frank sinatra gave an interview years ago and he said, for my money, tony bennett has the best voice in the business and he never forgot it. it's great. tomorrow i sit down with former president bill clinton and don't miss my special, "big stars big giving" airs at 2:00 p.m. on december 24th and christmas day at 4:00 p.m. that's it for us. kyra phillips takes over in the "cnn newsroom." >> i thought it was cool when julio iglacious kissed my hand. i think alina just topped that. million of americans are rushing off to work and they want congress to do their job. as you know, today the house is expected to strike down a senate bill that extends the payroll tax call for another two months. republicans say that's not long enough and they want the full year guaranteed. the clock is ticking. if a deal isn't made by january

1st, 160 million american workers will see their paychecks shrink. an average of $1,000 over the course of a whole year and no politician wants to take the blame for that. >> here's where the debate is. the senate wants to punt the ball. they want to do a 60-day extension. house republicans, frankly, this is one of the few times we agree with the president. we want to extend it for a full year. that's what the american people ask for, it's what the president agreed for. >> kate bolduan is on capitol hill. kate, the question for most americans, right now, will my paycheck be smaller in two weeks than it is today? >> it is a very good question. a couple points on that. there is still time this tax cut does not lapse or expire until the end of the year, but i'll tell you for the first time there's beginning to be a question if they're going to reach agreement, if they're going to reach agreement in time. both sides, kyra, seem pretty

dug in at this time. house republicans will not go along with a short-term extension and they don't think punting it down the road is a good idea. senate republicans and senate democrats, senate majority leader harry reid has said that he has no intention of starting up talks, again, over this one-year deal that they have been negotiating until house republicans sign on and pass the two-month extension that senate democrats, along with big support from senate republicans passed over the weekend, kyra. >> i guess bottom line, how serious is this revolt then, kate? >> well, house republicans, they are coming under fire from their colleagues in the senate, actually, which does not very often happen. one of them, i'll read you a part and quote from scott brown republican from massachusetts. he is in a very tough re-election battle, but this is what he said in the statement. house republican, the house republicans plan to scuttle the deal to help middle class families is irresponsible and wrong, he says. he goes on to say that he appreciates the effort to extend

the measure for a year, but a two-month extension is a good deal when it means we avoid jeopardizing the livelihoods of millions of american families. so, you can see, house republicans are getting pressure from their senate colleagues, but it doesn't seem like that at the moment is kind of pressure enough for them to bend. house republicans are standing very firm that there is time. they want to negotiate a one-year deal, a two-month extension, they say, is not good policy and it's not good and they won't go along with it because it's kind of the way that congress has worked in the past with these short-term fixes. what we're going to see today, kyra, a bit of a procedural maneuver. house republicans will not directly vote on whether or not, yes or no, to accept the senate deal. they're actually using a procedure maneuver to vote to reject the senate deal. this appears to provide a little political cover for house republicans who don't want to be seen as voting against this payroll tax extension and adding fuel to the fire of democrats

who say they're voting for a tax increase. kyra? >> we'll follow it. kate, thanks so much. thursday is officially the first day of winter. try telling that to folks hunkered down in the nation's midsection. blizzard warnings from colorado to new mexico to texas. wind gusts have been clocked at 50 miles per hour and some areas reporting up to 15 inches of snow and a remarkable 200-mile stretch of interstate 40 is now closed from albuquerque to the texas state line. >> this storm is one of the strongest ones i've seen in years, basically because of the wind. >> they told me to turn back. >> let's get the latest on that road closure, shall we? >> reporter for cnn affiliate in albuquerque. the storm is winding down, what about the road conditions? improving at all? >> well, yeah, the road conditions in the metro area in albuquerque proper have actually improved. they're pretty drivable and it's once you get out of the city,

you head east, that's where the big mess is. for 14 hours now, 14 hours is what we're going on. the i-40 eastbound lanes from the heart of the city all the way to the texas state line are still shut down. you can see we're here in front of one of the onramps and the gates are still locked, why? because the state police, new mexico d.o.t. says a lot of the roads east of the city look just like this. they're slick and slippery and because of these biting temperatures that has really caused all of this from the snow and the rain that we had yesterday. it is really frozen over. they say it is jam packed and they have a lot of trucks that are stranded east of albuquerque. that's where the big pileup is and that's why they won't let any drivers, trucks or commuters get on i-40 eastbound and head east to texas because it's just clogged up. a lot of people are having to either wait it out until the closures are lifted or they have to find alternate routes, especially for morning commuters.

they're going to have to stay off the interstate and use other arteries, street, city roads just to get to their destination this morning. you know, keep in mind, new mexico is a state that sees about 300 days of sunlight. sunny. it's always sunny here and, you know, when you get these types of elements. snow, rain, very cold temperatures, it makes it very difficult for drivers to get around and really adapt to these driving conditions. reporting live in albuquerque. >> all right, thanks so much. so, rob marciano, give us a little more as we look forward here. >> you know, this is not the first storm that they've seen so far this year. happens to be there worst. but a blizzard in new mexico and colorado, those two warnings have been allowed to expire. western kansas, that's where some of the most hairy weather has been. sustained 30 miles per hour or greater since noon yesterday.

so, even without the snowfall coming down, it's been blowing sideways. where it did come down. it came down two feet in pietown, new mexico, and ten inches in kenton, oklahoma. other wind gusts equally impressive. we're starting to see this wind down just a little bit, but the moisture of this is stretching off to the east and getting into chicago, pittsburgh, places like this. most of this is heading into some mild air. so, as it traverses north and east towards the lower northeast, we shouldn't see much of a problem. maybe a midst in chicago to pittsburgh and heads to the new york city area come is all rain with this particular system and then we focus to the next one diving down into the same area and pose a threat for the northeast corridor in the way of holiday travel over the next few days and then another system coming down for christmas. so, busy week ahead, once this thing winds down. kyra? >> rob, thank you so much. we'll keep talking. >> sounds good.

well, it's just two weeks to go until the iowa caucuses and the republican race is too close to call. cnn's latest poll shows that newt gingrich's double-digit lead pull into a tie with ron paul in third and paul steinhauser has some reasons why gingrich is slipping. what do you know, paul? >> when you break down the numbers in the new national poll, which candidate is most likable? take a look at this. well, you can see why romney is on the rise and gingrich is dropping by a 2-1 margin. also, mo trustworthy, same thing. romney a 2-1 advantage over gingrich. look at there at the bottom. 42% of republicans say gingrich would be the strongest leader. only 26% said the former massachusetts governor would be the strongest leader. gloria bordure caught up with newt gingrich yesterday and asked why his numbers were dropping nationally and, of course, in iowa, which is just two weeks away. take a listen to what he said.

>> your numbers have been heading in the wrong direction here. can you tell us why? >> watch tv here for two days. you had, you had all sorts of people and all sorts of these super packs who have consistently been running negative ads. well, you get enough negative ads before you start answering them, your numbers go down for a while. >> well, like i said, kyra, two weeks until the caucuses and anything could happen. look at this poll number from our same poll, same survey. more than half the people we questioned on the republican side said, i'm supporting a candidate, but i may not stick with him. 56% saying that. one in ten saying they haven't made up their minds yet. they're going to stick with the candidate they're supporting. kyra, this thing is far from over with just two weeks to go. >> isn't that the truth? thanks so much. for all the latest political news, go to our website, 24/7,

cnnpolitics.com. kim jong-il this morning his body lies in state and his youngest son who took part in a ceremony has been named his successor and the world is wondering who is really in charge right now. anna, any clues this morning? >> kyra, i can tell you that not much is known about kim jong-un his young, inexperienced leader. we don't even know his exact age. in his late 20s is what we do expect. but he is being tested. this has been thrust upon him. of course, kim jong-il had started the succession process some time ago. it wasn't expected that kim jong-un, his youngest son, would take the reins so quickly. it certainly caught the south korean government off guard. there was a bit of an inquiry that went under way here in seoul today.

the head of the intelligence services committee grilled the national intelligence service. it's the equivalent to the cia here in south korea. and wanted to know why south koreans were left in the dark regarding the death of kim jong-il. you need to remember, kyra, that south korea did not find out he died when that announcement was made on north korean state tv. an investigation is under way. the organization has defended itself and said that north korea's allies such as china and russia, they were also in the dark, as to his death. but they said there was nothing different to the way that north korea was behaving, which is why it didn't sound off any alarm signals, kyra? >> we'll be following this story throughout the morning and afternoon. anna, thanks. it's the epicenter of the reform movement in egypt. a woman beaten, stomped and

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checking stories across country. patrol the streets of new orleans. he says the bad guys are running the city after a toddler was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting. police in florida investigating this massive fire at the marina in coconut grove. four expensive yachts, a total loss. san francisco's candlestick park could have used a couple

candles. two power outages briefly delayed last night's football game between the 49ers and the pittsburgh steelers. well, cepler is one busy satellite. this afternoon nasa holds a news conference to announce the discovery of an even, well, more new planets are out there. rob marciano is following it for us. >> sounds like every week they have something new. >> they're just kind of teasing us with this. we told you about the planet that was discovered about two weeks ago by kepler. measures just light or the changes of light being emitted from galaxies far, far away. or at least solar systems far, far away. to recap what was discovered a couple weeks ago, but the planet that's very earth-like orbiting 22 b. what they call a habitable zone.

as large as the earth. 600 light years away. basically we're seeing now what was going on, you know, just shortly before christopher columbus was born just to give you some perspective on that. all right, here's the thing with this. just to wrap it up because the announcement is happening at 1:00 and we do have some information that is "embargoed." so, i could tell you, but then i'd have to kill you. tune in after 1:00 and give you the latest on it. likely this is more planets that kepler discovered. the question is, where, around what star with are these planets that they're going to announce in a habitable zone much like earth. that's the exciting stuff that we hope to come out this afternoon. >> i was still trying to figure out when christopher columbus was born. i was tracing back, how many hundred years? we'll get back to you on that. thanks, rob. at&t is giving up. the wireless company went head-to-head with the government in its bid to merge with t-mobile. we'll go to new york stock

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well, north korea is preparing for the funeral next week of kim jong-il. right now the north korean's leader's body is lying in state. his son and successor, kim jong-nujong jong-un viewed his father's body today. on the other side demilitarized zone, dmz, the south korean government expressed its sympathy, asking church groups from lighting trees along the dmz. they consider the structures psychological war fare. well, american journalist laura ling and she and another journalist were held by the north koreans after illegally

crossing into the country in 2009. former president bill clinton helped get them released and ling and her sister, lisa, spoke with our dr. sanjay gupta on "ac 360." >> laura, i have to ask you, kim jong-il put you and your family through hell. so many of ous watched while you were over there and in captivity for five months. what were your thoughts when you heard about his death? >> it was very surreal. i got chilled immediately, but i also thought about the north korean people. people who were suffering under that regime for decades. i also thought about my guards, my interrogator, my interpreter. you know, these are people who are tasked with keeping me prisoner, but at the same time, we did share, develop a relationship and i thought about what the future might hold for them. >> lisa, i imagine some of your thoughts, your initial thoughts were the same, but it must have been a very emotional moment for you, as well.

>> it was. and it was actually quite surprising for both of us because when president clinton met with kim jong-il and negotiated the release of my sister and his colleague, he was surprised by how coherent the "dear leader" was at the time. he brought his position with him and he noticed some paralysis on one side of his body, but he said that his mental faculties were fully in tact. >> kim jong-il apparent, his son, the country is a young country in terms of demographic. he has been educated outside of north korea. does this make you optimistic at all for the future of this country? >> well, i think that everyone right now, all we can do is speculate, but i do think there could be a window of opportunity, you know. kim jong-il 20 years for him to be groom under to a leader. kim jong-un has had less than two years. when you talk about this propaganda machine, kim jong-il has existed, not existed for

very long in that machine. so, it will be interesting to see what happens. >> when we were trying to negotiate laura and una's release, our sources were dealing with two entirely different factions inside north korea because it seemed that there was this skism between the members of the foreign ministry and the military. so, if that is any indicator, it seems like it's just an extremely unpredictable time in that country right now. >> as we mentioned, very little is known about his ability. brian todd has more on what may have been his accidental rise to the top. >> reporter: kim jong-il tried to prepare his son and his country for this day. the elder kim has elevated the profile of his son last year and gave him a drastic promotion in the army. >> he spent no time in the military before his promotion last year? >> as far as we know, he has not spent a day in the korean's

people's army and yet in december 2010, he was promoted to the rank of four-star general. >> reporter: but victor cha who dealt with the regime says what kim didn't do was prepare everyone for his own sudden death. now, cha says we're left with very little to go on with kim jong-un. that's partly because kim jong-un is only in his late 20s and also he had such a short apprenticeship for this short position compared to the 20 something years his father spent preparing for the job. widespread reports that kim jong-un went to boarding school in switzerland and can speak english. >> reporter: that's not going to help him among north korea's military elite, who may not want to accept orders from someone who is not even 30. i asked cha while kim jong-irx l didn't tap his oldest son, kim

jong-nam. >> he came into leadership with his lifestyle and he tends to be a playboy and likes to gamble and keeps a condo. >> reporter: according to analysts quoted on diplomatic cables posted on wikileaks. the second oldest son kim jong-chol so it fell to the youngest son. analysts say the plan was for the late leader's brother-in-law to be a key player behind the scenes while the other kim solidifies his leadership. tech is married to kim jong-il's sister who is a general in the army. but there are rumblings that she is sick. >> are we seeing the beginning of the end of the kim dynasty? >> i think we are. i think this regime is really on its last legs. i cannot imagine a more difficult scenario to affect the leadership transition than what we're seeing today.

>> reporter: what really worries char right now the possibility of luce nukes. some rogue elements of the military might take control of the country's fast developing nuclear weapons capability. brian todd, cnn, washington. well, coming up, the iraq war is over, but the battles are not. next, you're going to meet a vet who is doing something pretty unique to help his brothers and sisters in arms. you won't want to miss his story. [ sniffs ] i have a cold. [ sniffs ] i took dayquil but my nose is still runny. [ male announcer ] truth is, dayquil doesn't treat that. really? [ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus fights your worst cold symptoms, plus it relieves your runny nose. [ deep breath] awesome. [ male announcer ] yes, it is. that's the cold truth!

checking top stories now. partisan fighting is putting your payroll tax cut in jeopardy with time running out on a deal. and now what a conference committee to work out a year-long pack. a winter storm has shut down highways in the west and midwest. blizzard conditions still smacking the southern plains, as much as two feet of snow fell in northeastern new mexico. the philippines. the death toll there from a weekend tropical storm nearing 1,000. flooding has left tens of thousands of people homeless. well, with the iraq war over, thousands of young men and women begin the next phase of their lives. in the new chapter is going to be pretty tough.

rates of suicide and ptsd cases in the military are unprecedented. veterans are struggling to hold on to their homes and find jobs. unemployment among vets back from iraq and afghanistan is well above the national average, but some folks have managed to come home and succeed and they've got their fellow vets' backs. toby watson is one of those guys. he was an army captain who deployed twice to iraq, earning two bronze stars and now he used the fitness training that he learned in the military to opening a pair of cross fit gyms in the atlanta area and his business has taken off so well, he's expanding to brazil, but he's never forgotten the sacrifice of his comrades or the bonds forged in war and he's trying to make a difference in vets' lives. we'll tell you all about it now. toby joins us live in studio. good to see you. >> thanks for having me. >> before we talk about cross fit which i think is such a fantastic philosophy.

was the war worth it to you? >> as a whole, yes. i lost a lot of friends and we saw a lot of growth there and overall it was a life-changing experience that i wouldn't trade for the world. it's -- i have mixed feelings about it ending and where we left it and how we're leaving it, but it was worth it to me. >> you learned a lot from the iraqis and they learned a lot from you. that's one thing i remember you telling me. >> i did. the iraqis are an interesting group of people. they get a lot of bad press and a lot of, you know, we treat them as they're different, but, really, they're very patient and it's amazing to see what they go through on a daily basis and how they're patient and supportive of what we're doing and the change that's coming. so, a pretty neat experience. >> now, let's talk about your comrades. we've all watched this and you know since you've come home ptsd, suicides, depression, anxiety, alcoholism, it's unbelievable what they're going

through as they come home. but you had an idea and it was this cross fit idea and you've actually, not only helped employ vets, but heal them. tell us about this philosophy. >> cross fit wasn't my idea, but an idea i learned about while in the military. a worldwide company that is free on the internet, crossfit.com but it start would the military and it's a great philosophy of how to work out. it changes the way you work out, what you're doing. it's much more functional and using things that are going to, you're going to use in everyday life and i saw it in a lot in the military in the operators, the battalion and it brought people together to work out and it made working out fun as opposed to spending hours on a treadmill and doing other things like that. it's much more community driven and it makes it much more useful and it helped bring me out of a state of depression. i got up to 270 pounds after my second deployment and i was

looking for an answer and crossfit was that and it gave me a community to relate to and to celebrate with and my successes and nigh famy failures and i to and made my own version with my two gyms here in atlanta. >> the idea was out there, but you brought it home and you decided to start some gyms and implement this crossfit idea. how, you're hiring vets, you're totally giving back. you've even committed your gyms to fallen soldiers. explain to us how you're doing that through the workouts. you were telling me about the merf. >> so, crossfit is an amazing community and crosfit hq names a lot of workouts after fallen soldiers. military folks who died in the line of duty, firefighters, police officers, the whole bat. and these workouts are called hero. everyone knows them to be the worst ones because of the sacrifice. they're dedicated to the

sacrifice of the soldiers and service members. it's a terrible workout, but everyone loves it. it's a one-mile run and then you come back in and do 100 pull-ups and you run another mile. the people who are really fit do it with an added weight vest on. >> is it the name of an actual fallen soldier. what do we know about merf. was he a tough guy? did he always work everybody really hard out in country? >> it was lieutenant murphy. i don't know his full story off the top of my head, i apologize for that. he died in the line of duty with his comrades serving and he was doing cross fit and so crossfit named a workout in his honor. >> so, tell me, what has this done for vets and how do you find these vets that are out of work or struggling, like you were, you know, with weight or with depression and how do you

get them in your gym? >> well, we are open to everybody. and, so, i support, i'm involved at ft. mcpherson. they closed and we advertise online and we try to get them. we hired several military folks and some still work with us and we have lots of police officers and several military folks still working out in our facilities. i prefer to hire military folks because of the things they have, the things they know. they've already been in systems and they understand functions and they know how to work as part of a team. the great thing about crossfit and the communities we're creating, all about the community and the team success. military folks really understand that, but what's really cool is that we're bringing that to the civilian and you kind of mix it. if you came to our gym, you could put a face on what's really going on in iraq and afghanistan by doing a workout in honor of one of our fallen soldiers. >> be motivated. >> it changes it.

you see a different attitude when people come and do one of those hero wads. it's an amazing experience. >> crossfit.com, you can learn more about it. what a fabulous thing you're doing, toby. thank you. >> you bet. at&t has given up. it went head-to-head with the government to merge with t-mobile. live to the new york stock exchange right after this. [ female announcer ] help i need a holiday party idea.

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it's the end of the line for "dancing with the stars." chaz bono and his girlfriend have broken up. the couple has called off the engagement. what is going on? >> they have. you know, kyra, this is sad news for all of chaz bono fans. the pair were dating since 2005 and we just saw bono's proposal on his reality show. his spokesperson says the couple decided to split up and "they leave this relationship with great love and respect to one another." we spoke to chaz bono a lot so fun to watch, a great competitor. we truly, wish him the best. it's tough breaking up any time, but especially during the holidays. you can see the couple there during happier times. we understand there is a new list of the ten worst christmas movies ever. here's something a little fun to talk about. i guess all the movies we

shouldn't rent, right? >> isn't this interesting? i am so excited to be dishing on this, especially with you, kyra. get ready for this. they polled fans and they just released a list of films you don't want to see during the holiday season. the worst place is "santa claus conqurz the martians." in case you're wondering a film from 1964 and a science fiction film with a complicated plot involving martian children and a plot to kidnap santa claus. i tried to explain it to you a little bit more, but the story doesn't make a whole lot of sense. this is considered to be one of the worst movies of all time. probably not a surprise to see it here. some of the other films on this list, "silent night, deadly night." which, kyra, i actually saw. >> what did you think? >> i thought it was horrible back then and i'm not surprised it made the list. but i love horror films, so i kind of just watched the whole thing.

arnold schwarzenegger's films about "jingle all the way." and "santa with muscles." what a title. my producer asked me to flex my muscles while saying that. not going to happen. ten movies, kyra, but we only have time to run down five this morning. i know you're so disappointed. >> how about the best holiday movie. "love actually." i know you've seen that movie. >> i have, i have. it's wonderful. so, maybe we'll do that next time. we'll talk about what you could possibly view this season. >> something to get you in a good mood. >> cheers to that, kyra. cheers to that. >> all right, happy holidays. >> you, too, kyra, thanks. let's check the big boards, shall we real quickly. see how the numbers are doing. dow industrials up almost 220 points. that's good news. we're hoping to keep them in positive territory throughout the day. we'll take a quick break.

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let's head out to see felicia taylor at the new york stock exchange. we want to talk, felicia, about this deal that would have created the nation's biggest carrier, but, however, not so fast. >> not so fast. the government fought really hard against the deal. basically, at&t just gave up,

which was kind of a little bit of a surprise, but then, again, it will cost them buku bucks. worst service and less competition. at&t still maintains that the deal would have been good for customers and here's why. there's a shortage of what they call sort of spectrum. we're using tablets, smartphones and all that sort of, you know, more variety of things and, thus, a lot of wireless spectrum. so, wireless companies are trying to consolidate to get access to more spectrum and be more competitive. at&t. this is the kicker on this one, at&t is going to pay a $3 billion, "b" for billion for break-up fee to t-mobile and that's why this is such a landmark unbreaking of a union that could have been with ma bell. >> how is wall street reacting? >> well, what's interesting about this is that at&t right

now, the stock is up just about 0.5%, which is interesting. considering how much money they will have to spend to break up this deal. sprint, however, the competition, is up 4%. it fought to have the deal blocked. so, now there's talk that t-mobile might merge with sprint instead. t-mobile doesn't have enough spectrum for a competitive 4g network, so, it may turn to sprint. we'll see what happens. this deal, deal isn't over yet. >> all right. down industri dow industrials up, that's good news. thanks. don mattingly may be a little out of his league. he goes drag. oh, yeah, huge hoop skirt, makeup, wig, full monty. we'll tell you why he took off his uniform for the spectacle. sports in ten minutes with jeff fischel.

well, high school senior doesn't let epilepsy and other disabilities get him down. trenton is determined to help others in his community cope with theirs. he and his mother started a

nonprofit and that's today's giving in focus segment. >> it's not my fault. i was born this way. >> he was 9, he was diagnosed with epilepsy. when he was 10, he was diagnosed with an intellectual disability known as asberinger's syndrome and a connective tissue disorder. >> there's very few kids in my school that know my disability because my disabilities are hidden. since i'm slightly autistic, i find myself being slightly challenged when i'm having conversations with my peers. they'll say, he's just a normal weird guy. he doesn't have any disabilities. >> electrical surges in the brain, my nonprofit organization is called h.i.p. kids. it gives back to kids in many ways. one of the main ways it does it is a scholarship that me and my

mom have been funding from our nonprofit organization. we give to people that normally won't get scholarships. those people that don't have the highest of gpas and yet they get or go through this with disabilities. i really wanted to go to engineering school engineering school and become a biomedical engineer that specializes in prosthetics. when i got something in the mail from university of pittsburgh, i thought, what do they want? i opened it up and they're giving me a full tuition scholarship, and that shows me that there are some schools that really value what i do. >> the more we found out he was different, the more he's been able to bridge a gap in so many people's lives, and especially my life. >> it makes me feel like all that work and all that struggling and crying alone at home finally equal success. >> be sure to watch cnn's giving in focus special christmas day. it will be hosted by our tom

foreman. 12:05 eastern, president obama and vice president biden taking place in a ceremony marking the return of the u.s. flag and colors from iraq. that's in maryland. 1:00 eastern, announcing a new planet discovered by the kefler mission. and a lighting ceremony will take place at 4:00 eastern. let's go ahead and start first with rob marciano. rob? >> a blizzard in parts of the southern high plains. it's moving toward the great lakes in the northeast. will it spell snow for you? detailed forecast in the next hour. and i'm indicate bolduan on capitol hill. the house that voted to reject the senate. what does that mean for you and for your paycheck? i'll have that at the top of the hour.

we got confirmation from the south korean government that they knew nothing about the death of the kim jong il until it was officially announced. we talk to the head of the social services committee who is demanding answers. it's been a long and busy year. it seems we've had breaking news every day. we're actually going to look back at some of the biggest stories of 2011. ( phone ringing )

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( laughing ) it's actually a pretty good day when you consider. that's great.

it's a little ironic that it's called candlestick park. i had to go there. >> the lights go out, what do you need? cand candlesticks might come in handy. last night the steelers-49ers game twice on delay for power outage. this is just before the game. a transformer just explodes, and from there, there it goes and the lights go out. no lights for 20 minutes. final they will do get the game started, and in the second quarter it happened again. thankfully 16 minutes later, the lights were back on. ben roethlisberger really hobbled with an ankle injury. san francisco wins 20-3. a big win for the 49ers on a

monday night. the lakers and the clippers played last night. look at blake griffin. he's excited about having his new teammate. kobe bryant did look good, but boy, do the lakers look old right now. bryant thought he would get to finish his career with chris paul. here's paul breaking down the sweet l.a. they didn't get their man. davidson upsets kansas. there's the jayhawks. elijah johnson to thomas robinson. nick cochran 21 points in 21 minutes. davidson upset kansas 81-74. don mattingly updated his look, i'd say. he was going for a different look. he was mother ginger in a

performan performance of "the nutcracker" in a performance in his home town. the director says he wants him back for another role. if you saw mattingly, he was giving signals like he was a manager, basically telling that kid, sacrifice a bunt. there you go, take a big swing. mattingly said he had a good time. >> how much do you want to bet, sold out every show? >> big performance of the year. not everyone is mourning the death of north korea's kim jong il. who better to tell us this story than jeanne moos. >> when the dear leader became the dealer departed, don't expect too much respect. ♪ ding dong the witch is dead, which old witch, the wicked witch ♪ the same anchor who

delivered the news that kim jong il's father died years earlier. he was seen as a dictator with an ego as big as his glasses, his many pairs of glasses. kim was most famously portrayed by the kraercreators of southpa feeding u.n. inspector hans blitz to tv america. and singing mourn fulfully as h made plans to destroy the world. ♪ i'm so lonely, so lonely, so lonely and sadly alone ♪ >> those who portrayed him as a rapper weren't alone. >> a kim jong il impersonator even delivered the weather on

"30 rocks." and while in the west he is mocked, north korea is being rocked by grief. if you can believe the video. state tv showed north koreans crying and slapping the ground. a skeptic posted, i've seen better acting from paris hilton. if it was acting, there was plenty of it. inside homes, in front of murals, before statues. but the tears were more likely to be from laughter in the west over various lifts circulating, like the top 10 strange facts about kim jong il. hard to confirm facts. such as, he once attempted to breed giant rabbits to alleviate famine, and he claimed to have invented the hamburger. people don't speak ill of the dead unless your name is kim

jong il. jeanne moos, cnn, new york. it's the top of the hour on this tuesday. thanks for joining us. right now millions of americans are rushing off to work. they want congress to do its job. today the house is expected to strike down a senate bill that extends the payroll tax cut for another two months. house republicans say that's not long enough. they actually want the full year guaranteed? but the clock is ticking, and if the deal isn't made by january 1st, 160 million american workers will see their paychecks shrink. we're talking about an average of $1,000 over the course of a year. no politician wants to take blame for that. here is some of that discussion just moments ago. >> is this a christmas present, is this the new year's gift we're going to give to the american people, that their taxes are going to be raised,

that they're not going to be able to have unemployment insurance if they're unemployed? what does this mean for the economy, mr. speaker? do the house republicans want to send a message to the president right now when the economy is actually starting to improve slightly? this could easily send us back and make the economy go back into a tailspin. do they dislike the president so much that they would risk the economy for that? >> we're here to stop politics as usual in washington. president obama called for a one-year extension of the payroll tax holiday, and we're here to do exactly that. job creators need economic certainty to create jobs, and to do that we must extend the payroll tax holiday for one year. >> all right, there's a look at the politics, but let's talk with kate baldoan on the hill, and that is, will my paycheck be smaller in two weeks than it is today? >> it doesn't look too likely, but i tell you, keira, there is

still time. this tax cut does not expire until the end of the year, and you know deadlines do wonders around here. but on the flip side, there is question about whether the two sides will be able to agree in time. they are very much dug in that the point. house republicans, as you said, theriy are opposed to a short-tm extension, what this tax goes to which is stimulating the economy. on the other side, senate democratic leader harry reid has no intention of opening up talks again over a one-year extension which they had been negotiating until the house passes this two-month extension to make sure this tax cut does not last. we'll obviously be seeing if there is any movement on either side in the latest chapter of this standoff, keira. >> we'll keep watching and

waiting for you to let us know what's going on. kate baldoan on the hill. thanks, kate. today is officially the first day of winter. snow blanketing the area in colorado, new mexico and texas. snow has piled two feet deep in colorado and new mexico and expands across the region. a remarkable stretch of interstate 40 from albuquerque to the texas state line now. >> i'd say if you don't have to travel, don't. >> how are we supposed to get home? >> we'd rather be safe than, you know, sorry. >> cnn meteorologist rob marciano is joining us to look at the storm ahead because the storm is actually headed east. here's the question. problems for holiday travelers?

what do you say? >> this would certainly keep folks worried on any other yoer or any other pattern, i should say. we have blizzards that remain in effect for texas, oklahoma and kansas. some of the stuff coming out of kansas really remarkable. take a look at some of the video near dodge city in western kansas. they had winds starting at noon yesterday, sustained at 30, still almost there now and the snow is winding down but blowing sideways. there's your blizzard. when you get visibility dropping to zero, that's when it becomes dangerous, that's when we shut down the interstate. still some of the interstates are shut down when the sun comes up and roads are working to clear some of that stuff up. in canton, oklahoma, seeing ten inches of snow and the winds are with this. not only do we have sustained winds of 30 to 40 miles an hour, but we had wind gusts of nearly hurricane strength in places like clayton, new mexico. so powerful, powerful storm, but it's not going to get any more

intense. it is heading for more populated areas like chicago, like detroit, like pittsburgh. the moisture is starting to spread in that general direction but most of the moisture is in the form of rain. down in parts of louisiana, we have rain, had a tornado warning out, so some rough weather there, but generally speaking, this is heading into more mild air, so we'll see some wintry precip in places like chicago, maybe cleveland and through pittsburgh, but it shouldn't do all that much. this thing will head toward the north into the mile there. we'll see that go bye bye, some rain in new york and the next system coming down into texas. now we'll take a similar track but get the rain and snow on a little closer in some of the bigger cities and travel gets dicey with this system and some behind it on christmas eve and christmas day. >> let's turn to north korea now, and former dictator kim jong il. this morning his body lies in state, his regime somewhat in

limbo. his youngest son that took part in a ceremony beside his glass coffin has been named his successor. the world is wondering who is really in charge now. anna, what's your take? >> reporter: well, by all indications, kim jong un, kim jong il's younger son, is in charge. he obviousily has been named as the successor, and by all reports, the succession does seem to be going smoothly. the south koreans say the reason they believe this is the case is because there was a big gap between kim jong il dying and that news being released to the rest of the world. they say any power struggle was in the regime between the elite, and i guess the younger generation, it doesn't seem to be there at the moment. perhaps it will, you know, show itself in the new year after the mourning period is over, but for now, keira, things certainly

seem to be relatively calm. >> we'll stay on the story, obviously, as things develop. anna, thanks. a call for the national guard after a toddler is killed in a new orleans street. cross country is next. forty years ago, he wasn't worried about retirement. he'd yet to hear of mutual funds, iras, or annuities. back then, he had something more important to do. he wasn't focused on his future but fortunately, somebody else was. at usaa we provide retirement solutions for our military, veterans and their families. from investments... to life insurance... to health care options. learn more with our free usaa retirement guide. call 877-242-usaa. but my nose is still runny. [ male announcer ] truth is, dayquil doesn't treat that. really? [ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus fights your worst cold symptoms, plus it relieves your runny nose. [ deep breath] awesome.

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stories across the country now. a louisiana lawmaker wants national guard troops to patrol the streets of new orleans. he says the bad guys are running the city after a toddler was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting. and police in florida investigating this massive fire at the marina in coconut grove.

four expensive yachts a total loss. candlestick park could have used a couple candles. two power outages briefly delayed the football game between the 49ers and the pittsburgh steelers. more testimony possible today in the trial. chris lawrence following this for us. chris, what have we learned so far today? >> yeah, keira, a sicybercrimes investigate or said he found 100,000 state documents on a computer that he was using and he found a computer that would allow that information to be written to a cd. however, on cross examination of many defense attorneys, the cybercrimes investigator admitted that he could not see direct proof that it was manning that put that information on the computer, and he did not see evidence that it was passed on or transmitted to anybody else.

this is all part of the big connect the dots case in which they're trying to tie the information found on manning's computer with those half a million documents that were released by wikileaks. >> and so tell us what the cybercrimes expert told or talked about in the hearing yesterday. >> he basically talked about what he found on those computers, the 100,000 state department cables, also an sd card that was found at advance hall in potomac, maryland. all of this is information they're trying to tie to what wikileaks released. >> all right. so what happens next, chris? >> well, this is an article 32 hearing, so basically it's sort of like a civilian grand jury hearing. this is to determine if there is enough evidence to go forward with a full court martial. this will wrap up, and by all estimates and everything i'm hearing, it probably will be

referred over to a full court martial. >> and finally, what kind of punishment is he facing? >> technically, if he was convicted on all the charges, he could face the death penalty for treason. but the prosecutors have indicated they're not going to seek the death penalty. they would be looking for life in prison, and it's unlikely that a senior officer would overrule what the prosecutors recommend. >> got it. we'll follow it. chris lawrence, thanks. in a hail of bullets, he was gone. the death of the world's most wanted terrorist just one of the stories that made this year one to remember. we're going to turn the calendar back to january and start at the very beginning. okay-y... okay??? i've been eating progresso and now my favorite old jeans...fit. okay is there a woman i can talk to? [ male announcer ] progresso. 40 soups 100 calories or less.

well, we saw notorious criminals captured or killed, national disasters and nuclear meltdowns. no doubt 2011 was a big, busy news year. we're taken back to the beginning. >> cnn center in atlanta, we're following breaking news. a story out of tucson, arizona at this hour. several people have been shot. >> reporter: january 8, tragedy in tucson as a madman goes on a rampage, wounding 18, including congresswoman gabrielle.

tahrir square becomes the place for massive demonstrations. they urge their governor to give up power. >> the son of muammar gadhafi on libya television basically warning the people of libya saying, this is not egypt. things will go in a much different direction. >> reporter: february 16. all eyes on libya as anti-gadhafi protesters hit the streets. it would be months before gadhafi is captured and killed. oh, my god, the building is going to fall! >> reporter: a massive wall of water. a devastating tsunami swept the shore along japan's northeastern

coast, sweeping away cars, boats, homes, almost anything in its path. >> reporter: march 11, scenes of utter devastation as an earthquake measuring 9.0 spawns a tsunami off japan's coast. the walls of water heavily damage nearby nuclear reactors. and for weeks the japan government and its people feared the worst. massive radiation leaks. >> these people are very resilient. they've been working very hard, but there's a lot to deal with. in fact, just to see what they've been dealing with over the last couple of days is complete destruction. >> reporter: april 25, a tornado outbreak across the southeast leaves more than 300 dead. >> one of the greatest days i can remember in my lifetime in this country. >> we're going to bring you all the pomp and the pangeantry, th

big moments from the wedding. >> reporter: april 29, prince william married his long-time girlfriend kate middleton. following the nuptials, the two took a pageant-filled ride through the streets of london. tonight i can report to the american people and to the world that the united states conducted an operation that killed osama bin laden, the leader of al-qaeda. >> tonight the president of the united states saying, almost ten years after 9/11, justice has been done and osama bin laden is dead. that's why you see that happening right there, at lafayette parka cross t across t from the white house. >> this has come as a real bombshell. >> reporter: may 14. the head of the international monetary fund, dominique strauss-kahn, is plucked from a flight before takeoff. a hotel in new york accused him of sexual assault. the charges were later dropped.

>> it was really unbelievable to even hear this. quite a bombshell this morning. they're breaking a story out of california that former governor arnold schwarzenegger -- >> reporter: may 17, political bombshell. the former governor of california, actor arnold schwarzenegger, confesses to fathering a child outside his marriage to journalist maria shriver. the two later announced an end to the marriage. >> as to the cause of first-degree murder, verdict as to count 1, we, the jury, find the defendant not guilty. >> the devil is dancing tonight. >> reporter: may 24. casey anthony goes to trial for the murder of her little girl caylee in orlando. shocked and outraged when a jury cleared her of the crime six weeks later. >> we've got some breaking news. let's get straight to the hill. dana bash, i'm wondering if this has anything to do with anthony weiner?

>> i spoke to a source that says anthony weiner does plan to resign from congress. >> reporter: may 27. congressman anthony weiner embroiled in a scandal after a lewd picture of himself was sent by a woman on twitter resigned weeks later. >> i am announcing my resignation from congress. breaking news tonight, one of america's most wanted criminals. >> reporter: june 22, fugitive no more. alleged organized crime figure james bolger wanted for at least 19 murders, is caught in california. the final liftoff of atlantis. america will continue the dream. >> reporter: the shuttle atlantis lifts off at kennedy space center, the final shuttle launch of the program. >> the space shuttle spreads its wings one final time.

>> reporte >> reporter: july 10. after 168 years in existence, rupert murdoch's news of the world newspaper shuts down amid claims that the paper hacked royals, politicians and even crime victims. two explosions have rocked central oslo in the last hour, wounding at least eight people. >> reporter: july 22, terror in norway. in oslo, a bombing killed eight people. on nearby la toya island, at least seven people, many of them youngsters attending a political youth camp, are shot to death. the tragedy stuns the tiny nation. the accused attacker is later described as a right wing christian extremist. >> we wrap up the rest of the world straight ahead, including jerry sandusky's first arrest on child sex charges and the ensuing penn state scandal. a winter storm causing blizzard conditions heads east. we're going to tell you who is

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woah! [ giggles ] before the break, we kicked off our year in review, looking at some of the stories we will all remember and some we'd also like to forget. joe johns now wraps up the rest of 2011 for us. >> this is a remarkable moment. it is a remarkable vote for the country and it's a remarkably emotional moment. the congresswoman returns to the floor for the first time. >> a rare moment of bipartisan support on capitol hill.

the rating at standard & poor's served notice this afternoon that it plans to downgrade the government's aaa credit rating. >> reporter: america's credit indicating is downgraded from aaa to aa-plus. standard & poor's blames it on the lack of cooperation between the white house and congress to get a handle on america's debt problem. >> breaking news now, cnn just confirming that steve jobs, the ceo of apple, incorporated, has resigned his position. >> reporter: jobs died october 5. flowers were left at many apple stores around the world. >> all right, in new york city this morning, they're regrouping from occupied anarchy. there were a few bursts of violence. scuffles were few. protesters making barricades.

>> reporter: the occupy movement gains steam. the movement grows over the next few months, even spreading to other countries. >> breaking news for you, the hikers have been released. shane bower, josh pattal having been in an iranian jail since 2009. >> these are people who are feeling that -- >> reporter: september 23. after years of failing to reach a peace deal with israel, the palestinian leader asked them to recognize palestine. it fell on deaf ears in the security council. >> reporte let's start with breaking news. >> reporter: september 30, a cnn

drone strike in yemen takes a strike att al-ahlaki. he was an american citizen. >> he's free after more than fife years in captivity. >> reporter: october 18. israel releases more than 1,000 palestinian prisoners in exchange for just one, corporal ajhad shelite. >> reporter: november 6, the former assistant football coach at penn state, jerry sandusky, is charged with multiple counts of abusing as many as ten young boys over the span of 15 years. the scandal brought shame to the school and ended the career of legendary coach joe paterno. >> we, the jury in the above entitled action, find the

defendant, conrad robert murray, guilty. >> reporter: november 7. conrad murray is convicted at his trial over the death of pop superstar michael jackson. murray got four years in prison for the crime. it's happened again, another child sex scandal at a major university. a college basketball coach accused of abusing a ball boy for more than a decade. >> reporter: november 17. two men appear on espn, accusing former syracuse assistant basketball coach bernie fine of sexually abusing them. later a tape surfaces in which lori fine appears to have known about her husband's alleged abuse. a couple breaking stories here in the cnn newsroom. rod blagojevich has been sentenced just moments ago to 14 years in prison. he was convicted on corruption charges, including trying to sell president obama's senate

seat. this is breaking news, paula, and it is history. the war in iraq is officially over. u.s. troops are moving across the border into kuwait now, hala. >> this is the last, last, last anything you can imagine in terms of the military is crossing into kuwait. >> reporter: december 17. the final american combat troops in iraq depart, ending america's long war there. joe johns, cnn, washington. and we're at the half hour. let's check some top stories. a winter storm has shut down highways in the west and midwest, blizzard conditions still smacking the southern blanz, and as much as two feet of snow fell in northern new mexico. the death toll is reaching nearly 1,000 in the phillipines

and tens of thousands are homeless. the senate don't want to pass a two-month-long extension and now want a conference committee to make a year-long pact. right now the north korean's leader's body is lying in state in pyongyang. his son and successor, kim jong un, viewed his father's body today along with other officials and dig dignitaries. they're asking them to refrain from lighting christmas trees. they consider the structures psychological warfare. american jr.iournalist laur ling was being held since 2009 in north korea. we spoke to sanjay gupta last

night. >> kim jong il's resegime put y and your family through hell. we all watched you in captivity. what did you think when you heard about his death? >> it was very surreal. i got chills immediately. but i also thought of the north korean people who were suffering, who had him under their regime for decades. i thought about the my guards, my interrogator, my interpreter. these were people who kept people as prisoners, but we did share something and i wondered what the future held for them. >> it must have been a very emotional moment for you as well, lisa. >> it was, and it was actually quite surprising for both of us, because when kim jong il met with us, he was actually very surprised how coherent the,

quote, unquote, dear leader was at the time. he brought his physician with him and he noticed some paralysis on one side of his body, but he said his mental faculties were fully intact. >> laura, let me ask you. kim jong il's heir apparent, his son, he's young, he's been educated outside of north korea. does this make you skeptical at all for the future of this country? >> i think everyone right now, all we can do is speculate. i think there could be a window of opportunity. there was ten years for him to be groomed into a leader. kim jong unhas had less than two years, and when you talk about the propaganda machine, he has -- kim jong un has not existed very long in that machine. so it will be interesting to see what happens. >> we were trying to negotiate laura and una's release. it was interesting because our sources were actually dealing

with entirely different factions inside north korea, because it seemed there was this ism between the members of the foreign ministry and the military. if that is any indicator, it seemed like it's just an extremely unpredictable time in that country right now. >> laura ling had been sentenced to 12 years of hard labor for illegally entering north korea. newt gingrich is getting attacked on all sides. we'll talk to our political buzz analyst after the break. of pot. ♪ what's that? big piece of potato. [ male announcer ] progresso. you gotta taste this soup. but my nose is still runny. [ male announcer ] truth is, dayquil doesn't treat that. really? [ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus fights your worst cold symptoms, plus it relieves your runny nose. [ deep breath] awesome. [ male announcer ] yes, it is. that's the cold truth!

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the political buzz. look at the best political topics of the day. three seconminutes, 30 seconds e clock. democratic strategist robert zimmerman. okay, guys, first question. the death of kim jong il reminds us of that 3:00 a.m. test, you know, where the president of the united states has to be ready to respond to any type of international crisis at any time. so which of the gop candidates do you want answering that call? sherry? >> i think i'd like to have newt gingrich or mitt romney. maybe michele bachman, perhaps rick santorum. this is one of those situations where we are reminded what's really important and it's not somebody's hope to change little slowigans or their ability to rd off a teleprompter.

this is where we want intelligence, maturity and a steady hand, and that's where i think we have a good republican field. almost anyone would be much better than what we have now. >> robert? >> hello. >> we might have -- it looks like we lost robert's connection. we will try to get him back up in a minute. patricia? >> i think i know that robert would have liked barack obama to handle his phone calls. >> you answer for robert and then give me yours. >> you don't need your audio, robert. i'm going to stay neutral on this, that's my job, but to cheri's point, i think republicans are most worried about getting a 3:00 a.m. phone call to ron paul because he probably wouldn't answer the phone call. he takes his foreign policy to such an extreme. no foreign aids, no foreign intervention. i think that's the gop that most voters are worried about. >> robert, do we have you back?

robert, do we have you back? okay. here's what i'm concerned about. i want to make sure we have balance here, so why don't we do this. if it's okay, can we take a break and try to get -- okay, fantastic. we're going to take a break. we're going to get robert zimmerman hooked back up -- he is? okay, robert, are you back? >> i'm back. >> yay! it was silent only for a minute. cheri was excited because she was all to the right here, and patricia tried to be balanced and give your side of the story. did you hear the question? let me ask you that. >> what was the first question? i didn't hear it clearly, no. >> all right, kim jong il, the death of a dictator. looking at all the candidates out there right now, who is the president that you would want in place to take that 3:00 a.m. call if all hell broke loose with an international crisis? >> cheri, i'm glad to be back

with you. bottom line is when you listen to these republican candidates, quite frankly, most of them, very frankly, bring no credibility to discussions like getting housing and mortgages ahead of freddy mac and frannie mae. first two years of the obama administration gives him credentials, and he understands that china is sensible to the ability of a region. a refugee exodus to south korea or to china. >> second question. we got you all linked in. the gingrich campaign on the defensive now. as you know, polls are showing his support is slipping nationally. attack ads are coming from all sides. here's a little bit of one. >> we do agree our country must take action to address climate change. if enough of us demand action from our leaders -- >> together we can do this. >> what do you guys think? are the ads working?

cheri? >> yeah, they are working. his numbers were soaring before and now he's taking a hit, and the really bad news is that if he's a nominee, and he still could be, certainly, we know what barack obama, the democrats, are going to throw at them. they're very nasty from the left. they have $1 billion. they have no record to run on, and they certainly don't want to remind everyone of obama's record, what he's done with obamacare, on and on and on, so they'll go after whoever the republican nominee is with a billion dollars, and it's going to be hard, and that's what the voters have to sit through in the next election. the good news is that gingrich makes good debates and ehe can wipe the floor with obama. >> robert? >> i think i was better off when i lost sound. >> we all were, robert. >> obviously the short answer that many pundits are saying is that negative advertising works. the public is beginning to know newt gingrich's record, and whether it's putting children back to work by avoiding child labor laws, overturning the

constitution by trying to control the judiciary, he's demonstrating that he's not the intellectu intellectual, not the idea man. it's also great to note that this organization doesn't have a plan in place. >> he had a giant bull's eye put on his back and that is the biggest problem for him. he is getting hammered on all sides, at least 8-1, in some cases 30-1, depending on where you live. to robert's point, newt gingrich does not have the organization, he does not have the money. he is not even in iowa. he is in virginia right now trying to make sure he gets put on the virginia ballot. so he's getting pushed and pulled from all sides, and this is a reminder he doesn't have the money or the organization to respond. >> 20 seconds on this one. mitt romney poked fun at himself on letterman last night. here's part of the top 10 list. >> number two. >> newt gingrich?

really? >> yeah, that's right. and the number one thing that mitt romney would like to say to the american people -- >> it's a hairpiece. >> okay, guys. if you were doing the top 10, what would have been your number 1? robert? >> if i were mitt romney, i guess i would say, hey, i've been endorsed by christine mcdonald and bob dole on republican of the future. or may be it would be i'm a flip floper but i'm not putting you back to work. that would be a lot funnyer if i had music and a band behind me. >> as he says with a straight face. >> i missed most of what he said because my sound went out. it really did, i'm not just making that up. mitt romney is making a little fun of himself, but he could talk about how good-looking he is, because he is, and there is

no reason to pretend he's not and that would have been a good opportunity to do that. >> oh, cheri, a mitt romney fan. >> he's not billing the best parts available. >> he's married, cheri. >> it's a complement. i'm not hung up on him. >> okay, we got it. patricia? >> if i was mitt romney, i would say, america, give it up. what is the problem? you know i'm going to be the nominee, i know i'm going to be the nominee. dispense with the pleasantries, give it up. do you prefer a veggie wrap over a greasy hamburger? they rate in terms of food and we'll tell you what's at the top and the bottom of the list. a hamburger is really okay. "well, maybe we ought to buy this hot dog cart and set it up someplace." so my parents went to bank of america.

they met with the branch manager and they said, "look, we've got this little hot dog cart, and it's on a really good corner. let's see if we can buy the property." and the branch manager said, "all right, i will take a chance with the two of you." and we've been loyal to bank of america for the last 71 years. we get double miles on every purchase. so we earned a holiday trip to the big apple twice as fast! dinner! [ garth ] we get double miles every time we use our card.

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news cross country now. guns for gift exchange does a pretty good business in san diego. more than 300 weapons were turned in for gift cards, no questions asked. organizers say even when they ran out of cards, folks kept turning in their guns. a disabled cook in idaho just got an early christmas present, a $200,000 lottery jackpot. he says he loves his job and he's going to keep it.

coworkers say they're going to help him set up a savings account. a surprise for a little girl in georgia. they got natural hair barbies from a group. they gave them makeovers and gave them out, hoping to boost those girls' self-esteem. airports jumping on the healthy food bandwagon. a new study reports that the best airports are pushing salads, hummus and veggies. why don't we start with the rankings, shall we? >> there's no reason to not watch what you're eating, especially when you're rushing through the airport. 80% of airports had healthy options. that's not enough, in my opinion, but it's up from 57%. detroit's wayne county airport got 100%. every restaurant has at least one healthy option.

that's followed by san francisco and washington dulles. last on the list, atlanta's hartsfield airport. less than 1% had healthy options. i was a little frustrated i couldn't find a vegetable. >> i didn't see portland, oregon and they've got really good sushi. that's healthy. >> exactly. >> all right, felicia. thanks. offering healthy food is great for consumers, right, but it's also a business decision. airport restaurants are trying to respond to this demand, right? >> yeah, absolutely. and let's face it, you know, it's always tempting to have fried food, so naturally that sells. but more people really do want to eat healthy. and fast food chains have started to pick up on that trend just a few years ago. it's not so much that there's food on board on planes anymore. you get the peanuts and

pretzels, and that's not so good. the bottom line, the more options you give people, the more chance you have at making a profit. that's a good thing for the airport, a good thing for the airlines. they're not supplying food like they used to, so everyone is benefiting from this. >> how are the numbers looking before i let gyou go? we've got 258 points rallying right now. the housing stocks, i have to tell you, are up between 5 and 7% today? really good news today on a tuesday? i'm n >> that's surprise to go me. i'm not sure the rally will last, but we'll find out. big stars are giving back big time. ♪ the best is yet to come >> indeed, it is. one of our favorites, tony bennett. we'll tell you what he's doing for young people in the arts

right after our break. ♪ you think you ain't seen the sun but you ain't seen it shine ♪ beauty, huh? it's dependable.

long-lasting, too. yeah, i could really use this silverado. deer. fish. fantastic. ♪ this holiday, chevy's giving more. now qualified buyers can get 0% apr for 72 months on a 2011 chevy silverado. or 0% apr financing for 60 months plus no monthly payments until spring. ♪

tony bennett has given back to his birth place. he and his wife are behind an art program to help students in new york. cnn shows you the wide range of bennett and the steps he's taken to help people. ♪ you get too hungry for dinner ♪ >> reporter: at 85, tony bennett is just getting started.

>> my friend say at 85, going number one on billboard, will never happen again. but it's fantastic. ♪ that's why >> featuring lady gaga and the late amy winehouse, has been nominated for three grammys. >> why don't you do disco? why don't you do rap? you're not going where the music is going. and i say, well, i just want to stay with quality. >> reporter: it's not about instant fame. it's about developing a real skill. >> even if they don't become artists, they get an idea of the difference between a piece of junk or something that will last forever. >> reporter: that idea inspired bennett and his wife susan benedeto, a chance to explore

the arts. they contribute to art education at a time when many art programs are being cut. this is a state of the art high school in astoria, queens, bennett's birthplace. >> reporter: how does this make you feel? >> it's the greatest fan club in the world. >> reporter: in addition to academics, majors include dance, drama, fine arts. >> beautiful. did you do this? >> yeah. >> how wonderful. >> reporter: and don't forget bennett's specialty, singing. ♪ >> reporter: it hits you here, doesn't it? >> it does. and here. ♪ i left my heart >> reporter: ah, the voice. it's his gift to the world and his holiday gift to me.

♪ in other words, i love you >> reporter: wow. >> well, a cnn special, big stars big giving airs december 24 at 2:00 p.m. and again on christmas day at 4:00. i'd race down that hill without a helmet. i took some steep risks in my teens. i'd never ride without one now. and since my doctor prescribed lipitor, i won't go without it for my high cholesterol and my risk of heart attack. why kid myself? diet and exercise weren't lowering my cholesterol enough.

now i'm eating healthier, exercising more, taking lipitor. numbers don't lie. my cholesterol's stayed down. lipitor is fda approved to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients who have heart disease or risk factors for heart disease. it's backed by over 19 years of research. [ female announcer ] lipitor is not for everyone, including people with liver problems and women who are nursing, pregnant or may become pregnant. you need simple blood tests to check for liver problems. tell your doctor if you are taking other medications, or if you have any muscle pain or weakness. this may be a sign of a rare but serious side effect. [ man ] still love that wind in my face! talk to your doctor. don't kid yourself about the risk of heart attack and stroke. if lipitor's been working for you, stay with it. lipitor may be available for as little as $4 a month with the lipitor co-pay card. terms and conditions apply. learn more at lipitorforyou.com. but sometimes i wonder... what's left behind? [ female announcer ] purifying facial cleanser from neutrogena® naturals. removes 99% of dirt and toxins without dyes, parabens or harsh sulfates. so skin feels pure and healthy.

[ female announcer ] from neutrogena® naturals. we're checking stories making news later today.

12:05 eastern, president obama and vice president biden take part in a ceremony marking the return of the u.s. flag and military colors back from iraq. that's in maryland. then nasa is holding a telephone conference at 1:00 p.m. eastern. and at the lighting ceremony will take place at 4:00 eastern. the tax cut fight on capitol hill, now it's getting pretty personal for the president. dan lothian is at the white house. dan, the president's holiday plans getting all messed up for sure. >> that's right. everyone is trying to get away for the holidays. most of the folks' first family is already in hawaii but the president is still here as up on capitol hill they try and figure out whether or not they can get that extension done. here at the white house behind the scenes, they really are pushing hard to make sure the taxes don't go up on middle

class americans, but they are waiting to see what the house will do next. privately the thinking here is republicans won't come out looking very good, certainly house republicans, if, in fact, taxes go up on middle class americans something that, you know, is politically quite sensitive during an election year. >> the president is also marking the end of the u.s. mission in iraq. tell us about that as we wrap up the hour. >> that's right. they'll be at andrews air force base. the flag that flew over baghdad was officially retired last week during a ceremony in baghdad. that will now be a joint piece at andrews. so it's a pivotal moment for the country as this war in iraq is now over, but also what continues to linger is what happens in iraq now that u.s. troops have pulled out? will the iraqi government be able to maintain security there without the help of u.s. troops there on the ground? >> dan lothian at the white house. dan, thanks so much, and we'll have a number of political updates