elaine quijano, cbs news, new york. >> mitchell: in sports, driver jimmie johnson finished second in today's race, the homestead-miami speedway, but that gave johnson enough points to win a record fifth consecutive nascar championship. and just ahead on tonight's "cbs evening news," thanksgiving turkeys with nothing to fear. >> mitchell: finally this sunday, of all of our thanksgiving rituals, it's the most recent and generous. we speak of the presidential pardon of the official white house turkey. john blackstone has the story of poultry spared. >> reporter: it is task facing millions of americans right now, choosing the perfect turkey for thanksgiving. but the bird named "just right" but the folks at california'sfo foster farms is going to wind up at a very special table at the white house. and they're proud of it. >> and they're proud of it. >> reporter: for four months foster farms has been nursing the presidential flock. one of those bird will be presented to the president. those deemed too ugly -- >> don't like his tail feathers. >> -- or too exciteable. >> you don't want it to

elaine quijano was there. >> reporter: this steinway baby grand once sat in the living room of bernard madoff's manhattan penthouse. today it was on the auction block. >> sold at $42,000. >> i was going to buy one so i anything youred, well, get one with a little history to it. >> reporter: this was the section auction of madoff and their wife's belongs from their manhattan home and beach house on long island to benefit the victims of his ponzi scheme. this 10.5 carat diamond ring was the top seller by far. $550,000. beyond the big-ticket items were onces with more symbolism, like the bull that belonged to a titan of wall street. this leather bull foot stool sold for $3,000. cigar fish nat add in does bid competitively for madoff's humidors, these leather cigar holders sold for $1,300. this woman who says her investment fund lost money with madoff paid more than $9,000 for a gold tiffany clock with an engraving honoring madoff's distinguished service to the financial industry. >> this stuff is vanity crap they bought with other people's money. >> reporter: today's auction is expected t

elaine quijano, cbs news, new york. >> couric: and coming up next, saving social security. is the answer raising the retirement age to almost 70? and later, springtime in london. where to go if you're invited to that royal wedding. by helping to keep blood platelets from sticking together and forming dangerous clots. ask your doctor if plavix is right for you. protection that helps save lives. [ female announcer ] certain genetic factors and some medicines, such as prilosec, reduce the effect of plavix leaving you at greater risk for heart attack and stroke. your doctor may use genetic tests to determine treatment. don't stop taking plavix without talking to your doctor as your risk of heart attack or stroke may increase. people with stomach ulcers or conditions that cause bleeding should not use plavix. taking plavix alone or with some other medicines, including aspirin, may increase bleeding risk, so tell your doctor when planning surgery. tell your doctor all medicines you take, including aspirin, especially if you've had a stroke. if fever, unexplained weakness or confu

elaine quijano is right in the middle of it all in times square. elaine, good evening. >> reporter: good evening to you maggie. here in times square it's a sea of shopping bags full of holiday gifts, and retailers are reporting seeing much of the same across the country. in buffalo, new york, shoppers stampeded at target. customers camped out in california, and chicagoans braved the cold. nationwide, stores claim they're seeing a lot more shoppers. >> if it wasn't fun we wouldn't be standing out here in 21 degrees waiting to get in the door. >> reporter: one out of every three bargain hunters hit the stores by 5:00 a.m.. >> we get here early so we got a good spot. i could have sold my spot for about $100 just now when i ran out to my car. >> reporter: many retailers had already rolled out their door- busting deals online. >> there's a whole black friday season now. it isn't really just one day, and with the internet and social media, all of those bargains just get really spread out. >> reporter: on average, consumers are expected to spend about $343

elaine quijano has more on this neck-and-neck battle. >> pennsylvania republican pat toomey is relentless on his attacks on president obama and the democratic congress. >> they're just trying to transform america into something like a european-style welfare state. >> reporter: a former congressman with a near-perfect conservative rating. >> give me a "k"! what's that spell? >> reporter: toomey blamed his democratic opponent congressman joe sestak for voting for government bailouts of the banking and auto industries and for the $800 billion economic stimulus. >> joe sestak has supported every single item on the obama- pelosi agenda. >> reporter: he served 31 years in the navy, rise together rank of admiral and worked as a national security aid to president clinton before becoming a congressman. he says without the stimulus, unemployment would be higher. >> we've taken some tough votes. they were necessary to keep the ship from sinking. >> reporter: sestak says his overall voting record is moderate. >> i'm smack dab in the middle of the democratic party. >> sestak supported obama's health c