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The Romney Strategy; Kenya: The Healing; Humanitarian Killed in Sudan

Aired January 04, 2008 - 14:00   ET

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

ROB MARCIANO, CNN ANCHOR: No matter how you look at it, the winter storm bearing down on California is brutal. I'm talking winds you might see in a Cat 3 hurricane. Snow pilling up by the foot.
We're in the thick of it.

PHILLIPS: Why would a kid from Buffalo, New York, dedicate his life to brining peace to Sudan? We're going to ask John Granville's mother days after his murder in Khartoum.

It's an interview you'll see only on CNN.

Hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.

MARCIANO: And I'm Rob Marciano, in today for Don Lemon.

And you're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Iowa has spoken, but now it's just a memory. Today the presidential hopefuls in both parties are off and running in New Hampshire less than 24 hours after Iowa voters reset the race in dramatic ways.

Democrat Barack Obama is basking in the glow of his convincing Iowa victory over John Edwards and Hillary Clinton. Republican Mike Huckabee is vowing to build on his victory as well.

But there's no time for any candidate to reflect on what worked or what went wrong in the heartland. The New Hampshire primary is just four days away.

And Republican Mitt Romney poured a ton of money into Iowa only to win the silver, as he says, but he says New Hampshire will be a different story.

Our Mary Snow is following Romney through the Granite State.

She joins us live now from Manchester.

Mary, how much of a setback was Iowa to Mitt Romney?

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Rob, this is certainly not how the Romney campaign had envisioned things. They were really banking on winning both Iowa and New Hampshire. And as you said, Mitt Romney had poured millions, some of it his own money, into his campaign, and has said that he had spent more time campaigning in these early states than his Republican rivals.

He'd been the well-established front-runner for a long time before Mike Huckabee, the up-and-coming rival, really punched a hole in his lead and had this upset. Mitt Romney is saying that Mike Huckabee won because he was able to get out the vote among evangelicals. He's calling his finish in Iowa strong.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, we won the silver, and congratulations to Governor Huckabee for winning the gold. Nice job, but, you know, just as Jan Jansen pointed out, you win the silver in one event, it doesn't mean you're not going to come back and win the gold in the final event, and that's what we're going to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNOW: Winning the gold here could be in jeopardy because, just like Iowa, Romney had been the front-runner, but now he's in a dead heat with John McCain, who has been surging in recent weeks. And the pressure really is on Mitt Romney to turn out a victory here, although he has been talking about looking on to further states -- Rob.

MARCIANO: Well, Mary, in Iowa, it seems like, at least late in the game, Mitt's strategy was to go on the attack, putting out attack ads and that sort of thing, only winning the silver there. Is he now looking at a different strategy for New Hampshire?

SNOW: You know, he even said this morning that he is going to be aggressive and, you know, he has launched in recent days another ad targeting John McCain. Mitt Romney is not calling these attack ads. He calls them contrast ads, but certainly he's gained so much attention when even John McCain and Mike Huckabee have called them desperate attempts.

So he's gotten so much attention for that, but he continues to say that he's going to be aggressive. And the other important point for Mitt Romney is that he said he's going to rely on his financial resources, not just from contributors, but his own money, which he has to pour into this.

And he also is repeatedly mentioning states beyond here, particularly Michigan where his father had been governor. And he's really hoping to secure some victories there.

But this is certainly not the scenario that the campaign had been banking on. It spent so much money on in the past year.

MARCIANO: Well, it's certainly getting more interesting, isn't it, to say the least.

SNOW: Absolutely.

MARCIANO: Mary Snow live for us in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Mary, try to get a little rest. You've been working very hard. Thanks very much.

SNOW: Thanks.

MARCIANO: Well, if you want to see what your favorite candidate is saying on the trail, tune into CNN.com. Our Web site will stream campaign events as they come into CNN all day long.

And to see all the Iowa results, go to cnnpolitics.com. It's your one-stop shop for the New Hampshire primary, too.

PHILLIPS: Well, oil at $100 a barrel, subprime mortgage crisis, and also higher unemployment figures. The president met with his economic advisors today and he gave these comments just a few minutes ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I just had a fascinating and productive meeting with the President's Working Group on Financial Markets chaired by Secretary Paulson. I want to thank the members for working diligently to monitor our capital market system, our financial system.

And while there is some uncertainty, the report is that the financial markets are strong and solid. And I want to thank you for being diligent.

This economy of ours is on a solid foundation, but we can't take economic growth for granted. And there are signs that cause us to be evermore diligent and make sure that good policies come out of Washington.

For example, we've had 52 straight months of job creation, but job growth slowed last month. The core inflation is low, but U.S. consumers are paying more for gasoline and for food.

Consumer spending is strong, yet the values in many of the homes in America are beginning to decline. And -- which leads me to say to the American people, for those of you who are paying more and are worried about your home, we understand that. That's why we have an aggressive policy to help credit-worthy people stay in their homes.

The Congress and the president have got to work together when they come back to, one, make sure taxes remain low. If there are -- if the foundation is strong, yet indicators are mixed, the worst thing that Congress can do is raise taxes on the American people and on American businesses.

Secondly, we've got to understand that if we are worried about gasoline prices, we ought to expand refineries here in the United States, and we ought to explore for oil and gas an environmentally friendly ways in the United States.

As I mentioned to the secretary -- and Secretary Jackson are leading an initiative on housing, on a vote now -- but there's legislation that can be passed to make it easier for people to refinance their homes. And so when Congress comes back, I look forward to working with him to deal with the economic realities of the moment and to assure the American people that we'll do everything we can to make sure we remain a prosperous country.

Thanks very much.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: What's the president of the United States want to do about the ailing economy? He met with his economic advisors today. One of the issues, gas prices, of course.

We saw oil at $100 a barrel. Right now live at the New York Stock Exchange, Dow Industrials down 210 points. The president talking about -- also talking about the subprime mortgage crisis and news today that came out of the higher unemployment figures.

We will continue to follow up on those conversations he has with his economic experts. He's supposed to make some type of big announcement as well in his State of the Union Address. We'll follow it.

MARCIANO: Meanwhile, California is getting hammered by a nasty storm there. They are going to see blizzard conditions in the Sierra.

Emergency shelters are open and snow plows are trying to reach stranded motorists. Adding to the misery, ferocious winds toppling trees and power lines. In southern California, the big worry is mudslides, especially in areas that were charred by last year's wildfires.

(WEATHER REPORT)

PHILLIPS: New pictures now of a 21-year-old woman missing since New Year's Day in the north Georgia mountains. The search for Meredith Emerson now covers some 400 square miles of rough terrain.

Though the weather is slowly getting warmer, police want to find both Emerson and a man seen walking and talking with her on Freeman (ph) Trail on Blood Mountain. Sixty-one-year-old Gary Michael Hilton (ph) is being called a person of interest.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KIMBERLY VERDONE, UNION COUNTY, GA., SHERIFF'S DEPT.: The description of him, we've had more people that have called him and said, yes, that is the gentleman that was actually seen talking to her. So that's what we're following up.

And it's not that, you know, he's a suspect. He is somebody that was last seen talking to her, last seen with her. We just want to know, where was the last time he saw her and what their conversation was right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP) PHILLIPS: Well, the past two nights have been bitterly cold, well below freezing. Emerson's friends describe her as very athletic, with a good head on her shoulders and very much at home in the outdoors.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JULIA KARRENBAUER, FRIEND OF MISSING HIKER: We think that, you know, it's a terrain in which she's very familiar with. At the minimum, she's been hiking it for the past three years. So we think that it was kind of a rather simple day hike, and nothing more than that.

Where some of the officials have bone has been more treacherous, especially with the weather and the snow and things like that. But on her original day hike plan, my guess is, you know, the snow wasn't -- wasn't going to be a factor.

She did know that it was going to be windy. She did tell a friend that if she was going to go up, she was concerned a little bit about the wind.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, those winds grounded a search helicopter yesterday. Emerson's parents flew to Georgia from Colorado to join in that search.

MARCIANO: A U.S. diplomat killed in Sudan, an exclusive CNN interview. We're going to meet the mother of John Granville, gunned down Tuesday in the streets of Khartoum.

PHILLIPS: And from Pakistan, movement in the Benazir Bhutto probe. Experts from Britain show up to help sort things out.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MARCIANO: New video streaming into the CNN NEWSROOM.

You're looking at shots from Soda Springs, California. Clearing the roads there. That's near Interstate 80, just west of Truckee, where they are just getting hammered with this storm coming in to California. Blizzard warnings are posted for much of the Sierra.

Please send us your I-Reports, too, to supplement our coverage here. I-Reports are at CNN.com/ireports, or just type "I-Reports" into your cell phone.

PHILLIPS: 2:15 Eastern Time. Here's some of the other stories that we're working on right now in the CNN NEWSROOM.

An overnight standoff in suburban Atlanta ended today with a suspect dead and two police officers recovering from gunshot wounds. Police are not saying how that alleged gunman died.

The Diamond Pet food company will pay more than $3 million to settle a lawsuit charging the company produced toxic dog food. In the settlement, the company says it did nothing illegal but admits that plant workers did not follow testing procedures. Dozens of dogs died.

And more drama and legal trouble for Britney Spears, who was hospitalized last night following another dispute with former husband Kevin Federline. Police say that Spears appeared to be under the influence of something at the time, further complicating her continuing legal battle for custody of her two small children.

MARCIANO: East Africa, some countries there are lawless, some have no working government. But in recent years, the world could at least count on Kenya for some stability, some firm political foundation. But not lately.

The recent presidential votes sent Kenya into a tailspin of violence and nationwide unrest. It's a little bit calmer today, but it's going to take some hard work of a different type to restore peace there.

CNN's Paula Newton is live in Nairobi for us.

Paula, what does it feel like on the ground today?

PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, it may be calmer here in Nairobi, but we just returned from the edge of the Rift Valley. It's about a three-hour drive here in the northwest, and there, Rob, unfortunately, humanitarian crisis is unfolding.

What we witnessed were thousands who were running from the burning, looting and the murdering that was going on in the outlying rural areas. They are taking shelter in this town. There is no food, medicine or water.

What the town has they are trying to give them. For instance, today there was no food distribution. They also have no idea when they will be able to go back to their homes. Having said that, some of their homes have been burned down.

And yet here in Nairobi, Rob, it kind of feels like they are all in kind of a state of denial. Yesterday we confronted the government and we said, look, we hear this is unfolding, and they said everything was under control.

We went there for ourselves today to see this. It was not under control, not by a long shot.

We had people pleading with us. A pastor who opened up a church for us and said, look, I have blankets and beans -- I need more. And he was calling on the international community to do more.

Rob, Assistant Secretary of State Jendayi Frazier is here now. She has arrived this evening. She will be meeting with the government tomorrow morning. That's what we are being told.

But the government has told us again that their stance remains the same. They do not feel that international intervention is needed in terms of the conciliation efforts with the opposition. Short answer, Rob, there seems no end to this anytime soon.

MARCIANO: You know, we didn't have the video present, but earlier I was watching some of your peace where you were out -- you were just out in the middle of this mayhem, of the protesters going up against the government. You're a mother. I mean, were you scared in the middle of all of that?

NEWTON: That is a very tough question. I have to say that when you're in that position -- and many people, many of us here at CNN do it day in and day out. Thankfully, I don't do it day in and day out. Your instincts take over at that point in time and you really get wrapped up in the cause here.

You feel a lot anger, you know, from your husband, but other than that, when you're in the middle of it that's what you're thinking about. And believe me, when you see the people that I saw today in these displaced camps, you feel very lucky and privileged to be able to tell their stories when you get back here, and that is what's going on.

People need to know that the government doesn't have a handle on the figures about how many people are displaced here, and they do not have a handle on the aid situation. We went up and down this road, Rob. We don't see any aid trucks. And they told us point blank, we don't have any aid coming here.

The situation at the camp is under control for right now, but they've really only been there for three or four days so far. I've seen this happen in camps before. Things on a hair trigger really go downhill very quickly.

The children start to get sick, dysentery starts to set in. It is a humanitarian crisis.

MARCIANO: You've put it all in perspective there, and we certainly want you to be safe, along with your husband out there. But continue to bring us those great reports.

Paula Newton live for us in Nairobi.

Thanks, Paula.

PHILLIPS: She's doing great work.

Well, terrorism experts from Britain now in Pakistan to help with the Benazir Bhutto probe. Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf says the outsiders won't be allowed on a wild goose chase.

With more for us now, CNN's Matthew Chance -- Matthew.

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

Well, five members of a Scotland Yard forensic team arrived in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, earlier today to start their briefings before they really get to grips with their part of the investigation into the killing last week of the former Pakistani prime minister, Benazir Bhutto. They come into a great deal of controversy here because there's still no real cause of death that's been given, strangely enough, for Benazir Bhutto.

It's not clear whether she was shot or whether she died as a result of a shrapnel injury when the explosion took place last week, or whether she banged her own head, which is the official line, on her vehicle as she attempted to escape the suicide attack. The forensic teams from Scotland Yard will be questioning witnesses. They will be visiting the place in Rawalpindi, just outside Islamabad, where the suicide attack took place, but they won't have an autopsy to work from.

The family of Benazir Bhutto have refused that. And so this is going to be problematic for their investigation.

It's controversial as well that they're here, because previously the Pakistani president said he wouldn't want any outside influence, but he has been -- any outside help in the investigation, but he has been coming under a great deal of pressure, particularly from Benazir Bhutto's family and her political party, saying that they don't trust his government to really get to the bottom of who and why Benazir Bhutto was killed.

PHILLIPS: All right. Musharraf has already hinted at limitations facing the investigators, right? But how much can they realistically be expected to accomplish in the relationship between the two and how deep they can get inside that investigation?

CHANCE: Well, it's not clear at all, Kyra. Certainly, what President Musharraf has made clear is that the Pakistani agencies, the law enforcement agencies, the Secret Service here, will still be in charge of the investigation. The team from Scotland Yard are very much here as a backup technical role to provide the forensic expertise that they have.

As I mentioned, they will be permitted to visit the scene in Rawalpindi where Benazir Bhutto was assassinated. They will be permitted to talk to witnesses, but, again, they won't have that autopsy because one hasn't been done in order to draw any perhaps definite final conclusions -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Matthew Chance live from Pakistan.

Thanks, Matthew.

MARCIANO: A smiling face, a career of service, and a life cut short. This American diplomat died violently while serving overseas. Today his grieving mother has something to say.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BUSINESS REPORT)

PHILLIPS: Well, those political blogs heat up after the Iowa caucuses. We're going to find out what they are saying as the presidential race turns to New Hampshire.

Plus, we're going to take a look at some of your I-Reports.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MARCIANO: Well, ask anyone who knows John Granville and they'll tell you he was born to help people less fortunate. Selfless work in countries where families starve, young people die and children often just don't stand a chance.

Now, these are some happy pictures of John Granville, but his his family is in New York and they're not happy today. John and another man were shot dead in the capital of Sudan this week. Who did it and why is still a mystery, but we're putting that part of the story aside at least for a moment here, to talk more about his life and about the people who love him. This is Jane Granville, John's mother, joining me now from Angola, New York.

Mrs. Granville, I know it's been a trying time for you. How are you holding up?

JANE GRANVILLE, JOHN GRANVILLE'S MOTHER: Well, I said the least that I can be is strong because that's what John would have wanted. He would want us to celebrate his life, and that's what we're trying to do.

MARCIANO: Well, we appreciate you doing that. I do want to touch briefly on some news that just came in in the last hour of CNN, an Islamic group relatively unheard is taking credit for what happened to your son and his Sudanese colleague. Right now, there's no real official word from the State Department and CNN can't confirm it, but what's your reaction to that if this was an Islamic group that may have killed your son?

GRANVILLE: I have no interest in even discussing that. That is not going to help bring John back or his driver, and I really, that is of no interest to me.

MARCIANO: Well, let's talk about John. What kind of work was your son doing over in Sudan?

GRANVILLE: I think it was very important for people to know that John was a humanitarian first. He loved Africa. He loved the people of Africa. He believed that he was a guest in their country and a friend of mine went and visited John for three weeks, and she said that is how he treated everyone. He was a guest in their country, so John did humanitarian work. He did conflict mediation and peace- keeping negotiations in Darfur.

MARCIANO: Dangerous work, though, I mean, at least in the northern part of that country, certainly very dangerous. Did he ever express to you that his life was in danger working over there?

GRANVILLE: No, he would never -- he would never. We -- I did discuss his safety all the time, and he said, mom, I want you to listen to me. I am doing what I love every day of my life. How many people could ever say that? I get up, I go to work, and I try to make a little difference, and I love what I'm doing, so that was John's answer.

MARCIANO: Does that -- as a mom, does that give you any sort of comfort today?

GRANVILLE: What gives me comfort is all the support and love that I have received from everyone throughout the world.

MARCIANO: When did -- you certainly have the support of the CNN family. You know, full disclosure, Mary Lynn Ryan, a close friend to you and the family there, runs the Southeast Bureau here out of CNN and she's really pulled the CNN family close into this story and we really feel a part of it.

Tell me about when your son expressed interests in other countries. Was it as a child, was it in college? When did he take up this mission for selfless work?

GRANVILLE: In high school, he took one of those, you know, one of the student trips. He went to Europe, and he got the traveling bug at that time, and he went to a Jesuit high school, he went to Kenishus (ph) High School, and he learned at a young age and from the Jesuits that you give back, and John believed in that 100 percent. So I -- I guess, in answer to your question, in high school.

MARCIANO: In high school and that interest certainly grew as he became a young man. He became a diplomat at such a young age, it's really astounding to me. You've got to be proud of that.

GRANVILLE: I was proud of every single thing John did. That's why I need to stay strong, and I have always supported John in every single thing that he did because John followed every dream he ever dreamt. The harder the challenge, he was going for it and he did.

MARCIANO: Other than being a diplomat, what do you want the rest of the world to know about your son?

GRANVILLE: What a wonderful, wonderful person that John was and as a mother, from the day I brought him into this world, I knew that there was something very special about John.

MARCIANO: Well, we are sad today along with you for his loss, but we are grateful for his service representing our country and helping out the folks over there in Sudan. It doesn't go without notice, and the CNN family here, Mrs. Granville, certainly has -- our thoughts and prayers are with you. Stay strong. Thanks for joining us.

GRANVILLE: Thank you, and my love to Mary Lynn for her help.

MARCIANO: OK, I'll pass it along.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Iowa has spoken, but now it's just a memory. Today the presidential hopefuls in both parties are off and running in New Hampshire, less than 24 hours after Iowa voters reset the race in dramatic ways. Democrat, Barack Obama, basking in the glow of his convincing Iowa victory over John Edwards and Hillary Clinton. Republican, Mike Huckabee, vowing to build on his Iowa victory as well. But there's no time for any candidates to reflect on what worked or what went wrong in the heartland. The New Hampshire primary is just four days away.

The blogs are buzzing too, a day after the Iowa caucuses. Our Josh Levs checks in with more on that plus some I-Reports and a fact check.

Hey, Josh.

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Kyra.

Are you telling me the Iowa caucuses were last night?

PHILLIPS: Yes, who would miss that right?

LEVS: I totally missed that. Who won?

PHILLIPS: Yes, we've been up for 24 hours, watching it all.

LEVS: I have a feeling this little portion of Americans weighing on the presidential race actually did get some attention. What do you think? All right, lets take a look. I want you all to understand, when you go and vote, it's generally a private thing, right. So when you stop and look at the photos I'm going to show you right now, you'll see how striking it is, I mean in a lot of ways, this is an anomaly in U.S. politics. This is what we've got here, I-Reporters sending us photos from the scene when they took part in the Iowa caucuses last night.

So people, especially a lot of young people, did attract of young people last night, texting and e-mailing each other all night. Well, you know what? They were also snapping photos of each other, so random people who went to weigh in on the presidential race in Iowa are now recorded for history because I-Reporters snapped their shots, sent them over here to cnn.com. We've got that going all day. And we were taking a look and so many came from young people.

We found that Facebook has 77 political groups just for the Iowa caucuses. And there's a similar story in New Hampshire. And, you know, the political activity of young caucus-goers was really a big boost to Barack Obama last night. Our stats are showing he picked up six out of ten people in the 17 to 29 age range. So, lots of young people there. You know it was early this year, which meant a lot of people were off from college instead of being back at school, they could take part in it.

All right, now a lot of you are also telling us your caucus experiences at cnn.com. And what I want to do now is show you a couple of them, because this really emphasizes, just as I was saying an anomaly, how unusual this is in the U.S. political experience. Let's start to this one. It comes to us from Maggie. She says, "My caucus experience was phenomenal...I spent two and a half hours discussing everything from feminist politics to YouTube with an art history professor and a former county attorney. I've never been more excited about politics than I was tonight."

I mean, if you just absorb that for a second, that's politics in Iowa, sitting there for two and a half hours talking about feminist politics, and other things, because that's how the caucus system works.

Another one here from Tom reminds us of an angle that's important here. "What gets lost in the reporting are the tiny victories...The behind the scenes drama between the first and second votes is a chess match, with blocs of "nonviable" voters extracting concessions in exchange for their votes for viable candidates."

And that's the kind of thing we're hearing about, that there were times that these groups got together and started working out trades, sometimes even threats saying, hey we'll go support that guy unless you give us a couple of your people. You can really get a sense of what it was like to be inside one of these caucuses, Kyra, by checking out cnn.com. The photos, I-Reports, the videos and there you go, also the stories people are sending us.

PHILLIPS: So how did you track all the delegate counts?

LEVS: Right, yes and that's important, too, the delegate counts. Because this is something a lot of people don't realize. Yes, absolutely. For example, on the Democratic side, Barack Obama was the winner. But when you look at the actual delegates, they are pretty much getting the exact same number, all three of the top ones. So, what you can do to see this, just go to cnn.com, click on the election center and when you're there you're able to track every day, how many candidates or how many delegates each candidate has.

And so far right I'll tell you right now, Hillary Clinton is in the lead because of this system, which we explained there. She has 169 delegates, Obama 66, Edwards 47. Now, you need a couple thousand to win so obviously nobody is there yet. But, you can track that every day, cnn.com, at the very top, you can't miss it. Just click on the election center. You can track them every step of the way. How do you like that, Kyra?

PHILLIPS: All right. Josh Levs, thanks so much.

LEVS: You got it.

PHILLIPS: All right.

MARCIANO: A Georgia man is dead, two police officers hurt after a standoff that dragged through the night in suburban Atlanta. Police say they were trying to serve an arrest warrant at a house in Gwinnett County when a man opened fire and barricaded himself inside. He was found dead a few hours later. A spokeswoman said, it's not clear how the suspect died. Both officers are expected to live. Well not a terrorist, just a weapons dealer. But apparently, quite ambitious. Look at this. That's the word from the police in New York. They say an arsenal found at the home of a man in Queens reads something like this, 20,000 rounds of ammo, an AR-15 assault rifle, a Belgian-made machine gun and a slew of pistols including 40 combat knives. Also found, bulletproof vests and police-style radios. Police say they are happy that this guy is finally off the streets.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MILES MAHADY, NEW YORK POLICE: I don't know if you would like to be sitting in traffic beside a guy with an AR-15 and 800 rounds. I wouldn't. Lower Manhattan, there's a lot of people, you can you move quickly in a car. With that sort of firepower in the car, it's particularly scary.

JOHN LIU, NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL: Thank God, for everybody in this city and in Flushing, that they caught this guy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARCIANO: The arrested man's name is Seui Chong (ph). Police say they mean to find out who his customers were. They want to find that out so they can track this guy down, or at least his customers.

PHILLIPS: Well, we're following that. And also, here are some other things that all of you are clicking on to on cnn.com. Some of our most viewed videos today include the search for a Dallas area man who is suspected of killing his two teenage daughters. Their bodies were found in the taxi cab that he owned.

And then doctors in New York say that they have never seen anything like it. A window washer who fell nearly 500 feet off a scaffold last month is awake and talking. Truly a miracle.

And something that's not a miracle, Britney Spears. She was taken to a Los Angeles hospital early this morning after a standoff at her house. She's battling her ex-husband again for custody of her two sons.

You can read what happened. Those stories plus weather and a whole lot more at cnn.com.

Jay Leno back on the air and writing his own jokes. It's no laughing matter to striking writers.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MARCIANO: Well, Kevin Federline just left the child custody hearing in Los Angeles. His ex, not there. Britney Spears has been in the hospital after an incident late last night at her home. Los Angeles police say the hospital stay is for her own welfare. She remains there today.

With us live now from Los Angeles, CNN's Kareen Wynter. Kareen, what's the latest word on Britney's condition? KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: You know, Rob, that's really the million dollar question. She's been hospitalized here really all morning. She was brought here to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles late last night, after police officers responded to what they categorized as custody distribute, a family custody distribute involving her two children, Jayden James and Sean Preston.

As we all know, Spears is involved in a bitter legal fight for her children with ex Kevin Federline, and so while the hospital, Rob, isn't commenting on her condition, how she's doing, if she's even still here, we do know from Los Angeles police, as well as also independently confirmed with sources that Spears is being treated here and evaluated for possible substance abuse as well as issues related to mental health.

MARCIANO: All right. Let's talk about the custody issues. Any word on what's going on with Kevin Federline, with attorneys today in court? What's the word on that?

WYNTER: Well, you know, it really sums up just how nasty this fight has become. Federline's attorney wasted no time, Rob, calling this emergency hearing downtown with the commissioner, who has been quite vocal in this case. So far he's been overseeing it, as well as Spears' attorneys, while Spears, of course, wasn't there.

And not much it seems has transpired. Today there was a lot of talking going on behind closed doors. There was a break even at some point where both attorneys went downstairs in that building and said we'd be coming back that they'd be resuming as well later on this afternoon.

It's unclear whether or not there will be a ruling today or any time soon, but this really doesn't bode well for the pop star because the commissioner -- time and time again it seems as if he's been giving her chances. You know, she has limited supervised visitations, and now this just doesn't bode well with him, the fact that there may be alcohol or drugs involved, Rob.

MARCIANO: All right, so Kevin's trying to get the kids, Britney is in the hospital, so where are the kids now? And, what have they been doing through this whole ordeal?

WYNTER: Well, we don't know exactly where they are right now. We do know according to Los Angeles police that after this whole altercation this morning that the kids were placed back in Federline's custody, and of course, they were there at the time this all happened so you can just imagine what kind of effect this must have had on them.

But it's unclear, Rob whether or not the children are with Federline right now or a family member or even the nanny. You see the tabloids and the magazines, and it seems like they spend a lot of time with those nannies, so hopefully they are in a good place.

MARCIANO: Reporting live from Los Angeles on Britney -- actually you know what Kareen, the weather in me, we're talking about this storm from the top of the coast to the bottom. Give us a little weather report there from Los Angeles.

WYNTER: I was wondering and I'm honored to give it to the Rob Marciano. Well, it's not like this umbrella is helping. It is raining. We've been hit with the bad weather, but nothing being the true journalists we all are, we're camped out in front of Cedars and we're waiting for word whenever that comes, but it's so messy.

And it's probably going to continue through the weekend. I'm on Britney duty, though.

MARCIANO: I see that and you got the pink stylish overcoat because of it, but keep that red jacket handy, you might have to break into it as we start some flooding in L.A.

WYNTER: You're right. It's not far, trust me. The gold bag is never far behind.

MARCIANO: That a girl. All right, Kareen. Thanks for that very much. We'll check back with you.

PHILLIPS: The jokes keep coming. Jay Leno is back on the air delivering his monologue despite critical words from striking writers. Leno is a member of the Writers Guild and they say that he violated union rules by writing and delivering his own punch lines. NBC fired back saying material written by the person who delivers it is OK. The Writers Guild Compliance Committee is studying the matter.

MARCIANO: A home is lost, the family saved, it's a mystery man to the rescue. So, who was this perfect stranger?

PHILLIPS: Had he put his pig in a blanket, his house wouldn't have burned down. One homeowner's hard learned lesson.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: An Ohio family's home has burned to the ground, but they are OK thanks to a stranger who vanished before they could even say thanks. Their story from Patrick Bell with affiliate WBNS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PATRICK BELL, WBNS REPORTER: Fire destroyed their Pickaway County home. Their clothes, their furniture, their valuables gone, but still Robert Cleveanger is thankful, thankful for a man he's never met.

ROBERT CLEAVENGER, HOMED BURNED: Whoever the guy is who knocked on my door to tell my family the house is on fire I owe you a beer or two, maybe a 12 pack, the good stuff Heineken. Just get a hold of me, I'll get it for.

BELL: The good samaritan, a motorist who just happened to drive by and see flames, stopped his car and banged on the door until Robert's pregnant wife and two children ages two and four woke up. He gave one child his flannel shirt, so she could stay warm. Then he left without leaving his name or contact information.

Fire fighters say the man did in fact save the Cleavenger family.

CHIEF TERRY GILL, BLOOM TOWNSHIP FIRE DEPARTMENT: She said that once he notified him they did hear the smoke detectors going off, do between the two obviously he was the man.

BELL: Investigators believe the fire was likely caused by an electrical problem in the rear of the home, and since there were no hydrants around, Bloom Township firefighters had to call for mutual aid, and surrounding departments brought their tankers and much-needed water.

Robert, when you saw your house for the first time what was your first thought?

CLEAVENGER: Lost everything. A few things are not replaceable some items of dead relatives, but as long as the wife and kids are fine, and dogs are cool, it's all good. We'll rebuild. I've got friends and family that love me, so I'll just -- if it ain't one thing, it's another. You know what I mean?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Yes. A lot of people know what you mean. Firefighters say that they had trouble getting that fire under control because there weren't any hydrants nearby. Water tankers had to be brought into the scene.

MARCIANO: And another fire story in Florida. Firefighters in St. John's County, Florida, say this house has nearly $50,000 worth of damage thanks in part to the resident pig. The owner apparently tried to keep his pet porker warmed during Wednesday night's freezing temperatures. So, he put the swine on the porch with a space heater.

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