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Senator Clinton's Chicago Roots; Caring for Elderly Parents: Tips for Long Distance Caregivers; Oscar Preparations; Travel Problems Continue on in China
Aired February 04, 2008 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Dueling for delegates, vying for votes, the presidential contenders are on the stump trying to get voters off the fence.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: And they're in the middle of a last- minute sprint before Super Tuesday, hoping to grab most of the 2,700- plus delegates that are all up for grabs in 24 states. That's a lot of states.
PHILLIPS: We're going to take you live to all the rallies, crunch the latest poll numbers, and look ahead to one of the most important days of the presidential season.
Good afternoon, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.
LEMON: We're everywhere, aren't we?
We're everywhere.
And I'm Don Lemon.
You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
LEMON: In Chicago, the race for the nomination is the ultimate cross-town rivalry. Last hour we told you about Barack Obama, who has lived in or near Hyde Park on Chicago's south side, well, since the mid-1980s. Hillary Clinton grew up in Park Ridge, a northwest suburb.
Here again, CNN's John Roberts.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Even on a snowy day, much of Park Ridge still looks the same as when a young Hillary Rodham once called it home -- the elementary school where she was co- captain of the Safety Patrol, the Pickwick restaurant where she ordered hamburgers topped with chopped green olives, and the high school where she was the so- called Goldwater girl, a reference to her support of then Republican presidential candidate, Barry Goldwater. Most everyone was a Republican in Park Ridge in 1964.
PAUL GREEN, ROOSEVELT UNIVERSITY: It would have been a lot cozier for her to remain a Goldwater girl, you know, go into corporate law, marry some rich suburban guy and live in Lake Forest, have a big house and have a great, easy life. She chose the other way.
ROBERTS: That other way, of course, led her to the White House as first lady, and on to New York as a Democratic senator. But the transformation from Goldwater girl to liberal lightning rod began here in Park Ridge when she was a teenager.
SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My youth minister from our church took a few of us down on a cold January night, to hear someone that we had read about, we had watched on television, we had seen with our own eyes from a distance, this phenomenon known as Dr. King.
ROBERTS: Reverend Don Jones is the youth minister who introduced Hillary to Dr. King here at Orchestra Hall. He also took her on trips from Park Ridge to Chicago's south side.
(on camera): What were you trying to expose a young Hillary Rodham to at that time? And how did she respond to it?
REV. DON JONES, HILLARY CLINTON'S YOUTH MINISTER: Well, one of the things I tried to do was to open up eyes to a wider world than what they were experiencing.
ROBERTS (voice-over): Jones says Hillary's political shift to the left was a process that took years, detailed in the many letters she wrote him while a student at Wellesley.
JONES: My opinions on most human conditions are being liberalized.
ROBERTS: Jones isn't sure why he saved all the letters and the photos from those years. Perhaps, he said, a premonition that the one-time young Republican was destined for something big.
JONES (on camera): So, as much of an impression as you made on her in her young life, she also made one on you?
JONES: She did, indeed, and she does -- still does. I learn from her, and she inspires me.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Well, Barack Obama's stumping today in New Jersey, the state with the fourth most Democratic delegates at stake on Super Tuesday.
Let's go straight to CNN's Jim Acosta. He's in East Rutherford.
Hi, Jim.
JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra.
Barack Obama was here in the Meadowlands of New Jersey, in the shadow of Giants Stadium here in New Jersey, and so, of course, there was plenty of Super Bowl talk being thrown about here at this event with Barack Obama and Senator Ted Kennedy. At one point, Barack Obama seemed to offer some solace to Senator Kennedy, the senator being from Massachusetts, pointing out to Mr. Kennedy that sometimes the underdog does pull it out. Obviously referring to himself, and also saying sometimes the prognosticators can be wrong, referring to the punditocracy that long ago thought Barack Obama was a long shot in this presidential race.
But now he's got a lot of momentum behind him, and he comes into Super Tuesday pulling even in many of the polls across the country. He's poised to split some of these states, at least most of the delegates in those states, across the country.
But Barack Obama, in front of a cheering audience here, got to the issue of Iraq, where he is trying, trying to draw a big contrast between himself and Hillary Clinton, saying he is the best candidate to go up against John McCain on the issue of Iraq because Hillary Clinton was an early supporter of that war.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: When I'm debating John McCain, he won't be able to say, well, you supported the war, too, because I didn't. He won't be able to say that, you went along with the Bush/Cheney doctrine of not talking to your enemies, because I don't. He won't be able to say, well, you've given the benefit of the doubt to George Bush on Iran, because I haven't.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: Now, Barack Obama from here heads to Connecticut and then Massachusetts, which pretty much mirrors the schedule of Hillary Clinton. So both of these candidates duking it out for votes here in the Northeast, which as, you know, Kyra, has a lot of delegates up for grabs for tomorrow's Super Tuesday.
PHILLIPS: Hey, there was some Hollywood star power that turned out today to be there were Obama, right?
ACOSTA: That's right. As we get down to the nitty-gritty here, endorsements are flying fast and furious, you might say. Today, Robert De Niro, star of such movies as "Meet the Parents" and "Good Fellas," was out on stage talking to the supporters out here. And he revealed to the audience that, you know, he doesn't give very many political speeches, but he feels that the time is right to come out and endorse a candidate.
And he had one line in there that I think might get some play. It was talking about experience. He said that, you know, if you want to go with -- with the politician out there who has the most experience, then Dick Cheney would be our next president. And that, of course, fired up the crowd here tremendously.
But, you know, Barack Obama had Robert De Niro at his side just for a brief moment. He is pretty much campaigning mano-a-mano with Ted Kennedy and Caroline Kennedy all the way back to Massachusetts, which will play very well up here in the Northeast -- Kyra. PHILLIPS: All kinds of surprises. First Oprah, now Robert De Niro. You sort of wonder who is next, Jim.
ACOSTA: That's it. I was waiting for him to say, "You talking to me?" But...
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: Oh, there you go.
PHILLIPS: I love it.
ACOSTA: Sorry, I had to throw it in.
PHILLIPS: I know. I was waiting for it.
ACOSTA: Yes.
PHILLIPS: Jim Acosta there in East Rutherford.
Appreciate it, Jim.
ACOSTA: You bet.
LEMON: Well, John McCain stumping in the Northeast, getting some extra momentum from new national poll numbers. They show him with a double-digit lead over Mitt Romney among registered Republicans heading into Super Tuesday. At a New Jersey rally today, McCain mixed criticism and praise while talking about the last four years.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We all know how frustrating this war has been and saddening because of the sacrifice that's been made. We all know that.
For nearly four years, Rumsfeld mishandled this war. We all know that.
And by the way, could I just mention one thing? Don't you think the president of the United States maybe should get a little credit for the fact that there's not been another attack on the United States of America since 9/11? I think he deserves a little credit for that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: And as for Romney, he's not letting McCain's apparent lead in the polls slow down his campaign. And he says he's not worried about McCain's earlier stop today in his home state of Massachusetts.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Senator McCain I think this morning is in Massachusetts, which is -- which is just fine with me. I've got a lot of friends there. And they'll -- I guess he spent a whole day there. I've been spending my time in, you know, Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, Minnesota, and right here in Georgia, where I can need delegates!
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Romney also says Republicans have been telling him McCain's not a real conservative. McCain says he has proud conservative credentials but that he would be willing to reach out to Democrats if he's elected president.
Republican Mike Huckabee is hoping for a super showing among southern conservatives. On CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING," the former Arkansas governor accused rival Mitt Romney of flip-flopping.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE HUCKABEE (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He's taken two positions on everything else from abortion to gun control to the Bush tax cuts to same-sex marriage, so now he's taken a double position on whether or not I should stay in or get out. He's the only man I know who can play tennis by himself covering both sides of the court.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Huckabee is campaigning today in Tennessee and his home state of Arkansas.
Meantime, we're waiting for a rally to get under way. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton throwing one in Worcester, Massachusetts. There it is.
A huge flag in the middle. Of course, most of these backdropped by American flags.
She is in the yellow there. But you can't really see her because of the camera. She's right in the center of the screen.
If you have a big wide-screen TV at home, you could probably see her. But on a small monitor you can't. She's right there in the yellow, center screen.
As soon as she starts talking, we'll bring that you to here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Super Tuesday's races are super close. See what's up for grabs in a state-by-state guide. Also, analysis from the best political team on television, fresh polls, and the political ticker, all at CNNpolitics.com.
(WEATHER REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: OK, live now, Worcester, Massachusetts. Senator Hillary Clinton speaking there.
I told you she's wearing yellow. There she is, speaking at a rally. Why don't we listen in?
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
CLINTON: And we're about to move tomorrow into what is being called Super Tuesday. Well, I imagine that everyone here watched the game last night.
(APPLAUSE)
And I -- I want to congratulate the Patriots on not only a great game, but a historic season, where for the last decade they have redefined the definition of winning. But I have an idea. Tomorrow we have another super contest. And tomorrow, people of New York and of Massachusetts can be on the same team.
(APPLAUSE)
And I pledge to you, whether you're a Pats' fan or a Giants' fan, if you vote for me, we will be on the winning team in November!
(APPLAUSE)
As Jim McGovern said, this is a turning-point election.
Now, some people running for office think about the next election. I think about the next generation, because I think that's what public service is supposed to be about.
We're supposed to plant the trees that all of you will seek shade under. We're supposed to make sure that this country remains great and good. And there is no guarantee.
There's no guarantee written in some book somewhere that America will remain the greatest nation in the world. It is up to us, each and every one of us, to make the decisions that will guarantee that come true. And so this election, given the seven years that we have been through -- which I consider to be a detour from America's destiny -- we have to decide that we are going to once again seize the opportunities and meet the challenges that await America.
I'm running for president because I want to ensure that I am not part of the first generation of Americans who leave our country worse off than when we found it, because that would be such a breach of faith.
(APPLAUSE)
I look out and see young people who deserve to have the same blessings that many of us took for granted, who deserve to know that their country will be a partner with them as they begin to build families and jobs and contribute to the community. And I'm convinced we can do this. Now, I know that on January 20, 2009, the next president of the United States will be sworn in on the steps of the Capitol, and waiting for that president will be all of these problems that George Bush will leave to his successor -- a war to end in Iraq and a war to resolve Afghanistan; an economy to turn around and get producing jobs again so people can have a rise in the standard of living and a belief that they, too, can be part of the American dream; 47 million uninsured Americans; an education system that is being bombarded with unfunded mandates like No Child Left Behind; a housing crisis where people are being foreclosed on their dreams; and then all the problems that we don't know about yet that find their way to the Oval Office.
I see an America that is prepared on that day to say that we are ready for whatever the future holds, because we are the future. America has invented the future.
We're the innovation nation. We are the people who break the barriers and chart uncharted territory, and we can do that again. That's why I intend to set big goals for America. I think there isn't anything we can't do if we set our minds to it.
(APPLAUSE)
LEMON: Senator Hillary Clinton calling us the innovation nation. She is in Worcester, Massachusetts, giving -- on the campaign trail, giving a speech there in front of what appears to be an enthusiastic crowd.
If you'd like to watch any of the candidates today, just go to CNN.com/live to watch their rallies and events live and unfiltered. Again, that's CNN.com/live.
PHILLIPS: Well, it looks like we have good news to report with regard to those missing skiers out of Lake Tahoe. It was Saturday that we first reported that there were two missing skiers.
They were last seen at the Lake Tahoe resort of Alpine Meadows. Word came in that evening that they had been missing -- you know, that a storm dumped about two and a half feet of snow, pretty much unleashing some pretty severe weather across the state there.
We're now getting word that those two skiers have been found alive. They are being reunited with their family. They were two men between the ages of 32-35. We're still working their identies.
We'll let you know who they are once we know that they have united with their family. But the good news is they were expert skiers. Friends had believed that they had good survivor skills. Now we're getting good news they have been found alive.
So, we'll update you as we get more information.
Now let's check in on what is else is clicking at CNN.com for the most-watched videos.
That's what you're watching right now. No snow relief for one Oregon town. They've been inundated now. And budget problems mean no green stuff to get rid of that white stuff.
And the Manning family pretty proud of their three sons. CNN's Larry Smith looks at Giants quarterback and Super Bowl MVP, Eli Manning, his famous brother Peyton Manning, as you know, and his less famous brother Cooper. But I bet Cooper is pretty darn proud.
And lots of you still surfing over to check out the Britney Spears' saga. The singer's parents now trying to get some control over their daughter's chaotic situation.
Those stories and much more at CNN.com.
LEMON: Caring for mom or dad, from hundreds, even thousands, of miles away. If you are one of the millions of people doing this, you need to hear Elizabeth Cohen's report.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Children caring for elderly patients, an agonizing situation. Harder when the parents live in another city or even another state. How to manage the meals, the meds, and make sure they're safe.
CNN Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen has this empowered patient report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's the program you want?
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: When Flora Harris (ph) had a heart attack in her home near Los Angeles, her husband couldn't really help her. He has Alzheimer's Disease, and their only child, Patricia, lives nearly 3,000 miles away in Washington, D.C.
DR. PATRICIA HARRIS, GERIATRICIAN: I had to race to get to see my mother.
COHEN: Even racing, it was a long trip. She agonized every minute along the way about her mother, who is 84, and her father, James, 91.
HARRIS: It took 10, 15 hours to get to my parents.
COHEN: Patricia Harris now flies to L.A. every other month to help take care of her ailing parents. Harris knows she's not alone.
HARRIS: Harder to walk?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
COHEN: She's a doctor who specializes in taking care of elderly patients. She sees countless families who face the struggles of caring from afar.
HARRIS: This is the first time in history that we've had so many older people, and the numbers look worse and worse every time you look at it.
You can do four and five.
COHEN: So, along with millions of others, Harris tries to face this heart-wrenching task as best she can.
HARRIS: There's no good answer. There's no good answer.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Elizabeth Cohen joins us now from New York.
Elizabeth, like that doctor said, there are no easy answers. This affects so many people.
What can families do?
COHEN: You know what? There are a couple of things, Don, that families can do. It's not going to make it perfect, but it can make things better.
So what you want to do is, first of all, establish a network for your parents. When something bad happens, who are they going to call? They should have those phone numbers of neighbors and friends, and you should have those phone numbers, too.
Also, here's an interesting one. Find a doctor who is amenable to using e-mail. That way when the doctor sees your parents, many many miles away, they can e-mail you and say, hey, this is what happened at the appointment. I know you can't be there, but this is what happened today. And two things can help manage it a bet more.
We have more hints on CNN.com/health about how to deal with this very difficult situation.
LEMON: Also, Elizabeth, elderly people -- and I know from experience, my grandmother -- they tend to have lots of different doctors. Communication is tough even if you live in the same city. But from afar it really can be hard, you know?
I mean, what do you do about that?
COHEN: Absolutely. When you're talking about a lot of specialists, it can be hard. So there's two things you want to do.
You want to appoint one doctor the captain of the ship. You want to say, all right, you're her internist. I want you to coordinate everything. You need to know all the meds that she's on, all the doctors that she's seeing.
And then appoint one sibling the captain of the family ship, so that one doctor talks to that one adult child. And so it's one-on-one communication, nobody gets confused.
LEMON: Yes, and then that one child gives the information to everybody else in the family.
(CROSSTALK)
COHEN: Right. Exactly.
LEMON: All right. Thank you very much for that, Elizabeth.
COHEN: Thanks, Don.
PHILLIPS: Well, we in the media always monitor those Nielsen ratings. And this just in...
LEMON: Really?
PHILLIPS: According to Nielsen Media Research, the New York Giants' thrilling win over the New England Patriots was the most- watched Super Bowl ever -- 97.5 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. That game eclipsed the previous Super Bowl record of 94.08 million set when Dallas defeated Pittsburgh in 1996.
And listen to this -- more people watched Sunday's game than all but one American television broadcast ever.
Do you know the show?
LEMON: Oh, was it the "M.A.S.H." finale?
PHILLIPS: You're looking at the...
LEMON: No, I didn't see it.
PHILLIPS: Yes, you are looking.
LEMON: No, that was the number one show in history.
PHILLIPS: That's right. "M.A.S.H." finale in 1983, for all you "M.A.S.H." fans.
LEMON: Wow.
PHILLIPS: That was seen by 106 million viewers.
Now, the game had almost all the ingredients that FOX could have ever hoped for, a tight contest with an exciting finish, as you all know that watched, involving a team that was attempting to make history as the NFL's first unbeaten team since 1972, but the Giants ended New England's bid for perfection, 17-14. Throughout that game the teams were never separated by more than a touchdown.
LEMON: I only watched the last part, because that's when the Giants started winning.
PHILLIPS: There you have it. And everyone went crazy. LEMON: I got a half a mark. They marked me for half of it.
Wow. Congratulations to the Giants.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm running to try and get a seat, because we all know we could be stuck on this train for hours or possibly days.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: On their way home finally. China's weary travelers getting back on track.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: A welcome sight in southern China -- snowplows back in action after a paralyzing and historic storm. Trains are moving, too, packed with weary travelers.
CNN's Dan Rivers is among them.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): This is the largest annual movement of humanity on the planet, some 180 million people desperately trying to get home. The authorities struggled to maintain order. We were in the middle of it all, experiencing it just as China's migrant workers were. Then suddenly, we'd get a break. A train is leaving, and we run.
(on-camera): So I think everyone's running to try and get a seat, because we all know we could be stuck on this train for hours or possibly days.
(voice-over): There is panic as passengers sprint along the platform. This may be their only chance to get home. Many have been waiting for this train in freezing conditions for days. And there aren't enough seats. These people are already at their wits end. But it's two hours before the train actually leaves.
Soi Ae (ph) is a construction worker who hasn't seen his family since last January. He says this is his third attempt to get on the train home, but he's determined to succeed.
This is the only holiday most of these people get. They've worked hard to save for their families. They are the engine of the Chinese economy, and they have burned out. Some earn as little as $160 a month. They sleep where they can, and so do I. The next day, it's clear our progress is painfully slow. I find out more about the tough lives for these tough people.
Ching Ju Gor (ph) worked in a plastics factory. She says, many firms prefer to employ women, so her husband stays in their village with the kids. (on-camera): We've made very, very slow progress. We've only covered about 100 kilometers, about 65 miles, and that's only about a fifth of the total journey.
(voice-over): Most people thought they'd be home by now. Their food has run out. The train is filthy, and there's nothing to buy, not even water. Railway staff are staying the heat from angry passengers.
Finally, an unscheduled stop, a chance to buy supplies. No one is allowed on or off, but this man doesn't care, he's coming aboard anyway. For the few children here, this journey must seem eternal. But this little passenger knows soon he'll be seeing his grandparents. But it's 4:00 a.m. before we arrive.
(on-camera): Well, finally this epic exodus across China is over. It was supposed to take 10 hours, but it's actually taken us 27 hours to get here, and I, like everyone else, am absolutely exhausted.
(voice-over): For some people, though, it's not over. They scramble for another train, and one last push to make it home.
Dan Rivers, CNN, Cheung Chau, China.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: So, why did he do it? More urgently, where is he? Police search for the gunman who killed five women in an Illinois store this weekend.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Well, two and a half feet of snow that got dumped on Lake Tahoe didn't help in the search for two missing skiers. But now, we're getting word, and CNN is confirming that those two missing skiers that went missing Saturday over the weekend, while they were skiing in Alpine Meadows Resort, that they have been found. And they are soon to be reunited with their families.
Again, those two missing skiers missing since this weekend, found. That's according to -- CNN has confirmed that, and that's according to sheriff's spokesperson there at the Placer County Sheriff's Department. So as soon as we get more information, if we get any pictures of them being reunited, we'll bring it to you right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
PHILLIPS: An intense manhunt underway right now for a gunman who killed five women this weekend at an Illinois clothing store, then fled. While we don't know who or where he is. We are learning more about the lives that he took. Connie Woolfolk, devoted mom of two sons, one of them with spina bifida. She was shopping for an outfit for a rare girl's night out.
Jennifer Bishop, an ICU nurse, popular with co-workers and number one to her three young children. Friends say she had beautiful eyes. Rhoda McFarland, manager of the Lane Bryant store who showed up on her day off to help handle clearance sale crowds. She's just gotten engaged over the holidays as well. Sarah Szafranski, a 2007 college grad and trivia buff. She landed a job in finance, and was looking forward -- for new work clothes while shopping that day. And Carrie Chiuso, a high school social worker who counseled troubled teens at her alma mater. The life of any party, always smiling we're told.
They're names and stories that Stacy St. Claire has gotten to know quite well. She's been following that story for the "Chicago Tribune," also breaking a lot of details on a story we've been trying to get more details on.
Stacy, appreciate you joining us.
And maybe just while we -- we wanted to make sure we recognize each one of those victims and talked just a little bit about them. That was one of the most amazing things that we saw in your reporting, in your staff's reporting, that you did do an incredible job at finding those personal tidbits about the victims.
STACY ST. CLAIR, CHICAGO TRIBUNE: Well, it's probably the most heartbreaking thing about this story is that these five women were all in the store for such, you know, ordinary reasons going about their lives on Saturday. And such a violent, senseless act occurred taking their lives.
PHILLIPS: And you have reported, a sixth victim is alive. Police won't confirm this.
ST. CLAIR: Correct.
PHILLIPS: We're going to get to that in a minute. But what can you tell us about this sixth victim that survived?
ST. CLAIR: The sixth victim was an employee of the store. She's 33, and is expected to live from her injuries. She witnessed all of the shootings, and is helping police with both a description of the shooter, and she was also the one who placed the 911 call to police.
PHILLIPS: And she -- well, first of all, why -- why aren't police talking about her? Why are you having to break this news through sources? And, why won't the police just be forthcoming?
ST. CLAIR: Well, that's a good question. And there's -- there's a lot of theories out there. But until police actually admit there's a sixth victim, it's impossible to know the answer to that question. In fact, they went so far on Saturday as to suggest it was five and only five people in the store, and all of them were dead.
PHILLIPS: Do you think it's because the sixth victim is just scared for her life, and is being protected by police at this point, and this is the way to go, is try to conceal her identity?
ST. CLAIR: Well, I mean, that's one theory. Another theory is you don't want the shooter to know there's somebody out there who can identify him. But, you know, as I said, until the police acknowledge her very existence, it's hard to know the reasons why they're not discussing her.
PHILLIPS: And just to confirm, she survived because she was grazed in the neck, right? The other five victims were shot in the back of the head?
ST. CLAIR: Correct.
PHILLIPS: And what a cowardly way to take someone's life as well. It really tells you something about that gunman. What do we know about this suspect, besides the fact of how he murdered those five women?
ST. CLAIR: We don't know much. They haven't released a composite sketch yet. Even though the victim has given them a description of him. We know that police say that he is 5'9", between 139 and 160 pounds. Wearing black pants. Black jacket, and a black knit cap.
PHILLIPS: So, you still --
ST. CLAIR: He also has corn --
PHILLIPS: Go ahead.
ST. CLAIR: Cornrows.
PHILLIPS: OK.
ST. CLAIR: He also has cornrows with -- go ahead.
PHILLIPS: No, go ahead, Stacy.
ST. CLAIR: We talked to one person who was interviewed by police and initially considered a person of interest in the crime, and he told us that the police asked him if he had beads in his hair and if he had taken the beads out that day. And they also checked the bottom of his soles for his footprints.
PHILLIPS: Do they believe that this guy may have a rap sheet, that with this -- little information that they are getting from possibly this one survivor, do you think -- have police been telling you, or any of your sources telling you they feel pretty good that they may have a lead on this guy?
ST. CLAIR: They are being really tight-lipped. If they know his identity or they think they know who he is, they haven't tipped off the press. And, in fact, you know, for all their pleas to -- to call the police, if you saw someone meeting this description, they certainly haven't given any clues to as, you know, who his identity is or who he might be.
PHILLIPS: Well, we know that this case is definitely affecting local residents, knowing that this man is still on the loose.
Stacy St. Clair with the "Chicago Tribune." Great reporting. We'll be following your work. ST. CLAIR: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: And we'll definitely stay on this story with hopes of finding this gunman.
ST. CLAIR: Thanks a lot.
PHILLIPS: Thanks, Stacy.
LEMON: A 15-year-old Maryland boy accused of murdering his family has been denied bail. Nicholas Browning called 9-1-1 Saturday saying he had just gotten home and found his father's body. But according to the police, the honor student soon confessed to shooting both his parents and his two younger brothers. Police who knew the family say there had been some tension between father and son lately, but nothing that hinted at violence.
A police S.W.A.T. team helped bring an end to an amber alert in Texas. Andrew Guerrero and his 3-year-old son were tracked to a Denton hotel last night. Guerrero was arrested after an overnight stake-out. He's the person of interest in the killings of his estranged wife and her baby daughter in Kansas. They were found shot to death yesterday and the little boy was reported missing.
Authorities in Aruba have reopened the investigation into Natalee Holloway's disappearance based on new comments by suspect Joran van der Sloot. That's TV just aired, hidden camera video of van der Sloot describing Alabama teen supposedly sudden and mysterious death and the disposal of her body at sea.
Holloway disappeared in May 2005, while on a high school graduation trip. Van der Sloot and two friends were suspects from the start. They were taken into custody and released several times by police. Van der Sloot says his latest comments were lies he told an acquaintance.
We have something new from our friends at CNN.com and TruTv, they've teamed up to bring you the best crime coverage on the web. Go behind the police tape and into the courtroom like never before at CNN.com/crime.
PHILLIPS: We're going to take you to one corner of the country, or maybe we should say four corners, that could get a lot of attention on super Tuesday.
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LEMON: And leading our political ticker, Barack Obama hopes to use the Super Bowl as a springboard to Super Tuesday. Democratic senator from Illinois spent about $225,000 on a regional ad that aired during last night's game in the two dozen super Tuesday states.
Another emotional moment for Hillary Clinton. At a stop this morning in New Haven, Connecticut, the Democratic candidate teared up when a longtime acquaintance who introduced her choked up himself. Well, Clinton was attending a discussion on child care and health care with a group of Connecticut women.
Republican Mitt Romney cruised to an easy weekend victory in the Maine Republican caucuses with some votes still unaccounted or uncounted, Romney has 52 percent, followed by John McCain with 21 percent, Ron Paul, 19 percent and Mike Huckabee, six percent.
The polls may not show it, but Ron Paul's a giant, a giant when it comes to raising money. His latest financial disclosure report shows he raised $20 million in the last quarter of 2007. That tops all other Republican candidates.
Well, a lot of attention on Super Tuesday goes to the states with the most delegates, California, New York, Illinois. But the races could come down to swing states in the west. Tomorrow, keep an eye on the states that make up what's called the four corners, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. We sent our Ed Lavandera to find out what voters there are looking for.
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ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): To understand the personality of voters in the four corners, just listen to what Bob Beckley did when he catered lunch for Bill Clinton and his White House staff eight years ago in New Mexico.
BOB BECKLEY, THREE RIVERS BREWERY OWNER: For some reason or another the Clinton administration decided not pay their bill. That was kind of a fun day, to be able to sit in the collection and there's the White House and let things rumble.
LAVANDERA: There's an irreverent independent streak across this landscape where the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah intersect. It's also fast-growing and diverse, where you'll find oil and gas good old boys next to bike-riding progressives like Glen Shoemaker. He wants a president that will end the country's oil dependence.
GLEN SHOEMAKER, COLORADO RESIDENT: I rode my bike today and there was tons of snow on the ground, but if I wasn't going to ride my bike, I would walk.
LAVANDERA: In this Durango, Colorado barbershop, we met Dwight Saunders, a conservative Christian pastor with an army ranger son. National security is his top issue. For him it's either McCain or Huckabee.
DWIGHT SAUNDERS, COLORADO RESIDENT: I'm looking for a person of values, a person that will live their values, a person that will lead according to values that are strong.
LAVANDERA (on-screen): From this very spot, a presidential candidate can reach out into four states and 29 electoral votes, ten in Arizona, five in New Mexico, nine in Colorado and five more in Utah. And this spot is also the epicenter of the political battleground in the southwest, because with the exception of Utah, Democrats and Republicans have enjoyed success here in recent elections.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): Pam Marshall is looking for the best health care plan. She depends on Colorado's children's health insurance to cover her two daughters for $35 a year. She still has to pay $225 for private insurance to cover herself and her husband. That's tough on waitress' salary.
PAM MARSHALL, COLORADO RESIDENT: Most people we know really have to grapple over whether they are going to go to the doctor or not.
LAVANDERA: Across the region we found many undecided voters both Republican and Democrat. Out here, political talk is cheap.
BECKLEY: I guess that's what I'm looking for, is somebody that wants to be straight up.
LAVANDERA: And, by the way, the Clinton White House eventually paid that $111 lunch tab. To Bob Beckley, it's a reminder politicians are slow to deliver.
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PHILLIPS: Well, in addition to those four states, 20 other states will hold primaries or caucuses tomorrow. And Super Tuesday is now super close. See what's up for grabs on a state-by-state guide at CNNpolitics.com. Plus, will it be the end for some? You're going to find analysis from the best political team, plus the political ticker, fresh polls and lots more, all at CNNpolitics.com.
LEMON: A tightening Democratic race, but apparently a bit of breathing room for Republican John McCain. We'll check out some new polls in the presidential race.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Brooke Anderson in Beverly Hills where we are awaiting the arrivals of this year's academy award nominees to the Oscar luncheon here, but will the show go on later this month? The answer when CNN NEWSROOM returns. Keep it here.
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PHILLIPS: Well, it looks like Britney Spears will reportedly stay at a psychiatric ward for another two weeks. That's according to "The Associated Press," TMZ.com and others. The singer was checked into the UCLA Hospital last week. The legal issues are moving on without her, as well, with a custody hearing this morning and a squabble over her parents' moves to gain some control over her affairs. Spears' manager, and friend, Sam Lufti has objected to her dad, Jamie, being named co-conservator of her estate.
LEMON: Quite an elite lunch being held today in Beverly Hills as Oscar nominated stars, directors and others share a table along with our entertainment correspondent, Brooke Anderson.
Kyra and I were sitting there looking at you, did you say you were in Beverly Hills, right, by the pool? ANDERSON: I am. At The Beverly Hilton Hotel, yes, poolside.
LEMON: Yes. We were sitting, watching you going, what are we doing?
ANDERSON: Tough gig, I've got today, Don, right?
LEMON: No, we're just joking. Because it's a little chilly and rainy here.
ANDERSON: Someone was taking a dip earlier.
LEMON: So you know, sitting by the pool in Beverly Hills wouldn't be a bad thing.
ANDERSON: Yes, not so bad. Not so bad. And we are actually awaiting the arrivals of the big nominees, more than 100 of the Academy Award nominees, Don, will be here for the annual Oscar luncheon. They will be toasting one another and celebrating their recognition. I will be speaking to a number of them after they have lunch right here poolside.
But, first, we were able to catch up with a number of nominees last week at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, talked to them about the importance of their nominations and also if they were surprised. Take a listen.
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VIGGO MORTENSEN, ACTOR, EASTERN PROMISES: I was surprised. I was especially surprised at this one and the Oscar nomination, you know. The -- sometimes when you don't expect things to happen, they do.
TILDA SWINTON, ACTRESS, MICHAEL CLAYTON: I'm really lucky. Such wonderful people I'm hanging out with these days. No complaints.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE)
SWINTON: No, I'm not surprised. I'm not surprised that everyone's going crazy for "Michael Clayton" because it's such a great film and Tony Gilroy is so extraordinary, and it's his first film. And, of course, George Clooney is no slouch.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Yes, George Clooney is absolutely no slouch. Tilda Swinton's film, "Michael Clayton," actually received seven Academy Award nominations. And Don, George Clooney is expected here today at the luncheon.
LEMON: Well, you know I've got to ask you the big question: you hearing anything on the fate of the Oscars?
ANDERSON: Right. Well, we're hearing from the lead producer of the Oscar's telecast, Gil Cates, that the show will go on no matter what. And there were rumblings and reports over the weekend that the two sides, the writers and the producers alliance, actually hammered out a deal, outlined a possible agreement and that a contract could be finalized as early as this Friday.
Now, neither side will comment, confirm, nor deny to us or anybody else whether that's true, because of their official media blackout that they have in post. So at this point, it's a little bit unclear still what is going on behind closed doors in those negotiations. But as I said, the lead producer of the Oscars telecast, Gil Cates, says the show will go on.
Preparations are under way as if nothing else is happening. Party preps for the governor's ball started last Wednesday. And Cates told me as soon as everybody was out of the Kodak Theatre from Thursday night's Democratic debate that they were in setting up their stage and prepping for their show. He told me that no matter what happens, they have a number of contingency plans in place. And fittingly, this Super Bowl weekend, he compared himself to a quarterback preparing for the big game. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GIL CATES, ACADEMY AWARDS PRODUCER: You know what it's like? My job, and the job of my colleagues, is pretty much just being a quarterback really and having all of these plans. We have option plays. We have a play if this happens, a play if that happens. So our playbook is vast. It's not even a matter of a plan B, it's really, we have like 50 various plans. What happens if some come? What happens if some doesn't? How we deal with this award as opposed to that award. So, we have a lot of plans in place.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: And, Don, the Oscars are set for February 24th, so less than three weeks away. The Academy hopes they will receive a waiver between now and then. But as you heard, they've got about 50 plans in place if not.
LEMON: I can't think of anything, Brooke, that's more poignant television than like the Super Bowl and the Oscars. So, it would be weird not to see it. What do you have coming up tonight?
ANDERSON: Coming up tonight, Don, on "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT," we've got the very nasty battle to control Britney Spears' life and fortune. Also startling new details on what she may be facing in the psychiatric hospital. Late-breaking developments on TV's most provocative entertainment news show, that is "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and pacific. We do hope to see you then.
Don, good to see you.
LEMON: All right. Good to see you. And have fun by that pool. Good seeing you, Brooke.
ANDERSON: Thanks. LEMON: And also, that luncheon that Brooke talked about, you can watch it now, watch more of it at CNN.com/live.
PHILLIPS: Pigging out on a road trip, literally. Pigs grab a bite after the truck takes a roll.
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