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CNN Saturday Morning News
Attempted Suicide Attack in DC; Whitney Houston Funeral Today; Weather Warning For Gulf Coast; View From Houston's Hometown; Santorum Leads Polls in Michigan; Interview With Pastor Donnie McClurkin; Morning Passport: The Divorce Hotel
Aired February 18, 2012 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN ANCHOR: From CNN Center, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING. It's 6:00 a.m. here in Atlanta. 5:00 a.m. in Houston, Texas, and 3:00 a.m. in Los Angeles, California. Good morning. I'm Gary Tuchman.
It's a sad day for family and friends of Whitney Houston. The funeral for the pop star will be held this afternoon in Newark, New Jersey. We'll take you there live and hear from her close friends.
Plus, a 29-year-old man is arrested for an alleged plot to blow up the U.S. Capitol. And the FBI had been watching his every move. We'll take you live to D.C.
And, a Cincinnati high school is paying students to attend. Yes, you heard me. They will give money to students to attend school, get good grades and pay attention in glass. If you want to weigh in on this story, tweet me @garytuchmancnn.
ANNOUNCER: From CNN's world headquarters, brining you news and analysis from across the nation and around the globe, live from Studio 7, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
TUCHMAN: Here are some of the stories we're following this morning.
Opposition activists in Syria say the military took shots at them during demonstrations and funerals in the capital city, Damascus, today. The activists say as many as 61 people were killed yesterday in the ongoing government crackdown. We are also being told by one activist that the Syrian military is planning an all out assault on one of the neighborhood in the city of Homs today. Homs has been the epicenter of the anti-government uprising.
Wages are going up by as much as 25 percent at one of the main Chinese factories that makes Apple iPads and iPhones. It's called Foxconn. An independent labor rights organization arrived this week to take a look around the massive factory complex. That included representatives from Apple. Factory owners had come under fire following a rash of suicides and several in-depth reports by CNN. Workers will now make around $400 a month.
Within the past hour, Pope Benedict XVI officially added 22 new cardinals to the church. Among them is New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan. When the time comes, the majority of the so-called princes of the church will be responsible for picking a new pope.
Investigators are looking into the cause of this big fire at an oil refinery in Washington state. The BP refinery is the biggest in the northwestern United States. It took several hours for firefighters to get the blaze under control. No one was hurt.
President Obama is expected to sign the payroll tax holiday extension into law today. The compromised bill passed by the House and Senate means you will get to keep around $1,000 more from your paycheck this year. The other parts of the law extend unemployment benefits for the rest of the year, but also changes the cap for long-term benefits from 99 weeks to no more than 73 weeks.
Now, to the foiled plot to attack the U.S. Capitol building with a suicide bomb. A 29-year-old man from Morocco was arrested wearing a dummy suicide vest. He's charged with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction. CNN's Athena Jones is live in Washington this morning.
Athena, good morning to you.
And how long was the FBI watching this guy?
ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
Well, you know, this guy first came to the FBI's attention in January of last year when an informant came to them and said that this -- that El Khalifi -- Amine El Khalifi had met with a few other individuals at a house in Arlington, which is just across the river from D.C. He met with these people. He'd reportedly talked about, or allegedly in the affidavit, talked about wanting to perform an attack somewhere in the U.S. That this was a war. That the war on terror was a war against Muslims.
And so they'd been following him for some time. According to the criminal complaint, the affidavit, El Khalifi was introduced to an undercover law enforcement officer back in December of last year. So December of 2011. And that's when we begin to see a lot more details coming through this investigation point by point, meeting and discussing his plans to possibly carry out an attack either on a synagogue or U.S. military offices or maybe a restaurant that was frequented by military officials. It wasn't until later that he decided that he wanted to attack the U.S. Capitol.
Gary.
TUCHMAN: Athena, tell us about this dummy suicide vest.
JONES: Well, certainly. So when El Khalifi met with these undercover agents yesterday here near the Capitol, they gave him this vest that he thought was carrying a workable bomb that could be detonated. But, of course, it had been rendered inoperable. These officials -- these law enforcement officers also gave him a MAC-10, an automatic weapon, that had also been rendered inoperable. El Khalifi had said he wanted to make sure he had a gun so that when he tried to approach the Capitol, if he was stopped, he could, you know, shoot down any guards who tried to stop him. But, of course, law enforcement officials didn't want to give him anything that could possibly be used against himself or against anyone else.
TUCHMAN: Athena, did this guy have any ties to terrorist organizations?
JONES: Well, no, he didn't. He thought, of course, that he was meeting during the course of this investigation, during the course of this long -- this drawn-out investigation, he thought -- El Khalifi thought he was meeting with people who were connected to al Qaeda. But, of course, they were all connected to this investigation.
And, you know, that's the interesting thing here. Yesterday you had Assistant Attorney General Lisa Monaco saying that this case underscores the continuing threat we face from home grown terrorists. And so you have these individuals who aren't connected to anyone, these loan wolves you hear them called, who could pose a real threat when it comes to trying to attack anyone here in the U.S. because they're more difficult to follow. So in this case, this long investigation came to a successful close. But the real fear here is, how many more people are out there who may not have any connections and yet want to attack the U.S.
Gary.
TUCHMAN: Yes, that is a disturbing question, but very thankfully this was a successful close. Athena Jones, thank you very much.
JONES: Thanks.
TUCHMAN: Around 1,500 mourners will pack a Newark, New Jersey, church today for Whitney Houston's funeral. It's scheduled to start 12:00 Noon Eastern Time. This is a live picture of the church in New Jersey's largest city of Newark. Her friends, as well as friends from inside and outside the entertainment industry, will be here. And my friend, CNN national correspondent Jason Carroll, is also there in Newark this morning.
Jason, good morning to you.
JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And good morning to you, Gary.
You know, preparations are still underway here at the New Hope Baptist Church for the service to take place later today at 12:00 Noon. Last night, just about 15 minutes from where the church is located, at the Whigham Funeral Home, there was a private viewing. That was just for family and very close friends. We saw Cissy Houston show up. Bobbi Kristina, Whitney Houston's daughter, was there as well. Clive Davis showing up for that private viewing. As you know, he was a mentor to Whitney Houston for many, many years. The street was blocked off in both directions in front of the funeral home to give the utmost privacy for the family and friends in that very sensitive, private moment.
Out here also at the New Hope Baptist Church, Gary, yesterday we were out here as well. We saw so many people showing up wanting to pay their respects. This is really the -- was the last moment for these people to do that because, as you know, this area is blocked off for invited guests only when the funeral gets underway. Those who showed up here yesterday, Gary, they were leaving balloons, they were leaving cards, singing Whitney Houston songs in front of the church. And we spoke to a number of people about today's private ceremony and most people telling us they respect the family's wishes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm happy that the family took the position of making it private because this is her. This is who she really is. This is who she really is. And the family has the right to do it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I understand where the family is coming from when they're asking for their privacy. So that's -- even though I wish, too, that a little bit of something would have been for the public.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CARROLL: So, today, Gary, the focus will be on what will be happening here at the church. We know that folks such as Aretha Franklin will be performing. Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder, Kevin Costner, co-star of "The Bodyguard," he'll be speaking at the service scheduled for later here today as well.
And when speaking to the pastor, you know, I asked him about today's service. And he said, obviously, there is going to be a lot of tears. But he also said this is going to be a celebration about music and a celebration of Whitney Houston's life -- Gary.
TUCHMAN: Jason Carroll, thank you very much. It will be a long and sad, but inspiring day in many ways. Remember, CNN will have special coverage of Whitney Houston's funeral in Newark, New Jersey, that comes your way just a few hours from now. It begins at 11:00 Eastern Time.
Well, the Gulf Coast is bracing for a potential severe weather outbreak today. Meteorologist Reynolds Wolf is here to tell us more -- Reynolds.
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: That's right, Gary, we're keeping a very sharp eye on the storm system that is going to be moving across parts of the lone star state this morning. We already have flash flooding watches and warnings in effect right now. But later on this afternoon into the evening, there will be the chance of some strong thunderstorms, possibly some tornadoes for much of the Gulf Coast. We'll give you the full scoop on that coming up very soon, Gary.
TUCHMAN: OK. And as family and friends gather to bid a final farewell to Whitney Houston today, we'll introduce you to those who knew her before she became a super star.
Plus, Jeremy Lin and the New York Knickerbockers. The winning streak is over and the New Orleans Hornets are very happy today. And, a son trying to evict his 98-year-old mother on her go Introduce you to those who knew her before she became a super star. Jeremy Lin's victory is over.
And a son trying to evict his 98-year-old mother on her birthday. We'll tell you why. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TUCHMAN: Well, it's 11 minutes past the hour. The Gulf Coast is bracing for a potential severe weather outbreak today. Meteorologist Reynolds Wolf is with us.
Reynolds, is this a springtime weather pattern?
WOLF: It is very similar to a springtime weather pattern, but I want people to understand that just because it is a springtime weather pattern, that spring hasn't sprung yet. We still have a ways to go. But, yes, this is the type of thing we'd often see usually during the spring months.
What we've got right now, as we take a look in the dark conditions of the morning, what we have is some thunderstorms that are popping up across parts of the Gulf Coast. Easy for you to say (ph) and then the sun comes out. And when the sun comes out later on this afternoon, what we can expect is some additional instability along the coast of say Alabama, back into Louisiana perhaps, even Alabama. That's where you're going to have the issues with possibly some tornadoes into the afternoon. Florida is going to be in the mix also. The sunshine state. When you have that unstable atmosphere and this area of low pressure moving across, that's where things really can get into trouble.
Now, what we do (ph) and expect is with the heavy rainfall and the ground that's already saturated, flooding is going to be a real threat. In fact, we already had the flood warnings and watches in effect for much of the Gulf Coast. We expect that area of low pressure to pull its way to the east as it does. So that's where we're going to see the severe storms pop up possibly into the evening hours for much of Alabama, Georgia, and as I mentioned Florida. Even Mississippi and Louisiana, you know, in the mix.
Now, how it's going to affect you today is behind that storm system it's going to pull in a lot of cold air into places like Denver and back into Billings, where highs will only be in the 40s today. Forty- five in Portland, 63 in Los Angeles, 57 in Memphis and 63 in Atlanta.
If you're just trying to fly around the nation today, you're going to have some backups. As we wrap it up, Houston, Dallas, New Orleans, as you might expect, some major delays. Also delays in Atlanta and San Diego not due to thunderstorm activity but rather due to the fog.
All right, let's send it back to you, Gary.
TUCHMAN: Reynolds, you a basketball fan, by the way?
WOLF: I am indeed. Absolutely. TUCHMAN: Yes. I mean have you been following the exploits of the New York Knicks and Jeremy Lin?
WOLF: Amazing story to watch this guy.
TUCHMAN: Yes, well here is the latest update for those of you who've caught a case of Lin-sanity. The Linning streak, well, it's up. Despite Jeremy Lin scoring 26 points, the New York Knicks suffered an 89-85 loss to the New Orleans Hornets last night. It was -- New Orleans is not the best team in basketball. They have one of the worst records in the NBA and they won on the Knicks home court. The last two weeks Lin went from an unknown bench player to an international phenom, reviving the struggling Knicks and leading them to seven straight wins. We'll see how they do in the next game.
Just a kid from East Orange, New Jersey, with the voice of an angel. So, how is Whitney Houston remembered in her hometown? Find out next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TUCHMAN: So sad. A week ago today she passed away. And, today, Whitney Houston is being laid to rest in her home state of New Jersey. New Jersey, it was her childhood home where she went to school, she had friends, she grew up. She was born in Newark, moved to East Orange, just west of Newark, New Jersey. But Whitney Houston was very far from an ordinary girl.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TUCHMAN (voice-over): Franklin Elementary School in East Orange, New Jersey, where Whitney Houston went to school from first to fifth grade.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good afternoon. Whitney Houston Academy. Mrs. Patrick (ph) speaking. May I help you?
TUCHMAN: But in 1997, it was renamed The Whitney E. Houston Academy of Creative and Performing Arts. The principal is Henry Hamilton. The same man who was principal when Whitney was there as a little girl.
HENRY HAMILTON, PRINCIPAL, WHITNEY E. HOUSTON ACADEMY: Was I proud of her? You better believe it. Yes, I was.
TUCHMAN: This is the enrollment document from Whitney Houston's days at the school. It shows she entered in 1969 and went on to middle school in 1974. In the principal's office, pictures of him with Whitney and lots of other pictures of Whitney after she became famous.
HAMILTON: She was a beautiful little girl. Very quiet. Was not a talkative person. But she was well respected. Never came to the office for discipline problems. Well behaved.
TUCHMAN: Raymond Sheppard used to teach at the school. He reminisces about when Whitney, the niece of Dionne Warwick and the Goddaughter of Aretha Franklin was about to make it big. RAYMOND SHEPPARD, FORMER TEACHER: When she was leaving to go to California to be with Dionne Warwick, her aunt, she came into the local store we all used to be in. And the owner, John, said, I'm so glad to see you going. I hope you -- I wish you the best. And he gave her a $100 bill. And he said, here, this is to help you on your way.
TUCHMAN (on camera): The Houston family home was the center of activity in the summertime, because it was the only house in the area that had a built-in swimming pool. So young Whitney had a lot of friends who came over.
TUCHMAN (voice-over): Erica Taylor, the same age as Whitney, was one of those friends.
ERICA TAYLOR, CHILDHOOD FRIEND: We talked about boys and what we did over -- what were doing over the summer and how it was just fun to be in a pool.
TUCHMAN: And after they would be done swimming in the pool behind the house, they would all watch Whitney hit tennis balls against on wall.
TUCHMAN (on camera): How come none of you would play tennis with her?
TAYLOR: We'd rather talk to her. We wanted to know, like -- me and my girlfriend was talking about it the other day and we were actually asking each other, like, remember when she would play tennis and we would just ask her like, how was it to meet Michael Jackson because of her aunt Dionne and because of --
TUCHMAN: Oh, because of Dionne Warwick.
TAYLOR: Yes, and --
TUCHMAN: You knew she had celebrity connections.
TAYLOR: Right. Right.
TUCHMAN: And she was just a kid then.
TAYLOR: But she still had -- she still knew the people. Her aunt was still Dionne. Her Godmother was Aretha. So she would meet the stars when we were kids.
TUCHMAN (voice-over): Many who knew Whitney realized her voice was special from her early days singing in church. But some remember her belting out tunes even earlier.
DR. ALEASE GRIFFITH, RETIRED EAST ORANGE PRINCIPAL: The first time I met Whitney, she was -- and we called her "Nippy" back then. She was about five years old.
TUCHMAN: Alease Griffith is a retired principal from another East Orange elementary school, but was a friend who attended a Houston family Christmas party more than 40 years ago.
GRIFFITH: One of the back rooms Nippy was -- had her cousins surrounded by her. And she jumped up on the coffee table and started singing.
TUCHMAN: Back at The Whitney Houston Academy, in room 109, one of Whitney's classrooms --
TUCHMAN (on camera): Is Whitney Houston your hero?
KIDS: Yes!
TUCHMAN (voice-over): The pride from current students is unmistakable.
CIARA ALLEN, STUDENT, WHITNEY E. HOUSTON ACADEMY: With all of her accomplishments, I think -- I know that I want to be just like her when I grow up.
HAMILTON: They tell me I'm the father of all the youngsters here. And I take that role. Take that role.
TUCHMAN (on camera): So you do consider her a daughter?
HAMILTON: I consider her a daughter. You better believe it. Daughter forever. Our lost daughter.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TUCHMAN: He's a good guy, that principal, Henry Hamilton. You can hear more from him when he joins me live in our 10:00 Eastern Time hour before he walks into the funeral service. He will talk about Whitney and her early years at the school.
And remember, CNN will have special coverage of Whitney Houston's funeral in Newark, New Jersey. That comes your way beginning at 11:00 Eastern Time.
A 98-year-old woman is served an eviction notice on her birthday from her son. Unbelievable. Why he wants her out of the home she's lived in for nearly 60 years.
Plus, a school is paying students to come to class. Wait until you hear how this works and the backlash it's getting. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TUCHMAN: Let's take a look now at a few stories making news cross country.
In Maryland, the state house has approved same-sex marriage. The senate will vote next. The governor says he will sign the legislation. Opponents of same-sex marriage want the issue to go to a statewide referendum.
In Chicago, the halls and classrooms of Brian Piccolo Elementary School are occupied by parents, students and activists.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We want to hear from the mayor. Hear us. We are taxpayers. You know, we have a right. We have a say so. These are our kids.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TUCHMAN: They're protesting the city's so-called turn around plans for the school. If approved, new management, teachers and staff would be brought in. Piccolo is one of 10 underperforming schools slated for turnaround.
And in Connecticut, this great, great grandmother was given the worst 98th birthday gift ever, an eviction notice from her son. Despite not seeing his mother in eight months, Peter Kantorowski says she's in no condition to live alone. But her younger son Jack disagrees.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JACK KANTOROWSKI, 98-YEAR-OLD WOMAN'S SON: And I just don't understand him at all, what's happening to him. There ain't no other words to call him, he's a scumbag (ph).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TUCHMAN: According to affiliate WTHN, the courts have ruled the 98- year-old is competent, but no decision yet if she'll get to stay in the house.
A Cincinnati charter school is now paying students to attend class. Yes, you heard me right. Dohn Community High launched the program this week. Here's how it works. Students must attend school every day for a week. They cannot be late or have any major disciplinary issues. They also must pay attention in class. I don't know who that's figured out. Ninth, tenth and eleventh grader who meet the requirements get $10 a week. Seniors get $25.
Administrators say grades at the school are horrible. Attendance is below average. And only 14 percent graduated last year. They hope the $40,000 program, funded partly through private donations, will give the student's extra incentives to stay in school and stay out of trouble. The students like the idea and so does the principal. And here's what they had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RAMON DAVENPORT, PRINCIPAL: Each time a student gets paid, we take $5 and put into a savings account. So when that student graduates, they will at least graduate with some type of funds.
BETHANIE NICHOLSON, STUDENT: Every kids wakes up in the morning like, this is a job. Why am I not getting paid. And I'm getting paid now. So getting paid to come to school, like this is every kid's dream.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TUCHMAN: Well, many people don't like that dream. They say the school shouldn't pay students to do something they should be doing anyway. So now that you've heard what they had to say, we want to know what you have to say. Should schools pay students to come to school? Tweet me @garytuchmancnn. We will air you comments later in the show.
Well, a proper tribute to Whitney Houston. Coming up, you'll hear from the Grammy Award winning gospel artist picked to sing at today's funeral. And hear how he plans to honor her memory.
Also ahead, the race for the Republican nomination and an infusion of cash for the Gingrich campaign. Is it too little too late though? Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TUCHMAN: It's 29 minutes past the hour. Welcome back. I'm Gary Tuchman. Thank you very much for starting your day with us.
Checking the top stories.
A 29-year-old Moroccan man is charged with attempting to bomb the U.S. Capitol Building. Amine El Khalifi was arrested yesterday after prosecutors say he received what he thought was a vest loaded with explosives near the Capitol. It was not. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison.
The U.S. and Chinese have reached a deal to increase trade. The announcement coming as Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping wrapped up his five day visit to the United States. As part of the agreement, China says it will allow 50 percent more U.S. movies into China.
The financial crisis of the U.S. Postal Service may drive up the cost of a stamp to 50 cents. I remember when it was 6 cents. The nickel increase is part of the postal service's five-year plan. It says the increase could mean an additional $1 billion in revenue a year and the postal service needs that.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
TUCHMAN: Well, it's time to talk politics now in the race for the White House. I want you to take a look at this new poll out of the state of Michigan. This American Research Group poll shows Rick Santorum with a lead there over Mitt Romney.
Now it's particularly surprising when you consider that Romney's father, George, was a two-term governor of Michigan and that Romney won Michigan by nearly 10 points in 2008. Joining me now is Lee May, a Democratic county commissioner in suburban Atlanta's Dekalb County and conservative commentator, Phil Kent.
Gentlemen, thank you very much for joining me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good to be here.
TUCHMAN: Phil, let me ask you first, surprising to you that Mitt Romney is struggling so much, particularly in the state of Michigan?
PHIL KENT, POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: It is a surprise, in a way, because the deal has not been closed with conservative Republicans in this primary season just yet. Now I am going to go out on a limb and give a prediction that Michigan will probably ultimately go with Romney. He's got the money, he's got that branding and the name. So I think that he'll pull it out in the end.
But, Lee, do you feel the same way? Do you think Romney is going to win in Michigan?
LEE MAY, DEMOCRATIC COUNTY COMMISSIONER, DEKALB COUNTY, GEORGIA: Well, I think ultimately he will. Again, he does have the money and the organization. I think, you know, you have to remember that all politics is local.
And you have to remember that Romney advocated for the bankruptcy of General Motors and of Chrysler, and he was not for the automobile bail out that the president advocated. And so, you know, people in Michigan remember that.
That bailout was proven to be a success. You have those companies that are pushing profits now and moving forward. And I think that is hurting Romney in this local election in Detroit and throughout the state of Michigan.
TUCHMAN: I mean, Super Tuesday is two weeks from Tuesday, huge day in this nomination battle. We are supposed to have a debate here in Atlanta. Three of the four candidates -- everyone but Newt Gingrich dropped out -- so the debate has been canceled. Do you think that was a good move by three candidates to not continue doing all the debates that they are doing?
MAY: Well, I think it was strategic. You look at where we are on Super Tuesday, all of these different states. I think for Romney and for Paul it was strategic. Romney doesn't really have a chance here in Georgia. Paul has always been very strategic, looking at those states where he could get a portion of the delegates. So those states were kind of winner-takes-all. He's not very interested. And so I think it was more of a strategic move to get the biggest bang for their buck on Super Tuesday.
TUCHMAN: Speaking of Georgia, where we sit right now, Phil, Newt Gingrich has to win here in the state of Georgia. He's getting a big infusion of money from --
(CROSSTALK)
TUCHMAN: Sheldon Adelson, the billionaire, decided he's going to give even more money to Newt Gingrich. Do you think he'll win here in Georgia and do you think he still has a chance to win this nomination?
KENT: I do think Newt Gingrich is going to win Georgia. He has a good ground force here. He, of course, was a Congressman in the metro area for years. And I think it was a huge mistake for Romney and Santorum especially to cancel on the CNN GOP debate.
In fact, I got an email just the day before from the state party. They were tying their fundraising to the debate and giving out tickets as part of their fundraising. I estimate that Romney and Santorum may have cost the state probably about $1 million.
TUCHMAN: Wow.
KENT: And so I think there's a lot of resentment among the party people. And that's just going to help Newt Gingrich.
TUCHMAN: Lee, compromise on the payroll tax break. Do you think this is a sign now in Washington that maybe we are getting greater cooperation than we have seen over the last several months and perhaps several years?
MAY: Well, I hope it is. I think the Republicans learned kind of from the issues of the past. You know, in that debate, there was a lot of partisan politics when we were dealing with the people's pocketbooks.
In today's compromise, you're seeing now that the Democrats really are not happy with this, but really that's the sign of good policy when you have both sides. You have now 160 (sic) Americans that will benefit as a result of the extension of this payroll tax cut.
You also have 160 million people who will have unemployment benefits extended as well, which I think is very important. And, importantly, it is being paid for, as I know a number of Republicans have been advocating for.
TUCHMAN: Phil, how much do you think Barack Obama is benefiting from this Republican nominating battle that's been carried out?
KENT: I don't think there's much of a benefit. We all know that --
(CROSSTALK)
TUCHMAN: You don't think so, even though that the Republicans can't concentrate on Obama, they still have to concentrate on each of themselves?
KENT: Well, the Republicans are concentrating on Obama in their attacks as well as attacking each other. And, of course, you go back to 2008 with the Hillary-Obama. That was a blood bath, too, toward the end.
And I think it makes all these candidates better. I think the focus is on the economy and jobs, especially the tyrannical (ph) expense of Obamacare; you talk about the payroll tax. Obama had to compromise and take a chunk out of that tax to help pay for the payroll tax.
I think the Republicans are going to come together. There's one thing that unites Republicans and a lot of folks in the center, and that is they want Obama as a one-termer.
TUCHMAN: Quick answer from both of you. Coming Super Tuesday, looking ahead, who do you think will be the big winner on Super Tuesday overall?
KENT: I think that Romney probably will split with Santorum and Gingrich will probably take some Southern states. So it's going to continue on after Super Tuesday for a while.
TUCHMAN: Lee?
MAY: I think overall Romney will come out the victor. I think Santorum, if he's able to take advantage of this -- his media uptick in terms of raising money and building his organization, he'll able to take some advantage of it. But that remains to be seen. He hasn't really been able to take that on just as yet.
TUCHMAN: You know, I interviewed Rick Santorum the night of the Nevada caucuses. And he said I'm going to win this nomination. That was a few days before he won those three race. So he's still a very confident guy and he still believes he's going to win. So we'll see what happens.
Gentlemen, Phil Kent, Lee May, thanks for joining us.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, Gary.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Appreciate it.
TUCHMAN: Good talking to you.
Well, there's only one debate left before Super Tuesday. And we have got it for you here. It's not the one in Georgia we were just talking about that was canceled. It's the Arizona Republican debate, and that's this Wednesday night. Join our John King as he welcomes the four remaining Republican presidential candidates. It's this Wednesday, 8:00 pm Eastern time.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
TUCHMAN: It's going to be a day of tears in the state of New Jersey. Whitney Houston's family and friends will gather at a church in Newark to say their final goodbyes. And this is a live look at the New Hope Baptist Church in the city of Newark, New Jersey, just about five minutes away from the home where Whitney Houston was born.
The focus on Houston's faith and her passion. One of those who will be there is Pastor Donnie McClurkin, who will have to handle his own emotions as he sings a final song for his close friend.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TUCHMAN: Pastor McClurkin, thank you very much for joining us.
PASTOR DONNIE MCCLURKIN: I'm glad to be here, Gary.
TUCHMAN: Tell me how you knew Whitney Houston.
MCCLURKIN: Well, Whitney Houston became a family friend of ours when she took my sister, Olivia, and they sang together for seven years. She was one of her background singers and became one of the favored ones, so Whitney was at her wedding and Whitney loved my mother. And there was a love relationship between the Houston family and the McClurkin family. TUCHMAN: What will you be singing at this funeral service?
MCCLURKIN: Well, I'm going to try to sing a song called "Stand," a song that I wrote some years ago.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
MCCLURKIN: The Houston family loves it. And I'm going to try to get through that, because this is a very unexpected loss, really.
TUCHMAN: I mean, I would assume, Pastor, that that will be very difficult. I assume it's difficult whenever you sing a song like that at a sad occasion. But how do you get through it? How do you contain yourself to be able to finish it without your emotions getting the best of you?
MCCLURKIN: I really don't know, because I -- that can't be a guarantee, because a loss like this is something that is deep and it's really, really powerfully impacting us.
Not only did the world know Whitney, but when you knew her intimately and when you knew her as a friend, it's a different scenario altogether. And trying to sing on top of the loss is going to be one of the most harrowing experiences. But by faith in God, we'll get through it.
TUCHMAN: I spent part of this week in Newark, in East Orange, and talked with childhood friends of Whitney and I talked to her grade school principal. People just can't believe it. They just can't believe this happened to such a wonderful little girl and a wonderful star and inspired so many people. I mean, are you still in a state of disbelief?
MCCLURKIN: Well, Whitney was more than just an icon. Whitney was real -- a real person and she loved hard. And whom she loved, she loved with all of her heart. She shared herself with the whole entire world. But there was an intimate side of her that was so absolutely genuine, that you felt like you knew her. Like -- and all of our -- all of our time of knowing her, it's felt like she's been family to us.
And the way that she treated my sister and my mother, all of us, it was -- it's the way that she treated everybody. So it's going to be hard. People still haven't really registered yet that this is a real happening. But the loss is great and it's going to really take some time to get over this one.
TUCHMAN: Pastor, she was known as one of the greatest pop singers ever. But her start, her origins come from gospel. Tell me more about that.
MCCLURKIN: Yes. Well, see, not just her start and her origin. Throughout all of her pop (inaudible), she was still singing gospel, even in "The Preachers Wife." That's why that movie became so powerful, because Whitney was doing what Whitney does, gospel. Everything that she sang, even in the pop world and R&B world, she sang with the same gospel flare, because it was -- gospel's not just a music form. To her and to all of us, gospel is a lifestyle. And the one thing that you have to know about Whitney Houston is that she loved God and it portrayed in the way she developed and even in the way she portrayed her songs.
TUCHMAN: And how did faith touch her life, Pastor?
MCCLURKIN: Man, if you had to deal with some of the things that Whitney dealt with -- and we always brought attention to the addictions and the demons. But the only way to get through that as she did was with her faith in God, through prayer, through surrounding herself with people who would pray with her.
There would be times when we would be at an award show, one in particular I remember. And she -- they pulled me into her dressing room. She was nervous, and she was wrapped up in her nightgown. And she was ready to go out, but her nerves were so overwhelming to her. And she just wanted me to pray with her. That's how she got through everything.
When we paint the picture of Whitney Houston, we can't paint it just with her struggle. But we have to understand that she overcame a lot of hurdles. And the way she did so was with her faith in God.
TUCHMAN: Pastor McClurkin, I know this will be a very sad day, but I also know you will be very inspiring. Thank you very much for joining us.
MCCLURKIN: Gary, thank you for having me. I appreciate this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TUCHMAN: And remember, CNN will have special coverage of Whitney Houston's funeral in Newark, New Jersey. Our coverage will come your way just a few hours from now, 11:00 am Eastern.
There are some severe storms brewing in the South today, and it could even include tornadoes. Reynolds has your forecast.
And you know how it goes. The phone rings. You pick it up and wait and wait, just end up with a telemarketer on the line. That is about to stop for almost everybody. And I'll tell you why, just ahead.
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TUCHMAN: It is time to turn to Reynolds Wolf and the weather. And wait until you see this mess in Texas and Louisiana and Oklahoma and moving east.
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, it is a rude awakening this morning in the Lone Star State. No question about it. Gary's right. People waking up in Houston this morning don't need the alarm clock.
I mean, for one thing, it's Saturday morning, hopefully you are not waking up too early. But the thunderstorms are enough to rattle the windows for you along parts of -- even over towards I-10 and I-35. Austin is now in its wake, some scattered showers back in part of the Hill Country. But it is going to be the coast who are seeing the heaviest rainfall.
Notice this area right here; that's where you have your severe thunderstorm watches in effect. And I would expect those severe thunderstorms are going to produce quite a bit of rainfall. So much, in fact, the National Weather Service has already posted flood watch -- warnings and watches along much of the Gulf Coast, including back over towards Alabama and even into Florida.
Now, the thing that's making all this happen is this area of low pressure that you have right here on the Gulf Coast, it's not going to stay locked in place, it is going to jerk its way to the northeast. And when it does so, it's going to bring a heavy rainfall to places like, say, New Orleans with 69 degrees. We can expect those temperatures to get very close to 70 degrees by the early and late afternoon hours.
And those temperatures, kind of mild, will help keep the atmosphere very unstable. And that's where you could have the heavy rainfall, the strong thunderstorms, maybe even some tornadoes before all is said and done.
And with the rough weather, of course, you can expect some delays. Anyone trying to get through Houston, or even land in Houston, major delays over an hour due to the heavy rain and thunderstorms. Same deal in Dallas, farther to the north, yes. But you won't be able to escape that rough weather, heavy rain and thunderstorms.
And of course, New Orleans, the Big Easy, you are going to have those issues there, too, possibly a little bit of flooding around the French Quarter, keep that in mind today. And then Atlanta, the thunderstorms may lead to the late afternoon hours, say between the hours of 3:00 and 6:00, so into the early evening, too.
But in San Diego out to the West Coast, it's going to be mainly the marine layer that might keep you grounded for just a little bit. But Gulf Coast is the roughest spot, certainly, over the next 12 hours.
Gary, that's the latest in the forecast. More updates coming up in just a few moments.
TUCHMAN: Reynolds, thank you very much.
Coming up, it was the ancient home of gladiator fights. But the Colosseum in Rome is proving to be no match for Mother Nature. We'll tell you why.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TUCHMAN: Welcome back. It's 47 minutes past the hour. Time now for news that might have been "Off the Radar" for you.
The FCC is cracking down on those annoying unsolicited prerecorded messages from telemarketers. Now, they'll need to get your permission in writing before they can robocall you. It's all thanks to new rules passed this week.
It turns out it costs more to make pennies and nickels than the coins are worth. Right now it costs 2.4 cents to mint a penny, and 11.2 cents for each nickel. So now the Obama administration is asking Congress for permission to change the mix of metals that go into making these coins.
But here's the problem: the U.S. Mint has been exploring metal mixes since 2010, but still hasn't figured out which combinations can cut costs down.
The record ice and snow that battered Italy these pasts weeks have caused the walls of the Colosseum in Rome to crumble. And medieval churches and historic homes in the area are in danger of collapsing because of the weight of the snow. Thousands of tourists had to be turned away as authorities work to prevent more damage.
No need to battle it out in court. One particular hotel offers a quick and cheap way for unhappy couples to untie the knot. That's right, untie it, not tie it. Our "Morning Passport" is coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TUCHMAN: Well, it's time for this morning's passport with our very own Nadia Bilchik. OK, Nadia, first of all, Happy Valentine's Day from a few days ago. I --
(CROSSTALK)
NADIA BILCHIK, CNN EDITORIAL PRODUCER: -- post Valentine's Day.
TUCHMAN: Yes, let's call this post-Valentine's Day.
BILCHIK: So February, the month of love, is also one of the biggest months for divorce, because about it, on Valentine's Day, you get to say is this the person I really want to be romantic with? So believe it or not, February is a big month for divorce all around the world and particularly in Holland.
TUCHMAN: Well, it's very -- in Holland?
BILCHIK: Yes, in Holland, where we're going to for this morning's passport.
TUCHMAN: OK. Tell me about that.
BILCHIK: And that's where the concept of the divorce hotel originated. Jim Halfens, who is a legal product marketer, came up with the idea of having a one-stop shop for divorce.
He has a legal form, and people come in, and he says divorce takes up to two years. And it's a roller coaster and there's enormous strain on emotions and finances. What if you could book into a hotel with your now spouse, soon-to-be ex and have it over and done within two days?
But why would you want to go to a hotel with your ex?
BILCHIK: Because it is at the hotel that this particular company will bring in all the experts you need to make this divorce happen. Now how it works is this. You first go to the company, and they find out, in fact, if you are good candidates for the divorce hotel. If it's too acrimonious --
(CROSSTALK)
TUCHMAN: This sounds like -- this sounds like (inaudible) the "Love Boat," the divorce hotel --
BILCHIK: Exactly.
TUCHMAN: (Inaudible) a new show.
BILCHIK: That's why we thought it was such a good story.
TUCHMAN: (Inaudible).
BILCHIK: So what you do is we first take a look at the couple and decide, are they open to this type of mediation. Then they check in on a Saturday morning. And what happens is all the experts, the (inaudible), the psychologist or the social worker if you have got children; or the real estate expert, if you have a home; will come in and actually mediate the divorce.
And by Sunday, the papers are signed and then go to the court of Holland. Now after 15 or so couples that have been through it this year, only two or three have not managed to come to an agreement.
Also why this hotel, is they make sure they contract with the hotel so that the staff don't say things to the couple like, "Hello, Mr. And Mrs. So-and-So. We hope you have a wonderful stay." They're very discreet.
TUCHMAN: Well, let me ask you this, though. Do -- does the couple stay in the same room?
BILCHIK: Well, it's much cheaper to stay in the same room.
TUCHMAN: Well, Nadia, no kidding but --
BILCHIK: Chances are, most of the 15 couples have chosen to stay in separate rooms. Does that surprise you?
TUCHMAN: No. That doesn't surprise me. But, OK. So you have an option, though?
BILCHIK: You have an option. Same room or separate rooms, and it costs around $3,000. And for $3,000, the divorce from beginning to end takes place. And all that happens is it has to go to the court of Holland, a couple more weeks.
TUCHMAN: The International Court in The Hague or another court?
BILCHIK: No, the court in -- well, the -- not quite the international, depending, I suppose, how big the divorce is.
TUCHMAN: I suppose (inaudible).
BILCHIK: But what happens is, it's really an opportunity for couples who are spending too much time and too much energy on the divorce, who really need an opportunity for mediation to happen. And he says it's a one-stop shop.
TUCHMAN: So, final question: this is not a gimmick? This is real?
BILCHIK: It's real. It's absolutely real. I mean, couples have been through it. Look, most couples, by the time they get to divorce, can't do it in a weekend. It needs to take longer. But this is yet another option.
And there are lots of inquiries. And it is becoming more popular. And in fact, Jim Halfens says the concept is coming to the United States -- and this may surprise you, ha, ha -- it's going to be a reality show. (Inaudible) --
TUCHMAN: I'm shocked!
BILCHIK: Exactly --
TUCHMAN: I'm dumbfounded. I can't believe it.
BILCHIK: The divorce hotel reality. So I said to him, you know, what is the best and worst experience? He says, well, the worst was a couple who was so acrimonious that they ended up not managing to get divorced.
And then there was a couple that got on so terribly well, that the mediator wondered why they were getting divorced.
TUCHMAN: I see.
BILCHIK: And he said sometimes in the hotel you'll have a wedding going on in one room and a divorce in another. And he says, just because you had an unhappy marriage doesn't mean you have to have an unhappy divorce.
TUCHMAN: Very interesting. This is coming from Nadia Bilchik, the product of a very happy marriage.
BILCHIK: Absolutely.
TUCHMAN: All right, all right. I hope you don't have to use the divorce hotel. Thank you, Nadia.
Well, we switch gears now and talk about the final funeral preparations for Whitney Houston. They are now all set. We will take you live to Newark for the details. Plus, we have been asking you to weigh in on this story. A Cincinnati charter school is paying students to attend. Your comments right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TUCHMAN: A Cincinnati charter school is paying students -- paying them -- to attend class. But should the school do that? We asked you to weigh in, and here's what some of you are saying.
Michael (ph) tweets, "Never! It's a sad day in your nation when education of your children comes to that stage."
Jamie said, "People always tell me that school is my job. My response, why am I not getting paid for it? So, yes, pay me and I will gladly spend my time in a school's 'hallowed institution'."
And Andy writes, "It should more than likely be the other way around. And you earn your money back through grades, behavior, et cetera."
So keep those comments coming. Tweet me your thoughts at @GARYTUCHMANCNN.
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