Rudy Giuliani Hospitalized for Flu-Like Symptoms; Missing Family Found After Three Days in the Woods; Julie Myers Appointed to Head ICE
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you, I'm John Roberts.</s>ALINA CHO, CNN CO-ANCHOR: I'm Alina Cho. Kiran Chetry has the morning off.</s>ROBERTS: We begin with that breaking news. Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani hospitalized in St. Louis this morning after suffering what was described by his campaign as flu-like symptoms. He had been campaigning Wednesday in the show me state, interviewed by CNN's Wolf Blitzer in "The Situation Room" from Columbia, Missouri. There's a picture of their encounter aboard the CNN election express. A spokeswoman said that Giuliani's plane had just left for New York when he became sick. The plane actually had to turn around, return to St. Louis. They then took him to the hospital. CNN's Dana Bash is covering the Republican campaign. She's live in Des Moines for us now with the latest on Giuliani's condition. Dana, the Giuliani campaign released a statement just moments ago. What does it say?</s>DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it says that the former mayor is actually going to be released from the hospital later today and will make his way back to New York, and I'll read to you the statement that we just got from Giuliani's spokeswoman, Maria Cameli (ph). She said, "After precautionary tests, the doctors found nothing of concern at this time and Rudy will be going back to New York later today. He is in high spirits and is grateful to the doctors and nurses who checked him out." Now what we don't know is what was done when he was checked out. We don't know any of the specifics yet, John, as to what tests were done on the former mayor in the hospital and what gave them the confidence to allow him to leave the hospital. All we know at this point is what you just talked about at the beginning of the program, that he was suffering from what his campaign calls flu-like symptoms. What they say is that he wasn't feeling well pretty much all day yesterday. He had a very rigorous day. His plane had mechanical problems. He had to get in a car when he wasn't supposed to, et cetera. So when he was on his way just after they had taken off from Missouri to go back to New York, he was feeling bad enough, they say, with headaches and other symptoms that he called his doctor and the doctor suggested as a precautionary reason just to go back to Missouri and to get in the hospital and that is what he did. Again, we don't know any of the specifics of the tests that were done. All we know is that his campaign is now saying that the doctors there feel good enough about his condition that is going to be released later today and will go back to New York.</s>ROBERTS: I saw his appearance on "The Situation Room" yesterday, as I'm sure you did. He didn't look any of the worse for where during that appearance. Are they saying what this might mean for the future of his campaign? Will he have to take a couple of days off at what really is a crucial time here leading up to these primaries? Not that he's going to be focusing a lot on the Iowa caucus but certainly he is on contest after that, including Missouri, a super duper Tuesday state which is where he was yesterday.</s>BASH: Yes, you're right and he certainly did put on a good show yesterday. He did not look sick or appear to be under the weather at all in that very lengthy interview he did with Wolf Blitzer. What his campaign is saying is that he actually did not have any public appearances scheduled today. What he had today were some fund-raisers in New Jersey. Those are not going to happen. The next public day of campaigning that was scheduled was New Hampshire on Friday. His campaign says they don't know yet whether he will keep that schedule, whether he will be campaigning in New Hampshire. His spokeswoman said that she thinks he will, but they're just trying to figure out what the future will hold for him. They're not 100 percent sure.</s>ROBERTS: But bottom line, Dana, it appears as though everything is OK. There are no serious problems here?</s>BASH: According to his campaign, they say that he is going to be released today and they suggest that he was just hospitalized because he wasn't feeling well, with an abundance of caution. But again, we don't know any of the details as to what tests were done and really specifically how he was feeling and why he was hospitalized beyond the flu-like symptoms.</s>ROBERTS: Well, perhaps we'll get some of those details as the morning wears on. Dana Bash for us this morning in Des Moines.</s>BASH: Thanks, John.</s>ROBERTS: Thanks very much -- Alina.</s>CHO: New this morning. The tapes are gone, but the paper trail remains. The CIA says it will release documents to Congress as early as today, relating to terror interrogation tapes that were destroyed back in 2005. Now, the decision came after the House intelligence committee threatened to subpoena two agency officials. The White House is insisting there was no cover up after the "New York Times" said four administration lawyers went in on the talks over whether to get rid of the tapes. So were any laws broken, and how high could it go? We'll talk to the reporter who broke that story "The Times" Mike Mazzetti, later on AMERICAN MORNING. The Senate has confirmed Julie Myers as the head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement despite concerns about her qualifications and judgment. Her appointment run into trouble this fall after she and two other judges gave the most original costume award to a white employee who dressed as an escaped prisoner with dark makeup and dreadlocks at an agency Halloween party. Myers later apologized saying she doesn't realized the employee's true skin color. Critics say they still think she's not the right pick, but there simply weren't enough votes to oppose her nomination. Myers, by the way, is the niece of General Richard Myers, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. And new polls released just minutes ago. The top Democratic candidates are in a statistical dead heat in Iowa. This is the CNN Opinion Research poll. Just four percentage points separate Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards. On the Republican side, the same poll shows that Mike Huckabee is leading the pack with 33 percent. Mitt Romney second with 25 percent, Rudy Giuliani has 11 percent and John McCain and Fred Thompson tied at nine percent. We're going to take a look at the issues driving these polls later on in the hour.</s>ROBERTS: A remarkable story of survival out of northern California to tell you about. A father and his three children found alive last night after being lost in heavy snow in the mountains for three days without food. And we're just getting new pictures in from the family. In the first few, they're smiling, cutting down a Christmas tree that they found out in the woods, but the next ones are far different. They show the kids with their feet inside each other's jackets trying to stay warm and with another fierce storm in the forecast, rescuers found them just in time.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I wanted soup.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And brownies.</s>CHRISTOPHER DOMINGUEZ, RESCUED FROM FOREST: We just kept dreaming about food.</s>ROBERTS: And this is how a harrowing ordeal ends. Three children home with their mother, safe and sound. What started as a search for the perfect Christmas tree turned into a three-day fight to survive. They spoke with Anderson Cooper last night.</s>CHRISTOPHER DOMINGUEZ, RESCUED FROM FOREST: I was practically half way out of the tree, the shelter that my dad had made, just trying to keep Josh warm since I was next to him, and we just did the best that we could.</s>ROBERTS (voice-over): Frederick Dominguez and his three kids, Chris, Alexis and Josh got lost in the snowy mountainous woods of northern California. An anxious mother feared the worst.</s>LISA SAMS, MOTHER: My heart hurts. I just want to find my kids and bring them home.</s>ROBERTS: As more than 80 searchers scoured the woods and helicopters searched from above, the Dominguez family huddled together, battling the cold.</s>ALEXIS DOMINGUEZ, RESCUED FROM FOREST: My dad like cut up the shirt, and Chris cut up his shirt and we made new socks so our feet could stay warm.</s>ROBERTS: Older brother, Chris, stayed positive, setting the example for his younger siblings.</s>C. DOMINGUEZ: Especially in front of them, I didn't want them to really lose hope. Whenever they would freak out I would just be like, it's all right.</s>ROBERTS: Then as bad weather was again rolling in a helicopter pilot making one last pass saw the father waving his arms, and the family's prayers were answered. They were searching for a tree, but instead found the inner strength to survive in the wilderness, and now have a Christmas story to remember.</s>FREDERICK DOMINGUEZ, FATHER: Well, my youngest boy said, "Dad, are we going to make it? Are you sure we're going to make it? I said son I would tell you what I bought you for Christmas if I thought we weren't going to make it.</s>ROBERTS: Well, all four of them are expected to be OK despite a little bit of frostbite and a touch of hypothermia. Coming up at 8:15 Eastern this morning, we're going to speak with the pilot and the paramedic who rescued the Dominguez family.</s>CHO: And, by the way, incredible story. They're calling it a Christmas miracle. And, by the way, those kids don't know what they're getting for Christmas yet so the secret's still safe with the family. All right.</s>ROBERTS: Something to look forward to.</s>CHO: Incredible story. All right. Other news this morning. In Florida, four people dead after a chemical blast so massive it was felt nearly a mile away. Fourteen others were hurt. This was the scene in Jacksonville where the blast obliterated the T2 laboratories plant. The plant produces solvents and fuel additives. Witnesses describe the chaos.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: What did it sound like?</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Like a nuclear blast. I mean, I'm deaf right now. I can't hear in one ear.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: It was that loud?</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was like a bomb went off, but I'm not saying that's what it was. Fireballs, humongous, as big as the cloud you see there. It was bad, man. It felt like a shotgun went off right next to me.</s>CHO: Officials with the U.S. Chemical Safety Board are expected to arrive on scene this morning to begin an investigation. And take a look at these amazing shots sent in by I-Reporter Eric Beatty. He lives about four miles away from the plant and tells us he thought the blast was a plane crash at first. When he looked outside, he says he saw that right there. He described it as a mushroom cloud. Now if you have any I-Reports of the blast, send them to us. But remember in all cases, don't put yourself in harm's way and, of course, make sure they're your photos, not somebody else's. The Omaha Department Store that was the scene of a bloody rampage will reopen this morning for the first time since the deadly shooting. Last night, a memorial service was held on the steps of the Von Maur at the Westroads Mall. On December 5th, 19-year-old gunman Robert Hawkins killed eight people before killing himself. At last night's service, hundreds gathered. The victims were remembered, and a local pastor offered a prayer.</s>BILL CLAVIN, SISTER KILLED IN SHOOTING: It was very touching here and the community's force has been fantastic. Not only have we had good family support but community support's been fantastic. The e-mails and the cards and the telephone calls and everything else has been just great.</s>CHO: Still a tough time for that community. Von Maur, by the way, is planning to put up a permanent memorial at the store but has not decided yet what it will look like. The mother of an astronaut aboard the international space station has been killed in an accident, but NASA says the tragedy will not affect the mission. 90-year-old Rose Tani was killed when a train slammed into her car in Lombard, Illinois. Police say she stopped behind the school bus, honked her horn, then went around the bus and passed a down crossing gate. Astronaut Dan Tani has been informed, but he won't be leaving the space station. NASA says the station's return module can only be used in emergencies, and astronauts do understand situations like this, unfortunately, can happen. Tani had been scheduled to return yesterday, but shuttle problems had delayed "Atlantis's" launch until at least January 10th. Is cancer a death sentence for uninsured patients? A study published overnight has some truly frightening findings. The American Cancer Society says the uninsured are nearly twice as likely to die within five years. Now this is the first national test of its kind, and it's one that really sheds light on the troubling obstacles standing in the way of those without standard health care. Dr. Sanjay Gupta will have much more on this in our next hour -- John.</s>ROBERTS: It's now 11 minutes after the hour, Alina, and time to check in with our AMERICAN MORNING team of correspondents this morning for other stories new this morning. The House passes the alternative minimum tax bill patch which means that you may be seeing more money in your refund. Our Ali Velshi at the business update desk to explain all of this. Good morning, Ali.</s>ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John. It's a little grinch-like for me to be talking about taxes just before Christmas, but the House has agreed to a bill that the Senate had already passed so it's going to be going to effect. It's a 12-month patch, basically relief from some people who are going to be paying or who would have been paying the alternative minimum tax. Now the alternative minimum tax or AMT was introduced about 40 years ago to ensure that the rich people were paying enough taxes. They weren't getting too many deductions and avoiding paying taxes, but they didn't set it to adjust for inflation. And as wages went up, more and more people became subject to this tax. As a result of this patch, 21 million Americans will avoid having to pay the AMT which has the typical effect of making you pay more tax. So while you won't see a bigger refund, 21 million people will not see a smaller refund. With this patch that has been put in, the threshold now is $66,250 for joint filers and $44,350 for single filers. You can see the increase there. Without the AMT patch, people at much lower income levels would have been subject to it. This is only for a year, and hopefully Congress will deal with this in the coming year -- John.</s>ROBERTS: Ali, Democrats were looking for offsets to pay for this patch.</s>VELSHI: Yes.</s>ROBERTS: They didn't get them.</s>VELSHI: No.</s>ROBERTS: So where does the money come from?</s>VELSHI: $53 billion. That's one of the big problems this administration's been having. They don't often find things to pay for these things. $53 billion shortfall you'll see as a result of this decision.</s>ROBERTS: All right. Ali Velshi for us this morning. Ali, thanks very much. Our Rob Marciano at the weather update desk tracking this morning extreme wintry weather in the northeast expecting some snow. Rob, how much?</s>ROB MARCIANO, METEOROLOGIST: Yes. Getting some snow right now. They're going to get six to 10 inches before the day is done. We've got a number of weather situations across the country, three in fact. We'll get to the northeast right now, where snow is falling in places like New Hampshire, in Maine and eastern parts of Massachusetts. It's all the storm that's developing a little nor'easter that will be gone before it does too much damage. But folks who live just north of Manchester could get six to 10 inches of snow there. Keep you in the Christmas spirit. All right. Here is the system that plowed through the pacific northwest the other day, and now it's tapping moisture from the gulf of Mexico. We've got strong, in some cases, severe thunderstorms, southeast Texas into Louisiana. This will march to the east and some cases bring some beneficial rain. Rain continues to come down in the pacific northwest, not so beneficial. They don't really need anymore. Note that ski resorts will take it, though. Total accumulation with this system both in the cascades and the sierras could be anywhere from two to three feet of winter fresh powder. John, back up to you.</s>ROBERTS: Two to three feet, Rob?</s>MARCIANO: That's good stuff. You need a snorkel to ski through that.</s>ROBERTS: All right. Rob, thanks. We'll check back with you in just a few minutes.</s>MARCIANO: Yes.</s>ROBERTS: Alina?</s>CHO: All right, John, thank you. Coming up, Britney Spears' little sister is not that innocent. And now, the 16-year-old's pregnancy is raising some big legal questions. Our legal contributor Sunny Hostin will weigh in after the break. And we'll show you a very unusual Christmas lights display on people. That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING. Stay with us.