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What It's Like to Be Single; AOL Buys Huffington Post; Slow Progress in Egyptian Negotiations
Aired February 07, 2011 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: It's 7:00 a.m. out west and 10:00 a.m. in Arcadia, Ohio, as we top the hour. People finally there in Arcadia, get to go home. They had to leave after a trainload of ethanol went off the tracks on Sunday and exploded. The fire is still burning. It could be another day before it's out. No one was hurt.
Gas prices, average price per gallon nationwide $3.13. That's about 50 cents more than this time last year.
And America Online buying the Huffington Post news opinion website for $315 million. AOL has lost subscribers over the years. Buying Huffington Post could make it a big player on-line. Ariana Huffington still going to lead that site though that bears her name.
Well nearly one year ago before the world's best athletes climbed into the podium at the 2010 Olympic Games, many of us couldn't forget about the one athlete that didn't make it. Final report out of Vancouver said that this Georgian Luger, well he held onto curve 15 too long that he died because of operator error but now e-mails just obtained by the CBC show the top man at the Vancouver Olympics Committee was worried that the track might be too fast and that someone could get badly hurt. Obviously, he was right.
Paula Newton in Canada making calls on the story for us. Now, Paula, let's go ahead and talk about what set off this firestorm and then let's talk about these e-mails that have now been revealed.
PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, if you take yourself back about year to the Olympics, talk about marring the beginning of the Olympics. Here you have a 21-year-old that was catapulted right out of the luge, the kind of accidents that, of course, are a risk in this kind of sport but you do not expect to see, quite a tragedy. What did we hear afterwards, Kyra, that it was unforeseeable, not just from the Vancouver organizing committee but from the International Luge Federation.
Now, though, Kyra, we find out that, in fact, the Luge Federation had expressed concerned about the track perhaps, really the pilots going anywhere from 10 to 15 miles per hour, faster than they should have been during the test runs more than a year, almost a year before the Olympics, in plenty of time to do something about it. Now, the Vancouver Organizing Committee saw this report and they saw these e- mails, and I want you to look at now what John Furlong, who was the CEO of the Vancouver Organizing Committee and what he said. He said "Embedded in this note cryptic as it may be, is a warning that the track," is in their view, "too fast and could get someone badly hurt. An athlete gets badly injured or worse, and I think that the case could be made that we were warned and we did nothing."
And, Kyra, this goes counter to what everyone has said, not just the International Luge Federation but the Vancouver Organizing Committee. You know, John Furlong has a brook coming out about this week about his path to setting up those Olympics. He said over and over again, he did not prepare for this.
A lot of questions to be asked. We have a call in to John Furlong. We're awaiting to hear from him. He says he will speak to us and try and clear all of this up. What's so interesting though, Kyra, is if you're the family here, and you have this 21-year-old athlete hurling down, he's catapulted out of the luge, they have said from day one that look, yes, there might have been some pilot error but this never should have happened, the track was too fast and the design perhaps flawed, and now perhaps finally some more transparency, some answers to the questions for that family. Kyra.
PHILLIPS: And who can forget these pictures and the video as well. Paula, we are looking back at that moment, you know. So there were warnings. There were warnings from the body that monitors the luge tracks, lie you just said, and, it said to do this and do that, to fix this, fix that. So my question is, were those repairs ever made in Vancouver?
NEWTON: This is incredibly murky. It seems like out of six curves that they were having trouble with, perhaps, perhaps two were fixed. But you know, Kyra, this raises so many different questions. It is those international bodies that are there to ensure safety, things like a luge track, to make sure that people are secure when they are competing. But perhaps, how unwieldy have these Olympic Games become, and huge flags for people now setting up the (INAUDIBLE) Olympics in Russia which is the next winter Olympics and in London for the summer Olympics.
It is very difficult for an organizing committee to try and oversee all of this and ensure that the international bodies are doing their job. You know, I took a special issue though with the international body itself pointing out the inexperience of Nodar himself, which his family took issue with as well, pointing out that perhaps he wasn't ranked at the top doesn't mean that he's going to hurl down this luge track to his death and I think there are lots of lessons learned in this and perhaps just continually saying that it was unforeseeable. The CBC now, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, has uncovered things that look, things could have been done perhaps if there was more vigilance on this track. This death could have been avoided.
PHILLIPS: Do you think that they will be protected, these athletes will be protected in the future, now that all of this is coming forward?
NEWTON: Again, you have no doubt that in the Olympic Organizing Committees they have safety teams that try and ensure that kind of due diligence. I think this is a real warning for people in Socchi, and again in London to make sure that they check out everything about those - it's not just the luge track but so many sports that can present those kinds of dangers. And again, these are huge games now, Kyra. They keep adding sports, sure, they take some away, but incredibly complicated to make sure that everybody is on top of this.
And again, the family is saying, "look, he wasn't the best luger in the world but at the same time he was a professional athlete and had had countless test runs in Vancouver ahead of this as well." The track was not designed to be able to ensure that he was safe on it, and from what we see in the pictures, this is heart breaking. This is a person who was catapulted right off the track. You know, something to keep an eye on going forward, for sure, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Paula Newton, we sure appreciate you working this story for us. Paula used to travel the world for us and now she's back in her home of Canada. We couldn't think of a better person to cover the story for us. Paula Newton, great to see you.
Hiking adventure for three Americans in Iraq has become an 18- month ordeal. Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer went on trial in Tehran, Iran today for charges of espionage and trespassing. They along with Bauer's fiancee, Sarah Shourd say that they mistakenly crossed into Iran in the summer of 2009 while hiking in northern Iraq. Shourd who was released on bail for medical reasons last fall says that they were lured off a hiking trail by an Iranian soldier.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SARAH SHOURD, RELEASED BY IRAN FOR MEDICAL REASON: When he started speaking in Farsi, he said Iran and pointed to the ground where we were standing and then pointed to the trail that we had been on and he said Iraq. So according to that soldier, we did not enter Iran until he gestured for us to come off the trail.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Two people in custody this morning and charged with a deadly shooting rampage at a campus near Youngstown State University in Ohio. Police say that the man had been kicked out of a party and then returned and opened fire. 12 people were shot. One of them a 25-year-old student who died at the scene.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAM TATE, VICTIM'S FRIEND: All he wanted to do was finish school and just live like any other student, be successful and come back to the community and help whoever he could help.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Ohio's governor traveling to the campus today to discuss the shootings with school officials and Youngstown's mayor.
In Egypt, the uprising hits its 14th day, and the embattled government reaches a milestone. The country's new cabinet holds its first meeting but the story remains in the street. Crowds still mulling around Tahrir Square. Smaller in number, more subdued in spirit. Gone are the protests that were marred by violence. Today, banks re-opened. Car traffic returns.
Yesterday Egypt's new vice president meet with representatives of key opposition groups. Omar Suleiman offered concessions but did not deliver what protesters wanted to hear most, the immediate resignation of President Hosni Mubarak. Opposition groups are also very wary of a government now to uncover corruption. Let's get the latest from Cairo.
CNN's Ivan Watson. So Ivan, what do you think? Are things returning back to normal there in the capital?
IVAN WATSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, there are some signs of improvement, Kyra. You hear honking traffic, bridges reopened but schools are still closed even though some shops and business are working again. Stock market closed until at least Sunday, and curfew are still in effect. Meanwhile, the thousands of demonstrators, their numbers growing as people come out of work.
We're going to bring you this story about one of the revolutionaries and why he has fought and bled to protect this strategic piece of territory in the heart of the Egyptian capital.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WATSON (voice-over): Morning for the men that barricaded in Tahrir Square. Cold, battle scarred and filthy, they fought and bled to protect this symbol of Egyptian defiance.
(on camera): It was raining.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Yes. It was cold here last night.
ABDUL HAMID DAOUD, PROTESTER: And all the people stand and tired and we will continue quivering until that system is removed.
WATSON (voice-over): reporter: Abdul Hamid Daoud suffered head wounds during last Wednesday's furious battle between opposition demonstrators and President Hosni Mubarak's supporters.
(on camera): How did you feel fighting other Egyptians?
DAOUD: Fighting other Egyptians?
WATSON: Yes.
DAOUD: They are not Egyptians. They are criminals.
WATSON (voice-over): Daoud says he's fighting for his country's freedom.
DAOUD: We want to make democracy systems with organizations. Not a one-man show country. Fascistic system, we want to make it a democracy.
WATSON: Daoud and thousands of his colleagues established improvised lines of security.
DAOUD: Anybody have to go inside, they have to make that check.
WATSON: And an alarm system of clangs and whistles that sounds at the first hint of a threat. The result, an enclave in the heart of the Egyptian capital that is largely out of state control. Here, Egyptians can sing, dance, give political speeches and even make street art.
DAOUD: This is art, our art.
WATSON: Anti-Mubarak messages made from the stones protesters once hurled at the president's men.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My friend is sleeping, Abdul.
WATSON: Daoud is a father of two, an engineer who worked for an American I.T. company and a devout Muslim, who admires the Muslim Brotherhood party.
DAOUD: The Muslim Brothers is one organization. We have also Christians.
WATSON: On Sunday, Egyptian Christians stood shoulder to shoulder with Muslims, holding a cross and the Koran, demanding Mubarak's resignation.
(on camera): What do you call this? Do you have a name for this? Yes, what?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, revolution.
WATSON (voice-over): But a day earlier, these Egyptian revolutionaries shifted their tactics to face a new, far more dangerous threats. You have people sitting outside your barricades?
DAOUD: Yes.
WATSON: Why?
DAOUD: The fear of the tanks.
WATSON: And why do you have to face the tanks?
DAOUD: No problem. The men in the barricades fear Egyptian soldiers may use force to kill their revolution. To prevent that, they say they're ready to pay the ultimate price.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WATSON: And, Kyra, as a sign of this new tension, last night we witnessed Egyptian soldiers firing at least 40 rounds of automatic weapon fire after a disagreement and some of the protesters inside the square, fortunately nobody was injured but it shows that the tensions are building between the demonstrators and the Egyptian military.
Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Ivan Watson in Cairo. Ivan, thanks.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well take about a Super Bowl choke - well, I'm not saying about (INAUDIBLE) Roethlisberger but unfortunately Christina Aguilera. She actually fumbled the lines to the national anthem last night. Showbiz host A.J. Hammer live from New York.
I don't know but every one's giving her such a hard time but come one, she said every one was watching. She got caught up in the moment. We got to cut her some slack?
A.J. HAMMER, HOST "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": Yes, I kind of agree. It's an awful lot of pressure but she wasn't the only one that had a less than stellar performance last night, Kyra. Let's start by talking about the halftime show.
Now the Black Eyed Peas performed, the responses to what they did has really been mixed at best. Now, if you're a fan of the Peas, maybe you loved the shows, but there are a lot of people out there today complaining about the vocal quality of the show, saying the Peas, they just didn't deliver a good performance.
In fact, one viewer called it "a surprisingly stale medley but yes, the real disaster last night came before the kickoff during the national anthem. Let's listen to Christina Aguilera's performance right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTINA AGUILERA, SINGER: What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming , whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight what so proudly we watched at the twilight's last gleaming -
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oops. Yes, she missed a line there, forgetting about the ramparts gallantly streaming. She was very professional about it, she kept going and she finished the song. And listen to the statement she released. She said, "I got so lost in the moment of the song that I lost my place. I can only hope that everyone can feel my love for this country and that the true spirit of its anthem still came through." I think her voice sounded great. And you know, a lot of pressure for Christina Aguilera last night. Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Sure. Yes. She did. And she's got such a beautiful voice. Hey, how about Slash's little appearance there with the Black Eyed Peas. That kind of came out of nowhere, saw the top hat, and said wait a minute - a little Guns and Roses with the Black Eyed Peas.
HAMMER: Yes, he's good for a popup.
PHILLIPS: Yes, exactly. HAMMER: I was thinking about he's hanging out there below the stage all that time, doing what?
PHILLIPS: Exactly, on his Blackberry. Let's go up there and do a little something. A.J., thanks.
Well, the nation's cereal makers watching your children's waistlines. "Lucky Charms" not tasting quite as sweet anymore. Trix, either, fighting obesity in America.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: The stock market opening bell rang just about an hour ago. Let's go ahead and check the numbers right now, Dow industrials up 70 points.
Well, the Walt Disney Company looking to slip Mickey Mouse into the maternity ward. Well maybe not Mickey but someone from Disney. CNN business correspondent Stephanie Elam joining from New York with more on that. Hey, Steph.
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Kyra, just in time for you when your little ones come along, you may be sitting there trying to figure out what just happened to me and then you'll look around and there will be a representative from Disney saying "here's a cute cuddly. Put your baby in there."
It's a bizarre time because you are really kind of out of your mind. And I remember that but at the same time Disney is hoping - is hey, you know what there's a massive market out here. And believe it or not, Disney hasn't really promoting things for baby as much. Now what they're doing is they started doing it already is - getting these little body suits. One piece actually is a Gerber name.
So they're getting these body suits out and they plan on giving out about 200,000 by May and then you will find 85 styles on sale at Amazon, $9.99 for two body suits and then Nordstrom is going to (INAUDIBLE) and then you also find them in Target as well with different products but they are looking at targeting all kinds of things, like strollers and they're looking at baby food, not just the clothing there. Also bath products, and they're doing this in 580 maternity wards, Kyra. So like I said, be prepared. If they come in, you know what's going on.
PHILLIPS: Oh, boy. Don't kids look goofy enough, when they're just born, you know, trying to get all normal looking after their head is smooshed.
Yes, exactly.
All right. Cereal makers actually hearing the call about childhood obesity right? And they're doing something about it.
ELAM: Yes, a lot of big cereal makers have been actually working together - no not together but working to bring their sugar levels down. So this is what I can you is happening. General Mills cut the sugar in all of its children's cereals at the end of last year to 9 grams or less per three-quarter cup serving. "Trix" and "Lucky Charms" 14 grams, post did the same thing. "Fruity Pebble" and "Cocoa Pebbles." They used to have 12 grams. So they found that pretty much it doesn't matter to the kids, and parents really want to feed their kids something better so this is their way of hoping to keep those brands in their kids repertoire but also keeping the parents happy as well. That's for the down the line for both of us, Kyra. 're not there yet.
PHILLIPS: Exactly. Steph, thanks.
Well single in America, if it's been a while since your dating days, a lot of things have changed and we're talking about it just in time for Valentine's day.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
PHILLIPS: All right. If you're married, let's talk about how the dating scene has changed since you were single, OK? The dating world your kids live in. Not the world that we lived in as we flashback through this Super Bowl Pepsi commercial.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I wonder how much money he makes? I wonder if he loves his mother? I wonder if he'll lose his hair? I wonder if he wants kids? I wonder if he is the one.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to sleep with her, I want to sleep with her, I want to sleep with her. I want a Pepsi Max. I want a Pepsi Max.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not a chance.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Which one?
ANNOUNCER: Pepsi Max, zero calories. Maximum Pepsi Taste.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Okay. Now the new study is sponsored by (INAUDIBLE).com and has nothing to do with Pepsi Max but does suggest that the old order of dating and relationships, and those old cliches has definitely changed. Women wanting more independence in their relationships than men. Guys quicker to fall in love and want children and more than a third of one night stands evolving into a relationship, stereotypes getting blown out of the water left and right.
Justin Garcia, co-authored "Single in America." It was the study he did for match.com. He is also an evolutionary biologist. He joins us from Binghamton, New York.
So this study was full of all kinds of surprises. Maybe we start with the part that says it's men that want marriage, kids and the white picket fence friends picture fence now. Justin?
JUSTIN GARCIA, CO-AUTHOR "SINGLE IN AMERICA": Hi. Thanks for having me on. You are absolutely right. This was a fascinating study. We found a lot of things that really debunk some common myths, and thinking about the clip that you just showed from the commercial from yesterday, we found that 54 percent of men and 41 percent of women could fell in love at first sight.
What is neat about that is it was more men than women that had that instantaneous love at first sight, a higher proportion of men than we certainty saw 50 years ago, want that more traditional love style, that family values we see, are really changing, the common myths about the genders are not as common as we actually thought.
PHILLIPS: All right. Let's talk about the fact that women are looking for more independence versus getting hitched. Did that surprise you?
GARCIA: The numbers were surprising, I think, for all of us. More women really value independence in their relationships. They want to have time to go out with their female friends, often take vacations, have their own bank accounts, and these are things that I think particularly as we have seen the importance of the feminist movement. They are important and women cherish them in relationships for obvious reasons as the sexual double standard starts to - becomes less disparate. Is we are seeing that these things are really for relationships, women want to have independence. I think it's a good thing.
PHILLIPS: Yes, no, absolutely. Also, you found that 71 percent of the people that you surveyed fell in love with somebody that they were not initially attracted to!
GARCIA: Yes! Isn't this is a great Valentine's month message, I think. So, we found 49 percent of people, after getting to know someone, becoming almost best friends, started to really fall in love with them. But 71 percent of single Americans found that by mutual interest, good conversation, they really started to fall in love with someone. So, sometimes those second dates, those getting to know someone better was really important.
PHILLIPS: And also, 49 percent of the people you surveyed fell in love with their best friend. You always hear, oh, you should marry your best friend. Because when it comes down to it, when all the romance fades away, although you try to keep it going, that's what you want to have, your best friend.
GARCIA: Yes! You are absolutely right. So, because your best friends are often people you know, and in a good, healthy long time relationship, we often want our partner to be one of our best friends. You can have mutual interests. You often understand each other.
But in this case, as you said, 49 percent of people started - they became best friends with someone and then they realized, wow, this could be a great partner. This could be someone that's really good for me to be with. Some other interesting numbers that we found in this study sponsored by match.com was that only 20 percent of men and 28 percent of women said things like being of the same ethnic background were important. So, we are seeing that social change is really happening on the dating market. People are more likely to want to be -- things like being friends and being connected with your romantic partner is what we're emphasis on, and things like racial background and other traditional variables we always thought important are becoming less important. We are more focused on that partner being someone special we can connect with, that we can attach with.
PHILLIPS: Well, Justin, before we let you go, Ed Perry (ph). He's one of my fabulous writers. You know, he has been doing match.com, and he hasn't had much luck yet. I'm just wondering if maybe you can give him a little advice. We have a picture that he's actually got on his site, which we think might be part of the problem. Do we have that, Carolyn?
What's that?
Here we go. Here it comes. Do we have it? There we go! It's a side profile, kissing his dog. I don't know if that's the best choice to put in your Match profile because maybe it might send the wrong message. What's your advice, Justin?
GARCIA: I think it's important that people be honest. So in your Match profile, you want to be honest. If he's a dog lover, he should put it down and he'll find someone else who is a dog lover.
The best advice is it's Valentine's. Don't give up. Look for love. It is the most fundamental thing to human condition.
PHILLIPS: There you go, Ed Perry (ph).
GARCIA: Although it is kind of funny.
PHILLIPS: Yes. Right. Don't put the dog first. See you later.
GARCIA: Thank you! Bye bye!
PHILLIPS: All right. Half past the hour, let's check our hot stories right now.
First of all, the one that's developing out of Egypt, where Al Arabiya Television is reporting that missing Google exec Wael Ghonim has been released. No further details have been given. Google announced last week that he had been missing since January 27th. They began a public search for him. He is the head of marketing, by the way, for the Middle East and North Africa region.
And later this morning, President Obama reaches out to the nation's business leaders with a speech at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Some of the most influential players in Washington will be there. The president's appearance is seen as another sign of thawing relationship between the administration and the business community. Founder of whistle blowing Web site Wikileaks due in London in a courtroom today. Julian Assange faces questions in a Swedish sex case. His lawyers say if he is sent to Sweden, the U.S. could nab him for publishing secret and embarrassing information.
All right. So, you think back to high school biology, and you remember learning about photosynthesis, maybe dissecting a frog, talking learning about evolution. But a new study says one in eight public high school bio teachers are teaching creationism, and a whole lot more are anxious about teaching evolution than just avoid it.
So, we're talking about school. Here's the textbook definition of creationism. According to Merriam-Webster, quote, "a doctrine or theory holding that matter the various forms of life the world were created by God out of nothing and usually in the way described in Genesis." End quote.
All right, before we dive into why this is being taught in science classes, let's get a history lesson once again. It's been 86 years since the monkey trials, The State of Tennessee versus Scopes, and you remember, the landmark case that led to widespread acceptance of teaching evolution in public schools.
All right, so we're bringing in CNN education contributor Steve Perry to talk about this. Steve, let's talk about what's at issue here.
STEVE PERRY, CNN EDUCATION CONTRIBUTOR: What's at issue is the fact that in America, 72 percent of our fourth graders -- 72 percent of the fourth graders are performing at a basic level in science. We need to understand that our children don't understand science, and we don't need to mix religious doctrine with academia.
That doesn't mean we shouldn't teach it. We, in fact, should teach it. We should teach it as part of many of the ideas out there that we want our children to learn more about. But in and of itself, we wouldn't consider the Bible or Koran or the Torah themselves as scientific documents. Religious, no doubt.
PHILLIPS: OK, so why are -- you just mentioned it, about the issue about our kids, according to the nation's report card, that most of them are not proficient in science. So, why is that, and what do we need do about that?
PERRY: One of the reasons why our children are not proficient in science is because technically, we don't really teach science until they get to the sixth grade as a pull-out class. Up to that point, we have one teacher, it's usually a woman, and her job is to teach math, science, social studies, history, how to go to potty and all the things the child's going to do in the early parts of academic experience.
We need to break science out in the school day in the primary grades, just like we do later so that we can expose children earlier to science and have them participate in it because they have a natural curiosity. If you look at many students, especially boys, you'll see that they have an interest in palentology. You'll see they have an interest in space. On the same token, we see many girls have an interest in becoming physicians and often, they say they want to be pediatricians.
But somewhere along the way, we let that go, and we wait until they're 12 years old to introduce them to the cell. That's not the way it is supposed to happen.
PHILLIPS: Well, we also have been talking about the article in "The Washington Post" about high schoolers and recess, and there's a lot of debate over whether it's a brain drain or it's beneficial. Whatever happened to the idea that every minute of class time is valuable? You understand that you need a break, you've got a release. But when there is too much free time offered or free thinking, can it have the reverse effect?
PERRY: The school day is only six-and-a-half hours. For God's sake, folks, we need to stop raising such a soft generation of kids. We need to work the kids. They're going to get their breaks. They're going to get plenty of breaks. They're kids. They'll find a way to get a break. If we were working so hard that they needed a break, we would be doing that much better. They've got enough breaks. Let's get them focused on learning.
PHILLIPS: Steve Perry, and that's the way it is. Good to see you today.
PERRY: Take care.
PHILLIPS: OK.
We're tracking big developments from Egypt. The Mubarak government opening talks with some opposition leaders, including the Muslim Brotherhood. We will take you there and tell you what it all means.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Two weeks into the uprising in Egypt, and we are slowly seeing signs of life returning to normal in Cairo. Here's the latest.
Egypt's vice president Omar Suleiman opened talks with six opposition groups, including the banned Muslim Brotherhood. A group that has no love for America, by the way. But President Obama is refusing to single out any faction for criticism. Instead, he's focusing on the need to keep negotiations moving forward.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think that the Muslim brotherhood is one faction in Egypt. 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. What I want is a representative government in Egypt. And I have confidence that if Egypt moving in an ordererly transition process that we'll have a government we can work with together as a partner.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: And we're going to get more insight on this in just a moment, but first, this is the scene at Tahrir Square right now. Protesters filing through, but it's relatively peaceful. No Molotov cocktails or rock-throwing.
But there were sense moments last night. Take a listen to these warning shots apparently fired by the military.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SOUNDS OF GUNSHOTS)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Now, again, we were told those are just warning shots over the heads of demonstrates. Nobody was hurt. Meanwhile, banks and gas stations beginning to reopen. Starting to look like life is getting back on track, but a lot of Egyptians are still very worried. Before the uprising, about one in ten Egyptians were unemployed, and all of the money brought in by tourism. Well, that is a big question mark now.
And just to prove that grim reality, here is Frederik Pleitgen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): One bank estimates that the crisis is costing Egypt more $300 million a day as the economy remains in a state of paralysis.
(on camera): Egypt's economy is losing a lot of money every day, and businesspeople people fear the long-term consequences could be grave as investors lose their confidence and tourists start choosing other destinations.
(voice-over): Many business sectors are affected. Some only now coming back to life. As shop owners slowly began opening their doors on Cairo's streets on Sunday, banks serviced customers for the first time since the beginning of the crisis. To prevent the masses from pulling their cash out of the institutions, private withdrawals were limited to $10,000 or 50,000 Egyptian pounds.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: All right. So, it's starting to look like things have turned a corner, but what's next for the government? Our foreign affairs correspondent Jill Dougherty has been following that for us now for a couple of weeks. She's live in Washington.
So, let's talk about these meetings first of all, Jill. JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, the meetings have been taking place between the vice president, Mr. Suleiman, and a variety of different representatives from these opposition groups. Now, the one that has caught the attention, as you said, was the Muslim Brotherhood, and we heard what President Obama said about that. But there are other groups, too, and there are questions whether some of those groups, one in particular kind of a youth group from that square, actually is representative of the demonstrators or whether it's some kind of a faux group created by the government.
So, there is a lot of confusion, but I think you have to say on the part of the U.S. administration, what they want to see is a process that's going to lead to elections, and it's going to be fair and free. And, also, that there will be milestones that show that there is real progress. And Hillary Clinton did warn there are risks along the way. Here's what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON, SECRETARY OF STATE: There are risks. There are risks with the transition to democracy. It can be chaotic. It can cause short-term instability.
Revolutions have overthrown dictators in the name of democracy only to see the political process hijacked by new autocrats who use violence, deception and rigged elections to stay in power or to advance an agenda of extremism.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DOUGHERTY: And that is one of the things that Secretary Clinton was talking about. You know, Kyra, she was talking with reporters yesterday and saying that the Egyptians actually are beginning to ask for help in terms of how do you put together a credible election? How do you create real political parties that aren't just run by the people in charge?
There are a lot of things, concrete things, now, that have to be put in place, and although they want to have it done as quickly as possible, they don't want it done so fast that it's not well done and the structure isn't there, and then you end up with elections that don't really mean anything.
PHILLIPS: Jill Dougherty, thanks so much.
President Obama's budget is calling for cuts to scores of federal programs now. We're going to check the highlights of that plan in our Political Ticker.
But, first, Packers, Steelers, puppies. Hard to compete with the Super Bowl. 47 dogs made a go of it. Part of the Annual Puppy Bowl, now in its seventh year, by the way, on Animal Planet. Squeaking toys, romping puppies, you name it. Once you start watching, well, it's hard to turn away. Just ask the 8.5 million viewers who turned (sic) in. (MUSIC PLAYING)
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PHILLIPS: All right, cheeseheads all around the world, I know you're smiling this morning. Your Packers hoisted that Lombardi trophy with pride after defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl showdown. Final score, 31-25. Packers' QB Aaron Rodgers also got the MVP award.
So, how was your your Super Bowl spread? Bet it was hard to beat the first family's football feast. Check out this menu. All right, once you get past the sausages, wings, twice-baked potatoes and chips, then you get to the salad. And forget about the tasty libations. But, hmm, not really calorie friendly.
What happened to the whole fight against obesity in the Obama administration? Didn't happen on Super Bowl Sunday!
President Obama will be sending his budget proposal to Congress next week, and a top aide is giving a preview of what to expect. Our senior political editor Mark Preston is here with the story. I guess fighting childhood obesity and Michelle Obama's big push for that, it kind of went by the wayside on Sunday.
MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL EDITOR: It did, and honestly, it went by the wayside for me as well. I'm - I'm -
(LAUGHTER)
PRESTON: Just keep a tight shot on me, if you can. I ate a lot.
PHILLIPS: Got to have a grace day, Mark, I guess.
PRESTON. No doubt. No doubt.
And you're absolutely right. The White House is now starting to reveal some details of what President Obama said when he was going to make some serious cuts to the federal budget. Writing in "The New York Times" yesterday, his White House budget director, Jacob Lew, put out a couple examples out of what President Obama is going to propose cutting.
The first thing is the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative for $125 million, as well as programs that fund housing, streets, stores and economic development are going to face a $650 million slash. Now, these are certainly going to draw the scorn of folks who are supportive of these programs, but again, this is what we're going to see over the coming months as people try to figure out how best to reduce the deficit.
Yesterday on "STATE OF THE UNION," we had Alan Simpson. He's a former Wyoming senator. But more importantly and as of recently, he is also the co-chair of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility. What he said is that there are big programs that we need to really focus on if we want to reduce the debt. Among those, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and defense. He said that politicians who talk about doing all these other little things are just really not telling you the truth.
Listen to this quote. And you can watch this on CNNpolitics.com. He said, "Anybody giving you anything different than that, you want to come out the door, stick your finger down your throat and give them the green weenie." Now, I got to tell you, Kyra, I don't know what he means by the green weenie, but you can watch the video online and you can make your own decision.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: OK. I'm not going to even go there. I'm going to move on to the weekend and the big celebration in Simi Valley in California. Ronald Reagan turned 100 this weekend. A lot of people out there celebrating his birthday.
PRESTON: Yes. You know, there are a lot of people in Simi Valley this past weekend, celebrating the 100th birthday. You know, the most interesting thing that came out of the celebration, I think, was some advice given by James Baker, who was one of his former top aides. He served as his chief of staff. He was his Treasury secretary. And of course, James Baker went on to become the secretary of state in George H.W. Bush's administration.
But this is the advice he had for Democrats and Republicans here in Washington. "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 our problems rather than cynically rely on them for partisan advantage." Probably some smart words for folks here on Capitol Hill and down here at the White House. Try to get together and figure things out, Kyra, as we figure out the deficit and a host of other problems facing us. Kyra?
PHILLIPS: Mark, thanks.
And your next political update in just about an hour. You can always go to our Web site, 24/7, CNNpolitics.com.
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PHILLIPS: Let's check out what stories are happening later today.
An Arizona state Senate panel takes up a bill that would deny citizenship to children born in the U.S. if their parents are illegal immigrants. The bill's author says that the 14th Amendment to the Constitution was never intended to cover illegal immigrants.
Bell, California. The former city manager and seven other officials go back to court. They allegedly misappropriated city funds. A lot of funds.
All right. If you were watching "Saturday Night Live" this weekend, you may have thought you flashed back to the early '90s. Dana Carvey actually hosted and it led to a "Wayne's World" reunion. And the musical slackers weighed in on the Academy Awards.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE MYERS, ACTOR/COMEDIAN: It's Oscar time, so now we bring you our Oscar picks.
(SINGING)
DANA CARVEY, ACTOR/COMEDIAN: All right, all right! What a year in film it's been.
MYERS: Really? Yes, a veritable feast for the cinephiles amongst us.
CARVEY: Yes.
(LAUGHTER)
CARVEY: And the best of all, this year there was a movie called "Winter's Bone."
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Oh, yes, Wayne and Garth, partying on all of the way until the Oscars. That's the 27th, by the way.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
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PHILLIPS: For any expectant mother out there, brace yourself for our first stop "Cross Country" this morning. To the greater Boston area we go for one big baby.
This is Jonathan Patrick Rossi. He arrived Friday, 13 pounds. Now, despite his size, he is also pretty quick, too. Mom says it only took him ten minutes to jump out of there.
Now to the Seattle area with an unbelievable armed robbery caught on tape. You see a middle-aged guy go from pleasant customer to criminal. But he's got courtesy. Very respectful and has a lot of reasons for why he needs to rob this guy. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Could you do me a favor?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Would you empty that and put it right here?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do you mean?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Empty it here. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you sure?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I'm sure. I really am sorry to have to do this, but I've got kids.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How about I give you $40 and this is it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I can't do that, sir. I've got rent to pay. I've got bills. And the kids need eat.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Now, if that isn't enough, the suspect then apologizes and then thanks the clerk for the cash and promises to pay him back as soon as he is able to.
That does is it for us. It's the top of the hour.
Now we go to the very polite and courteous Suzanne Malveaux. She takes it from here.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Usually polite and courteous, yes. OK, Kyra. Thanks.
