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Gadhafi Clings to Power in Libya; Clinton to Discuss Libya; Libya's Unrest Pushes Gas Prices Higher; Battle over Wisconsin's Budget; Severe Storms Moving East; DC Metro Escalator Collapses After Rally on National Mall; Charlie Sheen Discusses Radio Rants; Meet Mr. Average

Aired February 28, 2011 - 09:00   ET

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

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: It is 9:00 a.m. on the East Coast, 6:00 a.m. in the West. I'm Carol Costello sitting in for Kyra Phillips. Here are some of the stories that have us talking this morning.

A defiant Moammar Gadhafi still clings to power, but appears increasingly cornered. More of his security forces have defected to the opposition and have many of his own diplomats.

The instability throughout much of the Arab world is pushing oil prices ever higher. AAA says the national average is $3.33 a gallon. That bucks the historic trend of February being one of the lower priced months of the year.

And the Academy Award goes to "The King's Speech." Yawn. As you've probably known for a month. That movie was bound to win and it did. Four Oscars, including the highly prices Best Picture. The star of the period piece Colin Firth also won Best Actor.

We begin in Libya where history is unfolding and a dictatorship unraveling. The citizen revolt is now on Tripoli's doorstep. Just 35 miles from the capital, thousands of people are calling for the ouster of Moammar Gadhafi. Many of them are armed and expecting a military siege from a desperate government still clinging to power.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is speaking right now in Geneva where she's meeting with U.S. allies to discuss the crisis. She says the government's killing of protesters is ongoing. We'll have more on that for you in a moment.

And two U.S. senators want tougher action. They want the U.S. to consider arming the protesters and establishing a no-fly zone so Libya can't use planes to attack the opposition.

Our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson -- actually we're going to get to Nic Robertson in just a bit. We just lost him. He's in Tripoli.

Actually, we're going to move all the way to Christine Romans to talk about gas prices while we await Nic's presence on the front from Tripoli.

Because, you know, Christine, it's tough to get live shots out of Tripoli at this moment.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: I know. I know. And you know, what's happening in Tripoli, what's happening in Libya, one of the reasons why your gas prices are moving higher and your oil prices are moving higher, folks.

Because when you see geopolitical unrest like this, when you see international events like this, it just reminds everyone especially investors in the markets, right, that we produce about 88 percent million barrels a day in the world and we use about 88 million oil -- barrels of oil a day in the world. So we are really finally balanced here overall.

Carol, when you look at what the gas prices have been doing, it has been remarkable. Gas prices, what, $3.37 --

COSTELLO: Christine, we're having like a Gremlin kind of morning.

ROMANS: I know.

COSTELLO: Your microphone is messed up. But the good news is we have Nic Robertson --

ROMANS: OK. I'll wait.

COSTELLO: OK. So we're going to go to Nic Robertson now.

Nic, are you there?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Carol, I'm here. We're driving through the streets of Tripoli. We've been taking a look around the city today. Of course, yesterday, we were at that town of Zawiya just 40 minutes away from the capital.

An important oil refining town where we found about 2,000 protesters protesting against the Moammar Gadhafi regime. They were armed. They were saying that they want more weapons. They also told us they were afraid that the army that's been circling that city would come in and crush them.

What we're seeing here in Tripoli is a different picture. We're seeing more traffic back out on the streets now. More stores are open. The city is far from normal. There are some parts of the city very tight security. Areas where there have been efforts of protest.

People telling different things. Some telling they support Moammar Gadhafi. Some saying they're afraid of unrest. They want change with the government, but they're afraid of unrest because it will spread and enflame the country. A lot of people will die.

And other people here telling us that the control by the government on the city is so strong that they cannot, they cannot come out and have antigovernment protests here in the capital, but the capital itself does seem to be quite firmly under the control of the government, and more people telling us that they feel the city is getting back to normal -- Carol. COSTELLO: Interesting. Well, let me ask you this, because Senator Lieberman floated this idea over the weekend. He said we should arm the opposition and that would help overthrow the government in Tripoli. Is that a good idea?

ROBERTSON: There were two scores of thought here on that. One is the governments and a lot of the middle class that we talk to, they say that international interference will only increase the potential for loss of life here. They point to instances of Iraq and Afghanistan where they say the international community went in, didn't understand what they are doing.

They say this is a very tribal society here and that -- for an intervention could make things far worse by arming one side against the other. And there are people, like doctors and lawyers that we talked to, they want change. They want to see more democracy here. They want a freer society, but they're afraid of achieving it through violent means.

We've also talked to protesters, too, a few anti-government people who are too afraid to talk on camera, saying they want that to support. Carol?

COSTELLO: Nic Robertson, live in Tripoli. Thanks very much to you.

Just moment from now in Switzerland, Washington's top diplomat will discuss the crisis in Libya. Hillary Clinton's talk will be broadcast live on the Web from Geneva. She and other members of the United Nations are discussing Libya's use of its military against protesters.

So let's take a closer look at Washington's next steps. Joining us now from the State Department our foreign affairs correspondent, Jill Dougherty.

Secretary of State Clinton has said the U.S. is willing to help, but how far is the United States willing to go, Jill?

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, they're not saying, Carol, arm the insurgents or the opposition. I was looking at a statement by Secretary Clinton yesterday where she said, we're reaching out to a variety of groups who are in that opposition and that we are going -- we are going to be prepared to offer any kind of assistance that anyone wishing from the U.S..

But they're not talking about that at this point. About arms. What they are talking about is things like arms embargoes. Sanctions. Also, in an attempt to peel away people who are around Gadhafi right now, and that seems to be a big part of the strategy, they're saying that we will refer Moammar Gadhafi to the international criminal court and anyone who's around him who was participating in these human rights abuses and the crackdown is liable to go there, too.

So that's really is the message, Carol. And also they're telling neighboring countries to stop sending or allowing mercenaries to go in there and fight on the side of Gadhafi. COSTELLO: I don't know you'll be listening to Hillary Clinton's speech in Geneva and you'll be monitoring it for us. We'll get back to you.

Jill Dougherty, live in Washington.

You're feeling the unrest in Libya every time you fill up your gas tank. AAA says the national average is now $3.37 per gallon and of course that figure could go up.

CNN's Christine Romans is back with me.

OK, Christine, we don't get much oil from Libya.

ROMANS: Right.

COSTELLO: So there's this sense among many Americans that, you know, the oil companies are using this as an excuse to gouge us once again.

ROMANS: Americans feel angry about this because this is the thing that you feel first. I mean 17 or 18 cents in just two days per a gallon of gas. That's how much it's gone up. So you're feeling this. And ever since oil in the U.S. got above $100 a barrel, boy, I mean, just a skyrocket spike in the gas that you're paying for.

Why Libya then, Carol? It's a very good question.

COSTELLO: We only need 2 percent of our oil from Libya.

ROMANS: But Libya has light sweet crude which is the kind of crude that goes right to the European markets, the kind that crude that can most efficiently be made, refined into gasoline that we use in our cars. Also kerosene, also diesel fuel.

And if Europe, Italy is not using that crude, then that means they're going to be competing with the exports that we're using from Nigeria and Algeria, also light sweet crude, and we are sucking up in this world just about every drop of oil that we get out of the ground we're using.

So whenever there's any kind of -- any kind of a disruption or even the threat of disruption, it moves those prices higher.

Now if you see oil stay above 100, that could be, many economists say, a problem for the American economy, but oil has come down a little bit. And -- about $98. We're watching that today to see if it manages to stable --

COSTELLO: Which is actually very interesting because a lot of people say they're just speculating. That's why the price of oil is going up and down. And they're like -- you know, to make money --

ROMANS: When oil goes up, see, it should -- producers should want to make more it, right? Because producers want to make more and sell more because they're making more money.

COSTELLO: Yes.

ROMANS: So that's the way the whole thing goes. The other thing about speculators, something to very closely watch, you got interest rates are very, very low, Carol. All kinds of commodities going up. Gold, oil, grains. All of these different commodities, because a lot of investors are putting their money in the trends that have been going up because they're getting such miserable returns on interest rates. So that is one factor here, no question.

COSTELLO: All right. Christine Romans, many thanks.

ROMANS: Sure.

COSTELLO: Wisconsin could begin laying off state workers this week as the legislature's budget battle holds the national spotlight. The fight centers on the bargaining rights of unions.

A small victory last night for pro-union protesters camped out at the state capitol. The police backed off from an order to clear the building. Still, no compromise in sight between the Republican governor and 14 Democratic senators who fled the state more than a week ago. They left to prevent a vote on restricting bargaining rights for public workers.

Live now to Madison and Ted Rowlands.

So Ted, there's no vote until those runaway senators come home. So -- I mean shouldn't they come home now? I mean there's no possible way they can win. What are they trying to prove?

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, no, they think there is a possible way they can win. In fact I talked to one of the senators this morning and their strategy is to get some of the Republicans to come over to their side. They need three this total and they think they already have one. It's the Republican senator by the name of Dale Schultz.

Schultz' people this morning tell us that they're not going to tell -- they're not disclosing which way the senator would vote, but Democrats truly believe they have one of the three and they just need two more.

You mentioned last night they say it was a big win in the fact that it shows how firm these protesters are. Police decided, as you mentioned, not to arrest anybody because literally hundreds of people were sitting there waiting to get arrested and it would have been a logistical nightmare and it wouldn't have looked good to try to haul people out of here in handcuffs, obviously.

So the two sides talked, if you will, the organizers and the protesters and the police, they've figured out a way to clean the capital and still have some of these people spend the night.

But the bottom line here is the impasse continues and the political divide seems to be widening as well. In Madison, it seems like there's an election tomorrow. There are television ads being broadcast on both sides. Pro-governor and anti-governor. It has that feeling like it's an election when there's no election at all.

Public opinion, though, here is very coveted here for both sides as this game of stalemate or chicken continues in Madison with really no end in sight. You mentioned the governor is going to disclose his budget tomorrow in an address in the assembly chamber here at the capital. Protesters say they're going to be in the rotunda chanting while he attempts to do that. So it drags on here in Madison -- Carol.

COSTELLO: And we'll be there. Through it all.

Ted Rowlands, many thanks.

While Wisconsin wrestles with its budget, it appears a deal on temporary federal spending -- on a temporary federal spending plan, I should say, is in the works beneath the capitol dome. A compromise would avoid the first government shutdown in 15 years. The Republican-led House passed its version of a temporary spending bill last week and that bill cut $4 billion from the budget.

Senate budget chairman Kent Conrad tells CNN's Candy Crowley the Republicans' short-term fix is acceptable. The current spending measure expires on Friday.

One minute, everything was OK, and then this chaotic scene. We will tell you why this escalator collapsed on the D.C. transit system.

And severe weather is moving across the Midwest and southeast. It's going to be a bumpy ride. We'll have your forecast for you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Nasty old weather system is moving across the Midwest and southeast. We spotted this ominous funnel cloud in Oklahoma. This was late yesterday.

Severe thunderstorms, flooding, even tornados are possible today. So let's get right to it and head to Rob Marciano for all the details.

So, hopefully, this is our last blast of winter.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Let's go Cross Country and check some of the stories our affiliates are covering. The DC Metro Transit System has released this dramatic video of an escalator collapsing. People were leaving the Jon Stewart/Stephen Colbert rally at the National Mall last October, and all of a sudden, then they started tumbling down the escalator. One person was seriously hurt. Transit officials now say the escalator's braking system failed.

Firefighters in Georgia have rescued a 14-month-old girl from a locked bank vault. So, you ask, how did the toddler get there? She was visiting her grandmother, who works at the bank, and she wandered into the open vault. It locked automatically at closing time. Authorities pumped air into the vault while firefighters struggled to free this kid, but they couldn't. Not until a locksmith used a drill to break open the vault.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RON SNIVLEY, LOCKSMITH: She was crying before I got to her. She was scared because of the drilling noise and all that. But once I heard her crying, I knew everything was OK. It was just a matter of time.

GENE WILSON, CHIEF, CONYERS POLICE DEPARTMENT: This is one of those things that you're -- this is a happy ending. It's nice to have one of these.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: That's for sure. The baby was trapped in the vault, by the way, for four hours.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(BABY LAUGHING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Last stop, St. Louis, where a 10-month-old boy laughs hysterically every time his father tears up a job rejection letter. I think he struck a nerve. And as you might expect, the video has gone viral on YouTube.

It's the morning after Hollywood's biggest night. The red carpet has been rolled up. Oscar's work is done. We'll take a closer look at the winners and talk with one critic who thinks the Oscar show was one big loser.

And Bernie Madoff says his monster Ponzi scheme was a nightmare. A nightmare for him.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: It's time to Monday morning quarterback the Oscars. In case you missed the show, "The King's Speech" won Best Picture. The star of the movie, Colin Firth, won for Best Actor. Natalie Portman won Best Actress for "Black Swan." Chris -- Christian Bale won Best Supporting Actor for "The Fighter," and his co-star, Melissa Leo won best supporting actress.

Oscar caught her a little off guard, though. Oh, I thought we were going to hear her F-word slip, but not yet. Michael Musto of "The Village Voice" thinks that bleeping moment might have been the highlight of the show. You know, the F-bomb that Melissa Leo let fly. Michael, hello.

MICHAEL MUSTO, "THE VILLAGE VOICE": Hi, Carol.

COSTELLO: Hi. So -- MUSTO: I actually think it was the only moment of life in the whole show.

COSTELLO: Wait.

MUSTO: And it was in character with Melissa's character from "The Fighter."

COSTELLO: Wait, Michael. We have the only riveting moment of the Oscar show. Let's play it now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MELISSA LEO, WINNER, BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: When I watched Kate two years ago, it looked so (EXPLETIVE DELETED).

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Oh, like she didn't know she was going to say that. You say that was the only riveting moment?

MUSTO: Well, I love that the highlight of the whole Oscar telecast was something you can't even hear. You have to read her lips. Yes. And you know what? Melissa, to her credit, was probably thrown off by that lovable, old codger, Kirk Douglas, who stole the scene with all that schtick, which I thought was kind of torturesome to the five nominees sitting there waiting to find out who won.

Of course, we all knew Melissa was going to win. That's another problem, Carol. We knew everyone that was going to win.

(CROSSTALK)

COSTELLO: I know, I knew --

MUSTO: Any stranger on the street knew for weeks --

COSTELLO: I knew what the Best Movie would win. It was like -- it was a yawner. And the new young and hip hosts?

MUSTO: The Oscars --

COSTELLO: You think they worked out?

MUSTO: Oh, the young and hip hosts were terrible, yes. And they were mixed with mentions of "Titanic" and scenes from Bob Hope, who young people have never heard of. So, it was extremely schizo. Schizo as, I would say, Cate Blanchett's outfit.

(LAUGHTER)

COSTELLO: I kind of enjoyed the outfits.

MUSTO: The whole thing was -- COSTELLO: You know, maybe they should just put on a fashion show and skip the movie award part, because everybody knows who's going to win any way. So, they should just do a fashion show, because that's what people are really interested in.

MUSTO: That's fine with me, because you know what? The Oscars used to be the last word, but now, they're the word after that. Because, like you say, we know who's going to win. The fashions are interesting. Gwyneth Paltrow was dressed in tin foil. To me, that's interesting. And the best-dressed one was the 14-year-old girl from "True Grit." That's a real star.

COSTELLO: Now, see, that's bad to me, that we even have to talk about a 14-year-old's fashion choices.

MUSTO: That is pretty sad. But she didn't win, but at least she looked fantastic, and she definitely wouldn't have said what Melissa Leo said up there.

I really think, Carol, that the hosts were a problem. Traditionally, Oscar is hosted by comedians who know how to deliver a punch line. In this case, there was terrible material. There was no punch line. And James Franco was kind of zoning out, and then Anne Hathaway would compensate and kind of over-punch the jokes, which were nonexistent. And I thought it was just ghastly.

COSTELLO: So, what's -- ?

MUSTO: This was the worst one since Rob Lowe and Snow White, wouldn't you say?

COSTELLO: Ow, ooh, ow, ow. Ow.

MUSTO: That hurts, I know.

COSTELLO: So, what's the answer? If you were the producer of the Oscars, what would you do to make them sing?

MUSTO: Bring back comedians like Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin, they were hilarious last year. Get rid of Best Song. No one's going to hear those songs again. If you did, you would run for your life. They're horrible. Randy Newman said there should be five nominees for best song? There should be zero nominees.

And also, move the show up even further so that it's not such an anti- climax, it's not so redundant anymore. It should be ahead of the Golden Globes. And they should serve alcohol, like they do at the Golden Globes. That would make it fun.

COSTELLO: Oh, you're not kidding.

MUSTO: They should serve it at home for all of us.

COSTELLO: A lot of it, yes. Thank you very much, Michael.

MUSTO: It would help. COSTELLO: The snarkiest session of the morning.

MUSTO: Thank you.

COSTELLO: And I, frankly, loved it. The day after the Oscars, one of the most talked-about actors is Charlie Sheen. He was not up for an Oscar, but his off-stage performance continues to turn heads. Listen to part of Sheen's interview on ABC's "Good Morning America."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDREA CANNING, ABC CORRESPONDENT: All these radio rants have people thinking, Charlie Sheen is -- has got to be on drugs again.

CHARLIE SHEEN, ACTOR: Sure. Yes. I am on a drug, it's called Charlie Sheen. It's not available because if you try it once, you will die. Your face will melt off and your children will weep over your exploded body. Too much.

So, it's -- yes, no, it's just I -- again, I woke up and decided, you know, I've been kicked around, I've been criticized, I've been, like, the "Ah, shucks" guy with this bitching rock star life, and I'm just finally going to completely embrace it, wrap both arms around it, and love it violently. And defend it violently, through violent hatred.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Interesting. Sheen says he's clean. No drugs. It was just last week, as you know, he went off on another of his violent, hatred rants that got his show, "Two and a Half Men" shelved for the season, and it doesn't seem like it will end here. We'll talk more about Sheen's interview with psychologist Jeff Gardere, and that comes next hour in the CNN NEWSROOM.

And an interview with Bernard Madoff, Bernie Madoff, as we know him, the man behind the biggest Ponzi scheme in American history. He's suggesting that you should feel sorry for him. You will hear some of his interview from prison.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

COSTELLO: Bernard Madoff want it is world to know he's a good person and that his epic Ponzi scheme was not all his fault. Madoff is serving 150 years in federal prison for what's probably the biggest scam in Wall Street history. The fraud ran into the billions of dollars. He called a reporter for "New York Magazine " and he's talked to that reporter about his victims.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BERNIE MADOFF, JAILED FOR PONZI SCHEME: All of the A and B clients, all of my friends, everybody else, you know, it was the people that came in very late in the game that got hurt.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right.

MADOFF: So did I make a lot of money for people? Yes, I made a lot of money for people. Did people lose profits that they thought they made? Yes. You know, but did they lose capital? I'm sure, I'm confident that when this thing is all finished, very few people, if any, will lose their principle.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Madoff also added he's a good person, but keeping up the swindle was a nightmare for him and that regulators actually felt sorry for him.

In the next hour, we'll talk to one of his victims and find out if he's got any sympathy for Bernie Madoff.

9:30 a.m. on the east coast, 6:30 a.m. in the west. Here are some of the stories that have us talking this morning.

Wisconsin's governor says there could be thousands of layoffs beginning this week if a budget repair bill is not passed soon. The governor wants to remove most collective bargaining rights for public employees. A Democratic state senator tells our correspondent in Madison that he's hoping to convince more Republican senators to oppose the governor's legislation.

An ugly weather system is rolling across the Midwest and southeast. Hail pounded parts of the Midwest yesterday. A funnel cloud was spotted in Oklahoma, but no significant damage reported. Severe thunderstorms, flooding and even tornados possible again today.

More sanctions announced this morning against Libya and its embattled leader Moammar Gadhafi. The European Union is imposing an arms embargo banning travel to any E.U. nations by Libya. That comes as the movement to force him out appears to be closing in. Government forces in a city just 35 miles from the capital of Tripoli have defected to the opposition.

And just moments ago, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke about Libya during remarks to the U.N. Human Rights council in Geneva.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, SECRETARY OF STATE: Today, the world's eyes are fixed on Libya. We have seen Colonel Gadhafi's security forces open fire on peaceful protesters again and again. They have used heavy weapons on unarmed civilians. Mercenaries and thugs have been turned loose to attack demonstrators. There are reports of soldiers executed for refusing to turn their guns on their fellow citizens of indiscriminate killings, arbitrary arrests and torture.

Colonel Gadhafi and those around him must be held accountable for these acts which violate international legal obligations and common decency.

(END VIDEO CLIP) COSTELLO: Getting into the head of another person is no easy task. Doing that with a world leader like Moammar Gadhafi, even harder.

So we go to a man who knows the mind of Gadhafi. Abubaker Saad is a history professor at Western Connecticut State University. He was an interpreter and diplomat for Colonel Gadhafi in the '70s, but he left the country after a failed coup attempt that left a number of his friends tortured and killed.

Thank you for joining us this morning, sir.

ABUBAKER SAAD, HISTORY PROFESSOR, WESTERN CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY: Thank you.

COSTELLO: You've been in Gadhafi's inner circle. We only see what Gadhafi presents to the world. But you've seen him when the cameras aren't around.

What is that world like?

SAAD: He's actually worse than what you see on camera. He's actually behaving himself on camera more than he was in real life. I mean, he was really insulting. He uses profanity with the people who work with him. He went as far back as I remember one incident, he slapped his prime minister right with the back of his hand on the face in front of five or six of us who are at the office at the time.

So, he was -- no, he's always rude. He's always brutal. He goes to the office wearing a pistol all the time, a gun on his waist. And basically, you are afraid to even ask him to repeat what he says to you because you're afraid of the reprisal and you are -- supposedly you are his trusted employee.

COSTELLO: So he's standing firm in the face of this opposition going on in much of his country. Recently on "Voice of America," you said the only way to deal with a leader like Gadhafi is to kill him.

Is that where this is headed?

SAAD: From the way that he is entrenching himself, there's no other way because you have to remember, this is a man who has been ruling the country for 42 years. And throughout those 42 years, there was numerous attempts to remove him and all failed and that's the only way you can really deal with him because he is not willing to negotiate. He is not willing to even open a dialogue with the opposition.

COSTELLO: So, sir, is he willing to stay in his country and die to keep his government around? Or is he so delusional he doesn't think anything's really going to happen to him?

SAAD: No. He's -- he is the thought in his mind is if he can hang long enough in power, particularly in Tripoli, because you have to remember, Tripoli has about one-third of Libya's total population. So, he feels if he can hang in Tripoli and he controls Tripoli, he can regain the other areas. See that's -- I mean, your description of him as delusion is accurate in that sense. The sense that that's what he believes.

COSTELLO: Abubaker Saad, thank you for joining us and giving us those interesting insights. We appreciate it.

SAAD: Thank you very much for having me.

COSTELLO: Thank you.

More from the CNN NEWSROOM next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Breaking news out of Libya right now. Let's head there. Ben Wedeman is on the phone from Aja Abia (ph).

Ben, tell us what's happening.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): OK. We're in -- this town is about 150 kilometers to the west of Benghazi, where about 45 minutes ago, a Libyan (INAUDIBLE) jet, that's an old Russian jet, bombed a base outside of the city called Lahamaiah (ph).

According to eyewitnesses, the plane dropped four bombs on to what -- this place is basically a place where they keep a lot of weaponry and a lot of ammunition. We arrived at the scene just about 20 minutes after the event. We heard some secondary explosions, as well.

Right now, I'm right in front of an antiaircraft gun loaded on the back of the pickup truck in which they are getting ready in the event the plane comes back. It's caused a lot of panic in the area because -- OK, that was the antiaircraft gun going off just behind me.

COSTELLO: Are you OK, Ben?

WEDEMAN: No, no, I'm fine, don't worry. Yes, I'm fine. I'm fine. I always tell people don't get nervous unless I get nervous. I'm not nervous. I'm fine.

Anyway, it appears he may be just doing this show of force to show they're out and able to defend the skies over this area, Carol.

COSTELLO: So, who's responsible for these air strikes?

WEDEMAN: Well, it would appear that these are planes coming from Tripoli or Sert, which is the hometown of Moammar Gadhafi, where there are many, there's a large Libyan Air Force base.

And, of course, what they may be trying to do is destroy weapons and ammunition that could be used in the event that the forces opposed to Gadhafi in the eastern part of the country move west, because there's been a lot of talk in this area about people preparing, getting organized to launch some sort of offensive against Gadhafi's forces in the western part of the country, Carol.

COSTELLO: So, now that these air strikes are ongoing and I know they're targeting weapons' cashes. But might this be a turning point in what's happening in Libya?

WEDEMAN: Well, it would be very different to say. Certainly Moammar Gadhafi still has a lot of weaponry at his disposal. But what we've seen in recent weeks is that he can't really depend upon the forces that at least supposedly controls. We've seen on more than one occasion, pilots defecting to the opposition. So as this may be just one last desperate attempt.

Anyway, I think the air strike is over. I'm still hearing some distant antiaircraft weaponry. But I don't see the plane and I don't see or hear any airplanes over head -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Ben Wedeman, we'll get back to you as events warrant. Thank you very much.

States are jockeying to have a first presidential condition test of 2012. Florida is planning its primary for January. Now Iowa says it may move up, too.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: A summit of Tea Party activists has chosen two Republicans they'd like to see in the White House.

Our deputy political director, Paul Steinhauser is here with the story. So Paul who are they?

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: And the winners are, Carol -- I guess this is like the Academy Awards -- Hermann Kane --

(CROSS TALK)

COSTELLO: Who?

STEINHAUSER: -- and Ron Paul, that's it.

Ok, here a story, there was a Tea Party summit out in Phoenix, Arizona over the weekend by the Tea Party Patriots, they are one of the largest groups of Tea Party National Organizations and they had two, two straw polls. One online and one of activists who actually attended.

Ron Paul, the Congressman from Texas, he ran for Republican presidential nomination last time. He won the online one. And Hermann Kane, the businessman, he used to be the CEO of Godfather's Pizza, he's also a radio talk show host, he won the one the -- one where you actually have to be there in person. Remember, both of those people were there. Both of those guys were there at the event, so that's why they did so well.

Tim Pawlenty was also speaking at the event and came in second on one of the polls.

Carol, let's talk about Sarah Palin in Iowa. A new poll out by the "Des Moines Register", remember, Iowa, a crucial state in the battle for the White House. It indicates though, that her favorable rating among the likely Republicans who probably will vote in the caucuses next year, it slipped a little bit from 71 percent a year and a half ago down to 65 percent now.

Of course, everybody wants to know will Sarah Palin jump in the race for the White House -- Carol.

COSTELLO: And that's just the way she likes it.

STEINHAUSER: Yes, it is. Exactly.

COSTELLO: I understand the -- the fight for the first primary has begun.

STEINHAUSER: Yes, there are some battling going on. The Republican and Democratic Parties has put out the schedule. Take a look at this graphic, you could see right here that it was supposed to be Iowa first next February followed by New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina, but Florida now says they are going to continue to keep their primary at January 31st, which means they would jump ahead of everybody else.

Now, that's got Iowa's governor a little mad. He's here in D.C. for the National Governor's Association. And he told our Peter Hamby, we will move up. We did it last time, we will do it again, we will be first. Fighting words from Iowa, they want to kept their caucuses there.

COSTELLO: Maybe they should have an arm wrestling contest.

STEINHAUSER: Hey, that's not a bad idea.

COSTELLO: It'll be simpler. Paul Steinhauser thanks.

STEINHAUSER: Yes.

COSTELLO: We'll have your next political update in one hour and a reminder for all the latest political news, you know where to go, CNNPolitics.com.

Coming up, a woman in New Zealand tied the knot, but the joyful day almost didn't happen because they had to dig out the bride first.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Get out your passports and we're going to spin the globe.

First stop, Mexico. An arrest has been made in the case of the murdered U.S. Immigration and Customs agent. Agent Jamie Zapata died and his partner was wounded after an ambush in broad daylight near San Luis Potosi.

Authorities believed they have arrested one of the leaders of the Zetas drug gang. Sergio Morro will be handed over to federal authorities in Mexico City. Ten people had already been picked up in connection to the attacks. Six of them you see here, each are said to be linked to the cartel. Mexican authorities believe the attack was a case of mistaken identity.

To Cairo now, Sunday was the first day back -- back to school for most kids in Egypt's capital. Still many students did not venture to out their schools, that's after reports that ousted President Hosni Mubarak and his family had been banned from foreign travel and their funds were being impounded. Some residents fear there could be some renewed clashes in the streets.

And to New Zealand now, for a wedding that almost wasn't, and it's not because the bride got cold feet. Emma Howard was trapped for six hours in the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquake. Stuck beneath the ruins of her office building she was unable to move. But she did manage to text her husband-to-be with a message saying she was ok but buried.

Her fiance rushed to the building and helped dig his bride-to-be out of the earth. They're happy this morning.

We're following lots of developments in the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM. Let's check in first with Christine Romans -- Christine.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Carol, there's a lot you can control and a lot you can't control about oil prices. I mean, if they stay above $100 a barrel, there's nothing you can do it but you can change how you drive, where you drive and your behavior behind the wheel. I'll tell you how to keep your own gas price down -- Carol.

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Ted Rowlands in Madison, Wisconsin. The standoff continues here. One of those 14 senators in Illinois tells us this morning, they'll stay away more than a month if they have to. We'll have the very latest coming up at the top of the hour.

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: I'm Chris Lawrence at the Pentagon where the question is, what to do about Gadhafi. Enforce a no-fly zone over Libya? Disrupt Gadhafi's communications? We'll tell you about some of the options on the table coming up in the next hour.

COSTELLO: Thanks to all of you.

Also, Bernard Madoff says he's a good person and that keeping up his epic swindle was a nightmare for him. We'll talk with one of his many victims and ask him if he's feeling any sympathy for Bernie.

But first, let's "Flashback" to this day in 1994. The Brady Law went into effect, the law is named after former Press Secretary James Brady who was shot during the 1981 attempted assassination of President Reagan. Before the Brady Law, it was said people could get guns by lying and buying, criminals could simply lie to get weapons. Background checks were not mandatory.

John Hinckley, the gunman in 1981 had been arrested at a national airport trying to get on a plane with three handguns just four days before he bought the 22 he shot President Reagan and Brady Webb. Now the Brady Law requires firearm dealers to run background checks on gun buyers. It was signed into law in 1993 and it went into effect February 28th, 1994.

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COSTELLO: Here's a story that might make guys in the United States look pretty darn good. A new study is out on the habits of a typical British man. The numbers are from the UK's Office of National Statistics.

Get this the average British male spends 11 years in front of the television. He also spends 10,500 hours in the pub. Of course that doesn't leave a lot of time for much else. The study says your average British bloke will learn to cook just four meals in his lifetime.

JEFF FISCHEL, HLN SPORTS ANCHOR: Eleven year, 11 years of TV? You know, just watching reruns of "Caddieshack" I think that would be a year or two more for me. But I don't know that could be to 12 or 13, easy.

COSTELLO: I mean, you can't relate to the British male, right?

FISCHEL: They're sophisticated, right? 10,000 hours in a pub.

COSTELLO: It just proves their accent does not make them smarter necessarily.

FISCHEL: It just sounds that way, I guess.

COSTELLO: Ok. Let's talk sports. LeBron James went to Miami to win a championship but there could be some competition now.

FISCHEL: There definitely is. In New York, of course, the Knicks fans loving this. Everyone says LeBron is the guy, right? LeBron, Dwyane Wade; but now the Knicks have their own two-man superstar team going -- even getting some help from a veteran point guard.

LeBron James and the Heat taking on the New York Knicks in Miami. Watch LeBron. Why is he so good? Well, he has eyes in the back of his head. The sweet pass to (INAUDIBLE) here and it's right on the money.

LeBron had 27 points but new Knick Carmelo Anthony had 29. And one minute left, it's another new name -- came over in that huge trade last week. Chauncey Billups, (INAUDIBLE) loving it, the three. New York on top, final second. Miami needs a three to tie, LeBron can be a hero. No. The Knicks win in Miami. Huge win for New York and the new guys.

All right. Suns and Pacers tied with 3.5 seconds left. Phoenix gets the ball to Channing Frye. Frye, Frye, at the buzzer, good -- not just good, great. The buzzer beater, wins it for the Suns, 110-108, with a hand on his face, too.

Nascar in Phoenix. Remember 20-year-old Trevor Bayne? He won the Daytona 500 just last week. Well yesterday, he crashed early, he was out of it. Done. His day was over, what a difference a week makes. And how about Jeff Gordon. You know, when Bayne was a kid and he was loving Nascar, Gordon was his hero. That must make Gordon feel old. Ends his 66 race drought, Gordon is one of the all-time greats, 83 all-time wins.

All right. I think of baseball season, I think of warm summer weather. This does not look like baseball weather. Milwaukee Brewers fans lined up overnight in the ice and snow to get tickets to opening day and other season games. Yes, they even needed a fire to stay warm.

So remember though, this is Wisconsin, home of Packers fans, too. Tens of thousands of them turned out, zero degree temperatures for the Packers' Super Bowl celebration, so I think you --

(CROSSTALK)

FISCHEL: Arctic tailgate.

COSTELLO: They picked up somebody big, didn't they, the Brewers?

FISCHEL: The Brewers have a great off-season, acquiring some pitching. So now, they are a contender in the NL central.

COSTELLO: They have a reason to watch now besides Prince Fielder.

FISCHEL: Yes, they could be the team to beat.

Now, these two -- check this out. Almost a disastrous mistake by a male cheerleader. In yesterday's Louisville-Pittsburgh game, the slam dunk put Louisville ahead by five. With less than a second left, it should be over, the cheerleader thought it was over, grabbed the ball and chucked it into the air.

Yes, not over yet. So he gets technical two free throws, Pittsburgh makes them, so now they're just down three. Rick Pitino can't believe it. Will it cost them? No. The Louisville cheerleader breathing much easier. Could have been one of the most ignominious moves ever in sports.

COSTELLO: That cheerleader could have been in big, big trouble.

FISCHEL: All forgotten.

COSTELLO: Thank you, Jeff.

FISCHEL: All right.