interview that. coul comes out this week. not only is that couple a mismatch, but they would likely end up needing couple's counseling. the interview was conducted by actress emma watson. that's it for "the lead." right now i turn you over to wolf blitzer in "the situation room." wolf? jake, thank you. new savage ree in syria's civil war. fears that the violence could spread to this country. is america's syria policy failing? heroin on the rise. the death of philip seymour hoffman as an old plague brings addiction and fear to a new generation. and a new poll shows new trouble for chris christie. just as conservatives welcome him back to a gathering, he may be crossing his biggest rival. i'm wolf blitzer. you're in "the situation room."

we begin with new concerns that syria's savaged violence could spread to the united states. the regime drops and islamic are beheading people as one of the allies has gone too far. is the obama administration's syria policy falling apart right now? let's go straight to barbara starr. she has the latest. barbara? >> wolf, the question is, how bad is it? consider this. al qaeda is still there and possibly heading for u.s. shores. chemical weapons are still there and civilians are being killed by the hundreds. the horror for syria does not stop. punishing air raids by bashar al assad's forces on to the city of aleppo. two dozen people killed on monday. another 90 people killed over

the weekend, ard coulding ccord another group. syria now operating at will. >> this must kethis is a challee to his authority and a very serious challenge to the future of the organization he has spent so much time trying to build. >> the group, the islamic stayed in iraq has been disowned by zawarhi's plan to lead his feet in syria, leaving the rogue group potentially even more dangerous. >> it's killed civilians, it's beheaded individuals, it's alienated a local population. this is a nightmare for the syrian oppositions. >> it's absolutely necessary to

press for a negotiated political resolution to this conflict. there's no other alternative. >> but the united nations envoy is not helpful. >> about prisoners, kidnapped people, again, we haven't been able to do anything. >> also worrisome, the assad regime is weeks behind schedule in shipping chemical weapons out of the country. questions about whether that agreement is falling apart. >> not falling apart but we would like to see it proceed much more quickly. >> and analysts worry the rise of this al qaeda organization in syria could lead to more attacks in neighboring countries like jordan and lebanon and embolden the groups to move against u.s. embassies in the region. wolf? >> barbara starr at the pentagon, thank you very much.

secretary of state john kerry lost faith in the syrian policy. he met privately with u.s. lawmakers during a security conflicts in munich, germany. joining us is josh rogin, correspondent for ""the daithe beast." what's going on here? >> according to john kerry and lindsey graham, kerry expressed deep frustration with the syrian security. the syrian governorment was slow-rolling the chemical issue and said that basically all of his faith in the administration's current policies is failing and he advocated for more internal measures by the white house. >> jay carney is pushing back on your report. i'll play a little clip of what

he said today. >> i think the stories that you're referring to actually appear to be a reflection of what senators mccain and graham think of our policies, not what secretary kerry thinks. >> go ahead. >> the state department has said that john kerry did not raise the arming issue but sure there's a difference in tone between what john kerry is saying and john mccain are saying but the level of frustration is deep and it's been reported that john kerry along with other members of the administration have been stifled by the white house. >> so you see a split developing between john kerry on the one hand and the white house on the other hand? >> i think the split has been apparent for years. if you remember, two years ago hillary clinton and dave petraeus have advocated forearming the rebels. now the split seems to be john kerry and cia director john b n brennan on one hand and ben

rhodes on the other hand. >> al qaeda has developed an enormous base in syria. now they are beginning to go back to various countries, whether in europe or africa or other states. how serious of a threat to the united states homeland is there from the al qaeda operation in syria? >> well, the senators were particularly shocked by testimony last week by director of national intelligence james clapper who said that the assessment, a braunch of al qaeda has an intent to attack the homeland. they saw that as acknowledgement of their fears all along and if we stay out of syria long enough their ambitions would be to attack the united states. they said that john kerry confirmed those fears and clapper's assessment in the private meeting. >> you know, the president is going to go to saudi arabia next month to meet with ding abdulla. they don't like the u.s.

strategy. >> you've shown the clip that talks have failed and a saudi prince said that they were frustrated for not fulfilling the promise and a range of questions. the u.s. has little or know control over that arming and this will be at the top of the agenda when president obama meets the king. >> it certainly will be. josh rogin of the daily beast. >> thank you. february is off to a terrible start for investors. the dow plunged another 32 of poin 326%. the s&p 500 and nasdaq also lost over 2%. it's been a rough year for wall street. the dow dropped more than 1,000 points from its all-time high that hit the last day of 2013 and fell more than 5% last month alone.

that's the worst january since 2009. up next, new details on the death of the actor philip seymour hoffman and a shocking upsurge in heroin use in the united states. and chris christie firing back to "the new york times" that a former ally has apparently turned on him. amazing story about a teenager defying the odds on the football field. we're going to tell you how cnn viewers stepped up to give him a weekend that he will never forget. when jake and i first set out on our own, we ate anything. but in time you realize the better you eat, the better you feel. these days we both eat smarter. and i give jake purina cat chow naturals. made with real chicken and salmon, it's high in protein like a cat's natural diet. and no added artificial flavors.

we've come a long way. and whatever's ahead, we'll be there for each other. naturally. purina cat chow naturals. because an empty pan is a blank canvas. [ woman #2 ] to share a moment. [ woman #3 ] to travel the world without leaving home. [ male announcer ] whatever the reason. whatever the dish. make it delicious with swanson. where their electricity comes from. they flip the switch-- and the light comes on. it's our job to make sure that it does. using natural gas this power plant can produce enough energy for about 600,000 homes. generating electricity that's cleaner and reliable, with fewer emissions-- it matters. ♪ choose two melt-in-your mouth entrees, olive garden's best 2 for $25 yet is ending soon! like new parmesan crusted chicken,

3 courses, 2 people, just $25 at olive garden! also enjoy weekday signature favorites, four classic pastas, now just $10! i nethat's my geico digital insurance id card - gots all my pertinents on it and such. works for me. turn to the camera. ah, actually i think my eyes might ha... next! digital insurance id cards. just a tap away on the geico app. could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. everybody knows that. well, did you know that when a tree falls in the forest and no one's around, it does make a sound? ohhh...ugh. geico. little help here. open to innovation. open to ambition. open to bold ideas. that's why new york has a new plan -- dozens of tax free zones all across the state. move here, expand here, or start a new business here and pay no taxes for ten years... we're new york.

if there's something that creates more jobs, and grows more businesses... we're open to it. start a tax-free business at startup-ny.com. crestor got more high-risk patients' bad cholesterol to a goal of under 100. way to go, crestor! yeah! getting to goal is a big deal, especially if you have high cholesterol plus any of these risk factors. because you could be at increased risk for plaque buildup in your arteries over time.

so, when diet and exercise aren't enough to lower cholesterol, adding crestor can help. go, crestor! ♪ ♪ oh, yeah [ female announcer ] crestor is not right for everyone, like people with liver disease or women who are nursing, pregnant, or may become pregnant. tell your doctor about other medicines you're taking. call your doctor right away if you have muscle pain or weakness, feel unusually tired, have loss of appetite, upper belly pain, dark urine, or yellowing of skin or eyes. these could be signs of rare but serious side effects. crestor! yes! [ female announcer ] ask your doctor about crestor. if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help.

we're learning new details about the shocking death of philip seymour hoffman. an autopsy is expected to confirm that the actor died of a heroin overdose. hoffman's body was found with the needle still in his arm. this is sparking huge debate across washington about the growing use of heroin and what some call an overdose ep didemi. brian, what are you finding out? >> they say heroin use in the united states is growing steadily and has been for the past few years. they say it's easier to get, cheaper, and in many cases more deadly than it's ever been. there were close to 50 envelopes in his apartment believed to contain heroin, according to law enforcement sources, along with more than 20 syringes. if he did overdose on heroin, his final hours reflect what u.s. officials say is a menacing

tide. >> we have an explosion of heroin use in this country. >> in a survey, according to the governorment, 166,000 americans have said that they have used heroin in the past month. >> heroin overdose deaths in the u.s. went up 45% between 2006 and 2010, according to the cdc. one big reason for the rise in use, the nationwide crackdown on prescription pill abuse. those drugs are now harder to get and more expensive than heroin. >> on the street, if it's going to cost you $80 to get a pill, some opiate, pharmaceutical type of drug versus $10 for heroin, that's what we're seeing. >> it has a similar long-term effect of mellowing people out and of kind of numbing them. >> though heroin gives a high in a quicker rush. going from prescription drugs to heroin is especially dangerous

because unlike prescription drugs, doses of heroin are inconsistent and can be laced with deadly additives. 22 people in maryland died of heroin. >> i had just finished doing the heroin and i walked into the bathroom and i just woke up on the ground. >> experts say it's mixed with heroin to enhance the high. it only takes a small amount to get you hooked or to kill. >> it's gun in terms of micrograms. >> and if you mix any of that with heroin, what happens? >> it's hard to dilute it so the heroin user has no idea what they are getting and they put that into their arm and it's what we call hot shots. >> reporter: the police are telling them that it's not untypical to see a user who has injected heroin dead with the

needle still in their arm. it can kill you that quickly. wolf? >> you are getting additional information about who is using heroin now for the first time. >> just about every piece of information that we're getting about heroin use is horrible. it's amazing. according to the substance abuse and mental health and services administration, heroin users are starting at much younger ages now. the average age now for a first-time user, just before their 15th birthday. these are children. >> terrible. all right. brian, thanks very much. let's dig deeper right now with jeff, himself a recovering addict. philip seymour hoffman, jeff, he was a father of three, an oscar winner, so many movies. explain how this could happen to someone like him. >> well, wolf, recovering addicts can relapse. that's not an uncommon thing.

it's something that you try to exercise maximum vigilance towards maintaining your recovery but, you know, everybody is human and anybody can slip up, especially as you get older and you've been clean for a long time, things come up, medical procedures that require narcotic pain medications, surgeries, things like that. those are things that in the recovery community people have a lot of anxiety about that and talk about it a lot in terms of as i get older, how will i handle those situations where i may need to take narcotics medically. sometimes they come into your life. >> our law enforcement sources have told us here at cnn that what they found inside hoffman's apartment was pretty shocking. close to 50 packets of heroin labeled, quote, ace of spades, several empty baggies labeled ace of hearts and 20 plus used syringes. what does that say to you?

>> well, it sounds like a full-blown relapse to me. obviously he was using very heavily. i think the first report i heard was that he also had five empty bags next to him when he was found dead, which says to me that it's possible that he got a hand on some of the fentanyl-tainted heroin. he was using quite a it about. i think if you're going to put five dime bags cook it and shoot it regardless of whether you're a very heavy using addict, you're really walking a line there. that's really dangerous. >> it's hard to believe this could happen because allegedly, supposedly he had been clean for, what, 23 years. that's what we were told. >> sure. sure. and i think that part of the problem is the way that we provide drug treatment for opiate users is typically rehab. people understand to go to a

detox program to stay inpatient for a period of time and when you come out of those programs, if you relapse, you're at a very, very high risk for overdose because your tolerance that there is some thinking here in terms of how we provide drug treatment and whether somebody like like hoffman would have been better off taking a drug like seboxin or another maintenance drug where he would not have been totally abstinent from all drugs but the craving would be taken care of and the overdose risk is far, far less. >> jeff deeney, thank you very much for joining us. >> thank you, wolf. coming up, chris christie declares an emergency but the weather is not the only

emergency facing him. we have new information on the polls facing him. and could his problems give rise to another white house run by mitt romney? plus, this story inspired so many of you, a teenage football star born without arms, wait until you hear about the remarkable events that followed our report. welcome back. how is everything? there's nothing like being your own boss! and my customers are really liking your flat rate shipping. fedex one rate. really makes my life easier. maybe a promotion is in order.

good news. i got a new title. and a raise? management couldn't make that happen. [ male announcer ] introducing fedex one rate. simple, flat rate shipping with the reliability of fedex. afghanistan, in 2009. orbiting the moon in 1971. [ male announcer ] once it's earned, usaa auto insurance is often handed down from generation to generation. because it offers a superior level of protection. and because usaa's commitment to serve current and former military members and their families is without equal. begin your legacy. get an auto insurance quote. usaa. we know what it means to serve.

in new jersey, the snow is swirling, much like the scandal swirling around the administration and governor christie is taking a beating in our latest poll. our chief congressional correspondent dana bash has the very latest. dana? >> wolf, in about two hours chris christie will appear on an "ask the governor" radio show. last month he denied knowing anything about bridgegate but behind the scenes, christie's team is pushing back hard on the latest accusation that christie is not telling the truth. a snowy day in the garden state,

christie turned to twitter. he declared a state of emergency. while the state of his own national future is increasingly unclear, support from independents held to make him a different kind of republican but an orc poll shows that christie is losing to clinton in a hypothetical matchup, 39% to 52%. one month earlier it was the complete opposite. christie got 59% from independent voters and clinton, 33%. >> thank you very much to all of our partners, the nfl, team owners. >> reporter: even this nonpartisan super bowl ceremony appeared to turn political. >> enough speeches of the same thing. >> reporter: boos coming from the crowd during the governor's brief remarks. still, christie is trying to get back at wildstein who claims to have evidence that the bridge closings while they were

happening. this memo goes after wildstein in a blistering, personal way. attacking his character with examples that start in high school, saying of wildstein, as a 16-year-old kid he sued over a local school board election. and he was publicly accused by his high school social studies teacher of deceptive behavior. in his press conference last month, christie tried to dispute reports he and wildstein were childhood friends. >> i was the class president and athlete. i don't know what david was doing during that period of time. >> a concerned christie friend said that those remarks may have antagonized wildstein but christie is doubling down. he's seeing some new support by conservatives, accepting an invitation to an annual cpac. >> it's for congressional sports. some years you get in and some years you don't. >> christie is throwing red meat

to conservatives by going hard after one of their favorite targets, "the new york times," for initially reporting that wildstein had evidence that christie was not telling the truth, only to later sauoften t vague allegations that wildstein really made. i spoke to a conservative, wolf, who said that the conservative sympathy for that only goes so far. >> dana, thank you. christie's team is acting like a best defense and maybe a strong offense. let's bring in our senior analyst jeffrey toobin. i know that you've been doing checking with your sources. what are you hearing about the documents that are being subpoenaed and about to be released. >> they were talking about the

snowstorm and they wanted to get out of trenton and they received some materials but most of the 20 folks who have been subpoenaed asked for extensions. nobody delivered anything before today. today was the deadline. i don't think we're going to learn much about what is in the stuff that they received for a little while. they don't have a huge staff there. and they are being affected by the snowstorm and most of the stuff they asked for is the subject of these extensions. so i think we are looking at months, this playing out for months. >> i know for a fact that ryan lizza was disruptive in high school and i'm not sure you should listen to anything he says on this issue. >> have you spoken to his social studies teacher? >> i have. it's important for viewers to know this. >> what is up with that? why would anyone care, he was 16 years old and may have been disruptive, social studies teacher thought he may not have been -- what's the point? >> i think desperation makes people look for silly arguments and they have looked for a silly

argument here and of course it only makes christie look ridiculous. what matters are the facts of the investigation. these documents will either incriminate or will not incriminate christie. to me, the most important issue is when and if these principle figure figur figures, wildstein and kelly get immunity, whether we will hear their testimony. and what wildstein did in high school is going to be very irrelevant. >> can i ask one thing on this ridiculous allegation? he's talking about high school there. if you look at the article that christie's people are referencing, the article says the teacher who wildstein allegedly had this accusation, that he was deceptive, they put out a joint statement saying it was a big misunderstanding. so even the high school -- >> i'll repeat, what's up with this? it doesn't look very presidential. this is a guy that christie

himself put on the port authority. if he was such a jerk, why did christie as governor create this special position for him on the port authority? >> i think that's the more obvious, important question, the glaring contradiction here. i don't care if the kid had cuddies in high school. you put this person in a very high up position where you were meant to trust him implicitly with a lot of big goings on. why did do you that if you had so many questions about him? but the problem with these "new york times" stories and the democrat pile-ones, the dawn zimmers, there's this urgency and giddiness to get ahead of the facts. the facts of the investigation will come out. that's what will tell where this story goes. all this is doing, getting ahead of the facts, is shoring up his sympathy with the very people who trusted him the least, the

far right republicans. nothing has changed about chris christie's positions between last year and this year, yet suddenly cpac has decided he no longer is too liberal for cpac. you're going to see that over the years if this keeps going. >> but that's not enough for chris christie to sort of recover his place in the 2016 hierarchy of republican candidates. >> that has to prove out to be -- he has to prove clean on that. but absolutely, i mean, if you might be losing independents for him but you're gaining them on the far right. and the numbers will bear that out. >> but mathematically, that's not a general election strategy. >> right. >> it's good for the primary, though. >> the whole idea of chris christie as a national candidate is he was going to get the independents and if his strategy suddenly becomes, vote for me because "the new york times"

doesn't like me -- >> sure. >> funding under the aca or my immigration position or my gun position of new jersey, remember, he has problems with conservatives. >> that's right. the very people who are now sympathetic -- >> new jersey republican and obviously he's a little bit more attractive conservatives because the liberal media and others are piling up on him. >> right. >> here's polls from our brand new c ncnn 2016, huckabee 14%, d paul, 13%. jeb bush, 10%. chris christie, 10%. he's basically still up there. >> that is really remarkable when you think about how there is not a front-runner. there has really almost never been a republican presidential candidate race in our lifetime where there hasn't been at least somewhat of a -- >> even this early? >> even this early. >> it's a little early. obama was absolutely being blown away by hillary in the polls. >> republicans.

>> sure. but -- >> for decades republicans on the republican side, there was always the last time. >> you know who the front-runner was three years before the election, the 2008 election. at this point in 2006 it was rudy giuliani, the republican front-runner who didn't exactly do that well. now, we showed how independents were aligning themselves in this brand new orc poll with clinton versus christie back in december. christie actually beat hillary clinton with registered voters, 48%, 46%. this is all voters, democrats, independents. but now look at this. hillary clinton would beat christie 39% to 48%. this is a hypothetical election, obviously. >> if it weren't today. >> but it goes to show you the difference between december and february. >> well, a lot has happened for chris christie, right? and, you know, it's no surprise that the immediate reaction to even just the insinuation of a

scandal, let alone some pretty serious allegations is reflected in the polls. i mean, the folks in new jersey who were maybe democrats, maybe republicans who voted for -- they still like him. they still like chris christie. they still want chris christie to be their governor but nationally, people in the middle of the country, all they see is scandal, scandal, scandal. >> the problem with this scandal is there is a factual question that is completely unanswered at this point. who ordered this bridge -- who ordered these lanes shut down and why? and it's genuinely a mystery, certainly to me and i think most people covering it. >> does anybody really think that bridget kelly, the deputy chief of staff woke up one day, sent an e-mail to wildstein, you know what, start some traffic problems in ft. lee? >> she either was told to did it by someone higher up, including maybe the governor himself or there was a culture in that administration, the christie administration where his closest aides thought this was an

neither one reflects good on christie, right? >> what do you think? >> agreed. it's a legitimate question. i believe that with all of the subpoenas, i believe with all of these investigations we're going to get answers. but let's not get ahead of the story. >> all right. we're not going to get ahead of the story. >> we don't do that here. >> 2016 matchup -- >> you guys will get ahead of the story on "cross-fire." s.e., you'll be there? >> i will there tonight. >> of course you will be. >> thanks. up next, president obama facing troubling poll numbers. details of where he's losing some public support. our brand new poll numbers are coming up. and would mitt romney run for president again? we're looking at the shifts on the political landscape that could send him back on the campaign trail. hey guys! sorry we're late. did you run into traffic? no, just had to stop by the house to grab a few things.

you stopped by the house? uh-huh. yea. alright, whenever you get your stuff, run upstairs, get cleaned up for dinner. you leave the house in good shape? yea. yea, of course. ♪ [ sportscaster talking on tv ] last-second field go-- yea, sure ya did. [ male announcer ] introducing at&t digital life. personalized home security and automation. get professionally monitored security for just $29.99 a month. with limited availability in select markets. ♪ with limited availability in select markets. life could be hectic. as a working mom of two young boys angie's list saves me a lot of time. after reading all the reviews i know i'm making the right choice. online or on the phone, we help you hire right the first time. with honest reviews on over 720 local services. keeping up with these two is more than a full time job, and i don't have time for unreliable companies. angie's list definitely saves me time and money. for over 18 years we've helped people take care of the things that matter most. join today.

all right. this just coming in to "the situation room." after cities near all-time lows, president obama's approval rating has edged up a bit in the orc poll taken in the last couple of days. 45% say they approve of president obama's handling of his job. 50% disapprove. it's not all good news, though, for the white house. let's turn to our senior white house correspondent brianna keilar. brianna, walk us through the latest numbers. >> reporter: wolf, what they are showing us is as president obama tries to boost his presidency in

the final three years, americans have a lot of pessimism about what he has accomplished and what he is planning on accomplishing. americans were asked if they hope president obama's policies will succeed. 58% said yes. that's certainly more than a majority but that is down 12 points from a year ago when 70% said yes and what's perhaps more discouraging for the white house is that even though a majority of americans hope his policies will succeed, many more americans doubt that they will. only 37% of those polled said they think the president's policies will succeed. that is down 17% from 54% a year ago. so wolf, skepticism even among those who are really rooting for president obama. >> did his state of the union address have much of an impact on these numbers? >> reporter: well, that's really the thing. this poll is also showing that not a lot of people watched or really paid a whole lot of attention.

check this out. it's pretty stunning. only 16% watched the whole speech. 17% watched some of it. 14% watched a little of it and more than half of americans did not watch any of the president's state of the union. so this really highlights, wolf, what a huge task president obama has in not just trying to get president obama to like his agenda and what he's done but to seen get them to pay attention to it and if you ask people in this poll, you know, did they have a positive reaction to the state of the union when from what they saw, from what they heard, 44% of people had a positive reaction but more than half were either unsure or had a negative reaction to it, wolf. >> brianna, thank you very much. brianna is over at the white house. let's bring in chief political analyst gloria borger and kevin madden, a former romney strategist. speaking of romney, kevin, he said to the "new york times" on january 18th if he was going to run again a third time for the

republican presidential nomination for president of the united states, said, oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. people are always gracious and say, oh, you should run again. i'm not running again. but now there's a little bit of talk out there that maybe he should reconsider. >> how is it only in politics we can final enough people to think that there's a but at the end of the 14 nos? look, i take him at his word. i don't believe that there's any chance that he should run again. i think that the speculation is a product of two things. first, the recent mitt documentary that has come out, it's changed people's perceptions about governor romney. it's painted him in a very positive way. there's a little bit of buzz about it. and the second thing is, because of the troubles that chris christie has had, people believe there may be a space there for a northeastern moderate who was a former chief executive to maybe

occupy that space. those are the only two really reasons that i -- the two real reasons -- >> here's another reason why. maybe, maybe he should reconsider because a poll came out about a month ago, basically a poll between barack obama and mitt romney. if the election were today, a year after the election, who would you vote for? and -- >> real quick, i'll agree with you, all of these polls are absent the normal pressures scrutiny of a day to day campaign. and i would say that there is some buyer's remorse between those -- the most mobile part of the electorate that may have voted for barack obama and now regrets it. >> yeah. and i think it's donors, wolf, who -- if chris christie fall t falters. >> but you spoke to him in june. >> yes. >> you asked him that question. >> i did. >> let me play what he said to you. >> it was hard work. i say it was like a roller

coaster. yes, there are ups and downs but you still pay to get on the roller coaster. it's a real thrill and an experience that we will never forget and, frankly, i'd do it again -- >> you would? >> look -- >> again? >> i would do it again but it's not my time. >> thank you. i'll go with that. >> i would love to do it again. i'd love to do it and win but it's not my time. i had my chance. >> you know, as you know, gloria, ronald reagan did not get the nomination the first time he ran, he didn't get it the second time he ran. third time he ran he got the republican nomination and became president of the united states. >> but if you listen to what mitt romney's saying there and you look at ann romney, first of all, who was having none of it -- >> fright. >> scare. she would for the do this again. i do not believe she would go willingly. but if you listen to him, he's saying generationally it's not my time. i think would mitt romney at

some point in his life -- and maybe kevin can answer this better than i can -- see some sort of public service for himself? absolutely. does he think he would be a et about better president than the one currently sitting there? yes. but if you say to mitt romney, who would you like to be president of the united states? he'd probably say paul ryan. >> and he doesn't feel the need to be in politics to validate his public life. he knows there are other avenues to do it. most important to him, i believe right now, having known him and worked with him for a long time, is spending time with his family and that's something that came out there in the documentary, how much time he likes spending with his family. i think he's happy doing that right now. >> and if you talk to people in the campaign, in addition to kevin shaking their heads going, this is totally organic and it's nothing that the romney folks have anything to do with. >> the band is not getting back

together. >> politics is a crazy business. you never know. never say never. we'll see what happens. >> kevin, gloria, thanks. we're going to get a chance to hear from mitt romney himself. he's going to be my special guest right here on wednesday in "the situation room." we'll talk about that and a whole lot more. stay tuned for that. wednesday, mitt romney, here with me live in "the situation room." just ahead, our viewers were so inspired by a story we brought you last week about a armless field goal kicker, this young man was given a weekend that most only dream about. that's next. exclusive new details about the threat from potential so-called black widow suicide bombers at the winter olympic games in sochi, russia. we're going live to sochi. we asked people a question, how much money do you think you'll need when you retire?

$500,000. maybe half-million. say a million dollars. [ dan ] then we gave each person a ribbon to show how many years that amount might last. ♪ i was trying to like pull it a little further. you know, i was trying to stretch it a little bit more. [ woman ] got me to 70 years old. i'm going to have to rethink this thing. [ man ] i looked around at everybody else and i was like, "are you kidding me?" [ dan ] it's just human nature to focus on the here and now. so it's hard to imagine how much we'll need for a retirement that could last 30 years or more. so maybe we need to approach things differently, if we want to be ready for a longer retirement. ♪ ♪

♪ but with less energy, moodiness, and a low sex drive, i had to do something. i saw my doctor. a blood test showed it was low testosterone, not age. we talked about axiron the only underarm low t treatment that can restore t levels to normal in about two weeks in most men. axiron is not for use in women or anyone younger than 18 or men with prostate or breast cancer. women, especially those who are or who may become pregnant, and children should avoid contact where axiron is applied as unexpected signs of puberty in children or changes in body hair or increased acne in women may occur. report these symptoms to your doctor. tell your doctor about all medical conditions and medications. serious side effects could include increased risk of prostate cancer, worsening prostate symptoms,

decreased sperm count, ankle, feet or body swelling, enlarged or painful breasts, problems breathing while sleeping and blood clots in the legs. common side effects include skin redness or irritation where applied, increased red blood cell count, headache, diarrhea, vomiting, and increase in psa. ask your doctor about axiron.

what an incredible few days it's been for 14-year-old isaac lufkin. we told you his story, how he was born with no arms but that hasn't stopped him from becoming a place kicker and helping lead his team to the freshman state title. since the story aired isaac has had a weekend most people could only dream about. here's poppy harlow with the story. >> reporter: this is a moment that seems simply unimaginable for isaac lufkin just last week. >> he kicked a field goal off of that. >> reporter: football is isaac's passion, but when you see him kick, you quickly realize that it's more than passion.

it's proof almost anything is possible. >> i want to play in the nfl, for the ravens or -- >> reporter: you want to keep wearing purple? >> yeah, purple. >> reporter: he helped lead his classical freshman football team through an undefeated season to the freshman football state title in rhode island. remarkable considering isaac was born without arms. >> very good. >> reporter: this 14-year-old's perseverance is evident every day, as he strives for the big leagues. isaac may not have made it to the nfl just yet, but his story caught the attention of nfl officials and they decided to bring him here, to the super bowl. >> wo! >> exciting. >> reporter: what did you think when you walked down here? >> i couldn't stop smiling. i still can't stop smiling. >> reporter: smiling ear to ear, from the official tailgate party to special entrance on the field during player warm-ups.

>> oh, there's the field goal kicker. >> reporter: to front row seats in a suite. complete with celebrity sightings. and then this. >> i'm glad to see you. >> i am, too. >> you having a good time. >> yeah. >> good man. >> this has meant everything to him. he is so awed just by the experience. we're just talking, mom, imagine what it would be like to go to the super bowl, just in casual conversation. and this is amazing for him. like mind blowing. >> can you believe how good the view is? >> it's perfect. >> reporter: despite all the attention isaac's gotten, he remains humble and focused on his goal, of one day playing at the big game. and to everyone who made this night possible. >> thank you. like a lot. it means a lot. >> reporter: poppy harlow, cnn, at super bowl xlviii. >> even though isaac was rooting

for the broncos, he obviously still had a great night. isaac, by the way, has gotten tons of calls from media reality show, even the white house reached out to his mom. what a great young man. coming up, exclusive new details from the threat of potential black widow suicide bombers over at the winter olympics. the security crackdown is reaching far beyond the host city. we're going live to russia for the very latest. and the super bowl weather may have held up, but the warm air is long gone. the latest on the nasty weather snarling travel for much of the country. [ male announcer ] if you're taking multiple medications,

does your mouth often feel dry? a dry mouth can be a side effect of many medications but it can also lead to tooth decay and bad breath. that's why there's biotene. available as an oral rinse, toothpaste, spray or gel, biotene can provide soothing relief, and it helps keep your mouth healthy, too. remember, while your medication is doing you good, a dry mouth isn't. biotene -- for people who suffer from dry mouth. a dry mouth isn't. so ally bank really has no hthat's right, no hidden fees.s? it's just that i'm worried about, you know, "hidden things." ok, why's that? well uhhh... surprise!!! um... well, it's true. at ally there are no hidden fees. not one. that's nice.

no hidden fees, no worries. ally bank. your money needs an ally. humans -- even when we cross our "t's" and dot our "i's," we still run into problems. that's why liberty mutual insurance offers accident forgiveness with our auto policies. if you qualify, your rates won't go up due to your first accident. because making mistakes is only human, and so are we.

we also offer new car replacement, so if you total your new car, we give you the money for a new one. call liberty mutual insurance at... and ask us all about our auto features, like guaranteed repairs, where if you get into an accident and use one of our certified repair shops, your repairs are guaranteed for life. so call... to talk with an insurance expert about everything that comes standard with our base auto policy. and if you switch, you could save up to $423. liberty mutual insurance. responsibility. what's your policy?

happening now, security scramble. russia takes drastic new measures with the clock ticking toward the opening of the olympic games. cnn has exclusive new details. plus storm emergency. hundreds of flights are canceled in and out of the northeast. millions are stuck in a snowy mess right now, including fans

who can't leave town after the super bowl. and talking cars. it's not a fantasy. it's real life technology that could warn drivers when they're in danger and about to crash. i'm wolf blitzer. you're in "the situation room." russian security officials are racing to tighten their so-called ring of steel around the winter olympic games just four days before the opening ceremony. the crackdown is reaching far beyond the host city and deep into a breeding ground for terrorists. cnn went there to uncover exclusive new details about the threat from potential black widow suicide bombers. our senior international correspondent nick paton walsh is joining us live from sochi right now. you traveled to that dangerous russian republic of dagestan. what did you see? >> reporter: in some of the remote villages known there are for their links to militants there are women whose husband

who were killed and men who have been told that movements will be restricted until the olympic games are over because police, these people say, believe they could potentially be a threat to those behind me. far from the grandeur of sochi's games, deep in the hills of dagestan, russia is desperately trying to keep a lid on something. this is the town of brunext. home to the suicide bombers who hit volgograd twice last year. many militants hail from here and also left widows. one is this woman, both whose husband and son-in-law police shot dead. these widows say police, in a bid to control those they fear are future suicide bombers, have ordered them not to leave town until the olympics are over. >> translator: it will be like

house arrest. three times a week they will check us and ask where we are. then after the olympics, it will end. they think that we will make an explosion like our sisters who have blown themselves up for one reason or another. i don't know. i am not ready to do that. there is no point. it's just their fantasy. >> reporter: she teshows us her son-in-law and said nearly a hundred women had similar orders. we spoke to five of them off camera. she has this to say to olympic tourists. >> translator: if they need to be entertained, they should come here and be entertained, but for that, we are suffering. >> reporter: now police would not confirm that they had issued these restrictions, they wouldn't say anything to us at all. but the sheer number of people that have been approached and asked to make such promises about where they'll go during

the olympics gives you an idea this is happening on a large scale. >> you visited a town where the locals gave you a list of 64 names of people that have been told by police to sign a declaration promising not to leave the area for the duration of the sochi games, is that right? >> there's a town called gubta, there are is a laffey rebels and there is also a declaration that police have said they were told to sign. on that list three women all of whom had husbands that died in clashes with russian special forces, also a number of other men considered to bed raiccals by police. people didn't want to speak to us on camera, but they say this is all part of a broader police move to repress them. they talk about their own civil liberties, but you have to bear in mind here, too, the scale of how this is happening gives you a real indication of how concerned the russians must be if they're trying to instill

this kind of widescale observation on people they might think could be a threat. >> we're only four days away from the opening ceremonies. but there are reports of major construction delays at some of the hotels being built for the games that could affect tens of thousands of visitors. what's going on? >> well, certainly behind me, i mean, i walked around the coastline. and just between the recently constructed walkway and the olympic venue, there's a huge wasteland of mud that simply hasn't had grass put up on it at all. as you drive around this city where things clearly not ready, where it's not particularly sightly. you mentioned the reports that three out of nine hotels in the mountain area simply aren't ready. we went there a week ago and were rudely escorted parts of that area because they didn't want us seeing how unready they were. many are said to be ready by tomorrow or lunchtime. that's the message they're still giving today. a real rush ahead, wolf.

>> very disturbing stuff. we're also digging deeper on olympic security and crucial lessons that officials in russia are studying right now. brian todd is here with this part of the story. >> reporter: wolf, not just those recent attacks in volgograd and the black widow threat that nick just report on that are sparking concerns in sochi, there's a specter hanging over these games from the attack on the israeli athletes at the munich summer olympics in 1972. those are images russian officials are determined not to have repeated on their soil. this image of a recent attack in volgograd is seared into the minds of russian security officials, but it's likely this image is as well. for nearly 42 years every olympic host city has resolved no pictures like this can be associated with their games. >> the munich attack in 1972 changed everything as far as the olympics was concerned. it wasn't that the olympics were being attacked. it was that the whole world was watching the olympics, thus it was a stage.

>> reporter: september 5th, 1972 at the munich summer games. eight palestinian terrorists in a group called black september sneak into the olympic village into the israeli athletes quarters. they kill two israelis immediately, hold nine others hostage for about 18 hours. this is a contemporary aim j in our virtual studio of the team headquarters in munich. it was wide open. the black september terrorists wore track suit, carried assault weapons in duffel bags, they got past a simple chain ling fence. others who saw them thought they were real athletes who were sneaking back into the village after a night out. part of the lax security was intentional. those olympics had been dubbed the happy games. >> the germans were very sensitive to the image that they were going to give forward because the only other time the olympics had been in germany was 1936 which were the nazi olympics. and so the new germany, west germany, wanted to portray that they were a nation of piece. >> during a botched rescue

attempt the remaining nine israeli athletes were killed. since munich, security at just about every olympics has steadily expanded in size, sophistication and cost. all that accelerated after september 11th. >> we use the best of our human and machine intelligence. we monitor activities of persons that we know have stated or have raised issues against the host country at the olympics. we use on the ground physical security to an extent that's in sochi beyond any prior olympics. >> reporter: drew mckay, who has consulted on security at six olympics says as a result of munich and 9/11, we now can't go to the olympics without having a security blanket placed over us, without multiple layers of security screening. it costs hundreds of millions and security resources are diverted from other areas that then become vulnerable. for those reasons, the terrorists have in some measure, won. >> security will be intense. brian todd, thanks very much for that report. there's a lot going on and a

lot of new information coming in about the potential security threat in sochi right now. and it's a subject that's clearly on the minds of a lot of u.s. and russian officials. let's bring in our senior law enforcement analyst, the former fbi assistant director tom fuentes. i know, tom, you are concerned, and you're not an alarmist by any means because we've spoken many times over the years, but speaking to your sources, what are you hearing? how realistic is this potential threat? >> it's very realistic, wolf. one of the differences here is unlike munich in 1972, you have terrorists that already live within russia, that are already within a few hundred miles of the venues of the olympic games. and a group that has been waging terrorist attacks since the 1990s against the russian federation and have promised to attack the olympics. you have all of that. in '72, you had a group of terrorists specifically target the israeli athletes that they wanted to take hostage and take

back to the middle east where they could bargain to have some of their comrades released from israeli prisons. so you have here terrorists that basically would commit an act that's addressed to whom it may concern because they merely want to conduct an attack and embarrass putin. >> you got to assume that the russian security forces or the military, the police, whatever, they're all over -- they blanketed this whole area. >> well, they are. and not just that area but back in chechnya and dagestan, as nick payton balan tton walsh me they're using very aggressive tactics, even more aggressive i've heard from nongovernment source, that they're basically threatening the families of known terror members to say, if we learn that a member of your family is involved in a terror attack in sochi, you will pay. there will be repercussions against you, your family, your home, everything. so the russian authorities are being very heavy handed with

potential threats within that country hoping that's enough to suppress it. >> let's hope that it's quiet these games and all the attention is on the athletes and not some sort of terrorist. tom, thanks very much. >> thank you. >> still ahead a nasty winter keeps getting worse. we'll have the latest on the travel nightmare and tell you if more snow is on the way. what if your car could talk to other cars and to you? we'll show you the remarkable new safety technology that could eventually be required on the road. welcome back. how is everything? there's nothing like being your own boss! and my customers are really liking your flat rate shipping. fedex one rate. really makes my life easier. maybe a promotion is in order. good news. i got a new title. and a raise? management couldn't make that happen. [ male announcer ] introducing fedex one rate. simple, flat rate shipping with the reliability of fedex.

♪ ♪ ♪ abe! get in! punch it! [ male announcer ] let quicken loans help you save your money with a mortgage that's engineered to amaze. thanks, "g."

afghanistan, in 2009. orbiting the moon in 1971. [ male announcer ] once it's earned, usaa auto insurance is often handed down from generation to generation. because it offers a superior level of protection. and because usaa's commitment to serve current and former military members and their families is without equal. begin your legacy. get an auto insurance quote. usaa. we know what it means to serve. with the quicksilver cash back card from capital one, it means unlimited 1.5% cash back on everything you purchase, every day. it doesn't mean, "everything... as long as you buy it at the gas station." it doesn't mean, "everything... until you hit your cash back limit." it means earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every place, every occasion, all over creation. that's what everything should mean. so consider... what's in your wallet?

new storm gridlock. heavy snow, dangerous travel conditions affecting millions in the northeast including some

fans trying to get home after the super bowl. chris christie has declared an emergency in his state the day after they hosted the nation's biggest football game. deborah feyerick is in new york right now. what's going on? >> reporter: wolf, a lot of people thought this was the weather they were going to get hit with yesterday during the super bowl, so you have to be thankful for certain small gifts. we can tell you it was snowing for most of the day. as a matter of fact, at the height of it you couldn't even see from one side of central park, which is just behind me, to the other side. and that's just a couple of blocks walk. there are 450 salt spreaders, about 1500 plow trucks that are out preparing the roads here. and you have to think of the scope of this city. you've got five borough, you've got 6300 miles of road. that distance, just to put it in perspective, it's the distance between new york, los angeles and then back again to new york. so it's messy, it is sticky, it is wet, it is cold. more snow is expected tomorrow.

and for those fans that you mentioned who are trying to get home, well, a lot had to hunker down for one extra night because some 2,000 flights were actually canceled throughout the day. so good for the hotels, bad for the airlines, but hey, it's february. what do you expect, wolf? >> deborah feyerick in new york city for us, thank you. let's check in with our meteorologist jennifer gray. give us the big picture about what we expect in days ahead. >> folks in northeast only have a brief window and they'll be snow-free. we actually set some records today. allentown, pennsylvania, eight inches. central park saw eight inches of snow. so records set all across the northeast for those daily snowfall totals. luckily it is pushing out, you can see boston, providence, still getting a little bit of snow. but otherwise clearing up. but not for long. look at all of these watches and warnings in place for winter storms all across the southern plains. the ohio valley. during tonight into tomorrow, we are expected to see anywhere

from 8 to 10 inches of snow, possibly more in places like wichita, kansas city, also st. louis and then as we go through wednesday evening, tuesday night through wednesday, we could see anywhere from 8 to 10 maybe 12 or more inches of additional snowfall in the northeast. this does include places like boston, albany, new york city could see anywhere from 2 to 4 maybe even a couple of inches more as we go through wednesday night. but yes, not letting up. winter has been brutal. especially for folks in the northeast. >> all right, jennifer. we'll continue to watch the weather together with you. jennifer gray reporting. secretary of state john kerry has a blunt assessment to the israelis. they aren't happy about what he has to say. stand by. and how scarlett johansson figures into some of this tension. and the new safety technology that's being studied that would allow cars to

communicate -- yes, communicate with one another. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. everybody knows that parker. well, did you know auctioneers make bad grocery store clerks? that'll be $23.50. now .75, 23.75, hold 'em. hey now do i hear 23.75? 24! hey 24 dollar, 24 and a quarter, quarter, now half, 24 and a half and .75! 25! now a quarter, hey 26 and a quarter, do you wanna pay now, you wanna do it, 25 and a quarter - sold to the man in the khaki jacket! geico. fifteen minutes could save you... well, you know. never taken the time to just...watch. but something about spending this time together, sailing past ancient glaciers in alaska... talking under a universe billions of years old... makes you realize how old time is and how short life is. she can take all the time she wants. princess cruises, come back new.

♪ ♪ yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah! ♪ we are one, under the sun ♪ under the sun... [ female announcer ] fiber and protein. together as one. introducing new fiber one protein cereal. this is the first power plant in the country to combine solar and natural gas at the same location. during the day, we generate as much electricity as we can using solar. at night and when it's cloudy, we use more natural gas. this ensures we can produce clean electricity whenever our customers need it. ♪ your education is built to help move your career forward. here's how: we work with leading employers to learn what you need to learn so classes impact your career. while helping ensure credits you've already earned pay off.

and we have career planning tools to keep you on track every step of the way. plus the freshman fifteen, isn't really a thing here. and graduation, it's just the beginning. because we build education around where you want to go. so, you know, you can get the job you want. ready, let's get to work. we've always been] at the forefrontumman, of advanced electronics. providing technology to get more detail... ♪ detect hidden threats... ♪ see the whole picture... ♪ process critical information, and put it in the hands of our defenders. reaching constantly evolving threats before they reach us. that's the value of performance. northrop grumman. to manage your money.r guy around 2 percent that's not much, you think except it's 2 percent every year. go to e*trade and find out how much our advice and guidance costs. spoiler alert. it's low. it's guidance on your terms not ours.

e*trade. less for us, more for you. okay. let's i think i forgot to it's race dapay a bill. what's up ted? yep, paid that one. what about your mortgage? yep, paid that too.

alright we're good then. man i feel like i'm forgetting something. eh, it's probably nothing. you worry too much ted. alright, hammer down! bank from almost anywhere with the citi mobile app. citi, with you every step of the way. new flack between the united states and israel seems to be unfolds right now. it stems from the push for mideast peace and a threatened boycott of israeli products. let's bring in elise lavin. john kerry said something this week in germany that apparently angered the israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu. walk us through what was said and the reaction. >> well, wolf, secretary kerry was speaking at the munich security conference. he was referring to what the international response might be if the peace process he's trying

to negotiate were to fail, but for many israelis kerry himself sounded like a bully. it came off as a blunt warning to israel from the u.s. secretary of state. make a peace deal with the palestinians or become an international pariah. >> for israel, there's an increasing delegit ms.ation campaign that has been building up. people are very sensitive to it. there are talk of boycotts and other kinds of things. >> reporter: john kerry touched a nerve, prime minister benjamin netanyahu fired back that no amount of pressure will make him cave. >> attempts to impose a boycott on the state of israel are immoral and unjust. moreover, they will not achieve their goal. >> reporter: in a facebook post neftali bennett said we expect our friends around the world to stand beside us against anti-semitic boy scott efforts against israel and not to be their amplifier. it's a nod to a growing national campaign to boycott israeli products made in the occupied territories. the issue took center stage with

this super bowl ad. >> if only i could make this message go viral. >> reporter: actress scarlett johansson forced to quit her job as spokesman for oxfamiliar which splamed her for appearing in the ad when the israeli company sodastream runs a factory in the west bank. >> the only reference to a boycott in his remarks was a description to actions undertaken by others that he has been a vocal opponent of. he has taken actions to oppose. >> reporter: kerry is often finding himself under fire for his mideast diplomacy. last month the israeli defense minister called him messianic in his quest for a peace deal and now the strategic affairs minister warns israel won't negotiate with a gun to its head. aaron david miller was a mideast negotiator for six u.s. secretaries of state. >> the reality is you cannot scare or intimidate either the

israelis or the palestinians into an agreement in which they believe that their political identity, their security, and at the end of the day, their very existence is at stake. >> reporter: wolf, the anti-defamation league, a leading american organization fighting prejudice against israel issued an open letter today. the group praised secretary kerry's commitment to brokering peace between israelis and palestinians but asked him to remember that as the key player in the peace process, what he says has a huge impact that comments like these actually embolden efforts to boycott israel making it less likely the peace process will succeed. >> elise labatt with that report. now the future of car safety technology that's in development right frou nnow. it involves vehicles that can supposedly talk. renee marsh is working the details for us. >> it's not just about helping people survive car crashes any more, it's about preventing the crash in the first place.

the federal government wants to mandate manufacturers make our cars smart enough to do just that. >> warning, vehicle braking ahead. >> reporter: it's the vehicle of the future. cars that talk to the driver and each other. the federal government wants it on the road soon pushing for technology that would warn drivers of danger coming from any direction. >> coming along, the line is green. all of a sudden we get that warning that says, look out. >> reporter: it's called vehicle-to-vehicle technology. cars would send wireless messages to each other within about a 300 yard radius, communicating information like speed, direction and gps position ten times per second. >> when cars share this information, they can account for all the vehicles around them. which means they're able to identify possible crashes. >> reporter: the technology sees around corner, over hills and through other vehicles, so let's

just say five cars ahead of me the driver slams on the brakes, well that car sends my car a message giving me enough time to react. 33,000 americans are killed and 2.3 million injured in car crashes every year. the department of transportation predicts talking cars could prevent up to 80% of crashes involving sober drivers. five major car companies have been working with d.o.t. on developing and testing the technology. 3,000 cars in ann arbor, michigan, are already using it as part of a government pilot test. some time after 2016, the federal government hopes your car will be able to communicate with you. all right. well, before you get too excited, the d.o.t. hopes to propose the rule by 2016, but it would still need the public to weigh in. so before anything is finalized, the bottom line is, it's a

pretty lengthy process to get something like this mandated. now, as for privacy, the government says the data that is sent between the cars does not record personal information, so they say your privacy should not be compromised. wolf. >> rene marsh, fascinating material. thanks very much. we end on some sad news just coming in to "the situation room." cnn has learned that joan mondale, the wife of the former vice president, walter mondale, has died. this according to a statement released by the family's church in minneapolis, minnesota. walter mondale was vice president under president jimmy carter. he won the democratic presidential nomination in 1984. joan mondale was 83 years old. our deepest condolences to walter mondale and the entire mondale family. remember, you can always follow us here on twitter, tweet me @wolf blitzer, tweet the show at cnnsit .