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NY GOP Representative Quits over Internet Scandal; Explosion Kills One, Five More Missing; Donald Trump to Speak at CPAC Conference in Washington Today

Aired February 10, 2011 - 09:00   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 9:00 a.m. on the East Coast, 6:00 a.m. out West and it is cold in the south.

People waking up to several inches of snow in parts of Georgia and Tennessee. Look at this live picture of Atlanta. A hard freeze from Texas to Mississippi and farther north in the Central Plains. Wind chills well below zero.

And remember the Super Bowl fans left out in the cold? Well, they had tickets but still couldn't get in because the seats weren't safe. The lawsuits have begun. A Texas man hoping his suit becomes a class action.

And today is the day the long awaited Verizon iPhone is available.

All right. A new sex scandal boiling up on Capitol Hill and it's already cost a congressman his job. It's because of the shirtless beef cake photo that you're taking a look at right there.

New York Republican Chris Lee resigned after the photo and some tawdry details at the Internet.

CNN's Deb Feyerick outside Lee's home in Amperes, New Jersey.

My guess is he's not going to step out and talk to you and the cameras, Deb.

(LAUGHTER)

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, he's definitely not going to step out and talk to us. As a matter of fact, the last reported sighting was as he was leaving Capitol Hill and someone asked him where he was going and he basically had no comment except to say this is something that he needed to figure out between he and his wife.

Now Chris Lee -- he apparently lied about his age, he lied about being divorced, he lied about his job. The one thing he did tell the truth about is what his name was. Well, apparently this was not the first time he had reached out to a woman on Craigslist as some of those e- mails suggest.

What seemed like a promising career for this up-and-rising Republican ended in just a matter of hours. He had served Congress for two years, but once this hit the Internet on Gawkers, once those photos came out, it took about three hours for him to actually resign.

Now the House Speaker John Boehner apparently did not force him out. However, it did appear that this was something that he simply could not survive. He issued a statement saying how sorry he was, saying how he needed to fix this, that he would do everything he could to make this all right.

Now the e-mails apparently were sent from a G-mail account linked to his personal Facebook page. His spokesman had earlier said that perhaps that e-mail account was hacked into. However, the e-mails to this woman on Craigslist were sent before that hacking was reported and the picture that was sent was from a BlackBerry which you can clearly see in that photograph.

Now folks here in western New York, really they're pretty disappointed. One of the main reasons is this was a businessman who was really trying to rebuild the area and bring businesses to this part of Buffalo. That's why there's sort of a sense of loss and sadness.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You always come home and there'd be messages to what he was doing and, you know, updating you on progress or whatever, and for him to do something like this and throw it all away was sad.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sad state of affairs when you have someone that you are supposed to respect publicly lets you down.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Really we need qualified people in Congress to represent us and, I mean, everybody makes mistakes and nobody seems to be able to live with what they do.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

FEYERICK: Now, among many, there's a sense that by resigning, he did do the right thing. He was seen as unbeatable, but now the position is open -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Yes. It'd be interesting to see what happens. Deb Feyerick, thanks so much.

And we've got an update on the remarkable recovery of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords one month after a bullet passed through her brain. The Arizona Democrat is regaining at least part of her ability to speak. Her chief of staff actually describes the latest milestone.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PIA CARUSOME, GABRIELLE GIFFORDS' CHIEF OF STAFF: She was having oatmeal and yogurt for breakfast and she asked me for toast. She sounded great and very clear to understand. And I said absolutely. And we -- you know, we asked the nurse to -- you know, call the cafeteria and get some toast.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP) PHILLIPS: Well, Giffords has amazed doctors with her recovery so far. She was one of 13 people shot and wounded in the Tucson rampage. Six other people were killed. And one of those individuals who was killed is inching closer to a lasting tribute.

Yesterday, the House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill to name a federal courthouse in Arizona after Judge John Roll. Witnesses say that the federal judge died while trying to shield another victim in the January 8th rampage.

Judge Roll and Congresswoman Giffords worked together to secure funding for the courthouse.

We're also keeping a close eye on Egypt where our crews say that protests appear newly energized today. Part of the reason? Thousands of workers abandoning their jobs and joining the movement. They, too, are demanding that President Hosni Mubarak leave office but this new labor strike could prove pivotal. It could disrupt oil production, even the free flow of trade to the all-important Suez Canal.

We're going to take a closer look at these high stakes throughout the morning and of course we'll bring you any developments as they happen.

Well, as we told you parts of the southeast coated in snow this morning for the second time in two weeks. As you can see by these pictures, big trucks were absolutely no match for the slick conditions on Interstate-40 near Memphis. They jackknifed in the snow, landed in ditches.

And the snow actually began falling early yesterday in Russellville, Arkansas, shutting down businesses and making driving just treacherous. Winter storm warnings and advisories in effect across 10 states from Louisiana to Virginia.

Meanwhile residents right here in metro Atlanta woke up to some snow this morning, a little bit in their yards and cars, about up to two inches. And you're watching live pictures of the Atlanta skyline. Crews were out overnight to try to keep those roads clear after an ice storm last month virtually shut down the city.

Meteorologist Rob Marciano -- we all remember that so well. I was so relieved just to see a little bit of snow in the yard.

ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Right.

PHILLIPS: But the streets were clear.

MARCIANO: Any other year -- this morning, we'd be going bananas, you know, in Atlanta.

PHILLIPS: True.

MARCIANO: The school would be shut down. Everything would be shut down. But, you know, just a little bit of dusting and some wet roadways, not too big of a deal.

(WEATHER REPORT)

MARCIANO: There are better days ahead. Kyra, back over to you.

PHILLIPS: Good. We like to hear that. Thanks.

MARCIANO: All right.

PHILLIPS: Well, a pretty powerful explosion sparks a blazing inferno in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Killed at least one person, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate. A row of eight homes was destroyed. Dozens more were damaged.

And right now, we're told at least five people are still missing and the search is on. Residents of a nearby senior center were among those that were evacuated.

Jaccii Farris of our affiliate DFMZ joins us now from Allentown with the latest.

So, Jaccii, what's it like right now? Are they still hoping it's a rescue operation for those missing individuals?

JACCII FARRIS, REPORTER, CNN AFFILIATE DFMZ: Well, Kyra, the flames have gone out and the recovery mode has begun. We've been watching as backhoes and heavy equipment has been going into where the fire happened overnight.

As you said, one person is dead. Five people are still missing. And officials believe that the death toll will rise as the morning progresses.

The explosion happened at about 10:45 last night. At first, it flattened two homes but then damaged eight other or eight homes in total during the evening. Now hundreds of people were evacuated, including that senior center that you mentioned.

There were some concerns that there might be a second explosion. Fire officials were unsure if the gas that caused the initial explosion came from outside on the street or if it came from inside one of the homes so UGI was very quick to come in and turn off the gas to the area.

Now, as far as the weather, that played a major role in fighting the fire. Fire crews came out here. They rolled out their hoses, tried to spray everything down. They used the ladder trucks and the water would freeze before it hit the ground. It also caused for some very slippery conditions.

So, again, the fire is out. The recovery mode has begun. One person is confirmed dead, five more are missing. Officials believe the number of deaths will rise. We are expecting a news conference by Allentown's mayor and firefighters and emergency response personnel early this morning and we will certainly keep you posted -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Jaccii Farris, appreciate it. And explosions like this are becoming all too common. Back in September a natural gas pipeline explosion leveled a neighborhood in San Bruno, California. Six people died in that blast and it was heard for miles.

Then there was the fireball caught on tape in Philly -- now is about a little less than a month ago. Came out of nowhere. It killed a utility worker who was trying to fix a gas main leak.

Well, America's military vets deserve the finest medical care, wouldn't you agree? But there's yet another example of how the system has failed them. More than 500 vets might have been exposed to HIV and hepatitis and guess what? It was totally preventable.

And angry words from an ex-beauty queen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DOMONIQUE RAMIREZ, STRIPPED OF CROWN: I'm 17 years old. I shouldn't have to be slandered like this. And my future shouldn't have to be ruined over this.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: She said she was fired because she got a little fat. Pageant reps -- or pageant reps, rather, say that that's not it at all. We'll try to get to the bottom of this Texas-sized drama.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: All right. Let's buckle up and go "Cross Country." Here's some stories from around the U.S.

First stop, St. Paul, Minnesota where nearly 200 middle school girls from the Laurel Jeffrey Academy put on zombie like makeup and costumes to re-enact Michael Jackson's "Thriller." They performed at a college yesterday to wrap up their (INAUDIBLE) drama and physical ed class.

All right. San Francisco. For a rare sight. Pot of killer whales swimming in waters near the Golden Gate Bridge. Nice surprise for a group of tourists on a whale-watching excursion. As many as 14 orcas came within 30 feet of the boat.

And how about Bowling Green, Ohio? Amy Seifert has been wearing this simple gray dress every day since November 15th. Why? Well, her goal was to help raise money for victims of sex trafficking. Amy says she will wear the dress until the end of May.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC - "Here Comes the Rain Again")

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Let's buckle up and go Cross Country. Here's some stories from around the US. First stop, St. Paul, Minnesota, where nearly 200 middle school girls from the Laura Jeffrey Academy put on zombie-like makeup and costumes to re-enact Michael Jackson's "Thriller." They performed at a college yesterday to wrap up their quarter-long drama and physical ed class.

All right, San Francisco for a rare sight. Pot of killer whales swimming in waters near the Golden Gate Bridge. A nice surprise for a group of tourists on a whale-watching excursion. As many as 14 orcas came within 30 feet of the boat.

And how about Bowling Green, Ohio? Amy Seiffert has been wearing this simple gray dress every day since November 15th. Why? Well, her goal is to help raise money for victims of sex trafficking. Amy says she will wear the dress until the end of May.

Let's Zone In on San Antonio, Texas. Forget the Alamo for a couple of minutes. The big battle now is between a defrocked beauty queen and the pageant directors who took her tiara. They claim she got too fat to reign, among a number of other reasons. So we're hearing both sides. Here's Eileen Gonzalez of KSAT.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

EILEEN GONZALES, KSAT CORRESPONDENT: Beauty queen Domonique Ramirez is in tears over the drama that stripped her of her crown.

DOMONIQUE RAMIREZ, STRIPPED OF CROWN: I'm 17 years old, I shouldn't have to be slandered like this, and my future shouldn't have to be ruined over this.

GONZALES: It's a he said/she said sort of dispute. Miss San Antonio Pageant directors claim Domonique violated rules showing up to events with her boyfriend holding her hand. They also say she gained weight and didn't prepare sufficiently for the Miss Texas pageant. But they say the main reason is that she was unreliable.

LINDA WOODS, PAGEANT BOARD PRESIDENT: She did not make it to functions that she was scheduled for, that she agreed to do. She didn't -- sometimes she didn't show up at all and didn't even call and tell you she wasn't coming. Or if she would come, she would come an hour and a half late.

RAMIREZ: They're bringing stuff up from the past and making stuff up that is not even true.

GONZALES: Pageants directors had already passed the crown to runner- up Ashley Dixon, but Ramirez's lawyer filed a restraining order.

LUIS ROBERTO VERA, JR., RAMIREZ'S ATTORNEY: Domonique is going to fight to the bitter end, and she will retain her reign.

GONZALES: For now, the position of Miss San Antonio is in a holding pattern. Ramirez's lawyer claims Domonique still hat crown. Pageant directors say she doesn't. Nothing will be done until the legal case is settled.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: The court date is set for next week. If all this drags on too long, San Antonio might not send anyone to the Miss Texas pageant in July.

And here we go again, more veterans possibly exposed to serious diseases because one professional allegedly wasn't big on hygiene or sterile equipment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, it's hard to believe that we're still talking about this topic, but here we go. Our veterans, our warriors, failed again by a system that is supposed to help them. This time, more than 500 vets around Dayton, Ohio, are learning that their VA dental clinic might have exposed them to HIV and hepatitis B or C. And, once again, it was totally preventable with no -- well, with simple no-brainer hygiene.

Here's the disaster in a nutshell. A report states that a clinic dentist was so sloppy, so unsanitary, that he did things like hold the denture of one patient while opening the mouth of another. He used the same instruments all day long on every patient without sterilizing the tools. Wore dirty gloves while pushing elevator buttons. And wore dirty gloves while using the lunchroom microwave.

The report also shows that other employees, even a former supervisor, knew how slack the dentist was in the hygiene department. And are you ready for this? These disgusting practices went on for 18 years and employees knew it.

Well, that dentist has been off the job since last summer, and he's now under investigation. But he's still is on the VA's payroll. Serious deja-vu here. The same kind of breakdown happened last year at a VA dental clinic in St. Louis. The year before that, hundreds of vets, possibly exposed to HIV and hepatitis through dirty colonoscopy equipment. And don't forget those vets who got letters mistakenly telling them they had the fatal Lou Gehrig's disease.

These are the types of mistakes that get Dr. Jorge Rodriguez talking. He's an expert in the field of HIV medicine. So, Dr. Rodriguez, I mean, it's just absolutely appalling to read how careless this doctor was when it comes to hygiene and sterilizing equipment. How -- have you ever seen anything like this going on for 18 years?

JORGE RODRIGUEZ, INTERNIST, GASTROENTEROLOGIST: Well, no. I've never heard of anything like this going on and, certainly, I've never seen anything like this going on. I think that's the correct word, appalling.

What brings up in my mind is the fact that the VA system, and not criticize it too much because it provides a good service, is the fact that it's kind of broken, because there is a Catch-22. They knew that this person was doing things that were actually malpractice, but they couldn't get rid of this physician. So, that's a big glitch in the system right there.

PHILLIPS: And aren't there supposed to be certain checks and balances in place? For example, monitoring equipment. And also, shouldn't this doctor have been supervised? RODRIGUEZ: Absolutely. And he probably was supervised, and there are checks and balances. In the private sector, there are usually state organizations and regulatory bodies that come into physicians' offices and into surgery centers to make sure that we are following the correct procedures for sterilization.

So, it's really important, at least in the private sector, that if a patient has any suspicions, they need to go, first of all, to the physician in the center and say, "Hey, what techniques do you use?" And if that doesn't satisfy them, then they need to go to regulatory boards, usually the medical or dental boards.

And yes, that physician definitely should have been regulated. So, there are more people at fault, there, in my opinion, than just the physician.

PHILLIPS: Interesting. You mention the private sector. When you see what's happening at the VA, and this has been more than once, because we always cover this story, because of course we want the best medical care for our vets, especially after what they have been going through, dealing with two wars.

RODRIGUEZ: Absolutely, absolutely.

PHILLIPS: Do you see this happen very often in, say, the corner store dentist, or the corner dentist that we go to in our neighborhood? Because the VA dental clinics, they're pretty huge.

RODRIGUEZ: They're very huge, and there's two ways of looking at this. I think that larger organizations probably have a little bit more ability to wiggle through the cracks, a bad physician, just because it is so large.

And then, the very small surgical centers also, since they don't have a lot of people supervising, they also have, probably, a lot of more wiggle room than, let's say, a hospital that has a lot of checks and balances.

So, again, if a patient goes to a hospital or to a surgery center, and they just don't see that things are neat and are falling into place, that should send off a red flag immediately. Immediately.

PHILLIPS: All right. And you're an expert in HIV medicine.

RODRIGUEZ: I am.

PHILLIPS: We're talking about more than 500 patients, here. What do you think the chances are, when you read this report and you see how this doctor carried out these procedures.

RODRIGUEZ: Yes.

PHILLIPS: What are the chances that these folks could get HIV, hepatitis C, B?

RODRIGUEZ: Luckily -- luckily, Kyra, luckily -- the chances are low to get HIV. And the reason is that there would have to be a bloody instrument going from an infected patient almost directly to an uninfected patient, and then that instrument would have to actually cut the lining of the mouth. It's very rare. Usually, most people that catch HIV from a physician's office, which have been almost zero, actually had an inoculation or an injection.

Hepatitis B and hepatitis C, may be a little bit more common. Even hepatitis A. Because a lot of that virus is carried in the saliva.

When I first saw this and heard this, I said, oh, there's very little chance. But that report that you stated, that physician went -- I mean, that dentist went from patient to patient, one after another. So, I think they're probably not going to find any patients that have HIV, but it's possible. Though rare, it's possible.

PHILLIPS: And thank God, too. Doctor, real quick, before I let you go. If I'm -- if I go to the VA for care, and I'm concerned, I'm seeing this story and I'm concerned, what do I need to do if I'm going to go get in that dentist chair?

RODRIGUEZ: Well, the first thing is, you need to ask them, "What sterilization techniques do you use?" You have to make sure that they're using gloves. If you see a dentist go from one patient directly to another without changing gloves and instruments, red flag.

If you have a problem, go to their supervisor. If you have a problem with that and you don't get any reply, then go to the administrator of the hospital. If you have a problem with that, then you need to go to your congressman's office and complain about that VA system and also the VA Department, which is a federal department. So, there are many roads that one can go.

PHILLIPS: Great advice. Dr. Rodriguez, thank you so much. Really appreciate you.

RODRIGUEZ: My pleasure.

PHILLIPS: And here's what they Dayton VA is telling us. Quote, "Failure to follow infection control procedures is not acceptable, and we take the safety of our patients seriously." It goes on to say, "The infection risk is extremely low and limited to patients of a single clinician. There is no indication any patients have contracted an infection, and screenings for hep B, hep C, and HIV are being offered at no cost to the veteran. Should an affected veteran test positive, the VA will provide the necessary care and treatment without charge."

All right, you're looking at live pictures, right now, from Washington, and a gathering of who's who among conservatives. The annual Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC. Three days of speeches, strategy sessions, and lots of noise about who might be seeking the GOP nomination in 2012. Speaking right now, you probably know her, Minnesota Rep Michelle Bachmann. We'll have a live report from CPAC in just a few minutes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) (STOCK MARKET REPORT)

PHILLIPS: Well, checking top stories now.

Shamed by Craigslist photo. Republican Chris Lee has stepped down and says he's sorry after a flirty e-mail surfaced of him on Craigslist, shirtless and looking for a date. Well, he's married, by the way, 46- years-old and a father of one. He resigned three hours after the story broke apologizing for, quote, "The harm that my actions have caused my family, my staff, and my constituents."

The Super Bowl seating disaster, now a class action lawsuit to the tune of five million bucks. Fans accusing the Dallas Cowboys, including owner Jerry Jones and the NFL, of breach of contract, fraud and deception. Hundreds of ticketholders say she weren't told until game day that they either didn't have seats or their seats were in a completely different spot.

And if you're a Verizon customer, today is the day. The Verizon iPhone available in stores this morning. People have been braving the cold to get their hands on one all morning.

And a fiery explosion has killed at least one person and destroyed a row of homes in Allentown, Pennsylvania. We're now getting word that all eight homes were destroyed. Dozens of others damaged. Hundreds of people evacuated, including residents of a nearby senior center. Right now, rescue crews are looking for five people still unaccounted for.

Earlier the fire chief talked to CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING" about what could have caused that blast.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF ROBERT SCHEIRER, ALLENTOWN, PENN. FIRE DEPT.: We don't have anything confirmed yet at this point. We believe it to be a natural gas explosion. We don't know if the leak was inside the home or out on the street. That all has to be been investigated yet.

Gas lines are like water lines. As the ground freezes and thaws, you know, it tends to shift and sometimes it cracks the pipes, you know, thus causing gas leaks and water leaks. If gas is leaking out into the street, you know, it's going to follow the path of least resistance and it could seep in the ground into your home and stuff. And any ignition source inside the home could create that explosion.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: At one point, about 500 people were in shelters this morning. They've since been allowed to return home.

Tens of thousands of war widows taxed out of some of their benefits. They are told that they have to remarry to collect in full. Taking a closer look at this so-called widow's tax and how many grieving spouses are being impacted by it right now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Our nation's war widows, tens of thousands of them, told to marry someone else if they want to fully collect their survivor's benefits. And that is not the only condition for collecting. These 55,000 spouses have to wait until they are at least 57 to get married again. Those who remarry earlier miss out. So do those who don't marry at all.

Vivianne Wersel has been fighting to change the so-called widow's tax. Her husband, Lieutenant Colonel Richard Wersel Jr. died in 2005 from a heart attack, one week after returning from serving in Iraq. She and many others call the policy disrespectful.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VIVIANNE WERSEL, MILITARY WIDOW: To me, it's insulting that in order for me to receive something my husband worked so hard for -- and we worked as a team -- I need to be with another man and be married. That doesn't seem right. It's insulting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, how could this happen? Military spouses like Wersel are eligible for two types of benefits. First, a survivor benefit paid by the Defense Department. Then, the annuity benefit provided by the Veterans Administration. But the law keeps them from collecting the full amount from both unless they follow the remarriage rules. A pair of bills are being introduced to do away with that penalty. The main hurdle? Cash. It would cost about $7 billion over a decade.

Let's check stories that are happening a little later today. Arizona Governor Jan Brewer and the state's attorney general will have a major announcement this afternoon. They'll talk about the defense of the state's illegal immigration enforcement law. The more controversial aspects of the law are now under appeal.

The NAACP will present its 2011 presidential award to General Colin Powell. The former secretary of state will receive the award next month. It's given for special achievements and distinguished public service.

President Obama heads to Marquette, Michigan, to push the national wireless initiative. The president wants to help businesses extend wireless coverage reached to 98 percent of the population. Next Generation Wireless Network in Marquette has helped put people back to work.

The nation's top conservative activists are in Washington right now and potential presidential candidates are lining up to talk to them. That's Michelle Bachmann you see speaking. And we've just learned that Donald Trump is also going to talk. We go live to the conference site next.

And in Egypt, it's day 17 of the uprising and the anger against the embattled president is only growing. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's over. There is no America and no Hezbollah. It's his fault. What we are in is his fault. It's not due to the Americans, it's not due to Hezbollah, it's due to him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Government workers on strike. An angry crowd descends on a palace. We'll have the latest on the deepening crisis.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Thousands of conservative activists in Washington for the start of the Conservative Political Action Conference. That annual conference is taking on more importance with less than a year to go until the first presidential contest.

Deputy political director Paul Steinhauser is there -- Paul.

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Hey, good morning. Kyra. I guess you could say this is the first cattle call in the next race for the White House on the Republican side.

You've got 10 people who are seriously thinking of running for the White House speaking here to conservative activists who've come from across the country. This is the granddaddy of conferences that's been going on for almost 40 years.

Big news this morning is the Donald. That's right. Donald Trump is going to be speaking here later this afternoon, about five hours from now. We confirmed that earlier this morning. Of course, Trump, he's seriously thinking -- he says -- seriously thinking of running for the White House for the Republican presidential nomination.

Kyra, Right now, the first of those presidential hopefuls is speaking. That's Michelle Bachmann behind me there, the congresswoman from Minnesota. She is a darling of the Tea Party movement, one of the co- founders of the Tea Party Caucus in the House and got everybody up, the crowd going when she said Barack Obama needs to be a one-term president.

That's what's going on right here. And, of course, on Saturday a straw poll, a presidential straw poll, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well, you know, Bachmann is known to ruffle a few feathers, Paul. Any controversy so far this year at the conference?

STEINHAUSER: Yes, there is one actually, Kyra.

A pro-gay Republican group has been invited and is taking part here in this conference. And because of that, about five or six major social conservative groups are not taking part. Now, organizers this morning at a news conference said they acknowledged the controversy but downplayed it a little bit. So, as always some controversy involved.

Kyra, back to you.

PHILLIPS: All right. We'll follow the conference with you throughout the next couple of hours.

Paul, thanks.

We'll have your next political update in just about an hour. You can always go to our web site, too, 24/7, for all your political news -- CNNPolitics.com

All right. Now, Paul just mentioned Donald Trump. Well, last night, Trump actually told CNN's Piers Morgan that his timetable for deciding on a White House run is getting closer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, REAL ESTATE MAGNATE: The country is doing very poorly. It just can't do much worse. We're not respected anywhere in the world. I am seriously thinking about it. I won't make a decision until June, but I will make a decision, and it may surprise people, frankly. But I will make a decision sometime prior to June.

I love this country. I hate what's happened to this country. We're a laughing stock throughout the world. We're not respected. When you look at what is happening in various places that we've always supported and, frankly, that we got along with, they're the places that are collapsing. You don't see the other places collapsing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: On CNN's "PIERS MORGAN TONIGHT," golden globe winner and Oscar nominee Colin Firth is talking about "The King's Speech." Tonight, 9:00 Eastern, only on CNN.

All right. Flashback, today, 1942.

(MUSIC)

Big band leader Glenn Miller receiving its first-ever gold record for selling a million copies of Chattanooga Choo-Choo. The shiny award was actually a master copy of the original disk sprayed with gold lacquered paint.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: All right. Taking you to Egypt where our crews are telling us there seems to be a new energy flowing through the crowds today. Government workers joined the protest demanding that the president step down and nationwide strike could cripple the oil industry now, even shutdown the Suez Canal which is critical for transportation (ph) or a transport hub. One emerging leader of the anti-government movement says that the bloodshed has ruined any hopes now of a political compromise.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) WAEL GHONIM, EGYPTIAN ACTIVIST: This is no longer the time to negotiate, unfortunately. We -- we went on the street on 25th and we wanted to negotiate. They decided to negotiate with us at night with rubber bullets, with police -- police sticks.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, protesters say that they have reached the point of no return. If they are revolution fails, they face the punishment of a vengeful regime so they press on and welcome new reinforcements to their movement and their momentum.

CNN's Ben Wedeman actually talked to some of the newcomers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): "Hang in there", the reception line sings. "Freedom is being born."

This is how they welcome newcomers to Tahrir Square on yet another day aimed at keeping up the pressure on the Mubarak regime.

The Square was packed, many coming for the first time.

DALIA, PROTESTER: I came today for the first time (INAUDIBLE). I have been already too late to participate in these protests, and I think nothing will make this regime go unless we keep on coming, and keep on coming.

WEDEMAN: "I came to join the people in this revolution", says Umar a pharmacist who traveled from Upper Egypt. "It's always been my dream and the dream of every Egyptian to live this moment of liberation".

WEDEMAN: They say, "Mubarak, wake up, this is your last day", but they have been saying it for days now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get out of here now. It's our order.

WEDEMAN: But President Mubarak isn't taking orders. In fact, the government is striking back with a campaign on state television suggesting that the United States is funding the protests which have been infiltrated, it says, by Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran and others.

Azza Al-Mahi has brought her father, Ahmed (ph) a university professor, for the first time. She says Mubarak should stop blaming others.

AZZA AL-MAHI, PROTESTER: It's over. There's no America. There's no Hezbollah. It's his fault. What we are in is his fault. It's not due to Americans. It's not due to Hezbollah. It's due to him. And he has to understand that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: The protesters on the ground telling their side, now, the Egyptian government saying something different. Who is right? Anderson Cooper gets the fact tonight at "AC360" at 10:00 Eastern.

Lots of developments to tell you about in the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM. Let's check in with all of our correspondents.

Let's start with the Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr -- Barbara.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, with everything going on, is al Qaeda, is Osama bin Laden, still the number one threat? We'll have that story at the top of the next hour.

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS NEWS CORRESPONDENT: I'm Stephanie Elam in New York. The wait is over for a lot of people out there. The iPhone 4 is now on sale at Verizon. So will we see the big lines we saw at AT&T? We'll talk about it. That's coming up in just later on in the next hour.

ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: And I'm Rob Marciano on the CNN Severe Weather Center. Two feet of snow, plus temperatures that are over 20 degrees below zero not including the wind chill. That cold air is sliding to the east along with the snow. The full forecast in the next hour.

PHILLIPS: Thanks guys.

It's also being hailed a game-changer, the first real evidence that surgery on babies with spina bifida while in the womb allows some children to grow up and walk without crutches. It sounds pretty incredible doesn't it? Well, it is. And we're going to talk with one mother who made the choice to have that fetal surgery. And you're going to hear the amazing story about what it meant to her family.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: All right. Jeff Fischel, I know you are really excited about this, being a sports guy and everything.

JEFF FISCHEL, HLN SPORTS: Yes.

PHILLIPS: Talking pandas. Pre-K, for pandas in China is what this is, Jeff. And I know you're thrilled. It's the first day of school at the Panda Research Center in China. Seven cubs in the class and you know what their first lesson is?

FISCHEL: They don't have to learn to tie their shoes. That's early graduation from Pre-K or something like that.

PHILLIPS: Exactly. And it's not basketball, which we are going to talk about in just a second. It's learning how to eat from a bowl and not a bottle. You're not impressed.

I didn't realize the bowl was more -- the bottle of course comes more naturally.

PHILLIPS: It's very cute. All right.

I'll try to segue form that to history being made on the basketball court.

FISCHEL: It's not easy but the skill is there, so. It's not pretty right now.

PHILLIPS: They're sucking more than a bottle on the court.

FISCHEL: The Cleveland Cavaliers are truly setting new records for futility. They have lost 25 in a row going into last night. With one more loss, they would tie the all-time record for any pro sports franchise and any sport we're talking about here.

And sure enough, Byron Scott's team did it. I mean they just looked bad. The Pistons took them down -- let's be honest, the Pistons are not that great of a team themselves but when you're taking on the Cavs, you look great. You look like an NBA champ when you're taking on the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Cavaliers lost again, number 26 in a row. They already have the NBA record. Now they've tied the all-time record of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back in the '70s in pro football, 103-94 the final. Afterward, Coach Byron Scott ripped into his team in the locker room and he said he's mad as hell and called it their worst effort in a month. Next chance for the Cavs is Friday night versus the Clippers.

And Kyra, you really don't want to be the team that ends up being the team that loses to them. You know, right?

PHILLIPS: Right.

FISCHEL: Here's halftime of the Kings/Mavericks game. The Kings' fan, half-court shot for a new car. It was Grateful Dead night so maybe it was a VW bus that he won. The crowd loved it but every silver lining has a touch of gray. After that, the Kings lost.

And you know what notion just crossed my mind? They lost by two points, so they could have really used that basket.

All right. College hoops, an incredible dunk can actually help both teams. Louisville Cal Kirk (ph) on the fast break. Now watch him just posterize Notre Dame's Scott Martin. After the dunk, watch the look. See the look is what gets Kirk in trouble. The stare got him a technical foul, you can't really taunt.

PHILLIPS: But didn't he push him in the chest?

FISCHEL: What a great dunk, but he got the T, So Notre Dame turned right around and got some points. The Cardinals ended up losing to the Fighting Irish by 10.

Fantastic finish between Villanova and Rutgers; final seconds, Rutgers with the ball, down three at home, Jonathan Mitchell for the three to tie and there's a whistle. Foul, so he ties it, makes the free throw. The four-point play, you almost never see these, especially with less than one second left.

That gives Rutgers the win at home. Huge upset over 10th ranked Villanova. When you pull off the huge upset at home, especially the way they're finished, the crowd goes nuts and comes onto the court. Great win by Rutgers over Villanova.

PHILLIPS: You can push him in the chest?

FISCHEL: You are going up that high? Yes he did. But it was such a great day. All right. All right.

One of the olds (INAUDIBLE) hockey. The Bruins and Canadians last night, huge fight between the teams. Basic all of the guys on the ice went at it. What about the goalies? You know the goalies don't always throw punches. In this case the Bruins' Tim Thomas and Canadians Kerry Price (ph) are actually kind off buddies off the ice. But they decide to -- yes, you know, it was more of a slap and tickle than anything.

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIPS: Slap or tickle. That's too many -- go for the faces, right?

FISCHEL: No. And you know afterwards, Price said, no it really wasn't much.

PHILLIPS: And look they're laughing.

FISCHEL: Yes, exactly. They just patted each other and kind of skated away.

PHILLIPS: You like it to look good. Got everybody excited.

FISCHEL: There is more to performance art than anything else. The Bruins won the game 8-6.

PHILLIPS: Thanks, Jeff.

FISCHEL: All right.

PHILLIPS: All right. See you manana.

FISCHEL: Absolutely.