political conservatives who don t like his comments about materialism and trickle down economics. the debate this hour. we begin with the huge snowstorm that has made life difficult for much of the country. it hit a thousand-mile-wide area dumping anywhere from 6 to 16 inches of snow from kansas to maine. roads are slick, flights are canceled, and the snowplows are out in force. here s cnn a s alexandra field. reporter: the sights and sounds of a feergs winter storm overnight the large swath of snow and ice moved into the northeast packing a punch that has many in the region digging in for a long winter.