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Bombing at Moscow Airport; Jared Loughner Arraigned Today; Sensitive Memos Leaked Online by Al Jazeera; Happily Ever After Debt; Hot Off The Political Ticker

Aired January 24, 2011 - 12:00   ET

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

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: It's the top of the hour now. I'm Carol Costello. Let's check on CNN's big stories.

A caution. Viewers may find this first video disturbing. Russian TV says a suicide bomber killed at least 31 people today at Moscow's largest airport. The Russian president summoned his security chiefs for a Kremlin meeting.

Authorities in suburban Cleveland say pressure surged in a primary gas line today, setting at least nine homes on fire. Police initially ordered all 3,000 people to evacuate the Village of Fairport Harbor. They called it off after the situation was controlled.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was taking my son to school, and I heard sirens and everything. And we were right in front of the apartment building.

Fire trucks were already here. There was a fire. And then, just as we were coming in front of it, it blew.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Ann Pettway is scheduled to appear in federal court in Manhattan today on kidnapping charges. A criminal complaint says she confessed in an interview with the FBI on Sunday.

Pettway stole a 19-day-old baby from a Harlem hospital back in 1987. That baby, Carlina White, now 23, recently figured out she didn't belong to this woman. DNA tests prove it, too.

Jared Lee Loughner will be arraigned on three counts of attempted today. He's accused in a shooting rampage that wounded Tucson Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.

CNN's Ted Rowlands is at the federal courthouse in Phoenix and will join us live shortly.

Is he joining us live now, folks? OK.

We'll get back to you Ted in just a second, because we want to say some more on our breaking story today. Russian state TV says a terrorist blew himself up at Moscow's busiest airport today. At least 31 people have been killed, dozens of others injured.

Our senior international correspondent, Matthew Chance, joins us by phone from Moscow.

You're having trouble getting to the airport, aren't you, Matthew?

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, well, we are, because as you can imagine, the road that runs to the airport has been very congested. They have sealed it off to make way for the very many ambulances and police vehicles that have been coming and going at the main Moscow terminal airport building. It's called Domodedovo, the name of the airport.

The are a number of airports in Moscow. That's the most (INAUDIBLE) international travelers.

The casualties are pretty stunning, I have to say. Within the past few minutes, an airport spokesman has confirmed that the death toll has risen to 35 people as a result of that blast, apparently a suicide blast in the arrival hall of Domodedovo. More than a hundred people are said to be injured, 35 critical. And so the expectation is that, although nobody is saying this on the record, the death toll will get higher into the hours ahead -- Carol.

COSTELLO: What more do we know about the suicide bomber?

CHANCE: Well, first of all, we don't know if it's a suicide bomber. That's what is being widely reported, that's what it seems to be at the moment. But the investigative team that's on the ground overseeing the crime seen, as it were, have not officially announced that it is a suicide bomber.

There is a possibility it could have been a bomb left in a bag by someone. But in the past, Moscow's transport system has been struck by suicide bombers. The expectation is, again, that it is a suicide bomber.

At this time, we know that there is a simmering insurgency in southern Russia, in the north Caucasus region. You have heard of Chechnya, where there's been wars under way for the past several decades. The belief amongst many Russians -- you will hear about this news tonight as they switch on their state television channels, and listen to CNN and the other outlets -- will be that they will think this is a suicide bomber undoubtedly from the north Caucasus region, because so many suicide bombers in that region have struck at the heart of Moscow in the past.

COSTELLO: Why would they do this? I mean, can you just briefly tell us the history, why the Russian people would suspect that the Chechens are to blame?

CHANCE: Well, because suicide bombings in the past have been carried out by Chechen separatists and from Islamist insurgents from the north Caucasus region. There a whole insurgency under way in southern Russia which we don't hear much about in the news these days, but it involves Islamic fundamentalists who are fighting for an independent Islamic state in that part of Russia.

And they use terrible tactics to promote their cause and to grab the headline. Suicide bombings is just one of the many terrible tactics that are used by some of these militant groups to gain as much exposure as possible.

Just last year, in March, the Moscow metro, an important transport installation in this city, was targeted by multiple suicide bombers from the north Caucasus region. Dozens of people were killed back then, in March of last year. And so, again, the belief amongst many Russians and the belief amongst the authorities there -- let's be frank -- is that this was a suicide bomber who comes from the north Caucasus region -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right. Matthew Chance, thank you.

We want to bring in now former homeland security adviser Frances Townsend. She's in New York. She's also CNN's national security contributor.

Thanks for joining us once again.

The place where this bomb went off inside that Moscow airport was right where people claim their bags, was right by a restaurant there. You've been to airports all over the world. There's very few security people roaming in that exact area of the airport. Right?

FRANCES TOWNSEND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CONTRIBUTOR: That's right, Carol, which means, look -- and I think Matthew was quite correct -- it's reasonable to suspect that this is a Chechen operation. We've seen them, as he reported, in the metro in March. There is a history of two women who wore suicide vests on planes in 2004.

I mean, the Chechens have been very active in this sort of suicide bombing area in particular. This is a new twist on that technique. Going into an airport, at a point where there is very little screening done, because of course people are coming to meet their loved ones, pick up their bags in the baggage claim area, the arrival section, there tend to be cafes and shops in that area, and so it's a busy, highly-trafficked area. We don't know, as Matthew said, whether or not this a suicide bomber, but it has every hallmark of a Chechen operation.

COSTELLO: And, of course, this has been a worry in the United States, too. So this event could have repercussions throughout the world.

TOWNSEND: Oh, I suspect, Carol, TSA officials are, as we speak, looking at how they want to adjust their security procedures. We ought to anticipate seeing an increased presence of law enforcement personnel, perhaps bomb-sniffing dogs, patrolling these areas, looking for those who would be suspicious to them, or may meet the sort of profile, Not profiling -- looking for suspicious behavior is what I mean.

COSTELLO: But if a suicide bomber -- if it was a suicide bomber, and he or she had these explosives strapped to his or her body, is there any really way that any amount of security can stop this person?

TOWNSEND: Well, you know, it's interesting, Carol. One of the reasons bomb-sniffing dogs are so effective is that they can walk through public areas.

We here in New York often see them on the subway system. But bomb-sniffing dogs can walk through public areas with a minimal amount of disruption to the traveling public, and yet they are very effective at detecting small amounts of trace explosives, whether they are carried on your person or in a bag or package, as Matthew Chance suggested.

COSTELLO: Fran Townsend, thanks for joining us and putting things in perspective for us. We appreciate it.

The man accused of shooting an Arizona congresswoman faces a judge shortly. We'll have live coverage here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Doctors in Houston say Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords has surprised them with her progress. Giffords was transferred to Texas from Tucson on Friday. She remains in intensive care because of fluid on her brain. Once that situation is resolved, she'll move to the rehabilitation facility, but she's already undergoing rehab in the ICU.

Giffords husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, was invited to be a guest at tomorrow night's "State of the Union" speech, but he is not expected to attend so he can stay by his wife's side.

The man charged with trying to kill Congresswoman Giffords, Jared Loughner, is heading to court in just a few hours. CNN's Ted Rowlands is at the federal courthouse in Phoenix.

And Ted, how is today's arraignment likely to play out?

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, we're expecting a relatively short hearing. This is his second appearance.

He just arrived here at the courthouse under very tight security. They had a police chopper overhead. They actually closed down a couple streets when they brought him in here.

He's not due in court until 1:30 local time, 3:30 Eastern Time. And what we expect will happen is that he will enter pleas on three of the charges he's facing -- the attempted murder charges he'll enter pleas on.

The other two charges he hasn't been indicted on yet. That's the two murder charges, the murder of Judge Roll and the other murder of the worker of Gabrielle Giffords. Those two are still outstanding. They will probably be dealt with at some point in this hearing, whether the defense may ask about them.

The other thing that we do understand will happen is a motion was filed yesterday by the United States government asking that all further proceedings be moved from Phoenix back towards Tucson. And the government argues that witnesses and family members that have been affected by this shouldn't have to drive two hours each way to come and take part in these court proceedings.

Now, the last time Loughner was in court, nobody was here from any of the victims' families or his family. We'll see what happens today, if other people show up.

But again, it should be a relatively short hearing. They will deal with this possible change of venue moving forward, and Loughner is expected to enter some pleas.

COSTELLO: Ted, I wonder if you got any new word from the sheriff's department. Loughner apparently has not said a word since being taken into custody. Do you have any new information on his demeanor?

ROWLANDS: No, we haven't gotten any updates on whether or not his cooperation has changed at all -- if you will, cooperation -- whether he's said anything to investigators or if his lawyer has allowed investigators to re-interview him. Most likely, that communication stopped immediately when she took part in this case because, of course, it's not going to help her client at all if he talks.

So I would assume that he hasn't said anything. The last time in court -- and it will be interesting to see what happens today -- he was very attentive to the judge and answered all the questions. It will be interesting to see if his demeanor changes at all. We've heard so many stories about how he had outbursts in his classroom settings in college, and friends saying that he was very strange in some of the things he did.

In court last time, he was listening to the judge and answered every question. It will be interesting to see if his demeanor in court changes at all today.

COSTELLO: Well, I know you'll be standing by to see. Thank you very much.

Ted Rowlands, reporting live for us.

An update on the number of dead in that Moscow airport. The death toll is now 35, is expected to climb higher.

We've been telling you about this for the past couple of hours. An explosion inside of a Moscow airport in the baggage claim area killed those 35 people and injured more than 100. Just a short time ago, in Washington, Robert Gibbs, the press secretary, commented about what happened there. Let's listen to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT GIBBS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: "I strongly condemn this outrageous act of terrorism against the Russian people at the Domodedovo airport. I want to express the solidarity of the American people with the Russian people in the aftermath of this premeditated attack against innocent civilians."

"Michelle and I offer our deepest condolences to the Russian people who have suffered greatly at the hands of terrorism. We share your sorrow and a resolve to stand with you in our common fight against those who use terrorism for their political goals."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Of course, the White House press secretary reading a statement from President and Mrs. Obama.

Sensitive government memos being leaked online. And no, we're not talking about the latest WikiLeaks dump. This time, the leak is coming from the Middle Eastern news network Al Jazeera. Dubbed "The Palestine Papers," the memos allegedly document details of Middle East peace talks from 2008, peace talks mediated by then-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Kevin Flower, CNN's Jerusalem bureau chief, has the story.

KEVIN FLOWER, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: Hi, Carol.

Well, those papers released by the Al Jazeera network, what they tell us is it gives us details, intimate details, of the negotiations, as you mentioned, between Israel and Palestinians for the last 10 years. And some of these revelations have startled a lot of Palestinians, specifically revelations that the Palestinian negotiators, that the Palestinian Authority was willing to relinquish claims to all -- large swaths of east Jerusalem.

And that is important to Palestinians, because east Jerusalem, they hold the site for the future capital of their state. The status -- the future status with Jerusalem here is a very, very sensitive issue. So any compromises on the future deal with Jerusalem are watched very closely here.

And so, essentially, what you had was the Palestinian Authority taking one position privately in negotiations, which is to say we will relinquish our claims on these, and saying something very differently publicly to its Palestinian populous, which is, we will never give up on east Jerusalem, we will not let Israeli construction continue there. We won't accept that.

So, basically, this has put the Palestinian Authority in a bit of a political bind as it faces criticism from a population who has lost confidence in the Palestinian Authority to bring about any sort of peace deal, a just peace deal, and it also lends ammunition to the Hamas movement, which rules the Gaza Strip, which is vehemently opposed to the Palestinian Authority rule here, Carol. So a very dramatic, sort of political story here in the --

(CROSSTALK)

COSTELLO: Yes, it's very complicated. A couple of questions.

How do we know these documents are real? And why are they coming out now?

FLOWER: Well, that's a good question. In fact, we don't know.

CNN has not been able to verify the authenticity of these documents ourselves. So a lot of this -- this is what has been released by Al Jazeera. There are about 1,700 documents. They have released them on their Web site.

And the timing is questionable. A lot of questions are being asked about who leaked these documents, whose interest was it in to make this happen now?

And, of course, this just makes things a lot more difficult going forward, to get these long-stalled peace talks between the Palestinians and the Israelis started again. They have not been happening since September. And, frankly, not a lot of people have hope going forward that they are going to start any time soon -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Kevin Flower reporting live from Jerusalem.

Many thanks.

Arctic air has taken a hold of the Northeast, and it could get icy to the South. Jacqui Jeras has your forecast in two minutes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: This dog doesn't wear a superhero costume, but she sure can fly. Check out our "Random Moment of the Day."

A couple in Hawaii outfitted their tandem paraglider with a special harness for their black Lab. Now the dog tickles her owners toes in the air instead of chasing paragliders on the beach.

Everybody flies high in this family. Your "Random Moment" for this Monday.

That looked fun.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Taking a look at our top stories. At least 35 people have been killed in what appears to be a terrorist attack at Moscow's busiest airport. An emergency official says more than 150 others were injured. Russian state TV says a suicide bomber carried out the attack.

In St. Petersburg, Florida, two officers were shot and killed today while searching for a suspect wanted for aggravated battery. A deputy U.S. marshal was also shot and wounded. He's in stable condition. The suspect remains barricaded inside of a home.

Exercise and fitness guru Jack LaLanne has died at his home in California. His agent says LaLanne died from respiratory failure due to pneumonia. He was a pioneer in promoting the benefits of exercise long before the fitness craze in the United States.

Jack LaLanne was 96 years old.

"Civility" is the new buzzword in Washington, but is it really possible that tempers are cooling in this country? John Avlon thinks so.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: The president is preparing for his "State of the Union Address" tomorrow night. A discussion of jobs, the economy, and civility are expected to drive the speech. And many see that strategy as an attempt to appeal to the nation's political center.

The president previewed these themes in a video e-mailed to his Democratic supporters over the weekend.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: I'm focused on making sure that the economy is working for everybody, for the entire American family. How do we make sure that people have good jobs with good benefits? How do we make sure that somebody who has a good idea can suddenly start a business? How are we going to make sure that we have the most innovative, dynamic economy in the world? And how do we make sure that our kids are able to compete with workers anywhere in the world?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: All things important to Americans. And while some predict the White House is signaling a move to substantive issues and a move to the center, John Avlon, CNN contributor and writer for "The Daily Beast," thinks the nation as a whole is moving toward the middle.

You are such an optimist.

(LAUGHTER)

JOHN AVLON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, as Abraham Lincoln said, "I'm an optimist because I don't see the point in being anything else," Carol. I know you feel the same way. COSTELLO: But you say -- you wrote this piece in "The Daily Beast," and you say that there are signals in the country now it's going to be the end of the wing nuts, and that the vicious rhetoric in the country is about to be a thing of the past.

So what evidence are you citing?

AVLON: Well, look, I don't think it's a foregone conclusion, but I think the American people are turning away from some of the harsh, predictable hyper-partisanship we've seen over the last several years. I think you see it in trends in talk radio shows and some cable shows that were riding high 18 months ago, that have been losing viewers pretty steadily.

I think you see it in the overwhelming polls from the American people. Over 80 percent in a new Gallup poll indicate that they want the president to find a way to work with Republicans and vice versa. That's not subtle. Eighty percent of Americans don't agree on much.

But there certainly are those voices who are deeply invested in hyper-partisanship and polarization. They're going to keep banging away.

It's our job, I think, to try to convince the politicians in Washington that there is a sea change coming, that we want our political leaders to find a way to reason together, to solve problems. And that's the opportunity at this moment for the president and for the Congress as well.

COSTELLO: So what was the tipping point?

AVLON: Well, I think the tipping point was this sense that the extremes had hijacked our politics and our political debate. The two parties, more polarized than ever before, some of the largest voices dominating the political debate and sucking up all the oxygen.

And at a certain point, folks wake up and say, you know what? This doesn't represent me. Washington is the only place in the country where the single most important thing about you is what political party you belong to. Most people don't have a litmus test for their friends or co-workers based on politics or ideology.

Americans are nonpartisan problem solvers at the end of the day. And I think what they really want to do is see Washington start to work together to solve problems we face. Define the common ground that exists, and then build on it. Realizing with a sense of humility that everything isn't a political problem in America, but that we've had a lot of the angry activist voices disproportionately dominate the debate, and it's time for something different.

COSTELLO: I hear you. I do. But health care is going to really take off in the coming weeks. And it's probably going to be nasty. Everybody says, oh, no, they will talk about it in a more intelligent way. But you know that won't happen.

AVALON: Well, they did change it from describing it as a job killing bill to simply a job destroying bill. Say, a modest step in the right direction.

I mean, look, it's like the State of the Union. We're going to see the two parties sit together. Look, that's photo-opp bipartisanship. It's symbolism, but it's a step in the right direction. I think it's our job, the American people's job, to apply that pressure to see them follow through on that stuff, to add some real substance to that bipartisan style.

COSTELLO: OK. We'll see. We'll see if you're right, John Avalon. Thanks for joining us this afternoon.

AVALONG: You got it. Thank you, Carol.

COSTELLO: While the nation is taking stock in the State of the Union tomorrow night, our Tom Foreman is taking a look at the state of transportation in this country. Tom joins us live from Washington. So, Tom, what is the state of transportation in this country?

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, as you might guess, it's not great, Carol. Many politicians say that the transportation infrastructure must be improved, the way that we move our planes and our trains and our boats and our buses. And yet, based on a comprehensive study of all these systems by the American Society of Civil Engineers, in conjunction with experts all over the country and all of these fields, we have to say this part of our infrastructure remains terribly weak.

Let's start with something that makes us pull our hair out, the airports out there. Based on an industry study just last year, the amount of air travel, domestic air travel, moved up seven percent. And yet, the Society says an overhaul of the air traffic control system is long overdue and new airport projects are few and far in between. Meaning that all who travel a great deal can simply count on having a lot more delays as we continue trying to use airports in the future. Carol?

COSTELLO: So, we don't have to fly everywhere or ship all of our products by air, though. I mean, aren't there other alternatives?

FOREMAN: Well, yes there are other alternatives, and it doesn't get any better. Look at this.

Look at railways out here. Railways, compared to trucks they are much more efficient for moving goods around. Using 20 percent less energy per mile if used properly. But again, comparatively little has been invested in expanding the capacity of our railways in this country.

The same can be said about public transit. Look at this. All over this country, people talk about the need for public transit, for buses and metro systems. Commuters increased their use of public transit by 25 percent over the past 20 years. That's faster than any other way that we're getting around, and yet half of Americans have no access to public transit and many more have inadequate services.

And even if we look at things like inland water ways, which really a lot of us don't have to deal with but are very, very important to our economy and how things work, we rely on these barges for moving coal and grain and all sorts of other things. And they are facing problems. The Society of Civil Engineers says most of the locks on these rivers and canals were designed to last 50 years.

So, Carol, you want to guess how old the average lock is on a river or canal in this country?

COSTELLO: Hmm. Fifty years? I'm thinking it has to be older than that.

FOREMAN: Don't read ahead.

COSTELLO: I'm not reading ahead! I'm really not. A hundred years old

FOREMAN: No, a hundred -- that's -- that's very pessimistic, Carol. I'm sorry to hear that.

COSTELLO: Your whole report has been pessimistic!

FOREMAN: Sixty year. Sixty years, though! Look, they are made to last 50 years old, and on average, they are 60 years old. So put it simply, we are a growing country, and these systems are simply not being maintained or expanded to handle all of that growth, Carol.

And one of the things about the Society of Civil Engineers pointed out is, this is kind of like the space race. If you fall behind, you don't just catch up when you want to. It takes sustained effort. Because - like if you have a leaky roof on the house, you can't then say, now I replace the roof. Everything is fine. You've created all sorts of other problems. That's what we're doing with the infrastructure for all of our talk about fixing it.

COSTELLO: It's also using our tax dollars responsibly, which we seem to have trouble with in this country. Tom Foreman, many thanks to you, live in Washington.

Tune in to CNN and CNN.com tomorrow night to watch President Obama's State of the Union address. Our primetime coverage with The Best Political Team on Television begins at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Tax day is less than three months away, but it's never too early to get started. Stephanie Elam joins us from New York. This is sort of like pulling teeth for some people. But tell us what we need to know about our taxes this year.

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yay, taxes! Come on, Carol, get excited about them!

COSTELLO: Woo hoo!

ELAM: You don't sounds excited about them at all. I know. Exactly. Well, here's the thing. There are things that you need to know about and one key change, you actually have three more days to file your taxes this year. They are due on April 18. But -- April 15, normally, but because of Emancipation Day, which is a holiday in Washington, D.C., they are not due until the 18th.

That doesn't mean you should procrastinate, of course. Let's talk about some of the other things thaw need to keep in mind.

For one thing, if you bought your first house last year, you might be eligible for an $8,000 tax credit. You had sign a contract by the end of April and close by the end of September. There was also a tax credit for some homebuyers who purchased a new home, equal to 10 percent of the purchase price of 265,000 bucks.

Now, when it comes to saving, f you converted your traditional IRA to a Roth, and a lot of people did that because the income threshold was waived, then you taxes on what you converted. But you're allowed to spread the taxes out over the next two years, so you only owe half of that tax this year.

And the last thing I'll point out right now, for the wealthy among us, don't forget -- and I don't know how you would forget this -- there is no estate tax in 2010, and the annual gift exclusion is $13,000 per person. So, that is how much you can get as a gift and have it be tax-free, Carol.

COSTELLO: Let's talk about the dreaded alternative minimum tax because that affects way more people.

ELAM: That's true. The AMT is nobody's friend. And first, the good news about this. More than 29 million people avoided paying it, thanks to that end-of-the-year tax compromise. That's because the amount of income that's exempted was raised. You can see the levels right here on the screen. We have it right here so you can see it.

But let's face it. Millions of middle-class Americans will still have to pay it even though the AMT was originally built and designed to target only the wealthy people. Still has never been adjusted for inflation, so it still smacks a lot of us.

Finally, forms -- this is so 2010. We are not going to see those anymore. For the first time, the IRS will no longer mail paper forms to you. So, many people are e-filing. And think about it. Most people I know are e-filing now. It doesn't really make sense for people to send those out anymore.

If you do want a hard copy, though, you can still get it. You can find them at libraries, you can find them at post offices. And you can also call the IRS. They will send you one. Or download one from irs.gov. So, you can still get your hands on the paper if you like it that way. If you prefer to do it the old fashioned way.

COSTELLO: I know, but it's so much easier online. It's so much easier, isn't it? So much easier.

ELAM: So much easier.

COSTELLO: Thanks so much, Stephanie! We appreciate it. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Oprah's family secret is creating a lot of buzz online. Jacqui Jeras is following it all. You knew this wouldn't stay a secret for very long.

JACQUI JERAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I know, right? But everyone wants to know, what is it? What is it? Is it a deep, dark, dirty secret?

No, not really. She has a half sister.

COSTELLO: Well, that's pretty cool.

JERAS: Well, who knew, right? Oprah says very little surprises her, but this one actually did. So, how about that? She made the announcement on the show today. Patricia has been kept secret by Oprah's mother, who put her up for adoption when she was a baby. At first, she said made this announcement because she figured the media would exploit it, so she wanted to just go ahead put it out there.

The two met over thanksgiving, actually, in Milwaukee. And she was on the show today. So you'll have to take a look at Oprah a little bit later on today and see if her sister looks like her.

COSTELLO: I know! That's what I was wondering, too. Do they look alike?

JERAS: I haven't seen it. I don't know.

COSTELLO: Well, good for Oprah. I'll be watching to see if they look alike. I don't know.

Something else is "Trending" online. This is so disgusting.

JERAS: It is so disgusting, right? It's football.

(LAUGHTER)

COSTELLO: What do you expect, right?

JERAS: Everybody was watching the games, big games this weekend. And guess who got caught on camera? Yes. That would be good old Mark Sanchez. Look what he did!

COSTELLO: Can you imagine what his mother is saying to him right now?

JERAS: He didn't even try to hide it. I mean, I know it's cold out, right? Your nose is going to run a little bit, but come on. On your teammate? Come on!

COSTELLO: I would never do that to you, Jacqui.

JERAS: I know. That's the backup quarterback.

COSTELLO: I promise I will never do that to you, Jacqui.

JERAS: Thank you, Carol.

COSTELLO: I'll use a Kleenex.

JERAS: I knew you were that nice girl. I mean, everybody does it, right --

COSTELLO: No!

JERAS: -- at some point. But they use a tissue. Right?

COSTELLO: OK. Come on. I can't talk about this anymore. Thank you, Jacqui!

JERAS: All right.

COSTELLO: Everyone with an independent movie and a dream knows Sundance is the place to be right now, including the director of the documentary "Super Size Me." owbiz Tonight's Brooke Anderson asked him about his latest project. A film that exposes the world of product placement, advertising and marketing. The very same things that got it funded.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MORGAN SPURLOCK, DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER: That's a great question because, you know, believe it or not, when I called corporations, most of the time they don't want to hear from me. It's like, you know --

BROOKE ANDERSON, HOST, HLN'S "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": No.

SPURLOCK: Yes, it was so weird. We started calling them. You know, most people -- we called hundreds of companies that absolutely wanted nothing to do with this film. It was remarkable. But, you know, it's interesting because this whole idea stemmed from actually seeing so much product placement on television. Like I was watching an episode of "Heroes" and the girl says, dad, you got me the Nissan Rogue. I can't believe it's the Nissan Rogue. Oh my gosh, look, it's a Nissan Rogue. And so throughout the whole show they kept making reference to this. And I was like, what is going on? What is happening?

ANDERSON: That's what inspired you to make this movie, an episode of "Heroes"?

SPURLOCK: That's where the whole thing came from like one of those episode of television. And I was like, we have to make a movie about this. And, actually, if we can get them to pay for it, that would be the greatest clue ever. Yes.

ANDERSON: Well, I'm told that you used your integrity as currency to sell out to the highest bidder.

SPURLOCK: Yes.

ANDERSON: Was it worth it?

SPURLOCK: Well, the movie hasn't opened yet. We'll see. But I think the film came off great. I think the companies that are involved, we'll see if they feel the same way. But I think the film is smart. I think it's funny. I think people are really going to dig it. Because what I love about it, is it like gives you access to something that you never see. These conversations that happen inside board rooms.

ANDERSON: The pitch meetings.

SPURLOCK: The pitch meetings. The -- like the corporate control and influence that actually goes in to film and television. I mean it's fascinating.

ANDERSON: What shocked you the most?

SPURLOCK: I mean, for me, I think the most shocking thing is kind of the way all these different types of advertising and marketing have infiltrated our lives. Like you can't go anywhere without being advertised to or marketed to. You know, whether you're on an plane or you're in a -- you know, getting a coffee cup, you know.

ANDERSON: It's true.

SPURLOCK: Or you're standing in front of a toilet, you know, in the bathroom now. There's ads there.

ANDERSON: We're bombarded always.

SPURLOCK: We're bombarded. Everywhere you go, there's someone trying to get you to buy something. And so I think this film starts to kind of make you much more aware.

ANDERSON: Let me go back to 2004. Congratulations on this movie.

SPURLOCK: Thank you.

ANDERSON: Back in 2004 you premiered "Supersize Me" here.

SPURLOCK: Yes.

ANDERSON: And after that the movie exploded. How important has Sundance, this festival, been to your life, to your career?

SPURLOCK: I mean this is my fourth Sundance. You know, I've been here with three movies. I was here last year as a juror where I actually got to come and see films for the first time, which was remarkable.

ANDERSON: Yes. SPURLOCK: But it's a magical, amazing place. Like this place changed my life and I think for a first time filmmaker to get to have a movie here is a blessing.

ANDERSON: Great experience.

SPURLOCK: Great experience and a great experience.

ANDERSON: Good to see you, Morgan Spurlock.

SPURLOCK: Thank you. Good to see you.

ANDERSON: Congratulations.

SPURLOCK: Thanks.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Thanks, Brooke. An FYI, the greatest movie ever sold has already been sold. Sony Pictures optioned it and plans to roll it out in theaters this April.

Financial infidelity can be a potential marriage destroyer. We'll take a look at how hiding debt from your significant other can mean the beginning of the end for your relationship.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Love and money experts all agree, too much debt and frequent disagreements about money can be disastrous to your relationship. Christine Romans, author of the best-selling "Smart Is The New Rich," has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTINE ROMANS, HOST, "YOUR BOTTOM LINE": This couple dug out of $80,000 of debt together. This financial adviser schedules financial date nights with her husband. And this student never hides her spending.

BRIANNA STRONG, STUDENT: I'm the spender. He's the money maker. But we are very conscious in saving, especially in this economy.

ROMANS: Not all couples are so in sync financially. Some bring huge debts into the relationship and hide them. Sometimes savers resent their spouse's spending. Sometimes a spouse secretly spends for revenge or independence.

ROMANS (on camera): If you're doing little white lies about your money, does that show that either you don't trust your spouse or you're worried your spouse won't trust you?

JACQUETTE TIMMONS, AUTHOR, "FINANCIAL INTIMACY": What else then are you not discussing in your relationship.

ROMANS: So it's trust? TIMMONS: It's trust. Because it's never just about the money. It's always about what is revealed as a result of that.

ROMANS (voice-over): Revealed in a recent survey, 31 percent of American who have combined their finances say they've lied to their spouse about money. Sixty-seven percent of those say it caused an argument. Sixteen percent broke up as a result.

Many of the lies are about debt. A potential marriage destroyer. Research from Utah State University shows thrifty couples are happiest and too much debt can ruin a marriage.

JEFFREY DEW, ASST. PROFESSOR, UTAH STATE UNIV.: Couples with consumer debt tend to fight more, they're more stressed about their money. And some recent research that I've done even shows that consumer debt is associated with divorce.

ROMANS: He says a couple with $10,000 in debt and no savings is about twice as likely to divorce as a couple with $10,000 in savings and no credit card debt.

DEW: When your savings can take the financial pressure off, then couples are able to focus on each other, rather than the financial problems that they have.

ROMANS: If the debt is unavoidable, then bring plenty of patience and a plan.

TIMMONS: How well do you communicate? Do you have the shared -- same shared values? Do you have the same goals?

ROMANS: Communication, after all, is free.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: Bottom line, money can't buy happiness, exactly. But being careful how you manage it together can make you happier.

Carol.

COSTELLO: Got it. I'll remember it. And thank you, Christine, for the advice.

ROMANS: You're welcome.

COSTELLO: On the eve of the State of the Union address, new numbers for President Obama. Wolf Blitzer, part of the best political team on television, live from the political desk in Washington.

Hey, Wolf, what's crossing right now.

WOLF BLITZER, HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": Encouraging numbers for the president of the United States. President Obama's job approval number in our brand new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll that's just crossed. He's at 55 percent of the American public approve of the job he's doing. Forty-four percent disapprove. This is his highest level in quite a while. Clearly the American public likes what he's been doing over the past month or so, since the election, moving to the center. Obviously they liked the speech he gave in Tucson last week as well.

As far as specific areas, he does very well on terrorism. Sixty percent of the American public thinks he's doing a good job on terrorism. Fifty-seven percent on foreign affairs. Fifty-six on Iraq. Fifty-one on Afghanistan. If you take a look down and you put it up on the screen, not so many like what he's been doing on health care, 44 percent. Immigration, 38 percent approve. Thirty-eight percent for the budget.

As far as Congress is concerned, the Republicans control the House right now. The Democrats still control the Senate more narrowly than they used to. How is Congress handling its job? Only 26 percent of the American public, Carol, approves of the job Congress is doing. Seventy-two percent disapprove. Contrast that 26 percent number for Congress and the 55 percent number for President Obama's job approval numbers. So he's doing a lot better with the American public than the Congress is doing, which, of course, is mixed. Republicans in the House, Democrats in the Senate.

COSTELLO: Well, but I'm sure when the lawmakers sit together, Democrats and Republicans, and share the love, the American people will show more love as well. I don't know. We'll see.

Wolf, you've also learned a few more people are being invited to attend the State of the Union to sit with Michelle Obama. Who are they?

BLITZER: Yes, clearly the first lady wants some people who were involved in the tragedy in Tucson to come to the box. The family of Christina Taylor Green, that sweet little nine-year-old girl who had been brought to the event in Tucson two weeks ago because she was her little class student president, she wanted to meet one of her heroes, the congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords. Her family is going to be in the box -- or at least has been invited with the White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters. And Dr. Peter Rhee. We've seen him. The trauma specialist at Tucson, at the hospital. He's been invited as well. We know that others will be there from the incident in Tucson. Victor Hernandez, that college intern who was working for Congresswoman Giffords, he's been invited as well. So there's going to be a remembrance, clearly. That tragic event in Tucson will hover over this entire State of the Union address.

COSTELLO: Oh, definitely. It makes you wonder, you know, if the president's going to bring up the gun control issue. I know gun control advocates are hoping he does.

BLITZER: Yes, a lot of people would like him to. At least those who want stricter gun control. There's an argument on the political side that's not a winning issue, necessarily, for the president right now. We'll see if he mentions it.

COSTELLO: We'll see you at 5:00 p.m. Eastern. Thanks, Wolf.

For the latest political news, go to cnnpolitics.com.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Former Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani is Piers Morgan's guest tonight on CNN. Among the topics, the possible Sarah Palin presidential run.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PIERS MORGAN, HOST, "PIERS MORGAN TONIGHT": Would you be more tempted to run if she wasn't?

RUDY GIULIANI (R), FORMER NEW YORK MAYOR: Maybe the opposite.

MORGAN: Really?

GIULIANI: Yes. Maybe the opposite because, you know, my one chance, if I have a chance, is that I'm considered a moderate Republican.

MORGAN: Yes.

GIULIANI: So the more Republicans in which I can show a contrast, probably the better chance that I have.

MORGAN: So you've become the acceptable face of the Republican Party?

GIULIANI: Well, I don't know if I'm acceptable, but, you know, the question is -- the way I got elected mayor of New York City was not being acceptable. My slogan was, you can't do any worse. Things were so bad you need me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Watch the whole interview on "Piers Morgan Tonight." That's at 9:00 Eastern on CNN.

CNN NEWSROOM continues right now with Ali Velshi, who's joining us from New York.

Hey, Ali.

ALI VELSHI, CNN ANCHOR: Carol, good to see you. Thanks very much. And you have a great afternoon.