good to see both of you. Thank you so much.

Well everyone knows someone who has perhaps called in sick just to play hooky. What do you think some of the best excuses have been? We'll share few good ones coming up.

And a little later the sights and sounds of fall.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right not long from now "CNN Live Sunday" with Carol Lin. What's on tap?

CAROL LIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well turquoise and black certainly.

WHITFIELD: That is right the colors of the day. You were just talking about the flu vaccine outrage. I am going to talk with the doctor who is so fed up with all the panic out there, he has got some alternatives and he is going to give a reality check to whether you know all these people who think they don't get a flu shot think they'll die. That's not the case. So we are going to talk about. And then at 10:00 tonight in our "Prime Time" show, I'm going to be talking to a mother. Twelve woman killed by a serial killer out in Los Angeles. They think they caught the man ID evidence. She lost a daughter to this killer and so did her best friend. What are the odds of that? So we are going to get an update on that very important case out west.

WHITFIELD: That is remarkable and remarkable that they're willing to share their story like this too. Because I'm sure even after all of this time it still is so painful to talk about.

LIN: Yes, absolutely. Especially since they thought that another man was going to be serving for the crime and now a whole new trial gets opened up. We'll see what happens.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much we will be tuning in for 6:00 and 10:00 East Coast time. Thanks Carol. Well it is sort of the grown up version of the dog ate my homework. Calling in sick for work. Sometimes the excuses are legitimacy and sometimes they aren't. Richard Castellini is the CareerBuilder.com in Chicago and they have taken a survey of the most bizarre excuses people use to play hooky.

All right good to see you Richard.

RICHARD CASTELLINI, CAREERBUILDERS.COM: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Did you expect when you were conducting this study that people are really creative out there when they try to play hooky?

CASTELLINI: Well it is always interesting to see what people will say to get out of work and we certainly found a few that we didn't think existed.

WHITFIELD: And remarkably, an awful lot of folks are calling in sick. Is it something like a third of the people that you polled actually call in sick, play hooky and that's just over the last year?

CASTELLINI: That's correct. A little more than a third about 35 percent of people said that they actually have called in sick when they weren't actually sick. They use those days to do anything from errands to just relaxing to catching up on sleep but they use those sick days for something more of a mental health day than a true sick day.

WHITFIELD: Wow so those are some of the motivating factors of why they call in sick, but what are some the excuses that some of these folks drummed up to justify this playing hooky?

CASTELLINI: Sure we do have a lot that fall under the dog ate my homework. Animal aspect, we have I fell over my dog and was knocked unconscious.

WHITFIELD: Who would buy that anyway? Some are too embarrassed to admit this stuff.

CASTILLINI: A venomous snake spit on me. I ran into a cow with my car and totaled my wife's jeep.

WHITFIELD: I love the one my cat unplugged the alarm clock.

CASTILLINI: Yes.

WHITFIELD: How fun. So people were pretty forth right in giving up these excuses. They weren't embarrassed in any way, shape or form?

CASTILLINI: Hey it was unanimous. I guess they'll be willing to give you more information if you know they won't tell their boss.

WHITFIELD: So now what about all the employers I mean they hearing some of these excuses being made with an eyebrow raised I'm sure. Does this now kind of inspire a lot of employers so second-guess when someone calls in sick they really mean it or not?

CASTILLINI: Well they certainly have to be mindful of the unexcused absences that may not necessarily be from illness. But I don't know how much you can do to protect against people shading the truth so to speak on whether they are truly sick or not.

WHITFIELD: And some of those other items that we had on the screen there on the list, my bus broke down. I was held up by robbers. I was arrested as a result of mistaken identity. A hit man was looking for me. I eloped. It runs the gamut, folks are creative out there.

CASTILLINI: They certainly are.

WHITFIELD: All right Richard Castillini thank so much for joining us. Appreciate it.

CASTILLINI: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Lots of fun.

When we come back, the colors of fall. We'll take you on a gondola ride through the northeast.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: In case you haven't noticed, there's an explosion of color bursting over the northeast right now. It is peak colors for the fall foliage. And a gondola ride show these spectacular views through a camera lenses of Doug Carrol.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DOUG CARROL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): I think fall is one of those seasons that it shows you the beauty of nature and how it can change so dramatically from being lush green to being full of vibrant different colors. You can come out here and it is peaceful. If you listen there is the sounds of birds, brooks, there is the wind through the trees. It is a very peaceful environment to just relax and have some fun with your family or with your friends.

The leaves change color this time of year because the days get shorter and nights get longer and temperatures drop. Leaves stop producing chlorophyll so the green begins to fade and the other colors present in the leaves start to become visible which are the yellows and the browns and the golds. A separate pigment creates the red color.

Once leaves are on the ground they provide a great service to the forest bay. They create a rich layer of organic matter which lots of organisms you know used to survey as food. They also insulate the ground, protect the root systems of other plants. Mountain Creeks have been providing the fall foliage scenic sky rides for three years now.

A four-minute ride in the winter. But we slow the gondola down in the fall so it is a longer ride of six to eight minutes. Guests can come and look over the entire valley and enjoy the view and come to the top and spend the day hiking or picnicking or riding mountain bikes. In this area there is lots to do in the fall. There is pumpkin picking, there is apple orchards, there is antiquing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our biggest crop today is pumpkins. We grow approximately 40 acres of pumpkins. A couple thousand people will come pumpkin picking over the weekend.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot of carving to do tonight.

MARTIN THEOHOLD, HEAVEN HILL FARM: It is a family tradition I think for families to come to the farm and bring their kids to the farm and pick pumpkins and go for a hayride. I think it is the last outing before winter sets in and you can't do anything outside.

COLLEEN BENNAN, HEAVEN HILL FARM: A lot of kids that come up are from the inner city so they appreciate the farm environment. We are 52 miles from the George Washington Bridge. We are in the country. This is rural. It is absolutely beautiful. You'll see mountains up here exactly like you have seen in Vermont without having to travel three, four or five hours. It shows the evolution and never ending circle of life plus it is just beautiful.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Gorgeous indeed. You can almost feel that crisp air. That's it for us. "Next @ CNN" is straight ahead. Here's Daniel Sieberg with a preview.

DANIEL SIEBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Ahead on "Next @ CNN" how safe is your ballot? A look at the promise of electronic voting and some of the potential problems. Also what are pythons doing in the Florida Everglades. We'll tell you how they got there and why they worry wildlife officials.

WHITFIELD: And we will be right back with the headlines right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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