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Gas Prices Up 3 Cents in 1 Day; Candidates Hit Obama on Energy Policy; World Leaders Discuss Plan for Syria; Afghan Anger, Violence Spread; Calls for Fed. Probe into NYPD Spying; Pentagon Fights Prescription Drug Abuse; Garcia: Possible Landslide For DEMS; Braun Wins Suspension Appeal; "Game Change" Movie Irks Palin Aides

Aired February 24, 2012 - 09:00   ET

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

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN HOST, "STARTING POINT": Let's get right to "CNN NEWSROOM" with Kyra Phillips. That begins right now, I'll see everybody back here on Monday morning. Have a good weekend.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Have a great weekend, Soledad. Thanks so much.

So did you fill your tank up last night after work? Pretty expensive, right? Well, we've got some more bad news for you this morning. Prices have risen even higher. Today's national average, $3.65. That's up three cents from yesterday. And that's just the average. Prices in Los Angeles, five bucks.

Christine Romans, you've been speaking to analysts. Let's talk about this price spike and why.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Speaking to analysts and very angry drivers. Because you go to sleep, you wake up, it costs more to fill up. Look, 12 cents in a week, about 11 percent so far this year. And we've never seen gas prices this high so early in the season. Usually you see gas prices going up into the spring and the summer driving season. Never so high so early.

So what goes into a gallon of gas? Here's the breakdown according to the way the government looks at it. About 12 percent of the price of gasoline are the taxes that we pay. Six percent goes to distribution and marketing. Six percent is refining.

And then look at that, Kyra, 76 percent is crude oil. And crude oil is a price that is set in the global market that is a lot of different headwinds and crosswinds, and when crude oil prices, gasoline prices rise, crude oil is now above $108 a barrel. Mostly because of this fear factor about Iran but also because of, you know, consistent global demand for energy and oil -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: OK. So you've got the demand for oil, you've got the Arab Spring, you have the fact that -- you know, look what's happening here in the United States with regard to the economy. I mean all of that combined. It's not just one factor that's making this happen right now, correct?

ROMANS: Correct. And when you look at demand in the United States, demand for oil or gasoline is actually down a little bit. So that's got people scratching their heads and saying how much of this is speculation, investors, wealthy professional investors who look at all of the different factors, and say, well, I'm going to buy oil futures because I think oil futures are going to continue to go up.

I think oil is going to continue to be more expensive. And the experts that I've talked to say they figure about $10 for every barrel of crude oil is because of professional speculators in the market. So $10 a barrel, that's about 30 cents a gallon for your gas. But there are a lot of factors all taken together.

When you look at how quickly some other parts of the world are growing and their growing demand and hunger and thirst for oil out of the ground, you can see the world is really -- the world is really chasing after this resource still and when it starts to go up, it goes up quickly.

PHILLIPS: Christine, thanks.

Well, our president says that there's no quick fix so he's calling for a long-range plan using alternate sources. He's already predicting pushback, too.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You can bet that since it's an election year, they're already dusting off their three- point plan for $2 gas. And I'll save you the suspense. Step one is to drill and step two is to drill and then step three is to keep drilling.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Our political editor Paul Steinhauser joining us now.

Paul, what are the candidates saying about what the president said there in his energy policy speech yesterday?

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: Well, you know, Kyra, the president's right, actually. It is an election year and those candidates are criticizing the president. It's kind of natural. Take a listen to what Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney said yesterday regarding the president and what he's doing about rising gas prices.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: On day one, for instance, I'm going to say to the Department of Energy and the Department of the Interior, I want you to grant licenses to drillers for oil and gas, miners for coal, get advantage -- take advantage of our resources right away.

NEWT GINGRICH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I represent $2.50 gas, he represents -- he represents $9 or $10 a gallon gas. And I ask you, which of those two is going to be happier?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEINHAUSER: Gingrich, in fact, is putting up infomercials talking about his energy plan which is really been touting lately with that promise of $2.50 a gallon which, as some experts say, is not very realistic.

Kyra, listen, I see this a lot in election years. Either presidential or midterms. There's a lot of talk about gas prices in the spring and summer, in this case even a little earlier. Usually by November when people go to the polls gas prices are back down to somewhat normal and it's less of an issue -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. Well, Romney has a big jobs speech today at the UAW and also there's a protest that's planned.

STEINHAUSER: You got t. Yes, he's going to the Detroit economic club. His campaign touting this is a big address. And he's going to be talking about his tax policy. And as you mentioned, yes, the United Autoworkers plan, guess what, a big protest. And they're going to be highlighting Romney's opposition to the 2008 and 2009 bailouts of the auto industry which, of course, is centered right there in Michigan in the Detroit area.

We've got our Joe Johns, our political correspondent, out there. We're going to have live reports starting from him next hour -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Paul, thanks.

You can join us Tuesday night, too, for "AMERICA'S CHOICE 2012." We'll be following the Arizona and Michigan primaries with a the special edition of "JOHN KING USA" at 6:00 Eastern then complete live coverage of the results starting at 7:00 eastern with Wolf Blitzer and the best political team on television.

Well, just in case you thought winter was on vacation, this happens. Winter storm hits the Dakotas yesterday and it's working its way east. Chicago could get eight or nine inches before it's over. O'Hare International has canceled more than 350 flights so far and that could have a ripple effect across the country.

And the northeast is getting snow, too. Take a look at Hartford, Connecticut.

Rob Marciano has been watching this storm for us all morning. Rob?

ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It's a big storm. Obviously it's affecting Connecticut, also affecting Chicago, and then down the southern part of the storm has its own paths, kind of hybrid winter spring scenario where we're getting all sorts of weather. The most of which is the -- well, yesterday we had some high temperatures. But this -- this is the snow that we had across Chicago. It's still snowing there. Beginning to wind down. Just outside of Chicago anywhere from five to seven inches and still coming down.

But Chicago proper, the ground's still pretty warm so we didn't see a ton of accumulation there. Maybe just a couple of inches. But you see just how big the storm is. The backside of it is here. And the front side of it is now reaching into parts of Boston. And we had three to four inches of snow around the Hartford area. But now the warmer air is beginning to work its way into this system across the northeast.

We had warm air down across the south. Yesterday record highs in the 70s and 80s. And that instability now is going to be tapped in the way of some severe weather. And we already have now a 20-hour watch box that's been issued by the Storms Prediction Center just south of Atlanta. And that will be progressing eastward into the low country of the Carolinas.

Moderate risk for severe weather today. Good chance of seeing not only super cells with damaging winds but potentially tornadoes especially later on this evening through the overnight tonight.

And then the other facet of this system is so big and -- and strong is that on the front end eventually the back side tonight we're going see tremendous amount of wind over a large area from the Canadian border all the way down into the deep south, along the Appalachians. And tonight until tomorrow especially across parts of Long Island and eastern New England, we'll see winds gusting to 60 miles an hour. So everybody getting into the act with this. Winter and so is spring as well -- Kyra?

PHILLIPS: All right. Rob, thanks so much.

MARCIANO: You bet.

PHILLIPS: Well, there is a lot going on in Syria right now. CNN has learned that rebel forces might be getting weapons from other Arab countries now. Meantime, the city of Homs is enduring its 21st straight day of shelling. Syria's opposition says that government forces are now shelling other cities as well. At least 42 people reportedly have been killed across the country today. Many of them in Homs.

Now an opposition source is telling Reuters that Syrian exiles are getting light weapons to the rebels now. They're trying to smuggle in bigger hardware like anti-aircraft weapons.

And in Tunisia where the Arab spring began, leaders from the U.S. and other countries are working on a plan right now to try and get things like food and medicine into Syria. They're also giving Syria's opposition a boost.

CNN's Zain Verjee following that story out of London. Zain?

ZAIN VERJEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hi, there, Kyra. Good morning.

The kind of boost that they want to give the Syrian opposition is to recognize that they exist and that they really want to support them. The other major issue is humanitarian aid. What they want to do is put pressure on the Bashar al-Assad regime and essentially hope for a breakthrough. What they really want is to allow Kyra things like food and medicine and water, things like that to be able to get through, Kyra, to some of the people that really, really need it.

Let me give you an idea of what the international headlines are saying today. This is from the independents in Britain. They say this. "If we can't intervene, at least we can isolate Syria." It says there's no point in talking to a regime that has lost all credibility. The Tunis gathering needs to make clear to the Syrian people more than anyone else is that Assad regime is over, that the country's neighbors and international community at large no longer recognizes it.

And then check out "Gulf News," Kyra, in the United Arab Emirates. It say this, the safety of the Syrian people is paramount." It says, "The ground reality in Syria is that the conflict has gone beyond the forces of the government and that of the opposition. It is now a bigger game that involves both regional and international players."

And the U.S. secretary of state at that meeting also had predicted that the opposition would be willing to find any kind of means or sources to supply them with the kind of weapons that they really need to fight the Bashar Al-Assad regime.

One other point, Kyra, it's not necessarily who's there, but also who is not there. And that is Russia and China. They didn't show up -- Kyra?

PHILLIPS: Zain Verjee out of London for us. Zain, thanks.

And in Afghanistan, what started as a peaceful day of Muslim prayer escalated into anti-American protest. And it's all over that burning of some of the Qurans earlier this week. The president of the United States actually issued an apology directly to Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

And you can see here in Kabul, though, the protests got pretty ugly with the folks there lighting vehicles on fire. Afghan officials say at least seven people were killed, 20 others were wounded. Mostly in the Harat province. So far no casualty among NATO troops.

Nick Paton Walsh, joining us from Kabul with the latest.

Nick, what do you think?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, increasingly serious today. We're now on the fourth straight day of violent protest, worst in the west of the country, in Harat. The U.S. consulate was briefly, almost fair to say, I think surrounded by angry protesters who clashed with police. We understand a number of people killed there. Total of six in Harat province while in an instant in the north where it appears protesters moved towards another ISAF base. No ISAF casualties today as this after Friday prayers there appears to not have been the restraint that was called for by Afghan authorities but we also heard today how the NATO commander here, General John Allen, went to visit troops who yesterday lost two of their number Americans, to a man in Afghan army uniform who shot at them while protests at this Quran burning raged outside. Let's listen to his impassioned plea for restraint from Americans.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEN. JOHN ALLEN, U.S. COMMANDER, AFGHANISTAN: There will be moments like this when you're searching for the meaning of this loss. There will be moments like this when you're emotions are governed by anger and the desire to strike back. These are the moments when you reach down inside and you grip the discipline that makes you the United States soldier and you gut through the pain and you gut through the anger and you remember why we are here. We're here for our friends.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALSH: I think you can see really in General John Allen's eyes there some of the frustration that ISAF forces must be feeling. This was unintentional, they say. They're trying investigate it. They're apologizing but the impact on security in the country is simply not -- it's just continuing day after day, these violent protests. Deep concerns, I'm sure, amongst ISAF. Now they're trying to convince people it's safe enough for them to go home. And Afghan can take over. They're instead seeing these continuing protests -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Our Nick Paton Walsh, out of Kabul. Nick, thanks.

And still ahead, same-sex marriage gets approved by lawmakers in Maryland but not necessarily a done deal.

The NYPD under fire for secretly monitoring Muslim groups.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, NEW YORK CITY: The job of our law enforcement is to make sure that they prevent things.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This tactic actually creates more hatred.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Now a call for a federal probe. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Checking stories cross-country now.

This hour, the trial of former Rutgers University student Dharun Ravi begins. Ravi allegedly used a webcam to spy on his roommate Tyler Clementi who later committed suicide after discovering he was being watched. Ravi faces biased intimidation and invasion of privacy charges, and could get 10 years in prison if convicted.

Maryland lawmakers have agreed to legalize same-sex marriage. Governor Martin O'Malley says that he will sign the Civil Marriage Protection Act. Opponents are pushing for the issue to be decided in a referendum in November.

And take a look at this video carefully. Pickup truck slams into a Massachusetts convenience store. Three customers were standing in line. Well, the driver apparently lost control as he was pulling into a parking lot.

Police say it was an accident. The customers are OK.

Well, there's more backlash this morning to a story we first reported earlier this week. The New York Police Department secretly monitoring Muslim students and businesses. Now, a number of people are calling for a federal probe into that police force.

Susan Candiotti reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For six months starting in late 2006, New York police scanned open access Web sites of Muslim student organizations at several universities in the Northeast, including Yale, Columbia, Syracuse, and the University of Pennsylvania, looking for any signs that might lead to terror plots.

A senior law enforcement official tells CNN as first reported by the "Associated Press," New York police also took photos of mosques and Muslim-owned businesses, including dollar stores and restaurants in nearby Newark, New Jersey.

After finding out, New Jersey's governor was fuming. He says he's all about helping another jurisdiction but --

GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: It's got to be coordinated. And the NYPD has at times developed a reputation of, you know, asking forgiveness rather than permission in certain areas of coming into other states and doing things.

CANDIOTTI: Governor Christie and Newark Mayor Cory Booker want an investigation of the NYPD. In a statement, Booker said, "If the New York police had no specific reason to single out Muslims, it's, quote, "deeply disturbing," adding, "to put large segments of a religious community under surveillance with no legitimate cause or provocation clearly crosses a line."

But New York's Mayor Michael Bloomberg is unapologetic in defending his police department.

MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, NEW YORK: The job of our law enforcement is to make sure that they prevent things and you only do that to -- by being proactive. You have to respect people's right to privacy.

CANDIOTTI: An NYPD spokesman tells CNN it was mapping out places where terror suspects from other countries may try to blend in to avoid detection. And the surveillance shouldn't shock anyone, saying Newark police were briefed and even escorted the NYPD.

Still, Muslim students are livid.

JAWAD RASUL, STUDENT, CITY COLLEGE: This tactic actually creates more hatred. A better approach would be to take a proactive approach and engage the Muslim youth at a large level.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I disagree with the way this was implemented, with the way that they went about trying to find terrorist activities.

CANDIOTTI (on camera): Are Muslim students being singled out without hard evidence? Or are police doing what they're supposed to do? Protect public safety.

Susan Candiotti, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Well, incomparable beauty that until now most of us would never see. We're taking you on a virtual dive into the Great Barrier Reef next.

Using social media to pick an airline seat? Yes, we're talking about a growing trend for making friends on a flight.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: I know our adventure girl Zain Verjee is very excited about this -- exploring the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef without ever leaving home or getting wet because Zain hates it when her hair frizzes and her mascara runs.

ZAIN VERJEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Oh, gosh. It's the worst thing ever, Kyra. My goodness. So I can have a mani, pedi at home, eat bonbons, watch TV and go explore what's underwater at the Great Barrier Reef. Thankfully helping me out are world famous scientists and Google, thanks a lot.

And they basically teemed up to give us a virtual sight of these fabulous photographs that you're looking at under the Great Barrier Reef, all of this incredible natural beauty underwater.

What they've done, Kyra, is they've stitched together tens of thousands of pictures to be able to give us this crystal clear virtual view.

One of the things that the scientists are saying, and many Australian officials, is this will be a really good thing because it will actually draw attention to climate change. They hope that a lot of people are going to sit there at home on their computers and watch because they'll be able to se all this natural beauty and admire it, but also hopefully it will galvanize them to do stuff and understand more about climate change.

Kyra, do you scuba dive?

PHILLIPS: I don't. I get claustrophobic. I tried a couple of times. But I snorkel.

VERJEE: Yes, me too. Me too. I only snorkel.

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: Now, you know what would make this even more cool? If it were in 3D.

VERJEE: I know. This is only high definition. It's not in 3D. You know, hopefully at some point down the road they will work on that.

One of the things they're saying, even though it's not in 3D, they hope they'll study along with the scientists some of the natural beauty, measure things that scientists need help with. I don't know how well the average person would do with that.

PHILLIPS: It's interactive.

VERJEE: But yes, it's interactive.

PHILLIPS: Yes.

VERJEE: It's absolutely gorgeous. We should take a trip down there.

PHILLIPS: You got it. Let's plan it. I could use a break. Thanks, Zain.

VERJEE: Me too.

PHILLIPS: All right. So what drives you more crazy on an airplane -- a gum smacker, loud eater, a chatter box?

According to Alison Kosik when it comes to annoying passengers, we actually might have some new options.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: All of the above annoy me, yes.

OK. So what I'm about to tell you about is what's known as social seating. And it actually could become the trend. Dutch airline KLM, it began testing this program called "Meet and Seat". With this program if you're a passenger on a plane, you could volunteer to upload details from social networking site like Facebook and LinkedIn, and use similar data that others have entered. You can have a little control over who sits next to you. You can actually make the choice.

Now "The New York Times" reports Malaysia Airlines also introduced something similar last year. You know what? It could be pretty good for people who travel alone, like to network or professionals who may be heading to the same trade show or conference.

But one sticking point here for KLM service, you can't hit the reject button on who's chosen to sit next to you. Your only option is to try to get your seat changed to completely escape the situation.

You know what? I think it's probably going to be a while before the U.S. carriers pick up this idea.

You know, I think most people, especially in the U.S., they like to sit in peace and quiet on an airline and just get from point A to point B.

Are you a real sociable person, Kyra, on a flight?

PHILLIPS: I just like to relax and I guess unless the person is really interesting, I guess I could get caught up in a conversation.

All right. How --

KOSIK: Well, good for you.

PHILLIPS: Yes. OK. I'm being told let's get to the markets. You and I can chitchat about annoying flying probably for the next couple of hours, and so could everybody else.

But, hey, the Dow managed to post some gains yesterday.

KOSIK: And it looks like it may post a few more gains at the opening bell in about a few minutes. The U.S. markets look like they're tracking the positive momentum from Asian and European markets.

A couple of economic reports are coming out in 1/2 hour. We'll see if they can move the needle on the Dow which is getting ever so close to 13,000 -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. Alison, thanks.

And all this week, we are taking an in-depth look at addiction. It's one battle that the military doesn't want in the headlines. The enemy? Painkillers. We'll talk about that, straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Checking top stories now.

At least seven people were killed and 20 wounded today in the Koran burning protests in Afghanistan. One protest is actually near the U.S. consulate. President Obama calls the burning of the books by NATO troops a grave error.

AAA reports gas prices have jumped 12 cents this week. Experts say that speculators and uncertainty about Iran are fueling that increase.

There's a new sign the feds may be conducting their own investigation into the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse case. Penn State says the university got a subpoena from the U.S. attorney's office asking for more information about Sandusky and his charity.

And it's one of the military's toughest battles on the home front, drug addiction, especially to prescription meds.

Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr goes in depth.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The pharmacy at this military hospital outside Washington, D.C., fills hundreds of prescriptions every week. With wounded troops as well as those suffering from traumatic stress often having multiple prescriptions, it's not surprising that --

DR. JAMES HOUSTON, DIRECTOR, WOUNDED WARRIOR PAIN CARE INITIATIVE: Prescription pill abuse is a major problem throughout the military.

STARR: One of the major controls is the simplest.

HOUSTON: We can look into the patient's electronic medical record. We can see all the prescription medications that have been prescribed.

STARR: Every patient has one. It's one of many initiatives the military is uniquely able to mandate.

Another, there's no doctor shopping for multiple pill prescriptions because only one doctor oversees all drug orders for each patient. That's the only way a military member can legally get pills.

HOUSTON: This works really well in the Department of Defense because we have a little more control over medication use that you do not in the civilian world.

STARR: Drug testing is mandatory and expanding. The Pentagon is offering an unprecedented 90-day amnesty to come forward and get treatment.

The use of prescription pain medication has exploded. Prescriptions for Oxycodone pain drugs in the Army alone has nearly tripled in the last five years. And statistics show illicit use is on the decline.

At this hospital, patients are constantly counseled by specially trained pharmacists and they are warned about alcohol.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Every visit we have we talk about the problems with alcohol use. We screen for alcohol use. We look for alcohol use.

UNIDENTIFEID MALE: This is a video game we made for service members.

STARR: Dr. Ryan Canali (ph) heads up the Medication Misuse Education program. This video teaches doctors and patients about the risk of prescription drug abuse.

UNIDENTIIFED MALE: They get to play the role of someone who's at risk for medication misuse, and they see the slippery slope to addiction and even death.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Now, Barbara, you mentioned drug testing is expanding. What kind of drugs is the military looking for now?

STARR: Well, you know, Kyra, just this month they did expand it and they are now screening for the illicit use of the anti-anxiety drug Xanax and valium and the pain medication Vicodin -- three of the most popular drugs across this country.

But they are having some success because they are able to mandate certain things in the military that your private doctor can't. They have driven down the illicit use of prescription pills. It's way below the rate in the civilian world.

Perhaps a role model, but, again, the military is in a unique position here because they can force their patients to undertake counseling and other actions.

PHILLIPS: Barbara Starr going in depth for us -- Barbara, thanks.

STARR: Sure.

PHILLIPS: November's election could be a landslide. Op-ed contributor Charlie Garcia explains how the Latino vote could swing everything, just ahead.

And it's Hollywood's biggest night, but it's one star's tribute that's the buzz in our entertainment headlines next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Eddie Murphy quit but Billy Crystal is no rookie when it comes to hosting the Oscars.

Nischelle Turner is in Los Angeles for an Oscar host preview -- Nischelle.

NISCHELLE TURNER, CNN SHOWBIZ CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's no bad replacement there, huh, Kyra? Billy Crystal is considered one of, if not, the best Oscar host ever. And on Sunday, they're kind of embracing some new trends at the Oscars.

First thing, the producers say get ready for comedy because they're embracing comedy. We saw that a lot in Hollywood this year. So, the Oscars says -- well, we're going to get in the game.

And all the things we love about Billy Crystal as a host, you can bet you'll see that, too. That opening number of Billy in the movies where he pays tribute to all the best pictures nominated. That will be there.

And you're going to see some very funny bits along with A-list actors.

Well, we talked about that they're embracing this idea of comedy, Kyra. I have two names for you. That would be doing a bit at the Oscars. And this I cannot wait to see. Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis together on the Oscar stage doing a little bit of comedy. So, that should be a very fun part of the night as well.

PHILLIPS: Fun part and probably an emotional part of the night. And that is going to be this tribute to Whitney Houston.

TURNER: Well, actually, you know, I'm not sure if there's going to be an exact tribute to Whitney. What we're hearing from the producers is that they say Whitney was part of the acting community, just like a lot of other actors that have passed away this year. So, when we usually see the obituary package where they honor all of those actors who have been passed, Whitney will be part of that. I don't expect it to be like the Grammys where they single Whitney out and do a tribute to her.

PHILLIPS: Got it.

All right. Nischelle, we'll be paying close attention.

TURNER: Sure.

PHILLIPS: Well, the countdown is on to Hollywood's biggest night. Sunday, CNN is live at the Oscars with "Showbiz Tonight," "Road to Gold." A.J. Hammer is going to report live from the red carpet starting at 6:30 Eastern Time.

Barack Obama could win the presidential election by a landslide. Op-ed contributor Charlie Garcia tells us how next.

Also, a man vents his frustrations about his estranged wife on Facebook. Now he has to apologize to her on Facebook or go to jail.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Checking stories cross-country now.

A man accused of killing his wife during their Australian honeymoon is a free man. An Alabama judge threw out the case against David Gabriel Watson, citing lack of evidence. Watson's 26-year-old wife Tina died in 2003 while the couple was scuba diving off Australia.

In Orlando, officers in riot gear had to break up this huge crowd at a local mall. Why? It was the launch of a new basketball shoe. Hundreds of people wanted a pair of the $220 sneakers from the Nike all-star collection. Well, the store had to cancel the sale due to all the chaos.

And a Cincinnati judge orders a man to apologize to his estranged wife on Facebook or go to jail. Here's what happened. Mark Byron admits that he posted his frustrations about his pending divorce and his custody battle. Well, the judge decided and has now ordered that Byron has to post an apology to his Facebook page every day for 30 days.

President Obama could win the presidential election by a landslide, so says our next guest. It's all about the Latino vote. Plus, a few numbers, states, and a little emotion.

Not only is this "TIME's" cover story, but Charles Garcia, CEO of Garcia Trujillo, joins me to talk about his op-ed on the same subject.

What is Obama doing right?

CHARLES GARCIA, CEO, GARCIA TRUJILLO: He's doing all the right things. He's basically saying, look, guys, comprehensive immigration reform. I'm all for it. It's those Republicans that just keep getting in the way.

He was on a radio show with Piolin which is the biggest radio star in the Hispanic world on Tuesday --

PHILLIPS: Is that like the Rush Limbaugh of our radio world?

GARCIA: Exactly. He's the Rush Limbaugh of the Latinos.

And he said, guys, I have five more years and I'll get it done.

He's feeling pretty cocky and he should. I mean, you can accuse him of a lot of things, but he can count.

PHILLIPS: So, you're saying the president can count and he's getting cocky. Interesting.

OK. Well, you mentioned Florida, Ohio swing states but you say that he doesn't even need those.

GARCIA: He doesn't need them.

PHILLIPS: OK. So Arizona and Missouri you say flip.

GARCIA: Those voted Republican.

PHILLIPS: OK.

GARCIA: And he flips those, which he can easily do because in the debate, they put Arizona in play when they were completely against any immigration reform. So he flips those two states. And he has six more which he won last time -- Colorado, Indiana, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, and North Carolina. That's it.

And if he picks up others that he had also won last time like Ohio, Pennsylvania --

PHILLIPS: You say game over.

GARCIA: He wins by a landslide. And I think that the White House knows now that he has it locked. That's why he's on the air all time talking to Latinos about the things that are important to them.

PHILLIPS: Hey, you are making a big prediction here.

GARCIA: I am. I'm on the line.

PHILLIPS: Yes, you are. I'll tell you what?

GARCIA: The secret is out.

PHILLIPS: Now there you go, Charlie Garcia breaks the news. So you also say, you point out, that Latinos want an authentic leader. So who has that more right now?

GARCIA: You know, the President had issues with Latinos, but he's not -- you know, the Tea Party has the Republicans locked in because they need to pander the Tea Party to win the primary but they're not going to be able to pivot back because Latinos are looking for someone authentic.

You can't all of a sudden in August or September come back to Latino voters and say, oh I love you. I want immigration reform. They're going to say you're a phony. You really don't. And -- and the other thing is that Obama is winning the ground war. He's in all of these states with his troops registering Latinos to vote and if you look in '08, 84 percent of Latino registered voters voted and he knows that.

And he also outspent Republicans five to one. He spent $30 million on Spanish language ads versus $5 million that McCain did and he's going to do that again.

PHILLIPS: Ok we're going to follow it. And of course, you've got the op-ed piece on our opinion page.

GARCIA: That's right.

PHILLIPS: My guess is you're going to get a lot of people weighing in this morning.

GARCIA: I think so.

PHILLIPS: All right. Stay tuned. Charlie, thanks.

All right well, you can read all of Charlie's pieces for yourself. Just check out CNN.com/opinion. There's plenty of other great stuff to read on that space as well so check it out.

Jeremy Lin called the game a learning experience. The Miami Heat taught him last night, highlights coming up in sports ten minutes from now. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, it looks like National League MVP Ryan Braun will be playing on opening day after all. An arbitrator has overturned Braun's 50-game suspension for failing a drug test.

Senior writer for "Sports Illustrated", David Epstein, joining me on the phone. So David, this is actually a first for baseball, right?

DAVID EPSTEIN, SENIOR WRITER, "SPORTS ILLUSTRATED" (via telephone): That's right. There have been a dozen other cases that have been appealed by Major League Baseball players but this is the first one that's successfully resulted in a -- in a reversed suspension.

PHILLIPS: All right well, I know this is kind of a complicated question. We'll try to make sense of it as much as possible with all the facts. What does this say? Is he innocent or is there a lack of evidence here?

EPSTEIN: Well, what the arbitration hinged on was the fact that Baseball and the Player's Union agreed that samples -- urine samples had to get to the lab in Montreal within 24 hours and that didn't happen in this case.

So that's really what it hinged on. You know based on my reporting, his sample did, in fact, test positive and that wasn't challenged, but part of the process you know made in the agreement between baseball and the players association wasn't met.

PHILLIPS: Interesting. So -- but he did test positive so, you know, what happens from here? Will there be more scrutiny on -- on Ryan Braun, will there be an increased in testing from this point forward, like what will happen now?

EPSTEIN: Well it -- there actually may be -- may be a decrease in testing, at least at certain times of the week, because baseball sort of said our problem was that we couldn't get the sample to basically to FedEx within 24 hours because it was taken late in the day, FedEx was closed, so now sampling is going to be done only when it can be delivered to FedEx within 24 hours.

So at certain times there might be less sampling. And I think the scrutiny is going to continue because I think in most people's mind they'll see this as -- as sort of having hinged on a technicality, but there are still details of the story to come out.

PHILLIPS: You know after everything that's happened, the testifying, the lies, the books, the exposure, guys are still testing positive.

EPSTEIN: Yes and in a wide array of sports. I mean, so despite all that and despite all the exposure the fact is, you know -- if you know what you're doing the chance of getting caught by drug testing are still quite low. And at least perception is that the rewards of using performance enhancing drugs are quite high. PHILLIPS: And it's worth the risk.

EPSTEIN: Apparently.

PHILLIPS: So is Major League Baseball going to let this ruling stand or will they fight it?

EPSTEIN: So interestingly, baseball quickly issued a public statement saying they vehemently disagree with this finding and the baseball representative on the arbitration panel voted to uphold the suspension.

So normally this would be the end of the process. But I know they are exploring options, that -- to see if they have any legal recourse going forward but for the most part this -- this is just where the course is -- is typically supposed to end.

PHILLIPS: David Epstein, I'll be looking for your articles in "Sports Illustrated".

EPSTEIN: All right.

PHILLIPS: I know you'll keep writing on it. David, thanks.

EPSTEIN: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Well, we're going to follow lots of developments in the next hour of the CNN NEWSROOM for you. Let's go ahead and check in first with Zain Verjee.

ZAIN VERJEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hey there Kyra, U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton is in Tunisia. Now she's there because out this big conference about Syria. It's called "Friends of Syria". I'll tell you what's been going on as well as give you a flavor of what the international news headlines have been saying.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: I'm Christine Romans in New York, following gas prices. That's right, they've never been this high so early in the year. How much higher will they go and who's got the right plan to keep the U.S. from $4 gas? I'll have that for you at the top of the hour.

ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: And I'm Rob Marciano on the CNN Severe Weather Center. A huge storm impacting millions of people from snow, to wind and a potential of seeing tornados today, I'll have that forecast at the top of the hour.

PHILLIPS: Thanks, guys.

And it's a hit sitcom about middle class Latinos. But in the next hour of "I Am America" we're going to find out why not everyone thinks this is such a good thing.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Lesson for Jeremy Lin last night. JEFF FISCHEL, HLN SPORTS: Hey, he's a smart kid, he knows he has to get better and last night was just one of those rough night. Jeremy Lin of course, he's so smart he's trying to copyright Lin- sanity. I mean he's a smart kid.

PHILLIPS: He went to Harvard, after all.

FISCHEL: But it took a tough turn on South Beach last night for sure against the Miami Heat. Harvard grad got schooled by Lebron, Dwyane Wade and company. The Heat smothered him on defense. It was Lin's worst game by far since joining the Knicks. Really, you know, he turned the ball over eight times, shot 1 for 11 from the field.

Meanwhile, Miami's big three combined for 67 points; the Heat win 102-88. Miami heads into the weekend's all star break riding an eight-game winning streak tied for best record in the league.

Here is the latest Lin -- Jeremy Lin the musical, now online. Check it out.

PHILLIPS: Oh, no.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(JEREMY LIN, THE MUSICAL)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FISCHEL: It's all right. And then of course, the groupies love him.

PHILLIPS: It's like "Glee".

FISCHEL: It is. It's basically --

PHILLIPS: It's a Jeremy Lin "Glee".

FISCHEL: He's trying to prove he can shoot with the dance moves.

PHILLIPS: That's great.

FISCHEL: That is good stuff.

All right. Let's do some golf. Tiger Woods won't end his winless streak this week either, Nick Watney knocked Woods out of the Match Play championship yesterday in the second round. It came down to this putt on that last hole, six footer, no, just a bit outside.

I think Tiger's game is coming together but his putting yesterday was truly brutal. It's been two-and-a-half years since he's won an event. Still he is the favorite at the Masters.

PHILLIPS: All right. Thank you, Jeff.

FISCHEL: Sure. PHILLIPS: Unfair and inaccurate, that is the reaction that many current and former Sarah Palin aides have to a new HBO movie, a movie that, by the way, hasn't even started playing yet.

Brian Todd reports.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JULIANNE MOORE, ACTRESS: You can actually see Russia --

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): She sometimes comes across as uninformed.

WOODY HARRELSON, ACTOR: Tell me, do you know why we're in Iraq?

MOORE: Because Saddam Hussein attacked us on 9/11.

HARRELSON: Well, Al Qaeda attacked us on 9/11.

TODD: And easily rattled.

MOORE: You're telling me what to say, what to wear. I am not your puppet.

TODD: Sarah Palin, warts and all, that is the inside look at the McCain-Palin campaign the new HBO movie, "Game Change" purports to offer. But some current and former Palin aides say based on the trailer they've seen it's more warts and it's not accurate.

JASON RECHER, PALIN AIDE: It's just factually false. It shows somebody who's depressed, negative, upset, angry, a campaign in complete chaos. That's not what happened. I was there.

TODD: Jason Recher now consults for Sarah Palin's political action committee. He was Palin's her trip director after she was nominated in 2008. Says he was her at every step. He calls that campaign one of the most uplifting experiences of his life.

As for scenes like this.

MOORE: You call that interview fair? I certainly don't. She was out to get me from the get go.

RECHER: I never recall seeing Governor Palin rattled during the 2008 campaign or since. She is somebody who has a firm command of her own presence, a firm command of the campaign and it's just again, it's a false narrative.

TODD: HBO, like CNN is owned by Time-Warner. Contacted by CNN, the screenwriter Danny Strong (ph) said he couldn't go on camera with us but he strongly defended his a script and the leg work that he and his team had done to get the movie made. Strong says the film is based on interviews he did with 25 people involved in the campaign including Jason Recher.

In an e-mail to CNN Strong said "We stand by the film as being an accurate and fair portrayal of the events of the campaign". Strong told me this is a multi layered film with positive depictions of Palin.

MOORE: If you really think I can help the country then absolutely I'll do this with you.

TODD: I asked political analyst Susan Page for her take on the 2008 Republican ticket.

(on camera): There was some real fracturing in that campaign right?

SUSAN PAGE, POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, one of the things I remember most about 2008 was the friction between the McCain people and the Sarah Palin people over almost every aspect of the campaign over her role, over her debate. That friction is not made up in this movie; that is not fiction.

TODD (voice-over): Jason Recher says find me any campaign where there is not friction. He says every campaign has tension between the candidates, headquarters, the traveling staff.

What does Sarah Palin herself say? Last week on Fox she said quote, "I'm really not too concerned about an HBO movie based on a false narrative when there are so many other things that we need to be talking about."

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)