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Violence Spreads in Libya; Teachers in Madison Might Return to Class Soon; Doctor Busted for DUI Caught on Tape; Convicted Judge's Kickbacks Cost Lives; Being Bilingual Could Delay Onset of Alzheimer's Disease; Who Could Run for President in 2012?; Somali Pirates Strike Again; Trevor Bayne Wins Daytona 500

Aired February 21, 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. Thanks so much. It's 9:00 a.m. on the East Coast, 6:00 a.m. out West.

Three major stories we're watching for you right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SANDY FONZO, SON TOOK HIS LIFE AFTER INCARCERATION: My kid is not here. He's dead because of him. He ruined my (EXPLETIVE DELETED) life. I would like him to go to hell and rot there forever. Do you remember my son?

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: That's a mom railing on the man she blames for her son's suicide. You will understand her rage when you realized what this guy, a former judge, actually did.

We're also watching Madison, Wisconsin, right now light snow and a high of 29 degrees, but still hot with protests.

And we're starting off with the chaos in Libya. Chaos that seems to be spreading like wildfire.

I'll tell you what, the video and the reports streaming out of Libya right now, at this hour, are just down right disturbing. We're hearing at least one government building is on fire in Tripoli.

Media reports say protesters ransacked the state television station and set fire to a government building. In Libya's second largest city Benghazi, reports now saying the government has lost its grip there and that it's now under the protesters' control.

And we've seen the teargas used against demonstrators. Human rights watch puts the death toll at at least 233 people. And now Moammar Gadhafi's son spoke on TV with these chilling words.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAIF GADHAFI, MOAMMAR GADHAFI'S SON (Through Translator): We're not Egypt. We're not Tunisia. We will have weapons. Everyone has access to weapons. Instead of crying over 84 killed people, we will be crying over thousands. Blood will flow, rivers of blood in all the cities of Libya.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Now foreign journalists are not allowed inside Libya so covering this story is extremely difficult. It's not impossible. The Libyan government has an iron grip on communications and it continues to ignore our requests for access.

Fionnuala Sweeney has to do her best to cover this story from Cairo.

So, Fionnuala, what else can you tell us besides what we're barely getting via the Internet?

FIONNUALA SWEENEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, what we are hearing from sources in Tripoli right now is that there are helicopters in the sky overhead the city. People are fearing that there will be an attack. The city reportedly quite quiet at the moment. But we understand that as many as 70 bodies were brought into hospitals last night.

Now funnily enough when we tried to contact hospitals in Tripoli, they say everything is fine. That no bodies have been brought to the hospital.

It's extremely difficult, as you highlight it there, Kyra, to get through to anybody in Tripoli and when we do they are fearful of speaking. This is not like the situation we saw in Benghazi in recent days. There was of course difficulty getting through to people, but they were willing to talk. Most of those that we got through to.

The situation in Tripoli extremely tense. Those 70 bodies allegedly brought into hospitals as a result of clashes last night as Saif Gadhafi, the son of Colonel Moammar Gadhafi, was speaking on Libyan state TV warning that unless everybody came around the table in the next 48 hours, Libya would face a bloody civil war.

PHILLIPS: And Fionnuala, what do we know about Moammar Gadhafi? We heard from his second eldest son. Where is he? Why haven't we heard from him?

SWEENEY: Well, we haven't seen any footage of him on the Libyan state television at all for the last couple of days. He had been seemed surrounded by pro-Gadhafi supporters in the capital Tripoli, which is, of course, his stronghold.

There are many people talking about why Saif Gadhafi was put on the air last night and not somebody from one of the higher echelons of the government, although obviously Saif, it goes without saying, extremely well connected.

He is a man who's in his 30s. He's an architect. He said we needed to be honest about this, quote-unquote, "what had happened."

PHILLIPS: Yes.

SWEENEY: But then he went on to say that these demonstrations and the violence we've seen in Benghazi have been caused by thugs and criminals and people who were drunk or either on drugs. And saying that in Tripoli the army would stand by their man to the last man.

PHILLIPS: Fionnuala Sweeney, live from Cairo, thanks so much.

And Libya isn't the only place where there's unrest. Go over to Iran where witnesses say that thousands of security officers cracked down in Tehran and other major cities on Sunday.

Witnesses say that crowds of protesters shouted death to the dictator and security agents in Tehran's Revolution Square chanted, "I'll give my life for the leader." So by night fall the streets were said to be quiet with only the occasional buzz of security forces' motorcycles.

And then another Middle East hot spot may be cooling a little bit. We're talking about the crowned prince in Bahrain has now instructed security forces to go home and he's also allowed the opposition to retake the capital's main square.

He says he was deeply sorry for recent protester deaths and that all political parties in Bahrain would have a seat at the table.

Now back here at home it looks like some teachers in Wisconsin will be going back to work, just not today. Thousands of protesters expected in Madison again. About 50,000 demonstrators showed up on Saturday including Tea Partiers who support the Governor Scott Walker's budget bill and parents fed up with canceled classes.

Walker not budging on the big issue here, though, a limiting collective bargaining rights for everything but wages.

Our Casey Wian is there.

So, Casey, some teachers will go back to work this week, right?

CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's the understanding we have. They took a vote yesterday, late yesterday to decide what to do. Of course teachers were off for three days last week, closing down schools in many areas of the state of Wisconsin. What they decided is to urge those members to go back to work this week.

What complicates the situation a little bit is it's Presidents Day. And some Wisconsin school districts recognize Presidents Day, others do not. So some teachers will be back to work even as early as today. Others will be here, we're told, protesting. Most of them we expect, though, will be back to work on Tuesday.

Now of course, over the weekend, we saw, as you mentioned, massive protests from opponents of this controversial legislation that would strip collective bargaining rights for many of the states' public employee unions.

Protests on both sides of the issue, though, the greater numbers were turned out by the opponents of this legislation proposed by Governor Scott Walker.

One dramatic scene we were able to witness firsthand yesterday inside the state capitol where protests moved because the weather was so bad yesterday, a group of firefighters walked in to massive applause from the fellow protesters who were inside.

What's interesting about that is these firefighters along with other public safety workers are actually exempt from this proposed legislation but they still showed up here to show their support for these teachers and other striking workers.

In terms of the legislation front, it is Presidents Day so no legislative business is being conducted today. And those state Democrats, state Democratic senators are still remaining outside of the state lines, which is going to prevent this legislation from moving forward when business resumes here tomorrow -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Casey, any idea when this standoff might end?

WIAN: It's really tough to say. The governor has said that he is not going to budge. He's not going to talk to the unions until those Democratic lawmakers come back to town and perhaps not even then. So we're going to have to wait to see until tomorrow if they decide to return to the state capitol and do the business that they're elected to do.

The governor says he's not going to budge. They're saying they're not going to budge. Right now it's a standoff. Perhaps there'll be movement tomorrow -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Got it. We'll keep following it with you.

Thanks, Casey.

And the teachers shouldn't get into any trouble for missing so much school. Why? Because they have doctors notes. Good idea. The old dog-ate-my-homework excuse doesn't really work here. But one protester says that some doctors believe the governor is also targeting BadgerCare, the state's health care program. And these notes are not their way of protesting or these notes are, rather, their way of protesting.

Now trying to avoid a government shutdown the Republican-led House approved slashing more than $61 billion from the 2011 budget early Saturday. But Senate Democrats say that those cuts don't have a chance of passing there. Congress has a March 4th deadline to reach agreement on a budget or face a government shutdown.

And perhaps something positive in the aftermath of that January deadly shooting spree in Tucson, Arizona, former Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush will be honorary chairmen of a new National Institute for Civil Discourse at the University of Arizona. Well, the institute will do research on civility in political debate.

Six people died in that shooting as you know, 13 were hurt including Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.

Happy Presidents Day, everyone. From Midwesterners who didn't get the day off, though, Mother Nature may have helped you. A major snowstorm will thoroughly complicate that commute into work.

Meteorologist Rob Marciano has some snow totals for us today.

ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes. Just when we got a little bit of a break last week, boom, Mother Nature throws winter -- reminds us that winter is certainly here.

(WEATHER REPORT)

MARCIANO: Did you see this video of the National Christmas Tree.

PHILLIPS: Oh, my gosh.

MARCIANO: Bang.

PHILLIPS: It snapped.

MARCIANO: Like a toothpick. I mean there are winds gusting at about 50 miles or so in D.C. on Saturday. And this tree which is at 42 feet high --

PHILLIPS: Forty-two feet high.

MARCIANO: Yes. Blue spruce, it's been around 32 years or so, was imported from York, Pennsylvania. We could say that. My understanding, a farm there.

PHILLIPS: Is that really importing?

MARCIANO: Yes, exactly, go over there. We couldn't bring in, you know, the National Christmas Tree from out of states.

PHILLIPS: No. Of course. It's got to be local.

MARCIANO: So they're going to have to get themselves another one before they light that puppy up come December.

PHILLIPS: And they're going to, right?

MARCIANO: Yes. Yes, I'm not sure where it's coming from -- maybe from Connecticut? I'm not sure where it's coming from.

PHILLIPS: OK.

MARCIANO: They're going to get a new one in there. And they'll make some useful compost out of that one.

PHILLIPS: Good. Because that's like -- I mean every year.

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIPS: The live shot, we show the video. Yes. All right.

MARCIANO: It was a natural cause at least.

PHILLIPS: Yes. That's true. At least someone wasn't in there, you know.

MARCIANO: Exactly.

PHILLIPS: Burning it down, chopping it down. Thanks, Rob.

Well, thousands of Auburn University fans rallied under their beloved oak trees on Saturday hoping that those oak trees allegedly poisoned by a disgruntled University of Alabama fan might be saved.

The 62-year-old former police official is actually charged with poisoning two of those trees. Neither of the oak trees are expected to survive.

And we continue to bring you the latest out of Libya where the last check protesters have ransacked the state television station and set fire to a government building. In just a few minutes, we're actually going to try and connect with a man that's living there as he live streams the events that are happening just outside his home.

And a mother's sorrow matched only by her rage. Listen to her confront the man that she blames for her son's suicide.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FONZO: My kid's not here. He's dead because of him. He ruined my (EXPLETIVE DELETED) life. I'd like him to go to hell and rot there forever. Do you remember my son? An all-star wrestler? He's gone.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, when last call doesn't cut it, some incredible surveillance tape tops our look at Cross Country. This happened Wednesday at 1:30 in the morning. This SUV plows into the front of a Massachusetts liquor store. The driver gets out, apparently looking to whet his whistle. Couldn't reach the bottle, so he ends up just taking off.

And later, in a DUI arrest -- oh yes, up until this point, he was well respected in the community. His name, Dr. Joseph Grillo.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSEPH GRILLO, FACING DUI CHARGES: I feel very, very badly about what happened and plan to take suitable action.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Animal control officers in Boise, Idaho, took suitable action when they heard about a Jack Russell terrier cut in a tight spot. Like a drainage pipe for some 19 hours. His name? Eddie. You can hear the one-year-old pooch whimpering during the entire rescue, but all's well that ends well. Eddie is now free, his owner, ecstatic.

And from Englewood, Florida, necessity is the mother of invention. Since brain Davis was -- Brian Davis, rather, was injured in a traffic accident decades ago, he found conventional wheelchairs to be a real pain. So, he made his own type of transportation. It's something akin to a motorized gurney. He calls it an "IGMA," short for "It Gets Me Around." It could be a prototype, as Brian is thinking about building more to help injured service men and women.

Well, you just can't listen to this story without a chill running down your spine. A mother confronts the man that she blames for her son's suicide. The emotion and the rage, well, about as raw as it gets.

And you know what? You just can't help but think that this guy had it coming. He's basically an insult to American justice in general, and to her in particular. CNN's Jason Carroll, here, with today's Talker.

Jason, it's -- you just, you can completely understand where this mother is coming from when you get all the details behind this story.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, I know you've seen that video, we've all looked at it, and you can really feel her pain. CNN first reported on this two years ago when it was alleged two Pennsylvania judges had received kickbacks for sending children to juvenile detention. Some as young as ten years old, hauled off for minor offenses, such as trespassing or fighting on a school bus.

Now, a jury has found Mark Ciavarella and another former judge guilty of racketeering and receiving payment nearly $1 million. Prosecutors say the payments coming from the builder of a privately-run juvenile detention center, where the judges sent many of the children. Apparently, the facility made money by increasing head count.

The guilty verdict is too little, too late, for one mother. Sandy Fonzo berated Ciavarella after he was convicted on Friday. Her only child was one of the teens sent to the juvenile detention facility. Fonzo believes it ultimately led to her son's suicide.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SANDY FONZO, SON TOOK HIS LIFE AFTER INCARCERATION: My kid's not here anymore!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ma'am --

FONZO: My kid's not here! He's dead! Because of him! He ruined my (EXPLETIVE DELETED) life! I'd like him to go to hell and rot there forever!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ma'am, come on.

FONZO: No. You know what he told everybody in court?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on --

FONZO: They need to be accountable for their actions! You need to be! Do you remember me? Do you remember me? Do you remember my son? An all-star wrestler. He's gone, he shot himself in the heart. You scumbag!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: You know, Kyra, Ciavarella didn't say anything to her at that moment. He turned his back on her for a moment and simply walked away. Ciavarella was able to walk away simply because he's currently free pending sentencing. Fonzo later told CNN she was outraged the former judge was allowed to walk out of the courthouse after the verdict.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FONZO: There is no justice. He'll never receive my sentence, what I have to live with every day of my life without my son. He left on that beautiful day yesterday to go back with his family.

I have nothing anymore, and he still has no -- nothing. It was -- it was all for nothing. It was all for greed and for more and more. He never had enough, and he took everything from me. And I'll never, never forgive him, no.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: Well, Ciavarella plans to appeal the decision. The other judge in the case, Michael Conahan, pleaded guilty to racketeering last year and is currently awaiting sentencing. Kyra?

PHILLIPS: That is -- it's just so hard to see -- to see a parent feeling like that, and this guy just kind of calmly walking away, Jason. It's a story we're not going to let go, that's for sure.

CARROLL: Thanks, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: More than 200 people dead, and now Moammar Gadhafi's son says it's going to get worse. If we could take you live to Libya, we would. But we can't get access, so we're getting creative. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: All morning, we've been telling you how we've been trying to get access into Libya but foreign journalists haven't been able to get in there, so we've had to try and cover this story the best that we can, a lot of it out of Cairo, a lot of it via whatever protesters can get on the internet.

And we thought we were going to be able to actually do some live streaming out of there. We still cannot get that connection put through, but we are trying to do that for you, so we can bring you some type of live picture out of Libya, where we're getting all kinds of reports of human rights abuses, deaths, and a lot of unrest that began almost a week ago, now.

This is what we do have. This is what we have gotten in. This is actually out of Tripoli, where protesters were setting fire to cars. And we're told at least one government building, as well. And then, security forces are said to have used teargas against a lot of the demonstrators. Now, one of the most chilling things that we've heard is that in -- well, Moammar Gadhafi's second-eldest son has spoken out, we'll get to that in a minute, but in Libya's second-largest city of Benghazi, well, protesters apparently are in complete control of that.

And then, as I mentioned, Human Rights Watch is putting the death toll to at least 233 people, now. And we'll hear more from Moammar Gadhafi's second eldest son, who spoke out and gave some chilling words on television over the last 24 hours. You'll hear more from him in just a second.

But even before the fall of Egypt's president, protests were hitting Libya because of low-quality housing and high unemployment, as well. But it was Hosni Mubarak's ouster on February 11th that actually lit the fuse for Libya's demonstrators, who seemed to grow more intense and determined as each day passed.

Our Don Lemon actually takes a look at the timeline on how it got to where it is today.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DON LEMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): February 14th. Peaceful demonstrations, fueled through Facebook, are planned against Libya's leader, Moammar Gadhafi, who supported Mubarak before his exit.

February 16. About 200 demonstrators hit the streets in the coastal city of Benghazi to rally for human rights activist, Fethi Tarbel. Police make few arrests.

February 17. State-run media outlets report 110 political prisoners are released, but the move doesn't stop calls for a Day of Rage, meant for the fifth anniversary of a bloody protest that left 12dead. Medical sources say seven die on this day after clashes between demonstrators and security forces.

February 18. Gadhafi supporters rally back in Tripoli. But on the coast in Benghazi, security forces reportedly attack anti-government backers. Numbering in the tens of thousands, Medical sources report 20 die and 200 are hurt.

February 19. Benghazi gets worse. Reports leak out of teargas and bullets. A doctor says his hospital has seen at least 30 bodies. And Human Rights Watch tallies 84 dead over the last five days.

February 20. Benghazi boils over. Violence surges, and protesters strike, demanding change. Eyewitnesses say demonstrators have taken the city and much of Tripoli. A ban on foreign reporters makes the claim difficult to confirm. But Gadhafi's son, Seif al-Islam, warns the protesters to stop or, quote, "blood will flow. Rivers of blood in all the cities of Libya."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Now, revolution. It's sweeping across Libya. So, how does the US respond? A live report from our State Department Correspondent right after this break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: It's almost 9:30 in the nation's capital, 8:30 in Madison, Wisconsin. And that's where a start to our Top Stories begins. More demonstrations expected today at the state capital over the government's budget plan. Governor Scott Walker wants to remove most collective bargaining rights for public workers.

A number of schools were closed last week when teachers called in sick. And our correspondent in Madison says that some teachers will be going back to work this week, but not all of them.

And if you filed -- or, filled your car up in the last few days, then you know, the price for a gallon of gas has risen five cents in the past two weeks. Lundberg Survey of gas prices nationwide finds the average price for regular is now $3.18. That's up 55 cents from more than a year ago.

British Prime Minister David Cameron arrived in Cairo, Egypt, today for talks with that country's interim military leaders. The Egyptian military has been in charge since President Hosni Mubarak was forced to resign February 11th. It is the first visit of the head of state to Egypt since Mubarak's departure.

Well, revolution fever is gripping Libya this morning. Already this year revolutions in Tunisia, north of Libya and Egypt to the east, have seen their long-time leaders topple. Anti-government protests in Libya began almost a week ago. And we've seen the teargas used against demonstrators. Human Rights Watch actually puts the death toll at at least 233 people. And now, Moammar Gadhafi's son speaks on state TV with these chilling words.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAIF GADHAFI, SON OF MOAMMAR GADHAFI (through translator): We're not Egypt. We're not Tunisia. We will have weapons. Everyone has access to weapons. Instead of crying over 84 killed people, we'll be crying over thousands. Blood will flow. Rivers of blood in all the cities of Libya.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton weighed in on the situation in Libya.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, SECRETARY OF STATE: We've been very clear from the beginning, that we do not want to see any violence, we deplore it. We think it is absolutely unacceptable. We very much want to see the human rights of the people protected, including right to assemble, right to express themselves, and we want to see reform.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: CNN's foreign affairs correspondent Jill Dougherty joining us from Washington.

So, Jill, what realistically can the U.S. do about the bloodshed? And then after hearing Moammar Gadhafi's son. I mean, that was chilling.

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it was. And, you know, Kyra, the senior administration official, this morning, is saying that the White House actually is examining that speech by the son of Moammar Gadhafi and looking for any potential there might be in that for reform. You heard Secretary Clinton mention that word.

But that aside, the concern really is the violence. This is the bloodiest uprising so far in the Mideast and North Africa. And one of the problems is the State Department trying to analyze this is having a very difficult time because media are not allowed in there, human rights organizations are not allowed in there. So it's very hard to really appreciate and understand precisely what is happening.

But from the top to the bottom, any type of contacts that they have with the Libyan government, the U.S. is urging that the violence stop -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Now, with all these demonstrations and revolutions in the Mid-East and North Africa, how does this impact Americans directly?

DOUGHERTY: You know, that's a really good question because so many of these countries are different. But Libya has one thing that some of the other countries do not have and that is oil. They're a major oil exporter. They were really, because of Moammar Gadhafi, for years kind of the rogues. Moammar Gadhafi presenting himself as a revolutionary.

But more recently they gave tried a little bit of reform and their economy is beginning to get integrated more. However, one of the problems is that money that's coming from their oil industry is not going down to the people. And that is one of the big reasons that's fueling this revolt.

But ultimately it could have an effect on oil prices. There are many different things. Also Kyra, one thing we're hearing from U.S. officials is that they're very worried about people emigrating, refugees leaving that entire region and going to Europe. That could cause destabilization in Europe, as well -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: We'll be following it on so many different levels.

Jill, thanks so much.

So, what is in a name? Acknowledging social media in the Egyptian revolution is what we're talking about here. One couple actually naming their daughter Facebook.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) PHILLIPS: So there's talk now being bilingual could delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease. That's what this new study says. Researchers in Toronto studied 450 Alzheimer's patients. They found that being bilingual does nothing to prevent Alzheimer's Disease from striking. But it can help delay symptoms by four or five years. If you haven't mastered a second language yet, well, there's still time. Scientists say that even those who try to learn another language later in life stand to gain.

A new study that says HPV, a sexually transmitted disease is being linked to a rise in oral cancers. It may even pose a larger risk now, than tobacco. Some forms of HPV are already known to cause cervical cancer in women. And doctors are saying teens should pay extra close attention to this new warning since many are under the impression that oral sex is not anything to worry about.

And then flu has reached an epidemic level in the U.S. This is according to the Centers of Disease Control. We're told that the flu is circulating in all 50 states. And experts say that each year about 200,000 Americans are actually hospitalized with the virus. Thirty- seven thousand people will die. The CDC encourages flu vaccinations for people over six-months old. Health experts say talk to your doctor before getting the shot.

Well, we're less than a year away from votes being cast in the first presidential contest of 2012. And some big name politicians are saying no way, no how to running. We'll tell you about these non- candidates.

A new reason to check your mailbox. The invitations have been sent for the impending royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. We'll tell you who is on the guest list and who's not.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: On this Presidents Day we're checking out who could be running for the White House next year. And this hour we kick off our day-long coverage of the contenders, and they include some politicians who could be advised to never say never.

Here's our Candy Crowley.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Political reporter are like market researchers, always looking for the next big thing.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": Are you going to run for the Republican presidential nomination?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. No, I'm not.

KATHLEEN PARKER, CNN CO-HOST, "PARKER SPITZER": You have said running for president steals the soul or something along those lines.

GOV. RICK PERRY (R), TEXAS: I probably said that. But more importantly I said I'm not interested in leaving the best job in America.

CROWLEY: Texas Governor Rick Perry, South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint, Governors Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Chris Christie of New Jersey. Most people couldn't pick any of them out of a lineup. All say they will not run for president in 2012. And in varying degrees, all are hot in the circles of political power. So much so that 10 months into his first term in New Jersey governor, Christie, a Republican "It" boy, got sick of answering the question.

GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: What do you want me to say? I'll jump off a building if they nominate me? So, I mean, I can't say this any other way. I am not a candidate for president.

CROWLEY: Well, he could have said, if nominated I will not run; if elected I will not serve. That's what General William Sherman said in 1886, definitively eliminating any freak presidential scenario that might arise, and giving birth to the term "Shermanesque statement."

Jindal got the test on MSNBC's "Hardball."

GOV. BOBBY JINDAL (R), LOUISIANA: I'm absolutely not running for president. I know you have guests that are coy with you. There are no caveats in that statement. You can book (ph) it, you can take this video --

CHRIS MATTHEWS, MSNBC HOST, "HARDBALL": Shermanesque.

JINDAL: I'm not running for president.

CROWLEY: And if there are 50 ways to leave your lover, there are 100 ways to ask the mayor of New York if he aspires to a different zip code.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Mayor, your speech about the national economy yesterday led to a lot of speculation about you're thinking about the White House.

Are you surprised at the speculation? Are you pleased about it? Are you --

MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG (I), NEW YORK: Look, number one, I'm not running for president, OK? Couldn't be clearer about that.

CROWLEY: There are solid reasons to wonder about New York Mayor Bloomberg's appeal beyond his own city limits. But still, he's a billionaire, he's been a Republican, an Independent, and a Democrat. Can you spell coalition? That's enough intrigue to keep the question coming.

DAVID GREGORY, NBC HOST, "MEET THE PRESS": Are you saying you are not looking at the possibility of running.

BLOOMBERG: No. I'm not looking at the possibility of running.

CROWLEY: And coming.

GREGORY: Would you change your mind?

BLOOMBERG: No.

CROWLEY: And coming.

GREGORY: No way, no how?

BLOOMBERG: No way, no how.

CROWLEY: And if you're wondering, yes, Iraq commander David Petraeus said no to commander in chief when asked by a "Vanity Fair" photographer during a photo shoot.

And no, no, a thousand times no from the country's top diplomat.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you planning to run for president once again?

CLINTON: No. No. I am not.

CROWLEY: Really, no kidding? She repeats it early and often.

Here she is on FOX News.

CLINTON: I have said it over and over again. And I'm happy to say it on your show, as well.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So you're done with elected office?

CLINTON: I am. I'm very happy doing what I'm doing. And I am not in any way interested in or pursuing anything in elective office.

CROWLEY: The constant pursuit of an answer other than no is a mixed blessing for politicians who need the limelight, but seem to hate the tedium.

JEB BUSH (R), FORMER FLORIDA GOVERNOR: So I'm asked this question a lot. You would think about 10 times you'd be done with it but I keep answering it honestly.

CROWLEY: Still, it's hardly fair to blame a reporter for asking when Jeb Bush's own brother took months to convince.

GEORGE W. BUSH, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think he'd be a great president. But he's chosen not to run this time.

CROWLEY: Hear that? Chosen not to run this time. That's why it's hard to take no for an answer. No, often has a shelf life. This is the newly elected senator from Illinois, late-2004.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So why have you ruled that out, running nationally?

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You know, I am a believer in knowing what you are doing when you apply for a job. And I think that if I were to seriously consider running on a national ticket I would essentially have to start now before having served a day in the Senate.

CROWLEY: Over a year later he was in Iowa at a high-profile political event; a year after that, he was running for president. The rest is history.

Candy Crowley, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: And we're going to take another look at the 2012 contenders in just two hours. Joe Johns reports on some Republicans who may not be household names now but could emerge as their party's White House choice.

"Flashback", 30 years ago today: the pride of Severe County, Tennessee, hit the big time. Entertainer Dolly Parton goes from country music to the top of the pop charts; garnering true crossover success with the hit song, "Nine to Five." It was a pretty funny movie, too.

We got this video from our CNN's vault dating back to 2006. You can actually see the movie co-stars Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin helping out with backup vocals. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DOLLY PARTON, SINGER: Tide is going to turn and it's all going to roll, working nine to five what a way to make a living --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, there has been another hijacking on the high seas. Four Americans being held hostage by a band of Somali pirates after an attack this weekend in the Indian Ocean.

CNN International anchor Zain Verjee, live for us again in London for our "Morning Passport". So Zain, we're actually are hearing the U.S. Navy is possibly hot on the trail of these pirates and the hostages?

ZAIN VERJEE, ANCHOR, CNN INTERNATIONAL: Yes. We're hearing from a senior military source with knowledge of the events unfolding on the high seas that they have been able to make contact. Meaning, they're in the immediate vicinity of where this yacht is and that they are tracking it by helicopter as well as by warship.

It's really unclear what exactly is going to happen at that -- at this time because you know, over the past few weeks there have been attacks on pirates by different militaries like the Dutch, the South Koreans, the Malaysians, the U.K. Navies and what's happened with that is that the pirates, people worry may turn violent because many of them are being killed. So that's one thing to be concerned about in this situation.

The tactics have also changed because sometimes they take hostages, and then use them to basically try and attack other ships and capture them as well.

Some people think that this is a specific targeting of Americans now. We saw where a vessel called the Irene SL that was carrying crude for the United States, that was hijacked, and basically what that means is oil prices could go up for you in the United States.

So we're watching that situation closely.

Now, I know that you are on Facebook a lot, Kyra, when that is, when you are not on air and this is another story that I'm following because there's this guy in Egypt, and he has actually called his daughter Facebook. What do you think about that? Right?

PHILLIPS: All right, first of all, let's make -- let's make things -- one thing clear, I don't Facebook but if you'd like to do it for me, I will -- I will give you every --

(CROSS TALK)

VERJEE: All right.

PHILLIPS: -- every -- all of my blessings, and he really named his daughter Facebook because of the revolution?

VERJEE: Yes, yes. Yes, he has, because -- because you know, they -- in Egypt, social media was such a critical factor in bringing down Hosni Mubarak that he basically wants this as a tribute and has called his daughter that. And I don't know if anyone's been called Twitter, though, I'll let you know. I'm following that.

The other thing hot on the trail of, are wedding invitations, Kyra. The palace has revealed that 1,900 lucky people will go to the wedding of the decade, the royal wedding on April 29th at Westminster Abbey.

Now, the Swedish and Japanese royal families, Kyra, have confirmed that they got an invitation. Fergie has confirmed she did not get an invitation, and everything else is up for speculation.

So people are like, you know, what about President Obama and Michelle Obama, will they come, did they get an invitation, were they snubbed? You know, Queen Rania of Jordan and King Abdullah? What about them? The Beckhams?

So it's really a who's who list. But the palace is saying it's mainly family and friends. And I -- I actually I got my invitation a little bit earlier today.

(CROSS TALK)

PHILLIPS: Oh you did?

VERJEE: But I may not make it.

PHILLIPS: Really? What are you going to wear? A hat.

VERJEE: I'm very busy that day I may not make it. PHILLIPS: Yes, I know you're a very busy, busy woman. Well, keep me posted, I'll go with your date. All right.

VERJEE: All right, Kyra. I will. All right.

PHILLIPS: We've been following lots of developments in the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM. Let's go and check in first with Christine Romans who is live in New York. Hey Christine.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Kyra. Well, Libya, a big oil exporter, the biggest proven reserves for oil in all of Africa. How unrest there could affect what you're paying at the pump. That's at the top of the hour.

CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Casey Wian in Madison, Wisconsin, where we're expecting another day of protests over a plan to strip union state workers of their collective bargaining rights. I'll have the latest in the next hour.

DIANA MAGNAY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And I'm Diana Magnay in Peru and I'll be talking about an upcoming movie about convicted murderess, Amanda Knox, and why so many people involved in that case here are against it. That's in the next hour.

PHILLIPS: All right. Thanks so much, guys.

And a blind army officer still serving after losing his sight in a war zone explosion; he's the first blind active duty army officer ever, and he's sharing his inspiring story with us next hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: All right. I'm going to start with Daytona 500 because that's what everybody is talking about. I want to talk golf, as you know; another young hot player that won the tournament, that's the FedEx. Can we go there, too?

JEFF FISCHEL, HLN SPORTS ANCHOR: We don't have the highlights but we can still talk about that.

PHILLIPS: Oh, shoot. Well, Daytona 500 -- who is Trevor? Where did this kid come from?

FISCHEL: Trevor Bayne, turned 20 -- I mean he just -- he turned on Saturday. So it's not like he's pushing 21. No one knows who he is. The other racers were like introducing themselves (INAUDIBLE) after the race.

PHILLIPS: Hi. You just beat me. Who the hell are you?

FISCHEL: Yes. Exactly. He said, "I feel horrible". All of these great drivers who never won the Daytona 500 -- the greatest race, right -- and I win. I show up out of nowhere.

PHILLIPS: I think it's great. That's competition. FISCHEL: When the race started, everyone was remembering number 3 Dale Earnhardt; 10-year anniversary of his death at Daytona, the third lap. All the fans raised their fingers, it was a great moment.

The race was also notable for the crashes, a lot of bumping and grinding. A record number of caution flags. In the end, there he is, 20-year-old Trevor Bayne holding off Carl Edwards, the youngest winner ever. Maybe the best part, the kid, he got lost on his way to victory lane.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TREVOR BAYNE, WINNER, DAYTONA 500: I knew how to walk to victory lane because I was planning on going over and seeing whoever won but I didn't know how to drive there. So I guess I better go start scouting it out and figure it out from now on.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FISCHEL: He better get used to a lot of people loving him by now. He thought he was just going to drive home this week in his F-150 pickup truck. Instead he's got to fly all over the country making publicity appearances -- it's great stuff.

All right, NBA all-star game last night, LeBron James and his Eastern conference buddies, they're in L.A. -- there they are with the little choc-toss ritual. The game was in L.A., right.

Kobe Bryant talking about how he wants the kids to show off. I'm old. I will take jump shots and let the kids fly around. Right-- total bluff; 37 points including that sweet dunk. Look at Blake Griffin, looking at the old man can spook you up. There's LeBron, he had a great team, game 2 as always. But it was the Kobe show. He was named the all-star game MVP for the fourth time in his career; that ties the record and the West beat the East.

All right speaking of Blake Griffin, the Dunk Contest; check out this dunk, this won it for Blake Griffin Saturday night over a car. Darren Davis, his Clippers team mate tossed him.

PHILLIPS: Who gets the car?

FISCHEL: He gets to stand on top of it.

Might be some product placement. You're actually hanging on the rim, then he stood on top of the car.

PHILLIPS: The car should go to somebody.

FISCHEL: Let's do some hockey, outdoor hockey, freezing cold hockey. 41,000 came out to the see the Heritage Classic in Calgary. By the way, if you're wondering, it was 16 degrees. But with the wind chill it was about 2.

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIPS: They're Canadians, that's nothing.

FISCHEL: It was Montreal Canadians and Calgary flames aflame; lit up the red light four times. You could keep it soft (INAUDIBLE) for the shutout. Calgary wins it in the great outdoors.

Let's head back to the NBA all-star weekend. It was -- there was the celebrity game. Check out Justin Bieber. He was the celebrity game, and he was great. Look. Between the legs dribble, the three-pointer, the kid can play. I've never seen -- I had no clue he could play basketball. Watch this alley-oop pass from half court. The kid can play basketball and in fact he was named the celebrity game MVP, so of course, the girls were going crazy anyway before they knew he could play ball. Turns out he can play ball.

PHILLIPS: He can play hockey, too. He was on the "Ellen" show. I have to show you how I can -- you know -- put it in the -- yes, he's a good athlete.

FISCHEL: All of us older guys that don't understand the Justin Bieber thing, all right.

PHILLIPS: He's the renaissance kid.

FISCHEL: Exactly.

PHILLIPS: He's talking politics. He needs to stay away from that for a little while. That's a whole other story.

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: Thanks, Jeff.

FISCHEL: All right.

PHILLIPS: OK.