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CNN Live Sunday
Aristide Secretly Leaves Country; Can Edwards Win A State On Super Tuesday? Live On The Red Carpet
Aired February 29, 2004 - 16:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KELLI ARENA, CNN ANCHOR, CNN SUNDAY: We'll have the latest on Haiti in just a moment. First, some other stories at this hour.
Iraqi oil fields are pumping out more crude. Oil production is at its highest point since the war began last March. The coalition provisional authority says the country is putting out more than 2.5 million barrels of oil per day. Iraq has the world's second largest oil reserves.
One of NASA's roving robots is trying to find out if anything else is out there. The Opportunity plans to take another bite out of Mars to study its surface. Previous searches turned up fine layering in the rock. Scientists are looking for signs that water existed on the red planet.
Moviegoers are passionate about "The Passion of the Christ." Weekend sales of the Mel Gibson topped $76 million and since it's opening on Ash Wednesday, the controversial movie about Jesus has banked more than $117 million.
New developments in the crisis in Haiti, Reuters is reporting that at least 120 French troops are leaving for Haiti tonight. U.S. marines already are on their way. What should Washington do next? Congressman Maxine Waters was in Haiti recently and joins us from Los Angeles, and in West Palm Beach, Congressman Mark Foley. Thank you both for joining us.
REP. MAXINE WATERS, (D) CALIFORNIA: You're welcome.
REP. MARK FOLEY, (R) FLORIDA: Thank you Kelli.
ARENA: Well we saw some very quick action by the Bush administration to get those troops on the ground. What is your reaction to that? Let's start with Representative Foley, please?
FOELY: Well, obviously very, very pleased. I think the administrations will to work with international partners to ensure that we have a safe haven if you will in Haiti. We see resolution to the crisis. Guy Phillippe is talking about the end of violence.
So all things are in place now since President Aristide left for a hopeful effort by the U.N. and other entities to bring about stability, hopeful economic opportunities and start rebuilding that beautiful country of Haiti.
ARENA: Congressman Waters, would you agree with the criticism that this is just all too little too late?
WATERS: Well, let me just say I'm very, very sad that my country was involved in this coup d'etat. Not only did they help to organize it -- I'm wondering what are they going to do with the former military people who had been in exile, who was now back in this country that worked with the United States to try and overthrow Aristide?
What are they going to do with Guy Phillippe, who was in exile in the Dominican Republic? What are they going to do with Mr. Sham Blane (ph) who was convicted in absentia?
These are murders and crooks. And now they're being interviewed on national TV, on CNN, as if they are legitimate people? Mr. Guy Philippe had tried to have a coup d'etat in 2002 against the president. But now that the United States has helped them, please, we want to know what are they going to do with them?
But more than that, where is President Aristide? We cannot seem to find him. When I last talked to him yesterday, he was not going to leave. He said he would rather die than leave, and then I wake up this morning, and I find out that my government has landed at his home with Marines. How did they get him to leave? What did they do? And where is he?
ARENA: Representative Foley how does the -- go ahead, sir.
FOLEY: Well, I was going to say they -- Mr. Aristide invited us in. He wanted us to help, hopefully, settle the problem there. We negotiated for a long time trying to bring about stability, an opportunity for him to stay, sharing the powers with the prime minister. But to suggest we took part of a coup d'etat, that's simply incorrect.
Mr. Aristide had a number of years and a lot of money from the U.S. to rebuild his country, help his people, strengthen democracy, and maintain law and order in his country. He failed miserably. It was time for him to go. He did the right thing. I understand he went to South Africa.
WATERS: Sir, you are saying that. It is not true. He did not have a lot of money from this country. What we did was we funded non- government organizations. None of that money went to the government. You're refunding organizations that were helping the opposition.
You have helped Mr. Andy Apad Jr., who is an American citizen, who is in charge of the committee of 184 that started this coup d'etat. They were joined by gangs and the thugs who had been associated with the Divall Yea Regime (ph), Mr. Cedras who we had run out of the country before. These are people who are part of crap (ph), the old military organization...
ARENA: Congressman, let me interject, please.
WATERS: Yes.
ARENA: Because obviously, what has happened has happened and now we move forward. So what should the U.s. commitment be at this time and for how long?
WATERS: I think...
FOLEY: Well I think Kelli...
WATERS: The United States government should first tell us what they're going to do with the thugs that they were joined with for this overthrow? Are they going to take over the country? Is this who they're going to turn it over to? I don't know these answers. And perhaps the news media would do well, to try and find out from Secretary Colin Powell and others, not only what have they done with Mr. Aristide, but are they turning the country over to the thugs that we ran out before?
ARENA: All right, Representative Foley?
FOLEY: Kelli, I think we're going to join together; the United Nations Security Council is going to meet very shortly. We need to work with Unesco groups like CARE, we need to go on with the USDA, and help train and teach the people of Haiti how to grow crops and things.
I think this is a great opportunity to go back and start again to help the Haitian people rebuild their economy, rebuild opportunity. The United States will be a player there, and I know we'll be joined by people from France and Canada and other U.N. member nations, because it's that important to the Caribbean that this get done right and get done permanently and we hope right now that the optimism that hopefully will be there shortly will reconcile and bring some opportunity for the great people of Haiti.
WATERS: Well let me just say...
ARENA: All right, you know I'm going to end it right there. I'm very sorry, Congressman. I have to interrupt...
WATERS: I understand this is dangerous, it could happen to them, too.
ARENA: All right, last word there. All right, I want to thank you both for joining us. Have a good day.
FOLEY: Thanks Kelli, very much. Thank you, you too.
ARENA: Time now for some other news around the world. In Madrid, Spain, police seized a van carrying more than 1,100 pounds of explosives. Two men suspected of belonging to the Ba'ath Separatist Group were arrested. The government says it averted a massive attack.
Israel's Supreme Court has ordered a one-week halt to the construction of a section of its controversial wall. That section is where Israeli soldiers shot and killed two Palestinians during a protest last week. The court issued the temporary stop while the military considers alternative routes to ease hardships on Palestinians. And in the West Bank town of Nablus, deadly clashes. Palestinian officials say that Israeli troops shot and killed two Palestinians, both of them members of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade.
More than 1,000 delegates are up for grabs and it could make or break the Democratic presidential hopefuls. Up next a look at Super Tuesday. Plus...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I remember her telling the children in her class that she was a princess in her previous life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ARENA: Several countries will be watching tonight's Academy Awards, and residents ever this small South African town have a special connection. We'll explain later.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ARENA: I want to talk now to two people whose states will be voting on Super Tuesday. Mark Barabak is a political writer for the "Los Angeles Times." He is in San Francisco. And Joe Hallett is political editor for the "Columbus Dispatch." And he is in Columbus, Ohio. Gentlemen thank you both for joining us.
JOE HALLETT, COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Good to be here.
ARENA: Why don't we start with today's debate in New York? Do either of you believe that John Edwards did anything to change the dynamic of this campaign?
MARK BARABAK, LOS ANGELES TIMES: Out here in California, I certainly don't think so. He was more forceful than he was at the Thursday night debate here in Los Angeles, but he really needed to shake up the dynamic, really needed to do something dramatic, and I, for one, didn't see it today in New York.
ARENA: Joe.
HALLETT: I agree with Mark. We the "Columbus Dispatch," did a poll this morning, published a poll this morning that showed Kerry with a 30-point lead here, and Edwards has tremendous appeal among independence, and it is a quasi open primary here. So Edwards could dough better but I don't think he can close a 30-point gap right now in this state.
ARENA: All right, Mark getting over to California I know there have been lots of observations that the candidates didn't pay much attention to the state. A, do you agree and b, what will the ramifications of that be?
BARABAK: Well, I certainly agree. In a stage with sort in California an equivalent of a few drop by appearances. They have maybe spoken to a few thousand voters in a state where there are 9 million. I think if you added it up, probably more of the votes in the 20 contests if not now. Nine million Democrats and independence who could theoretically show up on Tuesday.
And the result of that neglect is, you know, to paraphrase, nothing succeeds like success, and the fact that John Kerry is winning pretty much everywhere across the country is what's helping him here. We at the times talked to about 100 voters just at random across the state this last week and found a large number of them saying they're voting for John Kerry basically because he's winning everywhere else and by winning his has demonstrated elect ability, which seems to be the most precious commodity this election season.
ARENA: Joe Ohio is Kucinich's home state. How do you think that will that play in your state?
HALLETT: I don't think he's going to be a factor. Our poll today showing him getting only about 5 percent of the Democratic votes. This is a Kerry/Edwards race here and it appears to be a Kerry race. Interestingly, though, unlike California, the candidates have lavished attention on Ohio.
Each has been here, all parts of four days. Kerry and Edwards will both be campaigning in the state tomorrow, and I think the campaign is having an impact. The Democrats here are energized. We did a poll of likely Democratic voters in early January, and there was an element of futility there, 70 percent of them thought that Bush was likely to win. Today our poll shows that only 47 percent of Democrats think that Bush will win.
ARENA: Wow, well you know Ohio, obviously affected by those job losses in the manufacturing sector. What are some of the issues that voters are paying particular attention to there?
HALLETT: The issues here are all revolving around personal security. About jobs, we've had a quarter of a million jobs lost since 2001, 153,000 in the manufacturing sector. People are clearly worried about that. They're worried about health insurance. They're worried about getting ill, their kids getting ill and not having health insurance. Or going bankrupt, paying their medical bills. The issues about personal security, jobs, health insurance healthcare, those are the key issues in this state.
ARENA: Mark, with Schwarzenegger sitting in the statehouse, do you think your state is up for play?
BARABAK: I don't think so. I think the Republicans would like to believe that it is, but until then, unless President Bush comes out to California and runs as an environmentalist, as someone who supports legalized abortion and someone who supports certain gun control, who doesn't support necessarily gay marriage. But civil unions the way Arnold Schwarzenegger has, until and unless the president wants to come out and run as that kind of Republican here in California.
I don't think he has much of a chance of carrying the state in November. He'll certainly try and he would certainly like to pin the Democrats down and have them spend money defending this state, because Democrats do need it to win the White House, but in the main, I don't see President Bush anymore competitive as a result of Arnold Schwarzenegger being in Sacramental.
ARENA: And any issues that are germane to California that you think will be crucial?
BARABAK: Well I guess the Oscars don't count as an issue. You were going to ask what top most on people's minds is probably that. I mean the same here. Jobs, the economy, trade, which has been a big issue in places like Ohio, Wisconsin, some of the Middle Western states, plays a little different out here. We have lost 350,000 manufacturing jobs in the past few years in California. But trade is a very big economic engine here in California. So it doesn't cut quite as cleanly for John Edwards, the way it did, again, in Wisconsin and perhaps it might in Ohio.
ARENA: All right, Mark Barabak and Joe Hallett. I want to thank you both for joining us. I guess we will see you on Tuesday.
BARABAK: Thanks for having us.
HALLETT: Thank you.
ARENA: Still to come, it is a big night in Hollywood. There's a hobbit, a horse and a Hollywood hot shot. Which one will go down in history?
DARYN KAGAN, LOS ANGELES: I'm Daryn Kagan live on the red carpet. We'll bring you the latest. Which is about an hour and a half before the biggest stars in Hollywood will walk right in front of us right here. We'll be back in just a moment.
ARENA: Plus from practicing ballet in this small building to performing on the big screen, a South African hometown girl makes it big.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ARENA: The entertainment industry is all dolled up for its biggest awards show tonight -- the Oscars. Our Daryn Kagan is dolled up, too! On the red carpet in Los Angeles where the stars are arriving. You look great, girl! Is that a Vera Wang?
KAGAN: This is Vera Wang and a lot of work.
ARENA: Awesome!
KAGAN: Took about two hours to put me together like this, this morning. Kelli, it's so exciting. Finally the Oscars are just about here. In about two hours from now, we're going to see the biggest stars in the world walk down this red carpet. We have all the angles to bring you all the arrivals. We have a camera on top of the Ripley's Believe It or Not Auditorium. Believe it or not, we really have that. So you'll see the stars arrive.
Security is very intense. I ran into earlier Elvis Costello he told me he and Sting couldn't even get in earlier for rehearsal because they didn't have the right credentials, they straightened everything out, you will see them perform later tonight.
Of course, this big night is a big night for "Lord of the Rings." A lot of people expecting that the third chapter of the trilogy will go home with best picture and best director honors. We're also watching what is probably one of the biggest question marks tonight, the best actor category. Going into it, it was looking like Sean Penn was a shoo-in, but also Bill Murray and Johnny Depp are very strong in the best acting category. Kelli.
ARENA: What about best actress? Is the buzz still all about Charlize Theron?
KAGAN: I think it really is about Charlize Theron. She was absolutely amazing in "Monster." Hollywood loves it when a beautiful actress makes herself ugly, gains weight and plays a prostitute for some reason. If there is an outside chance look for Diane Keaton she is the only veteran in the race...
ARENA: Oh but she is such a sentimental favorite Daryn.
KAGAN: She has won once before for Annie Hall of course, but it's been over 20 years, and an academy favorite at well.
ARENA: And we will see if she shows up with gloves, she has been wearing gloves a lot lately.
KAGAN: With the gloves. She likes the glove thing, she likes to wear Richard Tyler, she is comfortable with who she is and right now I got tell you, on a chilly red carpet, gloves don't sound like such a bad idea -- Kelli.
ARENA: You know this "Lord of the Rings" movie, not a single best actor nomination. What is the sense there about that? Have you ever seen this before?
KAGAN: To take that even further, three of the best picture nominations don't have any best acting nominations. You have "Lord of the Rings," "Seabiscuit" and "Master and Commander." No acting nominations for any of those films. You have these big epic sagas, where the technical awards are taking up the nominations and the directors and the producers getting all the credit, it would appear.
ARENA: Also a big night for Sophia Coppola, too. Oscar history.
KAGAN: Absolutely yes.
ARENA: All right, Daryn have fun.
KAGAN: OK.
ARENA: From Hollywood's best to Hollywood's worst. The razzie goes to -- "Gigli." The (INAUDIBLE) took a whopping six golden raspberry awards including worst picture and worst on-screen couple. J. Lo also captured worst actress honors while Affleck was named worst actor for his performance in "Giglo," "Paycheck" and "Daredevil."
Well when the academy awards air tonight it will have a worldwide audience, including many South Africans they are rooting for their hometown girl Charlize Theron, she is nominated for best actress in her role, as Daryn said, a serial killer in "Monster." CNN's Charlene Hunter Gulf takes us to Theron's old stomping grounds.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHARLEN HUNTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Cast your mind back 15 years and this tall, leggy blond might easily have been Charlize Theron. The tall leggy blond taking Hollywood by storm. Remember, for her imagination even then --
BERNICE LLOYD, GAUTENG DANCE ACADEMY: I remember her telling the children in her class that she was a princess in her previous life. And they really admired her and were absolutely in awe of her.
GULF: As are these young ballerinas following at least here in Charlize's footsteps.
KIRA MANNE, BALLET STUDENT: That's because she's South African. It she can make it, then we can all make it.
LLOYD: I actually have goose pimples now.
GULF: Not far from Johannesburg, in this community of small farms, the seeds of stardom were also sewn. It was from this modest little house in Benoni, that Charlize Theron used to dream big dreams. And although she is gone, those she left behind are dreaming big dreams for her now.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I hope she wins.
GULF: At the local Benoni meat market rare memories.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well I know she likes raw steak. Tenderized steak, she just take it out of the garlic and eat is like that.
GULF: Despite the garlic...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We feel good that she comes from (INAUDIBLE)
GULF: At her local grade school, more memories. Her geography teacher says she was good student, but even then...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Charlize was a small little girl running around here and doing exercising.
GULF: And while the all African school of Charlize's childhood is no more, her inspiration is alive and well.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just want to follow her footsteps.
GULF: And while fuel of these youngsters have television sets and the movie "Monster" is just being released here now, they along with the rest of the country will be pulling for the girl from Benoni to bring home the Oscar on Sunday night. Charlene Hunter Golf, CNN, Benoni, South Africa.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ARENA: CNN's Daryn Kagan will be talking with all of your favorite actors and actresses and showing you what all the celebrities are wearing as they dazzle down the red carpet for the Oscars. Be sure to tune in for CNN's special coverage of the Hollywood gold rush starting at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.
Do you know which film will take home the top prize tonight? Click on CNN.com and play inside the envelope. If you can guess which movie gets the nod, you could take home a prize for yourself.
That's all the time we have for now. Coming up on "NEXT@CNN," NASA's jet propulsion lab is home to the current successful Mars rover mission. Miles O'Brien profiles the man in charge of JPL. At 6:00 Eastern we will talk with retired General David Grange about the difficulties facing and dangers facing the marines and peacekeepers sent to Haiti.
And at 7:00 Eastern, profiles of Mel Gibson and Russell Crowe on "People in the News." Thanks for joining us. I will be back with the headlines right after a quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ARENA: I'm Kelli Arena in Washington. "NEXT@CNN" is coming up. First, a check of the headlines. U.S. marines are expected to arrive in Haiti tonight. Their job, to secure key facilities in Port-Au- Prince and pave the way for an international peacekeeping force. About 130 French troops are expected to join them on Monday. Haitian President Jean Bertrand Aristid resigned today after weeks of violent rebellion.
Democrats on the move, John Kerry and John Edwards are in New York, one of the ten states holding a presidential contest Tuesday. This hour, they're both in upstate New York, talking about jobs and the economy.
Martha Stewart returns to court tomorrow in Manhattan. Closing arguments are scheduled to begin in Stewart's obstruction of justice trial. She's fresh off a courtroom victory after the judge last week threw out the most serious charge against her, securities fraud.
And Kobe Bryant and his accuser could be court together this week. In Bryant's preliminary hearing on charges of sexual assault. Testimony is expected from the accuser Tuesday. The judge is trying to determine whether her sexual history can be used at trial.
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On Super Tuesday? Live On The Red Carpet>
Aired February 29, 2004 - 16:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KELLI ARENA, CNN ANCHOR, CNN SUNDAY: We'll have the latest on Haiti in just a moment. First, some other stories at this hour.
Iraqi oil fields are pumping out more crude. Oil production is at its highest point since the war began last March. The coalition provisional authority says the country is putting out more than 2.5 million barrels of oil per day. Iraq has the world's second largest oil reserves.
One of NASA's roving robots is trying to find out if anything else is out there. The Opportunity plans to take another bite out of Mars to study its surface. Previous searches turned up fine layering in the rock. Scientists are looking for signs that water existed on the red planet.
Moviegoers are passionate about "The Passion of the Christ." Weekend sales of the Mel Gibson topped $76 million and since it's opening on Ash Wednesday, the controversial movie about Jesus has banked more than $117 million.
New developments in the crisis in Haiti, Reuters is reporting that at least 120 French troops are leaving for Haiti tonight. U.S. marines already are on their way. What should Washington do next? Congressman Maxine Waters was in Haiti recently and joins us from Los Angeles, and in West Palm Beach, Congressman Mark Foley. Thank you both for joining us.
REP. MAXINE WATERS, (D) CALIFORNIA: You're welcome.
REP. MARK FOLEY, (R) FLORIDA: Thank you Kelli.
ARENA: Well we saw some very quick action by the Bush administration to get those troops on the ground. What is your reaction to that? Let's start with Representative Foley, please?
FOELY: Well, obviously very, very pleased. I think the administrations will to work with international partners to ensure that we have a safe haven if you will in Haiti. We see resolution to the crisis. Guy Phillippe is talking about the end of violence.
So all things are in place now since President Aristide left for a hopeful effort by the U.N. and other entities to bring about stability, hopeful economic opportunities and start rebuilding that beautiful country of Haiti.
ARENA: Congressman Waters, would you agree with the criticism that this is just all too little too late?
WATERS: Well, let me just say I'm very, very sad that my country was involved in this coup d'etat. Not only did they help to organize it -- I'm wondering what are they going to do with the former military people who had been in exile, who was now back in this country that worked with the United States to try and overthrow Aristide?
What are they going to do with Guy Phillippe, who was in exile in the Dominican Republic? What are they going to do with Mr. Sham Blane (ph) who was convicted in absentia?
These are murders and crooks. And now they're being interviewed on national TV, on CNN, as if they are legitimate people? Mr. Guy Philippe had tried to have a coup d'etat in 2002 against the president. But now that the United States has helped them, please, we want to know what are they going to do with them?
But more than that, where is President Aristide? We cannot seem to find him. When I last talked to him yesterday, he was not going to leave. He said he would rather die than leave, and then I wake up this morning, and I find out that my government has landed at his home with Marines. How did they get him to leave? What did they do? And where is he?
ARENA: Representative Foley how does the -- go ahead, sir.
FOLEY: Well, I was going to say they -- Mr. Aristide invited us in. He wanted us to help, hopefully, settle the problem there. We negotiated for a long time trying to bring about stability, an opportunity for him to stay, sharing the powers with the prime minister. But to suggest we took part of a coup d'etat, that's simply incorrect.
Mr. Aristide had a number of years and a lot of money from the U.S. to rebuild his country, help his people, strengthen democracy, and maintain law and order in his country. He failed miserably. It was time for him to go. He did the right thing. I understand he went to South Africa.
WATERS: Sir, you are saying that. It is not true. He did not have a lot of money from this country. What we did was we funded non- government organizations. None of that money went to the government. You're refunding organizations that were helping the opposition.
You have helped Mr. Andy Apad Jr., who is an American citizen, who is in charge of the committee of 184 that started this coup d'etat. They were joined by gangs and the thugs who had been associated with the Divall Yea Regime (ph), Mr. Cedras who we had run out of the country before. These are people who are part of crap (ph), the old military organization...
ARENA: Congressman, let me interject, please.
WATERS: Yes.
ARENA: Because obviously, what has happened has happened and now we move forward. So what should the U.s. commitment be at this time and for how long?
WATERS: I think...
FOLEY: Well I think Kelli...
WATERS: The United States government should first tell us what they're going to do with the thugs that they were joined with for this overthrow? Are they going to take over the country? Is this who they're going to turn it over to? I don't know these answers. And perhaps the news media would do well, to try and find out from Secretary Colin Powell and others, not only what have they done with Mr. Aristide, but are they turning the country over to the thugs that we ran out before?
ARENA: All right, Representative Foley?
FOLEY: Kelli, I think we're going to join together; the United Nations Security Council is going to meet very shortly. We need to work with Unesco groups like CARE, we need to go on with the USDA, and help train and teach the people of Haiti how to grow crops and things.
I think this is a great opportunity to go back and start again to help the Haitian people rebuild their economy, rebuild opportunity. The United States will be a player there, and I know we'll be joined by people from France and Canada and other U.N. member nations, because it's that important to the Caribbean that this get done right and get done permanently and we hope right now that the optimism that hopefully will be there shortly will reconcile and bring some opportunity for the great people of Haiti.
WATERS: Well let me just say...
ARENA: All right, you know I'm going to end it right there. I'm very sorry, Congressman. I have to interrupt...
WATERS: I understand this is dangerous, it could happen to them, too.
ARENA: All right, last word there. All right, I want to thank you both for joining us. Have a good day.
FOLEY: Thanks Kelli, very much. Thank you, you too.
ARENA: Time now for some other news around the world. In Madrid, Spain, police seized a van carrying more than 1,100 pounds of explosives. Two men suspected of belonging to the Ba'ath Separatist Group were arrested. The government says it averted a massive attack.
Israel's Supreme Court has ordered a one-week halt to the construction of a section of its controversial wall. That section is where Israeli soldiers shot and killed two Palestinians during a protest last week. The court issued the temporary stop while the military considers alternative routes to ease hardships on Palestinians. And in the West Bank town of Nablus, deadly clashes. Palestinian officials say that Israeli troops shot and killed two Palestinians, both of them members of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade.
More than 1,000 delegates are up for grabs and it could make or break the Democratic presidential hopefuls. Up next a look at Super Tuesday. Plus...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I remember her telling the children in her class that she was a princess in her previous life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ARENA: Several countries will be watching tonight's Academy Awards, and residents ever this small South African town have a special connection. We'll explain later.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ARENA: I want to talk now to two people whose states will be voting on Super Tuesday. Mark Barabak is a political writer for the "Los Angeles Times." He is in San Francisco. And Joe Hallett is political editor for the "Columbus Dispatch." And he is in Columbus, Ohio. Gentlemen thank you both for joining us.
JOE HALLETT, COLUMBUS DISPATCH: Good to be here.
ARENA: Why don't we start with today's debate in New York? Do either of you believe that John Edwards did anything to change the dynamic of this campaign?
MARK BARABAK, LOS ANGELES TIMES: Out here in California, I certainly don't think so. He was more forceful than he was at the Thursday night debate here in Los Angeles, but he really needed to shake up the dynamic, really needed to do something dramatic, and I, for one, didn't see it today in New York.
ARENA: Joe.
HALLETT: I agree with Mark. We the "Columbus Dispatch," did a poll this morning, published a poll this morning that showed Kerry with a 30-point lead here, and Edwards has tremendous appeal among independence, and it is a quasi open primary here. So Edwards could dough better but I don't think he can close a 30-point gap right now in this state.
ARENA: All right, Mark getting over to California I know there have been lots of observations that the candidates didn't pay much attention to the state. A, do you agree and b, what will the ramifications of that be?
BARABAK: Well, I certainly agree. In a stage with sort in California an equivalent of a few drop by appearances. They have maybe spoken to a few thousand voters in a state where there are 9 million. I think if you added it up, probably more of the votes in the 20 contests if not now. Nine million Democrats and independence who could theoretically show up on Tuesday.
And the result of that neglect is, you know, to paraphrase, nothing succeeds like success, and the fact that John Kerry is winning pretty much everywhere across the country is what's helping him here. We at the times talked to about 100 voters just at random across the state this last week and found a large number of them saying they're voting for John Kerry basically because he's winning everywhere else and by winning his has demonstrated elect ability, which seems to be the most precious commodity this election season.
ARENA: Joe Ohio is Kucinich's home state. How do you think that will that play in your state?
HALLETT: I don't think he's going to be a factor. Our poll today showing him getting only about 5 percent of the Democratic votes. This is a Kerry/Edwards race here and it appears to be a Kerry race. Interestingly, though, unlike California, the candidates have lavished attention on Ohio.
Each has been here, all parts of four days. Kerry and Edwards will both be campaigning in the state tomorrow, and I think the campaign is having an impact. The Democrats here are energized. We did a poll of likely Democratic voters in early January, and there was an element of futility there, 70 percent of them thought that Bush was likely to win. Today our poll shows that only 47 percent of Democrats think that Bush will win.
ARENA: Wow, well you know Ohio, obviously affected by those job losses in the manufacturing sector. What are some of the issues that voters are paying particular attention to there?
HALLETT: The issues here are all revolving around personal security. About jobs, we've had a quarter of a million jobs lost since 2001, 153,000 in the manufacturing sector. People are clearly worried about that. They're worried about health insurance. They're worried about getting ill, their kids getting ill and not having health insurance. Or going bankrupt, paying their medical bills. The issues about personal security, jobs, health insurance healthcare, those are the key issues in this state.
ARENA: Mark, with Schwarzenegger sitting in the statehouse, do you think your state is up for play?
BARABAK: I don't think so. I think the Republicans would like to believe that it is, but until then, unless President Bush comes out to California and runs as an environmentalist, as someone who supports legalized abortion and someone who supports certain gun control, who doesn't support necessarily gay marriage. But civil unions the way Arnold Schwarzenegger has, until and unless the president wants to come out and run as that kind of Republican here in California.
I don't think he has much of a chance of carrying the state in November. He'll certainly try and he would certainly like to pin the Democrats down and have them spend money defending this state, because Democrats do need it to win the White House, but in the main, I don't see President Bush anymore competitive as a result of Arnold Schwarzenegger being in Sacramental.
ARENA: And any issues that are germane to California that you think will be crucial?
BARABAK: Well I guess the Oscars don't count as an issue. You were going to ask what top most on people's minds is probably that. I mean the same here. Jobs, the economy, trade, which has been a big issue in places like Ohio, Wisconsin, some of the Middle Western states, plays a little different out here. We have lost 350,000 manufacturing jobs in the past few years in California. But trade is a very big economic engine here in California. So it doesn't cut quite as cleanly for John Edwards, the way it did, again, in Wisconsin and perhaps it might in Ohio.
ARENA: All right, Mark Barabak and Joe Hallett. I want to thank you both for joining us. I guess we will see you on Tuesday.
BARABAK: Thanks for having us.
HALLETT: Thank you.
ARENA: Still to come, it is a big night in Hollywood. There's a hobbit, a horse and a Hollywood hot shot. Which one will go down in history?
DARYN KAGAN, LOS ANGELES: I'm Daryn Kagan live on the red carpet. We'll bring you the latest. Which is about an hour and a half before the biggest stars in Hollywood will walk right in front of us right here. We'll be back in just a moment.
ARENA: Plus from practicing ballet in this small building to performing on the big screen, a South African hometown girl makes it big.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ARENA: The entertainment industry is all dolled up for its biggest awards show tonight -- the Oscars. Our Daryn Kagan is dolled up, too! On the red carpet in Los Angeles where the stars are arriving. You look great, girl! Is that a Vera Wang?
KAGAN: This is Vera Wang and a lot of work.
ARENA: Awesome!
KAGAN: Took about two hours to put me together like this, this morning. Kelli, it's so exciting. Finally the Oscars are just about here. In about two hours from now, we're going to see the biggest stars in the world walk down this red carpet. We have all the angles to bring you all the arrivals. We have a camera on top of the Ripley's Believe It or Not Auditorium. Believe it or not, we really have that. So you'll see the stars arrive.
Security is very intense. I ran into earlier Elvis Costello he told me he and Sting couldn't even get in earlier for rehearsal because they didn't have the right credentials, they straightened everything out, you will see them perform later tonight.
Of course, this big night is a big night for "Lord of the Rings." A lot of people expecting that the third chapter of the trilogy will go home with best picture and best director honors. We're also watching what is probably one of the biggest question marks tonight, the best actor category. Going into it, it was looking like Sean Penn was a shoo-in, but also Bill Murray and Johnny Depp are very strong in the best acting category. Kelli.
ARENA: What about best actress? Is the buzz still all about Charlize Theron?
KAGAN: I think it really is about Charlize Theron. She was absolutely amazing in "Monster." Hollywood loves it when a beautiful actress makes herself ugly, gains weight and plays a prostitute for some reason. If there is an outside chance look for Diane Keaton she is the only veteran in the race...
ARENA: Oh but she is such a sentimental favorite Daryn.
KAGAN: She has won once before for Annie Hall of course, but it's been over 20 years, and an academy favorite at well.
ARENA: And we will see if she shows up with gloves, she has been wearing gloves a lot lately.
KAGAN: With the gloves. She likes the glove thing, she likes to wear Richard Tyler, she is comfortable with who she is and right now I got tell you, on a chilly red carpet, gloves don't sound like such a bad idea -- Kelli.
ARENA: You know this "Lord of the Rings" movie, not a single best actor nomination. What is the sense there about that? Have you ever seen this before?
KAGAN: To take that even further, three of the best picture nominations don't have any best acting nominations. You have "Lord of the Rings," "Seabiscuit" and "Master and Commander." No acting nominations for any of those films. You have these big epic sagas, where the technical awards are taking up the nominations and the directors and the producers getting all the credit, it would appear.
ARENA: Also a big night for Sophia Coppola, too. Oscar history.
KAGAN: Absolutely yes.
ARENA: All right, Daryn have fun.
KAGAN: OK.
ARENA: From Hollywood's best to Hollywood's worst. The razzie goes to -- "Gigli." The (INAUDIBLE) took a whopping six golden raspberry awards including worst picture and worst on-screen couple. J. Lo also captured worst actress honors while Affleck was named worst actor for his performance in "Giglo," "Paycheck" and "Daredevil."
Well when the academy awards air tonight it will have a worldwide audience, including many South Africans they are rooting for their hometown girl Charlize Theron, she is nominated for best actress in her role, as Daryn said, a serial killer in "Monster." CNN's Charlene Hunter Gulf takes us to Theron's old stomping grounds.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHARLEN HUNTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Cast your mind back 15 years and this tall, leggy blond might easily have been Charlize Theron. The tall leggy blond taking Hollywood by storm. Remember, for her imagination even then --
BERNICE LLOYD, GAUTENG DANCE ACADEMY: I remember her telling the children in her class that she was a princess in her previous life. And they really admired her and were absolutely in awe of her.
GULF: As are these young ballerinas following at least here in Charlize's footsteps.
KIRA MANNE, BALLET STUDENT: That's because she's South African. It she can make it, then we can all make it.
LLOYD: I actually have goose pimples now.
GULF: Not far from Johannesburg, in this community of small farms, the seeds of stardom were also sewn. It was from this modest little house in Benoni, that Charlize Theron used to dream big dreams. And although she is gone, those she left behind are dreaming big dreams for her now.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I hope she wins.
GULF: At the local Benoni meat market rare memories.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well I know she likes raw steak. Tenderized steak, she just take it out of the garlic and eat is like that.
GULF: Despite the garlic...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We feel good that she comes from (INAUDIBLE)
GULF: At her local grade school, more memories. Her geography teacher says she was good student, but even then...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Charlize was a small little girl running around here and doing exercising.
GULF: And while the all African school of Charlize's childhood is no more, her inspiration is alive and well.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just want to follow her footsteps.
GULF: And while fuel of these youngsters have television sets and the movie "Monster" is just being released here now, they along with the rest of the country will be pulling for the girl from Benoni to bring home the Oscar on Sunday night. Charlene Hunter Golf, CNN, Benoni, South Africa.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ARENA: CNN's Daryn Kagan will be talking with all of your favorite actors and actresses and showing you what all the celebrities are wearing as they dazzle down the red carpet for the Oscars. Be sure to tune in for CNN's special coverage of the Hollywood gold rush starting at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.
Do you know which film will take home the top prize tonight? Click on CNN.com and play inside the envelope. If you can guess which movie gets the nod, you could take home a prize for yourself.
That's all the time we have for now. Coming up on "NEXT@CNN," NASA's jet propulsion lab is home to the current successful Mars rover mission. Miles O'Brien profiles the man in charge of JPL. At 6:00 Eastern we will talk with retired General David Grange about the difficulties facing and dangers facing the marines and peacekeepers sent to Haiti.
And at 7:00 Eastern, profiles of Mel Gibson and Russell Crowe on "People in the News." Thanks for joining us. I will be back with the headlines right after a quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ARENA: I'm Kelli Arena in Washington. "NEXT@CNN" is coming up. First, a check of the headlines. U.S. marines are expected to arrive in Haiti tonight. Their job, to secure key facilities in Port-Au- Prince and pave the way for an international peacekeeping force. About 130 French troops are expected to join them on Monday. Haitian President Jean Bertrand Aristid resigned today after weeks of violent rebellion.
Democrats on the move, John Kerry and John Edwards are in New York, one of the ten states holding a presidential contest Tuesday. This hour, they're both in upstate New York, talking about jobs and the economy.
Martha Stewart returns to court tomorrow in Manhattan. Closing arguments are scheduled to begin in Stewart's obstruction of justice trial. She's fresh off a courtroom victory after the judge last week threw out the most serious charge against her, securities fraud.
And Kobe Bryant and his accuser could be court together this week. In Bryant's preliminary hearing on charges of sexual assault. Testimony is expected from the accuser Tuesday. The judge is trying to determine whether her sexual history can be used at trial.
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On Super Tuesday? Live On The Red Carpet>
