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GOP Presidential Candidates Speak at CPAC; Financial Planners Give Advice on Saving Money; Violence Against Anti-Government Protesters Continues in Syria; Interview with Actress Debbie Allen
Aired February 11, 2012 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: You're in the CNN NEWSROOM this Saturday, February 11th. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.
Every Republican running for president wants the backing of CPAC, and before the day is over we will know which candidate the influential conservative group will be supporting. The group's annual conference is under way right now in Washington, D.C. Live pictures right now.
CNN's Peter Hamby is there. So Peter, polls are showing Republicans are less than excited about this batch of GOP candidates. So does this mean that some are struggling to throw their support behind any one of the four candidates?
PETER HAMBY, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: Somewhat. There is certainly enthusiasm here for defeating Barack Obama. And you hear that from the candidates. That's their mission here, to paint a stark contrast between themselves and Barack Obama.
The problem is that Republicans are not generally fired up about the field. Polling bears that out. Electability is obviously also a concern. The states that Mitt Romney won in the primaries, for example, exit polls show that electability was a major concern. But Romney got a pretty good reception here yesterday. Rick Santorum got a far better reception from the audience. He had more of a conservative red meat oriented speech. But still, it wasn't a raucous bring the house down kind of applause for Rick Santorum who could be the Republican frontrunner right now. So that speaks volumes about how Republicans feel about this field, Fred.
WHITFIELD: In the meantime, there was a straw poll that will take place and the results may come somewhere in the 4:00 Eastern hour. Any hints or any real feeling as to which candidate might be the most executed about the potential results?
HAMBY: This is sort of judging from anecdotal evidence, conversations with people here, just the buzz, and, frankly, the bad week Mitt Romney has had, it will be probably a Rick Santorum or Newt Gingrich win over Mitt Romney. That's sort of the sense here.
Don't take that to the bank of course. Straw polls aren't exactly the most important, most decisive thing in the Republican race, but they are a good barometer of where conservative sentiment is at that very moment, a snapshot in time. And again, right now Rick Santorum seems to have the momentum among conservatives after winning that trio of states this week. So I would not be surprised if he did extremely well in this morning's straw poll.
WHITFIELD: All right, former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is there. What's she up to?
HAMBY: She is. She's actually wandering the hallways right now, totally mobbed by people. She actually took aside a few reporters, including myself, just a few minutes ago just to give her thoughts on the state of the race. She basically said that Mitt Romney needs it to do a better job of connecting with conservatives.
The risk for him, she says, is that in November, conservative turnout could be lower. He could spoil the chances for Republicans to beat Barack Obama because he can't bring out the Republican base.
I also asked her about the long drawn out primary fight. She said kind things about Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum, kind of coming to their defense at different points in the race. I said, Governor Palin, do you think a brokered convention is, one, a possibility, and two, would that be good for the party? And she said, yes, absolutely for both. She thinks that this would make the candidates stronger, that conservatives deserve to have a voice at the table, and that a brokered convention is very much a possibility. And Sarah Palin actually welcomed that. But we'll hear her speak to the audience here later to give some other thoughts on the Republican race I'm sure, Fred.
WHITFIELD: All right, Peter Hamby, thanks so much at CPAC. We'll check back with you.
Right now Mitt Romney is doing something he has not done in this election cycle. He is visiting caucus sites in Maine because today is voting day there. Republicans have been caucusing in Maine for weeks now, and tonight they will pick their winner. Both Romney and Ron Paul are in Maine today hoping to break their losing streaks.
And CNN's coverage of the Maine caucuses begins at 5:30 p.m. Eastern time with a special edition of "THE SITUATION ROOM" with Wolf Blitzer. Stay with us as we bring you the results. And join us every Sunday at 4:00 when 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 how she's planning a comeback and why he's still in the race.
At this hour a memorial service is underway for two children killed by their father last Sunday in a house explosion. Hundreds of people are in Tacoma, Washington right now remembering the seven and five-year- old brothers Charlie and Braden Powell. Their father, Josh Paul, had lost custody of the children just days before the explosion. He was also the only person under investigation in Utah for his wife's disappearance in 2009.
In Atlanta now, a rally near the site of a vicious beating. Three men could be seen shouting anti-gay slurs, punching and kicking 20-year- old Brandon White on surveillance video last week. That video was then circulated online. And one of the three suspects has been arrested -- 18-year-old Christopher Cain is charged with aggravated assault and robbery.
Overseas now, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says his country will make a major announcement about several major nuclear achievements within days. He didn't give details. Iran has consistently denied accusations from the west that it's building a nuclear weapons program. It says its program is strictly for energy production.
And more street fighting, more deaths today in Syria.
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(GUNFIRE)
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WHITFIELD: This is the city of Homs where witnesses tell CNN today it is the seventh day in a row of near constant shelling, tank fire, and machine gun battles. And so far world leaders and diplomats are powerless to stop it. Here now is CNN's Ivan Watson.
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IVAN WATSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Residents of the besieged Syrian city of Homs awoke once again at dawn Saturday morning to another day of sustained bombardment from the Syrian military. That is a deadly routine they have lived through for the better week, a routine that has killed hundreds of people and wounded hundreds of more at the hand, according to the U.S. ambassador to Syrian, of the Syrian military.
Take a listen to what Ambassador Robert Ford had to say to CNN's Wolf Blitzer on Friday night.
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ROBERT FORD, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO SYRIA: We know who is shelling Homs, and it is not the armed opposition groups. It's the government. And that's why I wanted that picture about 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 opposition has rifles and has machine guns and even a few rocket propelled grenades, but it doesn't have artillery. Only one side in this has artillery.
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WATSON: The Syrian government has consistently argued since the beginning of this uprising that it is fighting arms terrorists linked to Al Qaeda. That is how they have termed what has 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 a northern province as a result of an improvised explosive device and 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 States 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 supplies of food and basic medicines.
Ivan Watson, CNN, Istanbul.
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WHITFIELD: And CNN presents a special program tonight. It focuses on the center of the Syrian uprising. It's called "Homs, City under Siege." Watch tonight at 10:30 Eastern time right here on CNN.
All right, just ahead here in the NEWSROOM, we're always looking for ways to get have a cash, right? Ken and Daria Dolan join us next with five tips on saving more money, next.
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WHITFIELD: Straight ahead, face to face with long time entertainer Debbie Allen. The icon does it all, dance, act, direct. She even has a skill few people knew about.
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WHITFIELD: What are your specialties?
DEBBIE ALLEN, ACTRESS: I make great honey-baked lamb. My husband likes that. I make great ginger garlic lobster rice. I make really good fried chicken. I make a really good lemon pound cake. I make great vegetables. I can almost taste anything and make it.
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WHITFIELD: She's one of the chefs that just throws things. Her husband and son are there. We're in her kitchen with her in her Santa Monica home with Debbie Allen. And we sit down and we talk about a whole lot of things, her enduring career, including her time on the hit TV show "Fame." We also see what keeps her busy these days between television productions and dance performances.
But first, it is the number one issue in American homes, getting your financial house in order. Today in our weekly Financial Fix, five easy ways, easy, to save money. Ken and Daria Dolan joining us now. Good to see you all.
KEN DOLAN, DOLANS.COM: Hey, Fred. Fred, I want to talk about Debbie Allen's fried chicken.
(LAUGHTER)
WHITFIELD: I woman can burn, I mean she can cook.
KEN DOLAN: Absolutely.
WHITFIELD: She made some incredible smoothies there for us while we were at her home. But you'll hear a lot more from her.
You two teach us so much about how to save money, so let's begin with how people can save a little money especially as it pertains to the phones, the landlines they may have in their house.
DARIA DOLAN, DOLANS.COM: Yes. First of all, get rid of that landline. Hello, we all have cell phones now.
WHITFIELD: But sometimes you have to have one, right, for your home alarm, et cetera?
DARIA DOLAN: Well, for your home alarm, but you certainly don't need to pay for the long distance service. If you don't have -- we live in a condo, so we have security, we don't need that extra alarm on our place. And so consequently by getting rid of a home phone line, which costs us regularly 63 bucks a month, we can save over $700 a year. That's some real savings.
WHITFIELD: That's a big savings. And you say you can also save when you make purchases for airline tickets. It's a certain time of day and day of the week in which should you do it, right?
KEN DOLAN: Now, listen to this, Fred. Many people know that the airlines post their sales Monday night at 8:00 and they run until Thursday night at 8:00. OK, 8:05, 8:10, I'm on the phone to the airlines because they just opened the sales. No. Don't do it.
DARIA DOLAN: First off, don't be on the phone. Do it online, because you pay more by phone.
KEN DOLAN: That's another story. Because here's why, Fred. On Tuesday morning when all the sale prices start floating around either on the airlines who didn't offer sales or even the ones that did, a price war can begin. So we say, some people disagree, Tuesday at 3:00, Fred.
DARIA DOLAN: It's at 3:00 p.m., not a.m.
KEN DOLAN: All the price wars have settled by then and you might get a better price than 8:00.
WHITFIELD: OK, fantastic. And then a lot of us got gift cards for the holidays, and you say if you're not that satisfied with it, you need to sell it? That sounds so ungrateful.
DARIA DOLAN: Well, the fact of the matter is hopefully you were gifted the card because somebody cared enough to think that maybe you would enjoy it. But, to be perfectly honest, what am I going to do with a home depot card except make work for him? So consequently, if there's no reason to send him off there because they've asked me not to allow him in the store anymore --
KEN DOLAN: All right, we don't need to hear all this.
(LAUGHTER)
DARIA DOLAN: It's just smart to get the cash take evolved in that card so that you can spend it on something that you will appreciate, and then say to the person, look what I got with your wonderful gift.
KEN DOLAN: Two good websites -- GiftCardGranny.com and PlasticJungle.com. They're both very good.
WHITFIELD: And number four and five we can't get to because we're running out of time. But raising your auto deductibles, then you save on your overall premium. And then you say consider withholding federal tax all year long. Ken and Daria, thanks so much. We're out of time. And next year, we have to make plans for our Valentines weekend to have you all involved because you all have had this incredible working relationship and loving relationship for so long.
KEN DOLAN: It's been 40 years.
DARIA DOLAN: And we're both alive.
(LAUGHTER)
WHITFIELD: All right, good to see you. Thanks so much.
Of course more money tips, maybe relationship tips, too. You want to sign up for the Dolan's free newsletter, go to Dolans.com.
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WHITFIELD: All right, by now you've have your breakfast, lunch maybe. So how is your energy level? If you experience a midday slump, you're not alone. Many people find themselves craving an afternoon pick me up. In this week's "Health for Her", Elizabeth Cohen has some tips to boost your energy in a healthy way.
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ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: During your work day, do you often feel like your energy is zapped in the middle of the afternoon? Registered dietician Ellie Krieger, author of the book "So Easy" has some healthy options for people who get their snacks from vending machines.
ELLIE KRIEGER, REGISTERED DIETICIAN: A lot of times people reach for sugary foods and things like that to try to boost their energy. That gives you a short term boost in your blood sugar, but ultimately leads you to crash.
COHEN: Instead Krieger suggests reaching for a snack with protein. She also suggests a handful of almonds.
KRIEGER: Rich in protein, rich in nutrients and healthy fat. It will give you sustained energy.
COHEN: Or a Greek style yogurt with a piece of fruit.
KRIEGER: That will give you protein as well as carbohydrate. It will give you an immediate energy boost and also the sustenance that you need.
COHEN: But she has one key message.
KRIEGER: The most important thing you can do to keep your energy up throughout the day is eat regular meals and snacks throughout the day.
COHEN: Quick tips for all day energy. With this week's "Health for Her," I'm Elizabeth Cohen.
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WHITFIELD: From "Fame" to "Grey's Anatomy," actress, dancer, director, Debbie Allen, she does it all. What keeps her career going strong? She weighs on her past and future coming up face to face.
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WHITFIELD: So it's been 30 years since the debut of the hit TV show "Fame." Who can forget Lydia, the tough teacher played by Debbie Allen?
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ALLEN: You want fame, fame costs. And right here is where you start paying in sweat.
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WHITFIELD: Ms. Allen is still dancing, choreographing, producing, composing, you name it, on stage and on television. Recently I talked face to face with Debbie Allen about the similarities between her most famous characters Lydia and the passion that keeps Ms. Allen's nearly four decades long career going strong.
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WHITFIELD: What was your intention when you started the Debbie Allen Dance Academy?
ALLEN: Well, since I have been performing and doing everything that I do, everywhere -- I have been from Israel to London to Brazil to South Africa -- everyone has asked, Ms. Allen, where is your school? So I jumped out there with my savings and jumped off a cliff with my husband.
Here we are 11 years later, and we have developed some of the most talented young people in the business today. We are growing a new crop. I have a group called Red Birds who are the most talented of my little ones. They're like seven to 10-year-olds. I mean, they really inspire me. I teach them. I actually teach them.
Places. Let's go. Quietly, right now.
WHITFIELD: So what do you spot in these dancers, whether they're seven or 17? Can you zero in and say they've got that it thing?
ALLEN: I actually can. I remember the first day we opened for auditions, a young boy, his name was Kris Nobles, walked in. He pointed his foot, lifted his leg, I said that's it. OK, you have a scholarship. I was talking about you.
KRIS NOBLES, DANCER: Awesome.
WHITFIELD: Is she a tough cookie?
NOBLES: She's actually great. She's a lot of fun. But, yes, she can be a tough cookie, especially with the students. I just remember that first day, that first audition. I was so nervous.
ALLEN: You walked in there are those big feet and those legs.
NOBLES: I was still growing.
WHITFIELD: How old were you?
NOBLES: I was 11.
WHITFIELD: How do you think it's changed your life?
NOBLES: It helped me become a better person, a dancer, professional. There's so much that she taught me that helped me become a better person, student, when I was in school and then -- now I'm in a ballet company I never thought I would be in.
WHITFIELD: What's that like to hear all that?
ALLEN: I really love that. It makes me want to cry. I have on hold myself right now because I just love that.
WHITFIELD: That's pretty extraordinary. So do you make a dancer?
ALLEN: It's all of those things. We develop dancers, we make dancer. But beyond that what we are doing is developing another generation of young people who have character, education, a sense of discipline. I went to public school. I learned how to play classical music. I danced. Those programs are just so blatantly missing from public education. And I feel like what we're doing is in a big way, you know, kind of filling that void.
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WHITFIELD: Wow, character, education. So more face to face with Debbie Allen. Speaking of voids, she says her heart still has a big one with the passing of longtime friend and student Michael Jackson. In the 3:00 hour, Ms. Allen face to face about the king of pop's strive for perfection.
And I'll be back at the top of the hour. Up next, a preview of the Grammy Awards. "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" Nischelle Turner talked with rapper turned host LL Cool J about tomorrow night's big showstoppers. Keep it right here. "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" Grammy special is next.
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