i'm kate bolduan. >> i'm john berman. great to see you here today. we are live in washington, d.c., covering a huge event for this city and a huge event for the entire country. president barack obama's second inauguration. >> you can just see the beautiful picture behind us. so much going on around the nation's capital this weekend. cnn you can be sure is covering it all. parades, concerts, and religious services all of it leading up to the big main event, president obama's inauguration ceremony coming up on monday highlights of that event, the swearing in, of course, and the inaugural speech. white house correspondent brianna keilar joins me to talk more about this. first of all, let's talk about the speech. i understand that the president's still working on it. so what are the themes? what's the focus? >> he is still working on it. he'll be doing tweaks till the last minute. right now he's doing some major tweaks and he's been writing this during the day in the oval office but also at night after sasha and malia go to b

kate bolduan is here, jim acosta is here and we're in "the situation room," a special edition of the situation room watching the wind river dancers from the wind river reservation in wyoming performing for the president of the united states. he's still there. he's still in the reviewing stand. the first lady, sasha and malia have gone inside. i suspect they have to get ready for the balls for tonight. >> it's a very special day, obviously, but a very long day for the president and first lady. up next, they will get ready and head to the balls and greet all of their supporters. as we see, up next here, on our parade root is the canine companions for independence out of virginia. >> you want to see animals, you see animals. >> it's finally all happening for me. >> these are special animals. they help wounded veterans. >> it's a special nonprofit we should take a second to honor. >> excellent work for them. brian todd is joining us right now. brian, tell us where you are because you had a unique opportunity to see a side of this inauguration that a lot of folks don't often see. >> we di

kate bolduan, cnn, washington. >> so now hillary clinton is leaving the state department, what is next for her. let's bring in chief political correspondent candy crowley and john king. in 2008, barack obama, hillary clinton were bitter enemies battling a tough primary season. now fast forward, they're doing this high-profile joint interview. what do you make of how their relationship has evolved? >> i think it evolves out of political necessity. it's a very powerful force in politics. and it is not the first time that rivals have ended up being friends sort of. >> are they friends? >> well, look, have they been to the white house for dinner? we're told not. >> see, i find it amazing. >> she owes him a lot and he owes them a lot. there was the bushes and the doles and the reagans, and they all didn't get along for a while. and then the political expediency, political necessity chimed in. do i think that they seem to have come up with a relationship that looks at least on the surface like a good one beyond just a good working relationship? it certainly looks like it. and let's remember,

i'm kate bolduan. welcome to our special coverage of the presidential inauguration weekend. >> i'm john berman. great to see you. you are looking at live pictures now of the first family marking today's national day of service. people all over the country are doing the same thing the obamas are doing right now, volunteering in their community on this martin luther king holiday weekend. this national day of service going on here on the national mall where the president is -- it's an elementary school. >> it is an elementary school here in washington. i believe he's doing a little bit similar to his service project last time around four years ago because i believe he had a paint brush in his hand that time. but it looks like he's helping -- what i've seen so far, helping to complete an overhaul of a school in washington, d.c. he has some very good volunteers. i believe they are with city year and they're working to, you know, maybe do a little painting, a little varnishing of a bookcase, john. >> it is t

kate bolduan is watching what's going on, jeffrey toobin with me as well. once they get to the reviewing stand, they will be saluting all of these participants, and there are a lot of them, who have come to washington from all over the country. >>cy actually read there were twice as many appli nt kas appli nt kas to participate in the parade this year than four years ago but of course they can't accept all of those applications. but there's still some 480 people taking part in this parade. i don't know why this stat sticks out in my mind. maybe because i think it's strange. some 200 animals will also be honoring the president in this parade. >> there's a great deal of tension about which kind of animals. we know horses. but beyond horses. >> i don't know. i'm not going to pretend i know the answer. >> that's why you have to keep watching. >> maybe there's a mule. >> who knows? where did you get mule? >> there could be a mule. symbolic mule. >> we will see. >> they're still on pennsylvania avenue over there. they're working their way from capitol hill. the h

but first kate bolduan takes a look back at how battles evolved into this partnership. >> reporter: barack and hillary clinton have faced questions together before. here in a 2008 presidential debate with cnn's wolf blitzer. >> i don't want to just end the war, but i want to end the mind-set that got us in the war in the first place. that's the kind of leadership i intend to provide as president of the united states. >> and of course -- >> senator clinton, that's a clear swipe at you. >> really? >> reporter: back then it was a very different relationship, in the midst of an already bitter rivalry. >> while i was working on those streets, you were a corporate lawyer sitting on the board of walmart. >> you were practicing law and representing your contributor, restco, in his slum landlord business in inner city chicago. >> reporter: but that relationship quickly changed. >> i endorse him and throw my full support behind him. >> reporter: just as hillary clinton showed her support for president obama, obama showed his faith in clinton. >> i have no doubt that hillary clinton is the right pers

. >> and me at kate bolduan. "erin burnett outfront" starts right now. >> "outfront" next, war in mali. leon panetta says america will have a role in the fight. >> plus, president obama holds a news conference and practically dares republicans to shut down the government. >> and another brutal and horrific and barbaric rape in india. what will stop it? the star of "slumdog millionaire" freida pinto has an idea. she's our guest. let's go "outfront." >>> good evening, everyone. i'm erin burnett. "outfront" tonight, war in mali. a deadly conflict between al qaeda militants and the government is getting violent. they're threatening to take control of the entire country. the militants' move prompted france to take action over the weekend. they put boots on the ground and went all in, bombing rebel training camps and other targets. so what will the united states do? a pentagon official told me this afternoon that the u.s. will participate in mali, but, and i want to make sure i put quotes around this, it's still decidi

here is kate bolduan. >> reporter: facing questions together before here in a 2008 presidential debated the war but end the mind-set that got us into war in the first place. that's the kind of leadership i can provide. >> and, of course -- >> senator clinton, that's a clear swipe at you. >> really? >> back then, it was a very different relationship. in the midst of an already bitter rivalry. >> i was working on those streets, you were a corporate lawyer, sitting on the board of walmart. >> you were practicing law and representing your contributor, resco, in his slum landlord business in inner city chicago. >> reporter: but that relationship quickly changed. i endorse him and throw my full support behind him. >> reporter: just as hillary clinton showed her support for president obama, obama showed his faith in clinton. >> i have no doubt that hillary clinton is the right person to lead our state department and to work with me in tackling this ambitious foreign policy agenda. >> reporter: what was hillary clinton's initial reaction when you told her, look, they're actually considering yo

jeffrey toobin and kate bolduan.and democratic leadership and others. you can see the head table, the vice president joe biden sitting there with dr. jill biden. >> this is actually a very interesting lunch pairing right there. >> what is nice, jeffrey, you have all three branches of government at this luncheon on capitol hill right now. >> it's wonderful. and it was actually a very sad occasion four years ago because both senator edward kennedy and senator -- hold on, hold on. the chairman of the inauguration committee, chuck schumer of new york is going to be speaking now. let's listen in, because he is going to be offering a toast. >> i hope everyone has enjoyed the lunch. i think we really deserve a round of applause to our chef and our caterer, all the people who served the meal so expertly. they have done a great job. so it is now my honor to invite the speaker of the house, the john boehner to the podium to present the official flags. [ applause ] >> senator, thank you. ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the old

kate bolduan and john burman will be joining here in a few minutes with much more. on "cnn saturday morning." i'm randi kaye. before we go, jim acosta has a story you haven't heard about the event and the man known as the voice of american presidential inaugurations. >> reporter: it's a tradition nearly as old as the nation itself. and while the inaugural parade might seem routine, it takes practice. that's why every four years, about one week before inauguration day comes rehearsal day. marching bands, members of the military and the secret service all descend on the parade route in washington to shepherd a mock presidential motorcade from the capitol to the white house. so you can see behind me this silver suburban, which is maybe two vehicles behind us, about a block behind us. that is the stand-in for the president's limo, and inside there is actually a stand-in for the president himself. but to truly appreciate this inaugural tradition, you have to get off of the parade route. >> this is bratman's man cave. >> reporter: and take a trip to the basement of charli

kate bolduan is here with more on this part of the story. >> surprise, surprise. lawmakers are already digging in ahead of looming fights, including one over raising the debt ceiling, coming very soon, which is already prompting talk of a government shutdown, if you can even believe it. cnn's national political correspondent jim acosta is here with the latest. what are you hearing? >> seems old habits die hard, especially on capitol hill. remember all these feelings of kumbaya as the 113th congress was sworn in yesterday? well, never mind. after surviving a failed coup, a beleaguered speaker john boehner wants to take that same party into battle. a source in the room tells cnn boehner said he will demand budget cuts larger than any increase in the nation's debt limit. with the fiscal cliff behind us, boehner said the focus turns to spending. that puts republicans in congress back on a collision course with the white house, after the president insisted earlier this week he will not negotiate over the debt ceiling. >> i will not have another debate with this congres

i'm kate bolduan along with joe johns.ou're in "the situation room." >> first up this hour, an interview with oprah winfrey will not be enough in the wake of news from winfrey where armstrong apparently came clean with her about using performance enhancing drugs during his career. >> the reported confession comes as a bombshell after years of vehement denials. let's bring in lisa siease sylv with details. >> it's one thing to go on and tell all. the next step would be testimony under oath. the international cycling union urged armstrong to testify before the independent commission that has been looking into these allegations but that would be quite a reversal after years of denial. >> listen, i've said it for seven years. i have never doped. >> the cynics and the skeptics, i'm sorry for you. i'm sorry you can't dream big and i'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. >> all clean. totally negative. >> for more than a decade, lance looked into cameras and denied developing. said to be the use of his performance enhancing drug

kate bolduan has the latest. >> at least 15 people were killed and dozens were injured when the bombf at a bus station filled with religious pilgrims. it happened less than 50 miles south of baghdad. the bombing comes from protests of sunni. a very different story. actor gerard depardieu joked that putin sent him a passport but it may be true. he says he paid 85% of his income in tacks. now putin is offering him citizenship if he wants it along with a 13% flat income tax rate that comes with it. >>> and president obama was some 5,000 miles away in hawaii, enter the auto pen. the president reviewed a digital copy of the bill and aides used the auto pen to put his signature on it rather than commissioning a special flight to send a hard copy of it to hawaii. >>> inauguration day for president obama is less than three weeks away and unless you want something to celebrate with the inauguration store is opened just for you. looking at some of the online stores is, quote, essentials of buttons for $5, obama tube socks will keep you warm and a medallion set for $7500. i know you will be get

kate bolduan is here. what happened? >> so many of our viewers will remember the story.ed david hedley to 32 years in prison. 164 people were killed. prosecutors agreed to not seek the death penalty. he cooperated with government efforts to fight terrorism. >>> also, what's the video version of a tweet? good question. apparently it is a vine. that's the new video service unveiled by twitter today. like tweets, vines have to be six seconds or less. for now, it's only available on iphones or ipads. >>> a soccer player is facing a suspension for kicking a ball in the last few minutes of a match between chelsea and he kicked the ball boy. chelsea down by two goals, every second counted, obviously. but the kick outraged fans of both teams and got him kicked out of the game. not a surprise. >>> a camera operator has a real life presh with death brush with death. wow. that's a bi-plane coming within two feet of filming this stunt. the video has been posted on youtube where it's been seen 166,000 times so far. he hadn't seen the video and wasn't able to comment on it quite yet.

kate bolduan is here with more on this part of the story that everyone is talking about. >> everyone'smitted using performance-enhancing drugs to fuel his cycling career. but his evasiveness and demeanor in the interview is not sitting well with many. cnn's ed lavandera is in armstrong's hometown of austin, texas. ed, what are you hearing there? >> reporter: kate, the reactions to lance armstrong's appearance in the oprah winfrey interview last night, rather critical of lance armstrong. but tonight's portion of the interview seems to be ready to touch on a much more complex and delicate part of his relationship, with cancer survivors and the livestrong foundation. and that will be a rather interesting part of this to watch. many people who have applauded lance armstrong for what he's done in this area, this humanitarian area for more than a decade, applaud him. but there are many critics who say he's used this to kind of help his public image. just after the u.s. anti-doping agency released its reason decision report last october condemning lance armstrong as a doper, the cycling icon

and other news following that here, and it's including stocks, and kate bolduan is monitoring that. to have you back on the new year as well. >> very big day in terms of stocks. the surge is all about trying to avert the fiscal cliff. the dow gained more than 300 points and nasdaq rose over 3%, and the same affect on global markets. other news we're following, pennsylvania's governor is suing the ncaa for its unprecedented sanctions on the university. it included a fine following the jerry sandusky sex abuse trial. it says it does not punish sandusky but the students and school. >>> and avis is getting into the car-sharing business by buying the zip car, and as a car sharing company it rents by the hour in urban areas, and the deal is subject to share holder approval but is expected to be finalized in the spring. zip car is really popular. i see them here in d.c. all the time. >> i am surprised only $500 million. >> still a lot of money. >> yeah, $500 million, and not a billion. and a lot of people zip around in zip cars. >>> the numbers coming out of syria, and they are staggering.

kate bolduan is here with more. what are you hearing about the timing?he confirmation hearing, i'm told that the armed services committee hopes to consider hagel's nomination by the end of this month but simply schedulewise, it could be difficult because the senate isn't in session this week or next and when senators do return, it's customary for the nominee to have a period of time, a week, a couple weeks to meet with can committee members before and key senators before confirmation hearings begin. for more on a little bit of this, we'll go to tom foreman with a sense of what we can expect when those hearings are under way. tom, you're in a place that no one gets to go. >> that's right. here in our virtual center, we're going to talk about the first hurdle that he has to hear. it's comprised of 12 republicans and 14 democrat. he needs a simple majority here for his nomination to be pushed on to the entire senate. so who is opposing it? over here on the republican side, the charge is being led by senator john mccain from arizona and lindsey graham. chief