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A Worsening Crisis; Romney Wins Maine Caucuses; Syrian Violence on the Rise

Aired February 11, 2012 - 19:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I'm Don Lemon. Thanks for joining us here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

For weeks now, we have been telling you about the violence tearing apart Syria. But tonight, we want you to try to imagine the suffering for the people in the city of Homs. Imagine if this was your home, a once peaceful place under attack from its government.

(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)

LEMON: Activists say 14 people died today in Homs. Hundreds more have reportedly died in the past week.

CNN's Ivan Watson is in neighboring Turkey, one country struggling with how to respond to this violence.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Residents of the besieged 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 the better part of a week, a routine that killed hundreds of people and wounded hundreds of 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 is shelling H. 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 and machine guns and even has a few rocket-propelled grenades. But it doesn't have artillery. Only one in this has artillery. 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 the result of an improvised explosives 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 supplies of food and basic medicines.

Ivan Watson, CNN, Istanbul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: All right. Ivan, thank you.

Here in the United States, a solemn day in Tacoma, Washington, as family and friends remember 7-year old Charlie and 5-year-old Braden Powell.

(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)

LEMON: Hundreds of people gathered to pay their last respects. CNN affiliate KOMO reports the boy's grandparents thanked people of all faiths who prayed for their family.

The two little boys were killed Sunday in a home explosion set by their father Josh Powell, who also died in the blast. His wife Susan Cox Powell has been missing since December of 2009 and is presumed dead. Josh Powell has been the only suspect in her disappearance.

And in 20 minutes, more on the Josh Powell case. What led to the murder-suicide and could anything have been done to stop it all? I'll be joined by human behavior Wendy Walsh and criminal prosecutor Holly Hughes, 7:30, right here on CNN.

Yes, it is not a big state and it was a narrow victory but a win is a win. And as you saw, last hour, right here on CNN, just a few minutes ago: Mitt Romney is the winner of the Maine caucuses, a slim victory over Ron Paul, in a state Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum largely ignored. Romney got 39 percent of the vote and Ron Paul 36 percent. Santorum was third and Newt Gingrich came in fourth.

Mr. Wolf Blitzer joins me now from Washington with more.

So, Wolf, how important was this win for Mitt Romney?

WOLF BLITZER, ANCHOR, CNN'S THE SITUATION ROOM: Very important. And it comes on the heels of another straw patrol earlier at that Conservative Political Action Conference here in Washington. Mitt Romney winning that straw poll as well. He needed it badly as a result of three major setbacks earlier in the wake to Rick Santorum. That Rick Santorum surge was clearly on the minds of so many Mitt Romney supporters. That's why Romney went up to Maine and campaigned there.

John King is standing by over at the magic wall.

John, tell us a little bit more on how Mitt Romney did it and what it means in the days and weeks to come?

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, if you look at the map and you see what's filled, Maine is now the ninth state to vote. You mentioned that Santorum surge. He won Minnesota, he won Missouri, he won Colorado, he had already won Iowa, of course, to start all this process.

So, actually, entering today, Senator Santorum had the most wins. Well, Governor Romney has now tied him with four states each based on the showing in Maine. Don just gave the results -- 39 percent to 36 percent. That's a pretty narrow margin there, 194 votes separating the candidates.

One county didn't have its caucuses because of some weather issues and other issues. But the state party chairman says he's confident the order would not have changed.

So, Romney gets the state of Maine. You see it fill up now. So, the question is, here's where we go next.

We go next to Michigan and then Arizona. Those are the only votes left in the month of February. Super Tuesday, a lot of stake in March. But on February 28th, Michigan and Arizona vote.

Why was Maine so important? These are states where Romney has the early lead. The question was, had he lost again after losing out here? Would the psychological of the race change in a dramatic way?

That's one big issue. Ands, of course, a lot of people talking about, well, will this race go all the way to the convention? Could we have a broken convention?

Let's just do this and show you where we are right now. Here's where we entered the day, Romney with a slight lead, 115 delegates. I say slight because you have to get to 1,144 to win -- 1,144. You see Gingrich and Santorum and Ron Paul.

Here's what we got today. Romney wins. Our CNN team has apportioned some of these delegates. It's an estimate. Today is nonbinding, Wolf and Don, but our estimate is that Romney picks up a few, Congressman Paul picks up a few, Senator Santorum picks up a few, with some we can't apportion just yet. It gives Romney six more, it gives Congressman Paul five more, Senator Santorum three more.

So, very early in the delegate chase. But, Wolf, psychologically, you mentioned the CPAC straw poll. Now, with this Maine victory, Governor Romney ends on an upbeat note a week that had been perhaps up until today, the worst of his campaign.

BLITZER: Yes, he needed it. He needed these wins and he got these two wins, CPAC straw poll, Maine caucuses -- important stuff for Mitt Romney going ahead.

Don, the next major event in all of this, February 22nd in Arizona. Guess what it is? The CNN Republican debate. We're all heading out to Phoenix for that.

LEMON: Looking forward to that. Thank you, Wolf. Thank you, John King.

And as both of you guys just referenced, Mitt Romney picked up another victory today when he won the CPAC presidential straw poll in Washington. It's nonbinding, but it shows where conservative activists stand in this race. Romney finished with 38 percent. Rick Santorum was second with 31 percent. And they were followed by Newt Gingrich with 15 percent and Ron Paul with 12 percent.

And right after those results were announced, Sarah Palin took to the stage to deliver the closing remarks at the conference. She spent most of her speech criticizing President Obama. But she also made a few remarks some people interpreted as a reference to Mitt Romney. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SARAH PALIN (R), FORMER ALASKA GOVERNOR: Our candidate must be someone who can instinctively turn right to constitutional conservative principles. It's too late in the game to teach it or spin it at this point. It's either there or it isn't.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Sarah Palin, by the way, has not endorsed anyone.

Mitt Romney spent a lot of time in his CPAC speech Friday to promoting his conservative credentials. And tonight, he tweeted that he is honored to have won that straw poll.

Which is a bigger win for Mitt Romney, CPAC or the Maine caucuses? We're talking to her expert political panel in less than three minutes.

And a little bit later on, a troubling trend that's making headlines. Moms drunk behind the wheel with their children strapped in the backseat. We're taking a closer look.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: If you have been watching CNN, you know it's a good day for Mitt Romney after a string of embarrassing losses on Tuesday. In a span of about two hours, Romney won the straw poll at CPAC and won the Maine caucuses as well. Both victories come at just the right time for the front runner who once again found his status challenged over the past week. We're going to bring in now our chief political analyst, Ms. Gloria Borger, and then CNN contributor and Democratic strategist, Ms. Donna Brazile, and CNN contributor -- and I have to say this because miss to the ladies -- Mr. David Frum. We don't want to be sexist here, right? We want to treat everyone equally.

DONNA BRAZILE, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: That's right.

LEMON: Right?

So, Gloria, what's the bigger victory for Romney here? Is it CPAC or is it Maine?

GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: I think it's probably Maine but he is really happy he won CPAC. Look, with Maine, he'll pick up some delegates. And it would have been really, really embarrassing for him if he would have lost this to Ron Paul.

He was supposed to have today off, Don, but he had attended a couple of caucuses in Maine and was in Portland on Friday night. He knew he had to win this. And after the trifecta that he lost last week. So, he just had to do it.

Now, if he would have lost CPAC, that also would have been an embarrassment. But that would have been easier to talk down, saying, you know what? Too many ultra conservatives there.

LEMON: I was -- I think it was you guys. I was watching and I'm not sure where, Donna, and they were counting the number of times that Mitt Romney said conservative in his speech as if to reinforce, putting on some armor there.

What did Romney do at CPAC, Donna, to win over those conservatives who had essentially been in doubts about him?

BRAZILE: He out-organized his opponent. He brought in his surrogates to insure that they would talk up his campaign. He basically labeled himself as severely conservative. And I hope David can explain what that means.

But, look, this was a major -- this was a big victory. It was a small victory in terms it was narrow. CPAC was a narrow victory over Santorum and this was a very narrow victory over Ron Paul.

But what Mitt Romney needed tonight was to show that he can win, that he could, you know, regain his status as the front runner in this race. He has to win Arizona or Michigan.

And let me just say this -- if he loses Michigan, a state where he was born, a state where his father, of course, was governor, a popular governor, I'm telling you, Mitt Romney will run into deep trouble, you know, accumulating the delegates.

But there's one last point. Mitt Romney in 2008 won with 51 percent of the vote; tonight 39 percent of the vote. He had less people voting for him in 2012 than voted for him in 2008. LEMON: All right.

BRAZILE: That should worry him.

LEMON: So, David, listen, before -- as you are thinking about your definition of severely conservative here, let's -- I want to ask you about something else and then we can talk about that as well. Ron Paul did pretty well in Maine, losing to Romney by less than 200 votes. You heard his interview there with Wolf Blitzer.

But here's what he said just a few minutes ago, more of what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. RON PAUL (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's like we could call it a tie. But anyway, the votes will be counted. All the caucuses will meet.

But I do want to make a prediction -- if I were a betting man, and I don't have $10,000 to bet. If I were a betting man I would bet that we will control the Maine caucus when we go to Tampa.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: That was -- that was good, that little dig, the $10,000 one. Listen, he is counting this as a win. Is he -- is he right?

DAVID FRUM, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: He reminds me of Jerry Seinfeld's joke about winning the silver medals at the Olympics. Congratulations of all the guys who lost, you came first.

He lost. And this is his -- probably his best state and he lost. So, he remains a boutique candidate. He remains a marginal candidate. He's not a factor.

And the question -- the only question haunting Mitt Romney's win of the nomination is can conservatives at this very late hour somehow make up their mind to choose either Rick Santorum or Newt Gingrich as the alternative? And can they do it before it's all too late? And the answer to all of that seems to be breaking in Mitt Romney's favor.

LEMON: And, Gloria, I see you want to jump in here to talk about. Go ahead. I want to ask you about Rick Santorum.

BORGER: You know, to me, the irony is for Mitt Romney is that now he's got to hope that Newt Gingrich stays in, because if Newt Gingrich stays in and splits that conservative vote with Rick Santorum, he's got a better shot at you know winning a state like Arizona, for example, in which he's probably favored anyway because he is to the right of Newt Gingrich on immigration.

So, you know, lo and behold, you know, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. And suddenly, Newt Gingrich is Mitt Romney's friend if you want to look at it that way.

LEMON: So -- go ahead, Donna. Go ahead. BRAZILE: Well, as you know, there was some significant weather up there in Maine and I don't think it would have changed the result given the fact that Mitt Romney is a neighbor to the state of Maine.

Ron Paul was able to generate 994 more people to attend the caucuses for him than attended to caucus back in 2008. But the Republicans had perhaps more than 100 extra people who voted this time over 2008. But they still have an enthusiasm gap, 16 percent of the caucusgoers voted against Mitt Romney.

So, I don't believe Mitt Romney has been able to coalesce and get the conservative vote at this point. But this contest will become very interesting in the next couple weeks as we watch Arizona and Michigan.

LEMON: So, Gloria and David, I want you to weigh in on this but just real quickly. The bounce that Rick Santorum got this week from his wins in Minnesota and Missouri, Colorado, just a flash in the pan? First to David.

FRUM: I think he can't sustain a national campaign. I know he has the resources, I don't think he has the connections message. I think he's got a social message that is way too conservative even for the Republican Party, never mind the country.

I think this week's contraception debate that the Republicans stumbled into. The first day was a good day for them when we were talking about the liberties of the Roman Catholic Church. The second day when the debate expanded to cover contraception more broadly and Republicans are suggesting that it's inappropriate thing for any insurer to cover at all, which is what Rick Santorum said.

That is a debate that the Republicans don't want to have. But Rick Santorum insisted on having it. And that's going to rankle the Republican (INAUDIBLE) --

LEMON: I hate to do this. Gloria, I got 15 seconds.

BORGER: One thing I have learned in this campaign is there no such thing as a bounce. There's a lot of bouncing around so far in the Republican field, but nothing is guaranteed.

I think Santorum has a rough road ahead of him. But if he does well in the state of Michigan where he's making a real play, who knows?

LEMON: That's going to have to be the last of it.

Thank you very much, Gloria. Thank you, Donna. Thank you, David. Hey, safe travels to you. The weather is not great, right?

BORGER: That's right.

LEMON: Yes. All right, guys, take it easy.

BRAZILE: Thank you.

FRUM: Good night. LEMON: Rick Santorum is riding high on a string of victories that we've been talking about and campaign donations this week. But how far can the momentum carry him? You see that some of the panelists there were a bit pessimistic about it.

CNN's Candy Crowley will ask him Sunday morning on CNN's "STATE OF THE UNION," 9:00 a.m. Eastern.

The first lady taking time to answer your questions personally. Michelle Obama sat down with CNN and she let our iReporters fire away.

Here is one that a lot of you might be wondering about.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHAMMAD MEHDI, CNN IREPORTER: I'm Mohammad from (INAUDIBLE), north of Iraq. My question is how do you manage to be the first lady in the United States and a mother of two children and a wife to a husband all at once? Thanks.

MICHELLE OBAMA, U.S. FIRST LADY: Mohammad, thank you for that question.

You know, it's a balancing act -- trying to be first lady, a mom, a wife, a daughter. But I don't think that my balancing is any different from anyone else's out there. I know that there are a lot of parents who are juggling in the same way that Barack and I juggle. We just do it in a more high profile way.

But I think the key first and foremost is making sure that I'm healthy because I found if I'm at my best, if I'm feeling good, if I'm in good spirits, then everything else I do from being first lay to being Malia and Sasha's mom, I do with the a level of energy and authenticity that often works.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: And be sure to check out CNN.com on Monday to watch the full interview with First Lady Michelle Obama and hear her personal fitness challenge for CNN iReporters. Good stuff.

Next, it's a plan that could trim the welfare rolls, testing applicants for drugs before approving them. But it's sparking a big debate. We'll look at it, straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: If you have a drug felony on your record and you're on public assistance, you may have to pass a drug test to get welfare money in Pennsylvania. Is it a violation of privacy or taxpayer protection?

CNN's Susan Candiotti has more on this controversial program.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Gil G. has done time for drugs. He sold them and use heroin. So did Michele B, a mother of three. She's been in and out of jail. And Bobby P, a single dad who did time for dealing coke, relapsed after 20 years on the wagon.

All three are recovering addicts in treatment. When they get out, they face random drug tests in order to receive welfare.

It's Pennsylvania's new pilot program and the state is starting small. In Schuylkill County, population, 150,000.

(on camera): Anyone with a felony drug conviction in the last five years or on probation can be randomly tested. If you fail but complete a drug treatment program, you get a second chance. If you fail a second time, you lose welfare benefits for one year. But if you fail a third time, you'll never get benefits again.

(voice-over): State Senator David Argall says his constituents applaud the program.

DAVID ARGALL (R), PENNSYLVANIA STATE SENATE: The last thing they want to do with tax dollars is to pay for welfare benefits for people to buy their own illegal drugs. I mean, to them, that's just crazy.

CANDIOTTI: Unlike Florida, where courts stepped in to stop a law requiring everyone on welfare to take the drug tests, Pennsylvania thinks its law which only test drug felons will stick.

ARGALL: We believe that as long as we isolate the law only to apply to people with previous drug felonies, we believe the law will hold up in the courts.

CANDIOTTI: Alan Jennings runs a community outreach program. He says the drug tests are wrong, especially at a time when the treatment programs are being cut 20 percent.

ALAN JENNINGS, EXEC. DIR., COMMUNITY ACTION COMMITTEE: There is a lot of ignorance and a lot of meanness out there. There's not a lot of evidence that says a large amount of people on welfare are using drugs. This is a mean-spirited harassment of poor people.

CANDIOTTI: Bobby, in treatment for 90 days, says he knows where taxpayers are coming from, but he worries about drug users who might lose help.

BOBBY, RECOVERING ADDICT: Yes, they maybe push them over the edge farther.

GIL, RECOVERING ADDICT: From the moment that we realize that we have a problem the first thing we want to do the get help. How can we get help if you worry about three strikes and you're out?

CANDIOTTI: Michele says she is ready to prove herself.

MICHELE, RECOVERING ADDICT: On the other hand, I'm having to prove to everybody. So, like, you should already believe me that like I am clean. CANDIOTTI: If the drug testing program isn't cost-effective, the state says they'll drop it. For now, the main goal for Michelle, Bobby and Gil is to stay clean with or without a welfare check.

Susan Candiotti, CNN, Pottsville, Pennsylvania.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: All right. Susan, thank you.

So, Jacqui, I was riding high, excited with the warm temperatures. And then what happened?

JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Arctic cold front, my friend.

LEMON: Brrr.

JERAS: I know. You know, it's affecting everybody, too. We've got snow that's been coming down heavy today, causing lots of problems.

So, take a look at this video, Don. This is out of Indiana and this is lake effect snow. The winds have been so strong with this system, creating near zero visibility at times and you get in some of these bursts of these heavier bands of the lake effect snow and it makes it really just impossible to travel. They've been seeing this in Indiana. They've been seeing this in parts of Ohio and West Virginia and even moving into parts of Pennsylvania at this time as well, being very, very heavy.

And, of course, we're also watching that snow in parts of Maine impacting conditions there, just really the extreme northeastern part of that state.

So, behind this thing, of course, is that cold arctic air. And it really has been the big plunge so to speak for everybody, pretty much east of the Rockies, the temperatures finally where they should be for this time of the year, in fact, even a little below average, especially in the plains here. Low temperatures on the thermometers tonight down in the teens. However, the winds are still gusting. So, you could probably take maybe about five degrees from what the thermometer says and that's what it's going to be feeling like compared to your body.

In fact, even places like Tampa down to 36 tonight. There is a wind chill advisory for Disney World in Orlando. They're going to be waking up and it's going to be feeling like mid-20s to mid-30s.

We are also keeping our eye on this little swirl out here. It doesn't amount to much just kind of looking it on the satellite picture. But as it heads towards the east, moves through the four corners, we're going to start to get some moisture in there and that's going to be bring some heavy snows.

So, this is really starting mostly a tomorrow event and likely continuing into your Monday. The winter storm warnings and advisories have already been posted. It will be heavier in parts of Colorado and the San Juans, maybe nine to 16 inches of snowfall. So, skiers like it, good for them for the weekend, but it is going to be tricky for travel for a lot of people across in the Southwest tomorrow.

So, the Northeast is getting better, though. Staying cold.

LEMON: I'm not happy about it.

JERAS: Staying cold. It's winter. February, this is normal.

LEMON: Yes.

JERASS: We've changed our standards a little bit, you know. We really have.

LEMON: Thank you, Jacqui.

JERAS: Sure.

LEMON: All right. Thank you.

Half past the hour right now. I want to take a look at your headlines.

First off the violence raging in Syria claimed 46 lives today. Fourteen victims were in Homs, a city pounded by Syrian security forces. Saudi Arabia is preparing a United Nations General Assembly resolution condemning the violence. But that would do little to pressure Damascus to end its crackdown. Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon have registered 20,000 refugees fleeing the bloodshed.

An American student is in Egyptian police custody tonight accused of paying Egyptians to join angry protests against the government. American Derek Ludivici and an Australian journalist were detained with their translater. One police chief said the three plotted their efforts over the internet. And the rest comes as Egyptians were marking one year since their protests forced President Hosni Mubarak to step aside.

Atlanta police say they have arrested one of three men who were videotaped beating a gay man on the street and shouting gay slurs. Eighteen year old Christopher Cain is charged with aggravated assault and robbery. A warning now, we are about to show you a tape of the beating. And you may find it very disturbing. But it's reality. Police say they know who the attackers are on in this video. An arrest should happen soon. Atlanta's mayor has offered a $10,000 reward in this case.

A close win for Mitt Romney today in Maine's Republican caucuses. Romney got 39 percent of the vote to Ron Paul's 36 percent. Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich mostly ignored the contest. Afterwards Ron Paul pointed out that he lost Maine by less than 200 votes and he vowed to continue his campaign.

Country legend Glenn Campbell has had his share of battles, drug and alcohol addiction, not to mention battles within the music industry itself. Now, as he is being honored this weekend at the Grammy Awards, a lifetime achievement award he is going to get. Our Michelle Turner looks at Campbell's biggest personal battle.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

MICHELLE TURNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over: Last Summer Glenn Campbell made a stunning announcement.

GLEN CAMPBELL, SINGER: What they diagnosis me as?

TURNER (on camera): Alzheimer's?

CAMPBELL: Alzheimer's. What is Alzheimer's?

TURNER: You start losing your memory. And your ability to reason.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

TURNER (voice-over): This isn't Campbell's first bump on the road. He has weathered career ups and downs and successfully battled drug and alcohol addiction.

CAMPBELL: I was forgiven for being a dummy. Literally.

TURNER: But now after five decades as a music icon, the 75-year-old entertainer says he is calling it a day.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

TURNER: In August Campbell released his final album "Ghost on a Canvas." Now he is in the midst of his farewell tour with (INAUDIBLE) that features three of his kids including daughter, Ashley.

ASHLEY CAMPBELL, GLEN'S DAUGHTER: He looks at me sometimes confused and I just smile at him. I try to make him feel like he is surrounded by people that love him on stage.

CAMPBELL: I'm a lineman for the county ...

TURNER: The recording academy is honoring him with a lifetime achievement award and he will be performing at the 54th Grammy telecast.

CAMPBELL: I'm flattered. I really am. All I wanted to do ever since I can remember was play my guitar and sing.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

CAMPBELL: Yes. Don't cry over spilled milk. Get up and be a man and do what you got to do.

TURNER: Michelle Turner, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: And up next on CNN, two little boys their lives already torn apart when their mother vanishes, murdered by their father who was the only suspect in his wife's disappearance. We are taking a close look at what led Josh Powell to kill his own children and take his own life.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Tragedy unfolded in Washington state this week. In a story that began more than two years ago. Josh Powell, the lone suspect in his wife, Susan's disappearance is at the center of it all. He is accused of igniting an explosion in his Graham, Washington home killing himself and his two young boys. I spoke with human behavior expert, Dr. Wendy Walsh, criminal defense attorney Holly Hughes and KIRO reported Kevin McCarty about the case.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Kevin, I'm going to start with you. You are outside the church where funeral services just ended for the two boys. Give us a sense of how the community is reacting now.

KEVIN MCCARTY, KIRO REPORTER: Well obviously the community reaction was great, Don. The funeral service was actually moved to this church the life center in Tacoma from near the Cox family home in Puyallap because of the outpouring of people who wanted to be here. This is - what you might refer to as a mega church. It can hold about 1,800 people in the main sanctuary and a couple hundred more in over flow rooms. We are told a little more than 2,000 people attended the service as well as people who just came to be near the church.

This has really struck a chord in this community. People have been watching this case, watching the custody battle between Josh Powell and the Coxes for several months. They have gotten to know the Powell boys especially in the last week with a lot of photographs coming out. A lot more people talking about them now that they've passed and there has really been an outpouring of grief and sadness in this community that something like this happened. Also, a lot of questions about how this was allowed to happen. What could more have been done. So people came here today to say good-bye to these boys and remember them for their cheerful, energetic and fun kids they were.

LEMON: All right. Kevin, standby. ABC spoke to Elizabeth Griffin- Hall, the social worker who was bringing the boys over for their supervised visitation. I want you to listen to this.

ELIZABETH GRIFFIN HALL, SOCIAL WORKER: There were no indicators. I never saw any suicidal indicators from him. I never saw anything other than tender loving care towards the boys. He didn't look like a monster. He didn't look like somebody who is going to kill his children.

LEMON: So Holly, why would Powell be allowed to have supervised visitation in his home and not in a public place?

HOLLY HUGHES, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Because somebody dropped the ball, quite frankly, Don. It depends on the state. It depends on local procedures for the division of child and family services in that state. Unfortunately, I know here in Georgia when we have a custody case and there is a supervised visitation. It is at a center that is supervised. There is security. You got to go through a metal detector. Because if the court has already determined that you need be to be supervised with your own children there is a problem.

LEMON: Right.

HUGHES: So why they would let them go out to the house is beyond me. And I think we are going to see new legislation popping up after this tragedy.

LEMON: You believe that someone dropped the ball. Wendy, was this all a game to Josh to winning his kids back here? You think?

WENDY WALSH, HUMAN BEHAVIOR EXPERT: I don't know that it was a game. But what it was certainly is he knew the gig was up at this point. You know, there have been reports that he was going to have to undergo a psychosexual assessment. The reports that the kids were talking that mom had been in the trunk. He knew that the jig was up and they wagons were circling around him and you know, it seems like this was his thought as a way out.

LEMON: So sad. Kevin, we know Josh was in an ongoing custody battle as we have been talking about here. But there were a lot of warning signs weren't there?

MCCARTY: There were warning signs especially at the last custody hearing, Don, on February 1st. Previous to this there was of course no criminal record involving Josh. He was a person of interest in his wife's disappearance but after that point there were no signs of abuse until his father, Steven Powell, was arrested on child pornography and voyeurism charges.

Josh, it seemed was separated from all that but on February 1st, during the custody hearing, the state attorney general's office here in Washington revealed for the first time that pornography had been found on Josh Powell's computer that was seized back in 2009. It was described as very realistic looking animation that depicted scenes of an incestuous nature and child pornography. The court was made aware of that and at the time Powell was ordered to undergo a psychosexual evaluation and take a lie detector test.

The move by the state to stop these visitations all together was denied by the court. They decided that supervised visits would go on. Because Josh had done everything that the court asked him to do after that point. And of course, four days later, this happened. So obviously Josh Powell saw that this was the end of all that. Once those tests were taken and once he took that lie detector test and had that evaluation that he may very be found out and it cost the boys their lives.

LEMON: Yes, agree. You know, Kevin with Wendy - Wendy, with what you just said "The gig was up." He knew this was the last resort. It makes you wonder though back and forth of this custody battled if he may viewed his kid as possessions, Wendy. WALSH: Not just possessions but extensions of himself would be my bet. I read a report saying that his brother-in-law referred to him as a narcissist. We know he has never been diagnosed with anything but if he had a narcissistic personality disorder he doesn't see his kids as separate beings with separate feelings. They are just extensions of him and his ego.

LEMON: Holly, talk to me, because you mentioned that there may be some, that there may be more legislation. You heard Kevin say, you know, this was found on his computer and that was found on the computer, you know, the case and all of this. What type of legislation? What type of changes might be put into effect because of this?

HUGHES: What we need to do is step up and start protecting our children. So when you go into court and you ask your expert, your child social worker, your division of child services, do you think visitation should continue and they say no and you still give the children over something needs to be done about that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Thanks to my guests.

Next up a troubling trend that's making headlines. Moms drunk behind the wheel with their children strapped in the backseat. We're taking a closer look, three minutes away.

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LEMON: In Georgia, 41-year-old Emily Lee is accused of driving drunk with two kids in the car. Incredibly, Lee is one of six Georgia moms including 34-year-old Ashley Shields charged with DUI while kids were in the car in just the past month. In Southern California Karen Honeycutt just got 19 years in prison for driving drunk in a crash that killed her nine-year-old daughter, Chloe. Her blood alcohol content was nearly three times the legal limit.

The CDC says more than 550 children die each year in drunk driving crashes. Two thirds of them were in the car of the drunk driver. And for children under the age of 15, DUI crashes are the third leading cause of deaths in kids under 15. Psychologist Wendy Walsh and legal analyst Holly Hughes are back. They are joined by Barry Martin, Georgia's director for Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Thank you all for joining us. First I'll go to Wendy. Wendy, what in the world is going on here? As I read the introduction and all those statistics?

WALSH: Well, you know, it seems it's real easy to point fingers and blame moms and put it all on individual responsibility and definitely some blame needs to go there. But I think we have to look at societal and cultural things. There are a lot of pressures on moms right now. We are medicating womanhood whether its PMS or post partum or menopause. One-third of American women are on a psychotropic medication. Mixed that with a little alcohol and see what we're talking about, Don. So I'm a little concerned about everything that's happening where women are pressured to be the providers, the protectors, the nurturers and oh yes, look hot like a Victoria Secret super model. Not to say we shouldn't blame the individuals but we have to look at all the factors in all these kinds of cases.

LEMON: All right. Holly, you heard what the doctor said. You know, people are medicated a lot and all of those factors. But what about stronger legislation about DUIs? Would that help? Would that help moms? Would that help kids or would that change anything?

HUGHES: Well, it just depends, Don. Because what it will definitely help with is the punishment aspect. Because if you get stronger legislation and say for instance, make driving drunk with your children in the car a felony instead of a misdemeanor, you are no longer looking at a possible 364 days in the county jail. You are now going to big-boy court, OK. If you can be sentenced to prison. So if those type of people who are drinking and driving are the same type of people who would be deterred by other laws. You know, they are good citizens and they're thinking "Wow, I don't want to risk that" and then absolutely it will the make a difference. But if it doesn't you give them on the back end by making them pay a greater price for endangering their children's lives.

LEMON: I see Barry. Barry, you are shaking your head up and down as Holly is talking. Do you think - I think many moms are going I just had a couple of glasses of wine to relax or what have you but you are agreeing with what she says.

BARRY MARTIN, MOTHERS AGAINST DRUNK DRIVING: Yes, I think there is a misconception out there that folks who are caught driving drunk had one too many. The facts don't bear that out. It takes four or five drinks in a two hour period for you to hit that legal limit. And so you have had plenty of time to consciously consider your options. Your best option if you are going to be driving are simply don't drive.

LEMON: So what about organizations, Barry, like M.A.D.D., what are they offering? Are they offering rides? I know that, you know, tipsy taxi and all of those things?

MARTIN: We're not in the business of designated drivers but we do offer quite victim services. We have in fact a every child deserves a designated driver kit that anyone can pick up from a M.A.D.D. office. Call 1-800-madd-help and we can get this to you. If you're struggling with this issue. If you have relatives who are struggling with this issue, we can help you get the resources you need to try and intervene.

LEMON: When a mom gets to court you have seen it.

HUGHES: Yes.

LEMON: What happens? For the moms who are watching out there. And as I said, just have one with my kid. It's not a big deal.

HUGHES: Right.

LEMON: What happens when they get in court? HUGHES: They're going to tell you - they might put a lock on your car. You are going to lose your license. You know, so I understand there is a lot of pressure but that doesn't mean you get to load your children who have no option and no choice in the matter into a loaded missile basically because think about this Dom, when you're drunk driving on the road, the other driver sees you coming, they might have a chance to take evasive action.

When you are the 18-month-old strapped in the baby seat in the back of your drunk mother's car, you can't take evasive action. You are going down. And actually Shields, the one that we mentioned at the top of the program here, they had to take her 18-month-old out with the jaws of life.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: My thanks to Holly Hughes, Wendy Walsh and from Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Barry Martin. You can get tips on your way to how to combat drunk driving at MADD'S Web site. Go to madd.org. Again, it's madd.org.

Up next, meet the first CNN hero of 2012. He's sober, he's having fun and inspiring others to do the same.

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LEMON: Tonight, we're honoring the first CNN hero of 2012, an every day person changing the world. His name is Scott Strode. After beating his addiction to drugs and alcohol, he used sports to fill the void that they left behind. And what worked for Scott is helping hundreds of others stay sober while experiencing a healthy high.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT STRODE, COMMUNITY CRUSADER: I get on my bike and go ride up in the mountains. It really just brings peace. And 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 and I lost my group of friends because they were still out drinking and using, I got into boxing, triathlon, climbing. I had this new group of friends. I had 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.

Welcome to Friday night climbing. It's good to see all of you here.

(INAUDIBLE) we offer about 50 events a week. All the programs are free to anybody that has 48 hours sober.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Looking good, Zach!

STRODE: You see that you're capable of whatever you put your mind to. We have this common connection. So it's easy to make new friends.

We do bike rides, hiking, triathlon training, strength training. It really is just 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.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Roll it over, drill it in there.

Going out biking and going boxing, hitting the bag really fills the void. It's the best sport I can imagine having.

STRODE: We're having fun and we're proud of being sober. So come out and go climbing with us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Nice guys. Keep it up. Keep it up. Remember, CNN heroes are all chosen from people you tell us about. To nominate someone making a difference in their community, go to cnnheroes.com.

Got some top stories for you here on CNN. The violence raging in Syria has claimed 46 lives today, just today. Fourteen 14 victims were in Homs, a city pounded by Syrian security forces. Saudi Arabia is preparing a United Nations General Assembly resolution condemning the violence.

A close win for Mitt Romney today in Maine' presidential caucuses. Romney He got 39 percent of the vote to Ron Paul's 36 percent. Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich, mostly ignored the contest. So now you know. I'm Don Lemon of the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.

I'm going to see you back here at 10 p.m. Eastern. I'm sure you're going to join me because it's cold all over the nation and you want to be watching us. Next, black entrepreneurs who are risking every thing to become the next big thing.

Soledad O'Brien hosts "BLACK IN AMERICA: THE NEW PROMISED LAND SILICON VALLEY." It begins right now.

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