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CNN Sunday Morning
Pakistan Police Battle Protesters as Crisis Grows; G-20 Finance Chiefs Meet Near London; Tent City Springs Up Near Sacramento; Americans Consumed By NCAA Brackets; 'Consumer Reports' Lists Best Used-Car Deals; Interview With Charles Barkley
Aired March 15, 2009 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Well, hello there, everybody. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING for March 15. I am T.J. Holmes.
SUSAN ROESGEN, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Susie Roesgen, filling in again for Betty Nguyen. It is 6:00 here in Atlanta, 5:00 a.m. in Chicago and 3 p.m. in Pakistan.
That's where the police are clashing with thousands of people in the streets of Lahore and Islamabad. It's a protest against the removal of judges who were ousted by the previous President Musharraf and Pakistan's opposition -- opposition leader is supposed to be under house arrest and while the police try to stop the protest. Hundreds of people have been arrested, and we will take you there live in the next hour.
HOLMES: That's a story we're going to be following a lot this morning. Live pictures coming to us. We'll continue to follow that.
Also, we take a different turn this morning. Take a listen to this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: You'd never do it again?
CHARLES BARKLEY, FMR. NBA PLAYER: Never do it again. Never. I'm going to get a taxi or a car. Never going to do that again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: And you probably know what he's talking about after his recent run-in with the law. That is Sir Charles is the name. The "Round Mound of Rebound" -- another name he's gone by as well.
But Charles Barkley says he will never drink and drive again. His first television interview since being released from jail. You'll see more of my interview with him this morning.
ROESGEN: And new this morning, a big meeting in Vienna for members of OPEC, the organization of petroleum-exporting countries. Because of the continuing drop in the demand for oil, OPEC is meeting today to decide whether to increase pressure on member nations to comply with production cuts made last year -- here's a live look at that meeting -- or whether they will make additional cuts to boost the price of oil.
And NASA is going to try again tonight to launch space shuttle Discovery. It was originally supposed to take off on Wednesday, but there was a hydrogen leak, so it -- mission was postponed. Discovery is headed to the International Space Station where it will drop off a Japanese astronaut.
And as you look at this live picture now, as we get set for this launch at about 7:30 tonight at Cape Canaveral, Florida, there'll also going to be lifting up more parts for a solar-power system.
HOLMES: All right. A class photo to show you here now. That smiling bunch -- those are the finance ministers from 20 nations. They have pledged to take coordinated action to boost the world's economy. They have been meeting just outside London. The ministers are calling for more regulation of financial institutions to prevent another monetary crisis. You see Timothy Geithner, the U.S. Treasury secretary, in there.
The talks lay the groundwork for a summit of the G-20 leaders. That's coming up next month.
But again, that starts -- that's April 2, actually, when those leaders will be getting together. The politics around the G-20 already in high gear. Front and center, of course, the global recession. And also, the Chinese government's issues with the U.S; in fact, concerns that the U.S. will default on its trillion-dollar loan.
What's the president saying about that? Elaine Quijano for us from the White House.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARACK H. OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Work on a Saturday.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Obama played economic cheerleader-in-chief, one day after China said it was worried about the trillion dollars it's invested in U.S. debt.
OBAMA: Not just the Chinese government, but every investor can have absolute confidence in the soundness of investments in the United States.
QUIJANO: The president tried striking an optimistic and confident tone. But even his visitor, the Brazilian president, joked about how daunting a challenge Obama faces in trying to steer the battered U.S. economy back on track.
LUIZ INACIO DA SILVA, PRESIDENT OF BRAZIL (through translator): I don't want to be in his position.
(LAUGHTER)
QUIJANO: As the two presidents met in the Oval Office, Obama's Treasury secretary, Tim Geithner, conferred with finance ministers in the U.K.
TIMOTHY GEITHNER, TREASURY SECRETARY: This is a very challenging period, and this is still evolving.
QUIJANO: Laying the groundwork for next month's G-20 summit, a high-stakes meeting of the world's top economies.
Few specifics on global financial efforts just yet, but Geithner said he's pleased with what he heard.
GEITHNER: A very strong commitment by the leaders of the world's most important countries to move together to do what is necessary to bring recovery back on track.
QUIJANO: With the pressure on to help find a way out of the global crisis, President Obama dismissed any talk of a rift among G-20 countries on the best approach.
OBAMA: In my mind at least, there is no conflict or contradiction between the positions of the G-20 countries and how we're going to be moving forward.
QUIJANO (on camera): President Obama says financial regulation will be front and center in those global economic talks next month. And, he says, while he's expecting differences in details, he's also expecting a productive meeting.
Elaine Quijano, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROESGEN: And as we talked about (ph), President Obama is meeting later today with his advisers to talk about the economy. That's Issue No. 1 for just about everybody, and obviously for the president.
Tomorrow, he's going to give a talk at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Tuesday, he will be heading to Capitol Hill for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's St. Patrick's Day luncheon. And then on Wednesday, he will watch for his confirmation hearings for his Commerce Secretary nominee Gary Locke.
HOLMES: Of course, this faltering economy hitting a lot of cities hard. And it's nowhere more evident than in Sacramento.
We're getting these -- this stark illustration of just how tough things are, this tent city that's sprung up there now. Homelessness in a lot of cities, but again the situation in Sacramento is really seen as among the worst in the country.
I talked to the mayor of Sacramento yesterday, Kevin Johnson. You'll recognize him as the former NBA star as well -- talking to him about how he is going to address the problem of homelessness, but also in particular this tent city that's sprung up in his town.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KEVIN JOHNSON, MAYOR OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA: Basically, a de facto tent city. It's not sanctioned.
HOLMES: Yes.
JOHNSON: So there's campsites along the river. You unfortunately have people living in Third World conditions, not acceptable. No running water, no sanitation.
We, as a city, for far too long have ignored it and have decided to sweep it under the rug. It's come to light now, and we, as a city, are going to address it head on.
HOLMES: And you called it de facto there. I want to ask, are they there legally right now?
JOHNSON: You know, it's private property, so in theory, they're not there legally. But in the city of Sacramento, you cannot arrest somebody just for being homeless, if they don't have a place to go.
So what we need to do is provide shelter and housing option for these people immediately, because we need to have tough love in Sacramento. We need to be compassionate on one hand, but we need to have a zero policy along the river, because it really is a public- safety hazard and a health issue.
HOLMES: Now, who are the people that are there? I mean, it seems like in some of the reports are there, you know, in down economic times, people are just assuming that people are losing their homes and showing up here.
But I want to ask you, who are the people that are there? One city official actually quoted as saying that these are chronically homeless folks who are in this place.
JOHNSON: The majority of people living there are chronically homeless. However, there's a new homeless population in our city, not so much all living in tent city. Because of unemployment, because of foreclosures, you're having people that once owned their homes who are now on the streets because there's not enough shelter.
We have seen an increase of fourfold in our community. In terms of general assistance, 30 percent increase; food-stamp applications, 20 percent increase; 2.2 percent of the children in our Greater Sacramento region are actually homeless as well.
So we have a significant problem, not with just the chronic homeless who are along -- in the tent cities along the river, but also the new-homeless population.
HOLMES: Now -- and -- and you mentioned there that this is a public -- like, a -- a safety hazard, and also that they're not -- they're technically not there legally.
However, what do you do in the meantime, the immediate action? These folks, like you said, they don't have running out there. There are no restrooms out there. But still, does the city plan in the meantime -- like, compassion you spoke of -- to try to provide some kind of services and just help them make it through until a solution is found?
JOHNSON: We have a moral obligation.
When I ran for mayor of Sacramento -- I've been in office a little over 100 days -- my campaign slogan was, "a city that works for everyone." And that was really with the homeless population in mind.
What we do for the least among is how we're going to be known. So we have a moral obligation to make sure we do that.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stand by.
HOLMES: And again, Mayor Johnson says those folks technically are not there legally. However, the city of Sacramento cannot remove those folks just for being homeless.
ROESGEN: Trying to do a good job in a tough spot.
HOLMES: It's a very tough spot. And just the pictures now, that -- that city has become the poster child in a lot of ways for the homelessness problem and this economic downturn here in the country.
ROESGEN: What an awful thing to have in your town.
HOLMES: And you see them (ph).
ROESGEN: Looking at that every day.
St. Patrick's Day parades all day, and a shuttle launch tonight. Reynolds Wolf is tracking the weather -- Reynolds.
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That's right. We're going to keep a sharp eye on that launch weather, plus we're going to see some scattered showers across parts of the nation in places where they definitely need it. Severe drought still continues in parts of Texas and into parts of the Southeast.
Will they see that much-needed rainfall? We're going to let you know coming up in just a few moments.
HOLMES: All right.
Also, coming up, Reynolds, I know you and I know two teams who will not be in the Final Four this year.
ROESGEN: You mean the Saints?
HOLMES: No, not -- not the...
ROESGEN: (INAUDIBLE)
HOLMES: She knows her sports, actually, folks.
ROESGEN: And you know. (INAUDIBLE) difference between basketball and football.
HOLMES: But Auburn won't be there, your squad.
WOLF: Yes.
HOLMES: Arkansas will not be there.
But we will get into bracketology with our sports guy, Larry...
ROESGEN: What's bracketology?
HOLMES: Larry Smith. No matter -- you're a sports fan or not -- everybody fills out the brackets. So we will be talking about that.
ROESGEN: So this is when all the women in the audience go up and get chips from the fridge and...
HOLMES: No. No.
ROESGEN: Yes, it's true.
HOLMES: No, women are filling out their brackets at workplaces.
ROESGEN: Oh!
HOLMES: We know this.
ROESGEN: No, they're thinking about the sale at Talbots or something.
HOLMES: No they're not.
ROESGEN: Yes.
HOLMES: But we'll get into bracketology and try to get Susan involved as well.
But also, speaking of basketball on the professional ranks, but this story not really on the court here. This had to do with jail and a courtroom, actually.
Sir Charles says he will never drink and drive again. His first television interview since being released -- we'll show you more of that.
But here's a quick peek.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: You'd never do it again?
BARKLEY: Never do it again. Never. I'm going to get a taxi or a car. Never going to do that again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROESGEN: Well, more St. Patrick's Day celebrations under way even though it is not St. Patrick's Day today. It was not St. Patrick's Day yesterday, but I thought it was...
HOLMES: Tuesday.
ROESGEN: ...because so many parades.
HOLMES: All that stuff.
ROESGEN: So many things going on...
(CROSSTALK)
WOLF: ...for -- for some people, it's St. Patrick's Day every day.
ROESGEN: Well, look at you. You're kind of green.
WOLF: You know, I caught a flight yesterday afternoon, actually went up with Chicago with a white shirt, dove right into the river, and this is the result.
ROESGEN: Right.
WOLF: Green shirt.
HOLMES: Let's show the river he is talking about. We were waiting on this. Celebrations going on in Chicago yesterday.
Let's take a quick listen to some of these...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(CROWD SCREAMING "HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!")
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Yes. There they are. Thousands, as always, coming out to see the Chicago River dyed green.
Now you talk me through this. This is -- this is your town here.
ROESGEN: Yes, though they say that the local plumbers union are the only people who really know how to do this. So they -- you know, that little tiny creek in San Antonio.
WOLF: Yes.
ROESGEN: Sorry, San Antonio! No comparison. They actually use the -- the dye that's used there to -- to clean out the sewer system. But it starts out orange, and then it becomes green in the water.
Anyway, they say they've got this secret formula. They're the only ones who do it. HOLMES: All right.
WOLF: Wow!
HOLMES: When you were talking, you said the weather was supposed to be -- what? -- 50s and sunny? Looked kind of nice.
ROESGEN: Looks nice there, yes.
WOLF: Pretty nice.
Again, as I -- I'll say it like I said yesterday, for -- it doesn't matter if it was 12 below for some of these folks.
ROESGEN: Oh no.
WOLF: They're going to be out there. They're not feeling anything. It's a good time. They're just feeling love, the love that can only be felt on...
ROESGEN With Irish coffee.
WOLF: With Irish coffee and on St. Patrick's Day.
Hey, let's show you what we have. It's a pretty good-looking morning. We got a Tower Cam for you in Chicago. We're going to jump from that and show you what other weather you can expect around the nation. Let's show you the Tower Cam, and the Tower Cam is right there. Cloudy skies -- nope, not at all. Clear skies in Chicago. But dark as can be, as you can imagine.
You're going to be getting up and enjoying a great day. High temperatures fairly comfortable, well above freezing for you today. Perfect conditions, all things considered, for this time of the year in Chicago and along the Great Lakes.
We're going to head a bit farther to the south and southeast where there are some people that are going to be waking up this morning, namely the crew of the shuttle, hoping to lift off with great conditions.
Let's go right to the weather computer if we can. And as we go to it, we're going to show you the forecast day in Cape Canaveral, what they can anticipate for the launch. We got a low deck of clouds there for the time being, but as we put the computer models in motion, we're going through the rest of the day. Scattered showers mainly to the north, but the expected launch time -- well, conditions around 7:43 p.m. should be just fine. A few low clouds, but right now about an 80 percent launch of a launch.
So if you're heading down to Cocoa Beach, maybe up to, say, Daytona -- maybe -- hey, maybe even over towards Orlando, conditions will be fine for you. Same deal in Titusville.
Now a little bit farther to the north, you saw those raindrops. Those raindrops are really going to be particularly heavy in parts of the Southeast. In fact, scattered showers stretching all the way from D.C. southward into Atlanta and into Alabama.
At this time, the heavy rainfall -- well, we've got it. Flash- flood watch in effect for much of the center state of Georgia. In fact, two to three wee inches are possible. We had some yesterday; we're going to have more today, and then into Monday.
So that watch is going to remain in effect as we get into about Monday afternoon. The rain certainly a good thing. It's a really desperate in Georgia in terms of that precipitation. We can still use it, but a little bit too much of anything is seldom good. So that's certainly something we have to watch out for.
So that is a look at your forecast. You got the shuttle weather that we've talked about. The weather conditions improving in parts of the Great Lakes. They're still going to dry out. Those river levels are going to continue to drop. And this will be going up, hopefully today, at 7:43. There's the shuttle, looking good all lit up and pretty and running checks as we speak.
OK, guys. Back to you.
HOLMES: All right, Reynolds.
ROESGEN: There was a little countdown.
WOLF: You bet.
HOLMES: We appreciate you, buddy. Thanks.
ROESGEN: Now, talking about the floodwaters around, we have an eyewitness account from a CNN I-Reporter, Jeff Timmerman (ph). He's talking about the flooding, Reynolds, in Chillicothe, Illinois. That's about 15 miles north of Peoria.
These are some of his pictures. He says his home is fine, but he says some other areas in the neighborhood. He drove around town; he took the pictures.
Heavy rain caused the Illinois River to crest there, flooding some yards and homes. Jeff says it floods here every time it rains, but he says this area never gets any attention because it's not an affluent neighborhood.
HOLMES: Well, we will turn you now to -- to Pakistan, where an escalating situation -- really, the world is watching right now.
A lot of these pictures coming to us today and over the weekend. These are protests that are taking place across the country. But this is Lahore specifically that we're taking you to now.
But what you're seeing is lawyers and supporters of those lawyers who are unhappy with President Zardari's government. They're insisting that he restore judges that were ousted by former President Musharraf. They're also expressing a lot of dissatisfaction with the judiciary that -- the judiciary, who many say that President Musharraf pretty much dismantled while he was still in office about a year ago. Now they are on Day 4 now of a march -- or rather, a four-day march is what it is. Supposed to end on Monday, that will lead to a massive sit-in at parliament tomorrow in Islamabad.
But we will continue to follow this story throughout the morning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This used car may be more reliable than some of the newer ones. We have the list -- the best, the worst and why -- coming up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC)
ROESGEN: That will wake up in the morning.
HOLMES: (INAUDIBLE) at 6:30 in the morning.
ROESGEN: That will really -- absolutely, wherever you are. Whether it -- wouldn't the West Coast be 4:20? Five-twenty in Chicago.
HOLMES: Back into Chicago; it's till 3:20 out on the West Coast.
ROESGEN: OK, go back to bed now.
Believe it or not, some used cars -- we're talking about cars today -- could be more reliable than some new models on the car lots right now. I don't believe that.
HOLMES: That doesn't sound possible.
ROESGEN: Do you believe that a used car could be more reliable than a new car on the lot right now?
HOLMES: Well, some of the junk they're putting out these days, some would say...
ROESGEN: Well, there you go.
HOLMES: ..that some of the older cars are maybe put together a little better.
Yet that's exactly what the folks over at "Consumer Reports" say in their annual best-and-worst car survey.
Our Josh Levs went to get the answers.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LEVS: All right. Well, in this economy, you still need to get around, right?
As you can imagine, more and more people are looking for used cars. Got to save where you can.
So which used car do you get? How do you know if it's going to be a good one? How do you know you're getting a good deal? How do you know it's going to last for you?
We have the answers, because there's one place in America that knows better than anywhere else: "Consumer Reports," and the man is right here, John Linkov of "Consumer Reports."
Thanks for doing this.
JOHN LINKOV, "CONSUMER REPORTS": Oh, thank you, Josh. Thanks for having us.
LEVS: I want -- want to see how incredibly specific you guys get with these.
This is their section on used cars here. But as you go through it, what you see is, they start to look at every single model, and even within that, which years are good, which years are bad. Ultra specifics.
(CAR ENGINE TURNING OVER)
LINKOV: Right here we had a Nissan Maxima.
LEVS: Uh huh.
LINKOV: This is one of the vehicles that we recommended throughout because it's had really good reliability. So you could pretty much pick up a Nissan...
LEVS: OK.
LINKOV: ..that's within the last eight to 10 years. They've had (INAUDIBLE)...
LEVS: Even 10 years old?
LINKOV: Yes. A 10-year-old car really can be good. But what you need to know is the history of the vehicle.
This is called the vehicle-identification number. If you're buying a car from a private individual, you can take that VIN number, go the dealership of that brand -- so, say, go to Nissan dealer, and say, Look, I'm looking at buying this car. Can you at least tell me if the service history -- what the service history is.
LEVS: Wow. That's great advice. I didn't realize you could take the VIN number to the dealer.
LINKOV: You can. They may not feel comfortable doing it. It's a hit-and-miss type of thing. But it's better than nothing.
LEVS: It's worth a shot. LINKOV: It's definitely worth a shot.
LEVS: So what if the -- what's the biggest mistake people mistake people make with going to buy a new car?
LINKOV: They go out to the dealership and they get in the car, and they do a test drive. They really don't pay attention to the vehicle, and they kind of get in by what the salesperson wants. I mean, they're lowering the windows, they're talking a lot and they make a really test drive.
Instead of taking it on the roads that they're using to doing, they take it on a loop that the dealer likes, because it really shows of the attributes of the car, but it hides all the negative aspects.
LEVS: If you're buying a new car -- a used car, should you be looking at the doors for something? Should you be looking at this section?
LINKOV: If you're really looking at it, you want to wonder why a car that might be three or four years old is going to have four brand- new tires on it, because that might hide an alignment problem.
LEVS: Sounds a little bit "CSI."
LINKOV: Well, you know, it is. It's doing your investigation. You know, it's -- it's -- it's taking that weekend of doing research and thinking about what you want to ask.
And actually, on our Web site, we have checklist for used and new vehicles, and you want to go through and look at certain things. You actually want to bring your iPod or bring your mp3 player with you, plug it in and try the stereo out. Because you don't want to get home and find out that the jack doesn't work.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROESGEN: OK.
HOLMES: All right. And -- and Josh, we heard him at the end there mentioning a Web site where you can get some info, but I'm sure a lot of people looking for where they can get more info.
Where is that?
LEVS: Yes, so many people want to know. Because like I showed you there, it's so specific. It's, like, this model for this year with this much mileage is worth it.
This is it right here, consumerreports.org. And you'll be able to see a lot of the breakdown here. But I'm going to just take you through the list.
For example, they're saying the Honda 2006 CRV is one of their best deals overall. But I just want to scroll down a little bit so you guys can see how specific it gets and why it's so worth it to check it out.
Here's one example: They're saying if you're going to get the 2003 of this specific Mitsubishi with this many mileage for that much money, then it's a good deal.
So take a look at it there, at consumerreports.org. You can't miss it; just click on "Used Cars" at the top, and you should be able to get to what you need.
ROESGEN: You almost there look like a used-car salesman (INAUDIBLE).
LEVS: I know. I got to watch out for that.
(CROSSTALK)
ROESGEN: Come on in. Everybody, big deal. OK. Thanks, Josh.
LEVS: Oh know.
ROESGEN: No, not really.
You know, we're going to be talking about in the next hour with Josh how to avoid mechanics scams, because a business is thriving with used cars in a bad economy is the mechanics shop. Lots of work for lots of people heading to the car mechanic.
HOLMES: All right.
And as we told you just a second ago, another story we're going to be keeping an eye on this morning is what's happening in Pakistan. Protests there -- police are actually having to fire tear gas into crowds to try to disperse a lot of demonstrators. We'll tell you exactly what their common cause is.
Again, a live picture of protests happening right now in Lahore, Pakistan, but happening in several places around that country.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, hello there, everybody. Welcome back on this Sunday morning. I'm T.J. Holmes, and we are here at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia.
ROESGEN: And this is where we always say, OK, it's 6:30 on the East Coast, but it's 0-Dark-30 wherever we are.
HOLMES: Where you are right now.
ROESGEN: I'm Susie Roesgen filling in for Betty Nguyen this week.
We are also keeping an eye on a place across the world where it is late afternoon, Pakistan. Tear gas, stones, fists, really confusing and large protest there in Islamabad and Lahore. Protesters, many of the in the judicial branch, protesting the ouster of some judges who were taken out of office during Musharraf's regime. And we're going to take you there live and try to sort it out, coming up at the top of the hour.
HOLMES: Also, a medical miracle we're going to tell you about. A man who has a -- he needs a wheelchair. He's been using one for the past 20 years. Now he's walking? We'll tell you how a mosquito bite led doctors to this discovery.
ROESGEN: I don't believe it. But anyway.
Coming up, you're going to see this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARKLEY: ..taking you away from reality. That's why I love sports. They take -- like, think about it: If it wasn't for sports -- you got the war in Iraq; you got the war in Afghanistan; we got the recession. That's what we would watch.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Chuck talking about how sports is important in these times. Of course, you got NBA playoffs coming up. He does that over at TNT.
But of course, we remember he had a bit of a time away from TNT not too long ago because of a DUI arrest. Well, he's going to talk about that DUI, his jail time as well. It's his first interview he's had since getting out of jail last weekend, serving for that DUI.
So, you know, Chuck always has something to say. So, Charles Barkley, coming up.
ROESGEN: Oh, it's a great interview. We've seen a little bit of it.
HOLMES Yes.
ROESGEN: Can't wait to see some more.
HOLMES: Got a little more. All right.
ROESGEN: OK.
Well, a big meeting in Vienna today for the members of OPEC, the organization of petroleum-exporting countries. Because of the continuing drop in demand for oil, OPEC is meeting today to probably raise all our prices -- to decide whether to increase pressure on member nations to comply with production cuts that were made last year, or to go ahead and make additional cuts in output to boost the price of oil now.
More than 50 Catholic churches in Cleveland, Ohio, are closing. You can blame this one, perhaps, on the economy. Partly not enough money, partly not enough priests. The city's archdiocese says the parishes are scheduled to close or merge by June of next year. Almost half of the city's Catholic churches are in the red, and the ongoing priest's shortage does not help.
Mexican police have found nine bodies in a common grave near Juarez (AUDIO GAP) ... drug cartel violence. They say that one of the victims had been handcuffed. All of them had been tortured. They had been there, the bodies had been there for days, or maybe weeks. They're not sure yet. They're trying to identify the victims. Seven men, two women, and also there in that common grave, they found the badge of an officer.
HOLMES: Well, today, President Obama holding an economic meeting with his advisers. Tomorrow he's giving a talk at the Department of Veteran's Affairs. Then on Tuesday the president will be welcoming Irish officials for St. Patrick's Day, also attending a holiday lunch over at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's place.
And Wednesday the president will be holding a town hall meeting in Santa Ana, California. Well a CNN exclusive for you this morning with the former Vice President Dick Cheney. "The State of the Union With John King" has his first television interview since leaving office. Got a little preview here from our Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser, and a friend of our show here, CNN SATURDAY and SUNDAY MORNING: Live for us in Washington.
Good morning to you, Paul. So what are we expecting the former vice president to sound-off on this morning? Would it possibly be the new administration?
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Yeah, it might. Because while his old boss, former President Bush's has stayed pretty quiet, Vice President Cheney -former Vice President Cheney has said some things in print. And as you mentioned, this will be the first TV interview and I'm looking ford this one.
But about five weeks ago, an interview with the Politico, he warned that likelihood of a terrorist attack against the United States and he said that the Obama administrations, by what they are doing, could make that attack more successful. So he's really been a little tough on the new administration when it comes to that.
Take a listen to what he said: "When we get people who are more concerned about reading the rights to an Al Qaeda terrorist than they are with protecting the United States against people who are absolutely committed to do anything they can to kill Americans, then I worry." That was the former vice president with Politico, back then.
He was also a little critical about the stimulus plan as well, T.J., and he was also critical about the closing of Guantanamo Bay, the detention facility there, which right about that time the President Obama announced he was going to start that process.
So, yes, he has been tough. He's been spending his time, T.J., both in Wyoming, where he's from, and also here in the Washington area. And you know, it's just the opposite with President Bush. We really haven't heard much, at all, from him. He's been in Texas and stayed pretty quiet.
HOLMES: Leave it to John King to get the first television interview. So looking forward to that coming up at 9:00 Eastern Time here. Also, I mean, the vice president wasn't necessarily known as being Mr. Popularity when he was in office. So what are people thinking about him now? Maybe giving him a little bit of a break? Feeling a little better about him now that he's gotten out of office?
STEINHAUSER: Here's our last poll on Vice President Cheney. We did it just the end of last year, just before he left the White House. We asked, compared to other vice presidents, where do you rank him; 1 percent said he's the best ever, 34 percent, you can see, said he was a good vice president, 41 percent said he was poor, and almost 1 out of 4 said he was the worst ever.
Now regardless of the public opinion polls, I think that we can definitely say he was one of the most powerful vice presidents ever and probably one of the most controversial as well. I think a lot for John King to talk about today on this interview.
HOLMES: The worst ever, those people are just mean, who are saying that. All right, Paul Steinhauser for us. We are going to be talking to you again. There's more and appreciate you as always, buddy.
STEINHAUSER: Thank you, T.J.
HOLMES: As we have been mentioning here, in his first television interview since leaving office, the former Vice President Dick Cheney, will be our exclusive guest on "State of the Union with John King." You can hear what he has to say this morning starting at 9:00 Eastern Time.
Susan.
ROESGEN: Well, if you are looking for a job, maybe you should look under the hood of your car. Car sales are going down so the work for auto mechanics is going up.
And T.J.'s interview with Charles Barkley; Barkley does not blame anyone but himself after being arrested.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHARLES BARKLEY, TNT/NBA ANALYST: The arrest was 100 percent my fault. It's unacceptable for me to get a DUI. And I can't ever do that again. That's the bottom line on that, 100 percent my fault. It ain't the cops. It ain't my friends, 100 percent my fault. That can't happen again. OK, now let's go forward.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Hello, again. Welcome back on this CNN SUNDAY MORNING, about 6:40 Eastern Time.
ROESGEN: Yes, glad you're with us. The filling in today for Betty Nguyen, I'm Susan Roesgen.
HOLMES: And I'm T.J. Holmes. A lot of folks have no money for vacation this year you can follow in the footsteps of our iReporter Jeffrey Root from Springville, Utah. He quit his job. Going back to school. Jeff and his wife found a low-cost vacation alternative. They just went outside. He says camping is one of the cheapest ways of course to see the world.
ROESGEN: Of course you have to get there sometimes.
And we've been talking this morning about cars, car prices. And you know that car dealerships may not be seeing as much business these days. Definitely not seeing as much business, but it's a different story for repair shops. A lot of people are deciding it is cheaper to try to keep the old clunker going instead of getting a new one. Kate Bolduan has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In today's struggling economy, this, and this, is music to mechanic Nui Srisook's ears.
NUI SRISOOK, AUTO SHOP OWNER: Everything all right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah.
SRISOOK: Make sure it's on tight, OK?
BOLDUAN: While so many small businesses continue to close their doors, Nui Auto Services, in Hyattsville, Maryland is thriving.
(On camera): Is there any way, if you could even guess, or estimate, what kind of increase you have seen.
SRISOOK: For my sales about 20 percent, at least 20 percent.
BOLDUAN: Instead of kicking the tires on new cars, more and more people are nursing their old ones back to health.
SRISOOK: The people who don't have money are still coming in. They just fix whatever it needs, whatever is necessary.
BOLDUAN: To keep it on the road.
SRISOOK: To keep it on the road, correct.
BOLDUAN: It's all in the numbers. U.S. auto sales plunged more 40 percent last month compared to a year ago. And the Automotive Service Association is reporting 60 percent of its members are seeing an increase in business.
RON PYLE, PRESIDENT, AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE ASSOCIATION: Another thing that we noticed was that the average repair order, the size of each repair order, grew.
BOLDUAN: And more repairs mean more parts and big business for auto part stores like Darryl Wright's family owned shop in Washington.
DARRYL WRIGHT, D.C. BRAKE & BEARINGS, CO.: It's the increase in the volume. Volume, we're doing way more business. The phones are ringing. You know, got customers walking in.
BOLDUAN: Customers look for a bargain and hoping for longevity.
CHARLES BRYANT, CAR OWNER: Hopefully by the time this wears out, the economy will be better.
ESTHER WHITE, CAR OWNER: It is a lot cheaper to pay for upkeep and maintenance than purchasing a new car.
BOLDUAN: Some advice?
SRISOOK: The oil change every 3,000 miles, 4,000 miles, that's the best maintenance of a car.
BOLDUAN: Mechanics, like Nui Srisook, helping to fuel the economy one tune-up at a time. Kate Bolduan, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: We want to tell you now about a man's trip to the doctor.
ROESGEN: This is a really unusual story.
HOLMES: Changed his life.
Yeah, you don't hear this every day. 20 years, now the man couldn't walk. Went to the doctor, he could walk again.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm here for a spider bite. I didn't know about that walking.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROESGEN: Yeah, he says, all because of a spider bite. Got him in to see the doctor and now after 20 years, he can walk. We'll tell you, happened.
HOLMES: Also, I go one on one with Charles Barkley. No, I wouldn't dare do that on the court. Did this in an interview room here in CNN and you can imagine what we were talking about.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARKLEY: I don't think I have a drinking problem, but it's something I need to give serious consideration to. And that's where these classes really have helped me. Because just because you don't drink by yourself, just because you don't drink in the mornings, just because you don't drink every day, that doesn't mean you don't have a drinking problem. (END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: And we're coming up at about 6:45 on this SUNDAY MORNING.
A lot of people out there have a lot of questions, probably, for Charles Barkley these days, after he was arrested for DUI and then he spent a few days in jail to serve that sentence out. You might have a lot of questions, as I found out in his first television interview since getting out of jail, Charles doesn't really mind answering your question.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: (On camera): I don't want to relive and go through everything what happened the night of the arrest. What I want you to do now is --
BARKLEY: Let me just say this --
HOLMES: Well, you want to go say something? All right, go ahead.
BARKLEY: I to say something. The arrest was 100 percent my fault. It's unacceptable for me to get a DUI. And I can't ever do that again. That's the bottom line on that.
HOLMES: You actually said to me that, that might have been one of the best things that ever happened to you was to get a DUI.
BARKLEY: It was.
HOLMES: Why?
BARKLEY: Well, you think about this. I've been in the NBA since 1984. And everybody wants to make a big deal out of me going to jail and everything. That was the best thing that ever happened to me, because I got lucky. I just got a weekend in jail. I could be a hypocrite and tell people not to drink and drive, but most people when they go out, they drink and drive. But I want them to really think hard about it.
Clearly, it attracts a lot of attention if it's me, but I really do think I'm lucky. I mean, I could have killed somebody, or myself.
HOLMES: You'd never do it again?
BARKLEY: Never do it again. Never. I'm going to get a taxi or a car. I'm never going to do that again. And think about it, everybody says, oh, Charles Barkley is going to jail. I'm like, first of all -- when you go to jail, that's serious stuff, but, you know, when you're in jail, you sit there and are like, wow, this is the penance I've got to pay. HOLMES: You are finishing up -- I know you've got to go to a few classes -- I mean, you've done the jail sentence and you have to go to classes.
BARKLEY: Classes have been great.
HOLMES: Classes have been great. Now, you had to go through these, would you say, at any point, have you had, do you have now, a drinking problem?
BARKLEY: You know, T.J., that's a great question. I'm trying to figure out the answer. Because you ask yourself, I drink a lot. I probably drink too much. But then, you know, you're like, but I don't drink every day. That's why the classes have been helpful for me.
HOLMES: When you got pulled over that night, a bunch of things could have gone through your mind, your daughter, your family, TNT.
BARKLEY: Yes.
HOLMES: T-Mobile, your future career, all kinds of things. What was actually the first thing? When you knew it was getting real and you were in trouble.
BARKLEY: Yes.
HOLMES: What was the first thing, would you say, that went through your mind, honestly?
BARKLEY: This is going to embarrass a lot of people. Because I understand now, we live in -- if you're famous now, you do anything wrong, it's going to explode. I mean, it's going to -- that's just the thing we live in now. I just felt bad for my family and friends. I never felt bad for myself, to be honest with you.
HOLMES: What was the conversation like with your daughter?
BARKLEY: She understands that anything dad does is going to be local, national. And I said, hey -- she said, dad, you made a mistake, you really screwed up. And I said, you're right.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: All right. And for that full interview, you can go to CNN.com. And click on video. And you can find rest of it there.
ROESGEN: He's really honest. I mean, you know, I think that he really opened up. I know you are friends with him, but he opened to you.
HOLMES: But he gets in trouble for being so honest sometimes. People are not used to that. They're used to putting out press releases and massaging things a certain way. That's why he said, he didn't use a PR person. He didn't put out a statement. He didn't go through anybody. You have a question for me, ask that question, I will answer it, period. ROESGEN: But you what, critics are still saying is that he got off easy. He didn't have to wear the striped inmate uniform. He gave a press conference there.
HOLMES: Well, Joe Arpaio, the sheriff out there, as we know, sometimes doesn't shy away and sometimes seeks the limelight. Asked him, and Chuck might even say he wanted him, or told him to do it. And Charles didn't feel like he was in a position to say now, since he was prisoner.
(LAUGHTER)
ROESGEN: Yes.
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: You've got to do what the big man tells you to do.
HOLMES: You gotta do what he tells you to do.
ROESGEN: Yeah, OK. Even though he is a big man.
WOLF: Yeah, very much so, 6'6"? 6'5"?
HOLMES: 6'5", and a half, I think it is. An Auburn guy. I know you are a big fan of Auburn for a long time.
(CROSS TALK)
WOLF: Did you noticed that the jumper that he was wearing was orange and blue, which are is the Auburn colors. So, nice little thing there.
HOLMES: Of course, you would notice that.
WOLF: Yes, I would know that.
You know the color in Chicago yesterday was green, namely in the river. And we've got some great video that we're going to share with you this morning. Here it is.
And, Susan, you were telling meet processes, is it is first orange when it goes in the water.
ROESGEN: I will stop saying it now because I am starting to wonder, do I have it right? But anyway --
WOLF: Look, yeah, it's orange. You are right.
ROESGEN: It is some sort of chemical mixture that they put in the pipes regularly but they do this in the Chicago River every day -- every St. Patrick's Day, and there it turns green. And I still feel like, man, I need some more info. I think I'll go Google it.
WOLF: It's funny though, you mentioned it's something that they put in the pipes. I wonder what's in the pipes that some of the people that are there, on the streets, walking around having a good time for St. Patty's Day, especially this dude here.
He's wearing some -- probably the right thing. Kind of nippy there. Temperatures expecting the 50s, say 51 degrees your expected high in Chicago. Still a great time for everybody. Should be just fantastic for you.
Now, that is one parade that we're talking about. There is going to be a parade of people heading down to parts of Florida to watch the shuttle launch. I'll tell you, if you look at this map, you will see some scattered showers that are going to get fairly close, but rainfall should stay mainly back towards Atlanta and back into, say, parts of Alabama and maybe northern Florida but it should be fine at Cape Canaveral.
The shot of the shuttle. They're still running system checks as we speak. Right now it's about an 80 percent chance that the shuttle will liftoff at 7:43 this evening. It should be spectacular.
(WEATHER FORECAST)
ROESGEN: And you know, Reynolds, we just found out that the plumbers union, which prides itself on turning that river green.
WOLF: Oh, yeah.
ROESGEN: They're actually looking for leaks. That's what they use the orange powder for.
WOLF: Oh, interesting.
ROESGEN: And they found out that when it hit the water it turned green. I think a there's a little Catholic/Protestant thing going on there, orange and green.
WOLF: It makes sense.
ROESGEN: Let's all get together, black and white.
WOLF: Absolutely.
ROESGEN: Yeah, what's that song that I'm thinking of now?
HOLMES: I don't know.
ROESGEN: Ebony and ivory. Oh, God.
WOLF: I'm not singing today. I can't help you with that stuff.
ROESGEN: OK.
WOLF: Not going to happen.
ROESGEN: It's some Michael Jackson stuff.
WOLF: Heh-heee!
ROESGEN: That was good.
WOLF: I'm escaping.
HOLMES: Reynolds, another one. Actually, Reynolds you probably don't need to go too far. And we know that you won't. But here is the story that we're talking about a little earlier. This guy's name is David. He was injured in a motorcycle accident back in 1988, almost killed him, all right? A spider bite has him walking again.
ROESGEN: Sort of.
HOLMES: Sort of. What we understand here. He had a spider bite. Sent him to the hospital last year and then rehabbed for a month. The nurse noticed some spasm in his leg, they ran some tests and lo and behold, listen to what happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID BLANCARTE, WALKING AFTER SPIDER BITE: When he zapped me I felt a current. I said, whoa, whoa, whoa! I yelled.
Walking along, back and forth.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The first time that you've walked in 20 years.
BLANCARTE: In 20 years, uh-huh.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Wow. Wow. The first time in 20 years, five days after those tests.
ROESGEN: But --
HOLMES: Go ahead.
ROESGEN: But, as a friend of ours just said, it's not like you should go looking in your closet for a brown recluse or something. They don't think it was the spider bite that did something to him. They don't think it was whatever was in the spider bite. They think that it just that he was at the facility where he was getting the eight months of rehab that they just looked more closely at his legs. And this is a guy who was a dancer and a boxer 20 years ago.
WOLF: Wow.
ROESGEN: I'm still kind of surprised that he didn't test out those legs like every single day for the last 20 years. How they just found it now that he could walk.
HOLMES: You know, you know what, whatever got him to the hospital.
WOLF: Exactly.
ROESGEN: Maybe we should all go look for spider bites. Who know what it will turn us into, Spiderman.
HOLMES: It may cure all kinds of things.
All right. Reynolds, we appreciate -- actually we're about to let you go, but I have another story here.
WOLF: Bring it on, man.
HOLMES: I've got all kinds of stuff for you. "America's Next Top Model" I know you are a big fan of the show and you and I have spent some time watching this on your TIVO and whatnot.
ROESGEN: Oh, right.
HOLMES: They had an audition and it turned ugly. This is video from it. You can't make it out all the bedlam down there. But look at that. This is at a hotel in New York. We've got video this morning. But I know people had all kinds of things to say about all kind of stories. But let us know what you think about, really, literally, probably a thousand or plus models out there. And this story, they had to shut down the audition. Of course this is Tyra Banks show, right. I think it's been going on several, several -- how many years, Reynolds. I know that you know.
WOLF: I don't know. It's seems like it is just not long enough, as far as I'm concerned. It needs to be on every day. To me it should be our sole programming on all channels.
ROESGEN: "America's Top Model", uh-huh?
WOLF: But is it really any surprise. I mean, when you are super model and diet consists of bean sprouts and water --
(LAUGHTER)
WOLF: There's going to be some fueled up rage. It's going to happen.
ROESGEN: They're starving that's what it is.
WOLF: Absolutely. Skulls are going to be crushing. It's bad news, man.
HOLMES: OK, all right. Maybe I shouldn't have brought you in on this thing.
ROESGEN: This is what you say. Beauty is only skin deep, you know what the second half of that is?
WOLF: Bring it on.
ROESGEN: But ugly goes all the way to the bone.
HOLMES: All the way to the bone. And they were being a little ugly. Send us your comments. We're going to be sharing those this morning. I know people have something to say about that. Send it to us at Twitter, at TJHolmes@cnn, also Facebook. That thing right there, Facebook.com/TJholmes, I think it is.
WOLF: Dude, check your inbox. You've got 825 messages.
HOLMES: Yeah.
ROESGEN: All from models.
WOLF: Please, T.J.
HOLMES: Leave it to you to notice that.
WOLF: Gosh!
HOLMES: All right I will get right on it. I will hit everybody back here, momentarily. But please, send those comments to us. We'll be sharing them.
Also brackets, we've been talking about this tournament coming up. And, yeah.
ROESGEN: You know, T.J. was trying to describe this in the commercial break. He started, OK, there are 16 to 1, and after a while, it was (SNORING SOUND)
HOLMES: He just tuned out.
ROESGEN: Yeah, as women do, as most women.
HOLMES: A lot of women do fill out the brackets. Even they might not be sports fans.
ROESGEN: They want to see what the cheerleaders look like, and the dance teams.
HOLMES: Oh, my goodness. Larry Smith will be along next hour. Maybe he can make a believer out of you. He'll being talking scores and brackets.
ROESGEN: Wait till he sees my picks.
And if you are like most airline passengers you know that you tune out completely the instructions at the beginning of the flight, but not when you got this guy being a flight attendant.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (HIP-HOP SINGING): Three, seven, one SWA, the flight attendant all for servicing you today, Teresa in the middle, David in...
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: A little Sammy Davis Jr. for you this morning. That song feels good. But some sad news to pass along. Sammy Davis Jr.'s widow has died. Altovise Joanne Gore Davis is her name. Died yesterday in LA after suffering a stroke. Mrs. Davis was a dancer, and actress and was performing on Broadway when she met Davis in '67. They married in 1970. She was his third wife.
ROESGEN: After her husband's death 1990 she had a multimillion dollar tax debt that forced her to sell their Hollywood mansion. Now a private memorial is planned. She was 65 years old.
And Diahann Carroll talking about living legends. She is a living legend who has been on television for more than 40 years. And "Grey's Anatomy" if you're a young person watching television is just one of the latest shows in which she has starred. Some people may remember her as Dominique Devareaux (ph) in "Dynasty."
But did you know that Diahann Carroll was the first black woman to win a Tony Award. There you see her with Don Lemon, he's going to talk to her. She's the first black woman to star in her own television series, "Julia" back in 1968. So a lot of first for Diahann Carroll. Don't miss Don Lemon's very candid interview with an African- American first artist. Diahann Carroll tonight at 7:00 and 10:00 p.m. Eastern, only on CNN. "Up From A Past: African-American Firsts," again, airs at 7:00 and 10:00 Eastern here on CNN.
HOLMES: Well, good morning, everybody. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING, on March this 15. I am T.J. Holmes.
ROESGEN: I'm Susie Roesgen filling in for Betty Nguyen. 7 a.m., here in Atlanta, 4:00 a.m. on the West Coast. And 4 p.m. in the afternoon in Pakistan where we've been watch this demonstration all day. Demonstrators who have been defying a ban on rallies there. Clashing with the police, several different groups protesting several different causes, but all of them unhappy with the current government. Hundreds of people have been arrested. And we will got there live for a live report in just a few minutes.
Some other top stories this morning: NASA will try again tonight to launch Space Shuttle Discovery. The shuttle was originally set to take off on Wednesday, but a hydrogen gas leak forced the postponement. Discovery is headed to the International Space Station to drop off a Japanese astronaut and to drop off some more parts for a solar power system.
Union workers are taking a hit to keep the "San Francisco Chronicle" going and to try to keep their jobs. They have voted 10- to-one to let the newspaper layoff workers regardless of seniority. They've also agreed to less vacation time for themselves and longer workweeks for the same pay. Without that cost-cutting, they knew that the paper could fold or be sold.
And bailed out insurance giant AIG is now bending to federal pressure. CNN has obtained a letter that says AIG is going to cut its bonus payments for this year by at least 30 percent.
The contract employees in London who really jacked the charges up, some say it brought the company to a brink of collapse. Those employees will get a bonus check of just $1 for the year. Other executives in that unit will see a 10 percent pay cut.
Since September, you know, AIG has received at least $170 billion in the federal bailout money.
HOLMES: All right, let's turn back to Washington, D.C. and our deputy political director, Paul Steinhauser, keeping an eye on the president.
I know, Paul -- hello to you again. I know you keep an eye on the president during his workweek. But he's got an early start in this week, working on a Sunday today. What's going on?
STEINHAUSER: And why not, T.J., you're working today, I'm working today. And if you're the president, you really never get a day off. And he is doing that.
This afternoon, he's going to be at the Oval Office and he will be meeting with his economic advisers, and I'm sure there's plenty on his plate to deal with there. You've got the budget that they've got to finalize by next month, and you've also got the G20 Economic Summit -- he's going to go over to Europe and meet with world leaders. So, there's plenty to talk about on his plate.
You know what? When it comes to the economy, public opinion polls, most of the recent ones still show Americans, a vast majority of Americans still have confidence in the president to turn this recession around.
HOLMES: All right. And he's got a bit of a busy week ahead. He's going to end up on the very other coast, the west coast, the left coast this week. But tell us, where's he's going to start and where's he going to end up this week?
STEINHAUSER: Yes, he's going to start right here in Washington, D.C. Tomorrow is the anniversary of the Veteran's Administration, and he's going to be attending an event honoring the anniversary of the V.A.
Tuesday, of course, is St. Paddy's Day. And it's tradition that Irish leaders come over here, they go to the White House, and then they all go over to Capitol Hill. So, you will see that again this time. This will be President Obama's first time and they will talk about Irish-American relations and the situation in Northern Ireland as well.
And then Wednesday, as you mentioned, he's heading out west. He's going out to California. California is one of those states with high -- very high unemployment, over 10 percent.
He's going to be in Santa Ana and he's going to have a town hall, talking to people about the recession, about the economy. That will be on Wednesday. He'll stay out there in L.A. on Thursday.
And here's what I hear, he's coming back here on Friday and I think the family may be going out to Camp David, because I think, T.J., the girls are on spring break the following week. So, you know what? You got to worry about that kind of stuff now.
HOLMES: Yes, worry about that, the spring break, the girls got to have a good time. Also, having, I believe on St. Patrick's Day, he's going to be visiting with Nancy Pelosi as well. He's going over to that luncheon, right?
STEINHAUSER: Yes.
HOLMES: Those little green beers are going to be served?
STEINHAUSER: Green beer will be served. Will they be drinking? I don't know. What about you?
HOLMES: I don't have any St. Paddy's -- I'll be right here at work, as always.
STEINHAUSER: OK.
HOLMES: All right. Good to see you as always, my man. Thank you so much, Paul.
STEINHAUSER: Thanks.
HOLMES: Susan, I'll hand it back over to you.
ROESGEN: OK, T.J., a couple of things unresolved for President Obama. He and the president of Brazil talked about everything yesterday from trade policy to ethanol, to a custody fight. But it was the global economic slowdown that dominated their discussion. The president insists to reporters that there's really no riff between the U.S. and Brazil and other countries about how to reduce the recession.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRES. BARACK OBAMA, UNITED STATES: I don't know where this notion has emerged that somehow there are sides developing with respect to the G20. They're not emerging from Tim Geithner, they're not coming from Larry Summers, and they're not coming from me. So unless you have some secret source in the administration -- if you will follow the track of this storyline, it is completely contrary to what our policies are.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROESGEN: So, the president says everybody's together. And we've really talking about the G20, the summit of the G20, the nations that are the richest -- have the richest economies or the most emerging economies. They wrapped up the G20 meeting outside of London now. And Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner told his counterparts -- yes, let's work together, echoing the president's comments about a unified approach.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TIMOTHY GEITHNER, U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY: You are seeing the world move together at a speed and on a scale without precedent in modern times. All the major economies are putting in place substantial fiscal packages. The stronger the response, the quicker the recovery will come. (END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: All right. And here's the -- you know, the class photo. You see this at all of these meetings of the leaders from all over the world. When they get together, they take a little class photo. These are the finance officials and there you see Timothy Geithner right there in the middle of the class photo. He got a front row seat.
You've been hearing G20 thrown around a little bit in the past couple of days. Here's a little G20 101 for you. The group is created back in 1999, made up of 19 countries with the world's leading economies, also made up of the European Unions. So, 19 plus one that makes 20. The group's focus has been to promote international financial stability. The G20 meeting in England this week is pretty much just laying out ground work for the G20 leaders -- all the presidents, the heads of state, to meet in April for that summit.
But starting tomorrow, you can get five days of unprecedented world wide reporting on the money meltdown. Who can lead us out of this thing? What do all of these numbers really mean? Also, where the jobs are?
"Road to Rescue" is what we're calling it, the CNN survival guide. There's all next week here on CNN.
ROESGEN: And now overseas, the rising tension in Pakistan, the country that's supposed to be America's ally in fighting the Taliban and the al Qaeda in Afghanistan. The Pakistani government has put an opposition party leader under house arrest.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
QAMAR ZAMAN KAIRA, PAKISTAN FOREIGN MINISTER: There was absolutely a speculation which was wrong. There's no house arrest of any political leader including Mian Nawaz Sharif, Mian Shahbaz Sharif and the other administration (ph) leadership.
SIDDIQUE FAROOQ, SHARIF'S PARTY SPOKESMAN: Everyone including this information minister is lying. Actually they serve house arrest notice to Nawaz Sharif at 3:30 a.m. today. But that was not received by Mr. Nawaz Sharif, and then, he announced that he will defy this house arrest. So, he defied that (INAUDIBLE) program because they are taking out this long march very peacefully and Constitution permits us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROESGEN: So, some conflicting reports about what's happening there. Different groups are protesting. Different things are happening today.
CNN's Stan Grant is there in Islamabad.
Stan, sort it out for us. What's going on today?
STAN GRANT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Susan, the day has been punctuated by conflicting reports, as you just said. First of all, Nawaz Sharif, the opposition leader and a former two-time prime minister here, is claiming that he was under house arrest. The government is denying that. And Nawaz Sharif emerging from his house to speak to the crowds who have gathered outside, declaring the government here is acting illegally and saying that Pakistan is now a police state.
The protests have swelled throughout the day. And the police have moved in to try to disperse them. These protests have been declared illegal. The police are firing tear gas on the protesters, also, battering charges to try to move them on. The protesters are responding by throwing rocks.
Now the lawyer's long march, as it is called, is a push for judicial reform. They want to see judges restored to the benches here. Those judges were fired by the former President Pervez Musharraf. There was an undertaking by the current president to reinstate them. Nawaz Sharif, the opposition leader is saying that deal has now been reneged on. And he's leading this march now to Islamabad.
Islamabad itself is actually in lockdown. The government is saying they will not allow the protesters to move into the main part of the city and to stay just sitting outside of the national parliament. It is now very much on edge. Everyone is now throwing these accusations back and forth. And a tense 12 to 24 hours ahead -- Susan?
ROESGEN: You know, Stan, in this country, we really pay attention when we hear about Pakistan possibly harboring the Taliban from Afghanistan or supporting the Taliban. But when there's internal strife like this, we don't really seem to pay that much attention. Is there any reaction from, you know, American officials there, or anybody talking about what the world can do with this? Or is this just strictly Pakistan's going to sort it out?
GRANT: Not at all, Pakistan's sorting it out. Susan, the secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, was on the phone to the president here, Asif Zardari, looking for him to try to find a political compromise here and bring an end to the violence that we've seen in this political standoff. What the United States is concerned about is that all of this political turmoil distracts the government here from tackling what the United States sees is the biggest problem, and that is removing these so-called terrorist safe havens along the Pakistan/Afghanistan border.
As you know, under this new Afghanistan policy, the United States is looking at significantly increasing a troop presence in Afghanistan and they need the border area secured. They need Pakistan to do more against the Taliban and to open up supply lines. That's why they're concerned about this political turmoil. They see it as a distraction -- Susan?
ROESGEN: OK. Thank you, Stan, reporting for us. Stan Grant there, keeping us up to date in what is happening in Pakistan.
T.J.?
HOLMES: And also, we want to tell you about what's happening in Miami. A breaking story, information just getting -- police are looking into a situation there where five people are dead now. We are just now getting breaking news details again from Miami of at least five people that are dead. We are collecting information.
Here's some of the new video we are getting of -- simply, police activity here. We will continue to work this story. And right after this commercial break, we are going to bring you what the police are saying. Talk to a police official about exactly what has happened there.
But we understand at least five dead and what police believe is a murder/suicide in Miami -- details straight ahead. Do not move.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Breaking news story out of Miami, where five people are dead, according to police, in what's being described as a murder/suicide. We're going to get some details now from Jeff Giordano of the Miami Police Department.
JEFF GIORDANO, MIAMI POLICE DEPT.: Right now, we have a murder/suicide. We have four people confirmed dead at this location, one person at another location. It appears to be domestic related.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: OK. Can you tell us what was going on at the time? We heard a birthday party going on, is that correct?
GIORDANO: The investigation at this time is preliminary. Our homicide detectives are on the scene. And we have not released that information yet.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Are any of the persons deceased, minors or children?
GIORDANO: We don't have that information yet.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: There's no indication so far as what -- why this has taken place?
GIORDANO: Right now, the investigation is under way. And it's preliminary.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: OK. (INAUDIBLE).
Can you tell us if there is any indication that a person, deceased at another location, was the person that did the shooting here?
GIORDANO: Right now, the investigation is under way. There's four people confirmed dead at this location, one at another. And it appears to be a murder/suicide. That's domestic related.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Can you tell us the address of the other location?
GIORDANO: I don't know the exact address at this time, no.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: OK. And does it seem like at the other location that the person that was deceased took his own life?
GIORDANO: Yes, it does.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: OK. (INAUDIBLE) any sense like something to the effect that maybe the other address of the person who took their own life there?
GIORDANO: The second location that we have, it appears to be the defendant.
HOLMES: All right. This is a reporter down in Miami, obviously, asking some questions with Jeff Giordano with the Miami Police Department. And right now, obviously, not much information out there and not much he was willing to give up.
We're going to have our folks in the back here -- our producers maybe listening in to maybe that further interview. It looked like it was happening possibly. But we are working this story. But you know now what we know and there's not a whole lot.
But what we do know, five people dead, four at one location, one at another. According to the police officer there, that person at the second location, that one that's dead, appears to be someone who had taken his own life, according to that police officer, called this a domestic situation. But four people dead at one location, one at another. Also, no indication of -- if any of these people happened to be minors who are dead.
And you heard the reporter ask a question and then the officer wasn't prepared just yet to answer it. It was a possibility that people have gathered for a birthday party there in Miami.
So this is breaking news that's just coming in to us. We will continue to follow this story. As soon as we get more information about it, we will pass that along to you.
ROESGEN: And coming up here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING, how not to get ripped off at the car repair shop. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC)
ROESGEN: He's barely moving.
HOLMES: Reynolds ...
ROESGEN: Yes, he's over here.
HOLMES: That's still got to be the greatest rap song of all- time. It's really got to be. All right. And we've got Larry Smith here with us. Reynolds, of course. We're glad he's going to be joining us here in a second, talking about some Bracketology, if you're wondering.
ROESGEN: Bracketology. Please!
HOLMES: If you're wondering what he's doing here -- he just doesn't stop by to say hello.
(LAUGHTER)
ROESGEN: Yes, sure he did.
HOLMES: All right. Welcome back, everybody, on this CNN SUNDAY MORNING. I'm T.J. Holmes.
Routine, we know. Just before your flight takes off, you hear the usual drill from your flight attendant about safety and most likely you tune it out.
ROESGEN: Yes, that's when you bury yourself in the magazine.
HOLMES: Yes, tune them out.
ROESGEN: Just forget about it. But, you may not tune out if you heard this guy rap it. We've got reporter Walt Maciborski from our affiliate station KDAF. And he'll show you the rapping flight attendant.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID HOLMES, RAPPING FLIGHT ATTENDANT: Good evening, folks. Welcome aboard Southwest Airlines Flight 372, service to Oklahoma City.
WALT MACIBORSKI, KDAF REPORTER (voice-over): When David Holmes used to give the preflight instructions, the passengers would tune out and glaze over. Not anymore.
HOLMES: We're going to shake things up a little bit.
I take them by surprise. I usually don't tell them that I'm going to do it.
MACIBORSKI: And to do it?
HOLMES: You guys with me? All right. So, give me a stomp, clap, a stomp, clap.
MACIBORKSI: David needs a little audience participation to pull it off.
HOLMES: There you go. Keep that going.
(rapping): This is Flight 374 on SWA, the flight attendant's on board serving you today, Teresa in the middle, David in the back, my name is David and I'm here to tell you that.
The first time I did it, it's really just because it's just a fun thing to do.
(rapping): If you have a seat on a row with the exit, we're going to talk to you so you might as well expect it, you got to help evacuate in case we need you, if you don't want to then we're going to reseat you.
I didn't know how they're going to react. But I was in the good mood and I like to have fun at work. But then people started getting out of the plane, telling me, that's the first time I've ever listened to the emergency instructions.
(rapping): Before we leave, our advice is put away your electronic devices, fasten your seat belts, then put your trays up, press the button, and make the seat back raise up.
MACIBORSKI (on camera): David was discovered by a passenger who recorded his rap on her cell phone and said she was going to put it on YouTube.
HOLMES: And I said, "I dare you." And two days later, she did it. And two days after that, it was already 2,000 hits at that time.
MACIBORSKI (voice-over): Now, David is a YouTube sensation and he's been doing the rap ever since to rave reviews.
HOLMES (rapping): Sit back, relax, have a good time.
ERIC WOODROOF, PASSENGER: I've never experienced a rapping flight attendant. That's pretty awesome. And I don't like rap and I really like that. That was pretty good.
HOLMES (rapping): Thank you for fact that I wasn't ignored. This is Southwest Airlines, welcome aboard.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROESGEN: Pretty good. Yes. You know, that would keep me listening.
HOLMES: David Holmes, no relation.
ROESGEN: No.
HOLMES: No relation.
ROESGEN: The reporter there, Walt Maciborski of our Dallas station KDAF, says that Holmes has three different versions of that. So, if you're on a Southwest flight, listen for it. You might get lucky; he might be your guy.
HOLMES: Maybe he has this different version for different audiences to kind of move the people that are in on the flight. Who knows? But a lot of people, and we can bring in Reynolds here and my man, Larry here on the left. A lot of people fly Delta. People talk about you tune out when people started doing that safety video.
Well, Delta, as we know, about -- at least a year or so ago -- started to use a video. There's a woman up there and some would say she's being a little flirtatious ...
WOLF: Oh, yes.
HOLMES: ... while she's doing it. But people are paying attention at least. You all know what I'm talking. They call her the "Delta-lina."
WOLF: Oh, yes.
LARRY SMITH, CNN SPORTS: Yes.
HOLMES: I believe. But ...
ROESGEN: Why have I never noticed this person?
HOLMES: Do you never fly Delta?
ROESGEN: I don't know.
HOLMES: Maybe that's -- you're a Southwest person.
(LAUGHTER)
HOLMES: But look at this picture. Yes, the guys noticed it.
ROESGEN: Yes. I'm going to say, yes, the guys noticed it. Yes.
HOLMES: That's her.
SMITH: There she is.
HOLMES: Next to me. Yes, that is the Delta-lina. She was my flight attendant on a flight I took to Mexico and I just had to have my picture taken with her.
ROESGEN: Because she's really good at what she does, right?
HOLMES: She is. She absolutely is. She gave me great recommendations to Mexico City. She speaks fluent Spanish. She is a treat.
ROESGEN: And cute.
HOLMES: She is. That's a bonus but I'm saying there are brains behind there.
ROESGEN: OK. All right, all right!
HOLMES: All right, Larry, what's going on? SMITH: I'm not touching that one.
(LAUGHTER)
HOLMES: What's going on, young fellow? We've got you here because brackets coming out today.
SMITH: It's selection Sunday. You know -- and we were talking earlier this morning. You know, why do people care about this? Well, the Super Bowl and the Final Four are two sports that everyone kind of can get into.
HOLMES: Everybody.
SMITH: And if you wonder about -- just look around the office come Thursday and look at people who have got brackets up or on their desk or on their laptop. And it's something that people can get into. Even if you can't spell sports, you kind of get into it.
(CROSSTALK)
ROESGEN: The guys do, though, mostly, Larry, right?
SMITH: The guys, but a lot of women do in the office, too.
ROESGEN: OK. All right.
HOLMES: I've been trying to tell her this all morning. She's not feeling it.
ROESGEN: I'm not feeling it.
SMITH: A lot of women do. They'll say you know -- I mean, I just talked to one of the anchors of another network, she says -- you know, I really don't know about it, but I'll fill it out, just because -- I'll go along with it. Why not?
HOLMES: And they do so well. Sometimes, a woman who hadn't watched the game all year will be winning in those polls.
SMITH: Yes.
ROESGEN: Like the chimpanzee (ph) throwing, you know, darts.
SMITH: They'll say, yes, I once had a wonderful weekend in Connecticut.
(CROSSTALK)
SMITH: So, you know, and that's how ...
(CROSSTALK)
HOLMES: OK. And we've got our picks. Whose picks do we start with here, guys?
ROESGEN: Yours.
HOLMES: You want to start with mine?
ROESGEN: Yes, sure.
HOLMES: Everybody is making the final four picks. Let me explain mine here.
(LAUGHTER)
SMITH: You need to.
HOLMES: Yes.
(LAUGHTER)
HOLMES: We need to throw it -- oh, they don't have them there. We're waiting to put the picks up. But -- my picks for the final four ...
SMITH: There you go.
HOLMES: North Carolina, Louisville, Memphis. I'm from that area, of course. But I went to school at Arkansas. Now, everybody in the state of Arkansas is chuckling right now because we're not going to the tourney.
SMITH: No.
HOLMES: We had a horrible year.
ROESGEN: But you can just say, "Go hogs." (INAUDIBLE).
HOLMES: Go hogs. We'll pick, we may call the hogs here shortly. What are your picks, though?
ROESGEN: Well, you know, I -- like Larry said, I just chose some and you never know and since I don't keep up with who's playing because I'd rather be doing something else, I picked Montana State, my alma mater.
WOLF: The Bobcats.
ROESGEN: Are they in it?
WOLF: No, not all.
(LAUGHTER)
ROESGEN: All right. OK.
WOLF: They're not within 100 miles of (INAUDIBLE).
(LAUGHTER)
ROESGEN: Well, you know -- next year. Anyway, Arkansas. HOLMES: Yes.
ROESGEN: As you did, T.J. LSU, I have to go with Louisiana State.
SMITH: They're in it.
ROESGEN: And Fordham. They have a good team this year. Go Fordham. Yes.
WOLF: That's what I'm talking about.
HOLMES: We can imagine who's going to be on yours, Reynolds.
WOLF: OK. Let's bring it on. Let's show -- let's roll the goodness. Auburn Tigers. Auburn did not make the tournament. It came in second.
(LAUGHTER)
WOLF: Duke Blue Devils. I love Krzyzewski. And Michigan State Spartans. I'm married to a Spartan, therefore, I have to go with that choice.
HOLMES: Of course.
SMITH: There you go.
WOLF: And Chicago Bears, actually, to be more specific, Mike Ditka, just playing by himself. Ditka taking on five, because he's super human. I love him.
(LAUGHTER)
HOLMES: All right. Let's get to the guy who knows what he's talking about.
ROESGEN: Yes.
(CROSSTALK)
SMITH: So, well, here's what I got. There are three, I think, lock number ones. And that is Pittsburgh, North Carolina and Louisville.
These are the latest -- I am sorry, these are actually -- this is my final four that I'm picking without seeing the brackets. These four. I like Oklahoma to win it all. We'll see what happens. I like to go outside of the box.
But my number one pick, if we have that, is Pitt, North Carolina, Louisville, and my fourth number one, no one likes this is Michigan State. And the reason why I'm saying Michigan State is that the committee, they say to look at body of work. And nobody's body of work is like the Spartans. We will see what happens. The big 10 had nine teams. If you like to follow this in the top 70 power-rated teams in the country, they had here in wins versus the top 50 teams in the country. The Spartans had a great season. We'll see if some the negative bias, if it does hurt them, though in this selection process.
HOLMES: Well, everybody is in to this. Everybody will be filling out brackets. Nobody will be working come Thursday ...
(CROSSTALK)
SMITH: I'm curious, though, do you get into reality shows, is that a thing to you? OK, because -- I mean, I'm surprised. Some people like they don't get into this but they like the reality shows. I'm like, this is the ultimate reality show
ROESGEN: It's really a reality show. That's true.
SMITH: It is. It's awesome.
HOLMES: Larry, we appreciate you. And I will give you full credit if Michigan State is number one ...
(CROSSTALK)
SMITH: Well, I'm the only one picking them.
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
ROESGEN: Go, Bobcats.
HOLMES: Good to see you, buddy.
All right, we're going to take a quick break. We'll be right back here on this SUNDAY MORNING.
WOLF: See you guys.
(LAUGHTER)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: And just an update. Breaking news we're following out of Miami this morning. Police say at least five people are dead in what they believe is a murder/suicide. Found four bodies in one location in Miami, and then another body at a different location. We continue to follow this breaking news story. But five dead in a murder/suicide. More details to come at the top of the hour.
ROESGEN: And "HOUSE CALL" with Dr. Sanjay Gupta starts right now.
