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Alexander Haig Dies at 85; Conservative Plot Strategy; "Our Accelerator is Stuck"; First Lady at National Governors Association Meeting

Aired February 20, 2010 - 11:00   ET

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

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN ANCHOR: From the CNN Center you're in the NEWSROOM. It's Saturday, February 20th. I'm Drew Griffin, in for T.J. Holmes today.

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, good morning everybody. Thanks for joining us. I'm Betty Nguyen.

It's 11:00 a.m. in the east, 8:00 a.m. out on the West Coast. Let's get you started.

We are remembering Alexander Haig, a man with a distinguished military and diplomatic career. His family says the former Secretary of State died this morning of complications from an infection.

GRIFFIN: Haig served three Republican presidents; he even made a run at the White House himself.

Speaking of the White House right now, conservatives are gearing up to take it back in 2012.

NGUYEN: Yes, in fact CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference, is winding up in Washington today and our deputy political director Paul Steinhauser is there.

Paul, what are you hearing about today and those speakers that will be taking to the microphone?

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Yes, Betty. This is the final day. And we're going to have a number of speakers and a straw poll.

But you know, talking about Al Haig, you guys were just mentioning that. John Bolton, he is speaking right now. John Bolton was in the Bush administration, a U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. And about 25 minutes ago Bolton announced to this room here, which is getting pretty crowded, that Al Haig had died and there were some gasps and some moans in this room. So people here remembering Al Haig.

Also, we just spoke a couple of minutes ago to Bill Bennett. Bill Bennett, of course, a CNN contributor, Republican strategist and a conservative radio talk show host. But back in the 1980s, he served with Al Haig in the Reagan administration.

Take a listen as Bill Bennett remembers Al Haig.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILLIAM BENNETT, NATIONAL TALK SHOW HOST: He was a loyal man, a loyal soldier, a patriot, a very distinguished service in Vietnam and Korea, much decorated for valor, an impressive man. I got to know him some, liked him, admired him. He was always a little out of fit, I thought, with the political dimension, being a military guy, but he was a smart and able guy and a strong Reagan supporter.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEINHAUSER: So Betty, yes, people talking about Al Haig here, but of course the main -- the main part of what's going on today is talking about grabbing the control of Congress back from the Democrats in the midterm elections and also people here have their eyes on the White House in 2012. A straw poll is going to be -- the results in that straw poll, we'll find out later this afternoon.

GRIFFIN: Paul, let me just ask you real quickly, what about that TEA Party Movement? Are these conservative Republicans having any success in trying to gather that base in?

STEINHAUSER: Drew, that's a great question because, you know, there's so much energy at CPAC this year compared to the last couple of years. And one of the reasons is the TEA Party Movement. It really didn't even exist a year ago.

Last night the TEA Party Express -- I think they we have some pictures of this -- they had a big rally here. They're going to be taking off on another of their cross-country tours.

And conservatives here, I think they see the TEA Party Movement in a way as their allies in their battle to try to grab the Republican Party away from the moderates. So it's a very interesting dynamic here between the party and the TEA Party Movement -- Drew.

GRIFFIN: All right, Paul. Thanks a lot for all the reporting this morning on CPAC and we'll see what happens later today.

Health care, right, homeland security, how to pay for it; just some of the topics to discussed at the winter meetings of the National Governors' Association.

NGUYEN: Yes. The Annual (ph) Day Conference getting under way in Washington this morning. And set to address the bipartisan group this hour, First Lady Michelle Obama who will be promoting her newest initiative to combat child obesity.

We're looking at live pictures from that meeting right now. She's going to be speaking somewhere within this hour and of course when she does we're going to take some of that.

GRIFFIN: Wait, that's almost exactly the same as the one we just left.

NGUYEN: It is another meeting.

GRIFFIN: Yes.

NGUYEN: Yes, yes and we will be monitoring this all morning long and bringing you those comments right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

GRIFFIN: And an invitation for you to join us this coming week as CNN navigates the "Broken Government", the cycle of partisan politics and the role independents may play in the two-party system. That's "Broken Government" all next week right here on CNN.

NGUYEN: Well, President Obama refocuses on health care reform in the week ahead. His televised health care summit with Republicans is scheduled for Thursday. Now, the president is urging the GOP to bring their ideas to the table.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We know the American people want us to reform our health insurance system. We know where the broad areas of agreement are. And we know where the sources of disagreement lie. After debating this issue exhaustively for a year, let's move forward together.

Next week is our chance to finally reform our health insurance system so it works for families and small businesses. It's our chance to finally give Americans the peace of mind of knowing that they'll be able to have affordable coverage when they need it most.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: President Obama is back in Washington after a western campaign swing in Las Vegas. He rallied Democrats and raised cash for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Reid's campaign is struggling in the run-up to the November midterms.

GRIFFIN: Millions of recalled cars circle back to one family's tragedy and one terrifying 911 call.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: Japanese media say Toyota's top executive left Japan today. He is headed to Washington. Akio Toyoda says he will testify before a House committee Wednesday.

For days Toyoda waved off U.S. lawmaker who called for him to come to Washington and discuss the huge safety recall. The House panel has subpoenaed Toyota documents.

Allegations have bubbled up that the company knew about acceleration problems but did nothing and Toyoda denies it.

The danger of the sticking accelerator can be traced back to a tragedy six months ago. A California highway patrol officer and his family were killed when their car took off at speeds of more than 100 miles an hour. NGUYEN: Yes, well, a call to 911 was made just seconds before their fiery crash.

CNN's Deborah Feyerick has the details and we do warn you, it might be difficult to listen to.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The 911 call lasted just 17 seconds.

CHRIS LASTRELLA: We're going North on 125.

911 OPERATOR: Mm hmm ...

LASTRELLA: And our accelerator is stuck.

FEYERICK: August 28th, 2009. California highway patrol officer Mark Saylor was driving his 13-year-old daughter Mahala (ph) to a soccer match in San Diego County. His wife, Cleofe, a genetic researcher, was next to him in the passenger seat. Her brother, Chris Lastrella, behind Mark, was talking to a 911 operator, describing what would be the family's final moments.

LASTRELLA: We're going a 120 Mission Gorge. We're in trouble. We can't -- there's no brakes.

911 OPERATOR: Ok.

LASTRELLA: Mission Gorge -- end freeway half mile.

911 OPERATOR: Ok and you don't have the ability to, like, turn the vehicle off or anything?

LASTRELLA: We're approaching the intersection. Hold on. Pray. Pray.

FEYERICK (on camera): Witnesses say the car appeared to be having problems. It had pulled over to the side of the road and seemed to be surging, almost as if it had run out of gas. Moments later, witnesses say it shot past at over 100 miles an hour. By the time it reached the end of this freeway, investigators say Mark Saylor had run out of time and options.

(voice-over): The car slammed into the back of another vehicle, continuing straight through the intersection and hitting this embankment. Witnesses say the car went airborne, rolling over several times, before landing in this dry riverbed and bursting into flames.

The family died instantly, leaving behind relatives like cousin, Joe Audal, asking why.

JOSEPH AUDAL, VICTIM'S COUSIN: It's absolutely devastating for everybody. It's hard for my aunt to really even go on with her life.

FEYERICK: Mark Saylor knew these roads. He'd been a highway patrol officer for 20 years. Colleagues say if anyone could have stopped a runaway car, it was their friend.

OFC. JOHN CONCEPCION, MARK SAYLOR'S FRIEND: He was great on the brake and on the accelerator, he knew how to control a car very well and I'm sure he did everything in his power to bring the car under control.

FEYERICK: The car didn't even belong to the Saylors. It was a loaner they'd received that morning while their own car was being serviced. According to the sheriff's report, the man who had driven the same loaner had told the dealership about a serious problem with the car. Family attorney Tim Pestotnik ...

TIM PESTOTNIK, FAMILY ATTORNEY: And that consumer brought it back to the dealership and told them that the accelerator was stuck. And the car was still used three days later with our clients, who were all killed, unfortunately, in the same car.

FEYERICK: Detectives later discovered the rubber floor mat in the Lexus sedan was the wrong size, meant for an SUV. A vice president at the dealership told investigators they, quote, "Do not mix and match the all-weather mats." The dealership declined to talk to us, pending its own investigation. Even so, lawyers for the Saylor and Lastrella families believe the floor mat is only partially to blame.

JOHN GOMEZ, FAMILY ATTORNEY: We know that there was evidence of heavy application of breaking, so I think at the beginning he's kind of fighting the car, it's lurching, kind of like a bull and finally those brakes failed entirely. That throttle was wide open and that car takes off like a rocket.

FEYERICK: Friend, John Concepcion gave a eulogy at the funeral, describing Saylor as a religious man of great faith and strong opinion who fell in love with his wife at first sight.

CONCEPCION: He was very persistent, he knew what he wanted and he knew that at that time was the woman that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

FEYERICK: The couple doted on daughter Mahala (ph), Mark coaching her soccer team.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: His main focus was obviously on his daughter who -- who is growing up, a real good kid, real loving, a real curious and wanted to know about everything.

FEYERICK: The head of Toyota expressed sympathy for the deaths. Now the family hopes the millions of recalls prompted by this tragedy will help save others.

AUDAL: They're in a good place right now.

FEYERICK: Do you believe that?

AUDAL: Absolutely. They're heroes and angels.

FEYERICK: Deborah Feyerick, CNN, San Diego.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Well, as a result of the crash, Toyota redesigned the pedal and floor mats of millions of recalled vehicles and is installing brake override systems. Lawyers say if that system had been in the car Mark Saylor was driving he and his family would be alive today.

All right. We want to take you live now to Washington, D.C., where first lady Michelle Obama is speaking at the National Governors' Association Meeting. Let's take a listen.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

MICHELLE OBAMA, FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: ... do to solve it. But we have to begin by understanding how we got here and what's caused this crisis in the first place. And I have my theories, but when you all think about it, this is a relatively new phenomenon. This wasn't something that we were dealing with when I was growing up.

Back when we were all growing up, most of us led lives that naturally kept us at a healthy weight. We walked to school and we walked home because we usually lived in communities where our schools were close. All of us ran around all day at school during recess and gym because everybody had to do it. And then when we got home, we'd be sent right back outside and told not to come back home until dinner was served.

You know your parents didn't let you in the house. And back then we ate sensibly. We had many more home-cooked meals. That was the norm. And much to our dismay at the time, there was always something green on the plate. Fast food and dessert was a special treat. You had it but you didn't have it every day. And the portion sizes were reasonable.

In my family, I remember a couple of pints of ice cream -- this was a big treat -- we get three pints of ice cream for a family of four and that would last us a week because you wouldn't eat a pint you'd get a scoop, and that would be it. You'd savor that a spoonful at a time.

And these weren't arbitrary rules that our parents just made up. As we know now, it was a way of life they imposed to help keep us active and healthy. They knew back then that kids couldn't and shouldn't sit still for hours. They knew that kids needed to run around and play. They knew that keeping us healthy wasn't about saying no to everything but it was about balance and moderation.

Now we all had our share of burgers and fries and ice cream growing up. We just didn't have it every day and not at every meal. But somewhere along the line, we kind of lost that sense of perspective and moderation. And we all want the very best for our kids, just like our parents want it for us.

But with the pressures of today's economy and the break-neck pace of modern life, many parents feel like the deck is stacked against them. They want to prepare healthy foods for their kids, but a lot of times they're tight on money and they just can't afford these meals. Or oftentimes they're tight on time because they're juggling longer hours at work and many of them juggling multiple jobs so they just can't swing coming home and making a home-cooked meal around the dinner table. It's hard.

They want their kids to be active. But sometimes they live in communities where either it's not practical to walk to school or worse yet it's not safe. Or they live in communities where gym classes and school sports are considered luxuries and not necessities, the first thing to go in a budget crunch.

And those afternoons playing outside, they've been replaced by afternoon sitting inside in front of the TV or video games or the Internet. And as a result, many parents feel like they've lost that sense of being in charge that their parents had.

But we have to be honest with ourselves. Our kids didn't do this to themselves. Our kids didn't decide whether there's time for recess or gym class or -- our kids don't decide what's served to them in the school cafeteria. Our kids don't decide whether to build playgrounds and parks in their neighborhoods or whether to bring supermarkets and farmer's markets to their communities.

We set those priorities. We make those decisions. And even if it doesn't feel like we're in charge, we are. But that's the good news, because if we make these decisions here, then we can decide to solve this problem.

And that's precisely what so many of you are doing right now in your states. You're experimenting and innovating. Many of you are ignoring the naysayers and the old partisan divides and focusing solely on what works.

In Pennsylvania, for example, folks started a fresh food financing initiative to bring grocery stores to underserved areas. And I got to visit one of those communities yesterday when I spent some time with Governor Rendell in Philadelphia.

In that community, they started with $30 million, and then they leveraged that for an additional $190 million from the private and nonprofit sectors. And with that money they funded 83 supermarket projects in 34 counties that are making profits, and they're projected to create more than 5,000 jobs.

In North Carolina, they launched a full-scale effort to help kids eat healthier and to exercise more. They've banned snack and soda vending machines from elementary schools. They've given grants to cities and to counties for things like sidewalks and trails and community gardens. And they've trained 41,000 teachers across the state on how to incorporate physical activity into the classroom.

And Arkansas started on the issue of childhood obesity way back in 2003; something former Governor Huckabee and I discussed yesterday when I appeared on his TV show. They screened students' BMIs which was controversial. They got healthier food into their schools and required regular physical education classes. And as a result that state was able to halt the rise of childhood obesity completely.

What you all are doing is proof that if we are creative and committed enough, if we meet this challenge with the kind of energy and determination that it requires, then we can take back control and we can turn back the tide, and we can give our kids the kind of lives they deserve.

And that's why last week we launched this wonderful initiative called "Let's Move". It's a nationwide campaign to rally this country around a single ambitious goal. And that is to solve the problem of childhood obesity in a generation so that the kids born today will reach adulthood at a healthy weight.

So we've issued a call to action. We've said let's move. Let's move to help families and communities make healthier decisions for their kids.

And let's move to bring together governors and mayors and doctors, nurses, our business leaders, nonprofit community, our educators, our athletes, our parents, to tackle this challenge once and for all. Because it's going to take every last one of us, particularly folks in the private sector, from the food industry offering healthier options to retailers who understand that what's good for kids and families can actually be good for businesses, too.

That's why over the next 90 days the first-ever government-wide task force, which includes members of our cabinet, will develop a national action plan. And they won't just review every government program relating to childhood nutrition and physical activity and advise us on how to marshal --

NGUYEN: And you have been listening to the first lady speaking to leaders at the National Governors' Association Meeting in Washington, specifically talking about the "Let's Move initiative to fight childhood obesity". Of course we'll continue to monitor this for you.

But in the meantime, want to talk to you about this. One year and $862 billion later, is the stimulus plan working? Our Josh Levs is crunching the numbers for us. He's been busy all morning.

And so do you have an answer? Is it working?

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, we'll get to decide if they've been stimulated or not. It's a massive sum of money we're talking about. And it just turned one.

We are going to show you where it's gone and how much of all that money has not yet been spent at all.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Top stories now: the Obama administration will not pursue ethics cases against Bush Justice Department lawyers. The attorneys wrote legal memos that green-lighted interrogation techniques like water boarding. Now the final justice department report concludes that the lawyers used flawed legal reasoning but were not guilty of professional misconduct.

GRIFFIN: In North Africa, witnesses say heavy rain may have weakened a minaret atop a historic mosque in Morocco. Three dozen worshippers died when that tower fell. Morocco's king is ordering immediate safety checks at all the country's mosques.

NGUYEN: The government shuts down four banks, among them, one in California and George Washington Savings Bank in Illinois. The FDIC seizures bring the number of bank failures this year to 20.

Another check of top stories in 20 minutes.

Well, heavy snow in the Rocky Mountains, it's great for skiers but not so much if you're traveling through it. Reynolds Wolf joins us now with a look at the weather outside from the CNN Weather Center. Hey, Reynolds.

REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. Nice and cozy here, but if you're traveling along parts of say, I-95 going from Denver southward to say, Albuquerque, you might have a few issues but heading west even worse. And the reason why is because you're running into not only cold air.

They're just getting plenty of moisture there and with that some heavy snow that may develop in parts of the central Rockies, back over into Utah, too, which as Betty mentioned, if you're a skier, you have to be very happy; driving, not so much, could be kind of rough for you.

And not only that, back in the parts of southern California, the rain is going to fizzle out today. You're going to get a little bit of a break later on but still another shot of moisture coming in from the Pacific could give you some issues in terms of mud slides as we finish up the weekend and then start the workweek itself.

But back out to the east, conditions could not be better. High pressure could be your dominating feature with high pressure has compressing effect on the atmosphere so you're not going to see a whole lot in terms of cloud cover or certainly precipitation unless you head your way up towards parts of upstate New York, back into Syracuse, and into Rochester, still maybe an issue. That lake-effect activity may also be expected in places like say Vermont and maybe even into northern Maine.

But temperatures, let's go back to those again, 40s mainly for Boston, for New York, for Washington; 60s in Atlanta, almost spring- like here, 68 in Tampa, 73 in Miami. Then when you get into the center of the U.S., 33 your high expected in Kansas City, 33 the high in Denver, 20 in Billings, and then 60s and 50s from L.A. northward to San Francisco and then into Seattle.

So that is a quick check on your forecast. We'll have more coming up throughout the morning. That's just -- almost noontime. Let's send it to you guys.

NGUYEN: Yes. We've been at it for a little while this morning. Can't believe you checked the time.

WOLF: Yes. No question.

GRIFFIN: Thanks, Reynolds.

We are hearing from the family of that Texas man accused of flying his plane into an office building that housed the IRS.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Well, what a difference a year makes. After President Obama's historic election in 2008, many pundits were throwing conservatism on the proverbial scrap heap.

But the 37th Annual Conservative Political Action Conference wraps up today with renewed zest and expectations for the coming midterm elections with conservatives pointing to solid and somewhat surprising GOP wins in the Virginia and New Jersey governor races and Scott Brown's unlikely victory in the Massachusetts Senate race. Not to mention the swelling ranks of TEA Partiers.

So for Republicans wanting to be the, quote, big tent party, a division within the ranks at the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC.

GRIFFIN: At issue for some, one of the conventions co-sponsored a group called Go Proud. CNN's Congressional correspondent, Brianna Keilar, explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Here is the exhibition hall at CPAC. Some of the usual participants. This is the oil and natural gas lobby. Over here you have a group that is for getting rid of all federal taxes. Right across the way for them you have the National Organization for Marriage, which wants marriage federally defined as between a man and a woman.

What's so fascinating is two booths down, take a hook at this, this is a group founded by gay Republicans that obviously sees social issues very differently. Don't ask, don't tell.

JIMMY LASALVIA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GO PROUD: We think that gay and lesbian service members should be able to serve openly and honestly.

KEILAR: A federal ban on same-sex marriage?

CHRISTOPHER BARRON, CHAIR, GO PROUD: It's the ultimate Washington power play to say a federal constitutional amendment to legalize the question of marriage.

KEILAR: Traditional conservative values these are not, and the views of the gay activist group Go Proud are rankling some attendees at CPAC.

HERB LOX, CPAC ATTENDEE: That freedom of speech but as far as promoting it, it's totally wrong. What happens to the area of sexual relations with the same sex is undermining the very civilization we're part of.

KEILAR: Go Proud isn't just promoting the issues that set it apart from many Republicans, it hopes to draw attention to the beliefs it shares, limited government and fiscal responsibility. In fact, it's co-sponsoring the entire event, and that does not go over well with religious conservatives. Liberty University Law School founded by the late Reverend Jerry Fallwell boycotted the event. But ask the younger set here and they're more accepting.

DEBORAH COREY, CONSERVATIVE BLOGGER: People in the under-40 age range have become more accepting of homosexuality, but there's also an attitude among Americans, libertarian, saying people have the right to do what they want to do in their own lives and take the consequences for it as well.

KEILAR: And what about those manning the booth for the National Organization for Marriage? So, I mean, you're two booth downs from Go Proud.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah. I refuse to see that as an issue.

KEILAR: As cameras roll, they actually decided to make an introduction.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just wanted to say hi. Hope we have more time to talk in the next four days.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Beer summit later. It worked for Obama.

KEILAR: A meeting, yes, but don't expect a meeting of the minds.

CHRIS PLANTE, NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MARRIAGE: Gays and lesbians have the right to live as they choose. They don't have the right to redefine marriage for the rest of us.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRIFFIN: That was Brianna Keilar reporting, who adds that the organizers of Go Proud will have a speaking role at the conference and will be participating in a roundtable today, but they won't be talking about issues like gay marriage. They're going to be discussing technology and outreach.

Retired four-star general and former secretary of state Alexander Haig died today. He was 85 years old.

NGUYEN: Haig served three Republican presidents. He was white house chief of staff during the closing days of the Nixon presidency. He stayed on briefly in that role for president ford and he was Ronald Reagan's first secretary of state serving 18 months. Haig never lived down his famous announcement, "I'm in control here," in the white house briefing room after the assassination attempt on Reagan in 1981.

GRIFFIN: Haig had been hospitalized at Johns Hopkins University Hospital for about three weeks according to his family.

$862 billion. It was supposed to stimulate the economy. It has been a year.

NGUYEN: Yes, so we're asking, is it working? Our Josh Levs is busy tracking all of those dollars. So...

LEVS: I know mathematically it doesn't make sense but I think 862 billion opinions out there.

NGUYEN: Sure.

GRIFFIN: I've got just one.

LEVS: Only one for each of you. That's something. Let's take a look at this. It turned one this week. We have some video here. The president signed it a year ago this week. This is a massive bill that is now worth $862 billion over ten years, designed to stimulate the economy.

Here's one thing he said at the time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I hope this investment will ignite our imagination once more, spurring new discoveries and breakthroughs in science and medicine and energy to make our economy stronger and our nation more secure. And our planet safer for our children.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEVS: Now, it is a fact that over the past year some programs that meet those descriptions have gotten some funding. Let's look at the big picture, first of all, $862 billion, that comes from the Congressional Budget Offense, and they came up with that figure about a month ago, what it will cost over ten years.

And now on the next screen I'll show you how much has actually been spent. Look at the breakdown there because less than half of it. The majority of the stimulus is not about funding those projects near you. It goes to things like tax cuts and supporting unemployment and social security. Here's how much has been spent -- $119 billion in tax cuts has gone through. $179 billion has been paid out to different programs.

And it's $31 billion -- when you kept hearing people say shovel- ready projects, $31 billion have gone to projects like that. So, Drew and Betty, there you go. One year late that's how much money has been spent.

GRIFFIN: All right. Well, what are viewers saying about the stimulus bill?

LEVS: I tell you something, they certainly have a lot to say about it. We have been hearing from them. Let's show my home screen where you can weigh in. You can weigh in on the blog, also Facebook and Twitter, Josh Levs CNN and the blog CNN.com/josh. Like I said 162 billion opinions.

That said, I'm also going to tell you all right now that by far just in terms of what we've been hearing, the vast majority of people saying hey, one year into this I don't feel like it's changed my life, I don't feel stimulated, haven't seen my community changed, but the government has said they're going to up the spending into the spring and summer.

They'll see a lot more shovel-ready projects get that funding because the weather is going to be warmer, you can get construction crews out there. We'll ask again in six months. Maybe things will change.

NGUYEN: After a year, but it was supposed to be emergency relief.

LEVS: Right. Yeah.

GRIFFIN: That ties into this next thing, an invitation for you to join us this coming week as CNN investigates broken government. The cycle of partisan politics and will independents make way into the two-party system? All next week on all of our platforms here on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: Top stories now. In southern Afghanistan, NATO and Afghan forces meet stiff resistance in a major offensive against the Taliban entering its second week. The operation taking place in the Helmand province along the border with Pakistan. CNN's Atia Abawi is embedded with U.S. marines. She reports they are making some head way but the Taliban is putting up quite a fight.

NGUYEN: New York Governor David Paterson launches his bid for a four-year term. His campaign kicked off this morning. Pundits are predicting Andrew Cuomo will challenge Paterson in a Democratic primary. Paterson got the job in 2008 after former Governor Eliot Spitzer quit over a sex scandal.

GRIFFIN: The NAACP getting a new leader. A successor to Julian Bond expected to be announced today, the group's second in command, Rosalynn Brock, seen as the favorite. Bond has held that post for 12 years.

NGUYEN: Well, the man who flew a small plane into a Texas office building housing the IRS may have been trying to cause as much damage as possible.

GRIFFIN: A law enforcement official says pilot Andrew Joe Stack may have replaced some of the plane's seats with a drum of fuel to cause maximum damage. Stack flew a single-engine plane into the seven-story building Thursday. Two bodies recovered from the accident scene. Stack's widow made a statement. This is through a family friend.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAYFORD WALKER, STACK FAMILY SPOKESMAN: Words cannot adequately express my sorrow or the sympathy I feel for everyone affected by this unimaginable tragedy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: On a website registered to Stack, a lengthy message rants against the government, especially the IRS.

NGUYEN: Let's get the latest on the weather because it's a rocky mountain high for ski buffs but traveling through can be a bit of a low. Reynolds has the latest on the snow.

WOLF: Yeah. It's great on the skis but on the minivan not so much. It gets to be kind of difficult. Making that drive in parts of Colorado. The reason today is because of heavy snowfall we'll be seeing in some places in the mountains, the highest peaks up to a foot of snow, other places in the valley, I'd say anywhere from 4 to 8.

The deal is this storm is going to march into the central plains and already in parts of the central plains. Here's the situation. For example, Kansas City, look at the temperatures. You'll notice that area, right between parts of Missouri and the city of Kansas, you'll be seeing temperatures in some spots in the 40s and 50s, 49 towards St. Louis.

And you have almost like your dividing line, if you will, right here this freezing, warm stuff to south and then farther to the north, you see a little bit disperse where it's going to be right near the freezing point, mixed in ice in there, as well. On the top half, temperatures well below the freezing point, doesn't surprise anyone, you have snow in that area. This is what we'll be seeing as the storm moves into that region.

So places near Kansas City, especially over towards Lincoln, Nebraska, any spot where you might have trees or ice, you're going to maybe have issues in terms of power outages, especially overnight into tomorrow and by Monday morning a lot of people without power. That is something to really consider.

Really no issues for you along the eastern seaboard. High pressure, calming effect on the atmosphere, going to give you plenty of sunshine, beautiful day in Atlanta, nice day in Washington, D.C. We have a live shot of the white house. Voila, there it is. You see the snow on the ground and the sunshine coming down with temperatures warming up to 45 degrees, the nation's capital, should be a beautiful day for you.

More weather coming up in mere moments.

GRIFFIN: What's with the patch of green on the lawn of the White House?

WOLF: I know.

GRIFFIN: Somebody shovel that off?

WOLF: I think it's called grass, but I don't know. There's some underneath the frozen tundra.

NGUYEN: Haven't seen that in months. OK. Thank you, Reynolds.

It started 52 years ago in New York and forever changed the perception of American dance. We're talking about the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. The troop has performed in 48 states and 71 countries and for the past 21 years the artistic director Judith Jamison has overseen it all.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUDITH JAMISON, ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER: Mr. Ailey, he always made us believe that not only were we gods and goddesses but he also made us believe that each and every one of us were important individuals who had something to say not in a selfish way but had something to say in an intimate way to an audience so that we would be reflections of that audience.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: You don't want to miss it. Judith Jamison joins Fredericka Whitfield in the NEWSROOM at 4:00 p.m. eastern today. Hear more about the dance company and her personal plans.

GRIFFIN: Tiger Woods talks about his personal failures. Was his carefully scripted apology a PR success? We're going to read between the lines.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: Tiger talks. The apology a lot of people are talking about, one that millions of people actually tuned in to watch. Tiger Woods admitting publicly for the first time he failed his wife, friends, fans, businesses. More now from our Susan Candiotti.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TIGER WOODS: I am deeply sorry for my irresponsible and selfish behavior I engaged in.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Tiger Woods said it again and again.

WOODS: For all that I have done, I am so sorry.

CANDIOTTI: After emerging from the blue curtain to a hushed room, Woods never strayed from a prepared statement. In the front row, his mother between two of his female employees, childhood friends and PGA officials among a small group handpicked by the golfer. WOODS: I have let you down personally and professionally. I owe it to those closest to me ...

CANDIOTTI: Woods' voice sometimes wavered as he faced a single camera in a tightly controlled setting.

WOODS: I was unfaithful. I had affairs. I cheated.

CANDIOTTI: He tried to explain why he did it.

WOODS: I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled. Thanks to money and fame, I didn't have far -- I didn't have to go far to find them.

CANDIOTTI: As for that fateful thanksgiving night car wreck, he wouldn't go there, except to deny his wife came after him.

WOODS: Elin has shown enormous grace and poise throughout this ordeal. Elin deserves praise, not blame.

CANDIOTTI: She wasn't in the room. Her whereabouts unknown. Tiger took no questions. More than 200 reporters were kept about a mile away watching him on closed-circuit monitors, keeping track of every "I'm sorry."

WOODS: I am truly sorry.

CANDIOTTI: Around the country, every major network broadcast Tiger's mea culpa live. In New York's Times Square, people were glued to TVs and the ESPN sports bar.

NICK FALDO, GOLFER: Can't imagine having to be on a world stage and apologizing for what he'd been up to for the past however long. So that

CANDIOTTI: Will Tiger's mistakes cost him his marriage? That's between he and his wife. He says the apology won't be in the form of words but in his behavior over time.

Susan Candiotti, CNN, Ponte Vedra, Florida.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: And continuing at the top of the hour, Fredricka Whitfield.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thanks for making your cameo appearance this morning with Betty. Very good.

I know you've had a busy morning. We've got a pretty busy afternoon ahead. It's really tough being a kid these days. We've got some interesting legal cases that involve kids, everything from a dad who's now in legal trouble from taking his child to church. We've also got the case of a -- did you guys doodle as a kid? Did you doodle on the desk? GRIFFIN: I do it now.

WHITFIELD: Doodling in school landed one young person with handcuffs and then the case in Philadelphia where the school district is under fire. There were some laptops distributed to kids, but, yeah. Web cams and that means that some folks unwittingly, unknowingly, viewed on their web cams. And then we'll celebrate an incredible birthday of a man 109. Not just any man who's 109. We're talking about the last living World War I vet.

NGUYEN: I just got goose bumps.

WHITFIELD: Still on a mission. We'll talk about Frank. You'll get to know him the noon eastern hour. Lots straight ahead.

NGUYEN: Good stuff. I can't way.

WHITFIELD: Good.

NGUYEN: Fred, thanks.

WHITFIELD: Good to see you all.

NGUYEN: She is a true top dog. Want you to meet Sadie and find out how the win at the Westminster Dog Show helped her earn a triple crown.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Well, from Westminster to Wall Street. That's right. After winning best in show at the competition, Sadie rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday.

GRIFFIN: Yep. Toast of the town. CNN's Jeanne Moos toasts her by painting the Scotty against a Labrador that feeds itself with human hands.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: With a brush and a shake, the terrier takes Manhattan. Ta-da!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sadie, Sadie, Sadie.

MOOS: Great Scott, it's the hotty Scotty.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sadie the Scotty!

MOOS: She barked her way from interview to interview.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You are the baddest girl in the -- the United States of America. Yes, you. Se, yes, I am. Say it, girl. [ barking ]

MOOS: Ready for her close-up except when the camera closing in freaked her out. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She's got a great bark, too.

MOOS: The toast of the town ran around in a two-van motorcade followed by flashes she posed for pictures, accepted favorite treats, her favorite dish.

GABRIEL RANGEL, SADIE'S HANDLER: Chicken hot dogs.

MOOS: I heard organic.

RANGEL: Well, they are organic.

MOOS: Gabriel Rangel is Sadie's handler. She lives in California, like a normal dog in a house with three kids. Now here she was riding up and down skyscrapers in elevators.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "The" dog.

MOOS: Before her appearance on "Inside Edition" there was the obligatory photo op. Best in show, shown getting fed off a silver platter. Though her manners were no match for this Labrador's. We award the lab best in show on YouTube. Sadie dropped her chicken, laughed and didn't drop a thing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So what's next for Sadie?

RANGEL: This is going to be a mama.

MOOS: As for who's going to be the dad?

RANGEL: She loves her. This is a Chihuahua.

MOOS: Is it a romance?

RANGEL: Well, I think so.

MOOS: Any mixed breed ...

RANGEL: No. Not going to have any mixed breeds.

MOOS: Number one Scotty and the number one Chihuahua, doomed to forbidden love. I hear you have a secret meeting with Donald Trump. Actually, just another photo op. But if you want Sadie's hair to trump Donald's, brush it before the bow-wow in the trump towers. No relation to Sadie. She won over 100 other competitions before winning at Westminster. Enough to give a regular dog an inferiority complex.

Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: That's hilarious.

GRIFFIN: Hey, Sadie became the eighth Scotty to win at Westminster which began in 1877. Sadie also won the national dog show in suburban Philadelphia in November. And the AKC Eukanuba Championship in California. That makes her a triple crown winner.

NGUYEN: And her secret love has been outed, although they can never get together. Poor things.

GRIFFIN: Did you see Jeanne? Stand up right when she found out there's a love affair going on?

WHITFIELD: Gossip. That's sweet.

NGUYEN: A love affair that can never happen.

WHITFIELD: I love the poochy stories.

GRIFFIN: Well, CNN NEWSROOM continues right now with Fredricka Whitfield.

NGUYEN: Have a great day. Thanks so much.