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American Morning

Record Snow Batters the Northeast; Blizzard Shuts Down Government Offices and Airports; Iran's Blackout Information on the Anniversary of the Islamic Revolution; Feds and Toyota Too Cozy?; Haitian Judge May Release 10 Americans; Arabic Flashcard Furor; Stuttering Genes Identified

Aired February 11, 2010 - 06:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Thanks for being with us on this AMERICAN MORNING. It's Thursday, February 11th. I'm Kiran Chetry.

T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: And hello to you all. I'm T.J. Holmes sitting in for John Roberts this week.

It's finally stopping. It's letting up a bit. It's all this snowstorm. And we're talking about a record storm here. This is not just any storm we've been seeing. But, yes, it's finally slowing up in the northeast. But take a look at some of the mess it left behind.

Multi-car accidents, interstates have been closed. You've got the snow drifts that are shutting down airports as well. Do you believe a couple of airports are going to be opening up? So stay tuned for that update. Also, these two blizzards as we know battering the nation's capital. Three feet of snow shut down the federal government for a fourth day.

CHETRY: And we're following a major developing story out of Iran today, bracing for a showdown with protesters. Today is the 31st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution and the government cutting the main lines of communication. Today, we're live with new information about a country on the brink.

HOLMES: Also, CNN uncovering shocking allegations against Toyota employees and the feds who are supposed to keep your car safe to drive. Claims that Toyota has known about the sudden acceleration problems for at least six years and in some cases the Feds looked the other way. A story you'll want to hear before getting behind the wheel this morning.

CHETRY: We begin this morning, though, with the record- shattering snowfall that's paralyzing the northeast. Millions of people from Washington, D.C. to New York City now digging out, chilled to the bone by two bruising blizzards this week.

In Virginia and Pennsylvania, still big problems for drivers. There were massive chain reaction accidents that ended up shutting down major interstates for hours. The airports up and down the east coast as well either closed or slowed to a crawl with thousands of flights cancelled. HOLMES: And in D.C., two major airports scheduled to reopen in about an hour. That's great news for a lot of stranded travelers. They are hoping to finally escape.

Our Jacqui Jeras is in the extreme weather center. She's tracking the storm and the misery it left behind. Allan Chernoff joins us in just a moment. He's checking things out at LaGuardia. And we're going to begin, though, with Rob Marciano in Lower Manhattan.

Rob, this was kind of a shocking stat when I heard that New York City closed down schools for only the third time in eight years. So that lets us know just how big of a deal this event was.

ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, a big deal for kids alike for sure. It's left behind a bitterly -- presents its own set of problems. The damage now with the storm. And not just here in New York. Not just in Washington, D.C. Almost 20 states, over a third of the country, tens of millions, close to a hundred million people affected by the storm. The size, the scope, the timing, all of which will go down in the history books.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARCIANO (voice-over): At one point the massive storm produced two inches of snow an hour. Two blizzards in one week dropping a staggering 40 inches of snow on the nation's capital. Government offices shut down for a third day, costing $100 million a day in lost productivity.

At times it may have been beautiful to look at or play in, but the snow did do damage. Twenty-two roof collapses reported in D.C., including this one at the Smithsonian's storage facility. The capital area's two airports shut down, thousands of flights cancelled.

In Williamsburg, Virginia, a 50 car-pile-up on Interstate-64 sent seven people to the hospital with minor injuries and shut down the interstate for hours. In central Pennsylvania, one person was killed after two large pile-ups closed Interstate-80.

And in the Big Apple, 2,000 plows and spreaders tackled close to a foot of snow. The city's major airports and government offices remained open but barely functioned. Locals and tourists tried to take it in stride.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's OK. You just take your time and go slowly.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm from Florida, so I'm just drawn to shorts anyway.

MARCIANO: Back in the nation's capital under howling winds and chest-high snowdrifts, commuters were few and far between. Not everyone though missed work.

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm going to keep slogging down this hill up here. And then we have a bunch of uphills to go, so maybe make it to the metro about three miles from here.

MARCIANO: CNN's own Tom Foreman, now front runner for employee of the month.

FOREMAN: Finally, here I am, about three hours later, skiing up to the CNN offices.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MARCIANO: Folks getting to work as well as they could with these two storms coming through. Yearly record snowfalls set for D.C., for Baltimore, for Atlantic City, for Philadelphia, over 70 inches in some of those spots.

Here in New York City we've got about just under a foot. So kind of a low number but it's getting crusty. It's getting colder for sure. It's kind of a wet snow.

Look at this tree, how the snow just plastered up against it yesterday from the wind and the wet snow. Now, it's just frozen in there. Winds now gusting over 30 miles an hour, so we have wind chills that are in the teens. And in the drier locations outside of the cities, these winds are going to whip the snow around and cause some drifts. So all the work that was done yesterday, done very well, I might add, at least here in New York City. To clear the roadways, well, they may have to go back out and do it all over again.

That's the latest from here, T.J. and Kiran.

HOLMES: Yes, it may take a while to clean up the mess. Rob, we appreciate it, buddy. We'll talk to you again soon.

CHETRY: Well, many travelers are waking up right where they were last night -- at the airport unfortunately. Not a single flight got off the ground in the D.C. area yesterday. The snow freezing thousands of flights up and down the east coast. Our Allan Chernoff this morning is live at LaGuardia airport in New York where they also saw the cancellation of thousands of flights yesterday to and from New York.

Good morning, Allan.

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Kiran. Same story again. This morning the airport, oh, it's open. It didn't close at all, but as you can see virtually nothing going on here. Almost all the flights this morning are cancelled, but you wouldn't get that information from the boards.

Yes, most of them are cancelled here, but it's exactly listing -- this is the American Airlines departure board -- it's telling you that the 6:00, the 6:30, the 7:00, the 7:30 flights to Chicago, it's saying that they're on. That's not the case. American Airlines is not flying anywhere out of here until about 10:00.

Similar confusion at the United Airlines board which lists a bunch of Continental flights -- that's the way things work these days, code share alliances. So the Continental flights to Houston, supposedly according to the board are leaving. They're not. They're cancelled as well.

Let's look at a list of the entire cancellations for a just a few select airlines. First of all, for American Airlines, 382 flights cancelled. U.S. Airways, 606 flights cancelled. These are today. And JetBlue, 66 flights cancelled.

So as you can see, the eastern corridor still very much impacted by this storm even though the roads outside, entirely clear. My drive here, no problem at all. But in terms of getting out of here, a lot of frustrated travelers -- Kiran, T.J.

CHETRY: I can only imagine. Wow, all right, another day. It's going to take a while, as you said, to get things back on track after all the thousands of flights that had to be cancelled because of the storms. Allan Chernoff for us at LaGuardia, thank you.

Six minutes past the hour. Time to take a look at some of the other stories new this morning.

The 10 Americans accused of child trafficking in Haiti could be released from jail actually within hours. The judge in the case telling our Karl Penhaul that a ruling on bail for conditional release could be made by mid-afternoon today. But for now, the charges still stand and the trial could still happen even if they are released. In about 25 minutes, we'll be talking with the wife of one of the detained Americans as well as his attorney.

HOLMES: Former Texas Congressman Charlie Wilson died yesterday in his hometown of Lufkin. Wilson is a 12-term Democrat and Navy veteran. He's a staunch, anti-Communist. He's best known for helping Afghan rebels in the war-torn area against the Soviet Union in the 1980s. That story became the basis for that Oscar-nominated film "Charlie Wilson's War." Charlie Wilson was 76 years old.

CHETRY: Federal agents along the border with Mexico uncovering 30 pounds of marijuana. Where was it? Well, it was stuffed into framed pictures of Jesus. Authorities say that a 22-year-old woman in a jeep from Juarez, Mexico, told them the only thing she had to declare was art. The pot was found by a drug-sniffing dog and the woman was arrested.

They'll think -- I mean, they have to think of creative ways, right, to get around those Narc officers.

HOLMES: And they needed help from Jesus to try to get the stuff in. That's amazing, isn't it?

Still ahead here, though, in the Most News in the Morning, massive pro-government rallies expected in Iran as they celebrate the 31st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. Live report coming up next.

It's seven minutes past the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHETRY: Oh, you have to feel sorry for the people stuck at the airport this morning.

HOLMES: Yes, and this is LaGuardia here, a busy airport. Not busy this morning, but they're trying to get up and running again. Our Allan Chernoff just reported flights won't be taking off until 10:00 from there, but you need to be checking with your airlines because even the boards are lying to you, saying that some flights are taking off when they're really not this morning. So a tricky situation this morning.

CHETRY: Absolutely. Well, meanwhile, it's now 10 minutes after the hour. Is it going to get worse? We're checking with Jacqui Jeras.

HOLMES: No.

CHETRY: We hope not. She had a look at just some of the areas that were hardest hit by this one-two punch in many areas.

Hey, Jacqui.

JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Hey, guys. Yes, you know, it was really for the heaviest snowfall totals. We're looking at Northern Maryland and southern Pennsylvania for seeing the highest numbers in the 20-plus range for inches of snow with this total. The good news is the storm is over. Just dealing with some winds out there right now.

The radar picture showing you that everything is offshore at this hour. And the sustained winds still on the teens with gusts in the 20s. We still could potentially have some delays just due to those winds today.

There are some big numbers there for you. Baltimore, 22.5 inches. Nearly 16 in Philly. Ten and a half for you at Reagan National. Central Park, 10 inches. And nearly 10 in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

OK, next storm -- this is what we're dealing with today across the Lone Star state, right along that I-20 corridor. We're looking at snowfall and maybe one to four inches with this thing and it's going to be heading into the Deep South. Even Birmingham, Alabama, could get snow out of that one.

Here's where we're expecting the delays today, not just because of the winds but also the cleanup into the northeast. Dallas will have snow. Houston will have rain, and expect delays in San Francisco as well.

The big picture showing you our southern storm and then we also have some wet weather in the Pacific Northwest. The rest of the nation, just trying to deal with the snow.

Kiran, T.J., back to you. CHETRY: They'll be digging for a while in the D.C. area, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware. Wow, what a mess. All right. Thanks, Jacqui.

HOLMES: Thanks, Jacqui.

Well, the shuttle "Endeavour" has a little bit of a problem, but NASA is saying it's not that big of a deal. Endeavour has a cracked thermal tile. Also, it has a piece that's protruding, a ceramic ring that's protruding. You know, they've certainly give this more scrutiny since the Columbia disaster when sometimes they sustain some damage upon take off. But again, NASA is saying the problems they've identified here not serious but they are taking a closer look.

Meanwhile, the mission goes on. The first spacewalk is going to take place later today. Astronauts will be installing a new room and observation deck at the International Space Station.

CHETRY: Also, Vice President Joe Biden saying that he doubts terrorists will be able to launch another 9/11-style massive attack in the U.S. He also told CNN's Larry King last night that terrorist, though, will continue to try to harm Americans with smaller attacks like what we saw in the failed Christmas Day bomb plot.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, look, let me put it this way, the idea of there being a massive attack in the United States like 9/11 is unlikely, in my opinion. But if you see what's happening, particularly with Al Qaeda and the Arabian Peninsula, they have decided to move in a direction of much more small but devastatingly frightening attacks.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHETRY: Tonight, New York Governor David Paterson will be Larry's guest. Governor Paterson arresting rumors of infidelity and drug use. That's tonight, 9:00 Eastern, right here on CNN.

HOLMES: Well, Iraq is kicking out all former Blackwater employees. They're being told they must leave by next week. Two hundred fifty former Blackwater employees are apparently still in the country. Blackwater, you may remember, was once the largest private security firm operating in Iraq. But then in September of '07, some of their personnel, some of their guards, their contractors opened fire, killed some 17 Iraqi civilians. Then there was an uproar after a U.S. judge recently dismissed the manslaughter charges against the five guards.

CHETRY: Fourteen minutes past the hour. This morning Iran cracking down on the flow of information into and out of the country, trying to prevent a showdown on the streets of Tehran. Today is the anniversary of Iran's revolution, and opposition leaders have called for massive anti-government demonstrations.

This morning we're tapping into the global resources of CNN. Our Reza Sayah live in Islamabad, Pakistan.

And, Reza, what can we expect today in Iran?

REZA SAYAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kiran, there was lots of drama and suspense surrounding today's events as the stage was once again set for another potentially explosive face-off between Iran's opposition movement and supporters of the government and its security forces on this huge holiday, the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

There was a massive turnout today at Freedom Square where the celebrations took place. 11:00 a.m., President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad delivered a speech to the gathering. This was another vintage Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speech where once again he praised the Islamic Revolution, praised the Islamic Republic and railed against the West in what he called Western capitalism and Western imperialism.

Once again, he talked about Iran's nuclear program. Of course, the West, Washington are concerned that Iran is after a - a bomb, but in defiance, the president said today that Iran is expanding its nuclear program and enriching uranium to 20 percent. They say that nuclear fuel is going to be used to supply medical isotopes for cancer patients.

What about Iran's opposition movement? There was a lot of talk that they may come en masse and disrupt his speech. We did not see that, based on the pictures run on state-run media and our sources.

There were some clashes in surrounding areas. One of the most significant clashes involved an attack on the opposition figure, Mehdi Karroubi. We spoke to his son earlier today and he said indeed his father, one of the key opposition figures, was attacked by members of the government militia.

So not a lot of disruption on this much anticipated day. It looks like this government event, this huge day for the Islamic Republic went off without a hitch, without significant disruptions from the opposition movement, Kiran.

CHETRY: All right. Reza Sayah for us this morning in Islamabad. Thank you.

HOLMES: Well, coming up next here on the Most News in the Morning, we know that this big blizzard, the two blizzards back to back, have really caused some issues, kind of shut down a lot of things, shut down life in a lot of ways for people, but it shut down business in a major way. Shut down the federal government.

So exactly how much are the storms costing all of us? Our Stephanie Elam, "Minding Your Business" this morning.

It's 16 past the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHETRY: Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING. Nineteen minutes past the hour right now. It's time for "Minding Your Business".

The big question now for employees at AIG this morning is are you a one, two, three or four? Well, the bailed-out insurance giant's instituting a performance-based rating system to determine bonuses, one being the highest, four the lowest.

Up until now AIG had offered compensation based on length of service. The company continues to pay out millions in bonuses after taking more than - well, I'll never get it right (ph). It's got - what is it? $70, $180 (ph) billion?

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes. It's more. I think it is more than that, the number that we're seeing there. It's not $180 million.

CHETRY: No, it's not?

ELAM: Yes.

HOLMES: We'll turn to Citigroup now who will let some delinquent homeowners stay in their homes for six months without making payments. That sounds great. Here's the catch, though. Those homeowners will have to voluntarily turn over the keys to the house to the bank.

This is a pilot program that's meant to make foreclosure easier and less costly on homeowners by allowing them to voluntarily surrender ownership of their property. The option will be offered to some homeowners who either don't qualify for federal mortgage relief or just don't want to take it. The program could affect close to a million homeowners.

CHETRY: And we have Stephanie with us right now. She's "Minding Your Business" this morning, talking about the financial cost of the storm - storms, the back-to-back storms that hit the whole, entire East Coast.

ELAM: Yes. They'd hit the whole entire East Coast, but really slamming the D.C. area in particular when you take a look at that. So that means federal offices really taking a big hit.

And so if you take a look at the numbers, they're saying the cost of closing down for just one day, closing down the federal offices, $100 million in productivity and opportunity cost just gone. So that's how much it's costing. Today is day four, so that means $400 million now that we are looking at here. This is coming from the Office of Personal Management

Keep in mind that that's just the federal government. The actual D.C. government, the only day they have actually been closed through all of this when the snow started on Friday - yesterday. That was the only day.

So, for a lot of people, they just couldn't get in. If you're out in Maryland, Virginia, you could get into the District, so that meant a lot of teleworking for these people, and the change of the idea of the Snow Day as well. But if you take a look at it, a relatively small number of federal workers are even capable of it in the district. 2009, if you look at the Office of Personal Management report, it says 102,900 out of 1.96 million were actually capable of doing it. That's an increase from earlier years but still a lot slower.

Seventeen million people in the country can do it as of 2008. Those are actual employees, not contractors or anything like that. But, you know, this does change the idea of what a Snow Day is for a lot of people. You know, you think about the days of going home, you're hunkered down with the kids - you can't do that now because -

HOLMES: Your boss can get you and you're expected to still work.

ELAM: Your boss could get you and they know that you're - know you're still able to get on the internet and you still have to do that (ph).

So I talked to some friends in the D.C. area. They say that in a lot of conference calls you just hear in the background, "Mom! Dad!" you know, that sort of thing. But -

CHETRY: The kids are getting cabin fever, for sure.

ELAM: Yes. The kids - my niece said that she would have preferred to have gone to school than to stay home for another day.

Also, cleaning up all the snow, it cost about $1 million an inch. That's according to the mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg's office. So, if you think about that, it's expensive snow.

HOLMES: (INAUDIBLE) 10 inches in Central Park, so that's $10 million.

CHETRY: Ten inches in Central Park (INAUDIBLE), and that's just that -

ELAM: Yes.

HOLMES: Wow!

CHETRY: That's just that storm.

ELAM: That's a lot.

HOLMES: Ugh! That's a lot of money.

ELAM: Yes, it is.

HOLMES: Stephanie, thank you -

ELAM: Sure

HOLMES: -- very much. No more snow days. Unfortunate.

CHETRY: Yes. No, (INAUDIBLE) in school until July. ELAM: They're going to be in (ph) school through August. I know. I'm thinking the same thing.

CHETRY: Thanks, Steph.

HOLMES: Well, coming up next here on the Most News in the Morning, is it a conflict of interest? Former federal investigators working for Toyota. Deb Feyerick will join us with an "A.M. Original.

It's 22 past the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Hello. Good morning again, and welcome back to the Most News in the Morning. Your top stories just a few minutes away, but first we have an "A.M. Original" for you, something you'll only see right here on "AMERICAN MORNING".

Sudden acceleration, not exactly a new problem for Toyota. We now know the cases and claims go back to at least '04.

CHETRY: That's right, and we've also uncovered allegations that Toyota has known about the problem all along, and in some cases the Feds may have looked the other way.

Our Deb Feyerick has this CNN Exclusive for us this morning. Hi, Deb.

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Kiran. Good morning, T.J. Good morning everyone.

Well, you know, Toyota's problems seem to go back about six years, so why is it just now that things are being done? The big question, was there too cozy a relationship between Toyota and the federal agency supposed to enforce safety standards?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FEYERICK (voice-over): In 2003, Christopher Santucci (ph) did what most people do when they get a new job.

CHRISTOPHER SANTUCCI (ph), TOYOTA EMPLOYEE: I gave I believe a two week notice - two or three weeks notice.

FEYERICK: The new job was with Toyota in Washington, D.C., as a liaison to assist federal regulators in their investigations - investigations run by the very agency Santucci was leaving, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, called NHTSA for short.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Were there in place any procedures within NHTSA that would govern your negotiating a job with an entity that you were supposed to be regulating?

SANTUCCI (ph): Not that I'm aware.

JOAN CLAYBROOK, FMR. NHTSA ADMINISTRATOR: It raises questions of conflict of interest.

FEYERICK: Joan Claybrook was the long-term president of consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, and before that ran NHTSA for four years.

CLAYBROOK: There should not be a revolving door of people going from the government immediately to a company that's regulated by that agency.

FEYERICK: A year later, when NHTSA decided to investigate complaints of sudden acceleration in some Toyota models, its officials sat across from Santucci (ph), their former colleague, to discuss parameters. Twenty days later, NHTSA issued a memo that would exclude certain reported incidents.

FEYERICK (on camera): Are you suggesting that, in fact, Toyota and a former NHTSA employee worked with the federal agency to basically narrow the scope of the investigation?

BEN BAILEY, LAWYER: That's how it appears to us. I mean, this is in '04.

FEYERICK (voice-over): Ben Bailey's law firm is suing Toyota over the alleged wrongful death of a Michigan woman whose 2005 Toyota Camry crashed after suddenly accelerating out of control.

FEYERICK (on camera): Back in 2004 they were already talking about the throttle control system.

BAILEY: Right.

FEYERICK: So this isn't a new problem.

BAILEY: No.

FEYERICK: (INAUDIBLE) now investigating suddenly.

BAILEY: Right.

FEYERICK: They knew about it.

BAILEY: Yes.

FEYERICK (voice-over): So why didn't NHTSA look into it? Rather than review all possible causes of sudden acceleration, Bailey says the agency decided to exclude two crucial areas.

BAILEY: They specifically say longer duration incidents involving uncontrollable acceleration where the brakes didn't work are not within the scope of this investigation.

FEYERICK: That decision was made after discussions with Santucci (ph) and another Toyota official who had also worked for NHTSA. Santucci (ph) was deposed in December.

SANTUCCI (ph): We discussed the scope, NHTSA's concerns about the scope, and ultimately led to a decision by the agency to reduce that scope.

FEYERICK (on camera): Was Toyota effectively calling the shots? Were they telling the federal government what they should and should not be looking for?

BAILEY: I wish I knew the answer to that question.

FEYERICK: Is that what you believe?

BAILEY: In - in the course - I don't know, and that's why we filed this lawsuit.

FEYERICK (voice-over): A Toyota spokesman in Santucci's office tells CNN, "Any insinuation that he violated federal ethics laws or that he did not live up to the highest professional standards is totally without merit," and NHTSA says, quote, "Our record reflects that safety is our singular priority."

The agency says the scope of the investigation was appropriate because, quote, "Longer duration incidents involve the possibility that the wrong pedal was used, which could mask a vehicle-based defect."

CLAYBROOK: That was ridiculous for the agency to agree to that.

FEYERICK: Joan Claybrook's consumer group successfully sued Toyota in 2007, forcing it to disclose which vehicles have been involved in crashes.

CLAYBROOK: They should require more information to be submitted, not less. And they should require all the complaints, so the agency itself can do an evaluation of what is a - a problem and what is not.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FEYERICK: Now, as for the alleged conflict of interest, federal law says that employees who applied to work for a private company have to recuse themselves from an agency that may affect that company, like Toyota, but once they are there - well, it no longer applies - Kiran, T.J.

CHETRY: Amazing. It just really is. And, you know, the beginning of these problems, I mean, we still have a lot of questions about what Toyota knew and also what's the fix.

FEYERICK: Exactly, and you have to wonder that if they hadn't been so close, maybe there would have been a little bit more aggressive of a follow-up to say, "We need all these documents and until we can rule it out, we're not going to decide what it is."

CHETRY: All right. Deb Feyerick for us this morning -- thanks so much.

HOLMES: Deb, thank you.

CHETRY: Well, we're crossing the half hour now -- time for a look at our other top stories.

From the nation's capital to New York City -- still digging out from record-shattering snow. Two blizzards dropping 40 inches this week on Washington, D.C. Government offices shut down for a fourth day today. And airports are closed, too. But officials now plan to re-open Dulles and Reagan National in the next half hour.

HOLMES: Celebrations to mark the anniversary of Iran's revolution is going on right now and so far, going on without significant disruption. There had been reports that thousands of protesters were going to take to the streets. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad marked the day by railing against the West and defended his country's disputed nuclear program.

CHETRY: And in just a few hours, a judge in Haiti could make a ruling on bail on the conditional release of 10 Americans accused of child trafficking. They were in court yesterday. The judge in the case is telling our Karl Penhaul that a ruling on bail for conditional release could be made by mid-afternoon. Initially, the judge said that the ruling could take up to five days. But for now, the charges still stand and the trial could still happen, even if the 10 are released.

HOLMES: So, what do we make of this? What do we make of the judge's possible decision? What does it mean for the future of the case? What comes next for these Americans?

We're going to get more now from Lisa Allen. Her husband Jim Allen is one of those being held in Port-au-Prince.

CHETRY: And also with Lisa this morning, Hiram Sasser. He's representing Lisa's husband. He's also the director of litigation for the Liberty Legal Institute.

Thanks to both for being with us this morning.

HIRAM SASSER, REPRESENTING JIM ALLEN: Well, thanks for having us.

CHETRY: Lisa, let me start with you. You spoke to your husband Jim on Tuesday. How is he holding up? What was he able to tell you about what the experience has been like?

LISA ALLEN, HUSBAND JIM ALLEN JAILED IN HAITI: Actually, we didn't talk that long. He sounded good. He said he's well. And that's what I'm having to go on. It was a very short conversation, but it was great to hear his voice.

HOLMES: And, Hiram, to you as well. These reports we're hearing that possibly, the judge could make a decision that could have the 10 released. What is your lawyer telling you on the ground?

SASSER: Well, certainly the judge did a thorough investigation and the testimony of the Haitians who testified yesterday really exonerated Jim and the others. We're just -- we're very hopeful that the judge will be able to rule today so that we are not poured into having to wait until Monday and waiting through the national day of mourning on Friday.

CHETRY: So, but you do believe that they will eventually release the 10, including Jim, Hiram?

SASSER: Well, I think -- I think it's pretty clear that we have faith in the Haitian people to do the right thing and release Jim and the others. And, obviously, we're working hard towards that goal.

HOLMES: And you said the judge made some -- essentially, you said he bought the story of the Americans. Doesn't think there was anything bad here going on.

But, Lisa, let me ask you: do you believe in some way -- your husband just got on board with this trip -- do you believe he was kind of duped in some way, some kind of bait-and-switch? He thought he was going for one thing and it turned into something else on this trip?

ALLEN: No, I don't. I -- I don't.

CHETRY: So --

SASSER: I think what's going on --

CHETRY: Go ahead.

SASSER: -- obviously, he was - he was called on the trip to participate in construction activities. He's a construction welder guy from west Texas, a small business guy, former school board member. And I think that's what he went there to do. Whatever happened and the facts there, we'll find out when he gets home and be able to piece all that together.

CHETRY: But, Lisa, when we -- when some of our producers were speaking to you, guys, beforehand, you were saying that he went there for construction, you know, to help with the rebuilding, didn't know that this group was planning on trying to build an orphanage and also, the whole situation of Haiti versus the Dominican Republic. Were some things unclear for Jim as to exactly what was happening?

ALLEN: He just had seen the devastation in Haiti and he just wanted to go and help in any way that he could. He's very talented as far as, you know, constructing, repairing, things like that. That's what he had hoped to be able -- that's the way he hoped to be able to help.

HOLMES: And we know you haven't been talk to -- been able to talk to him much, but, Hiram, I'll ask you as well, you have a lawyer there on the ground. Is there any indication that once Jim found out what this group might have been up to that they did, in fact, want to take some children out of country? Did he raise any kind of opposition?

SASSER: Well, we don't have all that information. What we know is that our lawyer on the ground, Gary Lissade, is a former minister of justice for Haiti and he's doing an excellent job down there in conjunction with us here in the U.S., the team of lawyers that Jim has here and we're -- obviously, we're doing everything we can.

If people want to learn more, they can go to BringJimHome.com. And we'll keep everybody updated so see what might happen today.

CHETRY: All right. And, Lisa, what's it been like for you? I know that it's got to be difficult not knowing -- the uncertainty about your husband's future and when he may be coming home. What's it been like?

ALLEN: Slightly difficult. But, you know, despite the two weeks of horrific anxiety, I'm just confident that the people of Haiti will do the right thing and bring Jim home.

HOLMES: All right. Well, we will continue to follow the case. Again, anticipating possibly something we'll hear today. And it could mean a release for your husband and 10 Americans.

Lisa Allen, Hiram Sasser, we appreciate you all taking the time this morning. Thanks so much.

ALLEN: Thank you.

SASSER: Thanks for having us.

HOLMES: And then coming up tonight on "AC360," before the earthquake ravaged Haiti, hundreds of millions of dollars of the government's own cash disappeared. The money is gone along with the son of Haiti's former dictator. We're following the trail of greed and corruption to answer the question: who is stealing Haiti? Tonight, 10:00 Eastern, right here on CNN.

CHETRY: Also, next on the Most News in the Morning, a college student was stopped and interrogated in an airport by the TSA. It's because of a set of flash cards he had in his pocket that raised alarm bells. We're going to find out what happened and why he's now suing.

Thirty-six minutes past the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Well, it's 39 minutes past the hour. Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning.

Airport security is America's first line of defense against any terror attack, but that front line can be a fine line.

Jeanne Meserve has this morning's "Security Watch."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: T.J. and Kiran, Nicholas George says he has always been fascinated by the Middle East, but authorities at the Philadelphia Airport apparently had a different impression, and now, he is taking them to court.

(voice-over): Pomona college student Nicholas George was flying out of the Philadelphia Airport last August when he took Arabic- English flash cards like this out of his pocket during screening. Most of the 200 cards were innocuous, but not all.

NICHOLAS GEORGE, PLAINTIFF: There were maybe 10 cards that said things like bomb, explosion, terrorist. And these cards, they were especially interested in obviously. They asked me why I had those words. I told them honestly because I have been trying to read Arabic news media.

MESERVE: George had studied in Jordan and was carrying a passport showing he'd also traveled to Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan.

A lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union claims that during almost five hours of detention, George was, quote, "abusively interrogated" by, among others, a Transportation Security Administration supervisor who allegedly asked, "You know who did 9/11?" George replied, "Osama bin Laden." "Do you know what language he spoke?" asked the supervisor. "Arabic."

At that point, court documents say, the supervisor waved the flash cards and said, "Do you see why these cards are suspicious?"

The suit claims the Philadelphia police kept George handcuffed in a cell for two hours and that FBI agents interrogated him about his religious and political beliefs before determining that he did not pose a threat.

BEN WIZNER, ACLU ATTORNEY: This lawsuit is to remind both the American people and the TSA that the Constitution does apply at the airports, that although they have a very, very important security mission, they don't have a blank check to violate the privacy of Americans.

MESERVE: The TSA, FBI and Philadelphia police declined to comment, but an official who couldn't speak on the record because of pending litigations, said the TSA focused on George in part because of erratic behavior, which began even before he got to the security checkpoint.

(on camera): In a bit of irony, Nick George says he's been studying in Arabic in hopes of serving the U.S. government as a diplomat, but he no longer travels carrying flash cards or anything else in Arabic.

T.J. and Kiran, back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: Maybe a wise choice there.

CHETRY: Yes, (INAUDIBLE) going to the airport, you just go to think. I always think twice about anything I bring.

HOLMES: Any little thing you do.

CHETRY: All right. Meanwhile, speaking of airports, let's take a live picture right now of LaGuardia Airport where they -- it's not as crowded as it usually is around this time. They are looking to open up in, what, in 20 minutes and try to get some flights off the ground. But they had to have cancelled thousands yesterday because of the storm.

HOLMES: And still a lot of folks -- our Allan Chernoff this -- for you travelers out there, yes, they're going to be open, but still, you need to check with the airline, and maybe not even trust what you see on the wall when you get to the airport because some of those screens have not been updated, he says. He says, if your flight is on time or is not taking off, it might not be the case.

CHETRY: That guy, he looks he's frustrated himself.

HOLMES: Yes.

CHETRY: It's understandable. Good luck today.

HOLMES: Oh, he's saying, I thought the airport was open. What's going on?

CHETRY: Exactly.

HOLMES: All right. Well, coming up here in about 10 minutes, Jeanne Moos is taking a look at some of the lighter moments as reporters covered yesterday's snowstorm. You could imagine this kind of moments as they happen around every snowstorm.

It's 42 minutes past the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHETRY: Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning. Forty- five minutes past the hour now and time for your "AM House Call," stories about your health, and a ground breaking new study revealing why some people stutter. The discovery could change the lives of three million Americans. Our Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's the only manner of speaking Michael Liben has ever known.

MICHAEL LIBEN, HAS STUTTERED ALL HIS LIFE: I have stuttered for as long as I can remember.

GUPTA: Words have always come in fits and starts.

LIBEN: It's -- since I began speaking. During my middle school graduation, it was my job -- to lead the pledge of allegiance and it -- it took me a while to get started, and -- it was probably the lengthiest pledge of allegiance in the history of America.

DENNIS DRAYNA, NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS: People have looked for a cause of stuttering for 5,000 years. Many, many things have been suggested. For the first time today, we know one of the causes of this disorder.

GUPTA: Researchers have long suspected that genetics plays a role. Case in point, Liben's mother also stutters.

DRAYNA: Just knowing that the disorder is genetic doesn't really help us understand that disorder at the level that, for instance, doctors would like to know.

GUPTA: But a new study is changing all that. Researchers discovered genetic mutations damaged genes in the brain cells of people who stutter. The key, those damaged cells are located in the speech center of the brain. For researchers, it's a previously closed gateway now opened.

TAMMY FLORES, NATIONAL STUTTERING ASSOCIATION: It's just great news for people who stutter to know that it's a gene. It's not -- you know, anything else. It's a gene.

GUPTA: Liben refused to let his stammer stop him. In defiance of his difficulty with speaking, he went to law school.

LIBEN: What defines me -- is the perseverance in the face of the stuttering. If there was a switch that I could use to turn the stuttering on and off -- I'd probably turn it off, I think.

GUPTA: As for a cure, that may be a ways off. Researchers believe they are much closer to diagnosing and treating people like Liben.

LIBEN: It's a very exciting possibility to me.

GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: We're at 48 minutes past the hour now. Let's get a quick check of the morning's weather headlines now from Jacqui Jeras, and Jacqui we've had a lot of headlines over the past several days. Waiting for the time when weather will be at the top story.

JERAS: In the northeast, it won't be in the next couple of days other than, you know, just the cleanup, so weather, itself, is certainly improving here, and you can see the last blip on the radar that everything's pulling away. The wind is still a little blustery here, so you might have some minor blowing and drifting, and you know, keeping things slick on the roadways for sure, but we don't think it's enough that it's really going to aggravate much of your day out there.

All right. We checked out some of the snowfall totals, and these were the highest numbers I could find for you, 27.5 takes the cake in Orrtanna, Pennsylvania. Eldersburg, Maryland 2 feet of snow, Bricktown, New Jersey at over in 18 inches, 13.4 in Falls Church, Virginia, and the Bronx had a foot and a half of snow overall, so yes, it's going to take you probably into the weekend to continue to shovel a lot of this stuff. OK, our latest winter storm, and this will be the top story for all you folks across the Southern Plains States today and into the deep south as we head into tomorrow. Snow along the I-20 corridor. It could be heavy at times here this morning in the Dallas/Forth Worth Area; it could pick up a good one to four inches of snowfall. Just rain in San Antonio and Houston but that could cause some airport delays for you as we got winter storm watches and winter weather warnings which have already been issued extending through Mississippi into Alabama and just kind of stretching into southern parts of Georgia.

The moisture on the Northern Tier a little bit limited here, so amounts are going to be a little bit lesser. We're expecting heavier snows in Shreveport where you could get a good two to six inches and then maybe one to three or four as you head over towards Greenville, Mississippi, and that's really not going to happen until tomorrow.

If you're trying to travel today, I-20 is going to be a tough go of it all across the Southern Plains. By the airways we're looking at, of course, delays due to some of those winds and then cleanup into the northeast, and then Dallas due to the snow, Houston due to rain, and we're going to have some problems in San Francisco as well. As we take a look at the nation as a whole, things are pretty quiet across the upper Midwest and into the Southeast. This will be the big storm we'll be watching as we head towards the weekend, but we don't think this time around it's going to turn into a nor'easter, so you guys can go like this and go whew, things are going to be good in the northeast during the weekend.

CHETRY: Thank goodness, because they still don't know what to do with some of the snow. It's piled up, you know, all over the place.

JERAS: I know.

CHETRY: They don't know where to put it anymore in places like Baltimore.

JERAS: Yes. You have to be so careful when you head to those intersections, and you can't see around that big snowbank around the corner to see if another car is coming.

CHETRY: Yes, that's true too. All right. Jacqui Jeras, thanks.

HOLMES: Thank you, thank you.

CHETRY: This morning's top stories are just a couple of minutes away including charges at Toyota may have been too cozy with the federal government agency responsible for overseeing the autos and that perhaps it knew that cars could speed out of control and didn't tell the American public for six years when a CNN investigation uncovered.

HOLMES: Also, coming up at 17 minutes past the hour, we know Sarah Palin has been in the news a lot lately. People have been talking about her. Vice President Joe Biden talking about her as well, but he has some kind words to say. CHETRY: All right. We'll hear of those. Also, at 40 minutes past the hour, kicking off fashion week with the queen of fashion statements, Lady Gaga going one on one with Alina Cho. Those stories and more -- you like that?

HOLMES: Not so much.

CHETRY: All right. At the top of the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHETRY: That camera shot looks like it was about to blow over this morning.

HOLMES: But no snow is blowing this morning at least.

CHETRY: That's the good news.

HOLMES: Stuff was blowing sideways here yesterday. It wasn't coming down. It was going that way.

CHETRY: Exactly.

HOLMES: All right. It's time now for the Moos News in the Morning, and this is a sideshow you see every big snowstorm. It never fails.

CHETRY: Yes, it's not their fault. The poor reporters that are stuck out there, braving the winds, braving the heavy snow, and their reports often lead to a storm of bloopers as well. Jeanne Moos has the best of them.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): There is a blizzard all right. A blizzard of flaky reporters.

UNKNOWN MALE: And the health care debate.

MOOS: Easy for the nice warm anchors to laugh.

UNKNOWN FEMALE: You and I are sitting on heaters.

UNKNOWN MALE: Oh, that's inside. I'm sitting on heater.

UNKNOWN FEMALE: What's the matter with you?

MOOS: It's not easy walking and talking, getting the cold shoulder.

UNKNOWN MALE: And there puddles wherever you go.

UNKNOWN MALE: They're all over the place, buddy.

UNKNOWN MALE: Absolutely.

MOOS: Everyone is critiquing their outer wear.

UNKNOWN FEMALE: You need a hat, you poor thing!

UNKNOWN MALE: Love the hat.

MOOS: At least we don't go out reporting in shorts.

UNKNOWN MALE: Man, what is wrong with you?

UNKNOWN MALE: I have been doing it for 25 years.

UNKNOWN MALE: And you have icicles coming out of your nostrils.

MOOS: I say we don't report in shorts. Tim Russert's son Luke posted this twit pic of himself on snow patrol. The macho thing to do is to keep reporting no matter what happens.

UNKNOWN MALE: I wrote one for our blog. There we go. This is what we do on live television, folks, in a blizzard. Stay there, we're fine.

MOOS: Whether it's a falling umbrella or a falling cameraman.

UNKNOWN MALE: Where it's not really snow but rather it is some black ice which at times can be a very slippery thing, let me tell you.

MOOS: Might as well join the cameraman on the ice.

UNKNOWN MALE: Are you OK, ma'am?

UNKNOWN FEMALE: Is he OK?

UNKNOWN MALE: That's Tony.

MOOS: Just act like nothing has happened.

UNKNOWN FEMALE: Dipped to about 9.7%, but for African-Americans it is more than 15%.

MOOS (on-camera): In the name of in depth storm coverage, we, reporters, will use anything to measure the depth of the snow.

MOOS (voice-over): This reporter climbed his own satellite truck to measure virgin snow.

UNKNOWN MALE: Ooh, seven inches of snow.

MOOS: My ruler's bigger than your ruler.

UNKNOWN FEMALE: Set to receive --

MOOS: Despite bragging about pictures being --

Try to finding this -- UNKNOWN FEMALE: On the left, that's the shot we usually show you of the Capitol Hill Dome. On the right, that would be the White House.

MOOS: When the White House did clear, we noticed a secret serviceman jumping on top of it.

UNKNOWN MALE: Back to you.

UNKNOWN FEMALE: Reynolds you're making it look -- oh, too easy.

MOOS: Reporters are little like dogs frolicking in the snow.

Nut no one frolics quite like CNN's Reynolds Wolf. Keeping warm between live shots. [singing]

Now there's a meteorologist who rules even without a ruler.

REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Oh, they're coming to me.

MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: OK. In Reynolds defense, this is our guy on the weekend show, and he does. When he is out there between live shots, he has to keep himself occupied.

CHETRY: Yes.

HOLMES: Often times, he breaks out and dances. We always play music in his ear during the commercials so that's why he just dances.

CHETRY: He loves it. Yesterday, he needed to do it to keep warm.

HOLMES: To keep warm. For Reynolds, he loves all those guys live for that stuff and love it. They love being out there.

CHETRY: He's got some moves. Not bad, Reynolds.

HOLMES: Yes.

CHETRY: Hats off to you. All right. Ninety seconds to your top stories. It's 58 minutes past the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)