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American Journalist Dies in Shelling in Syria; Syrian Opposition: Attacks are 'Genocide'; New Protests Over Burning of Qurans; President Obama's Plan: Reduce Corporate Taxes; Obama Speaks At New Black History Museum; Santorum, Romney Tied in Polls Prior to Michigan; Majority of Americans Will Save Tax Return Money Rather than Spend it; More Americans Using Professionals to File Taxes; Does Age Affect Abuse Vulnerability?
Aired February 22, 2012 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Live from Studio 7, I'm Suzanne Malveaux. Want to get you up to speed for this Wednesday, February 22nd.
We have video now from a scene where two Western journalists were killed in heavy shelling today in Syria. The French Foreign Ministry is demanding that Syria give the Red Cross access to the city of Homs to remove their bodies.
American Marie Colvin, she was one of the journalists who was killed. She was a veteran correspondent for "The Sunday Times of London." The other was prize-winning French photographer Remi Ochlik. Colvin was a frequent voice here on CNN, reporting on "ANDERSON COOPER 360" just last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARIE COLVIN, "LONDON SUNDAY TIMES": Every civilian house on this street has been hit. We're talking about -- you know, this is very kind of a poor, popular neighborhood. The top floor of the building I'm in has been hit. In fact, totally destroyed.
There are no military targets here. There is the Free Syrian Army, heavily outnumbered and outgunned. They have only Kalashnikovs and rocket-propelled grenades, but they don't have a base.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Our Arwa Damon, she worked with Colvin in Syria. And Arwa joins us from neighboring Lebanon.
And Arwa, it is absolutely chilling when you hear her voice and you realize that this was someone who was alive yesterday, talking about the dangers, talking about her experience, and saying this is one of the most dangerous assignments that she has ever covered.
First of all, tell us a little bit about her -- I know that you guys worked together -- and what it is like to be on the ground there.
ARWA DAMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: She was so fiercely passionate about what was happening inside Syria. She was determined to do whatever it was going to take to continue shining a spotlight on the atrocities there. For someone as seasoned as she is, to say that this is some of the worst violence that she has ever witnessed just gives you an idea of the scale of the tragedy that is continuing to unfold there.
She gave heartbreaking reports about a child who died. She also witnessed two other people dying inside the makeshift medical clinic because they couldn't receive medical care.
And she was just absolutely someone who all of us really admired, idealized, looked up to. She covered just about every single conflict you could possibly imagine.
She lost her eye to shrapnel in Sri Lanka in 2001. She had been to Iraq. She had been on the front lines in Libya, in Misrata. And she really was an icon that embodied a lot of what journalism really stands for, fiercely believing that to truly be able to tell the story, to truly do justice to what it is that people are going through in these various flash point areas around the world, you had to be there yourself no matter what the risk. And most certainly, operating inside Syria, inside that neighborhood of Baba Amr, it was a very, very risky assignment.
MALVEAUX: And Arwa, you have been there for many days, many weeks now, covering the story on the ground in Syria. Tell us, what are you facing there and what are the Syrian people facing there?
DAMON: Well, when you're inside the neighborhood of Baba Amr, the shelling is really nonstop, and it does appear to be fairly random. At one instant, you can hear a shell impacting that seems like it's far away, and the next thing you know, the round is landing on the building that you're in, windows are breaking, children are crying.
There are entire areas inside Baba Amr that you can't actually get to because of government positions on rooftops, sniper positions, and that's why it's so difficult for residents there to be able to get around. There is the belief that the death toll is going to rise significantly because there are bodies that are still buried under the rubble of houses that people can't get to.
Most people try to stay indoors, they try to stay safe inside their homes, or they move into these makeshift bunkers. But whatever it is that they do, they are still unable to fully shield themselves from this onslaught of artillery that has really been relentless for more than two-and-a-half weeks now. It is a living nightmare, Suzanne, nothing short of that.
MALVEAUX: And Arwa, we know now that there are some opposition groups who are saying they believe that up to 9,000 people now have been killed. They believe that this is really a genocide that is taking place.
Is that the kind of scale, the scope that you are seeing on the ground there in Syria, that kind of death? DAMON: I think we're going to realize the full scope of what is taking place in Syria if and when it eventually does end. One thing for certain is that people are continuing to die every single day, and it is the civilians that are bearing the brunt of the violence.
Just to mention, also, there was another activist who was killed yesterday in the city of Homs, in Baba Amr as well. He was among the bravest people going out there every single day, taking those YouTube videos that we have come to rely on to be able to broadcast images of what is happening in Syria. He was killed when he was trying to film four members of the same family who had all been killed as well.
Many of the injuries that we're actually seeing taking place happen when people rush out of their homes to try to help the wounded. That is what the residents there are dealing with.
MALVEAUX: All right. Arwa Damon, as always, thank you for bringing the story. Excellent reporting. And, as always, we know that you travel back and forth to the front line there, so please be safe.
Thank you, Arwa.
New protests rage across Afghanistan over the burning of Qurans at a military base. At least five people now have been killed.
The commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan says the burning was a mistake. The Qurans were among other materials that were gathered for disposal. Now, officials plan to train troops on handling religious materials.
Four more bodies have been pulled from the wreckage of the Costa Concordia. That was the cruise ship that ran aground off the coast of Italy more than a month ago.
This is the latest discovery. It brings the total number of confirmed dead now to 21. Eleven people are still missing.
Now, the ship's captain, he is under house arrest. He has not been charged yet.
A Moroccan man accused of trying to bomb the U.S. Capitol building is due in court in Virginia today. Amine El Khalifi was arrested last week. Authorities say he went to a parking garage near the Capitol to receive what he thought was an explosives vest and a gun.
Well, police had been monitoring him in an undercover operation. He had been living in the United States illegally since his visa expired back in 1999.
In about a half hour we're going to get a look at the details of President Obama's proposal to do something that business leaders have been calling for, for a long time. That is, reducing corporate taxes.
But the president also wants to eliminate tax loopholes. His proposal would lower the overall corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 28 percent. It would go down to 25 percent for manufacturing companies. Now, the plan also would get rid of some corporate tax breaks and limit the ability of corporations to shift their profits overseas.
Chris Christie has had it with Warren Buffett. We want to you to listen to the New Jersey governor and what he told CNN's Piers Morgan last night. It's some advice for the billionaire who is now pushing for a tax hike on the rich.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: Well, he should write a check and shut up. Really, just contribute, OK? The fact of the matter is that I'm tired of hearing about it. If he wants to give the government more money, he's got the ability to write a check. Go ahead and write it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: All right. Tonight is the night for CNN's Republican debate. It is in Mesa, Arizona.
The primary is there in six days. We're going to be covering that as well.
We've got brand new poll results out that put Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum -- we are talking neck and neck in Michigan. It holds its primary the same day. Romney's two-point lead is within the sampling error, so a survey of Michigan Republicans released just a few days ago showed that Santorum had the slight lead.
CNN's Republican debate, live from Arizona, that is 8:00 p.m. Eastern tonight. It is a critical showdown for these guys who want to occupy the White House.
Everything could be on the line. So we would like to hear from you. What would you ask the candidates tonight?
Send your ideas to me on Facebook, Facebook.com/SuzanneCNN. We're going to read some of your responses at the end of the hour.
(NEWSBREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: Protests are spreading across Afghanistan over the burning of Qurans at a military base. Now, the commander of NATO forces says that the burning was a mistake. They plan to start training troops on how to handle religious materials.
Our Brian Todd, he explains what happened and why desecrating the Muslim holy book such as burning it is seen as an unforgivable affront.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Fires, angry chants, fist-waving, a response to what military officials say was the inadvertent burning of Qurans at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan. One official says some of the material was removed from a detainee center at the American base because of inscriptions, indicating, the official says, that the documents may have used to facilitate extremist messages.
U.S. military officials apologize for what they call an error, but experts say even an accidental mishandling of the Quran is dangerous.
PROF. AKBAR AHMED, ISLAMIC STUDIES CHAIR, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY: We don't want this to happen, this sequence of events, because this is going to start affecting the own troop withdrawal over the next couple of months.
TODD: Akbar Ahmed is chair of Islamic Studies at American University. He says an understanding of these protests and other violence associated with reports of the Quran being desecrated has to involve an understanding of how the book is viewed in the Muslim world.
(on camera): Akbar Ahmed says the Quran is so revered, that the only time Muslims really take it out is around the time of prayer, and before that, hands should be washed from hands to elbow, face three times and the feet. When it's time to place it down, it should always be placed, he says, at the highest point in the room. And when you're in the same room, you should not even point your feet toward the book.
(voice-over): That's the key to physical purity Ahmed says on par with the spiritual purity of the Quran. He says Quran are passed between generations in families. One Muslim scholar says if a Quran is damaged, burning, burying or shredding it is acceptable, otherwise --
(on camera): You're never supposed to dispose of them in any way. Is that right?
AHMED: Not Muslims. Not Muslims. Muslims, they can't tear it up throw it to the dustbin.
TODD: What about non-Muslims?
AHMED: Non-Muslims, again, it's entirely in the United States, it's a free country, free speech, free actions. And no one can stop anyone doing anything.
I would say that if as American is not a Muslim, has copies of the Quran, he wants to dispose of them, ring up a Muslim friend or ring up an Islamic center or a mosque and say, look, I've got a couple of these copies, you know, I don't know what to do with them. I don't want to insult your faith by throwing them into the dustbin. Would you come and collect them?
TODD (voice-over): But Ahmed emphasized he doesn't excuse the violent reactions to incidents involving the Quran like what happened last year after a Florida pastor ceremoniously burned a copy of the book and crowds attacked a U.N. facility in Afghanistan, killing 12 people. Ahmed says Muslim scholars have to talk to their followers about appropriate responses that don't involve violence.
Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: A snowmobiler survives an avalanche. We have his harrowing story, more of these amazing pictures, up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: Checking stories across the country.
A snowmobiler says he's lucky to be alive after he triggered an avalanche in Utah's back country. The dangerous action caught on a friend's helmet camera.
Just take a look at these pictures. Nate Smoot says he survived the ordeal by holding on to a tree until the snow swept past him.
In Portsmouth, New Hampshire, a stranded tugboat gets help from the Coast Guard, and a second tugboat carrying a U.S. congressman. Representative Frank Guinta had his camera on hand to capture the action. Crews used rope to free the tugboat. It had wedged itself against a bridge support.
And next, some must-see video. Look closely at this. In Ohio, an 83- year-old bridge going down in a fiery blast, a planned implosion there. You see it.
Pretty cool stuff. Water traffic along the Ohio River near the bridge is suspended until safety checks are finished.
The president wants to lower the taxes that corporations pay to increase our competitiveness here. Well, we've got those numbers in a live report, up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: Want to go directly to Washington, where President Obama is in a special ceremony. This is the ground-breaking at the National Museum of American History.
Let's watch.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I want to thank Laura Bush; Secretary Salazar; Sam Brownback; my hero, Congressman John Lewis; Wayne Clough; and everybody who has worked so hard to make this possible.
I am so proud of Lonnie Bunch, who came here from Chicago, I want to point out. I remember having a conversation with him about this job when he was planning to embark on this extraordinary journey, and we could not be prouder of the work that he has done to help make this day possible.
I promise to do my part by being brief. As others have mentioned, this day has been a long time coming. The idea for a museum dedicated to African-Americans was first put forward by black veterans of the Civil War. And years later, the call was picked up by members of the civil rights generation, by men and women who knew how to fight for what was right and strive for what is just.
This is their day. This is your day. It's an honor to be here to see the fruit of your labor.
It's also fitting that this museum has found a home on the National Mall. As has been mentioned, it was on this ground long ago that lives were once traded, where hundreds of thousands once marched for jobs and for freedom. It was here that the pillars of our democracy were built often by black hands. And it is on this spot, alongside the monuments to those who gave birth to this nation and those who worked so hard to perfect it, that generations will remember the sometimes difficult, often inspirational, but always central role that African-Americans have played in the life of our country.
This museum will celebrate that history, because just as the memories of our earliest days have been confined to dusty letters and faded pictures, the time will come when few people remember drinking from a colored water fountain or boarding a segregated bus or hearing in person Dr. King's voice boom down from the Lincoln Memorial. And that's why what we build here won't just be an achievement for our time, it will be a monument for all time.
It will do more than simply keep those memories alive. Just like the Air and Space Museum challenged us to set our sights higher, or the Natural History Museum encourages us to look closer, or the Holocaust Museum calls us to fight persecution wherever we find it, this museum should inspire us as well.
It should stand as proof that the most important things in life rarely come quickly or easily. It should remind us that, although we have yet to reach the mountaintop, we cannot stop climbing.
And that's why in moments like this, I think about Malia and Sasha. I think about my daughters and I think about your children, the millions of visitors who will stand where we stand long after we're gone.
And I think about what I want them to experience. I think about what I want them to take away.
When our children look at Harriet Tubman's shawl or Nat Turner's bible, or the plane flown by the Tuskegee airmen, I don't want them to be seen as figures somehow larger than life. I want them to see how ordinary Americans could do extraordinary things, how men and women just like them had the courage and determination to right a wrong, to make it right.
I want my daughters to see the shackles that bound slaves on their voyage across the ocean and the shards of glass that flew from the 16th Street Baptist church and understand injustice and evil exist in the world. But I also want them to hear Louis Armstrong's horn and learn about the Negro League and read the poems of Phillis Wheatley, and I want them to appreciate this museum not just of a record of tragedy, but as a celebration of life.
And when future generations hear these songs of pain and progress and struggle and sacrifice, I hope they will not think of them as somehow separate from the larger American story. I want them to see it as central, an important part of our shared story, a call to see ourselves in one another, a call to remember that each of us is made in God's image. And that's the history we will preserve within these walls, the history of a people who, in the words of Dr. King, injected new meaning and dignity into the veins of civilization.
May we remember their stories. May we live up to their example.
Thank you. God bless you and God bless the United States of America.
(END LIVE SPEECH)
(APPLAUSE)
MALVEAUX: You're watching the president there on the dedication -- this is a project that was 100 years in the making, also involving more than 20,000 items and artifacts, the $500 million project. I had a chance to talk to the director of this new museum. We're going to have that interview for you at about 12:20.
The president wants to increase the competitiveness of American companies by lowering corporate taxes. It's something that business leaders have been calling for, for quite a while. He also wants to get rid of some of the tax loopholes.
Christine Romans, she's joining us from New York.
And, first of al, how much does the president want to reduce corporate taxes by? Is this a significant number here we're talking about?
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: You know, he wants to lower it to 28 percent. And some of the Republican presidential candidates, for example, have a lower rate than even that, but he would like to lower it from 35 percent, which is the advertised corporate tax rate in America, to 28 percent.
And what he wants to do in return is eliminate dozens of loopholes and subsidies. I mean, remember, a lot of companies -- I would say most companies -- aren't paying 35 percent, because there are all these different loopholes and subsidies depending what industry you're in. And so they pay a lower-than-advertised tax rate.
He wants to have a manufacturing tax rate at 25 percent, so give a little edge to manufacturers. He also wants to put in a new minimum tax for foreign profits. And I guess the idea here is to incentivize companies to hire in the United States and to keep money in the United States. So this is the framework that the White House will be releasing a little bit later on.
MALVEAUX: And Christine, we know that businesses have been calling for lower tax rates for quite a while now. The argument they make is that other countries tax companies less. How do we stack up compared to some of the other countries around the world?
ROMANS: Well, on paper, among the highest in the world. I mean, look here. The U.S. has a 35 percent tax rate. It's right up there with some of these other big industrialized countries. When you add in all the tax burden of companies, it's more like 39.5 percent.
But, Suzanne, here's the thing. I mean, there are economists who will tell you that the whole story line is a little skewed because of all of the subsidies and loopholes, that companies actually pay more like 12 percent.
Last year, according to the Congressional Budget Office, companies paid 12 percent of their profit to taxes.
That was the lowest in 40 years. On the one hand, there is this advertised rate of 35 percent, which everyone can agree is too high. On the other hand, companies already are not paying 35 percent. So what loopholes are you going to get rid of? How will you make it more fair? This is the first salvo, the framework from this administration in the discussion about longer-term tax reform.
MALVEAUX: Christine, thank you. Appreciate it.
ROMANS: You're welcome.
MALVEAUX: I want you to check on the clock there. We're counting down tonight's Republican debate in Arizona, happening in Mesa. It is moderated by our own John King. And the two leading candidates have almost no space between them now. We're talking about the latest polls. Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney neck-and-neck two days before crucial state primaries.
Want to bring in Donna Brazile and Matt Lewis. Donna is a CNN senior political contributor. Matt is senior contributes to "The Daily Caller."
First of all, good to see both of you.
Don, I'm glad you could make it.
Happy Mardi Gras.
(CROSSTALK)
DONNA BRAZILE, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Happy Mardi Gras. I had a great time.
MALVEAUX: I know. I'm glad you could make it here with us. I'm sure they are not partying like they are in New Orleans in Arizona. But they are gearing up for tonight's Republican debate.
Give us a sense, you have Arizona, 29 delegates taking all, what are you watching for? BRAZILE: First of all, this is a very crucial moment for the two co-frontrunners, both Mr. Santorum and Mr. Romney. They need momentum going in the crucial contests that will come during the month of March. Super Tuesday, 10 contests, of course, Washington State on March 3rd. By winning in either state or both states, Mr. Romney or Mr. Santorum will not only be declared the so-called frontrunner, but March is an important month for Republicans in another sense. That is when a bulk of the delegates will be allocated proportionately. These candidates will be able to gather up more steam and more support so that they can hopefully tamp down the opposition and clinch the nomination by mid or late April.
MALVEAUX: Matt, I want to bring you in this. You are in Arizona. We're talking about the third-highest rate of home foreclosures there. Illegal immigration also a big issue. What are Republican voters looking to hear tonight from the top two candidates?
MATT LEWIS, CONTRIBUTOR, THE DAILY CALLER: I think always, whether or general election voter, people don't really care what you know, to know that you care, so I think connecting is important. Mitt Romney stumbled, saying he's not concerned about the very poor, making jokes about $10,000 bets. Romney has to avoid those gaffes. Rick Santorum, this is a guy who is the grandson of a coal miner, the son of an Italian immigrant. He has a manufacturing plan, which would be zero percent tax, which could play very well in a place like Michigan, also coming up next Tuesday. He needs to stress that. The question is, can they communicate they are in touch with people who are struggling.
MALVEAUX: Donna, Romney has more organization on the ground in Arizona. Not so much for Santorum. Is a win for Santorum in Arizona potentially a win for Obama?
BRAZILE: Well, I don't know. I tried to watch soap operas this morning. You can't watch soap operas. Mitt Romney is all over my soap operas, Suzanne.
(LAUGHTER)
So I think the important thing for Mitt Romney, he's not only running ads here -- I didn't see any other ads -- but he has a terrific organization on the ground. Over 150,000 people already voted absentee or early in the state. Mitt Romney might already have an advantage over Rick Santorum.
Let me say this. It doesn't matter who wins the Republican nomination. President Obama understands that the Republicans want to take us back to the failed policies that got us in the Great Recession of 2008, so Democrats are prepared for either candidate to emerge. But Rick Santorum has a problem. He has a good economic message when he talks to the base, because he's talking about manufacturing, bringing American jobs back. Look, people on the right, people on the left want to hear that. When he starts talking about Satan, evil, nobody wants to be preached to. They want a president who can lead us forward and not bring us to some misbegotten age of the past. MALVEAUX: Matt, I want to bring you in. We're look at other contest n as well on the same day and that is Michigan, as Arizona. We have new poll numbers showing nearly a dead-heat. Romney with a slightest edge now. but just a few days ago it was Santorum who was in the lead. So what do we think will be the driving factor that actually breaks the tie?
BRAZILE: I think a couple things. One, the debate is vitally important. If we learned anything this election cycle, it's debates matter. If somebody stumbles or has gaffe, that could be the difference. If someone has a great night, that could be the difference.
The other thing is look at where the votes are coming from. Mitt Romney needs to run up the score in Detroit suburbs like Macomb County, Oakland County. Rick Santorum has to tap into upstate, northwestern Michigan, folks who are union workers, hunters, Christian conservatives. Michigan has a lot of them. They're not talked about a lot. That will be very important, who can turn out their voters, because there are very different voters in Michigan.
MALVEAUX: Matt, Donna, thank you very much. Good to see you.
We'll watch tonight. A reminder the GOP contenders debating the issues. That is tonight. "The Arizona Republican Presidential Debate" on CNN tonight at 8:00 eastern.
The wandering eyes of some famous men have landed them in spots in the headlines. Jeanne Moos, she is watching them.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: When it comes to a famous person the wandering eye can lead to embarrassing moments.
Jeanne Moos has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Did the husband of Finland's president get caught sneaking a peak at a gala? Sure it happens to teenage boys with ranging hormones. One minute, you're zoning out while zooming in in math class. The next minute --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So "I" is an imaginary number.
MOOS: -- you're nabbed.
But this was the husband of Finland's president seemingly ogling Princess Mary of Denmark. The give away may be the guilty look up to the ceiling as she covers her bosom. Maybe he was inspecting her jewels.
At least she didn't tell him to focus as singer Nicole Scherzinger did to Conan.
NICOLE SCHERZINGER, ACTRESS: They asked me to be a guest judge -- focus, Conan -- to be --
(LAUGHTER)
CONAN O'BRIEN, HOST, LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O'BRIEN: Finally, let's be real here for a second.
(LAUGHTER)
SCHERZINGER: Speaking of -- speaking of --
O'BRIEN: You didn't think I was going to look down there?
SCHERZINGER: I think --
(LAUGHTER)
MOOS: Poor guys, betrayed by a subtle lowering of their eyelids.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My eyes are up here, Donnie.
(LAUGHTER)
Bring it up. Bring it up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think if a woman shows cleavage like that, a man is allowed to look.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But this is a girl's best accessory.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
MOOS (on camera): Up, up, up.
Pictures can make guys look like boobs even when they are innocent.
(voice-over): Remember President Obama's "Tail to the Chief" moment?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's causing quite a buzz.
MOOS: There was the president at the summit --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- giving a young woman a serious once over.
MOOS: When "Good Morning, America" shows video of the same instant --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Seems to be a little bit different story. Obama may be watching his footing.
MOOS: You can't blame guys for lowering their gaze when this year's "Sports Illustrated" swimsuit cover model challenges in a web ad.
KATE UPTON, MODEL: Do you think you can beat me in a staring contest? Remember, eyes up here. Ready, stare.
MOOS: for 45 seconds, try to get your eyes to resist the magnetic pool of cleavage.
(SHOUTING)
MOOS: Perhaps the best advice came from Seinfeld after George got busted.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Get a good look, Costanza?
(LAUGHTER)
JERRY SEINFELD, ACTOR: Looking at cleavage is like looking at the sun. You don't stare at it.
(LAUGHTER)
It's too risky.
(LAUGHTER)
You get a sense of it and then you look away.
JASON ALEXANDER, ACTOR: All right.
MOOS: Unlike cleavage, the problem with looking at the sun is the naked eye. The eye is naked.
Jeanne Moos, CNN --
CONAN: My god! I just threw my neck out!
MOOS: -- New York.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: CNN's Republican debate, live from Arizona tonight, 8:00 p.m. Some hot-button issues on the table, from immigration to the separation of church and state. So we're asking you if you were moderating tonight, what would you ask the candidates.
Mike would ask, "Looking beyond your own spiritual beliefs, do you feel it's a violation of a person's civil rights to have laws dictating who a person can and cannot marry"?
More responses straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: It could change the shape of the race. CNN's Republican debate live from Arizona tonight 8:00 p.m. Stakes are high. So today's "Talk Back," we're asking you, if you were moderating tonight, what would you ask the candidates. Robert says, "Simple question. If you're for smaller government and personal liberties, why do you want the government defining who gets married"?
Billy would ask, "If you're president, how will you bring down gas prices immediately"?
This from Walter, "Ronald Reagan speaking before a crowd once said, you can't legislate morality. Do you agree or disagree"?
This question from Steve, who says, "There is plenty of criticism from the GOP about how Obama handled the economic crisis, handed to him by President Bush. What would you have done differently? And what do you think of the impact the policies would have been"?
More responses in the next hour.
Just a couple of months away. We're talking April 17th, still almost two months away, tax season, full swing. We all have to deal with it. A new survey showing more Americans plan to save tax return cash instead of spending it. A lot of us are going to professionals to get the biggest returns possible.
Alison Kosik, she is here to make us make some of these decisions.
Alison, I always use a tax guy. I try to get the biggest return I can. What are you recommending?
(LAUGHTER)
ALISON KOSIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You have to do it the right way.
MALVEAUX: Absolutely.
KOSIK: You're not the only person that uses a professional in this situation. The IRS says around 60 percent of taxpayers will use a professional this year to help them prepare and file their tax returns. But you have to remember that you are still legally responsible for what is on your return, so you want to pick somebody who will maximize your refund, Suzanne, but you want to avoid being audited or worse.
The IRS says the first step is check their qualifications. New regulations require every paid tax preparer has to have a preparer tax I.D. number. Ask if they are affiliated with professional organizations or attend continuing education classes. Once you've covered that basic competency, check for complaints with the local Business Bureau. Make sure the person is licensed and check for disciplinary actions. For CPAs, check with the State Accountancy Boards; for attorneys, check the State Bar Association; for enrolled agents, check with the IRS Office of Enrollment -- Suzanne?
MALVEAUX: Sounds like a lot of work. I know we all have to get through it. (LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
MALVEAUX: I guess one of the advantages of using tax professionals, the services pay for themselves. How do you deal with all the fees?
KOSIK: The IRS says, they warn of using preparers who base their fees on a percentage of your refund or you say they can get you a larger refund than others. Make sure refunds are sent directly to you or direct deposited in your bank account. You know the old saying, if an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is. That is the case in this situation -- Suzanne?
MALVEAUX: Of course, the next question, what should you tell your tax preparer? I suppose the truth. But Alison will have more in a moment.
(LAUGHTER)
KOSIK: Sure, why not.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: We're back with Alison Kosik. We're just two months away from the deadline to file taxes. Many folks getting professionals involved. So this is probably the tough part really. What your tax preparer needs to know about you. What you should actually reveal.
I suppose you have to tell the truth, uh?
KOSIK: Exactly. Got to tell the truth. You're going to get yourself into some trouble. They need to have an accurate picture of your income, deductions. Those are critical. Make sure you provide all of the documents that your tax preparer needs. The IRS says you should never need a tax preparer that is willing to file before you sign. Remember, the professional has to sign it as well as their tax preparer I.D. number. Make sure you review the forms, you understand them, and you're given a copy of the return. So fun times ahead when it comes to taxes -- Suzanne?
(LAUGHTER)
MALVEAUX: All right. Thank you, Alison.
So what do you do if Mick Jagger hands you a microphone? Only one answer, you've got to sing, if you're the president. What this.
KOSIK: Really?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: That's not bad. What do you think, Alison? Not bad at all.
KOSIK: He sounded good.
(CROSSTALK)
MALVEAUX: He did a good Al Green, too. Yes.
(LAUGHTER)
KOSIK: Who knew he had so many hidden talents? I never know.
(LAUGHTER)
MALVEAUX: There are people who have his Al Green as their ring tones now. So some people are very excited about the fact that he can sing.
This was actually the East Room in the White House. It was an all-streets rock concert, blues, rock legends. We are talking about in the house, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Jeff Beck, and of course, the surprise lead singer, the president. This was shot by PBS for their "In-performance at the White House" series. Alison, check this out. Obama's not the first, right, chief executive to show off his musical chops.
KOSIK: That's right.
MALVEAUX: Check this out. This is President Bush. That's right. I was there watching this unfold at the White House.
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
MALVEAUX: Some West African dance company back in '07. He was observing Malaria Awareness Day. Nobody was thinking about malaria at that time, though. They saw the president and were excited that he had a couple of moves there. Just a little bit. President Clinton --
(CROSSTALK)
KOSIK: I tell you, multi-talented presidents. Multitalented, yes.
(LAUGHTER)
MALVEAUX: Of course, you can't forget Bill Clinton. Any chance he had, he picked up the saxophone. There was with Clarence Clemons.
(CROSSTALK)
KOSIK: I love that. That's awesome.
Yes, that is awesome. I wonder if that's on iTunes. Do you think?
(LAUGHTER)
MALVEAUX: Yes. This day and age, it might be somebody's ring tone.
KOSIK: Could be.
MALVEAUX: All right. Alison, good to see you.
(MUSIC)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: As part of our in-depth look at addiction, could your age determine your chances of abusing alcohol or drugs? 10 percent of Americans are addicted but the most vulnerable are people under 25. Obviously, an epidemic that we can't ignore.
I want to bring in our Dr. Sanjay Gupta, who talks about the age of the brain and how it is actually at risk, depending on how old you are.
So explain this to us.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Younger people are more vulnerable. You think of younger people as being more resilient to all sorts of things. But when it comes to taking substances, several things happen in a developing. Your brain is developing until the age of 25. People don't realize that. A couple of things, the reward center of the brain is more affected in people who are younger.
They take a substance, they get a real sense of euphoria and wellbeing, therefore they want more of the substance. But there is something else as well, Suzanne. The frontal lobes -- think of this as your filter, your judgment. They are not fully developed up until the age of 25. So the idea of impulsivity and trying new things, even though they may -- there may be a problem with it, that's more enhanced in someone that age. So people under the age of 25, if they are exposed to these substances, are more likely to become addicts. So that's a bit of an issue.
MALVEAUX: Wow. And you talked about passive pushes, the parents, here in terms of enabling. What do you mean by that?
GUPTA: I think about this as a parent myself all the time. If you look at the stats just across the board, you'll find about 64 percent of young people, ages 12 to 17 -- these are people who have really exploded in terms of how much of the substances they are using. They are getting it from their own medicine cabinets, their friends and relatives. So it's in the house. Parents have this stuff around, maybe pain pills after an operation, anxiety pills, whatever that may be. That's where a lot of these pills are coming from. That's the passive pushing. That's the bad news. The good news is, they find, if a parent has a conversation with a kid, you can reduce the likelihood of that child or young person taking the medications by about 42 percent. But only about a quarter of parents ever have that conversation. There is some room to have an impact.
MALVEAUX: Sanjay, one of the things that people are wondering, if you know somebody, a family member or friend, what should you do to help them? What is the most important thing to do?
GUPTA: It's controversial, Suzanne. A lot of people have an opinion on this. One thing I would say is it's a disease. Addiction is a brain disease. This is not necessarily a lack of will power. If you think of it that way, then you go to see somebody to get help, a doctor, a professional. If the person who is the addict refuses to do it, maybe you can get information yourself from a doctor or professional.
The one myth out there that I think is worth dispelling is this idea that you have to hit rock bottom before an addict can recover. I hear people say that all the time, and I'm sure there are some people where that is true. But there are lots of people where you can make an intervention earlier on. You don't have to let them hit rock bottom.
Also, this idea that the emotional sort of, you know, do it for your kids, do it for your family, that's not necessarily something that needs to be done either. See somebody, though. It's a disease. I think that's the most important message.
MALVEAUX: All right. Sanjay, thank you so much. Really appreciate it.
GUPTA: You got it, Suzanne. Thank you.
MALVEAUX: We're going to continue to go in depth on addiction. I'm going to talk to former Atlanta anchor Roy Hobbs about his very public battle with addiction and how he actually overcame hitting rock bottom. That is at 12:30 Eastern.
