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Thousands March for Nemtsov; Netanyahu to Arrive in the U.S.; U.S.-Venezuela Ties Deteriorating; Winter Weather Advisory for 77 Million Americans

Aired March 01, 2015 - 16:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITIFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Happening right now in the "NEWSROOM", thousands take to the streets of Moscow mourning the death of Boris Nemtsov, a critic of Vladimir Putin. This is as new details about Nemtsov final moments emerge.

Plus the first glimpse of three teenagers believed to be on their way to join ISIS. New video shows the girls boarding a bus in Turkey.

And in the next 60 minutes, Israeli prime minister Netanyahu is expected to arrive in the U.S., with his trip mired in controversy, will his speech to U.S. Congress backfire? You're live in the "CNN Newsroom."

Hello again. Thanks so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

A massive rally in Moscow today for Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov. He was gunned down a short distance from the Kremlin Friday night. While thousands march in the streets to commemorate him today, the investigation in the case moves forward. Authorities say they are are getting more information from the woman who was with Nemtsov. Fred Pleitgen is following development from Moscow.

FRED PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thousands of people march through the streets of Moscow to remember Boris Nemtsov and to mourn him as well. The investigation in this case is also moving forward. The police now appear to have gone away from the theory that Nemtsov was walking on the bridge when a car stopped next to him and the woman he was walking with at some point shot out of the car and then drove away.

The new theory appears to be based on surveillance video from the scene of the crime that someone might have been stalking him on the bridge, came up, shot him and then jumped into a getaway car, this again comes from cameras around that area, which is one of the most secure locations here in Moscow because it's right by the Kremlin and right by Red Square.

Now, one of the other things that police have said today, is that they no longer believe that a white vehicle that they believe to have identified is related to this case. They say they have spoken to the owner of the vehicle, and that that owner has nothing to do with what happened to the Boris Nemtsov. The main witness in all of that continues to be the 23 year old model Anna Duritskaya. She was the one who was walking with Nemtsov along that bridge when he was shot.

She is still here in Moscow. We hear that she's in an apartment, in a secure location and that she is cooperating with authorities. Police here say they have every reason to keep her here and continue questioning her, because she's such an important witness. One of the things that Russian media is reporting, they say that police have apparently put together a computer image of what the assailant might look like. It's based on eyewitness testimony. They say that they believe the assailant was a male between who was between one meter 70 and 1 meter 75 tall. That's between 5'6" or 5'7", that he was wearing dark blue jeans and had very short brown hair. Police say they're looking for additional eyewitnesses, they put out a reward, 3 million ruble, about $50,000 for any clue that would lead to the arrest of the assailant.

Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Moscow.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right. Another story we are following. New video now, confirmation that three British school girls have reached Turkey on what is believed to be a journey to become brides of ISIS. You're looking at newly released surveillance video right there of the 15 and 16-year-old girls at an Istanbul bus station. At some point, British investigators believe they were taken to a border crossing with Syria, where they were med by ISIS militants.

It has been two weeks since they left home. I want to bring in Tom Fuentes. He is CNN's law enforcement analyst. According to British reports, Tom, timecodes on that video indicate the girls may have waited in that Turkey bus station for 18 hours, so with this worldwide alert that these three girls had left Great Britain, what kind of information would have been provided in order to know who to be on the lookout for?

TOM FUENTES, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: That's a good question, Fredricka. You don't know what the British sent to the Turkish authorities and how well they disseminated it to bus stations and train stations, and all the other places that someone would use to get transport into Syria. So we just don't know what details they provided or failed to provide.

WHITFIELD: It's presumed at this point - it's been so long now, they are likely in Syria. There is no tracking them down, but what if anything can - whether it be Scotland Yard or even U.S. authorities learn from how these young ladies have traversed, their entry points? What can they learn so as to either prevent or try to catch up with the next batch of young girls that are lured into ISIS and go by way of, say, Turkey?

FUENTES: I think the problem is that even with what they learn, it's not enough to dissuade young girls who have decided they want to go and either be brides of ISIS fighters or just help in the cause, you know, that's the problem, even knowing, many cases working with the parents, the parents trying to talk kids out of it. Or in situations where the parents have no clue that they're even thinking of going. But, you know, all of the motivations that kick in for a teenage girl to go are either not known or just too strong to really persuade them not to.

WHITFIELD: Well, doesn't that seem to be the burning question, no matter how many times we do the kind of story, many are still asking what are the persuasive words? What are the incentives that these young girls are given? They already have some public knowledge of what ISIS is, but what is it that recruiters are telling them or promising them so they overlook all of the bad news that we see, you know, worldwide coverage and how is it they seem to believe that there is some utopia if they go with these ISIS militants or recruiters.

FUENTES: Well, how do you prove that there isn't a utopia if they go. That's the problem is they think that's what it is and I think a certainly element of this especially for teenagers is if you're a teenage boy, you're macho, you want to be like them. It's kind of like joining an international street gang of tough guys and you want to be one of the tough guys and if you're a girl, you don't know if hormones kick in and they decided these are the coolest guys in the block in these black uniforms, giant words, mean, tough, brutal, you know, all the things that we find abhorrent, they may find attractive.

WHITFIELD: Just looking at the video, these young girls, you know, they're dressed to the nines, so to speak, for their age group. They got bags, so surely somebody saw them packing bags, but maybe their family members thought they were going to a sleepover and didn't know they were leaving town? What do you look at - what do you see when you look at these images that might help in future surveillance or that even teaches you something about these young girls? They looked like they were willingly going somewhere.

FUENTES: What I see are kids, children almost that are just young, naive, maybe downright stupid and aren't going to listen to an adult's version of what awaits them when they get to Syria. Because much of what awaits them they already think is great. That's the hard part. You will have a certain number that just think this is that good old- fashioned religion and they want to go help. They want to go establish, they want to establish the caliphate, help the warriors be warriors. There's just so many possible motivations for anybody, much less 15-year-olds to do it.

We've had the 15 year olds from our country, the three girls from Denver that wanted to do, Canadians girls, British girls, and actually they're coming from all over the world. Because we now about that about one in six that travel to Syria to join are girls.

WHITFIELD: Wow. Remarkable numbers. All right. Tom Fuentes, thank you so much for joining us. Appreciate it.

FUENTES: You're welcome. Thank you.

WHITFIELD: In about 30 minutes or so from now, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to land in the United States for his controversial speech to U.S. Congress, but our next guest says Netanyahu's speech doesn't matter, because the U.S.-Israel relationship is too big to fail.

Aaron David Miller explains, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to arrive in Washington in just about 30 minutes or so. For now, for our controversial trip to the U.S., Netanyahu outlined the purpose of the visit just before leaving Israel today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): I'm leaving for Washington for a fateful, even historic mission. I feel that I am the messenger of all of Israel's citizens, even those who don't agree with me. For the entire Jewish people, I'm deeply worried about the security of all of Israel's citizens and about the fate of the nation and about the fate of our people. I will do everything in my power to ensure our future.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: This morning Senator Diane Feinstein spoke about Netanyahu's visit with our Dana Bash on CNN's "State of the Union."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: When Netanyahu says he's coming to speak, he speaks for all Jews. Does he speak for you?

SEN. DIANE FEINSTEIN: No, he doesn't speak for me on this. He doesn't at all speak -

BASH: Does that bother you when he says he speaks for all Jews?

FEINSTEIN: Yes. I think it's a rather arrogant statement. I think the Jewish community is like any other community. There are different points of view. So I think that arrogance does not befit Israel candidly.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right. Joining me with more on this, Aaron David Miller of the Woodrow Wilson International Center. He's joining us right now from Washington, D.C.. Good to see you.

AARON DAVID MILLER, WOODROW WILSON INTERNATIONAL CENTER: Good to see you.

WHITFIELD: So is it your view that Netanyahu will stick to his original plan of encouraging tougher sanctions on Iran now as opposed to allowing U.S. diplomacy, efforts to continue or do you believe that he's modifying his goal given the discussions that his visit further strains U.S.-Israel relations?

MILLER: No, I mean, I think he's functioning on two basic assumptions. Number one, whatever agreement is produced is not going to be a good agreement. It will carry some measure of uncertainty and risks. Second, the agreement is imminent, so he feels a certain amount of urgency to make his case. I mean this guy has cared about Iran for a long, long time, and it is the way he identifies. He is not going to be the architect of a Palestinian state. His mission is to lead the people of Israel and his country out of the shadow of the Iranian bomb, so despite the crockery in the U.S.-Israeli relationship or at least between he and President Obama and despite the erosion of some measure of bipartisanship, he's determined to make his case.

Now, one speech, Fredricka isn't going to change anything. This agreement is going to succeed or fail on the basis of the needs and requirements that are now being negotiated between the two sides.

WHITFIELD: But isn't really the speech that is, you know, in the spotlight here, is it also his posturing, his defiance, if you will, of coming even though the invitation of the House Speaker, but the White House has said, you know, the president is not even going to meet with him?

MILLER: Yes, I think it's driven by a perfect storm. Iran is now in the end game. You have a Republican-controlled Congress that's determined to put its own imprint on American foreign policy and challenge the president, particularly in Iran and then you have Israeli elections. What you have to ask yourself, is this being driven by conviction, or is it being driven by political pragmatism and the need to dominate the political stage in the run up to the elections?

WHITFIELD: And what will most people interpret?

MILLER: I think it depends really on what you think of Mr. Netanyahu. I mean his admirers and defenders will argue that this is a conviction play, that Israel simply cannot allow the kinds of risks and uncertainty that an American president can have with respect to Iran's putative nuclear weapons aspirations and his detractors will basically say this is simply cheap politics.

He knows in the end he cannot impose an agreement. He's going to have to live with it. I don't know, you know, I'm not an advocate, I'm an analyst, but I will say one thing. I've had both Netanyahu and the late Prime Minister Rabin say the exact same thing to me when it came to Israeli security. I don't always agree but I have to take it seriously. And I quote, both of them said the same thing - "don't preach to us about our security needs and requirements. You live in Chevy Chase, Maryland. We're sitting out here in a very dangerous neighborhood." And whether or not you agree with that proposition, you really, really can't trivialize Israeli security needs, and you ought to listen to Netanyahu present them.

I'm not saying that in the end he's right, but the reality is where you stand in life, if you're a nation, has a lot to do with where you sit. And Washington and Jerusalem are sitting in very different places.

WHITFIELD: Yes. OK. But at the same time the U.S. is either inviting or sometimes willingly saying that, I guess, more apt to, or, yes, willingly going to be a participant in helping to resolve whatever kind of instability there might be in that region. So there is a U.S. interest, is there not?

MILLER: Absolutely, and the president believes and so does John Kerry, and most of that negotiating team that in effect they can produce an agreement that will also protect Israeli neither and requirements. Maybe they can, but I think in the end it's got to be a balance between our needs and requirements and Israel's, and under these two, Obama-Netanyahu, we haven't found it yet.

WHITFIELD: Aaron David Miller, thank you so much.

MILLER: Pleasure.

WHITFIELD: All right. Still ahead. The Iraqi military launching a major operation to take back a key city from ISIS. CNN's Ben Wedeman is lvie for us in Iraq. Ben?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, we'll talk about this could be a very major test for the Iraqi army against ISIS.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: The Iraqi military is in the midst of launching a campaign to liberate Tikrit. Tikrit has been under the control of ISIS for much of the past eight months. It is also the hometown of former Iraqi dictator Sadam Hussein.

CNN's Ben Wedeman is monitoring the situation from Irbil, Iraq and joins us now. So Ben, there had been talks for days for such a move by the Iraqi military. What are you hearing about, how it is to begin?

WEDEMAN: Well, we heard from Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi that it's going to begin now that he's given the order for the start of this operation. It's an operation that is going to involve tens of thousands of troops from the Iraqi army, Sunni tribesman and Shia militia men.

Now this is going to be really the biggest test yet for the Iraqi Army in its attempt to retake territory from ISIS but it's going to be a hell of a test. Tikrit is a city that's got more than 200,000 people. As you mentioned, it's the birthplace of Saddam Hussein, the vast majority of the population is Sunni Arab. They are - many of them distrustful of the central government in Baghdad which is Shia dominated as well as the Iraqi army which is also Shia dominated.

Now the prime minister has warned those people who are still fighting on this side of ISIS that this is their last chance to give up. Now so far what we've seen in the past however is that a much smaller towns and villages, ISIS has made very difficult going for the Iraqi army using IEDs, mines, booby traps, so going into a city of 200,000 with a population that isn't necessarily well disposed to the incoming forces is going to be quite a test. Deborah? WHITFIELD: All right. Ben Wedeman, thank you so much. Appreciate that.

Coming up. Venezuela's president bans George W. Bush and Dick Cheney from visiting. CNN's Rosa Flores explains why next.

But first, here's this week's ones to watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFED MALE: Our next ones to watch is in the locker room and ready to roll. Jennifer Lopez has hired him as a choreographer, but has found his dancing so captivating that she has pulled him from behind the scenes to perform with her center stage.

So what is it that makes him so irresistible to the stars.

UNIDENTIFED MALE: Chris Grant is the best dancer in the world. I think the thing that makes Chris and people like Beyonce and J. Lo, and Michael Jackson, is the fire. You know, I think when Michael passed away, he left his soul of dancing with Chris. It's like your last dance all the time, always, he does there.

UNIDENTIFED MALE: The spins, the hits, the thrusts, Chris spent his childhood studying Michael Jackson's every move and performs his routine at talent contests across the states. The king of pop had a magic he was desperate to understand.

CHRIS GRANT, DANCER AND CHOREOGRAPHER: The way he performed, the way he transformed when he got on the stage, the way he owned the stage was amazing to me. He really made me feel how he was feeling. It's one thing to learn and do all the stuff, but for you to really embody it and feel it and have the emotions, you know, it's really tough.

I was taught to always rehearse, rehearse until it becomes you, you don't have to think.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Police in Moscow have new theories in their investigation into the murder of a key Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov was gunned down a short distance from the Kremlin Friday night. He was known as a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Nemtsov was supposed to led an opposition rally today. Instead it turned into a march to commemorate him.

CNN's Matthew Chance was there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): For thousands of people you can see have turned out to pay their respects to Boris Nemtsov. They're chanting that Russia will be free, that's what they're chanting as they march across this bridge the bridge just in the shadow of the Kremlin where Boris Memtsov was gunned down on Friday night.

What message do you think this killing has sent to Russia? To Russians?

UNIDENTIFED FEMALE: Wake up. Wake up.

CHANCE: Some of the messages on the signs have been very moving indeed. One of them saying propaganda kills, a reference to this idea that whoever ordered the killing of Boris Nemtsov, whoever pulled the trigger, it's the atmosphere in Russia that if you're opposed to the Kremlin, means you're an enemy of the state, the context in which he was killed. That's what most people are most concerned about here.

Do you believe that President Putin is responsible for this killing?

UNIDENTIFED MALE: We do believe in this, and we believe that all current troubles the country is going through is because of his presidency.

CHANCE: Despite these big crowds and this enormous turnout, the popularity of Vladimir Putin is still extremely high, (INAUDIBLE) 86 percent. The big question though is will this change Russian politics or simply send the message if you're opposed to the Kremlin, this is what could happen to you? Matthew Chance, CNN, Moscow.

WHITFIELD: And last year, Boris Nemtsov told CNN Anthony Bourdain that he had become increasingly over concerned how President Putin could be undermining the Russian political system.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BORIS NEMTSOV, The problem is that general security problem for Russian people and for the rest of the world is that revealed they're unstable and they're an unpredictable system. The system when everything depends on one person is very unstable. Let's imagine that, for example, Putin breaks his leg or whatever, what's happened with the country? Nuclear power. A member of the United Nations Council on Security, right? What's happened with this country? That's why this is really very unstable and an unpredictable country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Be sure to watch the rest of this amazing discussion, the Bourdain interview special, Boris Nemtsov airing tonight at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time right here on CNN.

And new signs this weekend that ties between the U.S. and Venezuela are deteriorating. First, several Americans were arrested accused of spying. Well, now, the South American country is banning prominent U.S. officials from entering. Among those not permitted, Former President George W. Bush, former Vice President Dick Cheney, Senator Bob Menendez and Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart. Senator Menendez responded to this ban with this tweet. I will continue to speak out against human rights abuses in Valenzuela even if I'm banned from traveling there, #sanctionedbyMaduro. CNN's Rosa Flores is following the story. So, Rosa, relations between

Venezuela and the U.S. have been pretty dicey, but now, it has worsened. What's going on?

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, it's not just the relationship between the U.S. and Venezuela that's been boiling over. The situation within the Venezuelan country is also very, very tense. There have been massive protests. Just a few weeks ago, there was the arrest of, hear this, the mayor, which is also an opposition leader, of the capital of Venezuela for allegedly being in cahoots with the U.S. government to overthrow the Maduro government.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FLORES: Surrounded by a sea of revolutionary red in Caracas, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro turned up the heat on an already tense relationship with the United States.

Announcing on Saturday, the arrest of several Americans for engaging in alleged espionage.

Including at pilot of Latin-American origin, flying an American plane and carrying what he called all kinds of documents.

Four missionaries from North Dakota were detained in Venezuela for two days and released Saturday, according to U.S. officials. It's unclear if these are the Americans President Maduro was referring to.

Government supporters cheered when the Venezuelan president went on to list sanctions on the U.S., including visa requirements for Americans, a downsized U.S. Embassy in Caracas, and a travel ban on some American officials, including George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Bob Menendez, and Marco Rubio.

Calling them terrorists, in part for what he says are human rights violations by America in Iraq, Syria and Vietnam. Florida representative Mario Diaz-Balart, one of the many voices, firing back on Twitter saying -- I've always want to do travel to a corrupt country that is not a free democracy, and now Castro's lapdog won't let me.

All this coming weeks after President Maduro accused the U.S. of plotting to overthrow his government, a month after the U.S. imposed visa restrictions on Venezuelan government officials over human rights, and years of an outspoken opposition that in the last 13 months has turned into deadly protests, leaving more than 40 dead on both sides.

As President Maduro begins closing the door on the U.S., Venezuela struggles on its house divided.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FLORES: Now, the U.S. has not responded to the latest sanctions. As for the alleged plot against the Maduro government by the U.S. government, the U.S. Government has come forward and said those allegations are baseless. Now, Fred, a lot of these U.S. officials who were on that list of terrorists that Maduro listed have gone to Twitter to show their outrage. I want to read to all tweet. This is from state representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and she says proud to be banned from Venezuela by Maduro. I will continue to advocate for human rights #sosvenezuela. We're seeing a lot of this online.

WHITFIELD: All right, Rosa Flores, thank you so much. In New York.

FLORES: You're welcome.

WHITFIELD: And we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to land in the United States in about 20 minutes, and he'll address congress on Tuesday, and he is expected to oppose a possible U.S. nuclear deal with Iran. Let's bring in our political panel. CNN's senior political analyst Ron Brownstein, who is also the editorial director at the National Journal. Good to see you. And Doug Heye, former communications director at the Republican National Committee. Good to see you as well.

DOUG HEYE, FORMER COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, so, Ron, to you first, Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein said today, she will attend the speech of Netanyahu, she's be respectful, but cautioned in his 2011 address, he, in her words, threw out a lot of harsh red lines, threw out the gauntlet, she says. She says she wants to hear what he intends to do if there's no Iran agreement. So, will Netanyahu likely deliver on that?

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN'S SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, look, I mean I think, as Aaron David Miller pointed out before, security issues look very different from the vantage point of the prime minister of Israel than the president of the United States often, but even with that, you have to say that this was an extraordinarily counterproductive decision by Prime Minister Netanyahu to undertake this intervention in this way -- I mean, virtually unprecedented for a foreign leader to involve themselves and personally in American politics in such a direct confrontation with the president. We see in the polling, intense polarization around this along party lines, over an issue historically headline has not divided the parties, that is support for Israel. And I think what he has done is created a climate in which it's going to be harder to have a reasoned debate about the -- if an agreement is reached, with Iran, which is necessary to have that debate. I think he's made it harder, he made this more partisan, and I think this will be looked at as a mistake.

WHITFIELD: Partisan, intense polarization, so I wonder, Doug, do you agree with that? The Washington Post actually writing today this might be the most important speech of Netanyahu's career. Do you agree with that?

HEYE: I think it may be. I think it may also be the most important speech we've had in Israeli-American relations for a long, long time.

WHITFIELD: What do you mean?

HEYE: What I mean is what we see right now that U.S. and Israeli relations are at the worst they've been in at least a generation, if not more. The Israeli people, and certainly the Israeli government, feel that American hasn't been the ally, been there for Israel, certainly with the relationship that we have with our two governments, in the way they need. They feel threatened every day, they feel threatened by Iran, the radical Islamic terrorism, even the boycott, the sanction strategy that takes movement -- that tries to make money out of the economy at the expense of Palestinians in the West Bank as (inaudible) reported last week. So there are real concerns that Israel has right now. It's not surprising to be that Benjamin Netanyahu, with America not being the friend it's traditionally has over the past few years -- since 2008, that they're going to be rally concerned about that.

WHITFIELD: What about leadership, even though you have the backdrop of, you know, all this theater around Netanyahu's invitation to come into the U.S., eyes are still on the leadership of Netanyahu for Israel, the leadership of the president of the United States, Obama, so I wonder, with this event, this addressing of congress, does this harm the leadership of either one of the men that I just mentioned, or does it embolden the leadership of either one? Ron.

BROWNSTEIN: Look, I think it narrows Prime Minister Netanyahu's interest to the United States. I mean, I think he has identified himself with one party, the republican party to a greater extent than any previous Israeli prime minister. That's me saying that Aaron David Miller who worked with six secretaries of state in both parties would give you the same analysis, and I think that weakens his influence. I think the larger question, though, that Prime Minister Netanyahu and other critics of this deal will have to answer is, what is a plausible alternative that will do more to contain and defer the Iranian nuclear threat? Is the other alternative a military force? Can you imagine a sanctions regime that would truly defer this and contain this threat? No one I think is suggesting that the agreement would eliminate the threat, but the degree to which an agreement could roll it back, is there a viable alternative that the western nations would genuinely pursue?

WHITFIELD: And Doug, do you see this as -- or Netanyahu's approach as Boehner's approach? You know, potentially undermining any progress that the White House may have made says it pertains to diplomatic efforts towards Iran?

HEYE: You know, when Ron talks about a plausible alternative, I wonder if we're talking about congress and what they dealt with last week and will be dealing this week. As far as DHS or Israel, it is obviously a lot of problems that congress is facing, but ultimately, what I worry about is how the White House or what I see from a communications perspective is that they have actually amplified Netanyahu's message. I think if they had ignored this as much as possible...

(CROSSTALK) WHITFIELD: What do you mean ignore? How do you do that?

HEYE: What we have seen is the White House on the record, off the record, on background, be really critical of this happening, be critical of Netanyahu, the more they do that, the more they elevate the platform that Netanyahu has. If they don't like what Netanyahu is saying, the best thing they could do I think is to say as little about this as possible and then try to move on.

WHITFIELD: All right. Doug Heye, Ron Brownstein, we're going to see how things shape up on Tuesday. We'll have to have you back to reflect. This is before the fact. Next week after the fact.

HEYE: It won't be boring.

BROWNSTEIN: It's going to be quite a week.

WHITFIELD: All right, very good. Doug, Ron, thanks so much.

HEYE: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, guess what? It is happening yet again, 77 million Americans this time bracing for another winter wallop. What it means for your Monday morning commute.

But first, CNN's Chris Cuomo takes a look at today's Impact Your World.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This was cool, though. Eat up and don't give up.

CHRIS CUOMO: Post-It notes cover the walls of Rosa's Pizza in Philadelphia. The notes share messages of hope and more, each symbolizes a slice of free pizza, for those who can't afford one.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One day, a customer came in, and he offered free purchase of slice for the next homeless person who came in short, it is mushroomed into the thing where we've given away 9,000 slices in 10 months.

The homeless community obviously really appreciates it. It's a very flexible program that affords them access to food which, you know, they love.

CUOMO: The concept has customers flocking in for a snack they can feel good about.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A slice for me, and a slice for the homeless to give back.

CUOMO: Owner Mason Wartman left a job in Wall Street to start Rosa's, named after his mom. He calls it an elegant solution to the problem of hunger. One he hopes other businesses will adopt.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have thousands of restaurants throughout the country. I mean, we could largely feed a lot of people very quickly if just a fraction of them acted in similar ways.

CUOMO: For those like Michael Rodriguez, who is homeless, the pizza and words of support make all the difference.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Coming in to get pizza, which is my favorite food, is really great. I've been where you're at, trust me, your miracle will come, just take time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, checking our stop stories, now, a fugitive American pastor accused of dozens of sexual assaults in Minnesota have been arrested in Brazil. Victor Barnard now awaits extradition to the U.S. where he faces 59 counts of sexual assault. Barnard was featured on CNN's The Hunt with John Walsh last year and again, this past week.

William Shatner is defending himself on Twitter after his decision to skip Leonard Nimoy's funeral became front page tabloid. Shatner explained in a series of tweets, Saturday that he was in Florida for red cross ball and could not make it to Los Angeles in time for today's service. He says his daughters are representing the family.

And 77 millions Americans are under on winter weather advisory and warnings for freezing rain, ice sleet, and snow later on today and tonight, yes, Boston already socked by 8-1/2 feet of snow. This winter could get up to 6 more inches by Monday. That would break the city's all-time snow record. The wintry weather that clobbered parts of is the Southern Plains is marching east, creating really dangerous driving conditions as you see right there. KAMVOV, our affiliate news crew capturing the video of that SUV spinning out. Snow in the Ohio valley is also affecting road conditions up to 6 inches of snow, could fall over northern Ohio by this evening. And many areas around Indianapolis could also see a similar amount of snow by tonight. CNN's Tom Sater keeping track of all of this. Boy, that's a lot.

TOM SATER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is a lot.

(CROSSTALK)

SATER: Another Sunday, another storm.

WHITFIELD: There you go.

SATER: March coming in line a lion, with 77 million Americans, it takes the whole pride. We have to think positive...

(CROSSTALK)

SATER: ... Goes like a lamb, 19 days for the first day of spring by this time next week Daylight Saving begins, so some positive things are happening. And good news, too, St. Louis, the warning has lifted after 6 to 8 inches. Indianapolis, they are just about 8 inches of snow, snowing in Columbus. My concerns are D.C., it's Baltimore, it's Philadelphia, and New York. Look at the ground stoppages now. LaGuardia ground stoppage, JFK at 5:30, Liberty. How about Philadelphia? You got about over four-hour wait and delay I think that's where a good one to two inches of snow changes to maybe third of an inch of ice, and that's on the threshold of losing some power. So that's a big concern in Philadelphia area. Snowing now from Columbus ending in Indianapolis, Pittsburgh -- New York 1 to 2 inches of snow, but -- excuse me, 2 to 4, we are going to double that up for you, but not as much ice, maybe a tenth of an inch. That's going to be bad for your overnight period and into your of course commute tomorrow morning. Rain down Charlotte has ended, they had ground stoppages, Denver, too, had ground stoppages, Denver you broke a record from February, the snowiest February on record. Your records go back to 1870s, but you can see the snow. So we're watching it carefully.

WHITFIELD: Yeah. We are indeed. All right. Thanks so much, Tom. Appreciate it.

All right, just into CNN, ISIS militants in Northern Syria have released some 20 Assyrian Christian hostages, according to the head of the opposition Syrian observatory for human rights. The hostages were among some 220 Assyrian Christians captured following an attack by the Sunni militant group on February 23rd, when ISIS swept through several villages in Northern Syria. Of course, we'll bring you me details as we learn them.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Today, CNN Heroes recognizes a 12-year-old girl who invented a special drinking cup for people with mobility issues like her grandfather who has Parkinson's disease. Well, now, she has sold 11,000 of them. And they're being used by a lot of people. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My grandfather has Parkinson's disease that causes him to shake. He spills all the time. So I decided to make the Kangaroo Cup. I came up with the idea when I was around 8 or 9 years old. I want to do put legs on the cup, because I figured that it wouldn't be as likely to spill. The original cup was made out of porcelain. We decided to make a plastic version, so it can be used by anybody like little kids, people with mobility issues. I have a design team, and they really do help me so much, color-wise.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yeah.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The blue.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lily has sold about 11,000 cups total. Many of her classmates and teachers don't even know what she's doing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It would be like the next big thing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I really do keep the Kangaroo Cup talk to a minimum. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I remember reading about it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Now the word is getting around school, like, wait, Lilly, she did what? She invented this cup? Oh, my gosh, that's so cool.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lilly, how are you doing?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good. The cup has changed my grandfather's life. That's the only cup he uses now. Once the Kangaroo Cup came, the other cups were just out of the picture.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: One day I wanted to give money from the Kangaroo Cup to Parkinson's research. Hopefully, we will find a cure.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here's to you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Oh, what an extraordinary little girl. That's fantastic.

All right, thanks so much for joining me all day. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Much more in the Newsroom straight ahead with Poppy Harlow.