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CNN Live Today
The Alito Vote; Coretta Scott King Dead at 78; 'New You Resolution'
Aired January 31, 2006 - 10:59 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's take a look at what's happening right "Now in the News."
On Capitol Hill, the Senate is moving toward a final vote on Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito. It's expected to begin at any moment. With at least 57 senators supporting Alito, his confirmation is considered a done deal. Alito would replace retiring justice Sandra Day O'Connor.
Live reports are just ahead.
President Bush and his aides are crafting the final version of Mr. Bush's fifth State of the Union Address. He delivers a speech before a joint session of Congress this evening, and he's expected to talk about a number of issues, including Iraq, the war on terror, health care, energy and education.
Two days after they were wounded in a roadside bombing in Iraq, ABC News anchor Bob Woodruff and cameraman Doug Vogt are on their way home to the U.S. They left the U.S. military base in Germany earlier this morning. Woodruff and Vogt will receive treatment at Bethesda Naval Hospital Brain Injury Center in Maryland. Both men suffered serious head injuries in Sunday's attack.
Arab language network Al-Jazeera has aired new video of American hostage Jill Carroll. The network says that on the on the tape Carroll begs for Americans to plead for the release of Iraqi women prisoners. Carroll is a freelanced journalist. She was kidnapped in Iraq more than three weeks ago.
It's being called a sad hour for America as the nation mourns the death of Coretta Scott King. The widow of the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. died last night in California, where she had been receiving medical treatment. Mrs. King suffered a stroke and a mild heart attack last summer.
Coretta Scott King dead at the age of 78. We'll have more on her life and legacy just ahead.
And in providence, Rhode Island, there's word that the former manager of heavy metal rock group Great White is expected to plead guilty to charges related to that deadly 2003 night club fire in West Warwick. That's according to The Associated Press. The fire killed 100 people.
And we go live now to Capitol Hill. The vote under way at this moment on Samuel Alito to become the next Supreme Court justice.
Let's listen.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Baucus? Aye.
Mr. Bayh?
Mr. Bennett?
SEN. ROBERT BENNETT (R), UTAH: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Bennett, aye.
Mr. Biden?
Mr. Bingamam?
SEN. JEFF BINGAMAN (D), NEW MEXICO: No.
Mr. Bingaman, no.
Mr. Bond?
SEN. CHRISTOPHER BOND (R), MISSOURI: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mrs. Boxer?
Mr. Brownback?
SEN. SAM BROWNBACK (R), KANSAS: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Brownback, aye.
Mr. Bunning?
SEN. JIM BUNNING (R), KENTUCKY: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Bunning, aye.
Mr. Burns?
SEN. CONRAD BURNS (R), MONTANA: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Burns, aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Burr? Mr. Burr, aye.
Mr. Byrd?
Ms. Cantwell?
SEN. MARIA CANTWELL (D), WASHINGTON: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ms. Cantwell, no.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Carper? Mr. Chafee?
Mr. Chamblis?
Mrs. Clinton?
Mr. Coburn?
SEN. TOM COBURN (R), OKLAHOMA: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Coburn, aye.
Mr. Cochran?
SEN. THAD COCHRAN (R), MISSISSIPPI: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Cochran, aye.
Mr. Coleman?
SEN. NORM COLEMAN (R), MINNESOTA: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Coleman, aye.
Ms. Collins?
SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (R), MAINE: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ms. Collins, aye.
Mr. Conrad?
SEN. KEN CONRAD (D), NORTH DAKOTA: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Conrad, aye.
Mr. Cornyn?
SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R), TEXAS: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Cornyn, aye.
Mr. Craig?
SEN. LARRY CRAIG (R), IDAHO: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Craig, aye.
Mr. Crapo?
Mr. Crapo, aye.
Mr. Dayton?
SEN. MARK DAYTON (D), MINNESOTA: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Dayton, no.
Mr. DeMint?
SEN. JIM DEMINT (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. DeMint, aye.
Mr. DeWine?
SEN. MIKE DEWINE (R), OHIO: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. DeWine, aye.
Mr. Dodd?
Mrs. Dole?
SEN. ELIZABETH DOLE (R), NORTH CAROLINA: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mrs. Dole, aye.
Mr. Domenici?
SEN. PETE DOMENICI (R), NEW MEXICO: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Domenici, aye.
Mr. Dorgan?
SEN. BYRON DORGAN (L), NORTH DAKOTA: No.
Mr. Dorgan, no.
Mr. Durbin?
SEN. RICHARD DURBIN (D), ILLINOIS: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Durbin, no.
Mr. Ensign?
SEN. JOHN ENSIGN (R), NEVADA: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Ensign, aye.
Mr. Enzi?
SEN. MICHAEL ENZI (R), WYOMING: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Enzi, aye.
Mr. Feingold?
SEN. RUSS FEINGOLD (D), WISCONSIN: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Feingold, no. Mrs. Feinstein?
SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D), CALIFORNIA: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mrs. Feinstein, no.
Mr. Frist?
SEN. BILL FRIST (R), TENNESSEE: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Frist, aye.
Mr. Graham?
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: Aye.
Mr. Graham, aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Grassley?
SEN. CHARLES GRASSLEY (R), IOWA: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Grassley, aye.
Mr. Gregg?
SEN. JUDD GREGG (R), NEW HAMPSHIRE: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Gregg, aye.
Mr. Hagel?
SEN. CHUCK HAGEL (R), NEBRASKA: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Hagel, aye.
Mr. Harkin?
Mr. Hatch?
SEN. ORRIN HATCH (R), UTAH: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Hatch, aye.
Mrs. Hutchinson?
SEN. KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON (R), TEXAS: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mrs. Hutchison, aye.
Mr. Inhofe?
SEN. JAMES INHOFE (R), OKLAHOMA: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Inhofe, aye.
Mr. Inouye?
SEN. DANIEL INOYE (D), HAWAII: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Inouye, no.
Mr. Isakson?
SEN. JOHNNY ISAKSON (R), GEORGIA: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Isakson, aye.
Mr. Jeffords?
SEN. JIM JEFFORDS (I), VERMONT: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Jeffords, no.
Mr. Johnson?
SEN. TIM JOHNSON (D), SOUTH DAKOTA: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Johnson, aye.
Mr. Kennedy?
SEN. EDWARD KENNEDY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Kennedy, no.
Mr. Kerry?
Mr. Kohl?
Mr. Kyl?
SEN. JON KYL (R), ARIZONA: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Kyl, aye.
Ms. Landrieu?
SEN. MARY LANDRIEU (D), LOUISIANA: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ms. Landrieu, no.
Mr. Lautenberg?
SEN. FRANK LAUTENBERG (D), NEW JERSEY: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Lautenberg, no.
Mr. Leahy?
SEN. PATRICK LEAHY (D), VERMONT: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Leahy, no. Mr. Levin?
Mr. Lieberman?
SEN. JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (D), CONNECTICUT: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Lieberman, no.
Mrs. Lincoln?
Mr. Lott?
SEN. TRENT LOTT (R), MISSISSIPPI: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Lott, aye.
Mr. Lugar?
SEN. RICHARD LUGAR (R), INDIANA: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Lugar, aye.
Mr. Martinez?
SEN. MEL MARTINEZ (R), FLORIDA: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Martinez, aye.
Mr. McCain?
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. McCain, aye.
Mr. McConnell?
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R), KENTUCKY: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. McConnell, aye.
Mr. Menendez?
SEN. ROBERT MENENDEZ (D), NEW JERSEY: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Menendez, no.
Ms. Mikulski?
SEN. BARBARA MIKULSKI (D), MARYLAND: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ms. Mikulski, no.
Ms. Murkowski?
SEN. LISA MURKOWSKI (R), ALASKA: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ms. Murkowski, aye.
Mrs. Murray?
SEN. PATTY MURRAY (D), WASHINGTON: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mrs. Murray, no.
Mr. Nelson in Florida?
Mr. Nelson of Nebraska?
Mr. Obama?
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), ILLINOIS: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Obama, no.
Mr. Pryor?
SEN. MARK PRYOR (D), ARKANSAS: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Pryor, no.
Mr. Reed of Rhode Island?
SEN. JACK REED (D), RHODE ISLAND: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Reed of Rhode Island, no.
Mr. Reid of Nevada?
SEN. HARRY REID (D), NEVADA: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Reid of Nevada, no.
Mr. Roberts?
Mr. Rockefeller?
Mr. Salazar?
SEN. KEN SALAZAR (D), COLORADO: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Salazar, no.
Mr. Santorum?
SEN. RICK SANTORUM (R), PENNSYLVANIA: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Santorum, aye.
Mr. Sarbanes?
SEN. PAUL SARBANES (D), MARYLAND: No.
Mr. Schumer? SEN. CHARLES SCHUMER (D), NEW YORK: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Schumer, no.
Mr. Sessions?
SEN. JEFF SESSIONS (R), ALABAMA: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Sessions, aye.
Mr. Shelby?
SEN. RICHARD SHELBY (R), ALABAMA: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Shelby, aye.
Mr. Smith?
SEN. GORDON SMITH (R), OREGON: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Smith, aye.
Ms. Snowe?
SEN. OLYMPIA SNOWE (R), MAINE: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ms. Snowe, aye.
Mr. Specter?
SEN. ARLEN SPECTER (R), PENNSYLVANIA: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Specter, aye.
Ms. Stabenow?
Mr. Stevens?
SEN. TED STEVENS (R), ALASKA: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Stevens, aye.
Mr. Sununu?
SEN. JOHN SUNUNU (R), NEW HAMPSHIRE: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Sununu, aye.
Mr. Talent?
SEN. JAMES TALENT (R), MISSOURI: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Talent, aye.
Mr. Thomas?
SEN. CRAIG THOMAS (R), WYOMING: Aye.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Thomas, aye.
KAGAN: And with that, 51 votes aye, yes, in favor of making Samuel Alito the next justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. That's what they needed. The vote will go on, but this basically a done deal.
We have a number of our top CNN players here to give us coverage.
First, Ed Henry on Capitol Hill -- Ed.
ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.
That's right, you heard Craig Thomas of Wyoming, the Republican senator, casting the vote that does it put over the top. As you say, it was widely expected, especially after yesterday's procedural vote. This last-minute quixotic filibuster by senators John Kerry and Edward Kennedy failing by a wide margin late yesterday, that really paved the way for this.
And, in fact, CNN Supreme Court producer Bill Meers (ph) confirming that soon to be Justice Alito, after he's sworn in later today, as well as Chief Justice John Roberts, are expected tonight to attend the State of the Union Address. That will be a very powerful image for the TV audience, obviously, of President Bush putting his stamp on the high court, an image that's going to cheer a lot of Republicans but dispirit a lot of Democrats.
A sharp reminder, elections matter. They lost the last one. The president is now putting his stamp on the high court -- Daryn.
KAGAN: And we'll get to the politics of all this in just a moment.
First, though, let's go to the White House. Our Suzanne Malveaux standing by.
Not the only one at the White House. I understand this is where soon to be Justice Alito is watching the proceeding, Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's right, Daryn. He's actually here at the White House with his wife in the Roosevelt Room.
We saw them come in about 20 minutes ago. All of this a very new scene for Alito and his wife. They actually got a little turned around in the parking lot getting here, but obviously a very good moment for him and for the administration. We believe the president was with him at the time they were watching those votes.
The picture you're going to see tonight is the one that is so important, however, the two of them together when Alito attends the State of the Union Address. And this is really considered a very significant political victory for the president because it really tends to his conservative base and the social agenda. The president came out campaigning saying he was going to nominate, appoint judges with a judicial philosophy that was not to legislate from the bench. He has done that in Alito, he has done that in John Roberts, and it is all about, of course, his legacy. And this going to be a very significant part of the president's legacy -- Daryn.
KAGAN: And let's see what this is going to make the Supreme Court look like and bring in our senior legal analyst, Jeffrey Toobin, watching the proceedings with us as well.
Jeffrey, this will really begin a new era now that you have the new chief justice in John Roberts and a new justice in Samuel Alito.
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SR. LEGAL ANALYST: Daryn, Supreme Court confirmations are rare in American history. There have only been now 110 Supreme Court justices in the entire history of the country. That's Justice Alito's number.
And, you know, they -- they serve as the Constitution says during good behavior. That means for life.
He's 55 years old. He's likely to serve 25, 30 years, and to deal with many of the most profound issues that confront the country. And he'll get started this year with some controversial cases, but will go on for many years, along with judge Chief Justice Roberts, leaving President Bush's imprint on the court for decades to come.
KAGAN: What are some of those first controversial issues, Jeff?
TOOBIN: Well, I think the two to keep an eye on right away are the Congress passed a law regulating, limiting, prohibiting what's sometimes called late-term abortion, partial-birth abortion. That law is almost certainly going to be reviewed by the Supreme Court this year and will be the first time Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito get their chance to put the imprint on the most controversial area of the court.
March 1, the court is going to hear an argument on the constitutionality of the redistricting of the Texas congressional delegation. It could have a big impact on whether the Democrats or the Republicans control Congress. Those are the first two issues, but Justice Alito will deal with a lot more controversial issues in the years ahead, too.
KAGAN: Yes, and it's all well and good to look ahead, but we really don't know what kind of justice someone is going to be until they actually get to be it.
TOOBIN: No, there is some history of unpredictability among justices. I sometimes think that's a little overstated.
Most justices turn out to be more or less as expected. The last several on the court, Justice Breyer and Justice Kennedy, President -- Justice Breyer and Justice Ginsburg, President Clinton's two appointees, have been pretty much as expected, moderate to liberal. Justice Thomas has been as expected, a very conservative justice.
Justice Souter has certainly been a surprise, the first President Bush's appointee who has turned out to be fairly liberal. That's something this administration did not want to replicate. They have picked justices that they believe -- we don't know for sure, but they believe Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito will be conservative in the mold of Scalia and Thomas. And we'll see if that's how it works out.
KAGAN: We'll see. You'll be watching with us.
TOOBIN: All right.
KAGAN: Let's talk politics and welcome in Candy Crowley.
Candy, the Democrats tried to pull together a filibuster, at least some of the Democrats did, and they didn't do a very good job pulling together their ranks on the Senate.
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: They didn't. There's some question as to whether that was a good idea or a bad idea still. Does it -- does it help progressives, the liberal side of the Democratic Party, and say, yes, we have people in there fighting, some of whom may run for president, Senator Kerry, or was it a bad idea just showing that the Democrats still can't seem to stop George Bush, despite the worst year of his presidency.
So what is going to be interesting when this all comes out, I think, is to look and see where the Democratic senators who are up for re-election in Republican states went on this vote. We can tell a couple of them so far where they've gone, but there's five of those so-called red state Democrats, the vast majority of whom will vote for this nominee.
So it always plays in politics. One of the reasons that picture everyone has been talking about tonight that's so important for George Bush to show his two conservative appointments to the Supreme Court is that midterm elections, and that is this year, all of the House of Representatives and a third of the Senate, this is a year when the base comes out. That is, conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats.
Those are the core voters in a midterm election. So that's why it's really important to show it. It's less a general audience than it is straight to those conservatives to keep them enthused and coming to the polls here.
KAGAN: Let's continue on some of your points there and welcome in John King.
John, on some of the points that Candy was making, five possible 2008 presidential contenders among the 24 that did support the filibuster. Was this a matter of stamping their card with the right credentials, well, look, I tried to fight the good fight?
JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Daryn, the interest groups, especially those on the abortion rights side, were very unhappy with the way the hearings went. They thought Judge Alito should have been pushed more and more on the abortion issue. Many of the Democrats, in just the point Candy just made, some of the Senate races this year, there are Democrats in conservative states who did not want to have a big national debate about abortion right now.
So, in terms of the filibuster, those '08 candidates and other national Democrats, those who might be thinking national races or state-wide races down the road, these are all senators, of course, they're statewide, but if they run home for something else, they need to keep the interest groups happy. And some of them felt trapped by Senator Kennedy and Senator Kerry. They thought that should have been done earlier on in the process. But they have their interest groups to please, and as Candy noted, so does the president.
Many Republicans conservatives are unhappy about spending. They're unhappy about the president's immigration policy. This is one conservative judge where the president can look the base in the eye and say, I've done what I promised.
KAGAN: One senator who might have found himself in the reverse situation, Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island, facing a tough re-election campaign in his home state.
KING: Well, Rhode Island is obviously -- tends to be a liberal state, tends to be a Democratic state. Lincoln Chafee is among the most liberal of Republicans. He is someone who, from day one, much like his father, has been a maverick Republican, he's not afraid to take issue with this administration, he's not afraid to take issue with this administration whether the issue is choice, whether the issue is the environment.
So Lincoln Chafee has always been a maverick. He would not be, shall we say, a Kansas Republican, much more a Rhode Island Republican.
KAGAN: If you're trying to flavor them there.
And we are watching. All the votes are not completely in. A few stragglers. So we're going to keep this going while we wait the vote to be completed there on the floor of the U.S. Senate on Samuel Alito.
But once again, it is a done deal. He received the 51 votes that he needed to be confirmed as the next Supreme Court justice.
And Suzanne, back to you. Do you know the exact timeline here? Are they going to go from the Roosevelt Room right into another room and be -- and have Samuel Alito sworn in?
MALVEAUX: We know they're going to take a picture together, the president, as well as Alito. And what's going to happen, tomorrow, actually, that is when you're going to see the formal ceremony here at the White House in the East Room. You'll see that picture of the two of them standing side by side. I wanted to add what -- to what Candy was saying, too, about the conservative base, the Republican base. One of the things you may recall was that near mutiny that happened from the base when the president went forward and said he was nominating his counsel, Harriet Miers. That was something -- a moment for this White House and for this president that was pretty difficult for him when they realized they were losing that critical support that the president needs.
And one of the things that he is trying to do in moving forward with those Supreme Court justices, as well as the State of the Union Address, is to make sure, to shore up and say, look, to those Republicans who are facing those tough races in midterm elections, stick with me, stick with this agenda, this is an agenda that's going to work for you, that we're going to keep those majorities in both the House and the Senate.
KAGAN: What happened to Harriet Miers, by the way, besides becoming a postscript in history books?
MALVEAUX: Well, she certainly remains the counsel to the president. She advises him on legal matters, she has been active, as you know, in the Supreme Court decision as well. So this is something that she -- we see her from time to time with the president, and they remain very close.
KAGAN: Suzanne, let me jump in here because it looks like the vote is final. Final vote, 58 in favor, yes; not in favor of Samuel Alito, 42, no.
Let's listen in and see what they're saying on the floor of the Senate.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The chair to admonish all present, and no reaction to a Senate vote is permitted under Senate rules.
O this vote, the ayes are 58, the nays are 42. The president's nomination of Samuel A. Alito Jr. of New Jersey to be an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States is confirmed.
Majority leader?
FRIST: Reconsider (ph) the vote?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Without objection. So ordered.
FRIST: Mr. President, I ask that the president be immediately notified of the Senate's action, and I now ask that the Senate proceed to the nomination of Ben Bernanke as under the previous order.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Without objection. So ordered.
KAGAN: And with that, you have a piece of history. Samuel Alito becoming the 110th justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.
He is already at the White House. We expect to have him be sworn in very soon. Our thanks to Ed Henry, Suzanne Malveaux, Candy Crowley, and John King.
More news ahead. We're back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: The nation is mourning the death today of Coretta Scott King, the widow of Martin Luther King Jr. She died overnight at the age of 78.
CNN's Drew Griffin joins us. He's at the King Center here in Atlanta with reaction.
Hello.
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And Daryn, a very sad reaction here at the King Center, almost from the beginning announcement this morning that Coretta Scott King had died. People have been coming here and laying wreaths, like this gentleman, and laying flowers at the tomb of her husband, the late Dr. Martin Luther King.
She was loved by many in this town, and many had a personal relationship with this woman who they credit with keeping Dr. King's legacy going and certainly building this King Center.
Mayor Andrew Young, a former mayor of Atlanta, had these words to say about -- about her struggle to keep her husband's legacy living.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDREW YOUNG, FMR. ATLANTA MAYOR: It was as though she was born for the breadth and depth of responsibility that she incurred as the wife of Martin Luther King. Indeed, she was -- she was as strong, if not stronger than he was.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN: It was a partnership they had that of course was cut short by that assassin's bullet. But she didn't walk away from the struggle. She kept at it and became a well respected person all across the world in her husband's struggle, which she then continued.
One of the notes, Daryn, on the flowers this morning from a woman who said, "I was 8 years old when I learned there would be a Dr. Martin Luther King national holiday." And she thanked Coretta Scott King for that. And as we see so many school groups coming through this morning on scheduled field trips learning about the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, you do have to thank Coretta Scott King for bringing that to America.
We're live at the King Center. The family has issued just a short statement thanking the nation for its prayers and condolences. No funeral arrangements announced just yet.
Back to you, Daryn. KAGAN: Drew Griffin in downtown Atlanta.
Thank you for that.
Coretta Scott King was 78 years old.
We'll take a break. We're back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Time to check in now with some of our "New You Resolution" participants. We're following three pairs who have resolved to lose weight and get in better shape this year.
CNN Senior Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta has a follow-up on the Rasch twins.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): How are the Rasch twins adjusting to their new exercise regimen?
MARK RASCH, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: I'm in pain.
STUART RASCH, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: I feel sore, I feel tired. I don't feel any stronger, but I feel achier.
GUPTA: They're also dealing with a diet overhaul.
S. RASCH: Potato chips I like. Jelly beans, peanut butter.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Peanut butter is not a junk food. A jar of it is!
GUPTA: Take out food and eating on the run during his overnight shifts pushed Stuart's cholesterol and blood pressure dangerously high. His new diet plan requires him to eat 300 to 400 calorie mini- meals every four hours and make smarter choices from the Chinese menu.
S. RASCH: What about like steamed dumplings or something like that?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Steamed vegetable dumplings, that's a great choice.
GUPTA: Adopt healthier recipes at home and keep a food diary as a constant reminder.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My analysis of your food diary is you that you have some very excellent choices.
M. RASCH: Well, this is the "New Me" food diet, this isn't the old me food diet.
GUPTA: Since he started working on his "New You," Mark has been trying to change his high fat ways. M. RASCH: Now, we got these, the healthier ones, you know, the 100-calorie packs. I figure if you had six or seven of these, you're pretty much OK.
GUPTA: But he still needs to add more healthy calories earlier during the day, cut out late night snacking and develop a flexible plan for the road.
The "New You" challenge has already paid off for the twins. Mark has lost 11 pounds, Stuart has lost seven, and they've still got four weeks to go.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, for the "New You Resolution."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: And you can keep up with the progress of our "New You Resolution" participants by logging on to our Web site at CNN.com/new you. You can also test your health knowledge, get tips for a healthy life and join in on the discussions in our "New You" buddy blog. That address again, CNN.com/new you.
Two defendants, six hours of opening statements, and one very interesting trial for the people who had a stake in Enron. We'll go live to Houston, where opening statements are under way in the trial of Ken Lay and Jeffrey Skilling.
Plus, parents whose sons paid the ultimate price in the war on Iraq. As we prepare for tonight's State of the Union Address, we look at the life of a military family.
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