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Santorum On Offensive Against Obama; Romney Courts Voters In Home State; Greek Bailout Helping U.S. Stocks; Dow Could Hit 13,000 Today; $173 Billion Bailout For Greece; "Friends Of Syria" Conference Friday; Four Priests, Teacher Go On Trial; It's Mardis Gras; Jeremy Lin, Race In Sports; Gas Prices Soaring; Opposition: 25 Killed In Syria

Aired February 21, 2012 - 10:00   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: And it's the top of the hour. Good morning, everyone. Thanks so much for joining us.

We're talking about Rick Santorum taking the lead in a new GOP poll and taking on the President. While, Mitt Romney going deep in his campaign coffers to win over voters and win back momentum.

Joe Johns is with the Romney campaign, we'll go to him shortly. But first, CNN political editor, Paul Steinhauser, joining us. So what is Santorum saying about the President?

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: A lot of things. Rick Santorum is talking a lot about the President lately, Kyra and that's the change. If you go back a couple weeks ago, Rick Santorum was talking more about his rivals for the Republican presidential nomination. But you know, since he surged in the poll, he's now directing a lot of his fire power at the President.

Here's a little taste of what he said over the last couple days.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICK SANTORUM (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Yes, I mean, he's a nice guy. It won't be near as bad as what we think. You know, this will be OK. Yes, maybe he's not the best guy after a while you found out some things about this guy over in Europe. He's not so good of a guy after all.

It's not about your jobs, it's about some phony ideal, some phony theology. Not a theology based on the bible, different theology, no less a theology. I referred to global warming as climate science, but political science.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEINHAUSER: Kyra, here is what happens when you rise to frontrunner status, everything you say comes under the microscope and it's dissected.

Well, Rick Santorum has now to explain a lot of what he has said and those comments just there, A, he did not -- yesterday, he has to explain that he was not comparing President Barack Obama to Adolf Hitler from Nazi Germany.

B, the other day he had to say no, he wasn't questioning whether President Barack Obama is a Christian. Of course, he is a Christian. He also had kind to explain some of those comments on birth control, contraception and pre-natal testing.

Listen, Rick Santorum will be right here in Arizona later today campaigning. Remember, the primary here in Michigan just one week away. Of course, Rick Santorum and the three other Republican presidential candidates will be right here at our debate tomorrow -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: What is your take? I mean, are Santorum's comments resonating with the voters?

STEINHAUSER: Well, it seems so, at least among Republicans. Take a look this. This is the latest daily draft tracking poll from Gallup, Republicans nationwide.

There's Rick Santorum now, 10 points ahead of Mitt Romney. That is the largest lead he's had in this poll, but sometimes those national polls are lagging indicators of Santorum's peak.

You wouldn't see right away the national polls. Go to the next screen, this is also interesting. Who has the best chance though of beating President Obama in November? Well, Republicans think definitely Mitt Romney rather than Rick Santorum -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Paul Steinhauser, thanks so much.

Mitt Romney may be losing steam in some polls, but he's still courting voters and burning through tons of cash to do it. Joe Johns is in Shelby Township, Michigan where Romney is going to speak an hour from now.

So Joe, Michigan is Romney's home state, how can he keep it going -- you got some serious weather there. Don't worry we can see you a clear picture. Let's talk Romney -- little cold out there.

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: That's right, a mini-blizzard I think you would call it, Kyra. Look, the fact of the matter is snow or no-snow, the bottom line with Romney is he's not taking anything for granted.

He's also not conceding anything. This happens to be Shelby Township, Michigan, which is by the way the very same place where Rick Santorum appeared last Friday, just a couple miles away from here.

Mitt Romney expected to appear here in just a little while. He has been very aggressive here in Michigan, and also in the buckeye state of Ohio, we saw him in Cincinnati just last night.

He was taking on Rick Santorum and his votes in the United States Senate. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He voted five times to raise the debt ceiling, without getting compensating cuts in spending. During his time in the Senate only two terms, the size of the federal government grew 80 percent. When Republicans go to Washington and spend like Democrats, you will have a lot of spending.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNS: Now by the way, both Romney and Rick Santorum are taking fire, this very morning from the Obama re-elect, they say their plans to cut taxes would increase the U.S. deficit dramatically -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, well, let's talk about Mitt Romney and his cash. Burning through lots of it now, spending nearly three times what his campaign actually raised in January, right?

JOHNS: Yes, yes, just tremendous numbers there. Something like $19 million spent by the campaign. They are still in the black though because they had a lot of cash on hand, and they raised about $6.5 million.

So the one thing you can say is when you go through sort of a protracted nomination fight in the Republican Party, a lot of money is going to get spent and Mitt Romney has a lot of money to spend by the way.

Other thing I think you have to say, too, is that "Super PAC," the pro-Romney "Super PAC," which is helping him a lot is also spending a lot of money on his behalf on television ads, many of them negative.

PHILLIPS: Joe Johns, thanks so much.

All four major candidates face-off in the Arizona Republican presidential debate, you can watch it here on CNN tomorrow night, 8:00 Eastern. It's the last debate before Super Tuesday, March 6th, and could be the last debate of the Republican campaign.

All eyes on the Dow this morning, which is hovering near 13,000 for the first time in four years. All because of this deal to provide Greece with $173 billion in financing. Alison Kosik with more from the New York Stock Exchange -- Alison.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra. So stocks actually out of the gate this morning when the opening bell rang, we saw stocks moved higher quite a bit.

They pulled back quite a bit as well. Now you see the Dow right now is flat. So we aren't well on our way to 13,000, but sure we are getting close to that psychological milestone that we haven't seen since May of 2008.

Now when you think of the Dow, think of it as an average of the stock prices of 30 of America's biggest companies because it's not one particular area of the economy that the Dow represents, but it represents all sectors.

And all sectors look like they had a pretty good year so far, in fact, if you look at best performers so far this year, Bank of America doing very well after being the worst performer of 2011.

Caterpillar as well, Microsoft, Alcoa, J.P. Morgan Chase also doing very well. Of the 30 stocks to the Dow, 23 actually are in positive territory for the year that is one of the reasons and big reasons why you're seeing the Dow approach that 13,000 level -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: And of course, you know, 13,000 that milestone will mean a lot to investors, a lot to us, bottom line our pocketbook.

KOSIK: Yes, I mean, if you were invested in the stock market, you'll see your portfolio, you know, move a little higher. You know, the way the traders see it, they see Dow 13,000, Kyra, as more of a news event, more of a news event than market event at this point.

Traders say you would actually be better off focusing on the S&P 500. It's a broader measure of the overall economy. In fact, it makes up about 80 percent of the market. You should, too, you should focus on the S&P 500 more.

Because chances are at least part of your retirement plan or your college savings plan is tied to the S&P 500. And the good news is that the S&P 500, Kyra, is actually outperformed the Dow so far this year. But still, we love the nice round numbers, 13,000. We're going to keep our eye on it for you -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Good. We'll keep talking. Thanks, Alison.

Well, the Greek bailout is one of the biggest stories making headlines around the world as well. Zain Verjee is following that for us out of London. Hi, Zain.

ZAIN VERJEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, there, Kyra. What do you get when you put European leaders into a room for 13 hours? Kyra, you get $173 billion in a deal to bail out Greece.

Now the newspapers all around the world have this as their major headline, one of the "International Herald Tribune" actually my favorite of the day. Just listen to how they put it.

It says, "Breaking Europe's vicious cycle." Now they say they are like drunks at a bar door. The Eurozone's governments and banks are leaning unsteadily on each other for support. The banks know that they have to sober up, but governments are urging them to have one more for the road.

Take a look at the Greek paper, the "Kathimerini" in English, it says, "Europe's common currency is more than money." From the moment the politicians and press of our partners and creditors painted the Greeks as a nation of frauds who live large at their expense.

We all forgot the problem was not only that of a country that it was over its head in debt and hugely dysfunctional, but also that of a unity that did not function with unity meaning the European Union.

Finally, "The Guardian" in Britain, it says, "Making a drachma out of a crisis." Rising share prizes and stronger euro suggests that financial markets are confident enough has been done to isolate Greece.

Policy makers by contrast have become more cautious about claiming success for them the events of the past two years have been as daunting as the labors of Hercules.

So the bottom line right now, Kyra, is that Greece doesn't kick out of the Eurozone. It stays, but they've got to do some pretty painful things over the next days and months. They have to seriously implement some painful austerity measures that will upset and hurt the Greek people.

VERJEE: We'll follow it. Zain, thanks so much.

With 25 people killed in Syria just today, victims' families are starting to ask, what is the world waiting for?

An opposition group says three children are among the dead after this heavy shelling of the city of Homs. On Friday representatives from several nations came together in Tunisia in the latest attempt to stop the violence.

But Russia, which has strong economic interests in Syria is not participating. One group that thrown itself in the middle of the conflict, the international Red Cross.

It's desperately trying to broker a ceasefire between the opposition and government so people can get the food and medical supplies that they need. Our Arwa Damon shows us how families hiding in a makeshift bunker are trying to survive.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARWA DAMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The men call out names. Carefully counting out and distributing baby diapers to families huddled in a bunker. Everything is rationed, including food, which is running short.

Sheik Aman (ph) who leads the humanitarian effort on Baba Amir tells us that in the last two weeks, nothing has come in the neighborhood. Some of what they've gathered comes from stocks in homes or salvaged from stores hit by artillery.

We take the products to distribute so they don't go to waste, Sheik Aman explains. We keep track of everything we took to reimburse the owners.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: The opposition says about 9,000 people have been killed in the nearly year-long crack down. Gas prices are ready pushing past $4 a gallon in some cities, we'll take a look what is behind that spike and the prices could keep rising.

Jeremy Lin has taken the NBA by storm, but there is also controversy surrounding race and the rookie. We're going to talk about it see if you agree, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Checking stories across the country, in Philadelphia, jury selection begins today in the case of four priests and a Catholic school teacher accused of raping and assaulting boys.

On top of that, the church supervisor is charged with covering the whole thing up. Prosecutors say the outcome of the trial could change the way the U.S. justice system deals with other alleged cases.

Hail pelts cars and roads in Wichita, Kansas. Folks from Oklahoma and Nebraska getting hammered by huge line of nasty storms, strong winds, damaged roofs and uprooted several trees, which fell on power lines.

And toss the beads. Grab your hurricane. It's Mardi Gras, folks, fat Tuesday, looking at the pictures from New Orleans a few minutes ago. It's going to get pretty lively there. We'll look at the celebrations all around the world as the day goes on.

All right, Linsanity, Linspiration, you have to love all the love for Jeremy Lin, his personal story, his faith, his play on the court, his slump to stardom, we are embracing the all American dream here.

Well, almost everyone is. Boxer, Floyd Mayweather tweeted this, quote, "Jeremy Lin is a good player, but all the hype is because he's Asian. Black players do what he does every night and they don't get the same praise."

Lin's hype is racial? Black players don't get same the praise? You know I have to talk about this with hip hop public intellectual, Marc Lamont Hill. Professor, you were pretty angry with Mayweather about this tweet, why?

PROFESSOR MARC LAMONT HILL, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY: I was frustrated with Floyd. I love Floyd Mayweather, but he had this completely wrong. First of all, black players don't do this every night.

Nobody does this every night. Over his first six starts, Jeremy Lin set NBA scoring records, him Alan Iverson, Shaq, I mean, Will Chamberlain didn't do this in his first six games.

So the numbers speak for themselves, his talent speaks for himself. People are not hyping him just because he's Asian, the guy can ball. Now that's not to say there are racial dimensions to this. But he's definitely talented and no one does this every night.

PHILLIPS: I mean, he's the ultimate story of possibility. I mean, you pointed that out.

HILL: Yes, I mean, this guy didn't get drafted. He was playing in the D-league. You know, worst than that, he was playing for the Golden State Warriors. He was sitting on the end of a very bad New York Knicks bench.

You know, he was somebody who wasn't expected to succeed. He went to Harvard, which doesn't -- isn't exactly known for producing NBA players. I mean, this is somebody who doesn't have the pedigree for a basketball that you would expect for a starter on the New York Knicks.

And yet somehow he made it. This is a guy that people thought was the trainer when he walked into Madison Square Garden and now scoring 38 on Kobe Bryant. That is the greatest story ever.

PHILLIPS: So let me ask you then, you know, we hear like Linsanity, right? That's the main thing that we hear anyway. It is an awesome compliment, but Marc, we have seen Jackie Chan of basketball, air dumpling, fortune rookie, I mean, are we really that ignorant?

HILL: Some people are. I think first of all, people still have the sense of bewilderment and surprise that this guy can play basketball. I think that's the problem and I think -- then the racial slurs, like what we saw with ESPN --

PHILLIPS: Marc, why is that a problem? Why is it a problem that an Asian can play basketball?

HILL: We don't have a script for it. We have scripts for what black men can do. We have scripts for what white women can do. We have scripts of what Asian men can do. This guy won a spelling bee or built a plane, no one would be surprised.

But we have scripts for basketball that say that black males are supposed to be dominating this sport and maybe really, really tall white guys and he challenges that script.

But what we also have to be careful not to do is make him so unique and special that we deny the everyday talents of black people. So I hear people for example say, Jeremy Lin studies film at halftime.

Every basketball player looks at film at halftime in the middle of the game. He's so smart. He knows how to read a pick and roll. So does Chris Paul. I mean, you know, throughout history, they've been black players who do this too. So we don't want to ignore the racial dimensions, but let's not reduce him to some caricature, you know, that's a problem.

PHILLIPS: And as you know, we all know there is so much, you know, talk and smack, right? Everybody going off on each other especially in the Twitter world so just honestly, Marc, Lin's character triumphs all here as well. Let's just listen to his response to the most recent racial slur.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JEREMY LIN, NEW YORK KNICKS: I have to learn to forgive and I don't even think that was intentional or hopefully not.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Learn to forgive, not intentional. What a classy kid. He's showing us more than just a great ball player here.

HILL: No, he's a good guy. He has great character. He's humble. He has swag to him now. He chest bumps and grabs his jersey, sticks out his tongue when he hits a three. Let's --

PHILLIPS: He's not an angel.

HILL: But he's a good guy and his handling this really well and I'm really proud. I'm excited to see this story is great for the league. It's great for the NBA and it's great for players everywhere.

PHILLIPS: Well, it's an entry discussion and it's been entry discussion among the Asian community as well. I mean, really neat to see how it has rallied that community. They have embraced a star within their culture for sure.

HILL: Absolutely. It's sad that the Knicks will lose to my Philadelphia 76ers at the end of the year, but it's a great story. I'm glad that the Asian community galvanized around him.

And again, he's an inspiration to young people, not just of the Asian community, but everywhere. He's a reminder of what is possible. He destroyed barriers. He breaks down barriers. He reminds us of what is possible. Again, I'm not trying to make a Disney story, but he's a great story.

PHILLIPS: Let's look at it for what it is. Marc Lamont Hill, thanks for weighing in.

HILL: My pleasure.

PHILLIPS: You bet. Feeling the pain at pumps, some Americans are already paying more than $4 a gallon to fill up. So why prices are going up, we're going to talk about it.

Plus, Rick Santorum endorsing his Republican rival Mitt Romney. That is a message some Michigan voters are hearing. So who is behind the fake robo call?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Trust me you're not the only one complaining about high gas prices we're all there. It won't get any better. Christine Romans, let's talk about how high it will go and how soon?

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: It's going to go higher and it's probably going to keep going higher, already above $4 a gallon, Kyra, in some spots. You know, if you're one of the states that tends to see a higher price because of your tax burden in your states, you're seeing it go up, Hawaii for example, in Chicago, probably in the northeast, you'll see higher oil gas prices continuing.

Here's why. Oil prices are moving up. Oil prices are up about almost 12 percent over the past year and oil prices affect everything. They affect your gasoline prices. They affect the transportation costs for companies and businesses that are trying to ship products.

They affect things like cost of making tires and all kind of petroleum by-products like chemicals or packaging costs, a lot of these things are petroleum by-products and it affects the raw materials used for manufacturing.

And also the cost of running a factory, heating a store all these things feed into energy costs. One of the worries is the higher oil prices will mean higher gas, energy price and that could cause some companies to put on hold their hiring plans, and slow the U.S. recovery so that is why we're watching it so, so closely, Kyra.

But you're watching gas move up here. I would tell everyone go to the fuel gauge report, fuelgaugereport.com at Triple A. Remember to do things like don't carry too much stuff in your trunk. Don't drive so fast and aggressively that costs more gas, by the way.

Car pool, all these little things you can take advantage of you because you're not going to be able to control the direction of gas and oil prices you can only control how you're driving. So there you go, but it's here for the time being, the higher gas prices are -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: OK, Christine, we'll keep monitoring it.

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels is getting pressured. A lot of people want him to jump in the Republican race. His response and our political buzz segment straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Checking top stories now. The Red Cross is trying to negotiate a ceasefire between the opposition and the Syrian government so it can deliver food aid. Opposition activists are reporting now at least 18 people have been killed in Homs including a baby.

Historic vote is underway in Yemen. The presidential election marks the end of Ali Abdullah Saleh's 33 year reign. The voters have only one choice on the ballot, Saleh's vice president who took over when protest forced Saleh from office.

And police have charged a 28-year-old man with the armed robbery of Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. The suspect turned himself in on the Caribbean Island of Nevis. Breyer was vacationing there when he and two family members were robbed at machete-point.

It's "Political Buzz" time, your rapid fire look at best topics of the day. Three questions, 30 seconds on the clock and playing today Democratic strategist Robert Zimmerman, founder and editor of Citizen Jane Politics, Patricia Murphy, Georgetown University Professor Chris Metzler.

First question, gang, despite the rumors, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels says he has no plans to run for president. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOVERNOR MITCH DANIELS, INDIANA: I really would not be interested. I would be interested if we get to that point, I would interested in finding someone who can present a really credible and winning alternative to where the nation is going right now. But I still think it's very unlikely, these things have a way of resolving themselves.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: All right, so he says no go, but could we really see someone coming in at the 11th hour, Robert?

ROBERT ZIMMERMAN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: You know, choosing delegates through proportional representation from the grassroots changes the dynamics entirely. I used to marvel as a Democrat watching the Republican conventions when the establishment shows the delegates, they sat there in ties and jackets, applauded on cue versus my party.

We do proportional delegates. Everyone is in t-shirts. Some of them are on yoga mats. I imagine the rest in group therapy, but the point simply is the delegates are chosen on the grassroots basis do not necessarily respond to the party leadership or the party establishment. That is what the Republicans will find out.

PHILLIPS: Chris?

CHRIS METZLER, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY: It's absolutely too late. Look, despite all the hype of folks saying someone else should jump in, that's not going to happen.

I'm kind of sick and tired of this waiting for Reagan game. Unlike a lot of folks we Republicans are actually very happy that this process is going out as long as it needs to go out.

Look, the people are going to decide. We don't need smoke fill rooms. We don't need hot yoga. We don't need any of that kind of stuff. What we need is for the grassroots folks to choose a candidate. Simple.

PHILLIPS: Patricia?

PATRICIA MURPHY, EDITOR AND FOUNDER, CITIZEN JANE POLITICS: I don't know where hot yoga came from.

ROBERT ZIMMERMAN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Hot yoga, baby.

PHILLIPS: Oh come on you know Metzler he always throws something in there.

MURPHY: Oh it's -- well actually I believe, I agree with both the guys today. There is -- I just don't see how this happens, there are so many reasons I don't think it's going to happen. First of all there are no party elders, there are no gray beards sitting on the side line who are going to come in and solve everybody's problems.

Also to Robert's point, this is not a party, and a lot like the Democrats, they grassroots activists don't want to be told what to do. I think once they get their person who manages to win over even just enough delegates, they're going to want to get behind him. They don't need people, they need the party leadership telling them what to do. It didn't work in 2010.

PHILLIPS: All right, here's a headline, Rick Santorum endorsing Mitt Romney. Ok this was Laura Ingraham's show in 2008 but take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICK SANTORUM (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If you're a conservative there really is only one place to go right now. I would even argue further than that. If you're a Republican, if you're Republican and -- and -- and in the broadest sense, there is only one place to go right now and that's -- and that's Mitt Romney.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Ok, now of course this has been turned in a fake robo call, so here's my question. Will it have an impact on Romney's run at all? Patricia?

MURPHY: Well I think that what we're seeing when this negative campaigning starts up it depresses turnout, when turnout is depressed it actually helps Mitt Romney a little bit. So I think that it is going to -- it could certainly affect him in the short term it could even help him out if he can just depress the enthusiasm for all the other candidates that seems to be the way he's trying to get through the nomination.

I do think however it hurts him overall because he's looking like a Republican who is willing to take down anybody in his way, anything between him and the nomination. Policy it does not inspire people to follow you, to get in line, volunteer for you I don't think it will help him.

PHILLIPS: Robert?

ZIMMERMAN: You know there's a -- I think to Patricia's point, which I think is very important there's a big difference between beating your opponent and winning. And I think that's the Romney challenge here. There is no question these tactics obviously help suppress turnout, that benefits the candidate with the money and machine, which is Romney.

But I'll tell you it smacks of desperation, and it could also incite a lot of Santorum's supporters to come out and protest those tactics, too.

PHILLIPS: All right your "Buzzer Beater" 20 seconds on each guys. Letterman, Trump, Romney, need we say more?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID LETTERMAN, TALK SHOW HOST: So now Mitt Romney his home state they are having the primary and he's not doing well. Mitt Romney is not polling well in Michigan so he brings in Donald Trump to help him do better in Michigan. Donald Trump is the reason Mitt Romney's campaign is failing in the first place. It's crazy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: All right, so is it Letterman then that would help Romney more or do you have a better idea, Robert?

ZIMMERMAN: Look, not David Letterman nor the entire cast of "Saturday Night Live" is going to help Mitt Romney because he displays all the originality and comedic talent of carrot top and I think that alter, you don't even think I knew who carrot top was now did you.

PHILLIPS: Wow that's pretty hip, Zimmerman.

MURPHY: Yes.

PHILLIPS: Ok then again, I would love to hear carrot top's take on politics. That's a whole another side show. All right, Chris?

METZLER: No, you know here's the problem. The problem is barring a swag transplant, I don't think that there is anyone who can help Romney, although I do think perhaps if he invoked his inner Snoop Dogg that there, may be an opportunity for him to be helped.

Look, the problem is he's not connecting with anyone. He seems like the accidental candidate. Snoop Dogg that might help.

PHILLIPS: I kind like swag transplant, I'm going to use that somewhere. Patricia?

MURPHY: No Snoop Dogg, no Donald Trump, no David Letterman, Mitt Romney go undercover as a normal American for one week, shop at Target, eat at McDonald's, see what everybody else's lives are like I think that would help immeasurably. No more celebrities and just try to be normal.

PHILLIPS: Target, you're my kind of girl. Yes Robert.

ZIMMERMAN: Kyra -- Kyra, Kyra, I think the biggest problem Romney has especially with his record of pet care with dogs is not to channel Snoop Dogg I don't think it'll help.

METZLER: I'm not going touch that one.

PHILLIPS: Patricia, thoughts before we go?

MURPHY: I'm speechless. No.

PHILLIPS: Happy Tuesday. Happy fat Tuesday, guys.

MURPHY: Thank you.

METZLER: Take care guys.

ZIMMERMAN: Absolutely, happy fat Tuesday.

PHILLIPS: Steve Forbes favored Rick Perry for his openness to a flat tax, so now that he's gone from the race we're going to find out if he's ready to throw his weight behind someone else.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, A.J.'s favorite late night funny guy Stephen Colbert returned to his show last night on Comedy Central. A.J. Hammer, tell us why he was gone or so we kind of know.

A.J. HAMMER, HLN HOST, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": Yes, we're kind of figuring it out. But Kyra no one is ready to officially say exactly why my hero Stephen Colbert had to cancel a couple of his shows last week but the speculation was that his mother was sick, and while he didn't directly address those stories, he did send out a not-so-subtle message when he returned to his show last night. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHEN COLBERT, HOST, "THE COLBERT REPORT": Evidently having 11 children makes you tough as nails. Confidential to a lovely lady -- but now folks.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Yes so there you go Colbert the youngest of 11 children, I'm guessing this may be his only public statement about what happened, but he did spend some time last night Kyra assuring people that he didn't suddenly cancel his shows last because he was going to run for president or because he offended the Catholic Church or and it wasn't because he had a nose job. He did cop to having I believe a butt lift and his eyes done but no nose job.

PHILLIPS: You know what, we love a man who loves his mama, right? That what it comes down to, it's all good.

HAMMER: Yes.

PHILLIPS: I'm so glad he didn't have a nose job.

Good week for Lindsay Lohan --

(CROSSTALK)

HAMMER: And I'm not sure if it was a Brazilian butt lift by the way I just need to clear that up.

PHILLIPS: Oh my TMI. I don't even know what that is. A.J., you must tell me later.

Ok Lindsay Lohan --

HAMMER: All right.

PHILLIPS: Speaking of -- well she lands another TV gig, right?

HAMMER: Yes, if this does happen, this actually would be a terrific opportunity for Lindsay, she'll reportedly be playing Liz Taylor in a upcoming "Lifetime" movie.

Now the reports say that she already sign on for the part, her spokesperson tells "Showbiz Tonight" that she's still in talks for the role, nothing has been signed yet

This is a story that's actually been floating around for a while. And Lindsay is the only actress that I've heard about that has been associated with the part so I do think the producers want her for the role. It certainly will get them some buzz it already it.

And Lindsay seems to have an attachment to old Hollywood. So I think she would really want to take this part which would follow the relationship in the movie between Liz Taylor and Richard Burton. Lindsay does have another court appearance that's coming up, it is expected to go well for her and Lindsay is also going to be hosting "Saturday Night Live" a week from this Saturday.

So clearly again, she is trying to get herself back on track. I'm actually going to be speaking with her mom Dina, tomorrow night on "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT". So I'll be sure to get the very latest on exactly what's going on and if Dina believes we're going to be sitting here a year from now saying she's trying to get herself on track yet again. we wish her the best but it's starting to feel like a bit of a broken record.

PHILLIPS: Stay tuned. A.J. thanks.

And if you want all information on everything breaking in the entertainment world, A.J.'s got it. Every night "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" 11:00 Eastern on HLN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: In an election year politicians and pundits don't hesitate to tell us what they think is right for America. But what defines this in 2012? All this week, we're going in depth on "I am America" taking a look at how our country has changed, ethnically, religiously and economically.

And today the story of how black male teachers in this country have become almost extinct and for a role that is as much a mentor as educator, the situation is critical. CNN's George Howell profiles one teacher who says it's time for black men to step it up.

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GEORGE HOWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the heart of Anacostia, one of Washington D.C.'s toughest neighborhoods.

TERRIS KING, TEACHER, BISHOP JOHN T. WALKER SCHOOL: I'm not talking so you shouldn't be talking.

HOWELL: Teachers are sometimes the last line of defense for children.

KING: It's a G.

A lot of them don't have a man at their home. A lot of them don't have a man to go to, to talk to.

It's going to be hard guys, we have to focus.

For a lot of them I'm a big brother or a dad but --

HOWELL (on camera): A dad?

KING: For some of them. For some of them. Some they don't have a father figure at home, so when they get to school, for some of them I am that figure.

Can we find another chair?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

KING: Can you find another chair.

They need someone in their lives who is strong, they need an African-American male in their lives.

You can start on the second line.

HOWELL (voice-over): Terris King not only teaches the basics but also finds himself teaching life lessons to the kindergarteners here at Bishop Walker School for Boys, a school that serves just over 50 children from low income homes. Statistically King is what the Secretary of Education describes as a rarity in American classrooms.

ARNE DUNCAN, U.S. SECRETARY OF EDUCATION: About 17 percent of our children are public schools students across the nation African American, about seven percent of our teachers are African American so less, you know, very disproportionate.

But if you look just on the male side, less than 2 percent, less than 1 in 50 of our teachers is an African American male.

HOWELL (on camera): A few years back you launched this campaign to recruit more black male teachers. Has that been successful?

DUNCAN: Well, we have a long way to go but it is been encouraging. So I think again the goal is not to have a black male teacher. The goal is to have a great black male teacher or great Hispanic male teacher or great whatever teacher.

HOWELL (voice-over): To that end, Duncan says in his new budget the Department of Education will offer brand new incentives to encourage school districts to raise the pay scale for starting teachers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All of our information is on there. And there's a link that that says teacher training course.

HOWELL: As teacher himself, working to recruit graduates at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Brandon Gillespie believes more pay is only part of the solution.

BRANDON GILLESPI, TEACHER, SHADY HILL SCHOOL: Some are pretty hesitant based on the salary but at the end of the day salary shouldn't be one of the hugest factors. We should give back to our communities and educate our community.

HOWELL: Terris King says he's trying to do just that.

KING: They love to learn as you can see. My goal here every day is to make sure that they love to learn and that they're having fun.

But at the same time, making sure that they can compete with anyone across the country when it comes to it.

HOWELL: And the king believes through his work here he's preparing his boys to change their community.

KIN: I'm Terris King and we are America.

HOWELL: George Howell, CNN, Washington.

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PHILLIPS: And for nearly a month we asked to you weigh in on what makes us uniquely American. You can see the amazing response we got. Go to iReport.com/I'mAmerica

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PHILLIPS: All right. Some stories we're working on later today in the CNN NEWSROOM.

11:30 Eastern, a California teacher accused of sexually assaulting students and taking pictures is scheduled to go to court.

At noon, the FDA commissioner holds a briefing on the shortage of cancer drugs.

And tonight just after 7:00, Mick Jagger, B.B. King and a lot of musicians performing at the White House. The President and first lady are celebrating blues music in recognition of Black History Month.

Pro-democracy activists say that at least 25 people have now been killed across Syria just today. Most of them in the hard-hit city of Homs. There is a critical shortage of food and other basic necessities as well and it's tough getting them to the people.

Arwa Damon explains.

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ARWA DAMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The men call out names, carefully counting out and distributing baby diapers to families huddled in a bunker, everything here is carefully rationed. Including food, which is running short.

Sheik Ayman who leads the humanitarian effort (INAUDIBLE) tells us that in the last two weeks, nothing has come in to the neighborhood. Some of what they've gathered comes from stocks in Homs or salvaged from stores hit by artillery.

"We take the products to distribute so they don't go to waste," Sheik explains, "We keep track of everything we took to reimburse the owners."

Moving the staples is an elaborate process.

(on camera): Even an operation like this one, bringing in basic supplies residents here so desperately need. We have to happen under cover of darkness, also has to be as fast as possible. They have been quickly calculating exactly what it is that they need take out for the time being. And they have been loading things like baby diapers, cracked wheat, lentils.

But then someone called out saying should we put cooking oil on the truck? Well, they've run out of cooking oil. In fact, this is pretty much all that they have left.

(voice-over): All they have left for the thousands trapped in Baba Ahmed. There is no food, there is only cracked wheat and rice, this woman in the bunker laments. Showing us what bread she has left.

"Look at it, look at what we are eating" she cries. The shortages are not just confined to this city. On the outskirts of Homs there are entire networks in place, just to deliver bread and fuel.

War brings out the worst in people. But also the best.

Abu Fahzi here This is one of the many people who is trying to help others out by making runs to Damascus to get things like bread, gasoline, cooking oil. But even that takes lengthy planning and great risks he tells us.

"We have people there that we are working with to gather the product, he says, but it takes time and the road is very tough. We have to go through the farm lands, getting shot at, just for a bite of bread and a bit of fuel. Local bread factories lie idle." There are dough covering the machines, this particular bread factory has not produced a single loaf for a week now. Even though there is yeast in the refrigerator, there are bags of salt. However, there is no flour, and that is because flower is subsidized by the government.

Distribution well, that is fully under the control of the regime. The regime is not sending supplies out here anymore. Ahlam (ph) lives in a bunker in Babba Ahmed after her home was destroyed by artillery. By day she volunteers at the medical clinic in Baba Ahmed. Then comes back to this.

Today, just I a cup of coffee and two cigarettes, she told us. And nothing the last two days before that. I can guarantee you this, people will start to die. If the shelling doesn't kill them, maybe hunger will.

Arwa Damon. CNN, Homes, Syria.

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Whispers from Republicans about a last minute contender, details in the political ticker, next.

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PHILLIPS: Checking stories cross country now. Hollandale Beach Florida a driver hits a man drags him 20 feet and just takes off. It's all caught on tape. It actually happened February 12th. The victim has serious head injuries but is lucky to be alive. The driver still on the loose.

In Roanoke, Virginia downed power line catches fire after a tree knocked it to the ground. The flames had more than 7,000 volts. Fire chief says that they are in crisis mode now after winter storms knocked out power and left ice and snow across parts of the state.

In Chicago, 30 kidney donors and 30 recipients all strangers completed what's being called the world's largest kidney transplant chain. It's a great story. It started with one donor in California then it spread across the country, and then people in 11 different states received kidneys.

Big wigs and political whispers. Paul Steinhauser, that sounds pretty intriguing, my friend.

STEINHAUSER: Yes, this is not a suspense novel. This is politics which I guess sometimes is the same thing, Kyra.

Here's the deal. Some Republicans, some Republicans establishment back in Washington and other party leaders are a little upset right now. They are worried about Mitt Romney Kyra, here, he hasn't sealed the deal yet. What happens if he loses Michigan next Tuesday or Arizona? What happens if he stumbles come super Tuesday? That is the problem. They are worried maybe what happens if Rick Santorum, if Rick Santorum surges and he becomes the likely GOP nominee.

Kyra, a lot of Republicans worried about Santorum having electability problems come November in the general election against President Barack Obama. So some of these people establishment Republicans and other leaders are talking about maybe a plan b, maybe asking somebody else or hoping somebody else jumps in the race and maybe takes us all the way to the convention, Kyra. Mystery going on, I guess you could say.

PHILLIPS: A little mystery, and it's not impossible, obviously, but extremely difficult to do, right?

STEINHAUSER : Very difficult to do, but not impossible. There is a kind of a memo going around among a lot of these Republicans we're talking about. Which kind of highlights some of these dates. It still -- you're still able to get on the ballot in California which holds the primary in June. The date to get on the ballot there until later in March.

Same thing for New Jersey and about seven or eight other states that have primaries and caucuses in late May or June. So yes, technically --

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIPS: Name names, Paul. Name some names.

STEINHAUSER: Name names. Well, here is some of the names they would love to see run, maybe like Mitch Daniels, remember the Indiana governor who flirted with running last but eventually said no. Daniels came out the other and said, you know what; still not changing my mind, not going to run. I bet some people are still hoping Chris Christie would run. But you know what, he is already now supporter of Mitt Romney. A bunch of these names are not going to happen. Kyra, could this go all the way to the convention in Tampa, sure. Will it? Stay tuned.

PHILLIPS: Ok. Well, Suzanne Malveaux right here saying Sarah Palin? You want to weigh in?

STEINHAUSER: There you go, Sarah Palin. She said know but --

PHILLIPS: You have some inside scoop there Suzanne Malveaux, former White House correspondent:

MALVEAUX: I think it's going to be no way. That is my inside scoop.

PHILLIPS: We got everybody's attention, didn't we?

Thanks, Paul.

All right. It's the top of the hour, that does it for us.

And Suzanne Malveaux, who knows everything presidential, including -- we have our debate, of course, Wednesday night, 8:00 Eastern, right here on CNN. You won't want to miss it.

It's probably going to be the last debate, right?

MALVEAUX: Well, you know --

PHILLIPS: It's possible.

MALVEAUX: -- before Super Tuesday, yes.

PHILLIPS: Right. Right.

MALVEAUX: That's a big one, so we're going to watching, of course.

Nice to see you.

PHILLIPS: Look how bright you are today.

MALVEAUX: Oh, yes. It's going to be good. It's going to be a good day.

PHILLIPS: Coming up on Easter.

(LAUGHTER)

MALVEAUX: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Have a great day.