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Arrests in Texas Church Fires; Hunting For the Taliban; Poll Shows Eroding Public Confidence; Independents Question Bipartisan Politics, Offer Solutions; Harvard Grad Brings Jobs to Harlem
Aired February 21, 2010 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Tonight, breaking news: arrests in the random church burnings in the south. We are live with that story.
And burning for 17 hours and still going, throwing dangerous toxins into the air. A freight train mysteriously jumps the tracks.
Deadly mud slides overseas take lives, and icy weather here at home threatening others.
What about your commute tomorrow? That's a big question.
Good afternoon. I'm Don Lemon.
I want to begin tonight with some breaking news. Two men have been arrested and charged in connection with a string of deliberately set church fires in east Texas.
We want to go to our Ed Lavandera. He is in Dallas with the information on the suspects.
Police are just wrapping up the press conference. What did you hear?
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Don, this is a story that has kept a three-county area of east Texas around the city of Tyler on edge since January 1st. Authorities say that there have been 10 church fires since January 1st that have burned down and, in cases, been investigated as arsons. We have not known who was behind these church fires until just a short while ago.
Investigators -- federal investigators and state investigators -- here in Texas, Tyler -- in the city of Tyler -- announced just a short while ago that Jason Robert Bourque, 19 years old, and Daniel George McAllister, 21, were was arrested last night. One of them, McAllister, was arrested in San Antonio. Another person, Bourque was arrested in the Tyler area.
Authorities aren't saying much as to what was driving these two men to commit the crimes they are accused of now. Essentially, they have been charged with just one case of arson so far, but investigators say that they do believe they are responsible for all of the arsons and all of the fires that resulted in the burnings of 10 churches. And these burnings didn't just target one particular group. There were Baptist churches, Methodist churches, Catholic churches that were burned down, black church as well as white churches. Exactly what the motive here isn't clear.
We can listen to a little bit of what authorities here said just a short while ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We can't afford to take any risks of one church burning and risking anybody's lives. It was important for us to move as quickly as we can, working with the district attorney.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAVANDERA: Investigators also told me just a short while ago that these two men have been on their radar for at least two weeks. Exactly why these arrests were made last night isn't clear at this point. But they developed some information that pointed them to these two suspects about two weeks ago. And they have been working lead. They also do say that in one of the cases, in one of the individuals, they do have DNA evidence linking them to that. But I wasn't told exactly what that was -- Don.
LEMON: All right. CNN's Ed Lavandera -- Ed, if you get more information on that -- Ed also going over the transcripts from that police press conference, and we'll get more information this broadcast as we get it. Thank you so much, Ed.
LAVANDERA: You got it.
LEMON: You know, it's not going to be quick and it is not going to be easy. A warning about the mounting war effort in Afghanistan from the head of the U.S. Central Command, General David Petraeus. He tells NBC that the current offensive against the Taliban in Marjah is just a start of a long military campaign and Americans need to be prepared for heavy casualties.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "MEET THE PRESS")
GEN. DAVID PETRAEUS, U.S. CENTCOM COMMANDER: They'll be tough. They were tough in Iraq. This -- look, I have -- I have repeatedly said that these types of efforts are hard and they're hard all of the time. I don't use words like optimist or pessimist. I use realist.
And the reality is that's it's hard but we're for a very, very important reason and we can't forget that, David. We're in Afghanistan to ensure that it cannot, once again, be a sanctuary for the kind of attacks that were carried out in 9/11, which were planned initially in Kandahar, first training done in eastern Afghanistan before the attackers moved to Hamburg and then onto U.S. flight schools.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: And the general's comments came as coalition and Afghan forces began the second week of the Marjah offensive.
Our Atia Abawi is embedded with U.S. forces on the ground and she takes us right into the tense mission against the Taliban.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ATIA ABAWI, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hunting the Taliban in Marjah, U.S. Marines targeting a compound used by the insurgency to attack U.S. positions. It's suspected the Taliban are using designated marksman believed to be foreign fighters. Their weapon of choice: the Dragunov, a sniper variant of the AK-47.
At tens of thousands of dollars a pop, this weapon is designed to protect the Marines and terminate an enemy hidden behind fortified walls.
The troops run from one compound to another trying to find the best angle to engage.
UNIDENTIFIED SOLDIER: I can't get a shot from there. So, (INAUDIBLE) come back and just running. Because of the missile points down --
UNIDENTIFIED SOLDIER: Yes, well, that can't be good (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED SOLDIER: You got to have a closer call position is what I'm saying.
UNIDENTIFIED SOLDIER: OK, I understand.
ABAWI: The Taliban fighters come out in small numbers here, maybe 10 to 14 at a time. Too vulnerable to come out in large groups because of the advanced weapons and technology used by the Marines. And although they are nowhere near the U.S. forces when it comes to marksmanship, they are still a threat, slowing the Marines down and extending the reach in the city.
Twenty-year-old Lance Corporal Brian Willet (ph) prepares the javelin for launch, the first time he's used one -- a challenging maneuver in a raging gun battle.
The day's mission over, a celebratory cigarette.
Atia Abawi, CNN, Marjah, Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: The census doesn't officially start until next month, but we'll tell you how the government already managed to flush millions of your tax money away on it.
And it practically took an engraved invitation, but Toyota's CEO is on the hot seat on Capitol Hill this week. We'll tell you about that.
And a very unamusing time at an Iowa amusement park. Look at this -- when a fast-spreading fire become a main attraction. We'll tell you about that as well.
And also, we want you to logon. Be a part of this broadcast -- Twitter, Facebook, iReport.com.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Politicians have been railing against the broken government since Ronald Reagan, yet gridlock and inaction in Washington only get worse, not better.
So, all this week, CNN takes an in-depth look at the reasons government is not functioning as it should and what could be done about it. As the nation's governors know all too well, the issue is extremely urgent.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. JIM DOUGLAS (R), VERMONT: We've got a national debt that's now over $12 trillion. We got unemployment higher that's higher than it's ever been in our lifetime. We have an economy and a government that are indeed broken. So, we have no choice to get folks in Washington to come together, to find some common ground, as governors do, as we do in our states, and address the challenges of the American people.
GOV. DEVAL PATRICK (D), MASSACHUSETTS: We have large numbers of people out of work all across the country, in varying degrees and different ones of our state. The Congress has before it a proposal to extend unemployment benefits. That's not because we want people to become reliant on unemployment benefits, it's just because we want people to be able to bridge to a better and stronger economy. There hasn't been action on that.
There's a jobs bill that's been proposed by the White House and in discussion out up on Capitol Hill. I think the House has passed it, the Senate hasn't moved it. We need that kind of action and we need it now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: That's from "STATE OF THE UNION" this morning. There are countless examples of incompetence and ways within the U.S. government.
This one, however, potentially affects every man, woman, and child in the country. And on it next week, reportedly, will show that the Census Bureau has already squandered nearly $5 million before the official census even begins.
According to the "Associated Press," $3 million was wasted, training 10,000 census workers who quit before doing any work after getting paid $300 each. Another 5,000 census workers quit after just one day on the job, costing the government another $1.5 million.
So, CNN is taking a hard look at the crisis in our system. We're cutting through the political games and looking for a fixes in a new series. Again, it's called "Broken Government." Make sure you look for it all next week.
In just a little bit, our Paul Steinhauser will join us to talk about whether the government is broken, what are people saying, what do poll numbers show. That's in a little bit right here on CNN.
Meantime, we're going to talk about the weather. Torrential rains unleashed deadly mudslides in Portugal. And for dozens of people in their path, there's no way to escape. We got the latest on the rescue efforts coming up.
Plus, Toyota's top boss on the hot seat. He is getting called to account for Congress this week. He's going to show up to Congress to talk. But will his testimony put the brakes on the automaker's woes or trigger even more questions. We're taking a closer look at that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Look at that beautiful live picture of the Capitol there in Washington.
And you know what? When a government agency foolishly wastes taxpayer's money, it really makes Americans mad and it should. It makes them feel pessimistic about the ability of government to function on their behalf.
Let's bring in now CNN's deputy political director, Mr. Paul Steinhauser. He joins us from Washington, with really a sobering new poll and that is -- is it on bipartisanship or is it just on broken government in general? What do we have?
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Americans are mad, Don. That's something that's pretty apparent from our brand-new numbers. As you mentioned, CNN/Opinion Research Corporation, a national poll, take a look at these numbers. We just put them out today.
And the first question we asked was: is the government broken? And you can see overwhelmingly, 86 percent say yes, that this government, the federal government, is broken. That it's not working properly. That number is up about eight points from four years ago when we last asked this question.
Take a look at this though, this is interesting. Even though that number is extremely high, there is some hope for Americans. We asked, is the government broken? Yes. But eight out of 10 say that it can be fixed. So, while Americans overwhelming feel that the government is currently broken, there is some optimism that things can be repaired, Don.
LEMON: OK. So, you know, this idea of working together -- you know, we hear everyone talking about bipartisanship, bipartisanship. Is this a new thing? What a great idea.
No, seriously. What triggered this? Because, you know, people have been saying for years, we should work -- both sides of the aisle should work. But it's getting really amped up right now. So, what's the trigger?
STEINHAUSER: I think -- well, something happened last month and we all remember, this was up in Massachusetts. Scott Brown, a Republican, won the special Senate election up there and that basically changed the dynamics here in Washington. He became the 41st Republican senator. The Democrats -- bingo -- they just lost their supermajority in the Senate. That has really changed the political landscape in this town.
A little late last month, you heard Barack Obama in the State of the Union address call for bipartisanship, on some major issues, like fixing the economy, creating jobs and on health care. We heard repeated calls from him since then.
And also, Don, I think a lot of these lawmakers, there's an anti- incumbent mode out there, a lot of these guys and women are up for re- election this year and they realize, if they want to keep their offices, they have to show that they can get things done. I think this --
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: OK.
STEINHAUSER: -- is why you're seeing that.
LEMON: So, listen, based on those poll numbers, clearly, people are not happy and I think one test will be on Thursday with this health care summit or meeting. What are the tests coming up next week to see if there's actually bipartisanship?
STEINHAUSER: Well, you mentioned Thursday. And that is going to be a big deal. The president having top leaders from both parties over at the White House, at the Blair House, and that's going to be televised on CNN and other cable networks I would assume -- a big test to see if Republicans and Democrats can play nice and try to find some common ground in health care.
Even before that, there's just as big of a test as early as tomorrow, where the U.S. Senate could vote on a job's bill. And this bill has been pared down to about $15 billion. It sounds like a lot of money but, I guess, in Washington, it really isn't. And this bill has got some good ideas that Republicans may like, including a plan to reduce taxes for small businesses, giving breaks if they create new jobs. So, it would be interesting to see if the Republicans, some, come on board and help Democrats try to pass this bill to help splurge up.
So, two big tests this week, Don.
LEMON: Paul Steinhauser, thank you very much, sir.
STEINHAUSER: Thank you.
LEMON: Toyota executives have been pretty clamped up about their massive recalls, but the House Oversight Committee is going to push hard for answers when CEO Akio Toyoda testifies at a hearing this Wednesday.
So, Lauren Fix, an automotive analyst also known as the car coach is joining us live from Buffalo, New York, tonight.
Lauren, good to see you. So, the committee is going to want to hear much, much more than "I'm sorry." So, what are they digging for and, you know, what is he exposing or opening himself up to by going here?
LAUREN FIX, AUTOMOTIVE EXPERT: Well, I think what they're really looking for is those documents that have been held up in California and the courts. There were 6,000 documents that are going to be arriving on Tuesday. Apparently, there's like 18 bankers boxes full of documents that should prove very interestingly that there may be some cover-ups.
Now, we don't know this for a fact, but an apology is not going to cut it this time. I think it's going to be: show us why you didn't go through the steps that were required by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and if they were taken, then prove to us that you did it in a proper manner.
LEMON: Then, why so quietly -- why has the CEO has been so relatively quiet about these recalls? He did -- you know, we said it was unprecedented, he apologized to a car owner and bowed last week and everyone said, wow, this is really unprecedented. Is it cultural that maybe that he's just more reserved or more quiet because Americans may, you know, some may say they have been out in front more about it?
FIX: Right. Absolutely. I think part of it is the culture. I mean, our culture is, hey, I made a mistake and let's figure this out and let's move forward, which is why Jim Lentz, president of Toyota here in the U.S., did say something immediately.
However, in Japan, it's just a different culture and they do things a different way. And Mr. Toyoda has always been very private. He's not one to stand out and make a scene. So, this is pretty bold of him to come here and they say he's going to be media trained and ready for the Senate. So, this should be a very interesting week.
LEMON: So, Lauren, how intense is this going to be? Are lawmakers really going to grill him, maybe a bigger grilling than he'd get in his own country?
FIX: I think so. I think he's going to have -- first, you're going to see Ray LaHood get on the stand. He's going to be questioned. He is in charge of the administration for National Highway Traffic Safety. They want to make sure that he did his job.
Now, there are also two ex employees that are now working for Toyoda and their job is to work on the government ad with NHTSA, which is the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. So, it should be interesting to see how they're going to find out who's doing what, is there communication.
There are many steps -- it's a three-step process to go to a recall. Was it followed? Did he do his job?
Now, much of this happened before he was in his position. So, unfortunately, he will take the bulk of the blame even though he wasn't there for most of that.
LEMON: OK.
FIX: And on the second hand, you're going to see Mr. Toyoda get on the stand and that should be extremely interesting to see how that's going to happen as well. And then you're going to start seeing the Department of Transportation getting involved. And it's going to be interesting.
But the bottom line is -- as I've always said, they needed to take the bull by the horns. They absolutely need to say, "Listen, we made a mistake. And now, we're going to correct." Stop saying the word fix. We're beyond that.
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: I think even more than just saying it, I think people just wanted it to be fixed and they don't want to turn on the news or open the paper the next day and see another possible recall for something that's different, an accelerator or a brake, or then it's the steering wheel.
But listen, the person who is watching at home, why should they care about these hearings, why should they care if Akio Toyoda is speaking next week?
FIX: Well, actually, that's a good question. And I think that you as a consumer need t find out -- Toyota wants your business. They've always been good about the Toyota way. And that's why we bought these cars. That's why people felt so -- you know that it was a reliable product. It was quality. It was what we always wanted in a vehicle.
So, now, they have to stand behind that. They have to prove that -- listen, we did all the right things. We want your business back. We're changing our ways. Whatever we did wrong, that's behind us. We're now improving.
Now, if we see that -- their sales will come back. And I don't think they're going to lose that much of sales to begin with, because obviously the cars that are on the show floor today have already been repaired. But having another recall is just another black eye, another punch in the gut. And unfortunately, the last few weeks, basically since February 3rd, it's been nothing but day after day of another recall, another problem --
LEMON: Yes.
FIX: -- another cover-up. True or not, we don't know. All we know is what we're hearing is very disheartening to people who purchased these cars. And they want to feel comfortable. People stop me every day and say, "Should I be driving my car?" And as long as they know what to do in case there's a problem, absolutely, drive your vehicle.
LEMON: Yes. So, listen, Lauren, thank you. And people should really pay attention to this, because I think the information that's going to come out of these hearings next week is going to be good. Thank you, Lauren Fix.
FIX: Thank you, Don.
LEMON: We are going to check your top stories right now.
Imagine getting caught in this -- a frantic search is under way on the Portuguese resort island of Madeira. Rescue teams are combing through mud and debris, looking for people buried in terrifying mudslides that followed heavy rain yesterday. Look at how it's burying that car way.
At least 42 people were killed and 120 others were hurt. And the toll could rise because an unknown number of people are still missing.
Several homes are still evacuated outside of Bakersfield, California, after a freight train derailed last night. Look at the flames there. A train car carrying plastic pellets caught fire. Smoke and flames shot into the air, toxic cloud of smoke sparking the evacuations. No serious injuries to report here. But authorities are urging residents to keep their doors and windows closed just as a precaution from that plastic.
If you have a ticket on a Lufthansa flight, you want to hear this next story. Minutes ago, pilots with Lufthansa and two of its subsidiaries went on strike. And the fight is over pay and jobs security. The walkout is expected to last through Thursday and could cause travel chaos. Tens of thousands of people fly Lufthansa every day to 80 countries.
The airline plans to go 3,000 flights -- to ground 3,000 flights this week. And if you want to find out if your flight is on schedule, go to Lufthansa.com -- Lufthansa.com.
Broken government -- say some independents hold the key to solving the impasse in government. Coming up: we'll hear from a panel of independents. Are they buying it? What are they saying? They are weighing in again this weekend.
And, Midwest snow. That's not unusual. But if you live in Chicago or anywhere nearby, get ready from some messy weather, for some messy weather, and our Jacqui Jeras says maybe some big headaches ahead. She's checking on it for you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: All right. Here's a question: Is government broken? A simple question with huge ramifications for the country and for members of Congress in this election year.
Now, Senator Evan Bayh sounded that warning this week as he announced he will not seek reelection, saying the Senate has become so partisan it's almost impossible to get anything done.
So, CNN will be focusing on this question this week and we're getting started tonight with our independent voter panel -- because we think -- we like hearing these voices from our independents.
There is he. He's becoming a regular now, and Joe Gandelman. He's the editor-in-chief of the "Moderate Voice" blog. He's joining us live from San Diego.
Hello, sir.
JOE GANDELMAN, MODERATE VOICE BLOG: Hi.
LEMON: Omar Ali is an historian and independent, voting analyst in Washington.
Hello to you again.
And there she is, Nicole Kurokawa, an independent voting analyst in Washington.
So, I want to start by asking you -- I'll start with you, Nicole -- what is broken government and what's not broken government? So -- or should it be left alone? Is the government broken? Is it not? Should it be left alone?
NICOLE KUROKAWA, INDEPENDENT VOTING ANALYST: I don't think the government is broken, actually. I think, you know, we're not able to get a lot of legislation through right now but that doesn't necessarily mean that the government overall is broken.
LEMON: Why do you say you don't think it's broken?
KUROKAWA: You know, just -- like I said, just because we're not passing health care legislation or cap-and-trade doesn't mean that the process is broken. The founders envisioned a slow, deliberative legislative process and that's what we're seeing right now. These are major decisions that they're trying to get pushed through and the public isn't necessarily behind all of them. So, I think seeing that things are taking slower or things are going slower than perhaps they would have otherwise is not necessarily -- it doesn't mean that things are not working.
LEMON: OK. Omar Ali, you know, we talked about Evan Bayh saying that he's not going to run for re-election. He gave that press conference and then this today, he wrote a letter to the editor of "The New York Times," says, "Why I'm leaving the Senate," by Evan Bayh. And he goes on to talk about it, basically talking about partisanship.
This morning on ABC, Governor Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania and also, governor -- who was he on with this morning? Rendell and Schwarzenegger from California -- excuse me -- on this morning. Rendell was talking about partnership and so was Schwarzenegger. And he said this. He said -- Schwarzenegger says, "I am working with Governor Rendell. I'm also working with independent Michael Bloomberg and that's why this partnership is so perfect because Bloomberg is an independent, Rendell is a Democrat, I'm a Republican. So, what we're trying to say is that we are rebuilding America, but it's not a political issue. It's a people issue. We want to serve the people of America."
Then he went on to say this about the stimulus plan and hypocrisy. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA: I find it interesting that you have a lot of the Republicans running around and pushing back on the stimulus money and saying, this doesn't create any new jobs and then they go out and do the photo-ops and they're posing with the big check and they say, "Isn't this great? Look what the kind of -- the kind of money I provide here for the state. And this is great money to create jobs, and this has created 10,000 new jobs, and this has created 20,000 new jobs." And all these kinds of things. It doesn't match up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's hypocrisy.
SCHWARZENEGGER: So, it's exactly some, I think --
GOV. ED RENDELL (D), PENNSYLVANIA: It's hypocrisy in the highest level.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: So if what he says it is indeed true, then what is the solution at least for Independents? Do you believe that it's true? And do you believe that Independents have a solution? And I guess the question is, do you believe that Republicans and Democrats can work together with this as an Independent?
OMAR ALI, HISTORIAN & INDEPENDENT VOTING ANALYST: Well, I think that all kinds of partnerships are great. I think that's fine. But it's more than just partnerships between the two major parties. We're not looking for bipartisan governance in this country. I think Americans are looking for nonpartisan governance. And Independents have solutions that have been practical and working.
So, for instance, in terms of the national level, things being demanded by Independents are including Independents in the Federal Election Commission, including having open primaries across the country and nonpartisan redistricting. See, it's not just individuals getting together at the high levels of governors --
LEMON: Do you think Independents are included enough? Do you think there's enough there?
ALI: No, it's not. In fact, there are structural limitations against Independents, from participating as full-fledged citizens in this country. In some ways, there's sort of a Jim Crow against Independents in this country which runs everything from getting on the ballot, if you want to run for president.
LEMON: What do you mean by that? Explain that to our viewers.
ALI: Well, what it means is, for instance, if you say you, Don Lemon, wants to run for president of the United States, you would have to get over 30 times the number of signatures than you were if you were running as an Independent than if you were a Democrat or a Republican.
LEMON: And you think that is discriminatory?
ALI: Absolutely. The Federal Elections Commission is made up of three Democrats and Three Republicans. It's bipartisan. It's not a nonpartisan entity. And yet, they are overseeing all of these campaign election rules which discriminate against Independents and third-party candidates. So there are structural issues that Independents are concerned about.
Redistricting is another issue. So there are a whole set of structural issues that Independents have been raising. And leaders in the Independent movements have been raising this for many, many years. People like Jacqueline Salit, people like Dr. Lanorth Aloni (ph), Jim Maja (ph). And there are all kinds of leaders out there that have been pushing for this for many, many years. and so I think it's a great opportunity now as the tea party movement has come up, that they can distinguish themselves from the Independent movement because the Independent movement is far more inclusive than what we see out there.
LEMON: And, Jim (ph), perhaps this is one of the nicest discussions that I've seen, talking about that interview this morning on ABC about a Republican and a Democrat working together. and I think Governor Schwarzenegger said, listen, people in Washington have to figure out that they are working for the good of the people and not for the good of the party. So, Jim -- sorry. Joe, what do you say to that?
JOE GANDELMAN, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, THE MODERATE VOICE: Well, I think what has happened is gamesmanship has started to be policy. When Evan Bayh talked about the fact that our politics had come almost tribalism, it's become, I've often said, like a sports team, where nobody is really -- they don't want to listen to each other. Everybody is too interested in scoring points and check mating the other. And I also think that there really are some real problems with government working right now because I'm totally in agreement with Evan Bayh with what he said about the filibuster. Until they put it down to 55 votes and the Senator has to be there for it to take place, it could be abused. The problem is that both political parties want the filibuster when they are not in power, and they don't want to filibuster when they are in power. Both parties are really hypocritical on the issue of the filibuster.
LEMON: Well, there is a case thought that people said, if you want to make a difference in Washington, you don't quit. And they made that same criticism of on Sarah Palin as well. There is the thinking that if Evan Bayh wanted to make a difference, he should stay in there and fight.
GANDELMAN: He should have. But he probably just felt like he was bumping his head against the wall. The real danger with the way our policies are going right now is that thoughtful people, people that are not into what I call the talk radio political culture, where there is this demonization and name calling and you try to take somebody out. You try to basically --
LEMON: It's become theater.
GANDELMAN: It's professional wrestling is what it is.
LEMON: So listen, I asked Nicole. Nicole she said that she doesn't believe that the government is broken. Do you believe that the government is broken?
GANDELMAN: I think right now what we see in Congress is broken. I don't think the founding fathers wanted to see this kind of paralysis. There is tyranny of the majority and there's also tyranny of the minority right now. It's hard to sift that out because the minority is going to be the majority, the majority is going to be the minority. But right now, the Congress is now working. And a lot of people are really disgusted because nothing is Nothing is happening.
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: Omar, do you believe that the government is broken?
ALI: Yes. I wanted to add to what Joe was saying, which is, the latest CNN poll came out saying that 86 percent of Americans believe that the government is broken, 85 percent of Americans don't want to see Congress elected, re-elected. There's a great deal of anger against the parties. And Independents have solutions that they are offering to do something about the politics paralysis out there.
So I think, you know, what we're going to see in the coming sort of months and the coming years is the rise of the Independent voter in ways that are going to help --
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: Stop right there. Who -- what Independents -- and where should we be looking for these Independents. Is there an Independent somewhere or a number that you can point out that we should be paying attention to?
ALI: Yes. Absolutely. There's actually -- anybody can go to it, Independentvoting.org, has -- is a site that brings together associations of Independents from around the country. It's being led by Jacqueline Salit, who has been somebody that has been at the forefront of pushing for the structural reforms. People can go to these places. There are associations of Americans who don't want to be affiliated with the Democratic or Republican Party. They want to be Independent.
Now Independents may swing one way in one election cycle and then another way another one. But their message remains the same -- something must be done about the political and partisan paralysis that we have in Washington, D.C.
LEMON: Omar, Nicole, thank you so much. I appreciate you guys joining us on a Sunday. It's always a great conversation. I wish we had a whole hour longer to talk about it.
ALI: Thank you very much.
GANDELMAN: Thank you.
LEMON: Thank you.
CNN is taking a really hard look at the cracks in our systems. We are cutting through the political games for you and looking for the fixes here in a new series we're calling it "Broken Government." Look for it all this week, all this week, right here on CNN.
We're going to go now to CNN's Jacqui Jeras.
Because, I don't know, the weather is not broken, is it? Do we have broken weather anywhere?
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It depends on what you like. There are a lot of people that are really over the snow, especially in the Midwest. Unfortunately, we've got more of that. It's causing a lot of problems, by the way. Check out these pictures.
(WEATHER REPORT)
LEMON: Already? It's not even tomorrow. It's not even dark in some places.
JERAS: I'm just warning you ahead of time.
LEMON: Oh, my gosh.
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: I'm sorry. We used to have this thing called Tomorrow's Commute Tonight.
JERAS: Uh-huh. And we're going to do that again and again.
(CROSSTALK)
JERAS: So make sure you watch. We'll have more details on it.
LEMON: All right, thank you, Jacqui. See you in a bit.
JERAS: Uh-huh.
LEMON: Investigators say they know what caused a fire at an Iowa amusement park and we'll have the very latest on the investigation for you. And a Harvard grad starts a business employing 50 people and bringing new life to a community. Our Anderson Cooper pays him a visit as we begin our news series, called "Building up America."
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LEMON: Here are your top stories right now on CNN. Two men have been arrested and charged in connection with the string of deliberately setting church fires in east Texas. Jason Robert Bourque and Daniel George McAllister were charged with one count of arson each. Authorities say they believe the men are connected to nine other church fires set in the area since January 1st.
Investigators in Iowa say that the ceiling of a toy store collapsed and sparked a fire at an amusement park. The blaze broke out yesterday at the Adventure Land Park in Altoona. The fire was contained to the parks main street area. The park was closed for the season.
A baseball pioneer has passed away in New Jersey. Sylvia Pressler may not be a household name, but because of her, countless American girls were introduced to baseball just because of her. As a judge, her 1973 ruling opening Little League to girl players. Pressler was 75 years old.
Well, tonight, we start our new series, "Building up America," where we'll tell you the stories of people contributing to America's renewal and recovery. The man you are about to meet could have launched his career just about anywhere with his Ivy League business degree. Wall Street would have been an obvious choice, right? Not for him.
Anderson Cooper has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Harlem, long the epicenter of the African-American culture has seen its hard times. Central Harlem is one of the poorest neighborhoods in New York City. And during the recession, it owns the city's highest unemployment rate. More than a third of the people live in poverty.
Joe Holland is determined to change that.
(on camera): Why did you come to Harlem? You didn't grow up here. You went to Harvard Business School. You probably could have had a lot of different opportunities. Why did you come to Harlem?
JOE HOLLAND, BUSINESS OWNER: It was out of a sense of wanting to give back to my community. I believe in the Biblical mandate, to whom much is given, much is required. And saw Harlem as a place where I could make a difference.
COOPER (voice-over): Joe and his business partners, his sister and brother-in-law, own and operate Gospel Uptown, a soul food restaurant with a twist. (on camera): So what was the vision? You wanted more than a restaurant?
HOLLAND: Yes. Yes. We see it as a live music, fine dining destination, a throw back to the Harlem Renaissance where we had the great places, Small Paradise, Cotton Club.
COOPER (voice-over): Joe was close to realizing his dream. Investors lined up and then the economic crisis hit.
HOLLAND: Because we had qualified a number of people ready to go in the fall of 2008, we went for it and then signed the lease. and then the economy went crazy and the portfolio started to shrink and everybody backed up.
COOPER: Joe didn't give up. and eventually secured a federally- backed small business loan. He now employs more than 50 people.
HOLLAND: There's kitchen and wait staff, bar staff, hostesses. And we're an entertainment destination, so we have production staff. We have a sound engineer, a light engineer.
HOLLAND: Joe hosts several bands and individual artists at his restaurant, showcasing home-grown Harlem talent.
COOPER (voice-over): It's got to feel good to be in this community to be able to say, I've been able to employ 50 people.
HOLLAND: Yes. And that's really the key. Because I've been in this community for almost 30 years as a lawyer, first, and then a minister, an entrepreneur, a government official. And what I've learned is that the best thing that you can do for the community is to build the economic base and create jobs.
COOPER: Elsa Garcia is Holland's pastry chef. She was unemployed for two years before hired to create deserts for Gospel Uptown.
COOPER (on camera): What did you think when you finally got this job?
ELSA GARCIA, PASTRY CHEF: It was my dream come true. I was so excited. A second income is what we needed. I have three children and we're on one income, my husband's income. So it's helped a lot.
COOPER (voice-over): Joe knows that the restaurant business is a tough one, especially New York City, where business opened and closed almost daily. But tonight, as he introduced a live performance by famed jazz musician, Jimmy Heath, Holland is thankful in his dream of helping others and it's being fulfilled with an added bonus.
HOLLAND: That it would feel this good to have a great house with great music, people enjoying themselves, eating great food, this is really what it's all about, a dream come true.
COOPER: Business is picking up each month, he says. Holland wants to expand his restaurant to communities like Harlem around the country. Until then, he's willing to personally impact those he has employed and help rebuild the community he's grown to call home.
Anderson Cooper, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: All right, thanks, Anderson.
Starting tomorrow, the CNN Express will be on the road across the nation to tell the stories of people contributing to America's renewal and recovery in our continuing series. It's called "Building up America."
The Olympic Games are amateur events where only glory and medals are awarded. But we fill great about it, right? But the money that comes with being an Olympic champion, what about that? It can be big bucks. Is it? It used to be. Our Rick Harrow is just back. He's going to update us. He's going to join us next.
Hello, Rick.
RICK HARROW, CNN SPORTS BUSINES ANALYST: Knit in Vancouver. Join you next.
LEMON: All right, take the gloves off.
(LAUGHTER)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: All right. This could be one of the best Winter Olympics yet for American athletes and, boy, have there been surprises.
Our sports guy, Rick Harrow, is just back from Vancouver.
Rick, give us a medal count. Dou you have enough fingers, hands. Can you count that high?
HARROW: I can count that high. But you're going to need 24 fingers and hands if you want to recap the Americans and seven gold, Germany 16, Norway 12, Canada eight, four of them gold. A little disappointing for them.
But remember, they now have $2 billion in infrastructure after the games and the place is decked out, very hospitable country. A company that makes cranberries, won't mention its name, has $13 million cranberries in an exhibit in a town called Richmond right outside Vancouver. They're decked up. They're decked out. It's going to be an amazing second week too.
LEMON: We talked about the athletes winning medals over there, and how they're paying attention to endorsements and money, and also paying attention to this Tiger scandal. Because it has changed the game when it comes to professional sports endorsements, right? So financially, from the Olympic Games, are they going to get as much money as they might have or is their contract going to be as long for an endorsement?
HARROW: There's another Olympic condition, which is, when the snow melts, people tend to forget Olympic athletes so that adds on to it too. Guys like Shaun White, by the way, cuts across that, $7.5 million bucks. He makes more off the field than all baseball and football players, except for Peyton Manning. He's got deals with AT&T and Oakley and Red Bull. He's also opening the New York Stock Exchange this week. So his deals probably aren't in jeopardy. But Lindsay Vonn, 12 deals, "Sports Illustrated" cover. Apolo Ohno, "Dancing with the Stars." The people that transcend the Olympics, themselves, will have bigger deals. With all due respect, the people like Shani Davis, Seth Wescott, some of those Olympic winners, maybe not so much, especially, as we said, after the snow melts.
LEMON: Yes and it's shorter contracts. And time is money, so if you have a shorter contract, you're locked in for probably less money.
HARROW: That's right. We do really, as we said last night, have Tiger to blame or credit for all that.
LEMON: All right, so that's the update on Tiger.
Let's switch from the snowy, cold air to something warmer. Spring training just underway. Arizona, they're continuing to make inroads in once was an all-Florida attraction. So what's going on?
HARROW: Big time Chamber of Commerce battleground between Florida and Arizona for the $750 million of economic impact that spring training generates. Arizona used to have six, seven, eight teams. and Florida had the most of the two. Now, 30 teams in baseball, 15 in Florida, 15 in Arizona. It is a big fight as pitchers and catchers report this week. The fight is not necessarily about who does better on the field. The fight is who generates and gets the economic impact from February and March, when all the snow birds, who come down to Florida and Arizona and take in spring training games and spend that money, Don.
LEMON: What are those red things you were holding up? Were those gloves? Those little cute mitts?
HARROW: Hey, this is the deal. Look -- aw, yes, but 30 buck face value. Ten times the amount on eBay. These are the big legacy gifts in the Olympic Games. I have them and you don't.
LEMON: Don't give me that. You knitted those in your basement.
HARROW: I knitted them myself. Yes, in my sewing class.
LEMON: Thank you very much, Rick Harrow.
HARROW: All right, man. See you next week.
LEMON: Even if the new offensive is a huge success in Afghanistan, will the country be any closer to stability? Many Afghans are doubting the strategy now.
Plus, 10 churches intentionally burned down in Texas. Police think they have the men who started those fires.
And the stories that will be making news for you this week. You're going to hear about them now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Time to take a look at the big stories, preview important stories you need to know about for your week ahead. Our folks over at the national, international desk working hard to bring them to you now.
Here's the stories that will be making news. On Monday, CNN launches a special investigative series, "Broken Government." We look at why people on the right, left and in the middle say government isn't working and they need ways to fix it. It needs to be fixed. On Wednesday, the chairman of Toyota testifies before Congress on the Japanese automaker's multiple recalls. On Thursday, the White House hosts that eagerly anticipated bipartisan health care conference.
Now to the international beat, stories you need to know. Pilots of Germany's Lufthansa Airline have gone on strike. On Monday, we'll gauge the worldwide impact, including flights of Lufthansa's American travel partners. Tuesday, the Rio Group summit meets in Cancun, Mexico. This meeting brings together the leaders of 30 Latin American and Caribbean states. On next Thursday, the Vancouver Winter Olympics end. We'll tally up the medals.
Weather will be a big story this week. We want to check in with Jacqui Jeras.
Jacqui, what's ahead?
JERAS: Hey, we have a lot of storm systems we're going to be tracking.
Don, you talked today about what's going to be happening within the Midwest. That storm moves into the great lakes. We'll be watching Chicago and Detroit and Cleveland for the heavy snow. As we head into Tuesday, a southern storm could be bringing snow to places like Austin and Dallas and San Antonio. A series of Pacific storms hits the northwest Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. And Friday looks like it will be the strongest of the series. We'll be tracking the storms all week long in the CNN Weather Center.
LEMON: Thank you, Jacqui.
What's ahead in politics, foreign policy, the economy and government? We have it covered. We start at the White House.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: I'm Brianna Keeler on Capitol Hill where the Senate kicks off a busy week with a key test vote on a pared down jobs bill. It's unclear if it will pass. Then, in the House, on Tuesday and Wednesday, headline-grabbing hearings about the Toyota recalls. One of the witnesses, the head of Toyota, in town from Japan. After a lull, health care once again becomes a hot topic. Republicans and Democrats from both the House and Senate prepare for a summit with President Obama on Thursday.
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: I'm Dan Lothian at the White House. The president kicks off his week by meeting with the nation's governors. It's the same day that the administration is expected to release details of a health care plan online. Then the highly anticipated health care summit takes place on Thursday in this televised event. The administration is trying to make one final effort to get bipartisan support for health care reform.
POPPY HARLOW, CNN MONEY CORRESPONDENT: I'm Poppy Harlow in New York. This week on "CNN Money," we'll be covering the major credit card reforms that go effect on Monday. The new laws require credit card issuers to give you 45 days' notice before they can raise your interest rate, among other things. And on Wednesday, Toyota President Toyoda, will testify before the U.S. Congress about the company's recalled vehicles. Also coming up this week, we'll get earnings from a lot of major retailers and we'll see how Wall Street reacts to it all.
BROOKE ANDERSON, HOST, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT: I'm "Showbiz Tonight's" Brooke Anderson. And we are expecting big news Monday night at the premiere of Director Kevin Smith's new movie "Cop Out." His first public appearance since being kicked off the Southwest plane after being told he was too big for his seat. And now that Tiger Woods has made his first public appearance since his cheating scandal, we're speaking to Hollywood's biggest stars to see how they think Tiger handled himself.
