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CNN Saturday Morning News
Conservatives Use CPAC as Rallying Cry; Tiger Woods Breaks Silence, Admits Affairs; Karzai: NATO Forces Causing Too Many Civilian Deaths; Much of $862 Billion Stimulus Still Unspent
Aired February 20, 2010 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, hello, everybody. From the CNN Center, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING. It is February 20. Thanks for waking up bright and early with us. We appreciate it. I'm Betty Nguyen.
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Drew Griffin, in for T.J. Holmes this morning.
It's 6 a.m. right here in Atlanta; 5 a.m. in Austin, Texas. Thank you for starting your day with us.
NGUYEN: All right. Well, this morning, we are talking Tiger Woods, his apology and even some politics.
According to Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, the two topics -- well, they go hand-in-hand.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. TIM PAWLENTY (R), MINNESOTA: Now, I think we can learn a lot from that situation. Not from Tiger, but from his wife. So she said, 'I've had enough.' She said, 'No more.' I think we should take a -- a page out of her playbook, and take a nine iron and smash the window out of the -- of big government in this country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN; All righty there. You got it?
And we're going to take you live to more of that, from the CPAC convention in D.C., where conservatives are wrapping up their last day of speeches. We'll also go live to Florida, to analyze the Tiger Woods apology.
GRIFFIN: And from steam -- from Florida to Steamboat Springs, Colorado, Reynolds Wolf on ski patrol there.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Imagine you're flying down through here, and you lose your balance; one ski goes in one direction, one goes in the other, your poles go flying and you land in the embankment. And your knee's killing you.
How do you get off the mountain?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(LAUGHTER)
NGUYEN: I think I've had that experience.
(LAUGHTER)
GRIFFIN: Yes. We're going to show you how Reynolds gets a little lesson in high-altitude rescues.
NGUYEN: But first, a look at the top stories overnight. Here they are.
The man who flew his single-engine plane into an office building in Austin, Texas, may have been aiming for maximum damage. A law- enforcement official familiar with the investigation tells CNN several of the plane's seats may have been removed to make room for a drum of fuel oil.
Andrew Joseph Stack appears to have deliberately crashed his plane Thursday into the building where nearly 200 IRS employees worked. Stack and one person in the building were killed. Several others were hurt, two hospitalized.
Now, yesterday, Stack's widow apologized through a statement read by a family friend.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REYFORD WALKER, STACK FAMILY SPOKESMAN: Words cannot adequately express my sorrow and the sympathy I feel for everyone affected by this unimaginable tragedy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN: Space Shuttle Endeavour headed home. Endeavour separated from the International Space Station last night after a nearly 10-day mission spent working to install a new room and observation deck.
Touchdown scheduled tomorrow night in Florida.
NGUYEN: Actor Sean Penn has been charged with battery and vandalism in an alleged attack against a photographer. Video posted on TMZ.com shows Penn kicking a photographer near his truck. Obviously, this is not that video.
The incident happened back in October though. And if convicted, Penn faces a maximum 18 months in jail.
Well, in Washington conservatives plot a return to power. The Conservative Political Action Conference is holding its annual meeting this weekend. GRIFFIN: Yes, in the first two days, speakers played up voter frustrations and predicted a comeback for the GOP. One speaker telling the crowd that the time is now for Republicans to retake control of Congress and other critical of the nation's growing deficit.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. MICHELE BACHMANN (R), MINNESOTA: They have left us now holding an invoice in excess of $105 trillion dollars in unfunded federal net liabilities, which obviously wasn't enough of a debt load for the current administration. It sounds to me like someone is choosing decline.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. ERIC CANTOR (R), VIRGINIA: We understand the country is fed up with the Democrats but is not confident yet that we as Republicans will be any better. The people need to see our commitment to enact a reform agenda.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Well, CPAC wraps up today, and we're going to take a look at what is on the agenda with a live report from Washington at 8 Eastern.
GRIFFIN: And this morning, Tiger Woods headed back for treatment for, you know, what he's calling his "issues."
(LAUGHTER)
NGUYEN: Mmm.
GRIFFIN: It comes after a very public apology by -- well, the nation's top golfer.
NGUYEN: Yes, yesterday, Woods admitted to having extramarital affairs. And he also apologized for hurting his family, his friends, fans and business partners.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TIGER WOODS, PROFESSIONAL GOLFER: I have let you down, and I have let down my fans. For many of you, especially my friends, my behavior has been a personal disappointment.
To those of you who work for me, I have let you down personally and professionally. My behavior has caused considerable worry to my business partners, to everyone involved in my foundation, including my staff, board of directors, sponsors, and most importantly, the young students we reach.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Tiger Woods says he recently spent 45 days in patient therapy, but he says he still has a lot more work to do.
So we want to know from you: What do you think about Tiger's words, his apology, that entire press conference yesterday? Send me your comments.
You can reach out to me on Facebook and Twitter at bettynguyencnn. Or you can go to my blog, CNN.com/betty. And I'll be reading your responses on the air.
GRIFFIN: Yes, and if you missed what Tiger Woods had to say, we've got that as well. You can get the full statement on demand at CNN.com/video. Or if you're not at a computer, hey, there's an app for that: CNN app for the iPhone. Wherever you go, you can get CNN.
NGUYEN: We are everywhere; there's no excuse, folks.
Well, our Reynolds Wolf seems like he's been everywhere, tracking some snow that's picking up in parts of the country. You've been on the ski trails a little bit, too.
WOLF: A little bit of everywhere. And it looks like ski country's going to get some heavy snow, and that's a good thing if you happen to be a skier. The problem is, that snow is not going to stay locked in place in the Rockies. It will be headed for the Central Plains, possibly bringing snow and some ice.
We're going to talk about that coming up in just a few minutes. So sit tonight.
NGUYEN: All right.
GRIFFIN: Thanks, Reynolds.
WOLF: You bet.
GRIFFIN: On with escalating health care threatening to wreck the American economy, I traveled to a Texas town where spending is soaring.
NGUYEN: Hmm.
GRIFFIN: And now it -- we're going to tell you why it's happening there, and why it matters to you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC, BON JOVI, "WILD IN THE STREETS")
NGUYEN: All right. Talk about wild on the streets, we want to show you some video of a zebra. Yes. Hitching a ride somewhere down on the streets of Atlanta yesterday.
Do we have that video? Can we put that up?
WOLF: There it is. NGUYEN: A zebra -- there we go -- went AWOL, apparently, from the circus, out for a stroll in downtown Atlanta. Well, it ran out of the parking lot right here, in fact, to the CNN parking decks. And then it was on to the highway. There we go. It probably would have hitched a ride if it had thumbs.
The circus zebra was rounded up and herded back to the big top. But that's definitely something that you don't see every day. A little craziness on the highways, and we got enough stuff to stop traffic here in Atlanta during rush hour. But that's really not what you want to see when you're driving ...
(CROSSTALK)
WOLF: No, that ranks up there in kind of the unusual category.
NGUYEN: Yes, it's kind of like, 'Wait, Mom, did I just a zebra? What was that?'
WOLF: Oh my goodness gracious, what -- what would -- you know, that's scary stuff.
(WEATHER REPORT)
GRIFFIN: Eight hundred and sixty-two billion-dollar stimulus package enacted a year ago...
NGUYEN: Yes.
GRIFFIN: ..this week.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes.
GRIFFIN: How's it helping you?
NGUYEN: Yes, that's the big question. Maybe it can help round some zebras around here, Josh.
LEVS: I was thinking you guys were going to say that the stimulus may even help the zoo pay for some stronger door lucks, so...
(LAUGHTER)
GRIFFIN: It pays for everything else.
LEVS: It was amazing. You know, that was like a mile from here. I couldn't believe it when it was...
NGUYEN: Craziness.
LEVS: Everyone was pulling over to the side of the road to see that zebra. Unreal.
Meanwhile, this is about your money. You know, it's supposed to stimulate the economy. How much of that $862 billion has actually been spent, and what do you have to say about it? (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Well, it has been a week since Operation Moshtarak started in Afghanistan, and our Atia Abawi is embedded with Marines. And she joins us now by phone.
Atia, tell us what's going on with the operation right now.
ATIA ABAWI, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): Well, Betty, I -- I got to tell you that it is moving slowly but surely. The Marines are making some headway, but they -- it is taking some time.
The Taliban are putting up quite a resistance. They're usually coming up in squad-size members. That's 10 to 14 fighters at a time. And although they don't have the weaponry and technology as the U.S. troops do, they are able to put up quite a fight, hiding in fortified compounds, sometimes using civilian homes, sometimes using the terrain to their advantage.
We got a -- we got a -- I have to tell you, Betty, that the firefights have been going on all week long. Right now, I'm in an area where the U.S. Marines are creating a base, a forward-operating base, proving to the people of Marjah as well as well to the Taliban and the insurgency in the area, that they're here to stay.
And the commanders on the ground will tell you that although it is moving slower than they expected it to, they do expect to make more and more progress as the days go by. It may take weeks if not months to -- to bring some sort of normalcy into the city of Marjah.
We're still waiting to see if the civilians will be coming back. The bazaar is still empty, but still -- but still, on the eighth day of Operation Moshtarak, we're seeing more and more civilians coming out, talking to the Marines, sometimes -- sometimes they know that they're civilians from Marjah.
Other times, they have to question if they could be -- be sent by the Taliban themselves who are trying to gather information on the presence of the Marines and their movements -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Atia, the Afghan President Hamid Karzai spoke out today, saying that NATO needs to make more efforts to prevent civilian deaths.
What's being done on the ground about that?
ABAWI: Well, I have to tell you, Betty, the Marines that I've been with, they have been very cautious when it comes to civilian casualties. They've been wary of the areas that they shoot at.
When they believe that a civilian might be in the area, they do hold back even if they know that the Taliban are there or not. But it is hard to define in these fortified compounds that the Taliban are hiding and shooting from, if civilians are in there or not. One thing that they have on their side right now is that there have been civilians that have approached the Marines, telling them where the civilians are, because they're tired of being caught in the cross-fire.
Helmand Province has been a very volatile province for the past several, several years, since the war began. And the civilians themselves want the fighting to stop. They want some sort of -- some sort of normalcy in their lives. And they're tired of seeing their family members being injured or even killed in the violence.
And I was actually there on day two, when civilians brought in two of their injured family members, and two other family members were actually killed in the fighting because the Taliban were using their homes as a place to launch attacks against the U.S. Marines. So the Marines were then able to use the information they received from the civilians to situate themselves between the Taliban and -- and the civilians in Marjah.
But at the same time, that is one of the biggest challenges the U.S. Marines are facing. And that's also part of the reason why it's taking such a long time to bring some sort of security and clearing out Marjah, because they have to be very careful because they also know that when you lose the support of the Afghan people, there's no way of winning a war in Afghanistan -- Betty.
NGUYEN: All right. CNN's Atia Abawi, embedded with Marines during this offensive that is taking place in Afghanistan, the largest offensive of the war.
Well, we're going to turn to something now that is a year old this week. What are we talking about? The $862 billion stimulus.
So in the year since President Obama signed it, what's happened?
GRIFFIN: Our CNN Stimulus Desk has been breaking that down for us.
Josh Levs here to show us...
LEVS: Yes.
GRIFFIN: ...how much of the money has actually been spent -- Josh.
LEVS: A lot of people saying to us, you know, I don't feel that stimulated.
But what we wanted to do here this week was take a look back at what President Obama said a year ago.
Take a look at what he told us.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I hope this investment will ignite our imagination once more, spurring new discoveries and breakthroughs in science, in -- in -- in medicine, in energy, to make our economy stronger and our nation more secure and our plant safer for our children.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEVS: I know it' a fact that on any of those topics, you can find some individual projects that have since then been funded. There have been science projects funded; there have been other projects funded; all the types of things he's talking about.
But big picture, most of the money remains unspent. Let me show you two figures here. The first is how much this whole thing is going to cost over 10 years, $862 billion, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.
Now, next screen, how much of that money has actually been spent -- keep in mind, the majority of it is not for projects. The majority of it goes to things like tax cuts, benefits. It pays for unemployment, Social Security. All right. So you have $119 billion in tax cuts that have gone through, and $179 billion that have been paid out to all sorts of different projects.
Including, when you hear about those shovel-ready projects, like a road near you, a total of 31 billion projects. So altogether guys, you're talking about less than half the total amount of money that's been spent so far.
So Betty and Drew, still, big picture, the vast majority of that money has yet to be paid out. The government says, 'You know what? It's going to start pretty soon. This spring and summer, you'll see more projects near you -- guys.
GRIFFIN: Which -- which has been really frustrating for a lot of people.
LEVS: Yes, it has.
GRIFFIN: Because this was supposed to be this emergency-funding thing...
LEVS: Right.
GRIFFIN: ...and to create jobs, Josh. And you know, and you and I have talked about this before -- I've been to a lot of these projects.
LEVS: (INAUDIBLE) driving around.
NGUYEN: Mm-hmm.
GRIFFIN: I'm not seeing any jobs, really, created. Some maybe saved.
LEVS: Well, here's the -- and I mean, again, it depends how you define it. You know, and this is where things get really tricky. The administration likes to say there are two million people working today who would not be working otherwise if it wasn't for that. The short version of that is, we are never going to know.
Obviously, if you -- if you take a bunch of borrowed money, and you put it onto the streets so that people are building roads and stuff, there are some people working right now. What the economy would be like if it wasn't for that money, we will never know.
And ultimately, Drew, you're totally right. And the big question, I believe, that we're going to have to watch out for -- we won't know yet, is: Did the recovery act cause a recovery? That is something we're going to have wait and see in the future, guys. Yes.
GRIFFIN: Right. Right.
And -- and, you know -- and on those jobs, not to belabor this point.
LEVS: No, (INAUDIBLE).
GRIFFIN: But, you know, some of these jobs, they last for two weeks and they're done.
LEVS: Right.
GRIFFIN: A little construction project. It's not like you're creating a career job.
NGUYEN: (INAUDIBLE)
LEVS: I'm glad you said that. And -- and a lot of these things -- in some cases, that is the case. And then in some cases, even ones that are lasting a year or two, ultimately, cities are going to have to keep funding those jobs. So, like, the cops program, where this funding will pay for cops for a few years, then individual cities are supposed to pay the fourth year, how are the states are going to come up with the money themselves to keep some of these projects going?
So you have that challenge as well. Ultimately, it's all aimed at getting the economy moving again. But I -- you know, it's going to take awhile before we will know through history what role this $862 billion will play.
GRIFFIN: Yes.
NGUYEN: Breaking it down for us. Josh Levs, appreciate it.
LEVS: You got it.
NGUYEN: We'll see you a little bit later this morning.
LEVS: OK.
NGUYEN: In the meantime, a little something for everybody this weekend. GRIFFIN: Our Reynolds Wolf has a look at some unusual happenings you may want to attend, and they may be in your town this weekend.
(MUSIC, STEPPENWOLF, "BORN TO BE WILD")
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WOLF: Events. It's "Wacky Weekend Events," and we've got pretty much something that fits the bill, for people all around the country. We really do.
NGUYEN: What you got? Bring it.
WOLF: OK. Let's bring you the first one.
The first one is actually going to be starting up in Eagle River, Wisconsin. It's called Klondike Days. It's -- should be a lot of fun up there.
What they're doing -- it's basically a place where -- it's a variety of family-friendly events like chainsaw-carving competition, which, whenever I think of chainsaws, I also think of family friendly. Absolutely. You know, give the 4-year-old a chainsaw and let him go to town.
NGUYEN: Right.
WOLF: Thinking a little more tame, so to speak, the 33rd American Crossword Puzzle Competition. That's in Brooklyn, New York. It's the country's oldest and largest crossword competition. Because, you know, we need plenty of those.
Different spicy thing for you, the Jalapeno Fest.
GRIFFIN: There you go (ph).
WOLF: It promises to be a hot time. That's in Laredo, Texas.
NGUYEN: Yes.
WOLF: It's a great birthday celebration for George Washington. Why wouldn't you celebrate the Father of our Country with a jalapeno?
(LAUGHTER)
WOLF: The (INAUDIBLE) contest includes a secretly (ph) blind jalapeno toss, jalapeno-eating contest. Incidentally, the record for that: 266 jalapenos in 15 minutes.
NGUYEN: Oh my goodness.
WOLF: Yes, (INAUDIBLE) on that.
(WHISTLING)
NGUYEN: It makes me ill just to think about that. WOLF: You know, and if you want to cool off, check this out:
NGUYEN: OK.
WOLF: Go to Fairbanks, Alaska -- the 21st annual Ice Sculpting Competition. Yes, I know it looks like it's in Seattle.
GRIFFIN: Hey (INAUDIBLE).
WOLF: We ran out of map.
(CROSSTALK)
(LAUGHTER)
GRIFFIN: Oh come on! That's cheap!
WOLF: For today -- you know, don't go to -- don't go to Seattle for this. Trust me. It's up there in the -- in the Great White North.
NGUYEN: We didn't have a map large enough to include Alaska? What's wrong with us?
WOLF: Not only that, but the 180 ice sculptures that are going to be featured in that.
And we're going to finish up in Santa Cruz, California, for the annual Clam Chowder Cook-Off. People dress up in all kinds of...
NGUYEN: Mm-hmm.
WOLF: ...great things. They even have what they refer to as a clam fairy (ph). Abracadabra. Yes.
(LAUGHTER)
NGUYEN: A claim fairy. Hey.
WOLF: Got to let the imagination run wild on that one.
NGUYEN: All righty then. Reynolds...
WOLF: Should be fun. That's a look at what's happening around the nation.
NGUYEN: OK. Yes, good ones.
WOLF: Enjoy. You've been warned.
NGUYEN: We'll see you shortly. Yes, we have.
(LAUGHTER)
GRIFFIN: All right, Well, here's something we also do every weekend morning: the best sound of the week.
What is today?
(CROSSTALK)
NGUYEN: Yes. So can we get a drum roll? What is today? No surprise. It's from the world's most famous golfer.
(MUSIC, ELTON JOHN, "I'M STILL STANDING")
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Well, hello, everybody. Good morning. Are you awake?
GRIFFIN: I am.
NGUYEN: I'm trying to get there. I saw you just do that little stretch.
GRIFFIN: I know. Crack my back.
NGUYEN: Stretch, try to get into the day.
Welcome back, everybody. Thanks for being with us. I'm Betty Nguyen.
GRIFFIN: I'm Drew Griffin, in for T.J. Holmes. Thanks for starting your day with us.
NGUYEN: All right. Let's get right to it, check of top stories for you right now.
The man who flew an airplane into a building housing an International Revenue Service office in Austin, Texas may have been aiming for maximum damage. A law enforcement official familiar with the investigation tells CNN that several of the plane's seats may have been removed to make room for a drum of fuel oil.
Andrew Stack appears to have deliberately crashed his plane Thursday into the building where nearly 200 IRS employers worked. Stack and one person in that building were killed, several others were hurt, two hospitalized.
Yesterday, Stack's widow apologized through a statement read by a family friend.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALKER: Words cannot adequately express my sorrow or the sympathy I feel for everyone affected by this unimaginable tragedy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN: Space shuttle Endeavor is on its way back home after undocking with the Space Station last night. You know, these 11 astronauts really were working on the cabin up there, putting in an extra room and an observation deck.
Endeavor's scheduled for a Sunday night touchdown in Florida.
NGUYEN: Well, the Conservative Political Action Conference wraps up a three-day meeting in the nation's capital today with its much anticipated presidential straw poll. The poll provides a hint of who conservative activists believe should be the next GOP nominee.
Now, Republicans, they are aiming to renew their party's energy ahead of November's midterm elections.
GRIFFIN: A look back at the Bush administration tops our Political Ticker this morning. There's going to be a hearing on interrogation tactics, including waterboarding. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy wants to get to the bottom of the legal memos justifying those practices during the last administration.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid seems ready to compromise on health care with other Democrats. He says he'd support the House's so-called public option if the bill got passed.
President Obama is looking ahead to Thursday's health care summit, sending this message to Republicans in his weekly address.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: We know the American people want us to reform our health insurance system. We know where the broad areas of agreement are. And we know where the sources of disagreement lie. After debating this issue exhaustively for a year, let's move forward together.
Next week is our chance to finally reform our health insurance system so it works for families and small businesses. It's our chance to finally give Americans the peace of mind of knowing that they'll be able to have affordable coverage when they need it most.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Well, Republicans have their own message heading into the health care summit, be careful what you bring to the table.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. DAVE CAMP (R), MICHIGAN: Democrats must first listen to the American people and scrap their massive government takeover of health care. We must go into the summit with a clean slate, focused on making health care affordable.
That's what Americans are asking for, and that's what Republicans will continue to work for.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Again, Republican leaders are expected to come to the White House Thursday for the president's health care summit.
Meteorologist Reynolds Wolf tracking some severe weather out there. Seems like we've been talking about this for weeks. Snow and more of it, Reynolds.
WOLF: That's right.
Well, right now we're taking a look at one system that is moving just to the southwest of the Great Lakes. It's going to be rain -- bringing some rain and sleet, maybe even a little bit of some snowfall. And then, farther back to the west, entirely different, more potent storm system we're watching.
Let's start with what's at hand first and foremost. You got the Great Lakes, south of Chicago, we see some snowfall coming in on the Dan Ryan Expressway. And then just east of St. Louis, some of that interacting, moisture interacting with the cool air aloft, and with that, we're seeing a band of a little bit of that sleet popping through parts of, say, Illinois and then back into Indiana also, but then it's turning into some snowfall too.
But farther out to the west, that's where you have that bigger snow system that could bring several feet of snow into the highest elevations, the Central Rockies. We're talking Utah, then back into Colorado. But the problem is, this storm system is not going to remain in place.
What it's going to do is pull its way into the Central Plains. As it does so, it's going to bring a chance of some snow, anywhere some -- say from 4 to 8 inches of snowfall in parts of Kansas and then back into Nebraska. And, I'll tell you, that part of the world can certainly handle that snow. What they can't handle is some heavy ice, and ice may be in the picture too, especially later on tonight into tomorrow. And that, coupled with some strong wind gusts could cause some power outages.
So keep that in mind. The area to watch out for, again, is going to be parts of Kansas, back into Nebraska, a little part of Iowa and then into Missouri as well. Something that's certainly going to be a -- a big focus for us coming up, no question.
Another thing that's been a big focus is the heavy snowfall that we've seen throughout the season for much of the Central Rockies. That snow -- that powder has been bringing in thousands upon thousands of skiers, skiers that have to be very careful when they hit the slopes.
This is a story about some group -- a group of people who do what they can to keep people safe on those mountain sides.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF (voice-over): Steamboat Springs, Colorado attracts thousands of skiers of all levels, enjoying fresh powder on some of the 165 trails within six mountain peaks. But amid the thrill of barreling through the snow, accidents can and do happen.
(on camera): So let's do that. Let's simulate an injury. Imagine you're flying down through here and you lose your balance. One ski goes in one direction, one goes in the other, your poles go flying and you land in the embankment and your knee's killing you. How do you get off the mountain?
TODD SEPELLA, STEAMBOAT SPRINGS SKI PATROL: How you doing?
WOLF (voice-over): That is where these guys come in -- the Steamboat Springs Ski Patrol, a team of 60 men and women who are not only excellent skiers but emergency medical technicians.
Todd Sepella is first on the scene.
SEPELLA: The first step we do is we introduce ourselves. And that particularly does one thing. It identifies your airway. Your airway is open, you're breathing, and you're alert.
The assessment is the most important part of it. In the case of EMTS, we do what's known as the rapid trauma assessment. So basically we touch every part of your body. You know, we start with your shoulders. We see if your neck's injured. We palp your back. We feel your arms. We go through your chest, down here in your abdominal area.
After our, you know, our rapid trauma assessment, we immobilize your leg in the position of comfort. And then we're going to get you in a toboggan and get you down.
WOLF: Wrapped in a cocoon and strapped to a sled, I can't move or see. The descent is rapid, but I'm certainly not alone.
SEPELLA: We always communicate with our patient on the way down.
WOLF (on camera): I mean, is that -- is that to keep them mentally with you, or --
SEPELLA: Yes, to keep this so they're -- we know that they're alert and oriented and feeling OK, and try to take their mind off of what's going on.
WOLF (voice-over): My simulated knee injury is not too far off. Todd says it's the most common for skiers, wrists and shoulders for snow borders. High speed fatigue, generally skiing outside your ability are the biggest reasons for accidents.
(on camera): Isn't it true that part of your job is hoping that you never have to have a scene like this play out?
SEPELLA: Exactly. I mean, Ski Patrol is really mountain safety. That's our whole focus on the hill, is -- is trying to make skiing and riding a very safe sport.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF: They say speed is the number thing. That's the number one issue that people have when they go down these hills. They go a little bit too fast through unfamiliar territory, it's inevitable and mistakes can happen.
NGUYEN: Well, sometimes you can't help it. I mean, you didn't realize it was that steep of a slope and before you know it, you know, you wiped out.
WOLF: That's true. And, I mean, on those winding mountain passes. It's fun and you see that there's just everything. Everything looks great and all of a sudden you look down and you've got a straight shot, and I mean ...
NGUYEN: Boom.
WOLF: Yes. And you -- you panic a little bit, but ...
NGUYEN: I do. I -- I totally panic. When you get to that edge, can I do it? Can I do it?
WOLF: Yes.
NGUYEN: All right. Let's hope I don't crash.
WOLF: Oh, I know. I'm the Alabama tumbleweed. That's my nickname up there. I mean, usually my face looks very different at the bottom of the slope as it does in the (INAUDIBLE). My nose is over here, my ears are up there -- you know, it just happens. But ...
NGUYEN: Mr. Potato Head.
WOLF: You just got to be careful. You just got to be careful up there.
NGUYEN: Very good report. Thank You, Reynolds.
WOLF: All right, guys.
GRIFFIN: Thanks, Reynolds.
Conservatives meeting in Washington today. What does that mean for us?
NGUYEN: Well, we're going to get a hint of who Republicans may want on the ballot for the next presidential election.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIMMY KIMMEL, ABC TALK SHOW HOST: The excitement surrounding this historic event could hardly be contained.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Less than three hours before Tiger Woods speaks ...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Two hours from now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: About one hour.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: About an hour.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In one hour. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In about just 20 minutes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tiger Woods, five minutes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In just a matter of minutes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's going to speak at exactly a minute and a half.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tiger Woods set to walk out now in about 40 seconds -- now about 30 seconds.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's the countdown here?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The countdown to Tiger Woods.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The countdown is underway.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The countdown is going.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The countdown.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The countdown to Tiger.
KIMMEL: I guess -- I guess this is, like, the closest thing we get to the thrill of a -- a space launch now that we can't afford NASA anymore.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Well, you know, the countdown does continue post news conference because we're still talking about it. So the question is, did he disappoint? What did you think about what he said?
Well, we're all speculating on what he said, and then came the apology, and then the explanation, and then it's our Sound of the Week.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WOODS: I knew my actions were wrong, but I convinced myself that normal rules didn't apply. I never thought about who I was hurting. Instead, I thought only about myself.
I ran straight through the boundaries that a married couple should live by. I thought I could get away with whatever I wanted to. I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN: Well, there you have it. You know, a very interesting part of that, when he said "entitled".
NGUYEN: Yes. GRIFFIN: I think there's a lot of people that could apply to. I thought he, you know, encapsulized (ph) a lot of "I'm sorry"s that we should have heard over the years.
But, anyway, that was Tiger Woods and why he did it. Basically, because he could.
NGUYEN: Yes. And so we've been asking you this morning, what do you think about Tiger's apology? And let me quickly take you to my Twitter page, because you have been sending me comments on Facebook and Twitter.
And Bob Kayton (ph) says, "I'd rather focus on the U.S. Olympians, most with day jobs, than Tiger, the arrogant billionaire who hasn't changed." All right.
Well, Connect501 (ph) says, "He was reading off the paper. At least he could've memorized his apology and show a little more sincerity."
And Don Gallaso (ph) says, "What press conference? No one could ask any questions. A self-promoting disgrace designed to set up his return to money. Who cares?"
So we're getting lots of responses from you, also on my Facebook page as well. Keep them coming this morning. You can reach out to me on Twitter and Facebook at BettyNguyenCNN, and I'll be reading them on the air.
GRIFFIN: Taking a look at our top stories, the nation's governors meet for their annual winter gathering today. First Lady Michelle Obama expected to talk with the group about her childhood obesity initiative and how states can help. Leaders will discuss issues like health care and Homeland Security and ways to deal with challenges at their state levels.
NGUYEN: Well the NAACP, one of the oldest civil rights groups in the country is getting a new leader today. The outgoing chairman, Julian Bond, has been in the post since 1998. Well, the organization's vice chair, Roslyn Brock, is seen by many as a favorite to replace Bond.
GRIFFIN: In Florida, the woman police called a con artist is now accused of murdering a $17 million lottery winner that she allegedly befriended.
Yesterday, Hillsborough County deputies charged 37-year-old Dorice Moore with killing 43-year-old Abraham Shakespeare. Police say they found Shakespeare's body buried in the backyard of a home that this woman owned -- co-owned after Moore approached her (ph) about someone to dig up and move the corpse.
Some harsh words for President Obama at a conservative conference in Washington. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DICK CHENEY, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And I think Barack Obama is a one-term president.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Well, what is at stake at this CPAC conference? We're going to talk with author John Avalon about just that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRIFFIN: Well, some considered health care reform dead for now, but as we heard from the president this morning, he has put it back on the table. The president planning on a quick strategy to get this health care reform bill passed and soon.
We went to a -- a Texas town we're going to show you about, where the call for reform in health care spending may be no greater. McAllen,Texas -- it's tiny, it's rural, and it's also one of the most expensive health care hubs in the nation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GRIFFIN (voice-over): Look on almost every street corner here, in every strip mall, you'll see the business of health care is booming. In McAllen, Texas, they spend almost twice as much per Medicare beneficiary as the national average. According to a Dartmouth University study, health care costs are growing faster here than anywhere else in the country.
For some physicians, this town in Cattle Country has become a medical cash cow.
DR. JAVIER RAMIREZ, PEDIATRICIAN: Who else do we have?
GRIFFIN: Dr. Javier Ramirez came to McAllen 30 years ago. He helped found this county's neonatology program. He thinks some doctors here have lost their way.
RAMIREZ: I want to say that they forgot to practice medicine.
GRIFFIN (on camera): They forgot to practice medicine?
RAMIREZ: Yes, the way it's supposed to be. You need to assess patients before you do tests.
GRIFFIN (voice-over): His office is full. He often tries to treat his tiny patients here as outpatients, spending the time to teach parents how they can care for the children themselves.
It's good health care, but he admits it's a poor way to run a business.
RAMIREZ: If I have a baby in my office and I bring them back to my office, the next day and the next day, I get paid very little. If I put them in the hospital, just a simple fact of putting them in the hospital, I get paid more. GRIFFIN (on camera): A lot more.
RAMIREZ: Yes. Plus the hospital makes money.
GRIFFIN (voice-over): That's because higher cost services and facilities receive higher reimbursements from insurers.
Dr. Elliott Fisher is a lead researcher for the Dartmouth health cost study.
DR. ELLIOTT FISHER, DARTHMOUTH ATLAS PROJECT: Hospitals tend to emphasize those kinds of services where they'll -- they can be sure they'll -- they'll make a profit, and they need to cheep those beds full.
GRIFFIN: Dr. Ramirez found that out the hard way. He is now involved in a lawsuit with one of the biggest hospitals here, Doctors Hospital at Renaissance, saying it hurt his business and his reputation.
Though Ramirez is actually one of the doctor owners of the hospital, he was once barred from practicing there he says after complaining staff ordered tests and procedures for his newborns that he found unnecessary.
RAMIREZ: I said, no, on my babies, you don't do this. You call me first, I will see them, and if I think a baby needs a test, I would be the first one to order it.
Well, it didn't work that way. They made it mandatory. So I couldn't stop it. I could not stop it.
GRIFFIN: Because of privacy laws, it is hard to determine if all those babies Dr. Ramirez talks about actually needed the tests or not.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GRIFFIN: Doctors Hospital at Renaissance in tiny McAllen, Texas. It looks more like a medical resort, high-tech, highly staffed, profitable, even though 75 percent of the patients there get their medical bills paid by the government.
When we come back, what that hospital says about skyrocketing health care costs, and a tale of one swollen ankle you wouldn't believe.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRIFFIN: A Texas border town at the forefront of the health care debate. Neonatologist Dr. Jorge (ph) Ramirez told us a hospital in the town of McAllen was ordering up all kinds of tests for his tiny patients, tests that he never ordered, but says the hospital staff did, and for only one reason -- to rack up profits.
That hospital is Doctors Hospital at Renaissance, located in the poorest metro area in the nation with the lowest number of doctors per capita.
Part two now of my special investigation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GRIFFIN (voice-over): The hospital denies the allegations in court documents and will not comment on the case. But the hospital's Chief Financial Officer, Susan Turley, did take us through this immaculate, high-tech and well-staffed facility.
(on camera): And the critics who say, look, this is a procedure factory. They do a ton of tests here. Their billing's very high.
SUSAN TURLEY, CFO, DOCTORS HOSPITAL AT RENAISSANCE: Come look at the numbers. They're not. Compare what I bill to any other hospital in this county. It's publicly available. You can get it from Medicare, their website. I don't bill (INAUDIBLE). I don't get paid any more higher (ph).
GRIFFIN (voice-over): What's hard to believe is that this state of the art hospital keeps expanding and profiting, even though 75 percent of its patients, according to Turley, are on Medicare or Medicaid.
Turley says the privately-owned hospital thrives because of reinvestment, patient satisfaction, and efficiencies. But the researchers at Dartmouth found that most providers in high-use areas like McAllen thrive off of volume.
FISHER: The physician in the hospital is paid for each individual service. They're rewarded for more services, not better services. They're rewarded for more care, not better care.
GRIFFIN: More care was one thing that brought Dr. Jorge Zamora to the attention of the Texas Medical Board. He's in private practice with three offices in Texas, and a jet to fly between them. Zamora apparently does pretty well.
Though he and his lawyer would not talk to CNN, Medical Board records detail a case that seems to illustrate exactly what critics say is wrong with health care. Last year, the Texas Medical Board fined him $30,000 for failing to meet medical standards, including ordering care the Board's complaint called excessive.
(on camera): What does the Texas Medical Board consider excessive treatment? Well, take a look at just one of Dr. Zamora's patients who came in with a swollen ankle and complaining of pain in both feet. That person got a nerve conduction study, immunoglobulin levels were tested, testosterone was tested, uric acid tested, urine analysis, an anti-body panel, lupus panel, hepatitis virus panel, screening study for bone density, even an ultrasound of the abdomen for a swollen ankle.
FISHER: Health care will not be affordable for the middle class in another 10 years if costs keep growing as they are now. And what's unfortunate is that it doesn't need to be that way. You know, we can have much better care at much lower costs if we have the will to get going on redesigning our health care system.
GRIFFIN (voice-over): Back at Dr. Javier Ramirez' office, it's more hands on care with one of his brand new patients. This takes a lot of time, time Dr. Ramirez will be paid little for.
Changing health care, he believes, will require rewarding doctors for this, not unnecessary tests and hospital admissions.
RAMIREZ: We have excellent physicians. We have good facilities to provide services, but we need to change certain patterns. You cannot put money before the patients.
There you go.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GRIFFIN: Cute patients there, I tell you.
NGUYEN: Oh, yes.
GRIFFIN: You know what, the -- the people who study this say in parts of the country, you can actually track where medical bills skyrocket and -- and why. It's almost like a culture develops.
NGUYEN: Really?
GRIFFIN: They call it a medical entrepreneurship. One doctor starts to do it, then the other doctor sees it and then it just kind of cascades, and one learns of the other, and in McAllen, it's -- it's quite apparent.
NGUYEN: OK, so with all of these tests being taken, all this extra care, are they any healthier down in McAllen?
GRIFFIN: Not really. You know, the studies show that, really, they just are about like everybody else in this country. In fact, (INAUDIBLE) show McAllen 38 percent obesity rate, heavy drinking, and high poverty there. So delivering all of this health care for about the last 10 years really hasn't improved the population's health.
NGUYEN: Just costing more.
GRIFFIN: Costing a lot more.
NGUYEN: All right. Great report there, Drew. Thank you for that.
And there's more to come right here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
Good morning, everybody. Thanks for joining us from the CNN Center here in Atlanta.
It is Saturday, February 20th. Thanks for being with us. I'm Betty Nguyen.
GRIFFIN: I'm Drew Griffin, in for T.J. Holmes this morning. It's 7:00 A.M. here in Atlanta, 6:00 A.M. out in Oklahoma City.
Thanks for starting your day with us.
This morning, we're going to be talking about the Tiger Woods apology and politics -- and according to Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, they go together.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAWLENTY: Now, I think we can learn a lot from that situation -- not from Tiger, but from his wife. So, she said, "I've had enough." She said, "No more." I think we should take a page out of her playbook and take a nine iron and smash the window out of big government in this country.
(CHEERING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: All right. There you have it. We're going to take you live to the CPAC Convention in D.C., where conservatives are wrapping up their last day of speeches. We're also going to go live to Florida to analyze the Tiger Woods apology.
GRIFFIN: And we're helping you save money this half hour. If you're unemployed, we have 24 ways you can make money while not working. Babysitting, teaching English are just a couple. And if you are working, we can help you save up to $5,000 a year.
NGUYEN: That's good info.
GRIFFIN: Yes.
Tiger Woods apology drew media attention from around the world. And a lot of you are watching and listening to what he said.
NGUYEN: CNN's Susan Candiotti was in Ponte Vedra, Florida, for that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WOODS: I am deeply sorry for my irresponsible and selfish behavior I engaged in.
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tiger Woods said it again and again.
WOODS: For all that I have done, I am so sorry.
CANDIOTTI: After emerging from a blue curtain to a hushed room, Woods never strayed from a prepared statement. In the front row, his mother between two of his female employees, childhood friends and PGA officials were among a small group handpicked by the golfer.
WOODS: I have let you down personally and professionally. I owe to those closest to me. CANDIOTTI: Woods' voice sometimes wavered as he faced a single camera in a tightly controlled setting.
WOODS: I was unfaithful. I had affairs, I cheated.
CANDIOTTI: He tried to explain why he did it.
WOODS: I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled. Thanks to money and fame, I didn't have far -- I didn't have to go far to find them.
CANDIOTTI: As for that fateful Thanksgiving's night car wreck, he wouldn't go there, except to deny his wife came after him.
WOODS: Elin has shown enormous grace and poise throughout this ordeal. Elin deserves praise, not blame.
CANDIOTTI: She wasn't in the room. Her whereabouts unknown.
Tiger took no questions. More than 200 reporters were kept about a mile away watching him on close circuit monitors. Keeping track of every "I'm sorry."
WOODS: I am truly sorry.
CANDIOTTI: Around the country, every major network broadcast Tiger's mea culpa live. In New York's Time Square, people were glued to TVs and ESPN sports bar. On the PGA Tour, Tiger's competitors made time to watch.
NICK FALDO, PROFESSIONAL GOLFER: The last thing I can't imagine to stand on the world stage and have to apologize to what he'd been up to for the last however long. So, that must have been extremely difficult for him.
CANDIOTTI: Woods admits he's been in rehab for 45 days and goes back for more Saturday. He promised he'll hit the links again, but won't predict when.
The PGA is watching.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At the end of the day, he's a human being, we all make mistakes. We all have had made mistakes. And when we're lucky, we learn from those mistakes.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: All right. Let's go live now to CNN's Susan Candiotti.
Susan, a lot of people want to know now that this has been said -- what's next for Tiger?
CANDIOTTI: Well, his immediate future as he indicated yesterday is that starting today he's going to go back into rehab. You heard him mention he's received therapy for about 45 days. And, of course, golf goes on. You've got a big tournament going on this weekend in Arizona, the Accenture tournament, coincidentally, one of the sponsors that dropped Tiger.
But, of course, the game will not be the same while he is not playing in it. The tournaments will go on, but certainly, even the commissioner acknowledged that when Tiger isn't playing, the ratings go down and they do take a revenue hit.
NGUYEN: Yes. Well, you know, yesterday's announcement was tightly controlled. There were no questions. What's the consensus on how all of that was handled?
CANDIOTTI: Well, according to the pool reporters -- remember, there were only a few print reporters who were allowed to absorb all of this in person -- they said it was very strange and described it almost presidential in nature. There were even security sweeps before they were allowed back into the room.
The reporters, before it all began, were kept in a separate room. They weren't allowed to leave. And when they came in, they were seated in the back. Now, because everything was so tightly controlled, the representatives of Tiger Woods only allowed two cameras in the room. One of them was trained right on his face, and the other one sort of over his shoulder.
Well, as you might radical, at least half way through, there was a problem with the head-on camera. And so they lost it. The only one they had left was the one that looked over his shoulder. So, by the end of what he had to say, you didn't even get to look into his eyes, see his face, but only were able to look over his shoulder and into the audience.
He probably didn't appreciate that if he wanted to make a real impact with the audience.
NGUYEN: Well, that was tightly controlled. So, I guess, you could blame his people for that, right?
CANDIOTTI: Yes.
NGUYEN: All right. Susan Candiotti ...
CANDIOTTI: They only allowed the two cameras in.
NGUYEN: Yes, exactly.
CANDIOTTI: Right.
NGUYEN: All right.
CANDIOTTI: They only allowed those two cameras in, so there was no backup.
NGUYEN: Thank you so much for that. We appreciate it. We'll be checking in with you a little bit later. And we want to know what you think this morning. Send me your comments about Tiger's apology. You can reach out to me on Facebook and Twitter. The address right there on your screen, at BettyNguyenCNN.
Stay with us.
GRIFFIN: Well, the real talk at the Conservative Political Action Conference or CPAC, as it's called, is 2012 and the next Republican nominee for president, in something like a Golden Globes being a precursor to the Oscars, the convention wraps up each year with a straw poll.
It's not done yet -- John Avlon has carved out a niche for himself covering independents. You're looking at his latest book. And this morning, he joins us from Washington.
John, I've got to tell you. It's very interesting conference for this reason from my vantage point. It looks like CPAC is trying to pretend that they're tea partiers and that they're all together in the tea party bandwagon. And really, on paper, it's just the same old Republicans I've been seeing for years and years and years.
JOHN AVLON, AUTHOR & COLUMNIST: Oh, but they're drinking the tea this year, no question. They want to capture that enthusiasm. And, you know, as you said, you know, CPAC is where the activists and the Washington establishment have always met. But this year, they really feel that the wind's blowing at their back because of the tea party movement.
Remember, a year ago, at last year's CPAC, not only were conservatives deflated but the tea parties didn't even exist. Now, they have three wins in states like Virginia, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. And they're trying to negotiate with the tea partiers and saying, we represent you, we want to be the party that puts your ideas into action.
GRIFFIN: Yes. The speech by Eric Cantor, I thought, was the most honest. He was saying, look, they're not with us yet. The tea partiers aren't not with us yet. In that room there, in that convention, do you feel there's -- there could almost be a taken for granted that these tea partiers are going to vote Republican?
AVLON: I do think. I think what also is being taken for granted is that the anger among independent voters right now is necessarily an endorsement of Republican congressional leaders. But the common ground here is fiscal conservatism. You've got Republican Party conservative activists and tea party activists who are focused on the idea of return to fiscal responsibility -- in reaction to the spending we've seen in the first year of the Obama administration.
The potential divisive line though is that for a lot of the activists and the tea party activists in particular, there is such an intense dislike of President Obama, that it sends off -- you know, it can make independents look and say, that might be a little bit too intense for me. You know, I might want to return to fiscal responsibility. But this idea that some people are pumping up that the president represents socialism or worse, that strikes me as extremism and absurd.
So, you know, that's one of the fault lines this movement and this party is still going to have to negotiate as they look to 2010, because they need to connect with independents as well as the tea partiers who are conservative populists on their right plank.
GRIFFIN: Yes. They're going to hear tonight from Glenn Beck, right?
AVLON: They sure are.
GRIFFIN: Polarizing figure.
AVLON: They sure are. That's in many ways ...
GRIFFIN: A guy who dislikes -- really dislikes Republicans as much as he says he dislikes Democrats.
AVLON: He is a conservative independent, no question. And he is a professional polarizer, and he's been very effective. And in many ways, Glenn Beck's keynote speech tonight is the main event, just as Rush Limbaugh's was last year.
But I think there are a lot of risks with that as well. You know, Glenn Beck is someone who has compared the president to a socialist, said we may be on the road to socialism, fascism as a nation, uses very incendiary language that alienates as many people as he attracts. So, in having such a polarizing figure, really a professional polarizer, keynoting the address, that's the tone this goes out on.
They're hoping to capture that enthusiasm. Again, just like the tea partiers, one year, Glenn Beck was not widely known. He's had almost as big year as the tea partiers. But they're -- the whole movement feels that the wind is at their back and they're trying to make a statement and roll into these midterm elections on offense.
GRIFFIN: All right. John, thanks a lot.
Real quickly, the straw poll tonight, they pick one -- everybody on that poll, I don't see any of them really as a standout presidential contender at this point. Do you think so?
AVLON: No, I think that's right. I mean, in many ways, in terms of the 2012 ticket, this party is still in war lord status. There's not an obvious leader.
Mitt Romney has been a strong contender in straw polls before. He certainly knows how to organize. But in ways, you know, the heart of the crowd was at Ron Paul yesterday when he spoke.
So, we'll see. It'll be very interesting as you said, Golden Globes -- an indicator of things to come.
GRIFFIN: All right.
AVLON: Not the main event.
GRIFFIN: John Avlon on the real red carpet, I should say, John. Thanks.
NGUYEN: A Golden Globes indicator -- I like that analysis.
All right. And Reynolds Wolf, well, he's got a little analysis of his own. He's tracking all kinds of snow this morning.
Hey there, Reynolds.
WOLF: Hi there. We're taking also a look at a place that doesn't have snow yet. But within the next 24 hours, maybe they're dealing with rain, sleet, snow, and maybe some ice. Again, we've got the bulls-eye right on Kansas City. We got a live shot for you out of Kansas City.
Right now, we're going to take that in a second. There you go. Lights are out, snow possibly coming down. Full story -- straight ahead.
NGUYEN: And how you can earn a little extra cash even in these difficult times. We're going to show you the money.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC)
WOLF: Hi, guys. That's Scott on the other side of the camera. I'm Reynolds Wolf. We've got some story to share with you, namely in weather.
We're going to get things start out to the west coast. We've got some video in Flintridge, southern California. We had widespread evacuations, people leaving due to the heavy rainfall and, of course, the areas that were ravaged by the wildfires. Right now, the biggest threat: mudslides. So, you have about 200 homes that have been evacuated.
One bit of good news, that we do expect the weather to improve a little bit later on today. And then possibly the other shot of rainfall as we get into maybe Sunday and into Monday. But one of the big weather stories were following very quickly is taking place in parts of the Central Plains and back in the Rockies.
The Rockies first. It's going to be this area of low pressure that's going to bring some heavy snowfall to parts of, say, Colorado, back into Utah. But unfortunately, that's also going to be rushing its way into portions of the Central Plains. And later on, spots like Kansas City, back over to Nebraska, even into Missouri.
And, of course, Kansas, as we mentioned, may deal with some sleet and snow, maybe even some ice. And coupling that ice with some strong winds, could see some widespread power outages. If you happen to be in Kansas City, you've been linked to Nebraska, be prepared.
Very quickly, high temperatures: 33 degrees in Kansas City, 59 degrees in Memphis, 67 in Houston, 56 in San Francisco, and then back to Miami, you lucky devils, sunny and 73. Got to like it.
OK, guys, that's your weather story around the country. Let's send it back to you at the news desk.
NGUYEN: All right. We're talking money right now, Reynolds. And a lot of people heard about people giving blood.
GRIFFIN: Thanks, Reynolds.
NGUYEN: What about selling your plasma for some extra money? Well, Josh is looking at that and some other ways of getting some extra moola. Some of these are kind of worth scratching your head over.
LEVS: Yes, I didn't know some of these exist.
NGUYEN: Yes.
LEVS: But apparently, you can actually make quick money. Hey, Betty, Drew, you guys ever thought about, I don't know, selling your hair? Plant sitting for someone?
GRIFFIN: Yes. I got to tell you, there's something very, very sad about this segment.
NGUYEN: Yes.
LEVS: You know, here's the thing ...
GRIFFIN: It makes me very depressed that people would have to do this.
LEVS: Well, you know what, though, then there are some people out there who are going to use it. And the truth is, this is the way the economy works ultimately.
So, what we're going to do -- I'll just tell you what we're all talking about here. There's this list online that's catching on now -- 24 ways to make money, make some extra money if you need it, make some money while you're unemployed. Some pretty clever things in here. And I promise, they're not all depressing, some of them you might even find to be a little fun.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC)
GRIFFIN: You know, there's a lot of people in trouble. And millions of Americans out of work, they need some extra cash. And who couldn't use that extra money?
NGUYEN: Yes, especially right about now. But the question is: how are you going to get it? Well, there are some very interesting ways that you might not have thought of. Our Josh Levs is on the lookout.
(MUSIC)
LEVS: You know, there's a reason this Web site is catching on online. It's like Drew and Betty were saying, people need money these days. But some of these might help you no matter what situation you're in, if you're one of the millions of Americans who are struggling or if you're just someone who needs a little extra money, some things you might not have thought of.
Let's zoom in right here. This is from a Web site, a Web site I like actually. It's interesting, called Couponsherpa.com. And they help guide you to ways to save money.
But here, they have a story about 24 ways to make money while unemployed. And just a couple of examples they gave: the dog walking is one of them right here. You can make some extra cash at that and it doesn't require lots of training and skill.
And they also point to: sell your hair. Apparently prices are rising in some cases for great hair. I know some people find it a little depressing to think that people have to go these lengths. On the flip side, it is a way to getting extra money if you're getting the haircut anyway.
All right. Let's take a look. What we do as we went through these 24, we pulled out some examples for you. We have our screens.
Let's take a look at this first one here. We're going to start off with being a human billboard. So, Betty, Drew, you guys know what I'm talking about here. This is when you're driving along the street and somebody's dressed as a hot dog for a restaurant or a hamburger, a chicken or the Statue of Liberty. Apparently there's still a serious need for that. People are going for that.
All right. Also, you can plant sit. Do you guys know people do that?
NGUYEN: I had no idea -- although I could use someone because every time I get a new plant, it dies within weeks.
GRIFFIN: I think I did a story about an indoor marijuana ...
(CROSSTALK)
NGUYEN: Oh, that kind of plant sitting. It got some benefits apparently.
LEVS: And speaking of that, yes, I'm only sharing the clean and legal ways to make ...
NGUYEN: Yes.
LEVS: ... quick money while you're needing it from this list. All right. Let's keep going to the next. What's next here? Oh, yes, you can recycle scrap metal. Apparently, if you have a truck, you can go and grab some of this stuff from some of these dumps and bring it to places and they will pay for it and there's a continuing need for more and more scrap metal. Make sure you have that truck to lug it around there.
Also, you know what else is still needed? Paper routes. Apparently, even though fewer people buy newspapers now ...
NGUYEN: Really? With the Internet and everything and with folks staying away from just moving away, I should say, from this type of paper?
LEVS: That's why I was struck by this. What they say is that there's fewer people doing the routes but they're tougher now. You can't just get on your bike anymore, now, you need a car and it's almost impossible to make it to all of the right places where they need them on time.
NGUYEN: How long ago were people actually on their bikes in these types of paper routes?
LEVS: I know.
NGUYEN: ... dozens of years and years.
LEVS: All right. I'm getting the route.
Let me show everyone where you could see the list of all 24, go to the last thing, which is my page, because I've published this for you online so you can see the whole thing.
NGUYEN: OK.
LEVS: It's at my Facebook and Twitter pages, JoshLevsCNN. And I'll get it up on the blog, too, CNN.com/Josh. So, everyone can go there, take a look at what you think of this list. And also, you know what? If you see any great ways -- know any great ways to make money that you want to share, then tomorrow morning on this show, Betty and Drew, we can take a look at it again.
GRIFFIN: Yes, we got to get this economy turned around, Josh, so ...
NGUYEN: Yes.
GRIFFIN: ... these jobs can go back to teenagers or whatever.
NGUYEN: Right.
LEVS: Good point.
NGUYEN: Paper routes, plant sitting.
GRIFFIN: All right. Thanks, Josh. LEVS: Thanks, guys.
NGUYEN: All right. So, what if we told you that you could save more than $1,000 annually and easily?
GRIFFIN: Yes, we can get it done. Grab a pen. We're going to show you how -- next.
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NGUYEN: Well, this morning, we are trying to help you save money. In fact, this segment could help you save almost $5,000 in your paycheck. And there are some simple ways of doing just that. I'm talking about tax-free spending accounts, or flexible spending accounts as they're often called.
So, to help you get the most for your money is CNN financial expert Clyde Anderson. He joins me now live. I always appreciate you being here, Clyde.
CLYDE ANDERSON, CNN FINANCIAL EXPERT: Good to be here.
NGUYEN: So, for the folks who aren't taking advantage of it.
ANDERSON: Yes.
NGUYEN: Explain what a flexible spending account is.
ANDERSON: A flexible spending account is an account that your employer will set up that allows you to put a portion of your paycheck and put it aside for medical expenses, but tax-free. They won't tax you on it. So, medical expenses maybe that your insurance may not cover.
NGUYEN: Yes, like what?
ANDERSON: For example, child care expenses.
NGUYEN: OK.
ANDERSON: Day care. It can be glasses, Lasik surgery, birth control.
NGUYEN: I even heard abortion was on the list, really?
ANDERSON: Yes, abortion is on the list as well.
NGUYEN: Interesting.
ANDERSON: Some of those things that you know that you may have to take care of in the year but insurance's not going to cover it. So, this is a good way to save for it.
NGUYEN: All right. Well, let's break it down. We're talking money and how it can save you, what, up to $5,000 a year. Show us the numbers.
ANDERSON: Well, generally, what you're looking at, and we're looking at the numbers, you got to think about it. Say if you got some money, gets paid twice a month, OK? What's going to happen if they make $55,000 a year, each paycheck is going to be about $2,100. So, for that pay check, if the tax -- let's say a 30 percent rate, they're going to probably have about $1,400 that they're actually going to take home.
NGUYEN: OK.
ANDERSON: If they have the flexible spending account, it's going to be around $1,300. So, it's not much of a difference there when you're looking at it as far as what you're actually taking out of the pay to get the benefit. And at the end of the year, you'll probably save about $1,500.
NGUYEN: Is there anything else that you can do to maximize the benefits here?
ANDERSON: Yes. I think the main thing that maximizes the benefits is to prepare in advance.
NGUYEN: OK.
ANDERSON: Look at last year. See what you spent last year. If you get a good idea of some of the things that are coming up and so you'll know, budget for it, plan for it. And so, don't wait to the last minute and try to rush out and get frivolous things that you really don't need.
NGUYEN: Yes. See, I always worry about. I take advantage of it. But I never know what I'm going to need it for. And it's a use it or lose it kind of a deal.
ANDERSON: Exactly.
NGUYEN: So, I worry that if I put too much money aside in the FSA ...
ANDERSON: Right.
NGUYEN: ... then I'm never going to use it all and it goes away.
ANDERSON: Right, exactly. And that's the balance. You got to find a balance, you got to have an idea. I mean, I use it in the past for things like sinus medicine.
NGUYEN: OK.
ANDERSON: I mean, you can buy over-the-counter drugs, as well. So, just kind of get that in mind. How much of that you use each year.
NGUYEN: All right. But isn't there also a situation where there's a bill that could lower the cap on FSAs? ANDERSON: Yes, that's when they're at risk, because what they're proposing is that to lower the cap from 5,000 to 2,500, when they lower that cap now, anything that you put in over 2,500 is going to be taxed.
NGUYEN: Got you.
ANDERSON: And so, you know, the president's promised no tax increases. And so, this kind of looks like a little bit of a tax increase to me for those people that make $250,000 and below.
NGUYEN: All right. Very good. As always, we appreciate you breaking it down for us ...
ANDERSON: It's my pleasure.
NGUYEN: ... breaking down the numbers, helping us understand it all. Good way to save money if you can make it happen.
And coming up next hour: CNN personal finance editor Gerri Willis tackles the new credit laws that kick in Monday. And if you have any financial questions you'd like to ask Clyde, well, he's going to answer them. All you have to do is send them to him at financialliveconnection.com -- Drew.
GRIFFIN: Good stuff, guys.
A little rift between the mayor of Las Vegas and President Obama -- it all started with the president shooing people away from Sin City. We're going to talk about that at 8:00 in the 8:00 Eastern hour of CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
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NGUYEN: We have more top stories at the top of the hour when CNN SATURDAY MORNING continues. Plus, the first lady of Haiti in the 10:00 hour, right here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
GRIFFIN: But first, "SANJAY GUPTA, M.D." begins now.
