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CNN Sunday Morning
Arrests in Oklahoma Shootings; Christians Celebrate Easter; Masters Leaderboard; Syrian Uprising
Aired April 08, 2012 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: From CNN Center, this is WEEKEND EARLY START. It's Sunday, April 8th. Good morning, everyone. I'm Randi Kaye.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're coming for you.
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KAYE: That warning from the police chief to a killer in Tulsa, Oklahoma, has paid off. Two suspects now in custody for the shooting rampage that left three dead.
More than 120 people killed by government forces in Syria, just two days before the Assad regime's promised cease-fire. But we're now learning the Syrian government has new demands.
Also this hour, we'll catch you up on who's on top of the leaderboard at the Masters. Hint for you, there's not a Tiger in sight.
And this Easter Sunday, we'll be talking to Kay Warren, co- founder of the Saddleback Church, and we'll take you live to the Vatican.
You're watching WEEKEND EARLY START, where news doesn't take the weekend off.
And now let's get you to a story that you heard here first. The multiple shootings in Tulsa, Oklahoma. While you were sleeping, Oklahoma Police, the FBI, and U.S. Marshals were very busy. And that hard work paid off with two arrests. That were coming less than an hour ago to us right here. A reminder, three people were killed and two were injured in a series of shootings early Friday.
Joining me now on the phone is Captain Jonathan Brooks from the Tulsa Police Department.
Captain Brooks, good morning to you.
What can you tell us about the arrest? You've had a very busy night. How did you track these guys down?
CAPT. JONATHAN BROOKS, TULSA POLICE DEPARTMENT (via telephone): Yes, it has been a very busy night. It took a lot of work, a lot of collaboration between several different agencies. And, quite frankly, a lot of help from the community helped us and solved this crime.
KAYE: And who do you have in custody?
BROOKS: We have two subjects in custody right now. We have Alvin Watts, a 32-year-old white male, and Jake England, a 19-year-old white male, that are now in our custody.
KAYE: And what led them to you? How were you able to get them?
BROOKS: Well, it was through the work and investigation of our detectives and agents and deputies and through the tip line that we set up and the tips that the community provided to us and the information that was provided to us, all come in to collaboration and led us to the successful arrest of these two individuals.
KAYE: And have you also recovered the white pickup truck, which was seen as three of the four shooting sites?
BROOKS: Yes. We have -- we've recovered the truck. And now we're in the process of recovering additional evidence that was used in these crimes.
KAYE: And are the suspects talking? Have they made any statement at all?
BROOKS: Actually, they're in -- right now they're still being interviewed by our defectives.
KAYE: Have they said anything yet that you can share with us?
BROOKS: Nothing that I can share at this point in time.
KAYE: And where were they arrested?
BROOKS: They were arrested in Tulsa from a single family dwelling.
KAYE: Were they living together? Were they in the same place when they were arrested?
BROOKS: Yes, they were in the same place. And, you know, we're not exactly sure of what their relationship is to one another. Whether they're just friends or extended family members. That's -- and those are just some of the things that we're trying to get out of the investigation as well as, quite frankly, as the real thing is we want to know is the motive.
KAYE: Right. And what about weapons? Were you able to recover any weapons?
BROOKS: We're in the process of now -- now that we've apprehended the suspects, now we're into the evidence recovery mode.
KAYE: What does that mean? BROOKS: Our primary goal is, as our chief said, as we're coming for you, we've done that. And now we'll gather the evidence along that trail.
KAYE: Can you tell us, though, at this hour if any guns have been recovered?
BROOKS: No, we have not recovered any guns at this very moment.
KAYE: And do we know if both of them were in the pickup truck as these shootings took place? Have you been able to determine that yet?
BROOKS: That's where the investigation has led us to believe that both of them were in the truck at the same time.
KAYE: And do you know if any of them knew any of the victims?
BROOKS: We don't know that.
KAYE: And so the status of them right now is that they're going -- they're being interviewed right now. They're in the interrogation room. How long will something like that take? And when do you think you might have some more answers?
BROOKS: You know, each one is different, so it can take -- it can be rather lengthy. But it -- we thought that it was important to get to get the word out early to the community for when citizens wake up, of Tulsa, wake up this Easter Sunday morning and know that Tulsa is just a little bit safer place, that we've removed these two individuals from the community.
KAYE: And just very quickly, I understand that all of the victims in this case, as we first told our viewers yesterday, all of the victims in this case are African-American. And the two men that you have in custody are, indeed, white. Are you still looking at this as a possible hate crime?
BROOKS: Yes. And that's -- and that's where we get into trying to determine what the motive was for the acts and the crimes that they committed. And if our investigation takes us towards that direction, we'll for sure proceed with that.
KAYE: And do you have witnesses as well that you're still speaking with?
BROOKS: Yes, there are witnesses. We've spoken with certain witnesses. We've re-interviewed witnesses. And we're still looking at following up with the other witnesses.
KAYE: Captain Jonathan Brooks, I know you've had a long fight. We certainly appreciate you talking with us this morning.
BROOKS: Well, thank you. And have a good morning.
KAYE: You too as well. And we'll have much more on this developing story throughout the morning here on CNN. Well, happy Easter all of you celebrating. Pope Benedict XVI is marking the holiday at St. Peter's Basilica with the traditional message. That means to the city and the world. Earlier the pope resided over Easter mass in the basilica. Christians around the world celebrate Easter as the day that their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ rose from the dead after his crucifixion.
A landmark deal being signed today will change the way the U.S. military operates in Afghanistan. The agreement will mean the end to night raids by U.S. special forces troops. They will now be carried out by Afghan troops. The night raids had sparked particularly harsh anger among Afghans. We'll have much more on what this means later in the show.
Rescue crews are close to reaching nine miners trapped underground in Peru. They've been down there since Thursday. Rescuers were just six feet away from them last night, but the fear of landslides has slowed that operation down. They've been talking with the minors, though, through a hose.
The Syrian military keeping up its onslaught against rebel fighters and civilians just two days before the cease-fire deadline. On Tuesday, a cease-fire agreement is supposed to take effect in Syria, but the Syrian government is now demanding a written guarantee from the opposition that they will stand down. Activists say more than 120 people were killed across the country Saturday, including five children.
All seven of the people injured when a Navy jet crashed into an apartment building in Virginia Beach are now out of the hospital and in good shape. A top admiral says the Navy will examined the crash and fix whatever went wrong. He calls it a miracle that no one died. A fund has been set up for the families who lost their homes.
And if you think paying nearly $4 a gallon for gas is outrageous. Well, trying living on Catalina Island, off the California coast. No doubt it is a beautiful place. No question. Beaches, sunshine. But $7 a gallon gasoline. Yes, $7. There really is only one gas station. They bring in the gas by barge and there are only a few thousand residents and many don't have cars. And now we know why. Ride your bike there on that island.
All right, time now to say good morning to meteorologist Reynolds Wolf.
Wouldn't you get a bicycle if you lived there, Reynolds?
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: I think so. I think so. You know, gas has always been expensive on Catalina Island.
KAYE: Yes.
WOLF: It was a great shot there. Great -- near the harbor side near the, you know, the casino. A beautiful day there along the California coast until you get into northern California, then you're going to run into some scattered showers. Also rain across parts of the central Plains this Easter Sunday. But for much of the eastern seaboard and for other parts of the country, it looks pretty mild, including the Masters. We're going to have the forecast for Augusta National coming up in a few moment. And your travel weather, that's moments away too, Randi.
KAYE: I'm kind of liking your pink tie on this Easter, Reynolds.
WOLF: It is festive.
KAYE: It is.
WOLF: It is amazing what the Easter bunny will bring to people. Yes, I found this waiting for me this morning.
KAYE: Looking good. All right, talk to you in a little bit.
Senator Chuck Grassley may have some explaining to do this morning. You see, the Iowa Republican sent out a tweet about President Obama's comment that the Supreme Court shouldn't overturn his health care law. Check it out. "Constituents asked why I am not outraged at presO attack on Supreme Court independence because American people are not stupid as this ex prof of con law." That is a direct quote, meaning constitutional law. President Obama is a former professor of constitutional law. His campaign chief, David Axelrod, fired back saying this to Grassley, also on Twitter. "I think a six-year-old hijacked your account and is sending out tweets just to embarrass you." Pretty good stuff there. Grassley, the ranking member of the judiciary committee, actually did have his twitter account hacked in January by the group Anonymous. We reached out to Grassley's office for a reaction this morning, but haven't heard back yet.
All right, here's a rundown of some stories that we're working on for you.
One airline is telling flight attendants to shed their extra baggage and, no, they don't mean luggage.
And dogs may be man's best friend, but they're also heroes. We'll introduce you to a special group of military dogs.
And in 15 minutes, we take you on a tour around the world to see how other cultures are celebrating Easter. You're watching WEEKEND EARLY START, where news doesn't take the weekend off.
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PFC. RUBEN JARLEGUI, HOMETOWN OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA: Hi, this is PFC Jarlegui Ruben. I'm here at Camp ((INAUDIBLE) 148th Cab (ph) Delta. I just want to say I love you (INAUDIBLE) to my wife and my mom, my brother, and my cousins back home. I love you guys and I'll see you -- I'll see you soon.
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KAYE: Welcome back. All right, it is Alaska after all, so snow is pretty much a given there, right. But even this was a surprise in the folks at Anchorage, which broke a 57-year-old record for snowfall this weekend. One hundred and thirty-three inches have fallen this year, and the snow is still coming down this morning. But at least one Anchorage resident isn't so impressed with the news, writing on the FaceBook page of a local weather service, "OK, now the record's broken. Can you please make the snow go away?" Oh, yes.
Reynolds, you can sympathize with that, right?
WOLF: A little bit, but just wait until summer when they have the summer and the swarms of mosquitoes come into Nebraska -- Nebraska -- Alaska, like they always do.
KAYE: They're going to want that snow.
WOLF: Yes, they will be wanting the snow to come back.
KAYE: No kidding.
WOLF: Yes, just a little bit too much of anything is not good.
Hey, they're going to have plenty of sunshine in Augusta. That's one exception. They can't get enough of the sun out there. They're going to see some on Sunday. Anyone who happens to be sticking around in Augusta for a few days after, it's going to be nice then too. Temperatures mainly into the 70s and 80s. Lows into the 50s.
And we're not expecting much in terms of rainfall until we get into Tuesday. But even then, only a 10 percent possibility. So it doesn't look like an overwhelming chance whatsoever.
We will have an overwhelming chance of rainfall across parts of the central and southern Plains this morning. A few pockets of precipitation we're seeing near Oklahoma City, right along I-35. Another one just south of San Angelo near Big Bend National Park.
What we do expect is for that rain to continue to fizzle its way a bit more to the east. Also, a very weak frontal boundary moving through parts of Michigan and back into the Ohio Valley. And that's where we have the moisture. The opposite, very dry conditions, across the upper Midwest, western Great Lakes, and the winds anywhere from, say, 30 to 40 miles per hour can be expected. Same deal through parts of the northeast and eastern seaboard. Breezy and dry with winds gusting at 30 to 40 miles per hour.
So, overall, it's going to look pretty nice for you. If you happen to be in the nation's capital, a mix of sunshine and clouds. As you're walking among the cherry blossoms, an occasional gust may shower a few down on you.
And speaking of showers, for the central coast of California to about Redding, northward to the foot hills of Mount Shasta, clear up to the streets of Wondafuka (ph), into Seattle, could see some rain there with highs in the 60s. Seventy-four in Denver as we wrap it up. Dallas with 76. Sixty-five in New York and 79 in Atlanta.
Your delays in Miami, Chicago, Detroit, and Philadelphia. What are the reason? The wind and, of course, in Dallas, chance of thunder boomers may give you delay or (ph) a few minutes on the tarmac.
Thank you, Easter bunny, for the tie.
All right, back to you, Randi.
KAYE: Hey, Reynolds, you're going to want to pay attention to this story, because when I read it, I thought it was a joke, but it's true. It's a chance to be in the company's calendar. It sounds like a nice incentive, right, for workers at the budget European airline Ryanair.
WOLF: Oh, yes.
KAYE: But listen to this ulterior motive. The company is using the prize as a way to get its flight attendants to lose weight. Smaller flight attendants equal less fuel used in the flight, so they can save some money. Although that's -- I guess that's just the thinking of Ryanair. But really classy, right? Just got to love that calendar. Wow.
The company has experimented with other ways to make or save money, including making passengers pay to use the toilets or let them rent x-rated films in flight. Wow. All right, we'll just -- I don't even know where to go with that one. We'll just leave it alone.
It is an Easter Sunday tradition to go to church. See how some Christians take dramatic steps to mark Jesus' resurrection. Easter traditions from around the world, next.
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PFC. CHRISTOPHER ELLIS, HOMETOWN SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA: I'm POC Ellis from Shreveport, Louisiana, stationed with 182 out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina. I want to say happy Easter to my family back home in Shreveport. I want to say happy Mother's Day to my mother, to my big mama especially, and I want to say happy Father's Day to my papa. I'll see you all when I get home.
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PFC. ROBERT BERLANGA, HOMETOWN BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA: Hey, this is Private First Class Robert Berlanga here at (INAUDIBLE)) with the first of the 501st. I wanted to wish everyone in Bakersfield, California, a happy Easter. I love you, Josephina Yvette Berlanga (ph).
(END VIDEO CLIP) KAYE: You're looking at live pictures from Rome where Pope Benedict XVI is speaking to the faithful. He's delivering his annual Easter message from St. Peters Basilica. And in it he called for an end to bloodshed in Syria.
And back here at home, President Obama marked the holiday during his weekly address.
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BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Christ's triumph over death holds special meaning for Christians, but all of us, no matter how or whether we believe, can identify with elements of his story. The triumph of hope over despair, of faith over doubt, the notion that there's something out there that is bigger than ourselves. These beliefs help unite Americans of all faiths and backgrounds. They shape our values and guide our work. They put our lives in perspective.
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KAYE: Millions of Christians are piling into churches today for Easter services. They're celebrating Jesus' resurrection, as stated in the Bible. Nadia Bilchik is here to tell us other ways that people are celebrating Easter.
And good morning to you.
It's a tradition apparently in the Philippines, you say, to reenact the crucifixion. How do they go about that?
NADIA BILCHIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Good morning, Randi.
And first we do go to the Philippines, where some Christian devotees do a reenactment of the resurrection and they literally carry very heavy crosses on their backs and then they will fluctuate (ph) or whip themselves to experience the pain of Christ. It's very graphic. It's very real. And not totally approved of by the Vatican.
KAYE: I would imagine so.
What about Greece?
BILCHIK: Oh, in Greece. Greek Easter is the most festive. One of the things they do is have Greek Easter eggs, which they dye red. And these are known as Kokkina Avga. And the Kokkina Avga, the Greek Easter eggs, are very symbolic. The red symbolizing the blood of Christ. And the round shape of the egg, the eternity and the loop of life. So that's the one. And very beautiful. Very festive.
KAYE: There's so red, though. How do they get them so red?
BILCHIK: Well, if you don't use traditional dye, you can use the actual outer skins of the onion, which are red, and just simmer it with white wine vinegar, and that induces the most remarkable intense red dye. KAYE: Are they just for show or do they eat them this way?
BILCHIK: Well, they' don't eat them, but they do play a wonderful game with them. So I wish we could do it, because what we have to do is basically crash the top of each other's eggs. And once you've smashed the top of each other's eggs, you go to the bottom of each other's eggs. And whoever has smashed each other's egg wins the game, known as tsougrisma.
KAYE: All right. And I know you also found, in all of your research on Easter, some very interesting Easter egg designs.
BILCHIK: John Lamouranne, he is the egg man, and he creates the most spectacular egg designs you've ever seen. You know you've made it when you have become an egg of John Lamouranne. He uses goose eggs as the top and wooden eggs as the bottom. So there he is. Are those not remarkable?
KAYE: Oh, wow. Those are really cool, actually.
BILCHIK: So there's Obama and Michele Obama in a John Lamouranne egg.
KAYE: Oh, and --
BILCHIK: And aren't those wonderful.
KAYE: And Mitt and Newt.
BILCHIK: Yes. And he uses ceramic paint for the detail. And it's really art.
KAYE: They don't even look like eggs. Look at that. That is great of Joe Biden. Oh, those are great.
BILCHIK: And they -- he's renowned around the world. So never mind being a wax statue. We want to be an egg.
KAYE: I think I'd rather be an egg than a wax statue.
BILCHIK: Than a wax statue.
KAYE: Something more human about that, I don't know.
BILCHIK: From (INAUDIBLE), let's be an egg.
KAYE: There you go.
BILCHIK: But he is renowned and really an international superstar in the world of egg art.
KAYE: I never knew there was a world of egg art. Nadia, now I know. Thank you.
All right, just ahead, we'll go live to England where hundreds of relatives and Titanic enthusiasts are setting sail on a memorial cruise, retracing the ill-fated ship's voyage.
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KAYE: Twenty-four minutes past the hour. Time to check out some stories making news around the nation.
A pilot is recovering this morning after suffering some injuries in this crash in Washington state. Witnesses say the plane was coming in for a landing yesterday when it rolled to one side, flipped over, and crashed between two homes. No one on the ground was hurt.
You can call it an Easter weekend miracle. A California church picked up the tab for drivers to get a dollar off a gallon of gasoline yesterday. And as you can imagine, drivers lined up for the discount. This marks the second year Destiny Christian Center raised enough money to offer some relief at the pump. How nice.
And remember the beltway Batman? He became a viral video sensation last month after getting pulled over by police, but later let go. Well, this is new video of him visiting young cancer patients at a Baltimore hospital. It was part of a superhero celebration. The cape crusader has made it his mission to cheer up terminally ill children in the D.C. area. What a guy.
In Augusta, Georgia, Sweden's Peter Hanson leads the Masters' golf tournament heading into today's final round. Three-time champion Phil Mickelson will pair up with Hanson today. They're both, of course, hoping to walk off the course wearing that green jacket. CNN's Patrick Snell has a preview.
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PATRICK SNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Phil Michelson made it a moving Saturday to remember. Lefty surged up the leaderboard with a six under par 66, which included a 30 on the back nine. He finds himself in second place alone at eight under par, and now eyeing up the possibility of a fifth major title.
PHIL MICKELSON, THREE-TIME MASTERS CHAMPION: I just feel really confident in the way I've been playing and the way I've been putting, and in this setting, and on this golf course. I just -- I love it here. I love nothing more than being in the last group Sunday at the Masters. It's the greatest thing in professional golf.
PETER HANSON, LEADER GOING INTO FINAL ROUND: It's going to be tough. I mean I -- it's a new situation to me. I mean I've been up on the leaderboard a few times, but I never led it in anything like this. I know it's going to be a tough night and you just try to do the normal stuff, you know. I got my two kids here and my wife. So you just try to stay in the house and cook in.
MICHELSON: I think we're going to have fun tomorrow and have a good time playing together. I don't know if -- I didn't feel as though he was helping me. I felt like, oh, my goodness, I've got to keep birdying to keep peace. SNELL: Well, while Michelson thrived, the same can't be said for 52-year-old overnight leader Freddy Couples, who fell back, disappointingly even for him, to two under par, seven shots adrift. While Tiger Woods, who issued an apology for his club kicking temper tantrum, is 12 adrift at three over par, having shot a level par 72.
Patrick Snell, CNN, Augusta, Georgia.
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KAYE: Two arrests in those deadly Oklahoma shootings. The details in what one of the victims told a relative about the attack, next. You're watching WEEKEND EARLY START.
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KAYE: Welcome back. And thanks for starting your morning with us. I'm Randi Kaye. It is half past the hour.
It's been 100 years since the Titanic set sail on its ill-fated maiden voyage, and it still holds the world's imagination. Books, popular movies, and now, believe it or not, a memorial cruise with more than 1,000 passengers setting sail from England.
Senior international correspondent Dan Rivers joining me now from Southampton. Good morning, Dan. So where exactly is this cruise ship heading?
DAN RIVERS, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, they're going to follow in the wake of the Titanic as exactly as they can. If you look behind me, this is the M.S. Balmoral, which is the ship that's going to take the 1,309 passengers across the Atlantic.
First of all, they're going to go to Morgan, France, which is what the Titanic did when the Titanic originally picked up more passengers, and then they'll go to the Republic of Ireland to Cork, and then they will go on to the exact spot where the wreck is, above the wreck, where they'll hold a memorial service next Sunday at 2:20 in the morning, the precise time that the Titanic sailed.
In fact, if you look over to the left of your shot here, you can see this big blue boat is actually where Titanic left. That's the same dock. There used to be a big departure terminal there on the key side. That's gone now. That's where they all cued up, and that's where the famous photos of Titanic leaving were taken from that dock over there. So it's a real piece of history here. Some people suggesting maybe this is a little bit ghoulish or in bad taste, but the organizers are insisting this is going to be done in a sensitive manner and this is to pay tribute to all those lives lost 100 years ago.
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PHILIP LITTLEJOHN, GRANDSON OF TITANIC SURVIVOR: There is a picture of him on the rescue ship, (INAUDIBLE). Quite clearly still dark hair an dark mustache. Six months later he goes back to work. He is issued with a new discharge book, and in the front of that it says color of hair, white. So between April and October he went completely white through the affects of shock.
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RIVERS: Philip Littlejohn is talking about his grandfather, Alexander, who was a first class steward, who as you saw there in those amazing pictures, went completely white with the shock of having survived the disaster. The only reason he survived was because he was ordered into one of the life boats after it was full of women and children because it was felt first class passengers deserved to have a steward in their life boat as well as in their cabins.
KAYE: You said that some people are calling, this I guess, you might call it a disaster voyeurism. But who are these passengers? I mean where are they coming from? Who would want to go on this?
RIVERS: Well, it is, as you mentioned, in your introduction a huge industry really, the Titanic. There is massive interest in this disaster 100 years old. There's been the film, of course, that increased interest, but here in Britain there's a mini series on TV right now, which is getting big ratings. There's been lots of books and sort. So these people affectionately are known as Titanaracs (INAUDIBLE) in the legend of the Titanic who just take particular interest in every little detail. And so many of them are here today dressed up in period costume as well.
KAYE: Dan Rivers, thank you very much for bringing us that this morning. Appreciate it.
Getting a check now of your top stories. Two men now in police custody following that shooting spree in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that left three people dead, and two others wounded. The suspects identified as 19-year-old Jake England and 32-year-old Alvin Watts will be charged with three counts of murder and two counts of shooting with intent to kill. Earlier I spoke with Tulsa police captain Jonathan Brooks who told me how the men were captured.
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CAPT. JONATHAN BROOKS, TULSA POLICE DEPT.: It was through the work and investigation work of our detectives and agents and deputies and through the tip line that we set up and the tips that the community provided to us and the information that was provided to us all come in to collaboration and it led us to the successful arrest of these two individuals.
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KAYE: Brooks said the weapons have not yet been recovered. Police have not ruled out a hate crime as a possible motive. The shootings took place during a seven-hour period in north Tulsa on Friday. And here is what one of the victims told a relative about his encounter with the suspects. All of the victims of the shootings were black. The Obama administration is giving Iran a "last chance" to come to the table and resolve the nuclear issue. The "New York Times" reports that the White House and European allies are demanding that Iran immediately close and ultimately dismantle a new nuclear facility.
French police fear a serial killer could be on the loose following four fatal shootings with the same weapon in the past five months. The French affiliate tells CNN the police have increased their presence significantly in the Paris suburb where the crimes took place. The most recent victim was shot in the head on Thursday. Previous attacks occurred both this year and last November.
And check out these pictures from L.A. where a tanker fire shut down all lanes of the 134 Freeway overnight. Firefighters got control of the blaze around midnight, but officials close the road due to concerns about the structure of the bridge. No injuries reported.
Let's move to politics now and the 2012 presidential race. It may be time to move past Romney versus Santorum to Romney versus Obama. At least that's what it seems like if you listen to the campaigns. Here's CNN political editor Paul Steinhauser.
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: Good morning, Randi. We've gone from this.
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Rick Santorum is a nice guy but he is an economic lightweight.
RICK SANTORUM, (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Mitt Romney can't run on his record.
STEINHAUSER: To this.
ANNOUNCER: Mitt Romney stood with big oil for their tax breaks.
ROMNEY: This is not the time for President Obama's hide and seek campaign.
STEINHAUSER: Thanks to Mitt Romney's sweep of Tuesday's primaries, he's looking more and more like the inevitable Republican presidential nominee, and the story line has changed from a Romney- Santorum primary fight to a Romney-Obama general election battle. President Obama is not wasting any time in trying to define his likely GOP challenger. He slammed the Republican Congressional budget and tied Romney to it.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: He said that he is very supportive of this new budget. And he even called it marvelous - which is a word you don't often hear when it comes to describing a budget.
STEINHAUSER: Romney fired back.
ROMNEY: The president came here yesterday and railed against arguments no one is making and criticized policies no one is proposing.
STEINHAUSER: While the general election showdown kicks off, Santorum is not ready to call it quits in his bid for the nomination.
SANTORUM: We have now reached the point where it's halftime. Half the delegates in this process have been selected, and who is ready to charge out of the locker room in Pennsylvania for a strong second half?
STEINHAUSER: Any chance of mounting a comeback begins by winning his home state's April 24th primary.
SANTORUM: We have to win here and we plan on winning here. Then we're going to get into May, and May looks very, very good.
STEINHAUSER: But even if he lasts until May, when more conservative states hold primaries, will it really matter? At this point it's not about winning contests, it's about clinching the nomination, and Romney has a nearly insurmountable lead.
You know, four years ago in a much closer race Hillary Clinton beat Barack Obama in five out of the last eight democratic primaries, but in the end Obama took the nomination. Randi.
KAYE: Thank you very much, Paul. And there's another presidential candidate that we need to tell you about. It is Barbie. The 53-year-old iconic plastic woman launched her White House bid this week. Her platform is inspiring girls to be informed and involved in their communities. A little long for a bumper sticker, but you know, pretty good slogan, nonetheless. She's getting in the race pretty late, though. Not hitting store shelves until August. We just had to share that.
All right. When I say airmen, you think of the men and women serving in the air force, right? But you may have to rethink that image because, take a look here, these airmen. Yes, you heard me right. Airmen are among the most deployed in the military. (INAUDIBLE) in just a moment.
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SPC. JARED SHEPHERD: This is Specialist Jared Shepherd (INAUDIBLE) in (INAUDIBLE) Afghanistan. I want to wish my wife Megan (INAUDIBLE) back in Salem, Virginia, a happy Easter. I love you and miss you, baby. I'll be home soon.
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PFC. SYDNEY MILES, HOMETOWN, SELMON, OHIO: Hi. My name is Private First Class Sydney Miles. I'm with the (INAUDIBLE) Afghanistan. I want to say Happy Easter to my mom and dad in Selmon, Idaho. (END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: They're working so hard out there.
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: They always are dedicated people.
KAYE: So nice to have them on the air this morning. You bet. Well, we're about to show you a story that may redefine how you see airmen. Because you actually got to meet a couple of four-legged airmen.
WOLF: Absolutely. Very, very special time. I'm sure they get fleas. I'm sure they have tough times, but they're amazing.
KAYE: You mean in the desert?
WOLF: Exactly.
They are, they are indeed airmen. You know, the thing that's interesting about it is that dogs and warfare is really nothing new. They've been used back since 18th century BC by Egyptian forces. They've been used by the U.S. military since World War I. They're actually used in an Operation Neptune Spear, that captured and of course, had the results with Osama Bin Laden. But we had a chance to see them up close and personal, see how they operate. It was amazing to behold.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF (voice-over): Robbins Air Force base in Georgia is home to some 7,000 airmen. Six of them are among the most deployed and most vital in the military.
STAFF SERGEANT ROCKY FOREMAN, U.S. AIR FORCE: They're not people, obviously, but you know, they are our partners, that is how we look at them.
WOLF: Staff Sergeant Rocky Foreman is Azac's handler.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE).
WOLF: He says there is a lot more to his job than just holding a leash.
(on camera): What is his specific role?
FOREMAN: He can find certain type of explosive or narcotics. He is also a patrol certified dog. That means he can do the bite work, the escort, the detention and apprehension of suspects.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get your dog. Get it, boy. Get him! Get your dog.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good boy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get your dog off me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Out!
FOREMAN: They can save lives just like soldiers and airmen can. They can stop the whole line of patrol even before you get to a detonation or hazardous area due to their detection scents. That is when you (INAUDIBLE) everything and basically whoever is with you, that is how many lives you saved because of his nose.
WOLF (voice-over): It's estimated that these dogs save an average of 150 lives each.
LT. COL. TOM MOREA, COMMANDER, 78TH SECURITY FORCES SQUADRON: The dogs don't know that they are being heroes, they are just doing what they think is right between the relationship that they have with their handler and themselves.
WOLF: That partnership is critical to their success.
MOREA: It's extremely important that we do find the right handler with the right dog. The better relationship, the better the detection capability, the better the capability they are going to be having when they are going out there and doing any kind of mission.
WOLF (on camera): How do they decompress? How do they separate themselves from a very frightening situation?
MOREA: They have some down time where are able to go relax and it might be just that handler having time with the dog. Petting it, playing with it a bit more and then they go out and do the mission again. It becomes routine, and it becomes something that the dog looks forward to.
WOLF (voice-over): Staff Sergeant Foreman is relying on that relationship.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Azac, Out, sit. Stay.
WOLF: The two will head overseas in a matter of weeks.
(on camera): Do you feel confident when you're deployed having this guy with you?
FOREMAN: I'm completely confident with him by my side overseas. We're good to go.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: How could you not feel confident, right, with that guy?
WOLF: Pretty impressive. Yes.
KAYE: That is pretty good work. And you actually have an airman in the family?
WOLF: My grandfather on my mom's side. My grandfather Wolf. Actually, my grandfather Reynolds. That was a picture of him actually taken in 1943 off the Mississippi Coast, a place called (INAUDIBLE). The dogs they train there were actually sent to the South Pacific. This individual dog he has here is a collie, and it was actually sent to (INAUDIBLE). It was - a lot of these dogs were to detect enemy forces and detect mines, a variety of roles, roles that they're so used for well today.
KAYE: Yes, they're out there saving lives just like the troops themselves. It's incredible work.
WOLF: Most definitely.
And he was able to actually adopt several of the dogs after the war is over, and a great thing we have nowadays is many of the soldiers when they return from theater will adopt the dogs they handle.
KAYE: That's really nice.
WOLF: It's an amazing thing. Their relationship continues after they have served. So nice -
KAYE: Great bond.
All right, Reynolds. Thank you so much for bringing us that.
WOLF: You bet.
KAYE: I know you did a great job with Alicia Aiken as well.
WOLF: There you go.
KAYE: All right. The countdown is on in Syria for the violence to end and the ceasefire agreement was in place for Tuesday but now the Syrian government wants more. Ivan Watson is live next with these new demands.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: The Syrian military is not backing down to rebel fighters and civilians. Just two days before the ceasefire agreement is supposed to go into effect, new reports say the Syrian government will not pull back without written guarantees from armed groups.
Ivan Watson is live in Turkey for us watching this. Ivan, who would represent the opposition and give them - give the regime this written guarantee?
IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, presumably, that might be the opposition Syria National Council, which has offices here in Turkey and which was recognized by a group of more than 80 countries and international organizations at a Friends of Syria meeting here last week as, a, legitimate representative of the Syrian people by critics of the Syrian government.
Now, these new demands have just come out, Randi, from the Syrian Foreign Ministry spokesman, and he actually even tweeted it just moments ago saying, "Syria has a plan for military pullbacks already in place and being implemented but completing and achieving the main goal would definitely require guarantees from the other side and those supporting them."
Now on Syrian state TV he went a step further saying he needs the opposition, the "terrorists" as the Syrian government refers to the rebels, to put down their weapons, hand in their weapons, and he needs supporters of the opposition like Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar to also offer written guarantees that they're not going to fund the opposition.
Now, as this is going on, the Syrian government held celebrations, if you can believe it or not, after the deaths of thousands of people on Saturday in the streets of several cities celebrating the 65th anniversary, Randi, of the ruling Ba'ath party in Syria. People out in the streets, and they were waving Palestinian flags.
Now, this is ironic. Syria sees itself as the defender of the Palestinian cause, but the Palestinian movement, Hamas, abandoned Syria a few months ago because it cannot politically stand by the slaughter of thousands of Sunni Muslims in Syria because the Palestinian movement, Hamas, is effectively a Sunni movement - a Sunni Muslim movement. Randi.
KAYE: And as we see this violence that has really ramped up this weekend, I mean, we have the deadline for the ceasefire on Tuesday. Is this a last attempt, a last effort by the Syrian regime to be done with the opposition, to stop this?
WATSON: Well, that's certainly what the opposition has been accusing the Syrian government of doing. Basically trying to kill as many opposition members and fighters as possible before this Tuesday withdrawal deadline, and it's not just the opposition that's saying this. On Saturday night, the U.N. secretary general said April 10th, this Tuesday deadline, should not be an excuse for the Syrian government to try to wipe out as many people as possible. Randi.
KAYE Ivan Watson for us. Ivan, thank you very much.
A serious debate going on right now. Another state is considering abolishing the death penalty. We'll fill you in when we come back.
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KAYE: As the healthcare crisis in America grinds on, one man is bringing free medical care to thousands, often in just one weekend. Meet Stan Brock. He is this week's CNN hero.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right. Take care of these numbers. They represent several hundred dollars worth of medical care.
The first people arrived yesterday.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I live with constant pain. I mean, like every day.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They spend the night in their cars. Some of them pitch tents.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have lumps in my breasts. I've been here a long time, but it's worth it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I understand what it's like to be penniless, homeless, and uninsured. My name is Stan Brock. I'm the founder of (INAUDIBLE) Medical. We provide free care for the underserved.
In the beginning it was an airborne operation in the overseas areas. Today I would say at least 60 percent of our work is here in the United States.
How many people are here to see the dentist?
About 85 percent of all of the people that come are really looking for dentistry and vision.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good. How about the next line?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't ask you whether you have insurance or whether you have a job or are you a citizen of the United States? The only requirement is that you got to show up early.
Remote Area Medical has seen over half a million people free. This is a number of 663 of these expeditions, as we call them.
Well, you got a pair of glasses, huh?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you. It really does - it really does mean a lot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, it's -
The patients are marvelous. They're so grateful for what we were able to do for them.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Big improvement. They're clear.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's just no feeling like that and knowing that you helped somebody. It's just great.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Let's get you caught up on news that may have been off your radar.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE (voice-over): Abolishing the death penalty. Right now that debate is playing out in Connecticut. Already these are the states that have abolished it, and if passed Connecticut will be the 17th state to get rid of it. Right now 11 Inmates are on death row in Connecticut.
In Washington state health officials are trying to stop the spread of the whooping cough. They say the highly contagious disease has reached epidemic levels. The state reports 640 cases compared to 94 at this time last year. Health officials say part of the reason for the increase? Parents not getting their children vaccinated.
A new species of dinosaur discovered in China is causing quite a stir. The (INAUDIBLE) cousin to Tyrannosaurus Rex had feathers, but scientists don't know yet why these dinos had a body full of feathers. They do know that a 3,000-lb. (INAUDIBLE) were too heavy to actually fly. Some speculate the feathers were used solely as insulation, and others think it was used to attract mates.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: Just ahead, I hope you're ready for this. The one and only Pete Dominick joins me live to take a look back at the week in pictures. Sarah Palin on the "Today" show to President Obama and the jobs act. We've got it covered. Plus -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Dr. Sanjay Gupta. A nude study out this week suggests this country's obesity problem is even worse than we thought. How to break your addiction to food, lose weight, and also keep it off. Really. Coming up at 7:30 Eastern.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) KAYE: Welcome back. Let's take a look at what you need to know for the week ahead. We have a new week ahead calendar. I'm trying it out for the first time. All right. So be patient with me. But I do know that on Monday the White House egg roll takes place. That's right. The first family is hosting the 134th annual white house Waster roll. More than 35,000 people are expected on the White House lawn.
Tuesday is a really big day in Syria. We'll tell you why because that is the day for the ceasefire, right? That's the day Syrian government has agreed to complete its pull-out of forces from major population centers. Hundreds of members of the Syrian opposition have been reported killed since that agreement was reached two weeks ago. We got a couple of things happening on Wednesday. We have Charles Manson's parole hearing. He is the cult leader. He is scheduled to go before the California Board of Prison Terms to try and convince them that he is no longer a threat to society. You may recall in 2007, Manson was actually denied parole for the 11th time since being sentenced to life for a murder rampage back in 1969.
Now, also on Wednesday another big day for North Korea. The launch window opens for a planned rocket launch by North Korea. The launch would apparently violent international sanctions. By the way, CNN does have a group in North Korea. On Thursday, John Edwards is going to be busy. Jury selection begins for the trial of former Senator John Edwards. He is accused of illegal use of campaign funds to hide his affair with his mistress.
And on Friday, one more thing here. President Obama travels to Cartagena, Colombia, for the Summit of the Americas. Thirty-four head of states will meet to talk about an agenda for the region.
So, there's your week ahead.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE (voice-over): Today on CNN SUNDAY MORNING --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're coming for you.
KAYE: That warning from the chief of police to killers on the loose in Tulsa, Oklahoma, paid off. Two suspects now in custody in the shooting rampage that left three dead and two in critical condition.
And more than 120 people killed by government forces in Syria. Just two days before the Assad regime's promised cease-fire. We'll have a live report.
Also coming up, Pete Dominick is in the house. He has a slightly different perspective on the past week's top news.
And it's Easter Sunday. We'll bring you the masses and celebrations around the world.
You're watching CNN SUNDAY MORNING where news doesn't take the weekend off.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: And good morning, everyone. I'm Randy Kaye. Seven a.m. on the East Coast here.
Now, let's get you to a story that you heard here first -- the multiple shootings in Tulsa, Oklahoma. While you were sleeping, Oklahoma police, the FBI, and U.S. Marshals were working, and that work paid off with two arrests just a short time ago.
A reminder, three people were killed and two were injured in a series of shootings early Friday.
Joining me now on the phone is Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett.
Mayor, good morning to you.
I would imagine that you're breathing a pretty big sigh of relief this morning with two men in custody.
MAYOR DEWEY BARTLETT, TULSA, OKLAHOMA (via telephone): Well, we're very pleased that this is coming to an end -- at least this portion of this whole process. But we still have to remember that three of our fellow citizens were killed and their families on Easter morning are now having to deal with that. So, our -- being glad that we've caught two guys and arrested and put them behind bars is somewhat tempered by what they appeared to have done.
KAYE: The last hour, we spoke with the captain from the police there, Captain Brooks. And he told us that the men were in the midst of interrogation.
Is there any information in the last hour that you've learned that you can share with us?
BARTLETT: No, I haven't received anything new, other than the interrogations are ongoing. We're very pleased that the community of Tulsa really came together on all aspects of it, and the meeting was such a tremendous help in getting the word out that we really needed people to call in tips and let us know that they had seen anything odd. And once we did that, the phone lines really lit up and helped tremendously that when the community puts aside whatever differences it might have and come together with the focus of doing the right thing, then those leads led to these two individuals being arrested.
KAYE: And can you tell us what the tip was? Was there a single tip that led to the arrest and any more information about how those arrests went down?
BARTLETT: I don't know exactly other than it was a tip that was called in to our crime stoppers network, and that led to some phone calls and some observation and several door knocking opportunities. And it led to these two individuals being arrested.
So, the public involvement cannot be understated, and certainly getting the community, the NAACP, the political leadership of our city, all united with the focus of catching these people. That's what led it to a big conclusion.
KAYE: And all of the victims in this case were African-American. The two suspects that are now in custody are both white men. Are you at all concerned that a hate crime may have taken place in your community?
BARTLETT: Well, certainly that's a big concern. We don't know if that's -- if that did happen. I assume that we will through the interrogation process find out that's the path that led this people -- appeared to have led these people possibly down this terrible decision. Hopefully having these two put away is -- will bring an end to it.
But we've certainly been aware in Tulsa, the sensitivity of a variety of people, but we've approached -- ever since I have been mayor, the concept that this is one Tulsa, and whatever hurts a part of the community affects the entirety of our community, and I think we bought into that very well. So, it's been an experience for us that's never happened in our history, but I think the united aspect of our city being able to bring this to a conclusion is satisfying.
KAYE: Mayor, thank you very much for your time, and best of luck to you there.
BARTLETT: Thank you very much. Appreciate your involvement.
KAYE: Senator Chuck Grassley may have some explaining to do. You see, the Iowa Republican sent out a tweet about President Obama's comment that the Supreme Court shouldn't overturn his health care law.
Check this out. "Constituents asked why I'm not outraged at PresO attack on Supreme Court independence. Because American people are not stupid as this x-prof of con law."
President Obama is a former professor of constitutional law. His campaign chief, the president's chief, David Axelrod, fired back, saying this to Grassley on Twitter as well. I think a 6-year-old hijacked your account and is sending out tweets just to embarrass you.
Grassley, the ranking member of the judiciary, actually did have his Twitter account hacked in January by the group anonymous. We reached out to Grassley's office for a reaction, but haven't heard anything back.
Happy Easter, everyone. Pope Benedict XVI is marking the holiday at St. Peter's Square with his traditional greeting and blessings to the city of Rome and to the world. Earlier, the Pope was resided over Easter mass. Christians around the world celebrate Easter as a day that their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ rose from the death after his crucifixion.
The Syrian military is keeping up its onslaught against rebel fighters just two days before the cease-fire deadline. On Tuesday, a cease-fire agreement is supposed to take affect in Syria, but the Syrian government is for you demanding a written guarantee from the opposition that they will stand down. Activists say more than 120 people were killed across the country Saturday, including five children.
All seven of the people injured when a Navy jet crashed into an apartment building in Virginia Beach are now out of the hospital and in good shape. A top admiral says the Navy will examine the crash and fix whatever went wrong. He calls it a miracle that no one died. A fund has been set up for the families who lost their homes.
The final round of the Masters tees off in just over two hours from now. Phil Mickelson moved one step closer to capturing his fourth green jacket, but he will still have to get past Peter Hanson. He holds a one shot lead over lefty. Tiger Woods, 12 shots back.
Coming up next, Reynolds is standing by with the weekend forecast.
Hey, Reynolds.
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: H, gosh. The forecast of the Masters looks pretty good over in Augusta. The thing is you really don't even have to be a fan of golf to enjoy what you'll see there. I mean, just beautiful, beautiful images. A beautiful day across much of the Southeast and across much of the nation with a few exceptions -- a few thunderstorms across the Central Plains. Coming up, we're going to let you know what you can expect in terms of your travel weather for the holiday weekend. That's moments away.
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KAYE: Welcome back, everyone, to CNN newsroom where news doesn't take the weekend off.
Reynolds, I guess you're not taking the weekend off either. So, what do you have in terms of an Easter Sunday forecast?
WOLF: I think it's going to be pretty nice.
There's going to be a few exemptions. One of the big exemptions will be here in the Central Plains, where you have a chance of thunderstorms. Right now, a few thunder boomers around parts of Dallas, Fort Worth, and near Oklahoma City, even Tulsa. But for much of the West Coast, the exception is northward to the U.S.-Canadian border and then to the extreme Northeast -- we're talking way up in New England, and parts of Maine.
Everything else looks pretty nice. Very dry conditions in the Northern Plains. Very low humidity too, and temperatures going to be extremely comfortable.
Sixty-three degrees, your high in the Twin Cities, 55 in Billings, 74 degrees in Salt Lake City, 65 in San Francisco on this Easter Sunday, 75 in Albuquerque. Some 80s from Houston back to New Orleans, even into Miami and Tampa, 79 in Atlanta, and 65 in New York.
In terms of travel, you may have a few bumps to deal with, especially in Miami, Chicago, Detroit, and Philadelphia, mainly due to the wind. Delays are going to be under an hour, so that's the good news. Dallas for now we have you delays under an hour, and for thunderstorms intensifying by the afternoon -- well, we might have some issues there. We may have a little bit longer delays.
All right. Randy, that's the latest. Let's send it back to you.
KAYE: OK, thank you very much.
And take a look at this, by the way, Reynolds. I love it. To celebrate Easter, people across the world took part in peep diorama contests. Take a look -- this is just too good not to share with our viewers.
Here you see some political and pop culture pieces from "The Washington Post", like the peep Situation Room, which you saw there. They're working very, very hard. And in New Hampshire how about some spaghetti and peep balls? Or the Mona peep-sa. This just cracks me up.
WOLF: Wow. KAYE: Yes, people have a lot of free time on their hands. It's part of a contest, I think, for "The Washington Post".
WOLF: We have to admit, though, it is a little creepy, isn't it? I mean, come on, it's just so bizarre.
KAYE: I kind of think it's cute. You know, I loved peeps as a child.
WOLF: You know, there's a fine line between cute and creepy, that's for sure.
KAYE: Yes.
WOLF: And tasty.
KAYE: I thought you were going to bring in some peeps today. You didn't make it happen.
WOLF: Yes, I didn't make. I didn't leave the house with those peeps. I mean, you know, my family --
(CROSSTALK)
KAYE: -- something like that.
WOLF: You open them up, and they disappear. Kids inhale the peeps.
KAYE: I got you. All right. We'll forgive you. Thank you.
WOLF: You got it.
KAYE: All right. Just ahead, the one and only Pete Dominick joins me live to take a look back at the week in pictures. And I promise you, Pete is going to have a very different take on things than most of us. I don't even know what's going on there.
Pete, we'll see you in a minute.
Plus, no written guarantee, no deal -- that's the word from the Syrian government on the looming cease-fire deadline. We've got a live report, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Tuesday is the deadline for the cease-fire to start in Syria, but that hasn't stopped the bloodshed at the hands of the Syrian military. The opposition says a handful killed were so far today, and more than 120 killed Saturday.
CNN's Ivan Watson joins me now from Istanbul, Turkey.
And, Ivan, we're now hearing that the Syrian government wants this written guarantee from the opposition that they're going to lay down their weapons as well. Is there any hope at all here that a ceasefire will actually take effect?
IVAN WATSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I don't think there is much hope, and I think that a lot of people that don't believe this may actually take place. Just given the vast amount of violence and killing that we've seen over the past couple of days as this deadline approaches, and the fact that the Syrian government has not come up with a fresh list of complaints, which the spokesman for the Syrian foreign ministry actually tweeted.
He went on to say that, yes, indeed, Syria has a plan for military pullbacks already in place and being implemented, but completing and achieving the main goal would definitely require guarantees from the other side and those supporting them to abide by terms of calm. And on Syrian state television, he went a step further. He said he wants written guarantees from the rebels that he described as terrorists that they will turn in their weapons and stop fighting. He also wants guarantees from the governments of Turkey, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia that they will not send support to those rebels.
And this is as the United Nations secretary general has condemned the Syrian government for stepping up tank and artillery and even a helicopter attack against Syrian civilians in the last couple of days that have driven thousands of Syrian refugees across the border here to Turkey in the last three to four days -- Randi.
KAYE: Ivan Watson for us in Turkey -- thank you.
And breaking news this morning out of Afghanistan -- a landmark deal being signed today will change the way the U.S. military operates in Afghanistan.
CNN's Nick Payton Walsh is in Kabul for us this morning with some details.
Nick, tell us about this agreement and why it's so important to the Afghan people.
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: One of the key tactics that U.S. Special Forces and ISAF forces here is hunting the insurgency is at night raids. Now, that's deeply controversial and dislike by Afghans because the intrusion into their homes in the dead of night -- perhaps understandable.
This is the deal that's been worked on for weeks. This is also months of anger from the Afghan government. Under it effectively formalizes an Afghan official committee of Afghan officials who look over U.S. intelligence about a target, and they want to send Special Forces against. They provide approval for that, which constitutes some kind of legal authority here in Afghanistan that was a key condition of the Afghan authorities.
Then Afghan commandos are in the lead on this operation. They're the ones who knock down the door, and we understand that this is pretty much the practice in the past few months, and we continue to be formalized and that American commandos, ISAF commandos, won't go inside the compound or the home of the Afghan unless specifically asked to by Afghan officials. One other key point -- because this Afghan review body, these Afghan officials have to approve the raid, they do have an effective veto over whether or not the raid goes ahead, and that's absolutely key to many Afghan officials here.
ISAF say they don't really have a problem with that because they normally agreed with U.S. -- I'm sorry with the Afghan review body decisions in the past -- Randi.
KAYE: Thank you very much, Nick Paton Walsh, for that update.
So, what do you see when you look at this picture of Rick Santorum? I guarantee that you don't see what our next guest sees. Comedian and talk show host Pete Dominick joining me next, drinking his coffee, hanging out in his bath robe. Hello, this is TV.
All right. We're going to have a very, very interesting conversation coming up right after the break. I can see that already.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: It's just about 22 minutes past the hour on this Easter morning. And because we're all family here, we've decided drag our friend, Pete Dominick, radio host and all-around funny dude, we think, out of bed.
You look like you just got out of bed there, Pete. We're going to throw you on Skype, and, what, you're in your pajamas?
PETE DOMINICK, HOST, "STAND UP" ON SIRIUS XM: Yes, yes. I'm just in my bath robe here, Randi.
KAYE: Well, we appreciate you getting dressed up for us. Really maybe throw on a tie next time or something.
All right. Listen, I'm glad you have some coffee. I want everyone to grab coffee, because I have a bit of a bizarre Rorschach test for Pete here.
Take a look at this picture. When I see this, I don't know about you, but I see Rick Santorum speaking to supporters on Tuesday in Pennsylvania after losing to Mitt Romney in Wisconsin, Maryland, and D.C.
Pete, what do you see?
DOMINICK: Randi, I see an inspiration. I see a man who is teaching America to never give up in the face of impossible odds, in the face of a wave of money, this man this week said, it's only the second half. We're not giving up. He has about as much chance of becoming the nominee as I do becoming a shampoo ad model.
It's not going to happen, but Rick Santorum won't let that stop him.
And, of course, Randi, I'm giving him a hard time. Our best goes out to Rick Santorum. We know his daughter is sick, and Happy Easter.
But he does not have a chance of being the nominee and yet he is not giving up. He is an inspiration in this picture.
KAYE: All right. I'll give you that.
But what about this one? Take a look. I see President Obama signing the JOBS Act, making it easier for companies to become publicly traded. That happened this week.
Pete, do you see the same thing I see?
DOMINICK: I don't, Randi. I see President Obama who invited Majority Leader Eric Cantor who there's no love lost between these two gentlemen, really posing and pandering because they finally came together on a bipartisan bill, but it also looks like divorced parents getting together to make the kids happy. This is the jobs bill which I'm not sure it's even going to create any new jobs. But clearly, they want to point out we're very bipartisan together, and we're even in a picture. That's what I see.
KAYE: Well, the small businesses, though, they've got to be happy. Supposedly, it's gong to make them, you know, make it easier for them to get money and hire people. But you still don't like the photo, huh? You don't buy it?
DOMINICK: I beg -- I beg your viewers to look into this bill. We talked about a lot on the radio. President Obama's own former car czar and renowned veteran Wall Street guy, financier, he tweeted out this week, Randi -- he tweeted out write it down, we will regret passing the jobs bill, so everyone needs to look into this one.
KAYE: All right. I'll take your word on that.
OK. One more. Finally, we have new video for you. We see -- take a look. We see Sarah Palin as a guest host on the "Today" show this week, trying to compete with Katie Couric, who was filling in on "Good Morning America". How do you think she did?
DOMINICK: She did good. She was able to make fun of herself, which is a good sign of a good sense of humor. But I didn't really watch it that much. The funniest joke was when Meredith Vieira on "Today" show said she called it what she really is. She was honest, and honesty is always funny. She said it's desperation.
So, I don't know. I think, Randi, next week, I don't know what they're going to come up with. Maybe Tim Tebow, he is in New York now.
But I still prefer you on the morning in the weekend and Soledad for my news in the morning. How about that for pandering?
KAYE: Love you, man. Thank you.
Listen, I know you need to get a coffee for your wife and get breakfast for the family, so we're going to let you go. DOMINICK: Yes.
KAYE: Put on some clothes and get cooking.
DOMINICK: You got it. Happy Easter, everybody.
KAYE: Happy Easter to you. Thanks, Pete.
A road on fire. We'll tell you why officials aren't letting anyone through even though the fire is out.
Keep it here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Getting a check now of your top stories. Two men are now in police custody following that shooting spree in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that left three people dead and two others wounded. We've just received this photo of one of the suspects -- 32-year-old Alvin Watts. He and an accomplice identified as 19-year-old Jake England, will be charged with three counts of murder and two counts of shooting with intent to kill.
The weapons have not yet been recovered. Police have not ruled out a hate crime as a possible motive.
The shootings took place during a seven-hour period in north Tulsa on Friday. All of the victims of the shootings were black.
French police fear a serial killer could be on the loose following four fatal shootings with the same weapon in the past five months. French affiliate tells CNN that police have increased their presence significantly in the Paris suburb where these crimes took place. The most recent victim was shot in the head on Thursday. The previous attacks occurred both this year and last November.
And check out these pictures from L.A. where a tanker fire shut down all lanes of the 134 freeway overnight. Firefighters got control of that blaze around midnight local time, but officials closed the road due to concerns about the structure of the bridge. No injuries were reported. Incredible.
More top stories at the top of the hour when CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues.
But, first, tackling America's obesity crisis, it might be even worse than we thought.
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