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No-Fly List Doubles; Soccer Riots in Egypt; Donald Trump Endorses Mitt Romney; Bizarre Florida Adoption Case; Obama's Expensive Solyndra Blunder; Job Outsourced, Middle Class No More; Tracy Morgan's Family Feud
Aired February 02, 2012 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: It is the top of the hour, everyone. I'm Don Lemon. Brooke is off today.
Intelligence officials sending a warning about the biggest security threat to the country. The no-fly list is getting a lot bigger and Facebook is going public. It's time to play "Reporter Roulette."
First up, we will begin with Suzanne Kelly in Washington. She's following these hearings over cyber-attacks. Officials are warning they could be the number one security threat to the nation.
So, Suzanne, what would the worst-case scenario be?
SUZANNE KELLY, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL PRODUCER: Well, the worst- case scenario is going to be an instant loss of life, so that will be something like an attack on a nuclear facility or an attack on the air traffic control system, things like that which are going to have an immediate impact.
Although the cyber-threat does go on in the economic world, too, and you could definitely feel the effects from that coming. If you could just imagine for a second what this is like, if you could imagine there's a criminal or a terrorist already living in your house with you, but you don't know they're there, that's sort of how lawmakers and how the administration officials are looking at the cyber-threat now.
LEMON: OK, so how exactly are we going to fight these threats?
KELLY: That's a great question. And I wish -- if I had the answer, I would be the most popular person in Washington today.
But lawmakers need to pass some legislation that is going to allow a lot of these government agencies to free up the tools. You remember we have the National Security Agency. We have like the largest eavesdropping apparatus in the world, and they have tools right now I'm told by a former head of that agency that they could be using if they had the guidelines and the authority to actually do it.
So that's something that's being pressured on Congress right now to go ahead and get some legislation passed and let's get moving on it before it's too late. LEMON: All right, Suzanne Kelly, thank you.
And find more reporting from Suzanne and the rest of CNN's national security team, CNN.com/securityclearance.
Next up, the government's no-fly list doubles in just one year.
Our aviation and regulation correspondent Lizzie O'Leary joins me now.
Lizzie, just how many people are we talking about here?
LIZZIE O'LEARY, CNN AVIATION AND REGULATION CORRESPONDENT: We're talking about 21,000 people. That's up. You said it, it doubled in the past year. Essentially what we're talking about here are mostly foreign-born nationals, some Americans, about 500 Americans on the list, according to a counterterrorism official, Don.
LEMON: Why the jump?
O'LEARY: Well, it's two things. The biggest motivator here was the person who people politically refer to as the underwear bomber, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab.
Remember that planned bombing that authorities alleged was planned for somewhere around Christmas of 2009. His sentencing is coming up. That's one of the things that sparked the Associated Press to initially look and report this number, this doubling in the no-fly list. But the reason is, American officials essentially expanded their criteria.
They didn't any longer have to look at someone who might be a threat just to an airplane but a threat to national security or someone who had in their words attended a terrorist training camp. They expanded the criteria and the airlines themselves stopped basically giving in names. This is Secure Flight, one of the government programs looking at passenger names here. That's also part of what's going on.
LEMON: Lizzie, the government tracks other lists, too. What do you know about those?
O'LEARY: Well, the no-fly list is your small list of these. And now we're talking about some 21,000 people. There's a much larger list, about half-a-million people who were looked at in a larger terrorist screening database.
And then when you think about people who are pulled aside for a secondary screening, that's bigger than the no-fly list. Some people think the no-fly list means you get a interview. No, that means you're not getting on the airplane.
This is a bigger list and it gets you pulled in and certainly some extra time spent with the TSA or other folks who are questioning anyone who looks suspicious in an airport.
LEMON: No-fly means that, you don't fly, no flying. Thank you, Lizzie O'Leary. We appreciate it.
(STOCK MARKET UPDATE)
LEMON: That's today's "Reporter Roulette." Thanks to everyone.
We're keeping an eye on Las Vegas, where the Donald is about to make what he calls a major announcement involving the Republican presidential race. It's Trump, so who knows what will happen?
You never really know.
Plus, rocks, knives, fists, even swords. Chaos erupts at a soccer game and dozens are killed, some even trampled to death. Up next, we're going to talk with one guy who knows this violent world as new violence breaks out in Cairo.
Stay right there.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: It has been about 24 hours since we first brought you those startling pictures of a soccer match turned deadly in Egypt.
Want to take you now to some live pictures there showing crowds still gathering in Cairo in protest of the violence that left 79 people dead. Imagine that, almost 80 people killed at a soccer stadium yesterday.
And I want you to listen to this number. This is new -- 442 people have been hurt in clashes today in Cairo, clashes stemming from those soccer riots a day before.
I want do bring in James Dorsey. He is a blogger who has written extensively about soccer and about violence in the Middle East among fans.
So, James, we have seen soccer violence before. But in this case, there seems to be much, much more going on here. Take us through it.
JAMES DORSEY, BLOGGER: Essentially what you're seeing is a situation in which the police forces are reluctant to intervene.
They have been largely absent from the streets of Egyptian cities and certainly from the stadiums in the last year, because they are viewed as a remnant and as the henchmen of the Mubarak regime. And they're trying to improve their image basically by being low-key.
They're avoiding clashes with the soccer fans who are very popular because of their key role in the overthrow of the Egyptian president. On the other hand, you have got soccer fans who for the past -- for the four years in prior to Mr. Mubarak's departure almost weekly clashed with the security forces in the stadiums of Egypt.
And so they have really scores to settle. Now, the numbers that you're seeing, the number of dead in Port Said 24 hours ago is indeed the highest figure in the history of soccer in Egypt and the highest figure of people killed since the fall of the president. The 500 and something wounded today really is not that high. You have had in the last year days on which 1,000 people have been wounded.
LEMON: Our reporting here and that number could have gone up, but we have 442 at last confirmation here at CNN.
You mentioned the security and the image there and police, what have you. But I want you to talk a little bit more about that, because there have been rumors, claims, accusations, even, conspiracy theories, that security didn't act because that gives the military government the ability to impose more stringent security laws across Egypt. You write about this and you say it may not be just a theory.
DORSEY: That's correct.
But then, also, it's nothing new. The only thing that is new is that the military rulers of Egypt very recently lifted the state of emergency that had been in place for many years. However, from the beginning -- and I have been to riots like this, not with these kind of casualty figures, but nonetheless in principle the same thing in soccer stadiums.
And every time this happens, the assumption is that the police are not present or present in very low new numbers because they don't want to have a clash. And they respect and to some degree fear the soccer fans. They have met them in clashes for many years.
And at the same time, there's the assumption that if an incident happens, it serves the police's purpose to demonstrate that without the police, the country would descend into chaos and anarchy. What's different this time is that the absence of the police on the streets of, for example, Cairo over the past year has put the military in a very difficult position because there was a breakdown of safety and security, and people would question the military and ask why they were not capable of preserving law and order.
This time round, because of the militant opposition by the youth groups and by the soccer fans last December -- or last November and December erupted into vicious street battles around Tahrir Square, in which more than 50 people were killed, this time, there's an assumption that the military may have tacitly endorsed the police attitude, because that would serve their political purpose and further undermine the militant groups.
LEMON: I want to ask you this. It might be hard for an American audience -- I'm being honest -- we have had our basket brawls. We see hockey, that sort of thing, the fights go on. But it might be hard for an American audience to understand the soccer violence.
What does soccer mean to Egyptians, if you can put that in perspective and maybe help us understand that?
DORSEY: It is next to religion, certainly prior to the popular revolt of last year, the institution that evokes the deepest passions in Egypt. Prior to Mubarak's downfall in Cairo, you were identified not by your age, not by your ethnicity, but by which soccer team in the city you supported. Essentially, there were only two release valves in Egypt under Mubarak. One was religion, the mosques, and the other one was soccer, the soccer pitch. And the battles against the regime really took place on the soccer pitch.
LEMON: James Dorsey, thank you, sir. We appreciate it.
Still ahead here on CNN: Ben Bernanke didn't exactly sound optimistic on Capitol Hill today as he revealed his economic forecast.
Plus, hear what inspired President Obama to say he often gets down on his knees to pray.
And a woman wins a lawsuit against Honda, and it could have an impact on all drivers, all drivers. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: If it is interesting and happening right now, you're about to see it. Let's go "Rapid Fire."
The Fed chair, Ben Bernanke, appears on Capitol Hill telling lawmakers he's frustrated by the slow recovery.
BEN BERNANKE, FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIRMAN: Over the past two-and-a- half years, the U.S. economy has been gradually recovering from 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: Bernanke told lawmakers the economy can't turn around without a better housing market.
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 how a visit with the Reverend Billy Graham has affected him to this day.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: 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.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: The attorney general, Eric Holder, getting grilled on Capitol Hill today over a botched FBI gunrunning sting to Mexico called Fast and 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 current investigation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. DARRELL ISSA (R-CA), OVERSIGHT AND GOVERNMENT REFORM COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: 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, U.S. 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: A rare victory in small claims court for a Los Angeles woman against the auto giant Honda. Heather Peters was awarded just under $10,000 yesterday. She claimed 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. Well, Honda plans to appeal that.
Some amazing dash-cam video now to show you of two police officers rescuing a man from a burning car in New Jersey. Listen to that. Unbelievable. 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 local hospital for smoke inhalation, but he is doing just fine.
And more dash-cam video from Bell County, Texas. See that fireball streaking across the sky? See that? Well, the FAA says this was likely a meteor soaring over Texas and Oklahoma. It was spotted from Waco to as far as north as Oklahoma City. Wow, UFOs.
Up next: a story that has a lot of people scratching their heads. First, police say a polo mogul drove drunk and he killed a college student. Then he ran from the scene.
Now, as the victim's family sues, he's just adopted his adult girlfriend. And that move is raising a whole lot of eyebrows. As I said, he adopted his adult girlfriend. Sunny Hostin is going to explain. She's "On the Case" next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: All right.
Just a heads-up for you as you're looking at that live picture there. We're going to go live there when it happens. We're awaiting Donald Trump to step to that podium in Las Vegas.
CNN has learned he will Mitt Romney for president. We're monitoring that for you. So don't go anywhere. We won't go far from that story.
And a story out of Florida now to tell now, it involves what could be really the king of all legal maneuvers. A billionaire named John Goodman -- pay close attention. His name is John Goodman. He's a billionaire. And he has adopted, yes, adopted, his 42-year-old girlfriend.
His lawyer tells our Florida affiliate WPEC it has to do with estate planning. But many legal experts suspect this is a way for Goodman to protect his assets. Now, from a legal suit by the family of Scott Wilson, he is the 22 -- there's a legal suit now. He's the 24-year-old man that Goodman allegedly hit while driving drunk.
Then police say he left the scene as Wilson drowned in a drainage ditch. The billionaire is headed to trial on a manslaughter charge in March.
All right. Whew. That's a lot. Unbelievable.
CNN's legal analyst Sunny Hostin is on the case.
Sunny, many people didn't know that you can actually adopt an adult, someone you're dating, a girlfriend.
SUNNY HOSTIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: That's right. It's sort of the underbelly of family law. And it's been going on for quite some time as an estate planning tool.
I will tell you this though, Don. It's illegal in about half of our states to adopt an adult. Clearly, it's not illegal in Florida. But even in those states that allow adult adoption, there are really, really strong restrictions.
But it is -- I think this case in particular has sort of brought it to the forefront. It's been used for many years, some lawyers that I spoke to today, by same-sex couples that weren't allowed to marry. And so it was a way to be able to bequeath their goods to their partner.
It's also been used to protect, let's say, longtime employees or distant relatives. So while it's been used, I think for good, this is an occasion when it's being used, many people are saying, to shield his billions from the family of a man who it is alleged he mowed down and killed.
LEMON: Yes. His name is Scott Wilson. Imagine what his poor family is going through right now.
OK. So you say it's legal in some states. What happens if he splits with the girlfriend?
HOSTIN: That's what's so interesting here.
It's not -- it's unlike marriage. Marriage as we know can be reversed pretty easily. Not so the with adoption. So if they break up, she now stands to inherit many, many millions of dollars from him. And it's something that legal experts are saying you know, this is just not done. But apparently, it's been done in this case, and I don't know, Don, that it can really be challenged.
And, again, our thoughts and prayers go out with the family of that young man, who, as they says, he left him there to drown in a drainage ditch. Awful.
Want to move on now, Sunny, to a case of a California teacher accused of taking pictures of children bound and blindfolded with cockroaches. "The Los Angeles Times" is reporting Mark Berndt can keep his pension, keep his pension for $4,000 a month and other benefits. How is that possible?
HOSTIN: This is remarkable, isn't it?
Certainly when a teacher is terminated, terminated, they don't get to keep their pensions, but this is a teacher who was a teacher for over 30 years and apparently -- because it took about a year for them to bring charges and there was a lot of discussion about his dismissal, he challenged that dismissal, and then resigned before being terminated.
Therefore, he is allowed to collect almost $4,000 a month. Of course, there's been such outrage here. The school district, Don, is trying to figure out a way to stop these payments, but it's going to be very difficult because, under the law, he is entitled to these payments unless perhaps he secured his job by fraud.
And we know that that isn't true, so really a difficult position for the school district, but right now, they have to keep on paying him about $4,000 a month. If he's convicted, people are saying, perhaps that will change. But right now, not much can be done.
LEMON: Well, that's my question. Can the L.A. Unified School District create a rule to stop it, or is it a done deal?
HOSTIN: I believe it's a done deal. I'm told that they are searching, of course, and researching all sorts of options to try to prevent what many people are saying is just an injustice here. But right now the law is the law. And there doesn't appear to be anything on the books that prevents him from collecting that $4,000 a month.
LEMON: Sunny Hostin is "On the Case." And we appreciate it. Thank you, Sunny.
And you see the little picture now that's going to become a big picture. There it is. Well, we can show it. There it is right there. Thank you, Roger. Any minute now, Donald Trump -- Trump is expected to make what he calls a major announcement at that podium right there.
CNN has learned he will endorse Mitt Romney. We will take you live to Vegas next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: OK. As we have been reporting here on CNN, "the Donald," Donald Trump making his choice for president and it's not himself. Now Trump endorsing Mitt Romney. Jim Acosta standing by.
Jim, what do you know?
JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Don, we're going to see this endorsement any moment now. We expect the two of them to come into this room in just a few moments. And it's interesting because a lot of people are saying, what's the big deal about Donald Trump endorsing Mitt Romney?
There are couple of things. One is, we're just a couple of days. Keep in mind, before the Nevada caucuses which are on Saturday and this swallows up a whole new cycle for Mitt Romney. So that is good news for Mitt Romney, bad news for Newt Gingrich out here in Nevada.
The other thing is that this potentially keeps Donald Trump on the sidelines in a 2012 race. Remember, Donald Trump has said repeatedly in the last several months that he may decide to run as an independent for president.
Well, earlier this afternoon, he came into this room, talked to a few reporters including myself and said if Mitt Romney is the nominee for the Republican Party, Donald Trump will not run for president. (INAUDIBLE) Trump, about some of the comments he's made about Mitt Romney in the past. He once called them a small business guy. Here's a few moments of what he had to say just a little while ago.
(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 of him. I mean, I knew of him, 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 the last few months.
ACOSTA: What did it for you? TRUMP: Well, I think his general attitude but the last two debates were impressive. And I thought -- I really thought he did really well. Plus, he's the one person that really speaks strongly about China, because China is ripping this country like nobody is ripping the country. And he's the one person that continuously mentions China and OPEC.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: Now, about those stories in the last 24 hours that Donald Trump was going to come out and endorse Newt Gingrich, I Can tell you from talking to somebody inside the Romney campaign earlier this afternoon, they saw those reports, they say they knew those reports were false. They were keeping quiet about all of this because they knew this endorsement was coming their way, Don.
LEMON: Hey, can I ask you real quickly, my sheet here just says 3:00, Donald Trump.
ACOSTA: Sure.
LEMON: Is that a Trump venue? Is that a Trump hotel?
ACOSTA: What's that? Say that again.
LEMON: Is this happening at a Trump property?
ACOSTA: This is happening inside the Donald Trump hotel here on the Las Vegas Strip. An interesting side note to all of this, we're inside the Trump hotel in Las Vegas. Across the Las Vegas Boulevard, across The Strip is the Venetian hotel, which is owned by a big supporter for Newt Gingrich. So we've got a little bit of a battle of the strip right now going on between these two campaigns, Don.
LEMON: I didn't even have to ask you. Of course, it's that a Trump property.
ACOSTA: Of course.
LEMON: We've been hearing so much and people actually honest, people in social media are asking me, why does it matter? Why do we care? And we've been saying that endorsements really don't matter. That months of polling will show you that. So what's the big deal, Jim?
ACOSTA: That's true. That's true. Endorsements will show you that they don't matter very much. The polling does indicate that. But at the same time, keep in mind, coming out of Florida, Newt Gingrich really could have used this endorsement.
He came out of that primary very beat up and bruised. It was a tough loss for the former speaker down there in Florida. Had he gotten this endorsement because of Donald Trump's street creed inside the Tea Party, it would have given him a boost. No question about it.
Would it have been enough to take the Nevada caucuses, probably not? But it would have changed the conversation somewhat. And the fact that Mitt Romney was able to snatch that endorsement away from Newt Gingrich, I think is a pretty big development. Is it going to change this race fundamentally? Is it going to tip perhaps, you know, this race to Mitt Romney in the fall against Barack Obama? Probably not.
But in this very short time period between Florida and Nevada when every day in this new cycle counts for each of these candidates, Mitt Romney being able to swallow up this entire new cycle with Donald Trump is I think a pretty consequential thing.
LEMON: Stand by for Donald. Thank you, Jim Acosta.
Stand by.
ACOSTA: You bet.
LEMON: Thank you, sir.
As we wait for that announcement, Republicans spending millions of dollars on a new campaign to attack President Obama and they're picking one of his more controversial moves to highlight. We're live at the White House. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Time now to talk money and politics. Remember Solyndra? It was a California company that made solar panels. The Obama administration was hoping it was the next big thing giving Solyndra a huge loan through its green energy program. But five months ago, solider went bankrupt, shut its doors and laid off everyone. Cost the taxpayers $535 million.
Solyndra is a black mark on President Obama's record. And Republicans won't let him forget it, launching multi-million dollar ad campaigns to remind voters what happened.
Chief White House correspondent Jessica Yellin is on the case.
So, Jessica, there's plenty of bad economic news to hit the president on. Why are they focusing so hard on this particular failure?
JESSICA YELLIN, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Right.
Outside -- Republican outside groups have spent $9.4 million on Solyndra ads since the fall, Don, and the answer is it' called in politics "Attack the strength." Let's look at the message and then we can talk about it. Look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A big government fiasco infused with politics at every level. $500 million to Solyndra, now bankrupt.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Solyndra investors raised campaign money for Obama. The government gives Solyndra half a billion in taxpayer money.
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: President Obama's view of a free economy is to send your money to his friends.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YELLIN: So, Don, on the face of it, it would seem that they might be attacking, oh, what critics call government, big government, big spending. But really what the emotional message in all of this is from the conservative - conservatives who are driving this is that the president is scores well with undecided voters on ethics and honesty. They're trying to send a message that he's just a typical politician who does favors for his friends and is part of so-called, quote, "crony capitalism," Don.
LEMON: How has the Obama campaign responded to these attacks, Jessica?
YELLIN: Well, they're well aware of the fact that this is an attempt to try to influence voters, undecided voters subtly while everybody seems to be focused on the Republican candidates who are running in the primary.
So they put out their very first ad of the Obama campaign in response to the Solyndra ads. Here's a piece of the Obama first ad.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The ads fact checkers say are not tethered to the facts. While independent watchdogs called this president's record on ethics unprecedented.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YELLIN: So you see the big take away is for President Obama defending the brand that he is an ethical and honest politician above all else is essential. Some people, some Democrats think that might be worth one or two points in November and that could decide the election, Don.
LEMON: All right, thank you, Jessica Yellin. Appreciate it. Nice stay there in Washington. It's like trending -- it's beautiful, huh.
Trending today, a family feud involving actor Tracy Morgan has turned into a very public he-said, she-said involving his own mother. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: All right. It's happening right now. There you see Donald Trump, Mitt Romney and Romney on the stage. Donald Trump about to do his endorsement. Let's listen in Las Vegas.
(BEGIN LIVE SPEECH) TRUMP: And just a little while ago, I didn't even mention this, but the CBO chief in Washington announced that unemployment is going up to 9.2 percent by sometime in January. So it's going to go up. And the growth rate is going to be at about one percent. So this just came out, not good news.
It's my honor, real honor and privilege to endorse Mitt Romney.
(APPLAUSE)
I've gotten -- and by the way, this is a great couple. You look at this couple. But Mitt is tough. He's smart. He's sharp. He's not going to allow bad things to continue to happen to this country that we all love. So Governor Romney, go out and get 'em. You can do it.
ROMNEY: Thank you. Thank you.
There are some things that you just can't imagine happening in your life. This is one of them. Being in Donald Trump's magnificent hotel and having his endorsement is a delight. I'm so honored and pleased to have his endorsement and of course, I'm looking for the endorsement of the people of Nevada.
(APPLAUSE)
Donald trump has shown an extraordinary ability to understand how our economy, to create jobs for the American people. He's done it here in Nevada. He's done it across the country. He understands that our economy is facing threats from abroad. He's one of the few people who stood up and said you know what? China has been cheating. They've taken jobs from Americans. They haven't played fair. We have to have a president who will stand up to cheaters. We believe in free trade and free enterprise, but we don't believe in allowing people to cheat day in and day out.
And I'm going to work very, very hard to make sure that the people in this country have a brighter future than that is being projected by the CBO. Their analysis of what's going to happen and the future of America is driven by the policies they're seeing from a president who's failing.
He's frequently telling us that he did not cause the recession and that's true. But he made it worse. And he made the recovery long and tepid. The people here in Nevada are suffering. So many people have their homes underwater. It's extraordinary. And Nevada leads the nation in a very negative way, which is if you look at foreclosures of the last 90 days, Nevada is number one in the nation.
This is a very tough time for the people in Nevada. And I want to do everything in my power to get this economy going again so people can be in homes they can afford, so people can come here for tourism, so we can have the American people have rising incomes again, so we can make sure that America stands strong around the world.
We have a president who may be a nice guy, but he is way over his head. He does not understand what it takes to get America working again and I do. I spent my life in the private sector, not quite as successful as this guy, but successful, nonetheless, sufficiently successful to understand what it takes to get America to be the most attractive place in the world for innovators, entrepreneurs and job creators.
I want American to be the place people want to come and grow. And I will use all of my energy to get America working again, to help the people of this country have rising incomes, good jobs and homes that are worth something again.
So I want to say thank you to Donald Trump for his endorsement. It means a great deal to me to have the endorsement of Mr. Trump and people across this country who care about the future of America. I think it's time for us to recognize we can't keep going down the road we're on. We have to dramatically change course. We have to restructure the way government interacts with people. Our government is too big, it's too intrusive, it's placed too great burdens on our people in this country.
I will dramatically change the way this government is working. And I'll also stand up for our friends abroad and make sure America remains the shining city on the hill.
Thank you so much for your help and your endorsement today, and look forward to seeing you on the trail.
Thank you, Donald.
(APPLAUSE)
(END LIVE SPEECH)
LEMON: All right, live pictures from Las Vegas.
You see Mitt Romney on stage with his wife and, of course, Donald Trump. Donald Trump telling Mitt Romney today through an endorsement at least you're hired as far as he is concerned. One rich guy to another very rich guy. Donald Trump actually addressed that, earlier.
He said listen, you know, I think it's great for the American people to see someone who has made a lot of money and who has hired a lot of people and added to employment in this country rather than unemployment. So he said that was one reason he wanted to make the endorsement today. They're on stage now live in Las Vegas.
And I need to tell you, do you want to hear what Donald Trump has to say about this more? And I'm sure there will be some interesting comments from Donald Trump as there always are. He's going to be on with our Wolf Blitzer in "THE SITUATION ROOM" coming up at the top of the hour. So make sure you stay tuned.
Now this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The first thing we talked about was food and how there would be more macaroni and cheese.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trying to make everything last a little longer.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Once in the middle class, a family making more than 100 grand a year, suddenly loses it all. You'll hear what happened, how they get by and how your life can change in one instant. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Now we give you tomorrow's news today. So let's fast forward.
Tomorrow see my interview with convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff. He's served his time and will be talking to me about the proposed bill to stop insider trading on Capitol Hill.
And then at noon Eastern show, you want to tune in to this as well. Suzanne Malveaux will be talking with Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow who is in Indianapolis for the Super Bowl. I'm sure Suzanne will get his prediction, Giants or Patriots. Let's see if he makes this move, as well.
I want you to Tebow, Suzanne. Let's see if you do it.
Now the economy and the staggering number of people who have lost their jobs and have been unable to find another one.
Poppy Harlow has been tracking families who are living this nightmare in an effort to bring attention to what so many Americans are facing in this economy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I had a 401K, savings plan, money here and there. We were doing fine.
POPPY HARLOW, MONEY.COM CORRESPONDENT: And how dramatic was the decline?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was almost instantaneous.
HARLOW (voice-over): unwilling to show their faces on camera but wanting to share their story, this New Jersey family went from living on $130,000 a year to just about 15,000 now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. We went completely off of the charts. Our decision is do we go out for a date, or do we pay the electric bill?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We don't have our home phone anymore. It's definitely cooler in the House.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Quicker showers. It's amazing that this is dinner.
(CROSSTALK)
HARLOW: This father watched as his six-figure telecom job of 20 years went to India.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's like I remember the first time they told us about the situation.
HARLOW: Then, the unemployment ran out.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The first thing we talked about food and how we would be eating more macaroni and cheese.
HARLOW: And the savings went.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trying to make everything last a little longer.
HARLOW (on camera): Do you wake up in the morning and wonder if today is going to be the day that you're going to get evicted?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, yes.
HARLOW (voice-over): Unable to sell their house, they stopped paying the mortgage.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where I came out of was, you know, a white collar world, and the white collar world for two years or two and a half years, I banged my head against it, doesn't want me back.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: After a while when you keep getting all the nos, you feel like -- you feel like what can you do? What good am I?
HARLOW: Now, mom works part-time in a bakery for $9 an hour and dad sells shoes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have teenage salaries, both of us.
(LAUGHTER)
We have teenage salaries running a home and a family.
HARLOW: United Way calls it ALICE, asset-limited, income- constrained and employed, in other words, the working poor.
JOHN FRANKLIN, CEO, UNITED WAY OF NORTHERN NEW JERSEY: They are the people we know. They are the guy that works across the street behind the meat counter. They are the mechanic that works on your car, the person that takes care of your kids. More and more middle class families are falling into that category of I can't make it.
HARLOW (on camera): Here in Morris County, New Jersey, about a quarter of the population falls somewhere between the poverty line and just getting by, and United Way says it costs roughly $60,000 for a family of four here just to make it. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Only one box feeds like two or three people so --
HARLOW (voice-over): Wednesday evening, at the food pantry, they have been coming for two years.
ROSEMARY GILMARTIN, DIRECTOR, INTERFAITH FOOD PANTRY: It's never occurred to them that this could possibly happen to them. If I put a sticker on the forehead of every client that comes here that works within a 10-mile radius, you would be walking around, and you would say all these people with big purple stickers on their forehead.
HARLOW: They are certainly not alone, but they are also not without hope.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, the upside is that our family is stronger, you know. We're stronger. You have to as a result of it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Interesting report, Holly -- I mean, Poppy Harlow. She joins us now from New York.
Poppy, some of the long term implications, let's talk about that. People may not even realize.
HARLOW: Yes. I think absolutely. What I learned talking to this cup, and what really came to mind is if and when they get back on their feet, and so many Americans like them, Don, they're starting from scratch.
No savings for retirement, no savings to send their kids to college, likely for a lot of families in this situation, mountains of debt. So if they get back on their feet, they've got to start really from ground zero.
Another thing that stood out to me that this couple told me is what this has done to their friendships. The friends that they used to have that were on the same sort of economic level as them now don't understand what they're going through. They can't go out to dinner. They can't go on vacation. They can't do the same things their friends can, so it's broken a lot of friendships and that's something that you don't think about a lot.
LEMON: And the kids. The kids -- I understand the kids told you they have one wish for their parents. What is it?
HARLOW: They do. I mean, I think if all teenaged kids could be like these kids, this world would be a better place. They were so understanding of what their folks are going through. They want to send their parents on vacation. The mother has always wanted to go to the Grand Canyon. They said if we can do one thing for our parents, it would be to give them a break, send them on vacation so they can just relax. It's going to fix their problems, but it struck me, Don.
LEMON: Wow. All right. Follow up, let us know. Great story. Thank you, Poppy Harlow.
HARLOW: Yes, we will.
LEMON: All right.
Let's tell what you is trending today. Actor Tracy Morgan in a family feud. His mother faces foreclosure and tells CNN she asked the comedian for money to help. She says Morgan offered some cash, but not as much as she needs. Now, Morgan's sister Asia says he needs to help. So their mother doesn't end up on the streets. Morgan's mother told CNN she asked for money, but told a different story to our affiliate, WKDM. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALICIA WARDEN, TRACY MORGAN'S MOTHER: I don't see anything wrong for asking him for help, you know? It's not like I said, Tracy, can I borrow $20,000 or can I borrow $10 or something like -- I don't ask for money. I asked him for some help.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Well, Tracy Morgan has given this statement to CNN. Here's what he said. He said, "I am saddened that these untrue stories about me have people questioning my commitment to my family. We all have personal family issues that we have to deal with in life, but I choose to deal with mine in private and not through the media."
Again, that is coming from Tracy Morgan. He's responding to, you know what, I want to deal with this privately. I don't want to deal with it through the media. He says he's estranged from some of his family members. That's Tracy Morgan. Morgan says he hasn't seen his mother in 11 years.
And before we go here, I want to show you this dash cam video from Belle County, Texas. See that fireball streaking across the sky. The FAA says this was likely, look at it, a meteor soaring over Texas and Oklahoma. It was spotted from Waco to as far as Oklahoma City. There you go.
Hey, I can't wait to see that interview with Donald Trump coming up on "THE SITUATION ROOM." Take it away, Wolf.
WOLF BLITZER, HOST, CNN'S THE SITUATION ROOM: Don, thanks very much.
