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CNN Live Today

Northeast Digs Out From Killer Blizzard; Fans and Stars Mourn Carson's Death; High Court Rejects Florida's Right-to-Die Case

Aired January 24, 2005 - 10:00   ET

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

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


DARYN KAGAN, CNN CO-ANCHOR: We had excellent planning here. So much news happening over the weekend, we brought in our best weekend anchor...
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, thank you.

KAGAN: ... to help. Betty Nguyen joining in -- filling in for Rick Sanchez. We will get to a ton of stories.

NGUYEN: We do have a lot to talk about. So let get right to it. Here's what's happening right now in the news.

The northeast is digging out today from a severe winter storm. Governors in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Jersey have declared states of emergency. New York city's sanitation crews worked overtime to clear streets for today's commute. And it will take time for airline schedules to return to normal. Thousands of flights were canceled over the weekend.

A car bomb exploded today near the headquarters of the Iraqi prime minister's party. That blast comes less than a week before national elections. Twelve people, including 10 police officers, were wounded. A militant group led by Abu Musaab al Zarqawi has claimed responsibility for that attack.

There is word of a major development in the Middle East. Militant Palestinians say they have agreed to suspend attacks on Israelis in Gaza. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has been negotiating with Hamas and Islamic Jihad for a cease-fire in an effort to end years of violence in that area. A U.S. envoy is due in the region later this week for talks.

Ukraine President Viktor Yushchenko is spending his first day in office on a fence-mending mission to Moscow. He's trying to soothe relations with President Vladimir Putin, an outspoken supporter of Yushchenko's opponent. Now the Ukraine leader then heads to Europe. After yesterday's inauguration, Yushchenko said Ukraine's place in the European Union.

Well, good morning, everybody. I am Betty Nguyen, sitting in for Rick Sanchez today.

KAGAN: Good to have you here with us. Good morning to you and good morning to all of you. I'm Daryn Kagan.

The workweek begins with a lot of northeasterners finding their biggest job right at their doorstep; a weekend blizzard that dumped three feet of snow in some areas. It is gone but is it not forgot. A wicked winter storm system has cleared the northeast but its icy effects are still gripping much of the region.

Let's take a look. The storm came barreling out of the upper Midwest, where it left a foot of snow in some places. In Manhattan nearly 14 inches of snow fell. But the storm ended early enough on Sunday to let crews clean the streets. Snow removal is going on in New Hampshire. Two feet of snow fell in some places with drifts much higher than that.

NGUYEN: And in eastern Massachusetts, the storm was a full-blown blizzard. It's sunny, though, right know in Boston as you can see. Good news there. But much of the city still remains shut down.

CNN's Chris Huntington is in the middle of what looks like a winter wonderland.

Well, I guess it just depends on who you talk to, Chris.

CHRIS HUNTINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Betty, I have to say it's actually it's a beautiful morning here. It's quite chilly. It started off about 4 degrees. I think we're up to a whopping 11 degrees or so right now here in the sun. As you can see the snow removal continues in this city.

It got walloped by a storm that didn't quite reach record proportions here in downtown Boston. About an inch and a half shy of the all time snow accumulation record. But boy, in some of the outlying towns, more than three feet. And 38 inches of snow falling at least as measured vertically in Salem.

But really, the story throughout the storm in the region was the wind. Hurricane-force winds buffeting the coastal regions here, surging up huge waves on top of a full moon tide, covering some coastal houses with brine ice, as they call it, as the sea spray just washed inland. Fortunately, there was not serious flooding as was it the case in the great blizzard in 1978.

But the entire island of Nantucket lost power for the best better portion of last night. They are pretty much back in power now. But still, several thousand residents along Cape Cod still without electricity. Now, there is still a state of emergency in effect here in Massachusetts. That is expected to remain through the day.

What does the state of emergency mean? Well, it really means the National Guard is poised and at the ready with their resource for anything that's needed: evacuation, rescue, snow removal and such. The Boston City Schools are closed through tomorrow. Many regional schools are definitely closed today. There had been some criticism that was an overreaction.

Frankly, if you look at the snow pileup, no overreaction at all. There's no safe place for people to be on the sidewalks. And the word is still out asking people that do not need to be out and about to just stay home and sit tight. Only essential city officials are on the job here in Boston right now.

Luckily, pleasant day, so they will be able to get much done in terms of snow removal. Unfortunately though, there were, at least we know of two fatalities. A former "Boston Globe" columnist named Dave Nyhan perished while shoveling out his driveway, had a heart attack. And 10-year-old boy in the Roxbury section of Boston, trying to stay warm got into a car. Turned it on, apparently died of carbon monoxide poisoning. Because as can happen in these great buildups of snow the exhaust pipes, of course, sheltered from being able to release its fumes.

So over all, the situation here pretty much under control. We've been in regular contact with the Massachusetts Emergency Management folks. And they tell us they feel this storm overall was considerably more moderate than they had feared, not nearly as devastating as the Benchmark Blizzard in 1978 -- Betty.

NGUYEN: That is some good news. The mayor does say stay home today. Stay off of the streets.

We appreciate that report. Chris Huntington in Boston for us today. Thank you -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Some of the schools closed not just today, but tomorrow as well.

NGUYEN: Exactly. Snow days!

(LAUGHTER)

KAGAN: Kids liking that.

For nearly 30 years, Johnny Carson delivered the last words many Americans would hear before they turned off the television and went to sleep. And those words were often the buzz around the water cooler the next day. More than a dozen years after Carson abdicated the throne as late night king, he is again the center of conversation. Americans remembering him on the day after his death.

Our entertainment correspondent Sibila Vargas is in Los Angeles with more on that.

Sibila, hello.

SIBILA VARGAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Daryn. You know, every once in a while you get entertainer that breaks the mole. And Johnny Carson, that was definitely the case. Johnny Carson touched so many people. And as you can see behind me on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on his star, you see people paying tribute already. There are flowers that have been laid out and candles. And as the day progresses, we're going to see a lot more of that.

Now, as far as his peers and colleagues are concerned, the outpour of love has been tremendous.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) DON RICKLES, COMEDIAN: Johnny was great to me. I miss him terribly. I never realized he would die so quick. God took him real fast.

CARL REINER, ACTOR: Everybody who has ever seen Johnny Carson has said he's the best. And they compared every other talk show host in the history of television to Johnny. And Johnny always comes out ahead. And he will still come out ahead.

Now he'll come out way overhead because when you go, you become lauded more than you ever were in life. Now we're applauding him. We haven't been applauding him for last few years because he's been off. Now the applause starts again.

KATY SEGAL, ACTRESS: Really sad. Really affected. He's somebody that I grew up watching. And it's sort of like a, you know, it's just another piece of my childhood. and you know, I used to watch him with my mother. I remember she used to stay up late every night and watch Johnny Carson show and "The Late, Late Show." I used to love to hang out with her, wake up, go watch Johnny Carson and go back to bed. So I was affected. I am affected.

HENRY WRINKLER, ACTOR: I was very fortunate that that I was able to be on the show a few times. The first time I was really nervous. I was going on with Johnny Carson. He treated me with warm and respect.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VARGAS: And David Letterman had this to say about his mentor. He says, "We will not see the likes of him again. He gave me a shot on his show. And in doing so, gave me a career. A night doesn't go by that I don't ask myself, 'What would Johnny have done?'

And Johnny's " Tonight Show" successor Jay Leno said this about Carson. "No single individual has had as great an impact on television as Johnny. He was the gold standard."

And Daryn, I think that sums it up the best. But really I mean, just the outpour of love. The amount of e-mails that we got sent to our offices yesterday were just phenomenal. And I can just imagine that that's going to continue on today. He was outstanding on stage. He was outstanding in front of the camera. And by the looks of it by what we hear from the people that talk about him, he was like that in person in as well. And it's just -- it's really amazing. His legacy will definitely live on forever -- Daryn.

KAGAN: So many people are going to want to salute him. What about a memorial or funeral service? He was such a private man, especially once he retired.

VARGAS: Exactly. I mean he was a very private man. That's really kind of hard to believe because he was a huge television icon. But he was a private man. And as far as his family is concerned, they're not holding a public memorial service. It's going to be kept very private. So they're definitely going to respect his wishes. KAGAN: Sibila Vargas in Hollywood, right near Johnny Carson's star on the Walk of Fame. Thank you.

NGUYEN: One of the many entertainers crediting Carson with her big break is Joan Rivers, who was a frequent guest and guest host on "The Tonight Show." Here's what she had to say on CNN's "LARRY KING LIVE."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOAN RIVERS, COMEDIAN: It's an icon that's passed. He gave all of us our starts. My life changed. I went on the show the first time, seven years of struggling coming out of Second City. And on the air he said, "You're going to be a star." The next day my life was different. I'm terribly sad.

The man was the best straight man ever, ever, ever. He knew how to feed a line to you. And he did one other thing that I think people have forgotten. He was generous. He wanted you to come on his show and be better than him, and be funnier than him. He was delighted when someone got their laugh. And that's a very rare thing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: He did help make a lot of careers.

Join Larry King for an exclusive prime time interview with Johnny Carson's longtime sidekick, Ed McMahon. That is at 9:00 p.m. Eastern, 6:00 Pacific, right here on CNN.

KAGAN: And we still have a lot more ahead on the life and times of Johnny Carson.

Also, people all across America are sharing their fondest memories of Johnny Carson. Still to come this hour, we're going to take you back to his hometown where his generosity is remembered.

NGUYEN: Plus, we know which teams are going. Will you be there? A look at the cost of Super Bowl tickets and how not to get scammed.

KAGAN: But first, we go live to Baghdad and the count down to Election Day.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: We have news from the U.S. Supreme Court in the Terri Schiavo case out of Florida. The U.S. Supreme Court has denied -- has decide not to take the case concerning Terri Schiavo. This would clear the way for the husband of -- her estranged husband to remove his wife's feeding tube.

Associated Press reporting that more legal wrangling is expected in this case. And of course, this goes back it her husband, Michael Schiavo, who's been trying -- who's been fighting legally to have the tube keeping his wife fed disconnected. Her family had disagreed with that, saying that would go against her wishes. This one going up to the Supreme Court. They say they will not hear it. We will see what the next step might be just ahead. But for now, the U.S. Supreme Court saying they will not hear that case.

Now on to the fight for Iraq. A militant group led by al Qaeda ally Abu Musaab Zarqawi has claimed responsibility for the suicide car bombing in Baghdad. It erupted at a police checkpoint near the Baghdad headquarters of the interim prime minister's National Accord Party. At least a dozen people wounded, 10 of them police officers.

Meanwhile, the Iraqi government has announced the arrests of several suspected insurgent leaders. One man they say has claimed responsibility for 32 car bomb attacks since March of 2003.

The explosion's proximity to Allawi's political headquarters are only part of the militant's violent message. It comes six days about the historic elections and a step towards democracy that is viciously opposed by the insurgents.

Our Jane Arraf is embedded with U.S. Marines. She's in Fallujah. And she joins us now via videophone.

Jane, hello.

JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: Hi, Daryn. It's a much calmer place here than it was when we left it in November after the fighting. And we have with us the commander of the 7 Regimental Combat Team of the Marines 1-Division to talk about what he's seeing around here.

Colonel Tucker, thanks for joining us. You've been going around talking to Iraqis around Fallujah. What are they telling you about elections, about whether they going to go out and vote?

COL. CRAIG TUCKER, USMC: We have a very positive response from the -- a very positive response. You were out with us two days ago. We did a tour and talked with the people in the area. The vibrancy and the sense of community, and the energy you get about the election is very positive, much different than it would have been three months ago.

ARRAF: What about the security situation. You went from that battle in Fallujah to securing the outskirts all the way to Baghdad. Is there much of an insurgency left? How violent is it these days?

TUCKER: I would describe the communities outside Fallujah as vibrant. And that is primarily because of the intimidation of the terrorists has been pushed out or destroyed. The security situation is much improved -- much improved than it what it was prior to Fallujah. The number of attacks are significantly lower than it was prior to Fallujah. And we're not seeing the level of intimidation and terror in the communities we saw prior to that.

ARRAF: One of the things we're hearing from Iraqis as you are hearing, I'm sure, is that they don't know how to vote. They don't know who they're going to vote for. What are the chances that this is all going to come together before Sunday, do you think, actually have a real election in this province?

TUCKER: The Iraqi government and the Iraqi security forces, supported by the United States Marines, but primarily the Iraqi government have a plan in place to ensure that, as much education is available to the people in the areas prior to the voting date on 30 of January. And that information will become available. We have multiple means of getting it out: radio, TV, flyers handed out by local leadership or by the Iraqi security forces.

I'm confident when the time comes, given the nature of these communities and their telegraph network that takes place, I'm confident when the day comes, that they'll have the information they need to have an opportunity to vote.

ARRAF: Thanks so much. That was Colonel Craig Tucker from the 7-Regimental Combat Team of the Marine's 1-Division. One of the things they're doing, of course, they're continuing to go after insurgents. And continuing to go after people including possibly lieutenants, such as the one captured, we are told in Baghdad, which everyone hopes will make an impact on the attacks here -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Jane Arraf joining us from Fallujah, Iraq. Thank you.

NGUYEN: The increased security across Iraq comes amid the release of an ominous audiotape purportedly made by militant leader Abu Musaab al Zarqawi. The speaker identifying himself as the al Qaeda ally dismissed the elections as the quote, "Big American lie." He declared war on democracy and warned of more violence against those who work to support it. The authenticity of the tape cannot be confirmed.

Back here in the U.S. today Asa Hutchison is expected to announce his resignation from the Department of Homeland Security effective March 1. Hutchison, the under secretary for Border Transportation Security issues, has been passed over twice to head the department. The former congressman and drug czar tells an Arkansas newspaper that he could decide to run for governor of that state.

KAGAN: Question for you, does Donald Rumsfeld his have his own special unit on the lookout for terrorists? Coming up, our Pentagon correspondent sheds some light on a secretive unit that has been operating for years.

NGUYEN: Plus, Gerri Willis on getting some extended time off from work. sounds look a good idea -- Gerri.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN-FN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Do you dream of taking time off from work? We'll help you calculate the cost when CNN LIVE TODAY continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: So, are you having a tough time getting back into the workweek? Well, perhaps you've thought about taking a leave of absence just to rejuvenate.

CNN personal finance editor Gerri Willis has the day's "Top Five."

Good morning to you, Gerri.

WILLIS: Hello there, Betty. I don't know if you've thought about this, but I know a lot of people have. And if you do the first thing you have to do is calculate the cost of taking an extended break. Think about covering those basic financial obligations you have, the rent, mortgage, first for however month many months you're going to be gone. Then of course, you're going to have to pay for time to look for a new job when you get back.

But the payoff, check it out. You could be standing on one of those beaches right now.

NGUYEN: Oh, that looks so nice especially with all of the cold weather out there. Once you figure out that you can afford it the next step is making sure the boss says it's OK.

WILLIS: That's right. Betty, you know what? A lot of people don't know that one in five companies actually has a sabbatical program. That means that they might even encourage you to take some time off. But the people who are most likely to get it are those who are critical employees who actually bring something to the table that allows them to negotiate. So if you're one of those employees, you can actually think about taking a sabbatical.

But keep in mind that you want to negotiate things in the office about getting some health care coverage, making sure things you need covered are there when you need them.

NGUYEN: Yes. And speaking of that, taking a leave affects more than your take-home pay. What about the 401k, those long-term investments.

WILLIS: Yes, it's important not to stop contributing to your 401k. But if you take a sabbatical; you're going to have to not contribute for a period of time. Here's the secret thing that most people wouldn't think about. If you leave for a period of time, your workplace, you're probably going to have to wait to restart your 401k contributions when you get back. By a year, maybe a year and a half.

So time your re-entry into the workforce so that you have the least amount of time not contributing to that 401k. Because, as you know, everybody's got to have the retirement dollars.

NGUYEN: Oh, no doubt. And it seems obvious, but you really need to speak with your spouse if you're married, because one person may have to pick up the slack.

WILLIS: Absolutely right. They definitely have to sign on. Let's face it, if you're not married you can make any decision you want, right? You can take off for however long a time. If you have a spouse, they have to sign on, too, because they may be on the hook to pay the mortgage or whatever.

Another thing to think about, if they're working they may be able to help you out by paying your health care coverage while you're taking time off.

NGUYEN: And of course, if you're leaving the home, got to make sure that the home is ready for such a leave.

WILLIS: Well, you bet. One thing you can do, something a lot of people don't think about, is if you're taking a sabbatical, rent out your apartment or your house. Craig'slist.org can help you find people who would want to take on your house or apartment for a short period of time. And at the National Association of Realtors website, realtor.com you can find people who will help you rent out your house.

Now, you want to manage it while you're gone because you're not going to be on site possibly. So you want to have somebody there to take care of it. You can hire a concierge. Or better yet, have a neighbor look in on your house; somebody that you really trust. And be sure to give them the names of your plumber and other people to help you out.

NGUYEN: Yes. You don't want to come back to problems. OK. Gerri, thank you for those tips.

WILLIS: You're welcome.

KAGAN: I guess if there's a day of the week that people think about taking a leave of absence from work, Monday.

NGUYEN: Monday. Absolutely.

KAGAN: That would be it.

KAGAN: Well, especially if your job means you have to travel to northeast today, you might just want to sit tight. A big dig, as people across the northeast try to plow themselves out. A look at your morning forecast coming up.

NGUYEN: Plus, what's been changing at the Pentagon? Is there a secret department with new power? We'll take a look.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired January 24, 2005 - 10:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN CO-ANCHOR: We had excellent planning here. So much news happening over the weekend, we brought in our best weekend anchor...
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, thank you.

KAGAN: ... to help. Betty Nguyen joining in -- filling in for Rick Sanchez. We will get to a ton of stories.

NGUYEN: We do have a lot to talk about. So let get right to it. Here's what's happening right now in the news.

The northeast is digging out today from a severe winter storm. Governors in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Jersey have declared states of emergency. New York city's sanitation crews worked overtime to clear streets for today's commute. And it will take time for airline schedules to return to normal. Thousands of flights were canceled over the weekend.

A car bomb exploded today near the headquarters of the Iraqi prime minister's party. That blast comes less than a week before national elections. Twelve people, including 10 police officers, were wounded. A militant group led by Abu Musaab al Zarqawi has claimed responsibility for that attack.

There is word of a major development in the Middle East. Militant Palestinians say they have agreed to suspend attacks on Israelis in Gaza. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has been negotiating with Hamas and Islamic Jihad for a cease-fire in an effort to end years of violence in that area. A U.S. envoy is due in the region later this week for talks.

Ukraine President Viktor Yushchenko is spending his first day in office on a fence-mending mission to Moscow. He's trying to soothe relations with President Vladimir Putin, an outspoken supporter of Yushchenko's opponent. Now the Ukraine leader then heads to Europe. After yesterday's inauguration, Yushchenko said Ukraine's place in the European Union.

Well, good morning, everybody. I am Betty Nguyen, sitting in for Rick Sanchez today.

KAGAN: Good to have you here with us. Good morning to you and good morning to all of you. I'm Daryn Kagan.

The workweek begins with a lot of northeasterners finding their biggest job right at their doorstep; a weekend blizzard that dumped three feet of snow in some areas. It is gone but is it not forgot. A wicked winter storm system has cleared the northeast but its icy effects are still gripping much of the region.

Let's take a look. The storm came barreling out of the upper Midwest, where it left a foot of snow in some places. In Manhattan nearly 14 inches of snow fell. But the storm ended early enough on Sunday to let crews clean the streets. Snow removal is going on in New Hampshire. Two feet of snow fell in some places with drifts much higher than that.

NGUYEN: And in eastern Massachusetts, the storm was a full-blown blizzard. It's sunny, though, right know in Boston as you can see. Good news there. But much of the city still remains shut down.

CNN's Chris Huntington is in the middle of what looks like a winter wonderland.

Well, I guess it just depends on who you talk to, Chris.

CHRIS HUNTINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Betty, I have to say it's actually it's a beautiful morning here. It's quite chilly. It started off about 4 degrees. I think we're up to a whopping 11 degrees or so right now here in the sun. As you can see the snow removal continues in this city.

It got walloped by a storm that didn't quite reach record proportions here in downtown Boston. About an inch and a half shy of the all time snow accumulation record. But boy, in some of the outlying towns, more than three feet. And 38 inches of snow falling at least as measured vertically in Salem.

But really, the story throughout the storm in the region was the wind. Hurricane-force winds buffeting the coastal regions here, surging up huge waves on top of a full moon tide, covering some coastal houses with brine ice, as they call it, as the sea spray just washed inland. Fortunately, there was not serious flooding as was it the case in the great blizzard in 1978.

But the entire island of Nantucket lost power for the best better portion of last night. They are pretty much back in power now. But still, several thousand residents along Cape Cod still without electricity. Now, there is still a state of emergency in effect here in Massachusetts. That is expected to remain through the day.

What does the state of emergency mean? Well, it really means the National Guard is poised and at the ready with their resource for anything that's needed: evacuation, rescue, snow removal and such. The Boston City Schools are closed through tomorrow. Many regional schools are definitely closed today. There had been some criticism that was an overreaction.

Frankly, if you look at the snow pileup, no overreaction at all. There's no safe place for people to be on the sidewalks. And the word is still out asking people that do not need to be out and about to just stay home and sit tight. Only essential city officials are on the job here in Boston right now.

Luckily, pleasant day, so they will be able to get much done in terms of snow removal. Unfortunately though, there were, at least we know of two fatalities. A former "Boston Globe" columnist named Dave Nyhan perished while shoveling out his driveway, had a heart attack. And 10-year-old boy in the Roxbury section of Boston, trying to stay warm got into a car. Turned it on, apparently died of carbon monoxide poisoning. Because as can happen in these great buildups of snow the exhaust pipes, of course, sheltered from being able to release its fumes.

So over all, the situation here pretty much under control. We've been in regular contact with the Massachusetts Emergency Management folks. And they tell us they feel this storm overall was considerably more moderate than they had feared, not nearly as devastating as the Benchmark Blizzard in 1978 -- Betty.

NGUYEN: That is some good news. The mayor does say stay home today. Stay off of the streets.

We appreciate that report. Chris Huntington in Boston for us today. Thank you -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Some of the schools closed not just today, but tomorrow as well.

NGUYEN: Exactly. Snow days!

(LAUGHTER)

KAGAN: Kids liking that.

For nearly 30 years, Johnny Carson delivered the last words many Americans would hear before they turned off the television and went to sleep. And those words were often the buzz around the water cooler the next day. More than a dozen years after Carson abdicated the throne as late night king, he is again the center of conversation. Americans remembering him on the day after his death.

Our entertainment correspondent Sibila Vargas is in Los Angeles with more on that.

Sibila, hello.

SIBILA VARGAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Daryn. You know, every once in a while you get entertainer that breaks the mole. And Johnny Carson, that was definitely the case. Johnny Carson touched so many people. And as you can see behind me on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on his star, you see people paying tribute already. There are flowers that have been laid out and candles. And as the day progresses, we're going to see a lot more of that.

Now, as far as his peers and colleagues are concerned, the outpour of love has been tremendous.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) DON RICKLES, COMEDIAN: Johnny was great to me. I miss him terribly. I never realized he would die so quick. God took him real fast.

CARL REINER, ACTOR: Everybody who has ever seen Johnny Carson has said he's the best. And they compared every other talk show host in the history of television to Johnny. And Johnny always comes out ahead. And he will still come out ahead.

Now he'll come out way overhead because when you go, you become lauded more than you ever were in life. Now we're applauding him. We haven't been applauding him for last few years because he's been off. Now the applause starts again.

KATY SEGAL, ACTRESS: Really sad. Really affected. He's somebody that I grew up watching. And it's sort of like a, you know, it's just another piece of my childhood. and you know, I used to watch him with my mother. I remember she used to stay up late every night and watch Johnny Carson show and "The Late, Late Show." I used to love to hang out with her, wake up, go watch Johnny Carson and go back to bed. So I was affected. I am affected.

HENRY WRINKLER, ACTOR: I was very fortunate that that I was able to be on the show a few times. The first time I was really nervous. I was going on with Johnny Carson. He treated me with warm and respect.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VARGAS: And David Letterman had this to say about his mentor. He says, "We will not see the likes of him again. He gave me a shot on his show. And in doing so, gave me a career. A night doesn't go by that I don't ask myself, 'What would Johnny have done?'

And Johnny's " Tonight Show" successor Jay Leno said this about Carson. "No single individual has had as great an impact on television as Johnny. He was the gold standard."

And Daryn, I think that sums it up the best. But really I mean, just the outpour of love. The amount of e-mails that we got sent to our offices yesterday were just phenomenal. And I can just imagine that that's going to continue on today. He was outstanding on stage. He was outstanding in front of the camera. And by the looks of it by what we hear from the people that talk about him, he was like that in person in as well. And it's just -- it's really amazing. His legacy will definitely live on forever -- Daryn.

KAGAN: So many people are going to want to salute him. What about a memorial or funeral service? He was such a private man, especially once he retired.

VARGAS: Exactly. I mean he was a very private man. That's really kind of hard to believe because he was a huge television icon. But he was a private man. And as far as his family is concerned, they're not holding a public memorial service. It's going to be kept very private. So they're definitely going to respect his wishes. KAGAN: Sibila Vargas in Hollywood, right near Johnny Carson's star on the Walk of Fame. Thank you.

NGUYEN: One of the many entertainers crediting Carson with her big break is Joan Rivers, who was a frequent guest and guest host on "The Tonight Show." Here's what she had to say on CNN's "LARRY KING LIVE."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOAN RIVERS, COMEDIAN: It's an icon that's passed. He gave all of us our starts. My life changed. I went on the show the first time, seven years of struggling coming out of Second City. And on the air he said, "You're going to be a star." The next day my life was different. I'm terribly sad.

The man was the best straight man ever, ever, ever. He knew how to feed a line to you. And he did one other thing that I think people have forgotten. He was generous. He wanted you to come on his show and be better than him, and be funnier than him. He was delighted when someone got their laugh. And that's a very rare thing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: He did help make a lot of careers.

Join Larry King for an exclusive prime time interview with Johnny Carson's longtime sidekick, Ed McMahon. That is at 9:00 p.m. Eastern, 6:00 Pacific, right here on CNN.

KAGAN: And we still have a lot more ahead on the life and times of Johnny Carson.

Also, people all across America are sharing their fondest memories of Johnny Carson. Still to come this hour, we're going to take you back to his hometown where his generosity is remembered.

NGUYEN: Plus, we know which teams are going. Will you be there? A look at the cost of Super Bowl tickets and how not to get scammed.

KAGAN: But first, we go live to Baghdad and the count down to Election Day.

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KAGAN: We have news from the U.S. Supreme Court in the Terri Schiavo case out of Florida. The U.S. Supreme Court has denied -- has decide not to take the case concerning Terri Schiavo. This would clear the way for the husband of -- her estranged husband to remove his wife's feeding tube.

Associated Press reporting that more legal wrangling is expected in this case. And of course, this goes back it her husband, Michael Schiavo, who's been trying -- who's been fighting legally to have the tube keeping his wife fed disconnected. Her family had disagreed with that, saying that would go against her wishes. This one going up to the Supreme Court. They say they will not hear it. We will see what the next step might be just ahead. But for now, the U.S. Supreme Court saying they will not hear that case.

Now on to the fight for Iraq. A militant group led by al Qaeda ally Abu Musaab Zarqawi has claimed responsibility for the suicide car bombing in Baghdad. It erupted at a police checkpoint near the Baghdad headquarters of the interim prime minister's National Accord Party. At least a dozen people wounded, 10 of them police officers.

Meanwhile, the Iraqi government has announced the arrests of several suspected insurgent leaders. One man they say has claimed responsibility for 32 car bomb attacks since March of 2003.

The explosion's proximity to Allawi's political headquarters are only part of the militant's violent message. It comes six days about the historic elections and a step towards democracy that is viciously opposed by the insurgents.

Our Jane Arraf is embedded with U.S. Marines. She's in Fallujah. And she joins us now via videophone.

Jane, hello.

JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: Hi, Daryn. It's a much calmer place here than it was when we left it in November after the fighting. And we have with us the commander of the 7 Regimental Combat Team of the Marines 1-Division to talk about what he's seeing around here.

Colonel Tucker, thanks for joining us. You've been going around talking to Iraqis around Fallujah. What are they telling you about elections, about whether they going to go out and vote?

COL. CRAIG TUCKER, USMC: We have a very positive response from the -- a very positive response. You were out with us two days ago. We did a tour and talked with the people in the area. The vibrancy and the sense of community, and the energy you get about the election is very positive, much different than it would have been three months ago.

ARRAF: What about the security situation. You went from that battle in Fallujah to securing the outskirts all the way to Baghdad. Is there much of an insurgency left? How violent is it these days?

TUCKER: I would describe the communities outside Fallujah as vibrant. And that is primarily because of the intimidation of the terrorists has been pushed out or destroyed. The security situation is much improved -- much improved than it what it was prior to Fallujah. The number of attacks are significantly lower than it was prior to Fallujah. And we're not seeing the level of intimidation and terror in the communities we saw prior to that.

ARRAF: One of the things we're hearing from Iraqis as you are hearing, I'm sure, is that they don't know how to vote. They don't know who they're going to vote for. What are the chances that this is all going to come together before Sunday, do you think, actually have a real election in this province?

TUCKER: The Iraqi government and the Iraqi security forces, supported by the United States Marines, but primarily the Iraqi government have a plan in place to ensure that, as much education is available to the people in the areas prior to the voting date on 30 of January. And that information will become available. We have multiple means of getting it out: radio, TV, flyers handed out by local leadership or by the Iraqi security forces.

I'm confident when the time comes, given the nature of these communities and their telegraph network that takes place, I'm confident when the day comes, that they'll have the information they need to have an opportunity to vote.

ARRAF: Thanks so much. That was Colonel Craig Tucker from the 7-Regimental Combat Team of the Marine's 1-Division. One of the things they're doing, of course, they're continuing to go after insurgents. And continuing to go after people including possibly lieutenants, such as the one captured, we are told in Baghdad, which everyone hopes will make an impact on the attacks here -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Jane Arraf joining us from Fallujah, Iraq. Thank you.

NGUYEN: The increased security across Iraq comes amid the release of an ominous audiotape purportedly made by militant leader Abu Musaab al Zarqawi. The speaker identifying himself as the al Qaeda ally dismissed the elections as the quote, "Big American lie." He declared war on democracy and warned of more violence against those who work to support it. The authenticity of the tape cannot be confirmed.

Back here in the U.S. today Asa Hutchison is expected to announce his resignation from the Department of Homeland Security effective March 1. Hutchison, the under secretary for Border Transportation Security issues, has been passed over twice to head the department. The former congressman and drug czar tells an Arkansas newspaper that he could decide to run for governor of that state.

KAGAN: Question for you, does Donald Rumsfeld his have his own special unit on the lookout for terrorists? Coming up, our Pentagon correspondent sheds some light on a secretive unit that has been operating for years.

NGUYEN: Plus, Gerri Willis on getting some extended time off from work. sounds look a good idea -- Gerri.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN-FN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Do you dream of taking time off from work? We'll help you calculate the cost when CNN LIVE TODAY continues.

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NGUYEN: So, are you having a tough time getting back into the workweek? Well, perhaps you've thought about taking a leave of absence just to rejuvenate.

CNN personal finance editor Gerri Willis has the day's "Top Five."

Good morning to you, Gerri.

WILLIS: Hello there, Betty. I don't know if you've thought about this, but I know a lot of people have. And if you do the first thing you have to do is calculate the cost of taking an extended break. Think about covering those basic financial obligations you have, the rent, mortgage, first for however month many months you're going to be gone. Then of course, you're going to have to pay for time to look for a new job when you get back.

But the payoff, check it out. You could be standing on one of those beaches right now.

NGUYEN: Oh, that looks so nice especially with all of the cold weather out there. Once you figure out that you can afford it the next step is making sure the boss says it's OK.

WILLIS: That's right. Betty, you know what? A lot of people don't know that one in five companies actually has a sabbatical program. That means that they might even encourage you to take some time off. But the people who are most likely to get it are those who are critical employees who actually bring something to the table that allows them to negotiate. So if you're one of those employees, you can actually think about taking a sabbatical.

But keep in mind that you want to negotiate things in the office about getting some health care coverage, making sure things you need covered are there when you need them.

NGUYEN: Yes. And speaking of that, taking a leave affects more than your take-home pay. What about the 401k, those long-term investments.

WILLIS: Yes, it's important not to stop contributing to your 401k. But if you take a sabbatical; you're going to have to not contribute for a period of time. Here's the secret thing that most people wouldn't think about. If you leave for a period of time, your workplace, you're probably going to have to wait to restart your 401k contributions when you get back. By a year, maybe a year and a half.

So time your re-entry into the workforce so that you have the least amount of time not contributing to that 401k. Because, as you know, everybody's got to have the retirement dollars.

NGUYEN: Oh, no doubt. And it seems obvious, but you really need to speak with your spouse if you're married, because one person may have to pick up the slack.

WILLIS: Absolutely right. They definitely have to sign on. Let's face it, if you're not married you can make any decision you want, right? You can take off for however long a time. If you have a spouse, they have to sign on, too, because they may be on the hook to pay the mortgage or whatever.

Another thing to think about, if they're working they may be able to help you out by paying your health care coverage while you're taking time off.

NGUYEN: And of course, if you're leaving the home, got to make sure that the home is ready for such a leave.

WILLIS: Well, you bet. One thing you can do, something a lot of people don't think about, is if you're taking a sabbatical, rent out your apartment or your house. Craig'slist.org can help you find people who would want to take on your house or apartment for a short period of time. And at the National Association of Realtors website, realtor.com you can find people who will help you rent out your house.

Now, you want to manage it while you're gone because you're not going to be on site possibly. So you want to have somebody there to take care of it. You can hire a concierge. Or better yet, have a neighbor look in on your house; somebody that you really trust. And be sure to give them the names of your plumber and other people to help you out.

NGUYEN: Yes. You don't want to come back to problems. OK. Gerri, thank you for those tips.

WILLIS: You're welcome.

KAGAN: I guess if there's a day of the week that people think about taking a leave of absence from work, Monday.

NGUYEN: Monday. Absolutely.

KAGAN: That would be it.

KAGAN: Well, especially if your job means you have to travel to northeast today, you might just want to sit tight. A big dig, as people across the northeast try to plow themselves out. A look at your morning forecast coming up.

NGUYEN: Plus, what's been changing at the Pentagon? Is there a secret department with new power? We'll take a look.

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