Transcripts For WMAR ABC News Good Morning America 20100112

good morning, america. on this tuesday, january 12th, i'm robin roberts. >> i'm george stephanopoulos. this morning, it's payback time. the white house set to place huge fees on the nation's biggest banks, just as those banks hand out billions in bonuses for top executives. a top banker lashes out overnight. baseball's worth-kept secret, finally in the open. >> today was the hardest day of my life. >> mark mcgwire admits he did use steroids when he smashed baseball's home run record. but said he could have broken the record even without them. hit and run. look at this. police in a desperate search for a driver who ran down two, young girls. how did they ever survive this crash? and simon says he's moving on. can "american idol" survive without the man so many love to hate? and good morning, everyone. thanks for starting your day with us. a lot of angry people out there today. >> boy, are there, robin. it is all about the outrage. all across the country, outrage at wall street, about the huge bonuses they're about to pay. the white house, proposing fees on those banks. last night, the head of jpmorgan said he's tired of it. tired of being vilified. saying this is not a casino. and anger on another front. we have reaction from mark mcgwire's confession that he did use steroids. the former slugger said even without the drugs, he would have hit the home runs. that's left people angry. >> a lot of debate about that. we'll begin with the banks. the white house proposing those fees, as congress is set to grill four, top banking executives tomorrow, that caused the financial crisis. claire shipman is in washington with more. claire? >> reporter: good morning, george. bonus season is uglier than ever this year. and in a surprise move, the white house is bearing its knuckles, as the bankers come back down here, suggesting if they can't police themselves, they may find themselves heavily taxed. those billions to the top bankers are not longer bonuses. but dynamite. >> it's obscene because we bailed out the banks. >> reporter: and now, it seems the white house is ready for a showdown with bankers. suggesting it may impose a special tax on large banks. >> there are folks that just continue not to get it. >> reporter: one frustrated banker, lashed out last night. jamie dimon of jpmorgan chase, said this is not a casino. goldman sachs announced a record profit, to pass out more than $10 billion in bonuses. the profits at that firm, so vast, the bonuses are likely to hit tens of millions of dollars for the top performers. in 2007, ceo lloyd blankfine got $68 million. some secretaries got $200,000. this time, the average is an estimated $700,000 per employee. other banks are expected to offer eye-popping bonuses. >> you need the people there to do the job. if you don't pay them for their performance, you'll lose them. much like professional athletes and movie stars. >> reporter: hmm. some might argue that athletes and movie stars did not share responsibility for a worldwide recession or get a taxpayer bailout. >> i don't think you can overestimate the lack of shame that banks, investment banks or any other bank has at this point. >> reporter: just last month, the president brought bankers in for a white house lecture. >> now that they're back on their get, we expect a commitment from them to help rebuild our economy. >> reporter: but the options for the white house on bonuses are limited, since banks who have repaid the t.a.r.p. bailout, right now, can do anything they want. >> we missed the golden opportunity. the government bailed them out and failed to ask them to do anything for the american people. >> reporter: now, it's important to note that the bankers are not entirely tone-deaf to this issue. there's one, big change this bonus season. the big banks are prepared to pay their top earners, largely in stock, long-term stock. they wouldn't be able to sell right away, which they and experts say will keep these companies more focused on the long-term. george? >> okay, claire. thanks very much. joining us live now, is "new york times" business reporter and author of "too big to fail," andrew ross sorkin. welcome back, andrew. i guess it's no surprise that the white house came out with this proposed fee on banks during this bonus week. but the bankers were blind sided by it. >> completely blind sided. i think for them, and maybe it goes to the tone-deaf issue, there was a lack of appreciation in a the white house could contemplate doing something about this. now, there are questions about what does this fee mean? how does the fee get assessed? and jamie dimon and ceos are saying, we paid back the money. and we paid it back with interest. i think they don't know what to do. >> they also made a fortune because they got low-interest money from the loss last year. >> and that's the piece that i think is not being addressed. from the wall street perspective, they're saying, there's $120 million the treasury's probably going to lose on t.a.r.p. at the end of the day. and they're saying to themselves, most of that loss is coming from the automobilemakers and aig. why are we going to pay it? it's another issue that the public and wall street are not a meeting of the minds. >> claire pointed out they are making some adjustments in their pay. but do the wall street leaders get how angry people are? and do they care? >> i'd have to say, if you asked me a month or two ago, i would have said no. they are trying to figure out what to do. when you speak to them, you can feel it. it's palpable. they don't know what to do. they want to appease the public anger. and yet, they're making enormous profits. and they think the best people will walk out. >> the white house is proposing this fee. my sources tell me it's not going to be targeted at the biggest banks. they're not going to do the bonus tax that the bankers are worried about. they're going to do assessment on the risks that the banks take. will the banks still fight it? >> i think the banks will still fight it. and will it come out of the hides of the bankers' bonuses? or come out of the hides of consumers and shareholders. usually the costs get passed on. >> how about the grilling they will get? >> the big four ceos will be in washington tomorrow. they will try to go at the heart of this. how did it happen? and were they responsible? i suspect you will see some contrition, given the anger. they do get it enough to say i'm sorry. >> to say i'm sorry. >> but only so much. >> a mark mcgwire-type apology. >> exactly. >> andrew ross sorkin. robin? >> sorry, but. thanks, guys. now, harry reid has apologized for his controversial comments about president obama's race. the president accepted the apology, leading some republicans to accuse him of playing favorites. and dan harris is here this morning. >> reporter: we've seen it time and time again, barack obama has been thrust into the role of america's racial referee. now, some republicans are asking whether he is a fair one. while senate majority leader, harry reid, is desperately trying to put it behind him. >> i'm not going to dwell on this anymore. >> reporter: republicans are still howling for his head over that newly-revealed comment from 2008, that then-senator obama could become president because he's light-skinned and doesn't speak in a negro dialect. as the president is once again, dragged into a race-based scandal. >> this is a good man who has always been on the right side of history. for him to have used some inartful language in trying to praise me, and for people to try to make hay out of that, makes absolutely no sense. >> reporter: but this morning, some critics are saying that obama plays favorites when it comes to charges of racism. quickly forgiving allies like harry reid, and then-senator joe biden, who in 2007, said this about obama. >> you've got the first sort of mainstream african-american, who is articulate and bright and clean. >> reporter: by contrast, mr. obama was harshly critical of radio host, don imus' demeaning comments about the rutgers women's basketball team. and trent lott's lavish praise for strom thurmond, the segregationist. >> if the rest of us would follow his lead, we wouldn't have these problems. >> it's a sad day, that the president, because of political expedien expediency, has given a pass to inadulterated ignorance. >> reporter: others say obama is doing well at the sensitive job of racial arbitration. >> i think president obama looks at the substance of them. and decides whether or not it's worth getting involved. >> reporter: as that columnist, clarence page has said, mr. obama may be seen as a post-racial president. but he's not post-racism. this is probably not the last time mr. obama will be called upon to play ref. >> racial referee. he looks at it case by case. what is being said each time. not just one blanket response to everything dealing with race. >> reporter: critics say he's looking at it by political gain. >> you get the sense, that whenever the topic of race comes up, the president wants it to go away. he wants to talk about other things. russ feingold a democrat of wisconsin, said he found reid's comments insensitive. >> not going away soon. juju chang has the other news for us. >> staying here to deliver the headlines. we begin with president obama, iing each other after a wary meeting on health care reform. the president is supporting a tax on high-value health insurance plans or so-called cadillac plans. but unions oppose the tax and say the president has broken a campaign promise. one potential compromise would raise the threshold at which the tax would kick in. this morning, the head of the nation's seshgd-largest teachers union is expected to propose timed teacher evaluations to test scores. it's an idea long opposed by teachers. but it comes as states apply for a federal grant that requires that students' performance be evaluated in teachers. in iran, a diplomat was killed in his home today by a motorcycle outside of his home with a bomb. there's been a troubling increase in the number of young war veterans taking their own lives. new figures show suicides rose 26% among men ages 18 to 29. most of them veterans of the iraq and afghanistan wars. well, get ready to pay more to check your bags if you fly delta. the world's largest airline is raising the fee for your first checked bag. from $15 to $23. the cost of checking a second bag is going up from $25 to $32. there are groans here in the studio. well, former alaska governor, sarah palin, has a new job. she's joining fox news channel to provide political analysis and occasionally host shows. as for conan o'brien, there's no word yet if he'll agree to nbc's plan to move him back to midnight. fox has expressed interest. but o'brien may have trouble getting out of his contract. and it's not sure if fox stations would agree to it. o'brien last night, however, explored his options. >> i've got a lot of options. i thought i'd share some of them with you right now. i could host "the tonight show," at 12:05. i could star in a lifetime original movie about a woman trapped in an abusive relationship with her network. i could go to abc and start a male red-head version of "cougar town." leave altogether and be in a classier business like hard-core porn. that's the news. i like the idea of him coming to abc and working with us. >> don't tell the people at "nightline." >> i mean, as a day -- you know, contributor to "good morning america." that's what i meant. >> leno last night, letterman last night. they're all having a field day with this. you would never do something like that, take shots like you, would you, sam? >> daily? at management? certainly. good morning, people. let's talk about the cold air. now, it is another morning of well-below normal temperatures in the deep south. wait for it. no record low temperatures this morning. we have four states that have freeze warnings out. from houston at 36. new orleans at 34. tallahassee at 19 degrees. orlando at about 27 degrees. here comes the warmer air during the day tomorrow. we have a cold day today in a lot of parts of the south. tuesday, 42. look at thursday in atlanta, 55. orlando, we're back up to 69 degrees. i feel like by saturday, miami's back to 80 degrees. this is a good thing, getting back into warm air. it's been a long, cold spell. and probably the record-longest cold spell in florida history. . good morning maryland. we had light snow, that caused problems on the lower eastern shore with some icy delays across the region, bust we have spotty flurries this morning, that will give way to a cloud break and gusty winds, we will aim for 34 degrees. teens to 20 overnight. we are will push the mid to upper 40s, a small chance of a wintery mix late sunday to early monday. >> all of america's weather right here in the next half hour. friendly, happy abc. robin? >> thank you very much. now, to mark mcgwire's confession to what many long suspected, that he was on steroids when he was hitting all those home runs at a superhuman rate in the late 1990s. but for some, his admission after years of silence does not go far enough. >> reporter: we now know more about how mark mcgwire broke the home run record in 1998. >> down the left field line. is it enough? gone. >> reporter: we know more about how the slim rookie turned into a bulky slugger with bulging muscles. >> it's the most regrettable thing i've done in my life. >> reporter: we now know mark mcgwire was cheating. >> i've been wanting to come clean since 2005. you know, i didn't know where or when or how. just been holding this in. >> reporter: in october, mcgwire was hired by the st. louis cardinals as a hitting coach. so, now, he told mlb television, it was time to come forward with the truth. >> i apologize to everybody in major league baseball. my family. the marises. bud selig. today was the hardest day in my life. >> reporter: parts of his new truth might not sit well with fans, though. he says he evaded congressional questions on steroids five years ago, on advice of lawyers. >> i'm not here to discuss the past. i'm here to be positive. >> reporter: and he claims steroids did not help him hit home runs. didn't help him break any records. >> the only reason that i took steroids was for my health prurp purposes. i did not take steroids to get any gain from strength purposes. >> could you have hit 70 home runs without using steroids? >> absolutely. i was given the gift to hit home runs. >> reporter: mcgwire now says he wishes he never played in the steroid era. even though, for many, he is the steroid era. mcgwire's been so far off in hall of fame voting, this admission may not help him enough to get in. and baseball's commissioner did release a statement, though, saying, being honest is always the correct course of action. robin? >> all right, john. thank you very much. joining us now from bristol, connecticut, with more on mark mcgwire's admission he used steroids, mike golic and mike greenberg, of "mike and mike this the morning." nobody is shocked by this. but come on. the fact he's going to continue to say he still could have broken the record, even if he were not on steroids. what do you make of that, greeny? >> it's rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. there's no question about it, robin. the art of the apology is a significant one in sports and i guess all across society today. i would give mcgwire probably a b-minus for the way he handled this. certainly, he showed legitimate contrition. he certainly seems as if he's extremely sorry. we saw him crying on the mlb network. is he sorry because he got caught? or is he sorry for what he did? that's a different discussion. you've pinpointed the one thing that rubs people the wrong way. he insists that steroids had nothing to do with the numbers that he put up. and i think most of us wouldn't agree. >> this is an apology. leave it at that. don't start to say, i did wrong but -- leave the but out of it. and this is where athletes can justify it. it's the one thing in their mind they can justify. i admitted that i used after a shoulder injury in '87. and i used it to get back on the field. i used it for recovery. anytime you hear a steroid user say, i'm sorry, i was wrong. but really, it didn't help me and i could have done it anyway, you're ruining your apology. >> and the next question, hall of fame. i know you're running a poll this morning. want to hear from your listeners. should he go to the hall? >> from the fans' point, the fans' vote is 60/40 not in. but he has 40% in favor of being in. it's higher than the actual voters right now. i've maintained all along. we're finding out who used steroids in this era. we know there are others. and certainly, some didn't use steroids. my thought has been, unless you can pinpoint every, single one of them, if they have numbers to be in the hall of fame, you vote people into the hall of fame who deserve to be in the hall of fame, by their numbers. if you want to put an asterisk there if they have tested positive or admitted. bob costas said a page in the record book, explaining this era. if you put one in, you have to put everybody in that has the numbers to be in the hall of fame. >> i don't know about you guys. people are fed up. i mean, how many more times are we going to hear this? >> you know, it's a combination, robin, of fed up and numb. i think a lot of baseball fans are numb to it. okay. first of all, there's no surprise here. i like the line about, just like admitting the sky is blue. everyone knew that mark mcgwire used steroids. let's get on with our lives. baseball season starts pretty soon. >> on with our lives. greenny and goalie. thanks, guys. all righty. many thoughts like a pr move because he's hitting coach with st. louis. >> 70 without steroids? i don't think so. >> can i say it? there's no crying in baseball. coming up, caught on tape. we have a hit and run driver, wiping out a teenager, her young niece. they both survive. but where is the driver? and simon says, i am leaving. can "american idol" survive without its toughest and most can "american idol" survive without its toughest and most talked about judge? le. that'se's bounty makes a full line... of high-quality vitamins... to support every part of your body le... fish oil for healthy circulation and heart health, vitamin d for bone health... and co q-10 to promote heart health. go to naturesbounty.com now for a $2.00 coupon... and the path to good health will be even more rewarding. nature's bou perfect for every body. i felt this deep lingering pain that was a complete mytery to me. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia muscle pain and then he recommnded lyrica., fibromyalgia is thought to be he result of over-active nerves that cause chronic, widespread pain. lyrica is fda-approved to help relieve the unique pain of fibromyalgia. and with 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>> yes. >> then you're deaf. >> some examples of why simon cowell is the judge "american idol" fans love to hate. now that he is moving on, can the show survive without that sharp tongue of his? will fans watch a kinder, gentler "idol"? >> how would you like to see simon cowell come and critique your performance? >> hmm. but he's on the money of what he says. growing decisions for the 10 million homeowners that owe more money than what they're worth. should they let their homes go and keep the money? we talk with dave ramsey coming up. first, this half hour, a shocking hit and run case. this morning, los angeles police are searching for a suspect that slammed into two, young girls. don't worry. don't worry. they are fine. they're okay. but he kept on going. lisa fletcher has more. >> reporter: disturbing, new video of a horrifying hit and run in los angeles. two girls, hit and thrown some 40 feet. miraculously, they survived. watch as just days after christmas, the two girls, flora portio, and her niece, crossing the street, when a sped out of nowhere. >> it was right next to me. and i don't remember when i got hit. >> reporter: the impact left flor with a broken pelvis. young hennessey with a broken ankle and skull fracture. this video just released by police is the only clue. the suspect, a woman driving a white two-door sedan, is still out there. police say her vehicle likely has impact damage because of the force of the hit and run. they believe she was exceeding the 35-mile-per-hour speed limit. officers hope the surveillance video will bring witnesses forward. flor isn't angry with the driver. but can't believe they were left for dead and that they survived. >> it's a miracle that i'm still alive. >> reporter: for "good morning america," lisa fletcher, abc news. >> goodness. certainly is a miracle. hopefully, somebody will come forward and identify that driver. >> let's hope so. now, to the big muse about the man america loves to hate. simon cowell says he's leaving "american idol" after the 2010 season, wh premieres tonight. is he jumping the shark, because he believes "idol" has jumped the shark? >> reporter: simon isn't leaving television. but he's leaving "american idol." we know that's the epitome of a programming cash cow. it brought in a billion of ad revenue last year. while gathering his sharp tongue, we know the host will have a lucrative job in history. the most lucrative job we've seen so far. but yesterday, simon cowell announced this would be his last season. what happens next when the most famous judge leaves the show he put on the map? >> the problem i have, is you don't look like an "american idol"? >> says who? >> reporter: the man known for telling it like it is. >> that was horrible. i've said this before, like a horrible, horrible wedding performance. and you look like one of those creatures that live in the jungle with those massive eyes. did you really believe that you could become the "american idol"? >> yes, sir. >> well, then you're deaf. >> reporter: is leaving the very show that made him a household name. after months of speculating whether he would stay or go, simon informed the television critics of america, he was saying good-bye to "idol." but not to fox. "extra" spoke with him after the announcement. and everyone thought i was posturing to negotiate many more money, et cetera, et cetera. it wasn't the case. i just felt like doing something new. >> reporter: his new co-host, ellen, elemented his departure on her show. >> he announced he's leaving on my first day. i'm trying not to take it personally. [ laughter ] >> reporter: simon, along with his sharm tongue, will bring an american version of his hit british talent competition, "the x-factor" across the pond. >> you look like a man, dressed as a women. >> reporter: reports say he approached a certain co-star to join him. >> you moved me from the beginning. >> reporter: critics agree if everything goes according to plan, the new show will be a hit for the network. >> the audience will travel with simon. no matter what happens, there will be a large segment of the "idol" population, that will go with him wherever he goes. >> reporter: after simon and paula's departure, the fate of "idol" is not guaranteed. >> it was a little bit of girl singing in the bedroom. >> i think that's a bit much. >> sorry. >> reporter: it's estimated that cowell brakes in $36 million to $50 million a year from "idol." but he stands to make a lot more money from "x-factor," where he will be a judge and producer. his production created the franchise. all of the profit will go into his pocket. not fox or any subsidiaries. i know that sounds like a lot of money. but if you think about it, they had 26 million viewers last season. >> a lot of viewers. joining us now is editor of "the wall street journal" speak easy kultser blog, john farley. thank you for being here. >> thank you. >> there's no question that simon stands to make a lot of money if "x-factor" is a hit. >> ratings have been slipping. they're down 7.8% from last year. the show is still strong. it pulls in double the ratings of other hits. it's not like "idol" is going away anytime soon. and simon cowell may be leaving the show. but he's not leaving the format. if you've seen "x-factor," it's almost exactly like "idol." the age range is broader. he's still there, judging people, putting people down, raising other people up. simon cowell not leaving the format. he will be front and center in american pop culture. so, it's not that big of a change if you think about that for fox. "x-factor" is going to be on fox. >> how about ellen degeneres. can she fill his shoes? >> ellen is quick on her feet. she has a her own show. she's going to be doing cross promotion. she says when people are kicked off the show, she's going to bring them on her show and talk about what happened. that's a big advantage for the show to have another venue where people from the show will go on. talk about what happened last night. and relive the events from the "idol" show of that week. that's going to help power the show even more. >> they will bring someone else in eventually to replace simon, right? >> clearly, they have to. and he could be almost impossible to replace. see whether "idol" is more like "law & order" where the parts can be changed and the show can power on. but he is the only judge, pretty much, anyone cares about on tv. he created an original character. this character of a judge that tells it like it is. so much of television, people telling it like it isn't. people really love to hate him because he was different. >> so many big changes to television right now. we're seeing the changes over at nbc, with leno and conan. here's leno last night. he's not letting this go. >> welcome to "the jay leno show." as you know, we're not just a show anymore. we're a collectors item. >> a collectors item. >> my people have said, conan's people are upset. nbc said they wanted drama at 10:00. now, they've got it. >> i leave nbc primetime, the same way i found it. a complete disaster. >> he may be a little bit angry. but at least he's getting his slap back. what about conan? you think he's going to jump over to fox? >> i say, put conan and leno on "american idol." have simon cowell judge who is the funniest. that would be the best way to settle this. >> i don't think they will take your advice. sarah palin, quickly, ten seconds. going to be a success at fox news? >> certainly, she has a set group of people that want to watch her. when you have an audience that's going to follow you and watch you on a tv show, that can be a plus for whatever show you are. >> okay. christopher john farrelly, thanks very much. if you want to vote on "american idol," can it survive without simon cowell, you can weigh in on our shoutout board. time for weather and sam champion. >> we're going to start with pictures out of florida. the citrus farmers can't breathe a sigh of relief yet. they have a few days before they can get in and examine the crops. 7% to 10% estimate is the damage there. it could deal with prices of the crop. we'll see over the next few days. to collateral damage. a lot of businesses that rely on the warm weather in the deep south, having some problems. this is a sink hole. once you're pumping the water to keep the fruit and trees done. you get the problems with the sink holes. a lot of problems with all this cold air. 59 in houston. 53 in new orleans. 59 in tallahassee. we're getting closer to normal numbers. houston hasn't been kind of warm or normal since probably christmas. it will be nice to get in that range. in the northwest, we get heavier rain today. seattle set a record rainfall yesterday. 100-mile-per-hour winds in the northwest corner of washington all that's left, clouds and flurries and a little this afternoon with gusty winds, 34- degree, really cold tonight as we clear out and drop to the teens to near 20. and all that weather was brought to you by pref prevacid 24 hours. george? >> thanks. next, sink or swim. should homeowners on the brink of foreclosure walk away from their homes or fight to keep them? 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why not just stop paying the mortgage and let the bank have my home instead? joining us now from nashville, is personal finance wizard, he's a wizard, dave ramsey. good to see you, dave. 10 million homeowners are drowning, so to speak. they're underwater. you have a house that's worth $300,000. but yet, you're paying a mortgage of a $400,000 home. from an economic standpoint, does not make sense. so, why not just stop making the payments? >> well, you didn't buy a shirt you didn't like. you didn't like a blouse that you didn't like. you made a commitment on a contract. you gave your word to pay a bill. if you're able to pay the bill, shut up and pay the bill. now, if there is a situation where you literally cannot afford it, that's a different situation. you're going to be foreclosed on, because mathematically, your job used to pay you a lot more. you're not going to pay that bill, mathematically. then, you have to look at other options. this idea that we just willy-nilly walk away from our obligations because this is inconvenient, is really bad advice. >> and there is a difference. there are some that cannot pay. if they could, they would. but they just are financially not able. we're talking about those that are and deciding to do this. but then, they look at businesses. who was it? it was morgan stanley, recently in san francisco. they bought buildings five years ago. they couldn't make the payments -- or it didn't make economic sense. they let it go. >> there's a difference in the way the mortgages were structures. the commercial loans were nonrecourse loans. the building only stands good for the mortgage. morgan stanley wasn't going to get sued after foreclosure. if you're walk away from your home, and it's worth $300,000 and you have a mortgage for $400,000. they will sue you for the deficit balance, they'll collect, garnish your wages and force you into bankruptcy. this has repercussions very real in most cases. >> let's talk about alternatives. >> if you're forced into the corner. the guy that can't mathematically. he's hurting. i work with him every day as a financial counselor. then, you are going to lose the home. we have to try to sell it. how do we sell it when we owe more on it than it's worth? it's called a short sale. you put it on the market with a realtor. aggressively get an offer. $300,000 is the offer. we take that to the mortgage company. they agree to accept that amount because they look at this guy and go, he's broke. we're not getting our money any other way. we have to foreclose any way. this is a better deal for all of us. and they take the $300,000 and agree not to chase him for the difference. that's a short sale without resource. a lot different than a foreclosure for the consumer. >> how likely is that to happen, not to go after the homeowner? >> if you do a short sale without resource, it's 100%. it's part of the agreement. they're not going to come after you. if you have a fha loan, they will not chase you for the deficit balance. if you have a v.a. loan, they'll chase you to the end of the earth. and if you have a fannie mae, they'll come after you. we work with them every day in the situations. you don't want to be sued for hundreds of thousands of dollars after you got foreclosed on. work a short sale if there's any possible way. >> don't walk away. we were a little surprised when we saw more and more people are doing that knowingly. instead of those that simply cannot do it. there's a difference there. dave, thank you for your insight and your perspective. appreciate that this morning. have a good day in nashville. okay. is a little fat on your hips and thighs -- yay -- actually good for you? the medical news so many people have been waiting for. the medical news so many people have been waiting for. but in moderation. needs long term relief. eucerin calming creme. used every day, ! its triple ingredient formula is clinically proven to relieve dry, itchy skin, with 92% of people reporting improved overall skin condition .over time. eucerin calming creme. and the gentle cleansing formula of calming body wash. calm, healthy skin starts with eucerin. lash stiletto from maybelline new york. staggering length... up to 70% longer amazing black patent shine. there's only one lash stiletto don't fall for wanna-bes lash stiletto it's show-stopping! ♪ maybe it's maybelline ♪ means freshness is always in season. rancher's reserve beef, guaranteed tender, says you're always ready to grill. and now, safeway has a new promise. a commitment to thousands of new everyday low prices. so you can get what you want. when you want it. at the price you need. today... and tomorrow. that's our promise. and that's... ingredients for life. safeway. still still to come, a family's heartache. they turn to a surrogate to realize their dreams of parenthood. now, the birth mother wants to keep the babies. who should get the kids? 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leg warmers, yeah. have you been trying to get rid of that fat around your hips and thighs? well, here's some good news. maybe you should keep some of the extra pounds on the legs. we have the results of a new health study that may make you slow down the battle of the bulging thighs. we say good morning, america. i'm robin roberts. you don't even -- i'm reading those things. and it doesn't register with you, does it? >> not that much, no. >> lost on george. >> this is why we have to have women around. >> this is true. good morning, america. >> good morning. i'm george stephanopoulos. it's tuesday, january 12th. also this morning, juju has this heartbreaking story. a real surrogacy nightmare. a couple hired a surrogate to carry a baby. at the end of the surrogacy, she decides to keep the baby. who is the mother? who gets to keep the baby. a real dilemma. also later, is your favorite meal missing an ingredient, perhaps? we'll tell you about some companies' mission to make your food less salty, more healthy. but they don't tell you about it. also, "good housekeeping" is back with their most innovative products list. we'll tell you what makes this chair so special. good morning, again, everyone. president obama is considering a plan to recoup billions in taxpayer dollars from the nation's biggest banks. the white house is now considering slapping a fee on the banks to recover $120 billion from the financial bailout. the money would be used to lower the deficit and could help limit excessive risk-taking on wall street. in iran today, a nuclear physics professor was killed outside his home when a bomb strapped to a motorcycle was detonated by remote-control. the associated press reports the scientist had publicly backed a government opposition leader. iranian authorities have threatened to purge professors who oppose the leadership. back in this country, walmart is pulling many children's jewelry products made in china off its shelves because of possible health hazard. an associated press investigation found chinese manufacturers may be substituting cadmium for lead. this morning, china's government decided to investigate. our elisabeth leamy has more. >> reporter: lab testing on 103 pieces of children's jewelry found a dozen of them contained the heavy metal cadmium. >> cadmium, compared to lead, is more toxic. >> reporter: some of the trinkets contained 80% to 90% cadmium, including best friends bracelets. rudolph reindeer charms. and flip-flop charms from walmart. >> this is really significant toxin, bio accumulates in the body. a nasty metal to put in jewelry. >> reporter: cadmium in more than trace amounts is illegal in children's toys. but is not specifically banned from children's jewelry. the industry called the test results surprising and said imported jewelry meets all federal safety standards. the consumer products safety commission has launched an investigation. meanwhile, the only way for parents to know for sure their children are safe is to take all cheap, costume jewelry, away from them. for "good morning america," elisabeth leamy, abc news, washington. now, for the first time, we're hearing from the florida boy doused with rubbing alcohol and set on fire. prosecutors have released the audio recording of michael brewer's bedside interview with police. he recalled gripping details of the october attack by a group of teens that sent him jumps into a swimming pool. >> he goes, i got something for you and your friends, too. i started walking away. and he said, come over here. nobody's going to hurt you. and somebody poured something on me and lit me on fire. there was cold stuff all over my clothes. and then, all of a sudden, it started burning. this guy comes running out, too. tries to pull me out of the water. i said, no. leave me. leave me 'cause my skin was, like, hanging. >> tough words to listen to. brewer survived burns over two-thirds of his body. the three teens have now been charged with attempted murder. and finally, we note the passing of a remarkable woman this morning. meep keys was the last surviving person that helped hide anne frank and her family for two, long years in world war ii. she was the one who saved anne's diary, sharing her story with the world and with history. meep keys was 100 years old. that's the news at 8:05. we tip our hats this morning. >> good morning, juju. do you want to say what your favorite late-night tv show is? >> my favorite late-night tv show is "nightline." >> there. maybe the mail will stop now. >> thank you, sam. >> say happy birthday to sis. >> hi, nicki. hi, nicki. i love you. >> who you left at home and tack a trip to new york. >> sorry. >> what school are you guys from? >> asu. >> arizona state university. >> all business majors. you guys looking forward to the current business climate? >> yeah. >> that's what i like. that's a positive encouragement here. let's get to the boards. one or two things going on this morning. first, your twitter pics. sunrise over jackson hole. a quick look at the maps. now, let's get rid of this cold air. it's been record-breaking in a lot of locations. now, it will work itself out after the morning hours of today. looking for the warmup in almost all locations. here's a brand-new storm system in the northwest today. it gets into central california. the i didn't see this. but that's a lovely, lovely sign. thank you, ladies. where are you from? >> brooklyn. >> love my brooklyn. george? >> you can't see that. you pulled that out of the back row, sam. >> when i did see it, i pulled it out of the back row. this is a tough case coming up. a set of twins is born to a surrogate mother. she decides she wants to keep the babies from the couple who paid her. but neither the birth mother or the adoptive parents are related to the twins. whose babies are these. juju is here with the story. this raises emotional and philosophical questions about parenthood. >> and legal questions, too. this case strikes at the very heart of what it means to be a mother. is it defined by a genetic link? or is act of giving birth? none of the potential parents are related to the babies. and what happened in this case is a legal nightmare for the couple who placed their trust in a surrogate. >> well, this is ethan and bridget's nursery. >> reporter: the nursery is stocked with everything a parent could need, except a baby. scott and amy will never forget the day they had to say good-bye to ethan and bridget forever. >> it was a terrible feeling walking them out. >> you were in tears? >> i was. the idea of staying in here and looking out the window, as her and her mother are loading our children into their van and driving away. >> reporter: they had to give their twins back because the surrogate mother did what surrogates rarely do. she changed her mind. it all started eight years ago. from the moment they married, scott and amy kehoe knew they wanted to be parents. >> we wanted a couple of wrestlers in our lives. and, you know, working on cars. just spending time together. just hugging on the couch. >> reporter: but after two miscarriages and five failed rounds of costly ibf, the couple turned to a surrogacy website and chose shelly baker, a mother of four who had been a surrogate before. the kehoes bought sperm and eggs by anonymous donors. this meant the babies wouldn't be biological related to the kehoes or the surrogate. how did you move forward? was it a written contract? or a verbal agreement? >> it was verbal. saying expenses would be covered. >> reporter: shelly got pregnant with twins. last july, she gave birth to ethan paul and bridget lily. >> would you each step up to the podium? >> reporter: a week after the birth, everyone headed to court so the kehoes could be named the twins' legal guardians. and it was there shelly says, she learned that amy kehoe had a history of mental illness and a misdemeanor criminal record. >> miss kehoe, have you ever been convicted of a crime? >> yes, i have. i had mental challenges. a lot of mental challenges. psychiatric disorder. >> in the courtroom, that was the first time i heard all of that. >> reporter: what were you feeling? >> i felt, you are responsible as a mother. as a surrogate, i felt like i somehow failed in all of this. listening to this woman tell about her psychotic disorder and her anxiety and the pills she has to take. >> reporter: in your view, having a history of mental illness or some drug abuse makes you an unfit parent forever? >> no. it just makes me uncomfortable because i didn't know enough about what she had. >> she knew i had sign a psychiatrist. i told her that. >> nothing was hidden. nothing was ever hidden. >> reporter: but that day in court, shelly still agreed to hand the babies over. >> you're satisfied that they would be capable and good parents to these children? >> from what i have observed, they love these babies. >> okay. >> reporter: the kehoes had a joyful homecoming with the twins that day. and after a month of bonding, they were shocked when shelly went to court, saying amy's mental health and criminal history posed too much of a risk. legally, she was able to take the twins back. but amy kehoe argued it's been nine years since she's been arrested for cocaine possession. what's more, a social worker deemed them fit parents. and letters from amy's psychiatrist gave her a glowing recommendation. saying she had faithfully taken her medication for nine years for a psychotic disorder involving anxiety and depression. she never missed an appointment. and her medical condition would not affect her being a fit parent. in your view, the psychiatrist's opinion wasn't enough? >> he's not there every day with her. what happens if she quits going to him? if she stops taking her meds, two, three -- even two, three months down the road? >> reporter: but lawyer, melissa brisman, who has handled a thousand surrogacy cases, believes the babies belong with the kehoes. given that the adoptive mom didn't know that the mom had a mental condition, does that justify her for keeping the babies? >> she was compensated. she agreed to hand the babies over. she just became judgmental of her ability to parent without not that much evidence. it's almost like she was prejudice of mental illness. >> reporter: but shelly and paul baker were able to keep the twins because michigan is one of five states where surrogacy contracts are not recognized. shelly and paul baker have changed the twins' names to payton and danny. and say the family is in love with the newest members. >> payton is our polite mannered man. >> those are our babies. those are not shelly's. they're our babies. and she is legally able to kidnap them. they may not call it kidnapping, but that's what it is. >> they're not their babies anymore. they're our babies. we had to take our babies back. >> now, those twins will be raised by the surrogate. the kehoes have dropped their legal case. they were told by their lawyer because of the michigan law, they don't have much of a claim. and they say they feel justice did not prevail. now, the bakers on the other hand, say they could simply not, in good conscience, hand the twins over to the kehoes. >> you feel for both sides. >> you do. >> we have on our website, how the laws vary in states. >> not only do the laws vary by state to state, they actually vary sometimes by county. this is a very unregulated, really difficult, legal morass to try to traverse. >> juju, thanks very much. you can see more of this story tonight on "nightline." when we come back, the incredible shrinking salt. how foodmakers are cutting down on salt and you can't taste the difference. overly sensitive skin? 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amount of salt on their own. >> we don't know where we're getting sodium from. and we have no clue how much we're consuming. and we're overconsuming it. >> reporter: with government pressure mounting to control salt content, food manufacturers are getting strategic, silently reducing sodium in popular, processed foods, gradually. >> there's some consumers that generally feel that foods in a are labeled low salt or no added salt, will taste bad. >> reporter: campbell's v-8 views slashed its salt content by 32% over an eight-year period. pregnant go spaghetti sauce slashed its content. all without low-stadium specific marketing. meant to slash salt content but not sales. city policymakers are jumping on the bandwagon. the cdc applauded new york city's announcement for voluntary sodium reduction targets for restaurants and foodmakers, with a goal to reduce sodium consumption 25% by 2014. as manufacturers and policymakers take steps, in the end, it's up to the consumers to lick the salt situation. for "good morning america," andrea canning, abc news, new york. going to continue the conversation now, with dr. richard besser. rich, the cdc says on average, 1,500 to 2,000 milligrams. >> you can see here. 1,500 milligrams is what you would get in two-thirds of a teaspoon of salt. that's not very much to have over an entire day. >> supposed to have that for an entire day. >> that's what you're supposed to have. you have little control. as andrea was saying, many of the products we eat every day or children eat every day are high in salt. one can of chicken noodle soup as as much as 2,200 milligrams. if you have 1 hot dog, that's 1,000 milligrams. if you want a slice of cheese on your sandwich, that's another 300 milligrams. with those ingredients, you've surpassed what you had during the day. >> are we seeing companies moving in the right direction? >> they are. and it's interesting they haven't been raving about it. a lot of people when they see on the shelve, reduced salt product, they don't go near it. if they slowly reduce it over the year, you don't notice it. that's the same thing about your diet. if you slowly cut back on your salt that you add, you're not going to notice it, either. >> the reason why people lay on the salt, it tastes good. it adds flavor. give us alternative. >> there's things you can do. first thing is, make sure before you eat your food, before you salt your food, you taiste it. there are things, especially in a restaurant, that don't need to have it. read the label. when you're in the store shopping and comparing, look at the sodium. also see how many servings is in each can. you can get tricked in that regard. >> sure. >> try different herbs and spices. you may find that adding oregano, garlic, gives you the taste sensation you don't need to put the salt in there at all. and then, the last one is, try cooking with real food. there's a whole real food movement. if you chop up some green beans and saute those, you know, in a little oil, add a little garlic, no salt at all. whereas, if you buy a can of green beans, you'll get a can of salt. try fresh foods and play around with how much salt you need. >> all right, rich. thank you so much. we appreciate that. go on our website and get more information about that. go on our website and get more information about that. we'll be right back. tdd# 1-800-345-2550 it's time investors got what they deserve. tdd# 1-800-345-2550 real help that's there when you need it. tdd# 1-800-345-2550 prcing that leaves you with something to actually invest. tdd# 1-800-345-2550 at schwab, we offer a lot more help for a lot less money. tdd# 1-800-345-2550 ecause at schwab... tdd# 1-800-345-2550 !investors rule., tdd# 1-800-345-2550 !are you ready to rule? always well made always well designed always with free design service now with extraordinary savings ethan allen... always well worth it ♪ [ female announcer ] dry, itchy skin. a long term struggle needs long term relief. eucerin calming creme. used every day, ! its triple ingredient formula is clinically proven to relieve dry, itchy skin, with 92% of people reporting improved overall skin condition .over time. eucerin calming creme. and the gentle cleansing formula of calming body wash. calm, healthy skin starts with eucerin. i stand before you today... to apologize. the system has failed you. i have failed you. i have failed to help you share your talent with the world when the world needs talent more than ever. yet, it's being wasted every day... by an educational system steeped in tradition and old ideas. well, it's time for a new tradition. it's time to realize talent isn't just in schools like this one, it's everywhere. it's time to use technology to rewrite the rules of education, to learn how you learn so we can teach you better. it's time the university adapted to you, rather than you adapting to it. it's time--time--time for a different--different kind of university. it's your time. war looking at a cold morning gun and clouds trying to hang around with some snow on the eastern shore causing school delays. less than an inch had fallen, but enough to cause some problems. 27 in easton, 26 in bat more. 17 is the windchill. another batch in western pennsylvania of snow showers. some of this tries to cross through the area with snow showers into the late morning or early afternoon of the late in the day we'll see some clearing. the winds pick up, 34 is our high. the real clearing comes will you over night as temperatures drop to 20. teens outside the beltway. the warm-up begins tomorrow. we get back to a high of 40. time for traffic. we have a lot of volume delays around the beltway. stop and go traffic on the out are loop between harford road and loch raven boulevard on. west side it's a crawl between 795 and the 70 interchange. that's because of a crash on the westbound lanes at route 70 at columbia pike involving a tractor trailer. it blocks two lanes of traffic. delays begin at the beltway. use i-95 as an alternate. inner loon at quarantine road a crash continues to block that off ramp at this time. a crash bel air road at taylor avenue. the jfx is going to be a slow ride from the beltway down to north eve. give yourself street time. we'll be right back. good morning. baltimore county and city police are looking for anyone else that may have been abused by an area priest in the 1980s. this weekend the baltimore archdiocese removed father john wilebski amid three allegations of sexual abuse. they were allegedly abused in the 18980s in northeast baltimore. he cannot function as a priest until this investigation is over. the archdiocese had no comment. balance more county police and city police just want to know if there are any other victims. if you know anything, call the family detectives unit. the number is on the screen. right now no criminal charges have been filed. a high profile case that was set to begin today has been postponed again. charles mcgainy is accused of killing a former city councilman, ken harris this september of 2008. an attorney says that his client's dna was obtained by a detective who left crucial information out of his report. information the defensibles could clear the defendant. his father is spook eke out. >> that's my oldest son. it's a tragedy this happened. we know he's innocent. just waiting for or day in court. >> the trial is scheduled to begin april 30. a judge will hear the defense motions on the dna evidence. this afternoon an interest group who opposes mayor dixon's pension plans to rally at city hall. the group claims there is nothing in the plea agreement binding the city to pay that $83,000 in her pension. organizers say they want to draw attention to the financial injustices between the private sector and the government sector. the coverage of the mayor's decision to resign will continue on good morning maryland at 9:00. we'll see you then. have a great day. ♪ ♪ i paint the numbers in the sky ♪ [ female announcer ] we might have different styles and wear different things. but we all want our clothes to look their absolute best. and that's why tide helps keep the clothes you wear looking bright, white... and impeccably clean. ♪ i see life ♪ in technicolor because what you wear is up to you. keeping it looking its best is up to tide. tide. style is an option. clean is not. ♪ come on vogue there they are. three of the hottest names in fashion. they are dressing up all morning in high style, with the new fast-moving season of "project runway." actually, robin's dressing up. their new season starts tomorrow. good morning, america. i'm george stephanopoulos with robin roberts, juju chang and sam champion. >> with michael, nina and tim gunn, what are we going to wear tomorrow? >> i'm nervous. >> we match again. >> we did not know this. >> i'm so not. >> when george came out yesterday, you would have thought we were back there trying to coordinate. >> all you need is a boutonniere. >> and juju's a little more plum on the color than the red showing up on tv. >> what are you? tim gunn all of a sudden? robin will try the cranberry thing. also this morning, are you trying to lose those few extra pounds you packed on over the holidays? we'll tell you about a new study -- uh-huh. >> what are you trying to say, robin? >> maybe a little extra fat in some places, i'll turn to tell you, may be a good thing. that's the word on the street. a surprising, new study. i don't make this stuff up. >> that was quite a turn. "good housekeeping" is here with the most innovative products of the year. we'll tell you what this camera can do that yours can't. and we'll talk about powerhouse food. and what you can do to make the most healthy and delicious choices for your health. here's a hint, sam? popeye may have been on to something. >> spinach. >> i was thinking fried chicken. >> just guessing. buzzer. >> george was thinking popeye's. >> fried chicken? >> yeah. >> can't go there. it's time to get into our warm coats, warm hearts drive. you're knocking it out for us. friday's the last time. get the coats in. our partners, we're happy with burlington coat factory. three of daytime's brightest stars. i'm sorry chanel. chanel. and eddie alderson. toss the coats in. while i say, i've been watching the show longer than you guys have been alive. you're 15 and 16 years old, right? >> yep. >> yeah. >> oh, this hurts. so much. so, settle this up for me. you're a buchanan. i know. but you're bo's. >> bo and nora's son. >> you're new to town. >> yep. >> got a connection? >> i'm really new to town. i went to boarding school with mack. >> we can't talk about the connection to the show. not everybody knows your connections right? >> sort of. >> i'm just getting into this. >> i'm so good with this. we did the coat drive, not necessarily. you did your coat drive, right? >> yeah. from my elementary school in connecticut. >> did you say elementary school? >> yep. >> this is really, really hurting me because i feel like i know too much about the show for such a long time. show's been on the air how many years now? >> 40 -- >> 40-something. >> 41, i think it is. anything you want to talk about what's coming up on the show? you three are actually a little bit involved. >> yeah, well -- >> there's a triangle going on. >> love triangle. and there's a big snowstorm coming on. >> who is forecasting the snowstorm? >> hopefully you. >> okay. that's what i'm saying. watch me on "one life to live." get to the boards. thank you, i appreciate it. give them a round of applause. thanks for making me feel ancient this morning. here's what we got going on for you this morning. one or two things you might want to know about as you walk out the door. in the northeast, this is a small, clipper-like system. if you get snow, it will be light. warmer air, working from texas to the southeast. that's very good news. brand-new system in the i'm telling you. hardest job in tv, i think, soaps. you have some of the longest days going. that weather was brought to you by capital university. george? robin? >> i'm not going to do it until you say my name right. >> and now, the lovely robin roberts. >> you threw in lovely. a little bonus time there. all right, sam. thanks a lot. now, you may hate that fat on your hips and thighs. but a new study finds that it could actually be pretty good for your health. it turns out that it may protect you against devastating diseases, diabetes, heart attack. for all of the details on the surprising, new study, we're joined by our medical contributor, dr. marie savard, who has written a book on body fat called "the body shape solution to weight loss and wellness." good to see you again in the new year. >> good to see you, robin. >> tell us more about the study. what is it showing? >> this is good news. the study is finding there's two types of fat. women, in general, more than men, store this lower body fat. and it looks like this lower body fat actually traps. it works and it's healthy. it traps the fatty acids, the dangerous fats that lead to inflammati inflammation. and once you store the fat, it stay there's. maybe starvation, or breast-feeding. on the other hand, it also seems to produce inflammation factors, factors that block the inflammation and lower heart disease and diabetes. it is good news. >> be specific about that. i know you and others have talked about the belly fat being not for men or women. that's not good for us. you're talking specifically about where? >> yes. well, everyone's heard the description of apples versus pears. if you ask yourself the simple question, where do i gain the weight, that will help you figure out where you store fat. let's take pears, for instance. and most women tend to be more pear-shaped than men. if you gain your weight in your butt, hips and thighs and are smaller in that upper body, that's the pear shape. the healthy body shape. on the other hand, if you're more apple-shaped, that means you tend to gain weight, deep into the belly, where the dangerous fat is. near the liver, the spleen, that causes inflammation actors. leads toer at disease and diabetes. and you can have upper body fat in your back and neck. that's the bad type of fat. >> what determine where's the excess fat goes on us? >> it turns out, it all begins at puberty. before puberty, young boys and girls will gain extra fat around the belly. we're seeing an epidemic of type 2 diabetes because the young kids are gaining fat around the belly that's dangerous. at puberty, a young girl's body will change. when her ovaries kick in, she will pack on weight. that extra fat in her butt, hips and thighs, giving her that protection. then, as women go through men pause, wouldn't you know it, our bodies change again. our ovaries shut down. we start to gain weight around the middle. we begin to be at risk for heart disease, diabetes, et cetera. >> how can we go about changing our shape? there's a come commercia. >> if you listen to the research, it's saying we want to gain and lose it in the middle and pack it an around the thighs. you can't do that. nature hasn't given us an easy way to do it and i'm not suggesting increase your calories and hope you can pack it on there. they're looking at genes that turn on and off fat distribution and looking towards medication. there may be some in the future. in the meantime, we can all, and most of us do have a little too much belly fat. we can work on that. it turns out exercise, first. 30 minutes of walking a day, makes a big difference, in shrinking that belly fat, even before you lose pounds on the scale. second is diet. a plant-based diet, full of high fiber, low sugar. anything that stops the insulin surge. and switching to the healthy oils, olive oil and canola oil. what about liposuction? it turns out that all of the liposuction, of young girls of the butt, hips and thighs, may be removing the productive, healthy fat. there's been research that suggests that you might start gaining in the middle instead. and there was another big study looking at removing belly fat around the ed ed b ed bmiddle. does it improve your risk? when you do liposuction of the belly, you're removing the fat under the skin. not the deep, organ fat. that's the dangerous fat. >> marie, thank you so much. this is fascinating. >> and good news. >> a great book that helps explain more of that, too. go to abcnews.com, to get more expert advice from dr. marie savard. coming up ne it's definitely expensive having a growing family, and it's something that you think about. we try to be conscious of that and plan out our meals so that we can feed everyone on a budget. ♪ at giant, we know saving money is important. every time you shop with your card, you can enjoy thousands of real deal savings and weekly specials -- like porterhouse steak, only $4.99 a pound, and strawberries, 2 packs for $5. this week only. it makes me feel good because we're saving money and that works for me. only with your giant card. but it's melting fast. this is your last chance to get $150 back plus a free multi-room dvr for 3 months when you switch to verizon fios tv, internet and phone for just $99.99 a month with a one-year agreement. with fios tv, you get an amazing hd picture along with internet service that's fiber-optic fast. both were ranked highest in customer satisfaction by j.d. power and associates. and don't miss out on your chance to watch the big game in fios hd. you won't believe how much better football looks with fios. but you've got to call today. get jaw-dropping fios tv, america's highest rated internet, and unlimited nationwide calling for just $99.99 a month. plus a special double bonus: $150 back plus a free multi-room dvr for 3 months. don't wait. offer ends january 16th. call 1.866.699.fios. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800.974.6006 tty/v. this is fios. this is big. v.i.p. doesn't always have to mean very important person. for "good housekeeping" it means very innovative products. ten winners were chosen out of 1,600 products. karen forte is here to show us a few of these award winners. the first one, good to see you. >> you, too. >> i love the nikon coolpix. >> at "good housekeeping" we're celebrating our anniversary. and we're sharing with readers, innovative products that make their lives easier. this is from nikon. it's the coolpix s-1000. let's lower the lights and see what you can see and what it will do is protect the image on a wall. you want it dark so you can see it. you have a little slide show. it's bringing back the family slide show. isn't that great? >> that's fantastic. >> up to ten feet away. and you can get a picture that's 40 inches across. >> a little more than $400. >> a little more expensive. but great technology. >> mosquitos were a huge problem last summer. they carry the west nile virus. but this could help you from getting bit. >> absolutely. this chair have from travel chair. we have a cocoon bunk sack. in the fibers is an insect repellent. it's e.p.a. registered. it's safe for adults and children. it emits an aura around you. it keeps away mosquitos, gnats, ticks. it's the safest class of rep repellent this is. >> this could be good all around the world. >> absolutely. >> what have we got here? >> we're all about saving water now. if you have a toilet that's made before 1992, you're using significantly more water. this is the brondell, perfect flush. this sits in your toilet. this sits on the outside. you can select a full flush if you need it. or a half-flush. you can turn any toilet into a dual flush. >> what can you save? >> up to 100 dollar a year. >> and this one, for all of the grilling. >> we love grilling. we love kebabs. they're hard to fit into the refrigerat refrigerator. not anymore. these are flexible grilling skewers. you can leave them around the grill. they're more flexible. and they give you the opportunity to make kebabs but in an easier way. >> and finally for the cleanup. >> it's the carbona two in run rack and grill cleaner. >> is it really that easy? >> it's great. i put a smoker grates in there. my barbecue grates in there. >> no more steel wool. >> no more scrubbing. takes the chore out of using the grill. >> you can see the full list of products and get more at our website. products and get more at our website. go to abcnews.com and click [ male announcer ] it's our hottest offer of the season, but it's melting fast. this is your last chance to get $150 back plus a free multi-room dvr for 3 months when you switch to verizon fios tv, internet and phone for just $99.99 a month with a one-year agreement. with fios tv, you get an amazing hd picture along with internet service that's fiber-optic fast. both were ranked highest in customer satisfaction by j.d. power and associates. and don't miss out on your chance to watch the big game in fios hd. you won't believe how much better football looks with fios. but you've got to call today. get jaw-dropping fios tv, america's highest rated internet, and unlimited nationwide calling for just $99.99 a month. plus a special double bonus: $150 back plus a free multi-room dvr for 3 months. don't wait. offer ends january 16th. call 1.866.699.fios. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800.974.6006 tty/v. this is fios. this is big. between meat and mystery when they enter... the frozen zone. with my perdue frozen nuggets, there is no mystery, just real, all white meat, made with 100% natural ingredients. perdue frozen chicken. all white meat. no mystery. ♪ just eat it the average supermarket stocks more than 30,000 items. did you know that? but it can be hard to tell which ones will help you eat healthy, live longer. our next guests have put together a list of what they call powerhouse superfoods that give you maximum nutrition and flavor. dave lieberman is a chef. a >> got to have them. the foods are awesome. >> you were roommates in college? >> we met freshman year of college. we've been friends ever since. we wanted to work together. this was the perfect project. >> what's the three top criteria? >> we wanted foods that were backed by science. foods that were versatile. and foods that you would design a menu around. >> there's a lot of superfoods out there. not all of them can you incorporate every day in your diet. these are in every supermarket. >> i'm going to hold you to that. a lot of times, people want to do the right thing. but it's difficult. >> it's easy with this. >> you're going to show us the foods. and you're going to show us recipes. give us a few of them right here. >> you have your superfish. age-defying omega 3s. good for your heart, brain, skin. want to have these. you have berries, which are plain and simple, one of the highest anti-oxidant food on the planet. >> all types of berries? >> blueberries, strawberries, raspberries. you have lentils. and if you need more fiber in your diet. lentils are the way to go. they're super cheap. then, you have spinach. >> yep. >> and don't boil it. that's one thing my momma taught me. >> that drains the nutrients out. you're 100% correct. then, you have cabbage. if you're a woman, you want to have cabbage in your diet. it's been linked in studies to a lower risk of breast cancer. and nuts. people who eat the mostal mondays, walnuts, pecans, have been shown to lose weight. >> that's six of them. >> four more here, too. >> tomatoes. especially cooked tomatoes. >> cooking them makes the nutrients more available. they lend themselves to that. tomatoes are an excuse to eat more pizza. >> how do you make this? >> these pizzas are all about tomatoes. every, single kind of tomato i could. canned tomatoes. this isn't fast food, traditional, american pizza. this is italian, thin crust, whole wheat pizza. you can do it within an hour. >> we'll link people up with the recipes. >> online, sure. >> it goes back and forth. it's good for you. you shouldn't eat too much. where do you fall? >> the avocado is high in fat. but it's fat that's good for you. the avocado is high in fiber, which lowers cholesterol. >> avocado soup? >> people only think about guacamole. >> yeah, brother. >> this is a hot, winter hearty soup, with cilantro, and cumin and lime juice. it's delicious. it takes ten minutes to cook. it's perfect for the winter. and it's unexpected. it's special. you have chunks of avocado in there. >> that is so good. >> it's good, right? and unexpected. >> this is a look. i don't know if you recognize it. >> you have to take a copy of the book home, robin. >> thank you, dave. appreciate that. and the cupcakes. let them eat cake. what? >> here you have beats. we like to call them nature's multivitamin. >> the natural sweetness of beats worked great in baked goods. the moisture adds to the baked goods. and kids will never know there's beats in these cupcakes. >> we have girl scouts. we're going to try it out. >> we're going to get a look right now. >> and the flavor of the beats, really works well together. >> and last but not least. >> last but not least, is kimwa. an amazing food. these grains are packed with protein. they're one of the highest sources of protein in the plant kingdom. one cup has the protein of four, whole eggs. nasa has looked into putting this on space shuttles for long-distance space flights. >> you can get it in any supermarket. a lot of people don't know. >> can you give these to the girl scouts? >> what they really think. >> all right. >> i made meatballs here. meatballs and spaghetti. i've substituted the high protein for the red meat. and people goes crazy for these. >> the girl scouts can eat these, too. >> all right. you made me a believer. you said i could take the book, too. good to see you again. >> likewise. as always. >> for these and other great recipes go to abcnews.com and click on "gma." are they (announcer) let's say you have quintuplets, and you're shopping with jay, john, joel, jake and joe ...only joe is growing faster hi. i need that suit in a larger size. 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[ sela ward ] crest pro-health. ♪ sam and juju are fighting over the cupcakes. >> i won. >> that's good. we want to thank troop 780. this is the nicest thing, when the audience shows up and they're doing their own thing. bringing in almost 150 coats. their family, friends and their school. this is going to kick up our total. big smile for the camera, toss those coats in. sorry i'm talking with my mouth full. >> have a great day. >> we have stop-and-go traffic on the outer loop between 795 and the baltimore national pike. these volumes delays will change as rush hour moves along. route 70 westbound earlier accident has been cleared. we have a crash reported on the inner loop on quarantine road. that continues to block the offramp. j.f.k. remains heavy. lots of volume and congestion this morning. we'll be back with "good ÷ i calculate my own payroll. it works... pretty well. right, guys? announcer: there's an easier way. do your payroll with intuit online payroll. just enter employee hours. it calculates all the taxes and creates paychecks. get a 30-day free trial at intuit.com.

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