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Storms Kill At Least Two In Alabama; Romney: Gingrich A "Failed Leader"; Rep. Giffords To Resign This Week; Life And Legacy Of Joe Paterno; Ex-Staffer Explains Gingrich's Debate Skills; Court Considers Mississippi Pardons; Heidi Klum and Seal Separating; Comedian Tracy Morgan Hospitalized; Embryonic Stem Cell Breakthrough
Aired January 23, 2012 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: And it is the top of the hour. Thanks for joining us. We're following breaking news for you.
Powerful storms still hammering the south. We've just gotten in some emotional sound from our Birmingham, Alabama, affiliate, WVTM. It's a man who says he lost his home and everything in it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It had us settled in the basement and all after sudden the front door come flying by us. We made it just in the nick of time. The good Lord blessed us. We lost our house but at least we have -- I'm sorry. We got our family, and that's all that matters right now.
(END VIDEO CLIPS)
PHILLIPS: At least two people dead in Jefferson County, Alabama. Search and rescue crews are going door to door right now looking for people and assessing the damage.
CNN meteorologist, Rob Marciano, is joining us now for more. Rob, what do you know?
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It started in Arkansas last night. We thought that was bad enough, but as the sun was just about to come up, things got worst in a hurry across Tuscaloosa County. Similar track to what we saw in the spring.
Thankfully not the outright that we saw in the spring, but certainly a strong, strong tornado, not just one, but two rolling across and basically splitting the difference of Birmingham, one just to the north and one just to the south, both of them doing substantial damage.
The one just to the north across center point especially, maybe 20 miles or so just north of Birmingham, that's the area that saw substantial damage. People trapped in homes, over 100 injuries, and two fatalities.
Those storms now moving towards the Georgia border, for the most part at least in North Georgia, temperatures are stable enough to where they're knocking these storms down. Southwest and central Georgia, still enough juice in the atmosphere to potentially have tornadoes so there's a tornado watch box out in effect there until 4:00 this afternoon and then Southeast Alabama as well.
This is all part of the system that brought all that rain, wind, and even snow and rice across the Pacific Northwest last week. It's got a lot of tropical pacific moisture with it and obviously the heat in the atmosphere made this a pretty unusual event, I'll tell you that, Kyra, for January, and the folks in Alabama are certainly hurting this morning.
PHILLIPS: All right, we'll keep following the story and all the developments, Rob. Thanks so much.
Eight days to go into Florida votes in its Republican presidential primary, and after Newt Gingrich's come from behind double digit win in South Carolina, 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 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 a very high-risk candidate. Not only is he wrong on the government mandated health insurance, which he supported for 20 years, he's wrong on the wall street bailout, he was wrong on global warm. He's wrong on the immigration issue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: CNN political director, Mark Preston joining me in studio. Wow, failed leader, high risk, those are fighting words.
MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: They are fighting words and there's so much on the line right now, right? And we're seeing it from both sides now, Kyra.
We have seen Mitt Romney, who was so can I use the word gentle towards his Republican rivals all throughout this primary process until he saw that -- the whole campaign has now turned on a dime and he is starting to go negative as well.
PHILLIPS: OK, the debate in Florida, what are you watching for?
PRESTON: A lot because the fact of the matter is this will be the closing argument for all of these four candidates to really lay it all on the line and try to appeal to the most diverse group of people that we have seen so far vote in any of these elections.
Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, very small states, but, you know, as far as the demographics a lot different than what we'll see in Florida, which is really a microcosm of the whole entire country.
PHILLIPS: Just getting better and better and we have the "State of the Union," we're going to hear from President Obama.
PRESTON: We thought it was going to be over. We thought that Mitt Romney was the inevitable, but guess what, he's not the inevitable, and I think what we've seen from Newt Gingrich, he's raised $1 million in the last couple days.
He thinks he's going to raise more, but he's got to go up against that Mitt Romney machine, which has plenty of money and plenty of organizational strength.
PHILLIPS: Mark, thanks.
PRESTON: Thanks, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Much more politics all day long on CNN and a reminder for all the latest political news, just go to our website cnnpolitics.com.
All right, let's get back to the breaking news now out of Alabama. Art Faulkner is the director of Alabama Emergency Management Agency joining me on the phone now.
Sir, what can you tell me about conditions in your state? Where is your focus at this hour?
ART FAULKNER, DIRECTOR, ALABAMA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (via telephone): Good morning, Kyra. Well, we have been since early this morning focused on several areas of north central Alabama that were hit overnight by some serious storms, severe storms.
We have approximately four or five areas that we're focused on, but mainly over in the center point, Oak Grove, trustful area of eastern Jefferson County where, as we've heard and we have some unconfirmed reports of fatalities over there.
And we do currently have ongoing search and rescue in that area as well as one area down a little bit further south in Chilton County, Alabama, in the community of Maplesville.
PHILLIPS: So we've been talking about the two individuals confirmed dead. You're saying you believe there are more people that have died?
FAULKNER: Well, this agency has not received any confirmations of what we've been hearing just like you this morning. By state law, there are only a couple people that can confirm and pronounce someone as a death in the state of Alabama.
And so, you know, we do not go off just what we hear on the media or out in the field. We actually have to have confirmation of a legal -- in a legal manner that those fatalities have been confirmed.
We don't have that yet, even though we have seen the same reports that you are, but right now we're focused on what we can do for those that are still out there and, you know, are hurting from what's happened this morning. The governor has issued a state of emergency to allow state agencies to go in and assist those local governments if need throughout the day.
PHILLIPS: And are you concerned that there may be residents trapped beneath that rubble?
FAULKNER: Well, we won't know until the search and rescue is complete. I think that this morning that, you know, the one thing we can say is thank goodness we're not looking at what happened in this state last year in April.
We do not have that kind of catastrophic damage. However, any loss of life or destruction of property, you know, is a bad thing, and we will be there to make sure that we're available to assist our citizens with any cleanup that may need to be done after the search and rescue is over.
PHILLIPS: Art Faulkner, Georgia Emergency Management there in Alabama. Art, thanks for calling in.
Representative Gabrielle Giffords says she's stepping down this week, but not before finishing her Congress on the corner event that, as you may remember, was interrupted by that shooting that left six people dead and Giffords with a gunshot wound to the head.
Today, she'll meet with some of the people who were in that grocery store parking lot when everything changed.
(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: Let's bring in our senior congressional correspondent, Dana Bash. To tell you what, Dana, you and I have seen that about half a dozen times. You still get a lump in your throat.
DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely.
PHILLIPS: You had a chance to talk to two of her closest friends on the Hill, right?
BASH: That's right. The senator from New York, Kirsten Gillibrand who served with Congresswoman Giffords in the House as well as Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who, of course, is the DNC Chairwoman, both of them I spoke with last night.
And both said that they spoke with Mark Kelly, the congresswoman's husband, about this decision, about how hard it was for her to make, but certainly that she felt it was the right thing to do. You saw at the very end of the video they put out a clip of Congresswoman Giffords saying the pledge of allegiance.
She was doing that at an anniversary event for the shooting back on January 8th. I'm told that this is the time when she went back for that event and she saw the rigors of just having a couple of events that a Congress person normally has.
She understood that was not going to be in the cards for her if she really wanted to have a full recovery. Here are a couple things that Debbie Wasserman Schultz said to me. She said about that recovery she realized that's likely to be years, not months.
But she also said that she feels that she's going to be able to get well enough to have every intention of returning to public life some day. So certainly here on Capitol Hill, look, there's no question it's a very partisan, very tough, very bitter atmosphere.
But from Republicans and Democrats, I can tell you honestly that nobody wanted to see Gabby Giffords leave Congress this way.
PHILLIPS: So what happens to Giffords' seat?
BASH: Well, there's going to be a special election for her seat. That is going to -- we understand from the governor of Arizona happen in June. In April, there will probably be some primaries to winnow down who will be the Republican and Democratic nominees for that seat.
Now, this is -- when you talk politics, this is a very important seat. The eighth district of Arizona has been for the past several years a very dicey for Democrats to hold onto, and when Gabby Giffords held onto that seat in the last election, you know, it was maybe surprising to some because it had historically trending towards the Republican side.
The Democrats I talked to say that they hope that they can hold onto this seat. They are officially not talking about candidates to replace her yet because they want to let a little bit of time pass.
But privately I'm told they feel at least on the Democratic side that they have some good candidates, and they're going to need it to keep that seat on the Democratic side.
PHILLIPS: Dana Bash on the Hill there. Dana, thanks.
Penn State coaching legend Joe Paterno has passed and the debate over how he will be remembered is moving forward. For more than 60 years, he preached honor and integrity, but the horrifying allegations of child rape by his long time 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 football college 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 FOOTBALL COACH: I had never had to deal with something like that, and I didn't feel adequate. I've had a wonderful experience here at Penn State. I don't want to walk away from this thing bitter.
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: Susan joins us on the Penn State campus. So what will Paterno's death mean to the ongoing investigation now, Susan?
CANDIOTTI: You know, Kyra, it's a very interesting legal question right now that's currently being debated. For one thing imagine what the courtroom drama alone would have been like to have such an iconic figure like Joe Paterno be forced to testify, and he would have been a witness, a very important witness in this case.
But also they can no longer use his grand jury testimony because, of course, you can't cross-examine a written piece of paper. So there are a lot of questions. However, remember that Mike McQueary, his assistant coach, is still a key witness and perhaps the most important witness of all for the state's case.
He can still testify that this is what he told Joe Paterno at the very least. More importantly, what he told those two Penn State officials about what he said he saw, an alleged child rape happening in a Penn State locker room back in 2002.
PHILLIPS: Susan Candiotti with the latest on the Paterno death and the investigation that's following. Newt Gingrich's debate skills might have helped him win the South Carolina primary. Coming up, we're going to talk to a man who was his debate strategist back in the 1980s and ask him how Gingrich gets ready for these crucial moments in the spotlight.
Four convicted murderers could be sent back to prison. A hearing today on controversial Mississippi pardons. That story straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Newt Gingrich, he's dishing out attacks and he's taking them. And he's going into Florida with a lot of confidence.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NEWT GINGRICH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think my job in Florida is to convince people that I am the one candidate who can clearly defeat Obama in a series of debates and the one candidate who has big enough solutions that they would really get America back on track.
We're a big country, we have big problems, and we need big solutions, and the people of Florida know that as well as anybody in the country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Well, Matt Towery knows Newt Gingrich as well as anyone. In the '80s, he helped Gingrich with his debates. In the '90s, he was his political chair. So I'm curious, Matt --
MATT TOWERY, FORMER GINGRICH STAFFER: Yes.
PHILLIPS: -- was there ever any point where you thought his political campaign was dead?
TOWERY: Just this one alone, probably 30 different times.
PHILLIPS: Really?
TOWERY: Newt Gingrich always goes up and down like a yo-yo, running his campaigns it was always the case. Newt is an individual with big ideas and as Rick Santorum said, grandiose, and he is grandiose, but he usually follows through on him.
But his execution sometimes is not always perfect. It bounces along because organization is not his strong suit. It's the ideas and other people executing them, and that's why I poll now and I'm nonpartisan and people say, well, you're polling for Gingrich.
No, one day I have him up by eight points and the next day something will happen and he's down by eight points. He is a person who is very quick in what he does and it either works or it doesn't.
PHILLIPS: OK and I know you say you're nonpartisan now, but you did work closely with him so I want to try to get inside his head through you.
TOWERY: Sure.
PHILLIPS: So let's talk about this whole marriage issue that was raised in South Carolina. I mean, it just -- it seemed to bounce right off him. What is it about Newt that's resonating?
TOWERY: I think, first of all, he didn't engage in the individual, personal parts of this thing, and that probably helped. There were those of us who were around for that marriage. It was a very stormy marriage, a lot of complicated things.
I don't think any of us wanted to get into it, but I don't think many people bought Marianne Gingrich's full story. At the same time, Newt also said, look, I'm a changed guy, and he really is changed. He's evolved to be a much nicer, kinder Newt Gingrich as I have seen over the years.
PHILLIPS: Did he used to be a big jerk?
TOWERY: Not a big jerk, but I mean --
PHILLIPS: Let's lay it out here. Give me the inside scoop.
TOWERY: I was a guy who was willing -- you know, I worked with him on his debates. When he would get upset, I would poke him back in the nose. A lot of people were afraid to do that.
So I wouldn't say he's a big jerk. We could have some knock down drag out fights. They're gone now. He's just a very calm, gentle person except when he gets up there and has to really debate and do the knockout blow that he has to do.
PHILLIPS: Let's talk about the debates because you have helped him with his debates in the past. How does he prepare? What's the key to his debate skills because he has done well?
TOWERY: Well, first of all, he was grounded by a guy named Chester Gibson. It was at West Georgia College who taught all of us how to debate. Chester taught all of us to keep things simple, one, two three.
Really my job in 1980 when you're in for re-election was to make sure he stuck to that. Keep to your points and don't meander. You know, when Newt speaks to large crowds, he does tend to meander.
He will go 40 minutes, 35 minutes, will talk about 15 different things, but in these debates he's been very focused, and that's the key to Newt Gingrich being successful is to know what he's going to say, to make sure that it's really divided in three or four points.
He makes sure that it's always relevant and usually that it has a punch to it. That's what this guy does and he does very well.
PHILLIPS: It's definitely getting interesting. I tell what you, let's talk again. TOWERY: We will.
PHILLIPS: All eyes are definitely on Newt Gingrich right now.
TOWERY: I will be watching very carefully.
PHILLIPS: OK, we'll talk again, Matt. Thanks so much.
TOWERY: Sure.
PHILLIPS: Well, three nights from now Gingrich and the three other candidates hoping to be the next Republican presidential nominee will face off once again. Watch the Florida Republican presidential debate this Thursday 8:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.
Four convicted murderers released early from prison, but today they may find out they have to go back. A new twist in the controversial Mississippi pardons next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: In Mississippi, the fate of four convicted murderers is back in the hands of a judge. They were released from prison earlier this month after they and nearly 200 others were pardoned by Governor Haley Barbour.
Ed Lavandera is in Jackson, Mississippi, where a court hearing takes place later today. Ed, that hearing will decide whether the pardons were legal. So let's talk about how many pardons are in jeopardy and who exactly must prove this.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, in all there were 203 pardons that were issued by Haley Barbour in the last days of his governorship here in the state of Mississippi.
The attorney general in this state and what he's doing, Kyra, is that he's saying according to the Mississippi constitution, there has to be publication of these pardons for 30 days leading up to these pardons and the attorney general here is saying that only 25 of those were published properly.
Many dozens and dozens more were not done properly, and really the ones we're focusing on are the ones of the four convicted murders who worked as trustees on the grounds of the governor's mansion here in Jackson, Mississippi. So a judge here has ordered those men to come back here.
We're expecting to see at least three of them. The attorney general's office says the fourth murderer, a man by the name of Joseph Osmet, has been on the run. They don't anticipate to see him here today.
The judge will decide whether or not these pardons are valid so various things could happen here. These men could be sent back to prison or the judge might rule in their favor and say the pardons are valid. We just don't know how this is going to unfold here later on today -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, well, if the pardons are revoked, any recourse for released prisoners?
LAVANDERA: That's interesting. We just don't know at this point. There's an attorney that will be representing these gentlemen here when they come here later today.
I guess, it all kind of depends on what the judge says at this point and then what will happen next. Obviously, these men have been released from prison.
They're trying to get back to, you know, get back into society and that sort of thing. Obviously, they're also anticipating that that could be a very real likelihood that they get sent back to prison, so we'll see how that comes out as well.
PHILLIPS: All right, Ed Lavandera. Thanks, Ed.
Politics can be pretty brutal, so can hockey. What can President Obama learn from the Stanley Cup champs? Our "Political Buzz" panel squares off. Here's hoping no one lands in the penalty box.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Checking top stories now. We're keeping a close eye on a powerful storm system hammering the southeast. Two people are confirmed dead in Alabama, at least 100 people injured.
At Penn State, fans at a massive memorial at the statue of Joe Paterno. But his legacy is under fire amid criticisms he mishandled the alleged child rape scandal involving his former assistant.
And Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Giffords is resigning from office this week. She wants to focus on recovering from the gunshot wound that left her with a brain injury.
OK, "Political Buzz," your rapid fire look at the best political topics of the day. Three questions, 30 seconds on the clock, playing today CNN contributor Maria Cardona, David, the Washington bureau chief for Yahoo! News and CNN contributor Will Cain.
First question, guys, Chris Christie goes after Newt Gingrich following his big South Carolina upset. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: He was run out of the speakership by his own party. He was fined $300,000 for ethics violations. This is a guy who has had a very difficult political career at times and has been embarrassment to the party.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: The character attacks don't seem to be working. If you're Romney, Santorum, or Paul, how do you go after Newt tonight -- Maria.
MARIA CARDONA, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, they certainly didn't work in South Carolina, but this is a whole different ball game in terms of the diverse voters in Florida, so we'll see.
They need to go after him on leadership qualities, Kyra, and keep hammering the fact that this was a leader of the Republicans in Congress who was driven out by his own party and who almost completely ruined the Republican brand.
So a lot of Republicans will be reminding him of that tonight as well as substance. Even though it will be very difficult for Romney to go after Newt Gingrich on his flip-flops on the individual mandate, on climate change, and on going after Paul Ryan's Republican economic plan.
So maybe Santorum and Paul, it's up to them.
PHILLIPS: Will?
WILL CAIN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: You know, Kyra, let's see character didn't work, leadership experience didn't work, criticisms of it, substance doesn't work. Gingrich being on a multitude of sides of every issue and none of it worked in South Carolina.
So what did work? Personality, he has a personality that voters thought reflected their sentiment. Maria brings up an interesting point. Will that work in Florida and going forward? I don't know. So what his -- what do his opponents need to do? Unfortunately Mitt Romney can't take Chris Christie up on that debate stage with him tonight. So I don't know how you can fix his lack of personality in that respect.
You had a guy on earlier -- let me say this -- who said Gingrich is good at debates because he has that crunch line. That's true. Romney needs to get that crunch line, that punch line, that one that hits it home.
PHILLIPS: David?
DAVID CHALIAN, WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF, YAHOO: David, I think that we've seen where Newt Gingrich is most vulnerable to attack, and that was actually back in a debate in December. Michele Bachmann knocked him on his heels on the insider versus outsider feels, the Freddie Mac stuff.
This is the kind of attack that is not character based but does gets at the heart of a problem for Republican voters. They really want somebody who is not enmeshed in Republican establishment. And I think you're going to see the Romney campaign really try to drive their message that way.
PHILLIPS: All right well, Romney says it was a mistake not to release his tax returns. So now he's going to release them tomorrow. So what's with all the secrecy and is there a lurking bombshell? Will? CAIN: I don't think so. I mean, I think in the end it reflects what we all know, that Mitt Romney is a rich guy and he probably paid about 15 percent in taxes which is the capital gains investment rate return, and he's probably kind of modest about that. That's all I can suspect.
That being said, I do think he could have handled this -- everyone thinks he could have handled this much better, but an interesting way he could have handled it is just say, no, I'm not releasing it not until April, don't ask me again, this is what I'm doing.
That kind of standing your ground is exactly what's been missing from him that people have been responding to Newt Gingrich with. This kind of maybe I'll get to it when I can, I don't know, I might. That's not working.
PHILLIPS: Maria?
CARDONA: I agree with Will. It has been wishy-washy about this but it has not worked for him. But he doesn't have the character to stand up and say no, I'm not doing it. He's very uncomfortable talking about his wealth. He's very uncomfortable in people questioning him about it.
And who knows what we're going to see in here. Is there anything, a bombshell lurking? I don't know but we already know that he pays less in taxes than most of us here do, and that janitors do and teachers and everybody else.
So that's not an issue that's going to work for him. And we also know that he's got investments in the Cayman Islands and so all of this is going to be going through, we're going to be going through this with a fine tooth comb and that's not going to be good for him.
PHILLIPS: David?
CHALIAN: I think we're ready to hit on a keyword there which is uncomfortable. That has been Mitt Romney's biggest problem on this issue. He doesn't have a comfortable way of talking about his wealth. He wants to do this message CEO, let's talk about capitalism, the success of Bain, creating jobs, I made money the old-fashioned way here in America.
That is just not something that he seems to be as comfortable as he should be talking about, and I think now putting these out tomorrow, there's no bombshell in there, I'm sure, but they've set it up. They've handled it so poorly, they've set it up that everyone in the press is going to be looking for and calling whatever findings in there some sort of a bombshell.
PHILLIPS: All right guys, your "Buzzer Beater" 20 seconds each on this one. President Obama gives his State of Union Address tomorrow night. We'll all be watching but first he's meeting with the Stanley Cup winners the Boston Bruins, so what political advice can he get from these hockey champs -- Maria? CARDONA: Well, former hockey player Howie McKenny said of hockey half of the game is mental and half is being mental. There's also a saying in hockey that says my goal -- my goal is to deny yours. So hockey players certainly understand Republicans in Congress Kyra and especially somebody like Newt Gingrich who said, he not only wants to bloody President Obama, he wants to knock him out.
But they have this in common, they both have fire in their hearts and ice in their veins, so bring it on.
PHILLIPS: Will?
CAIN: I hate myself for torturing this metaphor. But I'm going to do it. Skate on thick ice, how about that? Don't skate on thin ice, President Obama is going down this path of income inequality and dividing us from wealthy to middle income, it's just not the way to go about it. I think this income inequality mean is not going to work come the general election.
PHILLIPS: Spoken from a water polo player. David?
CHALIAN: Well, there's nothing hockey players know how to do better than pick a fight. And I think that's what we're going to see President Obama start doing tomorrow night in the state of the union. This is really the launching pad for his re-election campaign.
These are the big themes we're going to hear from him and I would imagine we're going to see a President who looks like a fighter tomorrow night or at least that's certainly what the White House team wants him to portray.
PHILLIPS: All right. Thanks, guys, so much.
CARDONA: Thanks Kyra.
PHILLIPS: CNN -- you bet -- CNN is the place to be for President Obama's State of the Union Address, so tune in tomorrow night 8:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.
Why I hate God but love religion. A YouTube video is sparking a lot of controversy and conversation. Find out why right after the break.
And they made headlines for renewing their vows every year. Now it's the big breakup that's grabbing all the attention. What happened to Heidi and Seal?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well, the New York Giants are going to the Super Bowl because of a made field goal. The New England Patriots going to the Super Bowl because of a missed field goal. Baltimore Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff had a chance to send the AFC title game into overtime, but he shank the 32-yard field goal to the left.
The Patriots win 23-30 and are heading to their seventh Super Bowl. The Giants NFC battle with the 49ers went to overtime. The 49ers' Kyle Williams fumbled the punt. The Giants Devon Thomas fell on the ball. His second recovery of the game, five plays after that New York kicker Lawrence Tynes hits the game-winning 31-yard field goal. Giants, 20, 49ers, 17. The Giants will meet the Patriots now in a rematch of the 2008 Super Bowl. The Giants won that game by the way spoiling the Pats undefeated season.
I can't believe it. Heidi and Seal calling it quits. Let's get straight to A.J. Hammer. What the heck happened? They used to renew their vows every year, they were so in love.
A.J. HAMMER, HLN HOST, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": Yes, these two always seemed to be gushing about each other wherever they would go. Anytime I was with either one of them, they were saying such lovely things about one another. Seal and Heidi Klum were married back in 2005.
And as you mentioned, yes, every year they were known for annually celebrating their anniversary by renewing their wedding vows. They always seemed to show affection for each other in public but after the rumors about a break up started swirling over the weekend they both released identical statements to "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT."
Let me read you what they're telling us. They say "While we have enjoyed seven very loving, loyal, and happy years of marriage, after much soul searching we have decided to separate. We have had the deepest respect for one another throughout our relationship and continue to love each other very much but we have grown apart."
Of course, Kyra, always sad to see this happen particularly when there are children involved. They have three kids together. Heidi has a daughter from a previous relationship who will all obviously be affected by this, but we wish them a peaceful time because we know how difficult it can be, particularly when everybody is watching.
PHILLIPS: Sure. They are definitely under the bright light. All right.
Steven Tyler -- he's always causing trouble in one way or another.
HAMMER: Yes. I love Steven Tyler. He sang The National Anthem before the New England Patriots took on the Baltimore Ravens yesterday in the AFC championship game. And the reaction today if you're looking around online, everybody is saying, you know what? It Tyler was auditioning for "American Idol", you know, the show he's a judge on, he wouldn't be going on to Hollywood with a golden ticket.
Let's listen to a bit of Steven's performance.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(STEPHEN TYLER SINGING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Kyra, you know, we've heard the anthem get butchered before. Roseanne Barr, anyone. I don't think by comparison this was really that bad and the crowd wasn't booing him. We know when it goes wrong the crowd usually boos, although I'm thinking New England fans aren't going to boo their hometown hero, Steven Tyler.
PHILLIPS: That's right. Come on, he always screams. He got the famous belt out right in the middle of it.
Now, comedian Tracy Morgan, what happened at Sundance? He got sick or he was hospitalized?
HAMMER: Well, it hasn't been a great Sundance Film Festival for Tracy. He was reportedly out of control and collapsed at an awards ceremony on Sunday before he was taken to the hospital.
There were reports floating around that he was seen drinking. He is a recovering alcoholic. His people are shooting down those reports. Here is what they tell "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT". "From a combination of exhaustion and altitude Tracy is seeking medical attention. He's with his fiancee and grateful to the Parks City Medical Center for their care. Any reports of Tracy consuming alcohol are 100 percent false."
There was a report quoting a medical center spokesperson as saying that drugs and alcohol were not a factor. But when "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" spoke with that same spokesperson we were told no information would be given out to the press because of medical privacy restrictions.
So Kyra, whatever is going on with funny, funny Tracy Morgan, we do wish him, of course, a speedy recovery.
PHILLIPS: Indeed. Thanks so much A.J. If you want information on everything breaking in the entertainment world, A.J. has got it. Every night "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT", 11:00 Eastern on HLN.
"Why I hate religion but love Jesus." It's a catchy title, but wait until you see the actual video. It's coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Checking stories across country now. In Tacoma, Washington, Katie Thacker and her newborn are doing just fine after she gave birth in a hospital elevator. The elevator apparently got stuck between floors and little Blake just couldn't wait. Came out pretty healthy though. Nearly eight pounds.
So do you want to buy the L.A. Dodgers? Today is the deadline to submit an initial bid. According to Bloomberg, the sale might set a record price for a professional team with some estimates as high as $1.5 billion.
And a Colorado real estate developer is the new owner of this hearse that carried the body of John F. Kennedy. He paid $160,000 for it at an auction over the weekend in Arizona.
"Why I hate religion but love Jesus." If you're a Christian, you might have just stopped in your tracks when I said that. Well, online millions of viewers already have. "Religion is man-centered, Jesus is God-centered." That's prose from a 22-year-old poet that's now gone viral.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Religion says do. Jesus says done. Religion says slave. Jesus says son. Religion puts you in bondage while Jesus sets you free. Religion makes you blind, but Jesus makes you see. And that's why religion and Jesus are two different clans.
Religion is man searching for God, Christianity is God searching for man.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: More now on this young Christian from Washington State with our CNN.com religion editor Dan Gilgoff. Dan, why is video, this poem resonating with so many young evangelical Christians?
DAN GILGOFF, CNN.COM RELIGION EDITOR: Yes. It's really amazing and we say videos go viral if they have a few million hits. This video has gotten 16 million views since it went live earlier this month. More than 1 million people watching it every day.
And what's amazing is not only that people are clicking on this video and watching it, they're also responding to it. So that on YouTube there are full-length spoken word poems like this young man Jefferson made, and there are, you know, hundreds of blog posts out there that are responding to this guy. So he's really started a conversation, a debate over the nature of organized religion, which is something we don't usually get in this country.
Kyra; And he says within his poem, that he went from being a self-righteous religious person to an admittedly deeply broken believer.
GILGOFF: That's right, yes. And he's saying that this personal transformation and following Jesus and modeling after Jesus is what's really important here. And, you know, all of the criticism that is provoked by this video kind of follows a couple of lines.
One is that this guy is a hypocrite. He's saying he has this personal relationship with Jesus, he's been personally transformed. When in fact he's a really active member of a very prominent church around Seattle. So isn't he representative of organized region?
And then there's this other line that says this is dangerous. We can't have young Christians who are kind of making this self-styled Christianity uninformed by the traditions and teachings of the church. There are a lot of church leaders trying to tamp down on this and saying this guy is -- you know, it seems like a fun video and it's very effective, but there's more here than meets the eye.
PHILLIPS: And you can see the entire video and, of course, your entire write-up on our faith blog. That's belief blog at cnn.com/belief. Dan, thanks so much. You can also share your thoughts as well.
GILGOFF: Kyra, good to see you.
PHILLIPS: Likewise.
It's being hailed as historic; stem cells from embryos improving the vision of two blind women. Our Elizabeth Cohen tells us why this study is such a big deal right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well, medical landmark to report today. The first study that shows embryonic stem cells can actually help people. Senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen joining us now to talk more about why this is such a milestone. Give us the details.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, this is really a big deal. Now, you remember the debate about embryonic stem cells.
PHILLIPS: Oh, yes.
COHEN: So these are these really valuable cells, but they're in embryos. One side says don't monkey around with embryos, that's life. Another side says, no, medical treatments can come from it. We could make paralyzed people walk again potentially. We could help blind people start to see. Christopher Reeve devoted the end of his life to this very issue.
Well, this is first published research showing that there could be a benefit for people. They tried out in two people, two women who were blind, they gave them embryonic stem cells, shot them into their retinas basically and they had visual improvements.
PHILLIPS: How much visual improvement?
COHEN: They didn't go from being blind to being fully sighted. What happened was they were able to see more. One woman said she had a piece of furniture in her bedroom and it had some carving on it and she woke up one morning a few weeks after her surgery and said, oh, look at that carving, I haven't seen that in years and years. She hadn't seen it before.
Another woman hadn't seen her grandchildren's faces clearly in years, and she said, oh, my goodness, look at this. That same woman said she was in her house and said to her husband, look at the scuff marks on the wall. Look at that picture it's tilted. And he said I don't know if I like this surgery it's giving me a big honey-do list because all of a sudden she could see things she couldn't see before.
This is two people which is extremely small. When they try it out in more people, it might not work, but this is a first sign that embryonic stem cells seem to have a benefit in people.
PHILLIPS: Incredible. Ok.
I know it's just breaking now and you were even pulled back off an airplane to do more on this.
COHEN: That's right.
PHILLIPS: Please keep us updated. It sounds pretty remarkable.
COHEN: Will do.
PHILLIPS: Thanks so much.
COHEN: Thanks.
PHILLIPS: Well, coming up in the next hour in the NEWSROOM with Suzanne Malveaux, we're continuing to see the devastation in the southeast caused by the deadly storms overnight. We're going to talk live to the governor of Alabama where two people have been confirmed dead and more than 100 others have been injured.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Fast forwarding to events happening later today.
1:30 Eastern the 39th annual March for Life takes place on the National Mall. House Speaker Boehner will deliver the opening remarks.
Then at 4:00 a Mississippi court could decide the fate of four convicted murders. The four are among nearly 200 people pardoned by former Governor Barbour. A judge could determine if those pardons are valid.
Then at 9:00 tonight the GOP presidential candidates face off in another debate. This one taking place in Tampa, Florida.
All right. Florida's primary still eight days away but, of course, our Paul Steinhauser is talking all about it. He said voters are casting ballots now. Hey Paul.
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: Yes, eight days away so, it's really under. Yes, actually it is Kyra. This is interesting and could be really important.
I just spoke to the Florida Department of State down there, and check this out, they said that absentee ballots, 475,000 absentee ballots were mailed out here as of January 3rd, and 180,000 of those have already been received as of last Wednesday. So that means as of last Wednesday, 180,000 people had already voted, and this all happened obviously before Gingrich's surge in South Carolina. So that could be a determining factor if it's a close contest.
Go to the next board as well. Early voting began statewide as of Saturday, Kyra. So not just absentee ballots, we're talking about early voting. And as of yesterday 53,000 people have already cast their ballots in early voting. This is all really important.
Remember, 1.95 million people voted in Florida's Republican primary last time around. We'll see if those numbers are higher this time, but voting already under way, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: And Paul, Newt Gingrich getting momentum and money.
STEINHAUSER: Yes. Big mo (sic) coming out of South Carolina, no doubt about that. Gingrich's campaign telling us that they cashed in on $1 million -- they've made $1 million in a money bomb. They had a money bomb. They got $1 million in campaign contributions just in the 24 hours after that Saturday night big victory in South Carolina.
And the Gingrich campaign also says, guess what? 500 people said we're volunteering for that campaign for the Gingrich campaign just in the last 24 hours after Saturday night's big win as well. A lot of momentum for Gingrich, but you know what? Romney trying to move things, go on offense now, attacking Gingrich. You have a big debate tonight and our big debate on Thursday night. This is going to be a big one, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Big debate, big money. You should hear Suzanne Malveaux next to me right now. She's teasing you, Paul.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Paul is very dramatic. Paul is very dramatic.
STEINHAUSER: I'm working it here, ladies. I'm working it.
PHILLIPS: But he adds so much energy to our program, right, Paul? You wake us up and get us excited to be here. You get us big on politics.
STEINHAUSER: I'm your cup of caffeine, lady.
PHILLIPS: Yes, you are, my dear.
MALVEAUX: He doesn't realize we've already had three cups.
PHILLIPS: Exactly. He just gave me a jolt. I'm passing it on to you.
MALVEAUX: Good to see. My parents are going to be here too.
PHILLIPS: They're so lovely the Malveauxs, mom and dad.
MALVEAUX: Yes.
PHILLIPS: They going to make you nervous?
MALVEAUX: A little bit.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: Well, I'll keep an eye out.
MALVEAUX: Alright, good.
