Bomb Plot Suspect Talks; President Obama Holds Q&A; With Senate Democrats
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Time for your top-of-the-hour reset. I'm Don Lemon, in today for Tony Harris, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM. It is 12:00 in Washington, where top U.S. intelligence officials are warning al Qaeda is planning something, and apparently they're planning it soon. Still in Washington, the transportation secretary says you should park your recalled Toyota until it is fixed. And across the nation, parents are asking plenty of questions today after a landmark autism study is debunked. So let's get started right away. New information on a thwarted terror attack that could turn into a national security victory for the United States. Senior U.S. officials say the Christmas Day bomb suspect suddenly is quite talkative. Our homeland security correspondent, Jeanne Meserve, is in Washington. Jeanne, what are you hearing? They are hoping to get some information that they can use from this suspect.</s>JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: And they appear to be getting some, but today there is a hearing on Capitol Hill, the House Intelligence Committee, and some sparks have flown over this revelation that Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab is now cooperating with investigators. You'll remember he clammed up on Christmas Day after being read his rights. Republicans were highly critical, saying further interrogation could have yielded additional intelligence. So, last night, the Obama administration, pushed back, revealing that Abdulmutallab is now talking and providing that valuable information. But now Republicans are questioning that move.</s>REP. PETE HOEKSTRA (R), MICHIGAN: I do find it an interesting strategy that we hastily call a briefing to let America and our friends and our enemies in the Middle East know that he's now singing like a canary. Someone will someday have to explain that to me from an intelligence standpoint, why that -- why we would communicate that. And if we believe it's so important to communicate that, I'm assuming we invited Al-Jazeera to be there last night to get the information quickly.</s>MESERVE: Now, senior administration officials say that FBI agents went to Nigeria, the suspect's home country, and convinced two members of his family to come to the U.S. and meet with Abdulmutallab. The family members persuaded him to cooperate. Law enforcement officials say he is providing useful, current and actionable intelligence, information about his training overseas and who he met with and worked with. Officials say every lead is being followed up -- Don.</s>LEMON: This is just one topic though that that committee talked about. What else is being said about the threat picture overall, Jeanne?</s>MESERVE: Yes, this is the second day of hearings about the intelligence picture. And at yesterday's hearing, top guns from all the agencies were asked about the likelihood of another attempted terrorist attack in the next three to six months. The director of National Intelligence, Admiral Dennis Blair, said an attempted attack in that time frame is certain. CIA Director Leon Panetta, FBI Director Robert Mueller and others all concurred. Panetta also voiced concern about al Qaeda's ability to adapt and innovate. Also of note, Don, yesterday, and again today, Blair began his presentation by talking about the nation's vulnerability to cyberattacks, saying malicious cyberactivity is occurring on an unprecedented scale with extraordinary sophistication. Back to you.</s>LEMON: All right. Jeanne Meserve, our homeland security correspondent. Thank you, Jeanne. Three U.S. soldiers were killed today in Pakistan. A roadside bomb hit their convoy near a girl's school in the volatile northwest frontier province. Now, they're the first known U.S. military fatalities in that lawless tribal region near the Afghan border. The American troops were there to train Pakistani forces. Authorities say three schoolgirls and a Pakistani soldier were also killed in the attack. Another not-as-bad-as-expected report on jobs today. Not as bad as expected report. Payroll processor ADP says the private sector cut 22,000 jobs in January. Now, analysts had predicted that losses would hit 30,000. ADP's jobs report for January is the best in two years. New advice for Toyota owners. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says if you own one of the recalled Toyotas, you should not be driving it. Toyota is about to start installing reinforcing rods on millions of recalled vehicles. The company says that will fix the acceleration problem. LaHood spoke before a House committee today.</s>RAY LAHOOD, TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY: My advice is, if anybody owns one of these vehicles, stop driving it, take it to a Toyota dealer, because they believe they have the fix for it.</s>LEMON: President Obama tells fellow Democrats we've got to finish the job on health care, financial reform and other issues. The president wrapped up a Q&A; session with Democrats last hour, just days after he went before Republican lawmakers. And our White House Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux is standing by with some highlights. Hello, Suzanne.</s>SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, hey, Don. Obviously, there are different audiences that the president was trying to hit. He was in from of his own party, Democrats, but clearly there was a message to Republicans as well. To the Democrats, he acknowledged that, look, there is a lot of anguish, there's a lot of anger, that these are tough times to be Democrats. And he also answered the questions to many of those who are in some tough re-election battles themselves this year. But he also gently admonished them, and he said, look, you know, it's perhaps your natural instinct not to fight here, to keep your heads under during crises, but don't be spooked by all this and don't give up on health care reform. Now, to the Republicans, it was definitely, Don, a double message here, as we've heard before. On the one hand, saying, yes, I'd like to work with you, bipartisanship, this type of thing. But at the same time, blaming Republicans for being on the sidelines and acting like hypocrites. Here is how the president put it...</s>BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And I told them, I want to work together, when we can, and I meant it. I believe that's the best way to get things done for the American people. But I also made it clear that we'll call them out when they say they want to work with us, and we extend a hand and get a fist in return.</s>MALVEAUX: So, the president obviously trying to use some tough language against Republicans. Obviously trying to buck up, to bolster, some of those Democrats, particularly those in the audience who asked questions who are facing those tough re-election races, that they should move forward on their agenda. He reminded them that, look, you might not be the supermajority in the Senate, but you certainly are still the majority. We can still get things done, that he still believes in bipartisanship, Don. We have found the truly bipartisan one in the administration here. I want to point you out here. We had a winter wonderland this morning here at the White House. This is our bipartisan little snowman here. Some are calling him -- our crew calling him Snowbama. But you can see he's got his little ear piece, "CNN Equals Politics." He's ready to go. I don't know what it says about the fact that he's starting to melt, Don, but perhaps there is some bipartisanship here, you know, in the city. We found at least one of them. And should also...</s>LEMON: That's because...</s>MALVEAUX: Go ahead.</s>LEMON: I was just going to say, being bipartisan, you take a lot of heat. That's why he's melting.</s>MALVEAUX: Oh, hey, that's a good one. And he's melting as we speak. I want to mention one other thing. Robert Gibbs said today -- which is that next Tuesday is going to be that first meeting that the president talked about when he said he's going to bring Republicans and Democrats from the House and Senate together to the White House on a monthly basis. That's going to happen next Tuesday.</s>LEMON: Yes.</s>MALVEAUX: So, we'll see how all this goes. We'll see if they'll melt as well.</s>LEMON: Well, you know, and it's interesting how the people who asked questions were picked. And I'm glad you are saying that, because we're wondering, wow, there's, like, all of these speeches before the question. Like, are they going to answer a question?</s>MALVEAUX: Right. Well, they really need the president's help, and they also need to show, that, look, they can stand up to him as well, you know, for their constituents back home. So, there was a bit of showmanship there, as we saw.</s>LEMON: It was more for the constituents and for people back home than anything else. And I'm sure they do care, but we know what's going on. Thank you, Suzanne Malveaux. And glad you have the bipartisan guy next to you. Try to keep him cool, right?</s>MALVEAUX: Yes, keep him out here for a little bit longer. OK.</s>LEMON: Thank you. A major study that is linking autism to vaccines, well, it has been withdrawn. What does that mean, and how are parents reacting to that? We'll get some answers. First, though, our "Random Moment" in 90 seconds.