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Clinton Wins Big in South Carolina; Uneasy Calm in Syria; Hollywood's Biggest Night. Aired 4-5a ET
Aired February 28, 2016 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:00:11] GEORGE HOWELL, CNN ANCHOR: The win was expected. The margin was victory wasn't. Hillary Clinton beats Bernie Sanders almost 3-1 in the South Carolina Democratic primary. We have all the details here coming up.
Hanging on by a thread but still giving cause for cautious hope. The latest on a second day of a cease-fire in Syria.
The red carpet's been rolled out. The voting is over. It is a matter of hours now before this year's Oscar winners are finally revealed.
From CNN world headquarters in Atlanta, welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm George Howell.
CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.
(MUSIC)
HOWELL: And a very good day to you.
We begin this hour with the U.S. presidential race and Hillary Clinton, who is trying and ready now for Super Tuesday after a landslide victory this Saturday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Thank you so much, South Carolina!
(CHANTING)
Thank you! Thank you!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOWELL: The Democratic front-runner defeated Bernie Sanders on Saturday in the South Carolina primary by almost 50 points. Clinton has so far won three -- four Democratic nominating contests. This is the first race that she dominated.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: Today, you sent a message: in America when we stand together --
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
When we stand together, there is no barrier too big to break.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
We've now gone through four early states, and I want to congratulate Senator Sanders on running a great race. And --
(CHEERS)
And tomorrow, this campaign goes national.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
We are going to compete for every vote in every state. We're not taking anything and we're not taking anyone for granted.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOWELL: Clinton saying the campaign now goes national. And during that victory speech, she also took a dig at Republican frontrunner Donald Trump.
Our senior political correspondent Brianna Keilar reports Clinton's campaign is confident she will clinch the nomination.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: The Clinton campaign just relishing their big win here in South Carolina. Hillary Clinton's communications director, Jen Palmieri, is saying they did better than they expected they would. Campaign sources have been telling us they think Donald Trump is going to be the Republican nominee.
It was significant that in Clinton's speech, she outlined what her argument in a general election would be against Donald Trump.
CLINTON: Despite what you hear, we don't need to make America great again. America has never stopped being great.
(CHEERS)
But -- but we do need to make America whole again. Instead of building walls, need to be tearing down barriers.
KEILAR: Publicly, Clinton aides are striking a cautious tone, saying they still have 46 states ahead of them. They have a long way to go. But, privately, they're not as cautious. One aide telling me they think they'll have this wrapped up by March 15th. We'll see a series of contests then following those series of contests that we're going to see on Tuesday for Super Tuesday.
By mid-March, almost 60 percent of delegates will have been awarded. By then, aides think it will be clear there is no pathway to the nomination for Bernie Sanders.
Brianna Keilar, CNN, Columbia, South Carolina.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOWELL: Now, despite losing to Clinton, Bernie Sanders says that he is not giving up.
Just ahead here in the broadcast, in the next half hour, we will hear more about how Bernie Sanders has responded to defeat and get the view from his campaign.
So, just a little bit more now about Super Tuesday. It is a make-or-break day for the presidential candidates. It falls on March 1st of this year, just two days away, with primaries and caucuses to be held in 12 states across the United States, from Alaska to Virginia.
Candidates can win more delegates on Super Tuesday than any other day on the campaign calendar year, 865 delegates up for grabs for Democrats and for Republicans. Almost 600 delegates are on the line. That's nearly half the total that's needed to clinch the nomination for Republicans.
Our chief U.S. correspondent, John King, spoke earlier with Wolf Blitzer about what we can expect to see in the weeks ahead in the Democratic race.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
[04:05:08] JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF U.S. CORRESPONDENT: Throughout the month of March, we're going to go all through this, below this line, a lot of it Tuesday night -- Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Tuesday night on Super Tuesday.
Why is that significant? This is what the Clinton campaign is happy with tonight. This is the African-American population. Let me stretch it out. Turn that off and stretch this out a bit.
If you look down here, the African-American concentration in South Carolina, sometimes the map takes off on you, stretch it out, there we go. The African-American concentration in South Carolina, you have a similar demographic as we move across the South. When you do Alabama, Mississippi's down the road, Louisiana's down the road, Arkansas is Tuesday, Tennessee is Tuesday. You get Texas has a Latino and African-American population.
What Secretary Clinton hopes is what happened in South Carolina continues as the race moves on to the point then, what you begin to do is open the delegate lead. If you take the map off, come back in, this is what she's hoping for. Again, proportional rules in the Democratic Party.
But after tonight, Hillary Clinton's going to get the lion's share. Bernie Sanders will still get proportional delegates out of South Carolina. She starts to pull ahead.
This is the big hope. That after Super Tuesday, again, Vermont, you have to switch this back, give that to Senator Sanders. Jeff Zeleny's in Minnesota. We'll give the senators the campaign for the hypothetical.
They think they can win Oklahoma. For this hypothetical, we'll do this. They think they're competitive in Colorado. Let's give them Colorado.
For the sake of the hypothetical even if things go and Senator Sanders wins his top-four Super Tuesday targets, Hillary Clinton hopes especially again in the southern states and to Texas, Latinos and African-Americans here, the African-American base of the Democratic Party in these states, what she hopes is to pull away.
Remember, when you see this, let's assume after Super Tuesday it looks roughly like this. Remember, she has 400, 445 now I think super delegates. She's plus 400. He still has just shy of 20.
Her math is better than this looks. This map gives only pledge delegates. She hopes to be out here, again, to send a message to Senator Sanders. No, he's not going to out. No, he's about to speak and say he's in the race for a long time.
But he's been saying release the transcripts of your paid speech. His rhetoric has been tougher of late. Hillary Clinton hopes if the bar moves out here, the combination of pledged and super delegates, that Senator Sanders gets the message and tones it down.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOWELL: Now, as Hillary Clinton expands her lead over Bernie Sanders, Republican candidates are in a bitter battle on the campaign trail. Marco Rubio and Donald Trump stepped up their attacks on each other, sparks have been flying nonstop since Thursday night's debate.
The name-calling, insults, and accusation, it seems that everything is fair game and the attacks seem to be getting very personal. Here's what Mr. Rubio said about Mr. Trump on Saturday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R-FL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He's flying around on "hair force one" and tweeting. Here's the one tweet he put out, a pictures of me having make-up put on me at the debate, which is amazing to me that a guy with the worst spray tan in America is attacking me for putting on make-up.
(CHEERS)
Donald Trump likes to sue people. He should sue whatever did that to his face.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOWELL: But Trump wasn't holding back either as he campaigned with New Jersey governor and former rival Chris Christie. Here's what he had to say about Rubio --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: But I will address little Rubio. This guy has a fresh mouth. He's a very nasty guy.
But I actually thought that Ted Cruz was a liar. But Rubio is worse. I mean, he's worse.
This lightweight Rubio, total lightweight. And little mouth on him, bing, bing, bing. Bing, bing, bing, bing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOWELL: Not a lot of focus on issues, but rather a lot of name- calling at his point.
Well, Super Tuesday again, it comes up this Tuesday, March 1st. We'll have full coverage of the races and results throughout the day here on CNN.
As for the current U.S. president, Barack Obama, it has been a rough week and could signal a rough road ahead in his last few months in office. His Supreme Court plan and his promise to close the Guantanamo Bay detention center both have hit major obstacles on Capitol Hill.
CNN's White House correspondent Michelle Kosinski has this report for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: In his last year of office with the Republican Congress, President Obama has been determined still not to be the lame duck. He kicked off 2016 saying he felt energized.
But if this week's mega standoffs are any indication, his last year could be less a race and more an uphill battle.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Senate will be in order.
KOSINSKI (voice-over): The political impasse. The stalemate. It's almost become a way of life around these parts, but now has reached unprecedented proportions.
[04:10:02] SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY), MAJORITY LEADER: In short, there will not be action taken.
SEN. CHUCK GRASSLEY (R), IOWA: It should wait until the next election.
KOSINSKI: This week, Republicans dug in, not only on vows to not even meet with President Obama's eventual Supreme Court nominee --
JOSH EARNEST, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: What we are seeing is an unprecedented escalation in the politicization of the Supreme Court nomination process.
KOSINSKI: But against his long awaited plan to close Gitmo, the detention facility for terror suspects in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, that he promised in his campaign for presidency.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's counterproductive to our fight against terrorists.
KOSINSKI: Republicans weren't having it. From the campaign trail --
RUBIO: We're going to fight every step of the way.
KOSINSKI: Even John McCain who long supported the prison.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: This is not a plan.
KOSINSKI: The president tried to be nicer to Republicans this week, a far less critical tone than lately. Even saying he understands the political pressure they're under.
OBAMA: I've talked to many of them and told them I'm sympathetic.
KOSINSKI: He himself back in '06, after all, joined a filibuster against now-Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito.
(on camera): Wasn't that just playing politics? Isn't that why the president understands this?
EARNEST: I think it's why the president regrets -- regrets the vote.
KOSINSKI (on camera): The political tone, too, grows ever more colorful.
RUBIO: If he hadn't inherited $2 million, do you know where he would be right now?
TRUMP: No, no, no --
RUBIO: Selling watches in Manhattan.
KOSINSKI: The White House likened the CNN's Republican debate Thursday night to an old-fashioned Texas demolition derby. At a Washington press dinner, Republican Senator Lindsay Graham said this about Republicans --
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: My party is going bat (EXPLETIVE DELETED) crazy.
KOSINSKI: The president insists --
OBAMA: I'm going to do my job.
KOSINSKI: In a political climate that is explosive right now and battle scarred.
(on camera): Maybe we have to admit that at times some of the fights become almost like entertainment. But don't forget, we're dealing with some of the biggest issues affecting the country. I mean, it would be a first if the Senate does decide to not even hold hearings for President Obama's Supreme Court nominee whose tenure could shift the balance of the court and affect decisions for decades.
And on Gitmo, let's say the president decides to take executive action if Congress doesn't act, which the White House is still not ruling out -- that could just ignite a bigger political firestorm with legal action already being threatened.
Michelle Kosinski, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOWELL: And, Michelle, thank you.
You are watching CNN NEWSROOM.
And still ahead, the fighting in Syria has come to an unsteady halt. Ahead, the agreement there that's keeping the warring factions at bay.
Plus, reformists are getting the upper hand in Iran's first major election since the landmark nuclear deal. The very latest on early voting results as the news continues worldwide.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[04:16:33] HOWELL: This video of a very sobering and eerie look inside Syria as an uneasy calm hang in the air across that country, as a truce stretches now into its second day. The United States and Russia brokered a cease-fire between Syria's government and most of the rebel factions there so that aid could reach civilians who are trapped by the fighting.
But ISIS and al Nusra front did not agree to the truce, and there are new reports of sporadic fighting and violence.
CNN international diplomatic editor Nic Robertson is in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, following developments in the region, joining us live.
Nic, good to have you with us.
So, what is the latest on the cease-fire? What's working, and what isn't?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, one of the things about the cease-fire is that -- that clouds the issue, if you will, is the fact that there isn't a cease-fire against al Qaeda and against ISIS at the moment.
So there have been reports of airstrikes from its -- it's unclear whether it's Syrian or Russian aircraft, in Aleppo, in the north of the country, in Aleppo province, in and around the province of Hama, eight strikes recorded there. Around Raqqa, which is an ISIS stronghold, air strikes reported there. There also are reports of government gunfire around the town of Homs, as well.
So it is a much more stable picture than it has been recently. The cease-fire in essence is holding as best we can tell. I've talked today with members of the opposition, the Syrian opposition, that are based in Riyadh. They say it is too soon to call. They're waiting for their own detail-filled report.
They are obviously noting that there have been some airstrikes -- it is airstrikes that worry the most. They say they're happy the people of Syria feel that they've got some international support, and there is at least this pause at the moment. But it's really too soon to say.
We have, as well, seen tweets from the U.S. embassy in Damascus, it's not manned, but they're putting out on their Twitter account anyone who sees a violation, to register the violation. And it gives numbers and ways to -- ways to send that information in. And it's not clear how many people in Syria at the moment given the state of the country have access to Twitter or even if they did could respond.
However, it is key, the opposition says, that there is this accurate monitoring of any cease-fire violations. And they're scrutinizing it right now carefully -- George.
HOWELL: Nic, the Kremlin released a statement saying that President Putin had a phone conversation with King Solomon of Saudi Arabia. It reads in part that the leaders also express their desire to find a settlement to the crisis in Syria and to ensure stability and security throughout the Middle East and North Africa.
But, Nic, are we to believe the sentiment of true cooperation, that a world power with strong lasting ties to Shia leadership in Iran and Syria is really working side by side with the government in Riyadh, which is arguably the capital of the Sunni world? Is Saudi Arabia rightly suspicious of the role of Russia that continues to attack the Syrian rebels that President Assad labels as terrorists?
ROBERTSON: Yes. I think everyone's suspicious of everyone at the moment, particularly in the early stages of a cease-fire.
[04:20:01] What you have is a situation where Russia is making allies with the Iranians because it wants to prop up its interests and the government, it says, inside Syria. But that's not the extent of Russian interests. Russian interests don't extend to having a prolonged war inside Syria.
So, you know, while on the surface it seems that Russia will want to sort of secure perhaps the whole country for the interests of President Bashar al Assad, Iran wants to make sure they've got an ally in Syria because that connects them to Hezbollah and their interests in Lebanon through Iraq, as well. So, you do have these fundamental competing interests.
But one of the interests is that Russia will be looking for a way to, if you will, wrap up its involvement in this war, not to make it prolonged, to make sure its interests are taken care of. If it can do that by establishing in understanding terms with Gulf partners, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, others here in this region, then that is one part that they can do if they can come to an understanding.
But again, I think we have to caution that this is a time of deep mistrust where actions are going to speak a lot louder than words, George.
HOWELL: Deep mistrust, a great deal of uncertainty. But this very tense cease-fire remains in effect.
International diplomatic editor, Nic Robertson, live for us in Riyadh. Nic, we always appreciate your insight and reporting for us.
Now we move on to Iran and its first major election since last year's nuclear deal. The country's interior ministry says reformists may take all 30 seats up for grabs in parliament. Votes are still being counted, and presently, the former Iranian president, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, and the current president, Hassan Rouhani, are both leading in the race for the powerful assembly of experts.
CNN's Fred Pleitgen has more on the early results.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The results for Iran's elections are slowly coming in. And if they stand, this could be a resounding victory for the moderates and reformers here in this country.
Now, we have to keep in mind that two elections took place. One was for the Council of Experts, which is a religious body that will vote for the next supreme leader. That was an important election that took place. And for the Tehran area, the way things are shaping up, moderates and reformers could take up to 12 of 15 available sets, leaving only three for the conservative forces.
Now, there seems to be a similar picture as far as parliamentary elections are concerned. There, for the Tehran area, the early projections are that the reformers and moderates could take a vast majority of the seats for the Tehran area, it's 30 seats that are up for grabs, and could even take all of them if the results continue to go the direction that they were shaping up.
Now, the election council in Iran warned that these well preliminary results, and final results won't probably come until sometime on Tuesday. However, many Iranians and many in the international community saw these elections as a referendum of the policies of President Hassan Rouhani, of opening this country up to the West.
Of course, the centerpiece of the policies was the nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers. That on the one hand put curbs on Iran's nuclear program, but on the other hand also led to sanctions relief.
And while many Iranians have not felt the benefits of that sanctions relief yet, it appears as though if these results stand and if they get strengthened, that many of them believe that things could change for the better in this country in the not-too-distant future. It seems as though the electorate here may have given Hassan Rouhani a clear mandate to continue and even accelerated the reforms.
Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Tehran.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOWELL: Fred, thank you.
Now, on to Egypt where activists there say that new laws and wider awareness are helping curb sexual violence and harassment against women. Still, though, they acknowledge there is much more work to be done before many women feel safe.
CNN's Ian Lee reports for us from Cairo.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
IAN LEE, CNN REPORTER (voice-over): Survivors say what you're witnessing is the scariest moment of their lives when a mob of men isolates and sexually assaults a woman. Many left naked, violated, and broken. The physical and psychological scars last for years.
In 2013, we interviewed one victim, Shorouk El Attar.
SHOROUK EL ATTAR, JOURNALIST: It was crazy. I couldn't see anything but a bunch of people surrounding me from everywhere, from every direction, and like caressing me everywhere.
LEE: The attacks occurred around Egypt's tumultuous uprisings.
(on camera): The general rule is during large protests or celebrations here in Tahrir Square at sunset, so about right now, women, especially foreign women, should start heading home or face the likelihood of being sexually assaulted by a mob.
(voice-over): Reports of similar incidents have surfaced in parts of Europe, in particular Germany. New Year's Eve in Cologne ended in hundreds of women reporting sexual assaults.
For some Egyptian activists, that night in Cologne brings back painful memories from Tahrir Square.
DALIA ABD EL-HAMEED, EGYPT INITIATIVE FOR PERSONAL RIGHTS: What is common is using women's bodies as a battlefield, you know, to achieve political ends.
LEE: In Egypt, some tried to use the attacks to tarnish the revolution's image.
While in Germany, the violence in Cologne is heightening concerns over immigration.
EL-HAMEED: The most important thing in these assaults is the safe and well-being of the survivors.
LEE: This mob mentality manifests in daily street harassment. In 2013, a U.N. report founded 99.3 percent of Egyptian women were sexually harassed.
Since then, the country has made progress. The ministry of interior created a special women's unit. The government passed laws with strong penalties, especially for mob assaults. Activists raise awareness through the media.
HADEER MAMDOUH, WOMEN'S RIGHTS CAMPAIGNER, HARASSMAP: A number of women got sexually harassment in the streets every day are very large. The difference in the streets is like the level of awareness of people.
LEE: No new official numbers exist since the U.N. report. Mob assaults appear to have decreased for now. Many attribute this to a new law that placed stricter rules around protesting.
Years later, Shorouk still thinks of that day.
EL ATTAR: Whenever someone harasses me and I feel like he's getting closer to touch my body or -- so it reminds me of what happened. I feel like strong enough to look at them in the face and to sometimes curse them.
LEE: She encourages victims to speak out and to never feel ashamed.
Ian Lee, CNN, Cairo.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOWELL: This is CNN NEWSROOM. A dramatic drug bust in South Africa, in a neighborhood there that is plague by gun violence. CNN was there to witness the raid. That story is coming up.
Plus, not over until it's over. Bernie Sanders plans to move full steam ahead after a tough loss in South Carolina.
Live in the United States, and around the world this hour, you are watching CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOWELL: A warm welcome back to our viewers here in the United States and around the world. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm George Howell.
The headlines we're following this hour:
Early results are in from the Iranian elections showing reformists making major gains in parliament. And Iran's former president, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, and current President Hassan Rouhani are leading the race for the powerful assembly of experts. Final results are to be announced on Tuesday.
The cease-fire is mostly holding throughout Syria, but went into effect midnight Friday local time. ISIS is not part of that agreement, nor is al Nusra front. Saturday, the terror group attacked the city held by Kurdish fighters on the Syrian-Turkish border. There are also reports of sporadic Russian or Syrian air strikes around Aleppo.
In the United States, the state of Virginia. This police officer was killed just a day after she was sworn in. Her department had tweeted this photo congratulating her on her new job. Hours later, she was shot while on duty Saturday. Two other police officers were wounded. A suspect is in custody.
U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has extended her lead over Bernie Sanders with a huge win. Clinton defeated Sanders in the South Carolina primaries by nearly three votes to one. Super Tuesday is up next week when 11 states will hold Democratic primaries or caucuses.
In his speech after the huge loss, Sanders told supporters not only will he have a successful Super Tuesday, but that he has every intention of winning the general election. Listen --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: That is why -- that is why, yes, I'm going to be asking for your vote on Tuesday. I need more than that from you. I need your help the day after the general election because I can't do it alone.
(CHEERS)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOWELL: But is Sanders' optimism realistic given his hurdles that are now ahead of him?
Earlier, my colleague, Natalie Allen, spoke with Josh Kraushaar, political editor for "National Journal" about Hillary Clinton's big win in South Carolina and her support among minority voters.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSH KRAUSHAAR, POLITICAL EDITOR, NATIONAL JOURNAL: Boy, a 45- plus-point margin of victory in South Carolina. And not only was the victory huge, but she won African-Americans by over 80 percent of the vote according to exit polls. She even tied Sanders with white voters in South Carolina. This was a decisive victory. It's going to give her crucial momentum heading next week into the big Super Tuesday states.
NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR: I was going to ask you, was it an issue primarily of geography, since he dominated in New Hampshire, but perhaps not then?
KRAUSHAAR: The big challenge for Hillary Clinton was showing and proving that she could dominate, not just win, but dominate among African-Americans and among Hispanics. And she showed that she thoroughly won the African-American vote in both Nevada and South Carolina. And she won Hispanics. If you look at the precinct data out of Nevada, she did very well with the Hispanic voters, too.
For a Democratic candidate and a Democratic primary, if you're doing well with nonwhite voter as well as Hillary Clinton has done, it's a pretty sure path to winning the Democratic nomination.
ALLEN: Well, she said in her acceptance speech, "We go national from here." So what must she achieve on the national stage come Super Tuesday?
KRAUSHAAR: She's got a win the vast majority of delegates in states on Super Tuesday. And, frankly, most are concentrated in the South. They have similar demographics to South Carolina. States like that -- and also Texas with its sizable Hispanic population.
So, there's an opportunity for Clinton to do, again, very well with Hispanic and African-American voters and do well with the overall delegate count. Now, Bernie Sanders will make a showing in the caucuses next week, Minnesota, Colorado, and Massachusetts' primary, three of the big states that the Sanders campaign is counting on.
But when you just look at the likely delegate count if the momentum continue for Clinton, she's going to start to build what's looking like an insurmountable lead for the Clinton campaign.
ALLEN: What happened to the feel the Bern? Where did that go? What turned it heard Hillary?
KRAUSHAAR: Well, look, Iowa and New Hampshire were about as favorable states as you can draw for the Sanders campaign. They're very liberal and they have very young and white Democratic electorates.
[04:35:01] Once we get to the South and the more diverse Democratic states, it was a bigger challenge for Sanders.
Sanders always had to prove he could expand his own coalition to winning more nonwhite voters, to doing well with African-Americans, at least making some inroads with that constituency. As we are seeing right now in South Carolina, not only that he did not make inroads, but he got wiped out. If he doesn't make inroads by next week, the game is over for the Bernie Sanders campaign.
ALLEN: Well, there are certainly those that would want to trip up Hillary Clinton. I mean, from the emails, to Benghazi, and now this speech transcripts, he still talked about that. Is there anything that he can say or that can happen that could trip her up at this point on her way to getting more delegates?
KRAUSHAAR: Well, look, Hillary Clinton is her own worst enemy. She certainly improved her stump speech. She sounded more empathetic in her victory speech tonight in South Carolina.
But it's really -- her issue is in the general election. I mean, she has poor favorability numbers in the general election. A lot of people in the country still don't trust her outside of the Democratic base. So her big challenge looking forward is to think about the general election.
But she hinted at some lines preparing for a match-up again Donald Trump in her victory speech tonight. But this is someone who's going to be focused primarily on November and less toward Bernie Sanders and the Democratic primary.
ALLEN: Well, it is Donald Trump and Hillary, she might need practice from Marco Rubio, maybe train with him since he finally got his speeds up there late in the game against the Donald this week.
But we appreciate your thoughts. We'll talk with you again. Josh Kraushaar, political editor for "National Journal" -- thank you.
KRAUSHAAR: Thanks, Natalie.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOWELL: And as Josh mentioned there to Natalie, Super Tuesday is crucial for these candidates running for U.S. president. Republicans will battle it out for nearly half the delegate needed for their party's nomination.
Our chief U.S. correspondent John King takes a look at how this leg of the race could play out for Republicans.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Here's where we stand now, 82 delegates to 17, 16, and 6. So, you say that's a big lead, but it's early, 1,273 is the number you need for the Republican nomination.
But, Wolf, this is what -- look at Super Tuesday. If Trump runs the board, he would pull way out to here. For the sake of argument, Ted Cruz is leading in Texas, Donald Trump has negative ads up, he says he's playing there. For the sake of argument, say Ted Cruz leads and Donald Trump comes in second, Marco Rubio gets third and Governor Kasich fourth. Ben Carson would be fifth obviously.
Even if that happens, Donald Trump's ahead everywhere else on Super Tuesday. We'll see. You know, Rubio's pushing in Georgia. Cruz pushing in Oklahoma and in Georgia. We'll see what happens.
But if it goes right now and Donald Trump wins these states with 35 percent of the vote, he'd start to open a delegate lead. Let me show you something else, take it further through March. If Donald Trump ran the board then, Kasich is trying to get Ohio, Rubio's home state, the home state contest here, Governor Kasich in Ohio and Senator Rubio there.
But right now, Trump's ahead. If Trump ran the board, look how far ahead he'd get. I want to give you a scenario now. Let's assume at this point I'm going to make it Marco Rubio. Could be any of the other candidates, if we get to Trump versus one.
In this scenario, it's going to be Marco Rubio as you see it play out. It could be Cruz. Watch the numbers. Could be Kasich if they won. Watch this play out.
If the other candidate, this being Marco Rubio, won everything after the 15th, right, everybody else gets out, it's a two-man race, the candidate wins everything there, and if -- if Rubio won everything after that, he wouldn't clinch. He would pass Trump but he wouldn't clinch by the convention.
So, the only way -- here's one scenario -- if Rubio won Florida, if he could win his home state, let's give Donald Trump second, but it's winner-take-all, it really doesn't matter. Governor Kasich there. If Rubio won his home state and then ran the board after March 15th, then he could just barely cross the line and win the nomination.
Now, that was the scenario with Marco Rubio. If you're a Cruz supporter at home, could be your candidate. If you're a Kasich supporter, could be your candidate. But the point is at some point, if Trump is so poised to win big on Super Tuesday, after that -- if after that, we had a two-man race, that person in the two-man race would have to win everything -- everything to stop Trump.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOWELL: Got to love that. John King at the magic wall. Mr. King and the rest of the CNN team will bring you full coverage of Super Tuesday. All the races and results throughout the day. That is Tuesday only here on CNN.
Turning to weather now. Storms are taking aim at the west coast. Our meteorologist, Karen Maginnis, is at the world weather center.
And, Karen, I know that my friends at affiliate KOMO-TV are reporting in the rain and not happy about that.
(WEATHER REPORT)
[04:41:48] HOWELL: A lot of rain there in the Seattle, Pacific Northwest area, and a lot of wind there across Europe. Karen, thank you so much.
The biggest awards show of the season, it's almost here. We have a preview of Sunday's Academy Awards, as CNN NEWSROOM continues.
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[04:45:16] HOWELL: U.S. federal drug agents are helping South African police in their fight against violent gangs. We take you to Cape Town.
CNN's David McKenzie witnessed a drug bust in an area known as the Cape Flats. It's a neighborhood that still struggles with poverty and violence, more than 20 years after the end of apartheid. Here's David's report.
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DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Peering out of windows, wary of the cops below.
The police say they want the community's help to catch Cape Town's most wanted criminals. The he'll here know at that gangs run the streets.
(on camera): They're here to do public outreach in this neighborhood. This man's already been shot. The police are talking to him.
This operation has just begun. And shots were already fired.
They knew the police were here and still shot each other?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They don't care. They don't respect the police. They don't care. No respect for the police.
MCKENZIE (voice-over): We're with the specialized gang unit of the metro police. For their safety, we can't show their faces. Crime is entrenched in the Cape Flats. It's been that way for decades.
But in Lavender Hill, murders have doubled, with many innocent victims caught in the crossfire.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's terrible. (INAUDIBLE)
MCKENZIE: Gang members killed this (INAUDIBLE)'s son a year ago.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He wasn't a gangster, and they shot him.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All the young boys, most of the young boys feel forced to join gangs.
MCKENZIE (on camera): Why?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because they're afraid of the gangsters.
MCKENZIE (voice-over): City officials are finally fighting back. Turning traffic cops into special investigators.
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MCKENZIE: They've called in the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to help.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: About every bad thing that could happen happened in that one scenario. I mean, it was totally off the script, right in.
MCKENZIE: Active agents whose identities must be concealed run the training.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I didn't see any huge flaw that would make me not want to roll with you guys.
MCKENZIE: It's been open season on the cops here. Many of these officers have seen colleagues killed. Every one of them knows a routine traffic stop can turn deadly.
A show of strength, they say, is disrupting gang operations. But tonight, few arrests. All they can perhaps manage is to slow the menace.
David McKenzie, CNN, Cape Town.
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[04:51:45] HOWELL: Are you ready? The red carpet is hours away from being rolled out for Hollywood's biggest night. It's 88th Academy Awards. They will be held Sunday night in Los Angeles. Comedian Chris Rock will be taking stage as host.
There's already plenty of speculation about who will take home the most prestigious awards in the movie industry. Here's Frank Pallotta with a preview.
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FRANK PALOTTA, CNN MONEY REPORTER: The 88th Annual Academy Awards upon. And like every year, this year's Oscars should be a must-watch event.
Chris Rock is returning to host, and the comedian should have plenty to talk about when it comes to the "Oscars so white" controversy with all of the nominees being white again.
But that isn't the only big storyline on Hollywood's biggest night. Sylvester Stallone going for his second Oscar as Rocky Balboa. Oscar newcomers like Brie Larson are actually favored to win. And it's a three-film race for best picture between "The Revenant," "Spotlight," and "The Big Short."
There is no bigger storyline at this year's Academy Awards than if Leo will finally, at last, win his elusive Oscar. Leo has been nominated four times for acting and has lost every single time.
This year, the actor is such an overwhelming favorite, that betting sites actually have him going off at 1-100. You would have to bet $100 to win just $1 on Leonardo DiCaprio.
And since his character was mauled by a bear, slept inside a dead horse, and ate raw bison liver, the Academy's probably like, yes, let's give it to Leo this year.
But if Leo does come home empty-handed, he's in good company with actors who never won an Oscar like Harrison Ford, Samuel L. Jackson, and Peter O'Toole who went 0-8 even though he starred in one of the most critically acclaimed films of all time, "Lawrence of Arabia."
The Academy Awards may be about red carpet fashion, little gold men, and really big stars, but at the heart of it, it's a celebration of the year in film. And while the nominations may not always reflect that, the Oscars should shine bright on Sunday night.
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HOWELL: All right. The question, though, what happens to Leo? What happens to Leo DiCaprio? What we do know is that he has shared the screen with an angry bear. He's shared a kiss with Kate Winslet. Now, he's sharing something wells a random security guard in Russia -- his looks.
Jeanne Moos introduces us to DiCaprio's proud but portly doppelganger.
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JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hold your horses, Leo. A 33- year-old Russian security guard is living large as Leonardo DiCaprio.
Roman Burtsev is definitely a more portly version. Nothing mini-me about him.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's Leo's mega-me.
MOOS: But buried in there somewhere, his heart belongs to Leo.
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MOOS: The resemblance exploded on social media, last month, the two looks described as Friday night/Saturday morning. Perez Hilton captioned the real Leo, saying, "I don't see it," while his twin replies, "I do."
And now the channel Moscow 24 has given Burtsev a show, called, "Romance with DiCaprio."
[04:55:04] (on camera): His TV show is sort of a modified makeover. Leo's lookalike does things like take voice lessons and consult with a dietitian.
(voice-over): He hits the treadmill and undergoes cosmetic procedures to look more like DiCaprio. And just as the real Leo crawled his way through "The Revenant," his twin is crawling his way to fame.
The producers even built a mock Titanic prow at a Russian shopping mall.
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MOOS: Young women took turns posing with the pretend DiCaprio. The couples didn't get quite as swept away as in the movie.
(on camera): Now for those of you who don't think the two bear much of a resemblance --
(voice-over): Take this -- Leonardo's twin did a recreation of "The Revenant's" bear scene with an alternate ending, involving the bear polishing an Oscar statue.
So far, no response from Leo's PR people.
Does he find it unbearable to have his likeness mauled by an imposter?
Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
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HOWELL: That does not look pleasant.
All right. Well, CNN is the place to turn before and after the Academy awards. For all the glitz and glamour from the red carpet, tune in to "Hollywood's Biggest Night". That is 6:00 p.m. here on the East Coast of the U.S., 7:00 a.m. Monday morning in Hong Kong, only here on CNN.
That wraps this hour of CNN NEWSROOM. I'm George Howell at the CNN Center in Atlanta. I'll be back after the break with another hour of news from around the world.
Thank you for watching CNN, the world's news leader.
