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CNN Sunday Morning
Around 200 Arrests in Oakland; Candidates Blitzing Florida; CNN Weather Update; Breast Implant Scandal; Slave Game Played at School; Actor Moved By Hero's Story
Aired January 29, 2012 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: From CNN Center, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. January 29th. So good to have you on board with us today. I'm Christi Paul.
Want to let you know about the "Occupy" activists that clashed with police in Oakland. It's happening inside city hall, or did. And what happened there is what's causing the biggest outrage. We're going to explain that for you.
Also, Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich gets a high profile endorsement. Is it going to make a difference for him in Florida?
And, not all fried foods are created equal. There's a study that claims some fried foods aren't all that bad for you.
ANNOUNCER: From CNN's world headquarters, brining you news and analysis from across the nation and around the globe, live from Studio 7, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
PAUL: Well, aren't you up and Adam early on a Sunday. Thank you for keeping us company here.
It may only be 3:00 a.m. in California, but "Occupy" protesters in Oakland there are preparing right now for a big rally later today. This, of course, coming up a very violent day in the streets. What you are looking at there is the scene in Oakland earlier yesterday. Protesters threw bottles, metal pipes, even flares. And then you can see how police responded. They fired tear gas and beanbag bullets. Some protesters say they were hit by rubber bullets fired by police. We know as many as 200 protesters were arrested. And we get more on the clashes and the controversy from Patti Lee of CNN affiliate KTVU there in Oakland.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PATTI LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tear gas and flash bombs filled this plaza where occupiers faced off with police. One of multiple clashes in Oakland tonight.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They tear gas us multiple times all day today. All we were doing was marching. Nothing. There was -- we didn't throw anything. LEE: Occupiers claimed innocence, but our cameras caught protesters hurling rocks, bottles, and bleach bombs. At least two officers were hurt.
DEP. CHIEF JEFF ISRAEL, OAKLAND POLICE: Their intent is to commit acts of violence and vandalism and break into something that doesn't belong to them. And so their intent is clear. We give disbursal orders. They don't disburse. Unlawful assembly, failure to disburse. I suspect that everybody we arrest tonight is going to be charged.
LEE: Police spent most of the night corralling this crowd of hundreds of protesters who had declared their intent to take over an unused space tonight and turn it into the new center for the movement.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There are cops on one end. We turned around. There are cops on the other end. There was essentially no way out.
LEE: The plan fizzled around 7:00 when police surrounded the crowd on Broadway and 25th and warned of imminent arrests. Hundreds of protesters ran towards a nearby YMCA to escape. A few made it out the back, but the majority were arrested while YMCA members watched.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The cop had all the protesters, or the occupiers, lined up in the front against the wall.
LEE: But the night was far from over. While mass arrests took place at the Y, 10 blocks away, a small group of protesters entered Oakland City Hall.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No one broke in. the door was -- the doors were unlocked. People started tipping over stuff and so then I left because that's -- I didn't think that was right.
LEE: Police barricaded the entrance to the building, where a crowd was starting to gather. City hall is ground zero for Occupy Oakland.
MAYOR JEAN QUAN, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA: They burned some of the flags that are usually in the center. That they threw trash on the ground. That they broke into one of our electrical boxes and quite -- we don't quite get -- they turned over the historic model of city hall on the ground floor and they destroyed the children's art exhibit on recycled art.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PAUL: We're going to have our eyes there in just a little bit too. We'll keep you posted throughout the day as to what's happening.
But in Washington, Occupy protesters targeted a prestigious event held for politicians and dignitaries. These protesters lined up outside the entrance to the Alfalfa Club Dinner. Protesters outside celebrated the 99th year of the annual dinner, while protesters outside, there they are, they were chanting "we are the 99 percent." Now, there weren't any arrests, but a couple of people, such as Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman, got hit by so-called glitter bombs. The guest list for the dinner included President Obama and former President George H.W. Bush.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HERMAN CAIN, FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I hereby officially and enthusiastically endorse Newt Gingrich for president of the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL: There you go. Herman Cain making his choice there at a campaign event in West Palm Beach last night. That's where the former presidential candidate officially threw his support behind Gingrich. Newt Gingrich right there behind them. They shake hands. Cain said it's been in his heart for a long time. Gingrich thanked Cain and invited him to co-chair a new committee on taxes and the economy.
Meanwhile, Rick Santorum, I want to let you know, has canceled all of his campaign events so he can be by his daughter's bedside in the hospital. This is really sad here. Three-year-old Bella Santorum was admitted to Children's Hospital in Philadelphia last night. The Santorums aren't saying why, but we do know that Bella suffers from a genetic defect called Trisomy 18. Only around half of all children with Trisomy 18 survive past the first week of life. So, again, she's three years old, and glad, obviously, that she's been able to battle it this far. Certainly keeping our thoughts with them today.
Meanwhile, a couple of new campaign ads airing in Florida are drawing some fire, not from the candidates, though. This one from the Romney campaign uses clips from a 1997 NBC newscast talking about Gingrich's past ethics problems. NBC has asked Romney to stop using it. And then, former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee is asking the Gingrich campaign to stop airing a new ad that uses parts of one of Huckabee's 2008 campaign commercials.
The clock, of course, running out on the candidates to get in their last shots before Tuesday's primary. CNN political reporter Peter Hamby has more for us on what they're doing to get the word out here in the 11th hour.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PETER HAMBY, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: The two Republican front-runners, Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich, are blitzing the state. Romney is visiting Naples and Pompano Beach in an appeal to seniors and the elderly. He's also going to visit the Miami area to try to shore up support among Hispanics. A group that he lost badly to John McCain in the 2008 Florida primary.
Newt Gingrich, meanwhile, is trying to shore up support among conservatives. He's running to Romney's right. He's hitting two Baptist churches today as he tries to appeal to evangelicals. He's also going to visit The Villages, a sprawling retirement community near Orlando.
All of this is unfolding amid a blitz of negative TV ads. The Romney campaign is running most of them. They think that if they deliver one more knock-out blow against Gingrich, that will get them the nomination.
But Gingrich is brushing all that aside. He said yesterday that he's in this race all the way until the convention in Tampa this fall.
In Plantation, Florida, Peter Hamby, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PAUL: And a programming note for you here as we remind you, we've got you covered. Keep it here on CNN for the Florida primary Tuesday night because our special coverage begins at 6:00 Eastern.
All right. You know who else is up early with me? Meteorologist Reynolds Wolf in our weather center.
So, I know, Reynolds, we were talking about those high winds yesterday in California. Have they moved east?
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Oh, no, no, no, no, no, they're still in parts of southern California. But not only that, you have the drying conditions, which means that we have a real fire threat in that part of the world. Also fire threats set for parts of Texas, even into Alabama and just a little sliver of Florida and also a chance of some scattered snow showers that we expect for parts of the Ohio Valley. Yes, it's going to be bad too. Which means delays nationwide. We'll have more on that coming up in just a few moments.
PAUL: All right. Good to see you, Reynolds. Thank you.
WOLF: Good to see you, too.
PAUL: Sure.
And I want to give you a heads up of some of the stories that we're working on here today.
First of all, the founder of a breast implant firm is under arrest, charged with providing faulty implants to as many as 300,000 women around the world.
Then, children at a Georgia elementary school told parents they were forced to play a game called "catch a slave."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was a game where slave catchers catch slaves.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL: You might be surprised by how the school responded to this.
Plus, we're going to take you panning for gold and brewery hopping. That makes for a good Sunday, doesn't it. "On the Road" with Reynolds Wolf. And, of course, we could be seeing the highest gas prices of all time. $5 a gallon perhaps. You asked a lot of questions about this yesterday. We've got your answers today.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PAUL: Welcome back. It is 10 minutes past the 6:00 hour. So impressed everybody's up by a 6:00 on a Sunday. Reynolds Wolf here with us now.
First, I want to show you this though. Thousands of people in Maryland went for a dip in the cold waters of the Chesapeake Bay. They are braver than I. The annual Polar Bear Plunge. It's this charity event sponsored by state police in support of Special Olympics. Look at all of them go. Maybe, you know, they fact that they had that many gave them a little body warmth. I don't know, Reynolds, but I bet --
WOLF: Body warmth.
PAUL: That really -- the -- that's the only thing that would make me do it is a charity.
WOLF: My goodness. Yes, pretty much. I mean, you know, it's a wonderful event.
PAUL: Yes.
WOLF: I know it's a great thing. It's a time for togetherness. But it's also a time for, my gosh, massive discomfort. We're talking about major cold out there.
PAUL: But they're in and out, you know?
WOLF: Yes. Yes.
PAUL: Look at them, half of them are going in. Half of them are coming out.
WOLF: Yes. I mean, fun for everyone, but probably a little more embarrassing for guys. I'm just going to leave it right there. I mean, cold water, hey, you've seen the "Seinfeld" episode. You know where I'm going with that.
PAUL: Yes, well, I was going to say, in the words of Elaine Benes, I don't know how you walk around with those things, but you go right ahead.
WOLF: Exactly. That's right.
Hey, you know what we're going to be seeing today. A lot of people are not just going to be walking around, but they're going to try to fly around the nation. They might have some backups in a few places. Let's take a look at the list. Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, and Miami, read them and weep.
The reason why we're going to see some delays, plain and simple, for parts of the Great Lakes and into Chicago, blamo right there. You see there's some scattered snow showers moving through. Some of this coming through just as a little bit of sleet. You'll notice from the pink there on radar, but then some of the heavier snowfall farther back to Madison and along parts of the I-39, I-90 corridors. We're not talking about heavy precipitation. A light dusting, but certainly enough to cause some back-ups in O'Hare. So, just keep that in mind. A little bit of patience will be needed on a day like today.
The reason why we have this big weather maker is right there. That frontal boundary that's going to sweep from west to east. You've got a lot of cold air right behind it. And with it, we could see another installment of some snowfall back from Minneapolis to Green Bay. This will be mainly due to a warm front that will be coming in from the south. But a warm front, you would think, will warm things up. Well, that will be on the other side of the frontal boundary, like in Omaha, where it's going to feel fairly mild. Also in Kansas City. But, still, ahead of that, you've got some cold air, you have the lift, and with that, more snowfall can be expected in picture.
Something else that can be expected, we go a little bit farther west, the heavy, heavy winds. We're talking wind gusts -- we're talking about the range of a category one hurricane. That's right, the category one hurricanes, when you get to 74 miles per hour or higher. Seventy-five, that meets the criteria. It's going to be very strong for you from Bozeman to Billings. Keep it in mind. Even near Jackson Hole, Wyoming, you might have some stuff to deal with, the strong winds.
Anyone trying to make their way to the Grape Vine, if you're in a high profile vehicle, you're going to feel the wind pushing the vehicle a little bit when you're making that drive. Also with the wind and the very dry conditions, we have, of course, the red flag warning in effect. And it's not only going to be in southern California, but also in points east or southeast rather into Alabama and parts of Georgia. Very low humidity and the breezy conditions won't be too strong, but, still, really the big issue is going to be the low humidity.
Plenty of sunshine in the southeast. Mix of sun and clouds, as we mentioned, in parts of the northeast. The snow in the Great Lakes. And then, still, over the Great Basin, we have that area of high pressure. It's going to be beautiful in Salt Lake City with a high of 45 degrees, 66 in San Francisco, 21 in Minneapolis, 58 in Memphis, 57 in Atlanta, 44 in New York and in Boston.
Christi, back to you.
PAUL: Hey, Reynolds, I have a blast from your past to share with you. You remember this?
WOLF: I'm -- I'm scared.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WOLF: Fried butter. That's right. Fried butter. It's hard to belief you have the two together. Let's give this a shot. (END VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL: Oh, how many fried things did you eat that day, do you remember?
WOLF: That was quite possibly one of the greatest days of my life. That was absolutely incredible. Yes, that was at the Texas State Fair with Tracy Sabo (ph) and our photographer, Ken Tillis (ph). And we basically made our blood type puddy. It was great. It was unbelievable. I mean by the time we -- we had so much cholesterol in our system, you could basically pop your arm and squeeze and the blood comes out like toothpaste. It was good times. Delicious. A delicious afternoon.
PAUL: Oh, that's an image, as all of you are probably at home eating something healthier than that probably. You know, cereal or something.
But, Reynolds, I have some good news for you.
WOLF: Yes.
PAUL: You did not do your body a whole lot of harm possibly that day because fried foods may not be as bad for you as originally thought.
WOLF: I knew it.
PAUL: Yes, yes, I know.
WOLF: Unbelievable. Dreams do come true.
PAUL: You were ahead of the game.
WOLF: See, we dare to dream and sometimes things just happen. You wish upon a star and blamo, there it happens.
PAUL: Please don't go out and just fill yourself up with that again right now because I need to give this kind of disclaimer. The "British Medical Journal" studied more than 40,000 people over 11 years and they found fried foods are not linked to heart disease or premature death, only if those foods are fried in olive or sun flower oil. So, there's the caveat.
The head of a now defunct breast implant company is facing charges. What investigators say is wrong with those implants that could affect hundreds of thousands of women around the world.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PAUL: Boy, what a story our own Nadia Bilchik has drummed up for us this morning for "Passport." You've been looking, I know, into this breast implant scandal. It could affect -- I can't believe this, 300,000 women.
NADIA BILCHIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In 65 countries around the world.
PAUL: So what -- the first thing that comes to our mind is, what is their risk?
BILCHIK: Well, it's interesting. In 2010, in France, this came to a head because a woman who had this particular breast implant, PIP, known as PIP, which was substandard silicone. It wasn't medical grade silicone. That's the point. She had a rare form of cancer. And --
PAUL: Were they related?
BILCHIK: You're hearing the undercurrent of the sound of the French who are making these implants. They can't prove exactly that it was related, but she did have a rare form of cancer, and this was in 2010. And it catalyzed an investigation. And they found that this particular implant ruptures more easily than other implants. So the French government, at the end of last year, did something completely unprecedented. They said they would pay for the 30,000 French women that had this particular implant that affects, as you said, hundreds of thousands of women in 65 countries.
PAUL: Impressive for France, no doubt about it. But what about all these other women?
BILCHIK: Well, all these other women. For example, the British government is saying they have basically said, be careful. We're not going to pay unless it's regards some kind of reconstruction. But the British government has definitely issue a warning around these implants.
But you asked me earlier about the U.S. Now this --
PAUL: Yes, I mean are there women here at risk?
BILCHIK: No, because this particular company PIP, and you mentioned their founder was arrested on Friday, came to the U.S. and they wanted to register their saline implants, and the FDA didn't approve those. They never even tried to register the substandard, non- medical grade silicone implant.
PAUL: Wow.
BILCHIK: By the way, the same silicone that is used in mattresses.
PAUL: What?
BILCHIK: Yes.
PAUL: Was in people's bodies?
BILCHIK: The same silicone, is was in people's bodies. Now, on Friday, the founder, Jean-Claude Mas, a 72-year-old man who was the founder of the company, was arrested and charged with involuntary injury. So, again, it's hard to quantify what it is and if this medical -- this non-medical grade silicone leaks in the body. It's hard to quantify exactly. But it's scary for hundreds of thousands of women. And as I said to you, in France, the government is offering to pay and Jean-Claude Mas was arrested and charged. But got out on $100,000 bail. So, he's out. He's out.
PAUL: He's out on $100,000 bail.
All right. Well, obviously, we'll keep watching this. But thank you very much for bringing this to our attention because there may be some people watching who --
BILCHIK: Have PIP implants.
PAUL: Who have PIP implants and don't realize the injury at this point or the potential injury.
Thank you. Good to have you here, of course, Nadia.
Also, I want to let you know that some parents -- parents ticked off after learning their children played this game. It's called "slave tag.: They did this at school. They're enacting slave catchers, basically, chasing down slaves. Wait till you hear what the school said in their reaction to this.
Plus, Newt Gingrich getting a vote of confidence in Florida from Herman Cain. Here's the big question. You're probably wonder this at home too. Will Cain's support help sway voters in the upcoming primary? Will it sway you? I'm asking Citizen Jane Politics, Patricia Murphy, in just a few minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PAUL: Well, good morning to all of you waking up in Atlanta with us here. I know, the sun isn't even up yet, but it's good to know you are getting a head start on the day. I hope the coffee's going down smooth today, or the orange juice. We're just glad to have your company.
Twenty-three minutes past the hour, by the way, here at CNN world headquarters.
Now, the same Georgia school district -- I want to let you know about this -- the same district where examples of slavery and beating were used to teach math, is back in the headlines again. The first time students were asked questions like, "if Frederick got two beatings per day, how many beatings did he get in one week?" This time it's over a game of tag, where some students were slaves and others were slave catchers. Amy Natiarvatari (ph) from CNN affiliate WSV reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ERICA LASLI, PARENT: We played a game, but it's kind of like tag, but we were slaves and slave catchers.
AMY NATIARVATARI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is what Erica Lasli (ph) says her eight-year-old daughter told her after school at Camp Creek Elementary in Lilburn last Tuesday. The third grader says she was a slave and other students were slave catchers. She says her teacher proposed the game based on what they're learning in class and also participated.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She would sit at the bench and the slave catchers would come up to the door and ask, did they have -- did she have any slaves?
NATIARVATARI: Charvia Rivers says both her children tell a similar story.
KAYA TONEY, STUDENT, CAMP CREEK ELEMENTARY: That's how Miss (NAME DELETED) described the game.
NATIARVATARI (on camera): How did she describe it?
TONEY: That it was a game where slave catchers catch slaves.
CHARVIA RIVERS, PARENT: I was shocked.
NATIARVATARI: We asked a district spokesperson about the game. According to a statement, the school district looked into concerns regarding four students who participated in a playground activity. The district determined that the activity was student initiate and that allegations regarding the teacher's involvement were unfounded. Raven Toney (ph) say the teacher was participating by acting as the safe house guard and telling her and other so-called slaves when to run.
RAVEN TONEY, STUDENT: She was right there on the bench.
NATIARVATARI: Both Rivers and Lasli say the game was inappropriate and insensitive.
RIVERS: It is demeaning, dehumanizing, and hurtful.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PAUL: We want to know what you think about this story. Tweet me @christi_paul. We're going to share your comments on air. You can also go to my FaceBook page, christipaulhln.
Well, a homecoming for Nelson Mandela. We're going to tell you why South Africa's revered former president and Nobel Peace laureate is returning to Johannesburg.
First, though, inspiring stories that really touch a nerve. Enough so to make you do something about it. Actor Rainn Wilson is known for his work on the TV show "The Office," but he may be more proud about his work with one of our CNN Heroes. Look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RAINN WILSON, ACTOR: I was literally sitting in my trailer at "The Office" and I was looking at the CNN website and they had this CNN Heroes. I think it was in the first year. And I saw this story on this guy Aaron Jackson. This is a young kid from Florida, grew up on a golf course. You know, didn't really have much direction in his life. And then he went traveling in the third world and he saw poverty and he decided to just devote his life to making the world a better place.
AARON JACKSON: Today we dewormed estimated maybe a little over 100 people.
WILSON: It's been great to be able to help out Aaron Jackson, implanting peace, by doing some fundraisers. I've gotten to introduce him to people and help raise money and just help his organization really get moving.
He's the amazing guy who's doing all the really hard work and, you know, giving him the cash and just letting him go do what he does best.
They have four or five orphanages in Haiti. And I also went out when they distributed the deworming medication, out in the rural villages and towns.
You're distributing food, aid, all around the country. So many kids can be, you know, eating their fill, but because they're so filled with worms, they're unable to digest and process that food. So it's really just kind of a waste.
JACKSON: You deworm a kid, and the worms shoot out within usually 24 to 48 hours. It's amazing. And you see a kid that's highly anemic, not alert at all, and once you rid them of worms, they come back to life. And that's what's, to me, is so amazing. We see just an immediate impact.
Since the Hero segment in 2007, we've actually raised enough money with Rainn's help to deworm every child in Haiti, all 3.2 million kids.
WILSON: Anyone can be a hero. It just takes a little bit of work.
OK. All right. Au revoir. Ah.
If there's one thing I could take away from my experience with CNN Heroes, these stories are incredibly inspiring. They inspire me to step up my game and try and do more to help the world.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PAUL: Rise and shine. It's 6:30 now here in the East. I want to let you know what's happening in the world right now.
I know you've probably been watching this story unfold. But Maine Police confirm blood was found in the home of missing toddler Ayla Reynolds. Authorities say they are determining now who the blood belongs to. That's what will happen next. Reynolds was just 20 months old when her father reported her missing over a month ago and no suspects have been named. Yemen's president is in the United States this morning receiving medical treatment. Ali Abdullah Saleh was injured during a bombing of the Presidential Palace in June. He is expected to step down when he returns home, but Yemen's Parliament passed a controversial law insuring him immunity.
Six members of the International Atomic Energy Agency have arrived in Iran. This is according to state media right now. The inspectors will attempt to examine Iran's controversial nuclear program. The IAEA said it will try to clarify any military dimensions to that program.
And former South African President Nelson Mandela is back in Johannesburg. He'll live there while his childhood home in the Eastern Cape Province undergoes some repairs. President Jacob Zuma is asking the public to respect the 93-year-old's privacy while he's there.
And voters in Egypt are picking candidates for the Upper House of Parliament today. Legislative powers are currently held by the dominated Islamist Lower House. Excuse me there. After the elections, the full Parliament will appoint a panel to write a new constitution for Egypt.
Meanwhile, here in the U.S. looking at our own elections, we are now just two days away from the Florida primary. And Newt Gingrich has a new supporter on board - Herman Cain.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HERMAN CAIN, (R) FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: One of the biggest reasons is the fact that I know that Speaker Gingrich is a patriot. Speaker Gingrich is not afraid of bold ideas, and I also know that Speaker Gingrich is running for president and going through this sausage grinder. I know what that this sausage grinder is all about. I know that he is going through this sausage grinder because he cares about the future of the United States of America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL: I just wanted to hear him say sausage grinder one more time.
PATRICIA MURPHY, FOUNDER AND EDITOR, CITIZEN JANE POLITICS: Twice.
PAUL: We get the picture of what this means. We know it's tough, don't we?
Patricia Murphy, Founder and Editor of Citizen Jane Politics with us now and contributor for "The Daily Beast" as well. Thank you so much, Patricia, for being here.
MURPHY: Oh, thanks for having me.
PAUL: Well, the first thing I think that comes to most people's minds is will this endorsement springboard Newt Gingrich in any way?
MURPHY: Well, I'm sure the Newt Gingrich team says, yes, thank you for the endorsement. Where were you a week ago, Herman Cain?
PAUL: The timing is in question, too, I guess (ph).
MURPHY: The timing is difficult. First of all, not only has Herman Cain spent the last week saying he's not going to endorse anybody but we the people. He went on Stephen Colbert's Show. He came on CNN and said I'm endorsing we the people. I'm not endorsing a specific candidate.
Now he is endorsing a specific candidate, and he's doing it in Florida. He's doing it late on a Saturday night, which is helpful for the Sunday morning shows. It's not helpful for Florida's early voters. Florida has a strong tradition of early voting, meaning voters can come in the first two weeks ahead of time and pick their voters. So a lot of Floridians have already voted.
Now with that said Herman Cain actually still has quite a bit of support in Florida. This is where the Cain train started. He won the Florida straw poll. He is influential in conservative circles. But this really is a little - it's too little too late to really help Newt Gingrich in Florida.
PAUL: Well, what kind of message does it send that he did wait so late? Did it make people think he was on the fence, and these are just desperate times and he's coming forward now?
MURPHY: It makes me wonder - it just makes me wonder where he was. I think most voters say, oh, this is interesting. Thank you, that's helpful. I already voted, oops.
Or I already made up my mind. You know, you want to get when these voters are still undecided, still weighing their options. So I think it's certainly - it's not going to hurt Gingrich. He'll take any endorsement he can get. Herman Cain is a great endorsement for the conservative base. It would have been a lot more helpful a week ago, though.
PAUL: Well, let's look at the senior voters in - in Florida. Who amongst the candidates is making some headway in that demographic specifically?
MURPHY: There is a real toss-up for these senior voters, and Florida is where they have the highest portion of retirees of any other state in the country, about four million. And we have not seen the senior vote break one way or another yet significantly. And these polls, they're a little bit more with Romney. That's one of the reasons Romney is up, but both of these candidates are having big events for seniors.
They're going to senior centers. They're not talking a lot about Social Security reform. They're not talking. They're sort of staying away from the stickiest issues. And when they do talk about it, they're saying your benefits are safe. Nothing is going to change for you, Florida seniors, but they are going after this vote hard. It's nowhere in the country is it more important to get the senior vote than it is in Florida.
PAUL: Yes, Florida. But what about the Latino vote?
MURPHY: Also crucial.
PAUL: Because the Latino voters are very important in Florida. Between those two, who do you think the candidates are really targeting? Who is more important for them?
MURPHY: Yes. Florida, you can't live without either one. So you have to be doing both at the same time. There are even some Latino seniors which is - it's especially helpful. The 11 million grandmas we heard about in the last debate.
These voters - these candidates can't live without either one. So they're gunning hard for both segments, but they both have such specific issues. The Latino voters are big on immigration, obviously. But in Florida, a lot of those Cuban immigrants are not so focused on immigration. They're focused on jobs, focused on the economy. So they're going after both of these groups. You cannot do one without the other. You can't win the state without both.
PAUL: All right-y. My goodness. Patricia, thank you so much.
MURPHY: Same to you.
PAUL: And she's going to stick around. We're talking with her more in a little bit about several things, including those early voters and what all of that means, because there's a huge number. We're talking - what - almost half a million.
MURPHY: Yes. Already gone to the polls.
PAUL: All right. Thank you so much.
MURPHY: Thank you.
PAUL: Good to have your company here today.
I want to give you a programming reminder, too. Just keep it here on CNN for the Florida Primary Tuesday night. Our special coverage begins at 6:00 Eastern, so you know where to go there.
And, you think the first American gold rush was in California? You know, it wasn't even on the West Coast. Coming up, an amazing journey through the historic South.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PAUL: So did you know the first U.S. gold rush was not in California? And I'm wondering if you're one of the countless people who spent decades pondering the question - how are Cabbage Patch Kids born?
Reynolds Wolf just discovered the answers to all of these questions. He's got a - this is the really tough part of his job.
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It really is. And, you know, I mean, it now all makes sense. So this is the reason why I suffer from insomnia for years and years is pondering these many questions, questions that can be answered by simply getting behind the wheel of your car and going out and checking out America.
That's the amazing thing about this country, Christi. We've got so many of these amazing, incredible things, and at a time where people are struggling with the economy, they don't have the ability to send their family across the country to go to an amusement park, you can find live adventures just by piling in the car and just kind of doing a little rediscovering of our nation. Check this out.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF (on camera): Today's adventure begins in Atlanta, Georgia, home to some 5.2 million people.
In 1836, the city was called Terminus, then it was given the Vackerville, and now of course the city is called Atlanta.
Hey, and speaking of names, her name is Alicia Eaken. You know her. She's our producer. Alicia, where are we headed today?
ALICIA EAKEN, CNN PRODUCER: Well, we're going to head to the Georgia Mountains and pan for a little gold, and then take the scenic route to Asheville, North Carolina.
WOLF: Leon Joeb is our photojournalist. Leon, are you up for this?
LEON JOEB, CNN PHOTOJOURNALIST: I'm always up for a challenge.
WOLF: All right. let's go.
First up, Dahlonega, Georgia at the Consolidated Gold Mine. And first impression, you see this beautiful building here in the parking lot. But it's what's below ground that really captures the imagination.
You know, this wasn't dug just yesterday. It's been around since 1898.
This is "D" Harbert, General Manager of the mine. "D," how long have people been digging for gold in this part of the world?
DATHAN "D" HARBERT, MANAGER, CONSOLIDATED GOLD MINE: Well, gold was first discovered in 1828. And in just one year, over 15,000 people showed up, all looking for gold. It became the first major U.S. gold rush.
WOLF: Now, what's type of mining is this?
HARBERT: This right here is hard rock gold mining.
WOLF: But there are types too, right?
HARBERT: Absolutely. We can grab a gold pan and head up to the rivers and streams.
WOLF: All right. "D," show me how this is done.
HARBERT: Fill it up with water. Then you have gold just fall into the bottom. If you do your job right, you should find right there -
WOLF: Gold. Check it out. And I've got sand.
HARBERT: You better keep your day job.
WOLF: Unbelievable. "D," thanks for your time.
HARBERT: Thanks for coming. Come back a lot here.
WOLF: All right. We've got to hit the road.
Guys, I picked up a little souvenir for us at the gift shop at the Gold Mine.
EAKIN: I'm frightened.
JOEB: I can't wait to find out what it is.
WOLF: Yes, you can.
It's the Babyland General Hospital in Cleveland, Georgia. The view inside is sensory overload. It's an incredible experience.
You know, thankfully, we've got Dr. Linda Loggins with us. Dr. Linda, why do they refer to this area as the Babyland General Hospital?
DR. LINDA LOGGINS, CABBAGE PATCH KIDS SALES EXECUTIVE: Because 32 years ago with Xavier Roberts found so many cabbage patch kids that needed good homes, he decided at that time to open Babyland General Hospital.
WOLF: New ones are born every day?
LOGGINS: I actually have mother cabbage, who's in labor right now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One more good push. All right. I think what we've got is a beautiful baby girl here.
WOLF: The baby is out and we are, too.
All right, Alicia, what's next?
EAKIN: We're going to head to Tiger, Georgia. It's a little place called Goats on the Roof.
WOLF: Goats on the roof?
EAKIN: Just wait.
WOLF: Oh, my God. There are goats --
EAKIN: On a roof.
WOLF: Let's do it.
All right. We are out of food. We are out of time and we need to get out of here before we have to lock horns. Let's go.
Well, we finally made it to our final destination here in beautiful Asheville, North Carolina. Home to the Biltmore Estate, some great people and some awesome breweries and among those, Highland Brewing Company. They're the ones that got the brewing craze all started here in Asheville.
We got John Lyda here. He is the big brew man here at Highland Brewing Company. John, why is Asheville a great place for beer?
JOHN LYDA, BREWMASTER, HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY: The water. They've got the perfect water.
WOLF: How many types of beer do you have?
LYDA: We've got eight and that's including the seasonal.
WOLF: Should we get a taste?
LYDA: Yes. Let's go have some.
WOLF: Let's go.
Wow. What an amazing trip. Our cup runneth over. We dealt with everything from Cabbage Patch Dolls, we pan for gold. We even played with goats.
You know if you have any ideas for an amazing adventure for us, by all means, simply go to our Facebook page, give us the ideas. We're all ears and we're gone. See you next time down the road.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF: Christi, it's a big country. It's a huge nation, and, you know, it's up to us to get out and explore it, but where we're headed, I have no idea. It's really going to play really into the decision of our viewers.
If you can, please go to "Adventure Road with Reynolds Wolf." It's on Facebook and give us some ideas or some pointers. Where would you want us to go? Is there any part of the country you would like us to check out?
PAUL: Well, I'm from Phoenix. I was in phoenix for five years, and there's a lot to see out there. Not that I'm trying to get you away from your family because that is a long haul from Atlanta, but Phoenix has a lot to offer.
WOLF: Yes. Desert Southwest is definitely an option. Well, a lot of people have been saying the West Coast, so we'll see.
PAUL: Or Hawaii. Although when you do that one, I think I'm going to - I'm going - you might need some help on that one.
WOLF: Yes, maybe so.
PAUL: I think I have to go on that one, too. All right. Thank you, Reynolds.
WOLF: You bet.
PAUL: Gas prices have reached historic highs this month, and January isn't even over yet, so why so high now? We took some questions yesterday. We got those answers for you, and taking more questions. Stay close.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PAUL: Good Sunday Morning to you. You just feel like you can't catch a break at the gas pump? I know. I feel your pain. We all do.
Look at the national average. A month ago, a gallon of regular unleaded was $3.27. Now, we're paying an average of 15 cents more per gallon. Average price of regular unleaded today, $3.42.
Josh Levs broke this down for us yesterday, and he's back to answer some of your questions because they - they just kind of went through the roof, didn't they? Everybody wanted to know about these skyrocketing prices. How do you avoid it?
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. We have a lot of - people have a lot of questions, and we were talking about the predictions that the national average grew more than $4. Very soon. Like, by this spring. So expect it to go even more.
And we're looking through a bunch of the factors that contributed to this. Let's recap quickly. I showed you this which is the four main components that affect gas prices. The biggest being crude oil. And then you've got refining, which is where the oil companies make money, also marketing where gas stations get paid in taxes, which vary all over the country.
So we talked about events in the Middle East, and some other factors that are affecting those prices, and we've got a bunch of interesting questions from you.
A lot of you asking about OPEC, how much of it determines your gas prices. Let's talk about OPEC a little bit. It controls the majority of the oil that's traded worldwide, 55 percent. So it obviously has major influence on the market. In fact, we were talking about a bunch of countries now embargoing Iranian oil, while Saudi Arabia, the top OPEC oil supplier, told CNN it can make up the difference. It can make up for any loss of production out of Iran. Also, a lot of you asking about where the oil that we use in the United States comes from, and some people might be surprised, just over half of it is domestic. The oil we use, just over half of it, is domestically supplied. Imports make up just under half.
One more thing, a lot of questions came to us about oil speculation, people buying up what are called these oil futures on the world market that potentially affecting the supply and therefore the prices in order to make a bunch of money. That's always a concern.
And there was a consumer group that said in October that oil speculation could add $600 to the average families' gas bill for the year. But big picture and what analysts look at the factors that are changing gas prices right now, and it could bring in the highest ever prices. They're pointing at things like growing demand in a lot of countries, continuing instability in the Middle East, questions about Iran.
So, Christi, those are the biggest factors that analysts point to when they saw watch out for where prices are going.
PAUL: Well, you had that map yesterday and you had maps that showed, you know, where you can get the cheapest gas necessarily. And I always wonder, how accurate is that. I mean really, how accurate? If I go to that gas station, is that going to be the price, and is it the cheapest?
LEVS: And let's show it right on the screen so you know where to see these things. What they are, there's a bunch of websites that we've linked up for you online at my pages, Facebook and Twitter and the blog, CNN.com/Josh.
So there are all these different websites that say this is where to find the cheapest gas in your city, and they do their best to do a good job. The problem is they're not always completely up-to-date. So you can follow those links and let us know what you think.
Another thing that's really helpful is Twitter because there are places on Twitter and I'll tweet out some links right now, where people say I just saw this gas for this amount at this corner on this street, and then there are a couple of places on Twitter that are kind of calling those. So if you're on Twitter or even if you're not, there are ways to search, that might help you find the cheapest gas in your city.
PAUL: Who would have known that Twitter would become what it is?
LEVS: I know. The Twitter evolution is incredible.
PAUL: It's amazing. Thank you, Josh.
LEVS: You got it. Thank you.
PAUL: Thank you very much.
OK. So since we're talking about what we need to buy, how about a new TV before the Super Bowl, of course, and stay on budget. Call order you think? Well, we've got five tips that are going to make shopping for it a little bit easier.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PAUL: Want to get you caught up on what's happening across the country right now, and we're starting in Gardenia, California.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL (voice-over): About 300 mourners attended the funeral of Etta James. Reverend Al Sharpton presided and musicians such as Stevie Wonder and Christina Aguilera paid tribute to the legendary singer.
But it was James' son that really struck a cord.
DONTO JAMES (ph), ETTA JAMES' SON: I just want to say right now, Mama, I love you. Lord, have mercy.
PAUL: James died earlier this month of complications from leukemia. She was 73.
In Pottstown, Pennsylvania, starting Monday a middle school is banning students from wearing boots with fur to class. School administrators say students have been tucking their cell phones inside their ugg-style boots and cell phones aren't allowed. Students can wear the boots to school, just not to class.
And some fun news from Dighton, Massachusetts as part of Super Bowl Week, some wounded warriors in the area will be playing flag football with current and former MFLers. The event is part of the Wounded Warrior Project. The game will take place on Wednesday in Indianapolis.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PAUL: All right-y. We've been talking about this story all morning.
Last week some third graders at a Georgia School played a game of tag where some of them were slaves and the others were slave catchers. As you can imagine, parents are outraged, but the school district says students initiated the game.
Well, we asked for your feedback on this story, and I want to share with you what some of your fellow viewers are saying.
David wrote to us saying, "People overreact in these situations because of where they occur. No one would say anything if this was in Northern State," he says.
And Catherine said, "Shocked that a game would use those words. Very wrong. And in Georgia, shameful."
We want your thoughts on all of this, too. Do you think these games are ever OK? Let us know what you think. ChristiPaul, you can tweet me there @Christi_Paul, I should say or go to my Facebook page, ChristiPaulHLN.
All right-y. Almost 7:00 on the dot here from the CNN Center, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING, January 29th. Thank you for keeping me company. Sit back and relax and let's get you the information that you need to know to get on with your day here.
Occupy activists clashed with police in Oakland. This is what happened inside City Hall and it's what happened there that's causing our biggest outrage here - or their biggest outrage, I should say. They're planning more protests as well, we should point out.
Newt Gingrich gets a high profile endorsement. The question a lot of people are asking, will it make a difference for the Florida primary now that it's only two days away?
Now, let's get back to the Occupy protesters in Oakland, California. They're preparing right now for a big rally later today. This coming after a very violent day in the streets. Take a look.
(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)
PAUL: You're looking there at the scene in Oakland earlier yesterday. Protesters threw bottles, metal pipes, even flares. And then, of course, police fired tear gas and beanbag bullets.
Now, some protesters say they were hit by rubber bullets fired by police. We do know as many as 200 protesters were arrested.
And we get more on the clashes and controversy from Patti Lee of CNN affiliate KTVU there in Oakland.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PATTI LEE, KTVU REPORTER (voice-over): Tear gas and flash bombs filled this plaza where occupiers faced off with police. One of multiple clashes in Oakland.
FEMALE PROTESTER: They tear gassed us multiple times all day today. All we were doing was marching. Nothing. There wasn't -- we didn't throw anything.
LEE: Occupiers claimed innocence, but our cameras caught protesters throwing rocks, bottles, and bleach bombs. At least two officers were hurt.
DEP. CHIEF JEFF ISRAEL, OAKLAND POLICE: Their intent is to commit acts of violence and vandalism and break into something that doesn't belong to them. And so, their intent is clear. We give dispersal orders. They don't disburse. Unlawful assembly, failure to disperse. I suspect everybody we arrest tonight is going to be charged.
LEE: Police spent most of the night corralling this crowd of hundreds of protesters who had declared their intent to take over an unused space and turn it into the new center for the movement.
FEMALE PROTESTER: There are cops on one end. We turned around. There are cops on the other end. There's essentially no way out.
LEE: The plan fizzled around 7:00 when police surrounded the crowd on Broadway and 25th and warned of imminent arrests. Hundreds of protesters ran towards a nearby YMCA to escape. A few made it out the back, but the majority were arrested while YMCA members watched.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The cop said al the protesters or the occupiers lined up in the front against the wall.
LEE: But the night was far from over. While mass arrests took place at the Y, 10 blocks away a small group of protesters entered Oakland City Hall.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No one broke in. The door was -- the doors were unlocked. People started tipping over stuff and as soon as I left because I didn't think that was right.
LEE: Police barricaded the entrance to the building where a crowd was starting to gather. City hall is ground zero for Occupy Oakland.
MAYOR JEAN QUAN, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA: They burned some of the flags. They're usually in the center. That they threw trash on the ground, that they broke into one of our electrical boxes, and quite -- we don't quite get. They turned over the historic model of city hall and the ground floor, and they destroyed the children's art exhibit on recycled art.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PAUL: We're going to continue obviously to follow the Occupy Oakland story throughout today. In the meantime, I want to let you know about Occupy Washington, D.C. protesters. They targeted a prestige event held for politicians and dignitaries. The protesters basically lined up outside the entrance to the Alfalfa Club Dinner. People were celebrating the 99th year of the annual dinner. Protesters outside were chanting "We are the 99 percent."
There were no arrests but a couple of people, Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman, got hit by the so-called glitter bombs. The guest list of the dinner included President Obama and former President George H.W. Bush.
(MUSIC)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HERMAN CAIN (R), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I hereby officially and enthusiastically endorse Newt Gingrich for president of the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP) PAUL: Herman Cain has made his choice -- you hear it there -- at a campaign event in West Palm Beach last night. Former presidential candidate officially threw his support behind Gingrich. Cain said it's been in his heart for a long time, actually. He -- Gingrich thanks Cain and invited him to co-chair a new committee on taxes and the economy.
Meanwhile, it's pretty sad news coming out of the Rick Santorum camp. He has canceled all of his campaign events so he can be by his daughter's bedside in the hospital. Three-year-old Bella Santorum was admitted to children's hospital in Philadelphia last night.
The Santorums are not saying why, but we know Bella Santorum suffers from a genetic defect called Trisomy 18. Only around half of all children with the disease survive past the first week of life. Again, she is 3 years old.
We're keeping them in our thoughts today, but he has, again, canceled all of his campaign events to be with her and his family.
A couple of new campaign ads airing in Florida are drawing fire, but not from the candidates. This one from the Romney campaign uses clips from a 1997 NBC newscast talking about Gingrich's past ethics problems. Well, NBC has asked Romney to stop using it.
And former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee is asking the Gingrich campaign to stop airing a new ad that uses parts of one of Huckabee's 2008 campaign commercials.
You know, though, the clock is running out on the candidates to get in their last shots before Tuesday's primary.
CNN political reporter Peter Hamby has more on what they're doing to get the word out this late in the game.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PETER HAMBY, CNN POLITICAL REPORTER: The two Republican frontrunners, Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich, are blitzing the state. Romney is visiting Naples and Pompano Beach, in an appeal to seniors and elderly. He's also going to visit the Miami area to try to shore up support among Hispanics, a group that he lost badly to John McCain in the 2008 Florida primary.
Newt Gingrich, meanwhile, is trying to shore up support among conservatives. He is running to Romney's right. He is hitting two Baptists churches today as he tries to appeal to evangelicals. He's also going to visit the Villages, a sprawling retirement community near Orlando.
All of this is unfolding amid a blitz of negative TV ads. The Romney campaign is running most of them. They think that if they deliver one more knockout blow against Gingrich, that will get them the nomination.
But Gingrich is brushing all that aside. He said yesterday that he is in this race all the way until the convention in Tampa this fall.
In Plantation, Florida, Peter Hamby, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PAUL: Let me give you this programming reminder. You want to keep it here on CNN for the Florida primary Tuesday night. We have you covered. Our special coverage begins at 6:00 Eastern. Just so you know.
Looking to impress all your buddies before the big football game next weekend? Well, we've got to tell you how to find the best television for your budget, did some digging here.
And we debate the must-have foods for game day. You know that's a biggie.
Plus, meteorologist Reynolds Wolf, checking your weekend forecast. We know he likes fried food.
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: I'm digging the music.
PAUL: I know.
(CROSSTALK)
WOLF: That's good stuff.
Hey, let me tell you what we're going to be dealing with today. We can expect a wind to really continue for parts of southern California, for the Northern Plains and the snow -- yes, that's back too in the Ohio Valley. More on that coming up.
You're watching CNN SUNDAY. See you in a few.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PAUL: Good morning, Lady Liberty. And all of you waking up in New York City today. It's 7:11, in case, you haven't looked at the alarm clock yet. You just happened to get up and turned on the TV first thing. We're grateful for that.
As we say, thank you from CNN headquarters here in Atlanta. Looked like the sun got up before you did, perhaps. That you just now getting up. But we're glad you're here.
You know, if you are thinking about buying a TV, I know sometimes it feels like the biggest decision in the world has to be right because it's a lot of money, and you are running out of time if you want a new one for the big game next Sunday. So, earlier, I asked HLN digital lifestyle expert Mario Armstrong what to look for when buying that new TV.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARIA ARMSTRONG, HLN DIGITAL LIFESTYLE EXPERT: If you are buying a television for the Super Bowl, you want to really look for a few things. There are going to be a lot of deals that will be out there. Some of these deals will be great. Others will be pushing old technology that you may not want to buy.
So, a couple of quick tips. Number one: the refresh rate, refresh rate is important for fast action. So, you're looking for something that has something called 120 hertz or higher. Sixty hertz is the lowest. You don't want that if up to have a sports TV.
Number two, you want to be looking for the right size. Bigger is not always better, Christi. I know that's hard to convince a lot of people about that, though.
PAUL: You said it. I didn't.
ARMSTRONG: It's the truth. I mean, a lot of people don't want to sit in a front row of a movie theater. Why would you buy an oversized television for your room? So, measure the distance in terms of feet. Multiply that number by seven to 10, and that should give you your minimum to maximum screen size that would be good for that room.
Number three, sound is so critical. People buy these great TVs, but they're all thin now, and the speakers sound like puny, tiny, itty bitty speakers, and it sounds horrible. So, you want to invest in something like this, a sound bar.
These are surround sound built in one unit that the TV can sit on top of, or you can fit it into your furniture. This is 199 bucks from a company called ZBox. They are awesome.
So, whether it's this one or others, the point is: invest and research sound. It really makes a big difference for these televisions.
And then number four would be connecting ports. You're going to have a lot of things to connect to your TVs. Your cable box, your video games, your DVD players. You want to make sure that the TVs have enough.
And last but not least, really research where you are going to buy it stuff, whether it's online or in a local store. Like the local specialty stores, these are like experts. If you look for some of those in your neighborhood, like in Maryland we have one called Gramma Phone (ph). These are people that are professional TV experts that really know their business.
PAUL: OK. But what should we buy specifically if we're really on a budget?
ARMSTRONG: Yes. If you are on a budget, we have a couple of TVs for you to look at. Number one, there's a Sharp television. No frills. Huge screen. These things are 60 and 70 inch size screen, Christi. So, I don't know if you have a room for that in your house.
PAUL: Wow. ARMSTRONG: But these are huge. But no frills. No Internet connection. No 3D on this. So, that's one.
Another one is by LG. If you are looking to say stay under $600 for a 42-inch TV that's still nice, the LG is a good one as well. So, those two I think are great budget TVs.
The real thing with budget is just make sure you're not getting the 60 hertz television. Try to get at least 120 hertz TV.
PAUL: OK. Yes, that's good to know.
What about for all of us folks who don't have a budget and maybe they want to say, oh, I'm making an investment, I can spend whatever I want?
ARMSTRONG: Well, you know, TVs are that type of thing. You don't really want to turn around in four years and buy another one. So, for some folks that want to spend it, I like some of the Sony and Samsung brands are great.
We're showing one that I recommend by Sony. It has all the frills. It has 3D. It has web connectivity. It has the motion blur to take away the 120 hertz and higher.
So, this is a great TV that's going to have all the frills, all the features. It's kind of future proofing yourself even if you're not ready to use 3D. It's kind of protecting you so when you are ready, you'll have a TV that does it.
PAUL: And that's my question. Should we invest in 3D?
ARMSTRONG: That's a tough one, Christi. I'm not sold on 3D right now. I just don't think there's enough programming out there. You still have to wear different glasses. You can't take the glasses over to your friend's house unless it's the same type of television.
So, there's still a lot more to be done. I think the real future of 3D is when you won't have to wear glasses to watch them. And some companies are working on glassless 3D TVs.
PAUL: Really?
ARMSTRONG: So, if you are looking to make an investment, go ahead. But if not, hold off. You won't miss it.
PAUL: Interesting. All right. What about online, in store? Which one?
ARMSTRONG: Do your research online, but then buy in store. And then check those locally specialty stores. I think a lot of people just go to the big box, and that's fine. Go to those stores as well.
But I think you'll be surprised that you may be able to price match in some of the specialty Seta (ph) certified stores. The local shops that really have great experts. PAUL: Nice. All right.
What's a perfect food? Let's just get to the nitty-gritty of it all?
ARMSTRONG: This is the most important thing. Yes, absolutely. This is the most important thing. Food.
None. You know, the most important thing is beer. Are you kidding me? Food? Who eats?
No. Salsa and chips and wings. Are you kidding me? Salsa, and chips, and wings.
PAUL: It's the biggest pizza, though, day. One of the biggest pizza days of the year.
ARMSTRONG: It is one of the biggest pizza days. They run crazy specials on those pizzas, and that's cool. Pizza is all right. I get the whole pizza thing.
But, you know, beer and wings, that's the combination right there. That's really it.
PAUL: Mario is going to make sure he's got a beer next to him, and it may be a little cooler as well. He doesn't have to get up.
ARMSTRONG: And my Ravens helmet.
PAUL: Oh, my goodness. You look like Darth Vader, for heaven's sake, with that thing.
(LAUGHTER)
PAUL: I love it.
ARMSTRONG: We will win next year's Super Bowl. We will win next Super Bowl.
PAUL: I will be pulling for you next year, just so you can be happy, Mario.
ARMSTRONG: Go ravens. I bleed purple. See you.
PAUL: I love it. Thank you.
Join us every Sunday at this time as HLN digital lifestyle expert Mario Armstrong gives us the scoop on the latest technology.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PAUL: Well, it was a battle of the best black college bands in Atlanta this weekend. Listen to this.
Look at them go. Aren't they great? Amid all this hoopla, though, we're going to tell you about really the most touching moment -- a silent tribute to a young man whose life was tragically cut short.
Stay close.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PAUL: Up and at it. We've been waiting for your company here. Twenty minutes after 7:00, in the East anyway.
Meteorologist Reynolds Wolf is with us.
But we wanted to take a look at this. See all those people? They're pretty brave. Thousands of them in Maryland going for a dip in the cold waters of the Chesapeake Bay. Look right in the middle. They're the ones that say, OK, I'm going to dive in fist.
This is the annual polar bear plunge. It's a charity event sponsored by state police to support Special Olympics. So, good reason to get in there.
But, Reynolds, this is what I keep kind of chuckling about. I feel like you're looking at -- they're all going both ways. It's like OK, I went in. OK, I'm getting out. While, the other people are trying to make their way in, too. It's just in and out real quick.
And it's worth, obviously, don't you think? Would you do it?
WOLF: You know, it is a wonderful cause. I might do it.
The thing I'm always perplexed by is why do they refer to it as a polar bear plunge? Why do they call it a polar bear plunge?
PAUL: I don't know.
WOLF: I mean, polar bears are around 1,000 pounds. They've got about three layers of fat on them.
PAUL: It's not cold to them.
WOLF: Yes, they're covered with a giant fur coat. The polar bear is not out there rocking the Speedo the banana hammock. You know what I'm saying?
PAUL: Hey, you know what?
WOLF: They got insulation.
PAUL: You don't know that everyone is rocking either. But --
WOLF: That's very true.
PAUL: All kudos to them regardless.
WOLF: Very true, a wonderful cause. There you go.
It's going to be a tough call as to leave the airports around the nation, especially in Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, even into Miami. All delays all because of the weather. Some of them because of a touch of snowfall. Others, a chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms.
Let's again first with the Great Lakes. There you have it. From Green Bay to Madison to Milwaukee. It's all snow this morning. Chicago, you have a little bit of a break right now along the Dan Ryan Expressway.
But if you look a little bit farther back to the West along the I-90 corridor, here comes the other installment. Take a look at this computer model that's going to show you what we can anticipate for about the next several hours. It's going to be this frontal boundary that's going to drift its way from West to East, and as it does so, it's going to pick up that moisture off the Great Lakes.
As we fast forward into Monday, it becomes more of Buffalo's problem, even towards places, like, say, the I-81 corridor or even over to Burlington. That's your snowfall.
Back into Green Bay, you got a warm front that's going to be approaching the Twin Cities and right ahead of that warm front, you can expect some snowfall behind it. Guess what? Some warmer air.
Let's wrap this up pretty quickly. We got the winds still in the Northern Plains and the Central Rockies where we have gusts up to 75 miles an hour, and the very dry conditions in southern California. That's going to give us that, again, red flag warning. Very low humidity, and the winds topping about 45-mile-per-hour gusts. Same deal in Alabama, and parts of Georgia.
Beautiful conditions, though, in the Southeast. plenty of sunshine there, plenty of sun across Texas and, again, the Great Basin. Look to the snowfall as they continue through the afternoon in the Great Lakes.
Thirty-three in Chicago, 58 in Memphis -- easy for me to say -- 58 in Denver, 66 in San Francisco, 48 in Seattle. And viola, some mid-40s in Boston and New York.
All right. That's the latest, Christi. Back to you.
PAUL: All right. Paul, thanks so much.
WOLF: You bet.
PAUL: I want to let you know that we're learning new developments today regarding the disappearance of a 20-month-old toddler who disappeared. We'll let you know what police have found this morning that may bring some answers.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PAUL: I want to get you what we've learned about a story that I know a lot of you have been paying attention to. I have too.
Maine police say they now have found blood in the basement of a missing toddler's home. They're not sure yet whose blood it is. We're talking about 20-month-old Ayla Reynolds. Her father reported her missing December 17th. Police say they're not ruling anything out yet, but, again, they have found blood in that basement. They're investigating still.
Well, there was only one place to be this weekend for some of the nation's best college bands, and thousands of their fans. The Georgia Dome in Atlanta, it hosted the tenth annual Honda battle of the bands. Before the music began, though, there was a moment of silence for a young man who was beaten to death in what police say was a brutal hazing.
George Howell reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(MARCHING BAND PLAYING)
GEORGE HOWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's a showcase of some of the country's most talented bands, the Honda battle of the bands invitational draws thousands to Atlanta's Georgia Dome. But this year, the show started differently.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would like to take a moment to recognize a (INAUDIBLE) of the marching band community (INAUDIBLE) a moment of silence. Amen.
Let's have a moment of silence.
HOWELL: A moment to support Pam and Robert Champion, their son, a Florida A&M drum major, died in November in a beating in what's being called a hazing incident.
(on camera): How important is it for you to be here right now?
PAM CHAMPION, MOTHER OF HAZING VICTIM ROBERT CHAMPION: I think it's important that we put the message out that we're not against the music at all. We're just against the hazing that goes on.
HOWELL (voice-over): They hope their presence at events like this makes students think twice about the dangers of hazing, and we found many of the students are listening.
ALFRED GISTARB, JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY MARCHING BAND: I think it's powerful. I think it's great that the music is helping healing. Music is more than just sounds that come. It's an emotion.
MIKE BEMBREY, JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY MARCHING BAND: It's non- tolerance. You're not here to be hazed to be in a band.
ROBERT CHAMPION SR., FATHER OF HAZING VICTIM: We lost a son and they lost a drum major, student and friend.
HOWELL: The packed crowd at the Georgia Dome is just a start for this family. They are pushing their message with the t-shirts they wear, #IamChampion, to get the conversation going on Twitter. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am Champion.
HOWELL: And they've even put together a video that they hope goes viral.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am Champion.
HOWELL (on camera): You feel like this makes a difference?
P. CHAMPION: Yes, I do, because it says a lot. It does. It says a lot.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am champion.
R. CHAMPION: We're trying to reach kids at an early age to bring awareness, and hopefully this video will help do that.
HOWELL (voice-over): George Howell, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PAUL: We have more top stories at the top of the hour when CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues.
But, first, you don't want to miss -- "SANJAY GUPTA, M.D." that starts now.
