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CNN Live At Daybreak

Blizzard Slams Northeast; Boston Blizzard; 'Business Buzz'; Road to Super Bowl

Aired January 24, 2005 - 06:29   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.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning to you. Welcome to the last half-hour of DAYBREAK. From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
"Now in the News."

A suicide car bomb attack in a western Baghdad neighborhood wounds 10 Iraqi police officers. The attack took place near the headquarters of interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi's political party.

Asa Hutchison is expected to announce his resignation today from the Department of Homeland Security. Hutchinson, an undersecretary in the department, told an Arkansas newspaper he was disappointed that he was passed over twice as Tom Ridge's replacement.

He won't march, but he will call. President Bush phones in a message of support to anti-abortion activists today. They're marching in Washington around the 32nd anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion.

No news is bad news for one Massachusetts paper. The weekend blizzard that socked the Northeast has kept the "Cape Cod Times" from publishing today. Staff members say it's the first time they can recall that happening.

To the forecast center with Rob Marciano and to Chad Myers, who is live in Hoboken, New Jersey, this morning.

Good morning to both of you. Let's start with you, Rob, with the latest forecast.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Look at Chad all bundled up. Do you have layers on, like a little 10-year-old kid?

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: You know, they told me I was going to a hurricane. They didn't say I was going to a snowstorm. I was ready for 75-degree weather, Carol.

No, actually it is cold. The wind is OK. It's winter again. It's that old stop-whining thing.

But the problem today is that the Northeast corridor relies heavily on mass transit. Mass transit is having a very hard time here, the cold, the snow, the ice, even the train tracks. Amtrak, typically 5 to 10 minutes on every train, today 15 minutes. That's as they spread the trains out a little bit, because they're afraid maybe the switches won't work as fast as they should and as fast as they do in warm weather. So, they don't want trains getting on the wrong tracks.

So, they're separating the trains, a lot like they separate the airplanes when there is bad fog or bad snow on the ground.

So, this is actually going to put more people on every train, delay every train into the city and some connections are not being made. Some express trains aren't running at all. Some express trains that should be express are stopping at every little town.

So, a commute that you think is going to take you 45 minutes may, in fact, take you an hour and a half or more. Plan ahead. Log on. See what it looks like. A lot of these things, a lot of the information you need is actually online at the Web sites there.

But I'll tell you, just being around in the cold and talking to the taxi drivers, I walked up the taxi line here. I said, 'Are the tips any better when it's cold?' And, in fact, they said, yes, people actually appreciate that we're out here.

All day yesterday, Carol, we tried to call for the car. You know, the car service that they always talk about in New York?

COSTELLO: Yes.

MYERS: No, you can't get a car. You can't even really get a cab either. They are just sold out. Nobody wants to walk in this kind of weather, so everybody wants a car. And there's just not as many cars and not enough cars to go around.

COSTELLO: Oh, you got that. And the other thing I learned is that when you do get a taxi, they don't have the proper tires. So, it's an interesting ride down those slick New York streets.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hey, I want to know, are you...

MYERS: Well, it's always an interesting ride in New York.

MARCIANO: Chad, you're right across the river from Carol. You guys haven't seen each other in a while. Are you guys going to get together for lunch or something? Or is it all work today?

MYERS: You know, Rob, this is a strange story, too. Because I live in Atlanta and that's Delta's hub, I've been trying to get a plane out of here now for a day and a half. You can't even get on the Delta, the 800-221-2121. It just goes to a busy signal. You can't even get a flight. Nobody is even answering those phones, or the phones are so slumped you can't. So, I may be a while. So, Carol, maybe I'll see you tonight.

MARCIANO: Get the guest room ready, Carol.

COSTELLO: That means it's party time. I like that. MYERS: Yes, exactly.

COSTELLO: I'll see you later, Chad.

MYERS: Thanks.

COSTELLO: Thank you, Rob.

MARCIANO: All right.

COSTELLO: It was snowing sideways over the weekend across the Northeast, as Chad said. But in Massachusetts, they measured it in feet, not in inches. Now they have to dig out of that mess.

To tell us about -- all about that actually, let's check in with Peter Judge of the Massachusetts Emergency Management Services.

Good morning. You must be exhausted.

PETER JUDGE, SPOKESMAN, MASS. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY: Well, you know, we're a little tired here. But, you know, that comes with the job, I guess.

COSTELLO: Tell us how bad it is.

JUDGE: Well, you know, it's bad if you just want to talk about the measurements. Obviously, there are places that got well between 2 and 3 feet of snow here. Fortunately for us, except for the Cape and islands, it was pretty much a light, fluffy consistency. So, there's a lot of snow out there, but it didn't impact most of the state, particularly from a power outage perspective.

COSTELLO: You talk about the consistency of the snow. And since it was light and fluffy, it's easier to remove than the heavy, wet kind of snow, right?

JUDGE: Yes. And it also doesn't stick to power lines and trees. And therefore, it doesn't impact power.

However, because of the wind gusts up to 75 miles an hour yesterday, it really got blown around a lot easier as well. So, visibility was poorer, and also a lot of folks who did plowing ended up having the snow literally blow back to where they plowed it from. So, it just presented other challenges.

COSTELLO: I know that in some parts of Massachusetts there's a state of emergency declared. Does that mean you're asking people to stay home from work? And, of course, probably all of the schools are closed this morning.

JUDGE: Well, unrelated to the state emergency, a few of those things are in effect. Most of the schools around the Commonwealth have been closed. And also the governor, and actually the mayor of Boston, have both asked that workers, non-essential public workers stay home today just to maximize the possibilities of getting this thing cleaned up. The major roads, the major highways are in very good shape. However, today and the next couple of days we're going to have to work on the secondary and side roads to make sure that they're passable and safe.

COSTELLO: Well, good luck to you.

JUDGE: Thank you very much.

COSTELLO: Thank you for all of your fine work this weekend, because the emergency crews that were out and about in much of the Northeast, they just did a terrific job. Thank you very much. Peter Judge of the Massachusetts Emergency Management Services.

Let's head to the "AMERICAN MORNING" studios and Soledad O'Brien, because I am sure you guys are going to have much more on the weather this morning.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: No question about it. You know, also -- excuse me, Carol -- digging out myself yesterday and my sister, who is now sort of trapped in the Boston area as well. Lots to talk about this morning about the weather.

Also, we are talking about Johnny Carson. After 30 years of hosting "The Tonight Show," he really truly created the careers of dozens of entertainers. This morning, we talk with comedian Rich Little. Have you ever seen the impersonation that he did of Johnny Carson? It was hilarious. Really right on the money.

We're going to also talk to him, though, about the private Carson. This is a man who guarded his privacy really closely. We'll chat with him about that and much, much more this morning on "AMERICAN MORNING" coming up at the top of the hour -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, thank you, Soledad.

The planned marriage of IBM's PC business and China's largest PC maker may be in trouble. It's something about concerns over national security. Carrie Lee has that intriguing story coming up in our "Business Buzz."

And the stage is set for Super Bowl XXXIX. We'll look at who is in the Super Bowl, as if you didn't know by now. We're going to talk a lot about Donovan McNabb, though. That's coming up in 16 minutes.

Here's a look at what else is making news this Monday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: It's time now for a little "Business Buzz." A deal between IBM and a Chinese company reportedly has hit a snag. The reason? National security.

Carrie Lee is live at the Nasdaq Marketsite to explain it all.

Good morning. CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol.

Very interesting here. We're talking about a Chinese PC maker, the biggest PC maker in China. It's called Lenovo. Remember they agreed to buy IBM's PC business in the U.S. for $1.25 billion? Well, now, U.S. regulators have national security concerns relating to an IBM facility in North Carolina -- excuse me.

The report cites unnamed sources that say some members of the Committee on Foreign Investments in the U.S. are expressing concerns that China might use the facility to engage in industrial espionage, using information for military purposes.

It wouldn't be the first time U.S. regulators have blocked deals. They've done this in the past with Chinese firms over espionage and national security issues.

Interesting, because shares of Lenovo have risen in Hong Kong on this news. So, investors there are not so hot in this deal in the first place. We'll see what IBM does today.

Meanwhile, futures across the board are looking up for today's session. Keep in mind, though, we're coming off of three weeks of losses. It's the first time in 28 years that the Dow and S&P have lost ground for the first three weeks of the year.

American Express, one of the Dow 30, reporting profits during the session today.

Carol -- that's the latest. Back to you.

COSTELLO: Oh, you sound like you have a cold, Carrie.

LEE: Yes, I'm trying. I feel fine, but just trying to keep it going, you know.

COSTELLO: And it's nothing like 12 degrees outside to make you feel better.

LEE: Exactly (UNINTELLIGIBLE) as we speak.

COSTELLO: Yes. Well, I hope you feel better. Thank you, Carrie.

LEE: Thanks.

COSTELLO: The countdown is on to Iraq's Election Day, and the concern over security is huge. And that is an understatement.

Let's check in with Bill Hemmer for a look at what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."

Good morning -- Bill.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Carol, good morning to you. Another suicide car bombing in Baghdad today. Violence now expected for this last week before the Iraqi elections. Among the many questions today, Carol: How many voters and how many candidates will be intimated? And how bad will it get leading up to this Sunday? We are less than seven days now. That, and much more coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING," top of the hour. We'll have it for you then -- Carol.

COSTELLO: We'll be here. Thank you, Bill.

HEMMER: All right.

COSTELLO: We're going to head out live to Hoboken, New Jersey, one more time to check in with Chad, because we've been talking a lot this morning about transportation.

I know that Boston's Logan Airport is expected to reopen at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time, at least they hope so.

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: And, of course, they're having problems at LaGuardia as well.

MYERS: Well, Carol, the problem is, especially at Boston and not so much LaGuardia because the numbers aren't quite as high, but Boston, you have to not only realize that 26 inches or the number that was blown across that airport, the 26 inches of snow is not only on the runways, but also in every little parking area where the planes are supposed to park. All of that snow has to be removed before the planes can pull in there. You can't have a plane trying to get into the jetway and then there be 2 feet of snow in its way, and then the plane be stuck.

And then, as that happens, you get that snow out of there. The baggage handlers need room to get your bags into the plane. So, there's an awful lot of busy work. There's an army of men and women out there this morning getting that snow away from the ground areas, away from the ground transportation areas, and also obviously out of the jetways, making it safe.

You don't want to reopen something and you don't want to get planes in and out of there until it is safe for, (1), the passengers, and also for the crew members that are down there working on the ground.

Remember we've had nightmares in years past where planes landed on the ground in a snowstorm, there wasn't a gate for them to get into. The people on the planes sat on the tarmac for eight hours waiting for a gate. That's just so inconvenient and so stressful for those people. And, frankly, a lot of things ended up happening on those planes that probably we can't even talk about, because they were a little bit disturbing when people are sitting on a plane for eight hours and you really don't really want to be, obviously.

And so, there is so much busy work to be done on all of these airports, you just have to give these guys some credit and obviously some time. Plus, how long can you sit out here and work out here? It's so cold really half hour or so you should take a little break, because the wind chill right now here where I'm standing is 16 degrees below zero. A little wind gust just came through a little bit ago. So, it's a cold morning.

COSTELLO: Yes, that's an understatement, I think. It's amazing, though, that people still are outside and getting around. I saw a lot of people riding bikes through the blizzard this weekend. Riding bikes.

MYERS: The New York City schools are still open, Carol.

COSTELLO: That tough mayor. Well, you...

MYERS: I was talking to some guys that actually went to school here, and they said they never close the schools here. They closed it in, what, was Hurricane Gloria? But they didn't even officially close it. The teachers just didn't show up. So, I guess that makes it officially closed.

COSTELLO: Oh, so you try...

MYERS: Yes, they're a hardy bunch up here.

COSTELLO: You're not kidding. You try to stay warm out there, Chad. Thank you very much.

MYERS: I will. I'm doing fine.

COSTELLO: Chad Myers in Hoboken, New Jersey, this morning.

If you're a Cubs fan -- a Chicago Cubs fan that is -- you've got to have faith. And now the team wants you to wear your heart on your sleeve. We've got the details just ahead.

And they played in the cold, and now they're heading for a warmer climate. The Eagles and the Patriots are Super Bowl bound. We'll show you how they got there after a break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Good morning, Chicago, where the city's airports are getting back on schedule. Nearly 1,300 flights out of O'Hare and Midway were canceled over the weekend due to the snowstorm in the East. And I do have a little bit of an update for you from Logan Airport out of Boston. Apparently, the airport is now reopening at 8:15 a.m. Eastern Time. You know, we started with 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time, then it went to 8:00, and now it's 8:15 a.m. Eastern Time. So, that may not be set in stone.

Chicago Cubs fans can believe for a price. The team unveiled these new blue bracelets at their annual winter convention. They have the Cubs logo and the word, "believe," stamped on. The bracelets cost $2.00, with all of the proceeds going to charity. They'll be for sale later, right next to the Sammy Sosa Jack-in-the-Box and the Cubs Zippo lighter.

By the way, those blue bracelets are already on eBay. And I think they're still selling for $2.00, but you can bid however much you want.

The fans in Philadelphia and New England believe they're going to the Super Bowl, and they are right. The Eagles finally came through when it counted, and the Pats came through once again.

Live to Philadelphia and Paul Attner of "The Sporting News."

Good morning, Paul.

PAUL ATTNER, "THE SPORTING NEWS": Good morning.

COSTELLO: So, we won't talk about how you picked the Steelers.

ATTNER: Yes, let's forget that one, please.

COSTELLO: OK. The Steelers were not so impressed. I mean, it was very sad.

I want to start, though, with Philadelphia's Donovan McNabb. Should I bring up the specter of Rush Limbaugh and his assessment of McNabb? Let me read it for you. Remember when Rush Limbaugh said: "The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well. There is a little hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he didn't deserve. The defense carried this team."

Do you think that that stuck with McNabb?

ATTNER: Yes, I think it's one of the motivating factors that have pushed him. I mean, he certainly wants to prove he's a quality quarterback and capable of being a Super Bowl quarterback. And, you know, last night was vindication for him on a lot of levels.

COSTELLO: He was certainly a team leader. We have some sound from him and from Brian Westbrook. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIAN WESTBROOK, EAGLES RUNNING BACK: We've already felt the wrath of the city. Everybody in the city has already been mad at us. And, you know, now we're going out to win a ballgame. And for us to play with pressure and play uptight, you know, we will never win like that.

DONOVAN MCNABB, EAGLES QUARTERBACK: What we need to focus on is what we're doing here and what we need to do to get past here. And I'm looking forward to it. I mean, I'm ready to take my shirt off, throw my pads and let's play.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: It's tough to be a player in Philadelphia, isn't it? ATTNER: Yes. I'll tell you, I was worried about this city last night, because I thought if they lost there would be a collective jumping off the cliff. And fortunately for the fans, McNabb and Westbrook and the rest of them played just a really terrific game, and they finally got over that hurdle of getting into a Super Bowl. And you could kind of hear the collective sigh from everybody in the stadium that, man, this is finally over with and we've finally done it.

COSTELLO: Oh, you're not kidding. Let's talk a little bit about the Pittsburgh-Patriots game, because a lot of people were disappointed in the performance of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

ATTNER: Well, I mean, they ran into a very, very good team. And, you know, I'm never going to pick against the Patriots again. This is a team that, you know, is a Super Bowl team, and it should win another Super Bowl. And who knows when they might ever lose another Super Bowl the way they're going right now?

COSTELLO: Yes. And in "The New York Times," they have an interesting headline. It says, "A Beautiful Mind Trumps a Steel Chin." And they're talking about the coaches of these teams, and that Bill Belichick simply out-coached Cowher.

ATTNER: Well, he out-coaches everybody. I mean, he's got this mystique now that when you face the Patriots you're facing this extra body in the mind of Bill Belichick. And so far, it seems like nobody in the league can figure out really how to conquer that mind. I guess it is a beautiful mind.

COSTELLO: OK. Your pick for the Super Bowl.

ATTNER: I'm not going against the Patriots, I guarantee you that. I've learned my lesson. New England is a better team. I mean, they're a very, very good team. And right now we're looking at maybe one of the better teams that's ever played in the National Football League, and it's saying really to relish their performance on the field.

COSTELLO: Thank you for joining us on DAYBREAK this morning. And I'm with you.

ATTNER: My pleasure.

COSTELLO: The Pats are an unreal team.

ATTNER: Yes.

COSTELLO: Thank you very much.

Here's a preview of some stories to look for in the week ahead. Today, no name-calling week begins in American schools. It aims at insults of all kinds whether they're based on a child's appearance, background or behavior.

And tomorrow, Oscar nominations will be announced in Los Angeles. And as always, CNN will bring it to you live.

On Wednesday, the crew of the International Space Station is scheduled to perform a spacewalk.

And on Thursday, world leaders will mark the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, the Nazi concentration camp in Poland, where more than one million people died, most of them Jews.

You are watching DAYBREAK for a Monday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNNY CARSON, FMR. HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW": And I'm hoping I find something that I want to do and I think you will like and come back if you'll be as gracious in inviting me into your home as you have been. I bid you a very heartfelt goodnight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: As you know, Johnny Carson died over the weekend. And there is much to say in the morning papers about Johnny Carson and his legacy to the world of entertainment. He was just terrific.

I've been looking through the papers all morning, and something else that might catch your interest. In "The New York Times," William Safire, the columnist, is going to retire after 30 years. And he wrote a very entertaining last column this morning. It's how to read a column. And I'm going to do No. 2 and No. 3. for you.

No 2, he says: "Never look for the story in the lead. Reporters are required to put what's happened up top. But the practiced pundit places a nugget of news, even a startling insight, halfway down the column, directed at the poliscienti (ph). When pressed for time, the savvy reader starts there."

So, don't start at the beginning of a column. Start in the middle. That's where the important stuff is.

And this is No. 3: "Do not be taken in by insider-isms. Fledging columnists eager to impress readers with their grasp of journalistic jargon are drawn to such arcane spellings as lede (ph)" -- L-E-D-E. "Where they lead do not follow."

And the rest are quite funny. So, if you get a chance, go online of the NewYorkTimes.com and check out William Safire's last column after, what, 32 years? But he's on to new and better things.

We're going to give you one last travel forecast, too, as well on DAYBREAK, because we know many of you are stuck.

Rob, please help us.

MARCIANO: Yes. Hey, they plan on opening Logan now at 8:15. So, a delay of 15 more minutes and hopefully that will happen. But the radar is looking pretty quiet.

There will be strong winds across the Northeast, so several of these airports may experience delays, you know, the typical ones when winds are strong. And, of course, the Logan deal may have a ripple effect.

But if you go west of O'Hare or Midway and it should be pretty quiet. Atlanta might see some delays because of winds and the deal that's going out of Boston. But San Francisco, maybe a little fog. Rain is not getting there until tomorrow. So, not all that shabby.

But if you just pack and pack for cold weather across the Northeast, then actually, you know, bring along a little light sweater down if you're going to Florida. Warm weather out west. Denver's high temperature is 61 degrees.

Carol, enjoy it.

COSTELLO: All right. Thank you, Rob.

MARCIANO: We'll see you later.

COSTELLO: Tomorrow on DAYBREAK, could the biggest threat to America be brewing in Europe? The producer of a new PBS "Frontline" documentary will join me to discuss al Qaeda's new front.

From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers and Rob Marciano. "AMERICAN MORNING" starts right after this break.

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Aired January 24, 2005 - 06:29   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning to you. Welcome to the last half-hour of DAYBREAK. From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
"Now in the News."

A suicide car bomb attack in a western Baghdad neighborhood wounds 10 Iraqi police officers. The attack took place near the headquarters of interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi's political party.

Asa Hutchison is expected to announce his resignation today from the Department of Homeland Security. Hutchinson, an undersecretary in the department, told an Arkansas newspaper he was disappointed that he was passed over twice as Tom Ridge's replacement.

He won't march, but he will call. President Bush phones in a message of support to anti-abortion activists today. They're marching in Washington around the 32nd anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion.

No news is bad news for one Massachusetts paper. The weekend blizzard that socked the Northeast has kept the "Cape Cod Times" from publishing today. Staff members say it's the first time they can recall that happening.

To the forecast center with Rob Marciano and to Chad Myers, who is live in Hoboken, New Jersey, this morning.

Good morning to both of you. Let's start with you, Rob, with the latest forecast.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Look at Chad all bundled up. Do you have layers on, like a little 10-year-old kid?

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: You know, they told me I was going to a hurricane. They didn't say I was going to a snowstorm. I was ready for 75-degree weather, Carol.

No, actually it is cold. The wind is OK. It's winter again. It's that old stop-whining thing.

But the problem today is that the Northeast corridor relies heavily on mass transit. Mass transit is having a very hard time here, the cold, the snow, the ice, even the train tracks. Amtrak, typically 5 to 10 minutes on every train, today 15 minutes. That's as they spread the trains out a little bit, because they're afraid maybe the switches won't work as fast as they should and as fast as they do in warm weather. So, they don't want trains getting on the wrong tracks.

So, they're separating the trains, a lot like they separate the airplanes when there is bad fog or bad snow on the ground.

So, this is actually going to put more people on every train, delay every train into the city and some connections are not being made. Some express trains aren't running at all. Some express trains that should be express are stopping at every little town.

So, a commute that you think is going to take you 45 minutes may, in fact, take you an hour and a half or more. Plan ahead. Log on. See what it looks like. A lot of these things, a lot of the information you need is actually online at the Web sites there.

But I'll tell you, just being around in the cold and talking to the taxi drivers, I walked up the taxi line here. I said, 'Are the tips any better when it's cold?' And, in fact, they said, yes, people actually appreciate that we're out here.

All day yesterday, Carol, we tried to call for the car. You know, the car service that they always talk about in New York?

COSTELLO: Yes.

MYERS: No, you can't get a car. You can't even really get a cab either. They are just sold out. Nobody wants to walk in this kind of weather, so everybody wants a car. And there's just not as many cars and not enough cars to go around.

COSTELLO: Oh, you got that. And the other thing I learned is that when you do get a taxi, they don't have the proper tires. So, it's an interesting ride down those slick New York streets.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hey, I want to know, are you...

MYERS: Well, it's always an interesting ride in New York.

MARCIANO: Chad, you're right across the river from Carol. You guys haven't seen each other in a while. Are you guys going to get together for lunch or something? Or is it all work today?

MYERS: You know, Rob, this is a strange story, too. Because I live in Atlanta and that's Delta's hub, I've been trying to get a plane out of here now for a day and a half. You can't even get on the Delta, the 800-221-2121. It just goes to a busy signal. You can't even get a flight. Nobody is even answering those phones, or the phones are so slumped you can't. So, I may be a while. So, Carol, maybe I'll see you tonight.

MARCIANO: Get the guest room ready, Carol.

COSTELLO: That means it's party time. I like that. MYERS: Yes, exactly.

COSTELLO: I'll see you later, Chad.

MYERS: Thanks.

COSTELLO: Thank you, Rob.

MARCIANO: All right.

COSTELLO: It was snowing sideways over the weekend across the Northeast, as Chad said. But in Massachusetts, they measured it in feet, not in inches. Now they have to dig out of that mess.

To tell us about -- all about that actually, let's check in with Peter Judge of the Massachusetts Emergency Management Services.

Good morning. You must be exhausted.

PETER JUDGE, SPOKESMAN, MASS. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY: Well, you know, we're a little tired here. But, you know, that comes with the job, I guess.

COSTELLO: Tell us how bad it is.

JUDGE: Well, you know, it's bad if you just want to talk about the measurements. Obviously, there are places that got well between 2 and 3 feet of snow here. Fortunately for us, except for the Cape and islands, it was pretty much a light, fluffy consistency. So, there's a lot of snow out there, but it didn't impact most of the state, particularly from a power outage perspective.

COSTELLO: You talk about the consistency of the snow. And since it was light and fluffy, it's easier to remove than the heavy, wet kind of snow, right?

JUDGE: Yes. And it also doesn't stick to power lines and trees. And therefore, it doesn't impact power.

However, because of the wind gusts up to 75 miles an hour yesterday, it really got blown around a lot easier as well. So, visibility was poorer, and also a lot of folks who did plowing ended up having the snow literally blow back to where they plowed it from. So, it just presented other challenges.

COSTELLO: I know that in some parts of Massachusetts there's a state of emergency declared. Does that mean you're asking people to stay home from work? And, of course, probably all of the schools are closed this morning.

JUDGE: Well, unrelated to the state emergency, a few of those things are in effect. Most of the schools around the Commonwealth have been closed. And also the governor, and actually the mayor of Boston, have both asked that workers, non-essential public workers stay home today just to maximize the possibilities of getting this thing cleaned up. The major roads, the major highways are in very good shape. However, today and the next couple of days we're going to have to work on the secondary and side roads to make sure that they're passable and safe.

COSTELLO: Well, good luck to you.

JUDGE: Thank you very much.

COSTELLO: Thank you for all of your fine work this weekend, because the emergency crews that were out and about in much of the Northeast, they just did a terrific job. Thank you very much. Peter Judge of the Massachusetts Emergency Management Services.

Let's head to the "AMERICAN MORNING" studios and Soledad O'Brien, because I am sure you guys are going to have much more on the weather this morning.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: No question about it. You know, also -- excuse me, Carol -- digging out myself yesterday and my sister, who is now sort of trapped in the Boston area as well. Lots to talk about this morning about the weather.

Also, we are talking about Johnny Carson. After 30 years of hosting "The Tonight Show," he really truly created the careers of dozens of entertainers. This morning, we talk with comedian Rich Little. Have you ever seen the impersonation that he did of Johnny Carson? It was hilarious. Really right on the money.

We're going to also talk to him, though, about the private Carson. This is a man who guarded his privacy really closely. We'll chat with him about that and much, much more this morning on "AMERICAN MORNING" coming up at the top of the hour -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, thank you, Soledad.

The planned marriage of IBM's PC business and China's largest PC maker may be in trouble. It's something about concerns over national security. Carrie Lee has that intriguing story coming up in our "Business Buzz."

And the stage is set for Super Bowl XXXIX. We'll look at who is in the Super Bowl, as if you didn't know by now. We're going to talk a lot about Donovan McNabb, though. That's coming up in 16 minutes.

Here's a look at what else is making news this Monday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: It's time now for a little "Business Buzz." A deal between IBM and a Chinese company reportedly has hit a snag. The reason? National security.

Carrie Lee is live at the Nasdaq Marketsite to explain it all.

Good morning. CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol.

Very interesting here. We're talking about a Chinese PC maker, the biggest PC maker in China. It's called Lenovo. Remember they agreed to buy IBM's PC business in the U.S. for $1.25 billion? Well, now, U.S. regulators have national security concerns relating to an IBM facility in North Carolina -- excuse me.

The report cites unnamed sources that say some members of the Committee on Foreign Investments in the U.S. are expressing concerns that China might use the facility to engage in industrial espionage, using information for military purposes.

It wouldn't be the first time U.S. regulators have blocked deals. They've done this in the past with Chinese firms over espionage and national security issues.

Interesting, because shares of Lenovo have risen in Hong Kong on this news. So, investors there are not so hot in this deal in the first place. We'll see what IBM does today.

Meanwhile, futures across the board are looking up for today's session. Keep in mind, though, we're coming off of three weeks of losses. It's the first time in 28 years that the Dow and S&P have lost ground for the first three weeks of the year.

American Express, one of the Dow 30, reporting profits during the session today.

Carol -- that's the latest. Back to you.

COSTELLO: Oh, you sound like you have a cold, Carrie.

LEE: Yes, I'm trying. I feel fine, but just trying to keep it going, you know.

COSTELLO: And it's nothing like 12 degrees outside to make you feel better.

LEE: Exactly (UNINTELLIGIBLE) as we speak.

COSTELLO: Yes. Well, I hope you feel better. Thank you, Carrie.

LEE: Thanks.

COSTELLO: The countdown is on to Iraq's Election Day, and the concern over security is huge. And that is an understatement.

Let's check in with Bill Hemmer for a look at what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."

Good morning -- Bill.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Carol, good morning to you. Another suicide car bombing in Baghdad today. Violence now expected for this last week before the Iraqi elections. Among the many questions today, Carol: How many voters and how many candidates will be intimated? And how bad will it get leading up to this Sunday? We are less than seven days now. That, and much more coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING," top of the hour. We'll have it for you then -- Carol.

COSTELLO: We'll be here. Thank you, Bill.

HEMMER: All right.

COSTELLO: We're going to head out live to Hoboken, New Jersey, one more time to check in with Chad, because we've been talking a lot this morning about transportation.

I know that Boston's Logan Airport is expected to reopen at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time, at least they hope so.

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: And, of course, they're having problems at LaGuardia as well.

MYERS: Well, Carol, the problem is, especially at Boston and not so much LaGuardia because the numbers aren't quite as high, but Boston, you have to not only realize that 26 inches or the number that was blown across that airport, the 26 inches of snow is not only on the runways, but also in every little parking area where the planes are supposed to park. All of that snow has to be removed before the planes can pull in there. You can't have a plane trying to get into the jetway and then there be 2 feet of snow in its way, and then the plane be stuck.

And then, as that happens, you get that snow out of there. The baggage handlers need room to get your bags into the plane. So, there's an awful lot of busy work. There's an army of men and women out there this morning getting that snow away from the ground areas, away from the ground transportation areas, and also obviously out of the jetways, making it safe.

You don't want to reopen something and you don't want to get planes in and out of there until it is safe for, (1), the passengers, and also for the crew members that are down there working on the ground.

Remember we've had nightmares in years past where planes landed on the ground in a snowstorm, there wasn't a gate for them to get into. The people on the planes sat on the tarmac for eight hours waiting for a gate. That's just so inconvenient and so stressful for those people. And, frankly, a lot of things ended up happening on those planes that probably we can't even talk about, because they were a little bit disturbing when people are sitting on a plane for eight hours and you really don't really want to be, obviously.

And so, there is so much busy work to be done on all of these airports, you just have to give these guys some credit and obviously some time. Plus, how long can you sit out here and work out here? It's so cold really half hour or so you should take a little break, because the wind chill right now here where I'm standing is 16 degrees below zero. A little wind gust just came through a little bit ago. So, it's a cold morning.

COSTELLO: Yes, that's an understatement, I think. It's amazing, though, that people still are outside and getting around. I saw a lot of people riding bikes through the blizzard this weekend. Riding bikes.

MYERS: The New York City schools are still open, Carol.

COSTELLO: That tough mayor. Well, you...

MYERS: I was talking to some guys that actually went to school here, and they said they never close the schools here. They closed it in, what, was Hurricane Gloria? But they didn't even officially close it. The teachers just didn't show up. So, I guess that makes it officially closed.

COSTELLO: Oh, so you try...

MYERS: Yes, they're a hardy bunch up here.

COSTELLO: You're not kidding. You try to stay warm out there, Chad. Thank you very much.

MYERS: I will. I'm doing fine.

COSTELLO: Chad Myers in Hoboken, New Jersey, this morning.

If you're a Cubs fan -- a Chicago Cubs fan that is -- you've got to have faith. And now the team wants you to wear your heart on your sleeve. We've got the details just ahead.

And they played in the cold, and now they're heading for a warmer climate. The Eagles and the Patriots are Super Bowl bound. We'll show you how they got there after a break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Good morning, Chicago, where the city's airports are getting back on schedule. Nearly 1,300 flights out of O'Hare and Midway were canceled over the weekend due to the snowstorm in the East. And I do have a little bit of an update for you from Logan Airport out of Boston. Apparently, the airport is now reopening at 8:15 a.m. Eastern Time. You know, we started with 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time, then it went to 8:00, and now it's 8:15 a.m. Eastern Time. So, that may not be set in stone.

Chicago Cubs fans can believe for a price. The team unveiled these new blue bracelets at their annual winter convention. They have the Cubs logo and the word, "believe," stamped on. The bracelets cost $2.00, with all of the proceeds going to charity. They'll be for sale later, right next to the Sammy Sosa Jack-in-the-Box and the Cubs Zippo lighter.

By the way, those blue bracelets are already on eBay. And I think they're still selling for $2.00, but you can bid however much you want.

The fans in Philadelphia and New England believe they're going to the Super Bowl, and they are right. The Eagles finally came through when it counted, and the Pats came through once again.

Live to Philadelphia and Paul Attner of "The Sporting News."

Good morning, Paul.

PAUL ATTNER, "THE SPORTING NEWS": Good morning.

COSTELLO: So, we won't talk about how you picked the Steelers.

ATTNER: Yes, let's forget that one, please.

COSTELLO: OK. The Steelers were not so impressed. I mean, it was very sad.

I want to start, though, with Philadelphia's Donovan McNabb. Should I bring up the specter of Rush Limbaugh and his assessment of McNabb? Let me read it for you. Remember when Rush Limbaugh said: "The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well. There is a little hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he didn't deserve. The defense carried this team."

Do you think that that stuck with McNabb?

ATTNER: Yes, I think it's one of the motivating factors that have pushed him. I mean, he certainly wants to prove he's a quality quarterback and capable of being a Super Bowl quarterback. And, you know, last night was vindication for him on a lot of levels.

COSTELLO: He was certainly a team leader. We have some sound from him and from Brian Westbrook. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIAN WESTBROOK, EAGLES RUNNING BACK: We've already felt the wrath of the city. Everybody in the city has already been mad at us. And, you know, now we're going out to win a ballgame. And for us to play with pressure and play uptight, you know, we will never win like that.

DONOVAN MCNABB, EAGLES QUARTERBACK: What we need to focus on is what we're doing here and what we need to do to get past here. And I'm looking forward to it. I mean, I'm ready to take my shirt off, throw my pads and let's play.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: It's tough to be a player in Philadelphia, isn't it? ATTNER: Yes. I'll tell you, I was worried about this city last night, because I thought if they lost there would be a collective jumping off the cliff. And fortunately for the fans, McNabb and Westbrook and the rest of them played just a really terrific game, and they finally got over that hurdle of getting into a Super Bowl. And you could kind of hear the collective sigh from everybody in the stadium that, man, this is finally over with and we've finally done it.

COSTELLO: Oh, you're not kidding. Let's talk a little bit about the Pittsburgh-Patriots game, because a lot of people were disappointed in the performance of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

ATTNER: Well, I mean, they ran into a very, very good team. And, you know, I'm never going to pick against the Patriots again. This is a team that, you know, is a Super Bowl team, and it should win another Super Bowl. And who knows when they might ever lose another Super Bowl the way they're going right now?

COSTELLO: Yes. And in "The New York Times," they have an interesting headline. It says, "A Beautiful Mind Trumps a Steel Chin." And they're talking about the coaches of these teams, and that Bill Belichick simply out-coached Cowher.

ATTNER: Well, he out-coaches everybody. I mean, he's got this mystique now that when you face the Patriots you're facing this extra body in the mind of Bill Belichick. And so far, it seems like nobody in the league can figure out really how to conquer that mind. I guess it is a beautiful mind.

COSTELLO: OK. Your pick for the Super Bowl.

ATTNER: I'm not going against the Patriots, I guarantee you that. I've learned my lesson. New England is a better team. I mean, they're a very, very good team. And right now we're looking at maybe one of the better teams that's ever played in the National Football League, and it's saying really to relish their performance on the field.

COSTELLO: Thank you for joining us on DAYBREAK this morning. And I'm with you.

ATTNER: My pleasure.

COSTELLO: The Pats are an unreal team.

ATTNER: Yes.

COSTELLO: Thank you very much.

Here's a preview of some stories to look for in the week ahead. Today, no name-calling week begins in American schools. It aims at insults of all kinds whether they're based on a child's appearance, background or behavior.

And tomorrow, Oscar nominations will be announced in Los Angeles. And as always, CNN will bring it to you live.

On Wednesday, the crew of the International Space Station is scheduled to perform a spacewalk.

And on Thursday, world leaders will mark the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, the Nazi concentration camp in Poland, where more than one million people died, most of them Jews.

You are watching DAYBREAK for a Monday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNNY CARSON, FMR. HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW": And I'm hoping I find something that I want to do and I think you will like and come back if you'll be as gracious in inviting me into your home as you have been. I bid you a very heartfelt goodnight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: As you know, Johnny Carson died over the weekend. And there is much to say in the morning papers about Johnny Carson and his legacy to the world of entertainment. He was just terrific.

I've been looking through the papers all morning, and something else that might catch your interest. In "The New York Times," William Safire, the columnist, is going to retire after 30 years. And he wrote a very entertaining last column this morning. It's how to read a column. And I'm going to do No. 2 and No. 3. for you.

No 2, he says: "Never look for the story in the lead. Reporters are required to put what's happened up top. But the practiced pundit places a nugget of news, even a startling insight, halfway down the column, directed at the poliscienti (ph). When pressed for time, the savvy reader starts there."

So, don't start at the beginning of a column. Start in the middle. That's where the important stuff is.

And this is No. 3: "Do not be taken in by insider-isms. Fledging columnists eager to impress readers with their grasp of journalistic jargon are drawn to such arcane spellings as lede (ph)" -- L-E-D-E. "Where they lead do not follow."

And the rest are quite funny. So, if you get a chance, go online of the NewYorkTimes.com and check out William Safire's last column after, what, 32 years? But he's on to new and better things.

We're going to give you one last travel forecast, too, as well on DAYBREAK, because we know many of you are stuck.

Rob, please help us.

MARCIANO: Yes. Hey, they plan on opening Logan now at 8:15. So, a delay of 15 more minutes and hopefully that will happen. But the radar is looking pretty quiet.

There will be strong winds across the Northeast, so several of these airports may experience delays, you know, the typical ones when winds are strong. And, of course, the Logan deal may have a ripple effect.

But if you go west of O'Hare or Midway and it should be pretty quiet. Atlanta might see some delays because of winds and the deal that's going out of Boston. But San Francisco, maybe a little fog. Rain is not getting there until tomorrow. So, not all that shabby.

But if you just pack and pack for cold weather across the Northeast, then actually, you know, bring along a little light sweater down if you're going to Florida. Warm weather out west. Denver's high temperature is 61 degrees.

Carol, enjoy it.

COSTELLO: All right. Thank you, Rob.

MARCIANO: We'll see you later.

COSTELLO: Tomorrow on DAYBREAK, could the biggest threat to America be brewing in Europe? The producer of a new PBS "Frontline" documentary will join me to discuss al Qaeda's new front.

From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers and Rob Marciano. "AMERICAN MORNING" starts right after this break.

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