Democrats Debate Tonight in L.A.; Wild Winter Causing Construction Chaos; Wounds of War: Study of Brain Injuries; Governor Schwarzenegger Dissects the Debate and GOP Candidates
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Republican rumble.</s>SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We've got to get our fiscal house in order.</s>MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Middle income families are feeling squeezed.</s>CHETRY: Plus, then there were two. Clinton and Obama go head to head in the second round of our debate double-header. The "Most Politics in the Morning" live from L.A. Passport, please. New rules at the border. What you need to know. A nation of extreme, floods, winds, ice, and a January surprise on this AMERICAN MORNING.</s>CHETRY: And welcome. It is Thursday, January 31st, a special edition of AMERICAN MORNING today. I'm Kiran Chetry. We're live in New York Central Park, and this is where the surprise is, John, which I'll tell you about in just a second.</s>JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Yes. Well, one of the surprises this year, I guess, is that there's been no snow. So, I don't know, maybe you got some snow this morning. That would be great to see. I'm John Roberts. We are outside the Kodak Theater in Hollywood, California. It's a big night for the Democrats here. The field of presidential contenders has been whittled down from eight, now only two remain, Clinton versus Obama. The CNN Democratic debate is certainly the hottest ticket in town. The California Democratic Party says they're even getting more requests for tickets for this debate than they're getting for the Oscars. It's the last face-off before more than 20 states vote in a huge Super Tuesday contest next week, February 5th. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton will be fighting it out now for the Democratic nomination after John Edwards suspended his campaign yesterday. And a big endorsement on the Republican side today. CNN has learned that California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will give his support to Senator John McCain. The announcement will come today at a visit to a solar energy facility. People familiar with Schwarzenegger's plan said the governor did not want to upstage last night's debate by making his preference known either during or after the debate took place -- Kiran.</s>CHETRY: John, in 75 years, there has not been any measurable snowfall in all of New York City. That's about eight inches below normal for the month of January. Of course, we have been talking about wild and extreme weather across many other parts of the country. There was icy flooding in Buffalo, New York. The residents of the city's First Ward said it was the worst they've seen in years. The Buffalo River flowing down the street literally after near hurricane force winds blew that ice around yesterday afternoon. Also, strong winds sent a scaffolding down outside of Boston that crushed a construction trailer and a pickup truck. Thank goodness, no one was hurt in that. Also, snow covered roads and bitter cold in Wisconsin as well. It's warming up slightly there after temperatures plunged more than 50 degrees in a matter of hours. We saw that across much of the Midwest and even out in the pacific northwest. Still some dangerous times there in some parts of the state of Wisconsin. Also, an avalanche on Interstate 90 trapped two cars. This was in Washington State. That section of roadway closed for more than a day as crews looked for other cars in a 400-foot long by 30-foot deep area. There were no injuries reported there either. They also had the winds, but it was bone dry across parts of Texas. That was the perfect formula for wildfires there. Texas Governor Rick Perry actually declared a state of emergency for 152 counties in Texas yesterday, as those flames driven by the wind spread. Homes were destroyed. They ordered evacuations as the fires burned some 19,000 acres across Texas. And also just in right now, a tornado watch. This is in the south. Reynolds Wolf is in for Rob Marciano. He's tracking extreme weather for us right now. Good morning, Reynolds.</s>REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning to you, Kiran. You're right. We have a tornado watch that was issued by the Storm Prediction Center out of Norman, Oklahoma, for parts of Texas and into Louisiana. It will remain in effect until 1:00 local time. Let's go right to the weather computer. What we're going to do is actually zoom in on that location farther to the south. Here it is. Stretching from just near the Houston area, back over towards Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as you see on the far left-hand corner of the screen, you see that frontal boundary coming through. What they're banking on is the possibility of seeing some tornadoes spin up along parts of I-10. So we'll certainly keep an eye on that for you. Meanwhile, farther to the north, it's not a combination really of just rain but rather that cold air vecting in from the north. You've got plenty of moisture coming in from the south and it's going to be right into portions of the Midwest, including St. Louis, where you could see some very heavy snow falls. Some locations possibly up to a foot of snow. Let's talk about some delays you may deal with today, especially in places like Boston, back into the New York Metro Area and into Philadelphia, anywhere from 30 minutes to 45 minutes, due to some of the wind. This is definitely going to cause some issues for you. Meanwhile, in a few other locations, namely in places like Atlanta, look for about pretty much the same deal, up to an hour in St. Louis, due to that potential for snowfall. Some of it beginning this afternoon and into the evening and tomorrow. And then for Seattle, looking at arrival and departure delays due to the rain and the low clouds and visibility is going to be awfully poor. These pilots flying, of course, with I-4 (ph). That's the latest we got for you, Kiran. Let's send it back to you in snowless Central Park.</s>CHETRY: Snowless? And we want to talk about why, Reynolds, it's going to be interesting to look at the reasons why we didn't see a lot of snow here. We're talking with the spokeswoman for the Farmer's Almanac. You know, it's their job to predict the unpredictable each year. So she's going to tell us about the lack of snow here, and then also looking ahead to Groundhog Day. What can we expect in terms of spring? And as I head back inside, let me just say it was the wrong choice today to not wear pants. I don't know if you can see. Thank goodness for the Ugg boots but, Reynolds, it actually feels better after your legs freeze because then they don't hurt anymore. I'm heading back inside, and we'll be talking to Sandy Duncan coming up in about an hour -- John.</s>ROBERTS: All right. Looking forward to it. Thanks, Kiran. The Republican presidential candidates squaring off at last night's final debate before Super Tuesday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. But John McCain and Mitt Romney stealing the spotlight yet again with their personal attacks against each other.</s>MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I guess I'd also note that if you get endorsed by the "New York Times," you're probably not a conservative.</s>ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Senator McCain?</s>SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Let me note that I was endorsed by your two hometown newspapers...</s>ROMNEY: I know.</s>MCCAIN: ... who know you best including the very conservative "Boston Herald" who know you well better than anybody.</s>ROMNEY: I'd say the same thing.</s>ROBERTS: Who is more conservative? Who's the better leader? Who's got the best economic plan? All major points of contention last night inside the Reagan Library. CNN's Dana Bash who's watching it all, she joins me now live. Dana, this looked very much like the Democrats debate a week ago in Myrtle Beach.</s>DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It did. It was very confrontational particularly over the issue that the McCain thinks is his biggest strength. That, of course, is national security and Iraq. But, you know, at the same time, John, Governor Romney really tried to get at the credibility, even character of John McCain, the candidate he says is all about straight talk.</s>BASH (voice-over): You want to know how raw this Republican race is, just look at those glares and listen.</s>SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Timetables was the buzz word for withdrawal.</s>MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm not using the actual quote. That's not what I said.</s>BASH: The testy exchange over a fight John McCain picked with Mitt Romney in Florida, accusing him of supporting a timetable for troop withdrawal in Iraq.</s>ROMNEY: I do not propose nor have I ever proposed a public or secret date for withdrawal.</s>BASH: Romney was quick to invoke the GOP icon whose library was host.</s>ROMNEY: It sort of falls in the kind of dirty tricks that I think Ronald Reagan would have found to be reprehensible.</s>ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Senator McCain, tough words.</s>MCCAIN: Well, of course, he said he wanted a timetable.</s>BASH: Just five days before votes in 21 states, they mostly clashed over conservative credentials. Mitt Romney is trying to halt McCain's momentum by questioning his.</s>ROMNEY: I believe. If I'm correct -- correct me Senator, he voted twice against the Bush tax cuts. Only two Republicans did that.</s>BASH: McCain shot right back.</s>MCCAIN: As I understand it, his record was that he raised taxes by $730 million and that he called them fees.</s>BASH: But on one huge McCain weak spot were conservatives, illegal immigration, a concession. When asked if he would vote for his own legislation allowing citizenship --</s>MCCAIN: No, I would not because we know what the situation is today. People want the borders secured first.</s>BASH: And more than once, a stern reminder from Mike Huckabee, it's not a two-man race.</s>MIKE HUCKABEE (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You want to talk conservative credentials, let me get in on that. The only person that's sitting here today that is consistently supported the human life amendment.</s>BASH: But with what is essentially a national primary just five days from now, John, and, of course, the Super Tuesday, the key for these campaigns is to get as much national coverage as possible especially without spending a lot of money. Now, John McCain did that pretty successfully a day earlier with his big endorsement of Rudy Giuliani as he dropped out and hoping for an encore today with an endorsement, just a few hours we're told, from California's governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger.</s>ROBERTS: That will be a big one for him.</s>BASH: Yes.</s>ROBERTS: So, Dana, this was the last chance for these candidates in a public forum to try to define each other.</s>BASH: Yes.</s>ROBERTS: How do you expect the next couple of days of campaigning are going to go? Will they perhaps switch to the positive or do you think they'll still stay on the negative?</s>BASH: It's hard to see them switch into the positive because, you know, they really were positive, if you will, up until the last couple of days before the Florida primary, and it just became so intense and there was such a struggle, as you said, to define themselves and more importantly one another, that's it hard to see this not continuing. What is really interesting is that, because this is so big in terms of 21 states, is that -- you know, Governor Romney, he spent so much money, as you know on television ads in all the other contest states. He told this morning, he has not bought any TV time in any of these states. So, it seems, though, what they're going to be doing is relying on again, free media, trying to get out as much as they possibly can. Just do interview after interview after interview in all of these states just to, you know, see if they can get any kind of traction, particularly for Governor Romney.</s>ROBERTS: Yes. And run going into Tuesday. Dana Bash, thanks very much.</s>BASH: Thank you.</s>ROBERTS: I caught up with Mitt Romney and John McCain immediately after the debate last evening and asked them about the swipes that they've been taking at each other.</s>ROBERTS: Senator, you went at Governor Romney pretty hard tonight. Why did you feel the need to do that this evening?</s>SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Yes. It was really responding, I think, to the critical issue of our time is whether we withdraw from Iraq and whether we set a timetable or not, and I think that it was a very spirited conversation about that. That's what people went to see.</s>MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Everybody said what he said was just simply wrong, reprehensible. I think it was a huge mistake on his part. He wants to stick with it, so he's going to take the shots for it as long as he's doing that. Senator McCain is just I think out of step with Republicans on issue after issue, and that's what is going to hopefully get me the nod.</s>ROBERTS: I also talked with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger after the debate to get his thoughts on the back and forth. We'll have that for you in about 15 minutes time here at AMERICAN MORNING. And tonight, it is the Democrats turn. The once eight person Democratic field now down to just two. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama will take the stage here at the Kodak Theater for their last debate before Super Tuesday. It is the first time that the candidates will debate one-on-one after John Edwards suspended his campaign yesterday. Win or lose, the Democrats will make history this year, choosing either a woman or African-American as the party's nominee. CNN Democratic debate begins tonight at 8:00 Eastern. Wolf Blitzer will moderate. You can catch an encore presentation of the Republican debate today at noon Eastern right here on CNN. On the "Financial Security Watch" today, we are watching world stock markets respond to the Fed's rate cut here in the United States yesterday. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index closed down almost one percent, but Tokyo's Nikkei closed almost two percent higher. European markets right now are trading mostly down. So, mixed around the world right now. We'll see how the Dow does, coming up at 8:30, 9:30 rather. The Senate's Finance Committee approved a bill Wednesday to help stimulate the economy. It gives one time tax rebates to millions of Americans. The Senate's version could be up for a vote today. It calls for extending unemployment benefits. The White House, or the House rather and the White House say that they would prefer the version the House approved so Americans can get their rebate checks faster. Well, a new study funded by the military says soldiers who suffered concussions in Iraq are at much higher risk of getting post- traumatic stress disorder. CNN's chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta is here now with the details. So, let's look at traumatic brain injury which we've heard you report so much on and post-traumatic stress disorder, whether the two are connected or whether they're separate. What did they find out?</s>DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. That's exactly right, and specifically mild traumatic brain injuries. So people who may have had concussions, people are referred to as getting their bell rung, for example. The numbers are starting to coming back, John. About one and five people throughout the 18 to 20 percent, have had concussions either in Iraq or Afghanistan. The question that you're asking and a lot of people are asking, what next? What they're finding is about 44, nearly half of those people go on to have post-traumatic stress disorder. That's a very high number. And even more than that, a lot of the symptoms associated with a head injury, such as headaches, such as dizziness, lack of sleep -- all these sorts of things in the long run, more chronic problems seem to be more associated with the post-traumatic stress disorder than the concussion itself. So concussion leading to the PTSD, leading to a lot of this sort of vague, sort of longer-term symptoms.</s>ROBERTS: Well, I know. This maybe is more applicable to the civilian world because we don't talk too much about post-traumatic stress disorder here. But there is something called post-concussive syndrome.</s>GUPTA: Absolutely.</s>ROBERTS: Is this similar?</s>GUPTA: It is, and this is interesting. This particular study that you're referring to, published in the "New England Journal of Medicine" had a hard time distinguishing between what is post- concussive syndrome, exactly what you said, and post-traumatic stress. And the way that they sort of figured this out was they took people who had concussions but did not develop PTSD, and figured out what sort of symptoms that they had in the long run versus people who had concussions and did develop PTSD and figured out their symptoms. What they're trying to say is, look, are we targeting the most effective treatment for these chronic long-term problems? Should we sort of treating the post-concussive thing --</s>ROBERTS: Is it a suggestion that maybe antidepressants might help?</s>GUPTA: Well, there's lots of different treatments for post- traumatic stress disorder. Some of it does involve medication -- sometimes antidepressants, sometimes anti-anxiety medications, sometimes it's sort of immersion therapy. Actually, taking people back in, in a safe way back to the area where they were. I saw a lot of this when I was out in Iraq. You know, actually seeing a lot of these head injuries out there and seeing how they treated people at the scene, at the time. So, you know, treating them then, treating them in the long run as well.</s>ROBERTS: Perhaps a promising area of research.</s>GUPTA: Yes. I think it's real important. It's been so hard to figure out exactly what to do. If people have these vague symptoms in the long run, this might help.</s>ROBERTS: Great. Well, Sanjay, thanks very much for that.</s>GUPTA: Thanks, John,</s>ROBERTS: We'll get you back because you got your mailbag coming up, too, this morning.</s>GUPTA: Of course, thanks.</s>ROBERTS: We've got some great questions this morning as well -- Kiran.</s>CHETRY: Thanks, guys. Well, still ahead, the IRS issuing a new warning. It's to watch out for tax rebate and tax return scams. We're going to tell you how to make sure your personal information stays safe. Also, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger expected to endorse Senator John McCain today. We caught up with Schwarzenegger last night. John talked to him, and he was disappointed with the way the event turned out.</s>GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA: This debate here today, you know, especially at the Reagan Library, I think was a shame that there was a lot of wasted opportunities because I think that --</s>CHETRY: We're going to find out more about what the governor was talking about, and what he says he wanted to hear from the candidates ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.