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Nation Honors Martin Luther King; Osama Bin Laden's Son Working for Peace
Aired January 21, 2008 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DON LEMON, CO-HOST: Politicians, preachers and everyday people, all honoring a King. Martin Luther King's legacy lives on for decades after his death.
MELISSA LONG, CO-HOST: Deep freeze, deep snow and deep trouble, especially for this guy but, he's definitely not the only one who's chilling.
Hello. I'm Melissa Long at the CNN world headquarters here in Atlanta. Kyra is on assignment today.
LEMON: And I'm Don Lemon. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: his name, his words, his legacy, still as vibrant today as they were decades ago. The president is praising him. Presidential candidates have been arguing over him. And the nation honors him on this national holiday.
And our T.J. Holmes is at Dr. King's former church, Ebenezer Baptist, right here in Atlanta, and he join us now.
We've seen some presidential contenders and even some former presidents, right, T.J.?
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Well, yes. Seeing both, both from Arkansas. Former president, Bill Clinton, is in fact here and also Republican governor and presidential candidate, Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas.
You mentioned in that intro there, folks have been fighting over the words and the legacy of Martin Luther King during this -- during this presidential season. Definitely not the case today.
What we have here behind me is the Horizon sanctuary, part of Ebenezer Baptist Church. It's across the street from the historic church, of course, where Dr. Martin Luther King really made his mark at the pulpit. But what you're seeing around me here, people certainly gathering out here now.
So a nice day, kind of cold day, but still, a lot of people gathering around where the commemorative service is about to wrap up. The main sermon has gone on right now, service has been going on about three hours now. People actually have a Jumbotron in the distance, speakers set up outside. The overflow crowd, where they can come out and actually be a part of that commemorative service. Being, actually, called a spiritual hallmark of the entire King holiday and the King holiday weekend.
Now, kind of a theme has been -- has been taking place and kind of a theme we've been seeing today and also through the presidential campaign, is that is Barack Obama -- here you have a man, a black man, a viable candidate who could actually -- many people believe could be the next president, could be the first black president.
And many people have invoked the name of Martin Luther King Jr. at some point during this presidential campaign, saying that, in fact, Obama's candidacy is, in fact, a realization of part of Dr. Martin Luther King's dream.
But what we are hearing here today as well is that, sure, he may have cleared the way for an Obama candidacy, but he's not the only candidate that really has gotten an opportunity here because of the work of Dr. Martin Luther King. And that's the point that former president, Bill Clinton, hit on. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I mean, how cool is it? You know, you've got all of these different people seeking the presidency. And guess what? It's all possible because of Martin Luther King's vision of the beloved community.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: And so that was something Shirley Franklin, the mayor of Atlanta, talked about, as well, saying, really, you've got the son of a mill worker. You've got a woman. You've got a Mormon. And you have this black man, all of those opportunities out there now because of the work of Dr. Martin Luther King.
And I mentioned Governor Huckabee is here, as well, Republican candidate for president, Huckabee. He actually shared a pew with former president, Bill Clinton. Both of these guys, both former Arkansas governors, both of these guys from Hope, Arkansas, and now, of course, Governor Huckabee hoping to be the next president of the United States.
I talked to him today as he arrived. We talked about, really, why we don't see more Republicans in black churches. Of course, black voters have always been, for at least some time now, assumed and been a very dependable voting bloc for Democrats. So I asked him, quite simply, what are you doing here today?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE HUCKABEE (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, I think America owes a lot to Dr. King. The fact is, when politicians were brought, basically, dragging and kicking to the whole civil rights movement, it was Dr. King that really led this country to recognize the worth and value of every human being. And had it not been for his courage and his moral clarity on this issue, you know, I shutter to think where this country would be.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: And Governor Huckabee said he can't speak for those other Republicans and what other Republicans do, but he said he's here for that reason, because it's not about black and white.
Now, you see a good-sized crowd kind of gathering around here. Took a while for the crowd to get out here, but they're certainly here now. Many people really commemorating this day, also taking a visit over to the tomb of Coretta Scott King and Dr. Martin Luther King.
And Don, I've been talking about this today. Of course, we all know friends, co-workers who will say, "Hey, got a three-day weekend coming up. Dr. Martin Luther King Day is on Monday." They talk about having the day off, taking the day off. But the theme of today is to remember, celebrate and act. It's a day on and not a day off -- Don.
LEMON: Absolutely, T.J. We were at an event this weekend. I'm not sure if you were there, but that's where they said: a day on, not a day off. And we should be remembering today and not taking the day off. Thank you very much for that.
We're going to check in with T.J. throughout the day right here in the CNN NEWSROOM. We appreciate your reporting.
And from leaders to marches to everyday people, some of the most enduring and unforgettable images of the civil rights era, courtesy of Bob Adelman. We'll show you much, much more when the world-renowned photojournalist joins us next hour, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
LONG: Two southern states are in the political spotlight on this day honoring Martin Luther King Jr.: South Carolina and Florida, the next stops on the road to the White House.
Democrats in South Carolina hold their primary on Saturday, and then three days later, the focus will be on Florida's Republican primary. A Democratic primary will also be held in the state, but no delegates are at stake in Florida. The Democratic front-runners are boycotting the contest because Florida moved up its primary, violating party rules.
Topping our political ticker today, South Carolina's leading African-American politician is weighing in on the dustup between the Clinton/Obama campaigns over civil rights issues. Congressman James Clyburn, the House majority whip, says it's time to move beyond the controversy. And he's offering this advice to former president Bill Clinton.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. JAMES CLYBURN (-SC), MAJORITY WHIP: I think he really, as they would say in Ballagitchee (ph) country, is to chill a little bit. And I hope he understands what it means.
You get excited in his campaign, so I understand him wanting to defend his wife's honor and his own record, and that is to be expected. But you can do that in a way that won't engender the kind of feelings that seem to be bubbling up as a result of this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LONG: Former president Clinton helped ignite the controversy earlier this month when he called Obama's claims about the Iraq opposition a fairy tale.
Close encounter between the Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama camps. Chelsea Clinton and Michelle Obama attend the same church service yesterday in Columbia, South Carolina. The former first daughter and the potential first lady received warm welcomes from the worshipers, and they had cordial greetings for each other.
Senator John McCain taking a hit over his age. Actor Chuck Norris raised the issue on the campaign trail over the weekend. Norris, who supports McCain's Republican rival Mike Huckabee, said he believes serving as president speeds up the aging process 3-1, and he suggested the 71-year-old McCain might not even last a single term.
Huckabee didn't offer his opinion on whether McCain's age is an issue, joking, quote, "Only John McCain and his hairdresser know for sure."
Well, if you'd like to watch any of the candidates on the campaign trail, don't forget about CNN.com Live, CNN.com/live. You can, of course, follow the candidates on the campaign trail, follow the debates. We bring them to you live, so when you're not near your television you can follow debates, like tonight's debate in South Carolina.
The Democratic candidates will be taking part in that Congressional Black Caucus debate in Myrtle Beach. You can see it on CNN television at 8 p.m., CNN and CNN.com Live, your home for politics.
LEMON: Many candidates are in the south, where it's supposed to be warm. But we're shivering, from the snowy north to the Deep South. It's cold outside, Chad Myers.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It really is.
LEMON: Really low temperatures here.
MYERS: Yes. We built a snow man on Saturday, and it's still there today. And that doesn't happen in Atlanta very often.
LEMON: Did you have a good one? Was it better than the mud men we saw last week?
MYERS: It was not as big as the mud man. We'll call him the mulch man, because I think they rolled in the mulch. But it had -- it had little lollipops for -- you know, instead of coal, because we don't have coal.
LEMON: Chad, send us an I-Report. MYERS: I'll have my wife send it. A lot of snow. Giant snowman up near Watertown, north of Oswego and north of Syracuse, New York. Here are some pictures from Fulton. Now, this is Fulton in Oswego County, New York, just north of Syracuse. Syracuse, you really did get missed by all of this snow. At least some of you did.
(WEATHER REPORT)
MYERS: Could be ice here in Atlanta tomorrow morning. But not like this ice that you'll see on some of these I-Report pictures. Take a look at this shot here from Green Bay. That's the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field.
LONG: Wow.
MYERS: But that is the man it was attached to.
LONG: That's a "South Park" fan.
MYERS: I'm not sure if he got sprayed with beer or what, but that is just not right.
LEMON: Look at that.
MYERS: That is some stuff there. Those guys put up with a lot of it. I'll tell you what. And I think I heard at the beginning of the game, we could almost say, "We are Marshall." I think they were saying, "We are not cold." I couldn't quite make it out. But I was -- think that's what they were saying. So...
LEMON: They were -- they were trying to channel, you know, Miami or something. Oh, my gosh. That is just crazy.
MYERS: That's a good shot.
LEMON: Seriously, I want to see your snowman.
MYERS: I'll call my wife, see if she can get it.
LEMON: Yes, take a picture. My neighbors made one, and they were out there taking pictures with their kids. It was a beautiful day on Saturday.
All right. Thank you very much, Chad.
LONG: Next story has flames jumping from one building to another, people fleeing in the bitter cold and in the middle of the night.
An ambulance crew driving through downtown Lawrence, Massachusetts, first spotted this fire. The freezing winds helped spread the flames through 14 buildings, most of them apartments, and a home for the mentally disabled.
Now, it appears, incredibly, everyone in the buildings made it out alive. Thank goodness, right? Well, only one person was reportedly injured. The fire marshal says the fire started at a nightclub that was under renovation.
LEMON: Wow. A man caught with an arsenal of weapons in his New York apartment is being arraigned later today.
Police found eight pipe bombs, three guns and a crossbow in the home of Ivaylo Ivanov yesterday. They made the discovery after he apparently shot himself in the hand. Ivanov initially claimed someone else shot him. Neighbors were evacuated while the bomb squad searched the area.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They rang the doorbells and said, "You have five minutes" and "would you go?" And "We can offer you a bus that's -- that's heated."
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's astounding, that's all I can say, unbelievable.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: It is quite an interesting story. And according to "The New York Daily News," Ivanov is a native of Bulgaria, and police are checking to see if he has ties to the Russian mafia.
LONG: Police in Southern California plan to peel open the twisted wreckage of the plane to see if there are any more victims inside. Least five people died when the small plane collided with another Cessna about a mile from the Corona Airport on Sunday. Debris rained down on several automobile dealerships, and one person on the ground was killed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEFF HARDIN, CRASH WITNESS: It looked like maybe he just didn't see him or something. I don't know. But they just -- he ran right into the side of him. And the smaller aircraft, this one here, just disintegrated into pieces, or maybe 50 pieces coming down. The other aircraft pretty much stayed intact and started spiraling down and came down right behind that Nissan dealer.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LONG: Investigators still trying to figure this one out, piecing together information about where the planes were heading and whether either pilot issued a distress call.
LEMON: Wow.
A story of a son who rebelled. Look closely. Does this man appear familiar? Well, you bet he does. Looks a lot like his father, who just happens to be the world's most wanted terrorist.
LONG: And also this hour, bravery in the face of life- threatening peril. We're going to talk to two officers who rescued a man from this flaming automobile.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: OK, so it's a name you know, and likely you despise the name. It's Osama bin Laden. But the son of the al Qaeda chief say he's nothing like his dad. And Omar Osama bin Laden has a message for his father.
He sat down with our Aneesh Raman in Cairo, Egypt.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At first glance, 26-year-old Omar seems the image of a modern Middle East. He drives a Jeep, has dreadlocks, and his wife is a British national. You'd never guess this is Osama bin Laden's son.
(on camera) What age did you start training with al Qaeda?
OMAR OSAMA BIN LADEN, OSAMA BIN LADEN'S SON: I started training maybe in 14.
RAMAN (voice-over): As a child, Omar was a soldier in his father's army, training in Afghanistan like so many others. But by 2000, Omar felt al Qaeda was heading for a fight he didn't want any part of.
BIN LADEN: After a few years, the -- the war, the fight became bigger and bigger. And I see a lot of things being bigger, and my eyes opened on all -- a lot of things. I think better if I go outside and see how the life outside.
RAMAN: It was a decision, Omar says, his father accepted.
BIN LADEN: He tells me, "This is your" -- your world?
ZAINA AL SABAH-BIN LADEN, WIFE OF OMAR OSAMA BIN LADEN: Your choice, your decision.
BIN LADEN: "Your decision. But I can't tell you. I'd like you to be with me, but this is your decision."
RAMAN: So father and son went their separate ways. But for Omar, there was no running from the bin Laden name, not after September 11, 2001.
(on camera) Where were you when 9/11 happened? How did you first learn about it?
BIN LADEN: I am in Saudi Arabia.
RAMAN: Did you immediately think your father was behind it, when you saw the news?
BIN LADEN: Yes, maybe.
RAMAN: And what went through your mind?
BIN LADEN: That time (ph), I didn't know what I -- how I have to feel.
AL SABAH-BIN LADEN: He was only 18, 19.
BIN LADEN: True, I see something -- killed, I feel sad.
RAMAN (voice-over): Seven years later, his father is now the world's most-wanted man.
(on camera) Are you in touch with your father at all right now?
BIN LADEN: Sure not.
RAMAN: Do you have any idea where he is?
BIN LADEN: No.
RAMAN: Do you think that he will ever get caught?
BIN LADEN: I don't think, no.
RAMAN (voice-over): The reason, Omar says: wherever Osama is, the people around him will never turn.
AL SABAH-BIN LADEN: The people there is different from here. The people there has -- has freedom between them and the gods. They can do anything by God's permission. They didn't care about government.
RAMAN: As for Omar, he's stuck, at one level, still defending his dad.
(on camera) Do you think that your father is a terrorist?
BIN LADEN: No, I don't think my father's a terrorist.
RAMAN (voice-over): I asked how he could say that. Because, Omar says, Osama bin Laden believes he is doing God's will, and no religious figure around the al Qaeda leader is telling him what his son is saying now.
BIN LADEN: I'd like to say to my father, try to find another way to help or to find your goal and this is bomb, this is (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...
AL SABAH-BIN LADEN: Weapons.
BIN LADEN: Weapons, he's not good to use it for anybody.
RAMAN: To make the point, Omar and his wife, Zaina, are organizing a horse race later this year, hoping to cross North Africa with a message of peace. But finding sponsors is difficult when your last name is bin Laden. AL SABAH-BIN LADEN: It would probably have been easier to do a race without having Omar's name. But then, the race would be just a race; it wouldn't be a race for peace.
RAMAN : It is a big unknown: can this son re-brand a name his father has made synonymous with terror?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Aneesh Raman joins us now from Cairo.
Aneesh, just -- what a burden that name is to carry. Has Omar thought about getting in touch with his father?
RAMAN: Well, I asked him that. I said, instead of trying to change the world or change the west, how about trying to change your father, the man who is really at the core of the continued killing of innocent civilians worldwide?
He said, "Look, my father believes what he believes. I can't affect that. The only way that can be changed is for those around Osama bin Laden, who continue to give him religious justification to kill innocent people, to stop doing that."
And he means by that religious clerics that refuse to tell Osama bin Laden that he cannot do these acts in the name of Islam and also presidents, kings, leaders of the Middle East, who have not stood up forcefully against bin Laden, he thinks enough, saying that this not part of Islam. So he feels it's essentially a hopeless cause to effect his father, and that's why he's trying this other route, Don.
LEMON: Yes. So does he have support for this other route that you're talking about?
RAMAN: Yes, I think it's starting. It's interesting. I asked him about normal life for him and his wife. He said that, when they meet people, they're sort of friendly at first. They disappear subsequently for days when they are find out they're bin Ladens, and then some of them return.
It's difficult to create a life for him out of his father's shadow. Perhaps generations of bin Ladens will try unsuccessfully at that.
But I did ask him, "Are you worried al Qaeda itself could see you as a traitor, because you are your father's son and you are saying these things?"
And he said, "Look, if it is my time, it will come. It is in God's hands." He didn't seem overtly concerned, at least not publicly. He seems intent on trying to chip away at the terror that is associated with the bin Laden name. But of course, so much terror is associated with it, it is an incredibly tough battle that he is embarking on, Don.
LEMON: Absolutely. And looking at the video, yes, he does look like his dad. It's amazing. OK. Appreciate your report.
Aneesh Raman joining us from Cairo, Egypt.
LONG: A car on fire and a life at stake with just seconds to act. What happens next earns these police officers a medal of valor. They're going to tell their story, coming up in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LONG: Things have been ugly on Wall Street, and they may be about to get a lot uglier. Markets are closed today, but Susan Lisovicz is in New York, where she's seeing plenty of signs of a coming sell-off.
Hi, Susan.
SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Melissa.
LISOVICZ: The stock market declined every day last week, and the three major averages lost at least 4 percent each on the week. And it could get a lot worse.
The markets, of course, are closed today in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday. But apparently, the extra day of rest hasn't changed investors' sentiment.
Dow futures in London plunged more than 500 points. Now, a lot can change between now and tomorrow's open. But we already know what the global exchanges have been doing, and it was extreme.
Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Japan all closed down more than 4 percent on the day. India's stock market plunged down -- plunged more than 7 percent. The same story in Europe, with London's FTSE 100 down 3.5 percent and the German and French indices down about 7.2 percent each.
Putting that in perspective, a 7 percent drop for the Dow would be more than 800 points.
And Melissa, I should also say that Latin America is still trading, and the Peruvian stock market, which is obviously a lot smaller than -- than some of the exchanges and forces I just mentioned, had to close temporarily because of the selling there. And Brazil was also seeing steep sell-offs -- a steep sell-off, as well.
LONG: Those are huge declines.
LISOVICZ: Yes.
LONG: Well, with the overseas sell-offs in Asia and the European markets, are they a response to the U.S. stocks and how they fared last week or really a sign of what is to come?
LISOVICZ: It's probably a combination, Melissa. The sell-off is global, because the U.S. economy remains the world's biggest. And if consumers here rein in their spending and the economy does fall into recession, the global economy will feel it, too.
Now, what we're expecting this week is a report on the beleaguered housing market. But mostly we'll be getting a flood of corporate earnings. Among the big companies on tap, Microsoft, AT&T, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, and Caterpillar. So broad array, different types of companies. They'll tell us what they're seeing in terms of customer demand from here and abroad.
We'll also be hearing from a couple of big banks: Bank of America and Wachovia, and obviously, the carnage has been centered there. All of that sets the stage for the following week, when we'll get the first look at fourth quarter GDP. That is the mother of all economic reports, the broadest look at the U.S. economy.
The Federal Reserve decision will give its decision on interest rates the same day next week. We'll also get the president's State of the Union address and the monthly report on unemployment.
So a lot of information coming, and the market, understandably, will react. It's going to be a very interesting day tomorrow. And I think -- I think we're -- we're prepared for a sell-off tomorrow.
LONG: I think it's going to be an interesting couple of weeks, too.
LISOVICZ: Yes. And perhaps even longer than that.
LONG: Susan Lisovicz in New York. Susan, thank you.
LISOVICZ: You're welcome.
LEMON: Splitting the African-American vote. Two schools of thought from different generations.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(NEWSBREAK)
LONG: Officers on patrol in Ames, Iowa get a call -- a car is on fire, but it's unknown if anybody could be inside. And this is what Lieutenant Jeff Brinkley and Officer Clint Hertz found when they got there, smoke pouring from that flaming vehicle. And they had a split- second decision to make -- was there someone inside? And if so, could that person be saved?
Well, the two heroes caught up in this amazing situation join me now live from Des Moines. Lieutenant Brinkley and Officer Hertz, thanks for your time today. Appreciate it.
Well, let's also tell everybody that the dash-cam caught this heroicrescue. So while we roll the tape of the initial moments when you drove up to the scene, Lieutenant Brinkley, you were the first to arrive, and tell me what you first saw.
LIEUTENANT JEFF BRINKLEY, RESCUED MAN FROM BURNING CAR: As I pulled into the mall parking lot I could see a pole that was knocked over and then 50 or 60 yards ahead of that was the car, and the back half of it was almost totally engulfed in flames at that point.
LONG: So what were you thinking that the point?
BRINKLEY: I'm hoping there's nobody in there, but we didn't know because the information from dispatch was that the vehicle was moving at hte point that it started on fire.
LONG: Now, Officer Hertz, you arrived on the scene, both of you approached that vehicle, and what do you do next?
OFFICER CLINT HERTZ, RESCUED MAN FROM BURNING CAR: Well, Lieutenant Brinkley had broken out the passenger-side window let some smoke out, and he still couldn't see inside, so he went around to break the driver's side window out, and that's about the time I arrived on scene. And he was coming back around the front of the car and said, see if you can get the door open. So I tried it and it was unlocked, got it open. And I looked inside and I could see that there was somebody inside. So I grabbed on to him and tried pulling him out.
LONG: Now that young man was unconscious at the time?
HERTZ: He was unconscious. He was seat belted in, so I had to reach underneath him and unhook his seat belt, and then I pulled him out, and Lieutenant Brinkley helpe me pull him away from the car.
LONG: With the flames, I can't imagine how hot it was. Are you able to explain that and explain the adrenaline that was pumping at that moment?
HERTZ: I don't really remember it being hot at all. I mean, I suppose it might have been, but I think there's so much adrenaline going you don't remember any of that.
LONG: Now, Officer Hertz, you had to run back to the car, and then you put your head inside in order to see if there might be somebody else in there. Then, tell me what happened.
HERTZ: I don't know if the smoke ignited or what. There's -- you can see a flash of fire on the video. I don't really remember that either from that night, but...
LONG: We're going to see that in a moment. You'll see that flash of flames go up in your face. Did you feel that heat? Did you experience that heat? Or, again, was the adrenaline just so fierce you didn't really even feel that?
HERTZ: Yes, I don't remember feeling that at all.
LONG: You, of course, are trained for incident likes this, but as an officer, you never know what you're going to expect when you go out on the job day after day. I'm sure you didn't expect this day to play out as it did.
HERTZ: No, I didn't. LONG: Now, you were received medals of valor. In fact, tomorrow you will receive those medals of valor from the Ames City Council at their regular meeting. When you heard about those medals, did you feel humbled?
HERTZ: Yes, very.
LONG: Well, tell me about the feelings that you had when you found out. I mean, you are being called heroes.
BRINKLEY: You know, that's still so foreign to us. We get into this line of work to do maybe not these kind of things, but you know, we're happy that we were able to get there and get this done and to have us all come out without being any more injured than anybody was, and it's just -- it's kind of overwhelming to us that it's that big a deal. We're happy that we could be there. And pretty sobering to go back and watch the video and have it turn out like it did.
LONG: But of course it is a big deal for that 21-year-old who was able to make it out alive. You've had some contact with him?
HERTZ: A little bit.
LONG: He was hospitalized and has now been released from the hospital and is now with his family?
HERTZ: Yes, that's correct.
LONG: Well, gentlemen, as always, I can say I'm surprised. You're very humble. And you are heroes. It is a fitting title. And of course tomorrow you'll be presented with the medals of valor. And I'm sure your families -- I know you have young families -- are so delighted that you were able to make it out of that situation and tell this story today.
HERTZ: Yes.
BRINKLEY: Yes, they were.
LONG: Lieutenant Jeff Brinkley and Officer Clint Hertz, thank you so much, and, again, congratulations.
HERTZ: Thank you.
BRINKLEY: Thank you.
LEMON: They are very humble. Men of few words. But you know wht, just imagine doing -- they can't even remember doing it. So, yes, you're right, they are heroes, but they don't really talk that much, do they?
LONG: No, I've never been in that situation. I can't imagine what that adrenaline's like when you're rescuing someone, when you're saving someone's life.
LEMON: That's why they call it adrenaline. All right, let's move on now, talk about some political news.
LONG: OK.
LEMON: Two southern states are in the political spotlight on this honoring -- this day honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. South Carolina and Florida are the next stops on the road to the White House. Democrats in South Carolina hold their primary. That happens on Saturday. Three days later the focus will be on Florida's Republican primary. The Democratic primary also will be held in Florida, but no delegates are at stake. The Democratic front-runners are boycotting the contest because Florida moved its primary up, violating party rules.
Let's talk now about courting the African-American vote. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are both drawing support, divided along generational lines.
CNN's Ed Lavandera takes a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Andrew Young fought the Civil Rights battle. A friend of Martin Luther King, he organized black voters and Civil Rights demonstration. Some might have expected him to support Barack Obama in this year's race for the White House, he decided to get on the Hillary Clinton bandwagon instead.
ANDREW YOUNG, CIVIL RIGHTS VETERAN: Politics is a dirty game. And I just think you -- you don't want to risk the future of the world on somebody that hasn't played this game before and doesn't know the rules.
LAVANDERA: Atlanta mayor Shirley Franklin is a protege of the black political establishment. Mentored by politicians like Andrew Young, she's backing Obama.
SHIRLEY FRANKLIN, ATLANTA MAYOR: And I think that Barack Obama is the best candidate for bringing America together, for building a coalition.
LAVANDERA: Barack Obama's popularity has exploded almost entirely without help from such high-profiled Civil Rights activists Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. Though Jackson has said he will support his candidacy. History professor Jelani Cobb sees the generational divide, the old guard of the Civil Rights Movement tied closely to the Clinton political machine and younger generations open to a candidate like Obama.
JELANI COBB, HISTORY PROFESSOR: What were seeing now is a revolt from below in essence that there's an array of people who were saying irrespective of what the leadership is saying about Barack Obama. I really think he's an interesting candidate.
LAVANDERA: But with many long-time black leaders are saying that the Clintons understand black America better. Andrew Young even suggested they're literally just like black Americans.
YOUNG: Bill is every bit as black as Barack.
LAVANDERA: How is Bill Clinton blacker than Barack Obama?
YOUNG: Bill Clinton grew up in Arkansas as a teenager and was surrounded by black people.
LAVANDERA: Shirley Franklin is drawn to Obama's multicultural roots and the ability to connect with a new generation of voters.
FRANKLIN: What he's been able to do in a short period of time as a candidate and as a young man is stunning to me.
LAVANDERA: The political divide is a battle over who can best carry the torch for black America.
Ed Lavandera, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: And, tonight, South Carolina, the Democratic candidates will take part in the Congressional Black Caucus debate it is in Myrtle Beach. See it live only on CNN at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. CNN your home for politics.
LONG: If you are pregnant, you might want to change your diet and give coffee a break. We're keeping you healthy, next in the CNN NEWSROOM.
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LEMON: A new study is raising new concerns for pregnant women who like to wake up with a cup of coffee. And researchers say miscarriages are linked to -- listen up, excess caffeine. Our Medical Correspondent Judy Fortin is here to tell us all about this. This is something that everyone needs to know, if you're pregnant or planning on getting pregnant.
JUDY FORTIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. One more thing to worry about, Don. In fact, pregnant women and those who may want to get pregnant may be surprised by this news. Authors of the Kaiser Permanente study report high doses of caffeine cause an increased risk of miscarriage.
Now we're talking about more than two cups of coffee, tea, caffeinated soda or hot chocolate a day. But, what's a cup because that differs nowadays? This is what authors say is OK to drink, one cup, for instance, of coffee a day is OK, an eight-ounce size, not the 12-ounce size and certainly not the 20-ounce size people will get at their local coffee bar.
So, it really makes a difference here. Researchers are recommending reducing daily caffeine intake or better yet, Don cut it out altogether. LEMON: OK, so why is this study different than the studies that have been done -- they've done studies about pregnant women and caffeine.
FORTIN: They've done a lot of studies. In fact, about 15 studies have been done over the past couple of years and they have look at this very topic. And although the results were similar, critics were quick to point out biases such as small number of participants, not controlling for age or smoking. And even morning sickness, which causes some women to avoid caffeine altogether.
Researchers studied women early in their pregnancies who never changed their drinking patterns, and it was a large study over 1,000 women, and the results were startling. Those who consumed 200 milligrams of caffeine per day had twice the miscarriage risk of women who consumed no caffeine.
Now current recommendations from groups such as The March of Dimes, warn women not to exceed 300 milligrams a day, but this may change some of the recommendations that women hear from their doctors in the near future.
LEMON: OK, so what's their thinking behind this? Why do doctors think there's an increased risk here?
FORTIN: Well, there a couple of things that they're looking at. The lead study author told us that caffeine crosses through the placenta to the fetus, but it can be difficult for the fetus to metabolize caffeine. Caffeine may influence cell development and decrease blood flow to the placenta.
If arteries are restricted that will restrict blood flow to the fetus, which may then cause a miscarriage. And that's why it's such an important news story today.
LEMON: So, being a sort of a new coffee drinker, I just started drinking coffee, and I know you have to get your fix sometimes. You really need that to get you going. So, if you're pregnant and you need that, what do you do?
FORTIN: Well, and there is news out there for women and some recommendations. Of course, cutting out caffeine is best thing to do and not just when you find out you're pregnant. Researchers told us that moms-to-be should do it three months before you get pregnant, to help prepare your body for pregnancy and help it to be as healthy as it can.
Now if you can't do that, women are strongly urged to limit themselves to just one cup of caffeinated coffee or other caffeinated beverage a day. Now an eight ounce cup of coffee, for instance can contain between 65 to 120 milligrams of caffeine.
Tea has between 20 and 90 milligrams. caffeinated soft drinks about 20 to 40. And, if you have to have one an energy drink has no milligrams or up to 80 milligrams. Doctor's recommend switching to decaf or you can learn to perk up on your own by trying dried fruit or nuts maybe some yoga or a brisk walk. Those things all perk up your energy too.
Though, some pregnant moms say what are you talking about?
LEMON: Okay. Judy Fortin, thank you very much.
LONG: Coming up, seeking success at Sundance. A bitter sweet comedy with a sweet cast debuts tonight. Diminished Capacity stars Matthew Broderick and Virginia Madsen. Coming up live from Utah.
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LEMON: Wow, that's kind of a little dizzying, but here you go. It was a monster opening for that movie. Opening weekend for the movie called Cloverfield. It took in, get this, $41 million. That is a box office record for a January debut.
The plot, and even the title, had been very hush-hush. That was until recently with an online viral marketing campaign drumming up interest in the movie. Paramount says it actually spent more on marketing Cloverfield than on making it.
Now debuting at number two this weekend, 27 Dresses starring Grey's Anatomy Katharine Hagel. And at third, the Morgan Freeman, Jack Nicholson flick The Bucket List.
LONG: These films are not yet out for masses. This is a movie about family and memory, hoping for a memorable premiere at the Sundance Film Festival this evening. Brooke Anderson is live for us, bundled up in Park City, Utah, and she's talking with some of the stars of Diminished Capacity. Hi, Brooke.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey there, Melissa. I am here with two of the stars from Diminished Capacity, Virginia Madsen, and Matthew Broderick. Nice to see you both. And, congratulations on having your film here at Sundance preparing tonight.
And, I want to ask you this the movie deals with ostensibly serious subjects. Matthew, your character, mental impairment, Alan Alda's character, she's laughing, it is a comedy. And I want to ask you about that. Alan Alda's character, Alzheimer's, how do you make this funny?
MATTHEW BRODERICK, ACTOR, 'DIMINISHED CAPACITY': Well it has funny moments. It's not a comedy about Alzheimer's or anything. But yes, neither of us have any memory. So between the two of us there are some jokes about that. But --
ANDERSON: Bittersweet comedy.
BRODERICK: Yes, yes definitely.
ANDERSON: I know that -- it's also -- you were going to say --
BRODERICK: Nothing. ANDERSON: OK, well moving on, I know that this is has become a family affair for both of you here at Sundance this week. Your wife, Sarah Jessica Parker here with the movie Smart People. Your brother Michael Madsen here with Hell Ride. Is it nice to combine work with hanging out with your family and loved ones?
Because I know in your line of work it's not easy to do that.
VIRGINIA MADSEN, ACTRESS, 'DIMINISHED CAPACITY':As a matter of fact, we've seen so many people that we know just walking down the street. It's like, hey. Or people that you -- saw your movie and it's night nice to meet them for the first time. And so, it's nice.
ANDERSON: I spoke with Thomas Hayden Church, yesterday.
MADSEN: I know, they're all here from Sideways and I feel like a stalker. I'm like can you guys -- can we please get together? They're like no, we're all working.
ANDERSON: Trying to plan a reunion of sorts then, while you're -- ?
MADSEN: Yes, I'd love for us all get together and have some coffee or dinner, yes.
ANDERSON: Matthew, I know that in 2000 you premiered You Can Count On Me here at Sundance. It went on to great critical acclaim. How important is this festival in launching an independent film?
BRODERICK: If everything goes well, I think it can be -- it's great. And it's a great honor to even be in it, I think. It's not that easy to get a film in it. And You Can Count On Me had it's whole -- I think it won the audience favorite or something like that. And it all took off from here.
ANDERSON: Gets a lot of exposure here at the festival. And, Diminished Capacity looking for a distributor right now. Is that right?
MADSEN: Yes, we're hoping that we'll sell the film, and I think we will. And, the whole group of us is here, and so we'll work hard for the next couple of days. Keep our fingers crossed.
ANDERSON: Also, in addition to working hard, there are parties here, concerts, the gifting suites. Is it exhausting?
BRODERICK: I haven't been to the -- I want to be at the gifting suites. I have missed that. But, my wife came home with sacks of stuff.
MADSEN: Yes, they run out, and like give them to you as you're walking down the street. You can't avoid it.
ANDERSON: They try to attack you. Please, wear my stuff, take my stuff. Well, best of luck selling the movie Diminished Capacity. Great to see you both. Virginia Madsen, Matthew Broderick. Thank you. Melissa, back to you.
LONG: Brooke, thanks so much. Nice to hear from them about their movie, six more days left of Sundance so we'll be hearing from you and many of the stars still to come. Thanks, Brooke.
LEMON: Well, this news came in as a surprise for many of us. She's a beautiful brunette, with a husky voice who enjoyed a career on stage and screen. Suzanne Pleshette once said, she got quote "quirky roles because she was never the conventional ingenue."
She was married three times, the last time to fellow actor Tom Poston who died last year. An entire generation knows her best as Emily, remember that, the wise-cracking wife on The Bob Newhart Show?
Upon hearing of her death, this weekend Newhart called her a pro's pro, and said even though he knew she was quite sick, she was one of those people who he thought would go on forever. Suzanne Pleshette died of respiratory failure just days shy of her 71st birthday. The day she was to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
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LONG: It's time now to check on some of the most popular stories, the most watched stories on CNN.com at this hour. Something weird is messing with people in Texas. The Lone Star State gripped by a rash of UFO sightings lately.
Several dozen people in the tiny town of Stephenville, including a pilot a constable, and business owners insist they have seen a large silent object with bright lights flying low and flying fast.
Now, you do not want to mess with Margo Foster. Why?
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