Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Super Bowl Seating Snafu; Ronald Reagan Remembered; U.S. Arms Sales Under Scrutiny; Judge's Son Arrested in Las Vegas Casino Heist; You can Help Ken Win Back Barbie; Will.I.Am of Black Eyed Peas Discusses Super Bowl Show
Aired February 06, 2011 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Developing right now:
A big problem at the Super Bowl. Something fans won't see while they're watching the game. It appears the stadium has run out of seats and very pricey seats. They're scrambling right now to fix it. We're going to investigate.
Sunday worship and a rare display of religious unity in Egypt today. Muslims hold hands with Christians protecting them from harm. Women of different faith stand together, united. We'll take you to the heart of it.
A CNN exclusive: Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas on performing tonight in front of one of the biggest audiences ever. He gives us a preview of the show.
And Ken -- yes, Barbie's childhood sweetheart, after a very controversial breakup, he's on the mission to win her back, going to extreme, and asking for your help SOS. He wants it done by Valentine's Day.
(MUSIC)
LEMON: But we start tonight in Ohio where a frat party ended in gunfire and death near Youngstown State University. One student was killed, 11 other people were wounded at an off-campus house. Police said the suspects were kicked out of the party and then came back, blazing and firing indiscriminately into the house. No arrests yet but police expect to have warrants soon.
Environmental protection officials have been called to the scene of this train fire in northwestern Ohio. Officials say 28 cars jumped the tracks early today near Arcadia -- each carrying approximately 13,000 gallons of ethanol. Some 20 homes were evacuated. Firefighters expect to be at the scene for the rest of the day. No injuries have been reported.
Three U.S. hikers accused of spying and trespassing went on trial in Iran. Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal and Sarah Shourd were detained 18 months ago after they allegedly strayed across an unmarked border into Iran while hiking in Iraq's Kurdistan Region.
Shourd was released on bail because of a medical condition in September, left the country and has not returned. She will be tried in absentia if she doesn't appear in court.
The trial is closed to the press and to the public.
It's now day 14 for pro-democracy demonstrators barricaded inside Cairo's Tahrir Square. In the government's latest attempt to diffuse the crisis, Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman met Sunday with representatives of several opposition groups, offering them some key concessions. But many protesters in Tahrir Square are skeptical of such talks saying they mistrust the government.
President Barack Obama today talked about his efforts to support democratic reform in Egypt. In a conversation that aired on FOX, he was asked about the potential role of the Muslim Brotherhood in a new Egyptian government.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think that the Muslim Brotherhood is one faction of it. They don't have majority support in Egypt. But they are well-organized and there are strains of their ideology that are anti-U.S. There's no doubt about it.
But here's the thing that we have to understand: there are a whole bunch of secular folks in Egypt. There are a whole bunch of educators and civil society in Egypt that wants to come to the floor as well. And so, it's important for us not to say that our only two options are either the Muslim Brotherhood or a suppressed Egyptian people.
BILL O'REILLY, FOX NEWS HOST: But you don't want the Muslim Brotherhood --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: And President Obama went on to say that his ultimate goal is a representative government in Egypt that will be a partner with the United States.
New York health officials are confirming the first cases of cholera in that city since the recent outbreak in Haiti, three adults who traveled to the Dominican Republic for a wedding, then returned to the U.S., have all recovered from their bouts with the disease. The disease is spread by poor sanitation. So, doctors say there's little risk of contracting it here in the U.S.
More on that Super Bowl seating snafu to tell you about now. We begin tonight with some Texas-size problems at the Super Bowl. Some fans are not going to have a place to sit because some temporary seats were not installed correctly. People paid a lot of money for those seats and it's one of the most anticipated sporting events of the year.
CNN's Mark McKay is in Cowboys Stadium now and he joins us by phone.
What's going on and how many seats are we talking about, Mark?
MARK MCKAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Don, the official NFL total is 1,250 potential affected. It could be a whole lot more. We're just off of field level, right behind a lounge where of these disgruntled fans have turned out and they are not happy.
The installation of temporary seating here at Cowboy Stadium was said to be by the NFL unsafe and unusable. Eight hundred and fifty fans in four sections are being relocated to similar or better seats, 400 fans not being accommodated inside the stadium are watching from a plaza. Those fans, according to the NFL, will have their tickets refunded triple to the cost of the face value, said to be $900.
They're actually receiving word now, a lot of these fans we are hearing are angry and the first that are hearing of it are the reporters talking to them as they're entering a lounge area just off of the field level, Don.
LEMON: You can imagine, Mark. You said $900. Again, people were really anticipating this game as they do every year.
Can you imagine once you get to the game and you spent all this money on airfare or however you've gotten there, and then you don't have a seat?
MCKAY: They don't have seat and they're angry. Exactly right. They talk about the weather. They talk about the cost of even having babysitters. There are people here with Packers and -- both sides, Packers and Steelers fans are both affected. They have regalia on and they also have tears on their eyes.
Don, kick-off is less than half an hour and these people are literally out here talking to the media, angry -- quite angry at the NFL, number one, because they're not being told anything at the moment. They're basically hearing all their information to reporters. They're being shuttled back and forth between Texas -- right now, they're in the bowels of the stadium, not even seeing the pregame activities, Don.
LEMON: Hey, Mark. Hey, I got a statement. So, stand by, because I'm going to talk to you about this. Here's the official NFL statement.
It says, "There are a limited number of sections in temporary seating areas inside the stadium that have not been fully completed. We are working to resolve the matter. And expect that by game time, most of the fans affected will have been accommodated in their seats or relocated to similar or better seats.
Those fans that are affected by this will be directed to the party plaza -- as Mark said -- the party plaza area while the matter is resolved. Fans who are not accommodated with seats inside the stadium will each receive a refund of triple the cost of the face value of their ticket. We regret the situation."
OK. Great, they're going to get some money, but they still don't get to see the game, Mark.
MCKAY: Right now, the fans that we're talking to just out of that plaza I assume that you're referring to, Don, saying, all we've seen are the backs of the heads of players as they walk out on the field. We can't see a thing. And if I look into the plaza now you can barely see, Don, a tunnel. The security is keeping everybody back. So, even the people that have these tickets and these are the displaced fans, we can confirm that the people we're talking to right now are the people that are not seeing anything but the backs of people's heads. These people outside of this lounge, they're not seeing anything at the moment.
LEMON: Mark McKay -- thank you, Mark. We'll be getting back to you. So, please stand by throughout this broadcast. Again, a problem with seating at the Super Bowl today, something that fans who are watching the game actually won't get to see. You'll get to see it here on CNN because we are reporting it.
Again, 1,250 fans affected. Many of them don't have seats. They paid up to $900 or more -- or more -- for a seat that they're not going to have tonight.
We're going to continue on and talk about a day of celebration and remembrance today in Simi Valley, California. That's where friends, family, and admirers of former President Ronald Reagan have gathered to honor the nation's 40th president. Ronald Reagan would have been is 1 00 years old today and our chief national correspondent, John King, is there -- John.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Don, good evening.
This is the Air Force One pavilion at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. That Boeing 707 behind me carried Ronald Reagan all across the United States but also around the world as well, a very special day here at the library. This would have been the 100th birthday of the 40th president of the United States.
And so, on this Reagan centennial, Nancy Reagan participating in a wreath-laying ceremony for her husband, the man she so fiercely protected, not only during his days as governing as president, but also in his post-presidency when, of course, Ronald Reagan's final days were clouded by Alzheimer's disease.
Many Republican luminaries on hand, Reagan family and friends as well. A flyover at one point by four F-18s from the USS Ronald Reagan stationed just off the coast of California for today's celebrations.
The keynote speech delivered by an old Reagan hand. Jim Baker was Ronald Reagan's chief of staff and then his treasury secretary. In paying tribute to the gaper today, he told some stories and made some jokes, but also delivered a pointed message to today's polarized politics. We have a Democratic president. We have a Republican House of Representatives -- Jim Baker pointedly telling them Ronald Reagan would have found way to get things done.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIM BAKER, FMR. WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: And perhaps most importantly, like Ronald Reagan, we must relearn that as citizens of a democracy, it is OK to voice our disagreements, but at the end of the day, we have to come together to solve problems rather than cynically rely on them for partisan advantage.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Here's the official program for the event, and inside it, Don, Nancy Reagan writes, "Ronny loved to celebrate his birthday," said he would have probably be a bit embarrassed by all the attention here today.
At the end of the ceremonies, happy birthday. The cake rolled out and they're happy birthday to the former president. This is celebration not only of his life and legacy but also of the rededication of this fabulous presidential library.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: John King, thank you very much.
The Reagan Presidential Foundation announced today it has passed its $100 million fund-raising goal, the money amount that will be used to maintain and expand the Reagan Presidential Library.
Egypt, day 13 of protesting. Protesters hold strong amid rounds of gunfire there. Also today, a meeting with Egypt's vice president and a few opposition members.
And standing together as one -- a powerful moment in the midst of protest as Muslims and Christians worship together and protect each other.
I'm online. I know you are two. So, make sure you check out my social media accounts. Let's connect.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILL.I.AM, BLACK EYED PEAS: What's up? It's Will.i.am and I'm a news junkie. And I follow Don Lemon on Twitter. You should, too. It's @DonLemonCNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: It is now early Monday morning in Cairo, which is seven hours ahead of the U.S. on the East Coast.
Pro-democracy demonstrators in Tahrir Square remain defiant against their government as they have for the past 13 days.
Sunday night, soldiers fired warning shots over the square to push back demonstrators who had begun surging toward army tanks. Elsewhere, modest signs that life is slowly returning to normal for many Egyptians. Banks opened Sunday for the first time in 10 days, allowing people and businesses to withdraw cash.
In the wake of the mass protest in Egypt, France is announcing it is suspending sales of weapons and tear gas to Egypt. The move may be largely symbolic. The U.S. is Egypt's largest weapon supplier and China is second.
The Mubarak regime is heavily dependent on Washington to keep the Egyptian military well-trained with the latest gear. The Pentagon recently released its planned sales of military equipment to Egypt over the next fiscal year.
And CNN's Pentagon correspondent Chris Lawrence says the pro-democracy uprising has put that relationship under the microscope.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The United States built and bought a lot of Egypt's military arsenal, selling them hundreds of F-16s, co-producing 1,000 Abrams battle tanks. And this year, scheduled to deliver coastal patrol craft, air defense missiles and surveillance drones.
One congressional report estimates the U.S. pays for up to 80 percent of Egypt's weapons.
ROBERT GIBBS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: We will evaluate the actions of the government of Egypt in making and reviewing decisions about aid.
LAWRENCE: There's a course in Congress that argues if the U.S. is holding the purse, it's time to pull the strings. The head of the House Foreign Affairs committee said, "The U.S. must leverage its long standing assistance to press Mr. Mubarak to let the voice of his people be heard."
Others say don't cut the aid.
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: Please consider the consequences of such action.
LAWRENCE: Like the impact on American workers. The U.S. government gives Egypt more than $1 billion for weapons. But most of that cash gets spent with U.S. defense contractors. That meant $200 million to companies in Texas, nearly $50 million each to Florida and Pennsylvania, and $25 million to Arizona and Missouri just in the last year.
In a diplomatic cable release by WikiLeaks says Egypt's military leaders consider the $1.3 billion as "untouchable compensation" for keeping the peace with Israel.
Some analysts say the U.S. does need to better account for its money.
HAIM MALKA, CTR. FOR STRATEGIC AND INTL. STUDIES: But trying to suspend aid in the middle of this crisis will further damage U.S. standing with the Egyptian military as this moves forward.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Chris Lawrence joins us now live.
Chris, cutting that funding really, it's not that easy, is it?
LAWRENCE: No, no, not at all. I mean, Don, $1 billion is one heck of a trump card, but to actually play it, that could push the U.S. right out of the game. And you've got to remember, no matter what sort of civilian government eventually takes power in Egypt, it's a safe bet that the Egyptian military is going to be a major force in that country -- and that's what this money is going directly for the Egyptian military.
LEMON: All right. Pentagon correspondent Chris Lawrence, good report. Thank you, Chris.
LAWRENCE: You're welcome.
LEMON: In Tahrir Square today, a poignant reminder that people of different faiths can still be brought together by religion. Here you see Muslims and Christians taking a break from their fight for a new Egypt.
Here's what they're doing: Muslims pause their protests for noon prayers in Tahrir. Christians also gather today in the square to pray for victims of the turmoil over the past two weeks.
Up close -- amazing photographs. Well, they capture the compassion and camaraderie on display today in Egypt. Muslims hold hands with Christians who were holding crosses. And in an striking show of solidarity, Muslims protesters formed a ring around the Christians to protect them. Women of different faiths stand together united.
You know, this weekend, I got a chance to meet some demonstrators here in downtown Atlanta who talk about a show of unity between people of different faiths and why they are supporting the people of Egypt.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Down, down with Mubarak!
LEMON: While most of the protests last week were focused on Mubarak; this week, they're focusing on this: Egypt means Muslims and Christians -- meaning unity among people who at once had been separated.
Why are you so passionate about this?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because the (INAUDIBLE) Christians, they were protecting us in Tahrir Square. The Christians protecting us in Tahrir Square. (INAUDIBLE). Right now, Christians and Muslims in Egypt is one part, not two. It's one part, not two. It will never be two. It will be as one.
LEMON: People would say, why is a 10-year-old out here?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm here to support every age that's in Egypt -- every age should have equal rights no matter how small or old you are.
CROWD: Down, down with Mubarak! Down, down with Mubarak! UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I want to tell all Americans that if you're for freedom, if you're for democracy, get out here, protest for Egyptians. They deserve freedom just as much as anyone else.
And please, please, President Obama, I know you have the power to get him down. So just tell him that he needs to go. One phone call isn't enough.
LEMON: What's at stake for Syrians like you and other people of Arab nations?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, it's really going to set the tone for the whole Middle East. And, hopefully, leaders around the region will start paying more attention to the voices of their people. The Egyptian people are our brothers. What happens to them is vitally important to them and all of us in the region. And we support them 100 percent.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thirty years is too much. And unplugging Egypt from the rest of the world won't help. He can't unplug our voices.
CROWD: Hey, hey, ho, ho, Mubarak has got to go! Hey, hey, ho, ho, Mubarak has got to go! Hey, hey, ho, ho, Mubarak has got to go!
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Very latest on Egypt more coming up in this broadcast.
And in these days of bad economic news, a Nevada company is setting a record selling shoes -- and its employees are all laughing all the way to the bank. We'll tell you the secret behind this success story.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: We have this just in. Remember that story we told you about at the top of the broadcast? The student killed at university -- at Youngstown State University there, near there. Well, there have been two arrests. Police have arrested two men for that deadly shooting at a frat party again near Youngstown State University in Ohio.
Here's what we're being told. The two men were arrested in connection for that shooting. One of them is 19 years old. The other is 22. Again, this is just in from the police department.
They are telling us they were arrested without incident with the assistance of the FBI. They have found no weapons, again, according to the police. The department says they're holding off, though, on releasing the names and pictures of the two as the investigation continues. They want to get more information. They are not charged yet, but they are expected to be charged.
And here's what's important. This is a quote from police. "We're not looking for anybody else at the time. We're confident that only two people, those two people, are involved in the shooting."
Again, two people have been arrested: a 19-year-old and a 22-year-old for a shooting and a death at frat party near Youngstown State University. One student was killed, 11 other people were wounded at that shooting last night. Again, it was off campus at an off-campus house. Police say the two suspects were kicked out of the party and then came back with guns blazing, firing indiscriminately into the house. We're going to continue to update you on that.
We want to check more of your top stories right now here in CNN:
Three U.S. hikers accused of spying and trespassing went on trial today in Iran. Shane Bauer, Josh Fattal and Sarah Shourd were detained 18 months ago after they allegedly strayed across an unmarked border into Iran while hiking in Iraq's Kurdistan region. Shourd was released on bail because of a medical condition in September, left the country and has not returned. She will be tried in absentia if she doesn't appear in court. The trial is closed to the press and to the public.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange returns to a London courtroom tomorrow for a two-day extradition hearing. Prosecutors in Sweden want to question him in connection with sexual misconduct allegations involving two women. Assange says he is innocent and is fighting extradition. His lawyers have set up a Facebook page asking for donations to Assange's legal defense fund.
Those massive crowds that have gathered in Arlington, Texas, for Super Bowl XLV are experiencing some problems. They're not happy. Some fans will not be seated inside Cowboys Stadium because their temporary seats were not installed correctly. We're not talking just some. We're talking 1,250 that were displaced. Forty and fifty, they believe -- or at least 400 may not get seats at all.
They'll have to watch the game from a party plaza, from that area outside of the stadium and several entrances have been closed by the continuing threat of falling ice. That's led to huge lines at the entrances that are still open.
President Barack Obama consulted with some of the nation's top tech firms this week following up on his call for more innovative efforts to spur job growth. Now, he might want to look at one shoe company in Nevada that is rewriting the book on Internet business and having a lot of fun doing it.
CNN's Tom Foreman has our "Building Up America" report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Twenty-four/seven, two by twos, Zappos.com is moving shoes, more than $1 billion annually in Internet sales, fuel by a wide selection, free shipping and money-back guarantees.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you for calling Zappos.com.
FOREMAN: Not bad for a company that started a dozen years ago with a radical concept. Success is about service.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. No problem.
FOREMAN: Not selling.
CEO Tony Hsieh.
TONY HSIEH, CEO, ZAPPOS.COM, INC.: And for us, culture isn't just important. It's actually the number one priority of the company.
FOREMAN: The culture is raucous, infectious and everywhere. Employees decorate as they choose, enjoying an unbelievable array of company services, including free lunch, ice cream, massages.
We ask our guide Ray Andre about the business environment.
(on camera): This is a business meeting.
RAY ANDRE, ZAPPOS.COM, INC.: This is a business meeting.
FOREMAN: There's a lot of giggling going on there.
ANDRE: There is.
FOREMAN (voice-over): Getting in is not easy. Zappos takes months to screen applicants, and even in training, new hires are offered $4,000 to quit just to weed out those who might not really want to be here.
ANDRE: So, we figure we can train most people to do their jobs, but we can't train somebody to fit into our culture.
FOREMAN (on camera): What is your key philosophy about rubbing this business?
HSIEH: Internally, we have the saying that we're a service company that just happens to sell shoes.
FOREMAN: You realize nobody in America who sees this is going to want to go to work tomorrow.
(LAUGHTER)
FOREMAN (voice-over): So, they can laugh at comments like that because everyone here seems eager to come to work every day, building up this runaway success.
Tom Foreman, CNN, Henderson, Nevada.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: All right, Tom. Thank you.
Up next on CNN: we'll go live to Arlington, Texas, for an update on the seat snafu at the Super Bowl that's leaving more than 1,000 fans without a seat, expensive seats. Can you imagine?
Plus this, a brazen heist in a most popular Las Vegas casino. It was pulled off by the son of a respected judge who now finds himself behind bars.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: All right. Now back to our developing story. This is at the top of our newscast.
All right. We got wind of it that there were some upset people. No one knew why. Why are these people upset at the Super Bowl?
Because there are some Texas-sized problems there. Some fans are not going to have a place to sit because some temporary seats were not installed correctly. This is a huge problem.
And CNN's Mark McKay is covering the story for us. He is down at Cowboys Stadium.
A lot of people, we're talking over a thousand fans affected by this.
MCKAY: Over 1,250 according to the NFL. Let me give you my perspective, Don. We're next to a media area, right next to a lounge where apparently a lot of these fans, if not 1,250, but certainly waves of Green Bay and Pittsburgh's supporters, who have come here to watch the Super Bowl, which is beginning momentarily, they've now been brought to a lounge. They're very angry. A lot are saying it's not about the money, they say. It's about the experience. Right now, they're experience is seeing the backs of heads of other supporters in a lounge, in a holding area basically. And the NFL is not speaking to them, other than handing them a letter saying they regret the inconvenience.
LEMON: Are you been able to talk to fans? I'm sure they're outraged. Imagine spending all the money on airfare and driving or whatever and hotel rooms and then spending up to -- would you say $900 or more for these seats and then you get there and you -- you were better off staying at home and watching it on your television.
MCKAY: They're saying the television they provided them in the lounge area is smaller than they would have if they went to their local sports bar. They're very angry, very upset, lots of tears. A lot of people with tears in their eyes. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity ruined by the fact that their seats, which were supposed to be set, were not set. 1,250, they said that when these people showed up -- a lot of people telling the story of standing in line outside, as you normally do, you walk through security only to be told to go to a different area because the seats are not available. There is a bit of history with this. The first Cowboys home game at the new Cowboys Stadium, they put in 109,000 temporary seating that was deemed too dangerous by the fire marshal never to be used again.
LEMON: Yes.
MCKAY: Now, they've set up these temporary seating and apparently the same situation has happened. Reportedly, the fire marshal says these people can't sit here. Now they're really scattered all over this venue as the game gets under way. LEMON: Mark, I have one more question for you. Before I get to that question, I want to tell you, the NFL basically responded and said exactly what you said, they're going to move the fans around, talking about why the seats weren't completed there. But their last line says this, Mark, "Fans who were not accommodated with seats inside the stadium will receive a refund of triple the cost of the face value of their ticket." OK, and they say they regret the situation. That's of little consolation. Triple the cost. How is the NFL -- are they letting you talk to the fans or they're trying to keep the media away from fans?
MCKAY: Well, security is trying their best to deal with the situation that they did not expect. A lot of security people are just trying to make sure the right people with the right credentials get in to certain areas.
LEMON: Yes, but the NFL doesn't want this story out there. I'm sure that they are -- are they being accommodating and letting the media speak to people who are upset?
MCKAY: Anybody who is coming out, the local media, the national local media is all gathered -- basically, Don, they're right in front of the media center where they're bringing these fans.
(LAUGHTER)
So huge group of fans. Again, it's a surreal situation. We're right next to the Pittsburgh Steelers locker room. Waves of fans would come through. I thought they were just lucky enough to get into a lounge. Little did we know about an hour and a half ago what the situation was unfolding right in front of our eyes.
LEMON: Mark McKay, thank you very much. Stand by, because I'm sure it's not the end of that.
We're going to be following this story. People pay a lot of money. They anticipated this game for a long time. It's costly. And it's upsetting. It's frustrating. You get all the way there, you spend all the money on the planes, hotels, restaurants, maybe you take your kids, what have you, and you get there -- can you image? -- and you don't have the seat. And a small television the size of a sports bar? Not so much.
Again, our thanks to Mark McKay with this problem at the Super Bowl.
More than 3,000 pounds of ground beef have been recalled because of a possible E. coli contamination. It's a story that you need to know.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: I want to get you up to speed on the top stories here on CNN.
Police have arrested two men for that deadly shooting at a frat party near Youngstown State University in Ohio. One person was killed. 11 other people were wounded. That was at the campus last night -- an off-campus house, I should say. A 19-yeawr-old and a 21-year-old have been arrested. Police are not naming them. They're waiting for more information. No weapons were uncovered. They said they're not looking for anyone else. They believe these are the only two suspects. Police say the two suspects were kicked out of the party and came back with guns blazing, firing indiscriminately into the house. We'll follow it.
A California company is recalling more than 3,000 pounds of ground beef. It's concerned the packaged beef and beef patties may be contaminated with E. coli. Most of the meat had been shipped to restaurants across southern California. There are no reports, however, that anyone has gotten sick.
New York health officials are confirming the first cases of cholera in that city since the recent outbreak in Haiti. Three adults who traveled to the Dominican Republic for a wedding, then returned to the U.S., have all recovered from their bouts with the disease. The disease is spread by poor sanitation. So the doctors say there's little risk of contracting it here in the United States.
The planning of this Las Vegas heist would not make Danny Ocean's crew jealous but it was very effective. A man wearing a motorcycle helmet took a gun into the Bellagio Casino and left with $1.5 million in casino chips. This was December 14. Now the police have a suspect in custody. Get this. He's the son of a Las Vegas judge. There's his picture. His name is Anthony Assad, also known as Anthony Carleo.
Antonio Planas, is with the "Las Vegas Review Journal" and he's been following all of this very closely since it broke.
Antonio, thank you for joining us. We also heard Carleo was living the high life, staying at the Bellagio, even after he allegedly robbed it. Why so brazen? Did he think no one would suspect him because of his dad?
ANTONIO PLANAS, REPORTER, LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL: I'm not going to speculate exactly what his mind frame was. We haven't been able to talk to him. He's refused media requests. But police will say he was, in fact, brazen even after the heist. He was staying there for days at a time at the Bellagio, the place he's suspected of robbing, and dropping tens of thousands of dollars, sometimes even a day, gambling and losing. By January 22nd, you know, five weeks after the heist, police said that he had lost a total of about $107,000 at the Bellagio alone.
LEMON: Is that why they started to look at him?
PLANAS: Yes. Well, police actually got word of him rather quickly. Only eight days after the heist, a Bellagio dealer came to police and said that three days prior to police he was talking to Carleo and Carleo basically outlined the plan of how he can rob a casino. He said, you know, all I need is a black full-face helmet, motorcycle helmet, and I have a motorcycle, so it will be easy. The dealer actually told him, you know, this isn't "Oceans Eleven." This is real life.
LEMON: All right. Well, if you are going to do something like this and try to get away with it, you might want to keep your mouth shut. Listen, Antonio, did -- is this only thing he's accused of doing? Are there other things he did while in Las Vegas or at the hotel?
PLANAS: He did not have a prior criminal record, according to police. But police did say that, prior to the heist, they suspect that whoever did the Bellagio heist was also involved in another casino heist. This one occurred on December 8th at the Sun Coast Casino, which is on the northwest part of town. It's more of a locals casino. And in a very similar fashion, a suspect walked in with a motorcycle helmet, went to the poker cage and demanded money at gunpoint, and he got $20,000 and fled.
LEMON: Yes. That one wasn't as high profile because they didn't have the video. The video of him running out, the Bellagio, with the helmet, that's amazing. His dad is a judge. We've said that. He's name is George Assad. Has he said anything yet?
PLANAS: He hasn't said much publicly, but on Thursday, the morning after his son was arrested, he did release a statement in which he said that he was very saddened by his son's arrest. And I'm paraphrasing now. But he also said that, as a judge and a prosecutor, that he believes people should be held accountable for their actions.
LEMON: Yes, you can imagine he is saddened and probably embarrassed. Sad for his son, but embarrassed his son did that.
Real quickly, I have about five seconds here. What are these called? Cranberry chips that he got? These are really costly chips. Can they track these? And did that help?
PLANAS: Yes. It appears that he was able to use the smaller denominational chips, but the $25,000 chips, they were taken out of circulation in the Bellagio really quickly. That's why he was trying to sell them. He actually even sold to undercover police.
LEMON: Antonio Planas, he's with the "Las Vegas Review Journal," and has been following this story from the beginning. Great information.
Thank you, Antonio.
PLANAS: Appreciate it. Thank you.
LEMON: We're going to move on now and talk about Ken and Barbie. Ken dumps Barbie. Remember that? It was very controversial. Now he wants her back. Forget the pink convertible and stunning mansion -- well, that's Ken's stuff. What about Barbie's stuff? Find out what he has to do to win back Barbie's love. And he only has a few days. He wants to sweep her off her feet before Valentine's Day. We're going to update you, how you can help.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Let's catch you up on what's happening across the country right now.
Take a look at this. Ice and snow caused part of the fabric canopy over the parking garage at Indianapolis International Airport to just cave right in. It happened late last night. Falling ice damaged some rental cars. Fortunately, no one was hurt. Emergency crews are worried that the back half of the canopy could give way too. They're watching that closely.
A Kentucky police officer is recovering after a very close call. You want to see this video so look. His alleged attacker faces assault charges right now. A cop had stopped a suspected drunken-driving suspect when the driver sped off in a truck, dragging the officer with him. Do you see that? The truck then slammed into a parked car, knocking the officer to the ground. The suspect was later caught. The officer is expected to be OK.
All right. Lindsay Lohan could face felony charges in the alleged theft of a $2,500 necklace. Really, Lindsay? A decision by the L.A. district attorney's office could come as soon as tomorrow. Lohan's lawyer says she's innocent. The Venice, California, jewelry store reported the necklace missing back on January 22nd. Police say Lohan's stylist turned the necklace over to them just before they were going to search the starlet's home last week. Anyway, they turned it in. Good luck, Lindsay.
Ken and Barbie, it's not happily ever after. Sorry. Coming up, details on how Ken is pulling out all the stops to get Barbie to fall in love with him all over again, and do it all before lover's day, Valentine's.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: All right. Ken is on a mission to get Barbie back after a controversial break-up on Valentine's Day of 2004. Mattel is launching an ad campaign to get the couple reunited by Valentine's Day. Here's what the new sweet-talking Ken is doing to sweet talk Barbie back. Ken's using social media, tweeting about his love, flirting with Barbie on Facebook. And he checked in on Four Square at a bakery in New York to get special cupcakes for Barbie. Ken is also putting out ads and billboards with messages like "Barbie, we may be plastic but our love is real." "Barbie, we may be plastic, but our love is real."
People can log onto www.Barbieandken.com to vote on whether Barbie should take Ken back. The campaign is a push to sell the new sweet- talking line of Ken dolls with voice recording capability. Really. No joke. P.R. (ph) on the news.
President Barack Obama is playing it safe when it comes to picking a winner in the Super Bowl. In an interview earlier today, Mr. Obama noted the various strengths and weaknesses of both Pittsburgh and Green Bay. But when asked who will come out on top, well, he kind of hedged. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL O'REILLY, HOST, O'REILLY: Who's going to win the game? Come on, come on!
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No, no. Bill, here's the thing. Once my Bears lost, I don't pick sides.
O'REILLY: So you don't care?
OBAMA: Oh, no. I do care. I want a great game. I want a great game.
O'REILLY: You don't care who wins?
OBAMA: These are pretty evenly matched teams.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Are you a Packer or a Bear? Packer. The president is a Bear.
It's worth noting that Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, home to the Steelers and Packers, are critical states come election time. The president might not want to upset anyone in either state. Just a thought.
The Super Bowl isn't just the world's most watched sporting event. It's also one of the biggest stages for the world's top performers. Tonight, the Black Eyed Peas will be the halftime entertainment. They'll only have 12 minutes. But Will.I.Am says that's more than enough time.
Guess what? I got to talk to him. He said he's glad Dallas finally thawed out for the game. Here it is.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILL.I.AM, BLACK EYED PEAS MEMBER: It's getting warmer. I've been here for three days. Wow. The past three days have been unbearable. My bones are cold. Now it's getting warm. Tomorrow, it looks like it's going to be a pretty warm day.
LEMON: Did you have any trouble getting in? They canceled over 800 flights yesterday and the day before. I think things are picking up. Did you have trouble getting in?
WILL.I.AM: We got in. No. We got in right in the nick of time. When we got in, it wasn't snowing. Then it just -- you know, it came down pretty hard.
LEMON: All right. So over 100 million people. I know you're used to performing in front of big crowds. But 100 million people are going to watch you. That's in the U.S. alone. Are you nervous?
WILL.I.AM: You know, this time -- you know, we played the World Cup last year. But being an American citizen and, you know, football being an unofficial holiday, and watching -- you know, growing up watching Super Bowls, for us, this is like the biggest thing that we've ever done because we know what it means culturally. We're super thrilled, excited. We got a lot in store, like great choreography. The outfits are, like, on the next level.
(CROSSTALK) LEMON: OK, I want to ask you that. You're right. You're right. I think we have a poll that says 78 percent of Americans are going to watch the Super Bowl. All right? That, you know, I don't fair well in that. I'm on during the same time as the Super Bowl. But that's all right. I think it's an official holiday.
(LAUGHTER)
Let's talk about those outfits.
(LAUGHTER)
Fergie is going to be the first female star to perform since Janet Jackson. Remember that infamous wardrobe malfunction? I'm sure a lot of people want to know what Fergie is going to be wearing, and is there a possibility of a wardrobe malfunction?
WILL.I.AM: No, no, possibilities on a wardrobe malfunction. The Black Eyed Peas, we have the best technology, the best costume makers, and we're fusing technology with fashion. No malfunctions.
LEMON: Your performance, when you're performing tomorrow, what can we expect? What songs are you going to perform? What's going to be -- going to blow it out of the water and be different than what you've done and what any other performer has done at the Super Bowl?
WILL.I.AM: So, I don't want to give away too much. But, you know, we were inspired by the Olympics in China where everyone came together as one and -- I don't want to give too much, but it's to that level --
LEMON: Really?
WILL.I.AM: -- of, you know, team work and, you know, it's to that level. I don't want to give it away.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: All right. Will.I.Am said he wouldn't give hints about the halftime show. You heard him. But I got him to do it anyway. Hear that when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Before the break we were talking to Will.I.Am ahead of the Black Eyed Pea's performance at the Super Bowl halftime show. He was cagey about the details, but told me he's adding a whole new interactive spin to the big event. This is new information only on CNN. Look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILL.I.AM: I can tell you one thing.
LEMON: OK.
WILL.I.AM: I can tell you one thing that I'm doing that's brand- spanking new. That's, you know -- we all perform with microphones and big speakers that project the sound. And when Fergie's doing her part and when Tab and Apple are doing their part, I'm going to be tweeting from stage, taking pictures of the crowd, taking pictures of what's going on, and blasting it to all the people following my twit. Follow my handle. It's iamwill, @I-A-M-W-I-L-L. So you can be a part of that broadcast from my phone, from my perspective on stage. That's never been done before. So we're really trying to fuse technology, art and fashion. And that's all I can tell. I don't want to give too much away.
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: I was just letting you go on. I was like, maybe he'll go on. Maybe he'll say something. It's @iamwill. But I think the Black Eyed Peas is @bep. But if you want to be a part of this, you need to go to @iamwill, right?
WILL.I.AM: Yes. From my phone, this is personal, right? I want to have that connection with people watching the Super Bowl, people that can't, no matter what country you are, follow me. You'll be connected straight to me. I'm showing you, from my perspective, on moments when I'm not singing, to have that relationship, that interactivity between the people watching and the person on stage.
LEMON: All right. All right.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: OK, back now to our top story. 1,250 fans dislocated because of a problem at the Super Bowl. Some angry fans are reacting now to that seating snafu we have been telling you about at the Super Bowl. Some fans did not have a place to sit because some temporary seats were not installed correctly. They're mad. Here they are.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM WHITE, ANGRY FAN: It's totally disheartening. I mean, you pay good money for a seat. You're hoping to get there. Hopefully, they can -- the Cowboy organization or NFL can make it right here, so.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: How many times have you been moved around? What's the day been like?
WHITE: Well, the day, it's been a long day. We got here at approximately 1:30. And they didn't let us in until 4:30. And poor communication. Really didn't tell us what was going on. They just opened up the gates and let all the people that were sitting there in those sections in. It just became kind of a mad house. Fortunately, we were able to find an area that said, come on down here. We're just hopefully -- guarded optimism that they may make it right for us, so.
ANNA RUSCH, ANGRY FAN: We're very disappointed. We were told we had seats. We paid a lot of money for seats. We showed up and they said we couldn't come in the stadium. They say there were no seats available. Then they let us in. We have no idea where we're going. We've been shuffling back and forth all day long. Still, we're in the tunnel. I have no idea where we're going. So, we don't have a seat we don't think, but --
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Are you upset you could possibly miss kickoff?
RUSCH: Yes, I'm very upset. We planned a whole trip to come down here and watch the Packers. I love the Packers. Right now, I can't see anything. It's awesome we get a backstage preview but I want to see the game ultimately, and the preview and everything.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: How far did you drive?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Can you imagine that? It's safe to say people spent thousands and thousands of dollars for this weekend, to get there, to stay at hotels. Then you get to the game and you don't have a seat? They paid $900 and up for those tickets. The NFL is saying they're going to reimburse them, give them triple their money back. What consolation is that? They also pushed 400 of those fans in a room. They said the TV is the size of any sports bar. The rest of them they relocated to cheaper seats.
We'll update you at 10:00 p.m. I'm Don Lemon. I'll see you back here then.
