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Record Storm Heads East; TSA: Small Knives OK In Carry On; Obama Invites GOP Senators To Dinner; White House Stops Tours; "Misunderstanding Of Our Practice"; Zimmerman Won't Seek Immunity Before Trial; Minnesota University Flubs Acceptance Letters; 25,000 LED Bulbs Light Up Bay Bridge; Chavez Procession To Military Academy; Venezuela's Future After Chavez; Help Wanted: Pot Czar
Aired March 06, 2013 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: -- they say it's not them.
She's known for her quirky role as Mary Tyler Moore's neighbor.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Isn't your lunch hour over?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you care if I'm late?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I care.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Now Valerie Harper making a stunning health admission to "People" magazine, she has brain cancer.
Plus it's one of the most unique jobs in the country, pot czar, the Washington state man tapped on picking the nation's first one says he is flooded with candidates and has delayed the much anticipated announcement, can't remember why. The NEWSROOM starts right now.
Good morning, everyone. I'm Don Lemon. Carol is off today. Snow fall and so do records today. The same powerful winter storm that buried much of the Central U.S. now slogging east, up to 20 inches of snow blanketing the region. This morning a quarter million homes and businesses are without power.
That same wet, heavy snow could bring down more power lines in and around Washington. Today classes are canceled for about a million school kids. They are happy about it. Their parents aren't. And in Washington parents are getting a break too.
CNN's Brian Todd joins us now from the National Mall. Don't you hate this term, winter wonder land when you're standing out in it -- Brian.
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I do, Don. You know, this is also not too much fun because unlike other regions where the snowstorm is hitting, you can't even have a snowball fight out here in the mall right now. This is just a heavy wet mess, not accumulating as you see on the ground at the moment. That is expected to change, projections anywhere from 5 inches to maybe 12 inches in and around the Central D.C. area. We can see the outline of the Washington Monument as the snow falls there. You cannot really see the outline of the capitol way down here.
But what you can see our photo journalist Mike Green will zoom in on the Smithsonian Institution where you can see the kind of heaviness of the flakes, the degree of how heavy and big the flakes are.
Again, not accumulating on the ground here because it's not quite cold enough yet to stick on the ground, but a big concern in D.C., as it always is when this happens, two big concerns, power outages is one.
Power lines could be affected by this, already started to be affected by it. Dominion Virginia Power just told us about 89,000 customers throughout the state are without power right now. Most of that is in the western regions of Virginia, at least an hour away from D.C.
But again, as the snow really starts to fall in earnest, it could start to impact the D.C. area much more severely as far as power outages. Another big concern, Don, traffic, but we are getting a break on that at the moment. I'm going down -- we're going to peer down 12th Street toward Constitution Avenue.
You can see the streets aren't quite deserted, but they are certainly not very heavy traffic down here. People in D.C. have gotten the word, stay home. All of the schools are closed in this area.
You mentioned about a million kids staying home. Most federal workers have gotten the day off. So traffic not a huge problem right now, but again, that could change. We're going to be monitoring the snowstorm as it gets more severe here in Washington.
LEMON: Absolutely, Brian. D.C. traditionally doesn't handle snow very well. Remember the last time we were talking about this, it was a, quote, "snow-mageddon" when it hit Washington?
TODD: I remember it very well because most of my colleagues and I had a nightmare getting home that night. The date was January 26th, 2011. It was a snowstorm not too dissimilar from this one. It hit during the day. It actually hit later in the day. Hit on midday, people did not expect it to come to the degree that it did, 5 to 10 inches of snow fall in the D.C. area very fast that day.
People were taking three or four or five hours to get home where they normally would take 45 minutes. It was a real nightmare. Cars were abandoned on the side of roads. The George Washington Parkway look like just a bad NASCAR wreck throughout it with just cars being abandoned all over the place.
So we are hoping that does not happen again and again, we think that it probably won't because most people have gotten the word early on, stay home, don't venture into this unless you really have to.
LEMON: All right, I'm glad you're done because any longer we wouldn't be able to see you with all the water on the lens. Thank you very much. Brian Todd is in Washington. We'll get back to you.
You know, starting April 25th, once banned items will again be allowed inside airlines. TSA says passengers will be able to carry items like small knives and even certain sports equipment through security checkpoints and on to planes. The change aligns the U.S. with international rules.
Shannon Travis joins us now from Dulles Airport outside Washington. So Shannon, there's certain knives, not all knives.
SHANNON TRAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, not all knives and this rule was announced yesterday. But as you said, it takes effect on April 25th. The rules can be a little bit confusing. So I want to break this down for our viewers, right.
The allowed small knives that you mentioned, think of a Swiss Army knife, right? Smaller than 2.36 inches in length, less than a half inch in width. What's not allowed, knives that are longer than 2.36 inches, bigger than a half inch in width and have a fixed blade or locking blade, a box cutter or what have you.
Again, just to kind of put that in real terms, I have a few examples. This one right here, Don, not allowed. It's a box cutter, has a razor blade and molded handle locks into place not allowed and also not allowed a typical type of Leatherman's knife according to the new TSA rule.
Reasons why as you mentioned, this would align the U.S. with the international rules, but also because a few other things, TSA chief says that this will free up screeners to search for bomb components more so.
Also, security experts say that things like reinforced cockpit doors make rules like banning small knives no longer necessary. There is some opposition. One big flight attendants union said they should keep this in place. A passenger that I spoke with from Switzerland actually disagrees with changing this rule.
Take a listen as what he had to say as well as someone who agrees with it.
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FRASER, SWISS TRAVELER: Well, I had the Swiss army knife can be used as a deadly weapon. So I'm not sure that would be a wise move. I'm not sure you're talking about hijacking, but it could be a danger amongst passengers.
MICHAEL O'CONNELL, DULLES AIRPORT WORKER: I think it would be a good option. Sometimes we have small things in our bag that help us out and they confiscate them and after they confiscate them you have to buy new ones or impacts travel plans.
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LEMON: Well, that frightens me just as a passenger to have someone have that equipment. That's a whole other story though. Let's talk sports equipment. Several pieces will be allowed once again.
TRAVIS: That's right. They are relaxing the rules of sports equipment also. Things like pool cues, lacrosse and hockey sticks and golf clubs and wifle ball bats, they will not be allowed to directly be carried on, but they will be allowed in carry-on luggage -- Don.
LEMON: All right, Shannon Travis, thank you very much in a very snowy Dulles Airport outside Washington, D.C.
Drones targeting Americans on U.S. soil, Attorney General Eric Holder said that could happen. He made the comments in a letter to Senator Rand Paul. Here's what Holder says.
He says, "In hypothetical and unlikely to occur case the president could authorize a military to use lethal force within our borders." Holder says the U.S. has not carried out such an order and has no plans to do so.
In Washington, they'll break bread but can they strike a deal? CNN has learned President Obama has invited a group of Republican senators to dinner. The apparent focus searching for a deal on the forced spending cuts.
Dan Lothian is at the White House with more. Dan, progress, finally, fingers crossed. What do we do?
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, I think a lot of people are hoping that. But what you're seeing is an aggressive effort by the president to reach out to Republicans specifically Senate Republicans. As you pointed out, CNN confirming that in fact the president has invited a group of GOP senators out for dinner.
It's unclear whether or not it will take place at the White House or elsewhere tonight or who is on that list. This follows a massive outreach by the president this week, working the phones and talking to Senators Colins and Corcoran among others.
Also over the weekend, we saw the president reaching out to Republicans as well. White House spokesman, Jay Carney, was asked yesterday whether this was a charm offensive by the president.
We've seen those poll numbers recently in the wake of those deep budget cuts, those deep cuts. We've seen the president's poll numbers slipping. So he was asked whether it was a charm offensive side stepping a specific answer to that question.
But saying in general the president is reaching out to lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, trying to make progress on long-term entitlement reform and tax reform, trying to find ways to reduce the deficit as part of comprehensive package.
To that end we have learned that the president also plans to head up to Capitol Hill next week, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell saying in a statement that the president will be meeting with Senate Republicans next week on Thursday at their lunch. This was a meeting he says that the president requested through his chief of staff in addition House Speaker Boehner's office says the president also requested a meeting with the GOP conference next week, still waiting for some specifics rather on what day that will be -- Don.
LEMON: The other DL at the White House. Thank you, Dan Lothian. Appreciate it.
Tourist at the nation's capitol will have to strike one site off the list at least for now. Blame those forced budget cuts on that.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Due to stopping reductions resulting from sequestration, we regret to inform you White House tours will be canceled effective Saturday, March 9th until further notice.
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LEMON: All right, so Congressman Louie Gohmert came up with his own budget cutting response. Republican offered an amendment that would prohibit federal dollars be spent to cover the cost of President Obama's golf games. The amendment would have been tacked onto the continuing resolution, which would keep the government running. Republican leaders threw out the amendment saying it wasn't relevant.
The owners of a California senior facility have made a shocking statement. A nurse misunderstood their policy regarding emergency care. Last week, an elderly woman died when a nurse refused to perform CPR, this despite desperate pleas by a 911 dispatcher to get someone else to help the victim.
Lauren Titus from our affiliate KERO has been following the story for days now and she joins us once again from Bakersfield, California with the new revolutions. What do you know?
LAUREN TITUS, KERO REPORTER: -- stood by the side of their employee who said she was just following procedure, but this morning the parent company of the senior living facility is taking a step back from her controversial actions.
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TITUS (voice-over): Twenty Three ABC received a statement from Glenwood Gardens' parent company, Brookedale Senior Living. Company officials are now saying a nurse's refusal to start CPR after 87-year- old Lorraine Bayless collapsed, quote, "Resulted from a complete misunderstanding of our practice with regards to emergency medical care for our residents."
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You can talk to my boss and I'm --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK, they are refusing CPR. They are going to let her die. TITUS: It's a dramatic change from the statement Executive Director Jeffrey Toomer issued after this 911 call between the nurse and a dispatcher came into light. He said, our practice is to immediately call emergency medical personnel for assistance and to wait with the individual needing attention until such personnel arrives. That's the protocol we followed.
The controversial CPR policy had been in question from the beginning with one family member of a resident claiming Toomer said it didn't even exist during a meeting with residents last week.
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TITUS: The staff member you heard on that 911 tape is currently on voluntary leave and at this point, Brookdale Senior Living says they are reviewing their medical response policies at their facilities all across the nation -- Don.
LEMON: All right, thank you very much, Lauren Titus from our affiliate KERO.
Meantime, in Venezuela, controversial leader dies. Live pictures now that you're looking at Hugo Chavez' body being taken to Caracas now so he can lie in state. It will happen -- mourning for a while there. Again, these are live pictures that you're looking at. We're going to update you on this on the other side of the break.
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LEMON: Let's check your top stories right now. Accused killer George Zimmerman will not seek immunity under Florida's stand your ground law. That's according to his attorneys. Zimmerman was charged in second degree murder in last year's killing of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.
Zimmerman initially went free on a self-defense claim even though Martin wasn't armed. Zimmerman's lawyer says he still may seek immunity under Florida's self-defense law.
Officials in Minnesota are on their second round of damage control. It started when the school sent acceptance letters to more than 200 students who weren't supposed to get them. The school then sent a second round of letters simply saying the first ones were a mistake.
Now a third round of letters is laying out the real story, that while the students don't qualify for automatic admission, they can appeal to get into the school.
San Francisco's Bay Bridge gets a serious face lift that's after 25,000 LED bulbs were installed on the cables along the bridge's western span. It's actually an $8 million sculpture called the "Bay Lights." It's slated to be on display for a few hours every night through 2015.
Right now in the South American country of Venezuela, mourners are lining the streets of the capitol waiting for a final glimpse of their fallen president. You're looking at live pictures now of a procession carrying the body of Hugo Chavez to the nation's military academy where he will lie in state.
The country has declared seven days of mourning. The funeral is on Friday. He was a polarizing figure and among the poor. He was often considered a hero. Million of others viewed him as an iron fisted socialist who trampled human rights. Again, live pictures of Hugo Chavez' body being carried to the place where he's going to lie in state.
Some of Chavez's harshest critics now live in exile watching their country enter an uncertain future from thousands of miles away. CNN's John Zarrella is in Miami where a huge Venezuelan community thrives.
John, Chavez was largely reviled among many of those ex-pats. Is there a new sense of optimism among them today?
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, there is. It's certainly tempered -- Don. You know, there are about 40,000 Venezuelans who live just in Miami-Dade County alone. Many of them are well of and they had fled Venezuela after the Chavez regime gotten power for fear they might lose their freedoms.
Well, some of them turned out to celebrate last night, but they were quick to point out that this was not a celebration of Chavez's death.
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ZARRELLA (voice-over): They could barely maintain emotions, waving Venezuelan flags large and small and wearing baseball caps in their country's colors. Miami has the largest Venezuelan community in the country. The vast majority opposed to the Chavez government. Many gathered shoulder to shoulder at a local restaurant, but they say it's not Chavez' death they are cheering.
ELIANA CABAMZO, VENEZUELAN IMMIGRANT: It's important to say I'm happy because Chavez died. I'm happy because my country can be freedom.
JESUS ALVAREZ, VENEZUELAN-AMERICAN: It represents a burden off our back, really. I'm not happy he died. I'm happy he's out of presidency.
ZARRELLA: The people are not naive and realize many in the homeland with staunch supporters of the Chavez government and change may not come easy. But they say there is at least now hope.
EDGAR LEAL, VENEZUELAN IMMIGRANT: This is like a second independence for this great country of ours.
ERNESTO ACKERMAN, INDEPENDENT VENEZUELAN-AMERICAN CITIZEN: First of all, let's get back to democracy. Let's get back to obey our constitution and then we can celebrate.
ZARRELLA: The next few days will be crucial to Venezuelans here believe, they will be watching to see how their country weaves its way through the short-term aftermath of the president's passing, which may they say give them at least hints to their country's future.
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ZARRELLA: Now, a lot of leaders in the Venezuelan community here were saying that very thing, Don. Listen, we have to temper this, this is not the right message to be sending. People in Venezuela who are going to see this, who are supporters of Chavez, we don't want them to see this side of how we are portraying this.
But in reality, when you think there are 40,000 just in the Miami area, and at that restaurant last night there were perhaps 200, 250 that showed up to celebrate, I think the vast majority got that message, that let's temper this for now -- Don.
LEMON: All right, John Zarrella. John, appreciate it.
Some criminal applicants are considered for a statewide post as Washington State seeks a pot czar before it allows legal sales of marijuana. It's a new world.
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LEMON: Marketing pot. It's unchartered territory now being drawn up as a matter of fact. The sale of marijuana for recreational use goes into effect in Colorado and in Washington State later this year.
And officials in those states are scrambling to get rules in place. All the while the feds are looking over their shoulders wing of a possible move to stop the states from going forward.
But before the marijuana sales start in Washington, the state has to hire a pot czar. Yes, a pot czar and as CNN Paul Vercammen reports the job is still up for grabs.
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PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN SENIOR PRODUCER: Dude --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I love Washington.
VERCAMMEN (voice-over): Where's my czar, as in marijuana consultant. In Washington State after seminars and lengthy search they still haven't hired a marijuana adviser because they've been swamped with qualified applicants.
The state liquor control board says, it received 98 bids to become the consultant on implementing Washington's landmark legalization of pot, Initiative 502. Entrepreneurs are waiting for guidance.
Dante Jones wants his business, Green Ambrocia, to become a 5,200-foot marijuana superstore. For now, Jones sells only to customers with medical prescriptions. Dead head OG, critical curb and amnesia haze, sales for recreational use become legal at the end of this year as a result of the ballot proposal's passage.
DANTE JONES, MARIJUANA VENDOR: The change in public perception since that November vote has been just dramatic.
VERCAMMEN: The marijuana consultant, law degree preferred, will advise on growing, transporting and packaging marijuana here, in other words, somebody who knows about marijuana from experience. That means some applicants with criminal records may be considered so long as their offenses were marijuana related and nonviolence.
JOSH BOLENDER, WASHINGTON LIQUOR CONTROL OFFICERS UNION: Cannabis is a whole new thing for us. It's unchartered territory.
VERCAMMEN: The liquor board says it expects to pay less than $100,000 for the pot consulting and may divide the work among up to four bidders. The announcement of the winning bid or bids could come as early as next week. For the winner or winners, it could be euphoria. For dozens of losers, reefer sadness. Paul Vercammen, CNN, Los Angeles.
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LEMON: Reefer sadness, Paul, come on.
President Obama asks Republicans to join him for dinner and they'll also have lunch. So is President Obama feeling the pressure to make a spending cut deal? Political buzz is next.
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LEMON: Checking top stories right now. We're about one hour into the trading day and stocks are up again today, up 42 points, somewhere in the 40s and it's hitting its all-time high as we have heard. Investors seem encouraged by a key jobs report out this morning. It shows private sector employment grew last month by 198,000 jobs.
All but two of the 115 cardinals eligible to elect the next pope are in Rome now. And they have quit talking to the media, even though their secret proceedings known as a conclave haven't even started.
Meanwhile a group representing survivors of sexual abuse by priests names a dirty dozen list of cardinals who it claims would be the worst cardinals for pope. No cardinal on the list has responded.
Here we go, "Political Buzz," a rapid fire look at the best political topics of the day, three topics, 30 seconds on the clock. Playing today, CNN contributor and Democratic strategist, Maria Cardona and CNN contributor and Republican strategist, Ana Navarro --
