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Former Dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier Back in Haiti; WikiLeaks Eyes Swiss Banking; Catastrophic Floods in Brazil
Aired January 17, 2011 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Live from Studio 7, I'm Carol Costello. CNN's big stories for Monday, January 17th.
Apple founder Steve Jobs is taking a medical leave. His e-mail to Apple employees did not spell out his new health problem. Jobs was absent from Apple a couple of years ago for a liver transplant. He's been battling pancreatic cancer, caught the disease in 2004.
Today marks the 25th anniversary of the holiday honoring the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. Live pictures from Atlanta where King is buried.
Many Americans are remembering his civil rights legacy, as an ugly controversy grows in Colorado. A school board member there calling King an America-hating communist. Much more on those comments and their consequences in our next hour.
In the Pacific Northwest, one storm is winding down today, but another is ready to strike tomorrow. Warm rains are melting snow pack, and that's causing floods and mudslides in Oregon and Washington. A number of roads are blocked by mud.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Does this concern you with your house being so close to this?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. It probably does my wife, though. I just tell her, it won't slide. It will be all right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: New shock waves in Haiti. The former dictator known as "Baby Doc" is back after some 25 years in exile. Jean-Claude Duvalier's unexpected return comes as the country struggles to recover from an earthquake, a cholera epidemic, and an ongoing political crisis.
CNN's John Zarrella joins us by phone from Port-au-Prince.
John, where is "Baby Doc"?
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, right now, Carol, we are standing outside with probably at least a hundred other journalists outside the Karibe Hotel in an area -- what is known as Petionville, just up a hilltop outside of Port-au-Prince, the city of Port-au- Prince.
He is inside and expected to hold a news conference here. It was supposed to start about an hour ago. It has still not gotten under way.
And, you know, when he arrived here yesterday, it was certainly an absolute shock, to say the least, to everyone here. No one expected him, but most everyone now in this country who has a radio knows that he is here because local radio stations have, of course, been talking about it constantly, his return here after 25 years in exile in France.
He was deposed in a popular uprising back in February of 1986, and left the country, went to France, and has been there pretty much ever since. So it's an interesting equation, because right now it's unclear why he's here. He's apparently said that he may only stay for three days, that he actually came back just because he saw images of the -- from the anniversary coverages and saw the great despair that is still here, and decided he had to come back.
Now, back in Miami, where we left this morning, a few hours ago, there's a lot of sentiment from the Miami-Haitian community about Baby Doc's return.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everybody, like, was in shock, you know. Why Haiti? Why now? This news fell on us like a brick that Duvalier was in Haiti. We are all in shock. Just when we thought that it could never get worse in Haiti, it has gotten worse.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are asking question at this time to see why, at this time, do we want Duvalier at this time to be in Haiti? That's the question everybody is asking.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZARRELLA: So, of course, now that's what everybody wants "Baby Doc" Duvalier to answer when he holds this press conference, is why he is back. He really has no political party here any longer.
At the airport last night, about 200 people met him, cheering his name as he arrived and sped off in a motorcade up here to the hotel. Quite frankly, out here, at the Karibe now, there are no people around, and life in the city of Port-au-Prince, as we drove up here, going on quite normally. The roadside stands are open, people selling their wares alongside the road, and going about their lives as best they can.
COSTELLO: John, here's what I'm wondering. He was a brutal dictator. People disappeared. There are also allegations he raped Haiti of hundreds of millions of dollars.
So couldn't they arrest him for doing that?
ZARRELLA: Yes, that's very true. In fact, Rene Preval said back in 2007 that if he ever returned, that -- the current president of Haiti -- said that in fact he would be arrested and have to stand trial for those crimes that he's alleged to have committed.
Of course, he has been vehemently denying that he took hundreds of millions of dollars out of the country and vehemently denying that, you know, that he's responsible for anybody's disappearances or deaths back in the reign that he had from 1971 to 1986, that 15-year reign. But the government has been very curiously quiet here, not saying anything much about his return.
Apparently, one of the ministers did make a remark, saying, "Well, if he's back he's back," kind of shrugging it off like, so what? It's not really going to change the reality here that is the current state of affairs in Haiti -- Carol.
COSTELLO: So sad.
John Zarrella, reporting for us live from Haiti.
Thanks.
The Duvalier family ruled Haiti for three decades with fear and repression, and forced by a bloody secret police force known as Tonton Macoute. Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier was elected president in 1957. He later declared himself "president for life."
He succeeded in 1971 by Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier, the man we're talking about. He was 19 years old at the time. The younger Duvalier held on to power for 15 years. He and his wife Michelle were accused of stealing millions of dollars of public funds. In 1986, they were forced to flee to France, where they lived in luxury.
Now on to Tucson and more encouraging news about Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.
Doctor have upgraded her condition from critical to serious, and they say she continues to do well. Giffords is off the ventilator and breathing on her own through a tracheotomy tube inserted over the weekend. A fellow lawmaker says Giffords is making both sides of her body and making progress every day.
Hundreds turned out in Tucson to honor Congresswoman Giffords and the shooting victims. They took part in a walk for peace.
The organizer says it was a chance to show support for the families. Others say it was also a chance for the community to heal. Participants cheered as they walked through the streets behind a large peace banner.
And the save my life -- "He saved my life and gave his for it." Those words from the widow of Dorwan Stoddard, the Arizona shooting victim who died shielding his wife from gunfire. Family and friends gathered for Stoddard's funeral in Tucson. His widow Mavy was shot three times in the legs. She remembers how he tried to protect her when the shots rang out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAVY STODDARD, WIDOWED SHOOTING VICTIM: He threw himself over me. I don't know whether he threw me down or whether -- my first thought was, get down when I saw what has happening. I think it was the last shots that killed him.
So he saved my life and gave his for it. And you can't ask for much more. And he would have protected me with his dying breath, the same way he loved me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: So sad. The two were grade school sweethearts who found each other again later in life.
A man wounded in the Arizona shooting rampage is being held for a mental evaluation after a tense exchange over gun control. I'm sure you've heard about it.
Authorities say James Eric Fuller made a threat against a Tucson Tea Party leader at a town hall meeting. The Sheriff's Department says Fuller was involuntarily committed to a mental health facility for an evaluation. The Tea Party organizer, Trent Humphries, talked about the incident on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRENT HUMPHRIES, TUCSON TEA PARTY FOUNDER & ORGANIZER: I was making the point that sometimes we're really quick to jump on political angles. And maybe we need to slow down and look at the victims first, and then have a discussion about the politics a little bit later.
And then he rose from his seat, took a picture of me, and said, "You're dead." You know? And then -- and then that's pretty much what I saw.
And then immediately afterward, they closed the program down and then I was taken out. So I didn't see anything after that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Humphries says the Tuesday shooting shows the importance of making sure people who may need help get it.
It feels like Tucson these days cost students their weight in gold. But what does it weigh in dollar bills? One student in Colorado knows.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Swiss banks have long held the gold standard for privacy and security, but just hours ago, a Swiss banking insider handed over private details for thousands of accounts to the Web site WikiLeaks.
Atika Shubert joins us live with details from London.
So what do these documents show, Atika?
ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we don't know exactly. What Rudolf Elmer, that Swiss whistleblower, said is that, basically, these are financial records for at least 2,000 clients. He wouldn't say whether they are individuals or corporations, but he says that there is evidence in there that shows of the possibility of tax evasion by certain -- by banks, possibly counseling their clients in ways that he says suggests they're trying to work around taxes.
Now, he has said he has his own suspicions that this is illegal activity, but he doesn't know if this is evidence, exactly. That is something he says professional investigators should do. And that is why he says he is handing over these documents to WikiLeaks. He wants WikiLeaks to go through these documents and publish whatever they feel is necessary on their Web site.
Now, Julian Assange was there. He received those documents, and he said that his organization will make a full revelation of whatever they find in these records.
COSTELLO: OK. So these are secret bank accounts where bankers are supposedly laundering money, supposedly guilty of tax evasion. Are any of these banks U.S. banks?
SHUBERT: We don't know. Elmer wouldn't say whether they were U.S. banks, British banks, if these were going to be individuals in the U.S. or Britain.
It has to be said that Elmer has worked with WikiLeaks before, and he has put forward information on some international banks. We'll have to wait and see if there are any U.S. banks that are included in this latest batch of information.
COSTELLO: Atika Shubert, live in London.
Thank you.
(NEWSBREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: A couple desperate to reach their dog had to be rescued themselves from floodwaters east of Seattle. Roads in and around the town of Carnation are literally under water. The town, on the verge of being cut off.
Last night, neighbors say they heard a woman screaming, but they couldn't see her. They called rescuers who found her husband waist- deep in the river as they kept calling out to the woman.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: "Hang on. People are coming. The fire department are coming. There's a boat. We're looking for you. We'll be coming."
Just trying to reassure her that she wasn't going to be left there for a long time.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The dog wasn't worth their lives, and I think the dog is safe where it's at. And there's actually somebody there at the kennels.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: People were actually trying to rescue their dog. The dog was trapped in the floodwaters. And I'd like to say that I wouldn't do it, but if my dog were -- I would. I think I would, although you shouldn't.
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: They're like babies to a lot of people. Absolutely.
COSTELLO: True. That's very true.
JERAS: You've got to watch out for them, too. But some scary things. Once that water starts rising, oftentimes you have very little time to get out. So you really have to try and use a lot of caution and be safe.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: It's been, what, raining every day for a month in Brazil?
JERAS: It's the rainy season.
COSTELLO: I know. You just can't wrap your mind around that.
JERAS: Yes.
COSTELLO: But, of course, this year it's different because of the huge flooding and the mudslides, like you mentioned.
We want to take you live there. Actually, we're going live by phone to Helena de Moura. She's joining us from the devastated town of Nova Friburgo.
And I hope I pronounced that right, Helena. But what are you seeing?
HELENA DE MOURA, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Actually, I'm not there. That's the problem. I was there yesterday.
I'm now in Teresopolis. But, you know, it's a moving story because these are sister cities on top of the hill in these gorgeous, stunning views. And it's just strange to be also surrounded by tropical beauty and being in the middle of, really, a catastrophe, one of the worst natural disasters -- or the worst natural disaster, excuse me, in Brazilian history.
Right now, as you know, they are -- the government is telling us that more than 600 people have died here. But the locals are not believing the government, because the census show that in this neighborhood alone where I am -- I'm up the hill in Teresopolis, about 45 minutes by foot -- right behind me. But, anyway, this neighborhood alone, there were 1,200 people, and they're all unaccounted for. I'm looking at boulders as big as houses. And these people had no chance to survive -- Carol.
COSTELLO: That's just unbelievable. The government response, has it been adequate?
DE MOURA: Well, that's a good question. The government says yes.
I have talked to the head of the civil defense here, and he says, "Absolutely, we are working around the clock. We're using everything, every tool, every human being we can."
But still, I am, again, up the hill in this poor area, a shanty, up the hill in Teresopolis. And what I'm seeing mostly is this volunteer work.
The volunteers here are unbelievable. These are people who lost their homes, they lost their families, they have nothing. And they're basically putting on a -- trying to help everybody. I'm about to be --
COSTELLO: You do what you need to do, Helena. OK? Be careful out there. OK. You need to go?
DE MOURA: Yes, I'm fine. OK. I've got to move, actually. I'm sorry.
COSTELLO: All right, Helena. We're going to let you go. Thank you so much for that report. You take care.
Helena de Moura, reporting live from Brazil.
New evidence linking excessive video game playing to mental health problems, a growing concern as we learn about the alleged Tucson shooter's gaming habits. Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen will join me.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: The alleged gunman in last weekend's attack in Tucson was an avid gamer. We don't know what Jared Lee Loughner's mental health condition is, but today there's new evidence that excessive video game playing can lead to mental health problems.
Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen joins us now.
So what did researchers find?
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, the numbers really shocked me, especially as a parent. They looked at 3,000 kids between about third and eighth grade, and nearly 10 percent of them were considered pathological gamers according to this. So that's a lot of kids.
Do you know how many hours a week they were gaming, these kids? COSTELLO: I was just going to ask you, what's pathological?
COHEN: We'll get to that in a second, but just the sheer number, 30 hours a week or more of gaming. OK?
COSTELLO: That's almost a full-time job.
COHEN: Exactly. I mean, imagine if they were doing something else. And, so 30 hours a week, and these kids were more likely to have depression and more likely to have anxiety.
And you asked, well, what makes them pathological? These were kids who were having trouble sort of relating to the real world. They weren't dog well in school sometimes, they were having trouble getting their chores done at home. Their life was more virtual and their real life was taking a back seat.
COSTELLO: But does it matter what game they're playing? Does that affect them more?
COHEN: Yes. The kids who were having these problems tended to be doing more of the violent games. You know, they weren't playing "Ms. Pac-Man" for 30 hours a week. They were doing sort of the violent games and those kinds of competitive violent games that you see.
And I know a lot of parents are going to see this and they're going to say, all right. Well, my kid plays video games. I mean, I think pretty much every kid these days does to some extent. How do I know when they've crossed that line?
And so I want to talk about that a bit, because that's really important for parents to know. So, a couple of things to look for.
So the first thing you want to look for is, when you tell your child to stop, do they become irritable? I did a story with one kid, Carol, who pulled the alarm -- you know those alarm panels that are embedded into the wall of a house? Pulled it out of the wall when he was told to stop. OK? Threw a coffee table across the room.
OK, that's irritable.
COSTELLO: Yes. That's more than irritable. That's scary.
COHEN: That's scary. Right, exactly. So those parents knew they had a problem on their hand.
Also, if the kid uses games to escape their problems, if the child is having problems at school or at home, and this is their refuge, that's a problem, because they're not dealing with the real issues. And also, if they lie about gaming -- if you know that your child spent 10 hours gaming yesterday, and you ask them and they say something -- a smaller number, that's a problem.
But I think probably the number one red flag, at least for me as a parent, is that 30-hour thing. You know, I mean, you know right there something's going on. COSTELLO: OK. So what do you do if you're a parent and your kid is constantly playing video games, and he or she, they just don't listen to you?
COHEN: You know, there are actually counselors who specialize in dealing with kids who seem to be addicted to video games. And I think it's important to reach out and get help, because sometimes it really can be beyond the parents.
I mean, that's -- you know, that's something that sometimes a parent can't deal with on their own. But I want to get in here what the gaming industry says, because they say that this addiction thing doesn't exist. They say that this is just something --
COSTELLO: Well, can't you see it being brought up in Jared Loughner's court case? I mean, can't you see it being brought up in court? And the gaming industry probably wouldn't be so happy about that.
COHEN: They wouldn't. They would probably say what they told us when we called about this study. They said, "There's no concrete evidence that links games to any harm. There is simply no evidence that computer and video games cause harm." That's what they had to say.
And as far as Loughner goes, I mean, I don't know -- I think it would be incredibly difficult to say that gaming causes that kind of violence. I mean, that's tough.
Obviously, this kid had problems besides his gaming. And sometimes gaming is a sign of problems. Sometimes a kid with problems gets into gaming, that causes more problems. It becomes this snowball effect.
COSTELLO: Interesting -- scary stuff, actually. Elizabeth, thank you so much.
COHEN: It is. Thanks.
COSTELLO: Many in Congress have called for a new era of civility following the Arizona shootings. Hear from senators who are doing something about it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(WEATHER BREAK)
COSTELLO: A call for more civility in Congress following the Arizona shootings. Two senators on opposite sides the aisle have pledged to sit together during next week's State of the Union address. Democrat Chuck Schumer and Republican Tom Coburn told NBC's "Meet the Press," they're hoping to set a new tone.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. CHARLES SCHUMER (D), NEW YORK: A violent discourse in political life, right, left or center is wrong and should be rejected. But I do think we as elected officials have an obligation to try to tone that down. And if we tone it down, then maybe the media will be less vociferous.
REP. TOM COBURN (R), OKLAHOMA: We have vast differences in how we believe what will be the best course for our country. But I believe the questioning motives is something that ought to be set aside. We don't have the Lincoln/Douglas debate. Some of the problem in our country is, is we talk past each other not to each other. Chuck and I have been able to work on multiple bills because we sit down one-on- one and work things out. And what we need to do is have more of that, not less of it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: CNN Congressional correspondent Brianna Keilar live from Capitol Hill with more on what some are hoping will be a new era of civility. Of course, people say, yes, maybe for a day or two but then after that it'll be just back to normal.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Sure. And especially, Carol, here in the next week or two, some politically charged things going on. Of course, you've got the health care repeal vote in the House this week. And then next week it us the State of the Union.
That's what so intriguing here about when you see Senator Schumer who is a liberal Democrat, part of leadership. And then Senator Coburn, who's a very conservative Republican. Two senators here who really almost couldn't be more different when it comes to policy, and they're calling for -- well at least for themselves, to be sitting together at the State of the Union, where we normally see the harsh divide between Democrats and Republicans.
This is also something people are discussing in the House of Representatives. In fact, listen to what the number three Republican in the House, Kevin McCarthy, said about this on Friday at the House Republican retreat.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. KEVIN MCCARTHY (R), CALIFORNIA: I like the idea. But you know what's so interesting is there are no assigned seats. Maybe only a couple up at the (INAUDIBLE). But there's only a couple on the floor. People could always sit by one another.
KEILAR: Do you think you would sit by a Democrat?
MCCARTHY: Hey -- I would -- you know what? Steny Hoyer and I try to talk quite often. I would enjoy sitting next to him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: So who would the number three Republican in the House sit next to? He said, you know what, he would like to sit next to the number two Democrat.
This is a conflict that Senator Mark Udall of Colorado came up with, Carol. And you have a lot of Democrats and Republicans talking about it. Those two we mentioned before, Senator Schumer, Senator Coburn, really the only two that have formally committed and they've kind of buddy-buddied up there.
The other people we've heard talking about it say, you know, we like the idea. It seems like it's something that's going to maybe play out. Maybe it's going to be kind of casual. We'll see if they really do end up sitting next to each other.
The bottom line here, though, and you even heard this from Senator Coburn, you know, he's someone who has a very specific approach when it comes to policy. They're not saying that they're going to start agreeing on things. It's really just that they're going to walk kind of a different line when it comes to how they talk about it.
And, as you say, Carol, we'll see how long that lasts.
COSTELLO: Well, the only way to get things done is to have a civil discourse -- you know, like an intelligent conversation? Wouldn't that be a change?
KEILAR: Oh, come on. They're going to try to tone it down a little bit.
(LAUGHTER)
COSTELLO: We'll see if you and I can come to a meeting of the minds. We'll have an intelligent conversation later.
KEILAR: Oh, we will.
COSTELLO: Thanks, Brianna.
How to make tax time easier. Get organized for starters. We've got top tips from the CNN Money Team.
Oprah calls it one of her toughest interviews in 20 years. And now you get to see it. CNN's new primetime show "PIERS MORGAN TONIGHT" premieres with his first guest, Oprah Winfrey. And she does open up to him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OPRAH WINFREY, THE OPRAH WINFREY NETWORK: A relationship that I thought that really broke my heart. I was keeping a journal then. You know, keeping a journal is -- you know, you get to see yourself, how you're evolving as a human being. And I remember having a ceremony in my head for that woman. I look back at that time and I hold no remorse or bitterness toward that person, even though I was like, you didn't call and you didn't, and you don't love me and I still have all of those crazy letters. I should burn them.
PIERS MORGAN, CNN HOST, "PIERS MORGAN TONIGHT": Do you really?
WINFREY: Yes, I so.
MORGAN: You've kept them all? WINFREY: I have them all.
MORGAN: Why have you kept them?
WINFREY: I don't know. I just kept them.
MORGAN: Do you still read them?
WINFREY: No, I haven't read them in years. But, you know, I have them in a safety deposit box some place. But, I was thinking --
MORGAN: Wow, that's amazing.
WINFREY: I was thinking I should burn them now. Because, you know, -- Gayle knows if anything happens to me, get the letters.
(LAUGHTER)
MORGAN: I've got a message for Gayle. Give me the letters.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Fascinating. Premiere week guests include Howard Stern, Condoleezza Rice, Ricky Gervais, and George Clooney. It all starts tonight at 9:00 Eastern on "PIERS MORGAN TONIGHT," only on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: You're online right now and we are, too. We're tracking the hottest stories trending on the web.
Jacqui, what have you found?
JERAS: Hey, Carol. Well, the number one thing that people are reading about this morning on CNN.com has to do with Apple's CEO Steve Jobs. He's announcing now that he's going to be taking medical leave. This is it the second time in two years that he's taken a break from the company due to his health. He is a cancer survivor.
Of course, Apple, the company that makes the iPod, the iPad. Seems everybody has these gadgets now. And there is a little bit of speculation within the industry whether or not the corporation can continue with this innovation as he takes his leave.
So that's one thing trending on dot com right now -- Carol.
COSTELLO: OK, we'll get back to you. Thank you, Jacqui.
Taking a look at top stories now. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords' condition has been upgraded from critical to serious. Giffords is now breathing on her own. The next big milestone will be whether she can talk. It's been eight days since Giffords was shot at her Tucson event. Tunisia may get a new government today. The announcement comes a day after the country's army clashed with armed gangs and the ousted president's bodyguards. The former president gas fled to Saudi Arabia after ruling Tunisia for 23 years.
Heavy rains in Oregon and Washington have triggered mudslides. It's forcing road closures in the region.
Oh, drat. It's that time again. Time to round up paperwork and get started on your income taxes. The CNN Money Team's Christine Romans has top tips in New York.
So -- Christine --
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Did you say oh, drat? Oh, drat. It's Christine Romans again --
COSTELLO: No, no, not Christine Romans. I said, oh, drat, it's tax time again. Although we get a couple of extra days, right?
ROMANS: We do. That's right. You get three extra days to file your taxes because of a Washington, D.C. holiday -- Emancipation Day. That gives you, Carol, a little more time to dread getting your paperwork in order.
You're going to need first, those W-2s and 1099s. Those are going to be coming by the end of this month. They're coming in the mail. And keep a very close eye out for them. You don't want anybody to scamper off with any of those, ID theft and the like. So look for them, get them, and secure them as soon as you get them in the mailbox.
Keep your receipts for medical expenses or from your flex spending accounts, statements from your bank, mortgage interest paid, any qualifying improvements you made to your home. All of this great advice from Barbara Weltman, tax attorney and author of the J.K. Lasser guides.
Also, she says, charitable contributions, they are a popular deduction for many folks, Carol, but you need to have a bank record or a receipt for any contributions under $250. But if it's over $250, you're going to need additional proof of documentation from that charity, a canceled check just isn't enough if it's more than $250. And I certainly hope that many of you are in the position where you are giving more money than that, away.
Finally, any job-related deductible expenses, such as if you bought a uniform for work or you joined a new trade associations or subscriptions to any work-related publications, keep all of that stuff handy, start putting it together now, Carol.
COSTELLO: It'll take me about six months. No. I have most of it -- actually, my husband has most of it together. I'm just --
ROMANS: Is it in a shoebox? Do you keep yours in a shoebox?
COSTELLO: Oh, no. He has extensive files. He's very organized. He's like obsessive, which is a good husband to have.
ROMANS: I agree.
COSTELLO: We have more with Christine, hold on a minute. We have more with Christine Romans, I'm told, ready for tax time. That's coming up after a break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: We're talking with CNN's Christine Romans about prepping for tax season. I guess the IRS is getting kind of tech-savvy, huh?
ROMANS: I like the idea of keeping to the IRS to 140 characters or less, don't you?
(LAUGHTER)
ROMANS: The IRS is on Twitter. In fact, I'm just looking it up right now. It's going social media. They've got a Twitter account called @irsnewsforadvice. There's also an app for your taxes. Turbo Tax released the Snap Tax app. Say that 10 times fast. It's available on the iPhone and Android phones. You can take a picture of your W-2 and then it auto-fills all of the information to the IRS form. The app is free but you pay $14.99 to file the return and you can only do this if you file a 1040-EZ form. I actually tried it out on one of the other shows the other day and it's a pretty nifty little thing.
There are a lot of online scammers out there so use some common sense here. Make sure you're downloading apps only from your phones provided store and that you store your password, protect your phone. So if your phone gets lost or stolen your tax information is safe. Don't forget that. Remember, don't buy an app or download an app, rather, that is a fake app that somebody can get in there and get all of your information. Be very careful about that. OK? @irsnews.
COSTELLO: OK, we'll check it out. Thank you, Christine Romans.
ROMANS: All right. Bye.
COSTELLO: The Tucson shootings put gun control back in the spotlight but supporters face an uphill fight.
Mark Preston, part of the Best Political Team on Television, live from the political desk in Washington.
What's crossing right now, Mark?
MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL EDITOR: Hey, Carol. Congress is coming back this week after this Martin Luther King holiday. They didn't do much last week, of course, because of the shooting in Tucson. But, because of that shooting there's been a lot of talk about gun control and will there be action taken on Capitol Hill to try to enact some measures?
Well, even some supporters of gun control, Carol, acknowledge that that's going to be very difficult. So one of the things that they are talking about, perhaps, is outlawing these high-capacity magazines. The shooter out in Tucson had a magazine that had 30 rounds in it. And a lot of people say, that is why we saw so many people killed so quickly. So, the gun control debate will take foot up on Capitol Hill in the next couple of weeks. There will be a lot talk about it, but again, there's probably not enough votes to get the assault weapons ban enacted.
COSTELLO: Go ahead. I was just going to ask you about -- I know there's some freshmen senators on their way to Afghanistan. I was going to I know there are freshman senators on the way to Afghanistan.
PRESTON: Yes, exactly. Talk about really jumping right into their jobs. Several freshman senators are over in Afghanistan as we speak right now. Richard Burr from North Carolina; Ron Johnson from Wisconsin; Kelly Ayotte from New Hampshire; Marco Rubio from Florida; and Pat Toomey from Pennsylvania.
In fact, Marco Rubio has some pictures of the visit over in Afghanistan. They are joined by Senator Lindsey Graham, as well as the Republican leader Mitch McConnell. They're over there talking to the troops from their home states. But they also met with General David Petraeus and the Afghan President Hamid Karzai. They're expected to come back tomorrow. But I'll tell you what, talk about on-the-job training very quickly.
COSTELLO: You're not kidding. Also, I know Michael Steele is gone. There's a new RNC chair.
Tell us about him.
PRESTON: There is. There is. You know, Carol, we talked a lot about Michael Steele over the last couple weeks. This was his campaign sign up until Friday. Well, out with Michael Steele, as they say, and in with Reince Priebus.
This is somebody nobody knows much about unless you are a political insider. But, guess what, Carol? He's going to be one of the most powerful Republicans over the next couple years behind the scenes. His job is to raise upwards of $425 million to try to defeat President Obama heading into the 2012 election.
He's taken some very decisive steps over the past 24 hours. In fact, he fired everybody down in Tampa, Florida. These were people that were hired by Michael Steele to set up the Republican National Convention down in 2012, the nominating convention. Well, he has cleared house down there. So expect to hear a lot from this Wisconsin Republican that nobody knows a lot about, but you'll soon hear a lot about -- Carol.
COSTELLO: And everybody will soon be able to pronounce his name easily. It'll just slip off your tongue.
PRESTON: That's true.
COSTELLO: Thank you, Mark Preston.
Your next political update in an hour. And for the latest political news, you know where to go, CNN politics.com.
Talking trash and backing it up. The instant classic between the New York Jets and the New England Patriots topping our big play today. After a week of taunting and wise cracking the Jets' defense delivered against the Pats last night, putting the Super Bowl dreams of their rivals to rest. Final score, 28-21. Next weekend the Jets battle the Steelers for the AFC championship. Chicago plays Green Bay for the NFC title.
And how money is your jump shot. Well, check out Mr. Big Shot over there. The Georgia Tech student buried a shot during a first half time-out in a game against North Carolina. The half-court shot earned him $1,000.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Never go to a Canes event without you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To never go to a Canes event without you.
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COSTELLO: Why bother with a church wedding when hockey is your true religion? A couple of die-hard Carolina Hurricanes fans exchanging warm wedding vows on cold, hard ice at the RBC Center. The team mascot was their ring bearer. So romantic.
The stars shined at last night's Golden Globes but there were moans and groans during the opening monologue. You decide. Was it hysterical or in bad taste?
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COSTELLO: Did you watch it last night? Comedic jabs and some awkward moments at the Golden Globes. In the end the ceremony which ushers in Hollywood's awards season gave the most kudos to "Social Network."
CNN entertainment correspondent Kareen Wynter has the highlights.
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RICKY GERVAIS, HOST, GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS: It's going to be a night of partying and heavy drinking. Or, as Charlie Sheen call it, breakfast.
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This year's Golden Globe ceremony kicked off with host Ricky Gervais raising a glass and immediate taking aim at some of Hollywood's biggest targets.
GERVAIS: Our first presenter is beautiful, talented and Jewish, apparently. Mel Gibson told me that. He's obsessed.
WYNTER: And although no one was safe from the British comedian's sharp tongue, one movie was a safe bet.
MICHAEL DOUGLAS, ACTOR: "Social Network." WYNTER: The Facebook drama, "The Social Network" took home four trophies, including the night's biggest award, Best Motion Picture, Drama.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow, "The Kids are All Right."
WYNTER: The Best Picture, Comedy/Musical went to "The Kids are All Right," with star Annette Bening also taking home a Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical.
SANDRA BULLOCK, ACTRESS: Colin Firth, "The King's Speech."
WYNTER: Other movie acting nods went to "The King's Speech's" leading man, Colin Firth, who was crowned Best Actor in a Drama.
JEFF BRIDGES, ACTOR: Natalie Portman.
WYNTER: And "Black Swan's" Natalie Portman was named Best Actress. Supporting Actor Globes went to "The Fighter" stars Christian Bale and Melissa Leo.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: "Glee."
WYNTER: This year's Globes was filled with "Glee" when it came to the small screen categories. FOX's megahit earned three statues, including Best TV Series Comedy or Musical, along with acting nods for Chris Colfer and Jane Lynch.
KEVIN BACON, ACTOR: "Boardwalk Empire."
WYNTER: On the Drama side, HBO's "Boardwalk Empire" was named Best TV Drama with the series' leading man, Steve Buscemi, earning Best Actor.
STEVE BUSCEMI, BEST ACTOR, DRAMA: I'm going to try and talk fast before that sad music comes on.
WYNTER: There was no interruption, only applause for Michael Douglas, who closed the show. The actor recently announced that he's beaten throat cancer after months of rigorous radiation treatments, bringing the audience to its feet.
DOUGLAS: Just got to be an easier way to get a standing ovation.
WYNTER: Kareen Wynter, CNN, Beverly Hills.
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COSTELLO: The Golden Globe Awards are a big trending topic today online. Jaqui Jeras joins us with a few of your comments.
And Ricky Gervais, woo.
JERAS: I know. Right?
COSTELLO: I laughed. JERAS: And many people did laugh along with you, Carol. Some people not laughing about it, though. So the reviews, very mixed. Everybody is talking about it. Probably the angriest people perhaps were the actors themselves.
COSTELLO: How about that, right?
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JERAS: He got Johnny Depp, he got Angelina, he got pretty much everybody.
Here's what people are saying on Twitter, which is trending by the way. Of course the Golden Globes.
This is AussieJulie. She said, "I thought that Ricky Gervais was amusingly honest. If you can't laugh at yourself, Hollywood, the rest of us will do it for you."
Let's take a look at what else. ToniTones here says, "Is there anywhere I can watch just Ricky Gervais' bit and skip the rest of the footage of the bored actors?"
Some of them didn't look too thrilled in the audience, did they?
SophieBum90 says, "Ricky Gervais, was he trying too hard? Not as funny as he used to be."
So that one not quite as good.
And, of course, everybody is watching the dresses, Carol, right?
LAStylistMom says she loves seeing the expectant moms like Natalie Portman and Jane Krakowski on the red carpet.
COSTELLO: And they looked great. Didn't they?
JERAS: Yes, yes. There wasn't as much color as I was expecting this year.
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COSTELLO: Speaking of shiny stuff let's talk about Miss America.
JERAS: We shall. But, you know, I want to mention, by the way, speaking of Ricky Gervais, he is going to be on "PIERS MORGAN" on Thursday night. So if you want to get a little more Ricky that's a place you can get it.
COSTELLO: Fabulous. OK. Miss America.
JERAS: Yes. Miss America. That happened this weekend, too. If you missed it. Kind of interesting with this one, though, is she's the youngest Miss America that we've had since 1938.
There she is. Her name is Teresa Scanlon, she's Miss Nebraska. And she's 17-years-old. Seventeen, Carol.
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COSTELLO: Anderson Cooper on "Saturday Night Live." That was hilarious.
JERAS: Did you see it?
COSTELLO: It was so funny.
JERAS: Oh, my gosh. I laughed over and over and over again. We'll set this up for you a little bit. It was kind of a cameo appearance from Anderson. There was a segment here, and this was with Pee Wee Herman and Andy Samberg and they happened to bump into each other at a bar and Pee Wee's drinking milk, right? And Andy's like, can I buy you a shot? And so they do shot after shot after shot. They leave the bar, they bump into Anderson and some not so good thing happens.
Take a look.
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JERAS: A national treasure. They are, don't you think? The guys ran into Anderson and they hit him with a chair. That's what happened.
COSTELLO: Yes, they sure did. Oh, that was just -- that was really good.
Thank you, Jacqui. I needed to laugh today. I appreciate it.