[Banfield:] It is 47 minutes past 5:00 on the east coast, which is very early no matter how you slice it, west coast, east coast, it's real early. It's time to check our top stories making news this morning.
[Sambolin:] The Taliban says it is behind a suicide car bombing at the gates of the Jalalabad Airport in Eastern Afghanistan. Nine people were killed there, none of them Americans. The Taliban says the attack is revenge for last week's Koran burning at a U.S. base. And gas prices jump again. This is now the 20th day in a row. I know you're feeling it. The price at the pump now $3.70 a gallon. That's a penny more than yesterday. The nation's highest price in Hawaii where the average is $4.32. And North Korea says it is ready to go to war with the United States and South Korea. North Korea furious over joint military drills the U.S. and South Korea are holding this morning. Recent diplomatic talks between the U.S. and North Korea generated very little progress.
[Banfield:] Back here at home, the Alabama Senate is starting to debate a bill tomorrow that would require women to undergo an ultrasound before receiving an abortion. This is the governor, and he's standing at a podium, but he says he just learned about this bill and hasn't studied it yet. So, he's not prepared to say whether he supports it or not. Strangely, though, it's been in the news for over a week. The silent movie is the talk of Tinsel Town. It is "the Artist," and there is the game, walking home with five Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor. Martin Scorsese's "Hugo," though also came in really well, five academy awards for that animated picture. And rain, rain go away. Let Daytona have its day, maybe today, maybe tomorrow. NASCAR's premier event, the Daytona 500, will be held today, hopefully, if the weather permits. It's the first time the race will be held on a Monday in its 54-year history after rain washed them out yesterday.
[Sambolin:] You know, Rob Marciano is tracking that in Atlanta. He says it does not look good.
[Banfield:] Could be Tuesday. Surprising.
[Sambolin:] All right. 5:49 yes here in the east. Still ahead, critics saying poverty is an invisible issue with the GOP. We're going to take an inside look at a Republican stance on poverty from a man who knows a lot about it. He went from welfare to the White House.
[Banfield:] And Hillary Clinton is weighing in on what's going on in Afghanistan. The outrage, how to stop it, and why there should be no apology for our president's apology. Wonder how that's going to play? You're watching EARLY START.