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Child Porn Bust in Canada; More Anger Flares After Soccer Riot in Egypt; Teen Survivor's Fate in Balance; Donald Trump Endorsing Romney; Pulling Out Of Afghanistan; President Obama's Faith On Display; Running For Gabrielle Giffords' Seat; Battle Over Breast Cancer Dollars
Aired February 02, 2012 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Don Lemon. Brooke Baldwin is off. "The Brooke" is off.
Let's get you caught up on everything making news this hour, "Rapid Fire." So let's go.
First, we want to get straight to this. We want to take you to Egypt.
Look at those pictures we have. Protests are breaking out tonight all in response to the violence at a sports arena yesterday.
It's seven hours earlier (sic) there. It's 9:00 p.m. there. They're seven hours past us there, and that's what's happening right near the Interior Ministry.
Seventy-nine people died when those riots broke out among fans. And Egyptians are speculating whether the current political anger in their country fueled the violence in the bleachers.
We're going to have more from Ben Wedeman. He's going to be live in Egypt in just a few minutes here on CNN. Don't go anywhere.
And CNN has just learned the government's no-fly list has doubled in the past year alone. There are now 29,000 known or suspected terrorists not allowed to fly.
The increase results from new criteria for who gets on the list prompted by the failed underwear bomber attack on Christmas Day, 2009. Remember, that's when a terrorist stuffed explosives in his underwear and tried to detonate them on a flight to Detroit.
Fed chair Ben Bernanke appears on Capitol Hill, telling lawmakers he is frustrated by the slow recovery.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEN BERNANKE, FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIRMAN: Over the past two-and-a-half years, the U.S. economy has been gradually recovering from a deep recession. While conditions have certainly improved over this period, the pace of the recovery has been frustratingly slow, particularly from the perspective of the millions of workers who remain unemployed or underemployed. (END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Here's what else Bernanke said. He told lawmakers the economy can't turn around without a better housing market.
CNN's Ali Velshi is going to join us in just a few minutes to explain Bernanke's comments and what they might mean if you are looking to buy a house. Stay tuned.
What could bring the leader of the free world to his knees? Prayer.
As Republican opponents hammer him on religious freedoms, President Barack Obama opened up about his faith in a way he rarely does. He told a crowd at the National Prayer Breakfast this morning how a visit with the Reverend Billy Graham has affected him to this very day.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I've fallen on my knees with great regularity since that moment, asking God for guidance not just in my personal life and my Christian walk, but in the life of this nation and in the values that hold us together and keep us strong.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Now, news about someone in the Obama administration. Attorney General Eric Holder getting grilled on Capitol Hill today over a botched FBI gun-running sting to Mexico called Fast & Furious. Holder insists there's been no cover-up attempt by the Justice Department.
Republican Congressman Darrell Issa heads that committee, and he's been highly critical of the handling of the failed operation and the current investigation, as well.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. DARRELL ISSA (R), CHAIRMAN, OVERSIGHT & GOVERNMENT REFORM COMMITTEE: This committee has lost its patience to wait longer. We will not wait until next Groundhog Day to get answers for the American people.
ERIC HOLDER, ATTORNEY GENERAL: The Department of Justice stands ready to work with you not only to correct the mistakes of the past, but also to strengthen our law enforcement capacity in the future.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: The nation's number one terror threat could be a cyber attack. That's what intelligence officials are warning today at a hearing before the House Intelligence Committee.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. MIKE ROGERS (R), CHAIRMAN, INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE: We will suffer a catastrophic cyber attack. The clock is ticking and winding down.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: This comes one day after several top security and defense officials met with senators to figure out how to better protect U.S. infrastructure and companies from cyber attacks.
A rare victory in small claims court for a Los Angeles woman against a giant automaker, Honda. Her name is Heather Peters. She was awarded just under $10,000 yesterday. She claims she was misled by Honda's claim that its Civic hybrid could get 50 miles per gallon. She said her car never came close to that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HEATHER PETERS, CAR OWNER: It's justice in a very small place, but it proves that sometimes the little guy wins.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Well, Peters sued after learning Honda's proposed settlement would pay trial lawyers millions while Civic owners would get as little as $100 and coupons toward a new Honda. Honda plans to appeal that.
I want to show you some amazing dash cam video now of two police officers -- look at that -- rescuing a man from a burning car in New Jersey. You can hear the crackling there.
Well, the officers arrived to find the car engulfed in flames in a residential neighborhood. They broke the driver's side window to get the door open and pulled out the 57-year-old man. He was treated at a hospital for smoke inhalation. Luckily, he's just fine.
We've got a lot more to cover in the next two hours. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Police are warning criminals, you cannot hide when it comes to child porn, especially on the Internet. And they just carried off a massive bust to prove it.
I'm Don Lemon. The news starts right now.
(voice-over): A young girl with no money and no citizenship loses her entire family in a tragic car accident. But as she recovers, there are questions about who will look after her.
A soccer game turns deadly.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You do see flares, you do see rockets.
LEMON: Why some witnesses say police did nothing.
Plus, more than a decade of war, bloodshed and sacrifice. Find out what President Obama's new strategy in Afghanistan means for the Taliban and U.S. troops still there.
Fareed Zakaria joins me live.
And it's got a lot of you talking.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We will never bow to political pressure.
LEMON: Sparks fly as America's biggest breast cancer charity cuts off another giant for women's health.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: This next story is just a disgusting one. Twenty-two children have been rescued in one of the biggest child pornography busts ever in Canada. At least 60 people have been arrested. But that's just the tip of the iceberg in the world of child porn.
Paula Newton joins us now. She is in Ottawa.
Paula, what are those people charged with?
PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, a variety of charges including making child pornography, possessing it, distributing it. But, you know, what is so unsettling, Don, is they're also charged, some of them, with luring children under the age of 16, and, in fact, sexual assault. And I think that's what's really gotten to everybody about the story today, when you think of 22 children that have now been rescued and police say more victims to come.
LEMON: How did police track them down, Paula?
NEWTON: Well, what's interesting here, Don, is that they won't say precisely. I can tell you that they decided they had to have a coordinated effort. That was one thing. The other thing, they're trying to use some sophisticated Internet tools.
I want to show you just one of the demonstrations that they had us have a look at the police press conference. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Notice that each red dot actually represents a cluster of IP addresses. And when you view one of the clusters, it reveals the total number of different expected IP addresses in each cluster. As you can see, each cluster that's clicked upon explodes like fireworks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: You know, that means in the last three months alone, just in the province of Ontario, 9,000 downloads of child pornography. You know, it can't be said enough, Don. What police are urging here is that you really keep an eye on kids on the Internet. LEMON: You know, when I led to you in the story, I said that they had tracked down 22 victims of this child porn. Where are those children now, Paula?
NEWTON: Well, police don't want to say, again, because they don't want to give out any information that might lead to the identification of these victims. But they are in extensive programs.
Some of them are in foster care, have been taken away from their parents. Others are still with their parents, but receiving treatment, and that includes both medical and trauma.
And again, Don, police emphasizing here that this is -- they don't say it's the tip of the iceberg. At the other end of the spectrum, though, Don, is they say that whether it's in the U.S., Europe or Canada, that they have to really step up their tech skills in order to stay one step ahead of the criminals. But also, on our end, Don, they're saying, kids, be careful. Don't give out your passwords.
You know, keep those children supervised on the Internet, don't talk to strangers on the Internet. If you don't talk to them on the street, don't talk to them on the Internet. And those were some of the warnings from police today given the history of those 22 victims that have now been rescued.
LEMON: You have to watch the kids at all times.
Paula Newton, thank you for that story.
We want to tell you now we're keeping an eye on the violent protests breaking out in Egypt. It was the first thing we reported here.
Here's what the Health Ministry is saying. Two hundred and fifty people have been hurt in these clashes, and some of those are in critical condition. We're talking about these are new protests. This isn't the rioting that broke out yesterday at the soccer stadium.
This is all new, and you're looking at the pictures now coming into CNN, all over a soccer game that turned deadly. Seventy-nine people died in that.
Straight to Ben Wedeman now, standing by in Cairo.
Ben, what's going on right now?
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Don, what we saw were demonstrations today sparked by the violence following that football match in Port Said, but quickly transformed into yet another round of anti-government demonstrations.
We saw throughout the day people marching in Cairo, Tahrir Square, streets off of it, demanding that the military step down, hand over power to civilians. Now what you see in those live pictures are these demonstrators are trying to fight their way over large stone barriers that were placed in the streets to prevent this from happening, to prevent people, demonstrators, from getting to the Interior Ministry. And, of course, it's the Interior Ministry that many of these demonstrators blame for either not doing enough to stop the bloodshed at that soccer game in Port Said, or, as many demonstrators will tell you, they believe the police actually facilitated the violence as a means of revenge against some of the fans of the Cairo football team involved in that match who have traditionally had a very antagonistic relationship with the police -- Don.
LEMON: All right. Ben Wedeman, thank you, joining us live now from Egypt.
Again, our viewers, we want to tell you that there are demonstrations that are happening now after that clash at a soccer game yesterday that left 79 people dead. Two hundred and fifty people now injured.
We'll keep a close eye on that.
Meantime, a teenage girl with no health insurance, no citizenship is still in the hospital after losing her entire family in a horrible car accident. Florida Governor Rick Scott promised her medical bills would be paid. But when we asked Scott's office, well, they were mum about it.
Now, CNN has just gotten a new response. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: You have seen the horrendous pictures of this multi-car accident on Interstate 75 in Florida. It killed 11 people on Sunday, including the family of a teenage girl from Georgia. Now the nation is rooting for 15-year-old Lidiane Carmo's recovery, including Florida's governor.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. RICK SCOTT (R), FLORIDA: So your heart goes out to them. And I want to make sure that we know if we can doing anything better, but those families just are devastated.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: While Governor Rick Scott is sympathetic there, he is now silent about the latest concern for Carmo, who is an illegal immigrant. Who will pay her medical bills? Carmo was seriously injured and has no health insurance.
Well, today, Scott's office released this statement. Listen closely. It said, "We have been working closely with Ms. Carmo's church. Our office has been in regular communication with her pastor, Bobby Curtis, over the last several days, and we are coordinating through him. Governor Scott is very moved by this horrible tragedy and is making every effort to assist as quickly as possible."
We want to turn now to CNN's Martin Savidge. He is on this story.
And Martin, I want you to give us some background. Why do the girl's loved ones believe that the medical costs will be covered by the governor?
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This all goes back to a conversation that the governor had with the family back on Sunday. This is the day of the incident.
The accident happened about 4:00 in the morning. Later in the day, the governor came to the hospital in the Gainesville area and began communicating with the families to let them know --all the families, by the way, not just the Carmo family -- that they would be taken care of.
And the Carmo family has taken this very much to heart, because they know that they face some terrible costs. They have a terrible tragedy they're dealing with. It is not just seeing that 15-year-old Lidiane is healed. It's also now five members of a family that have to be transported back to Georgia, and the church has to bury them all. And as we know, funeral costs are expensive.
LEMON: So, he spoke to her family you said on Sunday. Has he spoken to them since? Did he speak to her again?
SAVIDGE: Well, you know, it's been difficult. We've been trying to communicate with the governor's office. There's been some back and forth.
You saw and you had that most recent statement that we've heard. What the governor says, that he has been reaching out to this small church where her father was the pastor, trying to coordinate. So it appears that the governor is acting on good faith, but the family wants to hold him to his words. They are waiting to see more action.
LEMON: Well, it's interesting, because the family is here illegally. They were going to take her in, and that puts them in a very odd position. She has family in Brazil. Do they know about it? Are they trying to help out?
SAVIDGE: The family in Brazil is quite aware. And, of course, what you want to do now is, one, you want to make a little girl whole and then you want to bring home loved ones. They eventually will be buried in Brazil.
So, you have an extended family that's waiting in Brazil for all of this to happen. It's a terrible tragedy. Waiting makes it only worse. So they go through this difficulty day by day.
LEMON: But as you said, the little girl, her health, the healing comes first.
SAVIDGE: Right. And let me point out just some good news, and that is she has improved. Her condition has been upgraded. She can move her arms and legs. She won't be paralyzed, but she has a lot of healing yet to do.
LEMON: Martin Savidge, thank you very much. We appreciate it, sir.
And we know there are viewers who want to help here. Just go to CNN/impact to see how you can contribute to the Carmo family funeral fund.
Up next here on CNN, Fed chairman Ben Bernanke didn't exactly sound optimistic on Capitol Hill today. He got pretty candid about what's threatening the economy and about the housing crisis.
Ali Velshi standing by live. He'll break it all down for us.
Seeing you makes me smile, sir. Talk to you next.
ALI VELSHI, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Anyone who has lost a house or tried to sell one in the past five years knows the promised relief in the housing slump, well, it has not come.
Now get this. Today, on Capitol Hill, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told lawmakers that without a housing turnaround, the economy can't be healed.
I want you to listen to this exchange between Bernanke and California Republican John Campbell.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BERNANKE: I do think that the lack of a housing recovery is one of the big reasons that recovery has not been more stronger than it has.
REP. JOHN CAMPBELL (R), CALIFORNIA: So, without advocating a specific solution, kind of like on the budget deficits, you're saying it's something to which we should be paying policy attention?
BERNANKE: I think it would repay your efforts to think about ways to make -- to remove some of the barriers to the recovery in housing. I don't think it's purely a market (ph) phenomenon. I think there are a number of legal and administrative and regulatory barriers to housing being as strong as it should be.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Well, we should tell you that this is Bernanke's first public meeting with Congress this year, and he told lawmakers he is frustrated with the slowness of the recovery.
All right.
Ali Velshi, let's bring him in now. He's here to help us on this one.
Ali, everybody seems to agree housing is in need of an urgent fix. We know that. We've been saying that over and over. I've been hearing you talk about it, and it's really the key to this recovery.
The White House says it is behind it. Congress says it is on board. You know where I'm going with this.
So what's the holdup?
VELSHI: Well, the holdup is nothing gets through Congress these days.
I'll tell you. Why does Ben -- why do we all say that housing is so important? Because, really, the most important thing is that everybody having a job. But the second most important thing is that the housing mess get fixed because so much of our wealth is tied up in our homes.
So, if you don't solve the housing crisis, home values don't go up, people can't access that wealth from their homes. They can't sell it and move somewhere else to get a job. It really is holding everything back.
Now, let me just tell you, the rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage if you have 20 percent down and you have good credit is today 3.87 percent. Unbelievable, 3.87 percent.
LEMON: Oh, my gosh.
VELSHI: So the logic would be -- and this is what Bernanke was saying -- if rates are at 3.87 percent, everybody who has a down payment, and home prices are cheap, should be buying a house. Why are they not buying a house? Because it is still a little bit difficult to get credit.
So he's saying things need to be fixed. We need to be able to fix people's ability to get credit. We need to be able to help people with underwater mortgages. And the White House has proposed a program yet again, a third program now in the last three years, to try and deal with that.
LEMON: And Ali, I have to ask you, it used to be people felt, OK, I'll take the bulk of my savings and my money, I'll dump it into a house, because that's where the bulk of my wealth is going to be. Now they're like, oh, I don't know if I want to do that.
VELSHI: That's right.
LEMON: So I'm sure people are hesitant to invest in homes right now.
VELSHI: You are exactly right. And we've had a strong month in the stock market in January. This always makes people wonder, should I be putting my money in stocks, should I be keeping it under my mattress, should I put it in treasuries?
Houses -- it used to be when you and I were kids, people bought houses. You made money on houses. You sold them, you rented them, you did whatever you wanted. But you got money and then you tapped into it to buy other things.
So, all of those people who used to tap into their house to get money to buy other things, buy cars, keep the economy going, are not doing that. And that's why we need a fix to this.
The White House prepared a plan which is supposed to help a bunch of people who are under water, which means you have a mortgage that is more valuable or worth more than your house, to refinance to get some of these low 4 percent rates. They might be paying 6 percent or 7 percent.
They think that will help a lot of people, but they've got to get that through Congress, as you started by saying. And, by the way, they've got to get the banks to sign up on this.
LEMON: Hold on. You're going a place where I want to go with you in just a minute.
Stand by. More Ben Bernanke, and then we'll talk.
VELSHI: Sure.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BERNANKE: The mortgage market, the problems with access to credit, for example, mean that the Federal Reserve's monetary policies are less effective than they otherwise would be because not as many people as could be are taking advantage of the low mortgage rates that we have tried to create.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: So, Ali, you went there. So it's all good. There are deals. But people are like, I don't want the deal, or they can't afford the deal.
VELSHI: That's right. Or they can't get the credit, or they are, you know, under water. No bank will willingly refinance your mortgage if it's worth more than the house.
So they came out with a couple plans that were supposed to help about nine million people, didn't work. They helped about two million people. The administration says it probably helped more than that because it didn't happen within the programs. But the fact is it didn't really have the impact.
Now the administration wants another plan to go through Congress that will help people with relatively good credit, a 580 or more, who are under water by as much as -- their mortgage might be 140 percent of the value of the house. So, 40 percent under water, and who have been relatively current on their payments. In other words, they maybe just missed one payment.
And they're hoping by broadening the scope, it will allow those people to refinance their mortgages at a much lower interest rate. That reduces their payments, saves those families about $3,000 a year. And the hope is that it's a stimulus plan. Basically, if you're giving all these families $3,000 extra a year, either they'll pay down some of their debt or they'll put that money into the economy and that will help things go.
Again, unclear how well that's going to work, but that's what the administration would like to happen. And unclear if it gets through Congress.
LEMON: Yes. Rates under 4 percent. When have you seen that?
VELSHI: Unbelievable.
LEMON: You did something different. Did you lose weight? Did you cut your hair? What happened? You look good.
VELSHI: No, I definitely haven't lost weight. I'll tell you, I appreciate you saying so. That will make you the only person ever. You and my mother are the only people who don't tell me that I'm getting fat.
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: Ali Velshi, have a good day, my friend. Thank you. Good to see you.
VELSHI: Thanks, buddy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, CHAIRMAN AND PRESIDENT, TRUMP ORGANIZATION: I'll probably endorse somebody. If that person doesn't win and if somebody gets in there that I don't really like in terms of the candidate, then we'll have to see what happens.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Oh, good old Donald Trump, "The Donald." He's about to make what he calls a major announcement involving this race for president.
Jim Acosta just spoke to him. Hear what he's telling CNN today. That's right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: I guess you can call it the world's most famous hairdo and the billionaire attached to it are endorsing Mitt Romney for president. CNN confirms that Donald Trump will announce he is backing Romney about an hour from now in Las Vegas.
The Nevada caucuses are just two days away and Romney's out to a big lead there. Jim Acosta standing by live for us in Vegas. Jim, you actually spoke to the Donald just a short time ago. What did he tell you?
JIM ACOSTA, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Don, he confirmed that he is endorsing Mitt Romney for president in about an hour from now. The event will be happening inside the Trump hotel behind me just off the Las Vegas strip.
And it was interesting to hear what the Donald had to say because, you know, he's been talking about this possibility that he may run as an independent for president. First he says he was, then he's not.
And now he's now saying definitively he will not run for president if Mitt Romney is the nominee for the Republican Party. We had a chance to catch up with the Donald a few moments ago inside the hotel. And if we can play just a little bit of that sound, we can tell you, here's what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: It sounds like you've had a change of heart about Mitt Romney. You haven't always said many complimentary things about him.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT, THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION: Well, I never knew him. I never knew him. I mean, I knew of him and I respected him, but I really got to know him over the last few months. I've had numerous meetings with him and really got to know him over last few months.
ACOSTA: What did it for you?
TRUMP: Well, I think his general attitude, but the last two the debates were very impressive. I really thought he did really well. Plus, he's the one person that really speaks strongly about China because China is ripping the country like nobody is ripping the country. And he's the one person than continuously mentions China and OPEC.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: And because Donald Trump has such a big presence out here in Las Vegas, obviously, this endorsement is a good thing for Mitt Romney. He's way out in front, as you just mentioned a few moments ago, in the days leading up to the Nevada caucuses, Don. And so this is definitely not going to hurt at all.
LEMON: Is this just, I don't know, someone didn't do their homework was we reported it first here on CNN earlier, we got it right, but other media mistakenly reporting that Trump was going to endorse Gingrich. Is this a surprise for the Romney camp or is this just someone didn't get it right?
ACOSTA: Yes, I just caught up with Andrea Salt, a spokeswoman for the Romney campaign and asked her about this because you're right, Don. There were these reports in the last 24 hours. We all read them. That Donald Trump was going to endorse Newt Gingrich.
Gingrich was asked about this. He said he hadn't heard about it. I asked Andrea Salt about this and she said that the Romney campaign was also paying attention to those reports and just knew that they were false.
And that Mitt Romney and Donald Trump were talking privately leading up to this endorsement and so they sort of knew that was not going to happen, that that was not going to go to Newt Gingrich and that this endorsement was coming their way.
It's interesting, Don, because you know, this is a big unpredictable thing that could potentially unfold over the coming months. I mean, Donald Trump is not somebody who, you know, who can be really, you know, predicted in terms of what he is going to do next.
So he could come out today and endorse Mitt Romney. He could change his mind many, many months from now. Now Donald Trump indicated to all of us in this room just a few moments ago that no, he's with Mitt Romney.
And if Mitt Romney is the nominee, he's going to be staying out of this race in 2012. But I got to tell you, Donald Trump is so unpredictable you never know. It makes it all very, very interesting -- Don.
LEMON: You come out and go, you know, just within the last five minutes, I changed my mind. That's not a very good impression.
ACOSTA: That's how he rolls.
LEMONS: That's how he rolls, the Donald. We got it right. Other people reported it wrong, but this one we got right. Thanks to the Jim who is in Vegas for us.
Speaking of the Mitt, of Mitt Romney, he is blasting the Obama administration for choreographing America's next step in Afghanistan. In fact, Romney says we're just helping the enemy. Is he right?
Does this hurt troops still fighting? One of the smartest guys in television standing by, one of the smartest guys anywhere I would imagine having a cup of coffee. Fareed Zakaria joins me next. We're back in 70 seconds with Mr. Zakaria.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says the U.S. wants to end its combat mission in Afghanistan a year earlier than expected. Panetta says the plan is to transition the mission from a combat role to more training, and advisory starting next year.
A new CNN/ORC poll shows Americans, well, they want out, 63 percent oppose the war in Afghanistan, 63 percent. Even though it's the nation many consider the birthplace of the 9/11 attacks. Many analysts say the power vacuum.
Many of them say the power vacuum in Afghanistan in the late '70s led to the rise of Osama Bin Laden. So I want to turn now to CNN's Fareed Zakaria.
Fareed, have Americans forgotten that? So why do you think the majority of people want us out of Afghanistan knowing the history?
FAREED ZAKARIA, HOST, "FAREED ZAKARIA GPS": Because the majority of people are right and the experts are wrong. This is now the longest war America has fought. This has been going on for 10 years. We have killed Osama Bin Laden. We have decimated al Qaeda. Most of its senior leadership is destroyed. There will be a power vacuum in Afghanistan. Some bad guys will come into power. Guess what, what's different from the 1990s, we're watching over them. We still have tens of thousands of troops in Afghanistan, and we're going to have troops in Afghanistan for years on end.
We're going to have drones. We're going to have intelligence capacity. We're going to be monitoring them. Afghanistan is going to be in a box and Pakistan too that we are looking at very carefully.
In that context, it's very difficult for another al Qaeda-like organization to spring up and start training camps. And it is time for us to stop, you know, occupying large swathes of territory, 8,000 miles away. You know, as I say, it's been a decade.
LEMON: Yes, you know, I was reading the last article you wrote, and you interview the president back in January. And he gave you some time table. He mentioned two years ago, here's what we're going to do in the next two years. But this is particularly what got me.
Said I never believed that America could essentially deliver peace and prosperity to all of Afghanistan in a three-four-five-year time frame and I think anybody who believed that didn't know the history and the challenges facing Afghanistan."
So the question is, how can you approve of an early withdrawal of combat troops? I mean, really, what gives here? Because they're saying we want to get out of there, but it's going to take some time. You can't put a timeline on it.
ZAKARIA: I think because fundamentally, the president's making a decision that our interests are at stake in making sure that Afghanistan doesn't become a base for terrorist activity, that al Qaeda doesn't reconstitute itself, and that we can doing that with a pretty limited number of troops, 30,000, 40,000 with strong intelligence capacities, with the drones.
That we don't have a vital national interest in taking Afghanistan, which is one of the ten poorest countries in the world and making it France or Belgium or whatever it is that people are -- we should try. We should support them.
We should provide them with economic assistance, political assistance, but the massive involvement, which is now $100 billion a year, has got to at some point be scaled back. I think what he's saying is, if you set yourself a goal of transforming Afghanistan, we'll be there for another 50 years because it is one of the ten poorest countries in the world.
LEMON: Let's talk about the Taliban now. Will this early transition affect or impact the talks with the Taliban at all?
ZAARIA: Sure. You can make the case that look, if we beat them even more badly and if they were losing, they would be more willing to make more concessions. I don't really buy it and I'll tell you why. There are two promises. We've been trying to do this for 10 years and we have tens and tens of thousands of troops. If you add NATO, there are 150,000 troops. The fundamental reason we're not able to fully vanquish the Taliban is that they go back to safe havens in Pakistan.
No matter how many troops you have, that ain't going to change. And so we're going to having to deal with the reality that the Taliban is here to stay. And that's why I believe and have believed for years now negotiating with the Taliban is the only way we're going to get some kind of peace settlement because they're not going to disappear.
First of all, they do represent an authentic element of Afghan society. Secondly, they're supported by the Pakistanis. So you know, this is more a question about are we willing to come to terms with the Afghanistan that exists or are we going to keep fighting in the hope somehow we can completely destroy all the bad guys if they can constitute 30 percent, 40 percent of the society and one day be triumphant.
It think, A, is very unlikely and B, the blood, tears and sweat you have to put in for next decade or two is not worth it.
LEMON: You're free to say we're still working on it. I would imagine this subject will play highly in your upcoming show on Sunday. What else are you working on?
ZAKARIA: We've actually got a great show about -- a lot of it is about politics. We got Peggy Noonan, David Brooks, David Remnick of the New Yorker talking about Mitt Romney, talking about -- it's a little bit of diversion from the usual stuff.
But then we have the prime minister of Singapore who is fascinating. In some ways the best run country in the world so we get some tips from him.
LEMON: All right, Fareed Zakaria, thank you so much. Always good to talk to you and make sure you tune in to "Fareed Zakaria GPS" every Sunday on CNN at 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 Eastern. Thanks again, Fareed. Now this.
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BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Fallen on my knees with great regularity since that moment.
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LEMON: That is the president responding to critics who say he's declared a war on religion. You'll hear what he revealed today.
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LEMON: In case you missed it this morning, we saw President Obama do something that he doesn't do very often. He made a public display of his religious beliefs. Granted, it was at the National Prayer Breakfast and every president is invited to participate each year in that breakfast.
But I want you to watch this with me. Then I'll talk with our chief White House correspondent, Jessica Yellin. First listen to the president describe -- there's Jessica. We'll talk to her in a minute.
I want you to listen to him describe this humbling experience meeting the Reverend Billy Graham. Here it is.
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BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Growing up in a household that wasn't particularly religious, going through my own period of doubt and confusion. Finding Christ when I wasn't even looking for him so many years ago, possessing so many shortcomings that have been overcome by the simple grace of God.
And the fact that I would ever be on top of a mountain saying a prayer for Billy Graham, a man whose faith had changed the world that had sustained him through triumphs and tragedies and movements and milestones, that simple fact humbled me to my core.
I have fallen on my knees with great regularity since that moment, asking God for guidance, not just in my personal life and my Christian walk, but in the life of this nation and in the values that hold us together and keep us strong.
I know that he will guide us. He always has and he always will. And I pray his richest blessings on each of you in the days ahead.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: That's for a guy whose faith has been criticized, judged and called into question. That was some pretty candid stuff. Was that a more religious tone than we're accustomed to hearing from this president, Jessica?
JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: In general, yes. But let's compare it to what he said at past prayer breakfasts. In 2009, Don, he said that in Chicago streets, quote, "I first heard God's spirit beckon me. It was there that I felt called to a higher purpose."
His purpose, in 2011, he said I wait on the Lord and I ask him to forgive me my sins and make me an instrument of his will. So the overall tenor of his comments today was not more religious than we've heard in the past on the prayer breakfast day.
But as you point out, in general, the prayer breakfast is more religious than we hear from President Obama in general -- Don.
LEMON: That was the next question. What did he say last year or what did he say in years before, and then you just answered, but guess what, those weren't election years. So was this different because it's an election year, politics in that speech there? YELLIN: There were some politics in the speech. Now I should say that he does weave his political message into each year's speech. So in the past, he's emphasized whatever his theme was at the time.
On civility, health care reform, this year you heard him push on his economic message, this idea of giving a fair shake to more Americans. Listen to him this morning.
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OBAMA: I think to myself, if I'm willing to give something up has somebody who's been extraordinarily blessed, give up some of the tax breaks that I enjoy, I actually think that's going to make economic sense.
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YELLIN: And the overall theme there, was that there is moral component to this fight, sort of the golden rule, and in fact, that's a message that the progressive religious community, Don, has been pushing since the debt limit debate. That they should -- that the president and Democrats should add a moral component to their economic fight, Don.
LEMON: Something that has been bubbling up and I've been reading about, the Catholic Church at odds with the Obama administration. What is the latest on that controversy?
YELLIN: Well, the latest is that first of all, this is about the fact that the Obama administration is part of health care reform is requiring that religious affiliated institutions require that contraception be provided as part of health care plans.
Even for religious institutions that object to contraception. Only churches as such are exempted from that rule. The latest is that the administration says that they have consulted with a wide variety of institutions about this.
That these organizations have a year to study and implement this so that they have some time and you know, they say this is about making sure that women have access to choose their birth control, et cetera, but it's a controversy.
LEMON: Jess, thank you very much. We appreciate your reporting.
So imagine this, you know Gabby Giffords, her seat is open. Remember what happened to her. You're a Democrat in her district and you want to run. What do you do in this situation?
I'm about to talk to someone who really had to face that. He wants her seat. In a couple of minutes, he wants to win over voters. We're going to talk to him. There he is, Matt standing by. He's next here on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) LEMON: Her story captured the nation's attention for the entire last year. But now, after an assassin's bullet to the brain nearly claimed her life, Gabrielle Giffords needs more time to focus on herself.
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GABRIELLE GIFFORDS: I have more work to do on my recovery. So to do what is best for Arizona, I will step down this week.
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LEMON: Giffords parting words to constituents 11 days ago in a video posted to YouTube. Now her resignation is final. While so many are sorry to see her go, she leaves behind an empty seat in Congress.
Arizona's Eight District needs someone to represent it and State Representative Matt Heinz wants to be that someone. He is the first Democrat to declare his candidacy to replace Giffords.
So this is the reason that we have you on because we could have talked to the first Republican, we could talk to the second or third person you know to declare as a Democrat.
As a Republican it's probably easier an easier decision to make. But as a Democrat, you really had to walk the fine line here. You had to be careful. You don't want seem like you're trying to push her out.
So when do I decide to declare? So what did you say to her? Did you have a conversation with her telling her you were planning to run? What was the process?
MATT HEINZ (D), ARIZONA STATE REPRESENTATIVE: First of all, thanks, Don, I appreciate the opportunity to talk with you today. I'd like to start by saying that nobody, absolutely nobody, can replace Gabrielle Giffords, period.
And what we can do though is we can move forward in a way to honor her legacy and top honor her strength, conviction and her leadership for Southern Arizonans in D.C. by getting somebody in there that continues on in her tradition.
LEMON: So the thing is again, did you have a conversation with her? What was it like having to walk that tight rope? Because I know quite honestly, if I was running, if I wanted Gabrielle Giffords's seat, I would go, wait a minute, I don't want to look to the voters like I'm trying to do this. You have to be really careful about it.
HEINZ: Well, certainly and absolutely you know, Gabby is my friend and I respect her tremendously. We have a very, very tight time line. I did communicate with the Giffords' team to let them know what my plans were and what I intended to do to make sure that they were informed, yes.
LEMON: And if there is an endorsement, I'm not sure she's going to endorse anyone, but anyone would want the endorsement of her husband, Mark Kelly. Is anybody thinking about that and do you think he'll endorse you?
HEINZ: You know, we don't actually know if she's going to make an endorsement known. It is possible and certainly as my friend and as someone who I respect greatly, I'd be very interested to see that and I would give that a great deal of consideration, as well.
LEMON: Let's talk about gun control laws in Arizona. Touchy subject after what happened to Giffords. Will you push for tougher gun laws as a Democrat?
HEINZ: You know, actually, I tried to address this in one of our last legislative sessions by not so much directly gun control legislation, though that was brought up, but also addressing those with mental illness and those who have behavioral concerns.
That could have perhaps benefited from some kind of assistance from a state funded or federally funded program to prevent these kinds of tragedies coming forward in the future. That was one of my focuses last legislative session.
LEMON: It's going to be an interesting race to watch. The world will be watching this particular race. First Democrat to declare here, Matt Heinz, thank you for joining us here at CNN.
HEINZ: My pleasure, Don. Thank you.
LEMON: All right, sparks are flying after the country's biggest breast cancer charity announced it's cutting off Planned Parenthood. Now the charity's leader is responding to accusations that it's all political. We're back in just 30 seconds.
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LEMON: Well, the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure is best known for its runs to fund the fight against breast cancer, of course. But it's anything but pink ribbons and running shoes for the foundation in the wake of its decision to stop giving money to Planned Parenthood. CNN's Mary Snow takes us inside this firestorm.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Way to go, girl.
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With races like this around the country and with the support of major sporting events, the Susan G. Komen Foundation has raised close to $2 billion globally to fight breast cancer.
But a group that normally wins praise is now under fire for cutting funds to Planned Parenthood, funds used for breast exams. The foundation's Facebook is being swamped with furious messages. This woman writes, "The money I was going to give you is now going to a non-profit that actually cares about women's health. Shame on you."
Another post, "for women like myself without health insurance, Planned Parenthood is a lifeline. Tell me how your political decision serves women like myself."
Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards says the group stands to lose several hundred thousand dollars for breast exams.
(on camera): What was the reason you were given?
CECILE RICHARDS, PRESIDENT, PLANNED PARENTHOOD: They kept raising the fact that there was this political investigation in Congress.
SNOW (voice-over): There's a Republican-led congressional investigation into Planned Parenthood's compliance with federal restrictions on funding abortions. The foundation declined our request for an interview.
Nancy Brinker founded the group in 1982 after her sister died of breast cancer. Brinker served in the George W. Bush administration as U.S. ambassador to Hungary and as chief of protocol.
In a statement, the foundation says, it's implemented more stringent eligibility standards to safeguard donor dollars, but it didn't spell out the new criteria for its grant process.
It did add, it wants to be absolutely clear that our grant- making decisions are not about politics, but Richards argues otherwise.
RICHARDS: I think really what this is a result of is this very ugly and aggressive campaign by right wing organizations to bully the Komen Foundation and keep them from working with Planned Parenthood.
SNOW: The Komen Foundation has been targeted by anti-abortion groups. The Life Weight Christian Resources for one pulled its cancer awareness bible that raised money for the charity because of ties to Planned Parenthood.
The Christian publisher now says we are very grateful Susan G. Komen for the Cure will no longer fund Planned Parenthood affiliates. There are also questions about Karen Handle who joined the foundation in 2011 as senior vice president for public policy.
She ran as a Republican candidate for governor in Georgia in 2010 and during her failed bid talked about cutting state aid to Planned Parenthood.
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SNOW: The Susan G. Komen Foundation did not respond to specific questions we asked. As a result of the backlash, Planned Parenthood says it's raised more than $400,000 online in 24 hours. Mary Snow, CNN, New York.
LEMON: All right, Mary. The founder and CEO, Nancy Brinker is hitting back against accusations that Susan G. Komen for the Cure is cutting off Planned Parenthood because of political pressure. Here's part of the video she post the last night on YouTube.
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NANCY BRINKER, FOUNDER AND CEO, SUSAN G. KOMEN FOUNDATION: We are working to eliminate duplicative grants freeing up more dollars for higher impact programs and wherever possible, we want to grant to the provider that is actually providing the life saving mammogram.
We also added more stringent eligibility and performance criteria to support these new strategies. Some might argue that our standards are too compacting, but over the past three decades, people have given us more than just their money. They've given us their trust.
Current grants are not affected. As we move forward, we will implement these new strategies, which will allow us to serve even more women. We will never bow to political pressure.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Brinker also calls accusations against the Komen Foundation scurrilous and a dangerous distraction from its work to end breast cancer.
Twenty-two Democratic senators have signed on to a letter this afternoon asking the Komen Foundation to reverse its decision.
