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Gadhafi's Seige on Misrata; U.N.: Troops Blocking Aid; U.N.: More Carnage Ahead in Libya; Gas Prices Up 33 Cents in Two Weeks; Gates and Karzai Talk; Philly Archdiocese Being Sued; Pro-Walker Rally in Wisconsin; Trump Adviser Heads to Iowa; 2012 Race: On the Move; Romney Defends His Health Car Law; Protesters: Muslims Being Demonized; $250 Fines Begin Today for Democrats; Road Trip to Doomsday; Kilauea Blows Its Top; Two Workers Rescued from Oil Platform; Sheen Hits Two Million on Twitter; Miley Cyrus in SNL
Aired March 07, 2011 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KAYE: But, first, upheaval in the oil producing Middle East and the direct impact on your wallet. Gasoline prices across the U.S. have skyrocketed 33 cents in the last two weeks.
The Lunburg survey says it is the second biggest price jump in the history of the gas market. Here is a snapshot of what people are paying at the pump.
Take a look, in San Diego you could shell out $3.87 for a gallon of regular. Here in Atlanta, we're paying about $3.43 per gallon. Folks in Billings, Montana, are averaging $3.15 a gallon.
Christine Romans joins us from the CNN Money team. Christine, good morning. Why such a huge hike so fast?
CHRISTINE ROMANS, HOST, "YOUR BOTTOM LINE": Well, you know, there's a lot of unrest in the Middle East and there's a lot of growth elsewhere in the world. These things together have driven up the prices.
Quite frankly, as long as there is uncertainty in the Middle East, as long as you have these public demonstrations, you are going to have gas prices either at this level or rising. That's what many of the analysts and economists have been telling me.
In fact, they point out, Randi, the last time you saw $100 oil you had $3.64 a gallon for gas, so this time we've started from a little lower base in terms of the price of gasoline. Let's talk about some of the options for keeping that lid on that price. What are the options for the government?
Well, you've heard of Bill Daley who is the president's chief of staff. You've also heard Timothy Geithner, the Treasury secretary talk about the possibility of tapping something called the strategic petroleum reserve. What is that?
Well, it's 727 million barrels of oil that are held in the salt domes, these underground caverns and facilities along the Gulf Coast. This is a reserve that's meant for emergencies. This is meant for when the global supply of oil to the United States is hindered or halted, this reserve can be tapped.
It's been tapped twice. Once during the Persian Gulf War, the first Persian Gulf War and once during Hurricane Katrina and there have been some exchanges during other hurricanes where oil companies have been allowed to tap into this.
But basically that's something that is on the table, but many economists are telling me is unlikely. What else could happen? Well, you could roll back some of the gas taxes that would put money back into people's pockets or have government price controls, very, very unlikely. That was tried in the 1970s.
All of these options, something that people are talking about. Some Democrats actually calling for in terms of tapping the petroleum reserve because they like the gas prices come down. They're thinking it's hurting American consumers and that we know is definitely true. Randi --
KAYE: All right, Christine Romans, good to see you. Thanks, Christine. Checking top stories now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE (voice-over): Defense Secretary Robert Gates is meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul earlier during a Q&A section with troops at Balgram Airfield. Gates choked up and said he thinks about them all the time.
The archdiocese of Philadelphia expected to face a new lawsuit today for allegedly covering up sex crimes against children. Attorneys say the lawsuit accuses church officials of conspiracy and names the archdiocese and six people including a current and former archbishop. The archdiocese has been the subject of a two-year grand jury investigation.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am proud to have you as governor of the state of Wisconsin.
KAYE: Wisconsin's governor getting some support in the state's capital. Yesterday's rally was held to counter three weeks of anti- Scott Walker demonstrations. Walker says the state is broke and he wants to remove those collective bargaining rights by public employees, a move that has angered unions across the country.
A new sign that Donald Trump is serious about a possible presidential run. Trump is sending a senior adviser to the key state of Iowa today. Michael Cohen will meet with Republican Party officials, organizers and potential sources of campaign money. Yes, money. Even Donald Trump could not finance a White House campaign on his own, apparently.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: The Trump adviser trip is not the only visit making political news this Iowa. Several Republicans with possible white house designs are there today. CNN's Jim Acosta is following all their moves from Washington. Good morning, Jim.
JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Randi. Yes, a whole new reality show is shaping up in 2012. The race for the White House is apparently heating up this week. Potential candidates, we call them potential because they're not declared yet, they are hitting the ground running in early battleground states.
There's a big GOP gathering in Iowa tonight where Newt Gingrich, Tim Pawlenty, Herman Cain, Rick Santorum and Buddy Romer all expected to address social conservatives. Tea Party favorite Rand Paul will be in a different part of Iowa today and as you mentioned an aide to Donald Trump is making a trip to the state as well. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee will be down in South Carolina still promoting his book.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA (voice-over): And Mitt Romney another potential front-runner in this race. He got a jump-start on the week traveling to New Hampshire over the weekend. It was Romney's first real attempt before 2012 GOP primary voters to ease some Tea Party tensions, you might say, over the health care law he got passed while governor of Massachusetts. Romney's potential rivals have dubbed Romney-care a model for Obama-care. Romney told the crowd the law was only designed for Massachusetts not the country.
MITT ROMNEY, (R) FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR: Our experiment wasn't perfect. Some things worked. Some things didn't. Some things I changed. But one thing I would never do is usurp the constitutional power of states with a one-size-fits-all federal takeover. I would repeal Obamacare.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: Now much of the consternation over Romney-care stems from that law's individual ma mandate that requires people in Massachusetts to get health insurance that is also in the president's health care law.
Tea Partiers say that is unconstitutional and the basis, Randi, as you know for all of the state challenges to the law, challenges that could go all the way to the Supreme Court.
KAYE: Sure, and, Jim, Romney has defended his health care law in the past, right?
ACOSTA: He has time and again. You know, this wasn't an issue back in '08. He signed this law in '06. It wasn't really an issue in '08 because Obamacare didn't actually exist at that point.
And I interviewed Mitt Romney about this very subject of health care reform about a year and a half ago in the context of the debate over the president's health care proposal at that time. It wasn't law yet.
And in that interview Governor Romney said portions of the law that he signed in Massachusetts were a model for the country. Here is what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: Is this something you're still proud of as governor?
ROMNEY: I think people in Massachusetts, like myself, are very proud of the fact that we have a setting are where everybody in Massachusetts has insurance. And if people worry about losing their job, they don't have to worry about losing their coverage. You keep coverage, you have insurance as long as you're in Massachusetts. It's a positive plan.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: Now should Romney get the GOP nomination? Democrats hope Romney care will soften opposition among independents and moderate Republicans to the president's health care law.
How can you be mad at the president, Democrats will ask, when Governor Romney did the same thing, Randi? So, you know, it is interesting to see this develop over time because at the time when he signed that law, the individual mandate wasn't that big of an issue.
KAYE: It is very interesting to keep track of all of this. Thanks, Jim.
This week Congress holds hearings on radical Islam in America. The head of the House Homeland Security Committee Peter King says al Qaeda is recruiting and that the Muslim community is not cooperating enough with authorities.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. PETER KING, (R) HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE: This is al Qaeda internationally is attempting to recruit within the United States. People in this country are being so radicalized whether it's Major Hasan or whether (INAUDIBLE)or whether it was (Nazi) in New York.
These are all people who are identifying one way or another with al Qaeda or al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. So it's an international movement with elements here in the United States. To me that is a real distinction.
There are always go going to be isolated incidents, isolated fanatics, isolated terrorists even, but an organized terrorist effort to me is different, which requires an investigation unto itself.
KAYE (voice-over): Protesters showed up Sunday in New York. They say Congressman King is demonizing the Muslim community. Last hour, I talked with a woman whose Muslim son was killed trying to save others on 9/11. I asked her if she thinks king's hearings could spell trouble for Muslims in America.
TALAT HAMDANI, SON KILLED ON 9/11: They have been persecuted -- I mean, would be. Take away our rights to pursue the faith of our choice which is our constitutional right and nobody can do that.
Even today, the White House came out with a statement saying that the national security person, Dennis McDonough, I think, and he said, yes, we need to look at the radicalization across the board and we are responsible to stand by our people. We are all Americans.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Talat Hamdani says she supports hearings on radicalization. She just doesn't think those hearings should be limited to just one faith group.
Absence is about to make the wallets grow thinner in Indiana. If Democrats don't come back and fill those empty seats in the state House, they start paying fines, $250 a day.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE (voice-over): We'll ask if one is inspired to get in the car and head home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Plus, you'll meet a group of people who have left their families, their homes and their jobs to travel the country and warn that the end of days is coming, in May 21st, 2011, to be exact.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When we caravan, people give us the thumb. They say thumbs up. We also see people that, unfortunately, give us the other finger.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: We tagged along on the leg of their journey and we'll tell you why they are so convinced the end is near.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: It's 13 minutes past the hour. Welcome back. Indiana's Democratic state lawmakers bolted for Illinois to protest bills they see as anti-labor and anti-education. That's similar to what Democrats in Wisconsin have done.
But here is a key difference. Today absence starts to cost the Indiana Democrats $250 a day in fines if they don't return to the State House and take their seats.
Pat Bauer is the House Democratic leader. He joins us from Urbana, Illinois. So, Mr. Bauer, thank you for joining us. Is this financial incentive enough to make you go back across the border?
PAT BAUER, (D) INDIANA STATE HOUSE REPRESENTATIVE: Well, last week we took one step forward and by the end of the week we took two steps backwards. One of the majority members on the floor said when they inflicted the pain that this pain was meant for us and our families and hoped it hurt us.
KAYE: Is it the same issue -- is it the same issue as what we're seeing in Wisconsin over collective bargaining?
BAUER: Well, collective bargaining in Wisconsin has already happened for public workers, state workers, by executive order by the governor. This is deeper collective bargaining restrictions against teachers and local employees. So it's wider and it's deeper.
It also includes the right to work type language for construction workers, saying you can't have a project labor agreement. That means you cannot have an agreement that will help Indiana workers go back to work above minimum wage and they also rule out prevailing wages and also that would encourage more employers to bring illegal immigrants in which is something the Republican party says they're against. So it's contradictory. So there are several other issues deeper and wider than in Wisconsin.
KAYE: So do you plan to sit tight and pay these fines?
BAUER: We're willing to take some pain, too.
KAYE: So you'll pay these fines?
BAUER: Yes. Those fines are minimal compared to all the pain the workers and the teachers and the students are going to receive from what these bad bills are doing and so we can take some pain to help them avoid a lifetime of pain.
KAYE: Well, we'll keep watching it along with you. Pat Bauer, the House Democratic leader. Thanks for your time this morning.
BAUER: Thanks. Thank you.
KAYE: Here are some stories making news "Cross Country."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE (voice-over): The daughter of the last World War I veteran would like his body to lie in repose in the capitol. Frank Buckels died last Sunday at age 110, but congressional leaders are not supporting a resolution that would allow this. They say a service at Arlington National Cemetery would be more appropriate.
Hawaii's Kilauea volcano is putting on quite a show. Look at that lava shooting as high as 80 feet in the air yesterday after part of volcano's crater collapsed. Kilauea is one of the world's most active volcanoes. It's erupted 34 times since 1952 just in case you're keeping track.
And here's something that we've seen before. A fire onboard an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico. Coast guard helicopters rushed to the platform yesterday about 50 miles off Grand Isle, Louisiana. They put out the fire and rescued two workers who were working on it. The platform was shut two weeks ago and not producing any oil, it turns out.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Actor Charlie Sheen has shattered another Twitter record. Sheen just surpassed 2 million followers and he only joined the social media site less than a week ago.
"SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" host Brooke Anderson joins me now from New York. Brooke, good to see you. Charlie Sheen, what a weekend.
BROOKE ANDERSON, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT HOST: To us, Randi, yes, Charlie Sheen had quite the weekend. But by his standards it was probably just average, if that, but the Sheen phenomenon is in full force.
On Friday, it looked like Charlie was going to lose one of his two goddesses. The porn star reportedly packed her bags, moved out on Friday night, but she just couldn't stay away, was back on Saturday and Sheen told TMZ, it's all good now.
And his Twitter page, as you mentioned, continues to attract followers in record numbers. It's been less than a week, but he's already got more than 2 million followers. As he tweets it, another record shattered. We gobbled the soft target that was 2 million like a bag of troll house zombie chow, whatever that means.
Charlie also launched his own webcast over the weekend. It's called "Sheen's Korner." It's a multipart series that attracted more than 100,000 views. Sheen called the webcast, quote, "violent torpedo of truth," but admitted this morning that it was a total train wreck. It really was a mess.
It was like they had not prepared anything. More Sheen news is coming from Dallas today. Billionaire Mark Cuban who is primarily known as the owner of the Dallas Mavericks basketball team, owns the HD Net Television Network, and he told "The Dallas Morning News" that he has reached out to Sheen about trying to work together.
And last, but not least, Sheen was the focus of the folks at "Saturday Night Live" and they really did a brilliant job. Sheen even loved it himself. Randi, he tweeted that it was brilliant and gnarly, but he didn't say gnarly. He tweeted Gnarlington, Virginia.
KAYE: You know, he's so busy these days. I don't even think he would have time for "Two and a Half Men" even if he was still doing the show.
Let's talk about Miley Cyrus now. She has been taking a lot of heat in the press. But she showed off her sense of humor about it on "Saturday Night Live," didn't she?
ANDERSON: She did, Randi. She had a little fun hosting "SNL" appearing in a skit, actually, that regularly makes fun of her. She also opened the show doing a little musical number. So let's take a look at that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MILEY CYRUS: I never stole a necklace or got a DUI. Never cheated on my wife like that golfer guy so what you could see a little boo from the side. I'm sorry that I'm not perfect.
ANDERSON (voice-over): I guess she is saying. It could be worse. It's pretty funny, Randi, and some good press for Miley.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE (voice-over): Yes. It's not a bad thing to make fun of yourself and what's this I'm hearing about a big star who has decided to record a country album.
ANDERSON: Yes, it was only a matter of time. We're talking about Gwyneth Paltrow. She played a country singer in her film "Country Strong." She has been everywhere on stage performing, the Country Music Awards, the Oscars, the Grammies.
There are reports she is very close to a record deal with Atlantic Records. The idea of a country album has been rumored for a while with Paltrow. She has admitted that she was in discussions about it.
Randi, I think, you know, she's got a solid voice. She does a great job in roles like the recurring one that she has on "Glee" and is married to a rock star so this just seems like the logical next step.
KAYE: I think so. You know, for years she's been a singer trapped in an actress' body so it's about time for her.
ANDERSON: Multitalented woman.
KAYE: Yes, she certainly is. Brooke Anderson, thank you. Want information on everything breaking in the entertainment world? Well, Brooke has it this evening on "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" at 5:00 and 11:00 p.m. on HLN.
So how is this for a wake-up call.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Space, the final frontier. These have been the voyages of the space shuttle "Discovery." Her 30-year mission to build new outposts, to bring nations together on the final frontier, to boldly go and do what no spacecraft has done before.
KAYE (voice-over): Well, if you think you recognize the voice, you may be right. That is the voice of William Shatner. He reprised his role of Star Trek's Captain James Kirk to wake up the crew of the space shuttle "Discovery" this morning. The shuttle has begun its final journey home. It's scheduled to land Wednesday, then retire to the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C.
(END VIDEO CLIP) KAYE: If your boss got the boot and then gave everyone a raise on his way out the door, what would you say?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: We have a story just in from the U.S. Supreme Court. Just minutes ago the majority of the justices ruled that a death row inmate has the right to demand that some of the evidence can undergo DNA testing for the very first time. The case, of course, has widespread implications so let's get the latest from CNN's Bill Mears. Bill, what can you tell us about this?
BILL MEARS, CNN SUPREME COURT PRODUCER (via telephone): It was a 6-3 vote by the justices. It was a pretty narrow ruling and the issue was whether capital inmates had a basic federal civil right to have this forensic evidence reviewed late in the process.
The justices said on that narrow question, yes. So it does buy some more legal time for Henry Skinner who was convicted back in 1994 of murdering his girlfriend and her two adult sons. He's been claiming for years that he did not do this and says that if the DNA testing is done on other bits of evidence it will clear his name and if put to death an innocent man would be executed.
KAYE: There was also a ruling today on birthers, the question of whether or not President Obama was born here in the United States or not. That apparently is not going to be heard by the Supreme Court?
MEARS: Not heard for the second time. The justices in January had rejected a request for the court to consider the claims to examine the birth certificate of President Obama, that he is not a natural born citizen.
While the petitioners who lost that case, they asked the court to reconsider it and the justices for a second time have said, no, we're not going to get into this issue at least not now.
KAYE: All right, Bill Mears, watching those developments for us. Thank you, Bill.
It's 10:30 in the east now, 7:30 in the west. Right now, we're watching flooding across Indiana. The water in some areas could be at their highest levels this year with more rain on the way this week.>
How much will gasoline go up today? Right now the national average is $3.51 per gallon, a 33 cent spike in two weeks, the second biggest price jump ever.
And Defense Secretary Robert Gates making a surprise visit to U.S. troops at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan.
All right, so imagine your boss is fired from his job and before he clears out his desk, he rushes through a big pay raise are for everyone. Well, that's what a new study suggests outgoing members of Congress did with your tax dollars. CNN's senior congressional correspondent Dana Bash on Capitol Hill here to explain, what is this all about, Dana?
DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is an interesting story in "The Wall Street Journal" where they compiled facts and figures from the watchdog group and what they found is that 96 lawmakers at the end of last year paid their employees a total of $6.7 million in the fourth quarter, that's important to note.
That was a 31 percent increase over the first three quarters of the year. That's about twice as much as the fourth quarter of last year. Now the reason for that salary spike, it seems, is that people, members of Congress, who were defeated or who retired decided to give bonuses to the people who were losing jobs. Some staffers in their offices.
Now, we should point out that this is not illegal. This is something that has been done by members of Congress in both parties, and it's also interesting to note that members of Congress, Randi, they get budgets. They get budgets averaging from about $1.5 million to $2 million. They can spend it any way they want. They can use it on paper clips, they can use it on toner, and they can use it to pay staffers if they choose to hire. So, this is up to them, at their discretion, how they use their money even if it is at the end of a year. But it also is noteworthy many members of Congress who are defeated or are retiring, they choose to give that money back to the Treasury, especially in times like these.
KAYE: So, even though it has a lot of people shaking their heads, you're saying that it's not so unusual. But a lot of members, do they look at this as a way to reward staffers who could be making more money in the private sector?
BASH: They do seem to look at that. Let me show you some numbers in terms of how much people up here make. The average House staffer makes between - salaries range, I should say - between $20,000 and $168,411 annually. The average is about $60,000.
Now let's be honest, a lot of people out there watching saying, wow, that looks like a pretty good salary to me, and it certainly is not a bad salary at all. But what members of Congress tend to think, some of them, is there are people working for them literally round the clock, especially those who were running for reelection. Some of their aides took vacation and really went to work on their campaigns, and this is potentially a way to reward those staffers.
And let me show you one other statistic, and that is that there is a rule that says members of Congress' staff cannot make any more than $14,034 per month. So, that a means that this so-called bonus, if a member of Congress chooses to go this route with their aides, it's really capped, so there's only so much they can give their aides, especially those making the highest -- at the higher end of the salary range.
But it certainly is a very interesting practice and an interesting statistics that we got here from, again, 'The Wall Street Journal," by way of Legistorm, which is a very, very interesting watchdog group that keeps track of what people get paid and what people do up here on Capitol Hill.
KAYE: Always interesting. All right. Dana Bash helping us all make sense of that, thank you.
BASH: Thanks, Randi.
KAYE: All right. Let's quickly get updated on what's happening where in Libya today. Here's the country. Most cities and most of the people live on the Mediterranean coast. The capital, Tripoli, far to the northwest. And the oil-rich city of Benghazi to the east, not far from the Egyptian border.
When we talk who is in control, we mean whether the city is firmly occupied by either anti-government rebels or officials taking orders from Moammar Gadhafi. Benghazi in rebel control. In fact, that's where budding government seems to be taking seed. Tripoli has not seen much street fighting, relatively speaking, still under government control.
Now here is where it gets a whole lot less certain. The cities of Bin Jawad, Misrata and Zawiya, all scenes of clashes and battles over the past few days. Rebels say that they're in control there. People in Tripoli say not true. CNN, has no way, of course, of verifying either account. So, Misrata is not definite. Zawiya not definite. Bin Jawad, also not definite. We have unconfirmed reports of fighting there and in Misrata, where more than 40 people were reported dead just yesterday.
And I have to tell you that we are getting this information from witnesses. CNN does not have independent confirmation of the fighting or of those casualties there. We're doing our best to confirm what we can on the ground.
The unrest in Libya translates to higher gas prices here in the U.S. So, we thought we'd spend some time on the things we do to get better gas mileage and maybe save money. Of course, there are a whole lot of suggestions out there. Some are good ideas, others just plain crazy.
Here to help us separate the facts from the myths, Robert Sinclair, Jr. of the New York AAA. Good to see you, Robert. Let's talk first about what are some things you can advise right off the top here to get better gas mileage?
ROBERT SINCLAIR, JR., NEW YORK STATE AAA: Well, vehicle maintenance is very important. We don't do tune-ups, per se, these days, but whatever you have to do to a modern vehicle to make sure that it's in optimum running condition, you should do that. Take it to the technician and let him do those things.
Some things that motorists can do themselves include checking tire pressure. It's very critical that your tires be properly inflated. The government study found fully a third of us driving around on under-inflated tires. And for every pound per square inch that your tires are under-inflated you lose one percent of your gas mileage per tire. So, you want to check the little tag inside the driver's door jam and make sure your tires are properly inflated.
The other thing is to change the air filter. If you imagine, a dirty air filter is like a marathon runner trying to breathe through a straw. The engine is going to use more power trying to pull that air past the dirty air filter. So, you should make sure it's clean.
Some things like very simply taking the excess weight out of the trunk. A lot of people have the so-called "junk in the trunk" syndrome. And all that extra weight we are carrying around, extraneous weight, makes the engine work harder, makes you use more gasoline.
KAYE: Got it. So let's put some of the facts and the myths to a test here if you will. So, just humorous here. A lot of people probably think that they should put their transmission into neutral and maybe coast going down the hill. Is that a myth or a fact that that's going to save on gasoline?
SINCLAIR: That's -- well, it will save you gasoline, but an infinitely small amount. What's really more important is the predicament it puts you in. Driving around in neutral isn't good. It might become an emergency situation where you have to accelerate, and that extra second or two that it might take to put the vehicle in neutral is going to be perhaps a second or two that winds you getting in a crash rather than avoiding it.
KAYE: All right. So, mark that one down as a myth. What about cutting through gas stations to avoid red lights? Is that going to save anything?
SINCLAIR: yes, well, so-called hyper milers back in 2008 when they were coming up with all sorts of different things to do to try to advance your gas mileage came up with that idea. It's dangerous, number 1. It might hit pedestrians or other vehicles that are moving through a gas station. It probably is illegal in many municipalities where avoiding a red light is something that you can be cited for. So, sitting at a red light burning gasoline is not good, but the alternatives are worse.
KAYE: All right. What about driving without air conditioning? A lot of folks I know who do this. Is that going to save anything? Myth or fact?
SINCLAIR: Well, six on the one hand, half a dozen on the other, driving without air conditioning. But then you'll have the windows open and that creates extra aerodynamic drag. With vehicle manufacturers build their vehicles, they design them to run with the windows closed, and that is a way that many manufacturers are getting better fuel economy these days by making the vehicles more slippery aerodynamically.
So, if you drive with the windows closed but the air conditioning is on, the extra strain on the engine using the air conditioner uses more gasoline. But driving with the windows open creates extra aerodynamic drag. So, toss the dice, take a pick, whatever you want to do. Either one. KAYE: All right. Well, I know you touched on this already, but it is worth repeating because it is important. Keeping your tires properly inflated. Myth or fact that that's going to help you out?
SINCLAIR: Oh, that without a doubt is going to help you. If you've ever ridden a bicycle that had low tire pressure, and remember how difficult it was, and then you go to the gas station and pump the tires up and you go whizzing along, gliding along. It's so much easier. It's very important for gas mileage but also very important for safety. Your tires have be to be properly inflated so that they don't fold over in turns and that kind of thing.
Very dangerous having underinflated tires. They can also blow out at high speeds, which is very dangerous.
RAYE: And what about planning your route? Myth or fact that that's going to help you?
SINCLAIR: That will definitely help you, especially with GPS devices these days. When you are plugging in your destination, they offer you the option of, say, the fastest route, the shortest route, the shortest time, those sort of things. Generally the shortest distance -- like we say, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. So, pick the shortest distance if you're programming a destination with your GPS device. And that should cut down on the distance that you're traveling and thus the miles that you're going to travel.
KAYE: All right. Well, those are great tips. I'm glad we busted some of those myths wide open, and now we got the facts down. Robert Sinclair, Jr., thank you so much.
So, what if I told you there was a group of people traveling the country right now warning that the end of days was just a few months away?
(VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Well, that's what some Christians are doing, and we tagged along on a leg of their trip to ask them why.
So that got us thinking: the end of the world has been anticipated many times, of course. They've all come and gone. But we wanted to take a look at some of the most memorable.
The book of Genesis in the Bible tells that God unleashed a massive flood that wiped out almost all life on earth. But humankind was saved by a man named Noah who built that ark that carried his family and two of every living creature to safety.
In the 1830s Baptist preacher William Miller predicted the end of the world would occur between March 21, 1843 and March 21,1844. Well, when that didn't happen, the date was recalculated to October 22, 1844. Of course, we know that didn't happen either.
So what are some other apocalyptic predictions from the past? I'll tell you in just two minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Before the break, we were taking a look at some apocalyptic predictions that have been made over the last few centuries. Well, here's another one. A woman in Chicago with the alias Marian Keech said she received a message from aliens that a flood would destroy the earth on December 21, 1954. She said her followers would be beamed up to safety. No aliens showed up. No massive flood engulfed the earth.
And for some Christians, the end is May 21, 2011. According to their biblical calculations, that's when a massive earthquake will send the world into turmoil, leading to its ultimate demise on October 21.
Some of those members are so convinced that doomsday is upon us they have left their homes, their jobs, their families to travel the country and warn people that the end is near.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DARRYL KEITT, PROJECT CARAVAN MEMBER: We travel to as many states as possible to proclaim the fact that May 21st, 2011, is the day of the Lord's return.
When we caravan, we see people that give us the thumb. They say thumbs up. We also see people that, unfortunately, give us the other finger.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Jessica Ravitz is a writer/producer with CNN.com. She actually traveled with the group on a leg of their journey and is here to tell us all about it.
So, why May 21 -- why is that date so significant?
JESSICA RAVITZ, WRITER/PRODUCER, CNN.COM: They say the Bible teaches us the guy who really came up with this is someone who has been studying the Bible for 50 years. And he's been crunching his biblical numbers and he has determined that is the day that those who are saved will be raptured to heaven, and the rest of us will experience doom and gloom for five months until the world actually ends on October 21st.
RAYE: That sounds lovely. The group is warning people -- they are also passing out fliers. What are they telling people, and what's been the reaction?
RAVITZ: They're out warning people to prepare for the end, but the irony is you really can't do much because they also believe that God has predetermined who will be saved. So, they want people studying the Scripture, but if you're not on the saved list, you might as well kick back with some doughnuts.
KAYE: Did you talk to them at all about what their plan is to enjoy their last few months if this really does happen here on earth?
RAVITZ: I did ask them if they had a bucket list of things they wanted to do. And they looked at me like I was crazy. They're doing what they need to be doing in their minds. They will be passing out flyers until the end. And they won't even entertain what will happen if they wake up on May 22 if they're still here.
KAYE: I can't imagine what their families must think because some of these people have left their families and their homes and everything they know.
RAVITZ: I know. I know. And a lot seem to have strained relationships with their families for obvious reasons, but some people still feel supported and loved and they're praying for their families they'll come around and see the truth as well.
KAYE: So, we gave this whole list just a moment ago of all the dooms days that have come and gone. Do they talk about that or what makes them so sure that theirs is going to be the one?
RAVITZ: The date that they do talk about the Mayan date of December 21, 2012. In a way, that's their competition right now. And they are completely dismissive of that. I mean, the Mayans aren't here anymore, and they believe in the Bible.
KAYE: So, when May 21 comes and goes and we're all still here, what do you think they'll say?
RAVITZ: Well, based on my interviews with this scholar, Lorenzo DeTemaso, he talked about he's been studying apocalyptic views for 12 years. And he says, you know, they will always come back and say there was an interpretation flaw in the Bible --
KAYE: Set another date.
RAVITZ: Yes. They'll reset the clock. Exactly.
KAYE: Jessica, that's very interesting. I'm sure it was a very interesting road trip --
RAVITZ: It was fun.
KAYE: -- at least that leg of it. I'm sure it's very interesting group. All right, Jessica, thank you.
RAVITZ: Thank you.
KAYE: To read more about Jessica Ravitz's trip or some other doomsday premonitions of the past, head over to CNN.com and the CNN.com Belief Blog.
Listen closely to what Senator John McCain told ABC this week, and then see if you can figure out what's wrong with what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: I would also point out that if it emptied that house there, if you left a computer there or an iPad or an iPhone, those are built in the United State of America. And as the president said continuously, and I agree with him, innovation is the key to possibly being able to restore our economy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: So think about that for just a moment and we'll tell you the mistake he made when we come back.
A new poll takes the temperature of political names. Michelle Obama is the hottest. But Nancy Pelosi is just above freezing. See where the others come in on the thermometer next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Just about 10 minutes before the hour. Senator John McCain may need to check with a techie after he misspoke during an interview. McCain told ABC's "This Week" that iPads and iPhones are American made.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: I would also point out that if it emptied that house there, if you left a computer there or an iPad or an iPhone, those are built in the United State of America. And as the president said continuously, and I agree with him, innovation is the key to possibly being able to restore our economy. And that's got to be exports.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: The iPad, the iPhone and the iTouch each have the words "Designed by Apple Inc California, assembled in China" on the back. McCain's office tells CNN the senator is aware of that.
Donald Trump is showing interest in a possible White House run by sending an adviser to Iowa today. CNN senior political editor Mark Preston here with that story. Good morning, Mark.
MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL EDITOR: Hey, good morning, Randi. The Trump plane has landed in Iowa. In fact, his executive vice president, Michael Cohen, is meeting with the Iowa Republican party chairman as we speak right now on the airplane.
Now, Mr. Trump has said that he seriously is considering running for president; he won't make a decision until June but people think that Mr. Trump is just using this to help market his new show, the "Celebrity Apprentice," which, of course, debuted last night. We'll have to see what he does over the next couple of months, see if Mr. Trump is really interesting in running for president. If he does, he would be running as a Republican, Randi.
Another Republican said to be considering running for the Republican presidential nomination is the U.S. ambassador to China, John Huntsman. He actually got an endorsement from the White House yesterday, not an endorsement you would want necessarily. The White House chief of staff, Bill Daley, said this about Mr. Huntsman yesterday. "His support of the Obama administration, his support of the president, the things he did on behalf of this administration, and the closeness in which he worked with the president is most appreciated, and I'm sure he'll talk about that in the primaries."
Now, Mr. Huntsman is about to leave his position as U.S. ambassador to China. A lot of Republicans think that if he does run, he could be hurt because he decided to leave his post as the Utah governor to work for the Obama administration. Randi?
KAYE: And, Mark, I love this next story. This new survey out that rates the hottest and the coolest politicians. So, who made the list?
PRESTON: Let's just look at the top five and the bottom five very quickly. Probably no surprise: Michelle Obama leads the list. She was number one. They actually did this in degrees. She came in at number 1. Bill Clinton number. 2. Chris Christie, the New Jersey governor, came in at number 3. President Obama number 4. And the former New York City mayor, Rudy Giuliani, came in at number 5.
But let's look at the bottom. Nancy Pelosi came in at the very bottom. Working our way up, Harry Reid number 2. Sarah Palin number 3. Newt Gingrich number 4 and Haley Barbour, the Mississippi governor, number 5. Randi?
KAYE: Hmm. Very interesting list. I'm sure they'll be talking about that at home at the White House tonight. Thank you, Mark.
And still ahead, the latest in developments in Libya. And at 11:30 Eastern time, a special live interview with former defense secretary William Cohen on what could happen in the coming weeks. Don't miss his interview with Suzanne Malveaux, coming up in the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM.
And it could be a royal wedding with an edge. The rebellious fashion house that just might have its designs on Kate Middleton.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Checking stories, making news. President Obama holds his first White House meeting with Australia's prime minister. That meeting was set to begin just a short time ago. The two will discuss shared interests, including Afghanistan and a pullout of NATO troops this summer.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wants to put more emphasis on women's issues. She is launching the 100 Women Initiative at the State Department. It comes during a weeklong series of events, marking International Women's Day, which is tomorrow. The initiative encourages international exchanges aimed at giving women more control of their own lives.
So, who will Kate Middleton be wearing when she says "I do" to Prince William? The princess-to-be may share a look with, believe it or not, Lady Gaga.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: This may be the most anticipated fashion question of the century. Who will Kate Middleton wear when she says "I do" to Prince William?
One of London's most trusted newspapers says the answer is Alexander McQueen. "The Sunday Times" reports Middleton will wear a gown designed by Sarah Burton, McQueen's creative director. Burton and the fashion label, of course, deny the reports. The McQueen brand created the gown Michelle Obama wore to a state dinner earlier this year, and the label is also behind some of Lady Gaga's very eccentric looks.
No matter what that dress looks like, a lot of people will be watching.
Let's hand it over to Suzanne Malveaux to pick it up from here.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Oh, yes, Randi. I know I'll be watching. That will be really exciting to see. Huh?
KAYE: Oh yes.
MALVEAUX: The queen and also Lady Gaga wearing the same designer. Who knew? Who'd a thunk it, huh?
Thanks, Randi.
