Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Fight to the Finish in Iowa; Escaped Prisoner Wanted After Maryland Hospital Shooting; Pakistan Elections Delayed After Bhutto Assassination

Aired January 02, 2008 - 14:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The final frenzied push for votes is under way in Iowa now. Caucus-goers gather tomorrow night in homes, schools, other places across the Hawkeye State. By tradition, their votes will be the first in the presidential nominating process.
And we've got live coverage of the candidates as they crisscross the states. We're going to find out what's on the voters' minds as time runs out to make up their minds.

Republican Mitt Romney trying to make up some of the ground that he lost in Iowa. At one point he held a comfortable lead over his GOP rivals, but that disappeared.

CNN's Mary Snow on the phone with us now from Iowa.

What happened, Mary?

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, Mitt Romney is canvassing the state, as you just pointed out, trying to get out voters, saying that this race is, in his words, as tight as can be. And he says the difference now between winning and losing is who shows up.

As you mentioned, he once had a double-digit lead here in Iowa, but that was erased by his main rival, Mike Huckabee. Romney did take a little bit of a jab at his rival, Mike Huckabee, today when he was asked about Huckabee's trip to California to be on the NBC's "Tonight Show With Jay Leno" tonight. Very unconventional strategy there for Mike Huckabee.

And Romney said that he's concentrating here in Iowa and perhaps Huckabee is more concerned about the caucus in Los Angeles. But it kind of speaks to the fever pitch here of every event having a back and forth.

Also, Mitt Romney is being challenged in New Hampshire by John McCain. And he spoke today about John McCain, who has a new line of attack against Romney because Mitt Romney has been saying that foreign policy experience doesn't matter so much in terms of becoming a commander in chief.

McCain is really challenging him on that. And Mitt Romney is saying, look, we have differences on issues, John McCain is an honorable man. But a lot of back and forth between those two as well. Mitt Romney has so much at stake not only just here in Iowa, but in New Hampshire. He's outspent all of his Republican rivals. And his organization has been in the works for almost a year now. So he has a lot at stake if he does not come out ahead in these states -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Mary Snow following Mitt Romney and his campaign.

Appreciate you calling in, Mary.

SNOW: Sure.

PHILLIPS: Well, the candidates are going on nonstop on this day before the Iowa caucuses. We're going to get the latest on Democrat Hillary Clinton's campaign from our own Candy Crowley.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN ANCHOR: Well, a manhunt is under way in Maryland, where jailers say a prisoner serving a life sentence overpowered a guard at a hospital and shot his way to freedom.

CNN's Gary Nurenberg is live with the latest.

This continues to get crazier by the minute, Gary. Bring us up to date.

GARY NURENBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, police in several jurisdictions now looking for 45-year-old Kelvin Poke, who was confined to Jessup State Penitentiary in Maryland, the prison that is used for real hard-time offenders, in a life-plus-40-year sentence on a carjacking, kidnapping and robbery charge in 2005.

Poke was brought to Laurel Regional Hospital between Maryland and Washington, D.C., yesterday complaining of chest pains. He was able to overpower a couple of guards, get a couple of weapons and shoot his way out.

Pick up the story for you now with Maryland state police spokesperson Greg Shipley.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GREG SHIPLEY, MARYLAND STATE POLICE: The inmate was on the fourth floor of the hospital, overpowered a correctional officer and disarmed that correctional officer. Took his handgun.

There was a second team of two correctional officers in the hospital who responded to the room. One of those correctional officers was also disarmed by the inmate. Shots were then fired in the room.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NURENBERG: That leaves the inmate Poke now with two handguns. He take ones of the handguns and shoots the manacles off his feet, makes his way into a stairwell, and then out through the main entrance of the hospital, where a 1993 blue Toyota Camry was nearby. He shot through the window of that car, hitting the driver of the Camry in the head. Remarkably, Rob, that driver, though he was shot in the head, does not have life-threatening injuries.

We've just spoken with a CNN crew in Washington, D.C., near a public housing complex in northwest Washington. They have now laid eyeballs on the car that was described as being carjacked here in Laurel earlier this morning. It appears the suspect abandoned that car in northwest Washington near the housing complex. The search is now concentrating in that area for 45-year-old Kelvin Poke.

Back here in Maryland, five schools in the Laurel public school district remain on lockdown as police try to get this armed and very dangerous felon.

We'll watch it and bring you updates throughout the afternoon.

MARCIANO: Scary times in the D.C. area.

Gary Nurenberg, thank you very much for that up-to-date information.

All right. Well, now, meanwhile, the London skyline blurred by heavy smoke today when the top floor of a historic hospital went up in flames. This is the Royal Marsden Hospital, one of the world's leading cancer research and treatment facilities.

Everyone is safe, but all patients and staff managed to get out. No word yet on how the fire started. The hospital was built back in 1851 and was the first in the world to detect and treat cancer.

PHILLIPS: A new election date, a new team of investigators, and a new crackdown on Pakistan.

Our senior international correspondent, Matthew Chance, keeping track of it all in Islamabad -- Matthew.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Thanks very much, Kyra.

Well, a day of dramatic developments in Pakistan with the president of the country, Pervez Musharraf, making a national television address paying tribute to the late assassinated former prime minister of the country, Benazir Bhutto. He said that she was martyred by terrorists and he shared the sadness of her family and her supporters.

But President Musharraf was very critical of the way in which there had been so much violence, so much confusion following the death of Benazir Bhutto. Large areas of the country were ransacked, millions of dollars worth of damage was caused. He said it left him no choice but to deploy the army in certain parts of the country.

Also, the elections have been postponed in Pakistan. They were scheduled for January the 8th. They've been postponed until February the 18th. Again, President Musharraf said this was necessary because of the damage that had been done to the infrastructure to hold these elections. Let's have a quick listen in to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PERVEZ MUSHARRAF, PAKISTANI PRESIDENT (through translator): This time is for the country to reconcile, not for the confrontation. I ask political parties to understand the fragile environment and think about the individual interests and politics. Think about Pakistan.

Pakistan comes first. We are in great danger at the moment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHANCE: There's been a great deal of controversy over the suspension of these elections, their postponement. There's been reaction from the main political opposition party in this country, the party that was led by Benazir Bhutto. It was her widower who spoke, Asif Ali Zardari. He had this to say to national television just a few minutes after Pervez Musharraf had finished talking.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) .

ASIF ALI ZARDARI, BHUTTO'S WIDOWER (through translator): Today Pakistani society has decided that we will consult with all of likeminded political parties, and we condemn the postponement of the election. But we will go to the election at all costs and will not let them run away with the election.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHANCE: Also, the main political parties in Pakistan saying that although they're not in agreement with the idea of these elections being postponed, they will actually contest them. President Musharraf though making it clear he won't tolerate any further violence, saying any lawbreakers or any people -- what he called miscreants -- would be crushed with an iron fist -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Matthew Chance, live from Pakistan.

MARCIANO: Want to take you now to a live presser back in Maryland where that inmate managed to escape that hospital with a gun.

Let's listen in to this news conference.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

SHIPLEY: ... Sport Trac. That's a white Ford Explorer Sport Trac vehicle with D.C. tags, DC -- that's David Charles -- 3690. DC3690.

I don't have any more details on that incident other than that vehicle was stolen. Police are looking for that now. There is an active search under way in the District of Columbia, and events are developing minute by minute. So we do have, obviously, all police departments in this region involved in this search that's ongoing. Someone asked me earlier if federal authorities are assisting and the U.S. Marshal's Office is assisting us in this search as part of a task force.

We don't have any new information about what occurred in the room this morning when this inmate overpowered a correctional officer and took his handgun. We know that did occur.

I do have some additional information on his encounter with the security guard from the hospital. He apparently took the security guard at gunpoint down the stairway and actually out into the entrance of the hospital. I had said earlier that we believed he had told the security guard to lay on the floor in the hospital entrance. We now know that he actually took him out at gunpoint outside the hospital, and he approached that Toyota Camry and saw the driver sitting behind the wheel, he released the security guard and immediately went to the Camry and fired a shot into the driver's side window of the Camry that struck the 51-year-old man who was behind the wheel.

That individual is still being treated here at the hospital. He has spoken with investigators, though, and his prognosis is good.

That's what we have at this point.

Any questions?

QUESTION: Is there active area now where you believe that Mr. Poke is located?

SHIPLEY: I just stated there is it an active search going on in Washington, D.C., yes.

QUESTION: Can you tell us where that is, or would that jeopardize...

SHIPLEY: It's in the area of 1st Street Northeast down in northeast D.C., where the Toyota Camry was recovered and where that additional carjacking occurred.

QUESTION: Do you know if that was a D.C...

QUESTION: Did that carjacking involve another kidnapping?

SHIPLEY: I'm not clear on those details yet. There was someone in that vehicle. I don't know if they were released immediately at the scene or a short time later. There is, we believe, no one in that vehicle with him at this time.

QUESTION: Is that a D.C. government vehicle? That's a D.C. government vehicle?

SHIPLEY: I didn't say that. Not to my knowledge, no.

QUESTION: It has got D.C. tags.

(CROSSTALK)

SHIPLEY: I don't know, Tisha (ph). Area police may have some of those, but I don't have them.

QUESTION: What can you tell us about his state of mind right now if he's willing to do all of these things?

SHIPLEY: Obviously, this is an individual who is armed, who has already been serving a very long sentence and has taken very drastic measures to make his escape. And so it is our utmost priority to bring him back into custody as quickly as possible.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

SHIPLEY: You know, the circumstances are such -- you know, the police officers make those split-second decisions when they are faced with that specific situation. You know, we're not...

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

SHIPLEY: He's from Prince George's County area and we believe has associates in Washington, D.C. So, again, that's not something we're ready to detail at this point, but police are saturating the appropriate regions.

QUESTION: If another inmate becomes ill at this point -- I don't know if Rick (ph) is better to answer this -- but will there be a change in the way that -- will there be a change in procedures if you have somebody else sick and needs to go to the hospital?

SHIPLEY: We're going to review all procedures and policy like we do when anything like this happens, but as of right now, no.

QUESTION: Do you know if the security guard was armed?

SHIPLEY: The hospital security guard was not armed.

QUESTION: Greg, could you talk a little bit about the scene after this? I mean, here -- it's a hospital. There's a guy with guns running around.

I mean, were there -- were there visitors, patients, nurses, doctors who saw all of this going on? Can you talk a little bit about what the scene was on the fourth floor?

SHIPLEY: I still have not been briefed by investigators on all of those specifics, Brad. There were, obviously, nurses, doctors, and hospital staff who were here. I don't believe there were visitors here, at least not in that area. But this is -- it was on the fourth floor where inmates in custody are taken here at this hospital, and then went down the stairwell.

So there was limited contact. It wasn't something that was raging throughout the hallways of the hospital.

And then it came down to the first floor and out the entranceway. So there was limited contact with, certainly, staff and parents in the hospital.

We do know that, obviously, since that's occurred, it's been a hindrance for hospital staff. We've had the elevators shut down for a while and things like that as we've processed the scene. It's been difficult for them, but they're cooperating very well and being very patient with us.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) handcuffed while he was on the fourth floor?

SHIPLEY: I'm not with the Division of Correction. That's certainly something that I know they'll be looking at. And those details are still coming out.

QUESTION: Were there any shots fired on the second floor?

SHIPLEY: Not to my knowledge.

QUESTION: The victim in the first -- is it safe to say they were grazed by that, that man was grazed by that bullet?

SHIPLEY: I don't have the specific medical evaluation of that. You know, he was struck in the head. And again, it's unusual that he wasn't injure more severely. But I don't know why that did not occur yet.

QUESTION: Greg, do you know what the current -- how would you describe the current situation at the hospital, lockdown, whatever? And do you know anything about the schools as well, what their current situation is, what their plans are for dismissal?

SHIPLEY: I don't know about the schools. The Prince George's County police are working with school authorities on that. I am told the hospital is not on lockdown. It is it operating and functioning at its full potential.

QUESTION: Was this Mr. Poke's first visit to this hospital?

SHIPLEY: I don't know if it was his first visit here or not. I don't know.

QUESTION: Was the security guard responding to the (OFF-MIKE)?

SHIPLEY: The security guard heard shots fired and was responding to that area, yes, when he encountered the inmate.

QUESTION: Greg, are you looking at more than one carjacking in Washington today? Is there a series you're looking at?

SHIPLEY: We know there was the carjacking here at the hospital, and then minutes before or after that Toyota Camry was found, there was the carjacking of the white Ford. So those are the two we know of at this point.

QUESTION: None after that as far as you know? SHIPLEY: Not as far as I know since I walked out here. I mean, from the time I walked out here, I don't know. But again, this is an ongoing -- an ongoing series of incidents, and...

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

SHIPLEY: I don't believe we're 100 percent certain, but we're taking photos down to show at this very time. We think he was.

QUESTION: Can we -- and I don't know if you know the initial offense. And we got into this a little bit. But do either of you know the details of the original offense? Obviously, this is a guy that's a pretty violent fellow.

SHIPLEY: I don't know the details of the original offense, Bruce, no. He's serving a sentence of life plus 40 years, obviously a very lengthy sentence. And so I think that speaks for itself. But as far as what the details were, I don't know.

QUESTION: Is there a change of description in terms of what he's wearing in terms of his pants? Do you know what he's wearing from the waist up? Do you know that?

SHIPLEY: I'm still being told that he had nothing on from the waist up.

QUESTION: Shirtless?

SHIPLEY: He was shirtless. I would expect, through past experience, that he would have something on at this point. But what that is, we're just not certain right now. But he was shirtless, I am still told, when he left the hospital.

QUESTION: And he may have been shoeless as well?

SHIPLEY: May have been shoeless. But we believe now he had white socks on at least.

QUESTION: And what sort of pants did you say?

SHIPLEY: The Division of Correction issued denim jeans, dark- colored jeans.

QUESTION: On the fourth floor, where the events took place, is that exclusively for prisoners or is the general public or general patients there as well in this area?

SHIPLEY: I can verify that, sir. I don't think it's exclusively for inmates. It's not like one of your city hospitals that would have a whole wing for that. But I know we've had inmates here before on the fourth floor.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, that's not -- the fourth floor is it not a secured unit, so there would be other patients there as well.

QUESTION: Greg, we couldn't hear you at all over here. Can you say that in the microphone?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. The fourth floor is not a secured unit here and there would be other patients there as well.

SHIPLEY: I will go back in and work hard to get you information. What is a good time, again, with no significant developments -- do you want something else at 4:00 or -- 4:00 works for everybody?

The location is good? Again, we don't have a phone set up in there that we can talk back and forth, but my office...

MARCIANO: You've been listening in to a joint presser or a news conference between the Maryland State Police and the Maryland State Correctional Services describing the story as it unfolded this morning in Laurel, Maryland, where an inmate complaining of heart or chest pains last night, this morning managed to free himself and take down a couple of guards and wrestle away their handguns.

He still has a handgun. He carjacked one car. It's described as a dark blue Camry, so that may very well be the car that he carjacked originally. Drove off in that, did injure the driver, but we're told he's in decent condition at the hospital.

Now a second car has been found in the D.C. area -- or I'm told a second car has been carjacked shortly after this car was found in the D.C. area. And the car that this man is suspected to be in is a 2005 white Ford Explorer Sports Trac with license plates DC3690. Again, that's 2005 white Ford Explorer.

We are on the lookout for Kelvin Poke. He's in a 40 years to life prison sentence. So a desperate man who's armed and considered dangerous.

We'll have much more on this story as it unfolds in the CNN NEWSROOM.

PHILLIPS: Also right now, Hillary Clinton stumping for votes in Iowa. She's actually speaking live in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, right now.

We're going to check in on that and also talk to our Candy Crowley. She's part of the best political team on television. She joins us from Des Moines.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Presidential candidates working Iowa hard, as we've been talking about the caucuses, of course, all morning and afternoon. Hillary Clinton now at a campaign event in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Let's listen for a little bit and then we'll talk to our Candy Crowley.

SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D-NY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: President Truman took on health care and ran into a brick wall of opposition. And when President Johnson did Medicare and Medicaid, he knew he couldn't add universal health care on top of it. But we wanted to try because we believed and I believe to this day that it is just morally and economically wrong for the United States of America not to be able to figure out how to provide health care to every single man, woman, and child in our country.

PHILLIPS: All right. Promise you that was not any type of political ploy, but we are having some technical difficulties there. We are going to try and get connected once again there with Hillary Clinton as she's stumping for votes there in Iowa.

Candy Crowley, our senior political correspondent, join us now from Des Moines.

Candy, as we were just -- she was talking about health care, naming various presidents. That's always been something that the Clinton couple, both her husband as president and she now, have taken under their wing as an important agenda item for them.

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Right. And I can tell you from being at -- I'm not sure I can count them -- town hall meetings, whether it's Barack Obama or John Edwards or Hillary Clinton, on the Democratic side, this comes up now far more often than the war in Iraq does.

Obviously, the war in Iraq drove this race from the very beginning, but since then, voters really have turned home to issues here. And chief among them have been health care.

What you were hearing Hillary Clinton do there was talk about her experience with health care. As you know, she was kind of put in charge of coming up with a plan in the Clinton years, and it was a debacle.

And a lot of people thought this was going to be an Achilles heel for her, but the Clinton campaign has been able to turn that on its head, saying, hey, look, I'm experienced at doing this. I learned a lot. I'm the person you should trust to do this.

So that's part of her rift on health care, which, as I say, is a huge issue here in Iowa.

PHILLIPS: And she's not the only one that's there in Iowa doing whatever she can do to win over undecided caucus-goers. There are a number of candidates doing the same exact thing, right?

CROWLEY: Absolutely. I mean, whether the Republican or the Democratic side, not new is going to be said here. I can almost guarantee you no one kind of wants to upset the apple cart at this point.

What they're trying to do -- and I saw a figure today at The Associated Press which said that at this point in the last caucus, they were about -- 40 percent of caucus-goers were undecided. So we're talking about in a race this close an enormous number of people who, in fact, could change this race.

So they are re-pitching, if you will, their stump speech, what they think their strength is. Hillary Clinton, it's experience. Barack Obama, it's about turning the page and taking a new way of doing things to Washington. John Edwards, a populist appeal, saying what we have to do is take down these corporate interests who have been shaping U.S. policy on everything from health care to trade deals.

So they are back repeating themselves, but they are now speaking to an audience they think is paying closer attention.

PHILLIPS: Why, Candy, are there so many undecided caucus-goers right now?

CROWLEY: You know, I think because, honestly, they have, on the Democratic side, they have so much choice here. When I talk to Democratic caucus-goers, or those who think they're going to go, they say, you know, I kind of like them all. I mean, I think they're kind of -- you know, "I would accept any of them." So they feel like they have an abundance of riches on the Democratic side.

On the Republican side, it's a little trickier, but when you look at it, although Fred Thompson is making a stand here in these final couple of weeks in Iowa, John McCain will be back here, this is essentially, in Iowa -- and we should emphasize there's a long way to go -- but in Iowa this is a Mitt Romney/Mike Huckabee race. And so what we've seen is kind of a draining of support from Huckabee in the past week or so, back over to the Romney side. So there's a fluidity there because of various issues.

On the Democratic side, I think that people just think, well, I like this about her or I like this about them, and they really sort of take it seriously. I mean, I see people that show up at a Hillary event that I then see at an Edwards event or an Obama event. So they shop for a very long time.

PHILLIPS: Candy Crowley, live from Des Moines, Iowa.

Thanks, Candy.

CROWLEY: Thanks, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: And we may be just a day away from the Iowa caucuses, but anything can happen, as Candy said. For the freshest polls, the final push, the political ticker blog and more, check out CNNPolitics.com, your one-stop shop for the presidential race.

MARCIANO: And they may be young, but they're politically savvy. We'll hear from two scholastic kids who are covering the Iowa caucuses.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MARCIANO: While this solution is an actual scumbag -- I'm not sure I can say that on TV -- but an El Paso inventor is trying to solve America's energy problems by growing his own pond scum.

Our Miles O'Brien reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GLEN KERTZ, VERTIGRO: This is where the magic happens.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CHIEF TECHNOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Glen Kertz believes this is the magic bullet alternative to oil. It's pond scum, but without the pond. And that's what sets his idea apart.

Kurtz is flowing and growing algae through a long-winding journey in clear plastic bags suspended in a greenhouse. He calls the system vertigro.

KERTZ: It keeps the algae hanging in the sunlight just long enough to pick up the solar energy they need to produce the lipids to go through photosynthesis.

O'BRIEN: The algae grows fast and is siphoned off continuously. The algae oil is extracted, ready to be refined into fuels like biodiesel. Kertz says he can produce 100,000 gallons of algae oil per acre per year. Compare that to corn, which yields about 20 to 30 gallons an acre. And the Vertigro facility is a long way from the corn belt, in the desert near El Paso, the perfect place.

KERTZ: If we took about a tenth of the state of New Mexico and converted it into algae production alone, OK, we could do all the transportation needs for the United States.

O'BRIEN: Kertz and his team are working full throttle, looking for and patenting the ideal algaes to make fuels. And who knows? Maybe even an energy drink.

KERTZ: Kind of refreshing.

O'BRIEN (on camera): That's not bad, yes.

(voice-over): If Vertigro pans out as Kertz predicts, we may all be raising our glasses to once lowly pond scum.

Miles O'Brien, CNN, El Paso, Texas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: And a quarter past the hour. Here's some of the stories we're working on in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Police say that they found the suspected getaway vehicle used by an escaped prisoner. He allegedly overpowered a guard, took his gun, used it in a morning escape from a Laurel, Maryland hospital. 45- year-old Kelvin Poke serving life for kidnapping and carjacking is still on the run this hour.

And as many as 49 people have been taken to hospitals after a Greyhound bus collided with a tractor trailer truck in North Carolina. It happened this morning some 40 miles north of Raleigh-Durham. None of the injuries are considered life-threatening.

Word from Capitol Hill this afternoon, the long-time Democratic Congressman Tom Lantos of California will retire after serving 14 terms in office. Lantos, the only Holocaust survivor to serve in Congress has cancer of the esophagus.

MARCIANO: Well, no shortage of fireworks for this first full day of trading of the new year, including oil prices that touched $100 a barrel. Susan Lisovicz live at the New York Stock Exchange with the latest on all the numbers.

Hello again, Susan.

(BUSINESS HEADLINES)

MARCIANO: You know, all this bad news, I thought you were going to talk about, like, going to an island or something, that's what you told me last time. You were going to talk about cheap trips to an island somewhere.

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, I want to. I really want to talk about it, Rob.

MARCIANO: And?

LISOVICZ: It's just that hard news got in the way.

MARCIANO: Oh, I hate when that happens.

LISOVICZ: And we might be able to get to it in the next hour.

MARCIANO: All right, all right, well, we'll rush through it so we can speak back to you.

Susan Lisovicz live at the New York Stock Exchange. Thanks, Susan.

PHILLIPS: As you know, a number of the presidential candidates in Iowa right now, trying to convince those undecided voters to take on their camp. Right now, Barack Obama speaking live. We'll check in on him after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Straight to Coralville, Iowa. Barack Obama, presidential candidate, stumping for votes. Let's listen in.

SEN. BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: But let me just say this, if you are not going to caucus for me, then still caucus for somebody. I know that some of you, you know, you may have made a commitment four or five months ago to somebody else and now you're regretting it.

You're saying, oh, I should have gone with Barack, but I don't know how to tell the guy that I'm going with the other person. I understand that. There's nothing wrong with loyalty, a little bit. So, if you're stuck with the other person, then make me your second choice.

Make me your second choice. I still want your support. But no matter what, go caucus. Iowa, you have this unique privilege, this unique possibility of impacting who is going to be the next leader of the free world. More than anyone else on the planet, you have an effect on that, exercise it.

It will only take a couple of hours and you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you've performed one of the most important functions in our democracy. So, please give my organizers a big round of applause. I'm going to put them back to work. Thank you guys. Thank you! Thank you!

PHILLIPS: Presidential candidate, Barack Obama, there stumping for votes, trying to convince the undecided voters to join his camp. A number of the candidates doing that right now as we approach the Iowa caucuses. We've been talking about it all morning and afternoon. We're trying to monitor as many events as possible and give equal airtime to all.

MARCIANO: Coming up next, we're going to talk with those kids, aren't we?

PHILLIPS: Yes, we are. OK, can you -- how young were you when you realized you wanted to get into this business?

MARCIANO: I don't know, about 40.

PHILLIPS: Well, these two are nine, and they are way ahead of you. And they've talked to more presidential candidates than you and I have, combined. Look at them. I love it, although I think Remy wants to be a Nascar driver. We're going to have to talk to him about that.

MARCIANO: Oh, then I want to talk to him. Lets get 'er done.

PHILLIPS: You'll talk to him. All right guys, we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, covering a presidential campaign isn't easy, especially if you're nine years old. Last week in Iowa, a young reporter for "Scholastic News" seriously got the brush-off from Chelsea Clinton. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SYDNEY RIECKHOFF, SCHOLASTIC NEWS: She said, I'm really sorry, but I can't do questions from the press. She was really pretty and she looked really nice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, fifth graders Makayla Reuppel and Remy Nanthanorath are also "Scholastic" kids who are covering the Iowa caucuses. And they join me from Des Moines, Iowa.

Hi, you guys.

MAKAYLA REUPPEL & REMY NANTHANORATH, SCHOLASTIC KID REPORTERS: Hi.

PHILLIPS: Now, Remy, Makayla -- Makalya let me start with you. You haven't gotten the brush-off from anybody, have you?

REUPPEL: No.

PHILLIPS: What about you, Remy?

NANTHANORATH: No.

PHILLIPS: No. That's because you guys are so cute, that's why. And, you ask such great questions. All right, I know both of you had a chance to interview Mitt Romney.

Makayla, what did you ask presidential candidate, Mitt Romney?

REUPPEL: What was your idea on safety for toys?

PHILLIPS: Oh, wow. And what did he tell you?

REUPPEL: He said that he would be making sure that they would be in America until they could settle it in China.

PHILLIPS: And why did you think that was an important question to ask him?

REUPPEL: Because a lot of kids could get lead poisoning from the paint if they, like, put their mouth on the toy or something.

PHILLIPS: Very good, you've been watching CNN as well, too.

All right, Remy. I know you had a chance to ask Mitt Romney a question as well. As a matter of fact, we've got this picture of you. You've got the question written out, very clearly, on your little note card. Tell me what you asked him.

NANTHANORATH: Why should my parents vote for you?

PHILLIPS: And was that question your idea or did your parents want you to ask that question?

NANTHANORATH: It was my idea.

PHILLIPS: All right. What did he say to you?

NANTHANORATH: He said to me that ...

PHILLIPS: Were you so nervous that you don't even remember what he said?

NANTHANORATH: No. PHILLIPS: Do you remember?

NANTHANORATH: No.

PHILLIPS: No. That's OK. Maybe we should talk about your favorite NASCAR driver. I know you want to be a NASCAR driver. We'll get back to that, Remy, in a second. Seriously this is a great program. You guys are mingling with all of these big-wigs, these presidential candidates. Tell me, Makayla, why you wanted to become part of this program? Why you wanted to become a part of the young press?

REUPPEL: So I could learn about the candidates and what they are saying that they'll do if they become president.

PHILLIPS: Very good.

REUPPEL: So I could get more into it.

PHILLIPS: Good. Very good. That says a lot -- I tell you what, I wish every 9-year-old would want to learn as much as you want to learn about the presidential candidates. Remy, what about you? Why did you sign up and want to become a young reporter?

NANTHANORATH: Because I wanted to learn about the candidates and ...

PHILLIPS: What do you think you've learned so far that's been the most interesting? It can be anything. Anything at all.

NANTHANORATH: Let me think.

PHILLIPS: Do you want to think about it?

NANTHANORATH: Yes.

PHILLIPS: You think about it for a second. Now, Makayla, you had a chance to interview Hillary Clinton as well. What did you ask her?

REUPPEL: I can't remember because I've done so many.

PHILLIPS: You didn't take notes or tape-record?

REUPPEL: We did, but I kind of forgot what I asked.

PHILLIPS: OK. That's all right. Well, did you ask any tough questions of any of the candidates, or questions you thought were tough?

REUPPEL: I don't think we asked any tough questions, but maybe one or two.

PHILLIPS: Like what?

REUPPEL: Like when we said about the gas or something like that, they kind of had to think for a little bit. PHILLIPS: Oh, yes. Why we have such high gas prices, right?

REUPPEL: Yes.

PHILLIPS: All right, Remy, I gave you a moment to think there. You tell me -- did you ask any tough questions, or did you have a favorite question, or maybe a favorite moment so far dealing with these candidates?

NANTHANORATH: No.

PHILLIPS: You could care less. Is that what you're telling me? That's OK, it's going to look good on your resume, Remy, I promise. All right, guys. Final question -- is there somebody that you would like to see to this point, from the candidates you've met with, someone that you definitely would like to see as president? Makayla?

REUPPEL: No. I think they're all good.

PHILLIPS: OK. So you'd be happy with any of them?

REUPPEL: Yes.

PHILLIPS: Remy, what about you?

NANTHANORATH: I'm happy with all of them, too.

PHILLIPS: OK. Well, I'll tell you what, I want you guys to keep working on your journalistic skills. All right? You let us know who the next big interview is for you. Maybe you can come back and tell us more. At least we can read some of your notes or maybe listen to some of the recordings. What do you say? Bring a video camera next time. Does that sound all right?

REUPPEL: Yes.

PHILLIPS: OK. Makayla and Remy, thank you for joining me. It's neat. I was reading about this program. The Scholastic Kid Reporters. You know, it's just to learn the tricks of the trade and writing.

MARCIANO: And they're not paid.

PHILLIPS: They're not paid. You know ...

MARCIANO: They learned lesson number one. You didn't hear them talk badly about any one particular candidate. They want to be able to get the sound bite going forward.

PHILLIPS: They didn't say anything negative.

MARCIANO: Not every hard-charging journalist is comfortable with being interviewed. So, I think that may be a little bit about their skittishness. Anyway, they're cute and it's a great program.

Who's this guy? Who's this one? How about him? We're going to ...

PHILLIPS: Makayla and Remy can tell you.

MARCIANO: You know what? They probably would know. We're going to find out why some of these candidates have an identity crisis. Stay with us for that story.

And also. they say that diamonds are a girl's best friend. Some say it's a marketing ploy. But for a couple of soon-to-be newlyweds they can thank the New England Patriots perfection for their perfectly priced wedding gift. CNN NEWSROOM will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MARCIANO: Well, in New England, a couple of soon to be newlyweds have their local NFL team to thank for their more low cost effect (ph) wedding. A jewelry store is honoring its offer for a full purchase refunds following the Patriots perfect regular season. Amalia Barreda from CNN affiliate WCVB has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AMALIA BARREDA, WCVB REPORTER: How do you feel about your free ring?

LINDSAY DONAGHY, NEWLY ENGAGED: I feel unbelievable. He actually wanted to take it to get it engraved 16-0 on the inside. He told me it's more of a symbol of our wedding as the Patriots making history.

BARREDA: Lindsay, and her fiance Stephen Shamoian and the New England Patriots are forever connected, thanks to a deal offered by Shavarsh Jewelers in Worcester. It is stamped on the receipt for the wedding band they purchased just before the December 9th deadline.

A 100 percent refund if the Patriots were undefeated in the regular season. For this young couple, a $1,260 cash refund they can now spend on their summer wedding.

STEPHEN SHAMOIAN, DONAGHY'S FIANCE: It was more fun than anything because it's something that I knew I was going to have to buy and I love the Patriots. I love football.

BARREDA: The couple admits that as the season wore on it got a bit stressful.

SHAMOIAN: I remember the Baltimore game we were watching it in the living room, just us two. She took off, went to bed. I got to a point where I shut it off, walked around the house for a little bit.

DONAGHY: I didn't handle it very well. I was a mess. I kept saying, I'm so sorry.

BARREDA: The jewelry story is closed today. The owner could not be reached for comment. She is just 19-years-old, took the business over from her father, and reportedly is a Patriots fan who has been rooting for them to win. In fact, Shavarsh has a new offer -- if the Patriots win the Super Bowl, customers will get store credit equal to the value of any purchase between now and then. Confident the Patriots will go all the way, the couple says they will be returning to the store to buy his wedding ring.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MARCIANO: That was Amalia Barreda of WCVB our affiliate out that way. We're told the store owner has been smart enough to get event insurance so it wont them a bundle just in case the Patriots pulled it off. I got to scoot, but Kyra is sticking around. The next hour of the CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.voxant.com