Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

USS Enterprise Commander Being Relieved; New Crop of Republican Lawmakers Plan to Start Repeal on Health Care Law

Aired January 04, 2011 - 10:00   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: All right. We got breaking news right now to tell you about. You know, this was a story that we were all over yesterday. Those racy and raunchy videos that came about after being taped under the leadership of this man, Captain Owen Honors. You may remember yesterday, he says it was meant to be a skit. As you know if you were a part of watching the story yesterday, they included a lot of F-bombs, anti-gay slurs, totally not appropriately, obviously, for someone who commands an aircraft carrier.

We're now learning that Captain Owen Honors has been relieved of his command of the "USS Enterprise." Our Barbara Starr at the Pentagon, just getting the news as well. I guess, Barbara, this really was no surprise and the Navy acted quickly.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Not a surprise, Kyra. Senior Pentagon official confirming that Captain Honors is being relieved of duty. There will be a formal announcement coming from the U.S. Navy. All indications are they've already found another commander to take his top slot on "USS Enterprise." Because, of course, the "Enterprise" is scheduled to deploy for the war zone to support the war in Afghanistan within days. So we're going to move very quickly past this somewhat salacious episode of Captain Honors. But there is a very deep lingering issue for the U.S. military here.

An investigation remains on-going because they want to find out where were the rest of the top commanders, the people over Honors when all of these was going on. How could you have had this type of activity repeatedly happen on board an aircraft carrier in a war zone, a ship with 6,000 people on board and nobody spoke up in the senior position to try and stop it once and for all.

This is called command climate. It's a big issue for the military. If this was your workplace, if it was my workplace, what if we were - you know, working for a guy like this - his word is law. So they have to find out what happened and the bigger implications here of the culture of command in the U.S. military. One more time, it's one of these scandals they have to deal with. Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Yes. And it's a shame. Barbara Starr, thanks so much.

Well, it's 10:02 now in the East Coast, 7:02 out west. Here are the stories that have us talking this morning. Tensions high in Pakistan after the assassination of a prominent politician. Police in Islamabad said the governor of Punjab province was shot to death by one of his own security guards. That guard apparently outraged by his boss' opposition to Pakistan's blasphemy law.

President Obama back in Washington. His focus will be on the safety of your food. He is expected to sign to law the most sweeping overhaul of America's food safety in more than 70 years. It will give the government more power when it comes to issuing and enforcing food recalls.

Troubled actress Lindsay Lohan facing legal troubles yet again. Police in California say she violated probation when she tussled with a staff member at the Betty Ford Center.

And it's countdown on Capitol Hill. Tomorrow, Republicans take control of the House and launch their initiative to repeal healthcare. The passion, the anger, it's all been building. Rewind to this past March, John Boehner, the man who led the charge - remember when he said this -

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R), MINORITY LEADER: Look at how this bill was written. Can you say it was done openly?

With transparency and accountability?

Without backroom deals struck behind close doors? Hidden from the people? How long you can't?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, tomorrow Boehner becomes the new Speaker of the House. They're planning a rousing debate, heated rhetoric and a critical vote, all by next week. But here's the bottom line, the repeal has just about zero chance of succeeding.

Congressional correspondent Brianna Keilar following all the maneuvers. So Brianna, if this is a lost cause for Republicans, why waste so much time and effort?

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, they promised voters they would try and House Republicans say they are going to make good on that campaign promise. So here's how this plays out. Procedural vote on Friday and then what we expect is next Wednesday, the actual vote on repealing healthcare reform but like you said, it's really not expected this effort, in particular, to go anywhere.

Democrats still hold the majority in the Senate and certainly there's no way any of these would get past President Obama's veto pen. Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. But of course, this is not going to end without a plan B?

KEILAR: No, there is a plan B and Republicans have talked about this. Their plan would be to try to dismantle unpopular pieces of healthcare reform and to kind of do this piece by piece. They have a couple of ways that they're looking at doing this. Defunding certain parts of healthcare reform. Congress, of course, holds the power of the purse. The other thing House Republicans now are in control of is investigations. They can do congressional investigations of certain parts of healthcare reform, how it's going to be implemented.

The aim of both of these things, Kyra, is to delay the implementation of healthcare reform or to really to outright unravel it in pieces.

PHILLIPS: All right. And of course, if this backfires, it could actually help Democrats.

KEILAR: This is so interesting because you remember as we were going into the midterm elections, on the campaign trail, Democrats running away from healthcare reform. They didn't want to talk about it but we're here in the new year and there has been some pretty, some popular things that have gone into effect for healthcare reform and you have Democrats saying "Hey, you know what, if we're going to have a debate about it, this is a good time to have it. Because we can point tangible examples of things people want." And say "you know, maybe this isn't the thing you should be afraid of, don't you like this, actually."

PHILLIPS: All right. We'll be following it with you, Brianna. Thanks.

Next hour, in Capitol Hill, Nancy Pelosi will hold her last news conference as Speaker of the House. She'll be joined by other Democratic leaders to discuss their legislative goals in the upcoming session. That begins tomorrow. Republicans will officially take control of the House and Pelosi will be regulated to minority leader.

Well, we're learning a little more about the big bird kill over Arkansas. Remember, some 5,000 birds fell out of the sky over the weekend at the town of Beebe? Early reports have ruled out disease. The dead birds did have massive trauma but the mystery is what struck them and now several hundred of the same types of birds, red-winged black birds, starlings, sparrows and (INAUDIBLE) have turned up just 360 miles away in Louisiana. It's not clear what killed them yet. But there were obvious signs of trauma. So far no one will say that this bird is related or lead to the other one.

Here's more now from Craig Black (ph) of WAFB.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CRAIG BLACK (PH), WAFB-TV CORRESPONDENT: A morbid scene on this Louisiana street. It's nearly identical to a deadly display some 450 miles north in Beebe, Arkansas. Dead birds, hundreds of them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have black bird, starlings, sparrows, several species of birds will be affected.

BLACK: This newest case of sudden wildlife death comes days after thousands of red-winged black birds and starlings dropped out of the sky, near Little Rock. A preliminary report shows that they likely died from massive trauma.

It didn't occurred to being diseases at all.

Instead officials believed that New Year's Eve fireworks or maybe even bad weather like hail or lightning caused the mass death.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, yes. It is freaky that you would never expect that many birds dead, everywhere.

BLACK: In Louisiana, officials say these birds show no signs of trauma.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm going to go and take a look at these birds and try to determine if there's any common factor if we see anything environmentally in their location where the birds are.

BLACK: Samples have been sent to labs in Wisconsin and Georgia. The results will be compared to those in Arkansas.

I'm Craig Black (ph) reporting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: And just a few minutes we're going to talk to Arkansas state veterinarian and find out if they have learned anything more about what happened to those birds.

Washington reeling this morning with news of an unlikely murder victim as well and also he's a well known veterans advocate. This is John Wheeler, 66 years old, former Pentagon official who served three Republican presidents but he was best known as the driving forced behind the construction of the Vietnam Memorial Wall. Delaware Police say that his body was found jutting out of a trash truck at a Wilmington dump on New Year's Eve. Now they're asking for the public's help re-constructing what may have happened in the days leading up to his death until a grim conclusion to a mysterious car accident just outside of Chicago.

You may remember this case, the couple has a devastating car wreck on a snowy country road. Her husband was found dead behind the wheel. The wife, Tanya Shannon (ph) was missing and remain missing for about a month until yesterday when a television news helicopter actually spotted her body in a nearby field.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JERRY YEDINAK, RESIDENT: I know they combed that area time and time again. I mean, they had the dog and the helicopter and everything else, that's why so much people figured that you know, she wasn't there that somebody was hoping that maybe somehow, somewhere, you know, that she's still alive. (END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, on the morning after the crash, crews found Tanya Shannon's footprints leading away from the wreckage but they disappeared on the roadway, bad weather ended the search after just a few days.

This other mystery had haunted a family for more than a year and a half. 38-year-old Christie Cornwell vanished while on her evening stroll at a country road in North Georgia. She was talking on the cell phone with her boyfriend. She said a car was following her. And then the boyfriend heard a scuffle.

Autopsy results now confirmed that the charred half buried remains found over the weekend were indeed Christie's. Police believed that a rape suspect who killed himself last year maybe responsible for her death.

Well, it's flooding at near biblical proportions that is inundating parts of Eastern Australia right now. Hundreds of thousands of displaced residents already dealing with the chaos and more evacuations on tap today in the hard-hit area Queensland and even more rain is in the forecast.

From Australia's Seven Network, here's reporter, Carly Waters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARLY WATERS, REPORTER, SEVEN NETWORK: Alison Swanson is at breaking point, the damage to her house and property has just hit home.

ALISON SWANSON, FLOOD VICTIM: Worked all these years hard to get what I have and it's gone. It's gone. Sorry.

WATERS: Everything is still waterlogged. Now, news more rain is on the way.

SWANSON: I don't know what to expect anymore. (INAUDIBLE) to come back.

WATERS: (INAUDIBLE) drying out what they can - once again, they're watching and waiting up to 100 mm of rain could fall on Thursday, the last thing this soggy city needs.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm all right. I've had enough of it.

MICK PRIEST, RESIDENT: We can get out all right but we couldn't go out again.

WATERS: A nervous wait?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, a really nervous wait.

WATERS: this home has been in Owen (INAUDIBLE) family for five generations. It, like the people here can't take much more. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get more rain and we'll lose the roof. It won't flood but it certainly won't help.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot of rain won't help us at all. Hopefully, it doesn't come as much as what they're saying.

WATERS (on camera): (INAUDIBLE) as many homes and businesses as possible, more rain arrived. The people here are emotional and exhausted but they're still working around the clock.

(voice-over): Firefighters from the sunshine coast have now arrived to lend a hose and hand.

LLOYD JOHNSTON, QUEENSLAND'S FIRE & RESCUE: It is tough work. It's very dirty. It's very smelly. It's very muddy.

WATERS: In (INAUDIBLE), Carly Waters, Seven News.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Well, it's called the worst flooding Australia has seen in decades.

And meteorologist Rob Marciano is following it for us. How bad is it going to be for Australia and how is it going to affect, you know -

ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well, the rains that they are going to receive over the next few days shouldn't be as heavy as what they have received. But as you saw on those pictures, the damage is pretty much done. That river expected to crest later on tonight or early tomorrow morning and for all intents and purposes could be the worst thing that they have seen in at least 50 years.

Here is where the area of concern is through Queensland. You know, this is affected by La Nina and El Nino. Because it's so close to the source or really the focal point of what we call, enzo (ph) events. And when there is El Nino, they get dry air, dry weather, drought and fires. When it is La Nina, like it is now, they get a lot of heavy rain. And that's what they're seeing and unfortunately is the overall pattern that they're in. Of course, they are in summer now and because of that the rains can be that much worse.

A little bit closer to home we are certainly in winter but finally starting to see some quieter weather roll in. We had storms in southern California. And the snows in the desert the past couple of days, it quite along the western front - it is quieter on the western front, at least for today. This front is going to be developing a couple of storm systems. 40 for the high in New York and it be 54 degrees in Atlanta. 62 degrees expected in Austin.

These two storms, the one across the Gulf Coast, this is going to be developing here in the next couple of days. We will spread relatively heavy rain across the southern gulf states, from Corpus Cristi to Houston, today and then getting into New Orleans and eventually up into Mobile and Montgomery. Mostly south, I think, of 20 will be the most significant rains. And a little system rolling across the Great Lakes. This will develop as we go on to the next couple of days, kind of a persistent low that will be up here. No real intense snow bursts at least widespread but the on-going threat of snow showers will be there. And it will be breezy across the northeast tomorrow when we're watching that storm developed throughout the day tomorrow as well. Nice to say that things are relatively quiet at least here stateside (INAUDIBLE) crazy at 2010 that we have. Kyra.

PHILLIPS: OK. Thanks, Rob.

MARCIANO: You bet.

PHILLIPS: Well, The stuntman seriously injured during a performance of Broadway's "Spiderman: Turn off the Dark" is speaking out for the first time. We will tell you what he is saying about the accident and the show.

Plus a big personality and now a big book. That's right, "Jersey Shore" starlet Snooki has written a book. And you know that A.J. Hammer is reading every single page as we speak and he will tell us all the details.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, do you remember this scary fall during a preview performance for "Spiderman: Turn off the Dark" on Broadway last month. That stunt double Chris Tierney seriously injured from the fall. He tumbled 30 feet and was rushed to the hospital with a fracture skull, four broken rib. He tumbled 3 fit and was rushed to the hospital with a fractured skull, four broken ribs and three cracked vertebrae.

Now he's talking about the accident for the first time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTOPHER TIERNEY, SPIDERMAN STUNT ACTOR: So it was just. you know, a bit of human error. I'm supposed to jump off the bridge but it catches me and I was (INAUDIBLE) to my back but the - it just didn't get (INAUDIBLE) to the stage. And so when I went out and as I do with everything, I just go for it. There was no pulling myself back. I was falling and then I saw, once I hit the darkness of the stage I had to just turn it real quick so I wasn't going to fall on my head and I crashed on my back. The last thing I remembered was just going oh, and that's it. Then I kind of passed out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Wow. Well, despite his injury, Tierney says he can't wait to get back to the show.

Well, troubled actress Lindsay Lohan may be leaving rehab but could find her freedom a little short lived. Police say that she violated her probation and could now face new charges.

"Showbiz Tonight" host A.J. Hammer joining me from New York. A.J., the troubled train wreck that we just can't stop talking about.

A.J. HAMMER, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" HOST: Yes, I had such high hope for 2011 in Lindsay. And I still do, Kyra. She did complete her court ordered three-month stint in rehab for substance abuse. As of yesterday, she has reportedly left the Betty Ford Center. And you would think that things are headed in the right direction. She quoted Gandhi on her first message on Twitter. She tweeted "Today is the first day of the rest of my life" but yes, now her life may just get a bit complicated, at least legally.

Police in Riverside, California are now saying she violated her probation while in rehab when she allegedly tussled with an allegedly staff member at the Betty Ford Center. "Showbiz Tonight" has learned that authorities are now deciding if Lindsay should face battery charges eventhough the former staff member said she will no longer cooperate with the investigation and she doesn't want child charges filed here.

The clinic filed the staffer after information about the incident was leaked to the media. But as far as Lindsay's career, here is what we know. She was dropped from her one upcoming film project "Inferno" but she's saying she is now focusing on her 6126 fashion line. She is in the process of creating a come back web site. Her sometimes estranged father, Michael Lohan, told CBS's early show that his daughter is doing unbelievably well.

He says she has turned this whole situation around. She used it to her advantage and she has taken the right steps and put the right people back in her life. Well, Lohan's probation is scheduled to end in August and she's scheduled to be back in court on February 25.

But right now I want to move on to some other news on other child stars who are all grown up. "Home Alone" star Macaulay Culkin may just now be "Home Alone" once again. I'm sorry to say, he and Mila Kunis have reportedly split up after eight years together. Kunis' rep confirms to the "New York Post" that she and Macaulay Culkin have gone their separate ways. Kunis started dating Culkin when she starred in "That 70s Show" several years ago. And now, Mila's big breakout role in "The Black Swan" has everyone wondering, Kyra, if perhaps that contributed to the break up. We certainly have seen that before when one star just becomes so much bigger than the other.

PHILLIPS: Yes, indeed. And now I have to ask you about this alleged new Pulitzer Prize winning book?

HAMMER: You have been waiting for this. I know you are excited about this.

PHILLIPS: Oh, A.J., really? Snooki coming out with a book?

HAMMER: Yes. Why not

PHILLIPS: Yes, true.

HAMMER: We are seeing some brand-new excerpts. I have to tell you, Kyra, they are pure gold. We're talking about "Jersey Shore" star Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi. Snooki has admitted in the past that she has only read two books, "Twilight" and "Dear John" and now she is a published author herself.

Her novel is called "A Sure Thing." It is out this week. "The New York Post" has just published some choice lines from it. So, far be it from me to keep that information from you. Let me share with you a couple of the quotes. Please feel free to read along if you like. We're going to put these up.

First, "He had an OK body. Not fat at all. And naturally toned abs. She could pour a shot of tequila down his belly and slurp it out of his navel without getting splashed on the face."

And then this little nugget on the things that Snooki loves. "I love food. I love drinking, boys, dancing until my feet swell. I love my family, my friends, my job, my boss, and I love my body, especially the badonk." Now try as hard as I did, Wolf Blitzer was not available for the interpretative reading this morning, Kyra, but that would have been gold. I'm still trying to get him on our show today.

PHILLIPS: Oh, my gosh, A.J.. I don't think anybody could have read that better than you.

HAMMER: Oh, thank you.

PHILLIPS: I really just don't know what to say. It just got to stand on its own.

HAMMER: I can't wait to see the whole thing.

I will be here to perform more for you, if you like.

PHILLIPS: I can't wait. Bedtime stories with A.J. Hammer and Snooki. A.J., thank you. You made my day.

Well, if you want information on anything breaking in the entertainment world, maybe you would like him to read to your baby a lullaby. A.J. Hammer is always available. You can also catch him on "Showbiz Tonight," every evening, 5:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. on HLN.

All right. What the heck is happening in the skies over Arkansas? Thousands of birds dead from trauma. Now it is raining dead birds in another states.

We are talking about this with Arkansas state veterinarian in just a moment.

Plus, leaving more to the imagination of TSA screeners says air travelers less exposed, keeping your junk under raps, even those high-tech scanners. One man's solution, next, cross country.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Making your iPhone a potential lifesaver? Yes, there is an app for that. (INAUDIBLE) cross country this hour. Dr. David Albert of Oklahoma says that has developed a device that allows an iPhone to be used as a mobile electrocardiogram, allowing heart patients actually monitor their own or someone else's status. That information can be sent directly to a doctor, nurse, or critical health care provider. It could be on the market by April with a price tag, about $100.

They're from Kentucky, and underwear that demands a second and fruitless look from TSA screeners. Lawyers said he has created a line of undergarments that obscure some of the most personal information of air travelers. The inventor (INAUDIBLE) says that his line of t- shirts and briefs are not protests but rather a compromise that allows TSA to just do their job and, of course, give travelers a little more privacy.

Firefighters in Parkersburg, West Virginia, say they safely evacuated five passengers who got stuck on an out of control paddle boat Sunday. The ship's steering went out. The water current apparently hitting that boat between two piers of the bridge that spans the little (INAUDIBLE) safety inspection of the bridge is on tap.

We can't stop talking about the great dead bird caper of 2011. Remember some 5,000 birds fell out of the sky over the weekend in the town Beebe? Well, early reports have ruled out disease. The dead birds have massive trauma but the mystery is what struck them.

Let's talk about this more with the Arkansas state veterinarian, Dr. George. He's going to talk to us about the lab tests on some of those birds. Doctor, what can you tell us to this point how many birds have you been able to do autopsies on and what have you discovered.

DR. GEORGE RADLEY, ARKANSAS STATE VETERINARIAN: We did autopsy or necropsy is what we call it on animals, on 17 of the blackbirds from Beebe, and of the 17 that our pathologists did the necropsy on, almost all of them had internal hemorrhages. Now, there was no sign of disease, but we are doing cultures and things to rule out disease. We don't want to take a chance on missing something. So I mean our investigation hasn't stopped. We are continuing.

PHILLIPS: So doctor, what could cause that internal hemorrhaging?

RADLEY: Well, there are reports from the citizens of Beebe, several of them that that night and apparently blackbirds don't see well at night and they usually roost in trees. And before dark, one citizen reported to the Arkansas Game and Fish that he has seen multiple, more than usual blackbirds roosting in the trees in his neighborhood.

And then later on in the evening after dark he heard several loud booms like sounded like a cannon was going off is what he said. Could have been fireworks. It could have been something else. But, we do set - they do set off fire works in Arkansas on New Year's eve. Anyway, that apparently scared the birds, the loud noise. When he went outside, he could feel the birds and hear them flying by him and running into his house and other objects. So that apparently is the most plausible explanation for why they -

PHILLIPS: OK. Why they died. So they could have gotten scared. They all tried to fly away at night. They don't see well and they run into various things and die from the internal hemorrhaging. You mentioned they don't see well at night. Anything else about these types of birds that died that maybe we should consider? Any type of unique qualities about these birds?

RADLEY: They do roost and they move in large numbers.

PHILLIPS: OK.

BADLEY: And by the thousands. They are quite obnoxious. I mean, people, when they calm to your neighborhood -- I mean, they are not a welcome sight sometimes. They do move and roost in large numbers and they fly in large groups.

PHILLIPS: And Doctor, while I have you, before I let you go, what's your take on this Louisiana bird kill that we are now talking about?

BADLEY: That -- I am -- I haven't talked to anyone from Louisiana, so I am not aware of what went on down there. I just -- I am --just know what happens happened here in Arkansas and it doesn't appear to be a disease situation.

PHILLIPS: So a lot of the same birds, red-winged blackbirds, especially died in Louisiana. Is it possible that these could be connected?

BADLEY: I don't see how they could be connected because all of these birds fell within a one-mile area.

PHILLIPS: Okay.

BADLEY: I mean, there wasn't any strung out from Beebe to a town -- they were all in one spot. So I don't see how --

PHILLIPS: There could be a link.

BADLEY: If it was connected to something in Louisiana, there would have had to have been some fall in between.

PHILLIPS: Got you.

BADLEY: So, I believe they are disconnected events.

PHILLIPS: All right. Dr. George Badley, we sure appreciate you calling in because there is a lot of people curious about what's going on here. Thanks, Doc.

BADLEY: OK. Thank you. Have a good day. PHILLIPS: You, too.

All right, the stock market opening bell just rang about an hour ago. Let's go ahead and check the numbers. Dow Industrials up almost 13 points.

Well, if you're an employer and you think your workers are satisfied, think again. A recent survey finds more than eight in ten workers plan to look for a new job this year. Adios, see you later. Don't let the door smack you in the you-know-what, Stephanie Elam.

(LAUGHTER)

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Maybe hopefully they don't pull out a slide, jump off of a plane, grab a beer on the way out. Maybe they won't exit that dramatically. Maybe they will be a little bit more subdued, give their two weeks' notice. Normal ways of leaving things.

But you're right. A lot of people are looking for a way to get up and out and find a new job this year. This is a survey that we have from Manpower that saying that 84 percent of employees say they are looking for a new job this year. That is up from 60 percent last year.

And there's a few things you have to keep in mind. Folks really had everything on hold during the recession. They hunkered down with the job they had. They stayed there. A lot of people were just happy to have a job at all. And especially when they looked at the unemployment rate. So, they say let me just get through this. Now that things are starting to look better, albeit not as warm as we'd like them to be but better in the economy, they're thinking this may be the year they can jump ship, find better opportunities, look out there for better compensation as well. Just try to be a little more rewarded while they're at work, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: OK. Well, another (INAUDIBLE). I know a lot of people out there are actually workaholics. What about that?

ELAM: Yes, that's true. Apparently, some people don't know how to leave the office at the office. There's a lot of people find themselves thinking about work when they have gone home with their families and so forth.

So, take a look at what we have found out from the survey from CareerBuilder. And they're saying that 52 percent of workers say they put in more than 40 hours a week. Fourteen percent put in more than 50 hours. And look at this. Twenty-four percent say they think about work when they're at home socially. Twenty-two percent don't even have time to think about their personal interests. And this one - you don't use a personal day -- I understand not using a sick day. I get that. You're not sick, you come to work. But you don't have a reason for a personal day?

So, you see, 27 percent of people there are saying that -- some people dreaming about work. You've got other people saying that when they are out with their friends and their family most of their conversation is about work. I am sure their family and friends are really excited about that. Probably really rewarding for that.

PHILLIPS: Yes. Hmm. Oh, boy. I guess snooze our way through this one. Definitely hurts personal lives.

ELAM: Yes. It definitely affects personal lives. In fact, one of the stats that came out of this survey that really struck me was that nine percent are more worried about approval from their boss than their family, and 15 percent said they would rather be working than at home with their families.

I don't know. Maybe 2011 is the year to get your priorities in order for a lot of people out there, Kyra. I mean, I love you. You know I love working with you but at the same time --

PHILLIPS: No, it's true. You are a new mama. I have got two on the way. There comes a point in life where you got to realize family is number one priority. That's what sticks around forever, not the job.

ELAM: It's huge. Right, exactly. Exactly.

PHILLIPS: Put it in perspective. Got to have the balance. Thanks, Steph.

Brett Favr. He's going make it to the NFL Hall of Fame no doubt, but probably won't make it into the text messaging hall of fame. A couple of plaintiffs using some texts he allegedly sent them. And they might have the old quarterback playing defense in court.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, Brett Favre, he set offensive records left and right in the NFL. Going to be some playing defense in court, though. A couple of massage therapists suing Favre and his former team, the New York Jets. The plaintiffs claim that Farve sexually harassed them and saved some text messages to prove their point.

Text, sexts, famous athletes. Sounds kind of familiar doesn't it?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)

TIGER WOODS, PROFESSIONAL GOLFER: I know I have bitterly disappointed all of you. I am embarrassed that I have put you in this position. For all that I have done, I am so sorry.

ALEX RODRIGUEZ, YANKEES BASEBALL PLAYER: I have been through divorce, I have been through tabloids. You name it. I screwed up. Big time. But I think the only thing I ask from this group today and the American people is to judge me from this day forward.

KOBE BRYANT, L.A. LAKERS BASKETBALL PLAYER: As I sit here before you guys, embarrassed and ashamed for committing adultery. If I could just turn back the hands of time -- I love my wife so much. She is so special to me.

(END VIDEO CLIPS)

PHILLIPS: "That's why I bought her a big ring."

Just recently, the NFL fined Favre for not cooperating with another investigation. That one centered around nasty text messages he allegedly sent to a former gameday hostess for the Jets. So, more drama for a quarterback with pretty amazing accomplishments like this. Most career touchdown passes, career passing yards, career passing attempts, career completions, career wins as a starting quarterback.

All right. Let's talk more about this with CNN contributor Max Kellerman.

I want to tackle two things, Max. And I want to be fair here. Talk about the fact that Brett Favre, pretty phenomenal athlete. But at the same time, we got to talk about these athletes who can't keep it zipped up, shall we say? Let's start with the fact that, OK, he set a lot of records. And a lot of people saying, if this is it, what a sad way to go down.

MAX KELLERMAN, CNN SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR: Yes. I like the tackle. Let's tackle two things. Very good.

Listen, Brett Favre is an all-time great player. That's true and it is also true that he has always been overrated because he has had an excellent relationship with the media and guys have taken care of him. His most impressive accomplishment is his consecutive games played streak starting at quarterback in a sport like football. It's so physical, so dangerous. He's the quarterback; everyone is coming to get him. 297 consecutive games played. It's unthinkable. The guy is so tough.

On the other hand, in a 20-year career where he has played on some damn pretty good teams he has won one Super Bowl. He was a great quarterback, but he wasn't one of the handful of very greatest quarterbacks who ever lived. At least I don't think so. But that's the way he was portrayed in the press, I think because certain key guys in the press had a very good relationship. Favre knew how to work the press.

PHILLIPS: Well, he knew how to work a lot of other things, too. I mean, let's come full - full disclosure here. I mean, I was telling you how I worked as a reporter in Green Bay, Wisconsin. We're talking two decades ago. I mean, this was a guy who loved to party. He loved to --

KELLERMAN: What were you? Five?

(LAUGHTER)

KELLERMAN: Two decades ago? What were you, five years old?

PHILLIPS: Hey, I age very well, thank you very much. I'm not texting wild women. I'm keeping it clean.

But seriously, Max, this is, you know, (INAUDIBLE0, at least for a short period of time took him under his wing and kept him out of trouble for a while. It was like he had a dad in addition to a coach in Green Bay.

But you know, this guy loves to have a good time. So, but you know, he is not the only one. You have covered sports for a long time. And you have been around these guys. What is it? I mean is it -- is it as simple as you get money and fame and you are traveling all the time and you have got women banging on your hotel room? Ah, what the hell, let's just go ahead and go for it. Why can't we find more guys that are disciplined?

KELLERMAN: Well, because if you really want to look for real social commentary -- it's like Mel Brooks in "The History of the World," part two, right. It's like the philosopher is the comedian. And the comedian is the philosopher.

"South Park" and Chris Rock have the best take on this. Chris Rock said men are basically as faithful as their options. And "South Park" after the Tiger Woods thing had a whole episode where these men are in these sex addicts group. And when he described what it is to be a sex addict, it turns out that all guys basically are. It's who has the ability to do something about it.

In Favre's case, here I think the trouble might be not that he propositioned anybody, but that according so far to what has been reported, the women, according to them were told they wouldn't work for the Jets again when they turned him down. I don't know if that's really -- how could you blame Favre for that? He is not ostensibly, right, who fired them, but it does demonstrate a power dynamic there where he's in a position of power and that I think is the real issue in the sexual harassment case, it seems to me.

PHILLIPS: Yes. Point well made. Always good talking to you. Thanks, Max.

KELLERMAN: Pleasure.

PHILLIPS: Well, coming up, medical research that could change how we diagnose and treat cancer. We're going to tell you about test that could spot just one single cancer cell in your blood.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, a simple blood test could be a powerful new weapon in the fight against cancer. The test is so precise, it can actually detect a single cancer cell among a billion healthy ones in a person's bloodstream. It could still be five or 10 years before the test is widely available, but experts are calling this a major breakthrough.

Listen to what Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer for the American Cancer Society said earlier today on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING." (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OTIS BRAWLEY, CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY: There are no tests for a number of different diseases. This has the potential for testing for a number of cancers and simply drawing blood and sending it off to the lab.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, our senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen here to tell us what this all means for you. We were just talking about how much we love Dr. Otis Brawley. He is so wonderful.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Shoutout to him!

PHILLIPS: That's right. We love our favorite - favorite cancer doc.

But let's talk about this test and the fact that, you know, it is a major breakthrough.

COHEN: It is a breakthrough, and it is so different from the way we detect cancer today. You and I get our annual mammograms, right? Because we're, you know, that age. So, we get our annual mammograms.

PHILLIPS: That age!

COHEN: That age, right! And so, for a mammogram to detect a cancer, it's got to be relatively big. I mean, it actually has to show up on an image. So, you see that thing circled there. You have to be able to see it.

Well, what this would detect is a single cell that is coming off cancer that the eye can't even see in an image. It doesn't have to be that big. So, that's a huge difference if this test works. And I have to say, that's a bit of an if. Because this isn't guaranteed to work. I mean, it's still in development. It won't be our for five to 10 years. It may be a bust. But if it works, it would be huge.

PHILLIPS: All right. So if it does work, then when would I get the test?

COHEN: Well, it is possible that you could get it at your annual physical. You know, you show up for your annual physical, they do this test, and it's sort of an initial screening for cancer. And it could be done that quickly.

PHILLIPS: That quickly. Wow.

All right. We have been getting a lot of questions, of course, from our viewers. So we went to our Web site. I want to throw one at you if you don't mind. This one comes from Merv321, who asks, "Even if the cancer was real in the bloodstream, are they going to give additional chemo for one cancer cell?" COHEN: Right. So, let's say they detect a cancer cell. Are they going hook you up to the chemo machine? And the answer is probably no. They are going to have to do additional tests to see what kind of cancer is this. What part of your body is it in? Is this test correct? So, that wouldn't happen.

But there is another way I want to talk about where this test could be useful. And that's when you have cancer they give you chemo, and they hope they give you the right chemo. Sometimes they are right, and sometimes they are wrong. So, if someone has cancer, they give you chemo, and then they could give you this test, and they would know really quickly if it is working or not.

PHILLIPS: Oh, wow. If it works or if it's not working. Give them more or less or it's over.

COHEN: Right. So this test has a double purpose. Preventive and also to help when they are treating you to see if the treatment is correct.

PHILLIPS: Got it. Well, that is pretty amazing if this comes through. Thanks, Elizabeth.

COHEN: Thanks.

PHILLIPS: Well, it could be Ron and Rand's excellent adventure. Father and son share the same political philosophy, and now the Pauls are sharing the same digs.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: We have got a poll that's tracking how Americans feel about the new health care law. Deputy political director Paul Steinhauser, of course has the results for it. Hey, Paul.

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Hey, Kyra. Good morning. You were talking to our Brianna Keilar earlier this hour about the House Republicans' moves as early as next week to try to repeal the new health care law.

So, what do Americans think? We at CNN have the most recent polling. Take a look at this. We asked do you approve of the law or do you oppose it? And you can see right there, a majority say they oppose the law.

But it's interesting. Break it down, and go to the next one. And this is interesting. Some oppose it because it doesn't go far enough. Thirteen percent say they oppose the current law because it doesn't go far enough. And some people say they oppose it because it is too liberal. So, it's not everybody who is opposed to the law is opposed is opposed to it because they don't think it goes far enough. Interesting, fascinating numbers when you break down the opposition to the health care law. All right. You teased it, let's talk about it. Rand Paul, you know him from Kentucky. The Tea Party backed man who tomorrow will be sworn in as a U.S. senator. Well, he's coming here to D.C. Where is he going live? He will be crashing with his father. We first heard about this when Ron Paul, the congresman from Texas, told our Wolf Blitzer. They both spoke to our Anderson Cooper. The interview aired last night. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, "AC360": How are you guys going to live together now? How is this going to work out?

REP. RON PAUL (R), TEXAS: Just so you know, I told him it will work if I don't have to cook! That's all

RAND PAUL (R), KENTUCKY SENATOR-ELECT: And my response to that is I think it's pretty lucky that I don't have to rely on his cooking.

No, I think we will get along well. In fact, I lived with my father in the summer some when he was in Congress and I was in high school. So, it won't be the first time we have actually shared the condo. But I think he scratched his head a little bit when he found out his 47-year-old son was coming back to live with him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEINHAUSER: Keep it all in the family with Ron and Rand Paul. Kyra, back to you.

PHILLIPS: They are a piece of work. I see a reality show, Paul. I don't know.

STEINHAUSER: Yes, I think you're right.

PHILLIPS: All right. We're going to have our next political update in just about an hour. And a reminder, for all the latest political news, just to go to our Web site 24/7. CNNpolitics.com.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: All right. Fast forward. Let's take a look at the day ahead.

Later this morning on Capitol Hill, Nancy Pelosi, holding her last news conference as speaker of the House. She'll be joined by other Democratic leaders to discuss their legislative goals in the upcoming session. That will begin tomorrow. Republican will officially take control of the House, and Pelosi will be relegated to minority leader.

(COUGHS)

PHILLIPS: Excuse me. And a hearing is scheduled today for Dr. Conrad Murray, the physician who was caring for Michael Jackson at the time of his death. In the next few weeks, we will find out if he will stand trial for involuntary manslaughter. The coroner ruled the cause of death was from an overdose of a powerful anesthesia used for surgery. The prosecution says the defense may argue that the King of Pop killed himself.

And what would you do with 330 million bucks? That's the question a lot of lottery players are asking themselves as they buy tickets for tonight's mega millions drawing. In fact, strong sales could bump the jackpot even higher.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Take you to live pictures now in Tallahassee, Florida. Incoming governor Rick Scott and his fellow Republicans on the floor of the cabinet. Taking the oath of office today. Celebrating with a day of events that will temporarily shut down the heart of the capital city, we are being told. Ninety minutes swearing in ceremony. It's going to start just at the top of the hour. You can also watch it live on the Web at WFSU.org.

That does it for us. We'll see you back here tomorrow morning.

Joe Johns takes it from here -- Joe.