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American Morning

Oil Prices Continue to Rise; Putting Islam on Trial; Inside a Hockey Tough Guy's Brain; GOP Race for 2012; Job Seekers: How to Brand Yourself

Aired March 07, 2011 - 07:00   ET

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


T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Gas prices rising overnight once again. So, can your government do anything to help you out on this AMERICAN MORNING?

And hello to you all on this Monday, 7th day of March. Welcome to AMERICAN MORNING. I'm T.J. Holmes.

KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Kiran Chetry. Glad you' re with us this morning.

Yes. We're talking about gas prices this morning. As we said, they've been going up steadily, but now, they're breaking records. Rising at a near record rate. This morning, up for the 13th straight day, according to AAA, the national average for a gallon of regular is now $3.51 a gallon. Over the past two weeks alone, gas prices have shot up 34 cents.

You know, that is the second biggest two-week jump since they started tracking prices. Our Christine Romans is "Minding Your Business" this morning talking about some options, if any. I mean, is it sort of naive of us to assume that the White House can do anything to change gas prices?

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: It's interesting because the two dynamics in the country right now are, we want the government out of our life, and then, all of a sudden, we're like, wait, we want the government to do something about gas prices, right?

CHETRY: Right.

ROMANS: There's something called the strategic petroleum reserve. This is an emergency stockpile of fuel that the United States has. We've been keeping emergency supplies, really, since the 1940s, and this is what Bill Daley, the president's chief of staff said this weekend.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL DALEY, WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: The issue of the reserve is when we're considering. It is something that only is done -- has been done in very rare occasions. There's a bunch of factors that have to be looked at.

(END VIDEO CLIP) ROMANS: So would we do it? Can they do it? Yes, they can. It's the president's call. Have they done it? Very, very rarely. What is it, 727 million barrels of crude oil that's been tapped twice during the first Persian Gulf War and then during the hurricanes Ike and Gustav in 2008 because of some damage to the region's refining areas and storage areas.

Look, is it likely? Many people are telling me no, no. It is just so rare. The White House even raising the prospect of this could be an attempt to try to push down gas prices. What could they do? Well, they could roll back a gas tax. That's something that some are already calling for, different gas taxes and states that roll that back. How likely? Again, unlikely. Government gas control, price controls, they tried that in the '70s. Again, very, very unlikely.

And where to do we get our oil? You know 51 percent of it is imported from the rest of the world, which is why the Libya story is so important, and 49 percent is U.S. petroleum production. Where do we get it from the rest of the world? Well, from the western hemisphere, we get about -- a lot of it from Venezuela, Mexico, Canada, Africa, Nigeria, Libya, the Persian Gulf, of course, and other places, as well.

So this is why -- this is why whenever there are geopolitical concerns like we're seeing in Libya and the rest of the region, even if countries are completely stable in the Middle East, completely stable, like Saudi Arabia, for example, what you've seen in Libya and Egypt raises the concern and we've got that going on here. And you're feeling it, very fast rising gas prices. It's really remarkable.

T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Doesn't look like relief any time soon because of what we're seeing in Libya. Christine, thank you.

Let's turn to what we're talking about in Libya right now. Listen to this. The U.N. is putting out this ominous warning. There could, and I quote here, "be more carnage ahead in the coming days." There's new fighting taking place in two Libyan cities right now.

Our CNN crews have been reporting that there have been airstrikes in the town of Ras Lanuf, families have been fleeing to this eastern Libya town. Meanwhile, Gadhafi counter attacks going on in Misrata, about 200 miles from the capital of Tripoli. Misrata is the third largest city there and an important economic hub.

The opposition has been celebrating, saying they have fought off the airstrikes and tanks there, but Colonel Gadhafi and his government saying something different.

The scene from Tripoli is very different. Take a look at what you're seeing here. People have been celebrating the victories for Gadhafi, saying they believe his claim that foreigners and Al Qaeda are responsible. Nic Robertson live for us in Tripoli this morning. Nic, hello to you again. There's been so much talk about the fear of civil war. Are we there yet? If not, how close are we?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, when I interviewed Moammar Gadhafi's son on Friday night, he told me the country's not civil war. I said what is civil war if it's not what we're seeing? He say this is when the people begin to fight the people. And he went on to say everyone in this country is armed.

What you still appear to have are the army and factions loyal, armed loyal to Gadhafi fighting rebel opposition forces. They might be regular on both sides, but it's not yet the people pitched against the people.

However, what you do appear to be getting into here is the protected military campaign. Neither side appears to be at a decisive blow against the other. The towns, both of them very close to the capital, both of them very, very important for the government to win. It held on to by perhaps several hundred rebels in each case, yet the government not able to go in and defeat them.

So what does that say about their ability to hold on to the rest of the country? How effectively they can do that? That's going to be very tough. It gets to look like a contracted military campaign, T.J.

HOLMES: Nic Robertson, we appreciate you as always.

Also new this morning, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates making a surprise visit to Afghanistan, got there a little earlier this morning. He's scheduled to visit U.S. troops, also speak with Afghan leaders, including the Afghan President Hamid Karzai who right now is saying too many civilians killed by NATO airstrikes.

CHETRY: The U.S. Navy coming to the rescue of a Japanese oil tanker under attack by pirates. This happened Saturday off the coast of Oman. A special unit, which you see there, climbed aboard the vessel, able to capture the four pirates without any gun shots being fired. Officials say they are now deciding what will happen to the pirates.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HOLMES: Well, Republican congressmen, one of them saying something within the Muslim community is a threat to America that needs to be explored. And that has sparked protests over his planned hearings on Muslim extremism. We'll debate this next.

CHETRY: Also, one of Hawaii's hot spots a whole lot hotter this morning. Lava shooting into the air as one of the world's most active volcanoes erupts again.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Well, it's 10 minutes past the hour on this "American Morning." We have been seeing protests over hearings coming up this week on radical Islam. Critics, however, say this is essentially putting Islam on trial. Congressman Peter King of New York, he told our "STATE OF THE UNION" that American Muslims are becoming more radical and identifying with terrorists.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) REP. PETER KING, (R) NEW YORK: Eric Holder is not saying he's staying awake at night because of what's coming from anti-abortion demonstrators, or environmental extremists or neo-Nazis. It's the radicalization right now in Muslim communities. Janet Napolitano said two weeks ago when she testified before our committee that the terror threat now is as high as it's been since September 11th because of domestic radicalization.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Well, Representative King, as you see there, he has invited Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, president of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy, to testify at the hearing coming up this week. He joins us this morning. He's in favor of those hearings. Good morning to you.

Many Muslim-Americans like Eboo Patel are against it. He is president of the Interfaith Youth Corps. You may remember his name and the face. He also served on President Obama's inaugural advisory council of faith-based and neighborhood partnerships. He has a heck of a title there. But gentlemen, good morning to you both.

Eboo, We hear what it is. A lot of people saying it's something else. Do you believe these hearings are, in fact, putting Islam on trial?

EBOO PATEL, LEADING MUSLIM ADVOCATE: Look, T.J., the single most important thing to every American, including every Muslim American is the security of this country. Our children were born here, with want them to grow up living healthy and full lives with Americans of all backgrounds. This is the time for our leaders to be calling on us to be united to face the common challenge of domestic threats of terrorism.

American-Muslims have done a fantastic job of meeting the challenge. We want to be united with our fellow Americans to make sure this country is safe and secure for our children and your children. And I think peter king, the way he's framing these hearings is not asking us to be united. He's dividing us by religion.

HOLMES: Dr. Jasser, you seem to disagree with that. And why not? Why wouldn't Muslims feel like they are being put on trial, and this is not us all together solving a problem, but it's Americans, quite frankly, against Muslims trying to solve a problem.

DR. ZUHDI JASSER, PRESIDENT AMERICAN ISLAMIC FORUM FOR DEMOCRACY: I can't tell you how much I disagree with that. In fact, this is an opportunity for American Muslims to show that we want to lead a fight to stop the radicalization. We failed as a country in defeating radical Islamists, and we failed to find solutions. And it's time to have some hearings about this and figure out how we as Muslims can have a Muslim solution to this.

This is not putting Islam on trial or Muslims. In fact it's an opportunity for us to fight this, figure out the source. We have too long as a nation, T.J., been focused just on violence, that final step. Muslims aren't -- the vast majority of Muslims have been turning people in when they see it, they're part of the solution. But the ideology we've done nothing to counter. As the prime minister in England said, we have to drain the pool, but we have to drain the pool. And American-Muslim communities, I think have been too busy circling the wagon and inflaming this concept of anti-Muslim bigotry, et cetera, rather than dealing with self-criticism, reform, and I think that would be the best way to earn the respect and companionship of the rest of America.

HOLMES: Eboo, let me bring you back in because it seems your answers were in conflict. It seems that Dr. Jasser is saying the Muslim- American community has a whole lot more to do within. And you are saying that partnership has been there. What's the divide between you two? Eboo, you go.

PATEL: Attorney General Eric Holder has said that Muslim cooperation and investigations against terror threats has been essential. Sheriff Baca in Los Angeles calls it overwhelming. The fact is that -- that in a third of the cases in which Muslim-Americans have been involved terribly in domestic terror attempts, it has been other Muslim- Americans who have sent tips and turned them in.

Listen, we want a safe country. And anybody who wants to threaten this country -- if they use the prayer language of Arabic, which is my prayer language, they are twisting my faith, they are threatening my nature, they are endangering my children, they are my enemy.

But Muslim Americans have to be invited to the table as we have come to the table with such great alacrity in the past. We need to be united to fight the common threat of a domestic threat.

HOLMES: Dr. Jasser, you were invited here. I don't want to put words in your mouth or characterize you. But would it be fair to say you are a conservative?

JASSER: My politics? Yes, I'm a conservative.

HOLMES: You're a conservative.

JASSER: My reform --

HOLMES: Your reform, go ahead.

JASSER: My reform group is really a nonpartisan group that works with all movements from left to right, to separate Muslim (ph) states. So I think we're so polarized in this country, focused on politics when this is a nonpartisan --

HOLMES: That's a good point there. And you have said before that you are an American first and a Muslim second. Would you say that most Muslim-Americans would agree with you in that sentiment? That they believe, yes, they are Muslims second, Americans first and foremost?

JASSER: Absolutely. And that's the issue is so far, T.J., most of the alphabet soup of groups that are Muslim in Washington that represent us, I don't think represent most American-Muslims. And this is the issue, a lot of the leadership. What I'm going to be testifying about is that many of the leadership of the American-Muslim communities have failed. The vast majority of Muslims have not failed. As Eboo said, they've been the heroes. They've been the ones turning people in. But at the end of the day, Nidal Hasan didn't turn radical overnight. It was a process. It was a culture, a culture of a lack of cooperation that led to him not being found years before he actually ended up wanting to do the violent act he did. And that's where we have to treat the problem, not at the final step, but long before.

HOLMES: Well, last thing, and, Eboo, I've got to let you have the last word if you can do this for me quickly. You never really know what in someone's heart. But Representative King, do you think this is an effort by a man who is misguided in his efforts but with good intentions? Or do you believe this is a man who has an anti-Muslim agenda?

EBOO PATEL, FOUNDER & PRESIDENT, INTERFAITH YOUTH CORE: I never impugn somebody's intentions. I always look to my fellow Americans and I expect the best from them and I hope the best for them. And in the next three days, I hope Peter King has something of a change of heart and he calls Americans to be united to face the common threat. American-Muslims have so far been such important players in facing this common threat. And we want to continue to be that. And we look to our leaders to invite us not to investigate.

HOLMES: Well, Dr. Jasser, I know you'll be testifying I believe that's on Thursday. Eboo Patel, I know you'll be watching closely as we all will be doing. But gentlemen, thank you so much for being here. I hope to follow up with you on this.

JASSER: Thank you.

PATEL: Thank you.

HOLMES: All right. Seventeen minutes past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING. Quick break. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: Twenty minutes past the hour right now. We have some amazing pictures to show you of one of the world's most active volcanoes.

Kilauea Volcano at it again over the weekend erupting. People there said it shot lava as high as 60 feet into the air. Scientists say that it happened when part of the crater floor collapsed. No homes were threatened. No one was injured, but park rangers did close a number of trails and a campground because of toxic fumes and also concerns that other parts of the volcano could collapse without warning.

HOLMES: Also, there's been so much talk of finding ways to cut government spending. Hey, you know, I wasn't trying to take your story here, Kiran. You want to listen to me? There is another effort underway that could have something to do with your wallet. What they could do is replace the dollar bill. No more dollar bill with a dollar coin instead. How would you like that jingling around in your pocket? Could save about $5.5 billion over the next 30 years. That number comes to us from the Government Accountability Office. Now, why could this help out? The coins actually have a longer life span.

CHETRY: I know, but nobody -- you know, but nobody likes them.

HOLMES: Coins.

CHETRY: I personally like them. The (INAUDIBLE) dollar, right?

HOLMES: Yes.

CHETRY: Because when you give it to somebody, they think you're giving them a quarter.

HOLMES: That's why you --

CHETRY: No, I'm saying that people don't appreciate getting them.

HOLMES: OK.

CHETRY: And there's a lot of machines that won't take them, either.

HOLMES: A dollar is a dollar.

CHETRY: But if they're going to do it, why don't they have a $5 coin, have a $10 coin, and then they won't -- you know, they won't have to print those either.

HOLMES: I hope they're listening.

CHETRY: Yes, that's going to --0 that's heavy pocket change.

Well, live from New York, it's Miley Cyrus. The singer and actress hosted "Saturday Night Live" this weekend for the first time. She managed to cover every one of her scandals in a singing monologue. Here's a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MILEY CYRUS, SINGER AND ACTRESS: I never stole a necklace or got a DUI. Never cheated on my wife like that golfer guy. So what you can see, a little boob from the side. I'm sorry that I'm not perfect.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Oh.

CHETRY: Not bad. What, you thought she was tough on Tiger?

HOLMES: I just wasn't expecting that from Miley Cyrus.

CHETRY: Well, she also appeared as Lindsay Lohan, as Fergie, as the Biebs in a variety of sketches.

HOLMES: She has scandals?

CHETRY: Yes.

HOLMES: I'm not familiar.

CHETRY: You know the salvia scandal.

HOLMES: OK, I know the smoking thing, right?

CHETRY: Yes.

HOLMES: OK.

CHETRY: And then the "Vanity Fair" where she was 15 and she was photographed with, you know, with looking like she was just wearing a sheet.

HOLMES: OK. What else?

CHETRY: Well, not even if they're so scandalous is that --

HOLMES: OK.

CHETRY: -- you always run into that when you come up as a child star and people want you to stay wholesome. Everyone wants Lindsay Lohan to be from, you know, "The Parent Trap." Everybody wants Miley Cyrus to be "Hannah Montana" and, you know, they want Britney Spears to be part of the "Mickey Mouse Club." They grow up.

HOLMES: That train left the station a long time ago, isn't it?

CHETRY: Can't put that horse back in the barn.

HOLMES: Coming up, we are going inside the NHL. We've been talking so much of the NFL. The NFL talking so much about concussions and safety. Well, the NHL looking into it, as well. We'll tell you about what they possibly could be doing.

CHETRY: There's a move underfoot in states around the country prosecute teens -- to stop prosecuting teens as adults to bring them back into the juvenile court system. This is -- this is bucking a trend that has been happening over decades. We're going to be taking a closer look at this with our legal analyst Sunny Hostin.

Twenty-three minutes past the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHETRY: Twenty-five minutes past the hour right now. NHL hockey is the fastest and maybe the most physical sport where players lose teeth, they get stitches, they fight with each other and it's OK. And they really never miss a shift.

HOLMES: Yes. Now the death of one of sport's most famous enforcers has doctors worried about how much brain damage all of this is causing. Jason Carroll looking into this for us once again. Usually we're talking about NFL and concussions, but now NHL.

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, and a lot of research now going into what's going on in this particular case. You know, you probably heard about it happening to football players and to boxers. Now research shows it's also happening to hockey players.

Researchers at the University of Boston have found a brain degeneration disease in two former NHL players. Most recently in Bob Probert who died last year at the age of 45 of heart failure. In hockey terms, Probert was the type of player called an enforcer, known for fighting opposing players. The result, years of blows to the head. Head trauma is one of the causes of chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE. The co-director of Boston University's program says the NHL has taken some action, but he says it does not go far enough.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. ROBERT CANTU, BOSTON UNIVERSITY: Last fall, the NHL stepped up, put a foot forward and said you can't blind side hit the head anymore. That's one step forward. Now they have to put the other step forward and simply say that all purposeful hits to the head need to be taken out of ice hockey.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: Well, for now, you can only determine if someone has CTE after they died. The news about Probert has deeply concerned some current and former NHL players.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BOB RAY, FORMER NHL PLAYER: When you start hearing things about Bob Probert and other guys that played another pro sports, you really start to think about it and you look back and you go, hey, I wouldn't have changed anything I did, I lived my dream, I was able to play in the NHL, but at what price?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: Well, both the NHL and its players' union are aware of the research. But when we reached out to them, both declined on-camera interviews. The NHL telling us, "The findings are interesting and certainly something we'll add to a much broader body of knowledge but we're not going to react or make changes based on findings related to just one player."

Well, Dr. Cantu says he hopes to study more NHL players soon, especially those skilled players. Those are the type, type of players who have not taken as much abuse as folks like Probert did.

You know, just to give it some perspective, we know that Probert had 246 fights in 16 seasons. That is a lot of heavy, you know, action going to the head. You know, but his wife, his widow says that she is not sure if it was the fighting or if it was the game itself. And that's going to be part of the research, as well.

CHETRY: It will be interesting to see, he wrote a book, right? "Tough Guy: My Life on the Edge," but he died before it was completed.

CARROLL: Correct.

CHETRY: And now his family wanted to complete it. I mean, so he'll tell some of his personal story. But did these athletes have to volunteer to donate?

CARROLL: They do.

CHETRY: So it actually takes a person thinking maybe something's wrong and --

CARROLL: And later in Probert's life, in fact, he said he saw a story about CTE and said, you know, maybe I should have my brain donated.

CHETRY: Wow.

CARROLL: And he decided that, you know, before his untimely death at the age of 45.

CHETRY: That's amazing.

HOLMES: All right.

CHETRY: Jason Carroll, thanks so much.

HOLMES: Jason, we appreciate you.

CARROLL: You bet.

CHETRY: Top stories right now as we cross the half hour. You're again feeling the pinch of rising gas prices. The national average for a gallon of regular, $3.51. That's up a penny from yesterday. The highest that gas prices have been in some time. But really in California right now, they're dealing with $3.90 a gallon.

HOLMES: Also, we're continuing to follow the developments in Libya and they are fast moving. The battle for a couple of cities continues from fresh fighting there. Colonel Gadhafi is saying that he is launching attacks and that the government in charge of the all- important city of Misrata, that's the third largest city in Libya and also a major economic hub. But the opposition forces celebrating saying they have fought off some of the air strikes and tanks there.

Meanwhile the U.N. with an ominous warning that more carnage could come in the days ahead as these battles get closer and closer to Tripoli.

CHETRY: Former French President Jacques Chirac goes on trial today. He's accused of embezzling money from the city of Paris when he was mayor to pay people who worked for his political party. Chirac denies these allegations, but he could face a five-year sentence and a fine of up to $100,000, if convicted.

Well, there is a new trend emerging in the courts across the country in how they're treating teens convicted of crimes. After years of being harder on them, charging them as adults and putting them in prison populations with adults. More and more kids are now being treated as juvenile delinquents.

HOLMES: Our legal analyst Sunny Hostin has been looking on this for us. She's a former prosecutor, a friend of the show, as well, and also legal contributor to "In Session" on our sister network, TruTV. Good morning to you.

SUNNY HOSTIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Good morning.

HOLMES: Why the trend now going back the other direction with these kids?

HOSTIN: You know, I think we have more statistics now. I think there's been more studying done. And it's clear that if you're a juvenile in the juvenile justice system, the focus is on rehabilitation. In the adult system, the focus is really on punishment. And I think as a society, the pendulum is swinging towards we want to save these young people. I mean, there's sort of our future, are they not? And I think with the statistics now we realized the brain is very different for a juvenile. You know, most people will agree, I think and doctors will agree.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta did a report on this, the brain does not mature until 25. And so the Supreme Court has found that juveniles are less mature, their brains are just not really developed, their character isn't developed, and they really have a lot of peer pressure and they're susceptible to that. And so I think the criminal justice system is just sort of catching up with what the medical experts have known for quite some time.

CHETRY: And when you see something in the - the "New York Times" did an entire article, talking about some of the states that are moving away from it. They talked about 37 states, the District of Columbia, and the federal government setting these age of criminal responsibility at age 18. But it's also interesting to know, I mean, do they have stats on what happens to a teen that's put into that adult system? I mean, what are the - what is the likelihood of recidivism? It doesn't appear that if you go to a penitentiary with these hardened criminals at 16 that you're somehow going to be able to turn your life around.

HOSTIN: And I visited the penitentiaries, federal and state. And I will tell you, the recidivism rate for juveniles is very, very high because they learn how to be better criminals. I mean -

CHETRY: Right.

HOSTIN: These hardened criminals become their mentors. And so I really and this is going to be very unpopular, I don't think that we should try juveniles as adults until they are 21.

HOLMES: No matter what the crime?

HOSTIN: No matter what the crime. And I will say this - you said 37 states and that also the District of Columbia, 18 is sort of the legal age of culpability. Actually, a lot of the states, I think a lot of the states sort of preserved the right to go after juveniles that are really, really guilty of these violent crimes. So you still reserve the right to try to treat them as an adult.

CHETRY: If you're talking murder, you're talking sexual assault, those types of things, is that a different category? I mean you still go to the adult system?

HOSTIN: You still go into the adult system, but it can be treated differently. You can be treated as sort of a violent offender. And so I think it makes a lot of sense. And again, I'm not a policymaker, just a lawyer but I think it makes a lot of sense to treat juveniles as juveniles and then just make sure that if you have that really violent offender, you know, you can treat them accordingly.

I think anyone at home watching knows, you know, if you've got an 18- year-old, that's not an adult. If you got a 16-year-old, that's not an adult. And in New York, the age of culpability, adult culpability is 16. I mean, come on. Come on.

HOLMES: You know, there's something else we haven't even talked about, but we have to let you go but the financial burden and implication here. It costs so much more to put that child in the juvenile system. And wonder if that'll be part of the debate now because -

HOSTIN: It's a significant part of the debate because of the economy. Absolutely. That's time for another segment. Got to talk about that next time.

HOLMES: I know. We appreciate you being here. Always good to see you, Sunny.

HOSTIN: Good to see you.

HOLMES: Thanks so much. Coming up next, the race for 2012 heating up this week. Republican hopefuls already hitting the key early battleground states like Iowa. Ed Rollins and John Avalon are going to be here to break down the early GOP contenders.

HOLMES: Also, shuttle "Discovery" leaving the space station for the last time. You saw this scene last week when they took off, but they're also detaching for the last time from the space station to come home. This is a live picture. Always amazing we can get these live pictures from space of the "Discovery" right now. It's about to start its journey home.

It's 35 minutes past the hour on this "American Morning."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHETRY: It's 38 minutes past the hour right now. Signs that the race for the GOP nomination for president are certainly picking up steam this morning. Six potential Republican candidates will be in Iowa today.

Take a look at some of them. Former Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty and then you have the former speaker of the house, Newt Gingrich, and also, don't forget some of the other top potential candidates, like former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee.

Here to break it all down this morning, senior CNN political analyst Ed Rollins. He's in West Palm Beach, Florida this morning. I'm a little jealous about that. Look at that shot behind him. Also here we have CNN contributor John Avalon and author of "WingNuts, How the Lunatic Fringe is Hijacking America." Great to see both of you this morning.

JOHN AVLON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Good morning.

CHETRY: Let me start with you, Ed. Just when we take a look at this potential field. What's old is what's new again because a lot of them we saw in 2008. But what do you make of what's shaping up to be perhaps the GOP slate?

ED ROLLINS, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, I think there's - no one's really announced they're fully engaged yet. There's three or four who ran last time who had a lot of name ID and (INAUDIBLE) start putting an organization together. Newt Gingrich is not one of those, but Newt Gingrich has an organization that's big and powerful. He's been building over the last several years. If Sarah Palin runs, obviously, she's got a lot of name ID, Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney are the two governors who basically came in second and third in delegates in the last go round.

So you know, my sense is they're kind of the first pack. Then you've got some outstanding governors like Governor Pawlenty, Governor Haley Barber of Mississippi, Governor Mitchell Daniels. We'll have a full field that won't break out for a period of time yet.

CHETRY: You know, and it's interesting, John, we had just said and as Ed just said, they haven't been breaking out right now. I feel as though back in 2008, people declared earlier. Now granted it was open on both sides but what seems to be the lag? I mean, in terms of the political season, we're coming up to the wire.

AVLON: We are. First of all, it's not just feeling, it's true. The last time around, folks were getting in the field a lot earlier. One of the things that's constraining folks is the legal restraints put on you when you make an official declaration of either exploratory or announced for president. But you're right.

Look, we are less than one year away from the Iowa caucuses and the primaries beginning. This is going to be full on in one year's time. And there has been a lagging. But right now, you do see structure to the field. Mitt Romney has been building an organization since almost the last time around. He is really running. He is prepared. He is moving forward. Huckabee-Palin doing very well in the polls especially Huckabee. But no real organization to speak of. So this is a party with no clear leader and that's why it's going to be a fascinating horse race.

CHETRY: I want to ask you about Huckabee, Ed. Because I know you ran his campaign the last time around. He upset Romney in Iowa. We all remember how thrilled you were when that happened. But he took some heat last week for saying a couple of things. One in a radio interview that the president grew up in Kenya, for which he (INAUDIBLE) he misspoke. And then also - what was perceived as I guess an attack on Natalie Portman for being unwed and pregnant. What do you make of that? And do you see an opening here for Huckabee?

ROLLINS: There's certainly an opening for Huckabee. Huckabee leads most of the public opinion polls, and certainly begins in states like Iowa, South Carolina that are very important as a favorite. In all the south he's the favorite. You know what, he answered a couple of questions incorrectly last week, that happens in the course of a long campaign. Those certainly are not going to be significant when you get down three or four months from now and you're campaigning full bore in Iowa. He has not made a decision yet to run but I assumed he's going to run.

I just want to remind John of one thing. You know, the front runner last time, the guy who is leading in 50 states was John's candidate, Rudy Giuliani. Rudy Giuliani ended up not winning a single delegate or single state. So sometimes that frontrunner status doesn't mean a whole lot at this point.

AVLON: Well, I appreciate that, my friend. But I do believe that John McCain was the front runner. He faded Rudy's surge and that is the nature of the back and forth, nature of things. In this race, for example, one of the things you're seeing, Sarah Palin slightly in some key states and Mike Huckabee, I think picking up a lot of her support among social conservatives and conservative populous. So this is a dynamic field. It always is every year.

CHETRY: Right. But it's also interesting that you guys both bring this up about the whole Rudy Giuliani model. Because this poll out here really has me scratching my head. The majority of Republican primary voters are birthers, at least, according to this public policy survey.

When asked, do you think Barack Obama was born in the United States? 51 percent of likely primary voters that were polled in this public policy polling said no. Where do you go from there? If these are the people who are going to come vote in the primary, what candidate can then carry that viability on to a general election, Ed?

ROLLINS: I don't think any candidate wants to carry that message. I don't think there's any evidence that gives any factor that basically proves that point. And I think it's a waste of time to even discuss it. The president was born in Hawaii. There's all the evidence that says that. You know, you go talk about other issues. There's plenty of things about the president that you can talk about that you don't like and over those are the things that matter. You spent trillions and trillions of dollars, the money we didn't have, the stimulus program that didn't work. He's got a health care program that's very, very unpopular across this country. And those are the issues you need to stick with.

AVLON: Ed's right in saying that we can focus on the issues. Fiscal issues where the Republicans can really build bridges to independent voters. But polls like that are real, they are a factor. And one of the ways you're seeing it bubble up is in candidates across the spectrum indulging in this rhetoric that somehow this president of the United States is un-American or anti-American. That's one way this appeals bubble up. And that ugly step, it's got to step them and we got to call them out when they do it.

CHETRY: Go ahead, Ed.

AVLON: Ed?

CHETRY: I wanted to give you a chance to respond to that. I'm sorry because you're not here so I should have said Ed?

ROLLINS: No, I just - no matter what the people say at this point in time in polls, I think we have to talk about the issues that matter to Americans.

CHETRY: I agree with you. I'm just wondering though how you market that appeal. I mean, for a candidate that's going to make it through the primary season with likely voters that believe something that most people say is just simply not true. How do you then move that on to a general election candidate that's viable?

ROLLINS: Well, you talk about things that matter. And at the end of the day, that's not the most important issue. Even 51 percent don't think the president was born in this country. That's not what matters. What matters is health care, what matters is the fiscal conservatism that Republicans are going to advocate, and how you make the system work.

There's a lot of little things people don't like about this president. That's one of them. But at the end of the day, it's not the thing that matters, it's not going to get somebody elected.

AVLON: Final point I think to keep in mind, the elephant in the room in this field is that there is no clear standout Republican candidate. And right now, it's a comparatively weak field. None of which is standing up particularly well to President Obama. That's the elephant in the room that needs to be kept in context.

ROLLINS: I just would argue with that, John. We have some very significant governors. They may not be as known as McCain was who ran for president before. But we've got some very, very solid people who run and they will emerge over time.

CHETRY: Right. Let's think back and I mean, we always forget until we go back and remember what it was like at this time. But I mean, was Barack Obama considered the front runner at this time back in 2008? Right, it was - ROLLINS: He was ranked 99th in the Senate and no experience. He had two years -- he'd been a part time state Senator for eight years. He'd been a U.S. Senator for two years, he's President of the United States today. So at the end of the day, these governors have experience, they're good campaigners, and some of them will emerge and you'll see a very viable field.

CHETRY: All right. You guys may be talking about Chris Christie in just a few short months.

I want to thank both of you for being with us this morning. Ed, in West Palm Beach, Ed Rollins, great to see you, as always.

ROLLINS: Thank you.

CHETRY: And John Avlon, as always, great to see you.

AVLON: Thank you.

CHETRY: We're going to take a quick break. Forty-five minutes past the hour.

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HOLMES: At about 12 minutes at the top of the hour. The space shuttle Discovery is on its way home. Its final journey, of course. It has undocked now from the International Space Station. It did that this hour. You can see it there and this is always incredible that we can get live pictures from space. This is unbelievable. But they're going to be making their way back a little later this week. But as you know, they always get these wake-up calls in the morning. They pick different music. Listen to what they woke up to this morning, though. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: These have been the voyages of the space shuttle Discovery. Their 30-year mission to seek out new science, build new outposts, to bring nations together on the final frontier, to boldly go and do what no spacecraft has done before.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHETRY: That is so unbelievably cool. That's the voice of?

HOLMES: William Shatner. Star Trek, you know how that show opened, just like that. But they made a couple of adjustments for the shuttle. But that's pretty cool. They've had a successful mission. They're scheduled to land now on Wednesday, and then that's it. This thing will be retired, heading over to the Smithsonian.

CHETRY: That shot still just gets me every time. It's unbelievable.

HOLMES: Great shot. Great shot.

CHETRY: That's where we are and that's where they are. And it's just unbelievable. Forty-nine minutes past the hour. Time to get a check of the weather headlines.

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HOLMES: If you are looking for a job and a lot of people are, you know that the market has been tough and the competition has certainly been fierce.

HOLMES: So, some people just blend in with the crowd naturally. Some people stand out naturally. But, if you're looking for a job, Christine, the last thing you want to do is just blend in with the crowd.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: And if you're looking to move up at the job you've got, you do not want to blend in, as well. You need to have a personal mission statement and you need to know what you stand for. And the people you work with need to know what you stand for.

CHETRY: That sounds like a job in itself.

ROMANS: I know, right? Well, in a tech savvy culture with millions of people out of work, millions more restless at work and they want to move up, whether you like it or not, you are a brand.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS (voice-over): What do Lady Gaga, a can of Coke, and Apple computer have in common? More than you think. They're brands. You recognize them immediately, you know what you are getting.

But it's not only the uber famous who can brand themselves. Digital media, twitter and Facebook make it easy for anyone to create brand. From skateboarder Tony Hawk.

(on camera): It's something that you started before everyone was trying to become a brand.

TONY HAWK, PROFESSIONAL SKATEBOARDER: First thing, you have to have something to offer, you know what I mean. I don't believe in being famous just because you're famous.

ROMANS (voice-over): To chef Paula Deen.

PAULA DEEN, CHEF, AUTHOR: You kind of have to reinvent yourselves. You have to keep things fresh. I did start this little lunch business called the Bag Lady, y'all.

ROMANS: What about the average person? Could creating your own brand give you an edge?

SAM CHAKO, JOB SEEKER: I don't know how to market myself to get employers to notice me.

FORD R. MYERS, CAREER COUNCIL, AUTHOR: The market is too tough. Unemployment numbers are still high. Every candidate needs to find a way to stand out.

ROMANS: So, how do you create your own brand? Career counselor Ford Myers has some tips.

MYERS: Every candidate can identify what is their unique selling proposition or what is their special brand. Look through their own background, their own resumes, their letters of recommendation, their performance reviews and find what stands out.

ROMANS: Leadership and management author Bill Taylor has a cult following.

(on camera): You walk into the board room. When you walk into the job interview, when you walk into your dining room, you are now a brand.

BILL TAYLOR, AUTHOR, PRACTICALLY RADICAL: Yes.

ROMANS: Are we all becoming brands?

TAYLOR: I think, you know, being a brand is not being flamboyant. It works for Lady Gaga, it wouldn't work for you in your organization. Being a brand as everybody knows when I meet Christine Romans, this is what she stands for, this is the impact she's trying to have.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: OK. So not everyone buys into the idea that you, Kiran, are a can of Coke, that you, are as instantly recognizable as Lady Gaga. But, you are instantly recognizable brands when you're looking for a job, when you're trying to move up in the job. How do you become -- let's say you buy into the idea that we're all brands, how do you become a brand? Think about what you stand for.

CHETRY: I was just going to give you an idea. I mean, I was just going to have an idea and you tell if it's right.

ROMANS: OK.

CHETRY: So you know there's a person who, oh, my gosh, I have a tech problem. I don't know how to fix my computer. So and so's always the go-to person. Is it as easy as that, as like being somebody that has sort of a specialized skill that other people look to you for in the workplace?

ROMANS: Right. Absolutely. And making sure people know that and be consistent with that. But also you can be sort of the person who is -- I'd call it the five-tool player to use a baseball term.

You're the person in the office who can fix any kind of problem. You're the one who can pitch in on one program or project while you're doing another one. If that's who you are, then make sure you brand reflects that you are flexible and that you are able to solve problems in areas even outside of your expertise but that your core expertise is this. But there are 4.6 people are looking for every job that's available right now. You need to know who you are and sell it to the person who is on the other end of that interview table.

HOLMES: This is great stuff. And I buy into it.

ROMANS: You do but into it?

HOLMES: I absolutely do but into it, Christine. I need to work on my mission statement and branding T.J. Holmes.

ROMANS: You made a comment about Halle Berry.

HOLMES: Yes. That's one of the things. She's not out there in the public. You can't name the last movie she did, but I say Halle Berry, everybody knows who she is and what she's about.

ROMANS: She's a brand.

HOLMES: She is a brand.

CHETRY: Go Halle.

Thanks, Christine.

We're going to take a quick break. Your top stories coming up in a minute.

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