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Storms Kill Two in Alabama; Targeting Newt Gingrich; Gabby Giffords to Step Down; Life and Legacy of Joe Paterno; Santorum Seeks Momentum in Florida; Research in Motion Shake-Up; Millen: Paterno Dies of Broken Heart; "Yoga Can Wreck Your Body"; Romney Looks for a Rebound

Aired January 23, 2012 - 09:00   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, Soledad. Thanks so much.

Well, we begin this hour with powerful storms that are still pounding the south. At least two people now are dead. In Jefferson County, Alabama, damage is reported there and in Arkansas. And tornado watches still up in a number of places.

CNN meteorologist Rob Marciano, I heard you back there. Boy, can't keep up with the board and everything else going on, right? What's the latest?

ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well, what's eerie about this situation is that there's a -- there's a -- the path of this the tornado took a similar path to the one that hit them in April.

PHILLIPS: Wow.

MARCIANO: North of Tuscaloosa and in northern Birmingham. Not similar results but still we've had two fatalities. And I want to show you the latest on where this is all going. The most damage has been north of Birmingham. And center point, Paradise Valley. This area here about, I don't know, maybe 15, 20 miles north of Birmingham, Alabama.

This happened in the overnight hours when it was dark, dangerous situation. So two fatalities. A tat least 100 people injured with this storm. And there was another cell, south of Birmingham, with similar results, although it's less populated down there so we didn't have as much structural damage, but injuries nonetheless down around -- down around Clayton and reports of a transmission tower blown down as well.

So two significant tornados with this system, which is still dropping some heavy weather across southeastern Alabama. Tornado watch here in effect until 11:00 this morning. These storms for the most part, at least in northern Georgia, are beginning to weaken. But across parts of southern Georgia, the storm's prediction center has issued a second tornado watch until 4:00 this afternoon. For the potential of seeing some tornadoes.

This is all with this system that came across the northwest. With all that tremendous moisture. And energy last week. And that's why we had such lift with this system. Over 20 reports of tornadoes. And remember we started this last night in Arkansas. And this system rolled across Arkansas, through western Tennessee, and now Alabama, certainly feeling the brunt of this. And we're not quite done with it certainly yet with tornadoes possible through the afternoon -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Rob, thanks. Apparently we're working with someone in Alabama in emergency management. As soon as we get linked up with them, we'll bring that to you.

Meanwhile eight days to go until Florida votes in its Republican presidential primary. And after Newt Gingrich's come-from-behind, double-digit win in South Carolina, well, you better believe he's the new prime target.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He was a leader for four years as speaker of the -- speaker of the House. And at the end of four years, it was proven that he was a failed leader and he had to resign in disgrace.

RICK SANTORUM (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Newt is the guy that, you know, that in my opinion is the very high risk candidate. Not only is he wrong on the individual mandate, in other words government mandated health insurance which he supported for 20 years, he's wrong on the Wall Street bailout. He was wrong on global warming. He's wrong on the immigration issue.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: All right. Paul, I apologize for that because we're working on an interview right now about these tornado warnings and the severe storms in Alabama.

So do we want to hold off on that, finish up with Paul here and then move on to that?

OK. So, Paul, I apologize. Joining us live out of D.C. now. You know, we've been talking so much about, OK, what's next for Newt Gingrich. Well, now we're hearing him of course go after Romney with things like failed leader, high risk. I mean those are definitely fighting words.

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: Yes. It is getting nasty out there. And Kyra, please, you interrupt -- you knock me off whenever you need to because that's breaking news and that is more important than this. This is politics. It's important, but, hey, that's lives at stake there.

All right. Yes. Listen, Kyra, it was nasty in South Carolina. You can see from that sound you played, that was Romney and Santorum yesterday. It's going to get even uglier in Florida. So how is Newt Gingrich responding? Take a listen to what he said on the Sunday talk shows.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) NEWT GINGRICH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: So you end up with a guy who's I think a very good salesman, very much wants to sell, but he has a really weak product. And so I think he's been dancing on eggs trying to figure out how to find a version of Romney that will work.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEINHAUSER: Yes. If you didn't catch that, he's talking about Mitt Romney there. Listen, Kyra, Newt Gingrich is riding some big mo now, big momentum coming out of south Florida -- or out of South Carolina and his big victory there.

You know what, just in that 24 hours after that victory Saturday night, his campaign says they raised $1 million in a money bomb. And they're going to need that in Florida. That's an expensive state to run in, all those big markets like Miami, Orlando, Tampa.

Also they say, the campaign says 500 people said they would volunteer just in those first 24 hours after the big primary win in South Carolina.

Kyra, for Gingrich, he says he's going to give a big speech a day this week, and of course you've got two debates this week. They matter. We saw that in South Carolina. A debate tonight and then of course our CNN Republican debate in Jacksonville on Thursday night. Another opportunity maybe for Gingrich to hit a homerun -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Paul. We'll be talking more in addition to Mitt Romney as well, saying that he is finally going to release his tax records. OK, we'll hit that next, Paul.

But meanwhile, I've got to get to the phone now. Allen Kniphfer with the Jefferson County Emergency Management out of Alabama is with me on the line now.

We topped the hour, Allen, with our Rob Marciano talking about the situation there in your state. What can you tell us right now at about five minutes after the hour? What are conditions like, what are you dealing with?

ALLEN KNIPHFER, JEFFERSON COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: Right now we're still doing our search and rescue. We are going door-to-door at each of the houses to make sure nobody is trapped in the houses. And from that standpoint, our search and rescue crews are gone in that area. We have nine teams in the county that do that. So they are all in the area now searching different grid coordinates.

PHILLIPS: OK. And I just want to make sure we've got the numbers right right now. We have confirmed two people dead. Is that the case?

KNIPHFER: That's what we have right now, confirmed as two deaths within the county. We're still counting up all the numbers and then we'll be doing a preliminary damage assessment on the number of homes and businesses that were destroyed or damaged in the storm. PHILLIPS: And how many crews do you have out right now at this hour? Do you have enough resources to go house-to-house? As you well know, time is of the essence.

KNIPHFER: Yes, ma'am.

PHILLIPS: If someone is --

KNIPHFER: They are out there in the area. The problem is not how many we've got. It's the area we're getting into and how accessible is it right now. They have all -- they are staging a lot of resources at one area right now and they're working them in and out as fast as they can. From that standpoint, we have the resources available to us. Plus, we have already met up with the State Emergency Management, they're ready to deploy more resources into the area as we need it.

PHILLIPS: Allen, we've got some pictures in from your area. But can you describe for me what the challenges are right now? What is making it so difficult about getting in there and being able to assess injuries, deaths, damage, et cetera?

KNIPHFER: We have a lot of trees down, big oak trees. Some of them 36 to 48 inches in diameter across the streets and across the ways we are going. So the rescue crews have got to go around those, on top of those, go to the houses where the trees are in the yards and on the houses and make sure nobody is in there and hurt and injured. So that's the thing you're having to do.

A lot of the power lines are still in the trees. The (INAUDIBLE) Fire has been working very good with our rescue crews making sure their lines are not hot as the crew go in the areas and try to clear debris and everything else. Anytime you get into those areas, you have a lot of debris that can flatten your tires and things like that so you've got to take it very cautious.

PHILLIPS: Allen Knipfher there with the Jefferson County Emergency Management in Alabama. Sure appreciate you calling in, Allen. I know it's busy. We will continue to follow, obviously, the weather conditions in addition to what's happening there on the ground in Alabama.

KNIPHFER: Thank you, ma'am.

PHILLIPS: Yes. Thanks, Allen.

Well, Gabby Giffords had just barely started her "Congress on the Corner" event in Tucson last January when she was injured in that shooting rampage. Well, this week, she resigns. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. GABRIELLE GIFFORDS (D), ARIZONA: I don't remember much from that horrible day. But I will never forget the trust you placed in me to be your voice. I have more work to do on my recovery, so to do what is best for Arizona, I will step down this week.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Senior congressional correspondent Dana Bash with us.

Dana, you had a chance to talk to two of her closest friends there on Capitol Hill. What are they telling you? I bet this video, this taping, is moving a lot of people this morning.

DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It is. I think you and I just had the same reaction watching it, Kyra. It is very, very tough. And that is exactly what two of her friends as you said that I spoke to -- Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the congresswoman from Florida, who of course is also the DNC chair.

Both of them are close friends of Gabby Giffords. And both said this is a very tough decision but one that they both thought was the right decision for her because she really does need to focus first and foremost on her recovery.

Very interesting that Debbie Wasserman Schultz told me this really came into focus for Gabby Giffords when she went back to her district on January 8th for the one-year anniversary of the shooting. And that's when she realized having that kind of public appearance, doing what she needs to do to actively be a member of Congress, is just too hard to do while she is spending 150 percent of her time on her recovery.

Here's what Wasserman Schultz said just a couple of quotes. She said, "There is so much hope for her to make a full recovery." She said Gabby doesn't anything halfway.

And here's another thing she said about her recovery. She said tha's more likely to be years not months. So that is why she has made the very difficult decision to step down, and that will happen after she comes back here to Washington for the president's State of the Union address tomorrow.

PHILLIPS: What more do you know about her schedule today, Dana, and who exactly is going to be at the event?

BASH: She's going to have her very last public events in her district today. First and foremost she's going to have -- this actually will be private , a private meeting with the people who actually came to that "Congress on the Corner" event on January 8 of last year. She says that she wants to finish that discussion with the people who came. And also have closure for herself and for those people after that tragic, tragic day when she and 11 others were wounded and six were killed.

And following that, she's going to have some meetings with Homeland Security officials and others who she has worked closely with while she has been a member of Congress. And lastly, she is going to go to a center -- the Gabby Giffords Family Center, Family Assistance Center, I should say, which is -- deals with helping families in need, and that is also in the district. And that is the way she's going to finish her last full day of events as a member of Congress from the Tucson area.

PHILLIPS: Dana Bash on the Hill. Dana, thanks so much.

Well, Penn State coaching legend Joe Paterno has passed, and the debate over how he will be remembered is moving forward. More than 60 years he preached honor, integrity. But the horrifying allegations of child rape by a longtime assistant may now taint that legacy.

CNN's Susan Candiotti reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the shadow of Joe Paterno's statue, students sang their alma mater, mourning the loss of a coach who meant so much to sports, to Penn State, to them.

After 61 years of coaching, Paterno won fans far and wide, young and old.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Joe was Penn State. He made Penn State. And it's really just a very sad, sad day. For all of us.

CANDIOTTI: In the end, the winningest coach in college football who lost his life to lung cancer. He was 85. He died as he lived, his family said in a statement. He fought hard until the end. The end came two-and-a-half months after he was fired as head coach in the wake of Penn State's sex abuse scandal. His late-night ouster sparking outrage on campus.

Paterno was not criminally charged in the child rape case involving his former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky, but he acknowledged he could have done more to bring the allegations to light in 2002. In what turned out to be his final interview, published by "The Washington Post" just over a week ago, he tried to explain his thinking.

JOE PATERNO, FORMER PENN STATE COACH: And I had never had to deal with something like that. And I don't feel adequate. I've had a wonderful experience here at Penn State. I don't want to walk away from this thing.

CANDIOTTI: Still, some question whether Paterno and the university tried to cover up the sex abuse allegations. Paterno fans stand by him.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're still going to love him, no matter what anybody else said. It wasn't Joe's fault. And we're still going to love Joe Paterno forever and ever. Period.

CANDIOTTI: Yet for some, his loss could be more painful because of questions that may taint his legacy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Well, Susan is on the Penn State campus for us this morning. What will his death mean to the ongoing investigation now, Susan?

CANDIOTTI: Well, Kyra, that's an interesting question that's still being debated. Can prosecutors move forward with just his grand jury testimony? That's highly unlikely because the defense would not be able to of course cross-examine a piece of paper. So can that case move forward without him? Well, Mike McMaqueary's testimony is still very crucial because after all he has testified and can testify that he allegedly told those two other Penn state officials about that alleged child rape in the locker room back in 2002.

But there's another legal notion called a dying declaration. And when Joe Paterno did a final interview with the "Washington Post" and talked about that, about what he did or didn't do about that sexual allegation that was told to him by McQueary, well, civil attorneys might be able to make an argument in court saying I'd like to be able to use that because he might have been baring his soul on his, in effect, death bed and be able to use that in their civil suits.

PHILLIPS: All Right, Susan Candiotti there there at Penn State. Susan, thanks.

Well, Rick Santorum in Florida looking for some momentum. We're going to ask David Gergen if he'll find it there.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: So what happened to Rick Santorum in New Hampshire and South Carolina? Blame the backyards. He says he was too close to Romney and Gingrich turf.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICK SANTORUM (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, there was one race that was in nobody's backyard. There was one race where you had to go out and on a level playing field compete, and we won that race.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Let's bring in David Gergen.

Santorum is hunting for momentum now. Is it a mistake to underestimate him in Florida, David?

DAVID GERGEN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: I think his best strategy right now and the one he seems to be playing is to run as the -- on the basis that he is the Goldilocks candidate, and that is that you have got one candidate against him, Mitt Romney, who is too cool and as he says the other candidate, Newt Gingrich, too hot. And he is just right now.

Can he get there? Well, you have to be sympathetic to Rick Santorum in this sense. Had the votes been counted right in Iowa, had he been declared the winner that night, this race might have had a very different arc. He might have done much, much better in New Hampshire and become the alternative in South Carolina.

Instead, you know, this unfortunate fluke from his point of view, he is the guy who's now running third. It's really become I think in the eyes of most people a two-man race between Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney in Florida. There are polls out this morning that show that the Romney lead of only a few days ago has disappeared. And they are in a virtual dead heat with Santorum being pretty far back.

PHILLIPS: Well, all right. Let's move toward those two, Romney and Gingrich.

GERGEN: Sure.

PHILLIPS: Just when you thought an open marriage allegation bombshell would scare away the evangelicals, well, guess what? It looks like that am bombshell was a dud. All of the drama might have actually helped Gingrich in South Carolina.

GERGEN: Well, absolutely. And there's no question what happened in South Carolina was that Newt Gingrich came across as the alpha male, and he just took it away from Mitt Romney in those debates. He was a dominant figure.

And in this particular election cycle, Newt Gingrich has told me, he has told others, that there the Republican base is looking for a fighter, looking for a brawler. And they see that in Newt Gingrich. They want somebody who can go in the ring.

I think these television debates have not only shaped the Republican race, but they have shaped what voters are looking for the fall on the Republican side. They are looking for someone who can go into television debates against Barack Obama and beat him. They think that's where the election is going to be won or lost.

And in Gingrich, he obviously has done very well in these debates. And Romney (INAUDIBLE) for most of the campaign, stumbled badly last week.

PHILLIPS: Well, looking to Florida, Romney obviously has his sights on his biggest target. He's been all over Newt's baggage. Now, his biggest shot is Newt's disgraces. And, quote-unquote, "failed leadership."

Is this going to resonate?

GERGEN: Well, we'll wait and see. I don't know. I -- Mitt Romney has not proven to be an adept attack fighter. I mean, it's not quite in his DNA.

You need to do this with some skill to take Gingrich down, I think. It's easier to do it through the ads paid for by your PAC as he showed in Iowa. But can Mitt Romney do this on a stage? Well, we're going to see that in the debate tonight, and then CNN has another debate on Thursday night in Florida -- critical moments in this campaign.

In the meantime, let's remember too that Mitt Romney has got his own issues. And he will be releasing his tax returns. He has promised for only one year, with some estimates of current year. And, you know, that's going to come tomorrow. And the press is going to be all over that.

Are there funds in the Cayman Islands and what does that mean to a lot of -- you know, it's not a tax dodge officially, but to a lot of Americans, it sounds like a tax dodge.

So, this is going to be a fascinating week. We just had the most turbulent week we've had, but now, we're going to have a fascinating week. And, by the way, the battle will be joined tomorrow night with the Democrats because President Barack Obama has his State of the Union tomorrow night. And that's going to be really the opening gong if you will on the Democratic side, and the battle will be joined.

So, this is going to be another big week.

PHILLIPS: But I'll tell you what? We'll talk after the State of the Union. We'll continue the discussion, David. Thanks so much.

GERGEN: Thanks to you.

PHILLIPS: You bet.

Another corporate shakeup. This week, it's BlackBerry maker Research in Motion. We'll go live to the New York Stock Exchange for an update.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: All right. The second corporate shakeup in less than a week at a high profile tech company.

Felicia Taylor at the New York Stock Exchange -- what's going on, Felicia?

FELICIA TAYLOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, there was a moment in time when this little device revolutionized communication. But as you well know, BlackBerry's dominance is long gone, losing out of course to the iPhone and other Android devices.

There is also little demand for its smartphones, and there have been delays in new products. So, the company's relevance hasn't really been there. It's also had a massive outage last year.

So the co-CEOs Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis are so-called passing the baton. Investors have been clamoring for change. RIM's stock down 70 percent over the past years.

So, at these levels, some people are saying it's actually quite cheap -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: OK. And Wall Street reacting to the changes?

TAYLOR: You know, interestingly enough, in premarket trade, RIM was up about 3 percent. And it has now fallen about 3 percent to 4 percent. That's because after the new CEO, Heins, spoke on a conference call and surprisingly he said that, quote, "No drastic change is needed at BlackBerry."

Well, that's exactly what the market didn't want to hear. And naturally, investors don't want to hear that. That's the whole point of putting in a new CEO.

And some critics say that Hines just simply isn't a visionary, and that's exactly what the company needs. The company needs to convince people why they still need a BlackBerry -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Felicia, thanks.

Joe Paterno's close friends don't believe in the official cause of death. They say the Penn State coaching legend died of a broken heart. You'll hear from them, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Checking top stories now:

Severe storms blamed for at least two deaths and 100 injuries near Birmingham, Alabama. There are also reports of heavy damage and power outages near Tuscaloosa and Birmingham. Storms left one person injured and destroyed five to six homes in Arkansas.

Representative Gabrielle Giffords resigns this week, one year after that shooting rampage that left her with a gunshot wound to her head. The congresswoman is stepping down to focus on her medical recovery.

The Arab League wants the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to delegate powers to his vice president after the formation of a nation unity government. Al-Assad has been under fire for allegations he purposely killed anti-government protesters.

Well, doctors say Joe Paterno died from lung cancer. But former Penn State player Matt Millen has another theory, that he died of a broken heart. And Sara Ganim says there's a lot of people that share that feeling.

"Patriot-News" reporter and CNN contributor joins now from the Penn State campus.

So, Sara, what exactly are those who were close to the coach telling you?

SARA GANIM, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: You know, people -- friends and family who really knew him, you know, as opposed to the students who had a vigil behind me, a couple of thousands of students, said a lot of people felt like they knew him. He was a grandfather figure. But they had only really met him once or twice, and that was really a testament to his character.

But those who really knew him and saw him in the time between when he was fired in early November and when he died said, you know, his spirits were high, but they really truly believe this man was such a great work ethic, who really lived to work, that he died of a broken heart, not of lung cancer, because of just the devastating news of what had happened over the past three months here on campus.

Now, one of the memorials being talked about is a players-only memorial. Tell me why this is so important.

Sara, are you still with me? Sara, can you still hear me?

GANIM: I am. Can you hear me? I can hear you.

PHILLIPS: I lost you there for a second.

Tell me about this players-only memorial and why that is so important.

GANIM: Well, you know, it's nothing official at this point. But they are talking about organizing one. And I think the reason is that, you know, there are -- because coach Paterno was here for 61 years, there are generations and families that have been coached, father and son and in some cases even grandsons coached by Joe Paterno.

And so, you know, he has meant a lot to these players. He has been, again, a father figure, a grandfather figure, taught them life lessons. Some of them say that life lessons that carried on throughout their lives, carried on well beyond college, philosophies that they live their lives by.

And so, you know, in some families, he really is an inspirational and a key figure. And so, for them to have a time to come together as players, a group of people who really only understand their connection together with Paterno, and to say goodbye, that's something that's important.

PHILLIPS: Sara Ganim at Penn State -- Sara, thanks.

Well, earlier this month, a new article sent shockwaves to millions of Americans. It claimed that the yoga workout -- the yoga workout, rather, designed to keep them healthy may actually be wrecking their bodies.

CNN's Randi Kaye takes a look at whether it's really fair.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So as you settle in to your breathing --

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): All it took was this article in "The New York Times" to knock the Zen out of the yoga community. The headline: "How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body."

(on camera): When you first read the article, how did you feel about it?

GINA MINYARD, YOGA INSTRUCTOR: When I first read it, I was sort of shocked a little bit. Sort of, you know, kind of alarmed at the extremity it seemed of the talk on how yoga can wreck your body. I thought that was just a very extreme statement.

KAYE (voice-over): While the article angered yoga instructor Gina Minyard at first, she told us she's the poster child for it.

(on camera): Have you ever been injured doing yoga?

MINYARD: I have been injured doing yoga. When I first started doing yoga 12 years ago, I came into the yoga studio with a lot of imbalance in my body. I had been in an accident, and my body was very -- you know, sort of twisted and unaddressed imbalances that were there.

KAYE (voice-over): One year into practicing yoga, Minyard injured her hamstring and shoulder during routine poses. But the injury wasn't all bad, she says.

MINYARD: The same poses where I hurt myself I actually was able to create healing. And then too the issues that I had from my badly broken leg from my accident have healed beyond kind of everyone's wildest dreams through yoga.

KAYE: In the article, "New York Times" senior writer William J. Broad writes that yoga can cause serious injuries such as nerve damage, strokes, muscle damage, torn cartilage, even cracked ribs.

(on camera): What really stands out to you? What do you think the article really got wrong?

MINYARD: Pulling studies from seven -- you know, from the '70s with what sounded to me like people who were doing yoga kind of more on their own, like in their dorm room, for instance, and not with the guidance of a teacher.

KAYE: You question the examples?

MINYARD: I'm not saying they are not legitimate, like they are documented. But I just think it was to support the side of the article that how the yoga can wreck your body, but it wasn't the full picture. It was just too specific and too almost unusual to show what really, you know, what often happens.

KAYE: I'm one of the tens of millions of Americans who practice yoga. And while anyone can get into a pose, the yoga instructors we spoke with say the best way to avoid injury is to find a studio with qualified, experienced teachers.

(voice-over): In the 14 years, Joe Palese has been teaching yoga, he has never had any injuries in his classes. But he says they do happen if students don't use proper technique.

JOE PALESE, YOGA INSTRUCTOR: I think a lot of the injuries that this gentleman was describing in the article could possible have been created through doing something over and over and over incorrectly, out of alignment, and/or pushing way too hard in a pose.

KAYE: Physical therapist David Pasion agrees with Broad's claims, that many injuries are possible in yoga. But he also agrees with the scores of outraged yoga fanatics who feel the article was alarmist and didn't provide the proper context in the examples used.

DAVID PASION, PHYSICAL THERAPIST, EMORY SPINE CLINIC: Reading that article, if somebody wasn't familiar with yoga or let's say they were planning on doing yoga, if they read that article, they'd say, let me find something else to do. And so, in that aspect, no, I don't think it was fair. There was too many negatives thrown out.

Obviously, with more people doing a form of exercise, you're going to have more injury -- whether it's softball, baseball, football, whatever. So, you know, when they pick and choose, you know, the specific injuries, yes, you know, some injuries like that do happen.

KAYE: Broad told us he's glad that his book and the excerpt in the paper are, quote, "stirring a debate on safety."

In a statement to CNN, he said, quote, "The evidence suggests that smart changes in personal routines can help prevent serious injuries and even save lives. This may seem surprising given yoga's reputation for gentleness. But as the book shows, decades of scientific studies have revealed many ways that the practice of yoga can be improved."

If that's true, it's going to take a lot more than tales of injury from long ago to convince yogis around the globe they may be wrecking their body.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: And once again, that's our Randi Kaye.

Many practitioners and teachers would point out -- or make the point rather that yoga is not just about the physical workout. It's also a mental and spiritual thing. It helps the mind focus on questions far beyond the physical world.

Mitt Romney says he doesn't think that religion will play a big factor in picking the Republican nominee. But as the field narrows, could his rivals play that card? We'll debate it coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Mitt Romney is getting grilled for his career at Bain Capital, his wealth, taxes, and his politics as governor. His Mormon faith seems to come up as an issue sometimes, and it kind of fades away. But it never goes away completely.

And now that the Republican field is getting more narrow, could his faith come up again and linger as a campaign issue?

Well, Chris Wallace from FOX News asked Romney about it this weekend.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I don't think in the final analysis that religion is going to play a big factor in selecting our nominee. I do think that conservative values do play an enormous role, and I think the speaker has some explaining to do for sitting down on the sofa with Nancy Pelosi and arguing for climate change regulation, for calling the Paul Ryan plan right wing social engineering.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: All right. Let's talk more about this with L.Z. Granderson and Will Cain.

Guys, is this still the elephant in the room? Why or why not -- L.Z.?

L.Z. GRANDERSON, CNN.COM CONTRIBUTOR: Listen, his Mormonism isn't something that comes and goes. His Mormonism is something that never leaves. It's always there.

And I think if he doesn't acknowledge that publicly and address it intelligently, he's really doing his campaign a disservice. Look, when you talk about evangelicals, you're talking about John 3:16. You're talking about, "No man goes to the Father but by me." You're talking about accepting Jesus Christ.

And anytime you get away from that basic foundation in terms of evangelical voters, you're getting further away from getting their vote. If he doesn't talk about that honestly, he is not being real about his campaign.

PHILLIPS: Will?

WILL CAIN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: You know, Kyra, I have no reason or interest in spinning this in any particular way. And L.Z. knows, he and I have had this conversation over a long period of time now. And I originally started with Mormonism is not an issue. I had changed that opinion over time to say it looks like it's going to be an issue for Mitt Romney.

But now that we have three state results in, I do not think Mormonism is playing a big role in Mitt Romney's results. Mitt Romney has a much more -- much more core problem, something much more part of him, his personality.

This issue, this election right now, is not about substance. It's not about any particular platform. It's not about an economic plan.

The reason that Newt Gingrich was embraced in South Carolina, and the reason he is now in the conversation right next to Mitt Romney, is that because he has a personality that voters want to embrace, that fiery passionate I can debate you personality. Mitt Romney doesn't have that.

PHILLIPS: All right. Well, segueing from taxes into tithing, OK? We've learned that Romney gave the Mormon Church big stockholdings that he got through Bain. Once again, FOX's Chris Wallace asking him about potential fallout for his presidential campaign. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROMNEY: If people want to discriminate against someone based upon their commitment to tithe, I'd be very surprised. This is a country that believes in the Bible. The Bible speaks about providing tithes and offerings. I made a commitment to my church a long, long time ago that I would give 10 percent of my income to the church. And I have followed through on that commitment.

And hopefully as people look at the various individual whose are running for president, they'd be pleased with someone who made a promise, a promise to God, and kept that promise.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: So, guys, could Romney setting up the Church of Latter Day Saints with money and stock hurt him, L.Z.?

GRANDERSON: Well, first of all, he's wrong. This is not a country that believes in the Bible. This is a country that has freedom of religion, and some people believe in the Bible. Others believe in other things. If he's going to be president, it would be important for him to differentiate that because it's important.

Now with that being said, I think he is right in that I don't think people are going to look at him badly for giving money to a nonprofit organization which will be the church. And I think that's a good thing. And I think that's an admirable thing that he does.

But he's wrong if he's going to characterize the entire country as a Bible-believing nation because it's not.

PHILLIPS: Will?

CAIN: I don't see any way this is spun into a negative for Mitt Romney. I mean, if I don't see Mormonism as a driving factor in why people aren't voting for Mitt Romney, why would tithing to his church be a problem? Tithing is not particular to Mormonism, by the way. It's -- many denominations of Christianity tithe.

So, I don't -- because it's an enormous sum. Is that the argument, because he gave a bunch of money to the Mormon Church? Because he is very wealthy?

I just don't see how you make this a negative for Mitt Romney.

PHILLIPS: We'll talk about a perfect segue, guys. Out of our discussion, we're going to get right to Mitt Romney live. He's taking questions in Tampa, Florida, right now, addressing Gingrich and charges that Gingrich has made against him and his leadership.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: -- and the policies of Freddie Mac as well as policies of government. I didn't hear that nationally, I didn't hear him making those warnings to the nation. He should have. If he was working inside this industry providing counsel to them, he should have provided that advice to them and had communicated that to the nation.

But -- but in part because of the mistakes of Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae and those associated with those entities, as well as people in Congress and Wall Street and bankers and mortgage bankers and in some cases speculators, we see a crisis which has an enormous human toll.

And so I'm calling on Speaker Gingrich again to do two things. One, release all of the work product associated with his work at Freddie Mac and also return the funds that he made from Freddie Mac. I wouldn't have normally suggested that other than he was the one that said that if you made money on this failed model that you ought to return that money.

And with that I'm happy to take any questions you may have. Please.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) Why are you releasing your records on the same day as the President's State of the Union address?

ROMNEY: The reason that they are being released that day is that the trustee of my trust that invests our family funds is available that day. His name is Brad Mult and he is in New York on that day. And I don't know the time, I think it's sometime in the morning. But it was just to accommodate his schedule.

PHILLIPS: Mitt Romney speaking live in Tampa, Florida.

Straight ahead, it's Splitsville for an A-list couple known for renewing their vows every year. What happened to Heidi Klum and Seal's big love?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Mitt Romney still taking questions in Tampa, Florida. We're going to dip in once again.

ROMNEY: -- talking about my vision for the country, about the President's failings, and why I'm the right person to become the nominee. And I will describe the distinctions between myself and the Speaker and myself and Ron Paul and Rick Santorum and the way that I think describes why I'm the best person to replace President Obama. I think you'll find that in our debates, in our discussions, my focus is going to be on President Obama.

But I will nonetheless also describe distinctions between ourselves and the Speaker was very animated about my releasing tax records. I am. I think it's an appropriate observation that people should know if there's going to be an October surprise.

And in the case of the Speaker, he's got some records which could represent an October surprise. We could see an October surprise a day from Newt Gingrich. And -- and so let's -- let's see the records from the ethics investigation. Let's see what they show. Let's see the -- who his clients were. At the time he was lobbying Republican Congressmen for Medicare Part D, was he working or were his entities working with any health care companies that could have benefited from that. That could represent not just evidence on lobbying but potentially, you know, wrongful activity of some kind.

And finally, let's also see the relationship with Freddie Mac and the work product of Freddie Mac. Let's have full disclosure of what's going on. And by the way, saying that Newt Gingrich is a lobbyist is -- is just a matter of fact. He -- he indicates that he doesn't -- doesn't fall within the narrow definition of lobbyist that he might have in mind, but -- but if you're working for a company getting paid for a company through one of your many entities and then you're speaking with Congressmen in a way that would help that company, that's lobbying.

If it -- if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it is a duck. That's it -- you had a question.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)

ROMNEY: No, now -- just you have to register as a lobbyist, I don't know what the lobbying rules are. Georgia had talked about that which regards to Georgia legislators. Just -- we just need to understand what his -- what his activity has been over the last 15 years and make sure that it's conformed with all the regulations that might exist, but also to underscore the fact that -- that in the view of many of us that being in K Street working for various corporations and -- and providing influence in the governmental sector is a form of lobbying, and if -- if he's been lobbying, he ought to acknowledge that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right, last question.

ROMNEY: Pardon?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)

ROMNEY: Well, I think as you look at the Speaker's record over time, it's been highly erratic. He voted in favor of establishing the Department of Education. And yet he gets in a debate and says we should get rid of the Department of Education and send all the education issues back to the states.

He's taken -- I mean he -- he's opposed vehemently to the Massachusetts health care system and yet just a couple years ago wrote about what a superb system it was. He has -- he's gone from pillar to post almost like a pinball machine from -- from item to item in a way which -- which is highly erratic and does not suggest a stable, thoughtful course which is normally associated with leadership.

Thanks, guys. Thank you, thank you.

PHILLIPS: Mitt Romney answering questions there in Tampa, Florida. Obviously he has his eyes set on that state now as we get ready for another debate, the State of the Union and of course, this presidential season just getting more and more exciting. Especially after the primary this weekend with Newt Gingrich winning South Carolina.

We will see and monitor what's next. Every move on the political level here on CNN. We're going to take a quick break. More from the NEWSROOM straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, we're following lots of developments in this hour of CNN NEWSROOM.

Let's go ahead and start first with our Mark Preston.

MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Hey, Kyra, it's great to be here in the election center. Mitt Romney has got the organization and the money but Newt Gingrich has got the momentum. We've seen some fighting words from Mitt Romney just in the past few minutes. We'll have more at the top of the hour.

ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: And I'm Rob Marciano in the CNN Severe Weather Center. Well, it happened again. Deadly tornadoes overnight in Alabama with a stretch of severe weather that started in Arkansas. Over 100 people injured as well. We'll have the damage plus where those storms are in the next hour.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And I'm Susan Candiotti at Penn State. Will the death of Joe Paterno hurt the state's case against former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky? I'll take a look at that coming up live.

PHILLIPS: All right, guys, thanks so much.

"Why I hate religion but love Jesus" -- catches your attention, doesn't it? So did the online video. You'll see it and hear the debate next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: All right. Here is what we're working on for you later in the CNN NEWSROOM.

1:30 Eastern, the 39th annual march for life takes place on the National Mall. House Speaker Boehner will deliver the opening remarks.

At 4:00 a Mississippi court could decide the fate of four convicted murderers. The four are among nearly 200 people pardoned by the former governor.

At 9:00 tonight, the GOP presidential candidates face off in another debate. This one taking place in Tampa, Florida.