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GOP Candidates Fight to Win Maine; Violence Rages in Homs, Syria; Controversy Over Contraception; Best Way to Talk Debt with Spouse; Ex-UVA Athlete Accused of Murder; Drones for Domestic Use; CPAC Straw Poll Results Today; Snow, Cold Grip Midwest; Winter Storm Warning/Watches; Phantom Puts on 10,000th Show; Parents Penalized For Tardy Kids; Brazil Sues Twitter Over Cop Alerts; Debbie Allen Opens Up; Candidates Fight To Win Maine; Ahmadinejad Talks Nukes; Photos of Baby Blue Ivy

Aired February 11, 2012 - 12:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right. A stamp of approval from politically influential conservatives. That's what all four Republican presidential candidates are fighting for today at CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington.

CNN Political Director Mark Preston -- oh, my gosh, I'm combining you and Paul -- at the conference right now.

So, Mark, results of the CPAC straw poll. They will be released later on today. Highly anticipated. What's the buzz in the room there?

MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Well, a couple of things. One, we don't have Ron Paul, Fred, this year at CPAC. In past years, he's had such a loyal following of young voters who would come in and stuff the ballot box and he would win the straw poll. However, Ron Paul did not participate in CPAC this year. Instead, he decided to stay on the campaign trail.

So we're looking at a couple of things right now. One, will Mitt Romney win the straw poll. And, if, in fact, he does, will that help change the narrative about his affiliation and his attraction to conservative voters. Something he has had a little bit of trouble with so far in this race for the Republican presidential nomination.

Another thing we're looking at, though, is Rick Santorum. Could Rick Santorum, Fred, come out and win the CPAC straw poll. In fact if he does, will that then add more fuel to his candidacy, of course, for the presidential nomination? In the past two weeks, Fred, we've seen Rick Santorum go from basically zero to 100. He won Missouri, Minnesota and he also won Colorado. Three huge contests last week. Rick Santorum spoke here yesterday. Received a very, very good reception -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: So, Mark, do the candidates feel like that straw poll is very meaningful? Are they working hard to try and win that appeal, get that kind of rubber stamp of approval?

PRESTON: Yes, I think so. And, in fact, just about an hour ago I was walking downstairs around the hotel lobby and I saw Rick Santorum supporters all holding signs up, trying to get support for their candidate. If you go downstairs to the exhibition booth area, Rick Santorum had a booth down there, as did Newt Gingrich. Mitt Romney spoke here yesterday, of course to - to make his appeal to conservatives.

So everybody wants to win this straw poll. If they do not win this straw poll, though, Fred, come 4:30 I'm sure they'll be downplaying its significance.

WHITFIELD: Of course. That's the way it goes.

All right, Mark Preston, thanks so much.

PRESTON: Sure

WHITFIELD: Keep us posted throughout the afternoon.

All right, the battle for election delegates kicking into high gear today in the state of Maine. Republican voters have been caucusing there for weeks now, and tonight we actually find out the winner.

Let's turn to CNN political reporter Shannon Travis. He's live in Sanford, Maine, where Mitt Romney and Ron Paul are campaigning today.

All right, so what's - what's the feeling as to how these caucuses just might turn out?

SHANNON TRAVIS, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: Yes, I mean the feeling about how might it - how they might turn out, Ron Paul seems to have a bit of an edge there. You remember, Fred, that while the other candidates a few weeks ago were campaigning in Florida, Ron Paul got his - packed up his v-neck sweaters and headed north and came here. I was here with him, campaigning in Maine.

He's got a lot of young supporters here, a lot of libertarian supporters here - but not so fast, Mitt Romney is saying. First of all, he's obviously a favorite son of New England -

WHITFIELD: Right.

TRAVIS: -- former Massachusetts governor, and he came here with like an 11th hour appeal last night. Today, he did something for the first time, appearing at a caucus site. So - and he's been very involved in the Republican circles up here in Maine for many, many years. So, you know what? He may actually seal the deal, too.

So we'll have to wait until tonight, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich are not in Maine right now. Does that put them at a disadvantage, or does it matter?

TRAVIS: Yes. Yes, yes. I mean, those two basically wasn't in that delegate calculation to really come up here.

So, again, Ron Paul has a bit of an edge. We actually want to play a sound bite from the congressman. He appeared here at this caucus site earlier. He didn't address the crowd, but he spoke to people, greeted people.

Take a listen at one question that he got, though, Fred.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Congressman, how are you feeling about tonight? Do you need to - do you need to (INAUDIBLE).

RON PAUL (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Good (INAUDIBLE). Yes, it's great.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sir, do you - do you need to win this contest today? Your whole strategy has been based on winning smaller -

PAUL: I don't think there's the word "need," like if you don't win it everything's over. No, not at all. But it would be a boost and it would be delightful, and I think (INAUDIBLE).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TRAVIS: I can tell you, Fred, that even if the Congressman downplays it, they want to win badly. You know, he's zero for eight right now. He hasn't won any contests so far. They really feel like this is the prime opportunity.

But, again, because Mitt Romney has come up here, may not be that way. We'll have to wait and see.

WHITFIELD: All right, Shannon Travis, thanks so much. Keep us posted.

All right, CNN's coverage of the Maine caucuses beginning at 6:00 P.M. Eastern this evening, with a special edition of "THE SITUATION ROOM" with Wolf Blitzer. And then, at 7:00, we'll have live coverage of all the results.

And join us every Sunday afternoon, 4:00 Eastern, where we dedicate an entire hour to the presidential contenders in this 2012 election. Tomorrow we'll be talking to Jackie Cushman. She's the daughter of Newt Gingrich, and we'll be asking her about her dad's planned comeback. 4:00 Eastern, tomorrow.

All right, now overseas to the escalating crisis in Syria. The besieged town of Homs is enduring a seventh straight day of shelling.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD (voice-over): Hundreds of people have reportedly been killed in Homs in the past week, including six today. On Monday, the U.N. General Assembly will consider a resolution condemning President Bashar al-Assad's crackdown.

We get more on the violence ranging at Homs from CNN's Ivan Watson in Istanbul, Turkey.

IVAN WATSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Residents of the besieged Syrian city of Homs awoke once again at dawn on Saturday morning to another day of sustained bombardment from the Syrian military. That is routine, a deadly routine they have lived for for the better part of a week, a routine that has killed hundreds of people and wounded hundreds more at the hands, according to the U.S. ambassador to Syria, of the Syrian military.

Take a listen to what Ambassador Robert Ford had to say to CNN's Wolf Blitzer on Friday night.

ROBERT FORD, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO SYRIA: We know who's shelling Homs, and it is not the armed opposition groups, it's the government. And that's why I wanted that picture put on our Facebook account, so that people could see there is the artillery and that's what's firing at Homs right now.

The armed opposition has rifles, it has machine guns, it even has a few rocket-propelled grenades, but it doesn't have artillery. Only one side in this has artillery.

WATSON: The Syrian government has consistently argued since the beginning of this uprising nearly 11 months ago that it is fighting armed terrorists linked to al Qaeda. That is how they have termed the what started as peaceful protests around the country.

Increasingly, we are seeing signs that the opposition is resorting to the use of arms to fight back against the Syrian security forces. One Syrian opposition group claimed responsibility for killing 10 Syrian soldiers in the northern province of Idlib as a result of an improvised explosive device and an ambush. Those are some of the tactics and weapons we saw in neighboring Iraq during the bloody U.S. occupation of that country.

Now, Turkey has made an announcement, the Turkish foreign minister visiting Washington, that it is going to start a process, going to apply to the United Nations at its headquarters in Geneva to try to find some way to start sending humanitarian aid to Syria.

The potential obstacles to trying to send aid in would be significant and would probably require the permission of the Syrian regime itself, which is accused of encircling cities like Homs and preventing fresh pressure supplies of food and basic medicines.

Ivan Watson, CNN, Istanbul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Iran's president is promising a major announcement about the country's nuclear program in the next few days. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made the comment at a rally marking the 33rd anniversary of Iran's Islamic Revolution.

He did not mention specifics, only that Iran has made several major nuclear achievements. All right, back in this country, it's been 30 years since the hit TV show "Fame" hit airwaves. Remember the popular dance teacher, Lydia? Lydia Grant, played by Debbie Allen? Well, she is still dancing. She's also directing, choreographing and acting.

I talk "Face to Face" with her about lots of things, including her new role on the TV show "Grey's Anatomy," and her dance studio.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. The CIA's website is back online after hackers brought it down. The group Anonymous is claiming responsibility for the attack.

Hackers also hit websites run by the state of Alabama and the Mexican Mining Ministry. Both the CIA and Alabama government officials say that they're working to find those responsible for the cyber attacks.

President Obama unveils his budget proposal Monday, but senior administration officials have revealed a few key details. The plan predicts a $901 billion deficit next year and calls for investments in infrastructure and education. It also includes cuts in military spending and $1.5 trillion in tax hikes.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is not happy with President Obama's compromise over contraception funding. A statement on their website today says the plan raises serious moral concerns.

The government's new health policy originally wanted hospitals and schools with religious ties to offer full coverage for contraceptives, but after days of opposition from the Catholic Church, the White House dropped that requirement, leaving insurers to pick up the tab.

President Obama says the core principles remain unchanged.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Today we've reached a decision on how to move forward. Under the rule, women will still have access to free preventive care that includes contraceptive services, no matter where they work. So that core principle remains.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So there will be a one-year transition period for religious organizations after the policy formally takes effect August 1st.

And coming up in about five minutes from now, our legal guys take on this issue. You'll want to hear what they say about the government, religious institutions and contraceptives.

All right, Valentine's Day is just three days away. So you're committed in your relationship, right? But maybe - are you cheating on your spouse financially? If so, it's time to come clean.

Christine Romans and Ali Velshi show you how to have the money talk with your significant other in this week's "Smart is the New Rich."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: When it comes to money, my friend Ali Velshi and I speak two different languages. And that's OK, because, thankfully, we're not married to each other, we just work together and we wrote a book together called "How to Speak Money."

Couples in debt, one of the topics we talk about in that book. It's a big strain on relationships, and Ali's here to talk about it. In fact, I want to talk a look at some of this data from (INAUDIBLE) over at Utah State University.

He said wives who had no debt were 12 percent more likely to be very happy in marriage than wives who had between $10,000 and $20,000 in debt. Makes sense. Husbands, apparently, if you look at that, are -

ALI VELSHI, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: They don't care.

ROMANS: They're happy no matter what.

And then, look, one thing that we've talked about and what we wrote about in our book is that a lot of couples aren't honest to each other -

VELSHI: Right.

ROMANS: -- when it comes to debt, and I wanted to ask you, is it ever OK to hide spending, Ali, or to hide debt?

VELSHI: Is anybody listening to my answer?

ROMANS: Your wife could be watching the program as we speak.

VELSHI: No, no, it's not. And there are two issues. When you said men don't care, there's two issues. One is, do you care about your habits on spending? And a lot of guys don't care. And then it's the, are you completely honest about what your debt situation is?

And both of those are important. So you can't just know about your partner's debt.

ROMANS: Right.

VELSHI: You actually have to know about how they answer that question.

ROMANS: The next question I want to ask you, in honor of Valentine's Day coming up, by the way.

VELSHI: Yes.

ROMANS: Is it OK for one person to handle the finances in the relationship?

VELSHI: Yes, absolutely. Let the better person do it.

In my - believe it or not, in my family, you know it, my wife is better at this stuff. And so she sort of takes the lead on it and it gets done better than - now, look, there's an issue about responsibility about money. The other partner should have involvement in it so they know about it, but I think it's totally OK for the smarter, better one, the more organized one, to handle the finances.

ROMANS: All right, so how do you have the money talk?

VELSHI: This is where we do disagree. I don't know in the dating process, if you start it - start off - and you're older and you get into -

ROMANS: You're telling me you would dump me if I asked you how much student loan debt you have?

VELSHI: No, I don't think we get to a second date.

ROMANS: You would dump me for other reasons?

VELSHI: But I say why not get to the third or fourth date and then say, listen, this is working out really well. There's something I've got to tell you.

ROMANS: Thanks, Ali.

For "Smart is the New Rich," I'm Christine Romans.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Among the legal issues we're tackling today, a former University of Virginia lacrosse player accused of killing his ex- girlfriend. He breaks down during his murder trial after watching a videotape.

Our legal experts will be weighing in on this case.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A former University of Virginia lacrosse player is on trial for the death of his ex-girlfriend.

Let's bring in our "Legal Guys." Avery Friedman, a civil rights attorney and law professor in Cleveland, good to see you. And Richard Herman, a New York criminal -

AVERY FRIEDMAN, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: Hi, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: -- defense attorney and law professor joining us from New York.

All right. Gentlemen, this is a heart-breaking case no matter which way you look at it. Now, this is an issue of whether it's manslaughter or even first-degree murder. So this week when we saw some of the evidence unveiled, we've got audio tape, there are past e- mails, one, you know, from Mr. Huguely - George Huguely saying "I should have killed you."

So, Avery, you first. Intent, is it being shown this week? Have we - have we seen that there should be a first-degree murder conviction?

FRIEDMAN: Well, there's certainly some evidence of intent, Fredricka, because what has surfaced is some of the prior statements made by George Huguely and some of the evidence that goes to his violent nature, similar acts, so to speak.

But I think in the first week of trial, as riveting as this trial has been, what we have seen is an individual who clearly had alcoholism issues. Some of the evidence that surfaced was that the day of the event on May 2, 2010, there's some evidence that George Huguely V actually had 20 drinks before the incident. Even testimony from his lacrosse players, his friends, that talked about his alcoholism.

I don't think, even at this point, even before we've heard the defense, that we have the necessary intent for first-degree murder.

WHITFIELD: And so, you know, Richard, then that would - if you agree with that, then we're talking about, you know, manslaughter there, because there is evidence showing that he admits to kicking in Yeardley Love's door, that he grabbed her, but he says he didn't choke her, and he says when he left, she was on the bed.

But it was news to him and you saw that in that videotape and you heard it in the audio tape that he was surprised that she was found dead.

RICHARD HERMAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, that's very nice to be surprised and you should not be surprised that I do not agree with Avery.

Fred, the door was not kicked in, he punched a hole through her bedroom door, which was locked. I think that pretty much goes to intent right there. He stole her laptop computer, which had on it the e-mail that "I should have killed you" which he sent to her a couple of days earlier.

She had bruises, a black eye. She was beaten almost to a pulp. This guy is an animal. This is a horrific crime. The jury is not going to buy the intoxication defense, which, by the way, is a defense in Virginia and they are not going to buy the Adderall and boozing cause of death which they are claiming -

WHITFIELD: So you think her injuries -

HERMAN: -- is no medical testimony-wise.

WHITFIELD: -- her injuries you believe and how he left her are consistent with intent?

HERMAN: Absolutely, Fred. She was beaten up bad by this guy.

WHITFIELD: OK. So Avery, you know, the defense is trying - while the burden of proof is on the prosecution, the defense is trying to say that there was something else. Maybe she had another medical reason as to why her heart stopped after he left the room.

FRIEDMAN: Yes.

WHITFIELD: What will happen with that? Has that been dispelled?

FRIEDMAN: Yes. That's a - that's a wacko defense. I mean the idea that she had heart arrhythmia caused by her taking Adderall and then it was complicated by medication.

Look, the doctors in the first week have actually sort of blown that theory up. But I agree that the behavior is horrendous. But when you have that level of intoxication, I actually think the jury is going to give that serious consideration.

So, you know, I don't know. We're waiting to hear the defense that's coming up this coming. We're going to have to re-evaluate that, but I still think the intent is really watered down with the level of intoxication we've seen here.

WHITFIELD: OK. All right, now let's talk about contraceptives and religious organizations, the Obama administration, its response to the uproar.

So the president makes this revised plan on contraceptives saying that it was never about religious freedoms. But, Avery, the argument has been, and we heard it, you know, underscored by, you know, John Boehner, that this was an attack on religious freedom.

So was this strictly a political argument or is this indeed a legal argument that has been made and potentially resolved now?

FRIEDMAN: You know, maybe - yes, well, maybe we should have women cover themselves when they get medical care.

Look, legally, constitutionally, sorry, it makes my blood boil, this is not a constitutional issue, it is not a legal issue. You want to characterize it as a political issue, that's fine. But the idea of arguing that it's an attack against religion is outrageous.

These laws have been on the books in 28 of the 50 states. Every challenge, Fredricka, every challenge has been unsuccessful on the issue of violation of religious freedom. I prosecute religious freedom, I teach constitutional law. It is not a constitutional issue.

When women suffer because of endometriosis and uterine cancer, they're entitled to treatment. Women have suffered too long and I think the president did absolutely the right thing.

WHITFIELD: And so Richard, so under the new plan it's up to insurance companies to cover contraceptives, religious-affiliated universities and hospitals will not be compelled to do so.

HERMAN: Right. The insurance companies have to provide that for free. But I had to pinch myself, Fred, to say is this really February, 2012? I mean, come on. We're not talking about late-term abortions. We're not talking about mid-term abortions.

FRIEDMAN: That's right.

HERMAN: We're talking contraception here, something 99 percent of the women in the United States use or have used, and that includes Catholic women. So it's just a preposterous, ridiculous argument that's being made.

It could be very well be fueled by politics. And if that's the case, the Republicans are going nowhere with this particular argument. President Obama was right on with what he did. Look, he poised - he posed this little - somehow he lessened the blow a little bit, but it's absolutely ridiculous. Women are entitled to contraceptive relief. It saves lives. It prevents pregnancies.

WHITFIELD: And Avery?

FRIEDMAN: But the Republicans forced the issue. Again, a political issue. The president responding that, you know, it was an attack on religion is just so untrue, at least legally and constitutionally -

HERMAN: Ridiculous.

FRIEDMAN: But you know what, forced the issue. The president did the right thing, absolutely did the right thing.

WHITFIELD: All right.

HERMAN: But some say - Avery, wait, some say that maybe the president did this intentionally to try to draw attention away from the economy and direct it on an issue that clearly they can win on this issue. I don't know.

FRIEDMAN: I don't - I don't buy it. I just - I don't buy it.

WHITFIELD: Avery, Richard, thanks so much. We're not done with you, though.

We're going to see you again in 20 minutes with other legal cases involving some parents in Virginia who have to now defend themselves in court because their kids were tardy to school oh, too many times according to that school district. We're going to tackle that case right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Military drones have helped hunt down terrorists and have carried out attack and reconnaissance missions on the battlefield. Well, soon they may help police chase down suspects on the run, and that's not all.

CNN's Athena Jones fills us in on how drones could become part of our everyday lives. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ATHENA JONES, CNN GENERAL ASSIGNMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When most people hear the word "drone" they think of large-scale vehicles like the Predator, the sort of devices used to transmit live video from the battlefield, or track down al Qaeda leaders, like Anwar al- Awlaki, killed by a CIA-operated drone in Yemen last year.

But new smaller remote control devices are now being developed for widespread use outside war zones, like in U.S. cities and rural areas. The Coast Guard used a drone in Alaska last month to conduct surveillance of an ice sheet.

BEN GIELOW, ASSN. FOR UNMANNED VEHICLE SYSTEMS INTL.: We see the civil applications for these things dwarfing the military applications of these things in the future.

JONES: Farmers could one day use drones to monitor their crops or even spray fertilizers and pesticides remotely.

Police could use the device like this 5.2-pound drone developed by California-based AeroVironment -

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have a visual on the suspect.

JONES: -- to track down suspects on the run or perform other surveillance at a fraction of the cost of a helicopter.

Under a bill recently passed by Congress, the Federal Aviation Administration must draw up rules to allow small unmanned aircraft systems to fly in about two years. Give public safety agencies faster access to some devices and fully integrate the systems into the national airspace by September 2015.

GIELOW: Well, a lot of our manufacturers are very eager for this market. And I think it's one of these things that once we actually get access to the airspace, you'll see, you know, a whole new industry really, really crop up.

JONES: Ben Gielow, who represents drone makers, says the industry will be a big job creator in coming years, generating tens of billions of dollars.

But even proponents admit these new technologies raise obvious concerns. Chief among them is safety.

CAPT. LEE MOAK, AIR LINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION, INTL.: Remotely piloted aircraft entering into the airspace has the potential to negatively affect safety. Could cause an accident. Could cause damage to one of our cargo planes, one of our passenger planes. It could be disastrous. So we need to make sure that this is done right.

JONES: Among other things, commercial airline pilots want drones and their operators to go through a certification and training process similar to what they're required to do.

MOAK: If you're going to enter the airspace, everything you do in the airspace needs to be safe.

JONES: It's these concerns the new FAA regulations will address.

Athena Jones, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right, in a little less than four hours, the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C., will announce the results of a straw poll on its choice for the GOP presidential nominee. Three of the candidates spoke at the meeting this week already, trying to assert their conservative credentials.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITT ROMNEY, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I fought against long odds in a Deep Blue State, but I was a severely conservative Republican governor. I understand that the battles we as conservatives must fight, because I have been on the frontlines.

RICK SANTORUM (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, I think we have learned our lesson and the lesson we've learned is that we will no longer abandon and apologize for the policies and principles that made this country great for a hollow victory in November.

NEWT GINGRICH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I frankly don't care what deal he tries to cut, this is a man who is deeply committed -- if he wins re-election, he will wage war on the Catholic Church the morning after he's re-elected. We cannot trust him. We know who he really is and we should make sure the country knows who he really is.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Texas Congressman Ron Paul skipped the D.C. event saying he wanted to give his supporters a break. He won the CPAC straw poll in the last two years in a row.

A former addict is now helping others get a healthy high. Meet the first CNN Hero of 2012 when we come right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Well, when people are worried about this warm winter, their worries went away, especially with this kind of snow falling. Indiana, snow shovels are now out.

People only have to deal with about 2 inches of snow, that's about half the amount forecasters had actually predicted, but the wind isn't helping either.

It's still cold and there are blizzard-like conditions. The storm forced flight cancellations at airports in Illinois and Indiana.

All right, Reynolds Wolf, I know you're glad to see winter here because people were a little concerned about this warm winter. Now we're finally getting a blast in many places, right? REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: No doubt. You know, I think all of us like when it comes to weather just a little bit of variety.

WHITFIELD: Yes, I love the change of seasons.

WOLF: Winter is certainly coming on now. Take a look at what we have right now. You were mentioning the warnings, the watches. We have them for you on the screen, take a look. Your winter storm, everything you have in purple is going to be your advisory area.

But the pink is where you have the warnings and much of them you'll notice right into portions of the Appalachians and then the highest elevations where we have the best chance of having the snow really begin to stack up.

We've got a forecast between 6 to 10. I would not be surprised if any of our friends tuning in from wheeling may get around a foot or so. There's always a chance you may have an exception. Even if towards Maine you have a chance for snowfall too especially later in the day.

Now what we're going to be seeing with this area of low pressure that pulls its way off towards the Atlantic, that's your big weather maker. But what's pulling in right behind it is a lot of cold air.

And that cold air has been felt across parts of the great lakes. The delays have also been felt at a lot of airports. Take a look in Chicago and in Cleveland, it's been a combination of the wind and snow that's giving you eastern delays into an hour.

Delays are also in Boston, New York and in Miami, Miami mainly because of showers and a few thunderstorms possible. Very quickly your highs, 20 in Chicago, 16 in Minneapolis, 52 in Salt Lake City and 59 in San Francisco, 40s for Seattle and Portland, 35 in Boston, 38 in Atlanta and wrapping it up, 72 in Miami. Fred, your turn.

WHITFIELD: OK, Reynolds, I know you like history.

WOLF: Yes.

WHITFIELD: But do you like musicals, perhaps on the stage?

WOLF: I am up for everything, absolutely.

WHITFIELD: OK.

WOLF: Absolutely.

WHITFIELD: You ever see "Phantom of The Opera"?

WOLF: I actually have. I've seen it several times. One time in Toronto, Canada.

WHITFIELD: You and many others, I've seen it too. Well, it is now making history on the great white way. Today, the Broadway hit "Phantom of The Opera" puts on its 10,000th performance.

WOLF: Unreal.

WHITFIELD: It is unreal. It debuted back in 1988. That too is hard to believe and over the last 24 years, it has sold $845 million in tickets. You bought the tickets, I bought the tickets, everyone bought the tickets.

The secret to its success, it is a huge hit with women and tourists in particular on the great white way and fans can't seem to get enough. Forty percent of phantom patrons have seen the show at least once, at least once.

WOLF: Wow, that's a lot of broken chandeliers too! A whole lot and a lot of cleanups too, a lot of push brooms.

WHITFIELD: Absolutely and lots of costume changes.

WOLF: Very true.

WHITFIELD: All right, Reynolds, have a great week -- weekend, we're still on the weekend. That's right. OK.

WOLF: Apparently.

WHITFIELD: Well, authorities in Brazil, they're upset whether it's the weekend or the weekdays that people tweet about drivers encountering speed traps. So much so that now the government is suing Twitter. Our legal guys will be weighing in on that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A Virginia couple faces criminal charges after their kids were repeatedly late to school. Our legal guys are back, Avery Friedman in Cleveland, Richard Herman in New York.

All right, gentlemen, some think this is extreme, others say, hey, that's the law. We're talking about this family in Loudoun County, Virginia. Their kids ages 6, 7 and 9 and apparently, according to record, these kids have been late some 30 days already out of the school year since September.

Late to the degree of two to three minutes each time and so now the parents are facing a potential fine. Richard, the law says under this state's compulsory education law that kids have to be on time and in school. Is this extreme?

RICHARD HERMAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: It's extreme. Good thing they don't have an NV, but let me tell you, Fred, it's a crime. You're right. It's a misdemeanor and when they ask you have you ever been convict of a crime?

If you're convicted of this, you have been convicted of a crime. They are facing this. The kids have been absent 30 times since September. They are "A" students. The teachers say you should be so proud of your student, your child.

In any event, chronic lateness, it's being prosecuted by this town in Virginia. I think it's over the top. I think it's ridiculous, but what can I say. Avery, what do you think?

WHITFIELD: Yes, I wonder, Avery, I mean, the family is not saying they're being singled out. This law is being applied to everyone, right? They're just the latest example to be facing this misdemeanor charges now?

AVERY FRIEDMAN, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: Yes. I actually am sympathetic with the school district.

HERMAN: Please.

FRIEDMAN: I am and let me tell you why. Mark Denacore is out of his house before dawn to get to his job in Washington. Amy and the three kids are sleeping. So Amy calls up and says, we've been charged with a Class 3 misdemeanor and he goes me?

I haven't done anything. You know, I mean, the truth is that they're going to put him in a first offender program and say, look it, get up five minutes earlier and get the kids to school.

He says I'm imperfect, we're all imperfect. The fact is, I understand the school district. I think there's not going to be a conviction. It will be first offender, but I think the Denacores have learned their lesson.

WHITFIELD: And very tough lesson. So they're going to be in court possibly March 14th unless something else happens.

FRIEDMAN: Yes, yes, it's going to work out. It will work out.

WHITFIELD: OK, let's move on to Brazil. Brazil only because this is really fascinating and the whole world of Twitter has kind of blown up everywhere.

So in this case, drivers come along speed traps or drunk driving traps and they're tweeting. They're letting other drivers know that there's going to be a roadblock up ahead and so the government says, wait a minute, no.

We now want some sort of injunction. We want to take Twitter to court. Maybe this wouldn't happen in the U.S., but Avery, you take a stab as to why in Brazil they feel that they have just cause to do this.

FRIEDMAN: Well, think about the significance of this. This is a nationwide injunction against one company for content-based communications. In America, we have a very difficult time understanding that.

This is an effort because of 55,000 people a year in that country being killed because of drunk driving and the arrest, $291,000 per day fine. It's difficult for us to understand. There are law that say prohibit interfering with law enforcement.

So for Americans, it's foreign to us. But look for an injunction coming out of Brazil and putting Twitter on notice that that aspect of their communications will be shut down, absolutely.

WHITFIELD: So Richard, why would this not stand a chance in the U.S.?

HERMAN: It would not stand a chance because we have free speech here in the United States, Fred, so we would not permit this type of litigation. But there in Brazil, what they want is they want Twitter to delete these tweets.

They're saying, as Avery said, look, we have 55,000 deaths a year from speeding, which they attribute to speeding on their highways. It costs us $14.5 billion a year in damages.

This is giving people notice. You know, in the United States, some people flash their lights when they come in the opposite direction if there's a speed trap.

FRIEDMAN: Yes, that's right.

HERMAN: Look, that's what they do on Twitter in Brazil. I don't know if people are driving, looking at Twitter. I don't know how that works in Brazil, but maybe that's what's causing the accidents.

FRIEDMAN: I bet you that's probably true.

WHITFIELD: Yes, well, I'm not up on my Portuguese so if I knew the equivalent of no mas, I'd do that.

HERMAN: And you don't speed, Fred, either.

WHITFIELD: No, I'm a safe driver. I think people get mad at me because I'm driving too slow. Yes, I'm one of those.

HERMAN: Don't come to New York, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Richard and Avery -- I drive slow now. You know, since having a child in the car, you never drive the same once you've got a kid in the car, right?

FRIEDMAN: Absolutely right.

HERMAN: That's right.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much, Avery, Richard, always good to see you.

HERMAN: See you soon.

WHITFIELD: OK, all right, so now an update on some of the cases Richard and Avery have talked about extensively. Last week, we talked about an Arizona city council candidate kept off the ballot because she was not fluent in English.

Case closed. The Arizona Supreme Court agreed and upheld a lower court's ruling. As a result, she will not be a candidate in a small border town's primary election come March. And "Face to Face" with one -- the one and only Debbie Allen. Find out how she stays current and relevant in the ever-changing entertainment industry. She does everything, choreographer, director, actress, you name it.

Plus a look at what keeps the woman who does it all busy these days, some 30 years after the hit television show "Fame." We also talk about the parallel success of her sister, actress Phylicia Rashad, who many remember as Claire Huxtable from the "Cosby Show."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: It must be really, a really special feeling to siblings, to have the kind of staying power that you both are enjoying in this industry, together and being supportive of one another.

DEBBIE ALLEN, ACTRESS/DIRECTOR: Phylicia is my best friend. We didn't grow up being competitive. My mom taught us that success for one is success for the whole family. So every, you know, kudo she gets, I feel like it's mine too.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right, she invited us to her Santa Monica home. Face to face with Debbie Allen next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, it's not unusual to see the name Debbie Allen in the credits on a television screen, in a stage playbill or dance production.

The Tony and Grammy award-winning entertainer does it all. Debbie Allen's career spans nearly four decades. It may seem like a piece of cake, but Allen tells me face to face staying relevant is a survival skill.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Thanks for inviting us into your Santa Monica home.

DEBBIE ALLEN, ACTRESS/DIRECTOR: It's nice to see you up close and personal. I see you on TV all the time.

WHITFIELD: But I see you more. Everyone sees you more because you're handling so much. I mention your name, Debbie Allen, and people say choreographer, director, producer, actress, dancer, how do you juggle so much?

ALLEN: I don't know. You know, sometimes I think I do belong in the circus because I'm juggling a lot. But I was most versatile in my high school class and I have kind of lived up to that expectation.

I think I've always pushed myself. I've always been curious to go steps further, to learn more, to try something different, try something new. WHITFIELD: So that's really the secret behind your relevance, because you've been in the business a long time. You are not a flash in the pan participant in it. You are here for the long haul and have been here for the long haul.

ALLEN: Yes, it's interesting. Actually right now, I have quite a bit of work staring me in the face that is brand new. I'm working with Mariah Carey. I'm creating a brand new musical for the Brisbane Festival in Australia.

I have started acting again on "Grey's Anatomy." That has been the most wonderful and terrifying event that's happened for me in a long time.

WHITFIELD: Wonderful I get. Terrifying why?

ALLEN: Well, you know, I've been directing the show for three years so it's one thing to say Patrick and Ellen, do this, do that, I need you to operate sooner.

But it's another thing to get there and look through that microscope and have to handle those sharp instruments, perform an operation and then speak in the language of the medical profession with some kind of literacy.

You have to know what you're talking about. It was new choreography for me. It was really a wonderful experience.

WHITFIELD: So while you went transitioning to directing them to now you're their colleague as actors and actresses, did they treat you any differently?

ALLEN: No, you know what, it was really nice. They have always been very respectful to me since the day I stepped on set. Patrick Dempsey did start singing "Fame" and doing (inaudible). I told them stop that. They won't take me seriously. Stop it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: There is no stopping Debbie Allen. She most recently choreographed Mariah Carey's virtual concert tour in Europe with the use of Mariah's hologram image.

So in the 2:00 Eastern hour today, more face to face with Allen, she is pouring her heart into nurturing the next generation of performing artists. She takes us to the Debbie Allen dance academy for you to see yourself.

Also today, we are honoring the first CNN Hero of 2012, an everyday person changing the world. He is Scott Strode. After beating his addiction to drugs and alcohol, he is using sports to help others stay sober.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SCOTT STRODE, COMMUNITY CRUSADER (voice-over): I get on my bike and go ride up in the mountains, and it really just brings peace. In my drug and alcohol use, it was the opposite. I got into it pretty young. By the time I was 15, I was using pretty serious drugs.

When I got sober, I lost my group of friends because they were still out drinking and using. I got into boxing, triathlons, climbing. I have this new group of friends and I have completely redefined myself. So I thought, how can we give this to other people? I'm Scott Strode and I want to help people find a better life being sober.

(on camera): Welcome to Friday night climbing. It's good to see you all here.

STRODE (voice-over): Phoenix Multisport offers about 50 events a week. All the programs are free to anybody who has 48 hours sober. You can see that they're capable of whatever you put your mind to. We have this common connection. It's easy to make new friends.

We do bike rides, hiking, triathlon training, strength training. It really is a new community of folks to hang out with. I'm an example of hitting rock bottom. I had a heroin overdose. They had to jump- start me with the paddles.

Going out biking and going boxing, hitting the bag really fills the void. It's the best support group I could imagine having. We're having fun and we're proud of being sober. So come out and go climbing with us.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Perhaps you know someone who is making a big difference in the lives of others. Go to cnnheroes.com now and tell us about them. Your words just might change the life of someone working every day to help others. Nominate a 2012 CNN Hero today.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A look at our top stories now. Tonight, we'll find out the winner of the Maine caucuses. It's shaping up to be a two-man contest between Mitt Romney and Ron Paul in Maine.

Paul has spent more time campaigning in that state and he's hoping Maine Republicans will hand him his first early voting victory. Romney is there today working to win over undecided voters.

A seventh straight day of government forces bombarding the city of Homs. At least six people have died today and hundred in the last week according to opposition forces.

Today, rebels assassinated a Syrian general who was a military physician. State-run media says he was shot outside his home in Damascus.

Iran's president says his country will announce several major achievements surrounding its nuclear program. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke at a rally marking the 33rd anniversary of Iran's Islamic revolution. The west says Iran is developing a nuclear weapon, but Iran denies that.

And meet baby Blue Ivy. Beyonce and rapper Jay-Z have finally released pictures of their new daughter. My goodness, she's beautiful, right?

The pictures were posted to their web site along with a note reading, "We welcome you to share in our joy. Thank you for respecting our privacy during this beautiful time in our lives. The Carter family."

I'll be back one hour from now with more CNN NEWSROOM and also continue my face-to-face discussion with Debbie Allen, doing everything, acting, choreographing, producing, you name it. She talks about her dance academy as well and her friend, Michael Jackson and his death plus her keys to her greatness.

Then, from sending personalized cards to finding a restaurant for Valentine's Day, our gaming and gadgets guru, Marc Saltzman has the apps you need this Valentine's.

Right now, members of CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference, is voting in a straw poll. We'll have the results when they are announced, 4:15 Eastern Time. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Right now time for "YOUR MONEY."