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IndyCar Racer Dies in Fiery Crash; High-Ranked Track A Pre-Race Concern; Las Vegas Readies for GOP Debate; Cain: Electrified Fence Was a Joke; "Occupy" Enters Its Second Month; Obama Taps Into Wall Street Anger; Thirteen Injured in Boston Apartment Fire; American Detained in Aruba; 52-Year-Old Wins Pro Boxing Debut; "What Went On Was Pure Evil"; A Desperate Housewife Lawsuit; "Sesame Street" Hacked; Lady Gaga Serenades Bill Clinton; Pope Wheeled Up Aisle at St. Peters; Obama Begins Three-Day Bus Tour; Students Grouped By Test Scored
Aired October 17, 2011 - 09:59 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Now we are talking big field, fast cars and bank tracks. Now a huge loss for the sport of racing as we just mentioned with our Jeff Fischel. Dan Wheldon, a two-time Indy Car winner, a family man and one of the most popular drivers in racing is killed after this fiery 15-car wreck at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
CNN's Carlos Diaz is in Las Vegas. Carlos, let's talk about what went wrong?
CARLOS DIAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, what went wrong was you had a lot of cars on a very small track going for a lot of money and a very high rate of speed. You have 34 cars in this field, more cars than in the Indianapolis 500.
The Indianapolis 500 track is 2 1/2 miles. This is a mile and a half. As you can see here, it was a recipe for disaster, 11 laps into lap two. Cars jumping over other cars. Three cars got airborne.
Dan Wheldon went into the restraining fence and turned to. He was airlifted to a hospital where he passed away. Dan Wheldon dead at the age of 33. The entire racing community is shocked and stunned and in mourning this morning.
PHILLIPS: Yes, Carlos, so many other drivers are not taking this death very well.
DIAZ: And understandably so because Dan Wheldon was one of the most popular guys in the Indy racing league. I got to know him pretty well growing up in Indianapolis and talking to him for several Indianapolis 500s.
The most charismatic guy you would ever want to meet, a 1,000-watt smile. He was truly -- he truly had the personality of a movie star and everyone who met him considered him a friend. I know everyone would like to speak about someone that way.
Dan Wheldon, truly one of the great guys in racing and also a great driver. A two-time Indy champion winning the Indianapolis 500 just last May.
PHILLIPS: Wow. Carlos Diaz from Vegas there. Carlos, thanks. As we mentioned, it is a really tough time for Dan Wheldon's fellow drivers. Also, I mean, fans, friends, Jeff Fischel, and there were a lot of concerns about this track even before this race started, right?
JEFF FISCHEL, HLN SPORTS: Carlos hit on it a bit is a small track. The Indy 500 is a 2-1/2 mile track. This is one and a half miles. It's tight. It's really a track that was made for NASCAR, not for Indy cars.
The drivers knew the days leading up to the race this was a problem. They even suggested that, you know, this is not the right course or track for the IndyCar race. In fact, Oriol Servia the day before the race said this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ORIOL SERVIA, RACE CAR DRIVER: It is around 240 miles an hour. It is fine, but some of the racetrack like these ones. I don't think they are built for open wheel. They have a very high banking, really smooth.
We can get too easy, too close to each other. Thirty three cars altogether at 220 miles an hour for two hours, you have a high chance that something really bad can happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FISCHEL: Wow, that was just the day before the race. Dario Frankitti, one of the big names in Indy car racing also said the same thing in the days leading up to the race. You know, he could foresee some dangerous bad scenarios coming on this race track.
They're going to have, you know, really think twice about sending a course - going to back Las Vegas or if they do what they're going to do to make it safer for the drivers.
PHILLIPS: Yes, what does the IndyCar series learn from this and what they can do to prevent it from happening again?
FISCHEL: Yes, I think, you know, one of the things some of the drivers were suggesting the days leading up to the race was doing something to cars to slow them down. I mean, down that track, 225 miles per hour-plus that is very, very dangerous as we saw with what happened to Dan Wheldon.
Wheldon, of course, competing, pushing forward. That was another problem. It was very tight at that track. Wheldon was trying to push forward as much as he could because a lot of money was on the line for him.
He was battling to win $2.5 million if he'd come through from the last -- he started last in the race. He was trying to get all the way to the front. As you can see it get tight in lap 11 and this is what happens. PHILLIPS: You know, I'm just looking over my shoulder and seeing the pictures that we have, and it is all with his family. When you see pictures like that, it touches everybody. Not just a racer --
FISCHEL: Absolutely not. He'd been married for three years, has two young sons, one just born earlier this year, a 7-month-old. So this is, you know, particular as to why everyone is finding it so hard to handle is because this was a guy who was a guy -- the guys all became friend, the racers in the circuit, and particularly this guy was very well beloved.
PHILLIPS: Jeff, thanks.
FISCHEL: Yes.
PHILLIPS: Las Vegas tomorrow night is the place to be for the presidential debate for seven leading Republicans. It is live right here on CNN.
The economy will share the spotlight in a battleground state rocked by unemployment and home foreclosures. Senior political editor Mark Preston is in Vegas. So what can we expect the candidates to say about the economy, Mark?
MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL EDITOR: Well, they are all going to say that they have the solution to turn it around. They will be very critical of President Obama, Kyra, when they take the stage behind me at the Venetian Resort, but the fact of the matter is they will be critical of each other.
Mitt Romney has a 59-point plan to turn the economy around. We have heard about Herman Cain's 9-9-9 plan. Rick Perry just released his energy plan that said he will create jobs. Guess what? Ron Paul, Kyra, is going to unveil his own plan just behind me in a few hours.
Let me give you a couple of tidbits of what he plans to do if he was elected president. He wants to abolish the Departments of Energy, HUD, Commerce, Interior, Education and the Transportation Safety Administration, which is protecting the airports. He says that is will save $1 trillion if he were to be elected president in the first year, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Mark Preston live out of Vegas. Tomorrow night live on CNN the Republican candidates for president gathering to debate the issues and sway the voters. That's the Western Republican Presidential debate at 8:00 Eastern right here on CNN.
Well, when Herman Cain strolls on the stage tomorrow he'll be lugging a little extra baggage. He's under fire for weekend comments calling on a deadly new fence along the U.S./Mexico border.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HERMAN CAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDAT: When I'm in charge of the fence, we're going to have a fence that's 20 feet high. It will have barbed wire on the top. It is going to be electrified and we are going to --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Now later today, Cain meets with Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio who embraces the tough stand against illegal immigration. Arpaio says he believes Cain's claim that he wasn't serious.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERIFF JOE ARPAIO, MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA: I'm sure he was joking, but it probably means that he is taking it serious to do something at the border and stop the illegal immigrations.
But I'm not against the fence, but if you buy a ladder and hop over, I would like to see the people go to jail not give them a free ride back to Mexico.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Cain also wants tougher enforcement of existing immigration laws. Today will be the second time the men have met over the last few months.
"Occupy Wall Street" is a-month-old now and the movement seems to be getting stronger and wider. That was actually Saturday night in Times Square. New York police arrests nearly 100 protestors.
Now to Washington, professor and Civil Rights activist Cornell West was among the 19 people arrested there. They wouldn't leave the steps of the Supreme Court.
And the movement is not just nationwide anymore, it is global. There were demonstrations over the weekend in Tel-Aviv, Hongkong, Buenos Aires and Madrid.
Let's talk more about the latest American export, shall we? Zain Verjee in London. So, Zain, how is it playing out overseas? We saw things were kind of rough in Rome.
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it got very rough in Rome. I mean, look, most of the protests on this side of the Atlantic were actually pretty peaceful with thousands of people turned out.
But check out this video in Rome where it did get nuts out there on the streets. Essentially what happened was at some point the peaceful protests turned into this because the police who were armed with basically mortar cannon and started firing it on to a small group of anarchists there throwing molotov cocktails.
And they have knives and it creates of this sort of scene, but in other parts of the world. This really wasn't the case. I'll tell you what the headlines are saying, Kyra. This is "The Guardian."
It's an opinion piece and it has this headline, from Wall Street to St. Pauls. It says those attending Sunday mass found themselves picking a path through the makeshift camp of around 100 tents erected at the foot of the cathedral steps after Saturday's global day of action inspired by the U.S.' "Occupy Wall Street" movement.
The "South China Morning Post" has this headline: "Don't throw baby out with bath water." It is an opinion piece that's talking about protests in Hong Kong and it says the young protesters in Central, that's the area this happened, have their hearts in the right place.
But they need to better understand the unique social problems that come from Hong Kong instead of blindly aping their "Occupy Wall Street" friends.
Finally, Kyra, "The Australian," Wall Street occupiers are an insult to the workers. It's a comment piece that says, what we are witnessing is not the birth of something new as the occupiers would have us believe, but the death of something old, the death of a principled left that believed in progress of the develop and in the ability of the little man to change his world for the better. That's the view from this side.
PHILLIPS: All right, Zain, thanks so much. And President Obama will seize on the building anger or the anger that is building against Wall Street. He launches a three-day road trip to sell his jobs plan.
Brianna Keilar is in Ashville, North Carolina where the president is due to speak this hour. Brianna, what do you expect him to say?
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: We know, Kyra, and he's been doing this for some time that he may acknowledge some of the frustration. At the same time, we also know he has resisted suggestions that there's a lot of frustration with him and instead he has said that many voters are frustrated with the economy.
He will be speaking here at the Asheville, North Carolina Regional Airport here during this hour. He'll be talking, in particular, about one element of his jobs plan that includes infrastructure spending, some of which could go to airports.
And as he makes this his first stop, the kickoff of his three- day bus tour winding through North Carolina up into Virginia, he'll be highlighting different parts of his jobs plan in certain areas, obviously, money to keep teachers working to keep firefighters working.
But while he'll be using this to urge Congress to pass his jobs plan there is, of course, a political significance to this trip. President Obama won Virginia and North Carolina very narrowly in 2008. Of course, he wants to hang on though to these states in 2012, they are considered must-wins. And he'll be talking to a number of important voter blocks, Kyra. This is Ashville, North Carolina, a liberal enclave.
But also he'll be talking as well to African-Americans voters who really helped push him over the edge in North Carolina. And also he'll be taking his message to some Republican strongholds as he tries to keep the pressure on Republicans in Congress -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Brianna Keilar live in Asheville. We will follow the president and of course, take him live when that speech starts. He's expected to talk about 10:50 Eastern Time. So we'll take it live as soon as he steps up to the mic.
Coming up, a horrific discovery in Philadelphia.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It looks like a dungeon. These people were stored like surplus meat in the basement.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: We're going to get the very latest on the investigation from Philly Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Checking stories cross country now.
In Boston, a massive fire in an apartment building covers nearly an entire city block. Thirteen people were injured including two firefighters and a police officer. Police have arrested a man suspicion of arson.
The Maryland man jailed in Aruba in connection with Robyn Gardner's disappearance is due back in court today. Gary Giordano's attorney says authorities do not have enough evidence to continue to hold him and will ask for his release.
And a fairy tale ending, 52-year-old Dewey Bozella won his pro boxing debut in L.A. We actually had the honor of talking to him on Friday. He was recently exonerated and released from prison after 26 years for a murder he did not commit. He got his game and he won.
Well, the FBI has joined the investigation into a horrific case of abuse and much more in Philadelphia. Chained in the basement of an apartment building, four mentally challenged adults malnourished, laying in filth found by the landlord after a neighbor reported suspicious activity.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TURGUT GOZLEVELI, FOUND VICTIMS, CALLED 911: I am the one who found them chained and let them free.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What were they saying to you? Did they say thank you? Did they say help?
GOZLEVELI: They weren't talking anything. They're half dead almost.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Well, three people have been arrested in this case, but we need to help the Philadelphia Police Commissioner, Charles Ramsey, with a lot more information here.
Commissioner, I'm going to get right to it. I understand that a number or possibly one or more of these victims you have not been able to identify, correct? I know we have a picture --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right.
PHILLIPS: OK. Let's start with Herbert. That's all we know. His first name is Herbert. He's from the Virginia area. Tell us what you need help with regard to this victim.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, we need identification. He's only able to give us his first name, Herbert. He says he's from the Virginia area, specifically where we do not know. That's a pretty good photograph and we are hoping that someone somewhere will recognize him and call our northeast detective division at 215-686-3154.
PHILLIPS: And we've got his picture up now. We've got the phone number up now. Commissioner, is this the only picture that we have? Are there other victims that you need help identifying as well?
Because I understand that there were four mentally challenged adults that were being held captive, basically, in this basement for their Social Security checks, correct?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That is correct. We've got identification on the other three. He's the only one that right now that we aren't able to identify.
PHILLIPS: Got it. We'll bring his picture up again in just a second, but I also want to take a look at the three suspects. Thomas Gregory, Linda Ann Weston and Eddie Wright, what do we know about them?
And hopefully somebody may recognize one of these individuals that could help you find out more about Herbert, one of the victims. But tell me about these three and why the FBI is now looking into this case, is it bigger than we think?
COMMISSIONER CHARLES RAMSEY, PHILADELPHIA POLICE: Well, it could be bigger than we think. The FBI is looking into it because we know that they were in at least two different states at different periods of time, Texas and Florida as well as Pennsylvania.
So we need the FBI's assistance to track down a lot of leads that are really going to take us even beyond those three states. One of the things we were able to recover in a search of one of the offenders, Linda Weston, we have about 50 different I.D.s of people.
Social Security information, power of attorney information, those kinds of things, which we now have to track down each and every one of these people to get their status. We believe that she's been involved in this for a period of time. We don't know how many victims, however, are part of this investigation.
PHILLIPS: Commissioner, how did these suspects get their hand on these mentally disabled adults, and get all their personal information? How did they operate?
RAMSEY: Well, that's all part of the investigation. We aren't sure -- each case might be slightly different. One of the victims says that he met Miss Weston through an online dating service.
So we are trying to track down a variety of leads in this case. Certainly, the FBI is joining in on the investigation now. And I believe this is something that's going to unfold over time and we'll get more and more information.
PHILIPPS: Well, it is just horrific. I think we all agree there's a special place in hell for people like that. Finally, Commissioner, I want to clarify this gentleman that actually found these individuals in the basement, we have seen reports he's a janitor or a landlord, could you just tell us who he is? What did he do and how exactly did he find out about these folks suffering like this?
RAMSEY: Well, he's the -- he's the owner of the property there and he was there checking on his property. He had gotten some information of people coming and going out of the basement. No one is supposed to be in the basement.
When he went there he saw trash, heard dogs barking. There was a subbasement here that contains the boiler room and he we want downstairs. It was dark, the room -- the door leading to the boiler room was changed. He took the chain off.
When he got inside he saw a couple dogs, but then he also used his flashlights because the lights had been turned off as well. He noticed four individuals. This is only about a 10 by 10-foot room. One of the individuals was chained to the actual boiler. He called police right away and of course, we got there and discovered everything going on.
PHILLIPS: Real quickly before we go, the picture once again of Herbert, if you have any information. You may know who this man is, gosh, Commissioner, you think of everyone or everything he went through and he's still smiling.
Commissioner, thanks so much for joining us. We'll do everything we can to try to help you out on this. Charles Ramsey, thanks for your time.
RAMSEY: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: Well, coming up, we're going to talk more about this scene, Pope Benedict XVI normally would walk up the aisle of St. Peters, but yesterday he needed a little help getting to the altar.
And a one-time "Desperate Housewife" gets her day in court after suing the show's creator for $20 million. We'll tell you about the fight that led to the lawsuit in today's showbiz headlines next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Well, if you're a fan of ABC's "Desperate Housewives" you know cat fights are just a part of the show, but the latest battle is happening off screen between one of the show's former stars and its creator. "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT'S" host, A.J. Hammer is here to sort it all out. A.J.
A.J. HAMMER, HOST, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": Kyra, well, Nicolette Sheridan's $20 million wrongful termination lawsuit over being dropped from ABC's "Desperate Housewives" is finally going to trial in Los Angeles that's happening today.
This trial has been going on for a few years now. Sheridan sued ABC and the "Housewives" creator and executive producer, Mark Cherry back in April of 2010 claiming that Cherry was slapped her across the face during a blow-up on the set, which happened in 2008.
After she complained to the network bosses about the whole thing, she was booted off the show. Cherry's argue that the decision to kill of Sheridan's character, you remember Edie Brit. That was made long before the alleged slapping incident.
ABC did an internal investigation. They found no merit to the claim that Cherry struck Sheridan, but an L.A. judge did determine there was sufficient evidence to hear the unfair dismissal case. Kyra, you know, a lot of people in Hollywood and beyond will be following this real life desperate housewives drama very closely.
PHILLIPS: I understand there was drama on the "Sesame Street" as well.
HAMMER: Yes. I don't understand what happened here. Fans of "Sesame Street" got an unexpected education in the letter X, as in x- rated over the weekend. Here's what happened.
The Youtube page of the beloved children's show was offering its viewers some very adult content on Sunday apparently hackers reprogrammed the site with explicit sex videos. Anyone visiting the site for the much-loved muppets saw hardcore pornography instead.
The page was taken offline, thank goodness, later on Sunday. Visitors to the site were told it was shut down because of repeated or severe violations of their community guidelines.
Now Sesame Workshop, which is the organization behind "Sesame Street" did issue an apology on Sunday. Here's what they told us, our channel was compromised and we are presently working with Youtube/Google to restore our original content.
Though at last check, Kyra, the channel was unavailable on Youtube and I have to say I heard the story that made me sad. Of all the things to mess with --
PHILLIPS: The look on Big Bird's face tells it all. All right, former President Clinton celebrated his birthday in Hollywood this weekend with some pretty big names.
HAMMER: Yes, lots of big names. It was a giant gathering. This was President Clinton's 65th and the 10th anniversary of his foundation. The event was officially called "A Decade Of Difference, A Concert Celebrating 10 Years Of The William J. Clinton Foundation."
Barbara Streisand was there so as Josh Brolin, Jane Fonda, Ashton Kutcher, Ellen Degeneres, Edge and Bono from U2, Stevie Wonder was there. Even Lindsay Lohan made an appearance, but the highlight to a lot of people was this, Lady Gaga serenading Clinton with this body redo of "Bad Romance."
I thought it was terrific. Gaga said later, she enjoyed her first real Marilyn moments after she sang to the president. Clinton himself took to the stage later in the evening and here's what he had to say about Gaga's appearance.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL CLINTON, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: She always kind of goes up to the edge and said she was going to have a Marilyn moment. I thought, my God, I get Lady Gaga and I will have a heart attack celebrating my 65th birthday.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Perfect. So, Kyra, it looks like it was a big party and everybody had a good time, including the president, which he should, his 65th birthday. Wow, what a crowd showed up that. I would have loved to have gone with you, Kyra, by the way.
PHILLIPS: Well, next time. This clarifies that I was getting disked by you last Friday. Now I know you would take me as a date. I'm very honored. Next time I'm in. Thanks, A.J.
Well, if you want information on everything breaking in the entertainment world, A.J. has got it every night "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" 11 p.m. on HLN.
Well, some people are a little worried about Pope Benedict XVI. This is why. He usually walks the 100 yards or so up to the aisle at St. Peters Basilica, but yesterday he was wheeled up on a mobile platform.
Let's bring in Zain Verjee from London. So Zain, he used to be pretty healthy for 84 years old, so what was the deal yesterday?
VERJEE: Well, you know, a lot of people at the mass there at the Basilica were really surprised. They did not expect this, but, you know what? Yes, he's 84 years old. Now one of his spokes people at the Vatican said this, they said, look, this really was not done for any medical reason.
It was just to reduce his fatigue. So as you can see he's being wheeled down like this and he was holding on to one side of it and holding also the staff in the other hand. He had the aides pushing the platform.
By the way, this was actually the same platform that the former pope, John Paul II, used when he got older. A lot of people are speculating saying what's going to happen to the pope, but don't forget that Pope John Paul II started using this platform and lived on and continued for something like five more years.
Don't worry too much. We are not writing off the pope just because of that gesture, but because he is the pope every single little nuance is analyzed heavily in that kind of lend. So the Vatican is saying don't worry.
PHILLIPS: Got it. It is tough to be the pope. Thanks, Zain.
GOP candidate Herman Cain likes to joke. He says Americans need to learn how to have a sense of humor. Coming up, our political buzz panel weighs in on exactly what we are talking about.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Checking top stories now.
A horrific crash at Las Vegas Motor Speedway has taken the life of a beloved IndyCar driver. Thirty-three-year-old Dan Wheldon was killed in this 15-car wreck.
Testimony in the trial of Michael Jackson's doctor has been put on hold. The delay in Dr. Conrad Murray's trial is due to the death of the father of the prosecution's last witness.
And President Obama begins a three-day bus tour to North Carolina and Virginia today. The president is pushing Congress to patch each element of his jobs package.
Let's go to Karina Huber now at the New York Stocks Exchange. Details of a new FCC rules, I guess, the number set of rules that could impact hundreds of millions of cell phone users. Hey, Karina.
KARINA HUBER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Kyra. Well, this is the deal. We're going to start getting new alerts via voicemail or text, and these alerts will tell you when you're near your data limit or when you're about to incur roaming charges. Now, the key with this is that you'll know before you hit the limit and before you get that shocking bill.
And of course, the goal of this is to get rid of what the FCC calls bill shock, and that is, of course, when you go over your limit without knowing it, and then, get that shocking bill. Those alerts will start late next year -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. But don't carriers already sort of provide something similar to this?
HUBER: Yes. They do, but the thing is a that a lot of people don't sign up for it or they don't check online. So, now, these alerts will be free and automatic. You'll be getting them, unless, you choose to opt out. And the FCC figures that about 30 million Americans have experienced bill shock.
Now, that is roughly a tenth of the U.S. population. So, we're talking a big squad of the population. And for people, the sock can be next to a hundred dollar increase in their monthly bill. Of course, the big issue right now is data. We've got those iPads and tablets out. They're big data gobblers, and those are hitting their limits, more often getting us that big whopping bill at the end of month.
PHILLIPS: Karina, we'll follow it. Thanks.
A medical emergency is pretty scary no matter where you are. So, just imagine what it would be like to have a stroke and also be stranded at the South Pole. Well, this American researcher has finally been rescued after nearly two months. Reynolds Wolf has all the details for us -- Reynolds.
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Absolutely. One of the biggest problems we have in this situation is, first and foremost, how remote this place happens to be. She's stationed right here at Adminson Scott Research Station. As we put this motion of Google Earth, you can see this is a long way away from getting any kind of help. If she were to get help, she does go from there to McMurdo Station in Antarctica.
That's the first part of this trip. The second part will be going from there to Christchurch, New Zealand. So, you can tell, we're talking about a very, very long haul from one spot to another. And again, it's just a very, very long way that she's got to go to get the treatment that she needs. The problem is the weather is not cooperating whatsoever.
We're not talking about it specifically. Snowstorm, we're talking about just the incredibly cool temperatures. In fact, some are saying it's way too cold to fly because the temperatures must be warmer than about 50 degrees below the zero Fahrenheit. And, well, the temperatures have been blowing to about 70 below. This is just mind boggling. We've been talking about freezing conditions.
Everything is cold when we get try to the freezing point. This is well beyond that. And the key issue is when it drops to a certain point that fuel, which you got to have, obvious, if you're going to fly, actually changes from a liquid to jelly-like form. So, when that happens, it's going to be bad news, and certainly, it looks like she's going to be staying on the ground.
One thing is very interesting, Kyra. I know you have actually spent time there. You were there for a month or so?
PHILLIPS: Yes, and the reason I was there for a month was because there were situations we were geared up, powered up, ready to go, and it was too cold to fly. So, we were in the plane ready to go, fired up, and then, in some cases, it took two or three days to finally be able to get to where we needed to go.
WOLF: Absolutely. And you know, the thing that's amazing about is when people go there, it's almost like being on a space station. I mean, you are going to be possibly isolated for quite a while. If you have any kind of medical emergency, chances are you may have to fend for yourself, and that, unfortunately, is the situation for the time being.
We're hoping for warmer conditions, but still, you know, even if we go up say to 40 degrees below zero, it still is going to be right near the threshold. But certainly, keeping our fingers crossed and hoping good thoughts for her, but certainly, it's a rough time to say the very least.
PHILLIPS: It's a long, uncomfortable ride as well. You know, you're crammed into a C-130 and can barely move. So, boy, I can feel her pain when I heard about that story.
WOLF: Absolutely. With all the technology we have here in these modern day, still, at the mercy of the elements. Certainly the situation here.
PHILLIPS: Reynolds, Thanks.
WOLF: You bet.
PHILLIPS: Well, President Obama on the road talking jobs in two key states. Our buzz panel weighs in on what he needs to say to sell his plan.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Checking stories across the country.
In Washington, thousands of people gathered for the official dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial on Sunday. President Obama joined other civil right activists in calling for Americans to keep pushing for Dr. King's dream of social and economic justice.
In California, a color-coded system which group students together based on test scores has been dropped after upset parents and students called it segregation. Under the system, students received ID cards and notebooks that were colored white, gold, or black depending on how high or low they tested on state exams.
And an unusual finish for a Rhode Island couple running a marathon this weekend. After the 26-mile race, they got hitched. The bride wore a white tennis skirt and veil. The groom, shorts and a tuxedo T-shirt.
Political buzz, you're rapid fire look at the best political topics of the day. Three questions, 30 seconds on the clock, and playing today, CNN contributor, Maria Cardona, CNN contributor, Will Cain, and CNN contributor and talk show radio host, Dana Loesch.
All right, guys. Herman Cain makes a lot of jokes. He said that Tiger Woods should run for president, that there should be an electrified border fence, even his former campaign ads (ph) that quit said that he's not a serious candidate. So, when do we take him seriously? Maria.
MARIA CARDONA, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: That is the question. I think the question sort of answers the question. I think, maybe, when he's talking about pizza might be the only time we can take him seriously. I actually think -- my theory on Herman Cain is that this whole thing actually has been a joke, and that his surge has even taken him by surprise.
Here's somebody who does not have a serious plan, does not have any serious organization, has not raised any serious money, but low and behold, he's one of the frontrunners in the GOP primary. I think, at the end of the day, the joke is going to be on him.
PHILLIPS: Will.
WILL CAIN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: You know, I have to respond to Maria there. I can't say what I was going to say and that you shouldn't be so dismissive of Herman Cain. I think it's completely inappropriate for people to be calling him a joke. In addition to the things you just said, he also ran Godfather's Pizza, CEO of Godfather's Pizza. He was the son of a (INAUDIBLE).
This is an extremely impressive person. Now, that being said, some of the qualities of Herman Cain, his authenticity that allow him to say impressive things, appealing things, like if you're unemployed or you're not rich, blame yourself, also, unfortunately, allow him to say things like, we should have an electrified border fence. It's his Achilles heel and his asset at the same time. (BUZZER)
PHILLIPS: Dana.
DANA LOESCH, BLOGGER, TALK RADIO HOST, "THE DANA SHOW": No, I really wish that Democrats would stop thinking that any single black conservative that runs a campaign is a joke. I would like to see them take him more seriously, because maybe more black conservatives would get involved in politics, but, that being said, I echo what Will had just said.
I mean, Herman Cain is a very successful businessman, and a lot of people aren't successful at business, especially in Washington, D.C. Herman Cain is. And as far as his remarks on tiger Woods, didn't everybody think that Tiger Woods was cool at one point before it came out that he was this kind of giant man of not -- (BUZZER) -- good manners?
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: Boy, that was delicate, Dana. I expected something a lot more harsh.
LOESCH: It was. It's still early.
PHILLIPS: Second question, guys. President Obama hits the road, pushing his jobs bill in North Carolina and Virginia, two states that were key in his 2008 election. So, what does he have to say to keep those states blue in 2012? Will. CAIN: I'll be interested in Maria's answer on this, because, sincerely, I don't know. I really don't know, and I don't think they know very well. You can't very well say you're hope in chains because you're status quo. You can't top economy or your solutions to the economy because you've tried them for four years.
I think they're stuck. I don't think it's an appealing message to blame Republicans for everything. I just don't have a good answer for how you maintain, not only North Carolina and Virginia, but Ohio, and Pennsylvania, and Florida. It's a very tough message to sell going into 2012.
PHILLIPS: Maria.
CARDONA: Here it is, Will. You talk about jobs, jobs, jobs, because certainly, the Republicans are not talking about it. You talk about your jobs plan. You talk about paying for it by making sure that millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share, which, by the way, more than two-thirds of Americans agree with.
Majorities of Democrats, majorities of independents, majorities of Republicans agree with having millionaires and billionaires pay a little bit more to make sure that we're able to create jobs in this country. That's what he needs to focus on and compare that to the Republican jobs plan, which every economists, independent analysis have said we'll not create -- (BUZZER) -- one single job in the near future.
PHILLIPS: Dana.
LOESCH: If jobs are so important, then why did Democrats kill the jobs bill in the Senate led by Harry Reid? He could even get another sponsor of it. The party couldn't even come together over it. As far as North Carolina and Virginia, Virginia is a very interesting state to watch. This was the state that David Axelrod called the bellwether state for Obama back in the 2008 elections, and then, it went red with Bob McDonnell during the special election.
North Carolina, the president has a 51 percent disapproval rating right now. So, I think it's a clear repudiation of where the economic policies are going, and I think the president needs to get on the Democrats to get something passed in the Senate, maybe say something about keystone that -- (BUZZER) -- would create so many jobs just by tomorrow.
PHILLIPS: All right, guys. You're buzzer beater. Twenty seconds each on this one. Herman Cain's 9-9-9 plan is getting a ton of attention.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Americans are looking for cashy (ph) unworkable solutions to complicated problems, Herman Cain will keep them coming.
(LAUGHTER) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How to fight terrorism? My 5-5-5 plan.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For every terrorism, America will send five airplanes, five soldiers, and five of those dogs that caught Osama Bin Laden.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How do we fix healthcare? The 3-3-3 plan. Every time you get sick, you get three pills, three days off, and three chicken noodle soups.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: He's neck and neck with Romney now, so does Romney need a catchy tagline in tomorrow night's CNN debate? If so, what should it be? Dana.
LOESCH: Well, I think Newt Gingrich inadvertently came up with a really good one just the other day when he said that Romney Republican is the new Rockefeller Republican. So, perhaps, he could kind of work that in there. They both start with R's. They sound catchy, and they're both pretty true to the word.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: Maria.
CARDONA: I actually came up with something really good, Kyra, but it's a little too racy to share on national television. So, I'm going to come up with something --
(CROSSTALK)
CARDONA: I will tweet it to you all, but I think it should be something like, Mitt Romney, pick me, I'll say anything that you want me to say in order to get elected because -- (BUZZER) -- that's exactly how he has run.
PHILLIPS: Will.
CAIN: Here it is. All right? Mitt Romney needs to look into the crowd, look into the camera, look at people like Dana, and then, look to his left and his right on the stage and go, come on, guys, you know it's me.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: Thanks, guys. We'll see what he says. Tomorrow night live on CNN, the Republican candidates for president gather in Las Vegas to debate the issues and try and sway those voters. That's the Western Republican presidential debate 8:00 eastern right here on CNN. Well, President Obama has just landed National North Carolina. We're expecting him to speak about his jobs bill any moment now. We'll bring that to you live as soon as it happens.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Live pictures now to Asheville, North Carolina, where the president of the United States has just landed. Getting ready to step out into the tarmac to give his speech. As you know, he's pushing his jobs plan, working his way across the country to do that. And it's interesting, according to the local paper there in Asheville, an overwhelming number of people have showed up to see the president, to get a glimpse of the president.
I guess, they've been lining up since Saturday in line waiting to be in a good spot to see him. The president of the United States now touching down Asheville, North Carolina, getting ready to give a speech. We will take it live as soon as it happens.
Well, the biggest story in sports today, the death of IndyCar racer, Dan Wheldon, in a fiery 15-car crash at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Let's bring Don Riddell. Don, you actually follow motor sports. Put this crash into perspective. Is it one of the worst ever?
DAN RIDDELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I think it's the worst I've ever seen, Kyra, and people that are older than me are saying it's the worst open-wheel accident they have ever seen. I mean, those pictures are absolutely horrendous. You've got 15 cars involved, some of which are airborne, many of which are on fire and hitting the wall and a fence in speeds in excess of 220 miles an hour.
I mean, it is just incredible. And to be honest, I think we can say it's, perhaps, a miracle that only one person died there because that really was absolutely dreadful.
PHILLIPS: So, we're talking four deaths now in 15 years, right? What does that say about the industry, IndyCar series? Does it need to improve anything specifically?
RIDDELL: Well, it's interesting, isn't it? I mean, everybody that drives in any form of motor sport knows that it's dangerous. And the ultimate risk is that you could die doing the job you love, but if you compare it to Formula One, which is a series I follow a lot, it's a worldwide racing series, an open-wheel series, they had a real problem in the 1960s and 1970s.
If you were racing in Formula One back in those days over a period of five years, there was a two in three chance that you were going to die doing it. And some of the drivers stood up and say this isn't acceptable. They made a lot of changes. They change the cars. They change the tracks of the race on. And they haven't had death since 1993.
And in that time IndyCar has lost four drivers. And I think there may be one or two or quite a few voices in that community now that are saying, look, we have made some changes, but perhaps, we haven't made enough changes. And to lose any driver in a situation like that really is one driver too many.
PHILLIPS: Yes. And this -- Wheldon, I understand, too, quite a family man. A lot of racing analysts saying that he was known as one of the good guys. You know, he never said anything controversial, got himself in any trouble. He was all about the racing, all about his family.
RIDDELL: Yes. He was really popular. Very successful, too. He won the Indy 500 twice, including this year. It's, perhaps, doubly tragic that one of the things he was working on this year, Kyra, because he didn't have a regular drive this year. So, he wasn't racing in every event, was that he was spending a lot of time working on a safer car, a car that should be improved and that should help other drivers if they're involved in accidents next year.
He has been working on many (ph) help save the lives of drivers in the future. It's such a shame that those safety equipments weren't made in time to save his own life.
PHILLIPS: Yes. Isn't that the truth? All right. Don, thanks.
I want to get you live now to Asheville, North Carolina. He just stepped up to the podium there. He is expecting to start speaking. Here we go, right now, talking jobs.
(BEGIN LIVE COVERAGE)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It is good to be back in Asheville, North Carolina!
(APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: I love Asheville. In fact, I think I should be on the tourism promotion Bureau of Asheville.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: You know, every time I meet somebody I say, have you guys gone down to Asheville? That's a nice place to be.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: So, it is wonderful to be back in one of my favorite parts of the country. Our family has great memories of staying here, and it's always nice to get out of Washington. And breathe some of that mountain air. I want to recognize a couple of people who are here, first of all, one of the outstanding senators in the United States Senate, your senator, Kay Hagan is in the house.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Kay's daughter just got married this weekend. So, congratulations to Kay's daughter. We are so thrilled by that. And we also have your lovely and intelligent mayor of Asheville, Terry Bellamy is in the house.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: The last time I was here, Terry said she could play basketball, and so, we went out. It turned out she was a cheerleader and not a basketball player. But she's doing an outstanding job overall. Thank you, both, for coming. Now, as you may have noticed, I came here on a plane. It's a pretty nice plane. But I'm leaving on a bus.
The bus is pretty hard to miss, and over the next few days, we are going to take this bus through North Carolina and Virginia, and I'm going to get a chance to hear from folks about how they're doing, what direction they want to take the country in, and I'll be doing a little bit of talking, but mostly, I'm going to do a whole lot of listening, because there doesn't seem to be much listening going on in Washington these days.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: People don't seem to be paying much attention to the folks who sent them there, in the first place.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: And that's a shame, because once you escape the partisanship and the political point scoring in Washington, once you start really listening to the American people, it's pretty clear what our country and your leaders should be spending their time on.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jobs!
(CHANTING)
OBAMA: We should be talking about jobs.
(END LIVE COVERAGE)
PHILLIPS: President Obama pushing his jobs plan right now just landing in Asheville, North Carolina. After that, he'll be heading on to Virginia. We're following it, and we're going to take a quick break. More from the CNN NEWSROOM straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: All right. A quick look at stories making news later today.
11:15 Eastern, Michelle Obama and Jill Biden recognize a program that modifies homes for returning military vets.
At 1:00 Eastern, Atlanta City council will debate whether local protestors of the Occupy Wall Street movement should be kicked out of a park.
And at 6:00 Eastern, Republican presidential candidate, Herman Cain, will meet with Arizona sheriff, Joe Arpaio.
Well, coming up in the NEWSROOM with Suzanne Malveaux right at the top of the hour, all the single ladies. Why an increasing number of women are now taking pride in their lack of a wedding ring?
An extreme sport and an older age from the 100-year-old Chicago marathon runner to the 61-year-old swimmer trying to set a new world record. Elizabeth Cohen has interesting details on being physically fit as we age.
And 20 year ago this morning, this woman made waves by sending up against sexual harassment in the work place. Now, Anita Hill has a new mission. She joins us live to talk about it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
