his death. we'll tell you how his ground breaking research nearly kept him alive in order to see it. and hank williams jr. is sidelined after he compares obama to hitler. it's tuesday morning, october obama to hitler. it's tuesday morning, october 4th, 2011. captioning funded by cbs good morning. welcome to the "the early show." >> i'm just trying to get you close to friday. >> thank you so much. >> we'll have more coming up later in the show. talk about the story of the day this morning. >> and that is where we begin this morning. amanda knox returning to the u.s. after nearly four years in prison. she's due to be home by tonight after an italian appeals court threw out her murder conviction. peter is in perugia, italy, with the latest this morning. good morning. >> good morning. this local headline in a perugia newspaper says it all. while in great britain there's another headline, foxy knoxy free to make millions. well, the knox family is leaving the entire media circus behind. these images of amanda knox leaving prison are the first pictures of the 24-year-old american as a free woman. the other inmates cheered her name. this morning, while her family arrived like tourists at the rome airport, amanda was spared the glare of the check-in desk. they're all in the air now, beginning their long journey home. today's joy is a dramatic contrast from last night in the courtroom in perugia. as knox appeared emotionally overwhelmed, almost sick while awaiting her fate. >> translator: we are free the defendant of the charges as the evidence is not reliable. >> reporter: knox burst into tears when she heard the news that she had been acquitted. the courtroom lost all sense of formali formality. as everyone involved realized a four-year ordeal was over. after hugs with her family, knox had to be nearly carried out of the courtroom as the enormity of her victory sank in. outside, knox's sister, deanna, spoke for the family. >> we're thankful that amanda's nightmare is over. she suffered for four years for a crime that she did not commit. >> reporter: this morning, amanda knox released a letter to the world saying those who wrote, those who defended me, those who were close, those who prayed for me, i love you, aman amanda. but there is little xoi joy this morning for the family of meredith kercher, the british student murdered in november 2007 in the house she shared with knox. she spoke this morning. >> that's the biggest disappointment, not knowing, still, not knowing that there are people free who have done this. >> and the kercher family is still convinced that more than one person was involved in the murder of their daughter and they hope that the investigation continues. >> they want the investigation to continue, but when it comes to amanda knox, peter, she is obviously on her way home at this hour. is this all over now? >> there is one final appeal that the prosecutor is expected to file later today to the italian supreme court, but that does not involve a trial. that is a paper review. and the consensus around here is she's safe. >> peter, thanks. and this saturday, 48 hours mystery takes an in-depth look at the amanda knox case, her in-depth story starting at 9:00, 8:00 central on cbs. also here, julia, amanda knox's friend. what did amanda say to you? she is on the plane when you talked to her, correct? >> yes. actually, she was about to board her plane, i believe. she was in the airport waiting with her family and her best friend, madison, so head on the plane back to seattle. >> and has she fully processed this? at this point, it wasn't even been 24 hours. >> well, yes. you know, we only had a couple minutes to talk and it was very emotional, as well. actually, hearing me emotional, the first thing she said was why i was sad. and i explained that i was actually happy for her. she has a very -- she had a very healthy, strong, happy voice. and i think that says it all. she was very, very happy to be able to go home with her family. >> did she tell you at all what she did last night with her family or what she plans to do when she gets home? >> unfortunately not. she was just -- couldn't wait to get on the plane. she told me that even though she wasn't yet on the plane, she felt like she was already flying. we didn't have time to talk about last night or, you know, what they did over the night. and yeah, she was just very, very happy to get on that flight. >> as i understand it, we all know how emotional that was in the courtroom. you see the pictures. but was there a moment yesterday when the verdict was read where there was confusion over what the actual finding was? >> well, yes, there was. i was in court and the judge first said guilty of slander. but, you know, the family does not understand italian very well. one of amanda's friends who was there and who lives here does, madison paxton. and she first understood -- she heard guilty. she did not hear the word slander. they thought the conviction might have been confirmed and finally acquitted was said and they realized that they were taking amanda home. >> you spoke with madison before -- as she passed the phone to amanda surprising you. did madison give you a sense of how the family is doing to have amanda back with them in their arms? >> well, you know, i think it's hard for them to have words. it might sound simple, but happy, overwhelmed, are the most pore infect words to express this right now. and that's what they told me. >> julia, it's great to have you with us this morning. thanks for your time. >> a half a world away, amax da knox's friends can't wait to see her, either. hattie, good morning. >> good morning, you two. it looks pretty quiet now, but expect more when the knox family comes in. it's been a long wait, of course, for everybody, family, supporter hes for this moment for her freedom. >> for nearly four years, supporters in seattle stood by amanda knox. it was as if they collectively held their breaths. it took a moment to register, but then they realized those were the answers to their prayers. >> to amanda and raff, we say congratulations for your courage and your faith, congratulations for the triumph of your spirit, through all you've endured in this creation and senseless ordeal. to amanda herself, we say way to go, kid. >> but even with relief, there was batterness. >> it's been torturous. >> i think it was a travesty of justice and i'm glad she is out. >> there was compassion for knox's codefendant and sympathy for the murder victim, mer digit kercher. but this day in seattle was about one overriding goal. >> i just want to get her home. i want amanda home with her family. >> pooter showed you the headlines from here in europe. nightmare is over, knox coming home. the commercial flight is expected to land earlier -- sorry, later this afternoon or early evening. erica, chris. >> hattie, thank you very much. now let's switch gears and talk a little politics. a surprising statement from president obama in a new interview. in a cbs news poll shows his approval rating is not getting any better. >> this morning, the president heads to texas where he'll push his jobs proposal. bill, good morning. >> good morning to you, erica. the president is going into rick perry territory. the texas governor and mitt romney are, of course, the two people that the president's advisers see as the most likely opponents at this point. the president has just given all his intelligence officers a gift, a gift that they can use from now until november. in an interview with yahoo! and abc news monday, the president admitted in 2012 he won't be able to argue that voters are better off than they were in 2008 when he was elected. >> i don't think they're better off than they were four years ago. they're not better off than we were before the lehman collapse, before this recession. >> that comment has been e-mailed around by romney campaigns. with his support at 44% and seemingly down in other polls, mr. obama was quick to agree if that makes him the underdog. >> absolutely. given the economy, there's no doubt what happens on your watch you're responsible for. >> there's money to be raised here and the chance to take a swipe at his potential opponent who has referred repeatedly to the president's policies as socialist and who last month took a shot at the president over his immigration policies. >> either he has some of the poorist intel of a president in the history of this country or he was an abject liar to the american people. >> thou, some new polling shows romney slipping in the lead for the republican nomination. the president, of course, says that he's not in campaign mode yet. however, the money he's raising in texas today and again in st. louis tonight will certainly come in handy when he decides he is campaigning. erica. >> cbs's bill plant at the white house for us. >> jeff glor is standing by with a check of the the other headlines. >> good morning. sometime this week, new jersey governor chris christie is expected to say whether he'll run for the president. new numbers show if he does do, he has some work to do. 38% of those who plan to vote in the republican primary say they don't want christie to run and 30% say they aren't sure. christie spoke of the swearing in of a judge yesterday, he talked about the seductition of power and authority. >> you can become intoxicated by that smoke and you can wind up, as the smoke gets thicker and thicker, losing your way, losing that inner compass that we all hope remains true to who we are and what our role is in whatever position of authority we hold. >> christie will have to make a very quick decision. three americans have won the nobel prize for physics this morning. saul perlmutter of the university of california and adam riess of johns hopkins. and it was a very bittersweet day for the family of ralph steinman. steinman died three days before he was awarded that prize. his family says a very emotional yesterday, he worked in his lab until the last week of his life. >> okay, dad, you know, i know things aren't going well, but the noble, they'el, they're goi announce it next monday. i know, i have to hold out for that. they don't give it to you if you pass away. i have to hold out for it. and after a few days, it just didn't matter any more. we all just wanted to be together and, yeah, it just -- it's funny how you think of these moments and all that really matters is that he's still with us, right? but at the same time, i can he wasn't a man who wanted it to be about him and in a way, it's almost just like, you know, beautiful that he gets to get it and he gets to be honored. >> the nobel committee broke with tradition by granting that award posthumously allowing this morning, the latest wall street losses are raising fears of a bear market. >> monday, stocks purchased the third quarter of 2011 with the dow jones industrial down 12%, the s&p down 14%. cbs business news and correspondent rebecca jarvis is here with us with more. good morning. >> world markets are down today. is this something we can expect on a day-to-day or week to week basis? >> the short answer is yes. it is looking like a weak, volatile picture, not only here in the united states but abroad in europe. this morning, what you see is down across the board and there's a ripple effect here. when you see international markets, they might not mean a lot to you. our stocks, you're not necessarily invested in these place webs but these places all have banks and their banks lend to u.s. businesses and they lend to u.s. cities. when those banks and those countries are feeling pain, they stop lending to us. and the problem with that is that their lending in many cases creates jobs, it creates roads, it creates highways in the united states. when they pull back on that, we see the ripple effect here. >> so that ripple effect, is that why there is so much volatility? >> that's a big part of it. as is the fact that here at home, i mean, we've been feeling this here at home for two years now with unemployment near 9%. it's 9.1%. we get a fresh read from it on friday. and most estimates are saying unemployment is going to tick higher. so that jobless this year is a big issue. also, like i said, the debt problems in europe, in the united states, are still this prevailing force and most policymakers, if you look at what's happening in washington, d.c., it's a big mess. same thing is going on in europe. and then you have $71 billion that's been pulled from mutual funds. that's our money. that's what people have in their 401(k)s, their retirement savings, people are pulling it out because they say what's happening in the markets. they're sitting on the sidelines. you can be in a very slow period and not grow, but it's not technically a recession. but when you get caught in that slow period and it builds on itself. so yes, there's a very high likelihood of that. >> we've seen so much about the protests down on wall street which are growing in areas, is there a common message there? >> first of all, things are bad, so maybe the common message is that things are not good and people are not happy about that. but in terms of what the end game is, that's the real question. what do these people want? it's not necessarily like put an end to the war, like you would see at a protest. so there's so much differentiating opinions there. but at the bottom of it, people are not happy and they have jobs and they have time. >> and 24e79 people to know that they are not happy. >> thank you. >> you're welcome. still ahead this morning, a revealing look at amanda knox in prison through the eyes of her best friend who moved to italy so she could be nearby and visit her twice a week in prison. and we'll meet a prove woman in afghanistan. her husband joined the taliban so she joined the police. [ female announcer ] starbucks via® is planted the same... ♪ ...harvested the same... ♪ ...and roasted the same as our other premium coffees. ♪ it only makes sense it would taste the same. so, try it for yourself. buy a pack of 100% natural starbucks via® ready brew. we promise you'll love it or we'll send you a bag of starbucks coffee. it's the starbucks via® taste promise. look for it at starbucks stores and where you buy groceries. gary?! larry?! [ male announcer ] 1 in a zillion. odds of winning a prize... [ both ] twenty five thousand dollars! [ male announcer ] 1 in 4. monopoly at mcdonald's is back and better than ever. odds of michelle wie getting her next hole-in-one today: 1 in 50,000. odds of michelle winning a prize: oh a smoothie! [ male announcer ] 1 in 4. py now because this year 1 in 4 wins. with 125 million winning game pieces for cash and great prizes, the odds are irresistible. monopoly at mcdonald's. the simple joy of... [ woman ] i won! monopoly at mcdonald's. the simple joy of... like many chefs today, i feel the best approach to food is to keep it whole for better nutrition. and that's what they do with great grains cereal. see the seam on the wheat grain? same as on the flake. because great grains steams and bakes the actual whole grain. now check out the other guy's flake. hello, no seam. because it's more processed. now, which do you suppose has better nutrition for you? mmm. great grains. the whole whole grain cereal. ♪ [ gong ] strawberry banana! [ male announcer ] for a smoothie with real fruit plus veggie nutrition new v8 v-fusion smoothie. could've had a v8. our turkeys in november. and want to pick up our gifts in december. that's why sears layaway lets you reserve any item you want, whenever you want, and with no finance charges. that's real convenience for real people. sears. coming up, are you ready for some headlines? somebody should have asked hank williams jr. that before he talked about president obama and hitler. >> and what williams says he really meant by those comments ahead on "the early show." at bank of america, we're lending and investing in the people and communities who call greater washington, d.c. home. from supporting an organization that helps new citizens find their way... to proudly supporting our washington redskins... and partnering with a school that brings academic excellence to the anacostia community. because the more we do in greater washington, d.c., the more we help make opportunity possible. affect over one million homes each year. without regular maintenance, septic tanks can back up, causing a disgusting mess and countless hours of repair. introducing new rid-x septi-pacs. easy-to-use dissolvable pouches that help prevent disgusting septic back-ups. the powerful dual action formula has enzymes to immediately break down waste and time-release bacteria that work continuously to reduce tank build-up. use rid-x once a month and help save yourself from disaster. rid-x. number one in septic maintenance. welcome back to "the early show." half past the hour. a beautiful shot there. i'm erica hill along with chris wragge. online, something called god hits law says when you reference hitler, you automatically lose the argument. hank williams jr. may have lost that on monday. >> now the country star may never hear on country night football. first, amanda knox goes home after four years in an italian prison. we have a look at her state of mind. >> you've probably heard about madison paxton. she kept a video diary throughout the ordeal. >> in some ways, it's easier psychologically to be filled with despair. does that make sense? and i am seeing that in amanda now. she's suffering a lot. she's been suffering this entire time. but this looks really good, this is a good sign and her face, she's very, very worried and very scared. for her own safety, she cannot let herself assume that she'll get out. she's learned it really doesn't matter. she did not think for a single moment she's not going to be convicted. it's not that she didn't take it seriously, it's just that this is so, so huge to comprehend. if people can sit down and close their eyes and imagine being convicted for 26 years for something they did not do. even though amanda was charged with this, it never really fully entered into any of our minds that it could actually happen. it's -- i mean, she's very ideally thought that the truth was enough. >> 48 hours correspondent peter franzan joins us from perugia, italy. peter, good morning. >> good morning. >> when we hear from madison there, there's talk to about how she actually -- she said she actually got stronger during these four years in prison, sort of honed her character. was there any sense of that in court over these last few days? >> i think the last statement that amanda knox gave in court -- and i was in there to listen to it, was one of the most extraordinary events i've seen in ten years of covering major trials across the united states. her entire life was on the line. she was the last person to speak at that trial. she was terrified, absolutely terrified. she stood up and said -- started to cry. she said i'm afraid. but then she gathered this strength and delivered one of the most remarkable speeches in italian and our italian workers here with cbs news had tears in their eyes. they said it was brilliant and moving and she helped save her own life. >> peter, has paxton spoken about what amanda is planning to do now that she has the release? when she returns home, what is next for her? >> there's some great things ahead. she's written several hundred pages in prison. she wants to do a book. but the first thing they want to do -- and madison is also in the air right now and will be joining amanda soon is they're going to go to their favorite tea shop in seattle and sit down and have a cup of tea. they've talked about that over the last four years and finally, in freedom, they'll be able to do it. >> be able to do that without that limitation of that hour that they had each time they spoke while she was in prison which will certainly change things for both of them. peter, thank you so much. 48 hours mystery will have a special broadcast on the knox case, her untold coming up next, she's on the taliban hit list because she chose to join the police. >> why had this woman's tragedy motivated her to become a police officer. this is "the early show" on cbs. living with the pain of moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis... ...could mean living with joint damage. help stop the damage before it stops you... ...with humira. for many adults with moderate to severe ra,... ...humira's proven to help relieve pain and stop joint damage. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal events can occur, such as infections, lymphoma, or other types of cancer, blood, liver, and nervous system problems,... ...serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure. before starting humira, your doctor should test you for tb. ask your doctor if you live or have been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. tell your doctor if you have had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have symptoms such as fever, fatigue, cough, or sores. you should not start humira if you have any kind of infection. ask your rheumatologist how you can defend against... ...and help stop further joint damage with humira. usa prime credit... this peggy... hi, i'm cashing in my points... peggy? no more points - coupons now. coupons? coupons. coupons? next, you convert coupons to tokens. tokens? then you trade tokens for credits. and then i get the cash? then you call back. bye bye. peggy? hello? what just happened? want rewards that make sense? switch to discover. america's #1 cash rewards program. it pays to discover. ♪ vegetables picked at their peak ♪ ♪ so fresh my knees grow weak [ male announcer ] new hearty bertolli meal soup for two, with crisp vegetables and tender chicken. [ chef ] ♪ fresh tasting restaurant style ♪ ♪ bertolli soup's in the freezer aisle ♪ friday marks the ten-year anniversary of the war in afghanistan. half of americans believe pulling out all of u.s. troops would make no difference in the level of violence there. >> the police in afghanistan are taking on more responsibility for keeping order. it's a dangerous job, especially for female officers. mandy clark let one brave woman explain why she's risking her life to do it. >> when maria's husband left her toy ta the taliban, he took his son with him. left with two young daughters, the 26-year-old went on the offensive. she signed up to join the police force. >> i want to arrest him myself, she says. choosing to become a cop wasn't easy for miram a long with the badge comes death threats. working outside the home and with men goes against the taliban's accept knowledge views of behavior. i know the dangers, but if you're afraid, then the taliban wins, she says. there are only around 1,200 female officers. the afghan government wants at least 5,000 women cops by 204. miriam graduated after an intensive 2 1/2 months of training and went to work right away. at the police gender rights branch, she deals with cases of domestic abuse, child kidnapping and forced marriage, issues she understands well. not only did her husband kidnap her son, but she was also married off at age 13. >> do you see yourself in a lot of these cases? absolute absolutely, i can feel their pain. it makes it easier for them to talk to me. but the case she was happiest to resolve was her own. when her husband eventually returned her son, she threatened to arrest him but decided not to for the sake of her children. i want my children to be like their mother, not like their father, she says. with father and mother on opposite sides, miriam is determined for her children to choose peace over violence. >> and in terms of the situation in afghanistan, earlier i spoke with retired general wesley clark, a former nato commander about the war on terror and specifically there in afghanistan asking him whether the u.s. could risk a withdrawal at this time. >> i think we're going to have to find a way out of afghanistan. what we need is a diplomatic agreement between the major powers in the region. they need to participate in this. we've got pakistan, of course, india, china, iran. together, they must stabilize afghanistan. an unstable afghanistan with terrorists is a threat to everyone in the region as well as people like us. >> he wrote in "the guardian" quote this demonstrates the effectiveness of the u.s.'s adaptation to strike covertly at terrorists anywhere in the world. there's been an increase in these drone attacks and yet no other government has publicly come out and supported these moves by the u.s. or said that they great with the u.s. position here. how much does that hurt the war on terror if we are moving more towards things like drone strikes? >> well, i don't think that it hurts us at all. and i am really disapointed that the american public doesn't recognize the success we've had. actually, we've been extraordinarily successful. this is an incredible adaptation by the united states government from we were the amateurs in world war ii. in the 1920s, our secretary of state said that gentlemen don't reach each other's mail when asked about diplomatic correspondence. and here we've produced an intelligence collection and an analysis machine in conjunction with all of our allies and a lot of neutral states that's enabling us to find and pinpoint and strike and eliminate those people who would use violence against americans. i think it's extraordinary. it's an incredible accomplishment and it does show that we'll be able to protect america into the future. >> wesley clark, appreciate your time and your insight this morning, sir. thank you. >> thank you. still ahead, it's been a long way, but it could, could finally be here. hope you're sitting down. the next iphone, could it be? later today. we're going to have a preview of the big announcement coming today from apple. but up next, hang well yams jr. on the sidelines right now. monday night kicks off without his football theme after he compares the president to hitler. i don't see why anyone would want to do anything else. ♪ it's a new life for me pointsplus has got my back no matter what. it's a part of who i am now. ♪ yes it is i never saw myself here, i didn't, but with weight watchers, i can't see myself anywhere else. ♪ i'm feeling good you can be here too. [ female announcer ] join now for free. hurry offer ends october 15th. weight watchers pointsplus. because it works. weight watchers pointsplus. oooohhhh yeeaaahhh!! can we show you something? wouldn't it be great to feel like this all the time? (yeaaaahhh!!) i guess so. well, with the chase freedom card, you get 5% cash back on up to $1500 worth of purchases. and new categories every 3 months. and 1% on everything else. so that "man, this must be my lucky day feeling" can go on and ooooonnnnn! no, you look good, you look good. get your cash back. chase freedom. take toast... spread with i can't believe it's not butter... add jacques. he's french. oui! mmmm...oui like! [ male announcer ] now four out of five butter lovers agree that i can't believe it's not butter tastes as good as fresh butter with 70% less saturated fat and 30% fewer calories than butter. now you can have it all. [ male announcer ] i can't believe it's not butter. snuggly softness you depend on. freshness that lasts for 14 days. and value you can feel good about. ♪ let's snuggle®. the pain was so frustrating. i found out that connected to our muscles are nerves that send messages through the body. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia -- thought to be the result of overactive nerves that cause chronic, widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain. and less pain means i can feel better and do more of what i love. [ female announcer ] lyrica is not for everyone. lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior, or any swelling or affected breathing or skin, or changes in eyesight, including blurry vision, or muscle pain with fever or tired feeling. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain and swelling of hands, legs and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. i found answers about fibromyalgia. then i found lyrica. ask your doctor about lyrica today. ♪ all my rowdy friends are here on monday night ♪ >> you may know the phrase all my rowdy friends from hank williams' jr.'s song. >> but he was the one getting rowdy on live tv. now he finds himself in the middle of a growing controversy. >> reporter: for more than 20 years, those iconic lyrics kicked off the nfl's original prime time broadcast monday night football as millions of americans settled in for the week's biggest football matchup. but last night, the music stopped when espn, the network that carries the game, pulled the hank williams jr. song following his controversial comments on a fox morning show. williams was referring to this summer's golf matchup between president obama, house speaker john boehner and vice president biden. >> what did you not like about it? it seems to be a pivotal moment for you. >> come on, come on. it would be like hitler playing golf with netanyahu, okay? >> okay. >> not hardly. >> when clarification was asked for, williams dug in deeper. >> they're the enemy. >> who is the enemy? >> obama and biden. are you kidding? the three stooges. >> espn was kick to respond. while hank williams jr. is not an espn employee, we recognize that he is closely linked to open company through the open to monday night football. we are extremely disappointed with his friends and as a result we have decided to pull the open from tonight's telecast. williams backed down, but only a little. my analogy was extreme, but it was to make a point. i was simply trying to explain how stupid it seemed to me, how ludicrous that paring was. they're polar opposites and it made no sense. they don't see eye to eye and never will. i have always respected the office of the president. >> monday night football and hank williams, they go together. >> it's a particularly sensitive time and people just don't want to hear that. sdwlit remains to be seen as hank and his rallied friends will be ready for football next monday night. susan mcginnis, cbs news. >> no offense to hank, but the game didn't suffer. our next story is going to get you chatting. to spur some good conversation, there's no evidence that women are better than men when it comes to immunity. >> i want to see that study. we're going to look at a new std study saying women don't get sick as often as men do. we're going to tell you why. this is "the early show" on cbs. separated from your own life... when the only thing you can be sure of is migraines with 15 or more headache days a month, you're living a maybe life. and you may be living with chronic migraine. but knowing that this thing you're going through has a name, means knowing you can find treatments that are right for you. go to mychronicmigraine.com to find a headache specialist. and don't live a maybe life. our turkeys in november. and want to pick up our gifts in december. that's why sears layaway lets you reserve any item you want, whenever you want, and with no finance charges. that's real convenience for real people. sears. coming up, we've got a little problem here. not for the faint of heart. harry, crazy, not some long distance relative. look at these critters. >> i don't want to look at them. >> this is a serious pest problem in the deep south and it is only getting worse. look at these guys. >> i'd like to go on the record saying i don't like bugs. millions of these invaders have made their way into south america from the caribbean. they've been in america since the mid 50s. the problem is they're spreading. they're driving people crazy, they're grossing people out like you who is trying to eat your breakfast this morning but guess what? we've got more. they're harry. we're going to tell you if you can top them when we come back. [ female announcer ] starbucks via® is planted the same... ♪ ...harvested the same... ♪ ...and roasted the same as our other premium coffees. ♪ it only makes sense it would taste the same. so, try it for yourself. buy a pack of 100% natural starbucks via® ready brew. we promise you'll love it or we'll send you a bag of starbucks coffee. it's the starbucks via® taste promise. look for it at starbucks stores and where you buy groceries. (announcer) gold bond ultimate softening lotion. with shea butter for soft healthy skin. gold bond ultimate softening. this stuff really works. welcome back to "the early show." top of the hour here on tuesday, october 4th. i'm chris wragge along with erica hill. coming up, the honor of a lifetime for ralph steinman. monday, the scientist won a share of the nobel prize for medicine. sadly, he didn't live to see it. steinman died three days areas after using his results on the immune system to keep himself alive for years. we're going to get reaction from his family. >> a bittersweet moment for them. also ahead, a lot of people hoping science can come up with something to deal with these little creatures. here they come. wait for it. ahh, yes. the crazy harry ants swarming across parts of the deep south. and if you see a few of them, chances are, there's probably a million or more right behind them. you may laugh a little bit within but this is a serious threat because if you try using regular ant poison on them, it's not going to work. and they are spreading, doing a lot of damage to homes. we'll tell you this morning what can be done about them. >> they're crazy and they're hari hairy. first, we have the latest on amanda knox. she's on u.s. soil today for the first time in four years after an italian appeals court threw out her murder conviction late last night. >> peter, good morning once again. let's recap. give us a quick update, when she left italy, when she's due back here in the states. >> she left italy about an hour and a half ago. she's in the air as we speak, jetting back to the united states with her family. her best friend, madison paxton, had a maxup. she's also in the air now on a flight that left about an hour later. so it's looking terrific. she had been at the prison last night. there were some shots of the vehicle leaving, the inmates there cheered as she left. .here in the streets of perugia where i'm standing right now, it's a very different scene. the calm after the storm from last night, there's still a lot of resentment here and people were chanting shame, shame. i got caught up as hundreds of people were surging through these streets. this is a community convinced that she's still the killer, convinced that she's a she devil. so you have a joy, you have all this angst around here and bitterness. it's a strange time to be in perugia. >> the prosecutor in this case has said that he will seek an appeal. does that mean there's a chance that amanda knox could be forced to come back, mash could be extradited to italy? >> no. this appeal is a paper appeal. it goes to the italian supreme court. they would not take it up likely for several years. and there is some behind the scenes maneuvering going on. juliana monini who is the prosecutor, disgraced in this appeal, he may be talked out of it because the evidence simply is not there. anyone who has taken an impartial look in this case as the jurors and the two judges did, ruled last night, there's not a case to appeal. but the family of the victim, meredith kercher, they want the investigation to continue because they believe more than one person was in that room the night that their daughter was killed. >> peter van sant, thanks. one of amanda knox's supporters is tom wright co-founder of the group friends of amanda knox. good morning to you. >> good morning, sir. >> a two-part question here. a, did you think this day would ever come? and b, your reaction when you first heard about acquittal. >> no, i'll tell you, our reaction was just we were overjoyed and very happy for the family, that they're going to be reunited again and mostly very grateful that amanda is in transit and she's an extraordinary young woman and she'll be welcomed with open arms. >> the words that were used to describe amanda in court, we spoke with her father, kurt, a number of times. and he described what it was like to sit there and have to hear these things to talk about his daughter. how difficult do you think it was for the family in just the last few days? >> i think they have been subjected to a lot of this extraordinary, crazy language of hearing their daughter called a she devil and a witch. i think they've endured quite a bit. i would say these last few days -- well, the entire four years, they've handled things so, so well. they've been so strong as a family. they've always had someone in perugia to be there for her, offering her strength. our organization came together, parents and classmates of amanda. we created a website so that the real truth of the case could get out and people could access the facts. and did we ever think this day would come? you bet we did. we've been working hard to make it happen and we're just glad it's here. >> how are you all going to help her now react to normal life? it's been an arduous four years. not just her family, but your group and all of her other friends in seattle, how are you going to help her get back into the community? >> number one, we're going to give her the space that she needs to make the transition. we're going to support her in any way that she feels is appropriate. at some point, there will be a celebration. and that will be at a time in place of her choosing. she's an extraordinary young lady and i think as the months and years move on, other people will discover that the image that was put forth by the prosecutor in this case has no -- bears no resemblance to the actual person. >> you can't wipe the smile off your face. you can see the relief there. good to have you with us this morning. appreciate your time. >> thank you. >> glef glor is at the news desk. he has another check of the headlines for us. >> good morning once again to you and our news here. president obama pushes his jobs plan in texas today. the latest numberses for the president are offer. a just released cbs news poll finds an overwhelming 88% of americans think the economy is in bad shape, the highest number in nearly two years. and seven out of ten do not think the president has made any progress in fixing the economy. during an interview yesterday, the president acknowledged as much. >> i don't think they're better off than they were four years ago. they're not better off than they were before lehman's collapsed, before the financial crisis, before the extraordinary recession that we're going through. >> reporter: a new abc news/wall post poll finds the republican candidates will beat president obama. this week, new jersey governor chris christie is expected to announce whether he will run for president. as he was swearing in a judge yesterday, he did not tip his hand. but nearly 70% of republicans voting in a primary say they don't want christie to run or they don't know enough about him 37. ford motor company and the workers announced a new tentative contract. it would cover 40,000 union members. straight out of sci-fi, researchers have come up with a device that makes objects disappear thanks to the mirage effect. you've seen that effect maybe in the desert. now it can be done artificially. this device uses an optical phenomenon that bends light. take a look, to create an image that's not really there. the technology from researchers at the university of texas dallas say it could be the next new thing in espionage. it is coming up on 8:08 right monday was a day of extreme highs and lows for the family of ralph steinman. >> the nobel committee had no idea simon had passed away last friday after fighting cancer for years with the help of some of his own discovery. cbs's terrell brown has the story. >> ralph steinman spends his life fighting disease. 40 years ago, he discovered the andretic cell. he spent 20 hours a day in the lab and decades trying to convince naysayers. >> when he discovered them, many, many people didn't believe him. it was only through his own f t fortitude and strength that he was able to convince the scientists that this was important. >> but he discovered he had pancreatic cancer four years ago. simon's response was extraordinary. he decided to use his own scientific research in an attempt to extend his life. dozens of scientists around the world pitched in to help. >> i feel like the word of the day seems to be bittersweet. we are so elated and so proud of other father and also, you know, at times, i keep forgetting that he's actually not here any more. >> reporter: on monday, steinman's family joined his colleagues at new york's rockefeller university to owner his life and crowning achievement. >> let us take this opportunity to celebrate our dad's life and his wonderful accomplishment. and i thank you all so much. >> reporter: the nobel committee broke with tradition, granting the award posthumously, allowing steinman's family to receive his portion of a $1.5 million prize. but his children are focusing on what this means for others. >> it's very sad that he's not here to enjoy this. but he probably, frankly, wouldn't celebrate for too long. he'd tell everyone to get back to work moving the science. >> it is true, yeah. >> and i think that was really part of his whole nature. he wanted his work to help make the world a better place. >> reporter: and he stayed true to that work working in his lab until the last week of his life. terrell brown, cbs news, new york. >> so bittersweet. that's sad. just ahead, women used to be called the weaker sex. doctors now believe we're stronger. one of those ways? stronger immune systems than men. we'll explain through science here, people. big guns, "the early show." ññjm♪ hey, uh what's up with your naked toilet paper? yeeaah, i noticed that, man. inappropriate. naked toilet paper? i don't know what you're... your cottonelle roll just sittin' out? seriously... it's primitive, man. yeah, you're taking it for granted. just cover it up. huh. a roll cover...fancy. that stuff will make your day. toilet paper that nice? deserves respect. respect the roll. [ female announcer ] new cottonelle clean care toilet paper. get your roll cover at respecttheroll.com. if you sleep in your contact lenses. lucky for you, air optix brand has a lens approved for up to 30 days and nights of continuous wear. [ male announcer ] that's why they're recommended most for people who sleep in their lenses. visit airoptix.com for a free one-month trial offer. when you've lost interest in everything. when you've had one too many days feeling sad or anxious... aches and pains, fatigue. when it becomes hard to ignore that you need help. that's the day you do something. depression hurts. cymbalta can help with many symptoms of depression. tell your doctor right away if your depression worsens, you have unusual changes in behavior or thoughts of suicide. antidepressants can increase these in children, teens, and young adults. cymbalta is not approved for children under 18. people taking maois or thioridazine or with uncontrolled glaucoma should not take cymbalta. taking it with nsaid pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk. severe liver problems, some fatal, were reported. signs include abdominal pain and yellowing of the skin or eyes. talk with your doctor about your medicines, including those for migraine, or if you have high fever, confusion and stiff muscles, to address a possible life-threatening condition. tell your doctor about alcohol use, liver disease, and before you reduce or stop taking cymbalta. dizziness or fainting may occur upon standing. side effects include nausea, dry mouth, and constipation. is today your day? talk to your doctor... and go to cymbalta.com for a free 30-capsule trial offer. depression hurts. cymbalta can help. in this morning's health watch, the latest installment of the battle of the sexes and guess who is winning this round? women. women have a genetic advantage over men which keeps us healthy according to genetic research. >> if that's true, it could explain why women live longer. jennifer ashton is here with more. she believes this research. >> you guys, we've often heard that women are stronger when it comes to being more stoic, certainly, when they're sick. money are more vocal when they're sick. now there may be more scientific evidence that supports this. it was done out of belgium. researchers compared the chromosomes, the genes of men versus women. women have two x chromosomes, men have an x and a y chromosome. the x chromosome is a larger chromosome. you can contain more genes on that chrome season and part of that gene's activity theoretically work to bolster immune function. >> is there anything you can do to control your immune system or the strength of it? >> there are sh some things and is they're heavily lifestyle based, erica. i call it the three stress hes, sleep, stress and is smoking all have a major impact on our immune system. stress lowers it, smoking lowers it, sleep if you don't get enough can definitely lower it. so all of those things are things in our control. the things that we can control, our genetic makeup, we have seen borne out in association studies. research has been done that definitely shows, for example, that women compared to men have a longer life expectancy. we know that. there are also potentially less likely to develop things like cancer, infections and sepsis, which is a widespread infection in our blood, all, again, immune based manifestations that may be related to our x chromosome. >> if you don't have that extra x chromosome, you don't want to get sick, so what can you do that's going to boost your immune system? >> to use your x chrome tomorrow so its maximum capacity, because, again one only have one, there are things we should all be doing. we know for sure you only have one. some basic things we all should be doing these things. exercise has a very powerful effect on our immune system. even brisk walking three to five times a week can have a major impact. eating well, getting a dial full of anti-oxidants, several vitamins, very important. i say it over and over again because it's so important. sleep 7 to 9 hours a night even if you're very busy. and then, easy things, laughter. laughing several times a day can bolster our commune system, lower those stress hormones. very important. >> you get three out of four. >> you ladies give birth for that. for that alone, you win. you win. >> thank you. >> you are a wise one. jen, thank you. >> you bet. >> for more facts on why women tend to be healthy, log on to our website, or e-mail chris and he'll tell you. coming up next, we are talking about bugs and lots of them. it's an invasion and it's actually a pretty serious one because the problem here can't seem to figure out how to spod spot them and they are doing a lot of damage. we'll get you the latest from top pest experts. ♪ [ slap! slap! slap! slap! slap! ] [ male announcer ] your favorite foods fighting you? fight back fast with tums. calcium rich tums goes to work in seconds. nothing works faster. ♪ tum tum tum tum tums our turkeys in november. and want to pick up our gifts in december. that's why sears layaway lets you reserve any item you want, whenever you want, and with no finance charges. that's real convenience for real people. sears. take toast. spread with i can't believe it's not butter! add jacques. he's french. oui. ♪ oui like. [ male announcer ] fresh butter taste with 70% less saturated fat than butter. [ kim ] you can have it all. ♪ that's good morning, veggie style. hmmm [ male announcer ] for half the calories -- plus veggie nutrition. could've had a v8. it sounds like a horror movie. crazy ants have invaded parts of the southeast. >> here is the thing. it's definitely not a movie. it is reality. they bite, they swarm and they are almost impossible to control. who would know better than tom rasperry. you have the lovely honor of having this harry, crazy ant named after you, it's often known as the raspberry, right? >> yes, ma'am, that's correct. >> what instruct you about this that was different that concerned you? >> naturally, it was something that looked different. the following year, the numbers built from a few thousand to hundreds of millions. >> that quickly? >> yes, ma'am. >> how concerned should the rest of the country be? how, i guess, quick an infestation are we talking about? in 2005, a couple of the regions of texas and now it looks like it's all over the southwest and parts of the southeast. >> correct. the entire gulf coast will be inundated in a short period of time. they're doing some really major damage to our ecosystem and even pose some health risks. >> so what is it specifically in terms of damage that they do and what are those health risks? >> the health risks, they've just profb at texas a&m university that they actually transfer pathogens from one room to another. and they're already finding them in the medical center in houston. so that is problematic. then you get into the fact that they're killing 90% to 95% of the insects and republic tile populations on properties that they infest, plus displace the birds. we've proven that they're killing beehives. >> how do you contain them? they look like they move faster than most ants. >> at this point in the game, i believe it's too late to contain them, but we do need to get some research to learn how to at least control them and stop them from doing any significant damage. >> how do you kill them? i mean, is it like regular -- is there a display that you use for killing ants or what? >> you can kill them with a few pesticides work fairly well tore short periods of time. but the problem is if you kill them on your property and the next door neighbor has 50 billion ants per acre, they just come back in and reinfest. >> it's a bit of a picture of gloom, but are you hopeful that something can be done? >> only if the usda comes up and stands funding some research. at this point, we know very, very little about this particular species of ant. >> and there is no funding right now available, right? >> not that i've seen. >> a little something to think about. tom, good to have you with us. appreciate coming in this morning. >> thank you. up next, [ female announcer ] these are the grands! biscuits you love with dinner. and these are the ones you'll love as dinner. grands! mini pizzas. grands! biscuit dough... plus 3 ingredients make an easy dinner everyone loves. grands! mini pizzas... from pillsbury. ♪ start your morning a whole new way! ♪ ♪ pillsbury grands! biscuits ♪ filled with breakfast ingredients ♪ ♪ ready in minutes! ♪ you gotta taste...mmmm a brand new morning ♪ [ female announcer ] new pillsbury grands! biscuit sandwiches. hey, jessica, jerry neumann with a policy question. jerry, how are you doing? fine, i just got a little fender bender. oh, jerry, i'm so sorry. i would love to help but remember, you dropped us last month. yeah, you know it's funny. it only took 15 minutes to sign up for that new auto insurance company but it's taken a lot longer to hear back. is your car up a pole again? [ crying ] i miss you, jessica! jerry, are you crying? no, i just, i bit my tongue. [ male announcer ] get to a better state. state farm. welcome back to "the early show." i'm eric hill along with chris wragge. just ahead, the next chapter of the iphone saga. >> yeah. we don't know exactly what it will be called. apple is revealing something later today. iphone fans can't wait to see it. we're going to tell you what to expect, even a surprise appearance by steve jobs. >> a lot of people will be excited to see that. chris spent his weekend, swimming, biking, running, he took ois his first triathlon in his spider-man wet suit. this is increasingly prop lar for people in their 40s like wragge. the cameras followed him every step of the way. and you finished really strong. >> and started slow. that was the problem. he did great. >> thanks. first, though, amanda knox told the jury, hearing her appeal, she just wants to get back to her old life. as you can imagine, that will be easy after four years in prison. >> here to tell us what to expect, psychiatrist john sharp, author of "the emotional calendar." good morning to both of you. good to have you with us. john, after almost four years in prison, given the circumstances and the situation that she dealt with over the last four years, how tough is this going to be for her? >> it's going to be tough, but easier than a lot of people might expect. and following common sense and having safety and support, i think she'll be fine. she can put this behind her. >> the friend of hers, madison paxton moved to italy to be there by her side. she felt, really, amanda is stronger than she had ever been. she almost found herself in prison. does that sound like something you can happen? >> if you face your problems and if we find a way to grow with them. i watched her last statement in the italian court. she seemed to be more na temperature, more forthright, more honestly able to convey who she is. i think we see a lot of growth. we can expect growth in the years ahead. >> she's coming back to seattle, washington. there will be such a rush for her to say something publicly, to sit down for that first interview. all the talk of normal life, but the other side of it is the attention that this has garnered and she is in demand. >> the world has changed a lot. i think the most important thing for her to do is reacclimate herself to her environment, her family and regain her sense of normalcy. at some point, she really should sit dune and figure out what is best for her moving forwards. obviously, there are financial issues and strains on her family. i think the most important thing is for her own mental and physical well being. then she should emerge and share her story. >> but the interest is high now. is this one of those things where you might be better off striking while the iron is hot? >> not at all. she needs to be firm and focus and center on herself. the interest will always be there because there's been so much stories. >> how does she handle that? the celebrity that comes along with everything that's happened to her over the last four years. that's one of the reasons people want to talk to her. >> celebrities need privacy, too. they need a sense of control. i think she ought to control the story, like marvet said. if she takes time and does that, i think she'll be fine. she doesn't have a history of mental illness or substance abuse or family history or trauma. she's are the things that can get a person in trouble. >> how complicated is this going to make the rehabilitation process difficult? there will be paparazzi. she will be sought by media outlets. >> it will be difficult and she's going to have to face that, too. i think she can try to have some control. even having some control gives you a greater sense of safety and well being. i keep going back to that because that's the most important thing for her to start with. >> in terms of having that control, when it comes time that she decides she's ready to sit down for that interview, she should be dictating the terms of who she'll be talking to and when she should do it. >> i think she'll take a qualitative versus quantitative approach. i think she'll go to trusted news outlets and certainly they have built a rapport with the family prior to her being released. so i think we will see her emerge on her terms. we hear she's a writer, we hear she's a very good writer. i'm sure she's written in her journal. she already has a story she wants to share. i'm sure they'll do it with one or two outlets. i think we'll be sympathetic and give her her space and not hound her. >> you read my mind. >> how sensitive does she have to be? everyone wants to lose her story. but there is the kercher family that is involved in this, as well. >> right. >> and i think she'll be mindful of that because that was always a very -- at the center of her issue all along. but i think her telling her story is important because everyone has spoken for her. and i think it's very important, particularly with the difference in language, that she tell her story and her voice. >> i think she'll do it well. >> great to have you with us this morning. thank you. >> thank you very much. jeff glor is at the news desk with one more check of the headlines for us. >> good morning to you. there is a hearing in washington today. medicare prescription fraud, congressional investigators say about 170,000 medicare recipients fraudulently received prescriptions for 14 abused medications in 2008. the drugs included the pain killer oxyco down and the powerful narcotic sentinil. the cost of the prescriptions amounted to $48 million three quarters of which is paid by taxpayers. in pennsylvania, a man named richard moyer and his wife are recovering from a brutal bear attack that happened inside their home. he suffered severe bites and sclachs to his arms, face and head yesterday. the bear got in the house when moyer let the dog in. the bear also knocked his wife down. >> i go outside to see what happened. she was laying on the patio. and i literally dove in to take that bear off of her. and in doing that, that's when the bear tried to make a meal out of me and just started tearing the back of my head apart. >> how is this guy not in the hospital right now sfp the bear ran off, the trap was set in the event the bear returns. and it's the final frontier for spak. nemoy says he has attended his very last star trek convention. the actor made an appearance and uttered his are you ready for a new iphone? apple fans are eagerly waiting for the announcement of a more powerful version. >> good morning. nice to see you here. >> hi, guys. >> actually, before we know weather it will live up to the hype, are we really getting a new iphone today? >> we are getting a new iphone. the question is, what is it called? it could be an iphone 4s, which could be a speedier iphone 4. although it could be called an iphone 5. here is an older iphone. the iphone today has one of the smaller screens in the business. the android phones have a much bigger screen area. i'd like to see apple push that out to the boundaries more. that might be one of the changes we see. >> they're talking about potentially a cheaper version. >> there's a lot of people out there. 25% of people on cell phone carriers right now are doing a prepaid phone, like a boost, a virgin, one of those. apple doesn't play in that market. they're missing a fair amount of market share and they're battling against the android phones. they might have a prepaid iphone. >> and this is a battle that's heating up. apple has serious competition that wasn't there. >> exactly. the story this year has been android is now outselling iphone in new subscriber activations. there's a huge glut of android phones that are outselling iphones. that has apple concerned. they both have hundreds of thousands of apps. they both do web and e-mail and all that. apple is the single choice. >> how exciting is the universe? >> they have said this is the most anticipated of the new iphone. i don't know that that is true unless it's a break through iphone 5 with a new shape and size. apple has a lot of momentous because the ipad is doing so well. by iphone and ipad, that's two-thirds of the company's revenue. this is about apple, iphone and ipad. >> is it potential steve jobs would show up? >> it's always possible. i wouldn't be shocked and almost disappointed. he's made his announcement. it's time to let the company fly with tim cook. let's get on with it. let's get the new iphone out there and get tim in the spotlight. >> when can the new iphone be out there? >> two days to two weeks. apple doesn't normally release things and say it will be out in a month. sometime in the middle of the month. >> and on sprint now, too, right? >> possibly. t-mobile would still be the one that's out, but they're in the middle of likely being acquired by at&t, so that freezes them, i would say. adding print would add another 50 some million subscribers. we hear sprint just did a huge deal to get the iphone. but we'll see. >> i'm so confused. >> thank you. >> glaet to see you. the iphone is just 4 years old. things are different when you hit 40. some grab motorcycles, drive sports cars. our good friend, mr. wragge, he launches into his first triathlon. >> this was saturday in montague. spoil alert, didn't win. >> did really well, though. >> didn't expect to win, but i did live to tell the tale of a race i will never forget. a half mile swim, nearly 11 more on bike, and to top it off, a three-mile run. it's called a triathlon sprint. if you think it's only for serious athletes, think again. you will see such a variety of ages, you will see men, you'll see women, you'll see young kids. it sounds like a daunting task and a daunting challenge, but really, when you break it down into its pieces and if you train properly, anybody can do it. >> my best friend is a trainer. i was looking for a new way to challenge myself, both physically and mentally. my day job doesn't provide me many opportunities to train, so for the past eight weeks, i hit mother nature's finest gym, new york central park. the key to training on the run, music. otherwise, it's so boring. so a little balloon five moves like jagger for somebody who hopes to move like a guy that's not going to pass out during this triathlon. i can barely see right now i have so much sweat in my eyes. like many first timers, what scared me most about the triathlon was the open water swim. >> nice and easy. we're just warming up. >> this is the part that gets me a little nervous. >> once you're out of the water, the rest is easy. the day before the big race, mike and i packed up and head out to montague. >> we're embarked on the big journey. wish me luck. that afternoon, we were officially registered for the mighty man sprint. the race would begin at 6:50 a.m. with a 750 meter swim. afterwards, we transitioned to a 17k bike course and then a 5k run around the pond. but in the morning, mother nature presents obstacles. >> i didn't need rain, not on my first try. as we lined up, the weather began. as i looked across the water, there was no hiding it. i was nervous. the swim was even worse than i imagined. the group moved fast around me. when i was able to take a breath, it was often accompanied by water. the whole thing took me a little over 19 minutes. but it felt like a looimt. when i emerged from the water, i was in trouble. i could barely stand up. after a difficult transition, i finally got started on the bike. out on the road, i was able to regain some strength and clear my head. the transition from biking to running was much faster. >> one more leg. i think i've got three more miles in me. ♪ oh, wouldn't it be nice >> see you at the finish line, dude. >> let's go, wrag! >> as i approached the fn finish line after a groll b 1 hour and 20 minutes, the relief was overwhelming. >> whew. >> the bike, the bike was great. the running part was great. the swim, it scared me going in and it scares me now to think about it. but i'm just so relieved it's over. it was a great experience. i cannot wait to kill a stack of chocolate chip pancakes. yeah, that's how you end a try ath lot right there. >> how do you feel a few days later? >> still a little sore yesterday. it was dead swim, though. when i say i needed a good two or three minutes just to get my legs underneath me, i was ice. there were a number of times when i thought he was going to tap out. the transition, i lost so much time in certain spots. >> you did really well. don't sell yourself short. >> i finished 130th. >> out of 600 people. >> out of 600 people registered. i was 13th out of my age group. my buddy, mike, 27 years was the one who actually got me into this. he finished 55th overall. so he did real, real well. >> you said to me over the weekend, you said the swim was the worst. one of the reasons is because it's so dark. >> so many different people, so many different ages. we spoke with one woman, liz beneath mccourt from west hampton beach who is my age and finished ahead of me. she's right there. it's male, female, all shapes and sizes. it's for everyone. if you want to try it, you have to be prepared. but i recommend it highly. >> like your trainer said, anybody can do it. >> and get out of the water quick. >> you're inspiring us. thank you and congratulations. >> thank you. thank you. just ahead, a pretty big weekend in new york for fried chicken fans. fried chicken and triathlons, they go well together. >> i'm r >> one of them was "the early show" contributor smiek medalton. who better to go check this out to us? >> of course, of course, good morning, everyone. this year we went to one of the most anticipated events. where over 12 chefs from around the country came up with their own take on fried chicken. >> move over, meatballs. bye-bye, burgers. for one night, fried chicken, a classic southern feel-good food is taking center stage in the big apple. >> there's only one way to cook colonel sanders kentucky fried chicken and that's my way. >> for decades, chefs have been putting their own spin on this culinary staple. >> elizabeth carmell, executive chef of hill country restaurant and a master of southern cooking hosted this special night in honor of fried yard bird and i was eager to lend a hand. >> can you hold that? i like to bury it in there so i get a nice coating on it. >> she created achicken and waffle. >> there's a food that i think satisfies you from the inside out. and i like to say that i create food that feels like someone you love is giving you a hug. this is what's going to give us that crispy, chunk crunchy skin. and cooking it in a deep fryer. >> look at that golden brown. >> and we're going to put a piece of caramel corn in the bottom, cut this in half. these are like maple syrup pop rocks from canada. >> oh, my. >> let's see if you can do it in one bite. >> do you think people are going to like that? >> love it. are you kidding me? that's delicious. >> inside, 17 other chefs were busy preparing their own variations of this classic dish. some opted for sugar while others chose spice. but whatever the recipe, it was all delicious. even oprah winfrey's former personal chef art smith puts fried chicken on the menu of his restaurants. >> i have served it to royals and people off the street. i don't know anybody who doesn't like it. >> he credits the comeback for two things that americans need most right now. comfort and fried. >> nothing says america more than fried chicken. >> for other chefs, adding fried chicken to the menu, adding chicken to the menu is simply a smart business move. >> i think if we make it right now -- >> whatever the reasons for the fried chicken revolution, it was clear to us on this night that diners are loving it. >> the last time i was on the show, you guys complained i didn't bring any food. so i came fully equipped with food. and, you know, it was really interesting to see everyone's different take on fried chicken. >> and that's a little honey on the recipe here. >> i took a little bit from everything i thought was best. a lot of people used brians, this is pickle juice and brines with a little bit of saracha dinner's ready. [ female announcer ] hamburger helper stroganoff. beefy. creamy. stroganoffy. helpers. forty dishes, all delicious. gives us the most nutritious of gifts. but only when they are ready to be given. that's why we pick vegetables at their peak. ...and freeze them fast, locking in nutrients ...for you to unwrap. ♪ ho, ho, ho. green giant why did you buy my husband a falcon? thanks for the falcon. i didn't buy anyone a falcon. sure, you did. you saved us a lot of money on auto insurance. i used that money to buy a falcon. ergo, you bought me a falcon. i should've got a falcon. most people who switch to state farm save on average about $480. what they do with it, well, that's their business. oh, that explains a lot, actually. [ chuckles ] [ male announcer ] another reason people switch to state farm. aw, i could've gotten a falcon. [ male announcer ] get to a better state. [ falcon screeches ]