Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
White House Briefing Addresses Security, Politics; Napolitano Stands Behind Aviation Security Changes; Will Dems Lose Power in Senate?; Florida Seeing Record Lows
Aired January 06, 2010 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: All right, let's get you to the daily White House briefing with White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
ROBERT GIBBS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: ... that was clear the president will make a statement about this tomorrow. That review will be released, the unclassified version will be released publicly. We'll have John and probably Secretary Napolitano to discuss their view of detection capabilities tomorrow here at the White House. I anticipate that the president and John will continue to look at the situation and evaluate it over the coming months. The review will simply identify and make recommendations as to what was lacking and what needs to be strengthened.
The review process will be a dynamic one, where the president and John will continue to ensure that agencies are implementing their plans for correcting what was identified in each of those reviews.
I will say in yesterday's meeting, each agency and department took responsibility for their aspect of that systemic failure, and each outlined what they had identified as initial shortcomings and ideas for -- for changing those. The president will be anxious to watch that, and John will watch that and follow up with each of those agencies as this transpires.
Yes, ma'am.
QUESTION: I wanted to clarify something and then ask a question. You said the review will be released tomorrow.
GIBBS: Yes.
QUESTION: And going back to Senator Dodd, how do you think it's going to affect financial regulatory reform? He's been a leader in that, and there has been some reaction on Wall Street since the sun has gone down.
GIBBS: As is the wont of Wall Street. I would say this, look, I believe Senator Dodd has been a passionate advocate for ensuring that we have rules in place so that what happened on Wall Street doesn't happen again. That we have strong consumer financial protections. And I think Senator Dodd will continue to work on that with his committee throughout this process. QUESTION: Will make him more of a lame duck? I mean, is the loss of that passionate advocate?
GIBBS: No. Look, I -- knowing Senator Dodd and the passionate advocate that he is, I think he will continue to work hard and want to get -- want to get this done by the end of the year, as the president does, too -- Jake.
QUESTION: The president last year set a deadline for the end of 2009 for Iran to begin showing some compliance with the international agencies when it comes to its nuclear program. Has there been any movement? If not...
GIBBS: Has there been any movement?
QUESTION: By the Iranians that we don't know about, and if not, what's the next step?
GIBBS: Well, the next step is ongoing, and that is, working with our partners in the P-5 plus 1 and throughout the international community in -- in looking at the next steps to hold Iran accountable.
We have said and made clear throughout this process that they should act and demonstrate living up to their responsibilities, that failure to act would result in consequences. And we're in the process of, as you've heard the president discuss, developing what those consequences are with our international partners.
You know, I would say that -- and you've heard the president speak on this now, both in Oslo and over the Christmas break -- that, you know, we've noticed divisions within Iran, including much greater calls for universal rights and universal values, and we are watching those closely, as well.
QUESTION: Should we expect that when the United Nations reconvenes, the United States will push for the economic sanctions that they have -- that you guys have threatened?
GIBBS: I think that working with our partners and working throughout the international community, we will take steps to develop what those consequences are and move those forward.
QUESTION: When the U.N. reconvenes?
GIBBS: I don't know if it will -- I don't know the exact day that that will be, understanding that we have begun, and have begun, even before the end of the year, initial discussions, both within the administration on what can be done as well as with our international partners.
QUESTION: I want to follow-up also on the comment the president made in one of the interviews that he gave right before he went to Hawaii, I forget, I apologize, whether it was with NPR or PBS, but he was asked about the fact that the minority in the Senate has required the invoking of cloture, I believe more than ever before. And what he thought should be done about it. There are -- the measures that would require a change of the rules would -- would be one that requires 67 votes, which you don't have. One would be a reverse nuclear option, which might cause serious damage in the Senate. The other one is a bill offered by Senator Harkin which would have some sort of sliding scale of cloture.
Is there going -- especially with the facing of the prospect of losing seats in the Senate in 2010, or at the very least, a wash, but certainly nobody figures that you guys are going to gain any -- is there any consideration or any support by the president for any of the measures to change the rules so that he can have an easier time getting his agenda moving forward?
GIBBS: You know, Jake, I have not heard of any discussion. I will check with legislative affairs. I have not heard discussion here about support for changing those rules. I know Senator Harkin's bill has been talked about for some time, going back to some judicial disputes that were had not too long ago.
Jake, I think the president's overriding frustration has been -- I mentioned this a little bit yesterday in dealing with some personnel announcements -- is it's not simply that you see tactics purely to delay, purely to watch the clock wind around and around, but they don't even appear to be philosophical, right?
When you -- when something gets filibustered, and we take 30 hours to debate it, and then the ultimate vote is 88-10, is the -- was the filibuster predicated on anything else other than watching the clock wind around? Was it -- it's not a philosophical argument. It's just an argument, I suppose, to hear people talk in order to delay the passage of vital legislation for the American people.
I think the president -- I think the American people -- will be frustrated, and are frustrated, by the lack of not getting anything done just to hear somebody talk.
QUESTION: A lot of liberal activists want you guys to do something about it. Are you going to?
GIBBS: I will check with legislative affairs. Like I said, I have not heard anything about changing the rules -- Dan.
QUESTION: Yesterday the president talked about red flags, bits and pieces of information, that the intelligent community had, that it involves someone that we now know to be the suspect. Was this specific information that was tied to an airplane, airliner, anything like that? Or was it more general?
GIBBS: Dan, I'm going to let -- I'm going to let -- wait for the review to come, the public portion of the review, come out and allow John to be able to speak in depth about all of those issues.
I think, to reiterate what the president said, the sort of top- line message the president had was that we understand it was a systemic failure. We understand that information we had in our possession, information that likely could have prevented or disrupted the incident on the 25th of December from happening.
The president is anxious to -- and did so yesterday for almost two hours with his national security and intelligence team teams -- go through some questions about how we got to this point. And, more importantly, the steps that we're going to take going forward to prevent something like this, based on what we had, from happening again.
QUESTION: But is there more, though, that we don't know about? Is there more there? Without telling us what it is.
GIBBS: Well, I think the president has been very candid about the fact that what we were in possession of in different places and what ultimately was not analyzed up through the chains in order to make the necessary connections to prevent and disrupt this from happening.
QUESTION: And, again, on the negotiations that are taking place to meld these two bills, the House and the Senate, why -- why not have a formal conference? Why...
GIBBS: That's a question that I think you can ask the leaders in Congress, either there or when they're here later today -- Helen.
QUESTION: What is the president's...
KYRA PHILLIPS, HOST: All right, we'll continue to follow the White House briefing there with Robert Gibbs. Of course, our Dan Lothian asking about the airline security and what the president has been discussing with his highest-level advisors about that.
Also pushing forward, we're talking about winter, yes. Wonderland? Well, not if you're in these cars on the roads, in the hills, of North Carolina. Don't head south to warm up, because if you're east of the Rockies, you're cold.
And my special investigation, inner peace at a price? Some former insiders claim a nationwide yoga chain is a cult. They're suing, and that chain is fighting back.
We'll start now with we have to do better and we have to do it quickly. We're talking about President Obama -- or President Obama's, rather, bottom line, on the Christmas day attempt to blow up a U.S. airliner. A failure, he says, not to collect intelligence, but to understand intelligence we already had.
You just heard Robert Gibbs there at the White House briefing talking about that exactly. The president is promising reforms, but in meantime, tighter screenings at airports, a closer watch on U.S. visa holders, and lower criteria for watch and no-fly lists, meaning more names, a lot more, can be put on them.
The president spoke after a closed-door, top-level meeting with 20 aides and cabinet members, and among them, of course, the secretary of homeland security. And today, CNN's Jeanne Meserve got an exclusive interview with Janet Napolitano. Jeanne, what did you ask the secretary?
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I asked her about the meeting with the president yesterday. She said those meetings are private, and they should be. But she said there was a feeling in the room of "let's deal with this problem and get things fixed."
We talked a lot about the aviation system and ways to improve it, problems with it now. I asked her whether the airlines are providing the U.S. with passenger lists before planes take off for the U.S., so the names can be run against terror watch lists. Here's a bit of what she had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JANET NAPOLITANO, U.S. SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY: We have been attempting to get agreements with countries around the world to provide that information. It's called advanced passenger information, passenger name record information, API, PNR. We've had varying degrees of success.
That's why we think it's important now to use this Christmas-Day attempted bombing to go back out into the international community and say, "Look, this is something that affects all of us. It's not just Americans who are traveling internationally. It's not just Americans who are on these planes. We want to have an environment where everybody who is traveling is protected."
MESERVE: That's a significant impediment, isn't it? If you aren't getting those lists ahead of time, to run those names against watch lists?
NAPOLITANO: It is. It is makes it -- not only is it an impediment, but, you know, the question is, do we get information by the time somebody lands through other areas -- other avenues? Yes, by the time they land, we will have additional information. But if we don't have information so that we know before they board the airplane, that -- that's really what we're concerned about right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Kyra, as you mentioned, the no-fly and selectee lists are being expanded. I asked the secretary what about people who find themselves on this list who don't belong there, that's been a big problem in the past. She said that, in fact, she's directed that there be a more robust process for corrections to be made, when there are flaws on that list.
She insisted that, although there was some international pushback on this latest -- latest travel security directive, saying that people from 14 countries should be intensively screened before they came here, she said this wasn't profiling, this was threat-based actions.
She also added that there have been some additional security measures put in place at seaports and land borders. They've surged in personnel, and they are doing more cargo inspections. Not necessarily based on any new intelligence, but out of an abundance of caution.
Kyra, back to you.
PHILLIPS: All right, Jeanne Meserve, thanks so much.
Dropping like flies? Not yet at least, but some key Democrats are hanging it up. We're going to check the balance of power on Capitol Hill.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: It may be a new year, but for two governors, it's the same old big-time problems. Right now Arnold Schwarzenegger giving his last state-of-the-state address as Republican governor of California. He's actually trying to see what some see as the impossible: putting a fresh spin on the state's gigantic money problems.
In New York, Democratic Governor David Paterson delivering his second state-of-the-state speech. He's also facing big money problems. And he's already got a lot of lawmakers ticked off because of a new bid to clean up the state's notorious pay-to-play politics. The expected fireworks: free of charge.
Speaking of Democrats facing a lot of flak, just last hour, Senator Christopher Dodd of Connecticut announced that he will not seek re-election in November. The chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, Dodd's come under fire for ties to the financial industry, and he's been trailing likely GOP rivals in recent polls.
Plus, Colorado Democratic Governor Bill Ritter throwing in the towel. He's announcing his decision right now in Denver. Ritter was also facing a tough re-election fight from a Republican rival.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, first of all, we've been working on this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Just yesterday another Democratic senator, Byron Dorgan of North Dakota, announced that he won't seek re-election this year. These developments beg the question now: what happens to the Dems' control of the Senate?
Joining us with that from Washington, with her take on all this, national correspondent, Jessica Yellin.
So, Jessica, let's go ahead and start with Dodd. He's an important ally to President Obama. What does his departure do to the president's agenda?
JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, Kyra, it's a good question, because Dodd is one of the most powerful and experienced Democrats in Congress. He's been there three decades. And he's not just a key negotiator on the health-care overhaul. He has been leading the Senate's effort to reform Wall Street, which is, you know, one of the president's top priorities.
So on Capitol Hill today, there is plenty of disagreement about whether Dodd's retirement might actually stall that bill. That's just on the policy. We haven't even talked about the big politics.
PHILLIPS: Well, let's talk about what it means for the Democrats' future control of the Senate.
YELLIN: Right. So, OK, big picture. If Democrats lose just one seat overall in the upcoming elections in the Senate, they lose that 60-vote advantage they need to stop a Republican filibuster.
Now, five Democratic senators are retiring this year. And it is generally easier to re-elect an incumbent. Now, in these cases there's a little bit of a difference. Chris Dodd especially faced an exceptional tough, uphill fight, so replacing him could actually help the Democrats hold onto the seat. Three of those folks there were replacing other retired or moved members, like President Obama's old seat was filled by Roland Burris there.
So, these are, you know, specific instances where maybe the Democratic retirements could be helpful, but it does say that it's a rough environment for Democrats. It reflects a difficult political environment for them. Voters could be judging Democrats harshly at the polls.
PHILLIPS: All right. Well, what about Republicans? Do you think this gives them the advantage now?
YELLIN: In the sense that there's a tough political environment, yes. But there are even more Republicans retiring. Six in all. Here they are. These are all elected senators, not just folks who were replacing other folks who had moved on. You see them there.
And in all, Kyra, there are 39 Senate seats where folks are going to be -- 39 Senate seats up for re-election, 19 of them Democrats, 18 of them Republicans. So, what we have ahead of us is a very tough political environment for both parties, and we're going to watch some fierce election campaigns in the coming months, Kyra?
PHILLIPS: When has politics ever been easy, Jessica? Let's just bottom line it right there. It's going to keep you busy.
YELLIN: A lot to talk about, though.
PHILLIPS: Yes, exactly. Thanks, Jessica.
Well, checking top stories now.
Yemen caught between a rock and a hard place. The foreign minister tells CNN the government hasn't been as tough on al Qaeda as it should be. He says that's because Yemen often has its hands full fighting homegrown insurgents. A hearing this afternoon for Baltimore's embattled mayor, Sheila Dixon. She's asking for a new trial after getting convicted last month of embezzling about $500 worth of gift cards, gift cards donated to the city for needy families. If the conviction stands, she could get booted out of office.
Still no recovery of two bodies from the wreckage of the Learjet. It crashed yesterday while trying to land outside Chicago. At a news conference moments ago, federal investigators said they still don't know what caused the crash.
Temperatures in the 20s in Tampa, Florida. That's right; let me repeat that. Temps in the 20s in Tampa. Say that eight times really fast. This is a whole lot more than a cold snap, folks.
Taking a look back in history, he was in Hiroshima on business the day the atomic bomb hit. Burned and confused, he actually spent the night in a shelter, then headed home to Nagasaki, just ahead of the American B-29 that dropped the second bomb. Tsutomu Yamaguchi was the only known survivor of both blasts, and he lived another six decades, dying Monday at the age of 93.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well, something is definitely wrong when Miami's colder than Seattle. That was the case this morning with the Deep South in a deep freeze.
In Florida an emergency now in place as farmers are racing to save their crops.
And it's not just the U.S. Britain and other parts of Europe are at a virtual standstill. Snow and ice have shut down airports, train lines, schools, and businesses.
I tell you what, Chad, we haven't seen cold weather like this in parts of the country ever.
(WEATHER REPORT)
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I just want to give you some tips. I know we do this all the time, but there are a couple different things that people don't -- maybe don't understand.
Don't put a heating pad out for your dog outside. That heating pad, even if you put it on low, will never shut off, because it can never get as warm as it wants to be, and it's a very dangerous situation, not only for the pet and for your home. Bring your pets inside if you can.
Plants indoors tonight. I know a lot of people around Ocala and Lake County and Orange County, at 20 degrees, those plants have no chance outside. Unless you cover them up. Maybe even -- I talked to some of the nurseries out there -- maybe even put a light bulb down at the base. The first thing you want to do today is water. Water the base of the plants while you can before it actually gets frozen. You don't want to water the top of the tree, because you actually may make it too heavy.
Exposed pipes, what can you do? You know what you can do? Under the sink is this cabinet down there. Open the doors of the cabinet and allow the heat to get under there. Now, don't do it if there's chemicals and you can get pets or kids under those -- in those chemicals. But if you open the doors, the heat from your house can actually go under there and keep those pipes slightly warmer -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, good tips. Thanks, Chad.
MYERS: Sure.
PHILLIPS: Right now the state of Florida can use a lot more than warm sunshine it's famous for. They're actually shivering all the way down to the Keys, and it could be days before the warm-up.
Here's CNN's John Zarrella.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): There is plenty of sunshine in Florida. The problem is right now, it's not throwing much heat. For folks here, not used to sub-60s, it's downright miserable.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I've got layers. Layers. I'm freezing!
ZARRELLA: The brisk air has a tendency to get people moving at a brisker pace. For the most part, the beaches were empty, although there's always someone who wants you to believe it's really true, the water is warmer than the air.
Of course, everything is relative. If you're in town from Iowa for the college bowl game, this is like summer.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You Florida people don't know cold.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Don't know cold. Minus 3 in our hometown of Sheraton (ph), so it's still 60 degrees warmer.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Exactly.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sixty degrees warmer here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We love it.
ZARRELLA: Yes, and when you leave, take the cold with you. The state's farmers and growers would like that more than just about anyone.
(on camera) Still have a heck of a lot of fruit that can be damaged. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Definitely. I mean, honey bells, this is the prime time of year for them. People love to ship them north.
ZARRELLA (voice-over): Louis Shack's (ph) family has been growing citrus in Vero Beach for 60 years. It's a small family operation. They've done what they can to protect the crop. Flooding the ground between each row of trees will keep the temperature up a couple of degrees. That's all it might take to save the fruit.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If it stays, you know, just above freezing, it can really help sweeten the fruit and be fine and really tide (ph) the season a little bit farther for us. But, you know, it's a fine line to walk. If it gets too cold, then you can definitely have some damage.
ZARRELLA: The feared number is 28 degrees. Below that for more than four hours would freeze the fruit right on the trees and could wreck Florida's $9 billion-a-year citrus industry.
Strawberry growers are not in a good place either. The fields have been watered to allow an insulating coat of ice to form over the tender berries.
VICKIE BECK, ANDREW'S SOD AND STRAWBERRY FARM: Nothing you can do but try to do your best to protect them and make the best out of it and say a few prayers to watch over them and keep going.
ZARRELLA: Perhaps a lot of prayers. Even colder temperatures are expected by the weekend.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Once again, that was our John Zarrella.
Well, it's so cold in Florida that parts of the Panhandle could get a trace of snow tomorrow. The last time Florida had snow? 1977.
Word associations. Say "stem," you may think "cell." But President Obama would say "science, technology, education and math." Live from the White House for a presidential lesson.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: All right. We're just a few moments away from President Obama live from the White House, honoring the nation's most exceptional math and science teachers. The president also expected to double down on his "educate to innovate" campaign.
Let's go ahead and touch base with our Suzanne Malveaux before the event gets under way.
Suzanne, two of the subjects you and I struggled with. We did well, you know, English, writing.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: But math and science, I don't know. PHILLIPS: Exactly.
MALVEAUX: This is a good news story, though, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: OK.
MALVEAUX: This story, it's a good-news story. They're going to be awarding a couple of folks when it comes to excellence in teaching math and science. And, Kyra, this is all about trying to help out the young kids, Americans, when it comes to math and science.
Just to give you a sense of how fourth graders -- this is from the Department of Education -- are performing around the world. Americans, fourth graders in math rank 11 among 36 countries. We are beaten by Hong Kong, Japan, Latvia and Lithuania. When it comes to science, fourth graders, once again, U.S. ranks about eighth or so out of 36 countries. Beaten by Russia, Singapore, Latvia, England, among them. And so this is all about providing incentives to teachers to help them teach math and science.
So, what are we talking about here? We're talking about some serious grant money -- public and private partnerships, corporations, universities, the government, all teaming up together to try to come up with ways to teach, to help, teach math and science. For example, Intel is going to spend about $200 million over the next 10 years to teach thousands of math and science teachers. NASA is creating a program for summer camp for kids, again, math and science being the focus. And the Department of Education going to spend about $100 million just next month to try to help those in some areas that are really in greatest need of those math and science teachers.
All those things are part of the president's program, what he is calling "Educate to Innovate" campaign. A couple people going to get some awards and he's going to highlight that in just a couple minutes, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, sounds good. We'll take it live and check back in, with you.
Suzanne, thanks so much.
PHILLIPS: The domino effect from education get kids excited about learning. They feel smart, empowered, inspired. They grow older and the innovations and inventions follow, right?
Well, last night on "ANDERSON COOPER 360," Segway inventor Dean Kamen tied it altogether and explained how it all could unravel.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEAN KAMEN, INVENTOR OF THE SEGWAY: Take this country from the day it got started has led the world in technology. It's what allowed this country to go and grow and get strong and become the model for the world. What I'm a little afraid of is this is the first generation that's growing up where its kids may not be the most technically capable of being in a real leadership in innovation in the world.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: I got to -- what's probably a stupid question. But how do you innovate? You invented the Segway scooter? You developed this prosthetic arm, and it's called the Loop. Your company, which is just extraordinary, we have some pictures of it I think we can show. It's amazing compared to what has come before it.
How do you do this?
KAMEN: Well, first, you collect a lot of really, really smart people. And then you encourage them to have big ideas, and you support a courageous vision. And sometimes it means you're going to fail and you're going to fail again and you're going to fail a third time.
But, again, part of what's happened to our country as it's gotten a little, let's say, older and more mature, like people when they get old and mature, you get a little bit more conservative, a little bit more risk averse, and our whole culture has aged that way. And when you go around the rest of the world now, what I think what America ought to be very concerned about is the rest of the world -- even the relatively poor countries -- are focused like a laser beam on getting their kids really smart, giving them a really strong work ethic, particularly giving them capabilities in science, technology and innovating.
There's no stimulus package that this country can possibly put together that will have a better return than stimulating the next generation of kids in this country to be -- for the 21st country our Thomas Edison and our Wilburn Ovilwright (ph) and Google boys. I mean, every kid watching this show today knows Britney Spears, Paris Hilton. They all know who's winning the race to the super bowl. Who's winning the race to the room-temperature superconductor? That will change the way we make and distribute energy.
COOPER: Do you think 20 years from now we're going to be doing things on a daily basis that, A, we cannot even imagine right now, and, B, makes our lives today seem sort of antiquated?
KAMEN: I think most of the kids today that are in high school, particularly the ones that are getting prepared for the 21st century world, most of the kids in high school that are in the exciting forefront jobs 20 years from today, will be in a career that hasn't been described or defined yet.
COOPER: Really?
KAMEN: Doing things that you don't even have a word for.
You know, 20 years ago there was no such thing as Google. Kids didn't know what Google was, they didn't know what texting was. And now it's part of the infrastructure of everybody's life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: And tonight on "AC 360" in their "What's Next" series, Isaac Mizrahi on what's next in fashion. That's tonight at 10:00 Eastern, right here on CNN.
The walk of fame, Bogey, Bacall, John Wayne. Absolut Vodka? Wait a minute, what's going on here? Comes to show you money really talks when it comes to the walk.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well, money talks, or so the saying goes. And it's sure is true in Hollywood. One of the top tourist spots there, the walk of fame, is putting some new names on those famous stars. But they're not the names of movie stars.
Susan Lisovicz with all details. Hmm.
SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hmm.
PHILLIPS: It sort of takes away the whole meaning of the Hollywood walk of fame.
LISOVICZ: Oh, but you know, I mean, corporate America has deep pockets, and even the Hollywood walk of fame needs some TLC, or maybe a face-lift if you will.
The Hollywood walk of fame, Kyra, is 50 years old. It's one of the most ingenious marketing tools of all-time. Think about it -- you slap a star down on the pavement, you get a celebrity to pose for a few minutes and people will actually come to what is a dumpy section of Los Angeles. Hollywood and Vine isn't the prettiest part of the city. I hate to say it.
PHILLIPS: Well, the homeless people are going to be very upset with you right now. That's their hood.
LISOVICZ: Yes, it is their hood.
PHILLIPS: It's kind of sad if you think about it. I mean, it's a famous place. All these tourists go there. Everyone wants to see their favorite star.
LISOVICZ: And you expect to see a star hanging around.
PHILLIPS: It's pretty rundown.
LISOVICZ: But it is a top tourist attraction. So it's 50 years old. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce says we need to get some extra dough to rehab it. Where shall we go? Corporate America? So, guess who has a star? Absolut Vodka, and so does L'Oreal. And a few more are in the works.
They're not on Hollywood and Vine, they're close by. And the star is not exactly the same. And they have to pay more, too. Like $1 million.
PHILLIPS: 1 million bucks?
LISOVICZ: They said, like, high six figures or exceeding seven. PHILLIPS: Now, anybody can get one of these stars, right? I mean, you and I can gather up, what is it, $25,000?
LISOVICZ: $25,000.
PHILLIPS: And we could share a star?
LISOVICZ: It is an open secret that you really have to have money in addition to fame.
PHILLIPS: OK. Got to have some sort of connection.
LISOVICZ: Yes. Just nearly 2,500 famous people or famous creatures who are down on the Hollywood walk of fame. But, yes, you have to provide 25 grand for the creation of the star, for the maintenance, and you have to attend the ceremony. George Clooney, believe it or not, doesn't have one --
PHILLIPS: Really?
LISOVICZ: -- because he couldn't find it in his schedule to attend the ceremony. And among the other luminaries, let's see, Ronald Reagan.
PHILLIPS: OK.
LISOVICZ: OK, who was an actor before he became a politician.
PHILLIPS: Right.
LISOVICZ: Winnie the Pooh, Bugs Bunny, Mickey Mouse, the Munchkins of the "Wizard of Oz," and someone who certainly deserves it, Larry King.
PHILLIPS: Aww, you had to get in our Larry King.
LISOVICZ: Yes, we did.
PHILLIPS: Well, it makes sense. I guess, vodka, some people see stars after a few too many Absolut vodkas. Makes sense.
LISOVICZ: There's a tie-in there.
PHILLIPS: There you go, we can make it work.
LISOVICZ: And there's no designated driver. You can walk.
PHILLIPS: Thank you, Susan.
LISOVICZ: You're welcome.
Well a check at our other top stories right now. The brother of the Jordanian double agent responsible for killing eight CIA agents in Afghanistan speaking out. He says for his brother to serve as a suicide bomber is just out of character and says his brother must have been under pressure to this do what he did. A mea culpa of sorts from the TSA. The agency said it dropped the ball when a man walked the wrong way through a security exit at Newark's airport. The security breach forced thousands of passengers to be rescreened. The TSA also admits security cameras to the airports were on, but not recording.
Arctic air causing record lows and blamed for at least five deaths nationwide from Kentucky to the Dakotas. People are bracing for more bitter temperatures. Winter storm warnings posted across the board now. Iowa could actually see whiteout conditions. And Florida's in a state of emergency as farmers are racing to save their crops.
Described as more excruciating than having a baby or getting shot. It's one of the worst types of headaches. Now doctors say they might have the answer.
And 16 years ago today -- the whack heard around the world. Figure skater Nancy Kerrigan clubbed on the knee days ahead of the Olympic trials. Her mystery attacker soon linked to icy rival Tanya Harding. You see here there, stage left. Kerrigan recovered in time to win Olympic silver just a month later.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well, do you get a boost from antidepressants, or is it all in your head? There's actually a new study out in "The Journal of the American Medical Association." It says that medications had little effect on patients suffering from mild to moderate depression. In fact, sugar pills, or placebos, had the same effect on lifting spirits. Researchers found that popular prescription drugs like Paxil, Prozac, or Zoloft, may only help people with severe depression. A lot of people take antidepressants, more than 164 million prescriptions were dispensed just in 2008 alone.
And if you're a smoker trying to quit, you might not like what you're about to hear. According to researchers at Johns Hopkins, tossing the smokes boosts your risk of diabetes, at least temporarily. Why? Because quitters tend to pack on a few extra pounds, at least in the first few years. Smokers have a 40 percent higher risk for Type II diabetes than people who have never smoked. But smokers who quit hike their risk by 70 percent. It drops back to normal 10 years after quitting.
Sufferers say that cluster headaches hurt so bad it's like someone sticking a knife in your brain. Common symptoms include excruciating pain near the eye or temple, but now relief may be in sight.
CNN's senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen.
Hey, what have doctors learned? It's good news, right?
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: It is good news. And one of the reasons it's good news, Kyra, is that doctors have been using a treatment called pure oxygen. It's just like it sounds, you inhale pure oxygen for a while now, but there really weren't any studies that necessarily showed on a grand scale that it worked.
But this study that was out recently from the "Journal of the American Medical Association" shows it does work. It's really interesting. Patients go in, they inhale pure oxygen and there's something about the oxygen that acts on the nerves that are involved in these cluster headaches and it will abort a cluster headache before it gets terrible. Now, it won't keep you from getting more of them, but it will at least help with that one, Kyra?
PHILLIPS: Well, how do you go about getting pure oxygen for the cluster headaches?
COHEN: Well, Kyra, the doctors we talked to said don't just go to a store and buy something that claims to be pure oxygen. That's not going to be good enough. You need to go a doctor, get diagnosed, make sure it's OK for you to use it because for some people it's not OK, and get the oxygen at the recommendation of your doctor. Don't just go out and buy something that sounds like pure oxygen but maybe isn't.
PHILLIPS: What triggers cluster headaches?
COHEN: You know, there are a bunch of things that trigger cluster headaches. For example, smoking can trigger them and that's definitely something you shouldn't be doing anyhow. Also alcohol can trigger cluster headaches. There are a couple of other things that trigger cluster headaches, but I do want to add you don't have to smoke or drink or have stress or any of those things. Some people get them just 'cause and there's nothing you can do.
PHILLIPS: Thanks, Elizabeth.
COHEN: Thanks.
PHILLIPS: We want to take you straight to the White House right now. The President is getting ready to honor the most exceptional math and science teachers.
This is one of them, by the way, and her name is Barbara Stoflet Minnetonka, Minnesota. She's a recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. The President's also expected to double down on his "Educate to Innovate" campaign. We're going to hear more about that as Barbara brings in the President.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- far beyond the classroom walls, who is writing history, modeling a present that is challenging and adventurous, but hopefully a little rewarding and fun, who is helping to shape the future for all of us -- President Barack Obama.
(APPLAUSE)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thank you. Thank you, everybody. Please have a seat.
Thank you.
Well, it is wonderful to be here. Barbara, thank you for the outstanding introduction.
I want to acknowledge a few other special guests that we have here. First of all, my terrific Vice President, mainly because he takes orders from Dr. Jill Biden. Dr. Jill Biden and Vice President Joe Biden are here.
(APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Somebody -- I've never met somebody who is more passionate about making sure that young people do well than my Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan. Arne Duncan.
(APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Before I won a Nobel Peace Prize, this guy had won it, and nobody questioned whether he deserved it or not -- my Secretary of Energy Steven Chu.
(APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Three wonderful members of Congress who have devoted a lot of energy to the issue of science and math education. I want to acknowledge them. Representative Bart Gordon, who's the Chairman of the Science and Technology committee, Democrat from Tennessee. Where's Bart? There he is.
Thank you, Bart.
(APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Representative William Lacy Clay from the great state of Missouri. And his district is home to two teachers who are being honored here today, so he's very proud of them.
(APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: And the great champion of education generally, he's the Chairman of the Education and Labor Committee, Representative George Miller of California is in the house.
(APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: We also -- since so many people were inspired in this country originally from our space program, to think about math and science in new ways, it's terrific to have our NASA administrator and former astronaut Charles Bolden in the house.
(APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: We've got Regina Dugan, who is the Director of the Defense Advanced Research Project's Agency or, DARPA, as many of you know. We can thank them for the internet and all kinds of other stuff. So, please give Regina a big round of applause.
(APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: And our National Science Foundation Director Arden Bement is here. Thank you so much, Arden.
(APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Now, most importantly to all the teachers, who are here, as President, I am just thrilled to welcome you -- teachers and mentors -- to the White House. Because I believe so strongly in the work that you do. And as I mentioned to some of you, because I've got two girls upstairs with math tests coming up, I figure that a little extra help from the best of the help from the best of the best couldn't hurt. So you will have assignments after this.
(LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: These awards were not free.
(LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: We are here today to honor teachers and mentors like Barb, who are upholding their responsibilities, not just to the young people who they teach, but to our country, by inspiring and educating a new generation in math and science.
But we're also here because this responsibility can't be theirs alone. All of us have a role to play in building an education system that is worthy of our children and ready to help us seize the opportunities that meet the challenges of the 21st century. Whether it's improving our health or harnessing clean energy, protecting the security or succeeding in the global economy, our future depends on reaffirming America's role as the world's engine of scientific discovery and technological discovery.
And that leadership tomorrow depends upon how we educate our students today, especially in math, science, technology and engineering. But, despite the importance of education in these subjects, we have to admit that we are right now being outpaced by our competitors. One assessment shows American 15-year-olds now ranked 21st in science, and 25th in math, when compared to their peers around the world. Think about that. 21st and 25th. That's not acceptable.
And year after year the gap between the number of teachers that we have and the number of teachers that we need in these areas is widening. The shortfall is projected to climb past 1.25 million in the next five years. And that gap is pronounced in predominantly poor and minority schools.
Meanwhile, other nations are stepping up, a fact plain to see when I visited Asia at the end of last year. The president of South Korea and I were having lunch, and I asked him, what's the biggest education challenge that you have? He told me the biggest challenge in education wasn't budget holes, it wasn't crumbling schools, it was that the parents were too demanding. He's had to import thousands of foreign teachers, because the parents insisted on English language training in elementary school.
The mayor of Shanghai, China, the city of over 20 million people told me that even in such a large city, they had no problem recruiting teachers in whatever subject, but particularly math and science, because teaching is revered and the pay scales are comparable to professions like doctors.
So, make no mistake, our future is on the line. The nation that out- educates us today is going to out-compete us tomorrow. And to continue to cede our leadership in education is to cede our position in the world. That's not acceptable to me and I know it's not acceptable to any of you. And that's why my administration has set a clear goal: To move from the middle to the top of the pack in science and math education over the next decade.
To reach this goal, we've paid particular attention to how we can better prepare and support; reward and retain good teachers. So, the recovery act included the largest investment in education by the federal government in history. While preventing more than 300,000 teachers and school workers from being fired because of state budget shortfalls, the Department of Education will be announcing an additional $10 million in grants for innovative programs to train new teachers and whether a young person embarking on his or her first career, or a scientist or engineer starting his second.
And under the outstanding leadership of Arne Duncan, we've launched a $4 billion Race to the Top Fund, one of the largest investments in education reform in history.
Through the Race to the Top, states are competing for funding and producing the most innovative programs in science and math -- will be an advantage in this competition, as will allowing scientists and statisticians and engineers to more easily become teachers. We want states and school districts to start being more creative about how they can attract more science and math teachers. We're also pursuing reforms to better serve America's math and science teachers so that each and every one can be as effective as the educators that we honor today. So we're challenging states to raise standards, to use data to better inform decisions, to recruit and retain more good teachers, and to promote stronger curricula that encourage young people to not only learn the facts in a textbook, but to explore and discover the world around them. Now, as important as this will be, the success we seek is not going to be attained by governmental alone. That's why I've challenged the scientific community to think of new and creative ways to engage young people in their fields. That's why we launched the Educate to Innovate campaign, a nationwide effort by citizens, non-for-profits, universities and companies from across America to help us move to the top of the pack in math and science education. And today we're expanding this campaign. Several new public- private partnerships are going to offer additional training to more than 100,000 teachers and prepare more than 10,000 new teachers in the next five years alone. And through the partnerships we are announcing today, support for the Educate to Innovate campaign has doubled to more than half a billion dollars in private funding. That's a figure that we only expect to grow. To help educators already in the classroom, Intel is launching a 10- year, $200 million campaign to train math and science teachers in all 50 states to better use new technologies and techniques in their lessons plans. PBS and the National Science Teachers Association will also create a new online platform so science and math teachers can share best practices and learn from one another. To bring more educators into the classroom, the National Math and Science Initiative is working with Texas Instruments and the Dell Foundation to prepare almost 5,000 new math and science teachers in the next five years through a program that allows young people to earn teaching certificates and science degrees at the same time. And presidents from more than 75 of the largest public universities in the country have committed to produce thousands of additional science and math teachers at their institutions. And the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation is expanding -- is expanding with the help of several states and nonprofits to place more math and science teachers in more high-need schools. And just because you aren't a teacher, that doesn't mean you can't help educate our young people. We need to look no further than the mentors that we honor here today. I'm calling on all 200,000 scientists who work for the federal government to do their part in their communities -- to speak at schools, to create hand-on learning opportunities through efforts like National Lab Day, and to help stoke that same curiosity in students which perhaps led them to pursue a career in science in the first place. NASA will also be launching an enrichment program to bring their scientists and engineers to students in the classroom and to bring students to NASA so that they might experience that same sense of wonder and excitement while maybe learning a little bit at the same time. And, finally, as president, I'm going to try to do my part. We've held science-themed events like astronomy night here at the White House. That was very fun, by the way. (LAUGHTER) We're planning an annual science fair to honor the student winners of national science and technology competitions. Secretary Duncan and I will be working to promote the teaching profession, to show young people that teaching is one of the best and most rewarding ways to serve our country. (APPLAUSE) And we are, of course, recognizing the folks in this room with awards for excellence in teaching and mentoring. It's with these men and women that I'd like to conclude today. Because, in the end, the work that you do and the difference that you make are what all these reforms are all about, whether it's showing students how to record the habits of a resident reptile or teaching kids to test soil samples on a class trip to Costa Rica; whether it's helping young people from tough neighborhoods in Chicago to become junior paleontologists or creating a mentoring program that connects engineering students with girls and minorities who are traditionally underserved in the field, all of you are demonstrating why teaching and mentoring is so important and why we have to support you, equip you, and send in some reinforcements for you. Every person in this room or member has a teacher or mentor that made a difference in their lives. Every person in this room remembers a moment in which an educator showed them something about the world or something about themselves that changed their lives. It could be a word of encouragement, a helping hand, a lesson that sparked a question that ignited a passion, and ultimately may have propelled a career. And innovators, folks like Michael Dell who are here today, are made in those moments. Scientists and engineers are made in those moments. Doctors are made in those moments. Teachers are made in those moments, those small interactions. So, yes, improving our schools is about training a new generation of workers and succeeding in new industries, but a good education, provided with the help of great teachers and mentors, is about something more. It's about instilling in a young person a love of learning and a sense of possibility in their own lives, an understanding of the world around them that will serve them no matter what they do. That's what we have to do as a nation. That's what all of you do every day. And that's what, at root, will lead to greater opportunities and brighter horizons for the next generation and for generations to come. So, thank you very much, everybody. Congratulations. (APPLAUSE) PHILLIPS: President Obama hosting more than 100 teachers and mentors at the White House, part of his "Educate to Innovate" campaign. He just announced, as you heard, $250 million more in public and private funding for math and science education. You heard him, he said he hopes our young people will create those inventions that will keep us on the map for technology.
