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Violent Crackdown in Bahrain; Delicate Diplomacy for U.S. amidst Mideast Protests; Quest for World's Longest Taco Line; Auburn University Oak Trees Poisoned; Dramatic Horse Rescue in Phoenix; Teacher Slams Students on Blog; Crib Accidents on the Rise; Political Odd Couple Testifies; Reaction to Mideast Protest

Aired February 17, 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: Good morning, you guys. We're following two major stories this morning.

On the left, the Arab world up in arms. Today, it's still Bahrain and police launch a deadly overnight crackdown on protesters. The U.S. ally now has to answer to the world.

And on the right, outrage in the American heartland. School districts in one state canceled classes and shut down schools. Why are these students caught up in this budget fight?

But we begin in Bahrain. The latest Arab nation to crush a peaceful protest with a barrage of violence.

Those sounds that you're hearing are teargas and gunfire echoing throughout the heart of Bahrain's capital this morning. Police actually stormed the protesters around 3:00 in the morning while most activists were sleeping.

CNN's Nic Robertson was there and actually had his camera and video confiscated. He joins us by phone.

First of all, Nic, who confiscated your equipment?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (via phone): The customs authority confiscated our equipment and we're actually on the way now to a meeting with the Minister of Information to discuss that equipment right now. We have no idea if that means we'll get the equipment back or not, but it makes our reporting here that much harder.

The government has invited us to cover a press conference being given by the foreign minister and other foreign ministers gathering from the Gulf Cooperation Council here. And of course, that's very tough when our equipment has been -- is being held by customs at the airport.

However, we were able to see the violence and bloody situations last night. We were in the emergency room of the hospital as the casualties were brought in. Some of them were in very, very bad condition. Doctors literally giving CPR on the table to try and resuscitate some of the victims that police cracked down on the peaceful protests. The army has come in this morning to secure the streets -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: So, Nic, who called for this? Is it the king for Bahrain that called for this massive crackdown?

ROBERTSON: It's not clear, because the king only a day or so earlier had apologized to the people and said sorry that two demonstrators had been killed earlier. This has of course made the protesters much more angry now at the king because they say, you apologize yet this heavy- handed -- these heavy-handed tactics were used.

However, the Minister of Interior today has said that the protesters did have warnings. They say that they found guns and knives in the tents. The protesters we talked to who were in the hospital said that they were sleeping and they had no warning. When they heard the police, they thought the police were just changing shifts because it had been peaceful.

So it's not the clear who called the crackdown but it is very -- it was very, very coordinated. There were well over a thousand police and well over a hundred police vehicles and pretty much as soon as they chased the protests out, fanned out and secured the area, they were followed up by large units of military, 50 armored personnel carriers.

It's a very large number that doesn't easily roll off a base without proper planning and coordination. So it does seem to have been at least a joint operation by the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Defense, not clear who was the person that actually initiated it and said that it should go ahead -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well, we're going to keep working that part of the story, that's for sure. And Nic, keep us updated please with regard to your equipment and also how things develop there in Bahrain.

And just as we saw in Egypt, journalists appear to have been targeted as well. Listen as former CNN correspondent Miguel Marquez is roughed up while he's on the phone reporting for ABC News.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, ABC NEWS: There was a canister that looked like -- now police turned to me -- no, no, no. Gentlemen, gentlemen, journalists, journalists. Journalists. Journalists. No, no. Hold on. Journalists, journalists. Journalists!

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Marquez says that he was beaten by the men with Billie clubs and he says he was hit several times but wasn't badly injured.

Now the volatility in Bahrain creates a delicate diplomatic challenge for the White House just as we saw in Egypt. The U.S. has enjoyed good relations with this regime but, at the same time, cannot turn its back on a peaceful pro-democracy movement. And as it walks the tight rope, nervous allies are definitely watching. Senior White House correspondent Ed Henry joins us with a closer look.

So, how is President Obama going to deal with Bahrain? I mean we've got the U.S. Navy -- the 5th Fleet right there. It's a huge foundation for the U.S. military. And right -- happening right across the street, Ed, is this violence that is just out of control.

ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: How are they going to deal with it? Very carefully, Kyra, as you suggested, because of all of those reasons being a strategic place, obviously, in the region, amid all these other protests that are playing out there.

And so Jay Carney, the new White House press secretary, at his first briefing yesterday made clear that the U.S. is monitoring this situation very closely. But he reiterated the White House position, as we saw in Egypt and some of the other situations playing out, that there's is not a one-size-fits-all approach to these protests, these situations that are unfolding, because each country has got its own customs and the U.S. wants to be careful not to dictate to them how to respond to these protests.

Nevertheless, the U.S. is not being shy about saying you've got to respect the rights of peaceful protesters and also saying that in Bahrain and some of these other countries as well like Libya the government can't be cracking down, can't be using violence.

And let's remember what President Obama said at his news conference here at the White House on Tuesday. He said that these various governments, whether it's Bahrain, whether it's Libya, whether it's Algeria, that they have to make sure that they are embracing change and not getting caught behind the curve.

Now the president never mouthed the words at that news press conference Hosni Mubarak, but maybe he didn't have to because as we saw in the situation in Egypt the failure to embrace the change ended up taking the government right out -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Yes. It's going to be interesting to watch how this just develops all across these parts of the Arab nation.

HENRY: Entire region. Yes.

PHILLIPS: Yes. Exactly.

Ed, thanks so much.

HENRY: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: And the violence appears to be spreading as we just mentioned. Hundreds of protesters clashing in Yemen's capital today as well. Some were opposing the government, others were in support of it. At least 20 people injured there.

Protests have rocked Yemen for nearly three weeks, but the gatherings have grown more volatile in recent days. Washington fears that if the U.S.-backed government is overthrown, terrorists could make that country even more of a refuge for terrorists than it already is.

And in Libya, a planned day of rage we're told. One newspaper there says at least two people were killed in fights with police. The anti- government demonstrators are growing more violent and images like these are popping up online.

According to many media reports crowds of torched police stations and security buildings -- this Facebook video is actually supposed to be an example of that. CNN cannot independently verify the claim, however.

CNN crews are scattered across the Arab world monitoring all the protests. We're also keeping a close eye on all the latest dispatches going online. So stay with us for continuing coverage of the various protests and the backlash. We will be all over it.

And across the country here, the states scrambling for money as lawmakers try to find solutions to budgets in crisis.

In Wisconsin, at least 15 school systems have been -- have canceled classes today because teachers and other public employees will be at the state capital again protesting the governor's so-called budget repair bill.

Well, the employees say that the bill is an attack on labor organizations and would strip them of collective bargaining rights. It also calls for an increase in employee contributions for benefits.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I agonized over it and, you know, I don't think there's a single teacher that can stand down here and say, I loved calling in sick today. However, this bully needs to be taken care of and this bully needs to be shown what it is that is important to the citizens of Wisconsin.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, Governor Scott Walker wrote on his Twitter account, quote, "This is all about balancing the budget. Wisconsin needs leadership," end quote.

Governor Walker says that his bill is needed to close $137 million budget shortfall through June 30th.

And in Illinois, Governor Pat Quinn says things are so bad the state needs to take out an 8.7 -- an $8.75 billion loan to clear a stack of unpaid bills. Well, the governor's budget attempts to close a $13 billion gap by slashing programs for the elderly, the poor and the disabled. Education funding remains mostly untouched.

And in New York today, Mayor Michael Bloomberg is expected to present a city budget proposal that calls for dismissing more than 4600 teachers. That's just part of a planned layoff of about 10,000 city employees aimed at reducing a $2.4 billion budget deficit.

Well, they're bracing for stormy weather out west and record-high temps in Oklahoma.

Meteorologist Rob Marciano tracking it all.

(WEATHER REPORT)

MARCIANO: Sun also waking up. Have you seen these? There they are. Check it --

PHILLIPS: I was -- yes, I was --is this a --

MARCIANO: Yes. Solar flare.

PHILLIPS: I was just looking online. These -- I mean they're beautiful pictures but you know what? This explosion could really mess up calms for us here on earth, right?

MARCIANO: Yes, I mean, I -- it could affect some GPS gadgetry. You know might affect briefly some mobile phones but it's an intense --

PHILLIPS: So you're saying if I use GPS that -- and I already don't do well with that that I'm really going to get lost?

MARCIANO: Exactly. Are you prepping the bosses for you to be late come tomorrow, because you haven't figured out your way to work?

PHILLIPS: There you go. I can't figure out how to get to work.

(LAUGHTER)

MARCIANO: This thing was the size of Jupiter. This flare.

PHILLIPS: Wow.

MARCIANO: An X class, which is the strongest type, you know, happening 93 million miles away so scheduled to arrive today.

PHILLIPS: Scheduled.

MARCIANO: And tonight. And I think the biggest thing with this will be northern lights that will get down into potentially the mid- latitude so if you live in Chicago or New York and those areas, get away from city lights, look north, and you might see something.

PHILLIPS: But what's the reality that it could impact like cell phones, radio transmissions? GPS?

MARCIANO: You know, the experts that I've chatted with say it shouldn't be that big of a deal. They're hoping that at least. It shouldn't be a devastating blow, but there may be, you know, a brief time where we are at a calm, so to speak.

PHILLIPS: Got you.

MARCIANO: But the sun has been quiet for a couple of years now so it's starting to wake up, we're getting into a more active phase.

PHILLIPS: I've never thought of the sun as being loud.

(LAUGHTER)

MARCIANO: Yes. Yes. I don't think we can hear the sun. We certainly feel it at times.

PHILLIPS: Thanks, Rob. Cool pics, though. I got to say.

MARCIANO: Yes, ought to say that.

PHILLIPS: Very celestial.

MARCIANO: Yes.

PHILLIPS: Thanks, Rob.

MARCIANO: All right. See you.

PHILLIPS: Well, a teacher calls her students lazy, disengaged, whiners, even fantasizes about what she'd really like to put on their report cards. Her comments are brutally honest. They're hilarious, they're snarky, and they're controversial. And now she might get fired. We're talking to her in just a minute.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, 80 pounds of Alaskan cod, 45 pounds of organic vegetables, and 4 gallons of salsa. These mouth-watering ingredients top our trek Cross Country. Students and staff at Atlanta's Emory University actually combined those items to make 260 fish tacos lined up end-to-end. And the goal? To break the record for the world's longest taco line.

Next stop, the campus of Auburn University, where officials say that some of the school's iconic oak trees have been poisoned. Auburn fans traditionally cover the trees with toilet paper to make big game wins. Now the university says that the culprits applied a herbicide commonly used to kill trees. The school says that the trees, believed to be more than 130 years old, are probably not going to survive.

And then, finally, in Phoenix, Arizona, dramatic horse rescue is caught on tape. A filly named Sugar was out for a ride with her owner when something spooked her, sending her falling into a canal. The owner managed to get out, but it took rescuers about a half an hour to actually pull Sugar out and get her to safety.

All right, Mom and Dad, how would you feel if a teacher described your son or daughter as lazy, disengaged, a whiner, an oaf, entitled, or even annoying? Would you be upset with the teacher, with your kid, with yourself maybe?

One high school English teacher near Philadelphia, Natalie Munroe, used those very words to describe her students and posted them on her personal blog for all to see. Now, she never identified the school. She didn't identify the kids. She didn't even identify herself, but the school found out anyway and they suspended her. So, are you thinking, "Bravo, Miss Munroe, what a way to tell the painful truth"? Or do you think that she could have picked maybe a more private, less snarky way to express herself? Well, Natalie is with us this morning, and so is her attorney, Steven Rovner. They join us from Philadelphia.

And Natalie, let me ask you, why did you write these things on your blog? Was this a way to just vent? Or were you frustrated and hoping somehow this would send out a message to these kids?

NATALIE MUNROE, SUSPENDED TEACHER: I was just writing for my friends and for myself. It was a personal blog. It was a way to keep in touch with my friends. I had seven followers. I really never thought that anyone would see it.

PHILLIPS: You had seven followers?

MUNROE: Seven.

PHILLIPS: OK. Well, I think that's increased quite a bit, now that you're talking about this on a national level.

MUNROE: Yes.

PHILLIPS: And let me just -- I mentioned some of the words that you used to describe your students. But I want to go into your fantasy report card.

You actually wrote that if you had a chance to do the report cards for their parents to read, you would actually say things like this. "I hear the trash company is hiring." "I called out sick a couple of days just to avoid your son." "Just as bad as his sibling. Don't you know how to raise kids?" "Nowhere near as good as her sibling. Are you sure they're related?"

OK, we understand free speech. But you had to know that maybe, possibly, a student or two might be following you online and, so, were you thinking, constructive criticism? They've got to hear it somehow? Or did you ever imagine it would be controversial? Do you think this was the right thing to do?

MUNROE: I never, ever thought that it would be controversial or that anyone would see it. Because, again, I wrote it anonymously, I never posted any student names, I never posted my district's name, I never posted my school name.

So, it was really -- I mean, it was up there for over a year. It was discovered over a year after it had been written long since. So, it was never, no, it never occurred to me that anybody would find it or read it or anything like that. I wasn't making a social commentary when I wrote it. I was simply communicating with friends, like a diary for myself and my friends.

PHILLIPS: OK. So, when you wanted to become a teacher, what were you thinking? Were you thinking, oh, this is going to be great. I'm going to meet some fabulous kids, I'm going to make an impact in their life, I'm going to change the world. Why did you want to become a teacher?

MUNROE: All of those things. I love English, I love literature. I always wanted to be able to use my knowledge and sort of help change the world kind of thing. Even if it's on a small scale or a large scale. So, I was very enthusiastic to become a teacher.

I remember five years ago, when I got my own classroom, how exciting it was to go in the summer and set things up, and that was my intention for the whole time. So -- and that has never changed.

PHILLIPS: No. So, you still feel that way. That's still what you would like to do?

MUNROE: I had no plans for a career change. This is just -- this kind of blindsided me so, yes.

PHILLIPS: Now, you seem very young. How long have you been teaching? How many years?

MUNROE: This is my fifth year.

PHILLIPS: OK, you have been only teaching for five years, and you already feel this way. Is it really that bad? Are these kids really that out of control?

MUNROE: Some days are better than others, and some students are better than others. But there is a problem in this education system. So, yes, I think some of them are that bad.

There's a high rate of teacher burnout, and it's an unfortunate thing because I'm not alone in the enthusiasm when I come in and wanted to do everything and change the world.

Most teachers that come in, that's why they come into the field. And really want to make that difference. And it can get unfortunate because sometimes the administration support or the parental support or even the student's engagement is lacking, and that can really suck the life out of you.

PHILLIPS: All right, so, Steve, we, of course, put this whole story on our Twitter, and we've been receiving a lot of tweets. I just want to read some of these. This is what various people are saying. "She should be promoted. Students these days need a good kick in the pants, repeatedly."

This one says, "Well, as a teen myself, I understand what she's saying, but she should know better than to say it out loud. Not all teens are like that."

This one writes in, "If she mentioned names --" or, "If she did not mention names or where she works, people need to leave her alone. We all need to vent about our jobs. They all have -- we all get frustrated." This one says, "She should stay, it's her personal blog, and she's probably spot on. I've heard nuns say worse things while using a paddle."

And then, this person writes in, "I'm sure that teaching is tough, but offensive comments are best kept between girlfriends and not a public forum."

Now, I've got to say, most of our tweets are for Natalie, saying, yes, our kids need discipline, they need a wake-up call, they're too entitled, they're spoiled, they're a pain in the butt. What's your next move, Steve? Are you sort of waiting to see what happens here? And do you have a case?

STEVEN ROVNER, ATTORNEY: Well, we definitely have a case. The school district is basically censoring Natalie for her free speech.

She has struck a nerve, though, with education, and we've received overwhelming support from educators all over that say this is a problem facing America today, and Natalie was honest and open and spoke what they wanted to say and they can't say in their school district.

So, not only do we have a free speech case, a constitutional claim against the school district for the action that we're waiting to see what they ultimately do with it, but we also have -- we struck a nerve in education.

PHILLIPS: And, Natalie, you point that out, too. You say if the scandal opens the door for a conversation, then let that conversation begin.

MUNROE: Right.

PHILLIPS: Well, we sure hope you keep us updated, because you have definitely said a lot of things that a lot of teachers feel and they don't say, and more people have to take responsibility for their children, that is for sure. Follow -- we will follow-up, and let us know what happens, OK?

MUNROE: Thank you very much.

ROVNER: All right, thank you.

PHILLIPS: Thank you. Thanks, Steve, thanks, Natalie.

MUNROE: Take care.

PHILLIPS: Now, the principal sent us a statement just a few minutes ago, and this is what the principal says. "Central Bucks East is no way -- in no way condones or reflects the sentiments and perspectives that this teacher posted. We're proud of our students, our faculty, and our supportive community, and proud of the many positive things that happen in and around our school each day."

We will follow the investigation and see what happens. All right. Cribs today so much safer than the ones that we had growing up. So, why are more than two dozen kids hurt every day in crib-related accidents? We're investigating.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Believe it or not, when you go shopping for a crib, you do your consumer reports, you figure out what you think is the best one. But it's not true. There's a new study that says a lot of them are just not safe, and the accidents -- and the high number of accidents prove that. Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Some of it could be that people actually putting them together poorly, so not constructing well, or putting it too close to the window or blinds, and the kid gets entangled as a result of that. Those can be awful injuries.

A lot of the types of injuries that they're talking about in this new report, 10,000 kids going to the emergency room every year for crib- related injuries, and that's just the kids going to the ER., so probably more injuries. A lot of -- are kids actually falling out, actually falling out of the cribs. So the mattress is too high, or they didn't lower the mattress as the kid became taller.

PHILLIPS: So, do we know it's the construction of a certain crib, a certain brand?

GUPTA: Well, it could be any crib. Just poor -- some poor decisions. If the mattress is too high. You can lower the mattress, for example, in a crib. If it's too high, the kid could actually fall out. Kids are top heavy.

PHILLIPS: OK.

GUPTA: You're going to know this pretty soon, Kyra. But their heads are a lot bigger than their bodies. Take a look at the picture, for example.

PHILLIPS: OK.

GUPTA: They're just top heavy. Usually about two centimeters bigger on the head -- I don't know if we have the picture.

PHILLIPS: OK.

GUPTA: But take my word for it. The head grows --

PHILLIPS: There we go.

GUPTA: Faster than the body, about two centimeters bigger. So, if a kid is leaning over the edge, they're much more likely to fall out. And that's the attention they wanted to draw to this.

Yes, there are recalls of a lot of these, 500,000 bassinets were recalled just yesterday. So, voluntarily recalled. So, that happens. But this has more to do with just some decision-making about keeping their kids safe.

PHILLIPS: As parents.

GUPTA: Yes.

PHILLIPS: OK. It's how we put it together, or how we have it set up?

GUPTA: Not too close to the windows. Keep it bare. Keep the crib bare. You don't want to put a lot of blankets, stuffed toys in there, that can smother a child. Those baby bumpers?

PHILLIPS: Yes.

GUPTA: They can stand on those and fall out of the crib. There's all sorts of common sense things that bear reminding, I guess, from time to time, especially for moms-to-be.

PHILLIPS: Well, I was just going to say, and on a funny note, and I know we've got to go, but a lot of us remembering growing up, people that were working, going to school, having kids, they put their babies in a drawer because they couldn't afford a crib. I have a number of stories --

GUPTA: Were you raised in a drawer?

PHILLIPS: No, I was not drawer -- I was not drawer baby. Luckily, my mom had a little bassinet for me that was given to her, but I still figured a way to escape.

GUPTA: I thought you were sharing something with us.

PHILLIPS: How about you?

GUPTA: No. I think I'd -- I don't remember. I think it was a crib.

PHILLIPS: OK. Thank you. Well, it's good to know. We should check the recalls and also pay attention to how we're putting them together.

GUPTA: Absolutely.

PHILLIPS: Thanks, Sanjay.

GUPTA: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Well, police and military are on the move in Bahrain, and they're cracking down on protesters like we have not seen. More than a hundred people have been sent to the hospital, and we're going to take you there for the very latest.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

PHILLIPS: Well, we're talking about Bahrain now and the numbers are changing. But the basic facts are the same. During the middle of the night, government forces converged on sleeping demonstrators and just let loose. At least three people are dead, possibly hundreds more are injured and yet, another regime faces growing outrage.

"New York Times" columnist Nick Kristof joined us yesterday and we have him back on the phone joining us from the capital once again.

Nick, you've been doing incredible reporting. Yesterday, totally different story from what you're talking about today. This has really gotten more violent. And you've actually seen a lot of things that are not being reported?

NICHOLAS KRISTOF, "NEW YORK TIMES" (via telephone): Well, the Bahrain government broadcasts are simply delusional. They have been reporting that the army went into create security and that these democracy protesters had -- or were threatening the authorities with (INAUDIBLE), this kind of thing.

I mean, as somebody who was out on the Pearl roundabout, which was where -- which is the Bahrain version of Tahrir Square, the center of it all, there were simply huge, vast throngs of men and women and small children and the authorities attacked them in the early morning hours.

At the hospital, they received 600 people as of 8:00 a.m., with shotgun blasts, with beatings, with rubber bullets, and even hospital -- even ambulance drivers and ambulance paramedics showed me their injuries and told me they had been beaten by the police for trying to tend the injured.

PHILLIPS: Nick, and we're trying to get -- trying to figure out who is in charge. Is it the army? Is it the police? Is it the king? Who is issuing -- who's actually directing forces to do what?

KRISTOF: Well, it is the Khalifa family, which is the royal family. And King Hamid is, you know, in charge of the whole thing, but with input from his family. And I think there's no doubt, indeed, this is coming direct from the king.

Shortly before the crackdown, he appeared in his military uniform. And I think that, you know, was one element of sending a message. His helicopter with the royal insignia was spotted flying over the Pearl roundabout shortly before the attack. And so I think this is King Hamid's last stand and -- I shouldn't say last stand, because at the end of the day, you know, shooting people may well enable him to remain in power for some time.

But I think it's a measure of his perception that he was losing ground and that sending in the troops this way was the only way to assure that he would remain on top.

PHILLIPS: Final question, Nick, before I let you go. You know, this is where the United States Navy, the Fifth Fleet is based.

Any word on how the U.S. Military might respond, definitely will not respond? I mean, this has got to be shaky ground for the U.S. and Bahrain right now.

KRISTOF: It is absolutely fascinating, actually, how little the United States enters into the equation. Neither protesters nor the government particularly bring it up. I asked the Americans and they really didn't have much to say one way or the other. You know, at the end of the day, this is an exceptionally close American ally who is firing on its people.

PHILLIPS: Wow. Nick Kristof with the "New York Times," we'll continue to talk. Great job, as I said, covering this story for us. Appreciate it.

Coming up, the New York senator from Massachusetts has a new book coming out. He actually writes about being the victim of sexual abuse at the hands of a camp counselor. You're going to hear about it next.

And also, the measures a local business in Ohio is going to, to get George Clooney while he films a movie in Cincinnati.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(VIDEO CLIP, PUNCHLINE)

PHILLIPS: OK. That was funny.

MARCIANO: A lot of money for a computer to spend. Of course the compute was going to run.

PHILLIPS: Three days of competition and the computer wins. So now, apparently, the computer gets this million dollar prize. Oh, here we go, the money goes to charity.

MARCIANO: Of course it does.

PHILLIPS: All right. Very good.

MARCIANO: Well I see the computer does have a heart, after all.

(LAUGHTER)

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIPS: Well the good thing is is that Brad Rutter, he got third place. He got about $22,000. And then Ken Jennings, who got second place, got $24,000. So that's good.

MARCIANO: So they were paid for their time.

PHILLIPS: Yes, exactly. And they're still very smart guys.

MARCIANO: They are the best.

PHILLIPS: All right. Now here's another one. George Clooney is headed to Ohio. Are you a Clooney fan? You like him? You respect him?

MARCIANO: Who wouldn't be.

PHILLIPS: He's a man's man. MARCIANO: He's a guy's guy. He's a good actor and he's funny.

PHILLIPS: Handsome man, too.

Well apparently, there's this man that owns a business there and wants George Clooney to stop by while he is filming this movie so look what he's done.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is our homage to George Clooney. We decided to have a little fun with it, roll out the red carpet in our own way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARCIANO: Let's hope the Vatican didn't have their TV set on there.

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIPS: Well, a woman living in Canada just celebrated her 115th birthday and shows no signs of slowing down. Oh, yes. Find out what keeps her going right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: They may not be BFF's. But a political odd couple has definitely found some common ground on Capitol Hill.

Mark Preston has got the scoop for us out of Washington. Hey, Mark.

MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL EDITOR: No audio. Don't come to me.

PHILLIPS: No audio, don't come to him but we came to him. Oops, smile, smile and look like that never happened. Hi Mark.

PRESTON: Hey, Kyra.

Yes, who would have thought that the odd couple on Capitol Hill on Wednesday would have been big business and big labor. You know, we talk a lot about Felix and Oscar who were television's "Odd Couple". But yesterday we saw Richard -- Richard Trumka who is the AFL-CIO president as well as Thomas Donahue who is the head of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce talking about infrastructure spending.

These two gentlemen went to Capitol Hill yesterday and they acknowledged that they have differences on a lot of policy issues. But when it comes to spending on infrastructure, they were there together.

In fact, Trumka had a funny line. He said "The fact that Mr. Donahue and I appear before you today does not mean that hell has frozen over or unicorns are roaming the land. The fact is while there are many policy areas where we sharply disagree we both realize the country needs to step up our investment in America." You know, there was a lot of controversy last week regarding the Conservative Political Action Conference, and the inclusion of GOProud which is a gay conservative organization. Well, the question was would they be allowed to come back next year. Would social conservatives be so upset at their inclusion that it would break apart the Republican Party?

Well, it seems that GOProud was able to get beyond that. In fact Ann Coulter gave a very spirited defense of GOProud at the CPAC conference. We saw Andrew Breitbart hold a party in their honor. And next week, they are going to actually have a fund-raiser at the Virginia home of Mary Matalin. Tickets are $500 per person. GOProud tells me that they hope to raise about a $100,000 and they expect to use that money to help expand their operations.

And in fact, what GOProud also says is that the attacks on them are not necessarily from the right but actually from the left.

And Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown has some very disturbing revelations in a new book set for release on Monday. He's done an interview with CBS. He says that at the age of 10, Kyra, he was sexually abused. In addition to that, he said that he was not only psychologically abused but was also physically abused by some of his mother's fathers -- step-fathers of his.

Scott Brown has never revealed this -- this awful past, including to his mother and father. And, in fact, he said when people find more -- when people -- rather, when people find people like me at that young vulnerable age who are basically lost the thing they have over you is that they make you believe that no one will believe you. He was threatened not to say anything.

So disturbing allegations and we'll see Scott Brown's book appear in the book stores on Monday -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, yes we'll be talking more about it as well. Mark, thanks so much.

And coming up, as we watch the new protests in Bahrain, we're going to take a look at the worldwide reaction to this latest string of anti- government demonstrations in the Middle East.

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PHILLIPS: Bloody protests in Bahrain, the latest Arab state facing a wave of descent following revolts that toppled the leaders of Tunisia and Egypt. And the world is reacting in this "Morning Passport".

CNN's Zain Verjee joining us from London with the latest. Hey, Zain.

ZAIN VERJEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hey there Kyra, Guten tag, let's start in Germany with the Taged Zeitung (ph) take a look at their headline today. It reads, "Here speaks the revolution, revolution in Tunisia, the fall of Mubarak in Egypt, the Arab world is in transition." Much of the demonstrations you are seeing, Kyra, around the Arab world have the same issues. You know, there are high unemployment, high cost of living, they got problems with a lot of that corruption that's there in the country and they're fed up with autocratic leaders.

Take a look at what "Arab News" is saying, it has a headline of "Unrest hits Libya". Libya is really important to the U.S., Kyra, because of oil. The U.S. gets about 80,000 barrels of oil a day from Libya as well as Libya and Gadhafi has really cooperated with the U.S. on intelligence in fighting al Qaeda and terrorism.

Also the same paper talks about Bahrain where demonstrators it says are digging in, but at 3:00 in the morning, security forces went in there and violently cleared out people. At least three people were killed and hundreds were injured. Bahrain is really important too because it's strategic for the United States and the Arab world, has a big naval presence. And they also consider Bahrain to be a bulwark against Shia Iran.

So that's some of the stories in the region that we're following, and those are some of the headlines.

But one of the headlines in Canada, out of Toronto, Kyra, is about a 115-year-old granny. She is really cute. Take a look at her. It's her birthday. She was born in 1896. She survived the earthquake in Haiti and she came over to live with her grandson in Toronto. She says that she sews, she watches TV, she likes cartoons and Spider Man and she prays and laughs a lot to stay healthy.

PHILLIPS: I bet you it's the laugh. It's the laugh that keeps her young. That is just absolutely amazing.

VERJEE: I know. Do you think you can live to 115 laughing and sewing and dancing the way she does?

PHILLIPS: I remember the last 100-year-old, I said, "What's the key?" She said a shot of whiskey every morning.

VERJEE: That's some good advice.

PHILLIPS: Yes, exactly. Thanks Zain.

VERJEE: All right. Thanks Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, we're following lots of developments in the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM. Let's check in first with our Jason Carroll -- Jason.

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Wisconsin's governor says he's trying to save jobs, but protesters say that he's trying to destroy labor unions, the battle over the budget. I'm going to have that story for you Kyra, coming up at the top of the hour.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Jim Acosta in Washington. Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown Scott Brown has a new book out. In it he reveals details about his childhood his own mother didn't know. I'll have the story coming up.

MARCIANO: And I'm Rob Marciano in the CNN Severe Weather Center. We have warm air that's moving into the eastern two-thirds of the country. And that's when it's cold on the ground, has a -- make for some fog here in Atlanta, Chicago, slowing down flights. Also talking about the West Coast storm, all in the next hour -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, thanks guys.

Also ahead, they brought down a suspected shoplifter carrying a gun, but it wound up costing them their jobs. Well, we're going to meet the ex-Wal-Mart employees who are hailed as heroes and now out of work. Question, would you hire one of them? Well, guess what? You can hear their 30 second pitch and decide.

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PHILLIPS: All right, we wanted more for little Lee this time around. He had some hard luck.

JEFF FISCHEL, HLN SPORTS: You know, he's really struggled even though he is the most popular racer in all of Nascar. This looks like this might finally be the year for Little Lee at the Daytona 500. He qualified to start on the pole.

Everything was set up right for Dale Earnhardt Jr. He qualified, first position. Yesterday this happened, crashed on practice. Teammate Jimmy Johnson was right in front of him. He had to lift off the gas due to slower traffic that's when Dale Jr. bumped him, Earnhardt bumped into another car, spun out. So now, you see it's the car that's on the pole, not really the driver.

Since the car is out, he goes from being on the pole to last.

PHILLIPS: That's a bummer.

FISCHEL: So he will goes from starting in the front row to starting at the very last spot.

PHILLIPS: He's made some comebacks though. You never know. He could come up from behind.

FISCHEL: It would be great and, of course, this year being the tenth anniversary of his father's death at Daytona.

Let's do this. In Iowa, wrestling is a huge deal there. It's a huge sport there. Cassie Herkelman of Cedar Falls may become the first female to ever win a match at the state high school tournament. Now, her win may come because her opponent is considering a forfeit due to his religious beliefs. His faith makes him very uneasy about wrestling a girl. Herkelman is the first girl to qualify for the tournament since it starts back in the 1920s. So, Kyra, even just making this is a huge deal. And it looks like she may even move on a round.

PHILLIPS: I want to know what religion it is and what does it say about not wrestling a gal.

FISCHEL: I wouldn't be surprised if guys just get a little uncomfortable wrestling a girl. I'll say that.

PHILLIPS: Uh-huh. He just doesn't want to lose. That's what I think.

FISCHEL: There may be something to that (ph).

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: Jeff Fischel, thank you. See you tomorrow.

FISCHEL: All right, Kyra. Thanks. OK.