let's's go here. we're keeping our eyes on several developing stories right now. on capitol hill, the senate armed services committee is hearing testimony on "don't ask, don't tell." also on the hill, the house is sgek expected to vote on whether to censure rangel. and the soccer federation announces host countrieses for t 2018 and 2022. reconsidering the policy on gays serving openly in the military. dana bash following the hearing on capitol hill for us. >> reporter: this is really a critical, critical hearing

because it is the first time since the military's report on their lengthy review on what kind of effect the don't ask don't tell repeal would have on the military, this is the first time that they're coming before the senators who actually decide the fate. it is the congress that has to actually change the law. and they're certainly getting tough questions from some of the likely suspects. john mccain, for example, is making very clear he didn't like the methodology of the study. he was very concerned about the fact that some of those who are really on the front lines in the most major, that they have the most concerns about the cohesion impact of the military if this policy would be repeeled, but one of the most powerful statements came from the chairman of the joint chiefs about the fact that he said it's not just his personal view now that the military's policy should be repealed, it is now his professional view. listen to what he said. >> should repeal occur, some soldiers and marines may want

separate shower facilities. some may ask for different berthing. some may quit the service. we'll deal with that. but i believe and history tells us that most of them about l. put aside personal proclivities for something larger than themselves and for each other. >> we're trying to read the tea leaves. one of the other interesting moments was from senator scott brown of massachusetts. he is one of those people who could be persuaded to vote for a repeal p he was waiting for this report. he talked to secretary gates, asked him if he was going wait to certify this until he assured that everything could be implemented smoothly and secretary gates assured him that it would. those are the kind of questions that make this hearing so important to whether or not this appeal could actually go through the senate. >> so here's the question. are we likely to get a senate vote on repealing don't ask don't tell? >> that is a complicated

question. the democratic leader has made clear he's going to try. but we were reporting yesterday that republicans have also said that they'll try to stop and they have vowed to stop any legislation going forward before they deal with tax cuts. so that is definitely a factor. everything is related here. if that gets done, let me put it this way, if the senators are taking to heart what they're hearing from the defense secretary and the chairman of the joint chiefs plead to go in will this quickly, then maybe they could ultimately get the 60 votes, but time is not on their side. >> and the ideaed is when the secretary says quickly he's really referring to in this lame duck session, isn't he? >> reporter: that's right. he was asked whether or not it should be done in this lame duck and he said he hopes it will be and everybody testifying from

the military has made it clear that they want kopg to congresst because they're concerned that they will force them to to what they're not ready to do. >> dana bash for us, appreciate it. they said they heard you, the voters, they promise to work together on issues important to you like taxes. but republicans and democrats already appear gridlocked over whether to extend all of the bush era tax cuts. house democrats are pushing ahead with a vote today on permanently extending the tax cuts for those making $250,000 a year or less. republicans want them extended for everyone. gop senators vow to block legislation on any issues, you just heard this from dan dana,l the tax debate is resolved. so let's talk about what happens to your finances. you'll pay more taxes starting

in january, but how much more? let's say you're married with two kids and you make $70,000 a year. right now you pay 2300 in taxes if the cuts expire, that goes up to $4900, an increase of $2600 a year or about $7 a day. big stories we're following for you right now, the house is getting ready to punish charlie rangel for financial missteps. the either things committee is recommend censure. >> if he does get the censure, he'll have to stand in the well and the speaker will say you've been a very naughty boy and then he'll apologize and go on about his business. he's not going to go to prison. did he lose the big prize and that was the chairmanship of the ways and means committee. if so fer's not going expel the guy, the rest is just about levels of embarrassment. >> flooding in the pittsburgh

area. the national weather service says most major rivers in western pennsylvania are receding today. crests were significant, but not as high as predicted. more than three inches of rain topped off with a snowfall prompt the floods. >> we were checking every two hours in the back and it kept coming up, so at 3:00, my dad said we got to get out of here. at 10 to 4:00, we're getting out now. >> the connoquenessing is all connected. nasa teasing up with another big announcement. all the agency will say is that the news will impact the search for alien life. well, that was enough to set off hysterical speculation on blogs that nasa s has found an e.t. i'll ask a former astronaut about this a little later. has . i'll ask a former astronaut

about this a little later. the 2018 world cup goes to -- >> the 2018 fifa world cup, ladies and gentlemen, will be organized in russia. >> russia will host the 2018 world cup tournament, the announcement made about a half hour ago. they then revealed the host for 2022. qatar wins. and a disappointment for the united states. hot stories trending online right now. eminem's ten grammy nominations. ♪ >> the kids really like that song. that's katy perry doing california girl. arrest nom nids are arcade fire,

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first time unemployment claims ticking up again. new claims grew by 26,000. here's the overall number to 436,000 since last year, the initial claims figure has bounced around the 400,000s. economists say it needs to go below that to dent the unemployment rate. looking for a hot deal on a house? foreclosure. a new report shows that foreclosures are selling at big discounts. what kind of discounts are we

talking about here? >> reporter: the average foreclosed home right now is selling for 32% off. we haven't seen he's kithese ki price cuts for years. in ohio, you can get one in 45% off. that means if you buy a $200,000 home, if that's what the tag is, you can get it for $110,000. you can find more bargains in kentucky, tennessee, illinois and new jersey. not a bad way to buy a house. >> but there is a pretty big caveat attached to this. and it's that the house you get might not be in good condition. >> exactly. it's a tradeoff. if you're going pay a bargain became price, a lot of these homes clearly aren't going to be in the best of shape, but there are some bargains are on the market. banks want to get rid of these

homes, so they don't mind being low balled. so you may as well throw out an offer and give it a try. >> give us a quick market check. >> reporter: the dow up 85. the nasdaq higher by 19. what happen here today, we got a positive report on pending home sales. these are homes that are under contract. we found out that these home sales surged 10% in october. this could bode well for good news of future home sales and on this news of course we've got shares of home builders rising and as you can see major averages rising. building on that great rally that we had yesterday. >> appreciate it. see you next hour. we're going cross-country now. at a time when a lot of folks are dropping home telephone service, iowa hill, california, population of about 250, is just now getting it first land line phone. some say finally. others aren't so thrilled.

>> this is california. not to have phones is amazing. >> i think most people here just like it to stay the way it is. >> yeah, next up, minnesota where greyhound is offering $1 fares on express service from minneapolis to chicago. you must book, however, three months in advance. the new midwest fleet offers wi-fi and cell phone outlets. and a baby in evansville, indiana could not wait for her mom to get to the hospital. dad pulled into a mcdonald's parking lot and baby made her debut in mom's pants leg. they're both fine. dad's a little shaky. i am, too. he is enemy number one. tonight lebron james faces his former team for the first time in a miami heat uniform. talk about passion. things could get ugly.

our big play with nba analyst kevin mchale. >> hey, how you doing? >> i know you got 50 moves in the post, but i got 55. we're back in just a second. rine medicare prescription drug plan called the humana walmart-. it's a new plan that covers both brand ans and has the lowest-pricednatioy of only $14.80 per month and in-store copays as . when you could save over, you can focus on the things . ♪ go to walmart.com for details. ♪ [ male announcer ] open up a cadillac during our season's best sales event. and receive the gift of asphalt. experience the cadillac of crossovers, the striking srx. it's the one gift you can open up

all year long. see your cadillac dealer for this attractive offer. backed by the peace of mind that only comes from cadillac premium care maintenance. the season's best sales event. from cadillac. tonight's homecoming for lebron james. and it won't be yellow ribbons and pennants waving for the

former cavaliers star. would you agree? >> i agree. >> things could get test itity tonight. can i not believe i'm sitting here with kevin mchale. man, you take me back so deep in to the '80s. do you know how many expletives i shouted at you over the years when you were beating my be loved lakers? it's great to have you here. a sign that i've grown up a bit. you're doing terrific work for tnt as a basketball analyst. as you look at tonight's game, the homecoming, lebron going back to cleveland, grew up in akron, so celebrated, a hero. town. first of all, what did you think of the decision -- first of all, the decision to leave and then the way it was handled by lebron. >> the decision, i really felt he was going to go back to cleveland. i don't know why. again, raised there, had kind of taken them from a city that really struggled in fwoobl

really one of the elite places to play. the arena they're going to play tonight was on fire all the time. so i thought he'd day there. i was surprised how he did it surprised me. he did nothing wrong. he looked at all of his options. i thought the your lohour long really long. >> you were a former general manager in that league, so you understand his decision from a business perspective having had to deal with free agents in your position as gm for the timberwolvtimber wolf wolfs. >> correct. >> so when we move forward to tonight and he game, talk about the fans and their right to express their emotions and what it will be like for the players about the fans and their right to express their emotions and what it will be like for the players.the fans and their righ express their emotions and what it will be like for the players their emotions and what it will

be like for the players. >> he's very close to these players. you're with these guys more than your family. so he's really a part of that family still until though he plays in miami. they'll look at it differently. they want to beat him because it's that friendly rivalry like you're playing your brother. you love him, but you love to beat him. cleveland will play very, very well tonight, i think. the fans on the other hand, this is their chance to express how they feel. the players have all called him up, texted. they've stayed in contact. this is the one chance for the fans to yell and scream and to b bbb and gb bchlt bchbb bcht oo and i expeco be emotional. every time he touches the ball, booing and screaming. this is a game for the fans to express their disappointment. >> i'm going to take you back to '84, championship year.

you won in '84. >> correct. >> okay. so '84, i can't remember which game in particular, but there was a particularly -- there was a play when you took down kurt rambis and it was a hard hit. he fell and the crowd lost its mind. from that moment on, you were hated when you walked in at rein a, t a, every time you touched the ball, what was the reaction? >> booing, screaming, you stink. >> do you hear that as a player? >> you don't hear take whhat wh you're playing, but when you sit on the bench and you hear the guy yelling in your ear. when you really hear it is when you're going out to warm up.

i'm trying to warm up before the game and people were like rushing up to the court screaming at me and stuff like that and i was like, woah. >> did that impact you at all? i'm wondering if that broken will be impacted at all tonight in his play by what he hearses from the stands in a city where he's gone from being be loved to the anti-christ.ses from the stands in a city where he's gone from being be loved to the anti-christ.es from the stands in a city where he's gone from being be loved to the anti-christ.rs from the stands in a city where he's gone from being be loved to the anti-christ. >> i think it will a little to start off the game. you have to fight trying to do too much. you still got to play the game. so i think it will affect him early. i expect him to have a really good game. i expect this to motivate him and him to play with and this might be the catalyst for miami to come together because the heat has not come together yet. at 11-8, their record is very disappointing. this might be a hostile environment, everybody is after one of your guys, you're saying, hey, i'm with you. this might be something that helps them.

>> what a huge night for tnt. in cleveland for the game. you'll be handling in-studio chores about. >> yes. >> have a great broadcast. you'll have about 10 million, 15 million people watching about. >> it will be fun. i can't wait. >> on our sister network, tnt. great to see you. back in a moment. about what? uh, they don't really think you're an exchange student. what? they think you're a businessman, using our house to meet new clients in china. for reals, player? [ woman speaks chinese ] they overheard a phone call. [ speaks chinese ] something about shipping with fedex to shanghai. and then you opened a bottle of champagne. that was for a science project. [ man and woman speaking chinese ] i'm late for...soccer... rehearsal. [ man speaks chinese ] you and i are cool? i'll be home by curfew. [ male announcer ] we understand.® you need a partner who can help you go global. fedex. yeah. aww...that oj needs alka-seltzer plus.

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some games. >> so that's how small this world is, right?

we'll head to reynoldss wolf in just a minute. i can remember living in cleveland when that lake erie snow machine would fire up. and you would get that lake-effect snow from cleveland, ashtabula, into buffalo and, hello, here we go. >> absolutely. once that machine gets going, it's hard to see it stop. and this is the situation we've got in buffalo right now. take a look.

it's all white. that's snow. before the day is out into tomorrow, we might have easily a foot of snowfall in some places. if you go farther to the north towards niagara falls, the snow isn't quite as heavy. but in terms of heavy snow, there are other spots around the great lakes where it really should begin to pick up. not just in buffalo, but back towards erie, traverse city might get decent snow. and when you go a little bit farther back to parts of the midwest, it will pile up there, as well. some places easily in excess of 6 to 8 inches of snow. the reason why, this is your big weather machine. the area of low pressure pulling that cold air in from the north. but for the great lakes, just that prevailing wind from the west and northwest that will make all the difference. not a problem parts of the southeast. high pressure will keep you high

and dry. but back out towards parts of california and into oregon and washington state, it will be a combination of rain and low lying areas, but high into the sierra nevada. more coming up and, tony, let's head back over to you. >> so we have challenged our i-reporters and that large i-report community to help us create a matchup of items mentioned in the 12 days of christmas. so on the third day of christmas, my true love gave to me three french hens. so here we have this i-reporter's version of three french hens. they may or may not be french. we're not sure. reporters getting very creative out there. take a look at the wine, the loaf of bread, the eiffel tower. no doubt about it, three french hens. okay. so if you want to take part in the 12 days of christmas challenge, just go to i

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the defense may rest in the elizabeth smart kidnapping case. good to see you.

do we know why elizabeth smarts has sort of the left the courtroom? i think anybody can understand why she might. >> dr. white head was testifying he started talking about the fact that brian mitchell wanted to have children with her and that she picked out names for those children. either she was so infuriated that this doctor was suggesting he wanted to have children with brian mitchell or perhaps it was up truthful, she stormed out. her mother and father went out, as well, but she will be back in the courtroom today. >> do we understand why she has ma made the decision to listen to this? >> it's been reported that she's, of course, been in therapy because of this and she's moved on. and she wants the jury to know that she is a real person. she was victimized and she wants to see justice done. and that's what a lot of victims

do. they choose to sit there and listen so that the jury put as face to the victimize. >> steven hayes, this horrendous case in connecticut, let's get to the fact that we have a sentence it now. >> we do. >> we know more about this from the judge. why don't you break that news for us. >> sure. it was a very difficult day in the courtroom today. apparently dr. william petit gave his victim impact statement and i think this was the time that everyone wanted to hear from him and we heard that he has considered suicide, tone 23 any, and he's a doctor. he said he had no home, no children, no wife, really nothing to live for.d he's a do. he said he had no home, no children, no wife, really nothing to live for. he said he still suffers from headaches. he's lost part of his vision and it's difficult to practice medicine and he's been devastated. he described it as a time bomb

going off in your home and 3 apparently reporter hes in the courtroom crying. but we also heard from steven hayes today. >> give us a bit of what steven hayes said in court. >> apparently he showed remorse. he said i'm remorseful, i'm sorry for having done this, but he also said this is not who i am. this was not steven hayes. he said he wanted to die. he killed a family, but he wanted to die. and he said he welcomes death. and he did apologize to the petit family. >> and then the judge says what? >> he said, and i've got it, he said it is my sad duty to pronounce sentence on the capital felly count and in a very strong voice, he sentenced hayes to death. he said it's a terrible sentence, and i quote, but in truth, it is a sentence you wrote for yourself in flameses on july 23rd, 2007.

may god have mercy on your soul. >> a sentence you wrote in flames. that is wrong. >> it was unbelievable. >> what a day. all right, great to see you. >> i'm so happy to be in atlanta. >> let's do this more on which. we're back in a moment. [ female announcer ] it's the ultimate surf and turf event, happening right now at red lobster. choose one of three premium seafood-and-steak combinations... all under $20. get succulent lobster... paired with our eight-ounce wood-grilled sirloin... tender snow crab legs and sirloin... or new chardonnay grilled shrimp and sirloin... all with salad and unlimited cheddar bay biscuits. three new surf and turf combinations... all under $20. only for a limited time, and only at red lobster.

to ten or not to tip? that depends on if you have a job fp if you do, we have it covered. kimberly palmer says tip your newspaper delivery person

between $10 and $20. it not only helps them out, but keeps them from throwing your paper in the pond. garbage collectors, 20 bucks. and a holiday haircut, we'll tell you what's expected when we come back.

etiquette experts say don't be a holiday scrooge. tip the folks who do right by you. personal finance columnist

kimberly palmer from u.s. news and word report says when it comes to your hairstylist, says give them your usually 20% tip. but if you go more than once a month to get a smooth shave, a fresh tighten up, give your barber the entire cost of the cut as a tip. when people think of alien life for, many think of e.t. but scientists usually think if life is out there, at least in our cosmic neighborhood, it is probably microscopic. nasa plans to reveal something new, don't know what, but it has set off furious speculation. let's talk about it with a former astronaut and bring the space bloggers back to earth for us, if you would, sir. what do you expect from nasa

today? >> well, i've heard about the coming press announcement and i've done a little bit of digging and from my understanding it's not going to be any kind of discovery of alien life or anything like that but, rather, the discovery of a new astro biology or biology that was discovered here on earth based on arressenic. it opens up a possible range of planets that could harbor different kinds of life. >> so that's not life. it's probably not what a lot of folks were hoping for today, so how does this move the ball forward in the certainly for life in outer space? i hope that is an appropriate question. >> it is. and my understanding is what the

scientists have done is that they've discovered arsenic based life in a cellular level. what it does is it opens up the possibility that these other planets that we've discovered that have different conditions that could not support life as we know it might harbor life of a different kind. so it's kind of exciting, if you're a biologist or astro by ol gis, to say, wow, this former world out there that i thought could not harbor any life, it could be there just in a different form than we're used to here on earth.life, it could a different form than we're used to here on earth. >> how do scientists know that this micro that can live at the bottom of a lake in yosemite national park and outer space -- do they know that? i want you to help me get from

point a to point b and maybe to z. >> well, the actual discovery was here on earth and what it does, it opens up -- it merely opens up the possibility that you could have the same kind of life. and if we discovered arsenic based life, are there other chemical based life that we don't currently know about that could exist either elsewhere on earth and/or elsewhere in the universe. so like you said, unfortunately, it's not a big dramatic announcement, i don't think that's coming today. but it is exciting for the field of science where that studies different kinds of life. >> thank you, sir. thank you for that assessment. that helps me a lot. leroy, good to see you as always. >> great to to be with you. the holiday rush for retailers, many companies are trading new seasonal employees. we follow one recently unemployed woman as she learns the way around her new job.

what are you looking at? logistics. ben? the ups guy? no, you see ben, i see logistics. logistics? think--ben is new markets. ben is global access-- china and beyond. ben is a smarter supply chain. ben is higher margins. happier customers... everybody wins. logistics. exactly. see you guys tomorrow. a body at rest tends to stay at rest... while a body in motion tends to stay in motion.

staying active can actually ease arthritis symptoms. but if you have arthritis, staying active can be difficult. prescription celebrex can help relieve arthritis pain so your body can stay in motion. because just one 200mg celebrex a day can provide 24 hour relief for many with arthritis pain and inflammation. plus, in clinical studies, celebrex is proven to improve daily physical function so moving is easier. and celebrex is not a narcotic. when it comes to relieving your arthritis pain, you and your doctor need to balance the benefits with the risks. all prescription nsaids, including celebrex, may increase the chance of heart attack or stroke, which can lead to death. this chance increases if you have heart disease or risk factors such as high blood pressure or when nsaids are taken for long periods. nsaids, including celebrex, increase the chance of serious skin or allergic reactions or stomach and intestine problems, such as bleeding and ulcers, which can occur without warning and may cause death. patients also taking aspirin and the elderly are at increased risk for stomach bleeding and ulcers.

do not take celebrex if you've had an asthma attack, hives, or other allergies to aspirin, nsaids or sulfonamides. get help right away if you have swelling of the face or throat, or trouble breathing. tell your doctor about your medical history and find an arthritis treatment that works for you. ask your doctor about celebrex. and, go to celebrex.com to learn more about how you can move toward relief. celebrex. for a body in motion. checking top stories. arnold schwarzenegger declares a state of emergency in san diego county. the largest cache of homemade explosives discovered in a house there. the declaration frees up state money to help get rid of it safely. police say a person of interest

in the shooting death of ronnie chasen fatally shot himself last night. it happened as officers were serving a search warrant. chasen died when a gunman opened fire on her car. and minor accidents can be extremely spence s extremely expensive. it's because that i ever bueir t match up. you want to talk about gender poll ticks, we'll do wih brianna. >> i think it's a story any woman can appreciate. did you know that off the house floor, the only people who have restrooms are men. women have to go pretty far to use the restroom and there are

71 women in the new congress so the transition team says they will change this and they will have a restroom for women built off the house floor. and then also on the ticker, a story about mitt romney. he is not running for president yet. he was on jay leno last night. he said that if he does take a gig with fox news, then that is going to be an indication that, yes, he is running for president. obviously taking -- having a little fun at the expense of sarah palin. he did praise her, but also had criticism saying that he couldn't -- he's the former governor of massachusetts. he said he couldn't imagine a circumstance where he would have stepped down from the governorship, though he said sarah palin did have her reasons. congress is dealing with a twhol lot, but on the ticker we have a story about how they're one step closer to it keeping the lights on. the house passing a resolution that would continue just really to fund the federal government. that would continue just really to fund the federal government.. the house passing a resolution that would continue just really to fund the federal government.

this because congress failed to pass a federal budget at the beginning of the fiscal year. the senate has to take this up, they have to do this by friday because that's when the current one expires. or else you would see furloughed federal workers. the expectation is they'll do that, though. that's on the ticker. >> your next political update in an hour. we fill them with extraordinary craftsmanship. we fill them with amazing technology. and we fill them with inspired design.

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okay. some of the stories we're working on for the next hour of cnn newsroom, snowbound for 12 hours. it's bad enough if you're stuck at home. in the next hour we'll talk to someone who had to wait it out. soccer's world governor body picks russia and qatar for 2810 and 2022. hosting the game's biggest tournament for the first time. we'll check in with the fans. will you marry me? oooh, helzberg diamonds. yeah, well he must have saved some money with geico. reminds me of the gecko mating call.

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so now the fed tells us this makes the wall street bailout look like chump change, the fed says it loaned $9 trillion to keep banks and other institutions afloat during the financial crisis, enough dollar bills to reach to the moon and back and then some. so the big question for cnn's christine romans, maybe there two here, where did all this money go, and will the treasury get it back? >> yes, they will get it back. it's not the treasury. it's the fed. the fed basically created this money and pumped it into the system, giving these emergency loans, very, very low-interest loans to the big american banks but also this was a big surprise, to a couple of european banks who actually topped the list of recipients and that has all been paid back at very low interest. it has been paid back. the whole idea here was to get

the juice going in the system. the surprise here, tony, is the extent of the loans. i mean, $9 trillion is a breathtaking amount of money. how do we know this? because the fed has released documents. you're seeing some companies there. the fed has release ed document that show there were american companies that benefited from emergency loans as well, the months leading up to the crisis and after to keep the engine of the american economy running. we have 21,000 transactions we can now scrutinize. the fed, by law, was required to release to the public and now we're all going over it trying to see what was happening behind closed doors at the fed during those dark days a couple years ago. >> that is because it -- we talked about this a lot at the time. the commercial paper sector had essentially seized up. >> yes. >> maybe quickly explain what that is which explains why companies like mcdonnealcdonald need this money. >> there's this borrowing that

goes on between companies and banks. when that borrowing seized up in the height of the crisis, there were big companies that weren't going to be able to make their payroll. that mean a line cook at mcdonald's wasn't going to get a paycheck because of what was happening in the financial system. this is the financial crisis brought home to everyone. this is what worried the fed and treasury and congress and the president and economists and journalists and all of us who were watching what was happening with great horror at that time. what you can see from these documents is just the extent, the massive extent the fed became the central bank to corporate america, wall street and the world, keeping things going at the time. it's not without its criticism, of course, and its critics. bernie sanders is very upset and says this amounted to a big bailout of the richest people in the world, the richest people in the economy. very concerned about the powers of the fed, others are. on the other side of the political spectrum the fed was too powerful, we shouldn't be bailing out foreign banks. the bottom line here is much

bigger than we knew. this is a rare insight into what the fed does. eliot spitzer just told me in the hallway it's the most important institution you know nothing about. the federal reserve. these numbers show that. >> i think it's amazing because during the crisis we learned, when the commercial paper seized up, we learned lthe extent to which companies borrow to get from week to week, from day-to-day. that was the revelation for me when this whole thing started to unfold and now we know the extent to which the fed propped up those companies. christine, see you in just a couple of minutes. thank you. many unemployed people are finding seasonal positions this time of year. maggie lake reports on the bump of temporary workers. >> every time the customer walks in the door it's with excitement, enthusiasm. >> reporter: thea is learning the ropes during her first day on the job at a clothing store. she was laid off from a full-time retail job in august

and was worried about finding new work. >> i thought for myself it probably wasn't going to be until after the holidays. i was assuming a lot of stores were going it be staffed. i was thinking more toward 2011. >> reporter: then the offers of seasonal work started flowing in. >> there was a few positions i was offered. i was a little bit surprised. in the previous year it was tough. >> reporter: what a difference a year makes in u.s. retail. estimates say stores nationwide will add some 600,000 temporary workers this holiday. up 20% from 2009. one of the stores leading the charge, toys "r" us, hired 45,000 seasonal workers across the country. macy's plans on hires some 65,000 workers and hopes many of these jobs will turn into full-time positions. and to help handle the rise in holiday shipping, u.p.s. is adding 50,000 workers. allison goodman, who heads up new york recruiting agency, says

the change in tone this year is striking. >> last year we were seeing a lot of wait and see approach, people waiting until the last minute to staff. this year a lot of our clients got a head start on staffing. at least three to four weeks at a minimum earlier. the amount of people that they're taking on has been double if not triple. >> reporter: how would you compare it to quote/unquote normal times? are we back to what you would expect for a holiday season or still lower, just not, you know, not as bad as it was? >> for the clients we're working with we're seeing a lot. it's just under normal, but it's looking a lot better than last year. it's a whole different world this year. >> reporter: one downside with unemployment still high, competition remains fierce. at u.p.s. applications are up more than 40% compared to last year. for people with experience in retail like the store manager, these are encouraging times. >> i'm still receiving calls

from recruiters now, based on my resume still being poessted. with the job market the way it is, people are starting to make calls and active about hiring. >> we'll know whether the bet to add extra staff pays off at the checkout counter. maggie lake, cnn, new york. hello, again, i'm tony harr harris. top of the hour at the cnn newsroom where anything can happen. here are the people behind today's top stories. severe weather in the northeast has many people trying to dig out. we will get the story of one man trapped in his car for hours. is there anyone out there? we're expecting an announcement later today on the possibility of life in outer space. we will find out just how big a deal it really is. you're online right now. we are, too. the world cup's elections are one of the top stories trending right now. we will get reaction to a couple

of real surprise choices. let's get started with our lead story. a judge imposes a death sentence in a horrific home invasion case in contract contract. you are running back and forth. thanks for getting back up here. >> it's my pleasure. >> so we can talk about this. take us inside the courtroom today. where there was plenty of drama. >> it was so dramatic today. today we heard from dr. william petit. i think he was the star today, quite frankly. everyone's wanted to hear from him. he's the only survivor of this crime. he sat in this courtroom day in and day out, during jury selection, the trial, and death penalty phase. he said he has considered suicide several times as a result of these crimes. he said he's lost the will to practice medicine which is his profession. he said his wife was his spiritual anchor and best friend and with no children, no wife,

no home, he wanted to die. so that is just, i think, was unbelievable. we also heard from steven hayes today. i have been saying on television, we're not going to hear from him. he has everything to lose. but apparently he wants to die. that is what he told the judge today. >> he did? >> he did. he said, he committed these heinous crimes. he said he was remorseful. he apologized to the family. he said he, you know, that he welcomes death and i think that that was what was most striking about his testimony. he looks different in the courtroom. he's not this heavy set guy anymore. he's very thin. he's lost a lot of weight. he has a beard now. he looked pitiful. >> sunny, then it was the judge's turn. >> it was the judge's turn. usually, tony, in death penalty cases you do hear the judge impose a death sentence. in connecticut it's not a recommendation from the jury. it's a verdict. he was going to have to impose that sentence unless he completely set it aside.

usually what you hear is something like, may god have mercy on your soul. that is not what this judge said. he said something like, it gave him no pleasure to impose such a sentence but that he sealed, steven hayes seals his own fate in flames on july 23rd, 2007. i thought that it was so striking because i've never heard a judge say something like that. it just goes to show you how this has struck a chord with everyone. >> i want to see that. we need to create -- i think that is such a strong statement. i think we need to see that. >> absolutely. >> so maybe we can create a graphic as we revisit this in top stories and just let folks see that as well as hearing you report on it. that is a strong statement. there's another trial to come, too. >> there is. 2011 joshua who's known as the mastermind behind this crime. and these horrible crimes. i think that while viewers are

saddened by this, i think they want to hear more about him. why did he do this? why was he the ringleader? they want justice, still, for this family. >> sunny, appreciate it. other big stories in the cnn newsroom. a senate panel is hearing testimony on don't ask, don't tell, pentagon brass facing questions about their report on repealing the policy and alloying gays to serve openly. jk swohn mccain says it is not to change policy. secretary gates says he thinks any concerns nothing the troops can be addressed. >> most of the marines in combat are 18 to 24, 25 years old. most of them have never served with women, either. and so they've had a very focused, very limited experience in the military and it's been a tough one. but i think that with time and adequate preparation we can

mitigate their concerns. >> well, i couldn't disagree more. we send these young people into combat. we think they're mature enough to fight and die. i think they're mature enough to make a judgment on who they want to serve with and the impact on their battle effectiveness. mr. secretary, i speak from personal experience. a dangerous situation along the great lakes this hour. in buffalo, new york, a blinding snowstorm turned highways into parking lots, trapping a lot of motori motorists. some of them had to spend the night in their cars and they're still stuck. thousands of people have lost power and schools have been shut down. let's bring in karen mcginnis to tell us what's going on. are we talking about that lake erie snow machine cranking up and stranding these folks? >> furiously. it's been doing it since about 8:30 yesterday. that's when everything was shut down. this is the latest radar imagery we do have for you. right now still seeing signs of that snowfall moving in. buffalo has picked up about 10

inches so far. when it's all said and done we're expecting about 20 to 24 inches of snowfall. interstate 90, that's the main route that has been shut down between rochester and buffalo, extending down along lake erie. we have a pocket of activity around watertown. syracuse has kind of missed the bulk of this activity. in the forecast, i want to show you what we're anticipating. we've seen temperatures stay in the 20s. some of these people that have been stuck, and let me tell you, it's 16 miles in some cases, tony. they have not moved an inch. they've got vehicles, atv vehicles coming by giving people water and gasoline. not that they're going any place. and the temperature has remained about 28, 29 degrees. hasn't really moved. tony, yesterday, the temperature was 54 degrees. 54 degrees. >> get out of here. >> normal is about 40 degrees. for a high.

and yesterday we're 54, today they're about 28 with about 2 feet of snowfall on the way. but i know we've got someone -- yes? >> you want to help me with this? we have college student sam mcmann on the line with us, he is literally right now going through this big snowstorm. he is on his car on the new york state thruway and has been stuck there. is it true you've been stuck there since last night? >> caller: i have. absolutely right. i want to say 9:00 last night is when i first hit heavy, heavy traffic. by 9:30 slowed to a complete stop. and i haven't moved since 9:30 last night. so essentially 15 plus hours now of no movement. >> when you hit the road, sam, did you anticipate this was a possibility? i'm asking, did you load up with supplies with the thought this might happen? >> caller: well, i filled my gas tank today when i left for school, but i really had no idea that i was in for this kind of a snowstorm.

this kind of a lake-effect event. being stranded on the road for this amount of time is not something i envisioned at all. >> what do you have in the car -- are you in the car alone or have a classmate? >> caller: i am. >> okay. what do you have with you to eat, to stay warm? >> well, fortunately like i said, the full tank of gas. i'm down to about half a tank right now. i kept the car running so i've been able to stay warm. i had a jacket, hat, gloves, everything like that. i had a bottle of water. there was a civilian gentleman who came by 15 minutes ago who was just handing out water and candy bars, snack food, things like that to anyone who needed it. i took a bottle of water from him. >> sam, this is karen mcginnis. so you are safe, you feel relatively safe. do you have any indication of when you might be moving again? >> caller: no, absolutely not. at this point even if they were

to clear some of the vehicles out of the way, some of the vehicles that were disabled, the snow has been falling so fast, it seems like an inch or two an hour, my vehicle is actually buried. if the cars in front of me weren't there, i would not be able to move my vehicle as it stands right now. >> there have to be people in this 10, 16 mile long, depending on which direction you in, who have real emergencies and they are stuck there. do you know what's happening in their situation? >> i've been listening on the local news talk radio and they've been saying actually -- i can see emergency vehicles. they've cleared the eastbound -- i'm on the westbound side of the thruway. they cleared the eastbound side of the 90. i see state troopers and emergency troopers going back and forth and saw behind me a mother who had small children and there was a state trooper who stopped and removed the small children from the scene. that was good. i heard people with medical emergen emergencies, if you call 911 on

a triage basis they will remove you if it's a serious emergency. it's a matter of when they'll be able to take us from the cars or when we'll be able to move and they'll be able to clear the road. >> sam, when do you start rationing? i ask the question about whether you have blankets or anything in the car, because at some point you're down to half a tank now, at some point you have to turn the car off and save that gas, don't you? >> caller: absolutely. it's going to come to a point if it continues much longer, there's no sign of any movement, where i'm close enough to an exit ramp that i would abandon the car. i would just bundle up as warm as i could, walk down the exit ramp and find the nearest gas station. i heard on the radio the red cross set up a shelter. i would look for something along those lines. >> what concerns you the most, sam, about your situation now? you know that there have been some emergency vehicles that have moved through. you obviously are pretty

resolved that this is going to be your situation for some time now. what do you foresee maybe over the next 10 or 12 hours if things don't improve? >> caller: well, honestly, i would be most concerned for small children, anyone with a medical issue that needs attention. prescription drugs. people who are on a -- >> yeah. >> caller: that would be something that i would envision being a real problem. for me right now i'm -- i'm all right. i'm not really hungry, per se. i have water, i'm warm. >> good for you. >> caller: i know i can move and be mobile and make it through the snow if i need to. for the elderly and people who aren't able to do that, though, that would be the real problem. that's what i envision being a public safety issue. >> sam, you got a battery, a charger in the car to charge up the cell phone. >> caller: i do. my phone's been charging all morning. >> you're in good shape. sam, appreciate it. thanks for taking the time to talk to us. stay safe and warm. >> caller: i appreciate it. >> yeah, yeah, our pleasure. the u.s. makes a pitch to host the biggest sporting event

on the planet. we will tell you where future world cups will be played. first a random moment in 70 seconds. as a manager, my team counts on me to stay focused. so i take one a day men's 50+ advantage. it's the only complete multivitamin with ginkgo to support memory and concentration. plus it supports heart health. [ bat cracks ] that's a hit. one a day men's.

the random moment of the day. road rage. this is a first. an electronic crosswalk sign in spokane, washington, is giving motorists the middle finger as they drive past. yeah, the old salute. the city says snow is probably jammed inside the sign and it is obscuring the other fingers. yeah. they're going to try to get in there and fix it. crews say they've got to clear the streets first. stay tough, spokane. thank you for today's random moment. you're number one.

he is enemy number one to cleveland cavalier fans. lebron james back in town tonight. for the first time since he ditched the team for the miami heat. the move, as you know, infuriated cavs fans. >> he's never been booed in cleveland and never really been booed hardly anywhere or any place in his whole life, so again, i think he understands the business side of this and he understands that there's some animosity toward him. >> the heckling, you know, is part of the game. when we go on the road we get it. obviously, you know, this is going to be a little bit worse. i get that also. but once we get talking about

harming people and their family and their wellbeing, i think that's kind of taking it a little too far. >> authorities have tightened security for tonight's cleveland/miami game. the 2018 world cup goes to -- >> so the 2018 fifa world cup, 2018 fifa world cup, ladies and gentlemen, will be organized in russia. >> they then revealed the host for 2022. >> the winner to organize the 2022 fifa world cup is qatar. >> we didn't win that one? all right. qatar's win. a big disappointment for the united states. we have fan reaction from

secaucus, new jersey. what are you hearing? >> reporter: i was with fans who watched the announcement and there was disappointment to say the least. the explanation started about why the united states may not have gotten this. we heard from zurich the united states made it through four rounds of voting though the original may have been two countries votiing for the unite states. the u.s. held the world cup in 1994. the field behind me, the red bull arena is where some of the teams would have practiced if they were here in 2022. i asked several fans their reaction after the announcement that qatar was the winner. >> i can't describe how disappointed i am. as an american soccer fan having the world cup here would do so much for this sport in the country. there was so much momentum last world cup. if we had the world cup in our country it would do so much to grow the sport here. huge disappointment. i thought we had a good chance

of winning it. >> i can't believe, in fact, they chose a country the size of connecticut with one city. what we did in 1994 being the best attempted world cup, i mean, even to this day no other world cup has been more attended than the u.s. 1994. so i'm very shocked. >> reporter: the u.s. fans were baffled, really, because they say the united states is stadium ready. they don't have to build all the facilities, the transportation is here. the huge demographic spread of interests from different countries, immigrants, people here, ready to root for not just the united states. so they're unhappy, though. tony, they acknowledge it was likely the soccer authorities wanted to take the sport to a new area, the middle east, where the world cup has never been held. >> yeah, but we need to continue to grow soccer here in the states. that is disappointing. richard, appreciate it. richard roth for us in new

jersey. is anybody out there? nasa plans an announcement soon that will answer that age old question.

space bloggers are speculating about the possibility of an "et" today. nasa scheduled an announcement about the search for alien life forms, it is less than two hours away. for now, cnn's dan simon is in san francisco. good to see you. what's all the hype about? and how big a deal is this?

>> reporter: well, tony, first of all, can we just applaud nasa for a second for writing a really good press release? >> the last couple have been great. you're absolutely right. >> reporter: you know, the blogosphere is runni ning wild h this announcement. let me tell you what this is really about. first of all, tony, i know you might find this difficult to believe, i'm not a scientist. for you, i'm going to play one on television. >> appreciate it. >> in order to sustain life, let's go back to sixth grade science class. you need six things. carbon, phosphorous, hydrogen, nitrog nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur. what if, tony, you got rid of phosphorous and you added arsenic? and you could tell that this was not my handwrites. originally. all right. so you got arsenic instead of phosphorous. it had previously been thought arsenic was too toxic to sustain life. well guess what?

nasa scientists discovered a micro-bacteria in a california lake that had arsenic instead of phosphorous. what that does, tony, is raises the possibility that there could be atmospheres on other planets that don't have phosphorous. and that leads to the possibility that there could be life on other planets. so that's what this is all about. that's what this press conference is going to be all about in a couple hours, tony. i'm sorry if it's not what you wanted to here. don't blame the messenger. >> i won't do that. >> that's the deal. >> i thought we were looking for "et." i thought we were looking for the things chase people around in those alien movies. we're looking for microbes. i'm disappointed. not in you. good to see you, sir. let's take a look at top stories right now. police say a person of interest in the shooting death of celebrity publicist ronni chasen shot and killed himself when detectives tried to question him.

officers say the man's suicide does not mean the investigation is over. a new report shows if you're in an accident, bumper height could determine whether you pay more for your repairs. the insurance institute for highway safety finds higher bumpers on suvs can lead to serious damage, even in a minor fender bender. jobless claims ticked up again last week after falling to the lowest level in two years. the labor department said the level rose to 436,000. that is up 26,000. so the white house deficit reduction commission is throwing out some ideas for cuts and you know some groups are already pretty angry about it. that story coming up next.

pictures, information, insight you won't find anywhere else. cnn newsroom with tony harris. anything can happen. as you know, by now, steven hayes has been sentenced to death for his role in that brutal home invasion murder, a mom and her two daughters killed. in a home invasion in connecticut. cnn's producer is on the phone with us, he was in the courtroom earlier today and he heard the witness, the victim packet statement from dr. petit and he also heard the statement from steven hayes as

it was quite emotional. he did say he could go on and on for hours, but what he missed most is his entire family, just the simple things in life. then the defense got up a the emotional nd they reiterated what they were saying before, when we kill, and i quote, when we kill in response to killing we all become steven hayes. and then in fact, the judge, john blue, asked if steven had anything to say and he did get up and he was in his orange jumpsuit with shackles on his hands and feet. and i witnessed him throughout the penalty phase and he was cleanly shaven and, you know, plain clothes. this time he was in his jumpsuit

and had full beard and he said that he became -- he came to court as a convicted murderer and words cannot express what i have done. he was sorry for his actions and the pain and suffering he had caused and that for the first time he, you know, we did hear he takes full responsibility. he said this is not the real me, a monster i have never known. and you know, the family was in a packed courthouse. there was emotions, people sobbing. afterwards the family got up to hug and embrace dr. petit. this is not over by any means. the second defendant's trial is expected to start next year and they'll likely have enendure the horrific testimony once again. >> brian, take a moment and describe the demeanor, tone, temperament of the judge when he announced the sentence.

we had sunny hostin on a few moments ago. >> he was very, very forceful in an otherwise soft spoken courtroom when the judge imposed the sentence for steven hayes, he said, quote, this is a terrible sentence but one you wrote for yourself in flames. when we wrote all six counts that steven hayes were to suffer death, he had force in his voice. you can tell this is not a man that he said that this is -- he's been doing this many, many years and this is the gravest crime known to our law. but his duty was to impose the death sentence. >> that had to be horrible testimony for anyone to sit through and particularly the judge. >> without a doubt. >> yeah, yeah, brian, great reporting. brian, one of our producers was in the courtroom today. as the judge announced sentence in the death sentence for steven hayes. what to cut to reduce the

deficit. proposal to pare down popular middle class tax cuts is bringing out the houses industry with guns ablazing. christine romans joins us from new york. christine, if you would, i know that there is a very popular deduction that homeowners have and that they get when they buy a home, and that is under some threat now, correct? >> this is the mortgage interest deduction and something that costs the deficit about -- more than $100 billion every year. it is probably the most popular middle class, upper middle class tax cut. that is the interest deduction on the interest you pay on your mortgage currently where law stands, where it stands is you can get this deduction on mortgages up to $1 million. on second homes. also on home equity loans up to $100,000. but the proposal would cap the deduction at $500,000, end the break for second homes. in fact, replace all those with

a 12% nonrefundable tax credit for everyone. the mortgage and housing industry is furious. this is an industry for years spent an awful lot of money lobbying congress. lobbying that the tax code is a good way to encourage home ownership. critics say there's no evidence these things promote home ownership. nonetheless, the housing industry very, very concerned. the national association of realtors says leave that tax break alone, it would be devastating. any changes to the mortgage interest deduction now or in the future could critically erode home prices and the value of homes by as much as 15%. other representatives and lobbyists for the industry has said this would, quote, kill us in the housing industry right now. would come at such a terrible time. but this is -- this is part of middle class belt tightening i think, tony. you can say everything is on the table and something that adds $100 billion a year to the deficit is something that clearly the people looking at deficit control and deficit

reduction in washington are going to take a close look at. >> christine, the reality is the commission comes back with recommendations and everyone with a dog in the hunt is going to be screaming, not our projects. correct? not our area of concern. >> oh, you're going to hear so much screaming, tony, it's going to make your ears ring. it's absolutely right. everybody thinks their tax break is the one that's good for the economy or theirs is the one we can't afford to get rid of right now, or their part of the budget is the thing -- >> is sacred. sacrosanct. >> the bottom line is these people have to decide and weigh benefits and risks of all of these things because as it stands right now, america is living a life it can't pay for. >> well said. appreciate it. thank you. christine's new book is "smart is the new rich." it's a terrific read. in it, find all kinds of things to help your bottom line.

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okay. let's get you a check at top stories. this afternoon a vote is expected before the full house on the punishment of charlie rangel. the house ethics committee found him guilty of violating tax rules. convicted killer steven hayes has been formally sentenced to death. he murdered a mother and her two

daughters in a 2007 home invasion in connecticut. it is official. russia will host the 2018 world cup tournament. the u.s. was in the running to host the world cup in 2022. the selection committee announced qatar will get that honor. call him slim shaneny. eminem, call him what you will. he has the potential to clean up at the 2010 emmys. brooke anderson has the lowdown. good to see you. how well thought of is the real slim shaneny? >> pretty well thought of, tony. he's getting a lot of zbrgrammy love. it's well deserved. his new album "recovery" sold millions of copies, top selling album of the year. now it's a tremendous critical success because the detroit-based rapper got ten, count them, ten, grammy nominations at last night's big live primetime television concert. announcing the honors. including song and record of the

year for "love the way you lie." that's his monster hit with rihanna. you know that song. eminem is also up for album of the year which, tony, he's never won despite winning grammys in the double digits over the course of his career. also singer/songwriter producer bruno mars is behind him with seven nods follow ed by jay-z, lady antebellum, rihanna, cilo green, katy perry each got four. "showbiz tonight" there as the nominations were announced. the stars were naturally psyched. take a look. >> i'm very excited. >> you should be excited. four nominations including it says right here album of the year, katy perry "teenage dream." >> they're telling me that is a big deal. i feel like a big deal. >> do i have seven for real? did you read that right? like i said, we worked so hard

and i think we're just happy, you know, that our hard work is getting acknowledged, but the biggest association as far as music, you know, in -- i'm going to shed a tear. >> i'm a failure. i'm a failure. i failed. >> as you can see, a lot of them just in disbelief, craig ferguson there surprised with his nomination for his "spoken word" album. tony, the music industry, of course, knows how to turn anything into a party. they did it last night with this third annual grammy nominations concert. >> let me ask you this. the live telecast on cbs might draw more attention than usual from the fcc. maybe you can explain that to everyone. >> well, it's because, tony, there's a song called "f you" that's getting grammy love.

cilo green got four nominations including song and record of the year for that huge hit song. it's a really catchy tune. and it was actually turned into "forget you" for its radio edit. it's going to be very intere interesting to see how it's referred to on stage and song if he is invited to perform it live during the actual gramny show. he actually performed a version of the song at the soul train awards. that aired last weekend on b.e.t. he sang the edited version there. "showbiz tonight" caught up with him backstage and asked him how he felt about the show being censored on the grammys live show possibly. >> at this point it's just a privilege, you know, to perform either of the versions. there are alternatives and they're all equally break. i prefer the original. i'm an adult. i prefer adult entertainment, you know what i'm saying? everybody will be watching the grammys so i'll do the one which

is appropriate for everyone which is probably the cleaner one. >> tony, i think ce lo would have achieved as much success had the song been "forget you" from the beginning because it's just a good tune. people love the rhythm. it's fun. the video is terrific, too. i don't know if you've seen it. kids just jamming in a diner. it's really cute. >> amen, well said, sister. i agree with you totally. these guys come up these amazing beats and they put expletives on them. i'm so with you. >> good to see you. if you want information on everything breaking in the entertainment world, brooke's got it atting a and 11:00 eastern on hln. the gop threatens a tax cut filibuster. we'll get the latest from the man, wolf blitzer, next. (voice 1) traffic's off the chart... (voice 2) they're pinging more targets...

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with aarp medicarecomplete from securehorizons. and don't pay more. just get more. you don't have to be an aarp member to enroll. call securehorizons today. or visit getcomplete.com. ♪ republican senator issues a warning in the battle over bush tax cuts. wolf blitzer, leader of the best political team on television, live from the political desk in washington. great to see you. what are you following this hour? >> lots of stuff happening at the cnn ticker. cnnpolitics.com, tony. as you know, we cover politics like no one else. but you know, there's a big fight going on right now in the senate. the republicans all 42 members of the republican party in the senate, they have the ability to

stop legislation because of the filibuster rule. you need 60 to break a filibuster. they can stand in the way of that. so they're saying until they resolve the issue of the bush era tax rates, until they resolve the issue of funding the government for another fiscal year, they're not going to allow anything else to come up. mitch mcconnell, the republican leader in the senate making it clear the reality is 42 republican senators don't believe we should raise taxes on anybody and there are also an indeterminant number of democrats who agree with that. in other words the pressure is on right now. the white house, the democrats and republicans, to work out a compromise on extending the bush era tax rates. not just for the middle class. because the republicans say it has to be extended for everyone at least for a couple years. i suspect they're getting close to that compromise. it's not a done deal yet by any means. i think they'll get close to passing a continuing resolution to keep the government funding. if they do those two things they'll be able to move on to

other issues in the lame duck session like ratifying the s.t.a.r.t. treaty or extending unemployment benefits for those who've been unemployed more than 99 weeks. there's the don't ask, don't tell repeal. they'll be able to get to those if they resolve these two sticking points for the republicans. other issues we're covering on the cnn political ticker, iowa, the republican former governor of alaska sarah palin is promoting her new book "america by heart" which is selling really well, it's a huge bestseller. probably made $1 million or $2 million in the last week from the royalties of the book. she's making her second appearance in iowa within a matter of a week right now. she's signing books at a walmart super center in spirit lake in the western part of the state. she was in des moines earlier. so there's lots of speculation, obviously, as you know, tony, whenever she or other major republican candidates show up in

iowa or new hampshire you know what that means. they're getting closer and closer to those contests, early presidential contests. one other thing i should point out. the newly elected governor of iowa, terry branstad, says any republican serious about trying to win the iowa caucuses which is in february of 2012, a little bit more than a year from now, they have to show up in august. this coming summer at that presidential straw poll in iowa. which is a huge fund-raiser for the republican party in iowa. if they're not serious about winning the iowa caucuses then they shouldn't show up at that iowa straw poll. if they are serious they have to be there, have to attend, invest and go out there and start campaigning in the 99 counties of iowa. look, the presidential season, the election season as you well know, tony, is upon us right now. >> yeah. wolf, i want to circle back to this idea of what to do about the bush era tax cuts. because i'm looking at something that just crossed.

as you know, house democrats have been talking about it, but it looks like they're going to go ahead with a vote today on extending the tax cuts for those making $250,000 or less and now we've got the house minority leader, soon to be the speaker of the house, john boehner, calling that move chicken crap. yeah, we have the sound but don't have it in position to turn it around. when reading the tea leave, are they close to a compromise on extending the cuts for everyone? >> at least for a couple years. that's the compromise everyone is speculating is in the works. the republicans don't want to decouple, don't want to break off the tax cuts from the wealthy from the tax cuts from the middle class. they know if they're separate votes they're not going to get that vote presumably. so that's why boehner is being very, very tough in saying this is just politics and using some

colorful language as you point out. but you know, it's a tough vote because the democrats are saying, let's make sure that there's a permanent extension for every family earning $250,000 a year or less, at the current rate, and it's going to be a tough vote. so that's why they're saying this is politics, but the republicans say during the time of economic distress, economic recession, you don't raise taxes on folks because that will only accelerate the deterioration in the economy. those are the arguments back and forth. i suspect there's a compromise that's going to come forward, not a permanent extension of the tax rates for everyone but a temporary one at least a couple years. let's not forget what it means specifically. right now the highest tax rate for those earning at the highest income levels is 36%, but if it goes back to the clinton era tax rates it goes up to 39.6%, something like that. it's a 3.5% increase in the

highest income tax rates. that's what we're talking about. >> i have the dollar amounts here. what that means in real dollars to folks. we'll get that in after the break. wolf, appreciate it. your next political update coming up in one hour. for the latest political news, be to cnn politics.com. wouldn't it be sweet if you sent a tweet, one tweet and got $20,000 in return? it is a true story. we'll tell you what a high school student tweeted to win college scholarship money. annou] let's be honest. no one ever wished for a smaller holiday gift. ♪ it's the lexus december to remember sales event, and for a limited time, we're celebrating some of our greatest offers of the year. lease the 2011 is 250 for $349 a month for 36 months with $3,399 due at signing. see your lexus dealer.

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we were just talking about what would happen if the bush tax cuts were allowed to expire with wolf moments ago. let's break it down in dollars and cents. if the tax cuts are allowed to expire, you will pay more taxes starting in january, but how much more? let's say you're married with two kids and you make $70,000 a year. right now you pay $2,300 in taxes. if the cuts expire, that goes up to $4,900, an increase of $2,600 a year or $7 a day. there you go. the holidays are here. maybe you're a little short on cash. what would you do if you found a stack of $100 bills? and if you wake up often in the middle of the night... rest is here, on the wings of lunesta. lunesta helps you fall asleep and stay asleep,

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