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Illegal Boyfriend Costs Sheriff; Poll: Santorum Leads Romney Nationwide; Santorum Clarifies "Theology" Remark; Two Iranian Warships Dock In Syria; Nearly 9,000 Dead In Syria In 11 Months; Music, Memories For Whitney Houston; Plane, Helicopter Collide; Lin Reacts To ESPN's Racist Headline; Oil Prices Hit 9-Month High; Immigrants Help Revive Kansas Town; Paul Hits Santorum's Liberal Record
Aired February 20, 2012 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: It's top of the hour. We're talking about a big mess for Mitt Romney in Arizona this morning. A rising conservative star and Romney Arizona point man in the state resigns.
Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu is gone. Forced to admit that he's gay and accused of threatening his ex-boyfriend. Miguel Marquez has the exclusive interview. He's in Florence, Arizona. Miguel, you actually spoke to this man being called Jose.
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We did speak to Jose exclusively last night up in Phoenix. It is just extraordinary that this 34-year- old Mexican migrant finds himself in the middle of presidential politics during a bruising political year.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SHERIFF PAUL BABEU, PINAL COUNTY, ARIZONA: These allegations that were in one of these newspapers are absolutely, completely false.
MARQUEZ (voice-over): It's a Grand Canyon-size political shocker.
BABEU: With all the illegals in America, more than half come through Arizona.
MARQUEZ: The tough on illegal immigration Arizona sheriff outed by his migrant ex-boyfriend.
BABEU: This is my personal, my private life, but now it's not so private any longer and it's an awful position for me to be in.
MARQUEZ: He's in this position because of this man, Jose, a 34-year- old Mexican national, afraid to be identified, but speaking out because he says he was threatened by his powerful ex-lover.
(on camera): And then at some point you felt --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Used.
MARQUEZ: Used, and then threatened?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. MARQUEZ: Why threatened?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I got a text from him, directly, on my phone saying that I will not have business, that my family will be contacted.
MARQUEZ (voice-over): The alleged threat to have Jose deported if he went public with the affair.
BABEU: At no time did I or anyone who represents me ever threaten deportation ever.
MARQUEZ: Babeu stepped down as co-chair of Mitt Romney's campaign in Arizona, but the toughest sheriff says he's not ending his run for Congress.
Jose says he's here legally and wants to get on with his life. But with the story playing a role in presidential politics, that won't be happening any time soon.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MARQUEZ: Now Jose says that he is legal because he has a 10-year multiple entry tourist visa here. He also says, he was running a business in Arizona.
But he insists he's legal and doesn't believe that he could be deported, but was afraid because his ex-boyfriend was so powerful -- Kyra.
MARQUEZ: So Miguel, has the Romney camp said anything about the resignation?
MARQUEZ: They said over the weekend, the sheriff contacted them to say he would step down. He says and his lawyer says that the Romney camp told them not to step down.
They didn't want that to happen, but these allegations continue to sprawl, the story continues to get bigger. It probably is likely that the sheriff did the right thing. What he's trying to do now though is hold on to his congressional campaign here in the 4th district.
PHILLIPS: Miguel Marquez in Arizona for us. Miguel, thanks.
And Rick Santorum has surged ahead of Mitt Romney in a new nationwide poll of Republican voters. Our Paul Steinhauser has that -- Paul.
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: I know. The same old story, Kyra, we have been talking about this for a week now, but he hasn't changed. So look at these numbers.
This is from Gallup, their daily tracking poll of Republicans nationwide, left column, there is the new number. There it is, 8 points ahead for Santorum over Romney. That's outside the sampling error.
See that's really a lead, Newt Gingrich at 13 percent, Ron Paul 11. Look at the right side though, a week ago, the numbers were pretty much reversed between Romney and Santorum, so Kyra, that surge continues in the states and nationally. But the big question is, will it continue through next week?
If I were Rick Santorum, I would want those primaries to be today. The next contests are eight days away, Michigan and Arizona and then we got about two weeks to go until Super Tuesday -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. And Santorum also challenging the president's theology -- a busy weekend.
STEINHAUSER: A very busy weekend and a lot of controversy on this one. Some people wondering was Rick Santorum questioning whether Barack Obama is a Christian? Take a listen to what Santorum said Saturday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICK SANTORUM (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's about some phony ideal, some phony theology, not a theology based on the bible, different theology.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEINHAUSER: That's what sparked those comments on Saturday. People are wondering, well, was he talking about whether the president was a Christian or not? Here's what Rick Santorum said yesterday on the Sunday talk shows.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SANTORUM: No, I wasn't suggesting the president is not a Christian. I accept the fact that the president is a Christian. I just said when you have a world view that elevates the earth above man and says that we can't take those resources because we're going to harm the earth by things that frankly are just not scientifically proven.
For example, the politicization of the whole global warming debate. I mean, this is just all an attempt to, you know, centralize power and to give more power to the government. This is not questioning the president's believes in Christianity.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEINHAUSER: Some people are also questioning what Rick Santorum meant when he suggested mandating prenatal testing for women would increase abortions.
Kyra, the simple matter is this, Rick Santorum is now a frontrunner in the race for the nomination and with that comes a lot more scrutiny.
And in fact, we will see Rick Santorum and other candidates probably getting a lot of that scrutiny at a debate, I think we have them coming up, don't we?
PHILLIPS: Yes, we do, Paul. Thank you. You can watch the Arizona Republican presidential debate right here on CNN. That is Wednesday, 8:00 Eastern, the last presidential debate before Super Tuesday, March 6th.
Two Iranian war ships have docked in Syria. That's according to Iran State TV. Iran says the ships will be involved in training the Syrian Navy. Ships are docked, but take a look how close these waters are to Israel.
Interesting, as you know, tensions between Iran and Israel are especially thick right now because of Iran's developing nuclear program. Israel has said publicly it will be monitoring the ships very closely.
Now Israel has made it clear it seems that a nuclear armed Iran is a direct threat and it may be considering an attack against Iran. But could that draw the U.S. Navy in?
Our Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr, live from Washington. Barbara, what do you think?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Kyra. Let me go back now on what you were just mentioning about these Iranian ships docking in Syria.
This according, as you said, to Iranian State TV, but if you ask U.S. officials this morning, they will tell you they have no reports just yet that these ships have docked in Syria in the middle of the war there in that country.
They are still watching very carefully, but they think those ships are off the coast of Egypt still. An indication of how complex this entire story is, what is going on in Syria, what is going on with Iran and the Israeli and U.S. reaction to it.
A lot of concern that the war talk is ratcheting up just a little too much and the chairman of the joints chief of staff spoke with CNN's Fareed Zakaria about that over the weekend and said everybody essentially should take a deep breath.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GENERAL MARTIN E. DEMPSEY, JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN: It's not prudent at this point to decide to attack Iran. I mean, that has been our counsel to our allies, the Israelis, well-known, well-documented.
We also know or believe we know that the Iranian regime has not decided that they will embark on effort to weaponize their nuclear capability.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: What Dempsey is saying there, Kyra, is the U.S. believes Iran hasn't made that critical decision to go forward with a nuclear weapon. The question on the table is, does Israel agree or does Israel think Iran already is down the road toward a nuclear weapons program and will Israel decide it has to do something about that?
For their part the Iranians are announcing they are beginning another round of exercises to try to beef up their air defenses around those nuclear sites -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Now the president's national security advisor is in there in Israel now.
STARR: Absolutely right, Tom Donilon, of course, visiting with the Israelis another reaching out to Israel to try to determine what their current state of thinking is, what their intentions are, what they are thinking about all of this.
Because over the last several weeks, there has been a hot of mixed signals from Israeli leaders, depending on their political position within Israel perhaps and their security outlook for Israel.
A lot of differing statements, the U.S. is very much trying to get a fix on what the ground truth is in Israel about what that government intends to do -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Barbara Starr at the Pentagon. Barbara, thanks.
Here's a growing call in the international community to arm Syrian rebels amid the ongoing brutal crackdown. Pro-democracy activists there say that at least 14 people have been killed including seven in Homs, the epicentre of that uprising.
Syrian forces have shelled the city for 17 straight days. Despite the continued death, the top military advisor to President Obama says it would be premature to arm the opposition and take a look at this.
This video purportedly shows men running into this burning building trying to rescue a child. But CNN can't vouch for the authenticity. One rebel commander calls the uprising an orphan revolution saying, they haven't received international support like other Arab spring revolts and they need help.
The nearly year-long brutal crackdown in Syria is making headlines across the world this morning. Once again, Zain Verjee, monitoring all those for us. Hi, Zain.
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, there, Kyra. A wide range of topics on Syria from different countries' newspapers. Let me just give you a flavor of what people are saying, OK.
This is "The Irish Times" headlines. It says, uprising will fail, but leave lasting divisions, analysts say. It's an opinion piece that says arming insurgents is certain to prolong the conflict in Syria.
Government supporters argue the rebellion will be defeated, but not until a great deal of blood is shed and the economy destroyed.
Take a look at international "Herald Tribune," Kyra. It's headline, arms sales underscore Moscow's ties to Damascus. It says, the Arab spring and the U.S. led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have dissipated Russia's once powerful influence in the region transforming the relationship with Syria into one of critical importance to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
Finally, Kyra, I was taking a look too at the "China Daily" today and its headline saying, no to gun boat diplomacy. It says China's veto does not mean that Beijing takes sides with the Syrian government or that it's turning a blind eye to the bloody clashes.
It just means it does not want Syria to end up on the same disastrous road as Libya, which finally ended in a full-scale civil war. Kyra, that's an idea of what newspapers around the world are saying today.
PHILLIPS: Zain, thanks.
Whitney Houston's family, friends and fans paid their last respects this weekend to the superstar.
One of her best friends there, Gospel singer, Kim Burrell, Alicia Keys and Kevin Costner were also there speaking at Saturday's funeral. Houston was buried next to her father at Fairview Cemetery during a private family gathering on Sunday.
Kareen Wynter joining us from L.A. Kareen, investigators still looking into the cause of death, any word when we might know something?
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, let's start with those important toxicology reports. You know, they usually take six to eight weeks to complete.
But a source close to the investigation in this case, they tell us, Kyra, that they have actually put a rush on these reports so it's likely we could see something a whole lot sooner. The source also tells us that the medicine as well as the pill bottles found in Houston's hotel room the afternoon she died, well, those are currently undergoing basic testing and that at this point, nothing appears criminal.
That there is no evidence any doctors, any pharmacies contacted so far, Kyra, did anything wrong and that they are, in fact, cooperating with the investigation. Also, Kyra, as we have been reporting the anti-anxiety drug, Xanax was among the prescription drugs found in the room.
Family members and staff say she used the medication, but investigators have not been able to confirm, Kyra, if she took these meds the day she died. That information would likely be found in the tox reports.
In the meantime while officials are contacting pharmacist, they are reaching out to doctors both here in California as well as other states like Georgia, they're also analyzing data from Cures, a California Department of Justice prescription drug monitoring program.
It basically tracks a patient's drug history, Kyra. So sources close to the death investigation tell me Houston's family members, friends and even doctors, they can only provide so much info.
So what they're doing is they are going through the painstaking process that really tedious task of digging in Houston's prescription drug history using this database to basically help them connect the dots here -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, we'll follow it, Kareen, thanks.
So what is up with ESPN and Jeremy Lin? Basketball's Lin- sation. We're talking about racist headlines. We have the whole story and what Lin has to say about it.
Also up next, this man runs straight into a burning building, we'll tell you why and what happened, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Checking stories across the country now. In California, plane and helicopter collide. You can see the small aircraft here, it landed after the crash. The chopper is pretty beat up. Both pilots are OK.
Snow and ice cover a lot of North Carolina today, a winter storm brought flurries a day after temperatures hit the mid 60s on Saturday. Drivers beware many roads are expected to be dangerous all morning.
And watch this Massachusetts man run straight into this burning home. Well, a Good Samaritan was trying to save two men inside. He succeed, they all made it out alive.
So ESPN using a racist headline to describe basketball star Jeremy Lin. One person gets fired, and Lin tells us what he thinks. Here is what happened.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Insensitive at best, a racial slur at worst, many Asian-American fans that we spoke with here in Chinatown are not taking kindly to a comment and a headline made by ESPN.
It was after the New York Knicks ended a seven-game winning streak by losing to the New Orleans Hornets. ESPN published a headline on its mobile website that read, "Chink in the Armor." It was yanked within a half hour, but the damage was done.
On Sunday, ESPN fired the headline writer and suspended the TV anchor who had used the same phrase and issued a statement calling the remarks offensive and adding, quote, "We again apologize especially to Mr. Lin.
His accomplishments are a source of great pride to the Asian- American community including the Asian-American employees at ESPN."
(on camera): Fans we spoke within New York's Chinatown, not happy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You wouldn't say the n-word or racist tone, racist statement for that matter why should Chinese be excluded?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's inappropriate, it is. He should be treated like any other player. It shouldn't be, I don't know, I don't think race should be a factor.
CANDIOTTI: Lin himself was more philosophical about it.
JEREMY LIN, NEW YORK KNICKS: The ESPN has apologized, and you know, there is no -- I don't think it was, you know, on purpose or whatever. But at the same time they apologized for my end, I don't care anymore. I have to learn to forgive and I don't even think that was intentional or hopefully not.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI (voice-over): At a sports bar called "Libation" Manhattan's lower east side, fans were cheering Lin on. Ready for the punch, he's Lin-spirational. It's Lin-sanity. Lin backers in Chinatown hope Lin can help erase racial stereotypes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Playing in a ballpark or the playgrounds as an Asian person playing, you always are looked down upon. You can say there is an Asian-American playing. Like to see him dunk is wow.
CANDIOTTI: And another great day for Lin on the court. He led the team in scoring with 28 points and a career high 14 assists helping to beat the NBA defending champs, the Dallas Mavericks 104-97 perhaps the start of another Lin-ning streak. Susan Candiotti, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: All right, oil prices hit nine months high and you can definitely blame it on the latest spike on Iran. We're watching your money right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: You probably already felt it at the gas pump, oil prices on the rise again. Alison Kosik is watching it all for us -- Alison.
ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, they are up again. Oil prices topping $105 a barrel today. It's the highest level in nine months. Now several factors were at work here, but most of the focus is on Iran.
Now over the weekend, Iran said it's not going to be selling oil to Britain and France and what Iran is doing is retaliating for European Union sanctions that were put in place last month.
The E.U. and the U.S. want Iran to give more information about its nuclear enrichment activities. So what happened is, oil spiked overnight, but interestingly enough, this is more of a psychological effect and less of a supply issue.
Because we don't get any of our oil from Iran, and France and Britain get very little from Iran. So it's more about the fear of what if Iran continues to squeeze supply than anything else -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, so how does this affect the economic recovery? It can't be good.
KOSIK: Well, we talked with one -- no, it can't be good, but there is a flipside, now get to that. We spoke with oil analyst, Peter Butell and he tells us that rising gas prices could wind up stopping the recovery altogether, if those prices get too high.
Now consumers would wind up cutting back on spending if they have to pay more to fill up their tanks so the way prices are moving high, he says we should see $4 a gallon gas as early as next month. But then you flip over that coin and you see that it's not all bad news. That rising oil prices can actually be a positive sign for the economic recovery.
You know, you look at what oil prices did during 2009, they plummeted with the rest of the economy and as oil prices have moved higher, so have stock prices. You look at the Dow. It's up almost 6 percent for the year. The S&P 500 is up more than 8 percent.
So sure, our portfolios, are a little fatter and you know what? Although it really blows up the old budget to pay an extra buck or two every time you go to fill up your gas tank.
You have to keep it in perspective because if prices are going up because economy has gotten stronger and jobs are created, that winds up being a good thing. You know how it is, Kyra, it's like a delicate balance.
PHILLIPS: Thanks, Alison.
Well, former Republican presidential candidate, Michele Bachman fighting back against claims that her party is anti--women. Her response, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Pro-Democratic activists say that Syrian forces are firing on the besiege city of Homs for the 17th straight day. There are reports of nine people killed, five others elsewhere. President Obama's top military advisors say it's premature to arm the opposition.
Senator John McCain and two other senators in Cairo today planning to bring up the case of 19 detained Americans. Those Americans are being held as part of an Egyptian crackdown on nongovernmental organizations.
Three people were killed in an avalanche Sunday near Washington States ski resort. Nine other skiers dug themselves out to safety. All the skiers were experienced and had proper gear.
All right, time for political buzz, your rapid fire look at the best political topics of the day. Three questions, 30 seconds on the clock. Playing today, Democratic strategist, Keith Boykin, cofounder Arab-American Comedy Festival and on the right, CNN contributor, Will Cain.
All right, guys, first questions, Michele Bachmann on the defensive amid the criticism the Republican Party is against women. This is what she told our Candy Crowley.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. MICHELE BACHMANN (R), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There is no anti-woman move whatsoever. The Republican Party is extremely pro-woman.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: All right, if the GOP is losing women voters, what do they need to do to win them back, Will?
WILL CAIN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Let me start with this Kyra. This whole idea that the GOP is anti-woman maybe I'm just dense, I'm thick here but I'm just not getting this line, this narrative that's being forwarded.
The GOP at least in the current context, the current debates we're having is opposed to government mandates. The government mandating to private employers in this case over birth control what they can or cannot provide to their employees.
Now is Rick Santorum with the Catholic Church some people who might have personal problems with these issues are they anti-women? I don't know, but I know that the GOP is standing up for political (INAUDIBLE) and they should treat women like they treat all as all voters. Same applicants over principle.
PHILLIPS: Keith?
KEITH BOYKIN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, you know I feel a little awkward here, I feel like the Republican panel last week with a bunch of men talking about women but I really do think that the Republican Party has had a gender gap for a long, long time. You go back to 1984, 88, when the Democrats nominated Ferraro in '84; Republicans picked Dan Quayle because they thought he would appeal to women because he was cute.
You know you go -- you go to the Republicans when they pick Sarah Palin after the Democrats picked Hillary Clinton. Republicans have a history of me truism I mean that's -- they think diversity is a bad word, that's fundamentally the problem. It's not just about women, it's about African Americans, it's about Hispanics.
PHILLIPS: Ok can we pretend that you're a woman, Dean, and you give your take? Keith makes a good point. What was I thinking asking this questions with all three males, hello?
DEAN OBEIDALLAH, COFOUNDER, ARAB AMERICAN COMEDY FESTIVAL: Well, I -- ok, I'm going to be honest with you. I think today is the day I'm going to go home and circle my calendar. I actually agree with Michele Bachmann. I don't think the Republican Party is anti- woman, I don't think it's a monolith, I think the problem is they are being defined by people like Rick Santorum who are way out there.
I mean, the guy is against -- not just birth control paid for by the government, he is against birth control. He is against abortion in the case of rape, meaning women would have to carry a rapist's baby inside of her body. That's the problem right now.
You know you need moderates in the party to stand up and start saying like these guys don't represent our party or they're going to lose women and the gender gap is going to grow and grow and President Obama is going to overwhelmingly win with women votes.
PHILLIPS: All right guys. Republican front runner Rick Santorum responding to criticism that he questioned President Obama's faith at a Tea Party event. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICK SANTORUM (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's not about your jobs. It's about some phony ideal, some phony theology. Oh not a theology based on the bible, a different theology, the none -- no less a theology.
I just said that when you have a world view that that elevates the earth above man and -- and -- and says that we can't take those resources because we're going to harm the earth by -- by things that are -- that -- that frankly are just not scientifically proven, for example the politization of the whole global warming debate. I mean, this is just all attempts to centralized power and to give more power to the government and this is not questioning the President's beliefs in Christianity.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Phony theology. Keith, what does he mean?
BOYKIN: Oh no, of course he wasn't questioning the President's theology. No, you know he was talking about a lot of people I suppose. This guy -- he has a history of saying things, that in walking it back the next day and claiming he didn't say what he clearly just said.
Obviously he was talking about this in a theological perspective because the Republicans have a history of challenging President Obama's faith.
But you know what they are not talking about, they are not talking about the economy because they have move to social issues, because they can't talk about GM, they can't talk about the stock market, they can't talk about jobs, because things are getting better in this country and they don't want to deal with those issues.
PHILLIPS: Will?
(CROSSTALK)
BOYKIN: Wow, I made it in 30 seconds.
CAIN: So it was an inappropriate -- it was an inappropriate word usage, there's no doubt about that with Rick Santorum. It fed into this narrative that there are those out there who have questioned Barack Obama's Christianity, who have questioned his faith. So it was a poor, poor word choice.
What I'm incapable of doing is peering into Rick Santorum's mind, deciding whether or not that was strategic or instinctual, if he thinks of things on religious terms, I don't know the answer to that but I think it's pretty clear it was a poor word choice.
PHILLIPS: Dean?
OBEIDALLAH: Rick Santorum talks more about religion than people in the Taliban. I mean there are people in the Taliban who would call this guy radical at this point.
What do I think Santorum meant, I'm going to be honest with you. Look at his words, Kyra, I want the media to finally focus on this guy's words. He said our laws and the bible must comport. Which means our laws and the bible must agree or there would be -- he used the term agitation, which I guess like acid reflux on a biblical proportion.
Rick Santorum is scared. I'm finally glad the media is looking at the fact that his idea of theology is that our laws and the bible have to agree. No more church and state division. It's the same and it's scary, he's a scary man I'm not kidding you.
PHILLIPS: Your "Buzzer Beater" guys 20 seconds.
OBEIDALLAH: Oh there's the buzzer.
PHILLIPS: There it is Keith, all right, I'll give you 20 seconds on this one. SNL spoofs the Obamas, comparing them to the 80's hit show "The Cosbys". Take a look.
Ok, so you got the Obamas that are being compared to the Cosbys. So which TV family best represents the Romneys and then the Santorums, Keith?
BOYKIN: God, that's tough. I think for Newt Gingrich I know he's not on the question list but I'm going to say Archie Bunker. For Romney, I think he reminds me of Mr. Drysdale, you know the next door neighbor to the Beverly HillBillies, the rich banker who really didn't like the people who live next door to them but he really liked their money.
And as far as Rick Santorum, I don't maybe the Partridge Family, nothing really comes out to me about Rich Santorum.
PHILLIPS: Will?
CAIN: This is kind of tough, Kyra. I mean, Dean is the comedian here so it's like we have to follow -- we have to lead in to him on this deal. Look one thing we know is that all three of these families not just the Santorums and the Romneys but the Obamas as well seem to be incredible family men, I don't know if that's "Leave it to Beaver" or "Father Knows Best" but these guys have a seemingly wonderful families and are very -- very devoted fatherly figures.
PHILLIPS: Oh Will, you are so sweet.
Dean, bring us home, Dean.
OBEIDALLAH: That was too nice, Will. I'm going to be honest with you. I think Romney I think really the TV show that sums up is HBO's "Bored to Death" I think that's the show for Mitt Romney. He's a boring guy, he's lost, I don't think there's a family issue involve. To me, though I like Santorum I think a couple of shows, one is "Third Rock from the Sun" in fact I think he is an alien and that's where his ideas come from or perhaps the other one might be --- no I think "Third Rock" is the best one or maybe "Flintstones" because the whole idea of -- pre-historic ideas he doesn't believe in dinosaurs.
PHILLIPS: Gentlemen.
BOYKIN: Well, that is a good one.
OBEIDALLAH: I only had 20 seconds, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: In 20 -- 20 seconds we did it. Thanks for the Monday laughs.
All right, here is a reminder, be sure to watch the Arizona Republican presidential debate, we will have more than 20 seconds for that, that's for sure. Wednesday night, 8:00 Eastern, it's the last presidential debate before Super Tuesday on March 6th.
Well, Beyonce, Jay-Z and Baby Ivy Blue get the VIP treatment. We'll tell you where and why. A.J. Hammer has the details.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well, take a moment to stop what you're doing and watch this with me. A van slides on the ice, crashes, all caught on camera. It's in Virginia which has been slammed with snow and ice. State police have responded to nearly 1,000 crashes, most of them due to these bad conditions on the road.
Well, he is back. Now, we're wondering what happened, why did he go away? A.J. Hammer has the scoop on Stephen Colbert, I should say his inspiration before every show starts up. Stephen Colbert probably doesn't even realize that until now.
A.J. HAMMER, HLN HOST: Well, he does now, yes, certainly. Every time I walk into my studio here in New York City, Kyra, my audio engineer checks me in with Stephen Colbert's voice, a clip from his show. So Stephen I'm happy to hear that you're back tonight. Looks like he's going to be back with an all new "Colbert Report".
The spokesperson telling "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" says the show is expected to return after this unexpected hiatus. Fans have naturally been very concerned because it was an unusual move for the show to abruptly suspend production as it did last week without really much of an explanation. The show's production was dark on Wednesday and Thursday, and a scheduled repeat did air on Friday.
Now, "The New York Post" was reporting that Stephen had taken time off to take care of his ailing 91-year-old mother in South Carolina. We haven't heard anything from Stephen about that but he did tweet his gratitude to his fans on Friday.
His tweet said "My family and I would like to thank everyone who has offered their thoughts and prayers. We are grateful and touch by your concern.
The show's Web site has been updated to a full week of scheduled guests starting tonight. Novelist Ann Patchett (ph) is on the schedule for the show tonight and whether or not he addresses his absence Kyra remains to be seen. But you can certainly understand Stephen wanting to keep a family issue private if that is in fact what's going on here.
PHILLIPS: We will follow it for sure. And it's great that he's taking care of his mom.
Now, Beyonce, Jay-Z made an appearance on "Saturday Night Live" with their Baby Blue Ivy.
HAMMER: Yes, in that special "Saturday Night Live" kind of way, Kyra. Blue Ivy is only six weeks old, already getting the SNL treatment. I'm thinking that is big time. The adorable daughter of the two superstars was the subject of what I thought was a really funny skit. It was driven by SNL alum Maya Rudolph. Maya hosted the show this weekend. Here is a little taste of what happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My wife Beyonce. My little baby Jay. Blue Ivy Carter, Junior. Ha, ha, ha, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Look at her, Jay, sleeping peacefully in her crib.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So funny. And as the skit went on, Blue Ivy was paid first time visits by stars like Prince, Taylor Swift, Nikki Minaj, even musician Bonnie Vair who won a Grammy just a week ago was played by SNL regular Justin Timberlake. Very, very funny.
And Blue Ivy, you know before we know it Kyra, will probably be hosting "Saturday Night Live".
PHILLIPS: Yes, no doubt.
HAMMER: So this is just the beginning.
PHILLIPS: Singing and acting and everything else. A.J., thanks.
Well, if you want information on everything breaking in the entertainment world, A.J. has it; every night, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT", 11:00 Eastern right here on HLN.
For nearly a month we've been asking CNN's estimated one million iReporters to weigh in on what makes them uniquely American. Well, you've shared your stories with us and now we want to share them with you at iReport.com/iamAmerica.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am America.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am America. My name is Jose.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm black, Hispanic and Caribbean.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My mother's family can be traced to Ireland.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: As part of "I am America" series we're going to hear the story of how Hispanic immigrants helped bring a dying midwestern town back to life. More after this.
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PHILLIPS: Well in an election year, politicians and pundits don't hesitate to tell us what they think is right for America. But what defines America in 2012? All this week we're going in depth on "I am America", taking a closer look at how our country has changed ethnically, religiously and economically.
Today we're starting in Ulysses, Kansas. Like many small towns, it was dying. Losing population for decades. Even the local high school closed down for lack of students. But then the population started turning around and changing. CNN's Ted Rowlands has the story and how this town started to come back to life thanks to Hispanic immigrants.
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TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Nueva Leon Mexican bakery in Ulysses, Kansas is open 365 days a year. Owners Sefeino and Irene Ramirez say all of their customers are Hispanic, a group that is exploding here. IRENE RAMIREZ, BAKERY OWNER: It seems like every year it's more and more and more.
ROWLANDS: Husband Sefeino came to Kansas as a migrant worker from Monterrey, Mexico. He married Irene, a U.S. citizen and together they raised five children in Ulysses.
SEFEINO RAMIREZ, BAKERY OWNER: We don't like big towns. There's a lot of noise, and a lot of traffic.
ROWLANDS: Ulysses is a small town of about 6,000 people on the Kansas Plains. In the 1940's migrant workers like Sefeino started arriving to work during harvest season. Today the jobs are in oil and natural gas and managing cattle. But now, Hispanic immigrants aren't just passing through, they're settling down and the face of Ulysses is changing.
CHILDREN: With liberty and justice for all.
ROWLANDS: School administrators say in the last 15 years the population of Hispanics in the district has soared. From about 20 percent to nearly 60.
RONNIE DIETER, ULYSSES PUBLIC SCHOOLS: It doesn't matter where that child comes from, they are all our children. And I think that the whole community embraces that idea. That they come through our doors, they are our kids, and inside a real kid just needs to learn.
ROWLANDS: Administrators said the changing demographic has forced them to add bilingual classroom assistance and teachers and but it's also helped keep the town's student population up which means more funding. In a state where some small farm communities are slowly dying, Ulysses is growing and embracing its new arrivals.
JOSE OLIVES, UNITED METHODIST MEXICAN AMERICAN MINISTRIES: We pay taxes, you know, everything, buy homes. Buy vehicles, groceries and so it helps the economy.
MAYOR JOHN BATTIN, ULYSSES, KANSAS: It's just not a big deal. They're good neighbors, they're good people.
ROWLANDS: At Daylight Donuts, the town coffee klatch just off Main Street, we hear the same thing.
DEBORAH THOMPSON, DONUT SHOP OWNER: Everybody just gets along with everybody. We're a small town. That is what is great about a small town.
ROWLANDS: Even the ladies in the Gray-Haired Women's Club have very few complaints about their new neighbors.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I wish they would come in here legally, you know, to help pay taxes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And learn to speak English, you know. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They did this thing in our school when the little children come in to the school. They don't speak English at home.
ROWLANDS: City officials estimate 10 percent to 15 percent of the town's Hispanics are illegal but say if they stay out of trouble nobody is going to bother them. The way they see it, let the federal government figure out who is legal and who is not.
BATTIN: That is their responsibility, because they set the rules. I never ask that question nor do I care.
ROWLANDS: What people here do care about is the future of their city and Ulysses is attracting people who want to live here in part because they feel welcome.
Ted Rowlands, CNN, Ulysses, Kansas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: And for nearly a month we asked you to weigh in on what makes us uniquely American. Now you can see the amazing response that we got. Go to ireport.com/IamAmerica.
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PHILLIPS: All right. Here are stories we're working on for you today a little later in the NEWSROOM.
1:40 Eastern, Mitt Romney as an event in Cincinnati. He's going to be trying to sell his jobs message to Ohio voters. will try to sell jobs message to Ohio voters.
At 2:00, Ron Paul speaks to Republicans in Jamestown, North Dakota.
And at 3:00, Newt Gingrich talking to college Republicans at Oral Roberts University.
And a few minutes after that, Rick Santorum hosts a Republican rally in Muskegon, Michigan.
Today is President's Day. Also a special day for NASA. The space agency is celebrating the 50th anniversary of John Glenn's trip around the earth. Do you remember this?
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: God speed, John Glenn.
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PHILLIPS: The former astronaut spoke at CNN today about how that first mission went. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JOHN GLENN, FIRST AMERICAN TO ORBIT EARTH: One of the little thrusters stuck and was wasting fuel, so I cut that off and went to manual control, right then was able to control it ok, and keep the altitude I was supposed to have in orbit.
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PHILLIPS: John Glenn may be 90 years old but he says he remembers that mission like it was a week ago.
Coming up in the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM with Suzanne Malveaux, today is President's Day and we're asking a history ranking of the top five presidents. We're also taking a look at some and popular myths about the country's commander in chief.
Plus, New York Knicks Jeremy Lin went from unknown to international star in days. Hear from the man who predicted Lin's success years ago without even watching him play.
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PHILLIPS: Ron Paul pulling no punches in a new attack on Rick Santorum. CNN political editor Paul Steinhauser joining us. Ron Paul using the L-word? Paul.
STEINHAUSER: Ouch. That doesn't work. That is tough talk on the Republican side. Yes, this is what the congressman from Texas said about his rival for the GOP nomination. He made a comment on "STATE OF THE UNION" with our own Candy Crowley. Take a listen.
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RON PAUL (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And this whole idea about that whole talking about social issues and who's going to pay for birth control pills. I'm worrying about the undermining our civil liberties, the constant wars going on , the debt of $16 trillion and they are worrying about birth control pills.
And here he wants to control people's social lives, at the same time he voted for Planned Parenthood. I don't see how anybody can get away with that inconsistency pretending he's a conservative.
His voting record I think from my viewpoint, an atrocious voting record, how liberal he has been in all the things he has voted for.
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STEINHAUSER: That is some tough talk there from Ron Paul. We will hear what Rick Santorum has to say about that. What about Newt Gingrich. Well he is continuing to looking ahead to Georgia, Super Tuesday state, crucial for him. Take a listen to what he says.
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NEWT GINGRICH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's very important for to us do well in Georgia. And we're going to go all out to make sure that we carry the state. I think as Governor Romney is discovering in Michigan you cannot take your home state for granted.
All of a sudden, things can go really sour, so I think Santorum has to try to really carry Pennsylvania, Romney has to try to carry Michigan, I have to try to carry Georgia. I think psychologically it is really important.
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STEINHAUSER: Gingrich's fallen numbers have plummeted -- Kyra. Winning Georgia is crucial for him -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: We'll be following it all. Paul, thanks so much.
That does it for us here in the CNN NEWSROOM. Suzanne Malveaux in the hot seat for the next two hours.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Nice to see you Kyra.
