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Obama Addresses National Governor's Association; Arizona Governor Not at Association's Black-Tie Dinner; Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio Popular with GOP Presidential Candidates; Tips for Saving Money on Gas; Shooting at Ohio High School
Aired February 27, 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 Phoenix, Arizona, I'm Suzanne Malveaux. I'm here on the eve of a big Republican presidential primary. More on that in just a moment.
First, I want to get you up to speed. Breaking news from Ohio. Right now, five students were shot, we understand, and wounded when a gunman opened fire at a high school about 30 miles east of Cleveland. The FBI tells us the suspected shooter who they think is a student is in custody right now. Now, the school is in lockdown and the students have been evacuated.
Students say it was chaotic when the shooting started with people basically running for their lives. Parents were frantic to find their kids. I just want you to take a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She texted me and said, "There's been a shooting and I'm in a closet, but don't worry." I just said, "Well, just keep texting me. So that's what we're doing."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My son's over there and I have a daughter here in middle school and I'm waiting to get the nod. And I just want to get them home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: -- to keep up with me.
There'll be more on the shootings throughout the morning, as well.
Now, onto politics. Last minute for Arizona and Michigan. We're talking three of the Republican presidential hopefuls. They're spending time in Michigan today, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich spending time in Tennessee. That is ahead of next week's big Super Tuesday contest.
And more apparent retaliation for last week's burning of Korans by NATO troops. A suicide car bomber detonated explosives at the entrance to a military airfield in Afghanistan, killing nine civilians. Now, the Taliban, they're claiming responsibility for the attack and for poisoning food at another base. We've got traces of bleach that were found in fruit and coffee, but no troops were sickened. They're eating now pre-screened meals.
President Obama's apology for the Koran burning has sparked criticism from those who are looking to take his job. Rick Santorum says the apology showed weakness. Newt Gingrich says the president surrendered. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton defending the president.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON: I well remember during the eight years of President Bush's administration when something happened that was regrettable, unintentional, as this incident was, President Bush was quick to say, look, we're sorry about this. This is something that, you know, we obviously did not mean to do. That's all that President Obama was doing and it was the right thing to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Syria says voters today overwhelmingly approved a new constitution, which the government describes as a move towards reform, but it is not stopping the bloodshed.
Explosions rock the besieged city of Homs again today. An opposition group says that 33 people were killed nationwide, most of them in Homs. The European Union is freezing assets, denying travel for officials in President Assad's regime to try to stop the government from killing its own people.
Veteran war correspondent, Marie Colvin, may have to be buried in Syria. Her mother has been trying to get her body back home to New York, but aide workers have determined it is now too dangerous.
Meanwhile, Colvin's paper, "London Sunday Times" reports she died trying to get her shoes so she could escape the heavy shelling. It is a custom in Syria to remove your shoes when entering a building.
The British phone hacking scandal costing media mogul Rupert Murdoch's publishing empire a small fortune. Murdoch's News International Group settled a lawsuit filed by singer, Charlotte Church, for $952,000 today. She was among those hacked by Murdoch's now defunct "News of the World" tabloid. Fifty-nine other lawsuits were settled for lower amounts. Now, Church says she's quote, "sickened and disgusted" by tabloid tactics.
The rain delayed Daytona 500, been pushed back again today. Today, it is now set for 7:00 Eastern tonight if the weather cooperates for the first time ever. Rain postponed the race yesterday. The Daytona 500 kicks off the NASCAR season and is the premier stockcar race. This year it features the debut of Danica Patrick as a NASCAR racer.
We're just one day away from the crucial Republican primaries here in Arizona, as well as Michigan. I'm reporting from Phoenix because, well, the state is going to play an important role in who gets the presidential nomination. We are talking 29 delegations at stake. We talked to some people, however, who are worried about this kind of stuff. We're talking about losing their jobs. As of January, Arizona had the third, worst foreclosure rate in the country. That is according to Realty Track.
And, also, the Labor Department now saying that the unemployment rate right here in Arizona, as of December, last December, 8.7 percent, only 15 states in worse shape on the jobs front.
And we are also talking in the final hours before the Arizona primary, the price of gas. It's going sky high. According to AAA, the national average is $3.70 a gallon. That is up 29 cents from just a month ago and, as expected, things are getting political, Republican candidates blaming the president.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NEWT GINGRICH, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think if we go all out for energy independence that we can get to get to $2.50 a gallon gasoline.
MITT ROMNEY, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The median in America dropped by 10 percent in the last four years, even as gas prices have now doubled.
RICK SANTORUM, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We now have $4 a gallon gasoline. Some are suggesting it's going to be $5 and maybe more this year. Why? Because the president's doing nothing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: But President Obama says there's really not much he can do for immediate relief.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You know there are no quick fixes to the problem and you know we can't just drill our way to lower gas prices. If we're going to take control of our energy future and avoid these gas spikes down the line, then we need a sustained, all-of-the-above strategy that develops every available source of American energy -- oil, gas, wind, solar, nuclear, biofuels and more.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: So, I had a chance to talk to some voters here about whether or not the politicians are really offering some solutions or whether or not it's just hot air.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
KEVIN FLANAGAN, SMALL BUSINESS OWNER: All right. Away we go. Welcome to my office.
MALVEUAX: It's beautiful. FLANAGAN: I've got the best view in town.
MALVEAUX: The view? Phoenix, Arizona. Small business owner, Kevin Flanagan.
How long you been doing this?
FLANAGAN: I've been flying hot air balloons for 28 years now, so I've been one of the luckiest guys around.
MALVEAUX: But Kevin's luck is running out.
FLANAGAN: There's 105 thousand feet of cubic space above it. The propane heats the air and that makes it fly and it seems like, whenever the gas prices go up, the propane prices shoot up, as well.
And just a few years ago, we were less than - we were about $1.85 a gallon and, now, it's $2.99 a gallon, just like kind of overnight.
MALVEAUX: So, the bottom line? How does that affect your profit?
FLANAGAN: It kind of takes any profit away. So, right now, I'd say that most companies are operating at break even.
MALVEAUX: So that's the view from 1,000 feet above, but what about on the ground?
We decided to come to the Desert's Edge RV Camp. This is where folks travel across the country in the trailers, their RVs. These are the people who are really impacted by the rising price of gas.
This is home for now, yes?
DEAN BAKER: This is our home. Our vacation home.
MALVEAUX: It's fantastic. I love it.
BAKER: Home away from home.
MALVEAUX: It's huge. It's really big. Tell me a little bit about, what does it cost to fill the tank?
BAKER: Well, it's got about a 100-gallon tank and it will cost toward $4 a gallon. $400 to fill the tank.
MALVEAUX: For Dean Baker, that means cutting back on family vacations, but the expense is still worth it.
BAKER: Being in this enclosed space with two little kids, a 5 and an 8-year-old. Sometimes it will drive you crazy, but it's great because, you know, you've got everything you need here. It's that family time of being together. real close. It's a close-knit time. That's the greatest part.
MALVEAUX: You can't beat that. BAKER: Yes.
PAM MARK: You want mild and you want spicy? Is that right?
(UNKNOWN): Yes.
MALVEAUX: At the local art fair, we met chefs, Pam and Ron Mark, who traveled all the way from Washington state.
RON MARK: We have the original flavor, heavy garlic and soy with a little touch of cayenne.
MALVEAUX: They say higher gas prices mean lower sales.
R. MARK: By mid-year, if it's still as high or higher, it will translate into my product price and that means probably less sales that I will have as well.
MALVEAUX: And despite some big promises from the Republican candidates that they'll break gas prices down, no one I talked to here was buying it.
Is there anybody, any of the Republican candidate, who you think has a good idea to bring this place back?
FLANAGAN: You know, at this point, I don't know. I'm kind of confused by politics because everybody is saying stuff and how it's all going to turn around and, you know, the bottom result is at the pump.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: We're also following another story, breaking news. We'll have more on the school shooting in Ohio. That after a quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: More on that shooting at the Ohio school. On the phone with us, Heather Phillips. She is a spokesperson for the Hillcrest Hospital in Mayfield Heights, Ohio.
Thank you for joining us. Can you give us a sense of how many students were injured at the high school? How many were taken to the hospital and what are the extend of these injuries?
HEATHER PHILLIPS, SPOKESPERSON, HILLCREST HOSPITAL: Sure, what I can tell you is we have two of the students at (INAUDIBLE) Hillcrest Hospital, here in Mayfield Heights, one female and one male. One is in serious condition and one is in stable condition. Both received injuries from gunshots.
MALVEAUX: Can you tell us if you expect any other students to arrive at the hospital. Has there been any word from school officials about whether or not there are other victims?
PHILLIPS: At this time, we have not received any word that we're receiving any more.
MALVEAUX: And what are the natures of the injuries? It sounds like you said one was in stable - that these are not life-threatening injuries. Is that right?
PHILLIPS: We have one in serious condition and one in stable condition and both are from gunshots.
MALVEAUX: Were they shot multiple times?
PHILLIPS: You know what, I don't have that specific detail. Just that they were gunshot wounds.
MALVEAUX: Are they able to communicate or talk to you? Have you talked to the students? Have they been able to tell you what actually took place inside of the school?
PHILLIPS: No, I haven't spoken with either student.
MALVEAUX: Do you know if their parents are aware of who they are? Have their parents been notified?
PHILLIPS: Yes. Family's been notified and they are here.
MALVEAUX: I'm sorry. I couldn't hear you. What was the last answer? Are the parents aware they're at the hospital?
PHILLIPS: Yes. The family have been made aware and both families are here.
MALVEAUX: Are you releasing the identities of any of the students who have been shot or injured?
PHILLIPS: No. At the request of the families, they've asked us not to release any names.
MALVEAUX: OK. What more can you tell us about what took place at the school? Are you learning any new information from these students?
PHILLIPS: That would really be from the schools to share that information. We're focusing our care on these two students.
MALVEAUX: Do you know if there were any students who were shot who have life-threatening injuries, or is it your understanding that those two students in your care are the only two that have been injured? Or others have been taken to other area hospitals?
PHILLIPS: We have two here and I believe the other hospitals have some the students, as well.
MALVEAUX: Do you know if any of those students have been injured, have life threatening injuries at the other hospitals or other facilities?
PHILLIPS: No, I don't know that. MALVEAUX: OK. All right, well, thank you, Heather Phillips. We appreciate your time and, obviously, we're going to try to get more information about just the extent of the injuries and more that has taken place at the school earlier this morning. Thank you very much.
More apparent retaliation for the burning of Korans at a U.S. base in Afghanistan. We've seen days of violent protest across the country. Now we're seeing a car bombing. U.S. officers being killed and an attempt to poison a ding hall for U.S. troops. Nick, it seems to me as if the situation is getting worse now. You have the Taliban that are claiming responsibility. What are we seeing on the ground here?
More apparent retaliation for the burning of Korans at a U.S. base in Afghanistan. We've seen days of violent protests across the country and now we are seeing a car bombing. U.S. officers being killed and even attempts to poison food at a dining hall for U.S. troops.
Our Nick Paton Walsh, he's joining us again from Afghanistan, Kabul. Nick, it seems to me as if the situation is getting worse now and you've got the Taliban that are claiming responsibility. What are we seeing on the ground here?
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're going on our seventh straight day of Koran burning-related violence. There have protests have aired, but today we had this rather awful suicide bombings. Six civilians and three security guards killed in this airport in the east of the country, Jalalabad.
It may have been that ISAF personnel at that airport were, in fact, the target, but apparently only a few of them were likely injured and are now fine, back on duty.
Importantly, the Taliban very quickly claimed this as an act of vengeance for this mistaken Koran burning by the act of troops at an airbase not far from where I'm standing.
I think the fear really is violence continues in this country as it warms up in the months ahead, that really the Talban might try and suggest that all of their acts are somehow harnessed public anger at this Koran burning, suggest that all of their acts are perhaps somehow vengeance for that one un intentional mistake the Americans say they made, Suzanne?
MALVEAUX: And, Nick, it seems like there's a growing concern that the Afghan President Karzai is not really doing all he can to stop the violence here against to Americans. There were some who took offense that he didn't even mention the two American officers killed until he was asked about it at a news conference.
From your vantage point, are we seeing the deterioration in the relationship between the United States, between Americans and the Afghan leadership?
WALSH: Yes, I think that's pretty fair. There's always a much worse relationship in reality than both sides like to portray. There have been many problems for many years.
But I think something like this, particularly the act of the press conference, particularly, I think, his slow call for restraint as these protests first broke out have made many U.S. officials a little concerned as to whether he still could be considered a reliable partner. That is something we heard from years past, though.
But I think what we have to look for in the days ahead is this issue of trust between Americans and Afghans. A little incident today on a base near the Pakistani border, you mentioned before. The Taliban came out with an e-mail saying they poisoned and killed five Americans by contaminating their food.
NATO normally dismiss this sort of thing as nonsense, but said in this case, yes, there had been contamination by chlorine bleach in coffee and food. They didn't know how it had happened.
But concerns that instances like this with the shooting of four Americans in the past week by men in Afghan army uniforms just feed into that whole sense that the Americans here don't necessarily have the trust they need in the Afghans they're teaching to take over security so they can leave. That's key plank of the whole American plan here and really, I think, a threat because of the week's violence, Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: Yes, Nick, I know in speaking to President Karzai back in the September 11th anniversary there, he, as you mentioned before, often rather coy and critical of President Obama, but it certainly seems as if things are deteriorating and it's at a much higher level here.
Thank you, Nick Paton Walsh. We appreciate it.
So, the question, would tapping the strategic oil reserve ease spiking gas prices. Well, some say it's time to do it. We're going to go in-depth.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: All right. It seems every time you blink gas prices going up again. According to AA, prices have climbed 20 straight days. That's right. The national average is now $3.70 a gallon. The Oil Price Information Service reports the average American pumps about 7.5 percent of their income into their tanks.
White House correspondent, Dan Lothian, is joining us for today's "In-Depth." Dan, great to see you.
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Nice to see you, too.
MALVEAUX: We know this is the kind of problem that the president has dealt with before and we know President Bush dealt with it as well. You've got now Democrats calling on the president to tap into the strategic oil reserves to ease the prices.
Does he sound amenable to that at all? What would be the point? LOTHIAN: You're so right. In fact, Representative Markey, a Democrat, two others, signed the letter, sending it to the president, asking him to tap the reserve.
You know, obviously the sense is that this might provide some temporary relief to these high gas prices that are expected to continue to rise, at least according to the experts.
From the white House, they're not ruling anything in, not ruling anything out. They're saying, aides here, that all options remain on the table, but perhaps a little bit of a hint we got last week from Secretary Geithner. In an interview with CNBC, he said, quote, "there's a case for the use of the reserves in some circumstances." But he went on that they're still evaluating the situation.
The other administrations, as you pointed out, have done this before. In fact, the Obama administration did it just last summer, responding to the loss of the Libyan oil, 30 million barrels, then dating back to 1977, 1991, 2000, 2005.
But the message from aides here at the White House is that they don't want a temporary fix, that this is something that requires a long-term solution, not some kind of, quote, "silver bullet," Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: Yes, Dan. I mean, if they actually did this, would it actually work? Would gas prices go down, the White House believes?
LOTHIAN: Well, look, I think the experts will look at this and say temporarily there might be a little bit of a dip providing at least psychologically some sense that there is more oil coming into the market, so it could.
But long-term, there's a sense that something like this won't work. But politically for the president, there's a lot of pressure here because, in an election year, no president wants to be sitting on gas prices at these levels and, again, threatening to go even higher.
And there's pressure coming, as we pointed, not only from Republicans, but from Democrats, so it'll be interesting to see what the White House decides to do over the coming days. But right now they're saying the word here is that all options remain on the table.
MALVEAUX: All right, Dan. Thank you very much.
Obviously, a lot of folks we talked to here in Arizona, gas prices, the number one issue for them and they are looking to President Obama, but they're also complaining about the Republican candidates, as well. They're not all that certain or have a lot of faith that they can really even handle this and have the gas prices going down.
Dan Lothian, thank you, there at the White House.
Here's your chance to "Talk Back" on one of the stories of the day. Now, this story really got us talking here. You're talking about a World War II veteran is attacked. His car is stolen and then he had to crawl on his hands and knees to get to a gas station.
Well, at first, no one helped him. Eighty-six-year-old Aaron Brantley was on his way home from church when someone jumped him from behind, broke his leg and drove off in his car. So this was all in broad daylight and, as you can see by the surveillance video, people just walked away, just kept walking by as he struggled for help.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AARON BRANTLEY: I opened the door and proceeded to get in. And all I knew, I was on the ground. They don't care about you or anything. I say, boy, it's a shame that things are like they are now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: So, when the vet makes it inside the station, he offered money to a man to help him out and the good Samaritan took him home with him, but he didn't accept the money.
So, it brings us to today's "Talk Back" question because this is a heartbreaking story here, but we see the video. What would you do if you saw someone struggling for help?
Send us your thoughts at facebook.com/suzanneCNN. We're going to read your responses at the end of the hour.
And we're also keeping an eye on the White House. President Obama and Vice President Biden are talking to the National Governor's Association. We're going to take a listen on what they have to say after a quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: All right, I want to go to the White House. President Obama speaking before the National Governor's Association. Let's listen in.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: -- and certainly, no matter what party we belong to is that we know what it means to govern, what it means to make tough choices during tough times, and hopefully to forge some common ground. We all felt the weight of big decisions and the impact those decisions have on the people that we represent.
I first addressed this group three years ago. It was a moment, as Joe mentioned, when the economy was in a free fall. Some of you were just coming into office at that time as well. Hundreds of thousands of Americans were losing their jobs or their homes every month. Businesses were closing their doors at a heartbreaking pace. The entire auto industry was on the verge of collapse and, all told, the prospects of us going into a full-blown depression were very real.
Today, there's no doubt that enormous challenges were made. But the fact of the matter is that over the last two years, American businesses have created 3.7 million new jobs. Manufacturers are hiring for the first time since the 1990s. The auto industry is back. Our recovery is gaining speed, and the economy is getting stronger.
We have to do everything we can to make sure that we sustain this progress. That means we've got to strengthen American manufacturing so that more and more good jobs and products are made here in America. We have to develop new sources of energy so we're less dependent on foreign oil, and yearly spikes in gas prices. And it means that we've got to make sure that every American is equipped with the skills, with the education they need to compete for the jobs of tomorrow, as well as the jobs of today.
That's what I want to talk to these governors about. No issue will have a bigger impact on the performance of our economy than education. In the long run, it's going to determine whether or not businesses stay here. It will determine whether businesses are created here, whether businesses are hiring here. And it will determine whether there's going to be an abundance of good, middle class jobs in America.
Today, the unemployment rate for Americans with at least a college degree is about half the national average. Their incomes are about twice as high as those who only have a high school diploma. So this is what we should be focused on as a nation. It's what we should be talking about and debating. Countries who out-educate us today will out-compete us tomorrow. That's a simple fact. If we want America to continue to be number one and stay number one, we have some work to do.
In the last three years, we've made important progress together. We have broken through the traditional stalemate of left and right by launching a national competition to improve our schools. I think Arnie has done an outstanding job of saying, we have to get past the old office, whether it's the dogmas on the liberal side or the conservative side, and figure out what works. We've invested, but we've invested in reform, and for less than 1 percent of what our nation spends on education each year. Almost all of you have agreed to raise standards for teaching and learning. That's the first time that's happened in a generation. We've also worked with all of you, Democrats and Republicans, to try to fix No child Left Behind. If you're willing to set higher, more honest standards we'll give you more flexibility to meet the standards. Earlier this month, I announced the first one to get a waiver from No Child Left Behind. And I hope that we are going to be adding more stakes soon.
I believe education is an issue that is best addressed at the state level. And governors are in the best position to have the biggest impact. I realize that everybody is dealing with limited resources. Trust me, I know something about trying to deal with tight budgets. We've all faced stark choices over the past several years. But that is no excuse to lose sight of what matters most. The fact is that too many states are making cuts to education that I believe are simply too big. Nothing more clearly signals what you value as a state than the decisions you make about where to invest.
Budgets are about choices. So today, I'm calling on all of you, invest more in education. Invest more in our children and in our future. That doesn't mean you have to invest in things not working. That doesn't mean it makes sense to break from China and move aggressively on reform. The fact of the matter is we don't have to choose between resources and reform. We need resources and reform.
Now there are two areas in education that demand our immediate focus. First, we've just got to get more teachers into the classrooms. Over the past four years, school districts across America have lost over 250,000 educators. 250,000 teachers.
(END LIVE SPEECH)
MALVEAUX: President Obama addressing a group of governors there at the White House. It's the last day of the group's annual winter meeting. Today, it's all business. The governors are talking to the president about job growth, how to create partnerships with the federal government. Last night was a lot more fun. It was a black- tie dinner. But there was one governor who was missing at last night's dinner. That's Jan Brewer. She told her staff it was a social event so she didn't participate. Her staff says she's now attending today's meetings.
So we wanted to know what was up with the Arizona governor.
Want to bring in our political director, Mark Preston.
Mark, she's not here.
(LAUGHTER)
She's in Washington attending the meetings. Is the White House seeing this as a snub?
MARK PRESTON, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Well, I certainly -- yes, I mean, how can they not see it as a snub, Suzanne? The fact is Governor Brewer and her do not see eye to eye on policy issues. Unfortunately, between the two of them, because they're both powerful politicians, is that it's become personal. We saw that during Mr. Obama's visit to Phoenix when she confronted him and literally waived her finger up into his nose.
I spoke to someone close to the governor. And the person told me, because it was a social event, she had other things to do. She didn't feel like she needed to be there. But this person tells me, supposedly now, it doesn't have anything to do with their relationship. Although, you've got to think it probably does a little bit -- Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: Let's talk about the relationship. I talked to folks in Arizona. They like the governor. They like the fact that she has a different position on immigration than the president does. But do we think, as long as you have this attention or talk about these two and their relationship, does it help or does it hurt President Obama, do you think?
PRESTON: Certainly, when it comes to immigration, they're not going to see eye to eye. When it comes to a lot of policy positions, they're not going to see eye to eye. Yesterday, she came out -- no surprise -- she gave her endorsement to a Republican. She gave it to Mitt Romney. What's interesting about that, for Mitt Romney now, Suzanne, is that having her endorsement could help him with conservative voters. As far as any relationship that might exist or could potentially exist between President Obama and Jan Brewer, I don't think we'll see it happen.
MALVEAUX: Yes. Folks in Arizona certainly think it's to her advantage to take on the president and how this tension, this back and forth between the two.
Mark, great to see you.
I want to remind our viewers to join us tomorrow night for "America's Choice 2012." We'll be here in Arizona following the primary here. We're also following special coverage, Arizona, Michigan primaries. A special edition of "John King, USA" at 6:00 eastern. And then complete live coverage of the results starting at 7:00 eastern with my colleagues, friends, Wolf Blitzer and the rest of CNN's political team.
Well, this guy, he calls himself America's toughest sheriff. Well, I caught up with Arizona's Joe Arpaio over the weekend. He was signing pink these underwear. Yes, he does that. Remember, he became famous for making prisoners wear pink. He has a lot of pull with Arizona voters and the Republican presidential candidates are going after his endorse, big time, ahead of tomorrow's primary.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: Tell me a little bit about who you've seen lately. I know you have a very popular person among the candidates.
JOE ARPAIO, SHERIFF, MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA: Who I -- well, I guess a couple came to my office, Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain.
MALVEAUX: Yes?
ARPAIO: And, of course, Perry, I campaigned for him in Iowa. Which I see a lot of Iowa people walking by. And Romney called me briefly.
MALVEAUX: How did that go?
ARPAIO: This goes back three or four months ago. I was his campaign guy four years ago. And then Newt called me last week. So we talked about immigration. But they also want my endorsement.
MALVEAUX: Of course, they want your endorsement. Who are you going to give your endorsement to?
ARPAIO: Well, I don't want -- I know I'm not talk, dark and handsome. They're not calling me for that.
(LAUGHTER)
So I haven't decided. MALVEAUX: You haven't decided. Why not?
ARPAIO: Well, we'll see what happens. They're all good people. And we'll see what happens.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: All right. He's playing coy now. Hear more of my conversation with the sheriff tomorrow. We're going to go head to head on immigration. That's tomorrow, CNN, starting at 11:00 eastern.
Now this veteran -- carjacked, and then crawled on his hands and knees to try to get help. Nobody stopped. Today's "Talk Back": What would you do if you saw someone struggling for help? Read some of the responses straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: All right. A World War II veteran crawls on his hands and knees to safety after being attacked at a gas station. So what is outrageous is that first nobody offers to help him. You've been sounding off on the "Talk Back" question: What would you do if you saw somebody struggling for help?
Mary writes, "Help him, of course. Sometimes I really wonder about this me-first society being fostered by our current political rhetoric of "screw thy neighbor" and "party over the people." It certainly does not bode well for our future as a civilization."
Brandon says, "My parents taught me about right and wrong, and the right thing to do would be to help that person. It's not about gaining fame or notoriety. The person that walks away should not be considered part of humanity."
But Mikey says, "I would like to think I would help. But the sad reality is, if I see a strange old man crawling on the ground, I would more than likely try to avoid him."
Michelle writes, "It should be a no-brainer. What possesses people just to walk by and do nothing is beyond me. Not only would I stop and help, I would make sure he had help in his home during the recovery of a broken leg."
Ryan says, "This is becoming an all-out too often warning sign of America that has lost its moral compass."
Keep the conversation going on my Facebook page, Facebook.com/SuzanneCNN. I'm going to read more of your responses in the next hour.
Gas prices getting close now, if you can believe this, to the $4 mark. So we have some ways to save. One tip, don't let your tank run on empty. We're going to explain.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) MALVEAUX: All right. I don't need to tell you this. You know gas prices are up. They're getting closer and closer to $4 a gallon. Right now, national average is at $3.70 a gallon.
Alison Kosik is here with today's tip to save us some money.
Alison, I think I'm doing this all wrong. I know what these tips are.
(LAUGHTER)
I don't think I'm doing it right. Why don't you tell us what we got to do?
ALISON KOSIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: OK, so that means that you are getting that sort of sticker shock when you get that grand total after you fill up your gas tank. So you want to save money like everybody else. AAA says, for one, don't run your gas tank to empty. It will cost you more in the end. Almost $500 or more to replace parts like the electrical fuel pump inside the tank which could overheat if you don't have the minimum level of fuel. A good rule of thumb, Suzanne, always have a quarter tank of fuel in there -- Suzanne?
MALVEAUX: Yes, I'm always the one just running on fumes, actually. So that's great advice.
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MALVEAUX: The way you drive, it's true.
(LAUGHTER)
The way you drive, I guess it could save you a couple of dollars as well. Explain how.
KOSIK: So if you're one of those people that kind of idles in your car, don't do that. You can waste up to a quarter to half gallon of fuel depending on the size of your engine and how much of your air conditioning you use.
You wind up using very fuel by turning the car off and restartomg it if you're sitting still. And if you're an aggressive driver -- you know who you are -- you're lowering your gas mileage by 33 percent on the highway and 5 percent around town and could be costing up to $1.18 per gallon. That's according to fueleconomy.gov. Also, get the junk out of your trunk and avoid a loaded up roof rack because any unnecessary weight that can be a drag on your gas savings -- Suzanne?
MALVEAUX: All right. Junk out of the trunk. Got that. Does it matter whether you pay with a debit or credit card at all?
KOSIK: It does. Don't use your debit card to pay at the pump. This is something that I didn't know. John Ulzheimer of smartcredit.com says, if you're low on funds in the account, that ties to your debit card. The merchant can sometimes hold more than the amount that you hold at the pump. This is only an issue when you swipe your car outside before you fuel up. After a few days, the charge winds up clearing and it is the right amount. But if you're close to zero dollars in your debit account, you can be hit with overdraft fees and other transactions may not clear.
MALVEAUX: All right. Alison, thanks.
Three for three. I don't do any of those things. And I guess I need to change the way I do it so I can save some money here.
Thank you, Alison.
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MALVEAUX: Well, I'll try. That's a tough one.
We're actually here in Phoenix the day before the Republican primary. We want to give you a view on the ground, of course, but also from up above. We're going to take you on a ride through the skies above Arizona, straight ahead.
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MALVEAUX: Nice. Pretty pictures. Arizona, of course. We're here to cover the important stories. We're talking about the primary, rising gas prices, immigration, just a few. There's also a back story, too. I couldn't pass up the chance to see Arizona from a totally different view.
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MALVEAUX: Wow. That's amazing. I have never been in a hot air balloon. Kenneth Flanagan flies balloons going back three decades. (INAUDIBLE). But we went to an R.V camp and they said, hey, we've got this balloon here, and it's also not doing so well because of the economy. And we said, OK, let's take a first-hand look. (INAUDIBLE). We're going to fly high above the Arizona desert.
KENNETH FLANAGAN, PILOT, WWW.2FLYUS.COM: All right. Away we go.
(LAUGHTER)
MALVEAUX: There are no seat belts in this thing, huh?
FLANAGAN: No seat belts. Balloons are one of the safest vehicles that the FAA has control over. And I'm a federally certified pilot.
MALVEAUX: So you haven't anybody yet? We're OK? FLANAGAN: I have some skydiver friends I throw out every one in a while.
(LAUGHTER)
They're fun. I can actually tell my passengers to get out.
MALVEAUX: I'm hanging onto you.
FLANAGAN: No, you didn't bring a suit so we'll keep you.
The most interesting landing is we were coming in to land way out in the middle of nowhere and there's lots of cactus and it was hard to find a spot to land and we finally spotted a small community. As we came in to land, I was focused on the spot and we touched down and drug through this little trailer park a little bit. I'm looking up at the balloon and simultaneously all the passengers said, oh, my god, and here was a nudist colony.
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One of my crew guys said it was emotionally scarred -- was the way he termed it.
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MALVEAUX: It was actually a lot calmer than I had ever imagined. There were no seat belts.
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But it was great. Kenneth knows what he's doing. We had a great time. And we saw a lot of this place.
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MALVEAUX: All right. We did not see a nudist colony but it was a great tour, nevertheless.
We are also going to bring you of course the highlight of the Oscars. The big wins straight ahead.
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