WASHINGTON -- CUNA Chief Economist Bill Hampel appeared in asegment on CNN about holiday spending leading up to BlackFriday.

In his brief interview, Hampel noted the results of the annualConsumer Federation of America/CUNA holiday spending survey. Hementioned the general slowing of the economy and that consumersliving paycheck to paycheck could suffer from a "holiday spendinghangover" early next year. The segment first aired on Wednesday,Nov. 22 and then repeatedly on Thanksgiving Day. Hampel also hasdone follow-up interviews with MarketWatch, AP radio, and on-camerawith D.C.'s WUSA-TV Channel 9. NBC, ABC Radio, CNN, CNBC, Fox News,Russian TV (RTVI), the Washington Examiner, St. Joseph News-Press,Kyoto News, and Univision all attended the press conference whereCFA and CUNA released their survey results. Stories were run by theAssociated Press and Reuter's wire services and a CUNA spokespersonsaid information requests are still coming in. "We feel theopportunity to present this type of consumer-friendly advice inconjunction with CFA helps build on the bond of trust consumershave with their credit unions," CUNA remarked. Hampel has beenmaking his rounds of the media circuit lately, most recentlyappearing on Bloomberg TV last Tuesday discussing the decline inhome sales and stating that he believes prices have bottomed outbut it will likely be "a long bottom." The economist said heexpects home prices to remain at or below inflation over the nextthree to five years.