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Late Winter Blast; Missing Fishermen in Florida; Drug War Creeps North
Aired March 01, 2009 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RANDI KAYE, CNN HOST: Hello. I'm Randi Kaye at CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. Don Lemon is off.
The snow is falling and plows are rolling, and the worst of the severe winter weather is just getting started along the east coast. It began down south in the early morning hours, and now it is headed for the Mid-Atlantic States and the northeast. Tomorrow's commutes could be rough.
And flying won't be any easier. Delta Airlines has canceled at least 300 flights, most to or from Atlanta. Some areas could see as much as one foot of snow.
CNN iReporters are out and about in the snow -- very busy and they are sharing their images with us. Take a look.
Chris Zahrt of Noonan, Georgia sent us this picture of his front yard. He says it's pretty cool but the roads are a mess and you could see that there.
George Brown took these pictures in Memphis. He says local forecasters underestimated the snowfall there, and if you're wondering who that is, that's his two-year-old son Garrett in the picture there.
Alabama's Rebecca Horsley sent us this image from Pelham; obviously, a CNN fan -- we like that. Today is her birthday she says and the party will probably have to be rescheduled. Happy birthday, anyway.
Jacqui Jeras is joining us now. And Jacqui, I just got one of those Delta Air Lines alert, I'm sure I'm not alone, already canceling my flight for tomorrow from Atlanta back to New York.
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. You should have given me a call yesterday about that one.
KAYE: I know.
JERAS: Though, ahead of time I will say that they gave you that deal where if you change your flight plans they weren't going to penalize you because they were expecting to have a lot of problems and they certainly have. Those problems starting to dwindle down a little bit in terms of the snow coming down; We had two inches at Hartsfield- Jackson International Airport. We're looking at a little bit of rain mixing in as those temperatures have gotten a little bit warmer; up to 39 degrees but still some snow a little heavier on the eastside of town. And we're also seeing that moving in the Greenville area. Charlotte, still rain, but you're going to be changing over to some snow very shortly.
Check out some of the snow fall totals we've had thus far: Germantown, Tennessee -- that's a Memphis suburb -- 5.3 inches; Beauregard, Alabama, 4 inches; 3 in Columbus, Mississippi; there's that 2 in Atlanta and around an inch in Huntsville. That was so far total from earlier today.
Now, snow is starting to pull out of the southeast. The big problem is that the temperatures are going to be dropping. Now that the sun is going down and the cold air is arriving along with those gusty winds, we're going to see lows in the teens and 20s here. So all of that wet slush that's been accumulating all day today is going to start to freeze up and bridges and overpasses in particular are going to be very hazardous.
We've had a ground stop in effect in Atlanta for quite some time now. Delays in the northeast already well over an hour, and the snow hasn't even started there yet. Things are going to start kicking up this evening though for the Mid-Atlantic. You can see the heavy snow through the Appalachians across parts of Virginia, up towards the Delmarva.
Washington, D.C., 36 degrees; you're likely going to start mixing very shortly and transitioning over to that snowfall. New York City will see it tonight. We think the heavy stuff moves in after midnight tonight and the accumulations to the northeast are going to be really extreme.
This is going to be your biggest snowfall of the season. In fact, somewhere in this dark purple area we're expecting somebody to get maybe 12 to 15 inches of snow. We think you could easily see 8 to 10 in New York City. We'll see higher amounts likely in Boston with a little lesser down towards Philly and D.C. with 4 to 8 -- Randi.
KAYE: Ok, good to know what I'm heading back to eventually.
JERAS: Stay around for a while. It's going to be better here before it gets better there.
KAYE: All right. Thanks, Jacqui.
The blast of winter weather may have actually ignited a wildfire still burning in central Texas. High winds are being blamed for downing power lines suspected of sparking this brush fire near the capital of Austin.
Some 25 structures have been destroyed, we're told; 1,000 acres are already charred. Firefighters say the drought coupled with high winds and low humidity is making their task even tougher. Governor Rick Perry has authorized state resources to help fight those flames.
A developing story off the west coast of Florida; we've been watching all day now. A missing party of four fishermen; CNN confirms at least two of the missing are pro football players, Corey Smith and Oakland Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper. The Coast Guard is searching a 750-square mile area west of Clearwater Pass, Florida. That's where the foursome is believed to have gone fishing.
Their last known location was a nearby boat ramp at 6:30 yesterday morning when they departed. They haven't been seen since. The search began 17 hours ago, and one thing that's changed according to the coast guard, search conditions.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAPT TIM CLOSE, U.S. COAST GUARD: Weather conditions continue to hamper the search and rescue efforts. Weather conditions offshore are somewhat rough. We do have an active search and rescue case ongoing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: The Coast Guard is asking anyone with any information on the fishermen's whereabouts to call this number -- it's right there on your screen if you can jot it down -- it's 727-824-7506.
Have gun, will travel; with kids? North Carolina's Lisa Pagan is like many of the 25,000 U.S. ready-reserve troops being recalled to duty, but unlike many of her comrade in arms, she's toting a couple of kids under hers. Pagan failed to persuade army brass to give her an exemption so guess what she did? She reported this morning to Georgia's Ft. Benning with daughter and son.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LISA PAGAN, SOLDIER/MOTHER OF TWO: At that time I thought my only option was I'm going to be arrested, I'm going to be considered AWOL and be arrested. I'm thinking, well, since my husband travels so much, what's going to happen if they're not here -- if he's not here when they come to arrest me? Will my children have to go to social services?
I'm thinking of them. They're the first -- that's what all of this is all about is just them, what's in the best interests for them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Tonight we'll talk live with Lisa Pagan at 10:00 Eastern right here in the "NEWSROOM."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Do you know that President Obama in six weeks of his administration has proposed more spending than from the founding of the country to his inauguration?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: That, of course, is radio host Rush Limbaugh taking on President Obama during a boisterous speech Saturday to conservative activists. The president's chief of staff today tried to tie Limbaugh to the Republican Party and presented the two as one and the same. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RAHM EMANUEL, WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: He is the voice and the intellectual force and energy behind the Republican Party, and he has been upfront about what he views and hasn't stepped back from that, which is he hopes for failure. He said it and I compliment him for his honesty, but that's their philosophy that is enunciated by Rush Limbaugh. And I think that's the wrong philosophy for America because what Americans want us to do and what President Obama has been very clear about is work together setting our goals.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: More news out of the White House to tell you about. Tomorrow president Obama is expected to formally nominate Kansas governor Kathleen Sebelius for health secretary. It would come just days before a White House summit on health care reform. The president's first pick, former senate majority leader Tom Daschle, withdrew amid questions over some unpaid taxes.
A retiree's golden years tarnished. Now he's back on the job at 90 years old. His nest egg shattered by an alleged scheme.
Also --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's not unusual now where a client will say I've already have done all the leg work. I've been checking his Blackberry, I have been looking at his text messages. I have been downloading his cell phone bills.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Talk about a sign of the times -- suspicious spouses doing their own legwork before bringing in the private eye. Infidelity and divorce on a budget.
And Don may be off tonight, but you can still join our conversation. Logon to Don's Twitter, Facebook, Myspace or iReport.com and tell me what's on your mind.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Lots of folks still sounding off about our earlier conversation -- talking education, broken schools around the country.
Eight (ph) writes in: "As a public school principal, I'm here to tell you that this is happening all over America."
Yes, we know that.
Ksmith34 said: "Instead of buying 36 percent of Citigroup stocks, why doesn't the Obama plan pay for all current student loans? Two problems solved.
And Janieo says, "I'm stuck in a house I can't unload. I'm paying about twice in mortgage than I should at present value. Stinks.
BarbRad says, "Returning troops need to know that new GI bill will make college possible for them."
Lots more weighing in; we want you to join our conversation. Logon to Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, or ireport.com and be sure to tell me what you're thinking.
Is Iran ready to build a nuclear weapon? A string of top U.S. officials have weighed in, and the answer still isn't quite clear. Defense Secretary Robert Gates tells NBC Iran is not close to a weapon at this point.
Last week national intelligence chief Dennis Blair told Congress Iran has probably imported some weapons-usable material but probably not enough for a nuke. There's a more urgent assessment today though from Joint Chiefs Chairman Mike Mullen. Here is what he told our John King.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Iran, obviously the International Atomic Energy Agency said last week they think that they were wrong in the past. That Iran might now have enough missile material to make a bomb. Does Iran have enough to make a bomb?
MIKE MULLEN, JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN: We think they do, quite frankly, and Iran having a nuclear weapon I believe for a long time is a very, very bad outcome for the region and for the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: And you can see more of John King's interview with Admiral Mullen coming up at the top of the hour on "Ste of the Union."
Mexico's deadly drug war is creeping north and U.S. officials are taking notice. Today, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said cooperation with the Mexican military is necessary because of escalating border violence.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT GATES, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: The cartels are retaliating. I think we are beginning to be in a position to help the Mexicans more than we have in the past. Some of the old biases against cooperation between our militaries and so on I think are being set aside.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Gates intends to provide Mexico with training, resources, surveillance, and intelligence capabilities. 6,000 people have been killed in the violence since last year.
The White House says President Obama will sign a big spending bill, but will work with Congress to reduce earmarks. Here is a live look tonight from the White House. Critics say the $410 billion measure contains nearly $8 billion in earmarks. Well, Democrats say it's actually about half of that. They say the spending bill makes up for cuts under the Bush administration. Republicans want the president to veto it.
Rupert Murdoch says he's sorry for the "New York Post" chimp cartoon, and a California mayor resigns over the furor his watermelon e-mail elicited. They're two high-profile mea culpas with a possibly ominous connection.
CNN's Kara Finnstrom has more from Los Angeles.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: An e-mail from the mayor of a small California city triggers outrage. The depiction, rows of watermelon at the White House with the caption "No Easter egg hunt this year."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not cute and not funny. Not cute and funny at all.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's clear by the picture that it would be offensive to most people.
MAYOR DAN GROSE, LOS ALAMITOS, CALIFORNIA: Well, I saw it in a humorous light. Obviously, it didn't. I have learned you don't forward e-mails because no matter what kind of e-mail it is, or what type of a joke it may seem like it could be offensive to somebody.
FINNSTROM: Mayor Dan Grose has apologized and says he will resign.
This on the heels of an apology from chairman of the "New York Post" Rupert Murdoch for this editorial cartoon which he says was not meant to be racist. The cartoonist says he was drawing a connection between the federal stimulus bill and a chimpanzee that mauled a Connecticut woman and was later shot by police.
In the caption one officer says, "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill." It was published one day after President Obama signed the bill.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Something that's a joke to some people is a mockery to other people.
FINNSTROM: Unintentionally hurtful for racist? The latest depictions are just two in a flurry of images that have sparked outrage since President Obama began his campaign.
EARL OFARI HUTCHINSON, AUTHOR/COMMENTATOR: The Internet, bloggers, some shock jocks on some of these talk shows, and even some in the mainstream media, but especially on the Internet, it just pulsed with racism. The monkey image, the watermelon, chit lings (ph), barbecue, the Aunt Jemima stereotype, (INAUDIBLE). FINNSTROM: Author Earl Ofari Hutchinson says we are also in the midst of tense economic times which tends to incite scapegoating and racism. A new report from the Southern Poverty Law Center says the number of hate groups grew more than 4 percent or by 38 groups last year; an increase its authors say was fuelled in part by a failing economy, immigration fears, and President Obama's election.
But Hutchinson and others also stress the gains in race relation that came through that historic election and have overshadowed the backlash.
HUTCHINSON: Let's just hope that it's just contained with a very, very small segment of the population and it's nothing but hot air.
FINNSTROM: Kara Finnstrom for CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: One man's dream shapes a woman's destiny.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHIRLEY FRANKLIN, MAYOR, ATLANTA, GEORGIA: I heard Dr. King speak at the march on Washington as a college freshman and, indeed, that was an inspiration that day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Atlanta mayor Shirley Franklin, a trail blazer, shares her pioneering past.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FRANKLIN: I'm Shirley Franklin and I'm the mayor of Atlanta, Georgia.
KAYE: Franklin became the first female African-American mayor of a large southern city in 2002. Dubbed the Sewer Mayor, She chose an un- sexy but necessary job, fixing Atlanta's crumbling pipes, and she prevailed, despite public resistance to high costs.
FRANKLIN: Even when something is hard and unpopular, if you are committed and transparent, the everyday person will get it.
KAYE: But politics wasn't always Franklin's passion. She studied dance up until college. Then one man's dream helped her find a path to public service.
FRANKLIN: I heard Dr. King speak at the march on Washington as a college freshman, and indeed that was an inspiration that day. I am striving every day to be worthy of the position that I hold. He risked his life, he risked his family's success and happiness so that I would have the chance to serve as mayor of this great city.
(END VIDEOTAPE) KAYE: She is an African-American first and our special guest tonight live in the "NEWSROOM." Mayor Shirley Franklin, good to have you here.
FRANKLIN: Thank you very much.
KAYE: So do you consider yourself part of Dr. King's legacy?
FRANKLIN: Oh, no question about it. I think the legacy of the civil rights movement plays itself out in many ways, and I am privileged to have a chance to serve in public office because of the contributions of Dr. King and others.
KAYE: Would you say he was your biggest inspiration or who might have been?
FRANKLIN: He certainly is a major inspiration but so was Coretta King and as a youngster, Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglas and Andrew Young and Maynard Jackson and the list goes on. The good thing is you can find inspiration every day in the works of good people.
KAYE: When you decided to run for mayor, did you really think you had a shot?
FRANKLIN: Maynard Jackson and Andy Young thought I had a shot. I thought I would run a good race and maybe squeak by and that's about what happened. I squeaked by and was elected.
KAYE: I want to share something with our viewers that you said. You went to an all girls' high school, and when you graduated, you said you thought women would and could and should rule the world. Do you still believe that?
FRANKLIN: Well, I certainly think they need to be right up there at the top in partnership, but I did feel that in high school, and I think women have a lot to contribute. We see it playing out in our own country, and we see it playing out across the world.
So I think women are good leaders, strong leaders, compassionate leaders. And I hope that my service as a woman mayor will open the door for many other women.
KAYE: As a woman and as an African-American, what would you say are some of the greatest challenges that you've faced in your career?
FRANKLIN: Well, I'm known as the sewer mayor, but I think --
KAYE: Do you really want to go with that?
FRANKLIN: I was going to say while I'm known as the sewer mayor, I think the biggest challenge is the public trust, gaining public trust and maintaining it, and it is not easy to do.
KAYE: Why is that?
FRANKLIN: Well, people -- they believe that you -- that city hall is not providing the service they need at the particular moment. There is -- sometimes there are problems and then they -- the average person generalizes, so I think gaining and maintaining public trust is really the hardest thing to do.
KAYE: What do you do when you're faced with a really tough choice?
FRANKLIN: Well, I go back to my principles. Is it honorable, does it make sense? Do I have the research to support the decision-making? All of those things and I check with other people, usually people who know a lot more than I do.
KAYE: What would be next for you?
FRANKLIN: That's a great question. I don't know. In about 300 days I'll be leaving office, and I may go back to teaching. I used to teach. I'm sure I'll be engaged in civic affairs at some level, and I will be watching presidential issues. I'm a big supporter of the president and hopeful that I can help him in any way right here from Atlanta though.
KAYE: I know before we let you go, I want to ask you a couple questions about the stimulus.
FRANKLIN: Sure.
KAYE: Stimulus package and Georgia. I know you had a wish list of like $1.8 billion. Are these shovel-ready projects and where do you want the money to go?
FRANKLIN: Well, there are shovel-ready projects. In Atlanta we have international terminal at the airport that is under way. We have a water and sewer program. Between the two we could spend $1.2 billion in 18 months.
KAYE: And all of this would create jobs?
FRANKLIN: All of it would create jobs, thousands of jobs in fact. Both of those projects are under way and we could continue them and really accelerate them and then we could finish sidewalks and road repair and park improvement.
KAYE: The question though is will you get the money. I know Governor Sonny Perdue is considering nod taking all the money from the stimulus. Where do you stand on that?
FRANKLIN: Well, I hope that our governor will find ways to accept the money, but the truth of the matter is that Atlanta can compete nationally for some of the discretionary funds. I'd like to build a street car. I'd like to build out the beltline.
There are any number of projects that Atlanta could undertake, so I'm very excited about the stimulus and about the TARP funds because the economy -- when the economy is sagging, it hurts local government, and when local government can't provide services, families are hurt.
KAYE: All right. Atlanta mayor Shirley Franklin. Thanks so much. Great to see you and great to have you on to discuss this.
FRANKLIN: Thank you.
KAYE: The oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffett admits he made some dumb mistakes in 2008 and it cost him and his investors a bundle. We're digging deeper.
And March comes in with a roar of snarling traffic and shutting down air travel. Jacqui Jeras is in the Severe Weather Center keeping an eye on the hot -- or should we say cold spots -- tonight.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: The severe winter weather is just getting started along the East Coast. After an early start in the south this morning. The system is headed for the Mid-Atlantic States and the northeast. Tomorrow's commutes could be a mess for a whole lot of people, and flying won't be any easier. Delta Air Lines has canceled at least 300 flights most to or from Atlanta. Some areas could see as much as a foot of snow.
Investors are on edge waiting for the markets to open tomorrow morning. This was Friday's Wall Street closing. Bells ringing, people clapping, but there was really nothing to celebrate last week or quite frankly last month. The Dow industrials had their lowest finish since 1997 and the S&P 500 is at its lowest level since 1996.
Fueling investor fears, Citigroup's plan to let the government have a bigger ownership stake thereby diluting the stock value for shareholders. Also, General Electric is slashing its dividend.
The latest job numbers aren't helping either or I should say the latest jobless numbers -- 667,000 Americans filed first-time claims for unemployment benefits last week. The highest number since October of 1982. Also, the number of people continuing to file claims has topped 5.1 million setting a record for the fifth week in a row. Another sign of how tough it is to find work these days.
Even one of the most revered investors in the nation is feeling the pain. Warren Buffett not singing a happy tune there. In his annual letter to Berkshire Hathaway stockholders, Buffett says the economy will be in shambles throughout 2009. The holding company's net worth fell by $11.5 billion last year. That's Berkshire's worst year in the 44 years that Buffett has run the company, which still managed to make $5 billion in profit.
And Buffett is still sounding optimistic saying the U.S. economy has faced bigger challenges before. Let's dig a little deeper into Warren Buffet's rough year. Poppy Harlow of CNN Money.com joins me from New York. Poppy, what's the word?
POPPY HARLOW, CNN MONEY.COM: Hey there, Randi. This should make all of us feel a little bit better, than a man who may go down in history as the smartest investor ever to live has made some mistakes. He admits them in the annual letter released to shareholders just yesterday, and one of the biggest mistakes he says was a big bet he made on ConocoPhillips, that oil company at the height of the summer was oil was right near its peak. He said that mistake has cost Berkshire Hathaway shareholders several billion dollars.
Also, his investment in American Express declined by about $5 billion. His investment in Coca-Cola, one he made many years ago fell by about $3 billion, and, you know, Buffett, his guiding principle is buy and hold, the market rises over the long term. So he hasn't sold out of these investments, but on paper the losses are in the billions. So much worse than I know I have lost and much more than most people out there, but still even Warren Buffett, a rough year.
KAYE: But even with all those losses, this guy is still hunting for bargains.
HARLOW: He is. He made two notable purchases in October. He made a $5 billion investment in Goldman Sachs at a 10 percent dividend. Only Warren Buffett and the treasury at this point can get that kind of deal. And he made a $3 billion investment in General Electric, and I spoke with him one-on-one in October at the "Fortune" most powerful women's conference. He told me then, I said Warren, is this the bottom? Is that where your investment is marking?
Take a listen here to what Collin Barr, senior writer for fortune.com had to say about that big question that a lot of people have.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLIN BARR, FORTUNE.COM SENIOR WRITER: He's of the view that he would take deals like that if they would come along anytime just because they're once in a lifetime type of deals. And so the goal is not to get the lowest possible price on any given stock. The goal is to get deals that you know have a very good chance of being profitable over the long term.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARLOW: The long term is what is key there, Randi. Buy and hold, and I think the great paradox of the year for Warren Buffett was put best by "Fortune" senior editor at large Carol Loomis in her article on fortune.com this weekend. She said it is the fact that he needed a time to make these big investments, but in order for him to find that time, the market had to be down so much and he had to lose a lot on the stocks that he already held. So a mixed year for Warren Buffett, but as he said we've been through things like this before, we'll get through it.
KAYE: It's good to see he's still positive about it. We can all learn from that. All right. Thanks, Poppy Harlow for us in New York.
For nonstop economic news from CNN's money team, just go to cnnmoney.com and you can catch it there.
We also want to tell you lots of you are still continuing to write to us on our twitter account about all the feedback on the schools and the economy and everything else that we've been talking about these couple hours. Raquii writes "I'm getting scared, when will this end? When will we start to see the effects of the stimulus package?" A lot of people asking that. Untypoed said "failing schools and a 90-year- old back at work is just another sad example of this crisis. It's a warning the worst has just begun."
Benmargolin writes, "Obama has it right, education and health care. If the U.S. makes progress towards fixing those two, well, we all win." And yogifish says what's wrong with just giving us the money directly? We will spend it. It seems like the best stimulus plan. Show us the money." Cognac62 says, what's on my mind? Disgust at Obama's class warfare. I pay more federal tax in a year than most pay in a lifetime. Disgusting." Is how he writes that one.
We want you to be part of our show, part of our conversation, logon to twitter or Facebook or myspace or ireport.com to do that. Let me know your thoughts. Let me know what's on your mind, what you are thinking today.
A retiree's golden years tarnished.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
It took my breath away is all I can say. You know, old, really? I mean, is that possible?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: It sure was possible, and now he's back on the job at 90. Ian Thiermann is joining us tonight. He will tell us how he lost his nest egg and how he's starting over.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: He invested everything with Bernard Madoff and he lost it all. 90-year-old Ian Thiermann says he and his wife had nearly $700,000 invested with Madoff who is now accused of bilking investors in a massive ponzi scheme. Now Thiermann has gone back to work, bagging groceries for $10 an hour. But he and his wife are staying strong.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
IAN THIERMANN: I am still healthy enough to work.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think he's amazing.
THIERMANN: I think she's amazing, too.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So I absolutely appreciate what he's doing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: And we're going to talk directly to Ian Thiermann and his wife, Terry. They join us from Mountain View, California. Hello to both of you.
IAN THIERMANN: Hello.
TERRY THIERMANN: Hello.
KAYE: Ian, first tell me how did you find out that your life savings was gone?
THIERMANN: Well, a very close friend of ours who had invested with us called and he had been involved in this kind of an investment for 35 years, his entire family had been involved in it, and they had shared with us this is an excellent conservative investment. Didn't go up, didn't go down and that our 15 years in it was the same way, and when he called around December 15th and said - he said, everyone in my family has lost everything, I have lost everything, and you've lost everything.
KAYE: And, Terry, how do you feel about your husband now back at work, bagging groceries for $10 an hour?
TERRY THIERMANN: He's an incredible man, and he's going to take - going to do whatever it takes to help keep us afloat.
KAYE: Ian, how about your co-workers? How have they responded to you?
IAN THIERMANN: Well, very, very well. The Super has been around in our small town for over 60 years and has a very high quality of people coming in there and everyone that I have worked there with has been very generous and thoughtful and exercises a good deal of judgment. All I am doing is greeting people as they come in the door. I don't handle any of the exchanges of money or anything like that but I can be enthusiastic about the quality of food and I express that enthusiasm on a regular basis -
KAYE: You have such a great attitude, but has it been hard for you emotionally to return to work at your age? I'm sure this is not what you had pictured for the golden years.
IAN THIERMANN: No, it certainly is not, but it is a fact of life. I accept it as it is, and start from - with the best intentions to do the best I can what I'm going to be doing. I may not stay there forever for sure, but this is a tremendous opportunity.
KAYE: How long do you intend to work there?
IAN THIERMANN: Well, I'll work there as long as I can - until I find something that is substantially better economically, but the market itself and Ron Clements, he's the owner, and his son Ron Clements, Jr. Was the one who offered me this job in January when he heard what had happened to us in December.
KAYE: And Terry, how do you feel with your husband now back at work at age 90 having to do this so the two of you can survive. Meanwhile, Bernard Madoff, who allegedly put you in this position is living the high life and living in his penthouse apartment in New York City?
TERRY THIERMANN: I really feel sorry for him because he has to live with what he has done, and he has to live with the hurt that he has caused to many individuals and many institutions. So I think the penthouse may be nice to be in, but I'm sure that in his own mind as he looks at what he did, that must not be very comfortable.
KAYE: Yes. All right. Terry and Ian Thiermann, thank you so much for your time. We wish you both the best of luck in getting through this.
IAN THIERMANN: Thank you.
TERRY THIERMANN: Thank you.
KAYE: Tiger is back, but will his return to the greens bring back the green to pro golf?
And this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How many people do you think you're going to help?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 100.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Proof that you're never too old or maybe too young to make a difference in someone's life. A five-year-old boy celebrates his birthday in a very special way. Put the kids in front of the TV for this one.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Well, all I can say is we've gotten you guys pretty riled up today. We can't even keep up with the twitter account. Here, we want to just share some of them.
Patriot2008 says "love the segment on the Thiermanns. Wow they looked great! Exercise and keeping active pays off. Hint to couch potatoes."
95sxbrown2gg says "sick of the rich crying about losing millions and still having millions to spend. So what? What about the folks who lost it all." And this from CWBuckett "what's on my mind is somehow getting my house sold to pay my bills. Great economic downturn here."
And craiglsanders says "people need to create their own stimulus package by following their passion. Launch a new product, idea, or business. A little positive take. I love that." DocMarty says "my parents have nothing left of retirement funds due to broker negligence. Social security and Medicare is not enough."
You want to be part of the show, we'd love to have you. Log on to twitter, Facebook, myspace or ireport.com. Be sure to tell us what you're thinking.
Tiger Woods, back on course.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, Tiger!
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KAYE: Knee surgery kept the golfing great out of action for about eight months. Plus, he and his wife recently welcomed their second child, but this week Tiger came back again bringing his star power to the tour. Could his return be a one-man economic stimulus plan? Sports business analyst and former consultant to the PGA tour Rick Horrow is here. A one-man stimulus plan? I love that.
RICK HORROW, CNN SPORTS BUSINESS ANALYST: Yes. That's not bad, but listen he generated about $50 million or so dollars for southern Arizona and Tucson, not to mention all the buzz that he got, too, because of in Wednesday, out Thursday. Didn't really succeed in that tournament, but he's starting and his tide floats all boats. Let's not tie to a bake sale for Tiger because he didn't win, by the way. He made $127 million bucks last year. Phil Mickelson, number two, made less than half that. Making $800 million dollar since he started. The first billion dollar athlete. He's going to be okay.
KATE: How about other athletes? Anybody else have such a big impact as Tiger does internationally?
HORROW: The only one close in the stratosphere is probably David Beckham. You know, when the Galaxy signed him they talked about a twice increase in attendance that's been there. 80 percent increase in internet. 600,000 of those Beckham L.A. Galaxy jersey sales worldwide at 80 bucks a pop. That's pretty stout. With corporate America, $17 billion of advertising and sponsorship, two percent higher but it's the lowest increase in 24 years. So something has to give both here and internationally.
KAYE: And what about the economy? We hear so much about sponsorships going away say for Nascar or Formula One. What is going on, is the economy hitting across the pond as well?
HORROW: Well, yes, let's remember we talk domestically about it all the time. But internationally, as we said, it's happening as well. RBF cut sponsorship's 50 percent. That's Jack Nicklaus, Jackie Stewart's company. We also have a company, Stanford Financial, we just talked about Madoff, how about that $8 billion scandal? It's affecting cricket and it's affecting Formula One. But also polo, the polo championships are over in Palm Beach a few miles away. That might be a problem. Caribbean as well, and other countries are being affected by Stanford Financial. Formula One, ING dropping out. The entry fee has gone from $500 to $13,000 because companies are dropping out. That's road rage to have to spend that much just to get into a race.
KAYE: No question about it. All right. Rick Horrow, thanks for your time. Have a good Sunday.
HORROW: Next week.
KAYE: These tough economic times have inspired many selfless acts of kindness, but probably not like the one you're about to see. Gather your children around. You will want them to watch this, too. Here is Farrah Fazal of Omaha, Nebraska, affiliate KETV.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You can get that.
FARRAH FAZAL, REPORTER, KETV: Carrying one heavy bag after another and another is how -
JACKSON MAYBERRY: Five.
FAZAL: year-old Jackson Mayberry wanted to celebrate his birthday.
MAYBERRY: Mac and cheese. We have real pasta. My dad always makes crazy things with beans.
FAZAL: It was Jackson's idea to donate all this food to the Kountze Memorial church pantry.
MAYBERRY: So other people could have food.
FAZAL: Jackson's mother, Amy, gave him a choice for his birthday party, she asked him if he wanted his friends to bring him gifts or food for the pantry?
AMY MAYBERRY, MOTHER: He said right away that he would like to do - take food to the Kountze pantry. For him it was a very simple thing, you know, people needed food and he felt that he had plenty of toys. And so he was going to help the people that needed something.
REV. CARLOS SCHNEIDER, KOUNTZE MEMORIAL CHURCH: It's safe to say we cannot give out enough food.
FAZAL: Carlos Schneider is the Mayberry's pastor at Kountze. He says the pantry lines keep getting longer. He and other church pastors are pooling their resources to help all those people.
SCHNEIDER: We all know the need is so great. We need a little bit of hope. And from this little child, it gave me a lot of hope.
FAZAL: How many people do you think you're going to help?
MAYBERRY: 100.
AMY MAYBERRY: It's amazing what one five-year-old can do.
MAYBERRY: Peter brought pasta.
AMY MAYBERRY: How many people he'll be able to help. To him it all just seemed so simple.
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KAYE: What a beautiful story, a beautiful little boy.
Infidelity and divorce on a budget.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's not unusual now where a client will say and say I've already done all the leg work. I've been checking his Blackberry, looking at his text messages, I've been downloading his cell phone bills.
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KAYE: Oh, yes, talk about a sign of the times. Suspicious spouses doing their own leg work before they even bring in the private eye.
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KAYE: You might not have guessed this one but it's expensive to cheat these days. And even more expensive to tail that cheating spouse. It's a real sign of the times.
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KAYE (voice-over): This private investigator from Massachusetts has been tailing cheating spouses since he was 16 when his father first taught him the business. But today, John Dinetale says business isn't what it used to be.
JOHN DINETALE, PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR: Surveillance cases, especially domestic surveillance cases you can just see falling off the chart.
KAYE: In the last year, Dinetale has seen a 75 percent drop in infidelity cases.
DINETALE: We've seen some, what we would consider good-sized surveillances that would keep us busy for a week at a time just kind of go by the wayside. And I don't think there's any question that that was the result of people not being able to afford it.
KAYE: In a slumping economy, even hanky-panky takes a hit. A full day of surveillance work will set you back about $2500. A full week, $15,000. So some spouses are doing their own snooping. It's not unusual now that a client will call and say look, I've already done all the legwork. I've been checking his Blackberry, looking at his text messages. I've been downloading his cell phone bills.
I think I got about three or four witnesses down there.
KAYE: Dinetale still gets some surveillance work but this new recession style cheating looks different with corporate America tightening its belt, done are the fancy dinners out billed to the expense account.
Now, cheating couples cook at home.
DINETALE: It has to be the economy and people are just not spending money the way they used to.
KAYE (on-camera): John Dinetale says cheating spouses are cheating with a little less style these days. Instead of booking rooms at high end hotels like the Ritz or the Four Seasons, he says they're choosing what he calls the no-tell motels like this one.
Or in some cases they're skipping the hotel expense completely and just using the car. Not all couples are doing that. Some are just hanging out at the park. It's free.
DINETALE: We'd be scrambling around trying to pick up a good spot where we could set up for video. This would be a typical spot.
KAYE: The economic slump has put a damper on divorce, too. The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers says 37 percent of attorneys polled reported fewer divorces during an economic downturn. Divorce lawyer say more couples are sticking it out, not because they want to, but because they have to.
DINETALE: They're staying together because they can't afford to get their own place.
KAYE: As the saying goes in this business, it is cheaper to keep her.
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KAYE: I do want to mention these infidelity cases are actually just a portion of John Dinetale's business. He says not all of his business is down, given the economy and what's going on, cases for fraud, insurance fraud in particular, are actually up. So he's making up for some of the business lost on the infidelity cases with the insurance fraud. We'll get one more check on the weather with Jacqui Jeras who is in the weather center. Jacqui.
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hey, Randi. How about you just don't cheat. Then you don't have to worry about it.
KAYE: There you go. Good idea.
JERAS: That's what I'm thinking. That's the way it's supposed to be. And you don't have to worry about paying for it.
KAYE: Exactly.
JERAS: Cheaper to stay together. Just don't do it. Anyway, yes, we got a snowstorm that is just developing, getting stronger, bringing in stronger winds, pulling in colder temperatures. All the elements coming together here. We've been seeing quite a bit of snow in the deep south already.
Finally starting to pull out of the Atlanta area, a little bit eastern suburbs and southeastern suburbs still getting hit right now. The snow starting to get going here in the charlotte area. We're also starting to see that in the Washington, D.C., even though the snow hasn't hit the northeast just yet. We've had some delays there today. Right now at the airport, ground stop at Hartsfield-Jackson International in Atlanta. Chicago has delays because of the winds behind the storm and we also have a system out west which is causing delays in San Francisco.
Check out our tower cam now from Washington, D.C. where the snow is just beginning to come down. 33 degrees in light snow. And you're looking at that picture, what, snow, where? Look closer. Look where the light is. You can kind of see some very nice light flakes coming down. There's also a little bit of fog in D.C.
You're under a winter storm warning, four to eight inches of snow is possible by tomorrow morning. Also that's going to continue to ride up the coast in places like New York City will get the heavy snow. New York also under a winter storm warning. Lovely evening now out there. Get out and do what you need to do now. Tomorrow you could have a half a foot or more on the ground. Accumulations especially east of New York City, could even see more than that. Great weather elsewhere across the nation's mid section but if you're trying to travel in the next 24 hours, boy, you're going to have a lot of trouble, Randi.
I can't tell you how many e-mails and friends have called and said I'm stuck, I can't get where I need to go because they're canceling flights ahead of the storm.
KAYE: I love having you right there so I can just say, hey Jacqui -
JERAS: And you are one of them. Should I take that flight tomorrow or what? Not so much, Randi.
KAYE: All right. Thanks so much
We want to share with you some of the folks who are twittering with us and some of your comments on our show tonight. JoseGomez writes "what we need is a flat income tax of 12 percent. It's fair and proportional. It won't hurt the rich or poor. And it raises revenue."
VegasMary says this "teachers are having to buy things from their own money just to get by." And Kayladallinga says bailout cash should be used to help those affected by Madoff." Interesting thought.
KAYE: Liberal atheist writes "that's absurd. I can't imagine my 95- year-old grandmother working and Rush Limbaugh wants Obama to fail. Unbelievable."
That's all for now. I'm Randi Kaye at CNN World headquarters. I'll be back here tonight at 10:00. See you then.
