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President Obama Presents Budget; Borders Expected to File for Bankruptcy; Pediatricians Warn Against Energy Drinks for Children; The Do's and Don'ts of Money Talk; Upset at the Grammy Awards? Protests in Iran and Yemen Continue Today
Aired February 14, 2011 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Happy Valentine's Day, Kyra. Live from CNN Center, I'm Suzanne Malveaux. We want to get you up to speed on Valentine's Day. Happy Valentine's Day to you, February 14th.
Well, President Obama sent Congress his budget plan for 2012 today, and it calls for spending $3.7 trillion. The White House says the blueprint, this draft, is going to cut the deficit more than a trillion dollars over the next decade.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: When I was sworn in as president, I pledged to cut the deficit in half by the end of my first term. The budget I'm proposing today meets that pledge and puts us on a path to pay for what we spend by the middle of the decade. We do this in part by eliminating waste and cutting whatever spending we can do without. As I start -- as a start I've called for a freeze on annual domestic spending over the next five years.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Republicans immediately complained that the president is spending too much and cutting too little. Budget specifics -- we're going to get into that just a little bit later.
Well, also in the news, Egyptians set up a marble monument today to honor those killed in Tahrir Square. The military cleared most of the protesters from the plaza and told people, Go back to work, rebute -- reboot, rather, Egypt's economy. Workers who are demanding better pay and conditions have paralyzed the financial, textile and steel industries.
And Traffic is moving around Tahrir Square today as Egypt tries to navigate a path towards democracy. Now, over the weekend, here's what happened. Egypt's military rulers disbanded parliament and suspended the constitution. Top generals met with a group of protest organizers last night to discuss the way forward.
And now protesters are hitting the streets in Yemen, which is at the top of the Arabian peninsula. Hundreds rallied at a local university demanding Yemen's president step aside after three decades in power. Government supporters were carrying knives, daggers and rocks and they fought with the protesters. Now, in North Africa, Algeria promises a two-decade state of emergency is going to be lifted in the coming days. Now, that pledge comes after protesters and security forces came to blows during street rallies on Saturday. Democracy activists say they're going to be back on the streets next weekend, as well.
And here's something new. There's a new Farsi language Twitter feed from the State Department. Now, what this does, it allows the government to send brief Internet messages to young activists in Iran. Security forces attacked demonstrators who were protesting today in Iran, and Iran's regime has rounded up these activists, put protest leaders under house arrest.
Well, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and lip-syncing -- that's right -- to songs, and this helped her regain her speech patterns. She was even able to talk briefly with her brother-in-law on the International Space Station. An aide says that Giffords is able to verbalize and comprehends current events, like what's taking place in Egypt.
And doctors now are warning energy drinks can be dangerous for teens and tweens who take medication for attention disorders. Now, "The Journal of Pediatrics" says that parents may not realize that the caffeinated drinks intensify the stimulant effects of ADHD drugs. The result can be racing heart, spikes in blood pressure. Very dangerous.
Well, the president is releasing his budget. There are some painful cuts. That according to White House budget director. And a lot of people have been poring over this this morning. And the big question here is, Is it enough? Well, here's your chance to talk back on one of the big stories of the day. Our own Carol Costello -- she's joining us from New York today. And Carol, the president said today, you know, he's walking the walk, talking the talk. But a lot of people are looking at this and wondering, how's it going to hurt, how's it going to help, and is it enough?
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, a lot of economists are wondering that very thing, Suzanne. So OK, President Obama is proposing more than a trillion dollars in budget cuts over the next decade, including some programs that help the poor. Republicans say that's not enough. They've proposed their own cuts. The thing is, nobody is dealing with the 800-pound gorillas in the room, Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. Most economists say if politicians are really serious about cutting the deficit, they got to think bigger. Economist Peter Morici says those entitlements make up about 60 percent of the budget, and over the next decade, that figure will rise to about 68 percent. If you do not cut there, he says, there is simply no way out of Washington's fiscal mess.
The problem is most voters are not hip to cutting entitlements like Social Security. In a CNN Opinion Research poll, more than half wanted Congress and the president to deal with the deficit, but some 80 percent said do not touch my Social Security and Medicare. What?
Where do voters want spending cuts? Some defense, welfare, government pensions, and by far and away, foreign aid. Yet except for defense, none of these cuts will put a dent in our long-term debt. So talk back today. What would it take to convince Americans to cut Social Security and Medicare? Go to FaceBook.com/carolCNN with your two cents. I'll be back later in the hour with your responses -- FaceBook.com/carolCNN -- Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: Oh, Carol, that's an excellent question. I imagine a lot of people -- they want to hold onto their benefits. Those are some tough choices that the administration has to make, so thank you, Carol. Very interested to see what they say.
COSTELLO: I sent out a tweet an hour ago, Suzanne...
MALVEAUX: Yes.
COSTELLO: I sent out a tweet an hour ago with the question -- already about 20 to 40 responses.
MALVEAUX: Are you serious?
COSTELLO: People are hot about this issue.
(CROSSTALK)
MALVEAUX: OK, we're looking forward to hearing from them. Thank you, Carol.
Well, here's a look at what's ahead on "The Rundown." An apartment in flames, a mother's desperation and a bystander's bravery.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEFF BRYANT, NEIGHBOR WHO CAUGHT BABY: There was smoke coming out, and I saw a lady hanging her child out the window. So I immediately dropped what I had in my hands, ran over beneath her and was, like, Hey, drop your baby to me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Now, this a story that ends in heroism but also heartbreak and pain.
Also looking at protests spreading across the Middle East, a live report from Yemen on clashes between pro- and anti-government demonstrators.
And finally, from raw meat to a big, giant egg. Lady Gaga -- well, she knows how to (INAUDIBLE) make an entrance and get attention. See what she hatched up for her entrance at the Grammys.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
More now on the big story of the day, President Obama's $3.7 trillion budget proposal. Now, the spending plan for 2012 includes some pretty painful cuts when you take a look at it. For a look at what is on the chopping block, the winners, the losers here, I want to bring in our own -- Kate Bolduan is at the White House. And Kate, I know you've been working really hard this morning, the intrepid Kate there. I mean, this thing is like, what, it's like a telephone book or so? Pretty thick.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. It would serve as a very good doorstop, as I always like to say whenever the budget comes out every year. But in all seriousness, you really hit the nail on the head, Suzanne -- $3.7 trillion. It's so much money to wrap your mind around. That's the budget proposal for 2012, and President Obama is saying right up front that pain is going to be felt all around.
Half of all government agencies in this budget proposal would see funding cuts, which really kind of shows how broad we're talking in programs that are going to be targeted to tighten the purse strings, to tighten up the belt, as President Obama likes to say. Just a short time ago, the president was speaking in Maryland and talked about the need, as he has a lot recently, the need for investments in areas like education, infrastructure, innovation and research. But he says that also is going to come with some very tough decisions in the road ahead. Listen here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: ... because cutting annual domestic spending won't be enough to meet our long-term fiscal challenges. As the bipartisan fiscal commission concluded, the only way to truly tackle our deficit is to cut excessive spending wherever we find it -- in domestic spending, defense spending, health care spending and spending through tax breaks and loopholes. So what we've done here is make a down payment, but there's going to be more work that needs to be done, and it's going to require Democrats and Republicans coming together to make it happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: As the president also said, if we're going to walk the walk when it comes to fiscal discipline, cuts are going to be necessary. Let me tick off just some of the cuts that we're seeing that a lot of people are talking about this morning. While education is seeing an increase in funding, especially in the areas of K through 12 education in this budget proposal, things like Pell grants and higher education programs -- they're going to see some cuts, cuts by about $10 billion in the next year and $100 billion over the next 10 years. Energy assistance funding for low-income people, a very coveted program by especially Democrats -- that is to be cut in half by about $2.5 billion in this budget proposal.
Also, community service and community development programs -- that could see a cut by about $650 million. And then you have cuts in things like airport grants and grants to water treatment plants, Suzanne, which really shows how wide-ranging...
MALVEAUX: Sure.
BOLDUAN: ... the programs are being targeting in this, I'm being told, 204-page budget proposal. But as you very well know, Suzanne, this is the first step in a very long process in the road ahead as this White House now needs to work with Republicans that are in charge...
MALVEAUX: Sure.
BOLDUAN: ... in the House and work with Congress in general to try to get this ball moving, if you will.
MALVEAUX: And Kate, I mean, we know that both sides are not happy with this. Obviously, some people -- programs dear to their heart -- they get the ax, and then others, there's just -- they don't believe that they're cutting enough. You just got this budget a short while ago. Is there anything that jumped out at you when you saw this, anything that surprised you or...
BOLDUAN: Well, we are actually seeing in this budget proposal some of the -- if you want to call them the winners, that some areas that are getting a lot of focus as people have been peeling through this, some areas like clean energy. The president seems to be putting -- you know, he talks about innovation and research and winning the future. Well, you can see that a little bit in this budget proposal. You see the president wanting to put more electric cars on the road, put more money towards renewable energy and clean energy development. And in order to do that, the president is proposing eliminating tax breaks for oil and gas companies. And I believe that it's estimated that it would raise $46 billion over a decade.
So what this really effectively does when we talk about millions and billions and trillions, Suzanne, is it kind of lays the marker here for this White House and what their -- what their positioning is in the long negotiations that are going ahead, kind of frames the debate. And that's what we're seeing here a little bit, Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: All right. Thank you so much, Kate.
Well, these proposed budget cuts -- they could hit home for you literally. The next hour, we're going to take a closer look at these plans now to decrease the mortgage interest deduction. That means an increase for you, essentially, when it comes to the cost of owning a home. Our Christine Romans of our Money team is going to have details on that.
We want to check the stories from our affiliates across the country. A burning apartment, a frantic mother trying to save three young children -- well, that's what Jeff Bryant saw when he was headed to work early Saturday in Oak Grove, Oregon. Here's how he describes it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEFF BRYANT, NEIGHBOR WHO CAUGHT BABY: There was smoke coming out, and I saw a lady hanging her child out the window. So I immediately dropped what I had in my hands, ran over beneath her and was, like, Hey, drop your baby to me. She shouted out, Are you sure you're going to catch him? I said, Of course I'll catch him, at that point. And she dropped him. I caught him, wrapped him up in my jacket and went away from the burning building.
(END VIDEO CLIP) MALVEAUX: He caught that baby. That baby could have hit the concrete. The mother jumped out just as well, just as firefighters arrived, and they were not able, however, to save the other two boys. Well, mother and baby -- they remain in critical condition.
Well, outside Atlanta -- here's an interesting story -- a pilot and passenger walked away from an emergency landing on a highway. Yes, that's right. The FAA spokeswoman says that the pilot reported losing power, managed to land without hitting any cars, and then slid into the median.
And this (INAUDIBLE) just keep on trying and trying. That is 10-year- old Andrew MacLeod's (ph) motto. He was born legally blind and he's made the swim team at the Northwest YMCA in Wichita, Kansas. And his dad says, You know what? Andrew's keeping up with the other swimmers. He's even beating some of them. So just keep trying and trying.
Now I want to go to Rob Marciano, who's talking about all kinds of weather. We keep trying and trying to get some nice days in here, huh?
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: We're trying. You know, spring is just around the corner, the sun getting a little higher in the sky. So it is getting -- when the sun's out, at least, it feels a little bit warmer.
But in between, we are book-ending the country with a couple of storms, one of which is across the Pacific Northwest. Matter of fact, check out some video coming to us from Washington. Seattle, Washington, had some wind damage over the weekend, winds gusting over 60 miles an hour along the coastline, interior sections almost 50. And that was enough to take down some trees and some power lines. Police officers had to do double duty and direct some traffic.
Live shot for you from Seattle. I believe we got a tower cam up there. It's around 50 degrees right now, and high wind warnings posted for the next system that's about to slam into the coastline of both Oregon and Washington. Here it is on the satellite picture, moving pretty rapidly. Couple of complex systems are going to hit parts of the Northwest this weekend -- or this week, I should say, and some of this is going to have some heavy rain and at times some heavy mountain snow.
There you go. Seattle to Portland in it right now, and down the I-5 corridor, up and over the pass, over the Sikiyou (ph) pass into Sacramento and San Francisco. A beautiful weekend in Monterey, but that is done. They are back into what they should be getting in the middle of winter, which is typically some rain across northern California.
Very little rain with this system that's driving across the Northeast, but it's got a lot of wind energy. So we've got wind watches -- or wind advisories that are posted from North Carolina all the way to New England. Could see winds today gusting to at times 50 miles an hour. That has caused some delays at the airports, especially LaGuardia -- an hour and 20 there, hour delays at San Francisco. Newark and Boston also seeing some wind delays.
In between, we mentioned, we got some nice weather, a big warm-up across the midsection. Some of these areas that saw the blizzard a week-and-a-half ago and record cold temperatures rebounding nicely. Imperial, Nebraska, 72 degrees yesterday. Kearney, Nebraska, 71. And even the "icebox of the country," we like to call International Falls, record high temperature here yesterday of 46 degrees. So trying to get rid of that snowmelt. The Northeast will see some of this warmth I think towards the end of the week, but still a little bit blustery up there right now -- Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: And we get some warm weather here, too, huh, Rob?
MARCIANO: Yes. Spring comes early in Atlanta. You'll see that.
MALVEAUX: Yay! I love it! I love it! Great. Thanks, Rob.
MARCIANO: You bet.
MALVEAUX: A cheaper line of iPhones may be in the works. It's half the size but half the price. Find out what might be in next -- what's in store from Apple.
And time for our "Most Intriguing Person of the Day." Today it's a group of people who have staged the entertainment upset of the year!
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: Well, granted, it's only February, but we've already witnessed what qualifies, we think, as an entertainment upset of the year. Have you ever heard of Arcade Fire? These Indy rockers from Canada -- well, they beat out a host of pop stars for the biggest Grammy of them all, "Album of the Year." And scored with "The Suburbs," the first group not on a major label to be nominated and win.
And some painful chapters for the Borders bookstore. The company's expected to file for bankruptcy protection. Business news correspondent Alison Kosik -- she joins us from the New York Stock Exchange. Alison, what's going on? I mean, you know, a lot of people go to that store. They think it's doing very well.
ALISON KOSIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it looks like that Borders next move is going to be toward Chapter 11, Suzanne, "Wall Street Journal" saying that Borders can file for bankruptcy either today or tomorrow, and if this happens, hundreds of stores could close, thousands of people could be laid off. But you know, it's not coming as a huge surprise. Its stock price is down 72 percent just this year. In fact, it's plunging again today. You know, we knew something was up back in December when Borders wasn't paying its publishers, and then two weeks ago, announced that bankruptcy could be a possibility -- Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: Alison, what do we think this is? Is it a sign that the traditional bookstores are dying (INAUDIBLE) being replaced? KOSIK: You know what? It really could be because analysts are saying those traditional bookstores are really going away. I mean, look at the pattern here. E-mail has overtook snail mail. MP3 players -- those have overtaken CDs. And now e-readers and e-books are taking over the traditional books, as well.
You know, the big problem for Borders, Suzanne, is that Borders came late to the game. It didn't come out with its e-reader until three years after Amazon came out with its Kindle. Besides that, a lot of people now are shopping on line for their books and downloading their books to their electronic devices. So that's also hurting Borders, as well -- Suzanne
MALVEAUX: And Alison, speaking of electronic devices, are iPhones now -- is there a cheaper line that we're getting in the works?
KOSIK: There is. Apple says, according to "The Wall Street Journal," that it is coming out with a cheaper and lighter design of the iPhone. The current model, as you know, sells for about $200. This newer, cheaper model could sell for half that price. And with carrier subsidies, if you buy a rate plan, it could wind out coming out free in the end.
What Apple's trying to do is remain more competitive. The Android is certainly taking hold of the market. And the reality is, the iPhone is very, very popular as a smartphone, but it really only makes up about 3 percent of the broader market. So this is really all about competition. But with a cheaper, lighter iPhone, you can bet that a lot of people are going to go for that -- Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: And Alison, don't go away, don't go too far because you know what we're going to do here. We're going to put you through the Valentine's Day test to test your knowledge, what you know today. And we want our viewers to see how you actually do. So play along. In the next hour, we're going to give Alison...
KOSIK: OK.
MALVEAUX: ... the new CNN challenge. Are you up for it?
KOSIK: I'm excited for it. Can't wait.
(LAUGHTER)
MALVEAUX: All right, we'll see if you are. All right, thanks, Alison.
Well, on a serious note, a warning for parents. There's a new study that says energy drinks can be dangerous for kids because they can get too much caffeine. Our senior medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen, is here to give us a sense of what happens here. I guess in some ways, you might think it's obvious, but people really don't know a lot of times -- well, the complications with medications. Tweens and teens, they get their hands on these drinks. What are some of the dangers here? ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Right. Well, think about it this way. If you're a parent and your kid is dizzy and their heart is racing and they're nauseous, you know, I think most parents would think a virus, right? I mean, that's what would probably come to mind.
MALVEAUX: Sure.
COHEN: But what the American Academy of Pediatrics is saying -- well, maybe you should be thinking about energy drinks because they can make a kid feel the same way. And so this -- the nation's, you know, group of pediatricians is saying to parents, Look, you need to be thinking about whether or not your kid is drinking these. These have tons of stimulants in them. And they're also telling pediatricians, When a kid shows up at your office with these symptoms, think energy drinks, because a lot of pediatricians don't.
And I want to run by those symptoms one more time. They are nausea, dizziness, rapid heart rate and seizures. So if a kid has those symptoms, you want to be thinking energy drinks because they are so much more common among kids than people realize.
MALVEAUX: I'm a little confused because I -- what is the difference between a sports drink and an energy drink? Because you would think a sports drink is good after exercise, but that's different.
COHEN: And they are, and that is different and we want to be clear about that. Gatorade, Powerade -- those are totally different. Those are fine. Those help hydrate kids. We're talking about the drinks like the ones we have right here. These are drinks that have certain stimulants in them, OK? So we're talking caffeine, guarana, taurine -- those are all stimulants. And they are especially dangerous for a kid who's taking ADHD drugs because those kids are already on stimulants to treat their illness, and these would give them even more stimulants.
MALVEAUX: So what are the makers of these energy drinks saying?
COHEN: You know, they're saying, Look, everybody has a choice, and you know, kids drink lattes also, and lattes have caffeine. Pediatricians tell us, Uh-uh, there is no similarity between a cup of coffee and one of these. These have way more caffeine, they tell us. They also tell us they have all the other stimulants. There's no reason for kids to be drinking these, none at all.
MALVEAUX: All right. Elizabeth Cohen, thank you so much.
COHEN: Thanks.
MALVEAUX: Appreciate that.
Well, now it's time for you to "Choose the News." That's our favorite segment here. Text us your pick for the story that you want to see in detail in our next hour. Now, where are the choices, OK? We've got looking for love in China. In a place where there's a lot more men than women, a young pickup artist is selling his skills to the desperate and those looking for love.
So next story, what's so special about a $9 chocolate bar? Well, Allan Chernoff -- he goes behind the scenes of a high-end Brooklyn chocolate company to find out. And finally, it is not too late to get the roses for the ones you love -- one you love. Maybe, maybe it's ones. But how much you pay depends on where you live. Your around the world look at the price of romance.
So here's how you do it. You got to vote, text 22360, vote 1 for China pickup artist, vote 2 for $9 chocolate bar or 3 for cost of roses. And the winning story is going to air in the next hour, so text.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: Here's a look at what's ahead on the Rundown. Republican Congressman Ron Paul is winner of the CPAC straw poll. It's a conservative organization. And he talks war as well as politics.
Plus, just in time for Valentine's Day. How to talk money with your mate. Our Stephanie Elam joins us live with some top tips.
And, a big oops at the Grammys. We're going to talk and take a look at some of the falling stars.
Right now, however, we want to focus on the Middle East. Unrest is rippling across the region following Egypt's revolution. Tahrir Square, the epicenter of the protest is today a memorial site for those killed in the uprising. Egypt's military is in control of the country and has now dissolved parliament. Iranian authorities are trying to stop rallies in support of the uprising in Egypt. Security forces blocked the homes of opposition leaders in Tehran, and we're going to have a live report in just a moment.
But first, this. The scene in Yemen. Pro and anti-government demonstrators clashed for the third day in a row. Our CNN's Mohammed Jamjoon, he joins us.
Mohammed, just give us a sense of what is taking place in today's protests. Are people frustrated with their circumstances now?
MOHAMMED JAMJOON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Suzanne, what started out earlier today very peacefully, two different groups of protesters -- anti-government and pro-government in their own different marches -- ended quite violently.
We were at the scene when it happened. We saw pro-government demonstrators converge upon anti-government demonstrators. The pro- government demonstrators had machetes, they had knives. The anti- government protestors, they had sticks. It turned quite violent. This was very close to Sana'a University here in central Sana'a.
And it was quite an ugly scene, so much so that security forces came out. They tried to disperse the crowd. It's quite worrying for the government here, in light of the events in Egypt and Tunisia. But there are so many people that to the government. There are so many people that have come out in the last four days since Hosni Mubarak resigned. Today it was in the hundreds.
The fact that clashes keep happening. We've heard from anti- government demonstrators here the last four days. They're not going to remain quiet anymore. Despite what promises they're getting from political leaders, they want change here. They're asking for the president to step down. They're clearly emboldened to keep coming out in the streets because Hosni Mubarak stepped down. Now they're asking for the president here to resign, Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: What is the government doing to meet the demands of these protestors? Is the government doing anything at all? Responding in any way?
JAMJOON: Well, it's interesting. You see more and more responses over the last couple of weeks since protests started erupting here. The president gave a lot of concessions to his opponents in the opposition party.
The president said he would not seek re-election in 2013. He would not seek to install his son as his successor. He's also announced economic incentive packages for the people here. He's announced salary raises for both army personnel, security personnel.
It doesn't seem to matter for the anti-government demonstrators here. They say they're tired of corruption, they say they're tired of a regime that's been in power for so long, all of the poverty here and lack of economic future for this country, and they say they want change -- Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: All right, Mohammed, we'll see what happens and whether or not that remains peaceful or there is further violence that continues. We'll get back to you.
Iran's opposition leaders are calling for rallies today. Our CNN's Reza Sayah, he is monitoring the situation from neighboring Pakistan. '
And Reza, give us a sense of the demonstrations. They've been planned. Are they developing here?
What is happening on the ground?
REZA SAYAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Suzanne, indeed they are developing. And these are dramatic developments. Remember, we hadn't seen Iran's opposition movement and street protests for more than a year, the so- called "green movement" that exploded onto the scene back in 2009, after the disputed presidential elections.
But today they have made their comeback, and according to witness accounts they're gaining steam. Over the past couple of hours, witnesses telling us the crowds swelling into the tens of thousands. We're starting to see some video clips being posted on YouTube.
Most of these masses, according to witnesses quietly, peacefully making their way towards the Azadi Square, the final destination point in this rally that was proposed last week by the two opposition figures, Mehdi Karroubi and Mirhossein Mousavi.
Sources are telling us there's pockets of crowds that are creating disturbances, lighting trash bins on fire, chanting, "Death to the dictator," death to the supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khomeini. And witnesses say it's those crowds that are being attacked by security forces, Suzanne, clashes that include security forces, beating the protesters with batons, firing tear gas in order to disperse them.
But Suzanne, the government warned people not to come out. Clearly they've defied them today.
MALVEAUX: And Reza, very important, the United States, the Obama administration looking at that to see if the people in Iran will be successful in the uprising here. The U.S. State Department now is it trying to reach them through twitter.
What do you know about this?
SAYAH: Yes. Well, this is a twitter account set up by the state department in Farsi on Sunday. No coincidence that this account went online a day before these planned rallies in Tehran. Remember, a lot of people criticized Washington, the Obama administration, for not aggressively supporting the green movement when they emerged a couple of years ago.
This, perhaps, is an indication they're going to play this differently, that they're going to try to pressure the Iranian regime a little more, and more vocally, more aggressively show their support for the Iranian people, the Iranian opposition movement.
It's not clear how much it's going to help the people in Iran, because most of them don't have internet now. If they do, it's at a crawl. But certainly, a symbolic move by Washington.
MALVEAUX: All right. Thank you very much, Reza. I appreciate it.
Well, texting and technology. We don't want you to forget to text us for the story that you want to see in the next hour.
Text your pick 22360 for the story that you'd like to see here air on CNN.
Vote one for China pickup artist. A young man learns the game from an American expert, sells it -- looking -- for those looking for love.
Two, vote two. Nine dollar chocolate bars. What sets this chocolate apart from all the rest.
And vote three for cost of roses. Love don't cost a thing but you may be surprised by the price of a bouquet. That's right. We're going to take a look around the world.
And he's the leader of the pack for the GOP. Find out who came up on top in a new straw poll. You might be surprised. And it's Valentine's Day. Do you have a special date planned? Have you ever ditched a date because it wasn't going so well? Well, this is going to be interesting. A recent survey found out that escaping a bad date is it pretty common, either by taking a fake emergency call, pretending to be sick, saying you have to leave for work, or even -- yes, this is kind of bizarre -- but sneaking out while your date is in the restroom. Which escape is used most often? We're going to tell you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: So we asked you, which escape is used the most to get out of a date that's not going so well?
Is it taking a fake emergency call? Pretending to be sick? Saying you have to leave for work, or, even, sneaking out when your date's in the restroom? That's just rude.
Here we go. Sixty-four percent say they pretend to be ill. Thirty- three percent take an emergency phone call. Twenty-eight percent must leave for work, and nine percent, they just get up and leave when their date is in the bathroom.
That's just wrong. That's just wrong. It's just wrong. Anyway you put it, it's just wrong.
We want to turn to politics now. The results are in, and the winner is Texas Congressman Ron Paul. Now, he came out on top in a straw poll by the Conservative Political Action Committee, CPAC. Paul got 30 percent of the vote, followed by Mitt Romney with 23 percent.
And he explains why he thinks he won.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. RON PAUL (R), TEXAS: I talk about personal liberty, personal choices, which is something the others don't talk about. And the foreign policy's quite different. You know, I make sure they know that I never want to reinstitute the draft and they will have no draft registration. And I don't have want to go to war without declaration. And they see war and our foreign policy as a drain. I think that is a very, very strong message.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Well, Ron Paul, he and Donald Trump now are engaged in a war of words, battle royal. Our Paul Steinhauser, Mark Preston, part of the best political team on television, we get a double dose today, huh guys, from the political desk in Washington.
Tell us what is this big fight all about.
MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL EDITOR: Well, Suzanne, we have the Donald taking on the Ron Paul revolution. You know, it started just a few days ago at the Conservative Political Action Conference where Donald Trump to an audience which was filled with Ron Paul supporters, he said Ron Paul has no shot at winning the presidency, which drew a lot of boos.
But there are a lot of people in the Republican Party who believe that to be true, Suzanne. But just this morning on "AMERICAN MORNING," as you saw Ron Paul talking about why he won the straw poll, he also addressed the Donald Trump policy. He said, I've won 11 times, so I don't know whether he has earned the right to criticize somebody for not winning an election when I don't know how many elections he's won so far himself.
Now, what was an uncomfortable moment when Donald Trump said that about Ron Paul, was when Donald Trump existed the stage, Ron Paul's son, Rand Paul, came on stage to talk. So it was certainly a little bit interesting.
But talking about then straw poll, let's see what Paul Steinhauser has to say about whether it matters or not, Suzanne.
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: You know, Mark, that's something we were talking about when we were covering the three-day event.
Remember, CPAC is the largest annual gathering of conservatives. So, Suzanne, yes, it matters to an extent. And you know what? It can help a candidate down far in the field. He gets a lot of name recognition if he does well on the straw poll ballot.
But remember, CPAC rarely if ever predicts a winner. And people are saying, you know, with Ron Paul winning these last two years, and most strategists don't think Ron Paul has a real realistic shot of winning the Republican nomination, it kind of dilutes these straw polls.
One last thing, check this out. Also on the straw poll ballot, they ask conservatives at the conference if they like the current crop of candidates or potential candidates, or if they want to see some fresh faces. Look at that, 43 percent say, you know what, we want to see somebody else to run for the Republican presidential nominations.
So, Suzanne, maybe there's somebody out there who we're not even thinking about right now who may be the next nominee on the Republican side.
MALVEAUX: That would be exciting to see if that actually -- somebody else pops up we have never heard. It'll be very fascinating to watch.
We get Paul and Mark today. Thank you both, guys.
We also are going to get Donald Trump, we are learning. At 3:30 he's going to be appearing on CNN. We'll have a chance to ask him some questions about all of this.
And, of course, for the latest political news, you know where to go, that's CNNPolitics.com.
All right. So get ready for the news quiz. Since it's Valentine's Day, we want to know, what is the average age that women first, that's right, first, get married? Is it 23, 26, 28 or 30 years old? (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: So we ask, what is the average age that women get married for the first time? The answer, 26-years-old. For men, it's 28. Get ready to test your Valentine's Day IQ the next hour when we quiz CNN's Alison Kosik. I'm going to love that part.
Well, there's still time to text us to the story you want to see in the next hour in our Valentine's edition of Choose the News.
Vote by texting 22360.
Vote one for China pickup artist.
Two, for a $9 chocolate bar.
Or, three for cost of roses.
It's Valentine's Day. Stephanie Elam, she's here to show us, tell us how to talk money with your mate. Stephanie, that's not easy without arguing. I mean, what are you going to do?
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: That's what a lot of people say, Suzanne. They're like, oh, boy, that's going to be a deal breaker there, we start talking about it.
In fact, so much so that 29 percent of couples say the economic downturn brought financial stress to their marriages. Another 29 percent said it the recession led them to deepen their commitment. So that's good news. That's according to the latest poll report from the National Marriage Project.
But with 34 percent of couples surveyed saying that they often worry about being able to pay the bills, talking about money is so key. You hear it over and over again. So we begin taking a look at what Manisha Thakor has to say. She's the co-author of "Get Financially Naked: How to Talk Money with Your Honey." She says, start with the five W's.
Figure out what each of you owe, like credit card debt and student loans. Then look at what you own, what you earn, and what you spend monthly. And you have to be up front about your secret spending and also be up front about that credit score, as well. These five nuggets of information are so important to opening up the conversation about money with your partner.
In fact, Ryan Mack is the president of Optimum Capital Management. He says, you should write down your financial goals -- both of you should -- as a couple and as individuals, and then keep them in a place where you can easily see them so you can check your progress. He also says going a month without talking about money is a sin, Suzanne. So you got to keep talking about it.
You know, everyone, you got stuff to do every month. It's not like it changes. I mean, it stops changing so you got to keep talking about it. MALVEAUX: I guess. That's pretty tough though. I mean, obviously a lot of people fight over money as you mention. But, who pays for what? I mean, that's really difficult. Is there -- especially I guess when somebody's earning more than the other person.
What do you think people should do? What should couples do here?
ELAM: And isn't that almost always the case? It's rare that you have two people that say we make the exact same amount. So this is often, this is for a lot of people out there.
So Mack says if one person earns more than the other, give proportionally to your expenses. But also suggest that that person who makes more, contributes more to the retirement fund. But, let's say you're not married. Let's say you're just moving in together before you walk down that aisle. Mack says, figure out who will pay which bills and get your financial agreements in writing before you shack up.
But if you find one of you is a spender and the other is a saver, Mack make it work fight free. Put together a budget. Spender gets in charge of spending and make sure that they do it within reason, Suzanne.
But you got to be honest about who you are, spender, saver.
MALVEAUX: Yes, yes. I know which one I am. I'm the saver.
ELAM: I have a feeling I know, too.
MALVEAUX: I'm the saver. I'm the cheap one. I admit it.
We're not finished with Stephanie yet. There's more on love and money. She's going to give us more advice. This, wedding advice.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: We're back with Stephanie Elam.
Steph, so if people, if you're planning on saying I do, making that big plunge, that commitment there, how much is it going to cost you?
ELAM: Yes. And everyone knows it's not cheap. And I imagine there are some people who are probably going to get engaged tonight so they probably needs to listen up to this one. Because the average wedding -- get this, it costs about $27,000.
MALVEAUX: Wow.
ELAM: And 42 percent of brides, well, they go over budget. This is according to theknot.com. So don't start out your marriage under a pile of debt by having a huge wedding that you can't really afford. Carley Roney, who's the founder of theknot, says before you spend a dime on that wedding, set a budget with your fiance and figure out what you want to spend and how much your family is going to chip in. Also, be up front about your budget with your vendors, the reception hall, the caterers, florists, everybody. And let them send you a proposal that's within your means. And Roney says "Leave about 10 percent of cushion in your budget for those upgrades or unforeseen expenses. But in the end it's supposed to be all about the marriage and less about the wedding day, right, Suzanne? It's all about the love, making it last.
MALVEAUX: And that's a big test, though, if you can get through the big wedding day, all that and the expenses, then you're OK. You know? Day-by-day, huh?
ELAM: You should be OK. And you can probably get by without having like custom made shoes or, like, you know, a carriage to pull you in to the wedding. You'll probably be able to make it through without that.
(CROSSTALK)
MALVEAUX: All right, thanks, Stephanie.
President Obama, he wants to cut the deficit by more than $1 trillion over the next decade. So that means spending cuts, including some programs that help the poor. Republicans are saying that it's not enough.
So here's your chance to talk back on one of the big stories of the day. And our Carol Costello joins us with some of your responses.
Carol, what are folks saying?
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: People do not like any cuts in Social Security. I can tell you that right now, Suzanne.
Many economists say the president's proposed cuts don't go far enough, that politicians need to take aim at Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid to make a dent in the deficit. But most viewers told us they want none of it.
Talk Back, what would it take to convince Americans to cut Social Security and Medicare?
This from Michelle. She says, "As a 50-plus-year-old who has already worked for 30 plus years and lost a good paying job to India, and had to spend all of my IRA to survive, I would never agree to cutting Social Security ever."
This from Jose. "If younger Americans went to the polls in larger numbers, cuts to Social Security and Medicare would be easier for politicians to talk about without fear of losing their votes."
This from Michael. He says, "I would cut $300 wrenches and $3,000 toilet seats at the Pentagon first."
And finally, this from Jennifer. She says, "If that's the direction this country is going where the poor get poorer and screwed even more, then I'm moving to Egypt where their democracy is in place."
Keep the comments coming, facebook.com/carolCNN. We'll have more for you in the next hour.
MALVEAUX: All right, Carol. Very emotional comments there, too, huh?
COSTELLO: A lot of anger in those comments.
MALVEAUX: Absolutely.
COSTELLO: Keep them coming.
MALVEAUX: Thank you, Carol.
Well, if you can imagine this, the worst day ever at work. Just imagine the mess when an entire wine shelf collapses. We've video of that. It is trending and you've got to see it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: It's the music industry's biggest night. The 53rd annual Grammy Awards. Full of surprises. Arcade Fire, yes Arcade Fire beat Lady Gaga and Eminem for taking home Album of the Year for the Suburbs. But, Lady Gaga, well, as always, she stole the show with this -- yes, that's right -- extravagant entrance encased inside an egg and carried in Cleopatra style. Lady Gaga hatched to perform her new single, "Born this Way."
And even though Justin Beiber lost for best new artist, his back-up dancer, whoa, he took the hardest hit. As you can see, he tried to do a flip during the routine, ended up falling onto the stage.
Well, it has not been the best month for Christina Aguilera. She slipped and almost fell at the end of her tribute to Aretha Franklin. Earlier this month she flubbed one of the lines of the National Anthem during the Super Bowl. But, you know, I'm giving Christina a pass.
And, the next time you have a bad day at work, I guess everybody gets a bad day, remember this guy, OK? This is amazing here. He's restocking wine in a liquor store -- whoa -- when the entire shelf collapses. Three hundred bottles of wine smashed all over the floor. The guy's roommate says he wasn't fired, he wasn't required to pay for any of this, but he did have to clean it up. That's a big clean up job.
