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Uprising in Libya: Attacks in Tripoli, Anti-Government Rallies Elsewhere; American Evacuees Set Sail From Tripoli; Rising Produce Prices; Finally Able to Flee Libya; Wacky Oscar Fashions; Gadhafi in Tripoli's Green Square

Aired February 25, 2011 - 11:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, we sure hope you have a great weekend. Thanks again for spending your week with us.

I'm Kyra Phillips. We'll see you back here next week.

Now we'll take it to Suzanne Malveaux for the next two hours -- Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Kyra, have a great weekend.

PHILLIPS: Thanks.

MALVEAUX: Live from Studio 7, I'm Suzanne Malveaux.

Want to get you up to speed for Friday, February 25th.

Witnesses are telling CNN there are intense attacks on anti- government protesters in Libya's capital today. They say that security forces aimed artillery rounds and sniper fire at people on the streets.

Now, CNN is unable to show you pictures. Why? The Libyan government has barred reporters from the territory that it controls.

(CHANTING)

MALVEAUX: On the other side of the country, where government opponents are in charge, Libyans rallied today to support the people of Tripoli. Gadhafi's opponents say they are now in charge of the city of Zawiya, just a half hour's drive from the capital.

Amateur video shows celebrations by gunfire today, but protesters, they did pay a price. Witnesses say that mercenaries attacked 2,000 anti-government demonstrators at a mosque, killing at least 17 people.

And Americans evacuated from Libya this morning will be arriving in Malta in just a few hours. They're aboard a chartered ferry. Bad weather kept them in port for several days.

CNN talked with an American just out of Libya. He had to navigate the chaos at the airport.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE SAYAR, FLED VIOLENCE IN LIBYA: We pretty much had to push and shove our way through, you know, thousands of people. And myself and two of my colleagues finally made it after about three hours of pushing, shoving and kicking.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: The U.S. Embassy in Libya says the government will evacuate Americans from Tripoli by air today. They're going to go to Istanbul, turkey. Now, this will be the first American evacuations by air since this unrest began nine days ago.

And Switzerland is freezing Moammar Gadhafi's bank accounts and other property holdings. Britain is reportedly going to do the same. The U.S. Treasury Department has told American banks to watch for suspicious transactions. Gadhafi's son says a financial noose will not force his family out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEIF AL-ISLAM GADHAFI, MOAMMAR GADHAFI'S SON: We have Plan A, Plan B, Plan C. Plan A is to live and die in Libya. Plan B is to live and die in Libya. Plan C is to live and die in Libya.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(CHANTING)

MALVEAUX: In Iraq today, another round of nationwide protests against government corruption. Iraqi authorities say at least five people were killed when they challenged police. Iraq's prime minister urged people not to take part today. He said terrorists and former members of Saddam Hussein's regime plan to stir up trouble.

And government supporters and opponents held separate and so far peaceful rallies in Yemen today. Now, Yemen's embassy in Washington says the country's president told police to protect demonstrators and prevent confrontations.

Over chants of "Shame! Shame!" Wisconsin's State Assembly approved the governor's budget repair bill overnight, but the Senate can't vote because Democratic lawmakers fled the state. The bill guts collective bargaining rights for most state workers. The governor says that layoffs are going to start next week if this bill is not approved.

And a school board in Providence, Rhode Island, has fired every single teacher on its payroll, almost 2,000 of them. Now, the city says it gives the school district greater flexibility with its budget for the next term. The board says it will recall teachers this summer, but only those it can afford.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DEBBIE KROUS, PROVIDENCE TEACHER: I am heartbroken. I can't tell you how much this hurts.

MARY BUSH, PROVIDENCE TEACHER: I feel numb. I almost feel like I need to mourn, like, the death of an innocence. It's just surreal. There is just no justifying this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Here's your chance to "Talk Back" on one of the big stories of the day. Obviously, the budget battles in several states, they're putting political leaders in a tough place, taking hard lines and putting them in the spotlight.

Our Carol Costello, she's joining us from Washington with our "Talk Back Question of the Day."

Carol, is it good publicity, bad publicity?

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I don't know. I'll leave it to our viewers to decide.

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is now a star. When was the last time you knew the name of a Wisconsin governor?

He is the ultimate "my way or the highway" politician. It doesn't matter. State workers are willing to play more in benefits. He believes collective bargaining hurts Wisconsin, period.

As for tens of thousands of protesters, they're not changes his mind, either. Walker is just one of many newly-elected politicians who are talking tough. Newly-elected Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel comes to mind, and so does New Jersey's governor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: Here's the truth that nobody's talking about. You're going to have to raise the retirement age for Social Security. Oh, I just said it, and I'm still standing here. I did not vaporize.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: And that resonates. Financial columnist Liz Peek wrote, "I've fallen in love with Chris Christie."

So the question today is: Is such tough talk effective? Because like it or not, politics is still about compromise and consensus. Or is it?

So, "Talk Back." Does America need a "my way or the highway" kind of political leader? Send your comments to Facebook.com/CarolCNN. And I'll read some of your comments later on in the hour -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: All right, Carol. We'll wait and see what they've got to say. Obviously, Governor Christie using a bit of humor there. I would argue maybe that's what we need, maybe a little bit of a humor. Huh?

COSTELLO: I think what people really like about Chris Christie is he's tough, tough talking. The interesting thing about that is Chris Christie has a collective bargaining thing going on in his state as well, but he's not completely supporting Wisconsin's governor. So there's maybe a little softening in New Jersey. I don't know.

MALVEAUX: Yes. A bit of controversy there. All right, Carol. Thanks. Appreciate it.

COSTELLO: Sure.

MALVEAUX: Well, here's what's ahead "On the Rundown."

Harrowing tales from Americans as they try to flee the chaos in Libya. A boatload of U.S. evacuees is now on its way to Malta.

And a mob scene -- at a Prince concert? We're going to show you what sparked it.

And more money out of your pocket for fruits and vegetables. We're going to find out why in "The Price We Pay."

Also, we're going to take a look at how labor unions help America's middle class.

And we understand enough is enough for the producers of Charlie Sheen's TV show, "Two and a Half Men." After his latest rant, they have cancelled the rest of the season.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: We're following developments inside of Libya.

Our senior international correspondent, Ben Wedeman, he is joining us live now from the Libyan city of Benghazi.

Ben, thank you very much.

Obviously, there are pockets of that country we cannot see, we cannot get access to because it is so closed off. What are you seeing where you are on the ground, where it seems that protesters have now taken over the streets?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, what we're seeing is that this is yet another day of these huge demonstrations here in Benghazi. And despite the fact that it is very windy, very cold, and very rainy, we're seeing more and more people coming into this area.

(INAUDIBLE), which is the center of the community that essentially runs the city at this point. It runs everything from garbage collection, to making sure that government buildings are protected. And it's really the heart of the city.

And what we're seeing here is that people are not only demonstrating against Gadhafi, they're also expressing their solidarity with the people of Tripoli, with the people of the Libyan capital who are obviously going through a very difficult period.

I spoke just a little while ago a woman who described a really a city in a state of terror. People did try to go out and protest against the government, but she said they came under intense gunfire.

MALVEAUX: And Ben, I know it's very windy. I can see it's windy and cold there. A little difficult to hear you at times.

But if you could, the people who have gathered there, how long do they plan on staying? Are they emboldened now, or are they starting to feel like this thing has just dragged on too long?

WEDEMAN: No, they're very emboldened. And certainly the feeling you get speaking to people here is that they are going to stay until the end. They are determined to make sure that Moammar Gadhafi steps down as the leader of Libya.

People here are even talking about organizing some sort of march on the Libyan capital, even though it's 1,200 kilometers away. That's a very long distance. But the feeling is that this is not a situation that can reach a standstill. One way or the other, they are determined to oust Moammar Gadhafi.

MALVEAUX: All right. Ben Wedeman, thank you for joining us. Obviously, cold and windy out there. We appreciate your report.

I want to go over to where the American evacuees, they have set sail from Tripoli after some extensive weather delays. Right now, the U.S.-chartered catamaran is more than halfway to the Mediterranean island of Malta.

Our Diana Magnay, she is in Malta. She joins us by phone.

And Diana, we are watching closely just when they're going to arrive. What do we expect in the next couple of hours?

DIANA MAGNAY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We're expecting them to arrive, Suzanne, at 9:00 p.m. local, which is in about four hours' time. We know that there are 300 people on board the Maria Dolores, this U.S.-chartered catamaran that has been sitting in Tripoli Harbor for the last 36 hours, waiting to leave and delayed because of bad weather.

And of those 300, we're being told that more than half of them are U.S. citizens, about 14 non-essential embassy staff and their family members, and the rest of them. We have had some contact with people who are on that ship who said that they've been well looked after, that they've been fed, but obviously extremely relieved now that the seas have calmed slightly to be on their way to Malta and away from Tripoli -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: And what is the condition of those who are on board that catamaran? MAGNAY: We are hearing from the few that we had contact with that they're pretty good. Obviously, it's been a fairly sort of intense situation over the last 36 hours, being docked in Tripoli Harbor, knowing what was going on in the country, not being able to leave, an unpleasant experience. But they did get properly fed.

We don't know whether they were able to wash themselves, but there was plenty of food and water to go around. So, they've had an OK time, but I can imagine that they will be pretty relieved when they set foot on dry land over on this side -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: And who is actually in Malta to greet them? Are they family members? Are they embassy personnel?

MAGNAY: There's embassy personnel who are setting up already for their arrival. They're going to have travel desks set up so that people can arrange where they fly on to next, because basically, they will just go from here to the airport.

Embassy staff are also making sure that they do have hotel accommodations for this evening, and there will be refreshments. But we haven't met many family members as such here in Malta. It's probably going to be a situation simply of embassy staff helping them to make their next arrangements -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: And finally, Diana, what is the mood there? What is the sense in Malta as you wait for this ferry to come?

MAGNAY: Well, Malta is expecting a good number of sea arrivals over the next 24 hours. You know, we've got this U.S.-chartered catamaran. We've also got HMS Cumberland, the British ship, which has about 200 people on board. And then tomorrow morning, there's going to be a cruise liner carrying some 2,000 Chinese workers from Benghazi.

So, the Maltese are preparing themselves for really a lot of people. And what's going to be happening is that all of those people are essentially going to be ferried to the airport and flown out of here. So it is just a transit harbor, and they're not expecting these people to stay long in Malta itself -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Diana, we'll be keeping a close watch on those Americans, others, who arrive in Malta. Thank you so much.

Also, just getting this in here. Protesters took control of another Libyan city. We are learning now, CNN confirming, it's the eastern Libyan city of Brega, as well as its oil terminal.

This just in from someone who works, an official, at the communications department for the Port of Brega. So, again, protesters controlling another Libyan city.

Obviously, paying very close attention to what happens in that country and whether or not the rule of Moammar Gadhafi will in fact end and come to some sort of conclusion, whether or not it is violent.

This is a very important story that we'll be following.

A woman whose mother is on that ferry that we just talked about that's heading to Malta, she's going to join us live in about minutes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Rising produce prices, you may see it in that salad that you fix for dinner, the green beans that you gave your kids for lunch. Well, today in the NEWSROOM, we're taking a close-up look at the price that we pay for produce and other food.

Here's our CNN's Catherine Callaway.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Do you expect that people will pay more for peaches this year than last year because of the fuel?

MARK SANCHEZ, CEO, LANE SOUTHERN ORCHARDS: More than likely everything is going up a little bit. We're paying more for all of our inputs, so I would expect that at some point, you know, these additional costs will be passed on.

CALLAWAY (voice-over): Mark Sanchez of Lane Southern Orchards, one of the largest peach growers in the U.S., says some of those additional costs will be passed on to consumers. He says the cost of getting his peaches to retailers rises as labor, fertilizer, packaging and fuel prices increase.

SANCHEZ: Fuel is a huge expense for us. Huge. We have to move our equipment from one orchard to the next. We have to move our people from one orchard to the next. We use a lot of fuel.

CALLAWAY: Weather also determines the peach supply, which can drive the demand and prices up.

(on camera): There are more than 6,000 acres of farmland here at Lane Southern Orchards, and the growing season is just beginning. Just one deep freeze could destroy the entire crop.

SANCHEZ: Some crops, you get a frost, and there's a temporary spike in prices when the supply goes down. Another portion of the country comes in and fills that void, and then the prices will level off.

CALLAWAY (voice-over): Sanchez says produce is a labor- intensive product that is often hand-pruned and handpicked, and every step between the farm and the storm impacts the price.

SANCHEZ: There's packaging costs and there's freight costs and there's merchandising costs, and retailers have to recover for spoilage. And so there's a lot of things that go into pricing of peaches, or pricing of any produce product. It doesn't all come back to the farmer.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: Our CNN's Catherine Callaway, she is with us now from the state farmers market that's just outside of Atlanta.

Catherine, I'm going to have to go there. I haven't been there yet.

But give us a sense of whether or not we expect -- are prices going to go up, continue to go up for produce?

CALLAWAY: Yes, I believe so, Suzanne. It's like the stock market, produce, the way it's priced. It changes every day.

Prices go up, prices go down. But because we're seeing this increase in fuel right now, Suzanne -- today alone we saw fuel go up nationally about six cents a gallon -- that is going to have an effect on produce across the board.

And also, remember, we have got these late freezes that can devastate a crop. I want to show you quickly this box of Roma tomatoes. It's selling right now about $18. But just a month ago it was about $35 because the crop in Florida was destroyed because of a December freeze, and right after that, the crop in north Mexico was destroyed because of a freeze.

And the price, about $14, $15 a box, soared to over $35 a box. But it's dropped back down again. However, Suzanne, with that fuel increase, we can probably see it start to creep back up. So it changes every day.

MALVEAUX: OK. All right. Catherine, thank you. Pick up some tomatoes for me, if you would, if you could, while you're out there.

Appreciate it.

CALLAWAY: Yes, beautiful out here. I will.

MALVEAUX: Thank you.

(NEWSBREAK)

MALVEAUX: Well, a woman who lost her home and her job because she has HIV is now fighting back. CNN Hero Patricia Sawo is trying to change the stigma of the disease in her home country, Kenya.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PATRICIA SAWO, CNN HERO: Back in the 1990s, I believed that AIDS was a punishment from God. When I personally tested HIV positive, it was oh, my God, how could this happen to me?

I fasted and prayed for years, hoping that I would be healed. When I went public, I lost my job. My husband lost his job. The landlord wanted us out of his house.

The stigma was terrible. I realized that I had been wrong. My name is Patricia Sawo. My mission is to change people's attitudes about HIV.

All that you need is accurate, correct information.

As charity leaders, we need to shepherd the people. HIV is not a moral issue. It is a virus.

I do a lot of counseling. When I'm helping somebody else who is HIV positive, I want them to know that you can rise above this.

The 48 children at this center, most of them saw their parents dying of AIDS. My HIV status brings some kind of bond. I provide that motherly love and all their basic needs.

HIV, it's making me a better person. We want to be there for people. So if we have it, we share it out.

It's what I want to do because it's what I'm meant to do. God has his own ways of healing. So for me, I'm healed.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: Good for her.

Every one of this year's CNN Heroes are chosen from people that you tell us about. So nominate someone that you know who is making a big difference in your community. All you have to do is go to CNNHeroes.com.

Well, an American whose mother is being evacuated from Libya talks to CNN. The long-delayed voyage of a U.S.-chartered ferry is finally under way.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Checking what's ahead "On the Rundown."

Labor unions in the spotlight as states try to balance their budgets. We're going to take a look at the impact of unions on the middle class.

And in our "Talk Back" segment, you're going to get a chance to weigh in on the hard-line stance that some political leaders are taking on that very issue.

In our next hour, new claims that members of Congress were the target of psychological tactics carried out by the U.S. military.

And also, the graphic scenes that you're not seeing as Libyans rise up against Moammar Gadhafi. The problems that reporters are having as they try to cover this story.

We are also seeing huge problems in the effort to get Americans out of Libya. A boat chartered to evacuate U.S. citizens finally left Tripoli today after extensive weather delays. Well, my next guest's mother is actually onboard the ferry heading to Malta. Dena joins us by Skype from Los Angeles.

Thank you, Dena, for joining us again today.

When you and I spoke yesterday, you had just heard from your mom. She managed to call you aboard that ferry and she told you that she loved you.

What is her update? Have you heard from her since?

DENA, MOTHER BEING EVACUATED FROM LIBYA: Yes. As a matter of fact, I was able to talk to her as the tugboat was pulling up and then pulling the ferry out of the harbor, and so it was pretty exciting and emotional.

MALVEAUX: What did she say to you?

DENA: She said that they had been playing different videos throughout the days for the children that were on board, and so as they were pulling out, the "Star Wars" theme was playing.

(LAUGHTER)

MALVEAUX: How is she doing?

DENA: Well, she's very grateful and happy.

MALVEAUX: And when she talked to you, did she give you a sense of how difficult things had been for her?

DENA: You know, my mother is a really strong woman, and she's with other, you know, people, and so I think she was being strong and kind of a leader. And so, she didn't talk to too much about how she was feeling because I think she was kind of waiting to get to Malta.

MALVEAUX: What is the first thing you're going to do when you see her?

DENA: I'm sure I'm going to cry.

MALVEAUX: It's going to be a wonderful moment. I can -- I know you're --

DENA: It's going to be a wonderful moment, Suzanne. I'm so -- February 25th is a big day.

MALVEAUX: Absolutely. Well, we certainly hope to see you and your mom reunite very, very shortly.

Thank you, Dena.

DENA: Thank you, Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: A shouting showdown in the wee hours of the morning. Wisconsin State Assembly passed a Republican budget-cutting bill. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All in favor say aye, al opposed say nay. The ayes have it. The bill is in the Senate. The assembly is adjourned.

CROWD (chanting): Shame! Shame! Shame!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: The bill strips most collective bargaining rights from the state's public unions, and the senate still has not voted on it, but Democratic senators have fled to Illinois to delay that vote. They say that the governor refuses to compromise.

Now, without a vote, Governor Scott Walker is threatening layoffs.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. SCOTT WALKER (R), WISCONSIN: The best way to avoid those layoffs is for people to encourage those 14 state senators, and they don't have to vote for it, they don't have to agree for it, but they should do what the assembly Democrats have done for the last several days, and that is come back to the capitol and make their case.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Across the country, the battle to preserve union rights continues to today. They're gathering all over the place.

In Trenton, New Jersey, right now, for a rally in support of Wisconsin workers. They're also fighting their own governor's proposal to limit union rights.

In Ohio, Republican lawmakers say they plan to amend their controversial bill that drastically reduces union rights.

And workers in Miami are also holding a rally this afternoon.

So we ask the question -- What does the union fight mean for workers who are not in a union? The unions claim that they are fighting for all worker rights, not just their membership.

Our CNNMoney.com senior writer Tammy Luhby joins me from New York to take a look at this claim.

And, Tammy, we did some research. We found out that unionized workers in this country, actually, they do make more than those who are not in a union. The Labor Department statistics show, on average, union employees make on average $917 a week, while nonunion workers maybe $717 a week. So it's 27 percent more money for the union workers.

So the unions are claiming, if they lost all of their power, all workers salaries would go down over time, whether or not they're in a union or not. Is that true? Does that really happen?

TAMMY LUHBY, CNNMONEY.COM SENIOR WRITER: Well, what they're arguing is that without the collective bargaining power to have, you know, many workers collectively fight for a higher wage, the competition is going to be less for higher wages, so companies are going to be able to pay everybody less if the unions aren't able to negotiate higher rates for their workers.

MALVEAUX: So if you're looking back 30 years ago, labor unions were much stronger than today when one out of five workers were in a union versus one out of ten today.

How is life different for the middle class?

LUHBY: Well, I mean, middle class wages have largely stagnated over the last 30 years, 20 or 30 years. If you look in 1988, the average wage was 33,400, and guess what it is now. It's 33,000. So it's actually gone down a bit, and you know, you've got inflation and other issues.

And a lot of economists are arguing that it's because the unions have lost power over that time. And so, therefore, there are fewer people collectively bargaining for higher wages. So overall the middle class is getting paid less.

MALVEAUX: So how does this debate impact most folks out there, when they look at that, whether or not they are part of a union or not part of a union?

LUHBY: Well, if you look at 20 -- who was the largest employer 30 years ago? It was GM. What type of life did GM worker have? Whether, you know, there's a lot of argument as to whether it's sustainable or not, but what type of life did GM workers have? They had high wages, they had health care, they had retiree benefits, they were able to buy their own homes.

Who's the largest employer in America today? It's Wal-Mart. And what type of life do the Wal-Mart workers have?

MALVEAUX: Point well taken. Point well made.

All right, Tammy, thank you very much. Obviously, a lot of folks looking at this, how this impacts them personally or directly, whether they are part of a union or not. Thank you, Tammy.

LUHBY: Thank you.

MALVEAUX: A reminder about your chance to "Choose the News." You vote by texting 22360. Vote 1 for the story about Allen Wong of the Buffalo Bills promoting American-style football in China. Vote 2 if you want to see the story about hot springs in Japan built just for snow monkeys. Or vote 3 for the story about the Bottoms Up beer dispensers at ballgames. The winning story airs next hour.

A strip show, well, can get you into a lot of trouble, especially if you're a hockey coach. We have the coach's strip down. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Colorado Eagles and during a game got mad at a referee, and off came the jacket, the shirt, and the undershirt. The league says it's not going to put up with the nonsense.

And in upstate New York, a ski instructor who loves to share her passion for the sport. Freddy Anderson (ph) can swoops down the slopes with the best of them, and she happens to be 90 years old. Good for her.

The Academy Awards are being handed out Sunday in Los Angeles. A big part of the Oscar nights, as you know, admiring what the stars are going to wear or make fun of it.

Brooke Anderson, she looks back on the silk, the sequins and a stuffed goose.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BROOKE ANDERSON, HOST, HLN'S "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": The Oscar's red carpet is home to the best and sometimes the worst of fashion.

HELENA BONHAM CARTER, ACTRESS: I think I think I'm a Christmas industry tree.

ANDERSON: Academy Award-nominee Helena Bonham Carter is always pushing the envelope. But "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" dares to ask, is Helena really a fashion misfit or an inspired eccentric.

LAWRENCE ZARAIN, STYLIST: When we hear that Helena Bonham Carter is hitting the red carpet, everybody looks at her and we wait with bated breath.

ANDERSON: Red hot-Hollywood stylist Lawrence Zarian says, for Helena, it's all about art.

ZARIAN: For the longest time, I thought this girl was whacked. But now that I'm paying more attention to what she chooses, it's all about having fun and making a statement.

ANDERSON: But when I spoke to Helena at the annual Oscar luncheon, she told me she's not really trying to make it statement.

CARTER: Cause I always get it wrong. You know, even if it's looking hopeful at the beginning, and then just like at the last minute I go off.

ZARAIN: She adds a little of this, a little bit of that. And you know, when you think about it, she could be considered, you know, the Lady Gaga of actresses.

ANDERSON: But while fashion experts are going gaga for Helena, she tells me she's not sure what all the fuss is about.

(on camera): Do consider yourself an eccentric? CARTER: No. I just think I'm just being myself. I don't think I'm eccentric. I think I'm -- most people who know me, I'm actually quite, you know, thunderously normal and straightforward.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: The countdown is on to Hollywood's biggest night. Join "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT'S" A.J. Hammer and Brooke Anderson for live red carpet access at the Oscars. "ROAD TO GOLD" on Sunday at 7:00 p.m. Eastern. Then, at 11:00 Eastern, get unparalleled access to the most compelling moments from the Academy Awards on our sister network HLN.

Well, Donald Trump certainly has the money to make a presidential bid, but does "The Donald" have the support he needs for a run in 2012? Our Ed Henry has the story in our Political Ticker.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Well, we're seeing some progress in Wisconsin over the debate of collective bargaining, but it's far from over. A lot of people discussing this, very controversial.

Our own Ed Henry, a member of "The Best Political Team on TV" at the White House now.

Ed, what can you tell us about this?

ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, you're right, Suzanne, this battle has been raging and is far from over, frankly. The state assembly, in the middle of the night, passed this Republican-backed bill that would end most collective bargaining rights for public workers in the state of Wisconsin. It exempts police and firefighters, but would make other public workers pay more out of pocket for pension, for their health care.

And also, the only collective bargaining rights they would have would be on wages. But if they have got a pay increase more than the rate of inflation, that would then have to go to the voters for approval. So this changes their rights in a big, big way.

The fight obviously far from over. You still have these 14 state senators who have gone off to Illinois to prevent a quorum in the state senate. It's still has to pass through that body, so this battle is going to rage on.

Second item about Donald Trump. You mentioned that he is flirting with the potential idea to run for president. Now one of this advisers, Roger Stone, a big Republican operative, is saying that he might spend his own money. Up to $200 million, Donald Trump would spend potentially, according to Roger Stone, on a presidential run.

Stone telling Politico that he thinks it would free Trump up to say that he's just fighting for the people, he's not raising money from anyone, not beholden to anyone else. And basically, Roger Stone said he's sitting on $2 billion in cash, $200 million is not really that much for Trump. But as you know, there have been questions about how much wealth Donald Trump really has, how much is on paper and how much is for real. And so, the speculation continues, Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: And, Ed, obviously, it takes a lot of money to run a campaign, 2012 around the corner. Are we hearing anything out of Obama's team on the reelection campaign, when it's going to start to roll out?

HENRY: Yes, it's going to roll out pretty soon. You know, John King just had an exclusive interview with David Axelrod on "JKUSA" and basically, Axelrod now back in Chicago getting ready to join that campaign effort.

As you know, says that, by early spring they're going to have grassroots organizers going out around the country in key states to start building a network. And then the president, within weeks, according to Axelrod, will be filing the necessary paper work to start raising money for a reelection bid.

Axelrod -- we all know that the president raised $700 million last time around. There's now estimates that it might be a billion dollars this time for the reelection effort. Raise a billion dollars, spend a billion dollars. And Axelrod did not shoot that down, Suzanne.

So you're right, even if Donald Trump puts in $200 million, it might be a drop in the bucket.

MALVEAUX: OK, an expensive adventure.

Thank you, Ed. Appreciate it.

HENRY: Good to see you.

MALVEAUX: Good to see you.

For the latest political news, you know where to go, CNNPolitics.com.

And, of course, don't forget to the "Choose the News." Vote by texting 22360 for the story you want to see in detail. How the first Chinese American player in the NFL wants to spread the game in China, how a Japanese gets around being overrun by with monkeys or finding a novel way of getting rid of beer lines at ball games. Vote 1, football dreams for China; 2, for hot springs for snow monkeys; or 3 for bottoms up beer dispenser. The winning story is going to air in the next hour.

"Rolling Stone" magazine says that the military is playing mind games with U.S. senators, trying to influence their behavior. Chris Lawrence has the reaction from the Pentagon.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: A child with a severe stutter grows up to become one of the foremost experts on jaguars in the world. In today, "Human Factor" CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta learns how simply talking to these wildcats helped save a doctor and how he's returning the favor.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): You're looking at the jaguar. Few people are as familiar with the animal's fate than this man, Dr. Alan Rabinowitz.

DR. ALAN RABINOWITZ, PRESIDENT & CEO, PANTHERA: Sixty percent of their habitat is gone. They still range throughout 18 countries, but are killed on site.

GUPTA: He launched Panthera. His mission, to save the jaguar and its peers.

RABINOWITZ: We felt strongly there had to be something focusing only on the world's great cats 24/7.

GUPTA: But what's (AUDIO GAP)

RABINOWITZ: Growing up, I had a very, very severe stutter, and I couldn't speak. It was so severe that I would get these very intense blocks. My mouth would freeze up, go into something called frozen mouth.

GUPTA: That is, until he started talking to animals.

RABINOWITZ: I could not talk to the adult world because there was too much expectation put on me, too much impatience. But when I turned to the animals, I could speak.

GUPTA: Experts say between 70 and 80 percent of children who stutter will recover spontaneously. For the minority who don't, becoming what's known as a fluent speaker takes various therapies.

(on camera): You have to focus on not stuttering. Are you consciously thinking about it as you're talking to me?

RABINOWITZ: Yes. Not as much as I used to have to do.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(INTERRUPTED BY LIVE COVERAGE OF A NEWS EVENT)

MALVEAUX: Want to interrupt very quickly, we believe we are seeing live pictures -- not exactly sure if it's live pictures -- but this is from state TV out of Libya there where we are seeing pictures of the leader of Libya, Moammar Gadhafi, in Green Square, addressing the crowds there.

As we know, state TV broadcasting what they would like to world to see out of Tripoli, Libya, where people have shown up to support him, or at least we think that those are his supporters in Tripoli, Libya. We know that there are many other parts of the country where they are protests and where state TV is not obviously allowing people to see the kind opponents and opposition movement against him.

But there's -- if you take a close look there, that looks like Moammar Gadhafi right there wearing some sort of winter hat, addressing the crowd, raising his arm.

Let's just take a listen.

MOAMMAR GADHAFI (through translator): Life without raising these flags, these green flags, has no meaning, life of glory, life of victory and the flag is raised high.

Dear youth, take your liberty everywhere in the streets. Dance, sing. Live in dignity, with dignity. Live with high morals. Moammar Gadhafi is one of you. Dance, dance and sing and be happy.

MALVEAUX: Moammar Gadhafi blowing kisses to the crowds there. There are cameras on him now.

We believe that this is live television there from state TV. We believe that he's addressing supporters, the Libyan leader telling them to dance in the streets and to take liberty, to be free, to live in dignity and high morals.

This is a leader who's brutally oppressed the opposition and says it will be his own blood, a martyr's blood, that he will not step down as the leader of that country.

What we believe has just happened is that he has spoken to those who have come out in support of him. But clearly, this is going to be a message that resonates across the country.

We're going to keep a close eye on these pictures that we are just getting in from Libyan television.

And we should let you know that Libyan television, state television, they are airing what they would like to world to see coming out of Libya. It is our own producers and reporters on the ground who have been showing the immense and massive protests against Gadhafi's regime.

I want to take a listen.

We're getting information now that Moammar Gadhafi telling this crowd that we've just seen addressed before, that he will fight to the death. His words that he will fight to the death. And we are also getting information from state television that those were live pictures that we had seen before when he was addressing the crowds.

You can see there what likes like a replay of what we have just seen, pumping his fist, his arm into the air and addressing those who have gathered outside there in Tripoli. A very defiant leader of Libya, Moammar Gadhafi, saying he's going to fight to the death. And this comes at a critical, a crucial moment of Libya's history as we see massive protests around the country and protesters have taken over cities, calling for him to step down.

We're going to be following all of these developments right after this quick break.

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