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Conference With Fed Chairman, Bernanke; Manhunt for Missing Marine Migrates to Mexico; Robert Gates Criticized by NATO; Suicide Bomb in Pakistan; Jet Misses Runway at Heathrow Airport; Comments on Obama and Clinton by BET C.E.O, Bob Johnson
Aired January 17, 2008 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
I'm Tony Harris.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, everybody. I'm Heidi Collins.
Watch events come into the NEWSROOM live on Thursday, January 17th. Here's what's on the rundown. The economy, bent out of shape. And, many of us are feeling it. Today, straight talk from the nation's top banker. Can he see around a recession?
HARRIS: If baby is sneezing, don't reach for the cold meds -- a new warning for parents, this hour.
COLLINS: Stranded on the side of a cliff -- the scramble to save a pet from life on the ledge. In the NEWSROOM.
Breaking news this hour to tell you about. A jet missing the runway at one of the world's busiest airports. A British Airways Boeing 777 landed short at London's Heathrow Airport, just over an hour ago. Look at the pictures there -- new video just in at CNN. These pictures coming in from the emergency vehicles that rushed to the scene. Slides were deployed to evacuate the passengers and the crew. Police say there were no serious injuries, no connection to terrorism. The incident has led to major delays, as you might imagine, at Heathrow. Wow.
Also this morning, putting more money in your pocket. One way to pump up the economy and rescue the country from possible recession. The Fed chairman weighs in next hour. Stephanie Elam is weighing in right now, live from New York, with what we should be listening for here.
Stephanie?
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Heidi.
You know, before we get to that, we have a little bit of economic breaking news that I want to fill you in on as far as housing stats are concerned. For December, they are down 14 percent and, for all of 2007, a number that hasn't been seen since 27 years. So, a really big shutdown here. We're seeing as far as builders are concerned and, obviously, there's a glut of homes on the market so, builders aren't building anymore homes. That's one thing I wanted to let you know about first, Heidi.
Obviously, we can go straight from that and take a look at Bernanke and what's going on today. He will be testifying in front of Congress and he is saying that stimulus is the way to go. He is definitely supporting that idea. Let's take a look at some of the things that he says need to be there. He says, needs to have help for the economy this year and needs to avoid boosting the federal deficit in the long term and also should support economic growth through increasing consumer and business spending.
Now, obviously, you've got the Democrats and you've got the Republicans and they have varying plans. So, we need to go ahead and look at Republicans first and say what they are seeing for potential package here. Both sides say tax rebates for individuals is key. Then, the Republicans go on to say investment tax credits are good and the reduction of corporate tax, because that's obviously related to businesses there.
They don't want businesses to take too much of a hit for this. Moving on to the Democratic side, tax rebates for individuals again, extend unemployment benefits, and they also want grants to the state and local governments. So, Heidi, as you can see, there's a little bit of overlapping here but, obviously, there's a little bit of gray area that needs to be worked out. Obviously, we'll be keeping our eyes to see if that happens.
COLLINS: Yes, no kidding. We are going to be talking a lot about it today and I imagine for many, many days to come, everybody watching the economy closely.
Stephanie Elam, "Minding Your Business". Thank you, Stephanie.
ELAM: Thanks.
HARRIS: OK, a bit more about the possible shape of this stimulus package. Tax cuts for you, tax breaks for businesses -- some of the ideas President Bush may discuss with top lawmakers today. He's holding a conference call to talk about ways to reduce the risk of recession. The president is turning to the economy after his trip to the Middle East. He plans to talk with leaders from both parties.
We are watching developments at the White House and, of course, we will keep you posted.
COLLINS: Well, just to the north, like Chicago or Philadelphia, you'd say no problem. Chicago is in the north? I don't know about that. Anyway, that snow in the south? Humongous flakes, in fact. Look at that.
HARRIS: Come on, come on.
COLLINS: Falling from the Carolinas. Winter storm warnings still in effect in North Carolina. Greenville, South Carolina, became white overnight, too. The snow turned to sleet and freezing rain, making for a slushy commute this morning. In the northeast, Georgia Mountains, yes, Georgia Mountains, got up to three inches overnight. Lots of fun at the college house and a lot of kids did get the day off from school -- not mine. Authorities say slick roads -- or yours -- contributed to a wreck, unfortunately, where there had been some people that were killed. Three people, in fact. Dozens of flights out of Atlanta were also cancelled.
HARRIS: How about a little north of Atlanta? Let's go to North Carolina. As we mentioned, getting a lot of sleet, slush, snow. Reporter Kenny Beck from affiliate WXII joins us live from Surry County.
All right, Kenny give us a view from Surry county.
KENNY BECK, WXII REPORTER: Well, Tony, let me ask you a question.
HARRIS: Yes.
BECK: Of all the episodes of the "Andy Griffith Show" you've ever seen, was it ever snowing in Mayberry?
HARRIS: Never, ever, ever, never, ever, ever, never.
BECK: There's a reason for that. Because it never ever, ever, never, ever, ever snows in the town upon which the "Andy Griffith Show" is based -- Mt. Erie(ph), North Carolina. This is Surry County or Mt. Erie right now and this is what we're dealing with today. We've seen just about everything except Barney's bullet falling from the sky today.
We've seen snow. We've seen slush. We've seen sleet. We've seen freezing rain. Right now, we're a little bit of a lull but, this has really been a fluid day, both literally and figuratively. Of course, the former precipitation stuff falling from the sky, it will be one thing one minute, then one thing the next.
Now, interesting statistic coming out of the PTI Airport -- Piedmont Triad Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina, about 45 minutes away -- one of the central hubs here of the Piedmont Triad area here in North Carolina. They had only gotten about four inches of snow in the last two years there. Parts of Surry County, North Carolina, where I am right now have gotten up to five inches of snow just today.
So, that is why this is such a big deal. I'm from Maryland, originally, so I am used to tromping around in a little bit more than that. I can remember one storm about, oh, maybe 10, 12 years ago, you literally had to, you know --
HARRIS: Yes, yes, yes.
BECK: ... just to get down your block. But, today, it's one to five inches what we're looking at right now. We are hoping that things will start to taper off and calm down a little bit. Temperature's very cold -- only about 30 degrees right now.
HARRIS: Hey, is there enough snow to shut down schools -- essentially, to shut down the towns?
BECK: Oh, definitely, yes. I was actually talking to one teacher earlier, we're right by a gas station here right off of the 606. Talking to a teacher and she said, thank God because the kids were absolutely off the walls crazy yesterday. So, she was very, very excited that school was cancelled today. She actually told me this is one of the biggest storms she's seen in about ten years. It was heard others say two, three years. Nonetheless, it's what everybody's talking about today.
HARRIS: Good stop. Kenny Beck for us this morning. Kenny, Good to see you. Thank you, doctor.
BECK: Thank you.
HARRIS: Appreciate it.
COLLINS; All right. So we know whose fault all of this is.
HARRIS: Whose fault is this?
COLLINS: Rob Marciano -- remember him?
HARRIS: Yes, big bank Rob. Yes.
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Hey, you know what -- I want to go and call Colorado. He planned out right. We're hoping that he -- no, he's not.
HARRIS: David, he's enjoying that stuff. Are you kidding me? What is that?
COLLINS: I listened to you and this is what I wore...
MARCIANO: Oh goodness.
COLLINS: ... On the way to work today. Everybody said, why on earth are you wearing those?
MARCIANO: Probably stylish.
HARRIS: You're absolutely out of control. Help, doctor, help. Look at the boots. They're stylish.
COLLINS: I thought we were going to have, like, real winter.
HARRIS: Heidi Collins styling
COLLINS: I am talking about the snow...
HARRIS: Whoa, whoa, whoa...
MARCIANO: I am hoping that those are knock-offs because they look really expensive.
COLLINS: This is the look of the intrepid, looking really cold. MARCIANO: Pandemonium last night as snow fell in the ATL. We got only about a half inch on the grassy surfaces. Not a big problem as for the roadways, at least, in most cases. And now, it's all heading into the Carolinas where we've seen upwards of eight inches especially in the mountainous areas. Balsam calling it eight inches. North Carolina, Hendersonville, five inches. Greenville, not really in the mountains, you know, just under three inches there, and in Atlanta, .4 officially at the airport. So, we do have some pockets of freezing air and just above freezing, 33 degrees in Atlanta, but the moisture's gone 33 degrees in Charlotte; 34 degrees in Raleigh; and 35 degrees in Knoxville.
Moving the map up, we do expect to see anywhere from one to six inches of snow in this red area, mostly to the north. And, you know, D. C. is included in this advisory -- they might see an inch or two of slushy snow. Live shot for you of Washington, of the White House. Not quite snow. It typically is white. That's not snow on the rooftop there. It will be -- a little bit, looks like precipitation is starting to fall there in D. C.
All right. In New York City, you'll see a mix of rain and snow. All snow, from Davenport up to Milwaukee, green bay. Could see two to six inches. Before the game, temperatures are going to plummet. We will have a forecast for the baseball game. The football game is both in Green Bay and Foxboro a little bit later in the program. On another note, on the other side of the country, Santa Ana winds blowing in SoCal, Laguna Peak California, 100 mile-an-hour wind gusts. Malibu Hill, 74 mile-an-hour wind gusts.
Luckily, it's colder and it receives a lot of rain. So, we haven't gotten much reports of fire. Had this happened two months ago, we would have what happened two months ago, which would break out the fire gear as opposed to the winter snow boots -- Heidi and Tony?
COLLINS: Hey, what was it -- .4 inches at the airport? You know, you got to break out the gear.
MARCIANO: You got to use this, you know. Any excuse. Looking good.
COLLINS: Thanks, Rob.
HARRIS: Wearing those stylish boots is what I say here. Snappy, snappy.
COLLINS: Bye-bye, Rob. See you in a bit.
HARRIS: Defense Secretary Robert Gates is taking fire from key U. S. allies this morning. They are outraged by his apparent criticism of NATO. We're expecting Gates to speak next hour. Right now, let's talk to CNN Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr.
Barbara, great to see you. What is it that the defense secretary has said here that had the allies all riled up?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Tony, the secretary the mild-mannered defense secretary, who's not supposed to be Don Rumsfeld, has really stepped in a hornets' nest with his NATO allies. In an interview with the "Los Angeles Times," Secretary Gates was critical by all accounts of NATO's efforts in Afghanistan to fight the counter-insurgency, the Taliban there.
Here's what the secretary said in that "L. A. Times" interview, which was actually conducted several days ago, saying, "I am worried we're deploying military advisers that are not properly trained and I'm worried we have some military forces that don't know how to do counter-insurgency operations."
Certainly, an indictment of the NATO forces in southern Afghanistan which, in addition to the U. S., of course, are made up of forces from the U. K., from Canada, and also Dutch forces. Now, this has gotten to be such a curfuffle (ph), if you will, the Dutch Defense Minister yesterday called the U. S. ambassador and said, I want an explanation. What are you guys talking about? The NATO's secretary- general has come to the defense of NATO forces saying that all the countries in the south in his words are doing an excellent job.
But make no mistake, Tony, there are some very bad feelings out there right now as a result of what Gates said. A British Member of Parliament who himself is a former infantry officer in certain Northern Ireland calling Gates' comments "bloody outrageous." The secretary will be outed just after 10:00 East Coast time, and you can bet this will be topic number one, Tony.
HARRIS: You know what, I have got so many questions. I just -- I don't know where to go with this, but maybe we'll ask them and get some answers when we hear from the defense secretary next hour.
Barbara Starr, great to see you Barbara. Thank you.
STARR: Sure.
HARRIS: Again, next hour, Defense Secretary Gates will hold a media roundtable at the Pentagon, and we will watch it for you. That is scheduled for 10:15 Eastern, 7:15 for our friends in the west.
COLLINS: Mission Afghanistan and a sign of the times. New York deploys nearly 1,700 of its state national guardsmen. The deployment comes as the Pentagon boosts troop levels in Afghanistan. More than 2,000 additional marines are being sent to fight a spring offensive that is expected by insurgents. These guardsmen will make their first stop at Fort Bragg for a couple of months. They are going to be learning how to best train Afghan security forces.
HARRIS: Chopper down. Earlier this morning, searchers found the bodies of three crew members. Their navy helicopter crashed in a field in south Texas last night a fourth crew member is in critical condition. The military is investigating the cause of that crash.
COLLINS: It's sniffle season. So, are cold medicines too risky for your children? Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta with important news ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COLLINS: Welcome back, everybody. I'm Heidi Collins. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Walking the dog right over a cliff.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED DOG-OWNER: I was scared to death. I've had him since he was a puppy and loved the guy a lot.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Cliffhanger, pooch in peril.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: An important warning about cold medicines from the FDA coming out this morning. Our Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta is here to talk more about it.
So, Sanjay, we've reported on the FDA and cough syrup for small children before. What is new in all this?
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: They're making it official. They are basically saying, once and for all, you know what? For children under two, this just isn't a good idea. What's interesting, I think Heidi, is that everything is sort of based on a risks-benefits analysis. The risks really are rare irritation, allergies, heart rhythm abnormalities.
Truth is, they don't occur that often. What's more interesting is the benefits side. There hardly is any benefit. There are really no studies to show that these medications work for children under the age of two. There was cold medicine developed for adults. People said, let's try them for kids, as well. That's how all this evolved.
COLLINS: A smaller dosage?
GUPTA: Smaller dosing. What they find out is there really doesn't seem to be much benefit. There's also the concern about people unintentionally overdosing. Say, you give your child some cough medicine, then you give him some fever medicine, and you have a lot of the same active ingredients that can cause an overdose. 1,500 children end up in the emergency room because of this exact situation. So, the FDA is making it official -- expecting at 11:00 today. We've been on the phone all morning and that's what we're hearing now.
COLLINS: I guess, it may have also started because it makes parents feel better. You don't feel like you're not doing anything for your sick child, sick baby?
GUPTA: Yes..
COLLINS: That's part of it, right? You know what I'm talking about? GUPTA: I have two children that are either two and under and -- absolutely -- you feel that way. But, I think, it's an important message here, that medication seems like an easy thing to do but it just doesn't work, potentially can be harmful. There are some other options. Humidifiers, for example, vaporizers -- these things are non-medication sort of alternatives. Saltwater nose drops just to get rid of some of the irritation. A rubber nose bulb -- this is awful for kids, they don't like it at all.
COLLINS: Not much better for parents.
GUPTA: But it works. Chicken soup, mom says, in stores. Talk to your doctor for specific options for your child.
COLLINS: I am sure people are also wondering, what about when your child gets older? You know, older than two, between ages, I think, it's two to six that we see on the bottles of medication, right?
GUPTA: Right, while the FDA has its sites squarely set on this age group, as well. For the same reasons that we have been talking about. It just may not work for children between the ages of two and six, and maybe even up to 11. We expect an announcement this spring about that. Keep in mind, these are medications prescribed almost four billion times a year. So they are very, very popular medications. Kind of huge impact, obviously, if people say, stop using it.
COLLINS: Yes, absolutely. We want to be safe with our kid. CNN's senior medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, thank you.
HARRIS: A marine manhunt moving to Mexico today. The FBI believes the murder suspect may have gone south of the border. Authorities say, Corporal Cesar Laurean told fellow marines he will go to Mexico rather than face rape charges. Corporal Maria Lauterbach had accused Laurean of rape. The burned remains of the pregnant marine and her child were found last week in Laurean's yard.
COLLINS: Shining stars. Celebrity power and the race for the White House. Coming your way next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: A crucial test for Republican presidential candidates Saturday in South Carolina.
CNN's Dana Bash reports, the race is wide open.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Mitt Romney finally found a message that produced victory in Michigan. So he's sticking with it down south. MITT ROMNEY, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm not willing to declare defeat in any industry where we can be competitive. I'm going to fight for every job.
BASH: But, Romney admits, he is not likely to win the South Carolina's primary and is looking to campaign elsewhere.
ROMNEY: I'm not looking for gold stars in my forehead like I was in first grade. I want delegates.
HENRY MCMASTER, ATTORNEY-GENERAL, SOUTH CAROLINA: Nobody who's ever won the Michigan primary has got elected president. We do that here.
BASH: After his stinging loss in Michigan, South Carolina means everything to John McCain. So, the candidate who usually appeals to veterans and fiscal conservatives here, added a new stump line. Outreach to powerful social conservatives long skeptical of McCain's commitment to their issues.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm proud of my pro-life record -- 24 years, I've never changed. I have defended the rights of the unborn. .
BASH: He's got stiff competition from former preacher Mike Huckabee who appeals to deeply religious Baptist university students telling them the story of when he found Christ at age 10.
MIKE HUCKABEE, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And I remember praying that prayer that day and feeling overwhelmed with the presence and sense that God really did love me.
BASH: And hitting another crucial note. Signing up no amnesty pledge.
HUCKABEE: I will fully implement enforcement measures that over time will lead to the attrition of our illegal immigrant population.
BASH: The former Arkansas governor is hoping to win here with a "I'm one of you" pitch and another son of the south is trying to do the same.
FRED THOMPSON, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Just to cut through the baloney, I -- it was me, not him, who received the national right to life endorsement.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Dana Bash joins us live from Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Dana, great to see you. Talk issues here. What are the issues resonating for voters in South Carolina?
BASH: Well, the economy is one, just like everywhere. The economy is a growing issue here. That's why you heard Mitt Romney trying to use the same kind tactic that he used in Michigan, because the textile industry has been bad here for a long time. That's part of his pitch, that he's an outside Washington person who can help.
But you know, what's interesting is that the issues really are diverse, and that is part of the problem for Republicans, and that is why it's giving them a hard time in finding a nominee. Because you look at one sector of the population here, they are -- a veteran-rich state, interested in veterans issue, very pro-military community here. John McCain is appealing to that. You also have the Christian conservatives, the southern Baptists here in the state.
You heard John McCain appeal to those people. You heard Mike Huckabee appeal to those people, as well, but you also have issues like immigration. So there really is a diversity of issues people here care about and that's what's making, finding one candidate to really rally around so difficult.
HARRIS: It feels like you got to pick your demographics here. Dana Bash for us this morning. Appreciate it. Thank you.
COLLINS: Democrats face their South Carolina test a week from Saturday and they're banking on star-studded help. CNN's Suzanne Malveaux is with us this morning.
Suzanne, who are those big-name supporters who are making big news this morning, in fact, what happened?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Heidi, you're absolutely right. You may recall the founder and former CEO of B.E.T. Bob Johnson created quite a stir when he brought up the case of senator Barack Obama's acknowledged former drug use when he was a teenager. The Clinton campaign says they really would not tolerate that it was below the belt kind of discussion.
Well, Bob Johnson I talked to this morning, is issuing an apology to Senator Barack Obama. He's picking up the phone to call him, also releasing a letter simply saying he's apologizing to his family personally for the uncalled comments he made and says that in his zeal to support Senator Clinton, he "made inappropriate remarks for which I'm truly sorry and hope you'll accept my apology." Now, Heidi, give this a broader context, all of this comes as these two camps fiercely competing for a very important group. African-American voters, young voters, and trying to use leaders and celebrities to do it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: Feel the campaign theme songs, look out, South Carolina. In days, Hollywood's biggest stars will be descending on you.
HILL HARPER, ACTOR AND BARACK OBAMA SUPPORTER: We are going to go to churches. We are going to go to beauty shops, barber shops, and that's going to be great. And it's not just me. There are many people from Los Angeles.
MALVEAUX: Actor on CSI-New York, best-selling author, and youth activist Hill Harper will be just one of many campaigning in South Carolina. Going after that hot commodity: young folks who could tip the balance of power and determine who gets the democratic nod.
OPRAH WINFREY, TV TALK SHOW HOST: Thank you, South Carolina.
MALVEAUX: There's fierce competition for their attention. On Barack Obama's side, Oprah Winfrey, Scarlett Johansson, Will Smith, Halle Berry, and Harper, who was one of Obama's secret weapons in Iowa where he was a big hit recruiting college students.
HARPER: We want to find out if they're registered, are they going to vote? Who are they going to vote for? What do they care about and educate them about the senator if they're not already committed to voting for him. 50 million people watching a week and it creates a platform. We know that young people in particular pay attention to celebrities.
MALVEAUX: Actors Susan Sarandon and Tim Robins have been frequent traveling companions for the trailing John Edwards. Hillary Clinton's big-name backers tend to be older, reflecting the Democratic establishment with deep pockets and President Bill Clinton's close ties to Hollywood, like Barbra Streisand, Ted Danson, Quincy Jones, and Magic Johnson. While Hollywood stars can raise lots of money, the question is who will be more successful in the fight over fresh voters? Clinton supporter Anthony Singleton is not that much impressed with the star power.
ANTHONY SINGLETON, CLINTON SUPPORTER: To me, it's a gimmick.
SAMUEL ROBINSON, OBAMA SUPPORTER AND COUNCIL MEMBER, AWENDAW, SOUTH CAROLINA: It's a hodgepodge. It's a hodgepodge.
MALVEAUX: Obama supporter Samuel Robinson also downplayed the celebrity influence.
JOHNSON: I am a free thinker. I think for myself.
MALVEAUX: Predictably, older voters are more dismissive. Sheryll Mack is a grandmother and Clinton supporter.
SHERYLL MACK, CLINTON SUPPORTER: I think, the bottom line is that people are going to make decisions based upon what they think Hillary brings to the table.
MALVEAUX: But getting young voters to the table in South Carolina is key. Many who are still on the fence.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE VOTER: I guess Hillary or Obama.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE VOTER: It is important. I should admit I haven't been following it that closely.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: And Heidi, what is unique about South Carolina is essentially 50 percent of the Democratic voters are African-Americans. So, winning over the young voters in that group is going to be critical to the winning candidate -- Heidi?
COLLINS: No question about that. All right. CNN's Suzanne Malveaux for us in Charleston today. Thanks so much, Suzanne.
And a fight in the desert over where Democratic casino workers can caucus Saturday. We'll tell you why it's headed to court this morning. An interesting story there.
HARRIS: And welcome back, everyone, to the CNN NEWSROOM.
I'm Tony Harris.
COLLINS: Good morning, everybody. I'm Heidi Collins.
Want to quickly get to this story we're just learning about here in the CNN NEWSROOM. Out of Pakistan, we are understanding that apparently suspected a suspected suicide attacker detonated a bomb. It happened at a Shiite mosque in the northwestern part of the country, Pakistan city of Peshawar. Apparently, at least three people had been killed and 20 more injured. This is according to police and we haven't confirmed it here at CNN.
As you probably know, this comes at a time when the Shiite Muslims are preparing to mark a year that has really been marred by sectarian violence involving their rivals, the Sunnis in that area. Again, this suicide attack happened in Peshawar, Pakistan. We will continue to follow it for you and bring you any new information as soon as we get it.
HARRIS: The business day has just started. The Dow is starting the day at 12,466 after closing down 34 points yesterday. New information in the last hour on the housing sector -- they put some downward pressure on the stocks today.
Washington on the other hand seems ready to respond to the weakening economy, with an economic stimulus package. With rebates attached. A lot of folks that will feel like good news. But the big watch today is the testimony of Fed Chief Ben Bernanke before Congress. He's promised real action from the central bank to bolster the economy, congressional testimony, 10:00 a.m. Eastern time. We're following it for you with our financial team, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
COLLINS: Two police officers dead. At least one suspect now behind bars. The other still on the run. Some new developments to tell you about on this story out of the Atlanta area. We want to get Duffy Dixon of affiliate WXIA.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHIEF TERRELL BOLTON, DEKALB COUNTY POLICE: Within 24 hours of this horrible murder of these two police officers who were gunned down. The walls are beginning to fall down around the runners who committed this crime.
DUFFY DIXON, AFFILIATE WXIA (voice-over): DeKalb County police announced the arrest of one suspect but say there are more responsible for the murder of two off-duty officers who were ambushed outside the Glenwood Garden Apartment.
CHRISHAUN BRANCH, HEARD GUNFIRE: I heard like 10 gun shots on about, by 12:30. Two minutes later, two more single gunshots.
DIXON: 26-year-old Ricky Bryant Jr. leaves behind four children. So does Officer Eric Barker, he was 33. Both were providing off-duty security in a community their department says they so desperately wanted to help. Both gunned down, shot in the head, before they could ever fight back. Yellow placards show some of the bullet casings that littered the scene.
BOLTON: For those out there that are still remaining, yes, we're coming after you, too. And your time on the street is not long. But we're going to bring you in to justice.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: A news conference on the killings is scheduled for the next hour. We're going to bring you any new developments should we get them here.
HARRIS: A neighborhood on fire. People lucky to get out alive. It broke out overnight in downtown Manchester, New Hampshire. At least, four apartment houses burned. The Red Cross expect as many as 50 people could be looking for a place to stay this morning. Two firefighters were slightly injured.
COLLINS: A good day to be a kid, dog or snowman. Snow where you might not expect it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Back to the story that we just told you about some moments ago here at CNN, more information coming about that suicide bomber attack that happened in northwestern Pakistan. Apparently, now we are learning here at CNN that four people have been killed. A number of others injured. Imagine that number will change as well, but at this time we have learned about 20 people have been injured. It all took place as police apparently stopped the man to search him before he went into a mosque there. So we will continue to follow this story as it develops and as we get more information.
HARRIS: All right. Let's get another check of weather now. Rob Marciano is in the severe weather center. We're just crazy this morning. Snow in Carolinas. Snow in Atlanta. The kids are losing their minds. What a day.
COLLINS: Ever seen a puppy in the snow?
HARRIS: Yes, yes, yes.
COLLINS: Our little puppy out there biting it, watching it come down. Completely couldn't figure it out.
HARRIS: Rob, you OK?
(WEATHER REPORT)
COLLINS: So what did the White House know in the CIA leak case and when did they know it? Official records of e-mail and other documents may be gone forever. The White House says it recycled tapes of its electronic communication years ago. There's a court order now for the White House to turn over information. Administrator insiders have been linked to publicly identifying CIA officer Valerie Plame Wilson. She says it was because her husband was critic of the Iraq war. And if the records are gone forever, the White House might have violated laws requiring the documents be preserved.
HARRIS: A real cliffhanger here. A dog stuck on a ledge 100 feet up. We will show you the rescue.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: In a precarious position on precipice, dog stranded. His owner watching helplessly below. Jesse Jones of affiliate KING has the rest of the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JESSE JONES, KING AFFILIATE (voice-over): It was the most precarious of situations for any pet. This dog sits on the narrow spot, on a cliff, in Point Defiance Park, almost 100 feet above the beach.
CHRISTIAN TOLLEFSON, DOG OWNER: I was really worried about my dog. I realized, you know, it takes a lot to scare him. And when he started whimpering, I realized that he was frozen.
JONES: Christian Tollefson's dog, Chug, has slipped over the crest of the trail near five mile drive during an afternoon walk.
TOLLEFSON: I was scared to death. I've had him since he was puppy and love the guy a lot.
JONES: Christian had Sammy, his sister's dog with him, too. He slides down with Sammy to get both dogs but Chug doesn't want to move. And he's forced to continue downhill.
TOLLEFSON: I couldn't get back up, back up the hill to help him, and he didn't want to do that anymore.
JONES: Christian calls 9-1-1.
DAN ELGIN, TACOMA FIRE DEPARTMENT: Well, we came as a tech rescue team. Several units responded.
JONES: Dan Elgin is with the Coma Fire Technical Rescue. His job, repel with Chug and take him down to the beach. It's an awkward and difficult task.
ELGIN: You encounter an animal, getting them rigged you're your harness system and rope system can be challenges.
JONES: It seems that several times Chug wanted out of the harness but Elgin was patient.
ELGIN: That dog -- didn't growl at me once and made it very easy.
JONES: And after about 15 minutes, Chug made it back to daddy, and daddy gave the firefighter a big hug. But the hero doesn't quite remember that part. I didn't notice that. I was still working on the dog.
TOLLEFSON: I really can't thank those guys enough. They really, you know, saved the day.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: That's something, wasn't it?
COLLINS: Exhausted.
HARRIS: Wow. So the firefighter you saw in the piece there says the only other animal rescues he'd been involved with, was getting a dog off a roof.
COLLINS: That was some good preparation. Boy, oh, boy.
I want to get to President Bush's Middle East trip now from children serenade to sword photo op. Jeanne Moos makes the most of it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: So more people are shopping online, but more say they feel less safe about doing so. What's going on here? Our Internet correspondent, there she is, Veronica De La Cruz joining us now.
Veronica, you know, I'm curious here. Why are more people concerned now than a couple of years ago about shopping online? Are there new threats out there?
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, this new study finds out privacy concerns. They actually have risen to unprecedented levels. You know, it's all about identity theft. It's happened to me, Tony. I don't know if it's happened to you. But 61 percent of adults surveyed now they are extremely concern about their information being compromised.
And that number is up from 47 percent. And before this year, Tony, those concerns had been steadily decreasing. And the study comes at the I.D. Theft Resource Center. Of course, there are 125 million records compromised in the U.S. alone last year. And that figure is up from only about 20 million. So that's a huge jump.
HARRIS: Yes. DE LA CRUZ: Other interesting findings from this annual study, Tony, parents, check this out, are more likely than ever to withhold use of the Internet as punishment. 62 percent of parents ban their kids from using the net, and for the first time the practice of denying Internet use is on par with banning TV for bad behavior. Is this something that you do with your kids?
HARRIS: Yes, absolutely. We have all the provisions, all the safeguards, everything -- yes, you try. But I got to tell you something, there seem to be ways to get around all of that stuff. They try to remain vigilant. But you know, it's tough. I got to ask you, if this is another story that I know you're watching, it seems pretty soon you'll be able to trade in some of your old gadgets for cash? Whoa, what's that about?
DE LA CRUZ: Yes. Well, you know, there's been lots of talk as of late, when it comes to recycling your cell phone or maybe your electronics. And a new company out there called Tech World will be offering gadgets by backs. For example, this iPod right here -- this video iPod, say you pay $9 for the buyback service. You're going to get $40 back if you keep this video iPod for a year. You're going to $20 back if you keep it for two years.
The company then goes to recycle your product so it doesn't turn into e-waste. And the other really cool thing about that is you can pick out the latest gadgets. So if you're trying to stay on top of all the gadgets that are hitting store shelves. As you know, our technology moves so quickly these days. Like there's new product out there every three weeks. So you're doing something good for the different at the same time. And I just wanted to say, I've been watching your podcast. I'm watching it right now. You guys are very funny.
HARRIS: Spanking good. Isn't it?
DE LA CRUZ: Yes. I like that part where you were showing Heidi's winter boots.
HARRIS: Did you see? Already. Yes, look, the team is working on that. And that is clearly an element for the podcast. We're loading it now, Heidi. Veronica, appreciate it. Thank you.
DE LA CRUZ: I'm watching it right here.
HARRIS: That's what I'm talking about. You got to watch the podcast. I'm telling you. Another reminder, you can watch Veronica every morning on "AMERICAN MORNING," 6:00 to 9:00 Eastern.
COLLINS: I'm still going to regret all of this.
HARRIS: I guess you are.
COLLINS: Pumping up the economy by putting more money in your pockets. Sounds like a good idea? We'll hear what they say.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) HARRIS: Look, I'm just -- what am I doing here? I'm just telling you, the podcast is where it's at. Heidi, look. If you want to catch the latest news, that's a given. Because that's we are, we're CNN. But also in the podcast, what we do is we intersperse the news of the day with other stories, features, pieces that may not be able to make it into the rundown of our three-hour (INAUDIBLE) CNN a.m. NEWSROOM.
So what you do is you go to cnn.com and you download the CNN NEWSROOM daily podcast. It is available to you 24/7. All right? Veronica De La Cruz is watching it right now. It is that hot. You should be there today. No question.
COLLINS: We all get headaches now and then.
HARRIS: Did I just give you one?
COLLINS: But for millions of you suffering from frequent migraines that can often be debilitating.
Medical correspondent Judy Fortin looks at managing migraine pain in your 30s, 40s and 50s.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JUDY FORTIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Reverend Unnia Pettus relies on her faith to get through a day, as a domestic violence counselor, a college instructor and a practicing minister. Pettus is a busy woman and to add to her stress, she suffers from severe migraines.
REV. UNNIA PETTUS, MIGRAINE SUFFERER: Three, four, five times a week, they're with me all the time. I have one now.
FORTIN: Pettus is 39 and says her migraines have changed since her teens.
PETTUS: I sought a neurologist and took all the best migraine medicine there was and now that I'm in my 30s, I realize that they've intensified even more.
FORTIN: According to neurologists, migraines are three times more common in women than in men. Many women experience migraines after they start their menstrual cycles. As they age, their migraines become more intense and more frequent.
DR. MARC SCHLOSBERG, WASHINGTON HOSPITAL CENTER: And these patients sort of run into a chronic daily headache type of picture so that they're having headaches every single day. The daily headache tends not to be as bad as the migraine headache but they still have migraines on top of the daily headaches.
FORTIN: In their 30s and 40s, migraines symptoms in some women begin to change. They experience for nausea and vomiting and are more sensitive to light. And as they age, medications for migraines don't work very long. SCHLOSBERG: It's not uncommon for people to start taking these medications more and more frequently because they get less and less effective.
FORTIN: In their 50s, many female migraine sufferers find relief after menopause as their migraine symptoms go away. Doctors believe that estrogen levels play a huge role. For men, migraines don't go away as they get older. They tend to be more severe. Many males suffer from chronic cluster headaches as they age.
SCHLOSBERG: Cluster headaches occur in clusters that last a few months each. So people who have these daily cluster headaches for a few months and then they'll go away and then they'll often come back the next year.
FORTIN: For the Reverend Pettus, the idea of growing older brings one ray of hope. Her mother as well as her aunt all suffered from migraines when they were younger and after menopause, all of the headaches vanished. It's a small comfort for Pettus, who has a long way to go before she reaches her 50s.
Judy Fortin, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: President Bush back to work in the United States and putting his trip to the Middle East behind him.
CNN Jeanne Moos, well, examines how the president might describe his trip to others.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOSS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Dear mom and pop, just back from the Mid-East and I'm bushed. Must have been all that sword play. I felt like Saddam Hussein. I had to do just about everything but swallow a sword. Did you know that instead of the Rockettes, they have sword dancers? I knew those snotty blogs would write snotty headlines. I manage to get my sword back in its sheath without stabbing anyone. Still, the sword play was child's play compared to dealing with the disco version of "Hava Nagila."
Now, I know what happened the last time I let loose in boogie. The press crucified me. So it took courage to raid into those little disco Israeli girls. Everywhere I turned there were dancing girls. Twirling or tossing their heads. But I really felt like I was in "Oz" when a teenager serenaded me "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" in Hebrew. Do you know how embarrassing it is when someone sings right at you in two languages, no less?
Somewhere out in a desert near Abu Dhabi, the crown prince's falcon made me feel like I was back on the Crawford Ranch. Of course, holding some big bird makes me a target for comedians. Parading past the press wearing a traditional fur-lined Saudi robe wasn't exactly my cup of tea. But sitting behind glass viewing the king's Arabian stallions was. I'd even heard of one of them. A Kentucky derby winner.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: He's look at you, your majesty, seeing if you're paying attention.
MOSS: Wish everyone would pay less attention to me, especially that Jon Stewart.
JON STEWART, COMEDY CENTRAL: How silly can we make America's president look? For instance, do you think we could make him, I don't know, hold the falcon. Would he hold it? Oh, he's holding it. I can't believe it. Do you think we can make him hold the sword of Guinness? Oh, my God, he's dancing with it.
MOSS: I don't know which maybe more uncomfortable. Holding that sword or holding that rose.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: Good morning, everybody, I'm Heidi Collins.
HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris. Stay informed all day in the CNN NEWSROOM. Here's what's on the rundown.
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