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Caucus and Primary Election in Nevada and South Carolina Today; Sundance Film Festival; Will Black Voters Vote for Barack Obama?

Aired January 19, 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: It's a great time. It's a great time in America, even in black America, when you have multiple candidates who are attuned to our issues, who are responding to our issues and excite the electorate to participate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, there's a black man running for president. Does that mean all the black votes are going to go his way? We're going to get into that and tell you what I learned in Vegas when I met with the 100 Black Men of America.

SUSAN ROESGEN, CNN ANCHOR: And from playing poker to picking a president, it's high stakes on the Las Vegas strip. Caucus central in just two hours. The casinos, caucuses and candidates covered by CNN, the best political team on television.

HOLMES: And we've got rain, sleet, possibly snow, all in the forecast for the south. Yes, it's cold, but we've got a hot mess going in South Carolina. Folks there might want to get to those polls early.

ROESGEN: Perfect weather in Park City, Utah for the Sundance film festival. Our entertainment reporter Brooke Anderson interviewed the founder, Robert Redford. And she'll join us live in just a few minutes. It's good to hear from him. You don't hear that much from him anymore.

HOLMES: But always around the festival.

ROESGEN: From the CNN center, good morning, this is CNN NEWSROOM and it is Saturday, January 9th and I'm Susan Roesgen filling in for Betty Nguyen today.

HOLMES: Hello folks. I'm T.J. Holmes. Today, I'm here in Atlanta, Georgia.

7:00 a.m. out in Las Vegas, Nevada. Politics? Yes, that's all we're talking about. Well, almost all we're talking about, but certainly our top story this morning, voting going on right now in South Carolina, been going for a few hours there. Here's what's happening today. We've got caucuses happening out in Nevada and the Republican primary happening in South Carolina. ROESGEN: We've already seen some voters heading to the polls in South Carolina, even though the weather is not so great there today. Heavy rain last time we checked. We'll take you there live in just a minute. First, though, we want to talk about Nevada, the Democratic front-runners spending most of their time there this week trying to get an edge in what is the first western battleground.

HOLMES: Yes and our Jessica Yellin part of the best political team on television. Yes, there she is. She's one of our starting members of the team. She's not a bench warmer, no, she's a starter. She's outside Caesar's palace on the Vegas strip. Jessica, good morning. What's happening?

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. I love your energy. I'm going to try to adopt it myself.

We're here in front of Caesar's Palace, which you might know as a fabulous hotel or casino, but today it's going to serve as a caucus site, one of nine caucuses that are taking place at casinos on the Sunset -- sorry on the Vegas strip for the first time ever designed to increase turnout and let all those folks who work inside these casinos come and caucus for a few hours during the day.

Now this is a very significant race for a number of reasons. Nationally because as you said, it's the first western state to weigh in on the presidential nominating contest, but also the first state with a real minority population. Twelve percent of the registered voters in this state are Latino.

It's also significant because it's never been this early for Nevada to have a say in the presidential cycle, so folks here are getting energized in ways they haven't before because they really feel they can swing the difference one way or another and then relevant to both Senator Barack Obama and Senator Clinton because this could be a tie-breaker in a sense after one won Iowa, the other won New Hampshire.

How Las Vegas and Nevada goes could help give -- will help give one of them momentum going forward. And they really are both vying for it with real determination. Senator Obama has won the key endorsement of the culinary workers union which represents so many folks who work here.

But Senator Clinton has long ties here. Her husband is enormously popular. He walked through this hotel and others yesterday greeting some of the workers who have endorsed Senator Obama and he got a wild outpouring of support, so very, very close. Polls right now show Senator Clinton ahead, but who knows? Really what matters today is turnout and that's what one of the political experts in town told us.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JON RALSTON, LAS VEGAS SUN: It's all organization and turnout, who can get their people to the polls. There have been polls that have come out that show Hillary Clinton with a slight lead over Barack Obama. 5 points, 9 points, maybe, but those are completely illusory, depending on the turnout. If it's a huge turnout, who does that help? If it's a small turn out, who does that help and who's turning out, who's registering on the same day? Nobody knows.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

YELLIN: One of the new issues, people don't really pay attention to caucusing here. So tons of people have said to me when I asked them walking around here, are you going to caucus, they go, what is a caucus? So we're going to have to see how many people have figured it out by today and whether that turnout is big.

HOLMES: Oh, Jessica, that can't be good. "What is a caucus"? Oh, no.

YELLIN: These are casinos where don't even have clocks. So you don't even know what time to go to the caucuses unless you're really motivated.

ROESGEN: Good point.

HOLMES: Jessica, thank you so much. We now want to turn our attention over to South Carolina, a lot going on there today.

ROESGEN: And it's Republicans only in South Carolina. The Democratic primary there will be there next week.

HOLMES: So (INAUDIBLE) in the south goes to the Republicans here, but is it a make-or-break contest really? Some say yes for a couple of these candidates. CNN's Mary Snow live inside a polling place in Colombia, South Carolina and they started there I guess three hours ago with the voting and I guess people still trickling in, right?

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There are, T.J., no gambling strips here in South Carolina where we are in Lexington County. This is a high school, (INAUDIBLE) High School that's been turned over to a polling place. One thing though that could be turning a wrench, throwing a wrench into turnout today is the weather. There are rainstorms around the state. We checked in with the South Carolina election commission which reports early on voter turnout has been light, thinking this weather could play a role here.

Also, you know, this is a Saturday, which is unusual for voters. So it's hard to say what times people will really be turning out, but here about 80 people so far this morning at (INAUDIBLE) High School. As you mentioned, this is a crucial race for a number of candidates who could be pivotal in terms of determining a front-runner. The race has been so wide open with three separate candidates winning three early states.

Senator John McCain is hoping to build on his victory in New Hampshire by winning here. This is the state he lost back in 2000 and that derailed his candidacy. Mike Huckabee is hoping to repeat his victory that he saw in Iowa and show that that was not just a one state win. Those two are considered the front runners here in the very tight race, both canvassing the state yesterday, telling voters that they really need them to turn out and they really need their votes.

Fred Thompson is staking his candidacy here in South Carolina. He's been campaigning here. The former senator from Tennessee really hadn't been participating as much in the other early contests. Mitt Romney took an unconventional path. He was here earlier this week. He still has ads running in the state, but left for Nevada thinking that he wants to score there by winning delegates there. So this is really an unusual race, so wide open and so many Republicans say, in order to go to the White House, candidates really need to win here -- T.J.

HOLMES: All right, we will see who does win there. We'll know here a little later. Mary Snow, thank you so much this morning. We appreciate you.

And Republican Mike Huckabee, he's won that really got a lot riding on South Carolina and you know what? He says he's going to win South Carolina, didn't mince words. We told us that earlier this morning when we talked to him. We got a chance to ask about the race in South Carolina, about many issues, especially the economy. He actually does back the president's new plan. We also talked about same-sex marriage and the role individual states play.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE HUCKABEE, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, as long as states are trying to pass laws that overturn the traditional definition of marriage, which has already happened in Massachusetts, proposals in other states, we have to deal with it because otherwise you have a state where you create a new type of marriage, then these people go to a state that doesn't have it and there's mass confusion.

So we really ought to say, is it that we're going to change the definition or not? I think most of us in this culture believe that marriage should mean a man and a woman in a relationship and it shouldn't mean anything but that. It's not that we're against other people or against the way they choose to live life, but if they choose to live life and then redefine the marriage role, that's different than simply making a personal choice of lifestyle.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: And Democrats get their shot at South Carolina in the primary next Saturday. They have one more chance before that to tell voters what they're all about in the congressional black caucus sponsors the live (ph) Democratic debate before South Carolina. We'll have it live right here on CNN. That is Monday, January 21st, 8:00 p.m. Eastern time.

ROESGEN: And we've got much more political coverage all day today here on CNN. First up, a special live campaign edition of "YOUR MONEY." Ali Velshi is in Las Vegas, and Wolf Blitzer and Christine Romans are at our election center in New York and that's coming up at 1:00 p.m. Eastern.

And then at 2:00, Wolf will be joined by the best political team on television for a look at today's contest in Nevada and South Carolina and you will get the first results from the Nevada caucuses. And be sure to stay around for more of CNN's "BALLOT BOWL." We're bringing you the candidates unfiltered in their own words.

One of the questions today though is how the winter weather might affect the voter turnout in South Carolina. So let's go back to meteorologist Reynolds Wolf.

(WEATHER REPORT)

ROESGEN: Well, caught on tape, surveillance video of a suspected killer. If you look at the man circled here in the middle of your screen, North Carolina authorities say it is Marine Corporal Cesar Laurean buying supplies they say that could have been used to cover up the killing of Lance Corporal Maria Lauterbach who as you know was eight months pregnant. The police have also released this one frame of video. In this one frame, they say it shows Laurean withdrawing money from an ATM in Jacksonville, North Carolina on Christmas Eve, using Lauterbach's card.

HOLMES: You don't think black voters will vote for Barack Obama just because of the color of his skin, do you?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're not a monolithic people and we don't think in a monolithic way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Then, who will black voters vote for? We'll take a look in a couple of minutes.

ROESGEN: And lots are entered, but very few films make it. We're live at the Sundance film festival and you're going to hear from the founder, actor Robert Redford right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Didn't know we had that graphic. We got a graphic for everything here. But the Sundance film festival, if you haven't noticed, what we're about to be talking about, the chance for independent filmmakers and others to showcase their movies.

ROESGEN: But there's always going to be politics in everything, maybe some politics in this too. The festival is in full swing this weekend and our entertainment correspondent Brooke Anderson is live in Park City, Utah. How about it Brooke? What are the politics of films winning here?

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: I'm sorry, could you repeat that? It's a little bit muffled.

ROESGEN: That's all right, Brooke. Just go ahead and tell us what you're seeing today.

ANDERSON: OK, I heard you say the word politics. We will be talking politics with Robert Redford. The Sundance festival is in full swing here on day three. I'm at the Treasure Mountain Inn in Park City, Utah. Studio executives and buyers are actually scrambling to find the next "Little Miss Sunshine" or "Blair Witch Project." Those are two films which have premiered here over the years.

Now, Robert Redford took over as head of the festival in the mid '80s. I sat down with him and our conversation drifted from independent film making to politics. Listen to Redford's strong words about the current administration and also the upcoming presidential election.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT REDFORD, ACTOR: I think it's time for a Democrat. I think it's time for a change. But there's been so much damage that's occurred, I don't envy whoever it is that comes in because it's going to be a massive -- I think you almost need a super fund to clean up this toxic mess.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Redford also criticized what he calls the ambush marketers who descend upon the Sundance Film Festival every year to sell their products and also get free publicity through the celebrity. He told me that he never wants the focus of the festival to stray from filmmaking.

Now the tone was a little bit different when we also spoke with Tom Hanks. He's here at the Sundance Film Festival for the very first time if you can believe that. He's premiering a new film, "The Great Buck Howard," which is looking for a distributor here at the festival. Hanks joked about the tactics that they won't be using to sell this movie. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM HANKS, ACTOR: The movie is done. There it is. We think it's great and we think it's something that no one else has really done. It's a unique story and I kind of like that the proof is in the pudding as opposed to, you know what? If you give us the bucks, we got an idea for a movie. And I tell you what, why don't you trust us with all that money and we'll make the movie. I actually kind of like this. We did it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Hanks not only co-stars, but is also a producer on the film and his son Colin also stars in "The Great Buck Howard." Now it's not easy to get your film shown here at this film festival; 121 feature films will premiere, but that's out of more than 3,600 submissions. So it's a tremendous honor and Susan, organizers expect tens of thousands of people to be here over the next week to enjoy the festival.

ROESGEN: Well, it looks like fun and it looks like beautiful weather too. Thanks, Brooke. ANDERSON: It is, thanks.

HOLMES: Well, folks, this is what some people say Dr. King was talking about, the day we come to where a black man has a chance to win the presidency.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a great time in America and even in black America.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Yeah, but just because Barack Obama is black doesn't necessarily mean all black voters are going to be voting for him. Taking a look after this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's take these guys and let's show them that just because you can't walk anymore, doesn't mean you can't ski.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROESGEN: Wounded veterans who are overcoming the odds on the slopes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Black voters, surely they'll be voting for the black candidate, right? Slow down. We spent some time in Vegas during this week's Democratic debate in Nevada and found that for the black candidate, getting the black vote is not guaranteed.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES (voice-over): Whether he wins the White House or not, many consider Barack Obama's candidacy a realization of part of Dr. King's dream. Generations of blacks fought for the country to get to this point, the day a black man can be president. But even if it's a day black people have waited for, it doesn't necessarily mean Obama is the candidate they'll vote for.

AL DOTSON, JR., CHMN, 100 BLACK MEN OF AMERICA: We are not a monolithic people, and we don't think in a monolithic way. We are looking for candidates who are responsive to our community, I am sure.

HOLMES: The chairman of the group 100 Black Men of America acknowledges the dilemma, but says it's a good problem to have.

DOTSON: It's a great time, it's a great time in America and even in black America when you have multiple candidates who are attuned to our issues, who are responding to our issues and excite the electorate to participate.

FMR. AMB. ANDREW YOUNG: I want Barack Obama to be president in 2016.

HOLMES: An example of a divide in the black community, Ambassador Andrew Young who marched alongside Martin Luther King, is supporting Hillary Clinton.

SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Thank you so much.

HOLMES: Several other civil rights-era leaders have either endorsed Clinton or have not (INAUDIBLE) in either candidate. Last fall polls showed Clinton way ahead of Obama with registered black voters. Those numbers changed drastically after Obama's victory in the Iowa caucuses which proved to many that Obama can win this thing.

(on-camera): Of course, this is not the first black candidate we've seen. We've had Jesse Jackson; we've had Al Sharpton even more recently. What has Obama been able to do to get traction that those were not able to do?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's a new type. Let's say go back to the new negro, old renaissance period. He talked about the new Negro. Well, he's like the new Negro in the 21st century, and I think he's overshadowed those previous runners and he's brought more to the table.

HOLMES: Dr. Haley says both the times and Obama's Yale and Harvard education make a big difference between the campaigns of Shirley Chisholm, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. But Ivy League image or not, others say anyone who assumes the Illinois senator is an automatic for black voters better think again.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It also represents something of a perspective I've not seen reflected in the media. It's a profound disrespect for African-Americans where media would assume that somehow we don't have a brain to think about issues and that somehow we would just vote for people either because they are related to an ex president who we happen to like or because somebody happens to be black.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: And to continue on that point, many people I talked to are downright offended that anybody would think they would vote for a candidate simply based on the color of their skin. However, you find many black people who are still dealing with a conflict within them after they see so much of what black people have gone through in this country, they see a black viable candidate. They feel some responsibility to support that black candidate. And by the way, the 100 Black Men of America is sponsoring that event, that debate out there in Las Vegas, but they do not endorse candidates.

Results from the South Carolina primary and Nevada caucuses will be changing minute by minute, county by county. You can check, track them for yourself, stay up to the second at cnnpolitics.com. That is your online destination for the presidential race -- Susan.

ROESGEN: And what about the Latino vote? What do Latinos favor in the candidates? What do they want to see in a president? We have a live interview in Las Vegas coming up with that. And where do the candidates stand in terms of the number of their delegates? Josh Levs with the dot com desk is looking at that -- Josh.

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi Susan, because that's what it's really about. It's the race for the magic number. It's not like the general election. It isn't about states so what we're going to do coming up, we're going to show you the rankings so far, right here on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROESGEN: Good morning and welcome back. I'm Susan Roesgen filling in for Betty Nguyen today.

HOLMES: And good morning to you all, I'm T.J. Holmes. If you're just waking up, just getting out of bed, getting off the couch, even possibly ...

ROESGEN: Then you're late. Get with it.

HOLMES: But we're going to update you anyway. Here's a look at some of the top stories.

ROESGEN: We've got new surveillance video of a Marine accused of killing a fellow pregnant Marine. Authorities in North Carolina said the man in the circle is Corporal Cesar Laurean buying supplies that could have been used to cover up last months' killing of Lance Corporal Maria Lauterbach.

HOLMES: Investigators say they found a second van belonging to Gary Michael Hilton. He's the man charged with kidnapping and killing 24-year-old Meredith Emerson. She disappeared on New Year's Day while hiking the Appalachian Trail. Authorities are combing the van now for evidence.

ROESGEN: Court documents now say the three victims of last month's tiger attack had marijuana in their systems and at least one was drunk. They all taunted the tiger. That's according to the new court document. The police believe that the taunting may have prompted the tiger to escape and maul the victims at the San Francisco zoo. One man, you'll remember, was killed and two others were seriously hurt.

HOLMES: We will turn back politics going on today.

Nevada caucuses, the first test of the Democratic candidates' support among Latino voters. Nevada has the fastest growing Hispanic population in the nation. Juan Carlos Lopez of CNN Espanol joins us now live from outside one of today's caucus sites, Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. Sir, good morning to you. Tell us, do we know, first, the percentage of voters that will be voting today that we expect to be Latino and also just how important is that Latino vote?

JUAN CARLOS LOPEZ, CNN EN ESPANOL: Well, T.J., good morning. On paper they could be a determining factor in these caucuses because they represent 25 percent of Nevada's population. There are over 110,000 registered Hispanic voters. But the question is, will they come out and vote? Will Nevadans come out and vote? It's the first time they have a caucus of this magnitude.

The question is, did they learn how to caucus? Are they going to come. They will have the opportunity to do it in hotels and casinos like Caesar's Palace. Nine casinos will be hosting the caucuses and we'll see if Hispanics come out and do what is expected of them. But the numbers in Nevada are higher and that's one of the main reasons the caucus was moved up to the state.

HOLMES: You talk about, you'll see if they're going to come it; it's part of the, I guess, getting them out -- are the candidates themselves and the messages they've been putting out there. Have the candidates been talking to the issues that effect Latino voters?

LOPEZ: Well, the interesting factor with Latino voters is that they're not very different from other voters in the U.S. They care about the economy. They care about education, health and the war in Iraq. There is one key issue, and it's immigration.

But more of an issue that they're looking for a change on, which they are -- they are motivated by the debate on immigration. People feel that the debate on immigration is in some way used as a debate on Hispanic presence in the U.S. That is motivating people to register to vote and to come out and vote. We'll see what happens in Nevada today. But that is one of the factors fueling the race for Latinos.

HOLMES: Do we have any read on where a lot of that Latino support is going right now, or is it split, really, among the candidates?

LOPEZ: Not really. From the polls and from speaking to people on the street, most Latinos support Hillary Clinton. The polls said 60 percent, and from my personal experience talking with people in different states, that's where they have their allegiance. We'll have to wait and see. Hispanics have proven they don't follow a party and they usually do not follow a specific candidate. They follow the issues and they follow whoever they trust.

HOLMES: Where have the Latinos been in this entire argument, this fight, if you will, over where the caucuses should happen and should they happen in any of the casinos? There's been back and forth, of course, with Clinton and the Obama camps about a lawsuit that was filed to try to keep the caucuses from happening in the casinos. They thought that might take away some support from Obama. Where have Latinos been in that entire discussion?

LOPEZ: Well, it depends on who you ask, T.J. It all started when the Culinary Workers Union supported Barack Obama. They are 60,000 strong, 40 percent Latino. They'll be given the chance to take part in these caucuses in places like Caesar's Palace. Now, there have been allegations of people being intimidated, told they have to vote for Barack Obama. We spoke to the union yesterday. They denied the allegations. I was told of people who were -- they were told to sign a card to make the commitment to vote for Obama. And I asked -- I wanted to speak to some of them. I wasn't able. None of them were produced. None of them came. So people just interested in the process. But it's a complex process for a state where it hasn't happened before.

Latinos aren't used to caucusing, at least in Nevada. So we'll if they come out. We'll see if they have time, their break from work. A lot of them working today. The city doesn't stop. That's what we're doing here, working.

HOLMES: Everybody is working. No, you're working. You're absolutely right, that city does not stop ever. Juan Carlos Lopez of CNN en Espanol, sir, we appreciate you.

ROESGEN: And we don't stop ever either when we're covering politics. All day on CNN, first up, a special live campaign edition of "YOUR MONEY." Ali Velshi is in Las Vegas. Wolf Blitzer and Christine Romans are at our Election Center in New York. That's at 1:00 p.m. Eastern. At 2:00 p.m. Eastern, Wolf will be joined by the best political team on TV for a look at today's contests in Nevada and South Carolina. And you'll get the first results from the Nevada caucuses.

Then be sure to stick around for more of CNN's "BALLOT BOWL." We are bringing you the candidates unfiltered in their own words.

So really today it's going to be a numbers game. It comes down to first, second, third and numbers of delegates as well.

HOLMES: Yes, pretty sophisticated, complicated numbers game. Let's go with complicated as well. We see this stuff all day. So we study it, but I hope you're about to explain it, because I have friends I try to explain it to -- you didn't tell me that part. I'm try to leave out some of the details and just simplify it. Are you going to break this down for us?

LEVS: Some people make heyday out of winning a state. But it sounds like the general election, where if you win a state you get all those electoral delegates. It's nothing like that. Honestly, yes, there have been a few state victories so far, but it's this political media construct. The reality is it's a delegate race.

No matter where you come in, first, second, third -- the person who comes in third might actually get more delegates than the person who comes in second. It's crazy.

What I'm going to do now, block all that out and show you what the real rankings are. Let's take a look; this is from CNN.com. We have for you here the list of where the delegates stand. And we're starting off on the Republican side. So, as you scroll down you can see; Romney 54, Huckabee 22. We keep updating these all the time.

These are the delegates based on the races in the states and also unpledged delegates who get to support whoever they want. They don't come from a state. CNN canvases them; where do you stand. Right now Romney is there. Now, they have a long way to go. You need more than a thousand on the Republican side in order to win. But in the delegate race, which is ultimately what this is, he's ahead.

Let's switch over to the Dems now. What do we have there, all right, Hillary Clinton, up near 200; she's at 190. Obama is at about half of that, about 100; and Edwards at 51. Again, this includes the state ones and also what are called Super Delegates, people not assigned to individual states, but they are Democratic party leaders who get to support whoever they want. CNN regularly canvass them because we want to know where the race really stands. That's what you see right here.

Also, when you visit dot com, listen to this third page. That's it. This explains what the delegates are. So, T.J., your friends can visit there. They can see where they come from. That shows how many you need. The Democrats need more than 2,000. The GOP needs more like 1,000.

Forget what you're seeing now. It's just confusing. Forget the extra fourth page. We were good until then.

ROESGEN: How many delegates are at stake today in South Carolina and Nevada?

LEVS: Right. So, again, these are really incremental steps. Republicans need more than a thousand. Democrats need more than 2,000. Today, what do we have? Nevada has about 25 on each side. South Carolina, 45 for the Democrats and about half that for the Republicans.

What you're seeing, these are real incremental steps. Now, what everybody wants is momentum. That's why you hear momentum all the time, because there's such an incredibly long way to go. The theory is, if you have momentum, people will start to support you. But honestly, they're not even 10 percent of the way toward where they need to be. What we need to see in the coming days is who gets how many delegates, and then February 5th. That could really be a big deal.

ROESGEN: Of course, we also have Giuliani, who is not making a play for anything until Florida. When you say build momentum, some people are going, oh, yes, is he a candidate too? I kind of forget about him.

LEVS: I heard him say the other day, his theory is that he's considering Florida a gate opener. What he wants to do is win Florida, win by getting more actual votes, even if it doesn't make a huge difference in the delegate race, and then that brings him into February 5th. And maybe a lot of people say, he's a winner, I'll support him.

That's the big day for delegates. That's when all these states weigh in. Conceivably, someone could make enough delegates to clinch the nomination. It might not happen, but it's a possibility that day, first time. ROESGEN: OK, that's what keeps it fun. Thanks Josh.

Speaking of numbers, we've got some really chilly numbers in the weather department.

HOLMES: Yes, Meteorologist Reynolds Wolf, don't get comfortable over there. You're going to be heading up to that place behind you I believe tomorrow.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HOLMES: We've got a broomstick beat down to show you. A fed-up store clerk goes one on one with a robbery suspect who has a gun. Now who is supposed to win and who actually won, two different things here. We'll explain.

ROESGEN: And disabled veterans going skiing. There isn't anything they can't do.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROESGEN: Well, we've got some quick hits for you this morning, starting with a store clerk who was quick thinking and quick hitting.

HOLMES: Yes, that store clerk -- actually we're going to talk to you about it with a broom. This is what happened. A guy goes into a store -- actually, we'll start with this story for you here. This is what we're showing you out of -- where is this Pennsylvania, an elderly man. No, this is not it.

This is a plant explosion here we actually have for you. I do not have that script for you in E-1, but there it is. Three people, two firefighters injured, explosion, rocked a construction company. This is what we have in Lima in Ohio. Flames, as you saw there, at the top, 25 feet in the air, leveled half of the place. Authorities had evacuated the building before the blast to check for a guess leak.

ROESGEN: And now the broom-wielding store clerk. This woman really went at him. The guy had a gun, a robber intending to rob the store. She hit him with a broom handle and he ran away, even though he had a gun. They say this guy has tried to rob at least eight stores in the area, but they say this one may be the last time he tries to do that.

HOLMES: Also here, police in Pennsylvania say an elderly man is responsible for this mess. They say he lost control of his car outside a casino, plowed into pedestrians. The casino says the car ran into the back of an ambulance that was there on another call, then jumped the curb, hit five people. One person was critically injured here.

ROESGEN: And an update in Iraq about an apparently on-going gun battle between Iraqi police and members of a cult. The Iraqi Interior Ministry is reporting that 66 people have been killed and 60 wounded. The fighting started yesterday when members of a group called Soldiers of Heaven attacked Shiite pilgrims who were observing one of the religious festivals in Basra and Nazariyah.

Coming back after a major injury can be a challenge. But for dozens of disabled veterans in New Hampshire, losing their limbs doesn't stop them.

HOLMES: They're learning to live again and even ski after surviving serious injuries. Andy Hershberger of WMUR is in New Hampshire with the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDY HERSHBERGER, WMUR NEWS: It takes the heart of a warrior, bravery, intelligence and a desire to beat the odds. But the fight these former servicemen and women now face is an uphill battle to go down hill.

TONY SANTILLI, PROGRAM CO-FOUNDER: They were wounded. I went out to get them, tried to get them, and I got shot three times.

HERSHBERGER: Tony Santilli lost his left leg in Vietnam in 1967. He is one of the co-founders of the New England Winter Sports Clinic For Disabled Veterans.

SANTILLI: Let's show these men and women, all these veterans. They gave their time and their limbs and other things for their country. Let's take these guys and let's show them that just because you can't walk anymore doesn't mean you can't ski.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You'll be on his right side.

HERSHBERGER: For the past 12 years, wounded veterans have come to Mount Sunapi (ph) to take part in this four-day program. They've lost arms and legs and some were in danger of losing their spirit.

ANTHONY SMITH, IRAQ VETERAN: I was dealing with a whole lot of post-traumatic syndrome and this really got me out there and personally helped build my confidence level back up and let me know that my life just ain't over after I got an injury like I did.

SHANNON CALLAHAN, DISABLED VETERAN: I was a little hesitant at first. It seemed a little intimidating, but I took the chance. I came up. Yesterday was my first day and I'm hooked again. I love it.

HERSHBERGER: Shannon Callahan was paralyzed in a freak accident on a military base in Germany exactly one year ago. Now, with the assistance of these volunteers, she's learning to ski again.

CALLAHAN: I wasn't sure I could do it, but I've done it. I feel confident and I feel more independent.

HERSHBERGER: All of these veterans know they simply need instruction, not help. They realize skiing can be a metaphor more life, a challenge to be met head on and with determination overcome.

At Mount Sunapi, Andy Hershberger, WMUR News.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: All right, folks, we have a couple to tell you about. They plan on getting married. They put off the wedding until the very last minute, I mean the very last minute.

ROESGEN: So why did they get married there? You'll find out.

And just like something out of the movies, this truck may look like the real deal, but looks can be deceiving. We'll tell you who's got them and what they're doing with them.

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HOLMES: Check out this unusual place of prayer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Touch Texas, Lamb of God. Oh Lord, touch Minnesota, sweet Jesus.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Jesus, yes, is it highway to heaven? Find out why this road leads some people to the Bible. That's tomorrow in our Faces of Faith. That's right here at 7:00 Eastern.

ROESGEN: Well, you know, commercial trucks and vans are so common on streets everywhere that you hardly pay any attention to them, which is exactly what criminals count on.

HOLMES: Police all over the country say they have discovered more and more fake vehicles that look like the real thing, kind of like the ones you see here. Inside what they're finding, cargo that also looks real, but it's hiding drugs and money. In one case, a van smuggling illegal immigrants was painted exactly like a border parole vehicle.

ROESGEN: Just like a scene out of a movie.

And talk about multi-tasking, an Oregon couple decided that they had better hurry up and exchange their wedding vows because the baby was on the way, really on the way. The hospital fashioned that veil from a bed sheet for the bride. The groom took a break from delivering packages to be there to do his part. They had flowers and they had some cake from the hospital cafeteria.

The wedding had been set for today, but the baby decided to come along sooner and they absolutely wanted to get married before the baby was born, so there you have it.

HOLMES: Well, all right.

High school wrestling -- we'll turn to this. Check out the guy in the green and the yellow. Oh! We don't usually show wrestling clips, but this one you had to see. The young man in the green and yellow, pay attention to him. We're going to show this in slow-mo for you.

ROESGEN: What he does is he does a complete back flip. And it wasn't an accident. He had been practicing this move. Here you go, right there. He says he's been practicing it to get the other guy, his opponent off guard. And he was waiting for the right opportunity to try it. He tried it. It worked.

HOLMES: It worked. And he pinned his guy. OK, that's impressive. He's going to win an Espy, I'll predict later in the year, from ESPN, for that move.

ROESGEN: Stay with CNN right now for the best political team on television. At noon, we'll take a look at race and politics. Does race matter? A look at how race really does matter in the presidential election.

HOLMES: Also, check this one out, the burglary victim hides in the closet, but then the burglar decides to hide in the closet too. We'll tell you what happened. That's coming up.

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(WEATHER REPORT)

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HOLMES: All right, folks, it's that time for us to see what's coming up next week on "AMERICAN MORNING." Kiran Chetry in New York for us. Hello to you, Kiran.

KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, T.J.

As you know, this is the home for the most politics in the morning. We're on the road, yet again, live from South Carolina with the big winner of the GOP primary today. And we've been talking with the candidates about the issues across the country from Michigan to Nevada to South Carolina, and also talking to the voters. So everything you need to know to help you choose a president coming your way.

Also Monday, as you know, T.J., the holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. And we've been talking with new voices about civil rights to see what they think about the race for the president. Some interesting and provocative views that you won't want to miss, T.J.

HOLMES: Also something else you're going to be talking about and something we're actually seeing here in Atlanta, something pop up, clinics inside pharmacies. You all are going to be taking this on?

CHETRY: That's right, T.J. In fact, right across from here, at your neighborhood Dwayne Reid (ph), rather than having to make an appointment, wait a few months, and then see your family physician, you can now just walk into your drugstore. The walk-in clinics are also showing up at Wal-Mart, Target, Walgreens by the summer. So is this quick visit, no appointment necessary clinic, just as good for your health? Well, we're going to check it out. Also, we're live from the Sundance Film Festival, our Lola Oguinake has been talking with film makers, including Robert Redford's daughter. She's making her film debut. Lola's going to be giving us a look at the new movies, who sang what, who's wearing who. And rumor has it that the Swag bags, T.J., are better than ever, because they didn't have anything to give out at the Golden Globes because no actors showed up. The actors are the ones that need all that free stuff.

HOLMES: Well, they are. They're people, too, Kiran. All right, some say those bags will be full. And who's wearing who. I like how you put that. You all got a lot coming up next week. Get some rest this weekend, by all means.

CHETRY: Thanks, T.J. You too.

HOLMES: Remember, folks, you can catch Kiran Chetry, John Roberts, Monday on "AMERICAN MORNING" beginning at 6:00 a.m. Eastern.

Folks, you are in the CNN NEWSROOM. Stuff is going down live on this Saturday, January 19th. Hello to you all. I'm T.J. Holmes.

ROESGEN: And I'm Susan Roesgen, filling in for Betty Nguyen.

Ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM, two major milestones in the race for president.

HOLMES: Yes, the Nevada caucuses and the GOP primary happening in South Carolina. We're getting closer to finding out who may have the inside track in those races.

ROESGEN: And the voting in South Carolina is under a lot of rain, maybe even snow. We are tracking a strong winter storm heading through the south.

HOLMES: And a remarkable twist to tell you about in a murder conviction that has haunted a Colorado cop for decades. She's been trying to free the man that she helped convict.

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