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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

Is Democracy in Jeopardy in Ukraine?; Iraqi Political Parties Demand Election Delay; Holiday Retail Season Kicks Off

Aired November 26, 2004 - 17:00   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.


JUDY WOODRUFF, GUEST HOST: Happening now, demonstrations enter their sixth day over the outcome of presidential elections in this former Soviet republic. Is democracy in jeopardy in Ukraine? Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.
Unrest in Iraq. Political groups demand a delay in elections while more bodies are discovered in a troubled city.

Ready, set, shop. The holiday retail season kicks off, but are Americans in the mood to spend?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm very optimistic about how things are going and I'm going to buy, buy, buy.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have to get more for my money. As they say, I'm living on a budget.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WOODRUFF: Science fiction or fact? The U.S. military spending your tax dollars to study teleportation.

Kids and HIV. Meet one of the more than 10,000 American children living with the virus that causes AIDS.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: The hardest thing is accepting sometimes what people think of you and how they look at you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Friday, November 26, 2004.

WOODRUFF: Hello. I'm Judy Woodruff. Wolf is off today. It is a long way from Iraq, Iran and Ukraine, but ripples from those hot spots are making it all the way to Crawford, Texas, where President Bush is spending the holiday weekend at his ranch. He emerged today and talked with reporters about the situation in those three countries. CNN White House correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux is there. Hello, Suzanne. SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hello Judy. Well, President Bush of course spending a relaxing holiday at his Crawford ranch, but also making it very clear today that he is focused on domestic as well as foreign policy, specifically when it comes to confronting nuclear powers and spreading democracy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX (voice-over): President Bush dropped by Crawford's coffee station for a burger and a couple of questions. Most notably on Mr. Bush's plate the future of Iraq. More than a dozen Iraqi political parties are calling for a six-month delay of Iraq's presidential elections. Any possible postponement is seen by the Bush administration as a misstep for the region and a win for the Iraqi insurgents.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The Iraqi election commission has scheduled elections in January and I would hope they go forward in January.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Democracy for Ukraine. Democracy for Ukraine.

MALVEAUX: A handful of pro-democracy demonstrators gathered outside the coffee station to support Mr. Bush's position on the Ukrainian elections. The White House considers the recent presidential elections there a fraud and a blow to democracy in that region. Mr. Bush and other world leaders are urging the Ukrainian authorities to come clean.

BUSH: The elections in doubt. The international community is watching very carefully.

MALVEAUX: The president also issued a warning to Iran. Through talks with the European Union, Tehran has pledged to freeze its nuclear program, but the White House is skeptical.

BUSH: The only good deal is one that's verifiable.

MALVEAUX: Mr. Bush is even using some of his political capital to help his closest ally, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, bring peace to Northern Ireland. The president said he called the provinces Protestant leader to urge him to share power with his long-time Catholic enemies.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: We were also told by a Bush aide that the president will continue with his telephone diplomacy, making additional calls to both sides. Judy?

WOODRUFF: All right. Suzanne, thank you very much and for more on the request by Iraqi political parties to delay elections, we turn to CNN's Karl Penhaul. He is in Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Fifteen of Iraq's new political parties held a meeting this afternoon in Baghdad. They came out of that meeting and have issued a call for a delay in nationwide elections. As you know, the date for those elections has been set as January 30th, but the parties in their meeting today, decided that the timetable was too short, that the two-month timetable between now and then wasn't enough time to prepare for the elections, to campaign for the elections and also to create a secure -- security environment so that all Iraqis could enjoy their freedom to vote.

Now, in the last few days, we have heard of Sunni Muslim political parties calling either for boycott or postponement in elections. The difference today, in addition to the Sunni Muslim parties, some secular parties and also the two main Kurdish parties joining the call for an election postponement. Amongst the political figures there at the meeting was (UNINTELLIGIBLE). He was a former president of the Iraqi governing council and well liked by the previous coalition authorities here.

In additional news in the city of Falluja, U.S. military spokesmen have told us that two Marines were killed. They were killed in an operation Thursday, when the Marines entered a house in a house clearing operation. An insurgent apparently lobbed a grenade, killing those two Marines. In an ensuing fire fight, three insurgents were killed we understand.

But it was better news in Falluja Friday. Aid convoys are finally reaching the city with some regularity. We had a team on the ground there. And they told us that the signs and sights that they saw were of pure destruction, buildings and rubble in everywhere, the remains of car bombs also, but eventually as the humanitarian aid convoy under the auspices of the Iraqi Red Crescent made its way through the city, some of the families, civilian families did dare venture out to receive basic supplies of food, bread, water and blankets. We're told that's the first time some of them have left their houses in more than 10 days. Karl Penhaul, CNN, Baghdad.

WOODRUFF: Also in Baghdad, a deadly attack on a British security company inside what is supposed to be a secure area, the green zone. British government and U.S. military officials say a rocket or mortar was fired into a compound belonging to London-based Global Risk Strategies. Four of the company's employees were killed and more than a dozen were injured.

And in the northern city of Mosul, six more bodies have been found according to U.S. military officials. That brings to 46 the number of people killed in and around that city in the last eight days. Officials say they aren't giving any more details, but the focus is on insurgents who may be targeting Iraqi National Guard troops and civilians who are cooperating with the U.S.-led coalition.

To our viewers, here is your turn now to weigh in. Our web question of the day is this. Do you think the Iraqi elections scheduled for January 30th should be postponed? You can vote right now at cnn.com/wolf. We'll have the results later in the broadcast. A rapidly changing situation in Ukraine, where the two candidates in the contested presidential election met face to face today, while hundreds of thousands of protesters continue to fill the streets. CNN's Jill Dougherty is there and she joins us live on the telephone. Hi, Jill.

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Judy. At that briefing with Javier Solana, who is from the EU, European Union, the person who really brokered this round table meeting, he described the atmosphere and he said it was warm with me, but cold with each other. The others, of course, the two men who are contesting the presidency of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovich. He is the government-backed candidate, the man who officially won the election by three points and then the opposition candidate, Viktor Yushchenko who says that election was stolen.

They sat at a big, round table. They had the president of Ukraine there, European representatives, a Russian representative and three hours long. It took much longer than people expected. They came up with a couple of things. One is as Solana said, it was progress just to meet face to face and start talking. They also committed to avoid violence and that is crucial, because of all those people on the streets now for five days. And then, finally, a commitment to start talking.

That is the least clear thing of all. There is a commitment to talk, but no guarantee that these talks will really get any place. But it would appear that there might be a possibility now, and it was on the table -- though, not resolved -- that they could re-do -- hold these elections again and try. It would be now for the third time to find a president. But that is still a time away, Judy, because again, they just have to sit down and try to work this out and as Javier Solana said, it is very hard work and just an important first step so far.

WOODRUFF: All right. We thank you very much. Jill Dougherty. Still very much an unsettled situation. There might be another balloting in that country, a lot to look out for. Jill, thank you very much.

Jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti will not run for president of the Palestinian authority after all. Yesterday Israeli radio reported that Barghouti was challenging former prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas for the position held by Yasser Arafat until his death this month. But a member of the Palestinian legislative council, who was allowed to visit Barghouti today, says Barghouti is now supporting Abbas' candidacy. An Israeli court convicted Barghouti for planning or participating in terror attacks.

Energized shoppers, all hoping that the early bird gets the best deal, retailers hoping the entire holiday season remains green. Find out who is most likely to benefit this year.

Marketing violence. A cartoon for children with a potentially deadly message. Martyrs go to heaven.

Plus this --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: I never thought I could do anything, because I have HIV.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WOODRUFF: A new generation living with HIV and AIDS. How life for thousands of infected kids in the United States is changing for the better.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: You could say today was the day, one day after Thanksgiving. Many Americans taking advantage of a second day off from work to begin their holiday shopping. CNN's Mary Snow joins us from New York. Hello, Mary.

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Judy. This is one of the busiest shopping days of the year. It's called black Friday, traditionally a time of when retailers go from posting losses, being in the red to swinging into a profit and being in the black. Retailers this year especially were very aggressive in trying to attract shoppers. Target had wake-up calls for its shoppers and scores of others offered deals for early risers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW (voice-over): They lined up in Georgia, braved the cold in Connecticut and tried to stay awake in Chicago. From coast to coast, shoppers rushed to the stores and were enthusiastic in Seattle.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's 5:00 in the morning. We ran all the way across the mall from J.C. Penny's all the way to Sears and we're not tired. It's exciting though. It's adrenaline. You're like shopping.

SNOW: With some stores opening as early as 5:00 a.m., consumers sacrificed sleep for savings.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's just something about being the first one and walking way with something that nobody else has.

SNOW: At this Wal-Mart outside Atlanta, an early bird special on TVs and DVDs drew crowds but that wasn't all.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You get the best deals on toys and I've got a list from my kids of what to pick up every year.

SNOW: This year, discounters are not expected to do as well as in the past. Industry watchers say that's because discount shoppers are feeling the pinch of higher oil and gas prices.

SCOTT CRUGMAN, NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION: These very same consumers are the ones mainly impacted by the higher price of heating their homes. So they might not have as much disposable income this year as they did last year so that certainly will be a challenge for the discounters.

SNOW: Analysts say luxury retailers could be the winners this season. Overall, analysts say sales are expected to improve from 2003 because fewer people are out of work.

KEITH STOCK, MASTERCARD ADVISERS: As people go back to work, as the jobs numbers increase, that restores confidence in individuals and they become a little more bullish in terms of what they want to buy as gifts for the holiday season.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW: And analysts are also optimistic about the shopping season because there are two extra days this year. It may not seem like a lot, but a day can make a difference. There are estimates that total sales today, like last year, could top $7 billion just this one day alone. Judy?

WOODRUFF: Those are interesting numbers. Well, now that Mary Snow has laid the groundwork, thank you, Mary, the question is, will the season shoppers be putting much of a jingle in the pockets of retailers? Let's ask CNN's Allan Chernoff. He's at Macy's department store in New York too. Hello Allan.

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello Judy. It is theoretically possible that someone could have spent more than 11 hours inside of Macy's right behind me. That's how long the store has been open and of course, they're still going in there. Plenty of people got an early start on the day.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHERNOFF (voice-over): And they're off. 6:00 in the morning at Macy's in mid town Manhattan. In the city that never sleeps, where shopping is a professional sport, bargain hunters were on the chase at dawn.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I got here at 5:30.

CHERNOFF: You got here at 5:30 in the morning?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And they open at 6:00, yeah.

CHERNOFF: Why did you get here so early?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We wanted to beat the crowd. There's some people still walking in and we walking out, so yeah, we wanted to beat the crowd.

CHERNOFF: So you feel good about that?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yeah. We're going to another Macy's. We're going to drop these back and then we going to the Macy's downtown Brooklyn. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm doing a little tour, first Macy's and then Lord and Taylor opens at 7:00, but my real goal is Sachs at 8:00.

CHERNOFF: And there were bargains to be had. Tell me, how are the prices?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tremendous, 65 percent off. I came here to look.

CHERNOFF: It doesn't look like you're looking, huh?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not looking too much.

CHERNOFF: You're shopping?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I'm doing that. I'm doing that.

CHERNOFF: Not everyone though was ready to buy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm doing no shopping today. I'm just looking.

CHERNOFF: At 6:00 in the morning?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because I'm on my way to work.

CHERNOFF: Very efficient.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, well, it's part of the job.

CHERNOFF: The strategic questions for savvy shoppers, buy now or wait for deeper discounts? Those who wait, says the chief executive of Macy's parent, are gambling.

TERRY LUNDGREN, CEO, FEDERATED DEPARTMENT STORES: Values clearly are in our stores today. And as time goes on, what doesn't sell will get marked down the quickest. What does sell hopefully won't, because it will be gone.

CHERNOFF: Among the hot items this season, hand bags, iPods, Tivo and digital cameras. Surveys indicate gift cards, which used to be considered impersonal, will be the number one holiday purchase for first time ever.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHERNOFF: Macy's is expecting a modestly better season compared to last year but industry wide, analysts say that sales should be up between 4 and 6 percent. Judy?

WOODRUFF: Allan, I guess if all these people are buying for others, this is all about the spirit of generosity, right?

CHERNOFF: It certainly is and that's very important this season.

WOODRUFF: Allan Chernoff in New York, thanks very much. WOODRUFF: The younger faces of AIDS. We'll take you to a safe haven for children living with HIV in the United States.

Media morality. Are calls for less controversial programming a sign of television coming full circle?

And later, "Star Trek" for the real world. Could we soon say beam me up? Why the Pentagon is spending your tax dollars to go where it's never gone before.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: All this week, we are looking at the new reality of AIDS. Today, we meet one of the more than 10,000 American children under the age of 13 who are HIV positive. CNN's senior medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KAITLYN KLEPZIG: Do I look scary to you? If I don't, what if I tell you that I have HIV?

Hi. My name is Kaitlyn. I'm 12 years old and HIV positive.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Kaitlyn Klepzig born HIV positive. She was adopted when she was just two days old.

CLEO KLEPZIG, KAITLYN'S MOTHER: That there were no other infected children in the state of Montana at that time.

CASEY KLEPZIG, KAITLYN'S FATHER: We were bringing in the biggest scare at that time, and that was a child with AIDS.

GUPTA: But for a new generation, a generation that has never known a world without AIDS, things are starting to change.

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: I'm 12 years old and I have been HIV for as long as I can remember.

GUPTA: Part of the reason it's been so great is because of Camp Heartland, a safe haven where kids can hike, sing songs, perform skits and talk about AIDS. All the campers have been touched by HIV.

KAITLYN KLEPZIG: Nobody is mean to each other here. You have nothing to be scared of. It's just the hardest thing is accepting sometimes what people think of you and how they look at you.

GUPTA: That's why campers here practice telling their stories, something they will do for real at schools around the country.

KAITLYN KLEPZIG: I went to see my birth mom a couple of months before she died. Sadly for me, I don't remember anything but the plane ride.

NEIL WILLENSON, CAMP HEARTLAND FOUNDER: This is the one place where as a human being, they can share that secret and tell someone else I have AIDS and their friend can put their arm around them and say me too. The words me, too, are very powerful.

GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WOODRUFF: And what a courageous bunch of kids. And be sure to watch this Sunday when Dr. Gupta is joined by Richard Gere, Ashley Judd and Magic Johnson for a look at AIDS and its reemerge in unlikely places and unexpected faces. RU positive airs Sunday night at 10:00 Eastern, 7:00 Pacific, only on CNN.

Murders in Mexico. Several bodies discovered near a favorite vacation destination for Americans.

Dangerous message. A cartoon aimed at children, encourages them to fight and die in the name of their religion.

Down and out. What went wrong for Democrats in this year's election? Liberal talk show host and comedian Al Franken weighs in.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: Welcome back. Terror cartoon, a youth video with a disturbing message gets the seal of approval by an American ally. But first, a quick check of other stories now in the news.

Diplomats say Iran has tentatively backed down from its insistence that it be allowed to continue using 20 centrifuges. The centrifuges could have been used to produce atomic warheads. Today's breakthrough may clear the way for an agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency, reducing the likelihood of U.N. sanctions.

Mexican authorities are investigating nine slayings at two sites outside Cancun. Officials say the deaths appear to be drug related. Cancun is a popular spot for U.S. tourists, but it is also along a cocaine smuggling route between the U.S. and Columbia.

The Coast Guard has suspended its search for a 54-year-old Virginia man who disappeared from a cruise ship. The man was reported missing by his wife after the ship, Carnival Cruise Line Celebration docked in Jacksonville, Florida, Thanksgiving morning.

One east bound lane has been reopened along a 24-mile stretch of Interstate 70 in Colorado today. Crews say they hope to reopen a west bound lane shortly. The road was closed by yesterday's rock slide in Glenwood Canyon.

One of the nation's biggest media companies, Viacom agreed to pay a record $3.5 million this week to settle complaints that it aired indecent material. Government regulators have been taking an increasingly strong stand on alleged broadcast indecency after an era that has seen Ozzie and Harriet's squeaky clean television family replaced by Ozzy Osbourne's frequently foul-mouthed television family. Our Wolf Blitzer looks at what has changed.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) WOLF BLITZER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When the baby boomers were growing up, it was a gentler era and television reflected that. Sergeant Joe Friday investigated crimes on "Dragnet." But even when he worked murder cases, the violence was at a minimum. Things started to change in the 1960s.

Fighting an uphill battle against television, Hollywood tried to lure patrons back into movie theaters with films like "Midnight Cowboy," featuring subjects you didn't see on TV. A few years later, those movies began showing up uncut on cable TV and television began changing, too, even on the broadcast networks.

From the relatively innocent threesome on "Three's Company" to Elaine's search for a sponge-worthy man on "Seinfeld," TV sitcoms got progressively more daring.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "SEINFELD")

JERRY SEINFELD, ACTOR: Sponge-worthy?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Homosexuality came out of its broadcast television closet eventually with shows like "Ellen" and "Will & Grace," featuring gay lead characters. "NYPD Blue" showed flashes of nudity, along with graphic depictions of lurid crimes that would have turned Joe Friday's stomach.

ANNOUNCER: We are back with "The Howard Stern Show."

BLITZER: Even radio got into the act with shock jocks like Howard Stern. There was grumbling, of course, that the media had gone too far, but no real evidence of a backlash until last winter's Super Bowl half time show.

Whether it was a simple wardrobe malfunction or something more sinister, a split-second glimpse of Janet Jackson's breast shocked millions of families, bringing apologies from CBS and the NFL and a huge FCC fine. After many voters in the November election cited moral values as their main concern, there was speculation that support from Hollywood celebrities may have hurt, not helped, Democrat John Kerry.

If voters wanted to send a message to the entertainment industry, some broadcasters appeared to be listening. Several ABC affiliates refused to show the movie "Saving Private Ryan," citing concerns over how the FCC would react to the graphic violence and profanity. And the network itself issued a quick apology after a risque skit on "Monday Night Football."

Wolf Blitzer, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WOODRUFF: To a separate topic now.

Many Democrats are still smarting from the results of the recent election. We talked a short time ago with comedian and liberal talk show host Al Franken.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Al Franken, thanks for joining us.

AL FRANKEN, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: My pleasure.

BLITZER: What's your biggest concern right now in the aftermath of the election? Why did Democrats do as poorly as they did?

FRANKEN: I think there are a number of reasons, one of which is that we probably didn't articulate our values enough.

BLITZER: You had a golden opportunity.

FRANKEN: We had a golden opportunity, but a lot of it got clouded in negative advertising by the Bush campaign in a way that I felt was unprecedented.

BLITZER: What about you? What do you want to do in terms of your political aspirations? There's been a lot of talk maybe you would run for office.

FRANKEN: Well, the talk is about 2008 in Minnesota. And right now I'm doing Air America Radio.

And part of what I -- the concern that I have about this last election was I don't think the media is doing its job. And I -- Air America's job is getting a foothold on this huge terrain of right-wing radio.

BLITZER: How many people are listening to Air America?

FRANKEN: A lot. We're in about 45 percent of the country now. We're the No. 1 source of streamed audio, live streamed audio.

BLITZER: What does that mean, live streamed audio?

FRANKEN: It means radio. At AirAmericaRadio.com, you can get us.

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: In other words, people who listen to it on the Internet?

FRANKEN: Yes. People are really listening to it. And the ratings we're getting and -- I beat Rush in all kinds of cities.

My point is, is that -- and one thing that does bug me -- and I mentioned beating Rush in certain cities -- is that I get compared to Rush all the time. And this is again by...

FRANKEN: Because he has millions and millions and millions of listeners and you necessarily don't.

FRANKEN: Well, I think I have millions of listeners, not as many millions and millions as he does.

But the comparison that I object to is not that they think I have as many listeners as him, because, if they do, they're wrong -- is that I get -- the people go, like, Rush Limbaugh -- the people who listen to Rush Limbaugh and the people who listen to Al Franken will never bridge -- will never believe anything the other says.

I don't do what Rush Limbaugh does. I am not the mirror image of Rush Limbaugh. I'm the opposite of Rush Limbaugh. And there's a difference.

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: He's a radio talk show host. You're a radio talk show host. He's funny. You're funny.

FRANKEN: No, no, let me -- I'll give you an example.

A couple months ago, he was talking about the minimum wage, OK? And he said, 75 percent of all Americans on the minimum wage, my friends, are teenagers in their first job. Now, I heard that and I told my staff -- I said, OK, that's not right. Check it out.

So, one of my staff members, my researchers, went to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and found out that 68.1 percent of people on the minimum wage are adults. So, clearly...

BLITZER: Adults over what age?

FRANKEN: Twenty and above, not teenagers; 68.1 percent are 20 and above. And he said 75 percent are teenagers in their first job.

BLITZER: Did you write him a letter to complain?

FRANKEN: No. I went on the radio and I said, look, Rush clearly got that statistic directly from his butt. And it went from his butt, out his mouth, into the airwaves into the head of "Dittoheads." And they believed it, just like they believe that weapons of mass destruction have been found in Iraq, just like they believe that Saddam helped al Qaeda and helped al Qaeda in 9/11.

And the point is, is that the right-wing media is doing the job of this administration all over the country.

BLITZER: So, at what point do you, Al Franken, who is well known, got great name recognition, best-selling author, has a distinguished career in entertainment, at what point do you say, you know what?

FRANKEN: Very good looking?

BLITZER: I don't know if I want to go that far.

FRANKEN: OK, but let's say I was very, very good looking.

BLITZER: Let's say if -- you were. FRANKEN: Yes.

BLITZER: At what point do you say, you know what, I want to get into politics, I want to run for office and I want to fight?

FRANKEN: Well, I'm considering that, and -- but it wouldn't be until 2008 in Minnesota. But I'm looking at that very closely.

BLITZER: Well, wouldn't that mean moving back to Minnesota?

FRANKEN: Absolutely. I was just back there again. I go back all the time. And we were looking at property. And it's a great place to live. It's a fabulous place to live.

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: Minnesota?

FRANKEN: Minnesota, yes.

BLITZER: It's a lovely state.

FRANKEN: Yes, lovely.

BLITZER: Thanks for joining us.

FRANKEN: Thank you, Wolf.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WOODRUFF: Fascinating conversation.

And to learn more about the future of the Republican Party, turn to "LATE EDITION" with Wolf Blitzer. Wolf will talk with Representatives Chris Shays, J.D. Hayworth and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. That's Sunday at noon Eastern.

A conversational cartoon, some say it encourages kids to fight and die. A closer look at what could be the latest recruitment tool for martyrs ahead.

And you've seen it on "Star Trek," but is the U.S. military spending your tax dollars to study teleportation?

Plus, it may not be the Masters, but it's still sporting history. We'll take you to Kabul Golf Club in our look around the world.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: As we know, much of the violence in the Middle East comes in the form of suicide attacks staged by radical Muslims who consider themselves martyrs. The effort to recruit them begins when they are young children.

CNN's Alphonso Van Marsh has the disturbing details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALPHONSO VAN MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): "Martyrs Go to Heaven" is about a boy who learns how fighting and dying in the name of Islam is a ticket to paradise. It's a gift video CD. And this Islamist children's magazine distributed it throughout majority Muslim Turkey.

REFIK EROURAN, AUTHOR, SOCIAL COMMENTATOR: It's poisonous propaganda, masquerading as sweetness and light.

VAN MARSH: Sweetness and light, that the mainstream press here criticized as a call for jihad, holy war, criticism that video CD and magazine publisher Atak organization denies on its Web site. Atak also denied our interview requests.

I'm ready to be a martyr, says the leader of the film's prophet Muhammad's army. And then...

INCI BAYLA BOBOL, CHILD PSYCHOTHERAPIST: I don't accept children to watch this. That child can learn that that is good.

VAN MARSH (on camera): Anybody can make an extremist CD. But what makes "Martyrs Go to Heaven" even more controversial is that it's literally got the seal of approval from Turkey's secular government.

(voice-over): After authorizing 15,000 copies, the Turkish ministry responsible for screening the flick says it's banned Atak from distributing any additional CDs.

What's important is to fix this mistake and never let it happen again, he says; 15,000 CDs in a nation of some 70 million people may seem like a drop in the bucket, but some warn of a ripple or ring effect.

EROURAN: The next ring would be somehow affected by the inner ring. And you might end up with a million people being affected by this kind of thing.

VAN MARSH: A kind of thing targeting children that Atak organization insists is educational and was done legally.

Alphonso Van Marsh, CNN, Istanbul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WOODRUFF: Calls to postpone democracy in Iraq right now, how an election delay there could affect politics in the United States. Carlos Watson has "The Inside Edge."

And space transportation, you've seen it on "Star Trek," but do you want your tax dollars used for space travel?

First, a quick look at some other news making headlines around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) WOODRUFF (voice-over): In the Middle East, the ruling party in the Palestinian Authority says it will hold its first internal election in 16 years. The Fatah election will be held in August of next year, months after Palestinians are scheduled to vote for a new president of the authority at the end of January.

Bird flu warning. World Health Organization officials warn that Asia's bird flu could trigger a worldwide epidemic.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No country will be spared.

WOODRUFF: They say, if that happens, it could result in the deaths of up to seven million people. Asian health officials meeting in Thailand pledged to intensify cooperation in fighting the disease.

Body guards as caddies. It's not the Masters, but for Afghanistan, it's the first golf tournament in 30 years. Because security remains a major issue, some foreign players are using armed bodyguards as caddies.

Monster mash. Australian aid workers and celebrity chefs created a 7.5 ton bowl of risotto to help raise aware awareness about world hunger. The recipe, 1.5 tons of rice, 970 gallons of stock, 1,700 pounds of peas, three pounds of saffron, and 1,300 pounds of cheese and butter. Yum.

And that's our look at some headlines from around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: The United States Air Force is calling one of its latest projects science. Critics say they don't know whether to laugh, cry or pitch a fit.

Our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: On the Starship Enterprise, all Captain Kirk and his "Star Trek" crew have to do is signal Scotty the engineer to beam them up with the pull of a lever.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "STAR TREK")

LEONARD NIMOY, ACTOR: Energize.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: Instantly, they are transported to distant planets. Could the rest of us ever do that? The U.S. military wants to know.

The Air Force, home of the most high-tech fighters and center of UFO speculation, is exploring strange new worlds and going where the Pentagon has not gone before. They Air Force gave Warp Drive Metrics of Las Vegas, Nevada, $25,000 to study the physics of teleportation, yes, the transport of persons or inanimate objects across space.

But the Air Force isn't snickering and even insists in a statement: "We don't do science fiction. We do science," adding that many current weapons started as ideas perceived to be science fiction, such as airplanes, lasers and stealth technology. And although the Air Force says it is not going to spend more money on the project, some physicists are already rolling their eyes.

IVAN OELRICH, FEDERATION OF AMERICAN SCIENTISTS: There are some things that really are silly ideas. And just because one idea that everybody thought was silly turns out to be right, that doesn't mean all the other silly ideas might be right.

STARR: Light beams do exist in our lives already, the laser scanner at the grocery checkout, at voting machines, at customs checkpoints. There is even promising research to see if airborne lasers could shoot down incoming enemy ballistic missiles.

But this government-funded study looks at very advanced ideas, disembodied transport, psychic transport through mental power and movement by altering time and space dimensions. The Warp Drive Metrics report looks impressive, lots of calculations, discussions of black holes, wormholes and quantum physics. It even questions whether your soul can be transported across the galaxies with your body.

(on camera): Intergalactic transport would be very handy stuff for future space explorers and soldiers trying to get from one place to another in a big hurry. But, for now, most of us will be staying in this galaxy.

Barbara Starr, CNN, firmly on planet Earth.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WOODRUFF: Thank you, Barbara. We could sure use that here on planet Earth.

Well, Carlos Watson joins me next live, not teleported, with "The Inside Edge." He's next.

Plus, it's that officially that time of year. The sidewalk Santas are back on the job in our picture of the day.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: We know many people are enjoying an extended holiday, but politics never takes a holiday, as far as our political analyst Carlos Watson is concerned. He is in Mountain View, California, for this week's "Inside Edge."

Carlos, first of all, the talk of delaying the elections in Iraq, a number of the political parties in that country are arguing for that. If that were to happen, how would it affect politics in this country?

CARLOS WATSON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I think that the president won't take a significant hit if that happens, as long as it's not delayed too long.

But what I do think it illustrates, Judy, which is significant, is that while a lot of people expected 2005 to be a year filled with domestic political issues, I think the reality is, the foreign policy agenda could constantly trump our domestic agenda here, not only on Iraq and the elections there. We have already seen nuclear issues in Iran, maybe in North Korea. We know that there could be economic and trade disputes with China and other parts of the world.

And, by the way, we now see some democracy in voting issues in places like Ukraine. So I think maybe the bigger lesson from this is that once again foreign policy may trump domestic issues and may control much of the 2005 agenda, at least the early part.

WOODRUFF: Well, speaking of agenda, Carlos, what do you think Congress can actually get done this year?

WATSON: You know, there are at least a couple of big things still in front of them. As you know, there's a pretty big spending bill that adds up to just a shade under $400 billion.

And it looks like, although there's some dispute, that will ultimately get signed in just about a week or two. But I think, maybe more significantly, is the question of whether or not some of the 9/11 Commission recommendations on intelligence reform will ultimately get passed before this Congress adjourns.

And, Judy, when all is said and done, I think that there's a fair chance that it will happen. Interestingly enough, I think it will happen because of the reinvolvement of some people who during the campaign maybe took a hiatus, people like John McCain, people like John Warner, as well as people like the vice president, who may weigh in and find a compromise between those in the House and those in the Senate who right now are having a dispute.

WOODRUFF: Carlos, what is your sense of both parties? There's already some talk about maybe the Republicans will overreach. What's your sense of that and about the Democrats? Are they going to stay united or not?

WATSON: I think the overreaching, I think they're going to be careful, certainly not only the lesson in 1994, '95 with the Contract With America and the shutdown of the government, but I think also the lesson of Jim Jeffords, the Republican senator from Vermont who early in President Bush's first term switched sides.

And that caused the Senate to go back to the Democrats essentially or at least to go into a tie. I think they're going to avoid that this time, the Republicans are. But make no mistake about it. On a wide range of issues, including Social Security reform and including changes to the tax code, I think they are going to look to be very aggressive, even as try and keep those half-dozen Republican moderates in the Senate in particular on their side.

WOODRUFF: Last question. A lot of people started their holiday shopping today, Carlos. Is President Bush going to be getting any economic gifts for himself this holiday season?

WATSON: You know, he just might.

Remember that it's very traditional that presidents who are reelected in modern times already get a bounce in the polls three to six points. People like Nixon, Clinton enjoyed those bounces. But the president, if there's good economic news -- and right now, it looks like the retail season is going to be a good one, and the recent job numbers were good and the stock market has been healthy -- might enjoy some increased standing if he is able to stand atop a healthy economy when he gives the State of the Union address in January.

But these same issues, the fact that the economy is little bit healthier, may push some, particularly in his own party, to push for more aggressive deficit reduction, which of course could clash with some of his tax proposals. So there may be good news under the Christmas tree for him if the retail season is good, but there also could be a little bit of coal in the stockings in terms of his tax proposals.

WOODRUFF: Carlos, if they are serious about deficit reduction, what are the options they have?

WATSON: Well, we know where a lot of the big spending is. Obviously, the military, Social Security and some of those entitlements, a significant amount of money is spent. There's obviously been some arguments about waste in government.

But make no mistake about it. One of the places where people could come back to, and it could be a very difficult conversation, could become on the tax issue. Remember, Ronald Reagan effectively had to do that some 20 some years ago, after lowering taxes through a series of measures, essentially increased them, called them revenue enhancements. Wouldn't be surprised to see some of that happen in a second term.

WOODRUFF: Carlos Watson, "The Inside Edge," great to see you. Thank you very much.

WATSON: Good to see you. Hey, have a great belated Turkey Day.

WOODRUFF: We appreciate it. Have a good weekend. Thanks.

WATSON: You, too.

WOODRUFF: Carlos Watson out in California.

Well, now here is how you are weighing in on our Web question of the day. Remember, we've been asking you: Do you think the Iraqi election scheduled for January 30, should be postponed? Forty percent of you say yes, while 60 percent of you say no. And, remember, this is not a scientific poll.

Now that Thanksgiving is over, our picture of the day, clear evidence that Christmas is on the way. The Volunteers of America held a Santa march through New York's Times Square. These red-suited Samaritans will be taking up their posts on sidewalks for the rest of the holiday season, urging shoppers to contribute their change and maybe more to charity.

And a reminder that you can always catch WOLF BLITZER REPORTS weekdays at this time, 5:00 Eastern. Wolf will be back next week. And he will be here Sunday at noon Eastern for "LATE EDITION," the last word in Sunday talk.

Thanks for joining us. I'm Judy Woodruff. Have a good weekend.

"LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" starts right now.

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 November 26, 2004 - 17:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, GUEST HOST: Happening now, demonstrations enter their sixth day over the outcome of presidential elections in this former Soviet republic. Is democracy in jeopardy in Ukraine? Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.
Unrest in Iraq. Political groups demand a delay in elections while more bodies are discovered in a troubled city.

Ready, set, shop. The holiday retail season kicks off, but are Americans in the mood to spend?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm very optimistic about how things are going and I'm going to buy, buy, buy.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have to get more for my money. As they say, I'm living on a budget.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WOODRUFF: Science fiction or fact? The U.S. military spending your tax dollars to study teleportation.

Kids and HIV. Meet one of the more than 10,000 American children living with the virus that causes AIDS.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: The hardest thing is accepting sometimes what people think of you and how they look at you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Friday, November 26, 2004.

WOODRUFF: Hello. I'm Judy Woodruff. Wolf is off today. It is a long way from Iraq, Iran and Ukraine, but ripples from those hot spots are making it all the way to Crawford, Texas, where President Bush is spending the holiday weekend at his ranch. He emerged today and talked with reporters about the situation in those three countries. CNN White House correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux is there. Hello, Suzanne. SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hello Judy. Well, President Bush of course spending a relaxing holiday at his Crawford ranch, but also making it very clear today that he is focused on domestic as well as foreign policy, specifically when it comes to confronting nuclear powers and spreading democracy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX (voice-over): President Bush dropped by Crawford's coffee station for a burger and a couple of questions. Most notably on Mr. Bush's plate the future of Iraq. More than a dozen Iraqi political parties are calling for a six-month delay of Iraq's presidential elections. Any possible postponement is seen by the Bush administration as a misstep for the region and a win for the Iraqi insurgents.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The Iraqi election commission has scheduled elections in January and I would hope they go forward in January.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Democracy for Ukraine. Democracy for Ukraine.

MALVEAUX: A handful of pro-democracy demonstrators gathered outside the coffee station to support Mr. Bush's position on the Ukrainian elections. The White House considers the recent presidential elections there a fraud and a blow to democracy in that region. Mr. Bush and other world leaders are urging the Ukrainian authorities to come clean.

BUSH: The elections in doubt. The international community is watching very carefully.

MALVEAUX: The president also issued a warning to Iran. Through talks with the European Union, Tehran has pledged to freeze its nuclear program, but the White House is skeptical.

BUSH: The only good deal is one that's verifiable.

MALVEAUX: Mr. Bush is even using some of his political capital to help his closest ally, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, bring peace to Northern Ireland. The president said he called the provinces Protestant leader to urge him to share power with his long-time Catholic enemies.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: We were also told by a Bush aide that the president will continue with his telephone diplomacy, making additional calls to both sides. Judy?

WOODRUFF: All right. Suzanne, thank you very much and for more on the request by Iraqi political parties to delay elections, we turn to CNN's Karl Penhaul. He is in Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Fifteen of Iraq's new political parties held a meeting this afternoon in Baghdad. They came out of that meeting and have issued a call for a delay in nationwide elections. As you know, the date for those elections has been set as January 30th, but the parties in their meeting today, decided that the timetable was too short, that the two-month timetable between now and then wasn't enough time to prepare for the elections, to campaign for the elections and also to create a secure -- security environment so that all Iraqis could enjoy their freedom to vote.

Now, in the last few days, we have heard of Sunni Muslim political parties calling either for boycott or postponement in elections. The difference today, in addition to the Sunni Muslim parties, some secular parties and also the two main Kurdish parties joining the call for an election postponement. Amongst the political figures there at the meeting was (UNINTELLIGIBLE). He was a former president of the Iraqi governing council and well liked by the previous coalition authorities here.

In additional news in the city of Falluja, U.S. military spokesmen have told us that two Marines were killed. They were killed in an operation Thursday, when the Marines entered a house in a house clearing operation. An insurgent apparently lobbed a grenade, killing those two Marines. In an ensuing fire fight, three insurgents were killed we understand.

But it was better news in Falluja Friday. Aid convoys are finally reaching the city with some regularity. We had a team on the ground there. And they told us that the signs and sights that they saw were of pure destruction, buildings and rubble in everywhere, the remains of car bombs also, but eventually as the humanitarian aid convoy under the auspices of the Iraqi Red Crescent made its way through the city, some of the families, civilian families did dare venture out to receive basic supplies of food, bread, water and blankets. We're told that's the first time some of them have left their houses in more than 10 days. Karl Penhaul, CNN, Baghdad.

WOODRUFF: Also in Baghdad, a deadly attack on a British security company inside what is supposed to be a secure area, the green zone. British government and U.S. military officials say a rocket or mortar was fired into a compound belonging to London-based Global Risk Strategies. Four of the company's employees were killed and more than a dozen were injured.

And in the northern city of Mosul, six more bodies have been found according to U.S. military officials. That brings to 46 the number of people killed in and around that city in the last eight days. Officials say they aren't giving any more details, but the focus is on insurgents who may be targeting Iraqi National Guard troops and civilians who are cooperating with the U.S.-led coalition.

To our viewers, here is your turn now to weigh in. Our web question of the day is this. Do you think the Iraqi elections scheduled for January 30th should be postponed? You can vote right now at cnn.com/wolf. We'll have the results later in the broadcast. A rapidly changing situation in Ukraine, where the two candidates in the contested presidential election met face to face today, while hundreds of thousands of protesters continue to fill the streets. CNN's Jill Dougherty is there and she joins us live on the telephone. Hi, Jill.

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Judy. At that briefing with Javier Solana, who is from the EU, European Union, the person who really brokered this round table meeting, he described the atmosphere and he said it was warm with me, but cold with each other. The others, of course, the two men who are contesting the presidency of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovich. He is the government-backed candidate, the man who officially won the election by three points and then the opposition candidate, Viktor Yushchenko who says that election was stolen.

They sat at a big, round table. They had the president of Ukraine there, European representatives, a Russian representative and three hours long. It took much longer than people expected. They came up with a couple of things. One is as Solana said, it was progress just to meet face to face and start talking. They also committed to avoid violence and that is crucial, because of all those people on the streets now for five days. And then, finally, a commitment to start talking.

That is the least clear thing of all. There is a commitment to talk, but no guarantee that these talks will really get any place. But it would appear that there might be a possibility now, and it was on the table -- though, not resolved -- that they could re-do -- hold these elections again and try. It would be now for the third time to find a president. But that is still a time away, Judy, because again, they just have to sit down and try to work this out and as Javier Solana said, it is very hard work and just an important first step so far.

WOODRUFF: All right. We thank you very much. Jill Dougherty. Still very much an unsettled situation. There might be another balloting in that country, a lot to look out for. Jill, thank you very much.

Jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti will not run for president of the Palestinian authority after all. Yesterday Israeli radio reported that Barghouti was challenging former prime minister, Mahmoud Abbas for the position held by Yasser Arafat until his death this month. But a member of the Palestinian legislative council, who was allowed to visit Barghouti today, says Barghouti is now supporting Abbas' candidacy. An Israeli court convicted Barghouti for planning or participating in terror attacks.

Energized shoppers, all hoping that the early bird gets the best deal, retailers hoping the entire holiday season remains green. Find out who is most likely to benefit this year.

Marketing violence. A cartoon for children with a potentially deadly message. Martyrs go to heaven.

Plus this --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: I never thought I could do anything, because I have HIV.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WOODRUFF: A new generation living with HIV and AIDS. How life for thousands of infected kids in the United States is changing for the better.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: You could say today was the day, one day after Thanksgiving. Many Americans taking advantage of a second day off from work to begin their holiday shopping. CNN's Mary Snow joins us from New York. Hello, Mary.

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Judy. This is one of the busiest shopping days of the year. It's called black Friday, traditionally a time of when retailers go from posting losses, being in the red to swinging into a profit and being in the black. Retailers this year especially were very aggressive in trying to attract shoppers. Target had wake-up calls for its shoppers and scores of others offered deals for early risers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW (voice-over): They lined up in Georgia, braved the cold in Connecticut and tried to stay awake in Chicago. From coast to coast, shoppers rushed to the stores and were enthusiastic in Seattle.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's 5:00 in the morning. We ran all the way across the mall from J.C. Penny's all the way to Sears and we're not tired. It's exciting though. It's adrenaline. You're like shopping.

SNOW: With some stores opening as early as 5:00 a.m., consumers sacrificed sleep for savings.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's just something about being the first one and walking way with something that nobody else has.

SNOW: At this Wal-Mart outside Atlanta, an early bird special on TVs and DVDs drew crowds but that wasn't all.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You get the best deals on toys and I've got a list from my kids of what to pick up every year.

SNOW: This year, discounters are not expected to do as well as in the past. Industry watchers say that's because discount shoppers are feeling the pinch of higher oil and gas prices.

SCOTT CRUGMAN, NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION: These very same consumers are the ones mainly impacted by the higher price of heating their homes. So they might not have as much disposable income this year as they did last year so that certainly will be a challenge for the discounters.

SNOW: Analysts say luxury retailers could be the winners this season. Overall, analysts say sales are expected to improve from 2003 because fewer people are out of work.

KEITH STOCK, MASTERCARD ADVISERS: As people go back to work, as the jobs numbers increase, that restores confidence in individuals and they become a little more bullish in terms of what they want to buy as gifts for the holiday season.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW: And analysts are also optimistic about the shopping season because there are two extra days this year. It may not seem like a lot, but a day can make a difference. There are estimates that total sales today, like last year, could top $7 billion just this one day alone. Judy?

WOODRUFF: Those are interesting numbers. Well, now that Mary Snow has laid the groundwork, thank you, Mary, the question is, will the season shoppers be putting much of a jingle in the pockets of retailers? Let's ask CNN's Allan Chernoff. He's at Macy's department store in New York too. Hello Allan.

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello Judy. It is theoretically possible that someone could have spent more than 11 hours inside of Macy's right behind me. That's how long the store has been open and of course, they're still going in there. Plenty of people got an early start on the day.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHERNOFF (voice-over): And they're off. 6:00 in the morning at Macy's in mid town Manhattan. In the city that never sleeps, where shopping is a professional sport, bargain hunters were on the chase at dawn.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I got here at 5:30.

CHERNOFF: You got here at 5:30 in the morning?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And they open at 6:00, yeah.

CHERNOFF: Why did you get here so early?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We wanted to beat the crowd. There's some people still walking in and we walking out, so yeah, we wanted to beat the crowd.

CHERNOFF: So you feel good about that?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yeah. We're going to another Macy's. We're going to drop these back and then we going to the Macy's downtown Brooklyn. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm doing a little tour, first Macy's and then Lord and Taylor opens at 7:00, but my real goal is Sachs at 8:00.

CHERNOFF: And there were bargains to be had. Tell me, how are the prices?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tremendous, 65 percent off. I came here to look.

CHERNOFF: It doesn't look like you're looking, huh?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not looking too much.

CHERNOFF: You're shopping?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I'm doing that. I'm doing that.

CHERNOFF: Not everyone though was ready to buy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm doing no shopping today. I'm just looking.

CHERNOFF: At 6:00 in the morning?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because I'm on my way to work.

CHERNOFF: Very efficient.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, well, it's part of the job.

CHERNOFF: The strategic questions for savvy shoppers, buy now or wait for deeper discounts? Those who wait, says the chief executive of Macy's parent, are gambling.

TERRY LUNDGREN, CEO, FEDERATED DEPARTMENT STORES: Values clearly are in our stores today. And as time goes on, what doesn't sell will get marked down the quickest. What does sell hopefully won't, because it will be gone.

CHERNOFF: Among the hot items this season, hand bags, iPods, Tivo and digital cameras. Surveys indicate gift cards, which used to be considered impersonal, will be the number one holiday purchase for first time ever.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHERNOFF: Macy's is expecting a modestly better season compared to last year but industry wide, analysts say that sales should be up between 4 and 6 percent. Judy?

WOODRUFF: Allan, I guess if all these people are buying for others, this is all about the spirit of generosity, right?

CHERNOFF: It certainly is and that's very important this season.

WOODRUFF: Allan Chernoff in New York, thanks very much. WOODRUFF: The younger faces of AIDS. We'll take you to a safe haven for children living with HIV in the United States.

Media morality. Are calls for less controversial programming a sign of television coming full circle?

And later, "Star Trek" for the real world. Could we soon say beam me up? Why the Pentagon is spending your tax dollars to go where it's never gone before.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: All this week, we are looking at the new reality of AIDS. Today, we meet one of the more than 10,000 American children under the age of 13 who are HIV positive. CNN's senior medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KAITLYN KLEPZIG: Do I look scary to you? If I don't, what if I tell you that I have HIV?

Hi. My name is Kaitlyn. I'm 12 years old and HIV positive.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Kaitlyn Klepzig born HIV positive. She was adopted when she was just two days old.

CLEO KLEPZIG, KAITLYN'S MOTHER: That there were no other infected children in the state of Montana at that time.

CASEY KLEPZIG, KAITLYN'S FATHER: We were bringing in the biggest scare at that time, and that was a child with AIDS.

GUPTA: But for a new generation, a generation that has never known a world without AIDS, things are starting to change.

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: I'm 12 years old and I have been HIV for as long as I can remember.

GUPTA: Part of the reason it's been so great is because of Camp Heartland, a safe haven where kids can hike, sing songs, perform skits and talk about AIDS. All the campers have been touched by HIV.

KAITLYN KLEPZIG: Nobody is mean to each other here. You have nothing to be scared of. It's just the hardest thing is accepting sometimes what people think of you and how they look at you.

GUPTA: That's why campers here practice telling their stories, something they will do for real at schools around the country.

KAITLYN KLEPZIG: I went to see my birth mom a couple of months before she died. Sadly for me, I don't remember anything but the plane ride.

NEIL WILLENSON, CAMP HEARTLAND FOUNDER: This is the one place where as a human being, they can share that secret and tell someone else I have AIDS and their friend can put their arm around them and say me too. The words me, too, are very powerful.

GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WOODRUFF: And what a courageous bunch of kids. And be sure to watch this Sunday when Dr. Gupta is joined by Richard Gere, Ashley Judd and Magic Johnson for a look at AIDS and its reemerge in unlikely places and unexpected faces. RU positive airs Sunday night at 10:00 Eastern, 7:00 Pacific, only on CNN.

Murders in Mexico. Several bodies discovered near a favorite vacation destination for Americans.

Dangerous message. A cartoon aimed at children, encourages them to fight and die in the name of their religion.

Down and out. What went wrong for Democrats in this year's election? Liberal talk show host and comedian Al Franken weighs in.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: Welcome back. Terror cartoon, a youth video with a disturbing message gets the seal of approval by an American ally. But first, a quick check of other stories now in the news.

Diplomats say Iran has tentatively backed down from its insistence that it be allowed to continue using 20 centrifuges. The centrifuges could have been used to produce atomic warheads. Today's breakthrough may clear the way for an agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency, reducing the likelihood of U.N. sanctions.

Mexican authorities are investigating nine slayings at two sites outside Cancun. Officials say the deaths appear to be drug related. Cancun is a popular spot for U.S. tourists, but it is also along a cocaine smuggling route between the U.S. and Columbia.

The Coast Guard has suspended its search for a 54-year-old Virginia man who disappeared from a cruise ship. The man was reported missing by his wife after the ship, Carnival Cruise Line Celebration docked in Jacksonville, Florida, Thanksgiving morning.

One east bound lane has been reopened along a 24-mile stretch of Interstate 70 in Colorado today. Crews say they hope to reopen a west bound lane shortly. The road was closed by yesterday's rock slide in Glenwood Canyon.

One of the nation's biggest media companies, Viacom agreed to pay a record $3.5 million this week to settle complaints that it aired indecent material. Government regulators have been taking an increasingly strong stand on alleged broadcast indecency after an era that has seen Ozzie and Harriet's squeaky clean television family replaced by Ozzy Osbourne's frequently foul-mouthed television family. Our Wolf Blitzer looks at what has changed.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) WOLF BLITZER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When the baby boomers were growing up, it was a gentler era and television reflected that. Sergeant Joe Friday investigated crimes on "Dragnet." But even when he worked murder cases, the violence was at a minimum. Things started to change in the 1960s.

Fighting an uphill battle against television, Hollywood tried to lure patrons back into movie theaters with films like "Midnight Cowboy," featuring subjects you didn't see on TV. A few years later, those movies began showing up uncut on cable TV and television began changing, too, even on the broadcast networks.

From the relatively innocent threesome on "Three's Company" to Elaine's search for a sponge-worthy man on "Seinfeld," TV sitcoms got progressively more daring.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "SEINFELD")

JERRY SEINFELD, ACTOR: Sponge-worthy?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Homosexuality came out of its broadcast television closet eventually with shows like "Ellen" and "Will & Grace," featuring gay lead characters. "NYPD Blue" showed flashes of nudity, along with graphic depictions of lurid crimes that would have turned Joe Friday's stomach.

ANNOUNCER: We are back with "The Howard Stern Show."

BLITZER: Even radio got into the act with shock jocks like Howard Stern. There was grumbling, of course, that the media had gone too far, but no real evidence of a backlash until last winter's Super Bowl half time show.

Whether it was a simple wardrobe malfunction or something more sinister, a split-second glimpse of Janet Jackson's breast shocked millions of families, bringing apologies from CBS and the NFL and a huge FCC fine. After many voters in the November election cited moral values as their main concern, there was speculation that support from Hollywood celebrities may have hurt, not helped, Democrat John Kerry.

If voters wanted to send a message to the entertainment industry, some broadcasters appeared to be listening. Several ABC affiliates refused to show the movie "Saving Private Ryan," citing concerns over how the FCC would react to the graphic violence and profanity. And the network itself issued a quick apology after a risque skit on "Monday Night Football."

Wolf Blitzer, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WOODRUFF: To a separate topic now.

Many Democrats are still smarting from the results of the recent election. We talked a short time ago with comedian and liberal talk show host Al Franken.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Al Franken, thanks for joining us.

AL FRANKEN, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: My pleasure.

BLITZER: What's your biggest concern right now in the aftermath of the election? Why did Democrats do as poorly as they did?

FRANKEN: I think there are a number of reasons, one of which is that we probably didn't articulate our values enough.

BLITZER: You had a golden opportunity.

FRANKEN: We had a golden opportunity, but a lot of it got clouded in negative advertising by the Bush campaign in a way that I felt was unprecedented.

BLITZER: What about you? What do you want to do in terms of your political aspirations? There's been a lot of talk maybe you would run for office.

FRANKEN: Well, the talk is about 2008 in Minnesota. And right now I'm doing Air America Radio.

And part of what I -- the concern that I have about this last election was I don't think the media is doing its job. And I -- Air America's job is getting a foothold on this huge terrain of right-wing radio.

BLITZER: How many people are listening to Air America?

FRANKEN: A lot. We're in about 45 percent of the country now. We're the No. 1 source of streamed audio, live streamed audio.

BLITZER: What does that mean, live streamed audio?

FRANKEN: It means radio. At AirAmericaRadio.com, you can get us.

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: In other words, people who listen to it on the Internet?

FRANKEN: Yes. People are really listening to it. And the ratings we're getting and -- I beat Rush in all kinds of cities.

My point is, is that -- and one thing that does bug me -- and I mentioned beating Rush in certain cities -- is that I get compared to Rush all the time. And this is again by...

FRANKEN: Because he has millions and millions and millions of listeners and you necessarily don't.

FRANKEN: Well, I think I have millions of listeners, not as many millions and millions as he does.

But the comparison that I object to is not that they think I have as many listeners as him, because, if they do, they're wrong -- is that I get -- the people go, like, Rush Limbaugh -- the people who listen to Rush Limbaugh and the people who listen to Al Franken will never bridge -- will never believe anything the other says.

I don't do what Rush Limbaugh does. I am not the mirror image of Rush Limbaugh. I'm the opposite of Rush Limbaugh. And there's a difference.

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: He's a radio talk show host. You're a radio talk show host. He's funny. You're funny.

FRANKEN: No, no, let me -- I'll give you an example.

A couple months ago, he was talking about the minimum wage, OK? And he said, 75 percent of all Americans on the minimum wage, my friends, are teenagers in their first job. Now, I heard that and I told my staff -- I said, OK, that's not right. Check it out.

So, one of my staff members, my researchers, went to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and found out that 68.1 percent of people on the minimum wage are adults. So, clearly...

BLITZER: Adults over what age?

FRANKEN: Twenty and above, not teenagers; 68.1 percent are 20 and above. And he said 75 percent are teenagers in their first job.

BLITZER: Did you write him a letter to complain?

FRANKEN: No. I went on the radio and I said, look, Rush clearly got that statistic directly from his butt. And it went from his butt, out his mouth, into the airwaves into the head of "Dittoheads." And they believed it, just like they believe that weapons of mass destruction have been found in Iraq, just like they believe that Saddam helped al Qaeda and helped al Qaeda in 9/11.

And the point is, is that the right-wing media is doing the job of this administration all over the country.

BLITZER: So, at what point do you, Al Franken, who is well known, got great name recognition, best-selling author, has a distinguished career in entertainment, at what point do you say, you know what?

FRANKEN: Very good looking?

BLITZER: I don't know if I want to go that far.

FRANKEN: OK, but let's say I was very, very good looking.

BLITZER: Let's say if -- you were. FRANKEN: Yes.

BLITZER: At what point do you say, you know what, I want to get into politics, I want to run for office and I want to fight?

FRANKEN: Well, I'm considering that, and -- but it wouldn't be until 2008 in Minnesota. But I'm looking at that very closely.

BLITZER: Well, wouldn't that mean moving back to Minnesota?

FRANKEN: Absolutely. I was just back there again. I go back all the time. And we were looking at property. And it's a great place to live. It's a fabulous place to live.

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: Minnesota?

FRANKEN: Minnesota, yes.

BLITZER: It's a lovely state.

FRANKEN: Yes, lovely.

BLITZER: Thanks for joining us.

FRANKEN: Thank you, Wolf.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WOODRUFF: Fascinating conversation.

And to learn more about the future of the Republican Party, turn to "LATE EDITION" with Wolf Blitzer. Wolf will talk with Representatives Chris Shays, J.D. Hayworth and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. That's Sunday at noon Eastern.

A conversational cartoon, some say it encourages kids to fight and die. A closer look at what could be the latest recruitment tool for martyrs ahead.

And you've seen it on "Star Trek," but is the U.S. military spending your tax dollars to study teleportation?

Plus, it may not be the Masters, but it's still sporting history. We'll take you to Kabul Golf Club in our look around the world.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: As we know, much of the violence in the Middle East comes in the form of suicide attacks staged by radical Muslims who consider themselves martyrs. The effort to recruit them begins when they are young children.

CNN's Alphonso Van Marsh has the disturbing details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALPHONSO VAN MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): "Martyrs Go to Heaven" is about a boy who learns how fighting and dying in the name of Islam is a ticket to paradise. It's a gift video CD. And this Islamist children's magazine distributed it throughout majority Muslim Turkey.

REFIK EROURAN, AUTHOR, SOCIAL COMMENTATOR: It's poisonous propaganda, masquerading as sweetness and light.

VAN MARSH: Sweetness and light, that the mainstream press here criticized as a call for jihad, holy war, criticism that video CD and magazine publisher Atak organization denies on its Web site. Atak also denied our interview requests.

I'm ready to be a martyr, says the leader of the film's prophet Muhammad's army. And then...

INCI BAYLA BOBOL, CHILD PSYCHOTHERAPIST: I don't accept children to watch this. That child can learn that that is good.

VAN MARSH (on camera): Anybody can make an extremist CD. But what makes "Martyrs Go to Heaven" even more controversial is that it's literally got the seal of approval from Turkey's secular government.

(voice-over): After authorizing 15,000 copies, the Turkish ministry responsible for screening the flick says it's banned Atak from distributing any additional CDs.

What's important is to fix this mistake and never let it happen again, he says; 15,000 CDs in a nation of some 70 million people may seem like a drop in the bucket, but some warn of a ripple or ring effect.

EROURAN: The next ring would be somehow affected by the inner ring. And you might end up with a million people being affected by this kind of thing.

VAN MARSH: A kind of thing targeting children that Atak organization insists is educational and was done legally.

Alphonso Van Marsh, CNN, Istanbul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WOODRUFF: Calls to postpone democracy in Iraq right now, how an election delay there could affect politics in the United States. Carlos Watson has "The Inside Edge."

And space transportation, you've seen it on "Star Trek," but do you want your tax dollars used for space travel?

First, a quick look at some other news making headlines around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) WOODRUFF (voice-over): In the Middle East, the ruling party in the Palestinian Authority says it will hold its first internal election in 16 years. The Fatah election will be held in August of next year, months after Palestinians are scheduled to vote for a new president of the authority at the end of January.

Bird flu warning. World Health Organization officials warn that Asia's bird flu could trigger a worldwide epidemic.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No country will be spared.

WOODRUFF: They say, if that happens, it could result in the deaths of up to seven million people. Asian health officials meeting in Thailand pledged to intensify cooperation in fighting the disease.

Body guards as caddies. It's not the Masters, but for Afghanistan, it's the first golf tournament in 30 years. Because security remains a major issue, some foreign players are using armed bodyguards as caddies.

Monster mash. Australian aid workers and celebrity chefs created a 7.5 ton bowl of risotto to help raise aware awareness about world hunger. The recipe, 1.5 tons of rice, 970 gallons of stock, 1,700 pounds of peas, three pounds of saffron, and 1,300 pounds of cheese and butter. Yum.

And that's our look at some headlines from around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: The United States Air Force is calling one of its latest projects science. Critics say they don't know whether to laugh, cry or pitch a fit.

Our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: On the Starship Enterprise, all Captain Kirk and his "Star Trek" crew have to do is signal Scotty the engineer to beam them up with the pull of a lever.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "STAR TREK")

LEONARD NIMOY, ACTOR: Energize.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: Instantly, they are transported to distant planets. Could the rest of us ever do that? The U.S. military wants to know.

The Air Force, home of the most high-tech fighters and center of UFO speculation, is exploring strange new worlds and going where the Pentagon has not gone before. They Air Force gave Warp Drive Metrics of Las Vegas, Nevada, $25,000 to study the physics of teleportation, yes, the transport of persons or inanimate objects across space.

But the Air Force isn't snickering and even insists in a statement: "We don't do science fiction. We do science," adding that many current weapons started as ideas perceived to be science fiction, such as airplanes, lasers and stealth technology. And although the Air Force says it is not going to spend more money on the project, some physicists are already rolling their eyes.

IVAN OELRICH, FEDERATION OF AMERICAN SCIENTISTS: There are some things that really are silly ideas. And just because one idea that everybody thought was silly turns out to be right, that doesn't mean all the other silly ideas might be right.

STARR: Light beams do exist in our lives already, the laser scanner at the grocery checkout, at voting machines, at customs checkpoints. There is even promising research to see if airborne lasers could shoot down incoming enemy ballistic missiles.

But this government-funded study looks at very advanced ideas, disembodied transport, psychic transport through mental power and movement by altering time and space dimensions. The Warp Drive Metrics report looks impressive, lots of calculations, discussions of black holes, wormholes and quantum physics. It even questions whether your soul can be transported across the galaxies with your body.

(on camera): Intergalactic transport would be very handy stuff for future space explorers and soldiers trying to get from one place to another in a big hurry. But, for now, most of us will be staying in this galaxy.

Barbara Starr, CNN, firmly on planet Earth.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WOODRUFF: Thank you, Barbara. We could sure use that here on planet Earth.

Well, Carlos Watson joins me next live, not teleported, with "The Inside Edge." He's next.

Plus, it's that officially that time of year. The sidewalk Santas are back on the job in our picture of the day.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: We know many people are enjoying an extended holiday, but politics never takes a holiday, as far as our political analyst Carlos Watson is concerned. He is in Mountain View, California, for this week's "Inside Edge."

Carlos, first of all, the talk of delaying the elections in Iraq, a number of the political parties in that country are arguing for that. If that were to happen, how would it affect politics in this country?

CARLOS WATSON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I think that the president won't take a significant hit if that happens, as long as it's not delayed too long.

But what I do think it illustrates, Judy, which is significant, is that while a lot of people expected 2005 to be a year filled with domestic political issues, I think the reality is, the foreign policy agenda could constantly trump our domestic agenda here, not only on Iraq and the elections there. We have already seen nuclear issues in Iran, maybe in North Korea. We know that there could be economic and trade disputes with China and other parts of the world.

And, by the way, we now see some democracy in voting issues in places like Ukraine. So I think maybe the bigger lesson from this is that once again foreign policy may trump domestic issues and may control much of the 2005 agenda, at least the early part.

WOODRUFF: Well, speaking of agenda, Carlos, what do you think Congress can actually get done this year?

WATSON: You know, there are at least a couple of big things still in front of them. As you know, there's a pretty big spending bill that adds up to just a shade under $400 billion.

And it looks like, although there's some dispute, that will ultimately get signed in just about a week or two. But I think, maybe more significantly, is the question of whether or not some of the 9/11 Commission recommendations on intelligence reform will ultimately get passed before this Congress adjourns.

And, Judy, when all is said and done, I think that there's a fair chance that it will happen. Interestingly enough, I think it will happen because of the reinvolvement of some people who during the campaign maybe took a hiatus, people like John McCain, people like John Warner, as well as people like the vice president, who may weigh in and find a compromise between those in the House and those in the Senate who right now are having a dispute.

WOODRUFF: Carlos, what is your sense of both parties? There's already some talk about maybe the Republicans will overreach. What's your sense of that and about the Democrats? Are they going to stay united or not?

WATSON: I think the overreaching, I think they're going to be careful, certainly not only the lesson in 1994, '95 with the Contract With America and the shutdown of the government, but I think also the lesson of Jim Jeffords, the Republican senator from Vermont who early in President Bush's first term switched sides.

And that caused the Senate to go back to the Democrats essentially or at least to go into a tie. I think they're going to avoid that this time, the Republicans are. But make no mistake about it. On a wide range of issues, including Social Security reform and including changes to the tax code, I think they are going to look to be very aggressive, even as try and keep those half-dozen Republican moderates in the Senate in particular on their side.

WOODRUFF: Last question. A lot of people started their holiday shopping today, Carlos. Is President Bush going to be getting any economic gifts for himself this holiday season?

WATSON: You know, he just might.

Remember that it's very traditional that presidents who are reelected in modern times already get a bounce in the polls three to six points. People like Nixon, Clinton enjoyed those bounces. But the president, if there's good economic news -- and right now, it looks like the retail season is going to be a good one, and the recent job numbers were good and the stock market has been healthy -- might enjoy some increased standing if he is able to stand atop a healthy economy when he gives the State of the Union address in January.

But these same issues, the fact that the economy is little bit healthier, may push some, particularly in his own party, to push for more aggressive deficit reduction, which of course could clash with some of his tax proposals. So there may be good news under the Christmas tree for him if the retail season is good, but there also could be a little bit of coal in the stockings in terms of his tax proposals.

WOODRUFF: Carlos, if they are serious about deficit reduction, what are the options they have?

WATSON: Well, we know where a lot of the big spending is. Obviously, the military, Social Security and some of those entitlements, a significant amount of money is spent. There's obviously been some arguments about waste in government.

But make no mistake about it. One of the places where people could come back to, and it could be a very difficult conversation, could become on the tax issue. Remember, Ronald Reagan effectively had to do that some 20 some years ago, after lowering taxes through a series of measures, essentially increased them, called them revenue enhancements. Wouldn't be surprised to see some of that happen in a second term.

WOODRUFF: Carlos Watson, "The Inside Edge," great to see you. Thank you very much.

WATSON: Good to see you. Hey, have a great belated Turkey Day.

WOODRUFF: We appreciate it. Have a good weekend. Thanks.

WATSON: You, too.

WOODRUFF: Carlos Watson out in California.

Well, now here is how you are weighing in on our Web question of the day. Remember, we've been asking you: Do you think the Iraqi election scheduled for January 30, should be postponed? Forty percent of you say yes, while 60 percent of you say no. And, remember, this is not a scientific poll.

Now that Thanksgiving is over, our picture of the day, clear evidence that Christmas is on the way. The Volunteers of America held a Santa march through New York's Times Square. These red-suited Samaritans will be taking up their posts on sidewalks for the rest of the holiday season, urging shoppers to contribute their change and maybe more to charity.

And a reminder that you can always catch WOLF BLITZER REPORTS weekdays at this time, 5:00 Eastern. Wolf will be back next week. And he will be here Sunday at noon Eastern for "LATE EDITION," the last word in Sunday talk.

Thanks for joining us. I'm Judy Woodruff. Have a good weekend.

"LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" starts right now.

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