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$350 Billion Showdown; Bush's Farewell Tour; Clinton Says Good- bye to Senate

Aired January 15, 2009 - 10:59   ET

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

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: It's Thursday, January 15th and here are the stop stories we're following for you. Brutal cold, and biting wind chills freeze much of the nation. Icy temps spread from the great lakes to the Gulf coast.
Israel pushes deep near gaza city today. The United Nations and journalists get caught in the line of fire. The incoming president faces a critical Senate vote five days before he even takes office. No matter which way it goes, the vote is certain to impact your wallet.

And good morning, everyone.

I'm Tony Harris, and you are in the CNN NEWSROOM.

All right. As you can see, Secretary Rice is about to introduce the president, who is about to make some remarks. Let's listen now to Secretary Rice.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: ... our ceremony by acknowledging with deep gratitude this generous woman who has been not just your partner, Mr. President, for the entire time that you've been married, which is now a really long time, but also in the last eight years. And particularly, I'm very pleased to say, in my four years as secretary, a great partner for the secretary of state.

I have watched -- we have watched with great pleasure and admiration...

HARRIS: OK. Secretary Rice about to introduce the president. We will bring you back to the president's remarks as soon as he begins them in just a couple of minutes.

The new Obama administration means a pair of Senate heavyweights are moving on. A live look now at the Senate, where a short time ago, Joe Biden said his good-byes after 36 years. A live look now.

He will become, as you know, vice president on Tuesday. In that role, he will be back in the Senate as the chamber's president.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSEPH BIDEN (D-DE), VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT: The United States Senate, and that is not hyperbole. It literally has been my life. I've been a United States senator considerably longer than I was alive before I was a United States senator.

And I may be resigning from the Senate today, but I will always be a Senate man. Except for the title "father," there is no title, including vice president, that I am more proud to wear than that of United States senator.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Hillary Clinton is leaving after eight years, representing New York. The Foreign Affairs Committee this morning recommended the full Senate confirm her as secretary of state. That is expected next week. Louisiana Republican David Vitter was the only senator to vote no. Senator Clinton's farewell speech is expected any moment now, and we will listen to it live when it happens.

And the Senate gets a newbie today. Roland Burris will be sworn in by Vice President Dick Cheney this afternoon. Burris will take the Illinois seat that was held by Barack Obama.

His path to the Senate was, to say the least, odd and a bit confusing. The leadership initially refused to seat him. They considered his appointment tainted because of the legal trouble surrounding Governor Rod Blagojevich.

Three hundred fifty billion dollar showdown. Live pictures from Capitol Hill, once again.

Crucial votes today on the remaining money from the bailout. The Senate votes on whether to release the $350 billion to the Obama administration. The House considers tighter restrictions on the money.

Senior Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash joins us now to walk through all of this for us.

Dana, good morning.

DANA BASH, SR. CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Tony. This is going to be high drama here in the Senate. There is no doubt about it.

I cannot find anybody who will tell me that they are sure that President-elect Obama is going to have this money that he is working extremely hard to get. It is going to be a nail-biter of a vote, and that is primarily because Democrats and Republicans are so uncomfortable with spending $350 billion more for a bailout.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BASH (voice-over): Barack Obama is already having big trouble convincing fellow Democrats to give him the last $350 billion in that giant financial bailout. Now he has a growing Republican problem.

SEN. JOHN ENSIGN (R), NEVADA: I think it would be very difficult to vote for the TARP funds, knowing, first of all, the first $350 billion, there was no transparency. We don't even know how exactly it was spent. There's -- the Obama administration has not been forthcoming on how that they would spend this money.

BASH: Nevada Congressman John Ensign is one of many GOP senators who voted for the rescue in the fall, but tells CNN they will oppose it this time.

John Cornyn is another.

SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R), TEXAS: I did so in good faith, based on the representations of the administration and the Treasury and the Federal Reserve chairman. But, frankly, they seem to have acted with the virtual disdain of Congress when it comes to oversight and accountability for that money. They seem to use it as a slush fund.

BASH: Many Republicans say they're angry the bailout funds have not only been mismanaged, but, in their view, misdirected, when used for the auto industry. But another factor is raw politics.

ENSIGN: My constituents overwhelmingly were against it. And they still are. As a matter of fact, they're probably more opposed today than they were back then.

BASH: Opposing hundreds of billions more in taxpayer dollars for a controversial bailout would please outraged folks back home, and, for Republicans, has the added benefit of making life even more difficult for the Democratic president-elect, since securing the money is the first big test of his clout.

Obama allies are frantically trying to round up votes, warning, the economy can't rebound without this $350 billion infusion.

SEN. CHARLES SCHUMER (D), NEW YORK: The bottom line is very simple. You cannot have the financial system in lockdown.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BASH: Now, last night, some of Barack Obama's top advisers, his incoming chief of staff, his top economic adviser, they came here to Capitol Hill, they had a meeting with all Republican senators, Tony. I talked to many of them coming out, and it was clear, they didn't change very many minds at all.

In fact, in talking to Democrats, they are really thinking that they are going to have to rely on fellow Democrats to get this done. And again, it is pretty unclear where those votes are. The hope -- the hope within the Democratic Caucus is because they understand how big this is in terms of a political win, and a test of Barack Obama's political clout, that Democrats will give him the votes he needs.

HARRIS: OK, Dana. Let's put Chuck Schumer's thoughts on this aside for just a moment, as I ask you this question. Is there a growing sense that some of these financial institutions are going to fail, regardless of the efforts, and that perhaps the sooner the markets weren't sorting out the winners and losers, the sooner we can target the money where it is most needed?

BASH: You bet. There is a real growing sense, especially inside the Republican Party, and talking to Republican senators. Especially, look, picking up the morning paper today, they look at it and say, you know, it looks like we've spent $350 billion already, and it's not helping at all. So what's the point?

Back in the fall, when they had these briefings behind closed doors here, and everybody was telling them that the sky is falling and the economy will completely collapse, senators say, look, that was a different story. They feel like now it's a little bit -- a lot less dire, actually, many Republicans say. It's a lot less dire. So why don't we take a breath and make sure that we are spending this money wisely, and get real, real hard assurances from the incoming administration that they won't make the mistakes that the current one is.

HARRIS: OK. Our congressional correspondent, Dana Bash, with a full plate today.

Dana, talk to you again next hour. Thanks.

A live picture now, Foggy Bottom. There you see Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, moments away from introducing the president, who is going to be making some remarks shortly, talking about foreign policy successes, obviously, from the State Department.

When the president begins those remarks, we will bring them to you live right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

But first, a quick break. We're back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: All right. Take a look at this, the State Department. Secretary Rice just moments away from introducing the president.

I have to tell you, as we take the secretary full, the secretary and President Bush have toured the stage here at least two -- what was it, three times, Margie (ph)? And there have been at least three -- OK, three times and at least three standing ovations for the president.

The president looking back over his leadership as he prepares to leave office in just five days. We are waiting for the president, obviously, to begin speaking.

Let's get a preview of what we can expect to hear from the president, not only in these remarks this morning, but also tonight in a primetime address.

Our White House Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux joining us now live.

Suzanne, good morning.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hey. Good morning, Tony.

Well, obviously, President Bush is going to be thanking all of those who have worked so hard over the last eight years under his administration, and later this evening he's going to be doing his final address to the nation at 8:00 this evening on television. He is going to be in the East Room of the White House.

It's going to last about 15 minutes or so, we're told, his remarks. And this really is his opportunity, his chance, not only to try to shape his legacy, but thank to the American people, to talk about the various stages that really have impacted him over the last eight years. He will talk about ways the country has changed, his accomplishments, some of the things in looking back.

We are told that he's not going to re-fight these battles, reignite these battles with either the Democrats or with Barack Obama, but that he'll be very gracious in passing along the torch. He'll talk about some of the challenges that he thinks that the next president will face, and he will also try to inspire the American people, obviously, to look forward, to face those challenges.

These are the kinds of things that President Bush is going to be talking about this evening, obviously, Tony, as he really tries to set the stage, if you will, the tone for his legacy. He has often said that the historians will be the ones that will ultimately judge him, that there is no such thing as short-term history. But he is trying to shape the vision, as well as how people are viewing his own legacy in the days ahead -- Tony.

HARRIS: Perfect timing, Suzanne.

Let's take you now to the State Department and President Bush.

(APPLAUSE)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I've got five days left. Be seated.

(LAUGHTER)

Madame Secretary, thank you very much for your kind introduction, and thank you for these beautiful reminders of how fantastic it's been to work with you.

By the way, these are going to be at Southern Methodist University, proudly displayed at the -- at a presidential center I will build to remind our country of the timeless values of freedom and liberty. And I am honored to take them back to Texas. And I'm honored to take my wife back to Texas, too.

(LAUGHTER)

The award you gave Laura, Condi, is well deserved, in my unobjective opinion. She has been an awesome first lady. And I'm proud to have been here in Washington. And you have been an awesome friend and a great secretary of state.

You know, I tell people all of the time -- they ask me about Condi, and I say, "She's like my sister. We've been through a lot together." And one of things about her is that she has never lost her great optimism.

She is plenty tough when she needs to be tough. She is plenty charming when she needs to be charming. But during the darkest of days, she always had a sense of optimism and constantly reminded me of what is possible and what will happen if we don't lose confidence in fundamental truths. History will say that Condi Rice was one of the great secretaries of state our country has ever had.

(APPLAUSE)

And I thank my friend John Negroponte. I call him "Ponte." You better call him "Mr. Secretary."

He has done a lot of hard work on behalf of the country, and he has really done it well, in a variety of jobs that have required skill and dedication, and encourage, and each job he has handled with a lot of class. He really has.

I want to thank the ambassadors who have joined us.

Thanks for coming. Appreciate your service to your countries.

And I want to thank all those who work here, veterans and rookies alike. This is a fabulous department and a vital part of making sure this country remains secure in the long run. And it's been a joy to work with you.

Tonight, I'm going to give a farewell address to the American people. It's going to be a short one, so -- but it's got a lot of meaning to it, as far as I'm concerned.

I'm going to urge our nation to continue to engage the world with confidence, confidence in the transformative power of freedom and liberty. These are the ideals that gave birth to our own nation, these universal ideals that gave birth to America. And over the past eight years, together, we have worked to advance these ideals, and every member of this department can be proud of the results.

In the Middle East, we stood with dissidents and young democracies. Sometimes that was not easy to do, but we stood strong with those young democracies. We outlined a vision of two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side, in peace and security.

In Asia, we deepened our alliances with old friends, Japan and South Korea. And we strengthened ties with China. I'm not so sure if this historically accurate, but we may be the only administration that has had really good ties with Japan, South Korea and China all at the same time. And we opened a new historic and strategic partnership with India.

In Europe, we expanded NATO to include new democracies from the Baltic to the Balkans . We work in a multilateral fashion to deal with issues like Iran and North Korea.

In Africa, we helped resolve old conflicts and form new partnerships to confront hunger and disease and poverty. I'm often asked, you know, "How come you, from Texas, care about Africa?" And I'm reminded of one of my first conversations with Condi. And she said, "If I'm going to work with you, I want you to make sure you focus on Africa." She gets a lot of credit for the focus on Africa.

I also acted on this timelessness belief to whom much is given, much is required. We have been given a lot in our country. And it's not only in our strategic interests that we deal with hunger and disease, it is in our moral interests.

HARRIS: OK. Very quickly, we've got a couple of good-byes going on right now at exactly the same time. As you see, President Bush is saying good-bye to the staffers at the State Department. And Hillary Clinton, Senator Clinton, is saying good-bye to her colleagues at the Senate.

Let's listen in to Senator Clinton.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D), SECRETARY OF STATE-DESIGNATE: ... but what I objectively believe is the best Senate staff ever. In Washington and throughout New York, this incredible group of people have been assembled, led and inspired by my chief of staff and my friend, Tamara Lazato (ph).

And Mr. President, I would like to submit for the record the names of all those with whom I have worked over the last eight years, because I could not be standing here speaking to you were it not for them. And I will also submit to the record a catalogue of the work and achievements which they have brought about.

You know, in the federalist papers, we often hear the reference to the Senate's role to avert the consequences of sudden and violent passions and in temperate and pernicious resolutions. Well, to the everlasting credit and wisdom of our founders, we do come together in an effort to find common ground. And as I look back on my eight years of service, I find myself reflecting on this tiny piece of Senate and American history.

Ten years ago, I asked the people of New York to take a chance on me, to grant me their trust and their votes. And in the years since, as our economy has grown more interconnected and the world more interdependent, I have worked to keep faith with my fellow New Yorkers.

I well remember when I first arrived in the Senate there were a few skeptics wondering what I would do and how I would do it. And there were stalwart supporters and guides like my great friend, Senator Barbara Mikulkski, who kind of read me the rules of the road and sent me on my way.

No sooner had I figured out the way around the Senate, actually had just moved into my office, which all of our new colleagues will eventually be able to enjoy, and had gone off on my first August recess. I never, when I was on the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, understood why the Senate went on recess all the time, but after the intensity of the workload and the extraordinary pressure of both the work here in Washington and the constituency work in our states, I was thrilled and relieved to see that August recess roll around.

Shortly after we returned in 2001, our nation was attacked on 9/11. The toll was devastating, and New York bore the heaviest burden.

Here I was, a really new senator, and my city and my state had been devastated. Nearly 3,000 lives lost, the World Trade Center in ruins, a toxic cloud of debris and poison raining down over our first responders and others.

I well remember the rallying of support and sense of common purpose that all of my colleagues and the citizens of all the states represented here showed toward me personally and toward New York. Many of you offered not only kind words, but specific deeds.

Senators sent staff members to help answer the ringing phones in our office as New Yorkers struggled to track down family members or to seek aid. I will never forget Senator Robert Byrd telling me at my state's hour of need, "Think of me as the third senator from New York."

On September 12th, my colleague, Chuck Schumer, and I went to New York. As you'll recall, the roads were shut down, there was no way in or out of Manhattan, other than by rail. The skies were clear. So chuck and I, in a plane provided by FEMA, were the only ones in the sky that day, other than the fighters who were circling ahead.

We landed at LaGuardia, and we got into a helicopter to fly to the heliport on the west side of Manhattan on the Hudson River. And then we proceeded with the governor, the mayor, federal officials, to go toward the horror.

When we were circling in the helicopter above the World Trade Center site, we could see the smoke still coming up, because it was, of course, burning. And we could see the very fragile piles of scrap and steel tottering as firefighters and construction workers tried to continue their search and rescue efforts.

That site was as close as I have ever seen to what Dante describes as hell. It became known as "The Pile."

Chuck and our government colleagues walked along one of the streets, and could not even see beyond the curtain of blackness. And occasionally breaking through would come a firefighter, totally exhausted after having been on duty for 24 hours, dragging an axe, knowing already that friends and even family members had been lost.

The air was acrid, the thick smoke made it hard to breathe. It burned your throat and your lungs. And I knew then there would be lasting health problems for everyone who was exposed over any period of time to that air that carried so much death and destruction.

Two days later, Senator Schumer and I went to the Oval Office and secured a commitment from President Bush for $20 billion in federal aid for New York's recovery. And in the years that would follow, he and I have stood side by side to fight for the successful delivery of that money as promised. And in this and every instance, I am very grateful to have had Senator Schumer as my partner and my ally.

No one fights harder or is more determined. And even though I'm leaving the Senate, and we will no longer serve together, I know that whenever I am missing Chuck, all I have to do is turn on the television, especially on Sunday in New York.

(LAUGHTER)

Over the past seven years, thanks to so many of you, Senator Inouye, Senator Cochran, and others on the Appropriations Committee -- I see Senator Harkin, Senator Murray -- you have been there with us as we have worked to recover. And I'm very proud of the progress that has been made, bringing New York back and securing funding for the essential programs to provide health screening and monitoring and treatment for all those who still are suffering.

I've developed close and lasting relationships with many of the victims and the families of the victims of 9/11, and I applaud and thank them for their courage and their fortitude in not only fighting for the health benefits that were so desperately needed, but for the creation of the 9/11 Commission, for trying to do better on threat assessments, more resources for first responders committed, despite their grief, to smarter policies to prevent future attacks on our nation.

I see what we did together, and then quickly followed by that, the anthrax attack, and remember with such incredible gratitude how we all came together. We should not only come together with that level of connection and commitment in time of disaster. This is an opportunity for us to pull together, with the new administration, to make a real difference, a lasting difference for our nation. That's what I've tried to do as a senator from New York, and it has been a privilege working to improve the upstate economy, working on behalf of the farmers of New York.

I well remember a short conversation one day with Kent Conrad and Byron Dorgan and Tom Harkin and Max Baucus early after my arrival about how I wanted to help agriculture in New York. And they looked at me so quizzically, and they said you have farmers in New York? I said, yes, in fact, we do, about 34,000 family farms. And Kent Conrad looked at me and he goes, you know, I don't believe that at all.

So I gave a speech one day with a picture of a cow. And said that this is a cow who lives on a farm, and the farm is in New York. But we had a lot of fun, kidding each other, but working hard together. I'm grateful for the incredible efforts we made to support the people who do the hard work in New York and America. Who get up every day, and just do the very best they can. And the Finger Lakes region and the North Country, we helped to expand broadband access, and partnered with eBay to create a way for people to have a global marketplace when before the market was limited to a very small region of our state.

We looked for ways to retrofit trucks and school buses and other heavy vehicles with new, clean diesel technologies, developed by two great companies in New York, in Corning and Jamestown, to clean up our environment. We created the first-evergreen print for Rochester, a blueprint, really, for how the city can harness its extraordinary research institutions, and their business leadership, and others to come up with a way to be a clean energy leader.

We worked across the state to really target investments from bio informatics in Buffalo to cultural icons like the Stanley Theater in Syracuse. And I took special pleasure in working with tourism, because New York is such a great place of our historic culture that I thought needed to be given more support. So for me going to Seneca Falls, the home of the National Women's Hall of Fame, and the site of the landmark Women's Rights Convention, the first ever in the world, in 1848, was a labor of love.

There is a lot to look back on with great nostalgia and a lot of excitement, but I want to look forward now, because we are at a turning point. I know that very well, as all of you do. And our challenge will be to come together, putting aside partisan differences and even insofar as we can, geographic differences, to meet the challenges of our time. I know that our two leaders are struggling to do that, as we speak. But I think this could be one of the golden eras of the history of the Senate. This could be a time when people will look back and say, "You know, you never can count America out. Whenever the chips are down, we always rise to the occasion. We figure out a way forward, and then we make life better for our people, and we extend peace and prosperity and progress throughout the world."

And Mr. President, I'm very excited about what can happen in the next four years. There's a lot of work ahead of us, but I know the people in this chamber are more than up to it.

And finally, to my fellow New Yorkers, I want to express my profound gratitude. I love being your senator. Serving you has been the opportunity of a lifetime. And it gave me the chance to continue the work of my life, to advocate on behalf of every single child's chance to live up to his or her God-given potential. To fight hard for those who too often do feel invisible. To remedy wrongs like I hope we all do, either today or in the next days, to pass the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, as well as the Paycheck Fairness Act; to do what we know will give our fellow Americans a better shot at the kind of future that is within their grasp.

And I've had a lot of fun. Eight state fairs, 45 parades. 62 counties, more than 4,600 events across the state; I look back wistfully and look forward hopefully. I now, if confirmed, will have the high honor of serving our country in a new role. But I will be sustained and directed by the same values that have motivated me for nearly four decades in public service. And so to my colleagues in the Senate, thank you. You have been wonderful teachers and mentors, and very good friends. And to the superb Democratic staff and their Republican counterparts who keep this chamber going, day in and day out, no matter how late we're here and how long the workload turns out to be. And to my own staff here and across New York, to my supporters and most of all, to the people of that great Empire State.

I may not have always been a New Yorker, but I know I always will be one. New York, its spirit and its people will always be part of me, and of the work I do. And I look forward to continuing my association with this body. We have much to do over in Foggy Bottom, and we need your help to kind of clear up the fog. To give us a chance to really operate on all cylinders, with the direction and the resources and the improved management techniques that I hope to bring to the job.

This is a challenging and defining moment. But I will always keep faith in this body, and in my fellow Americans. And I remain an optimist. But America's best days are still ahead of us. And Mr. President, I ask consent to submit my entire statement for the record.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Without objection.

CLINTON: Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR, CNN NEWSROOM: Take a look at this moment, in the Senate chambers, New York Senator Hillary Clinton reflecting on her early days as the junior senator of New York . What a moment that was in her speech. And reflecting on the September 11th attacks on New York City, revisiting that day, the sites, the sounds, even the smells of that day.

Senator Clinton saying goodbye to her Senate colleagues, less than a week before she is expected to be confirmed by the full Senate to be the next secretary of state in the Barack Obama administration. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee passing her nomination out of committee on a 16 to 1 vote, the full Senate to vote on the nomination next week.

And President Bush, Foggy Bottom right now, where Hillary Clinton will be heading soon. Taped from just a short time ago, the president thanking staffers, foreign service professionals at the State Department this morning. Just another reminder, the president will be saying farewell to the nation tonight. And you can watch that address right here on CNN. One other note, that farewell speech at 8:00 p.m., tonight.

One other note we are also following the confirmation hearing for Attorney General Designate Eric Holder. So a lot going on, we are following it all for you right here, in the CNN NEWSROOM.

And still to come, he has got a friend in the White House, but he knew him when. I'll talk live with another buddy with the soon-to-be leader of the free world, that is coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: He is part of President-Elect Obama 's tight inner circle. Now he has got the inside track on the soon-to-be leader of the free world. Illinois state treasurer and Obama friend, Alexi Giannoulias is with us.

Alexi, good to talk to you. Thank you for your time.

ALEXI GIANNOULIAS, ILLINOIS STATE TREASURER, OBAMA FRIEND: Thank you. Thanks for having me.

HARRIS: Alexi, did you meet Barack on the basketball court?

GIANNOULIAS: I did. We me probably about 10 years ago playing basketball. A lot of life's best friendships originate on the athletic field.

HARRIS: I've got to talk about that with you in a little more detail (AUDIO GAP) performance on the basketball court tell us about him as a leader and be frank and honest.

GIANNOULIAS: Well, of course I'm always honest, I'm an elected official.

HARRIS: There you go.

GIANNOULIAS: But I think you can tell a lot about someone by the way they play sports. And on the basketball court, Barack Obama has always been a leader. He is someone who is extremely competitive. He is a great ball player. He loves to win. He is very tough, he's a lot stronger than he looks. And while he's tough, he's not dirty. He likes to win, he has fun. Again, he's a great leader. He has a tendency to get the best players on his team, which is, again, a sign of a good leader, someone who gets talent around them. And he always seems to find a way to win, which I think is symbolic of his professional career.

HARRIS: So, Alexi, you played basketball, my understanding is, on the team against Obama on election day in Chicago. I think you may know this already. We talked to Hill Harper yesterday about that game. And my understanding is that your team lost the game to Obama 's team, is that correct?

GIANNOULIAS: Well, would I have to -- I would have to put a dispute in. My team was actually undefeated that day. We didn't lose a game, we beat the president-elect's team, and I'm very proud of our performance.

So not that it's about that on election day, but we were the champions. I will tell you, though, that, you know, playing basketball, I think -- not to speak for the president-elect, but it's a way for him to hang out with friends, to get a sweat in. He takes his workouts very seriously. So it's just a good way to hang out with friends.

HARRIS: You know, that was the honesty test and you passed with flying colors. Yeah, you absolutely did beat Obama's team that day. But what is with it -- we're showing the pictures now. What's with the -- This One/That One, jersey you guys wore?

GIANNOULIAS: We thought it would be to add some comic value to have one team be This One and the other one to be That One. And as a reference to Senator McCain's comment during one of the debates about that guy over there. So we had that guy and these guys. So we try and make it a little funny, too.

HARRIS: Alexi, what's made this a lasting friendship for you?

GIANNOULIAS: You know, I tell people all of the time, Barack Obama is just one of -- in addition to being one of the most intelligent people I've ever met, not most intelligent politicians, but really one of the smartest people I've ever met, he is just someone who deeply and genuinely cares about people. He treats everyone the same. Whether you're a janitor, whether you're a United States senator. He really -- he's got a great heart. He loves helping people. And he loves trying to find ways to be innovative and helping them even more, which are all attributes of someone who is a -- an excellent leader. And I really think that he'll go down in history as one of the most outstanding presidents this country has ever had. And I can say that because I know him as a person and I know how genuine he is.

HARRIS: Well, I'm going to try to sneak one more in here and I may lose the window on this, but I'm going to try, anyway Alexi. How concerned - what are your concerns about your good friend. I mean, this is a job that he is taking on that has the possibility to be all- consuming. So what are your concerns for him?

GIANNOULIAS: Look, he has got obviously some enormous challenges ahead. And as I like to say, he's got the inbox from hell. That being said, he has got a tremendous ability to stay level-headed. When times are tough, he never gets too low, he never gets too high. I know that gets said a lot, but there is tremendous value to that. But I think his ability to stay calm-head. His ability to try and dissect and understand problems and also his history of getting smart people around him, I think all of those are attributes that we need now more than ever.

And, again, he has got the perfect temperament for what again is going to be a very challenging job, not just substantively, but also on a personal level, privacy. His inability to do some of the things he has done in the past. But, again, I think he cares so much about this country, and so much about helping people have better lives that these are sacrifices he's more than will to go make.

HARRIS: Alexi Giannoulias is the Illinois state treasurer and a close friend to Barack Obama, the president-elect.

Alexi, thank you for your time today. We appreciate it.

GIANNOULIAS: My pleasure. Thank you.

HARRIS: Well, Barack Obama will be sworn in on Tuesday, but CNN's coverage of his inauguration begins this Saturday morning, as we travel along with the Obama express and the historic trek to Washington, D.C., every stop speech, every mile. Don't miss a moment of the inauguration of Barack Obama beginning this Saturday morning, only on CNN .

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: A sneak peek at a super hero and an inauguration-day surprise. Let's gear up the machine. Come on, let's get it cranking. Let's take a trip to CNN.com's I-Report desk. Check in with Tyson Wheatley, "Tyson's Corner".

Tyson, good to see you. Where are you -- whoa! What are you wearing there? That's a sweater Cosby wouldn't have worn in the '80s. What are you wearing there?

TYSON WHEATLEY, PRODUCER, CNN.COM: Oh, come on now, Tony. This is wife-approved, Tony.

HARRIS: Is it really?

WHEATLEY: Yeah.

HARRIS: I apologize. That was way harsh.

WHEATLEY: I sought approval before leaving the house today. And it was like, OK, you look great.

HARRIS: OK. That's one e-mail I can expect to see really soon. What do you have for us, Tyson?

WHEATLEY: OK, well, Spiderman, right? So, Marvel Comics, they have released a special edition Spiderman comic. It hit stands yesterday. And you've probably heard about this. There has been a lot of talk about this. In it, our super hero meets President-Elect Barack Obama actually during the inauguration swear-in ceremony.

And some comic book fans are calling this an historic moment. There were a lot of reports of long lines at book stores across the country. I-Reporter Michael Goermar of Omaha, Nebraska got his hands on one and he's going to give us a sneak peek without giving away the ending. Let's take a look at his I-report.

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MICHAEL GOERMAR, CNN I-REPORTER: Well, the much-anticipated Marvel Comic special edition #583, featuring Spiderman and Barack Obama is finally here. And for those of you lucky enough to get your hands on one of these, it is probably already experienced the inauguration day surprise that's in store for the world. Without giving away any secrets, I can say that a little lesser-known villain will attempt to crash the party and change the future as we know it, and to do so with a little twist.

Successful or not? Well, you'll just have to get your hands on one of these and find out for yourself.

Here's just a taste to whet your appetite a little.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHEATLEY: OK, so Tony, I want you to pay attention here. Because he's going to give us a little bit of sneak peek inside here. If you see here at the end, see that? That was Spidey and Obama fist-bumping.

HARRIS: Fist-bump, the knuckle-crunch. Like it. Tyson, we've got to run. I'm way long on this show. Good to see you, Doctor. See you tomorrow, all right?

WHEATLEY: Take care, Tony.

HARRIS: OK.

Barack Obama will be sworn in on Tuesday but CNN's coverage of his inauguration begins this Saturday morning as we travel along with the Obama express and the historic trek to Washington, D.C. Every stop, speech, every mile. Don't miss a moment of the inauguration of Barack Obama beginning this Saturday morning only on CNN .

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HARRIS: You know, it launched movies such as "The Blair Witch Project". Remember that? And "Napoleon Dynamite," I know you remember that one. Launched him to the big screen and big screen success. Sundance opens today, Robert Redford's indy film festival is celebrating - can you believe this? -- 25 years. CNN's Ted Rowlands is live in Park City, Utah.

Ted, I can remember when "Sex, Lies & Videotape" debuted at Sundance. I was just told a moment ago it was like 20 years ago!

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. It was the first one to make it big, Tony. Come out of here and really cash in. And that is sort of what Sundance is all about on some extent now, aside from the partying and the free gifts. Its filmmakers dedicating their resources and their lives into these films, then they come here and they hope to cash in.

This is going to be most likely a little different this year because of the economy. That's what Sundance insiders say. They don't know what to expect. Normally there's treasure chests of cash waiting, studios bidding for films, but a lot of different factors. The down economy is one of them. Another part of it though, there's been some flops over the last year, bunch of movies that were bought for a lot, flopped. It will be interesting to see if anybody can really break out.

HARRIS: Ted, what is getting the buzz this year?

ROWLANDS: Well, couple movies. "The Greatest" with Susan Sarandon, Pierce Brosnan, they are parents - there is a lot of buzz about that one; "The Glass House," about some Iranian girls, this is in the documentary category. And "September Issue" which is about Anna Wintour, the editor of "Vogue." That's also getting some buzz.

Tonight is the opening premier of "Mary and Max" with Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Toni Collete provided the voices. It is a claymation feature. We'll see how that one does as Robert Redford said, though, a lot of movies come in here with buzz, but they don't necessarily leave with buzz.

As you can see from our vantage point at the Treasure Mountain Inn, things just starting to get going here at Sundance. A lot of anticipation and a lot at stake for filmmakers hoping to make it big out of this festival.

HARRIS: Have a great time. Watch some great movies. Ted Rowlands for us in Park City, Utah.

Ted, appreciate it. Thank you.

You know, he is the man behind the success of the Mac, the iPod, the iPhone, he's all over the papers today. Why are people so concerned with Steve Jobs' health? The business side of this medical story in the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM

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HARRIS: Hello, everyone. I'm Tony Harris in the CNN NEWSROOM. Here are the headlines from CNN for this Thursday, the 15th day of January, 2009. The president-elect pushes the Senate for more bailout money. Today's vote looks like a real nail-biter.

The deep freeze puts the eastern third of the country on ice. Bitterly cold air spilling all the way down to the Gulf Coast.