Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Explosion Rocks Georgia Sugar Refinery; City Hall Massacre in Missouri; Fit Nation
Aired February 08, 2008 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, have you heard? Zeppelin's playing Bonnaroo. No, not Led Zeppelin, unfortunately, but the band's alter ego, the all-female group from New York that goes by the Lez Zeppelin. Hardly surprising, but there has been some confusion, some misreporting, and some disappointed fans of the recently reunited originals. But, hey, we hear Lez Zeppelin is pretty good.
Hazardous chemicals, flammable gases? No, sugar dust is the prime suspect in a devastating and deadly explosion in a southeast Georgia refinery.
And this Tennessee boy isn't even a year old, but he's already lived through a lifetime of danger and lost in this week's deadly tornadoes.
And we're waiting for Senator Barack Obama to speak in Seattle, Washington. He's stumping for votes. We will take it live when he steps up to the mic.
Hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips at the CNN Center in Atlanta.
Don is at the refinery blast. He will join us just moments from now. A sugar refinery in full operation explodes and burns in coastal Georgia. Many people are hurt and at least three people are dead. Don Lemon has been in Port Wentworth, Georgia, since about 1:00 in the morning.
Don, what's the latest?
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Kyra, you probably don't think about this a lot when you are eating your sugar, that the chemicals used to make that sugar are combustible and can kill people as what it believed possibly did here overnight here in Georgia.
We're being told right now that it's three people who have died in all of this, three people who they have recovered already and three other people who are possibly still missing, maybe more of those people.
This blast was so intense. That new Coast Guard video we showed you last hour shows just really how intense it was and how it just carved a crater right through the middle of this sugar plant. We're told they are working with a probably 20,000- to 30,000-square-foot area, much of the area covered in water eight feet deep. They're having to pump it out because the sprinkler systems failed during that blast. One woman who was just across the street from this plant, just happened to be talking emergency preparedness with her police husband, was right across the street at city hall when the blast happened. And she jumped right into action. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOYCE BAKER, WITNESS: It was like going straight into hell. The fire and the men coming out, and they were burned so badly, and the only thing they wanted to know was, where's my friend? They're just amazing people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Something very interesting she said to me, and she said it on camera -- I don't have it for you -- but the very interesting thing she said is that, you know, we live in a time when people talk a lot about black and white, and she said most of the men who were coming out of that plant were African-American and she was white. And she said she didn't even think about it.
What struck her was everybody at that point, it hit home, everybody is the same color on the inside. All they wanted to know was where their buddies were and if their buddies were OK.
The victims' family members are being housed in a church and a school here right across the street from the plant. Of course, they are concerned. They have been showing up all day. Members of the media have been trying to talk to them. Earlier in the day, they were a little bit reticent and then later on they wanted people to hear to their stories.
One of them was Jenay (ph) we spoke to a little while ago. Her uncle is still unaccounted for. And here is what she had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: How is your aunt? How is your aunt doing?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So far, I guess she -- I don't -- I really don't know, because, right now, she can't cope with it, because her husband is missing. And that's all I can really say at this point.
LEMON: What do you want people to know?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, everybody got my sympathies. And I'm praying for everybody. And I hope everybody get out of here safe and sound.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: The number of those unaccounted for, the number of those dead going up and down, but, of course, we're talking about people's lives, so it's very, very hard on the family members here.
Governor Sonny Perdue releasing a statement just a short time ago, he and his wife. And he's saying: I want the families of all of those lost, missing, or injured to know that they are in our thoughts and prayers.
And then he goes on to talk about how the emergency personnel responded and how they intend to respond, the state at least, to this tragic situation. So, we're on the scene. If anything changes, if we hear any more about the bodies, more bodies being recovered, we will update you.
Kyra, back to you.
PHILLIPS: Sounds good. Don Lemon, thanks so much.
Meanwhile, in a small town in Missouri, a deadly assault on city hall. At last report, we're being told the mayor of Kirkwood was in serious condition while the town mourned the deaths of five city officials, including two police officers. The gunman reportedly left a suicide note and was also shot dead.
With the latest for us live, Jim Acosta -- Jim.
JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra.
While police are not officially identifying the suspect behind this city council rampage, witnesses who saw everything last night say they know this person full well. They identify him as Charles Lee Thornton.
And, according to investigators, this gunman went into the city council meeting last night, blasting his way essentially into this meeting, killing five people along the way, including two police officers, two city council members, and a public works director.
Mr. Thornton is very well known in these parts. He had appeared regularly at city council meetings, venting his frustrations over what he considered to be inappropriate or unfair treatment that he had received by the city council over the years. He had been cited frequently by the city for violations apparently not having the proper permits for an asphalt and paving business in this town.
And, apparently, this Charles Lee Thornton had taken this matter into federal court and was basically saying that this city was violating his free-speech rights by not allowing him to speak out on this at city council meetings. But the judge from what we understand handling that case just last week sided with the city against Mr. Thornton.
And while we don't have any kind of confirmation that that was what provoked all of this, we do know, from talking to Mr. Thornton's brother earlier this morning -- he has been speaking with reporters regularly throughout the day -- that he -- he says that his brother, Charles Lee Thornton, essentially went to war with the city last night, although he did not admit that his brother had anything to do with this.
But, as we mentioned, five people are dead. The mayor of this town is in serious condition, is recovering in the hospital. And if you look behind me, you can see just what this town is dealing with right now. There is a bunting that is hanging over, draped over the front doors to city hall here. There are flowers, a makeshift memorial, if you will, being set up on the steps to city hall. And a candlelight vigil is scheduled for 7:00 this evening outside of city hall for people here to start to comprehend and come to grips with this terrible tragedy that happened here -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Jim Acosta there live in Kirkwood, appreciate it.
And if Kirkwood, Missouri, sounds familiar to you, then here's a face that you probably remember. Convicted molester Michael Devlin, remember him? He held two kidnapped boys at his Kirkwood apartment. The pizza parlor that Devlin managed is right across the corner from where Kirkwood City Hall, where our Jim Acosta is. Devlin was sentenced to three life terms, plus 170 years on federal charges.
He came to lift their spirits and people in tornado-ravaged Macon County, Tennessee, say President Bush did just that. He saw the damage from the air and later toured a neighborhood. Even before he landed he declared major disasters in five counties in Tennessee and more in Arkansas. That will help with the cost and cleanup and starting over, he says.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No doubt in my mind this community will come back better than before. Macon County people are down-to-earth, hardworking, God-fearing people, if just given a little help, will come back stronger.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Tiny ray of light after the storm.
CNN's David Mattingly has the story of this week's smallest tornado survivor.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Armed with nothing but a flashlight and finding no signs of life, firefighter David Harmon made one final search of tornado wreckage and made the discovery of a lifetime.
DAVID HARMON, FIREFIGHTER: I shined the flashlight across and said, "I have got a baby doll." Before I got "I have got a baby doll" out of my mouth, it moved.
MATTINGLY: In pitch darkness, in the middle of a field, and covered with mud and debris, Harmon found a little baby boy.
HARMON: As soon as we rolled the baby over, it took a gasp of air and started crying.
MATTINGLY: Eleven-month-old Kyson Stowell was thrown 100 yards when a tornado shattered his home. He was found shivering, but with only minor injuries. His mother did not survive.
DOUGLAS STOWELL, GRANDFATHER: She was a good mother to him. They were best friends. And I just hate to see her gone. Like I said, he loved his mama and she loved him.
MATTINGLY (on camera): It's remarkable to think just how lucky this baby truly was. This entire area had already been searched once, and rescuers didn't find anything. It wasn't until they started going through all this debris that they found a baby stroller and decided they needed to look just one more time.
(voice-over): It was a chance encounter his family calls a miracle. David Harmon says he was overwhelmed by it all, and he now feels connected to the young life he saved.
HARMON: He will always have a special place in my heart. And I hope I continue to stay in contact with the grandparents, and I would like to get to know the kid as he gets older.
MATTINGLY: A stirring survival story capped off by a chance rescue. A moment of happiness during a day of disaster.
David Mattingly, CNN, Castalian Springs, Tennessee.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: And if the images of the tornadoes have moved you and you would like to help, you can go straight to CNN.com and impact your world. You can help the people affected. Just add your name to the growing number of CNN viewers grabbing the opportunity to take action. That's at CNN.com/impact.
T.J. Holmes now working a developing story out of Oregon, a small plane crash.
T.J., what have you found out?
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: A small plane crash and it turns out, according to a local affiliate, that three people have been killed in this small plane crash. We do have video, but we can show you, actually, a live picture. You can see where it apparently went down, in a large area, a large field area, nobody on the ground believed to be injured in this thing, but three people feared dead who were on board this small plane.
This was just outside the airport, the Albany Municipal Airport, actually, there in Oregon. This is -- let's see here -- just miles, actually, less than five miles from this actual airport is where it went down in this field. No report just yet of what was going on, on board, if it was able to radio in a may day or any trouble that this plane was apparently having, but a small plane crash, three dead.
Again, as you see here, nobody appears to be on the -- it was on the ground, didn't come down in a populated area. But the FAA, as is customary in all these situations, heading to the scene to try to find out what was going on and what was happening with this, but unfortunate to hear that three people have been killed in this small plane crash, more details certainly to come on this thing.
But that's the headline right now. And there is a closer shot, some of the live pictures we're seeing here from our affiliates there, but just of the wreckage, of the scene there. Looks like it's certainly hit the ground pretty good and busted apart pretty good there on this scene. Don't know if the bodies have been removed.
So, a live picture here we're at the mercy of, so we will get away from it, but three dead, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, T.J., thanks for the update.
LEMON: All right.
PHILLIPS: Joran van der Sloot, victim of circumstance or cold- blooded murderer? You can guess what Natalee Holloway's parents think. We're going to hear from both of them.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: 3:15 Eastern time. Here are some of the stories we're working on in the CNN NEWSROOM right now.
One of the most popular method of capital punishment, the electric chair, continues to fade into the past. A state Supreme Court ruling today bans using the electric chair in Nebraska, the last state that used the chair as its sole means of execution.
Baseball superstar Roger Clemens making the round on Capitol Hill again today, denying that he's used steroids. He's scheduled to testify before a House committee next Wednesday.
A laser inspection today aboard the Atlantis space shuttle. Several pieces of debris came off the fuel tank during yesterday's launch, but so far there is no word of any damage being discovered.
Natalee Holloway's parents want justice. The Alabama teenager disappeared as you remember in Aruba in 2005. And Joran van der Sloot long has been a suspect. In a recently aired hidden camera interview, van der Sloot declared that he was with Holloway when she passed out. He says that he assumed that she was dead and he had a friend dump her body at sea.
Well, in an exclusive interview on CNN Headline News, Holloway's father spoke to Nancy Grace.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NANCY GRACE, CNN ANCHOR: Later on in his confession, this secretly-taped video, he says, I hope they never find her body, because if they do, I will be in deep -- expletive. so if finding her body would land him in jail, why? If he hadn't done anything wrong?
DAVE HOLLOWAY, NATALEE HOLLOWAY'S FATHER: Well, you and I have discussed that before. When you go into a panic, which he said he did, first thing you think of is calling an ambulance. With him choosing the alternative of getting rid of her, something else happened. I believe -- I believe it was possible date rape drug he used and a possible rape and murder.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Well, Natalee Holloway's mother appeared on CNN's "LARRY KING LIVE."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BETH HOLLOWAY, NATALEE HOLLOWAY'S MOTHER: When I hear Joran, what I'm hearing though is he doesn't know, Larry, if Natalee was alive or not when he decided to dispose of her body. So, yes, he is a murderer to me. No way a 17-year-old can make a decision whether a young woman is alive or not. She could have been in a coma easily.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Aruba's chief prosecutor wants permission from a judicial panel to rearrest van der Sloot. Van der Sloot's lawyer denies the videotaped remarks were even a confession.
Remember the infamous Hollywood madam, Heidi Fleiss? Well, she's been arrested in Nevada, charged with driving under the influence of a controlled substance. That's a bit of a frightening picture. Fleiss denies driving while impaired. Authorities say that Fleiss had a prescription medication, but she couldn't show them a valid prescription.
Now 42, Fleiss went to prison in the late 1990s for running an elite prostitution ring that catered to rich-and-famous clients. She currently operates a Nevada laundromat named Dirty Laundry.
Not much happens on a normal night in the lobby of Elkhart, Indiana, police station. What you're about to see is an abnormal night.
The story and the pictures from reporter Mark Peterson of CNN affiliate WNDU.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARK PETERSON, WNDU REPORTER (voice-over): It all started early Thanksgiving morning when a woman with dark hair, a white shirt, a denim miniskirt and white boots entered the lobby of the Elkhart Police Department. The entire visit was recorded by two separate surveillance cameras, although there was no audio recorded. It's important to note that this woman was not under arrest.
TIMOTHY BALYEAT, ELKHART ASSISTANT POLICE CHIEF: She was just waiting on transportation. I believe she resided in Chicago. So, she was waiting on somebody to come pick her up.
PETERSON: At one point one of the men working the front desk appears to give the woman a drink. The friendly gestures weren't all so innocent. At about 4:04 a.m., the woman steps into a room to the side of the front desk on the right of your screen through the open door, you can see inappropriate touching and some apparent picture taking.
At one point it appears the woman's skirt is pulled up to her waist. Around 4:15 a.m., the woman climbs up on to the counter of the front desk. At least two of the three males behind the desk appear to be taking pictures with camera phones. One even walks into the lobby to snap a picture from behind.
BALYEAT: As everybody played their little part. It was just basically wrong all the way around.
PETERSON (on camera): Was she in anyway a victim or a...
BALYEAT: She was more -- she participated, so...
PETERSON (voice-over): The prosecutor finished reviewing the video while he concluded the conduct was unbecoming, inappropriate and otherwise an embarrassment to the department, he did not find any of the conduct to be criminal. Charges will not be filed meaning this case is now closed.
BALYEAT: I'm happy to close this chapter, move on, and get on with regular business. The police department did a good job in policing itself. We apologize that it happened but it did happen and it was dealt with and we're moving on.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: The police investigation led to one firing, one resignation and four suspensions.
Barack Obama getting ready to step up to the mikes here in Seattle, Washington. We heard from Hillary Clinton in Tacoma. Now we're waiting to hear from the Illinois senator as he gets ready to address all his supporters there in the state of Washington.
Well, the check's in the mail, maybe not quite yet, but soon. Is it a rebate? An advance? Susan Lisovicz is going to try to explain the ins and outs of economic stimulus. That's coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Live pictures now from Seattle, Washington. It's the Barack Obama event. As soon as he steps up to the mike, we will listen in. We did listen to Hillary Clinton as she was stumping in Tacoma, Washington, in front of a group of nurses talking about her health care plan. We will see what Barack Obama has to say there in the state of Washington any moment now. We will listen in.
(BUSINESS REPORT)
PHILLIPS: Well, weight made a recluse of Lynn Bering. She avoided friends. She skipped social events, anything to keep away from people. But now she's totally turned things around.
CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta has a "Fit Nation" success story to tell us about.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Lynn Bering was never overweight, but a sluggish thyroid gland quickly changed that. In four years, she gained 100 pounds.
LYNN BERING, LOST 168 POUNDS: I was the features editor at our local newspaper and I was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with how I looked. And I was giving up stories, actually, to interns, so I didn't have to be out in public as much.
GUPTA: When a local antique store went up for sale, Lynn jumped at the chance.
BERING: I became basically a hermit for about four years. I didn't want to be seen. My antique store had 19 stairs. And I thought, what if I got sick? How would they get me down the stairs?
GUPTA: Lynn's doctors were concerned about her health. But beyond Lynn's almost 300 pounds, it was those 19 stairs that motivated her.
BERING: I was 296 pounds at my highest weight, and I had had enough. I was tired of being fat, tired of not taking care of myself.
GUPTA: She joined Weight Watchers, participated in online forums, started her own weight-loss blog, and began walking at the local school.
BERING: The one thing I -- that's really helped me is journaling. And I'm not talking just journaling foods, but journaling your journey, journaling how you are feeling. Journal why you eat. Journal why you don't eat. It's taken a lot of work to get to where I am, but I love it. I love that feeling. I think about those 19 steps a lot.
I'm Lynn Bearing and I lost 168 pounds.
GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: And to hear more of Lynn's story, including the weight loss tips that helped her succeed so dramatically, just visit our Web site at CNN.com/health.
Super Tuesday came and went, but nothing was decided on the Democratic side. It could make for a really interesting Democratic convention. We'll tell you why.
You're watching CNN -- the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips live at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta. You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.
With the race so close, Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are fighting for every single delegate. So what happens if neither can claim enough delegates to clinch the nomination before the convention?
We could see a huge fight over Florida and Michigan. Both of those states were stripped of their delegates for moving up their primaries. Listen to what Florida senator, and Clinton supporter, Bill Nelson said this morning on the Senate floor.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BILL NELSON (D), FLORIDA: So what do we do? Well, I am certainly amenable for anyone who has a suggestion to get us out of the potential train wreck, because the potential train wreck could well be that if the Florida and Michigan delegations are not seated at the national convention in August, those are two key states that only two months thereafter would be voting on who is going to be the next president of the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Joining me now from Washington, CNN contributor and Democratic strategist, Donna Brazile and CNN contributor, and Republican strategist, Amy Holmes.
OK, guys what about Florida and Michigan -- Donna?
DONNA BRAZILE, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: It's clear that Florida, as well as Michigan, violated the rules. The Democratic National Committee would love to seat those delegates if the state party leaders would come up with a plan that the rules committee could review before the convention. Absolutely. If not, the Credentials Committee selected by the voters themselves, along with the potential nominee, will have an opportunity to figure out a plan to seat those delegations.
Look, this is a democracy and we all have to play by the rules -- and Senator Nelson understands because he sued the Democratic National Committee and lost in court -- that we would like to see every vote count. But we also need a plan to apportion those delegates. We need a plan to ensure that we can select those delegates.
So I would hope that Senator Nelson, the party chair in both Florida, as well as the party chair in Michigan and the governor there, will work with Governor Howard Dean, work with the DNC, work with the eventual nominee to ensure that Florida has a seat at the table, along with Michigan.
PHILLIPS: Amy, a potential train wreck? What's the answer?
AMY HOLMES, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Well, everything that Donna makes sense and far be it from me to tell Democrats how they ought to be running things. What I found interesting about Senator Nelson's remarks on the Senate floor was that he is anticipating a train wreck, that he's anticipating a protracted battle that could lead all the way up into the convention.
You know, for the Republican side of the aisle, that is great news. It means that Republicans can coalesce around John McCain and while Hillary and Barack are going at each other and fighting all the way to the convention, Republicans can frame the debate. They can attack both of those candidates as liberal and be getting their message out there. So I thought it was very interesting that Senator Nelson is already anticipating this big huge battle.
BRAZILE: Amy, Amy, I want to say something. This is not about liberal or conservatism. I understand that the conservatives and the Republicans would like to frame this as the liberal, left leaning conspiracy. This is really about changing the political landscape in America so that people can get something done in Washington, D.C. .
If you want to talk about liberal, why don't you ask your conservative friends why they have a problem with John McCain's support for, you know, comprehensive immigration reform. Ask about John McCain's opposition to Bush tax cuts. What John McCain will Democrats campaign against?
PHILLIPS: Amy?
BRAZILE: That's what they should find out.
HOLMES: Well, it's certainly true that John McCain has a long way to go to finally close the deal with those conservative voters and Evangelical voters, as well. You know, I've been at CPAC for the past two days and kind of getting the temperature and seeing how conservatives are reacting to him. And one thing he can do is he can pick a vice presidential nominee who would appeal to those voters.
You know, James Dobson's endorsement of Mike Huckabee strengthens Mike Huckabee's chances of being that nominee, particularly if Huckabee does well in these upcoming states. But, you know, I'm just warning Democrats that if they don't rally around a nominee now, they certainly can expect incoming fire from the Republican side of the field.
BRAZILE: We're not going to rush to judgment based on some timetable that the Republicans establish. We're going to allow the American people to vote. We're going to give them a choice this election. This is an unconventional election on the Democratic side.
People are enthusiastic. We have been able now to essentially register new people to participate in the process. We should not close this down just because the Republicans have closed down their process.
PHILLIPS: And, Donna, speaking of unconventional -- because I really want to ask you both about this -- the buzz lately is Al Gore. It's on the blogs. It's on the wires.
What do you think, Donna? Could we see him coming forward, making an endorsement, jumping in here? Is there an Al Gore factor here that we're not paying attention to? BRAZILE: You know, Al Gore has made it very clear that he is now doing what he -- is the passion of his life, which is warning the world about the growing threat of climate change. I don't see Al Gore making an endorsement in this race. He's a super-delegate, so he will get an opportunity to vote. But right now, Al Gore is doing the work that he is committed to.
PHILLIPS: And real quickly, Amy -- because of time, I want to get you to respond to this. Recently, Bill Clinton -- a lot of talk about him, as well -- could he take a position if, indeed, his wife wins the presidency.
This is what he said just a little bit ago
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I will not be in the cabinet. I will not be on the staff full-time. I will not in any way interfere with the work of a strong vice president, a strong secretary of state, a strong secretary of the treasury. I will do what we've always done for each other. I will let her bounce her ideas off of me. I'll tell her what I think and we'll talk through things and I'll be available for whatever specific assignments seem right. You know, I'd do that for President Bush.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Amy, do you believe that?
HOLMES: Well, I heard a Clinton -- a Clintonism there -- I won't be on the staff full-time.
(LAUGHTER)
HOLMES: It depends on what...
PHILLIPS: He didn't say I wouldn't be on the staff. He just said I wouldn't be on the staff full-time.
HOLMES: Right. Exactly. And, you know, this is a question that I think the Democratic voters need to ask themselves, is what will be the role of Bill Clinton. This could be causing real constitutional issues in terms of, you know, is this a co-presidency. He's trying to reassure the voters that it's not.
But you've got Bill Clinton roaming the halls, he's a former president. When those staffers have an idea, do they go to Bill Clinton first, do they go to Hillary? How do they work this relationship when they're talking to Clinton in the hallways? Do they -- you know, do they have to be on eggshells?
How do they have to -- you know, how do they have to deal with this? These are very big questions for Hillary Clinton to answer and for Bill Clinton to answer, as well.
PHILLIPS: OK... BRAZILE: I'll answer it. I'll answer it.
PHILLIPS: OK. Go ahead, Donna.
BRAZILE: Hillary Clinton will be in charge.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: OK. Yes. And will Bill Clinton be the vice president -- that's the question.
BRAZILE: No.
HOLMES: And it certainly worries me when Bill Clinton says I'll be the way just like I was in the '90s.
PHILLIPS: Oh.
HOLMES: I'm like (ph).
PHILLIPS: He's never in the back, you know, so to speak.
All right, real quickly, we've got to hit the Republican side. James Dobson coming forward endorsing Huckabee. Donna, how big is this?
BRAZILE: Very big. Look, the Evangelical conservatives came out in large numbers this past week in Alabama and Georgia. This endorsement will give Huckabee a leg up in Louisiana and Virginia and a couple other states.
PHILLIPS: Mitt Romney quickly, Amy -- is -- will we see him as a V.P. possibility? Will he just come out and endorse McCain? Is he thinking about the next presidential election? What's going on?
HOLMES: Well, when I was there listening to the speech, it struck me as that this was him laying the table for a potential 2012 run. I think it was significant that he gave his what they now call a suspension speech -- I don't know where the politicians came up with that -- when they're withdrawing from the race. What I thought was interesting is that he did it at CPAC and not in Massachusetts, that he went to the conservative belly and he asked for their support. He pitched himself as a conservative. And I think he was laying the groundwork for a potential future run.
PHILLIPS: Amy Holmes, Donna Brazile, my diva strategists. Thank you, ladies.
(LAUGHTER)
BRAZILE: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: Great to see you.
Let's check in on Barack Obama now, getting ready to step up to the mikes there in Seattle, Washington. We will listen in as soon as that begins.
In the meantime, let's go over to Wichita, Kansas, where John McCain is defending his Iraq position.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: But we will never make sacrifices again in vain again in the defense of freedom and democracy in Iraq and throughout the world. I understand war. I understand. No one understands better. Ask our veterans the tragedy of war and how tough it is on those who have been in wars. So I understand it.
But I also know how precious freedom is. You may know some -- I spent a period of time when I didn't have my freedom. And I know how precious it is -- no more than any other American. But I also know what it's like to lose it. And I am committed to you and to America and the world. We will never let this force of evil prevail anywhere in the world, much less the United States of America. I promise you that.
(APPLAUSE)
MCCAIN: My friends, you may have heard that I'm a little superstitious. In fact, I carry around a penny that a guy gave me found with the head up. I wear various paraphernalia and I believe in lucky numbers and all those things. And it's kind of fun to be superstitious. I enjoy it. And I'm sure all of us do from time to time.
But you know one of the reasons I am is because I'm the luckiest guy that you have ever encountered. I am the luckiest person. There's been numerous occasions, some of my own making, where perhaps I shouldn't be around anymore. But the fact is I have been so fortunate. And I've been fortunate to serve this country.
And as I mentioned to you, I'd like to serve a little while longer. And what I want to do as president of the United States, above all else, is to inspire Americans to serve a cause greater than their self-interests.
My friends, many years ago I'm sure you'll remember things were not good in the United States America after Vietnam was over. And a lot of Americans thought that our best days were behind us. And a guy came out of California named Ronald Reagan. And Ronald Reagan --
(APPLAUSE)
MCCAIN: Ronald Reagan had a core set of conservative principles, but most of all he had an incredible and overwhelming optimism about America and its future. He believed that America's best days were ahead. And he believed that we would win the cold war -- at that time the transcendent challenge of the Soviet Union, as you well recall. And Ronald Reagan, as we all know, won the cold war without firing a shot because he inspired a generation of Americans to serve. He restored our military. He restored our morale. He restored our confidence. My friends, I will inspire another generation of Americans to serving a cause greater than themselves. And with your help and with your help tomorrow, and everybody getting out -- and remember this race is not over. I would be very grateful for your support. I would be very grateful for your continuing advice and counsel. And I would be very grateful for your vote.
And I want to thank you for coming out today. I want to thank you for living in this great state. I want to thank you for your support of our great Republican Party. And, again, please don't forget the words of the late Mayor Daley of Chicago, who said vote early and vote often. Thank you very much. Thank you for being here.
PHILLIPS: John McCain in front of his supporters there in Wichita, Kansas.
We've been listening to a number of the candidates today. We're still waiting on Barack Obama.
Meanwhile, she's got a crush on Obama. But was that enough to get her to the polls on Tuesday?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AMBER LEE ETTINGER: 'Cause I got a crush on Obama.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Online Obama Girl went all out to show her devotion to the Illinois senator and candidate for president. But did she turn out to vote? What do you think?
CNN's Jeanne Moos reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): We were crushed.
ETTINGER: 'Cause I got a crush on Obama.
MOOS: Crushed to learn that Obama Girl...
ETTINGER: I never wanted anybody more than I want you.
MOOS: Apparently she didn't want Senator Obama enough to go vote for him. Amber Lee Ettinger told "The New York Times" blog that she was too sick. But on Super Tuesday, instead of making it here, to the New Jersey polls, she did manage to make it here, to an election- themed party thrown by Svedka Vodka in Manhattan -- just across the Hudson from where she didn't vote after all that flirting.
ETTINGER: 'Cause I got a crush on Obama.
MOOS (on camera): So do you now have a crush on Obama? UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, a little bit. Definitely.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am definitely going to vote for Senator Obama.
MOOS (voice-over): OK, so she may have had a registration issue, as well. But she had months to straighten that out.
ETTINGER: I got a crush on Obama.
MOOS (on camera): Now, we hear that Obama Girl feels really bad about not voting. And we wanted to talk to her about it. But she elected not to fit us into her schedule.
(voice-over): Apparently, she's working on a new video explaining her failure to vote with the folks from Barely Political, who made the first one. Obama Girl videos have become a cottage industry. She went on to pillow fight with Giuliani Girl in a sequel. And more recently, she acquired superpowers.
ETTINGER: Obama Girl, she's flashy.
MOOS: That should have enabled her to fly to the polls no matter how bad she felt. Posted reactions were not kind. "She's weak, typical New York party girl. She thinks the whole "Sex and the City" thing is real life." Or how about this one -- "Ted Kennedy endorsed Obama and he lost Massachusetts. Maria Shriver endorsed Obama and he lost California. "Obama Girl" endorsed Obama and he lost New Jersey. Dude, get an exorcist."
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Obama.
MOOS: Actually, Amber just lip synched to the song performed by this woman, Leah Kauffman.
LEAH KAUFFMAN: I cannot wait until 2008, baby you're the best kind of date.
MOOS: But lip synched so realistically that Obama's wife remarked that their 6-year-old seemed concerned, asking, "Daddy, you have mommy, right?" At least mommy voted for daddy.
Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Well, there's news about the Hollywood writers strike and what could happen tomorrow. We'll tell you about it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Your favorite TV shows could be back in production soon. That's according to former Disney CEO Michael Eisner. Eisner says that there's an agreement now to end the Hollywood writers' strike and it will be presented to the rank and file tomorrow. Other reports, however, call the process fragile and say it could still derail. The Writers Guild went on strike three months ago, demanding a bigger share of the windfall from new media. The walkout brought most TV and movie productions to a standstill and threatened this year's Oscar ceremonies.
The closing well and a wrap of the action on Wall Street ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: All right, the closing bell is about to ring on Wall Street.
Susan Lisovicz is standing by with a final look at the trading day -- TGIF, my dear Susan.
SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: TGIF.
You know let's -- we have a little time here, Kyra. Let's talk about retail therapy. Everybody knows what that is. When you're feeling blue, you go out and shop and you indulge yourself. Well, there is an old expression, Kyra, that says misery is not miserly. And there's a new study now that backs that up, that says basically when you're feeling blue, that you tend not to be as cost conscious, that you overspend.
They weren't -- you know, people weren't going out on spending sprees, but they were spending more money. And that can get you into trouble. Now, I know, Kyra, when I personally shopped with you, you had a very good eye and you were careful about your finances.
PHILLIPS: Oh, I'm so glad. My mother will be so happy to hear you say that. It's because you showed me where all the great bargains were, so, you know.
LISOVICZ: I did. We also went at the right time of year -- right about now a year ago. We went, we hit it hard and we did -- I don't go shopping when I'm blue. I'm too tired.
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.voxantshop.com
