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National Manhunt for Missing Marine Involved in Possible Murder Case; Countrywide Agrees to Buyout: What Does That Mean for You?; Candidates Still Going Strong on the Campaign Trail
Aired January 12, 2008 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would say I would consider him very dangerous at this point. If you were to put him in a bind and I would say to law enforcement, if you stop him, I would use all precautions.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: All precautions for that man, a national manhunt happening right now for this marine. He is the main suspect in a strange suspected murder case. We're it live with all of these twists and turns.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Also, hundreds of thousands of homeowners have plenty of questions after the nation's largest independent mortgage lender agrees to a buyout. Our personal finance editor Gerri Willis tells us what it means for you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. HILLARY CLINTON, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: To end the war ...
RUDY GIULIANI, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We don't desire war ...
SEN. BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: To oppose the war ...
MITT ROMNEY, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We already have a civil war.
JOHN EDWARDS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: End this war.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Yeah that, was last year, a lot of talk about war from the presidential candidates. Well, so far this year, the war is not being talked about as much. We are on the campaign trail this morning from the CNN Center. This is the CNN NEWSROOM. It's Saturday, January 12.
Good morning to you all. I'm T.J. Holmes.
NGUYEN: Hi, good morning everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen. We want to get you caught up on the latest news from around the world.
HOLMES: First here is a strange and sad story here, the case of that missing marine. It's now a murder investigation. All unfolding in North Carolina near Camp Lejeune. Authorities believe Lance Corporal Maria Lauterbach is dead and her body is buried in the backyard of a nearby house.
NGUYEN: You're looking at the scene right now as investigators sift through the dirt on what may be a shallow grave. CNN's Ed Lavandera is in Onslow, County, and Ed, tell us about the search for this body. They've been looking ever since yesterday.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the pictures you can see there, some angles there from the ground. We also have an aerial view of that scene this morning where investigators showed up just a few hours ago to begin resuming the search for the body of Maria Lauterbach.
The sheriff here in Jacksonville, North Carolina, says he's confident that what they will discover there here in the next coming hours is the body of Maria Lauterbach, and that is why he's confident in saying that at this point, this has turned into a murder investigation.
That on top of what they say they've discovered inside the home of a marine Corporal Cesar Laueran. They say there are blood splatter in several rooms of the wall, they believe that the murder took place inside the home.
And the sheriff says that even though in a note that Laueran says Lauterbach committed suicide he doesn't buy that based on what he's seen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERIFF ED BROWN, ONSLOW COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA: There is an area that in the house where the cleanup was attempted and there is a place -- if I'm to be corrected, Mr. Sutherland, where a cleanup didn't appear to be capable of overcoming and was painted, that still -- the lung (ph) and all it presented to that making it more evidence that there must have been a major amount there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAVANDERA: Clearly, what investigators here are saying is that if this indeed were a suicide on Lauterbach's behalf, why would there have been attempts to cover up and then hide the body? So clearly, investigators here don't believe what Laurean has said in this note that he left behind before leaving town.
And as far as in the search for Laurean goes, investigators presume he left the Jacksonville, North Carolina, area around 4:00 a.m. Friday morning in the middle of the night in the darkness. They have no leads on where he might be, and he's originally from Nevada. They're trying to speak with his parents, but outside, despite this nationwide manhunt, there have been no details as to where he might be at this point -- Betty?
NGUYEN: Ed, let me ask you this, what about Laurean's wife, because I understand she may have been a witness to this?
LAVANDERA: Well, it's hard to say if she was a witness. We don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves. But we do know that she is the person who came forward and gave investigators here in Jacksonville, North Carolina, the leads, this all came about very quickly yesterday and the information she brought forward turned investigators onto this apparent crime scene in their house.
We asked the sheriff yesterday if there was any possibility she was involved in any way. They're not saying. They're definitely holding back on anything like that. They're just saying at this point she's a cooperative witness.
NGUYEN: OK, so a cooperative witness, OK. Ed Lavandera joining us live. Thank you, Ed.
HOLMES: Just a short time ago the Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown gave us insight into this investigation. One of the questions a lot of people are wondering about, where is the baby Lauterbach was carrying? Here's what Sheriff Brown told us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BROWN: But I do believe today will answer one question that your station and other stations have been asking and the viewers are asking, what about the eight and a half-month pregnancy of Maria Lauterbach?
HOLMES: Yes, sir.
BROWN: I believe that will be revealed today probably, as the medical examiner and CSI agents unveil the remains in the backyard of Mr. Laurean's residence.
HOLMES: Tell us about the status of that. How long have the remains been removed or how much longer do you expect that work to take today?
BROWN: That process began this morning. It is a very slow, meticulous process, as every little piece of evidence will be examined nearly to the grain of sand or dirt, and I expect it to take to at least noon today.
HOLMES: And the district attorney did say on our air last night that this shallow grave, there was some burning involved and that the body might have been burned. Can you tell us about what condition that body is in and how long it might take for a positive I.D., if in fact the body has been burned?
BROWN: Sir, I can tell you this, we only got a small sample of what that body contained yesterday -- I'm talking about a small sample. The D.A. has given you his statement. I confirm that he is right, that there are burning of that sample that we got. However, it was a small sample from that. The rest of the remain in the area in the cavity has not even been disturbed.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: And of course, we are following all the developments. Fast-moving, really, developments on this story. We could have a big news break on this at any moment, so please keep it here. We'll bring you the latest as we get it.
NGUYEN: Well, in the meantime, President Bush is in Bahrain today. It is the latest stop in his Middle East tour. The president and king of Bahrain were given swords at an elaborate welcome ceremony. Here's some video of that. Raising the sword there. Mr. Bush is the first sitting U.S. president to visit Bahrain. The island hosts a large U.S. Navy fleet and President Bush started the day in Kuwait where he met with U.S. troops and with General David Petraeus, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq.
The president praised the soldiers for their efforts in Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: History will show that those who wore the uniform in the beginning of the 21st century understood the time was true that the ideology that's based upon liberty is necessary for peace, and in this ideological struggle on the short-term we will find and bring the enemy to justice.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Mr. Bush is visiting five Arab nations during his Mid- East tour.
HOLMES: We now will take that turn to politics now. Plenty of contests on the January calendar for the candidates to get ready for. Candidates spread out all over the place today -- Florida, Michigan, Nevada. And wherever they go, the best political team on TV is close behind.
Mary Snow is in Michigan for us, Jim Acosta out in Vegas. Susan Candiotti has everything covered in Florida, and senior political analyst Bill Schneider is getting a little rest back home in Washington. He's keeping an eye on the bigger picture. We're going to start this morning with Mary Snow, she has been with us all morning from Southfield, that is a Detroit, Michigan, suburb.
Good morning to you again, Mary.
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, T.J.
This is the next battleground for Republicans. They have three full days before next Tuesday's primary. Senator John McCain coming to the state today, and he'll be campaigning throughout the day. Really, the focus has been on the economy, with so much concern about a recession in the U.S, it's particularly heartfelt here in Michigan because it's been so hard hit with automakers laying off tens of thousands of workers in recent years, and there is kind of a battle shaping up between Senator John McCain and his chief rival here in this state, Mitt Romney, over just how to fix things here in Michigan.
Senator McCain has been saying that he's telling people the truth, that manufacturing jobs aren't going to be coming back and he is focusing on retraining workers.
Mitt Romney saying this is a very personal fight for him here in Michigan. This is the state where he grew up, and yesterday he had an emotional visit to the state capitol where his father was governor here for six years in the 1960s.
Mitt Romney is saying that he feels it is a defeatist to say jobs can't be brought back here. Some of the things that he's talking about is giving subsidies to technology development and also cutting the capital gains tax to help the economy. He too will be canvassing the state.
Mike Huckabee was here yesterday talking to the Detroit Economic Club. He says that Michigan is almost in a similar position as the Gulf Coast after Katrina, and he feels that the U.S. has to inject help into Michigan to help with the economy here. He spent part of the morning here and now is heading to South Carolina -- T.J.?
HOLMES: Right. Mary Snow for us on the scene there right outside of Detroit. Mary, thank you so much. And she gives us the Republican side there.
But what are the Democrats up to? I'm scared to ask Jim Acosta what he's been up to in Las Vegas this morning, but he's got his eye on the Democrats for us.
Good morning to you, sir.
JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, T.J.
And you can expect to see Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton spending a lot of time here in Las Vegas over the coming days because the next big contest for the Democrats is next Saturday's Nevada caucus, and Hillary Clinton is all of a sudden holding the better cards in this campaign. She's looking to double down after that victory in New Hampshire.
Let's talk about Barack Obama first, the senator from Illinois in town yesterday picking up a key endorsement from the Culinary Workers Union, which represents a lot of casino workers in this town. In his speech to the union yesterday, Obama tried to fire up those workers, many of whom are Hispanic, using the slogan of the old United Farm Workers leader Cesar Chavez, when he said, "Si, se puede," or in English "Yes, we can."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) OBAMA: That's your story, the story of Local 226. That's how dishwashers and hotel workers, cooks and cleaning staff realized their dreams in this desert town. That's how you stood up for a bottom line that didn't just include profits for the few but prosperity for the many, a bottom line that includes a decent wage and affordable health care, and decent benefits and the right to organize for a better future. That's what you've been fighting for. And that's how we're going to win this caucus on Saturday.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: And later today the junior senator from New York, Hillary Clinton, will be addressing a sheet metals worker union here in Las Vegas. She was in California yesterday also making an appeal to Hispanic voters. Clinton was asked about a comment she made just recently about undocumented workers in which she said there is no such thing as a quote "illegal woman."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yesterday you said that there is no illegal woman. What did you mean by that?
CLINTON: What I meant was that at an event in Las Vegas, a man asked me about what I was going to do to help his family, because his wife was undocumented, and he said, my wife, she is an illegal woman. And I said there are no illegal women. There are only people and I want comprehensive immigration reform that will help people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: And while Hispanic voters will be the big enchilada here in Nevada, Hillary Clinton so far in recent days has been focusing on the economy. That was a big thing in her speech yesterday and it is the issue that put her husband in the White House in 1992.
One thing that is also working for her is she is now turning many of her events into almost town hall meetings, and it's a forum that's worked for her in the past and so far seems to be working in these recent days in the campaign -- T.J.?
HOLMES: Yes. We are seeing kind of a new and improved, if you will, some might say, Hillary Clinton since New Hampshire. Jim Acosta out there, enjoy yourself in Vegas. We'll see you again soon.
ACOSTA: Will do.
HOLMES: Of course -- he's a little too excited about that, isn't he? Well, folks, you heard about the race, but what about the issues? Iraq has been a hot-button issue all along, but what effect is it really having on the campaign at hand? That's coming up at the bottom of the hour.
And remember the "CNN BALLOT BOWL." It's back this weekend. Bowl season is not over yet. We'll keep bringing it to you through the Super Tuesday -- Super Duper Tuesday. It's your chance to see the candidates unfiltered on the campaign trail. So tune in today, 2:00 p.m. Eastern.
NGUYEN: It's a great way to see what they're saying specifically about these issues. A lot of times we get the short sound bites and if you see that, you get more than that quick to 20-second tease. So stay tuned for that.
Also though, back in the news again, but not in a good way.
HOLMES: Is it ever a good way?
NGUYEN: That's the problem here. O.J. Simpson once again in handcuffs. What is going on? And listen to this, though, he could spend the next two months in jail before his case is even heard.
HOLMES: Also, a huge Hollywood weekend. Ain't happening this year. The writers strike hurting companies that rely on all that glitz and all that glamour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, 16 minutes past the hour now. Our "Quick Hits," giving you more news in less time. O.J. Simpson back in Las Vegas and back in jail this morning. Prosecutors say he violated the terms of his bail. They say he tried to contact one of the co-defendants in his kidnapping and armed robbery case, excuse me. The attorney denies that Simpson did that. And Simpson could be forced to stay in jail until his trial starts in April.
NGUYEN: Well, six months in jail for disgraced Olympic star Marion Jones. That was the sentence handed down by a federal judge. Jones admitted to taking performance-enhancing drugs and then lied about it to federal investigators. She's supposed to start serving her sentence by March 11th.
And the man who created the Carl's Jr. hamburger chain, well, he died. Carl Karcher turned a $325 investment into a billion-dollar empire. Man! He opened more than 1,000 restaurants in the western U.S. Karcher suffering from Parkinson's disease and was being treated for pneumonia. He was 90-years-old.
HOLMES: Well, Indiana's governor says he's trying to get federal disaster aid for the northern end of that state. Flooding is blamed on at least three deaths in Indiana. Hundreds of homes were damaged, mostly in rural areas.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHARON HENDRICKSON, FLOOD VICTIM: It's horrible because I just retired from teaching school for 41 years, and my life-long dream was to come down to my home where I was raised in this area, and now it looks like it's going to be all destroyed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Well, the National Weather Service says the Tippecanoe River in Carroll County has dropped about five feet from its crest, though.
NGUYEN: It is going to be a busy day for many penal in the middle part of the nation, all cleaning up from this week's storms, and Bonnie, I've got to say, we're not that far into this New Year. Only, what 12 days into it? And man, we've had wicked weather.
(WEATHER REPORT)
NGUYEN: Oh, that's lovely. OK, thank you, Bonnie. Well, enjoy the rest of your weekend, after news like that.
Hey, you've got questions? We have answers. Find out how the buyout of the nation's biggest independent housing lender affects you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Well, the mortgage meltdown leads to a mega merger. Investors are hoping it will help rescue the battered home loan industry.
HOLMES: And our personal finance editor Gerri Willis looks at what it could mean for your mortgage.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Bank of America is buying Countrywide, the nation's largest mortgage lender in a deal worth $4 billion. Now, if you have a Countrywide mortgage -- and I hear from a lot of you who do -- don't worry. Bank of America will likely take over Countrywide mortgages and there will be no difference in where payments go. Loans are bought and sold all the time, and whether it's Countrywide or any other bank that sells loans, you have rights when that happens.
First off, you have a period of 60 days, a grace period to get your money to the right place. Also, you should get a letter from the new lender in just 15 days telling you of any important changes. Most important, the terms of your loan can't change. If you managed to lock in a sweet five percent interest rate a few years ago, it will remain the same. And if you're one of those folks struggling with unmanageable, adjustable-rate loan terms, you may have a better chance negotiating with Bank of America than Countrywide.
Whatever you do, if you have a Countrywide mortgage, don't stop paying because of this week's news. Your mortgage is an asset and your new lender will require that you pay.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Yeah, don't stop paying. That is some key information. And for in-depth coverage of the Countrywide buyout and what it means for homeowners, go to cnnmoney.com.
HOLMES: Well, of course, they are running for president and they are out looking for your support. So what are the big issues on the campaign trail? If you guessed Iraq, guess again. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE CLOONEY, ACTOR: I have never and would never cross the picket line.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Entertainers are backing the writers so there is no awards ceremony this weekend, but some businesses say the strike is hurting more than just Hollywood.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Well, good morning and welcome back, everybody. Here are some of the top stories that we're watching right now. North Carolina. Investigators want to know where this man is. He is the main suspect in the killing of a missing pregnant marine, and police are sifting through a backyard near Camp Lejeune this morning. They believe that's where the marine's body was buried.
Now, we're going to talk with the sheriff. In fact, we did just a short time ago about the search for the suspect in the case.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: At this time, we believe he is involved in her death, very, very involved.
HOLMES: Very involved? I just want to make sure I can take that to believe this is the man who killed her?
BROWN: I don't have a warrant in my hand and I'm not going to step out and tell you. I'm telling you, he is involved and close, very close, when you consider somebody who takes somebody out in the backyard and bury them, I would say that's as close as you can get.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Well, President Bush, meanwhile, in Bahrain. The president arrived there just a couple hours ago after wrapping up his visit in Kuwait. And while in Kuwait, he talked with American soldiers deployed there.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUSH: This government will make sure that our families have a good life with good support when you're deployed overseas.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Well, President Bush also talked about planned troop withdrawals, but left open the possibility that there could be delays.
NGUYEN: Pakistan's president has a message for Washington, and that is hold your horses. President Pervez Musharraf says U.S. forces would be unwelcome if they launched a mission into Pakistan to go after Osama bin Laden or other al Qaeda leaders. U.S. officials believe bin laden may be hiding in the mountains of Pakistan near the Afghan border.
And in an interview with a Singapore newspaper, the Pakistani leader says a U.S. military mission into Pakistan would be against his country's sovereignty.
HOLMES: National security, the economy, Iraq. All these issues on the campaign trail right now, but they're changing in importance. The economy now the number one issue, according to a new CNN Opinion Research Corporation poll. So what does that mean about the importance of Iraq as a campaign issue?
CNN's Tom Foreman takes a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A few months ago the war was all the rage on the campaign trail.
CLINTON: To end the war ...
GIULIANI: We don't desire war.
OBAMA: To oppose the war ...
ROMNEY: We already have a civil war.
EDWARDS: End this war.
FOREMAN: Now the war talk is a whisper of its old self. And in this Sunday's "New York Times" magazine, Harvard professor Noah Feldman has an idea why.
NOAH FELDMAN, HARVARD PROFESSOR: Politicians very much want us to have warm associations with them, and talking about the war is a bit of a downer. There is nothing terribly optimistic, and I think that's probably the first issue.
FOREMAN: More issues -- the war remains enormously unpopular with voters who largely blame President Bush, so Republicans are not eager to bring it up. That makes Ron Paul and John McCain rarities as they keep hammering on it.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If we had done what the democrats wanted to do six months ago, al Qaeda would be trumpeting to the world that they beat us. I'll never let that happen. We'll never surrender.
FOREMAN: Funny thing is, McCain's war stance may have helped propel him to victory in New Hampshire.
(on camera): And he's pointing out the reason most Democratic contenders are keeping quiet. One year after the president announced the troop surge, which Democrats said could not work, it is working. (voice-over): Fatalities for troops and civilians are way down. Iraqi neighborhoods, shops, even the symphony is back in full swing. Dems do not want to talk about that, but political analysts say they should.
JIM VANDEHEI, POLITICO.COM: The next president will have 100,000-plus troops on the ground. They should deal with this, they should articulate exactly what they would do as president.
FOREMAN: One last cause for the roaring silence -- both sides are beginning to agree.
FELDMAN: With the moderate to dovish people saying we should leave as soon as we can and the hawkish people saying we should leave as soon as we're able, it's hard to distinguish themselves and that's what they need to do.
FOREMAN: Don't hold your breath. In raw politics, candidates of all stripes hate betting their careers on outcomes they can't predict, even if other Americans are betting their lives.
Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: We want to give you now some names behind the numbers. The Defense Department has released the names of six U.S. soldiers who died this week in Iraq. They were killed by an explosion in a booby trapped house during Operation Phantom Phoenix.
The soldiers are identified as Specialist Todd Davis of Raymore, Missouri, Staff Sergeant Jonathan Dozier of Rutherford, Tennessee, Staff Sergeant Sean Gaul of Reno, Nevada, Sergeant Zachary McBride of Bend, Oregon, Sergeant First Class Matthew Pionk of Superior, Wisconsin and Sergeant Christopher Sanders of Roswell, New Mexico.
NGUYEN: Well, some of the nation's veterans have fallen on hard times. They sacrifice and serve our country, and now someone is reaching out to help them. CNN Gary Nurenberg is in Washington and he joins us live with details on this really important event today.
Hey, Gary.
GARY NURENBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Betty, I was just listening as the names were read of those individuals. Those were real people who paid a real price to serve this country, and too often, when those veterans come home, they're forgotten by their neighbors and their friends.
On any given night, the Veterans' Administration, Department of Veterans' Affairs, estimates that there are 200,000 American veterans without homes. During the course of the year, 400,000 veterans experience homelessness. This is a job and health fair at the Department of Veterans' Affairs Medical Center in Washington, aimed at that population. About 300 homeless vets have signed up. One particular station just for Iraqi and Afghanistan vets when they come home so they can be speeded through the process. But during the course of the day, veterans here can get job training, job counseling and also a number of medical tests and medical exams. We saw some people having their breath tested to see how their lungs were, having their hearing tested, having their eyes tested.
A number of medical tests available to them as counselors go out into the streets and bring those homeless vets into this center for this special day that takes place every year. It's their hope to provide job and medical services to those vets who need them.
Theresa Pittman is someone who works with this every single day. Is it your belief that the country really understands how big a problem homelessness is for vets?
THERESA PITTMAN, HEALTHCARE FOR HOMELESS VETERANS: I don't think people are aware. I think it's important to have that information out there so that they can be more responsive to the needs of veterans.
NURENBERG: If there are 200,000 homeless vets on any given night, does that tell us that you and the people you work with aren't doing enough to get the word out that there is help available?
PITTMAN: No, that's what a stand-down is for, is to help get that information out there. And you know, I think things like CNN are very helpful, but of course, someone who is living in the woods doesn't have television or may not have newspapers and may not know that they're eligible for services.
So we are out there. We are having outreach people who go out and look for people to try to bring them in and get them services, because it's important to us to do that.
NURENBERG: Ms. Pittman, thank you very much. This event will go on through the day, Betty. And through the day we'll bring you updates on the kind of services that are being provided here and introduce you to some of the vets who are taking advantage of them.
For now, back to you in Atlanta.
NGUYEN: All right. Looking forward to that. Thank you, Gary.
And you can get in-depth coverage of the War on Terror. The latest on the U.S. Navy's incident with Iran and the president's trip to the Middle East. It's CNN's "WEEK AT WAR" tonight at 7:00 Eastern.
HOLMES: A couple of quick hits for you. First up, accused killer Gary Michael Hilton now also suspected of murdering a woman in Florida and a couple in North Carolina. Hilton is being held in the kidnapping and killing of 24 year old Meredith Emerson. She was buried yesterday. Emerson disappeared during a New Year's Day hike.
NGUYEN: Well, a suspected virus outbreak in Oregon to tell you about. Nine residents of an assisted living center, they have the stomach flu known as norovirus. The sick residents have been isolated in their rooms. Seventeen suspected cases also reported among members of a fraternity and sorority near the Oregon State University campus.
HOLMES: And Hollywood socialite Nicole Richie back in the news, but hey, we've get some congratulations due. She and her boyfriend, rocker boyfriend, now proud parents of a little baby girl.
NGUYEN: That's great.
HOLMES: The name is Harlow Winter Kate Madden.
NGUYEN: That's a long one. I like Harlow. That's nice.
HOLMES: Hey, it's a sweet child. The name is beautiful. She was born yesterday in L.A. So oftentimes we have a Nicole Richie story and it's not really put her in the best light ...
NGUYEN: Not really favorable, but ...
HOLMES: But this is good. Congratulations. Happy motherhood.
NGUYEN: Absolutely. I bet she is cute. Harlow is the name, huh? That was like four actors (ph) but that's OK.
Now for one of our favorite parts of the show, the fun stuff.
NGUYEN: Yes. Time to actually show you some of the best pictures we've seen around. Josh Levs hunts these things down for us.
Celebrity ice bear. Am I reading this right or is there a typo here?
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No, that's a fair way to put it, celebrity ice bear. You know the deal, this is the time of the show we get to hang out a little bit. It's been a busy morning, we've had all this news. We're going to relax, kick back. It is a weekend morning.
We're going to start off with the number one video on cnn.com. But I didn't have to hunt for this. This is number one. Look at this. This is it. This is the baby polar bear, now has its own web page at the Nuremberg Zoo in Germany. Which is a great zoo. I've been there. There you go, it kind of squawks when it cries. You can see it there.
Now, they believe it's female. It doesn't have a name yet, so people all over the world are being invited to submit a name, but for the time being, they're calling it Flake, as in Snow Flake, which in German -- my bad German -- is Flaka (ph), something like that. So number one video.
You can watch that for a while, watch the adorable baby polar bear. Look at that! See, when it's next to the stuffed animal, it's about the same size. It's too cute.
Now let's take a look at the other one really quickly that we know T.J.'s going to love, and that is the surf. Can we take a look at that? HOLMES: Yes.
LEVS: This is T.J.'s favorite story of the day, and there you go. And the big surfer challenge that they've got going in Northern California. Maverick Surf Contest. T.J., you've seen that before or no?
HOLMES: No, I was out there for three years and every year I wanted to go, but they only give these guys 24 hours notice when the contest is going to happen and of course, I can't get there and get my scheduled changed within 24 hours ...
NGUYEN: What, you don't have a personal jet that you could have just gotten down there?
HOLMES: Betty, I barely got here in my vehicle this morning, OK.
LEVS: That's just because the CNN limo didn't make it this morning.
NGUYEN: Right.
LEVS: You know, I was just reading, it's really interesting, you know how it works? Those waves, that are going to be massive today, which is why it's a big contest day, they take five days to get inland, and right near where the point where this contest takes place also a part of a reef that sticks out like a finger.
So what happens is as the huge waves are on their way in, it hits that piece of reef which causes them to suddenly shoot way upward, and gravity shoots it way downward. So you have some of the most powerful ones you'll ever see in the nation. The winner gets $75,000!
NGUYEN: Man.
LEVS: Not bad.
NGUYEN: And the waves are 40 feet high? That's how big they are? Huge!
HOLMES: Three or four stories.
LEVS: Four stories, yeah.
HOLMES: Josh, thank you for that. We appreciate it.
LEVS: Thanks, guys.
HOLMES: Spent too much time on the bear, though, I think.
NGUYEN: I love the bear. Precious.
HOLMES: The bear was fine, but it was not worth all that.
NGUYEN: OK, all right.
HOLMES: Well, plenty of actors and entertainers had this weekend circled on their calendar, the big weekend.
NGUYEN: Yes! A big weekend. A lot of people excited, but now the big event canceled. No red carpet, no acceptance speeches and no glitzy, high-profile parties.
HOLMES: No parties?
NGUYEN: No. The writers' strike is causing a ripple effect, costing many companies a whole lot of cash.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS ROCK, COMEDIAN: I was working on the Golden Globes, but they told me go home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Comedian Chris Rock isn't the only person not working the Golden Globes this weekend. Tomorrow night's glitzy awards ceremony canceled, by the writers strike, of course. No gold means a lot less green, and it is not just Hollywood that's taking the hit.
CNN's Kareen Wynter looks at the economic impact.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Movie and television stars all walking the red carpet together. Winners overjoyed backstage, just moments after getting their statues.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was a surprise in itself.
WYNTER: And celebrities partying hard all night long. Well, expect something different, really different this year.
STEVEN GAYDOS, EXEC. EDITOR OF FEATURES VARIETY: There will be no actors at the Golden Globes.
WYNTER: Instead, what you will see is an hour-long announcement of the nominees and winners by the Hollywood Foreign Press. You can credit the striking Writers' Guild of America, that has refused to allow their members to work on the show. In solidarity, most actors in Hollywood would not have crossed picket lines to attend award shows, much to the disappointment of those who spent the last year prepping, like designers, caterers and party planners.
MICHAEL O'CONNOR, JEWELRY AND STYLE EXPERT : A year's worth of work down the drain not only for Platinum Guild International, but also for the platinum designers and manufacturers, because many of them actually create platinum and diamond pieces specifically to be shown at the celebrity suites and specifically to be shown to celebrities to wear.
LAUREN MESKELL, MANAGER, FRIAR TUX SHOP: Rentals range from $70 to $170, and we don't know how many people will come through, but it is a hit and we wish we had that business.
PETER BART, EDITOR IN CHIEF, "VARIETY": Think about the party planners who have to put millions of dollars on the table, all the ballrooms standing empty, all the caterers. Hollywood is a nervous place now.
WYNTER: If you think the cancellation of the Golden Globes only affects Hollywood, you're wrong. According to the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, The local economy is taking as much as an $80 million hit.
JACK KYSER, L.A. COUNTY ECON. DEVELOPMENT CORP.: This is just rippling out, a lot of collateral damage in the Southern California economy. A lot of small businesses. People think it's the big studios. That's the industry. No. About 85 percent of the firms in the entertainment industry are small companies.
WYNTER: But there is a silver lining to this dark cloud. One celebrity style lounge is switching gears by changing an event that caters solely to celebrities to now helping those impacted by the strike with a fund-raiser.
KARI FEINSTEIN, FEINSTEIN-MCGINNIS PUBLIC RELATIONS: We're going to still have talent come down and press come down and cover the event like they would have if it was a Golden Globes event, although it's not a Golden Globes event now. We're calling it the Winter Style Lounge and it's benefiting the Writers' Guild.
WYNTER: A union that has single-handedly shaken up the Hollywood industry and managed to make history in the process.
Kareen Wynter, CNN, Hollywood.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Our Becca Dana is following this economic ripple effect for the "Wall Street Journal" and she joins us from New York. Man, OK, let's just look at the numbers if we could. Eighty million dollars is what it's estimated that it's costing the industry. That's just the Golden Globes alone.
I mean, the People's Choice Awards last week, that was nixed, to, and you saw this taped program. This is really starting to take a long-term effect, it seems.
BECCA DANA, "WALL STREET JOURNAL": Yeah, for sure. I mean, the networks are already having to give money back to advertisers that they've lost because of the cancellation, not just of the Golden Globes, but also because they're running out of new television programming to show viewers. So advertisers aren't able to reach the millions and millions of hungry television viewers that they used to be able to reach. So it's costing tens of millions of dollars already.
NGUYEN: You know, that's one thing for the networks, it's another thing for the viewers. But let's talk about NBC for just a minute, because there is a lot of behind-the-scenes battling going on. NBC said, you know what, fine, we'll deal with it. We will make this into a press conference and we're going to have the exclusive rights to it. And then the folks who were involved in the Golden Globes said no, you're not. If you're going to do that, it's open to the media.
Was that NBC's way of not only skirting away from the problem, but also getting away from that licensing fee?
DANA: Well, that's for sure. Advertisers pay a ton of money to appear on the Golden Globes. It's about $500,000 per 30-second spot. So it's understandable that NBC was eager to have exclusive rights even to just the press conference, but the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and Dick Clark productions, which is the productions studio that puts on the Golden Globes were like nothing doing. So now they've opened up ...
NGUYEN: They were upset.
DANA: Not happy. So now they've opened up the ceremony to any media outlet that wants to cover it. So you know, you could bring your own camera and go down there and broadcast a live feed yourself.
NGUYEN: Lovely. All right, so now that it's open to all media, do you think the stars will show up or will there still be picket lines even if it is a news event?
DANA: Exactly. Well, the Writers' Guild has said that they are going to picket the event. And because the writers and actors interests are so aligned in their negotiations with the networks and studios, it's pretty unlikely that any major stars are going to show up for the press conference.
NGUYEN: OK. Really. So how does this situation, as we look at this, a lot of people are going, my goodness, I can't remember the last time I saw something like this, but as we look back in history, how does this compare to other strikes?
DANA: Well, the last major strike was in 1988 and this is quite similar in a lot of ways. I mean, the Writers' Guild, the 12,000 members of the guild were pretty much able to bring Hollywood to a halt. They're able to, you know, take late shows off the air, take much of prime time, scripted programming off the air. And indeed to cancel award shows.
NGUYEN: And the next to fall, perhaps the Oscars. Do you really think it's going to come down to that?
DANA: Well, that remains to be seen. The Oscars aren't until the end of February, and people in Hollywood are sort of speculating that maybe it's a little bit of a different case from the Golden Globes. If you're an actress and you've got your big Valentino gown and you're ready to go up there and get your statuette, it's one thing to sacrifice getting a Golden Globe. It's another thing to sacrifice getting an Oscar.
NGUYEN: Does that mean the actors will say, no, you can take the rest away but you're not going to take the Oscars away from us?
DANA: Anything's possible.
NGUYEN: All right. And lastly, is there any end in sight? Do you foresee something coming to pass with an agreement?
DANA: Well, so far, no new rounds of formal negotiations are scheduled. So that's a prerequisite to actually getting an agreement. But as of yesterday, the Directors' Guild agreed to formal negotiations with the studios and networks, and everyone expects them to reach a pretty quick contract. So that could push things forward for the writers.
NGUYEN: Oh, we'll see how it plays out and if the Oscars will go on. OK. Rebecca Dana with the "Wall Street Journal," thanks so much for your time.
DANA: Thanks for having me.
NGUYEN: And CNN's Larry King will have a special show tomorrow night. It focuses on the Golden Globes and the effects of the writers strike. "LARRY KING LIVE" Sunday, 9:00 Eastern, 6:00 Pacific.
HOLMES: Well, we heard a quick snippet from comedian Chris Rock just a few minutes ago, but a whole lot much more -- a whole lot much more!
NGUYEN: That too!
HOLMES: That much. A whole lot much more to come.
NGUYEN: It's that good.
HOLMES: It's that much.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROCK: Hillary did win. Hillary did win, so far, but we're going to ask for a recount. We're going to ask for a recount.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: This guy is a comedic genius, really. Just ask a lot of folks around. You've got to hear his take on current events, his take on the campaign. That's next here in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: All right, you like that, Betty? What do you think?
NGUYEN: That vehicle right there? Not too bad.
HOLMES: Would you do that? Yes. It's not an ordinary SUV, it's not an ordinary hybrid, either.
NGUYEN: What is it then? HOLMES: It's the extreme hybrid, and it debuts at the Detroit Auto Show. We'll show you what all this hype is about. Extreme hybrid. That's on CNN "SUNDAY MORNING." Don't exactly know what that means.
NGUYEN: It's got us interested, isn't it?
HOLMES: I am.
NGUYEN: Yeah, what is an extreme hybrid?
HOLMES: Extreme hybrid. I guess we have to come to work tomorrow to find out.
NGUYEN: We'll be here tomorrow, don't worry.
And you have no doubt heard a mix of political views this election season, but none quite like this one.
HOLMES: Yes, of course, comedian Chris Rock. He gives you his take in an interview with CNN's Becky Anderson.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROCK: You know, you have Barack and Hillary. That's pretty much it. People understand that Bush has done a job that is so bad, it's made it hard for a white man to run for president. So everyone's focused on this black man and this woman. And if a raccoon wants to run or a giraffe, that will be fine, too. But no one wants to see a white man running.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You endorsed Barack Obama. How did you feel had you woke up ...
ROCK: I endorsed Barack Obama.
ANDERSON: What did you feel when you woke up this morning and saw what happened in New Hampshire because Hillary has won.
ROCK: Hillary won. Hillary did win, so far, but we're going to ask for a recount. We're going to ask for a recount. And I think when this recount comes in, it will all be clear.
It's a long race. It's a long, long race, and he's is a guy no one heard of two years ago, and she's, you know, the wife of the president -- of, you know, a two-term president. So there's some advantage there.
ANDERSON: Is anybody off limits for you? Obviously, Hillary isn't, Barack Obama isn't. Is anybody off limits?
ROCK: I try to stay away from Oprah.
ANDERSON: Why?
ROCK: You know, because I might need a billion dollars one day. Why piss off the only black person with it? Why would I do that?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: That man is so funny.
HOLMES: Nobody says anything bad about Oprah. You can't talk bad about Oprah.
NGUYEN: No, she's the greatest.
HOLMES: Chris Rock. Much more on the interview with Chris Rock, must-see television, a whole lot more. He's actually going to turn away from politics. He's going to talk about O.J.
NGUYEN: Oh my gosh.
HOLMES: He's going to talk about Michael Vick. Unscripted.
NGUYEN: I can only begin to imagine where he goes with those.
HOLMES: That's tonight at 10:00 Eastern. Tune in for that.
NGUYEN: All right.
So what just are O.J.'s chances of staying out of jail? CNN's legal experts tackle the case at noon Eastern.
HOLMES: But first, living in a furniture superstore. One man's adventure at Ikea ends today. He's in the CNN NEWSROOM next hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: All right. It's just Saturday, but you know, people at CNN are already thinking about Monday.
NGUYEN: All the time. So let's check in with Kiran Chetry in New York.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: Hey there, Betty and T.J.
Coming up next week, the most news in the morning is heading on the road for Michigan's primary election on Tuesday. Mitt Romney, John McCain, Mike Huckabee and Rudy Giuliani all slugging it out in a state with serious worries about the economy. Romney calling himself a successful businessman who knows better than his rivals how he can help create jobs in the state. We're taking a look at his experience and his plan.
Plus, the Golden Globes a big bust for everyone in Hollywood, and a lot of folks are going to lose a lot of money. The growing impact of the Hollywood writers' strike. We're going to get reaction the morning after.
That's all coming up when John Roberts and I see you Monday morning. It starts live at 6:00 a.m. Betty and T.J., back to you.
HOLMES: All right!
And the next hour of the CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.
NGUYEN: You're in the CNN NEWSROOM. The news is unfolding live on Saturday, the 12th of January. Hello, everybody, I'm Betty Nguyen.
HOLMES: I'm T.J. Holmes. Topping our news, a nationwide search for a murder suspect.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All I can say is all law enforcement in the United States has the information identifying him as someone that we want stopped for questioning in the death of Maria Lauterbach.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: A marine on the run from the law. He is the chief suspect in the murder of a pregnant corporal.
HOLMES: Also this morning, presidential candidates slug the next battleground states and we are right there with them. They can't shake us.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How did you know he was choking?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was going like ...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Yeah. That be a good sign. Nice. Plus a seven-year- old does battle with a ninja warrior and actually saves the life of his classmate? We're going to explain this one. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
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