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CNN Saturday Morning News

Violence Against Anti-Government Protesters in Syria Continues; Nevada GOP Caucuses Nearly Underway; Analysts Debate Upcoming Presidential Election; Study Suggest Processed Sugar Should be Regulated; NFL Player Creates Foundation for Weight Loss; Many Pets in U.S. Overweight

Aired February 04, 2012 - 10:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

SUSAN HENDRICKS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. It is Saturday, February 4th. Just ahead, police show up in force at the Occupy protests in Washington. So did they make protesters pack up their tents?

And Nevada Republicans are about to vote in statewide caucuses. Which candidate is in the best position to win this political jackpot?

Also, should sugar be regulated lie alcohol? Find out why some medical experts argue the sweet stuff could be just as bad for you.

From the CNN center in Atlanta, this is CNN Saturday Morning. Great to see you. I'm Susan Hendricks.

We start with this in Syria. No one is being spared. Anti-government activists say snipers and bombers are killing women and children as well. It is happening in Homs. Homs has been the epicenter of the anti-government uprising in Syria. Activists say as many as 260 people have been killed in the past day. CNN has not independently confirmed the account. Here is what one activist told our Anderson Cooper last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

"DANNY," SYRIAN ANTI-GOVERNMENT ACTIVIST: These aren't animals lying here. These are human beings being bombed by mortar shells and tank shells. And no one's doing anything about it. We're just going to sit here and get killed. There's one message I need to get out, that we're not going to stop. The Syrian people are not going to stop if they kill millions. But we will remember that no one did anything about this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENDRICKS: That was a man who called himself "Danny." He said he didn't mind showing his face if he were to help other people. At this hour the United Nations Security Council is scheduled to meet to consider the situation there in Syria. We'll have a live report from the U.N. a little later this hour.

People are showing support for the Syrian activists, meanwhile, at embassies around the world. This was the demonstration in London. People gathered there in front of the Syrian embassy and Washington, D.C., and Cairo, Egypt, as well. Some were complaining that the international community is just standing by and letting that massacre happen in Syria.

Anger as police has erupted with more violence in Egypt. Demonstrators are clashing with police in several cities. And 12 people have been killed in a recent violence there because of the protesting. People are angered by the perceived lack of action by the police at a soccer riot this week at a game. Again, nearly 80 people were killed in the soccer riot. People say police just stood by and did nothing and watched it happen. Police say protesters have been pelting officers with birdshot and Molotov cocktails.

Thousands of demonstrators have gathered again in Moscow to rally against Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. There is also a pro-Putin rally going on in Moscow. These demonstrations are seen as a test for Putin with just about a month to go until he runs for president.

To politics now and the start of the Nevada caucuses. Yes, the long process is actually starting right about now, and at the end of the day Nevada will have made their choice. CNN political editor Paul Steinhauser joins me now from Las Vegas. And Paul, is it over before it even begins? A lot are saying Mitt Romney has this one.

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: It seems like a home field advantage for Mitt Romney in a lot of ways. He's trying to do, Susan, what nobody has done yet in this campaign cycle, win two contests in a row. Remember he won that big won on Tuesday in Florida.

Let's talk about Nevada. It's not Nevada. It's Nevada. They'll tell you about that out here. We have 28 delegates at stake. That's less than Florida. But here it's proportional. In Florida it was winner- take-all. This is also like Florida, a closed caucuses open only to registered Republicans. We have 125 caucus sites across the state. And unlike Iowa, remember the caucus sites all open at the same time through the evening. It's very different here. There's one caucus late in the evening here. We're going to get our first results at about 8:00 eastern, 5:00 local. So that's a little bit of a lay of the land, Susan.

HENDRICKS: Ron Paul not giving up, also Newt Gingrich in it as well. What are they kind of saying about Newt Gingrich?

STEINHAUSER: It's interesting. Romney has been here a lot, and not just in the last couple days. Remember, he won the caucuses four years ago. The polls indicate he is the favorite, the overwhelming favorite here. He's not attacking Gingrich anymore. Now he's directing his firepower once again at President Barack Obama.

As for Gingrich, we've seen him pretty tough against Romney in the last couple of days, really going after the comments Romney made about really not caring about poor people.

Also, remember, on Tuesday night Newt Gingrich did not call Mitt Romney to congratulate him. There's been a lot of talk about that. He said Romney didn't deserve to be congratulate, and this is what he told our Wolf Blitzer in "THE SITUATION ROOM" yesterday. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NEWT GINGRICH, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's pretty hard to see how somebody is going to negatively carpet bomb their way to the nomination. It's pretty hard to imagine that nomination is going to worth much if that's all they've got to show for themselves. So I feel very comfortable with exactly what happened after Florida.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEINHAUSER: The Romney campaign of course differs on that. They say they had to go negative after Gingrich went negative in South Carolina.

You mention Ron Paul. He's been out here a lot. He's got a strong organization, a lot of libertarians out here. Both he and Santorum have moved on. They're not here. Ron Paul will be in Minnesota and Santorum will be in Colorado. Those two states plus Missouri, Susan, they hold contests on Tuesday. So we're going to pack our bags after tomorrow and head to those next states. Susan?

HENDRICKS: We know you are. It's Nevada, not Nevada. I've got to remember that. Paul, thank you.

(LAUGHTER)

HENDRICKS: Be sure to stay with us throughout the day for updates from Nevada. And remember our coverage starts at 6:00 p.m. with a special edition of "THE SITUATION ROOM." Then join Wolf Blitzer, Anderson Cooper, and all the rest for all of the results.

Jobs, as you know, big focus on the campaign trail. So how did yesterday's good news play out with over 250,000 private sector jobs last month? The unemployment rate has dropped to 8.3 percent. That is down from 8.5 percent in December. Here's President Obama.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Now, these numbers will go up and down in the coming months, and there are still far too many Americans who need a job or need a job that pays better than the one they have now. But the economy is growing stronger. The recovery is speeding up. And we've got to do everything in our power to keep it going.

MITT ROMNEY, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's been a tough time, and I know the president didn't cause this downturn, this recession. But he didn't make it better either. Today we have about 24 million Americans that are out of work or stopped looking for work or can only get part-time jobs and need full-time work.

GINGRICH: The economy, even at 8.3 percent, is dramatically weaker than it was under Ronald Reagan at this exact same point in his first term. And he's not going to be able to go to the public and say, look how successful I've been. The most he'll be able to say is I'm less destructive now than I was a year ago. (END VIDEO CLIP)

HENDRICKS: I want to break this down for you. Here are the groups that saw the biggest gains. African-American unemployment is still the highest among the ethnic groups. It came down two full percentage point in January. Hispanics dropped a half a percent. And white men over 20 dropped 0.3 percent.

Police showed up and ready for anxious at an Occupy camp in the nation's capital overnight. They were dressed in full riot gear as they swarmed into McPhearson Square in downtown Washington, D.C. Their purpose was to move tents in violation of the no camping law. They have arrested at least four people for failure to obey the lawful order. They also removed a few tents. A judge ruled this week living in a public park as a means of protest is not protected by the First Amendment.

Parts of Colorado looked like this. It has been slammed by a major snowstorm. Airlines forced to cancel hundreds of flights, more than 600. A snow removal crew of nearly 500 people plan to work throughout the storm to keep the airport running, but more cancellations are expected to be delayed, kind of a trickle-down effect. Meteorologist Reynolds Wolf is here. A real mess, Reynolds, because the winter coming in, kind of slow and they're feeling it there in Colorado.

REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Very much so. Especially in places like steamboat springs or maybe -- take your pick in Colorado. Even into parts of sierra, Nevada, where people have been desperate for the snow. The snow has been coming in finally to a lot of places. The question is what took so long? It was needed a few months ago. But now the snow is moving into portions of the central plains. It's going to be a mess. The clean-up has been very big too.

Take a look at the map. Here's the big weather map. The tail end of the system closer to the gulf coast is a different scenario all together. We're talking about scattered rain showers. Some of these are really heavy. Some of the heaviest precipitation you'll see here. As far as south of Monroe, this system, the frontal boundary, leaving Houston in its wake. Now it's going to be on Alabama, Sulfur and Louisiana. That may be a scenario that plays out a good part of the day today. We have moisture, which means we've got winter storm warnings still in effect. This is the same storm system that brought snow to Denver and parts of the Central Rockies now moving into parts of Kansas, Nebraska, and back into Iowa. We're going to be dealing with anywhere from eight to 12 inches of snowfall and strong winds.

Farther in the northern plains, not snow but fog and poor visibility. Again, the flood threat, anywhere from two to three inches of rainfall. And as that area of low pressure drives eastward we get the snow and cold behind it. Out west, very, very different. It should be beautiful, plenty of sunshine, highs in the 50s, 60s and 70s, back to you.

HENDRICKS: There's a snow navigating behind you. What's not to love?

WOLF: Absolutely. HENDRICKS: Reynolds, thank you.

Opposition activists say a massacre is happening right now in Syria, and they're pleading with the international community to stop it. Children, women being killed. The U.N. Security Council is meeting about that this hour. A live report just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HENDRICKS: Welcome back. The U.N. Security Council is meeting this hour on the deadly violence exploding in Syria now. In a just released statement from the White House, President Obama says, quote, "I strongly condemn the Syrian government's unspeakable assault against the people of Homs, and I offer my deepest sympathy to those who have lost loved ones. Assad must halt his campaign of killing and crimes against his own people," President Obama says.

They unrest is also igniting tension in Egypt. Syrian opposition protestors allegedly broke into the Syrian embassy in Cairo and set fire to the building. In Syria opposition activists say Army shelling has killed 260 people in the city of Homs in a single day. Syria's state-run TV disputes that.

Let's get more now on what is happening at the U.N. from CNN senior correspondent Richard Roth. Richard, do we have any more answers as of yet and do we know when they could vote on this?

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: This is coming down to the wire. Usually when they meet on a Saturday morning in New York, which nobody really likes to do, even the diplomats, they know there's going to be a vote. Russia has objected all along to much of this latest resolution. They vetoed one on Syria in October.

Now Russia is introducing some last-minute amendments. The Russian minister in Germany today to say it would be a scandal if this resolution was pushed to a vote today. The Russians think not enough balance is in this resolution. They think a lot of the violence in Syria has been fomented by the opposition groups to the government.

Here in New York there's much anger among western diplomats who want a vote. The German ambassador saying it would be a scandal if there was not a vote today. The French pacing around saying too much time has been wasted, too much violence has occurred, there must be a vote. A Russian Ambassador Churkin dealing with all the western ambassadors here. I watched on Thursday night, he walked out of the council, had to be paraded back in. There may be a meeting. The Russians, one of the five members of the council.

This resolution is still up in the air and it's not clear how Russia will vote. If they veto the resolution it would not pass. They can stay if it gets a minimum nine votes. It would pass but wouldn't have the cloud of a resolution with all 15 members on board. Back to you.

HENDRICKS: President Obama speaking out against the Syrian government as well. Richard Roth, thank you. Some other news now. The group of hackers known as Anonymous, they're at it again. This time they secretly recorded a phone call between FBI and Scotland Yard discussing the investigation into hacking attacks. Here's some of the conversation Anonymous posted on one of their website here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've set back the further arrests of Kayla and T- flow, that being -- and -- until we know what's happening.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENDRICKS: A law enforcement official tells CNN it's basically vandalism. The FBI is investigating.

Nevada Republicans are voting today in caucuses across the state. Party leaders are trying a few new tricks to spice things up. I'll be talking with one of the people helping organize the process right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HENDRICKS: Nevada Republicans are heading out to caucus sites across the state as we speak. Party organizers are giving the old-fashioned caucus a modern twist, bringing in the tools of social media. How could they not?

Joining us now is a man who is helping Nevada's Republican Party organize this year's Republican caucuses, Jim Anderson. Jim, great to talk with you. I want to start with a description of what works here in the caucus. There's a little bit more involved for voters, right?

JIM ANDERSON, CONSULTANT TO NEVADA GOP: It really is, Susan. It's nice to be with you. There are 125 locations all throughout Nevada. There'll be a precinct captain on each one. They results will be tabulated by each of those captain, phoned, scanned, sent into the headquarters here in Las Vegas, and the results will be certified by the secretary of state party and be reported out by the state party staff starting is at 5:30 p.m. local time in Las Vegas.

HENDRICKS: Clarke County where Las Vegas is located is holding a later caucus than the rest of the state. Why is that?

ANDERSON: That's right. It was a county decision, Susan. The county of Clarke, Clarke County, wanted to give the opportunity for everybody in the state, if they have a religious obligation, to have a chance to participate in this historic caucus after sundown, so they gave the opportunity to all the voters. So we'll see what the turnout is like starting at 7:00 p.m.

HENDRICKS: And, Jim, this year, Twitter, Google will be used. How will that work to get the results out?

ANDERSON: That's right. It's pretty historic. It's the first time Twitter will be used in the history of elections to report the results. We think the GOP will act as a model for future elections to come. We think it's the fastest most effective way to get the results out. Google to get it out to the Google maps and be visible on the state party's website. So we encourage everybody to follow the NBGOP Twitter hash tag and to look at their site, NevadaGOP.org, to get the results in real time.

HENDRICKS: How has it been, Jim, for you organizing this? Some long days?

ANDERSON: It's been long days, but it's Las Vegas. It's really hard to sleep her anyway. So it's great location for it.

HENDRICKS: You're right, the city that never sleeps. Finally, President Obama won Nevada by 12 percent in 2008. How are things looking for Republicans this time around? We keep hearing the buzz Mitt Romney is the leader. Could there be an upset?

ANDERSON: I think it looks good. Every morning six out of 10 Nevadans wake up with their mortgages underwater and 12.5 percent of Nevadans are not working. So I would say President Obama has a problem here in Nevada, and we'll see in November.

HENDRICKS: That is a great point. Thanks so much, Jim Anderson, appreciate it in the city that never sleeps, Las Vegas. Be sure to stay with us throughout the day for updates from Nevada. And tonight our expanded coverage starts at 6:00 p.m. with a special edition of "THE SITUATION ROOM." Then join Wolf Blitzer, Anderson Cooper, and the gang for all the results.

You know, we are looking for heroes. CNN heroes, that is. Meet the woman you chose as the 2011 CNN here of the year next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HENDRICKS: This week you will start meeting the first CNN heroes of 2012. But before we start rolling them out, we wanted you to see the 2011 CNN hero of the year. Here's Robin Lim with Anderson Cooper.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Congratulations. How do you feel?

ROBIN LIM, CNN HERO, 2011: Full of gratitude.

COOPER: Did you think you might have had a chance?

LIM: Of course not. We've helped people since 2005. Almost 13,000 people have gotten free medical care and medicine.

COOPER: What has that felt like, starting with one person and slow starting to build the organization?

LIM: I found if you have a good idea and do it with love, a lot of people want to help you.

COOPER: It was a very personal loss that got you involved in this. LIM: My sister died. She was pregnant. This was 21 years ago.

COOPER: What was your sister's name?

LIM: Her name was Christine. I feel like she really helps me.

COOPER: You carry her with you still.

LIM: Yes. And I think I carry her baby too.

COOPER: What kind of impact do you think this will have?

LIM: In the tsunami zone, that one is really safe, but the clinic in Bali is falling apart. It's too small for our patient care.

COOPER: You're hoping to rebuild the clinic?

LIM: We've been saving money for years. And we did get a piece of land in our village. So we're ready to build, and now we have money to begin.

COOPER: You have $250,000 plus $50,000, so $300,000.

LIM: Yes, yes. That goes a long way in Indonesia.

COOPER: What keeps you going? Even in those dark days when, you know, you don't have money and when you don't have support --

LIM: Some days I don't have money but I always have support. Just when you thing, well, how are we going to pay the electric bill, there's always an e-mail that says we're sending money. It's just a miracle every day, just like birth.

COOPER: Congratulations. I'm so happy for you and the work you're going to do and the lives you're going to save. Thank you.

LIM: Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENDRICKS: Robin Lim is so inspiring. If you know someone who inspires other people, tell us their story. Help us find the next hero of the year. Go to CNNheroes.com to find out more information.

You know, if you're running for president and want to shake the image that you don't have much sympathy for the poor, should you share a stage with Donald Trump? I'll get reaction from a couple of our favorite political strategists.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HENDRICKS: It is 27 minutes past the hour. Welcome back. I'm Susan Hendricks. Thanks so much for starting your day with us.

Checking our top stories now, President Obama is coming out with a strong statement against Syria's president Bashar al Assad. He says he has no right to leave Syria and has lost all legitimacy. His remarks come as the U.N. Security Council considers a resolution that would force Syria government to end its brutal crackdown. Opposition leaders say more than 200 were killed in the past day, including women and children.

Four people have been arrested following the early morning raid on the Occupy D.C. camp. Police say the raid was part of an effort to enforce the city's no campaign laws not to evict protesters. This week a federal judge ruled living in a public park as a means of protest is not protected by the First Amendment.

And "The New York Times" is reporting actor Ben Gazzara who played the role of Brick in the original Broadway production of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" has died. The film, television, and stage actor succumbed to pancreatic cancer. He was 81.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HENDRICKS: You can't buy tobacco until you're 18, you can't by alcohol until you're 21. But should there be a law against sugar? This is controversial but some people yes, there should be. We're joined by senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen. Elizabeth, they're talking about sugar. Why is it so bad?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: A lot of people think that sugar is bad for a bunch of reasons. One is it's empty calories. And number two, they say sugar leads to something called the metabolic syndrome, and the metabolic syndrome can lead to diabetes and heart disease. So three researchers at the University of California at San Francisco wrote an opinion piece recently saying let's regulate it like we regulate booze or cigarettes. For example, we should tax it with a sin tax or make it so that you have to be 17 to buy soda. Can you imagine if that we're the case?

HENDRICKS: More people would want soda then. So we're talking about added sugar. How much is OK on any given day?

COHEN: Right. We're talking about processed sugar, added sugar, not something like an apple. But when you're looking at processed sugar, the American Heart Association really says not much is very safe. So for example, the amount of processed sugar in this lemonade, the American heart association would say no more for a day. This is it for the entire day. And you know Americans are eating way more.

HENDRICKS: Or the doughnut.

COHEN: Or the doughnut. If you eat this doughnut, you're done for the day.

HENDRICKS: I'll skip the lemonade and have the doughnut.

COHEN: This contains more than you're supposed to have in a given day.

HENDRICKS: That's amazing when you think about it. What are some of the surprising foods we have that we don't know about? COHEN: I think everybody would guess a chocolate doughnut has a lot of processed sugar in it. But this granola bar has about a third of the processed sugar you should have in an entire day, a third. So that's a lot. Here's one. This really surprised me. This chicken sandwich right here, this is from a popular fast food restaurant, that has a quarter of the processed sugar that you're supposed of to have in an entire day.

HENDRICKS: So if you think you're doing well and say I'll order the chicken for lunch instead of maybe the hamburger, that's it.

COHEN: There's a lots of sugar. People don't realize it. That's why a lot of researchers think we're overdosing on sugar because we don't realize what it's in. We called the sugar industry and they are not so crazy about this opinion piece and they say we shouldn't single out a single food. Obesity is a huge health problem in this country. They say to single out one food is unfair and confusing.

HENDRICKS: So I'm sure many people have a lot of questions about what's good to eat, what you shouldn't eat, how much you can have in a day. Where can people find the information so they know what they're putting in their bodies?

COHEN: If you look at labels on packaged food, there's a line for sugars, and thing that really helps. Or if you go online to fast food restaurants' websites you can learn a whole lot there. To learn go to CNN.com/EmpoweredPatient.

HENDRICKS: Elizabeth, thank you.

Coming up, we are breaking down the Nevada caucus. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HENDRICKS: Mitt Romney comes into today's Nevada caucus leading in the polls but battling the impression, once again, that he's out of touch. It all started with this remark he made to CNN's Soledad O'Brien.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROMNEY: I'm not concerned about the very poor. We have a safety net there. If it needs repair, I'll fix it. I'm not concerned about the very rich. They're doing just fine. I'm concerned about the very heart of America, the 90 percent, 95 percent of Americans who right now are struggling. And I'll continue to take that message across the nation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENDRICKS: Newt Gingrich and President Obama's campaign team immediately jumped on that comment. Mitt Romney later said he misspoke. He may not have helped his image though when he made this appearance with billionaire developer Donald Trump. Trump endorsed Romney, saying he wouldn't mount an independent campaign if Mitt Romney is the Republican nominee. Joining me now to talk about the campaign for president, Democratic political strategist and CNN contributor Maria Cardona in Washington, also Republican strategist Lenny McAllister in Chicago. Maria, I do want to start with you. Are you buying that that Mitt Romney said he spoke or do you think he's backpedaling here?

MARIA CARDONA, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: He certainly is backpedaling. I will give him the fact that he misspoke. But here's the problem. It's not the first time it's happened or second time or third time. He has made these kinds of gaffes time and time again. And what it does is reinforce in the minds of voters that this is somebody a millionaire 200 times over, who, by the way, pays a tax rate much less than many middle-class and working-class Americans do, and that there is no way he can even understand or relate to the struggles the middle-class families and working-class families are going through. He doesn't understand it. He doesn't even seem to care because of the gaffes he's making, and that's going to be a real problem if he ends up being the nominee going into the general election.

HENDRICKS: Lenny, do you think that's why he was hesitant to release his tax returns, because he didn't want the general public to know how much money he was bringing in?

LENNY MCALLISTER, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: I think he was hesitant to do that for two reasons. Number one, he was hesitant to do that because he was afraid of being painted as the one percent at a time you have the Occupy Wall Street going on. But number two, he's never clarified the message as to how to explain this, how to say I am the rich guy as Maria likes to always say, 200 times over millionaire, but at the same time be able to relate to working-class people.

The problem is he hasn't clarified that message because he's too busy make $10,000 bets at the drop of a hat. And until he gets to the point in time where he can relate to working with poor people in America and see that the human capital there is where America is going to rebound, he's not going to be able to shake that image, and that's going to be a huge problem for the Republicans moving forward if he can't shake it and if he ends up being the nominee.

HENDRICKS: Maria, what's your opinion on Ron Paul? There's been a lot of in-fighting as you know between Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney kind of bickering back and forth. Ron Paul seems to be a voice of reason to a lot of Republicans. Do you think he has a shot today in Nevada?

CARDONA: I do think he will do better in Nevada than a lot of folks believe or a lot of folks are talking about or giving him credit for. Let's remember, he's got a huge base of support in Nevada, and he is focused on that base of support and on everybody around the country who thinks that he is bringing the voice of reason.

The problem with Ron Paul is that his base of support doesn't really get past the percentage point that he need in order to actually get the nomination. And I think he understands that.

But what he does bring to table, and what I think a lot of Republicans are really thirsty for, is somebody who understands their own stances, who has never flip-flopped on an issue, and who understands that you need conviction, you need principles, you need something to stand for, you need a core, which, again, is a big problem for Mitt Romney because he not only makes statements talking about he doesn't care about the poor and he doesn't understand middle-class families, but he's also somebody Republicans don't really trust to carry conservative principles and Americans don't trust because he's flip- flopped on every single issue that has faced in this country.

HENDRICKS: I think it ends up being Mitt Romney, Republicans, as they always do, as both sides do, will come together and support him.

Lenny, if it is Mitt Romney against President Obama, does Obama have the time here to kind of put everything back together? We're talking unemployment rates. We're talking about people out of jobs, losing their homes, you name it. Does he have a shot, Mitt Romney, against Obama, and does Obama have time to rebuild?

MCALLISTER: Mitt Romney absolutely does have a shot against President Obama. The latest Gallup poll shows President Obama could be facing a catastrophe in November. When you look at the mixed message from the unemployment rate where you hear that the unemployment rate went down after being told on Wednesday that it was going go up, after we have the lowest participation in the job market in 30 years, and unemployment rate for the African-American community has gone down after being such a problem, you get these mixed messages. America wants something clear and they want to see a clear recovery, not a whole bunch of numbers fighting against each other and the president trying to spin it. As long as you continue to get that from this administration, of course Mitt Romney has a shot. And the polls are starting to show in a head-to-head matchup President Obama would probably lose in November.

HENDRICKS: Maria, it seems in the state of the union President Obama was kind of laying out where he would go and bridging up Mitt Romney and being extremely rich and focusing on that and what he would do with veterans and people unemployed, without jobs.

CARDONA: Absolutely. And I think that is a critical piece of a contrast that he's going to make and the Democrats are going to make going into this election.

You know, to Lenny's point, the unemployment rate is as low as it's been since 2008. There have been 22, now 23 straight months of private sector job creation. So those are numbers that Americans understand. It's going in the right direction.

Do we need to do more? Absolutely. You know what, President Obama is talking relentlessly about what he's doing to help middle-class families, about what he's doing to help homeowners who are upside-down on their mortgages, while Mitt Romney is talking about letting the housing industry hit rock bottom and not helping homeowners who are in trouble. That is the contrast. If that is the contrast going into the election President Obama will win.

MCALLISTER: We've seen the participation rate in 30 years. Who cares if it's going down if people are jumping right back out of the workforce?

(CROSSTALK)

HENDRICKS: We love the different opinions, guys. Maria Cardona, Lenny McAllister, thanks so much. Appreciate the time.

CARDONA: Thank you.

MCALLISTER: Thank you, Susan. God bless.

HENDRICKS: Be sure to stay with us throughout the day for updates from Nevada. And tonight our expanded coverage starts at 6:00 p.m. eastern. Don't miss it with a special edition of "THE SITUATION ROOM." Then join Wolf Blitzer, Anderson Cooper, and the rest of us for the results tonight.

One Patriots player in tomorrow's big game knows it pays to be massive. But he's also got an extra incentive to downsize when the time comes. We will meet him next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HENDRICKS: We're just one day way from the big game, the Patriots and the Giants in Super Bowl XLVI. CNN Sport's Mark McKay is in Indianapolis for us this morning. And, mark, the countdown is on. How are things looking today, 24 hours beforehand?

MARK MCKAY, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Well, looking a bit cool, drizzly, Susan, a bit rainy as well. We've had cool conditions invade Indianapolis, and maybe, just maybe, that will help thin out the huge crowds that have descended on the Super Bowl city or maybe not. It wasn't raining last night, and the streets were packed, people from all over. It seems as if the entire Midwest has poured into Indianapolis to be part of the Super Bowl experience, people everywhere.

That will continue today, the NFL experience at the Indiana convention center breaking records. So a lot of people taking part in the Super Bowl, even if they're not going to get inside Lucas Oil stadium tomorrow to see the game.

Of course, the Super Bowl is a big deal, no matter where it's played. And so are many of the guys who will be playing in Sunday's game. They're big. But there's one patriots player who plans on not being as big when his football days are over, and his motivation is driven by emotion.

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MCKAY: Vince Wilfork is in a constant battle in the trenches as the Patriot's nose guard, a tough fight he knows could be tougher, much like his father's life. A constant battle with diabetes, lost in 2002 just six months before his mother surprisingly died of a stroke.

VINCE WILFORK, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS DEFENSIVE TACKLE: Nowhere I go, they're always with me. You know, they have the best seats in the house to see me play. But I wish they were here physically to see me play, but it didn't work out that way.

MCKAY: He's worked his way back to the Super Bowl for the third time in his eight-year career. It's the pinnacle for any NFL player. But at 325 pounds with his family's history of diabetes, Wilfork is concerned about reaches other heights after his career.

WILFORK: It's not during football season that I'm worried, because I'm always active, always doing something. Off season when I'm sitting around for like a month, you know, enjoying myself, have a few drinks with my friends and eat what I want and cook what I want. And then my wife stepped in and said, OK, enough of that. It's time for you to start working out.

MCKAY: NFL linemen have continued to tip the scales at increasing rates over the last several years, which have raised concerns for potential health risks associated with their size. Wilfork has a plan to shed weight in his post-football career.

WILFORK: When I'm done with football I'm going to lose as much weight as I possibly can, because one thing way tonight be able to do is be around for my kids' kids. That's something my father and mother never seen in person, their grandkids. So that's a goal of mine. I'm going to do everything I can to make that goal happen.

MCKAY: Celebrated for his strength and athleticism, Wilfork usually finds himself facing double teams, and he's not used to asking for help. But should the NFL be doing more to assist him and other players in their transition to a healthy lifestyle when their playing days are over.

WILFORK: I think they can educate guys that there are certain years in the league that are thinking about retiring soon, but, you know, tell a grown man, hey, you need to lose 50 pounds. Some guys would look at him like he's crazy.

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MCKAY: Since his foundation is up and running, Susan, it has raised some $350,000 for diabetes research.

HENDRICKS: An inspired message and a great player. Mark McKay, great job. Try to get some rest. Stay warm.

Coming up, our very own Josh Levs wants Dodger the dog to fess up.

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JOSH LEVS, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: What do you thing? Are you anxious to get more exercise? What do you think?

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HENDRICKS: Still waiting for that answer. Walking the dog is the first step to a longer and healthier life for your pet, but find out what else you need to do to protect man's best friend.

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HENDRICKS: Believe it or not, it's a big and growing epidemic in the country, obesity among pets. A brand-new study shows just how bad it's gotten and what can be done about it. We know you like looking at overweight pets on YouTube. You can tell. This is the number one story, by the way.

LEVS: Right, on CNN.com today.

HENDRICKS: Because people love their pets. And sometimes you don't even know if your pet is obese. You can't tell by looking.

LEVS: This is a problem, and they're so adorable. But more than half of the dogs and cats in this country are overweight or obese. That is a finding of a brand new study from an organization that focuses on this issue. The new report comes out next week. They gave it to us at CNN in advance. We take a look at what's causing this and what pet owners should know.

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LEVS: This is Dodger. He's a mixed breed rescue dog. And this is his owner, Kim Stevens. And talk to me about him. What's his weight right now?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: His weight is about 82 pounds right now. He should be 62 pounds.

LEVS: So that's a lot of extra weight.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's obese.

LEVS: How does this happen? How does a dog become so fat?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Too much food, not enough exercise.

LEVS: What do you think? Do you think you should eat less, get more exercise? We're now going to talk to a vet who's an expert at this to give advice for Kim. This is Ernie Ward. He's going to talk to us about what's going on with Dodger.

ERNIE WARD, FOUNDER, ASSOCIATION FOR PET OBESITY PREVENTION: This is one of those cases where he's deceptively obese. He's a big start to talk with. He's carrying a lot of extra fat in his abdomen. It's the belly fat that's the most dangerous because that's the type of fat that secretes all those harmful chemicals. The foods we're eating today are so different than we ate 40, 50 years ago. They've got more calories in a smaller amount. And the other part of the equation is we think exercise, gosh, let's go walk Dodger for 30 minutes. That will burn all al that extra energy. The problem is output does not beat input when it comes to losing weight. It's not just exercising. It has to be what they eat.

LEVS: What's the right way to reward a pet if not with a treat?

WARD: I call treats calorie grenades. We've got to be careful. Think about single-ingredient treats, crunchy vegetables like broccoli, celery, asparagus. We're going to gradually reduce the calories so Dodger -- diet is not about starvation or deprivation. It's about a gradual, safe weight loss. I want both of you to commit to a 30-minute brisk walk per day. If you can do that, you'll see Dodger lose weight and you'll be fitter for it for sure.

LEVS: In the end, what do you think will be your motivation. What will motivate you to help him turn around?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I need to turn myself around, so we'll work together as a team, because he is a really awesome dog and I don't want to lose him.

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LEVS: And, look, I mean, people love their pets. You know, one in three homes in America have a dog. One in three homes in America have a cat. About half out there are having these problems.

HENDRICKS: We're not being mean. The goal is to keep your pet around as lodge as possible around you. You want to avoid the calorie grenades. That's tough if you have a dog.

LEVS: Unfortunately they recommend don't go crazy and try do it on your own. You've been sending in questions. Let's look at Facebook and twitter, people are sending in questions now and next hour I'll be along with that same veterinarian answering some of the most popular questions from our iReporters. So keep those coming. We're just doing our jobs here. We don't want to make people feel guilty.

HENDRICKS: More with Josh's one on one with Dodger, exclusive, the one and only. Josh, thanks.

LEVS: Thanks a lot.

HENDRICKS: Thousands of names added to the no-fly list. So many names it's more than double I what it was a year ago. I'll tell you why next.

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HENDRICKS: And you're looking at the first pictures of the far side of the moon. These are from NASA's Grail Mission which shot back these images from the moon's south pole. The reason it's called the "Far Side of the Moon" is because of the way the moon rotates.