Transcript: Dec. 6, 2005

23:57:45 KATHERINE FOX I just want to remind them how welcomed my father has always felt. We would speak once a week. So welcomed by all the Iraqi people. How well his neighbors took care of him, a guest in their country. That he is opposed to the occupation, has been, has campaigned against it. And that the work he is there to do is the same work that they would like to see done. And that I do not think a loss of his life benefits their cause.

23:58:15 TERRY MORAN (OC) Katherine Fox, I know you know that the hopes and prayers of almost all your fellow citizens are with you and your father tonight. Thank you for being with us.

23:58:22 KATHERINE FOX Thank you so much.

23:58:25 TERRY MORAN (OC) There are a surprising number of Westerners in Iraq. Most of them, contractors of one sort or another making significant bonuses to work to build that country. There are very few volunteers, like Tom Fox and his colleagues. We'll be back.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

00:01:47 CYNTHIA MCFADDEN (OC) And finally this evening, pricey peanuts. If you're the parent of a young child or if by chance you're still a child at heart, you may just have enjoyed the yearly rerun of the Charlie Brown Christmas special here on ABC. And as Jake Tapper reports, the show's popularity is a sign of the times.

00:02:10 JAKE TAPPER, ABC NEWS (VO) That sleepy, hearthy, Vince Garaldi jazz. That kid, doing that weird dance on the right side of the stage there. Charlie Brown's pathetic sapling.

00:02:29 CARTOON CHARACTER, MALE I've killed it.

00:02:31 JAKE TAPPER (VO) Yes, folks, it's a 'Charlie Brown Christmas," which aired earlier this evening, right here on ABC. When they made this animated special, which first aired 40 years ago this week, 'Peanuts" creator Charles Schultz insisted that the show not become yet another way that Christmas was commercialized.

00:02:48 CARTOON CHARACTER Look, Charlie, let's face it, we all know that Christmas is a big commercial racket.

00:02:53 JAKE TAPPER (VO) He wanted the point of the show to be answering this question...

00:02:57 CARTOON CHARACTER Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?

00:03:01 JAKE TAPPER (VO) Which is why the climax comes when learned Linus lets loose with Luke.

00:03:06 CARTOON CHARACTER For on to you is born this day, in the city of David, a savior, 'tis Christ the Lord.

00:03:16 JAKE TAPPER (VO) Executives at CBS, which first ran the show, reportedly hated it, some thinking it was too slow. An Emmy and Peabody award, and 40 years later, ABC entertainment folks have to beat back advertisers with a stick. Demand is so high, "The Los Angeles Times" reports ad rates topped $200,000 for 30 seconds. More than many of ABC's biggest prime-time shows.

00:03:39 CARTOON CHARACTER Merry Christmas Charlie Brown.

00:03:44 JAKE TAPPER (VO) Schultz's tribute to the true meaning of Christmas has become a commercial cash cow. Good grief.

00:03:53 CYNTHIA MCFADDEN (OC) Another interesting note. "Forbes" magazine says that there is only one 'dead celebrity" who is more highly paid than Charles Schultz. The King of Rock 'N Roll himself, Elvis Presley.

00:04:08 CYNTHIA MCFADDEN (OC) That's our report on 'Nightline." Tomorrow on our broadcast, God, Narnia, they go to the movies. The mystery at the heart of one of the world's most-beloved tales. I'm Cynthia McFadden. Jimmy Kimmel is next. For Martin Bashir, Terry Moran, and all of us at ABC News, good night, America.

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