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CNN LIVE SATURDAY

Ukrainian Parliament Disavows Presidential Vote; Changes To Pell Grants Could Reduce, Eliminate Benefits For 1.2 Million

Aired November 27, 2004 - 12:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: It's 12:00 p.m. on the East coast, 9:00 a.m. in the West, 7:00 p.m. in Ukraine. Welcome to CNN LIVE SATURDAY, I'm Andrea Koppel in Washington. Ahead this hour:
Osama bin Laden is the most hunted man in the world. Why Pakistan is pulling its troops off the front lines in search for bin Laden.

Also:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL WARE, "TIME" MAGAZINE: We're talking six to eight feet away in pitch black. Danger...

KOPPEL: Then fight for...

WARE: ...can't get any more sinister than that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOPPEL: The fight for Falluja and the incredible dangers U.S. troops face every second during search and destroy missions for insurgents.

And later, proposed changes to Pell Grants that help students afford college. Why the money could be cut off for thousands of students. But first, here are the stories now in the news.

A major victory for the opposition in Ukraine: Parliament passes a measure supporting the annulment of the presidential election. The vote is not legally binding, but the presidential results were questioned after reports of election fraud.

In Iraq, the government is insisting there will be held on schedule the elections there on January the 30th, but a Sunni leader says a movement to delay elections is also gaining support. Many political parties in Iraq are calling for a delay of up to six months out of security concerns.

"Forty years is a long time." Those are the words of U.S. Army deserter Charles Jenkins, released from jail in Japan. He served 25 days for deserting a squadron in 1965 and crossing into North Korea. Jenkins plans to live in northern Japan with his Japanese wife, who he met while he was in North Korea. We begin with the round-the-clock protest that continues in Ukraine as the country tries to resolve its constitutional crisis. Ukraine's Parliament voted this morning to support the annulment of last weekend's presidential runoff elections. The vote is -- the vote on the measure is non-binding and CNN's Jill Dougherty is keeping track of the very latest developments. She is with us now by video phone from Ukraine's capital, Kiev. Even though it's non-binding, Jill, the opposition still views this as a victory?

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, because even though it's non-binding, it does have -- it's a very potent political sign, right now. The fact that Parliament said we do believe that the results of those elections should be annulled because, as they put it, they do not reflect the will of the people. And then that second vote, in which they said we have no confidence in the Central Election Commission and its 15 members and we want to dissolve that and start anew with a new commission. As you said, it doesn't legal significance, but very important. Here is how the speaker of the Parliament explained why they took that step.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR LYTVYN, UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER (through translator): The most logical political decision, taking into account the mutual claims of massive violations, is to pronounce elections invalid in the sense of trying to determine the real will of the people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DOUGHERTY: So, just a few minutes ago, we spoke with the opposition and that would be Viktor Yushchenko's people, and they said actually they were hoping to get something stronger coming out of the Parliament, a type of condemnation of how the vote had been carried out, but it didn't work. But they did get something, which was, again, saying that they should annul the results of those elections.

Another thing is the demonstrations on the street continue, and that has been really having an effect. You've had people out here near the Parliament, watching this on the television screens all day long. They were following very, very carefully. It's more ammunition for them in terms of where they want to go with this.

The next steps, by the way, Andrea, would be they would have to now -- the Parliament would have to begin to change the election law, because this is unchartered territory. They don't have any election law that really deals with holding an election again -- annulling and holding it again. So, they'll move toward that. It will go to the president and then ultimately it will probably go to the court on Monday.

KOPPEL: Six days and counting. Jill Dougherty in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. Thanks so much.

In Iraq, there are new and widespread demands for delays in the Iraqi election, now set for January the 30th. The political wrangling comes amid continuing violence. The latest from Iraq now, and CNN's Karl Penhaul.

So Karl, how much of a surprise was this?

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It did take us by a bit of a surprise, because we're talking here of 15 major political parties of a secular religious and regional nature, including two of the main Kurdish parties here, and also one of the best known figures here leading the call for postponement in the elections is Adnan Pachachi. As you know, he was a key ally of the coalition during the times of the coalition occupation here, and he was also one of the presidents of the Iraqi Governing Council. So, to see him come out and call for postponement, he's a pretty influential figure. Obviously, what we should draw distinction between is this group of 15 major parties calling for a postponement of up to six months and a group of Sunni Muslim religious parties who are calling of a boycott of this election all together, a boycott, in fact, until the coalition military forces leave Iraq all together -- Andrea.

KOPPEL: So Karl, do we have any sense as to what the Iraqi interim prime minister, Mr. Ayad Allawi, believes should happen with regard to the elections?

PENHAUL: Indeed, we do. In an afternoon press conference his spokesman, Thaer al-Naqib, was speaking. The government basically doesn't want to know about any talk of delays. What al-Naqib was saying was that Prime Minister Allawi very much favors pressing ahead with the current timetable. What we've also got to remember is that if there were any delay, then there would be tricky ground, logically speaking. Because this deadline for the elections by January 31 was, in fact, a deadline set by a U.N. Security Council resolution, and so as Thaer al-Naqib said in the afternoon press conference, he doesn't really know what the legality of delaying the elections would be -- Andrea.

KOPPEL: Are they looking into it at all?

PENHAUL: There was reference both by Adnan Pachachi and also by Thaer al-Naqib that there were discussions ongoing. The electoral commission, which is an independent body, has also said, yes, discussions are ongoing. But, it doesn't seem to be at this stage any concrete decision that the elections will be delayed. Certainly, we see to be some time off before that decision is likely to be taken. And obviously, if you look at the grounds for these political parties making this bid for a postponement, they were saying on security grounds, because they don't believe that voters will be able to go to the polls in safety or that political parties will be able to campaign in safety. There's still two months to go before these elections. Things could get a lot better with some of the military campaigns going on the ground to crush the insurgents. Of course, as we know by experience, things could also get worse -- Andrea.

KOPPEL: Karl Penhaul clearing things up for us. Thanks so much for joining us from Baghdad.

The deadly struggle against insurgents in Iraq often comes down hand to hand to hand and house by house street fighting for U.S. troops. "Time" magazine reporter, Michael Ware, has just returned from Iraq where he was embedded with U.S. forces fighting in Falluja. He spoke to CNN's Aaron Brown.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AARON BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: In a sentence or two, describe the unit you were with.

MICHAEL WARE, "TIME" MAGAZINE: During the battle of Falluja I was with an Army unit, a smaller element within the broader attack, but very important. It boiled down to the 3rd platoon of Alpha Company from what's known as the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment. These are essentially mechanized infantry, young guys who jump out of the back of Bradley armored vehicles.

BROWN: Nineteen to 25, six?

WARE: Yeah. I mean, the leaders of these men, if you call them men -- they're more like fresh-faced boys. The eldest among them was 26, perhaps one was 29. The bulk of them were in their late teens or just out of their teens. These really are the youth of America.

BROWN: The day before they went in, were you with them?

WARE: Yes, I was.

BROWN: What was it like?

WARE: Pensive. I mean, these men had it drilled into them over and over what it was that they were to expect. They were going into the dark heart of the Iraqi insurgency. This was the nest, or this was the base. Not only of the home-grown Iraqi nationalists, but this was the central node of the foreign jihaddies, the real hardcore.

BROWN: Were they scared?

WARE: Yeah. I mean, there's always that fear, I mean, that anticipation of battle looming. You become so cognizant of your own mortality and these boys aren't immune from that, but they do not shy away from it. They swallow it down and press on.

BROWN: Well, there's a difference between being afraid and being a -- and cowardness. Those are very different things, you're nuts not to be afraid.

WARE: Absolutely.

BROWN: Besides going in there and they're shooting at you and they're throwing RPGs at you, and there's bombs everywhere.

WARE: Absolutely, and I have seen in combat in Iraq where you'll be with five or six men and you're engaged with the enemy and there's fierce firefighting and suddenly, you'll look down for a moment and there's one man curled up into a ball who simply can't pick up his weapon. Yet, the funny thing is, the next day you may be in another firefight the next day and he is the fiercest amongst them. That's the thing about combat. There's nowhere to hide from yourself. There's no room for pretense whatsoever. And in Falluja, this really was such a place.

BROWN: They go in, they make their way in, they have all of the power of the U.S. military behind them, air power, big tanks, artillery, the whole deal, and they are facing guys hiding in windows.

WARE: Absolutely. There's guy hiding in what you call rat holes, it's an apt description. There are men who were lying in wait. These were men who stayed behind when all the other insurgents left, when their leadership left, when their comrades departed to move on and fight for another day.

BROWN: They stayed to die?

WARE: They stayed to die. They stayed to kill American boys and to die themselves. Now, there's no greater enemy than that. It's one of the most powerful weapons in combat. That is a man prepared to die.

BROWN: People talked about that you go around a corner and you didn't know what you'd find. Was it like that?

WARE: Absolutely. I mean, the enemy, death, great harm lurked in every nook, in every cranny. There was one particular moment in the battle of Falluja with 3rd Platoon where insurgents were hiding in a series of houses, we didn't know which one. After searching nine, we entered the tenth and it was at quarter to 2:00 in the morning. The insurgents weren't in the front room, they were hiding in the kitchen. They allowed these boys to enter the house and they waited for one of them and then another to step around into the hallway and then they opened fire. We're talking six to eight feet away in pitch black. Danger can't get any more sinister than that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOPPEL: More on the fight for Iraq coming up in our second half hour when we'll speak to an expert in elections and post-war reconstruction who has had experience in El Salvador, in Indonesia, and Nigeria.

Well, for the Bush administration's reaction to the latest developments in Iraq and Ukraine, we turn now to CNN White House correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux, who is in Crawford, Texas.

Well Suzanne, we know that the Bush administration certainly hasn't been shy regarding its feelings regarding about the Ukrainian election.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Andrea. As we had heard earlier, the Ukrainian parliament said the elections were null and void, but administration officials who I have spoken to says of course it's an important symbolic step, but they are still to waiting to see whether or not the Ukrainian government decides they're going to redo those elections. They are waiting patiently. They say they believe that decision will come down on Monday.

At the same time, of course, President Bush is spending a relaxing holiday at the Crawford ranch, but also making it very clear yesterday he is focused on those domestic, as well as, international policy initiatives. Specifically, he is looking at nuclear threats as well as spreading democracy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

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

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

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Democracy for Ukraine. Democracy for Ukraine.

MALVEAUX: A handful of prodemocracy dem administrators gathered outside the coffee station to support Mr. Bush's position on the Ukrainian elections. The White House considers the recent presidential elections there a fraud and a blow to democracy in that region.

Mr. Bush and other world leaders are urging the Ukrainian authorities to come clean.

BUSH: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) their election's in doubt, the international community is watching very carefully.

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

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

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

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: And the president will continue his diplomatic efforts in the coming week. He's going to take a quick trip to Canada. He is also going to be having meetings in Washington with the leaders of Nigeria and Bahram (PH) -- Andrea.

KOPPEL: And what's on the -- what's on the agenda in Canada? MALVEAUX: Well, he's going to be talking with Canada's leader, of course. They'll be talking about the importance in fighting the war on terror. They're going to be talking about immigration issues, to name a few. And, of course, free trade, all of those on the president's agenda. He had just met with him at the APEC Summit, but it was just a very brief meeting. They say they're get more into the substance of it this coming week.

KOPPEL: I guess he was down in Mexico was heading south and now he's heading north, getting both neighbors. Thanks so much, Suzanne Malveaux in Crawford.

In Pakistan, major military operations against al-Qaeda and Taliban remnants are drawing to a close in the region where Osama bin Laden is believed to be hiding. The hunt for bin Laden has gone in the rugged area along the Afghanistan border for more than two years. Pakistani officials say they found no trace of bin Laden, but forces will remain in other tribal areas to monitor the border region.

Still ahead on CNN LIVE SATURDAY:

Crews are sopping up an oil spill in a busy U.S. river. We'll have the very latest from the scene straight ahead.

Also, harmful or helpful? In this competitive job market, is it okay to plump up your resume? We'll ask the ethics guy.

And, you never know what's going on in your neighbor's living room. We'll take you to one of the hottest tickets in New York when we return.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KOPPEL: On the Delaware River in Philadelphia, containment and cleanup of a large oil spill has been underway since it was discovered last night. Chief Patrick Montgomery of the U.S. Coast Guard joins us on the phone now with an update.

Chief Montgomery, my understanding is that this vessel had about 325,000 gallons of oil. Have you been able to contain the spill?

CHIEF PATRICK MONTGOMERY, U.S. COAST GUARD: Yes, we have. The estimated loss has been about 30,000 gallons and we have thousands of booms set up around the area of the vessel as well as around critical rivers and creeks in the area.

KOPPEL: Gotchya. What does that mean; you've 30,000 gallons that have leaked? What is the impact on the environment around there?

MONTGOMERY: Well, we have HEPA teams out there right now in the air as well as on the surface are trying to assess the damage to the environment. Any time that there's a release of oil into the environment, we take it very seriously.

KOPPEL: And how do you deal with it? You must have special equipment to try to -- to try to save some of the marine life or even some of the folks who would be using the river?

MONTGOMERY: Well a containment boom was then quickly put out as well as we contracted for cleanup operations with several groups in the area and we had them on scene last night and they are still working well into today to assure the quick clean up of the oil.

KOPPEL: I'm sure it's not a surprise to anyone who lives near and around the Delaware River, but just how many vessels do you have that pass through the area that are carrying oil and other hazardous materials?

MONTGOMERY: The port of Philadelphia is a very active port and right now, the area is closed off. So, we are working quickly to ensure that we can open up and allow those vessels through again.

KOPPEL: Um-hum. And do you have a lot of vessels that come through there, carrying oil?

MONTGOMERY: Well yes, we do. And right now we have approximately six vessels that are in cue to continue their voyage.

KOPPEL: And what is their ultimate destination.

MONTGOMERY: The ultimate destination would be the refineries in the area to off-load their cargo.

KOPPEL: And Chief Montgomery, how unusual is it to have an oil spill near Philadelphia?

MONTGOMERY: Well, it doesn't happen very often and when it does, we work quickly to ensure the quick clean up as well as minimizing the damage to the environment.

KOPPEL: OK. Chief Patrick Montgomery of the U.S. Coast Guard joining us there by phone. Thank you so much.

MONTGOMERY: Thank you.

KOPPEL: In news "Across America" this morning, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, police say they're holding a man who they believe is connected to the discovery of body parts strewn along a busy highway earlier this week. Authorities say Alfredo Rodriguez admits that he shoot a man victim Thanksgiving day during an argument over a woman. Police believe the remains belong to the victim.

In Los Angeles, Bart (PH) riders are holding their ears as they stand in the waiting areas. The screech of hawks is filling the air. It's the latest in a series of enthusiastic, but failed attempts to scare off unpopular and seemingly impervious pigeons.

And in Carrollton, Texas, here's one Tom turkey that survived the annual thanksgiving feast. The turkey was found living in a backyard tree on thanksgiving day and now the family has adopted the bird and, get this, named it "Gobbles" in honor of the family pet. At least one of the kids in the household passed on eating turkey this holiday. I'm surprised there weren't more. We will bring you an update on the latest headlines next. Also, thousands of students depend on them to help pay for college. Now, a popular college loan program is being paired down. We'll have the reasons for you straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KOPPEL: Now in the news, Ukraine could be closer to holding a new presidential election. The eastern European country's Parliament is supporting a measure to annul last weekend's run-off election. The vote, while non-binding, is considered a major victory for the opposition candidate and his supporters. The disputed election sent protesters into the streets for the sixth straight day.

The U.S. Coast Guard is assessing the damage from an oil spill on the Delaware River between Philadelphia and southern New Jersey. Cleanup operations are already underway. A Cyprus (PH) tanker spilled 30,000 gallons of crude oil as the vessel was preparing to dock, last night, at an oil facility.

A global health expert is out with an urgent new warning. He says every country in the world needs a plan to deal with a flu pandemic likely to be triggered by the flu bird virus that hit Asia earlier this year. The official who issued the warning is with the World Health Organization. Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.

Well, have you ever lied on a resume, perhaps embellished a bit? Even if you think everyone is doing it, you might want to think twice before trying to deceive a potential employer.

Also, tis the season for re-gifting. Is that ethical? Joining us in New York is the Ethics Guy, Bruce Weinstein.

So, Bruce, nice to see you.

BRUCE WEINSTEIN, ETHICS GUY: Hi, Andrea. Happy holidays.

KOPPEL: Let's start with the re-gifting, since I'm sure there are thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of people in the stores this weekend buying new gifts. Is it ethical to wrap up a gift that somebody else gave you and give it to someone else?

WEINSTEIN: It is ethical to re-gift, Andrea, because we have a moral obligation not to be wasteful and we also a moral obligation to express our gratitude to the people who have helped us throughout the year. Regifting allows us to do both of these things.

KOPPEL: There -- obviously, I'm sure you've got some tips on how to re-gift, some guidelines as to how to do it in the most tasteful and tactful manner.

WEINSTEIN: Well, the first thing to keep in mind, obviously, is not to use the gift first. I mean if you get that Seinfeld DVD boxed set, don't open it, watch the DVDs and then re-gift it. That wouldn't be right. It's also important to re-gift sooner than later. I mean, if you wait a year, you might end up re-gifting to the person who gave you the gift in the first place and that raises a third concern and that is to do no harm. We want to make sure that we don't hurt the feelings of the person who gave us the gift. So, ideally, it would be better to ask the person for permission, you know, to say, "That orange and red sweater that you knitted me is amazing, but a friend of mine happens to need a sweater, doesn't have any and she was admiring it and I wondering if you wouldn't mind if shared your gift with her." So, that's a nice way to avoid harming someone as well as to avoid being wasteful and help someone else out.

KOPPEL: What about what we alluded to at the beginning of the segment, about how to kind of spice up your resume without going so far as to make it -- going too far and actually lying? How do you strike that balance?

WEINSTEIN: Well, there's actually a very clear line. Whenever we lie or deceive someone else, we're engaging in wrongful conduct. So, if creative resuming, as you referred to at the beginning, means saying something that's false, obviously that's wrong. And you see, the problem is that it is unfair to the competition and then in the long run, it's bad for us because eventually, we'll be found out. It might be five year or ten years down the road, but the truth eventually comes out and when that happens our own reputation will be damaged and that doesn't help anyone.

KOPPEL: Do you have an example that you can offer people as how they might, kind of, again, spice it up, being a little creative with the jobs you've had without stepping over the line?

WEINSTEIN: Well the best way to spice up your resume is to do things in your life that are already spicy, so to speak. So, that we don't really have to embellish things, but you know, it's one thing to say you were the cocreater of something when you were just brought into the project. That's wrong, that's deceitful. So, the important thing is to be honest, to avoid lying and being deceitful because in the long run, it hurts us as well as hurting other people who are trying to get that job.

KOPPEL: The Ethics Guy, Bruce Weinstein who joins us every Saturday at this time. And if you have questions for the Ethics Guy, please e-mail your dilemma to the Ethics Guy at cnn.com.

And when we come back, preparing for free and legitimate elections in Iraq, the challenges, next.

Also ahead ...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My paranoia was raised to the point where I thought that they were going to have HUMVEES and military police waiting for me in front of my building.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

A young man changes his mind at the last minute about joining the military. What could happen to him when we return.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KOPPEL: Earlier this hour, we told you political factions in Iraq want to delay the January 30 elections. Fifteen of Iraq's parties have petitioned for a delay, saying the country is too unstable. They just don't have time to campaign, to guarantee a secure ballot. Joining us, in Los Angeles, is Charles Costello, a specialist in reconstruction and elections and managed post-war transitions and elections in El Salvador, East Timor, Mozambique, Guatemala, Indonesia, and Nigeria.

Quite a resume, Mr. Costello. What do you think the chances are elections will go forward in Iraq in 60 days' time, considering the latest developments out of there?

CHARLES COSTELLO, ELECITONS, RECONSTRUCTION SPEC.: Well, I spent a year in Iraq, came back a few months ago. The latest news from there makes this a much closer call. The Sunni groupings' statements, especially the participation of the two leading Kurdish parties in that petition, really make it much tougher for the government to stick to its original schedule.

KOPPEL: We should point out that the Sunnies and the Kurds are minorities in Iraq. The largest party there, certainly, affiliation would be the Shia and they want to go forward with the elections.

COSTELLO: Of course, that is the main countervailing factor here. There are some real down sides to postponing the elections. Who knows whether violence will get worse rather than better. The trend has been downward, in that sense. Postponement may not yield any security improvement.

There's a real loss of credibility. These elections at U.S. insistence are already, in one sense, delayed. The U.S. was unwilling to let elections occur in the first year or so. Now, to postpone further, continues this problem of political illegitimacy on the part of the Iraqi government, which gives some comfort to the insurgency. And it claims that there's no democratic national Iraqi government in place.

In that sense, postponing elections continues to give more political comfort, shall we say, to the insurgency and could be a real down side.

KOPPEL: From your experience, what are the nuts and bolts of preparing for an election that would still need to happen between now and the end of January?

COSTELLO: Well, they need to go through the voter registration process. But with U.N. specialists in Iraq, they've used what we might call a shortcut, or a quick and dirty, because of the wide use of this food distribution program under the U.N. Food-For-Oil Program, they have food distribution centers all over the country and almost all families have ration cards. That's why they're using that as a basis for administrative centers and also in order to identify who would be eligible to vote.

So, that's a workable system, though far from perfect. In most of the country, in Kurdish areas or Shiite areas in the south, it appears parties would be able to organize and campaign, but in the insurgency areas, particularly Sunni population areas, carrying out a campaign and seeing the parties actively get out there, looking for voters, is questionable.

KOPPEL: Gotcha.

COSTELLO: And, of course, the ultimate, can you maintain security at polling stations?

KOPPEL: That is the $60,000 question, as they say. Elections are supposed to happen again in a year. I'm sure we'll have you back. Charles Costello joining us from L.A. Thank you very much.

COSTELLO: OK. Thank you.

KOPPEL: Cold feet have one U.S. soldier on the run from the war in Iraq. CNN's Maria Hinojosa reports now on a recruit who suddenly realized what it means to join the Army.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): They live among us, average guys like 25-year-old Manny, who makes a living as a contractor. He wants to remain anonymous. Manny is worried. He has gone AWOL from the army.

VOICE OF "MANNY", SOLDIER IN HIDING: My paranoia was raised to the point where I thought they were going to have HUMVEES and, you know, military police waiting for me in front of my building.

HINOJOSA: Manny should be in boot camp now, but the reality of the army infantry sank in first.

"MANNY": It was mind boggling to just sit there and wait to be processed to go to boot camp and then watching how many Marines have been killed, how many civilians have been killed on top of that. And it just seemed mind boggling to me that a life can be taken away so easily.

HINOJOSA: With his father suffering from throat cancer and his wife prone to depression, Manny faced the ugly reality of life on the front lines. So, he ran. He ditched his fellow enlistees as they were to board a plane to take them to Fort Benning in Georgia.

MANNY: I took it upon myself to just sneak out, and take the escalators down to the ground transportation and jumped in a taxi.

HINOJOSA (on camera): What were you feeling at that precise moment, when you walked away from the guys?

MANNY: I was feeling pretty scared, because I had never done anything like that. HINOJOSA (voice over): Scared, because Manny understands the penalties for going AWOL are severe.

MANNY: We were told by Navy enlisted men if we did not get on the plane, we would be considered AWOL that we would be considered deserters. And that being AWOL, or a deserter, during wartime would be punishable by death.

HINOJOSA: The Army says that's just not so. Typically, they say, recruits like Manny, who change their minds, are simply let go. Because they're meeting their recruitment goals and they only want those willing to serve.

ELAINE DONNELLY, CTR. FOR MILITARY RECRUITING: It's not unusual to be confused, to be a little frightened at that point of decision, but not everyone is suited for the armed forces.

HINOJOSA: But critics say the military is not always frank with new recruits.

TPD ENSIGN, CITIZEN SOLDIER: Recruiters, they emphasize the benefits, the things that sound appealing, that might be useful to you later in life. They hardly emphasize the fact you're in an infantry unit. You know, that your chance of being injured or killed in a war is fairly great.

HINOJOSA: For now, it's unclear what punishment, if any, Manny would face, if caught. The Army says once he swears to support and defend the Constitution, it's the army's choice whether to let him go or put him in a military jail. It's the fear of not knowing that keeps Manny running.

MANNY: I would understand if they feel like they have to punish me. But I don't feel I should be punished, because, after all, it is a volunteer army. And I think they should respect people's opinions when it comes to, you know, changing their mind.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOPPEL: A U.S. Army sergeant who defected to North Korea in 1965 is free to start a new life. Charles Jenkins served 25 days after a 30-day sentence for deserting. He also received a dishonorable discharge. Jenkins testified he spent nearly 40 years teaching English to North Korean agents and playing a Yankee villain in propaganda films. He plans to live in Japan with his Japanese wife.

Thousands of American students depend on them. Now, Pell Grants are being slashed. The reasons, next.

And a little later on, turning sorrow into song. The story of behind this weekly soiree later in the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KOPPEL: Students who rely on Pell Grants to help with college cost want to pay attention to the government's new spending bill. As CNN's Lisa Sylvester reports, changes are coming and some students could come up short.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LISA SYLVESTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): About 5 million students receive Pell Grants from the federal government to help pay for their college tuition. The grants, up to $4,050, go to the students who can least afford to pay for their education. But a proposal in the omnibus spending bill would change the eligibility formula, reducing the number of students who would qualify.

SEN. JON CORZINE, (D) NEW JERSEY: It is an incredible crush against middle class America, which is trying to make sure that their kids have that opportunity to have a better life.

SYLVESTER: Although Congress is appropriating slightly more money, so many more students are applying to Pell Grants that the individual awards will be reduced. The biggest impact will be felt by families making between $35,000 and $40,000. An estimated 90,000 students now receiving Pell Grants would become ineligible. Another 1.2 million would see their rewards reduced.

And more students could see state and other grants cut, because the same eligibility criteria is widely used by non-federal programs.

MELANIE CORRIGAN, AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION: What we see students doing time and again is working more or taking fewer classes, which is putting a lot more burden on their time and their attention to classes. So, unfortunately, it will ask more of them and their families.

SYLVESTER: But Republicans who voted to change the rules argue they are simply protecting the neediest students. House Education Chairman John Boehner, in a statement also said, "The bill also preserves hope for a future increase in the maximum Pell Grant award, the amount of aid given individually to the poorest students in the nation -- the students facing the hardest fight of all against soaring college tuition rates."

In a year when budget deficits press Congress to hold the line on discretionary spending, aid to education has become an important political point of contention.

(on camera): Senator Jon Corzine led a fight in Congress to block the Department of Education plans to change the tax tables used to determine eligibility. But inserting the change in the omnibus spending bill makes it nearly impossible to defeat. Lisa Sylvester, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOPPEL: When we come back, taking the tension out of traveling, if that's possible at all. "Travel Girl" magazine Editor Stephanie Oswald has some tips, many you may not have thought of on the other side of the break.

First, here is today's cold and flu report. ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I'm Rob Marciano at CNN weather center.

Here is a look at your cold and flu report for this Saturday. Some green states beginning to show up on the weather map, getting more widespread. Even in Alaska, some heavy reports seeing the flu.

Only a few yellow states on the map now, so we're getting into the flu season where more and more states are beginning to report more activity.

Hope you're feeling well on this Saturday. Enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KOPPEL: The holiday travel season is in full swing, getting from point A to point B might be a cinch for frequent fliers, but that might not be the case for less experienced travelers. Stephanie Oswald is the co-found and editor-in-chief of "Travel Girl" magazine. She joins us now with valuable tips for minimizing stress and aggravation of your holiday air travel.

Stephanie, nice to see you.

STEPHANIE OSWALD, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "TRAVEL GIRL": Nice to see you, Andrea.

That's right, everyone talks about the stress of travel. It doesn't really have to be so stressful. It can be one of the best parts about the holidays.

KOPPEL: OK. So, how?

OSWALD: Well, whether you're packing, flying or driving, there are things you can do to make the trip less stressful. Right off the bat when we talk about flying, you mentioned frequent flyers. This is the time when the non-frequent flyers come out in full force.

If you are a frequent flyer, it's important you remember not everyone travels as much as you do. Having a little extra patience, and especially at security lines in particular, it's a good idea to just remember that you might be knowing what you're doing, but the ten people behind you might not know that they needed to take the metal off their clothes or might not have taken the time to go through their carry on bag the way you do.

KOPPEL: What about for people who are either frequent flyers and non-frequent flyers, are there tips or suggestions as to how they can get through airport security more efficiently?

OSWALD: Sure. This is the time of year to dress for airport security. If you have shoes that won't go off when you go through the buzzer, this is the time to wear them. Go through your carry on bag. Make sure you don't have anything questionable in it. Corkscrews, nail files, anything that might slow you up, this is the time to take that out.

Also, when you go through, make sure that you remember your items. If you're really stressed out and were late, make sure you get everything off the belt when you go through security.

KOPPEL: And what about packing? How can you be more efficient in the way we pack?

OSWALD: First of all, it's always a great idea if you can manage to pack the night before, or even the day before you go. So if you have extra room, your stuff tends to settle and you have more room in your bag. It's also important to remember to update your luggage tags. And also put a copy of your itinerary and some identification in each bag. That way, if it falls off, you'll still have identification in there to help you.

When you talk about luggage, if you check in online, that's going to save you a lot of time at the airport. It's all about saving time. That's going to take out a lot of the stress of travel. Get on the computer. Check in online. Make sure you print your boarding pass. That will help you when you get to the airport.

The lines generally are shorter. You can use the self-service kiosks as well. Going through Atlanta's airport, for example, one of the busiest airports in the country, the self-service kiosks rarely have a line, even when the regular counter line is going out the door.

KOPPEL: One tip my husband likes, I'm the kind of flyer that I get there at the last minute, I'm running through the airport. My husband believes in getting there extra early and just bring a book or magazine. Do you recommend that as well?

OSWALD: Absolutely. Something else you should bring along with you, a magazine like "Travel Girl," for example. But also you should bring along with you is food. Right now, the airlines, in particular, are being very skimpy on their food. I've flown first class across country and not gotten a meal recently.

You have to remember, especially traveling with kids, if you throw in a delay due to bad weather or mechanical problems, you might be stuck at the airport for a long time.

KOPPEL: Good idea. Stephanie, unfortunately, we are out of time. Those are some very helpful tips. Stephanie Oswald with "Travel Girl" magazine.

Thank you and wish you a happy holiday.

OSWALD: Happy travels.

KOPPEL: Coming up, a house party like few others.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KOPPEL: Finally, it's amazing what you can hear if you just open your ears. Every Sunday jazz lovers from all over the world head to one apartment in Harlem. CNN's Jason Carol recently joined in the jam.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Stand outside this building in Harlem on any given Sunday, and listen.

You might hear the faint echoes of jazz. It's not the spirits of Duke Ellington or Count Basie, who lived here back in the day. It's the spirit of Marjorie Eliot in apartment 3F at 555 Edge Comb (ph) Avenue, that's making it all possible.

MARJORIE ELIOT, JAZZ MUSICIAN: It's a kind of a communion of spirits, you know, from all kinds of places.

CARROL: Every Sunday for the past 10 years, Marjorie has hosted jazz concerts right in her living room, free of charge, in honor of her son Philip, who died a little more than 10 years ago.

He passed on a Sunday and I really used to go crazy on Sundays. I say that something joyous has been threaded through a very sad story.

CARROLL: Marjorie, a former actress and musician herself never had a problem finding other musicians, but in the beginning, it was hard finding an audience.

ELIOT: I used to make people come out of a laundry room. Please come upstairs. You don't have to get dressed up. Silly.

CARROLL: Now, thanks to word of mouth, they come from all over the world to sit in her living room, hallway, wherever.

ELIOT: They get a chance to hear people, unplugged. And they are right on top of them. They can experience them. They can talk to them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It seems very cool. You can tell something's going to happen here.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's a nice experience to go back and tell people back in North Carolina what I went and did.

ELIOT: It doesn't surprise me. It's thrilling, because they really embrace the notion of what I do. They just come with an outpouring of love and generosity, and honesty.

CARROLL: Keep on jamming, Marjorie. Your living room is larger than you could possibly imagine. Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.

(JAZZ CRESCENDO)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOPPEL: There is much more ahead on CNN SATURDAY in a few moments, "In The Money." Then at 2 p.m. Eastern, CNN LIVE Saturday will be live from Ukraine on the hundreds of thousands of demonstrators who have been protesting against the presidential run off election. Then at 3, it is Next @ CNN as the hurricane season nears its end. Why this year produced so many devastating storms.

But first here is Susan Lisovicz with a preview of "In The Money".

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