president of the united states of america. >> but with 12 days to go until iowa, donald trump and ted cruz are neck and neck. will sarah palin help him there? this is what trump says. >> we're going to win in iowa, we're going to win and win and win. >> joining me on the phone is donald trump. how are you? >> how are you, don? >> i know you love the new polls. you are happy with cnn. the cnn wmur poll tonight that shows you have a 20-point lead over ted cruz only a third of the voters say they have made up their minds. what is your reaction? >> i heard it was 21 points. i haven't seen it yet. that is a big lead no matter how you cut it. that's a pretty big lead. that's a very respected poll and you know, i've done really well in new hampshire. i love the people of new hampshire. and with we have don't really great there. i'm very honored by it. >> you are at 34, cruz is at 14 and bush is at 10%. bush is now doing better in the polls. >> i don't think he's going to do well. he spent $79 million and is a low-energy person. it's not what the country needs. the only reason i speak badly about him is that he spends millions and millions of dollars in negative ads against me. he is not doing well. i mean, probably in new hampshire better but nationwide almost nothing. can you imagine spending $79 million and i spent almost nothing. now i'm going to start spending money because i feel guilty and i don't want to take any chances either. and he spent $79 million and is at the back of the pack. >> there's match-ups between hillary clinton and the other candidates. and this survey is of new hampshire voters. you lose to both of them and you really lose to hillary clinton. i'm sure you don't like that much. what is your reaction to that? >> in the fox poll i beat her easily by a lot. that came out a couple of weeks ago. and in the fox poll and in a couple of other polls i beat her. i haven't focused on them yet. what i'm focusing on, bernie sanders is a whacko. i'm not sure she is going to be allowed to run because of all the e-mails and what happened in the last couple of weeks. so maybe a third person comes in. who knows. but we are, you know, as soon as i focus on them i'm sure i will do very well. but the fox poll has me winning substantially. i'm sure i will do well against either one of them. >> hillary clinton's e-mails are in the news again today. because you said she is trying to avoid the clink and you called bernie sanders a whacko or a whack job. what would you ask them? >> i would ask her how could you be so stupid to do such a thing. this shows bad judgment. how could a person running for president show this kind of judgment. and historically she's had this judgment whether it's whitewater, it's always something. it's always something traumatic and that's bad judgment. with bernie sanders i would say did you make a mistake when you so easily gave up on the e-mails. he made a very serious mistake. really a big one. >> you think there is a there there? >> i think most people do. i think that she frankly is far more guilty than petraeus and all these other people who have had their lives destroyed. and i hope they leave petraeus alone. i hope they're not going to damage him any more than he has been damaged. they are talking about reducing his status and rank. >> demoegt hting him. >> i think he has suffered enough. he has gone through the mill. we have isis to fight and the trade deals that are so horrible. with don't have to further destroy general petraeus. >> you are saying that general petraeus is accused of sharing classified information with a mistress and hillary clinton shared classified information, then why should he be left alone and she be prosecuted? >> she should be prosecuted and he was. he went through the wringer. he was really prosecuted. and what happened with him is suspended sentences and it has been terrible. she hand had anything yet. we'll have to see if the democrats are going to be protecting her. when you speak to experts on the matter, when you speak to lawyers that do nothing but this, they can't believe that it's gone on so long and that nothing's happened to her. >> let's focus on iowa right now. you know the big news is you and sarah palin. what was it like with sarah palin on the campaign trail for the first time today? >> we had to send away 5,000 people. i hope you saw the arena. >> it was full. >> it was massive. it was incredible. every seat packed. 5,000 people sent away. i'm going to go back to take care of those 5,000 people. oklahoma has been unbelievable. iowa has been unbelievable. every place, no matter where we go it's like love. there's love in the room and it's been incredible. they want to see -- the theme is make america great again. that's what they want to see and that's what we're going to do. but the crowds that we're getting and as you know, far bigger than anybody also by a lot. bernie sanders is second. but he is a distant, distant second. the crowds that we have, it's a movement. it's actually a movement. it's a beautiful thing to see. >> i have interviewed you enough and watched you with other people and i can tell when you are comfortable and when you are not with certain interviewers. and i watched the speech last night. everybody was riveted by that. but you seemed to be uncomfortable and other people have said it. am i wrong? were you uncomfortable a bit? >> no, not at all. i was there. i didn't know it was going to be quite that long. but she made a very good speech. i was very happy. i would have normally left the stage but i thought it would be nice if i was there. i thought it would be disrespectful to her if i left the stage. i wasn't uncomfortable at all. here's what rush limbaugh said. >> i saw trump standing aside while she was at the podium and he's not the kind of guy that stands aside. he just isn't. he's that dominant. he is -- he is that huge to give up the podium, even to somebody endorsing him, sponsoring him. not criticizing it, don't anybody misunderstand i just tell you what i think here, do with it what you want. >> what is your reaction? >> i love rush and he has been so supportive. and some people thought it was nice because it showed respect. you know, i guess it's a flip of a coin. probably if i left people would have said why did he leave the stage? but i understand exactly what they're saying and i understand rush and really like rush. >> and they are saying you happen to be a reality star. that was all you, you created reality television in some way. you set a precedent is a better way to do it. she had a reality show. you both happen to be politicians and people are saying he is used to the spotlight and she is now in the spotlight is that uncomfortable for donald trump? >> i thought it was great. it was an amazing thing because she wanted to endorse me. and she let it be known. and i was actually really impressed and i've had a great relationship with her for a long time. and the fact that she picked me over all the others. her endorsement is a powerful thing in certain areas like in iowa. and you saw the crowd reaction in oklahoma today to sarah. it was a very important endorsement. and i was very honored she wanted to do that. she didn't come up and say -- she wanted nothing. you know she loves the country and she really wants what's good for the country which is really nice. >> you said she wonted nothing. she spoke with jake tapper in september and she said energy secretary or whatever. but there was no negotiating over if she would join your campaign. >> she will work with the campaign, probably. but in terms is she look for a job? zero, not discussied and it's impressive but it's every one of the candidates wanted her endorsement in particular ted cruz. he has a lone problem where he didn't on his financial disclosure form he didn't list he borrowed a lot of money from goldman sachs and from citi bank. that's a big thing. you are signing an important document and giving it to the government and he didn't list two major institutions that he has borrowed money and is guaranteeing. he knew he borrowed it. he said i forgot about it or something. that's not so easy. my financial disclosure was the longest in the history of the world. in terms of what we're filing. it was almost 100 pages and nobody complained about it. it has been gone over by you and every other reporter from here to asia and nobody complained about it. close to 100 pages. he had a small financial disclosure. he has two banks maybe more than that. but he always goes on the side of the banks and we're going to protect the people. he is always talking about the banks. well the people didn't know he was borrows from goldman sachs and citi bank. >> he said he will rescind it if it needs to be. we have much more ahead with donald trump. when we come back, why he says ted cruz is the one who doesn't have the temperament to be president. i've been called a control freak... i like to think of myself as more of a control... enthusiast. mmm, a perfect 177-degrees. and that's why this road warrior rents from national. i can bypass the counter and go straight to my car. and i don't have to talk to any humans, unless i want to. and i don't. and national lets me choose any car in the aisle. control. it's so, what's the word?... sexy. go national. go like a pro. 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[ technician ] ask him whatever you want. okay. ♪ do you think my sister's prettier than me? ♪ [ laughs ] [ male announcer ] research, price, find. only cars.com helps you get the right car without all the drama. as long as you love me, it's alright bend me shape me, any way you want me you've got the power, to turn on the light shape the best sleep of your life. sleep number beds with sleepiq technology adjust any way you want it. the bed that moves you. only at a sleep number store. we are going to win so much we're going to have win after win after win, you people are going to get sick and tired of winning. you're going to say, please, please, president trump we can't take this much victory. please, stop. we don't want any more wins and i'm going to say to you, we're going to win, i don't care what you say, we're going to make our country great again. we're going to win, we're going to win, and we're going to win. >> i want to talk to you about ted cruz tonight. he said that the washington establishment is abandoning marco rubio because the establishment is rushing over to you because you'll cut deals with them and the democrats. are you getting establishment support and is that good for your campaign? >> i didn't know that he was saying that and i didn't know that they were abandoning marco. we are getting the biggest crowds and the biggest poll numbers. he is very concerned because his poll numbers are going down. he looks very, very nervous and his poll numbers are going down drastic lick. you see the ones that just came out. i don't know if you saw the one that jayce just came out in florida, i'm at 48 and they are at very small numbers by comparison, very, very small numbers. i'm doing well with the evangelicals and the tea party and i'm doing very well. i think we're going to have a really good time in iowa also. >> here's what else he said. >> well, listen, it is exactly right that in terms of who i am, i'm a christian first, i'm an american second. i'm a conservative third, and i'm a republican thourfourth. and there are a lot of people who are fed up with republican leadership. >> christian first, american second and then conservative republican, in that order. who is donald trump? >> i think he should add his family. does he have his family in that group? >> he said he was a christian first -- >> you ought augt to ask where does your family come in? fifth? hey, look, i am somebody that is going to do something really good for the country. we owe 19 trillion with that horrible budget that was just approved which is a horrible and disgraceful approved by the republicans. things are in that budget include bringing syrians in which should never be led to happen. we don't know where they come, from including bringing people through the border, including funding obamacare. there are so many things that are happening in that budget i cannot believe that the republican leadership would have approved that budget. but that budget is going to take us to $21 trillion in a short period of time. we're already at $19 trillion. this country needs help. it needs leadership and it needs it fast and ted is not the right guy, hasn't got the temperament. he is a nasty guy that everybody dislikes and he's got another problem that you haven't mentioned yet but he is born in canada. >> i'm going to mention that. i had someone else on from the "new york times" that people who work with ted cruz and this is according to him, that they don't like him for some reason. >> nobody likes him. >> but let's talk about this poll. >> that's wonderful to tell the voters that nobody likes you, but you're going to have to get the senators and congressman and all of these people you have to cajole them. we have to make deals. we can't always sign executive orders. that wasn't the way our founders set up this country. it's not part of the deal. you are supposed to get everybody together and you're supposed to come up with deals that -- whether it's ronald reagan and tip o'neill, you have make deals. he didn't have one senate stick up for him recently. people are saying he has a real problem with running. he was born in canada. he was born in canada and he was a citizen of canada until 15 months ago. and he said he didn't know. that he didn't know about his loans. he didn't know about goldman sachs and citi. he didn't know he was a citizen of canada and now he is running for president. he his a real problem because he was born in canada. and there are people, great constitutional lawyers and i'm not only talk about professor tribe from harvard. many others are saying he should not be and ka not run for president because he doesn't qualify under the guidelines. i don't know if it is right or wrong. he should ask for a declaratory judgment from the courts and the last thing that the republicans need and that ted needs is to be running for office and then disqualified. >> this is showing up in the polling and in this new poll that shows you with a big national lead. 36%, 17% for ted cruz and 11% for marco rubio. >> i haven't seen that yet. >> a third of republican voters are questioning ted cruz's eligibility for president. >> i understand that. >> do you think that is due to your public discussion on this issue? >> i understand why they would. and by the way, this was a question posed by the "washington post" i said i don't know. we will find out some day, as you know, it's been untested. nobody really knows and that's a problem. supposing you are the nominee and you know the democrats are going to sue. two people have already sued as i understand. two people have already dued. this is a huge problem. how can the republicans pick somebody where there is a very substantial chance he is not allowed to run for president? >> can we get back -- i want to get back to that issue that has to be resolved one way or the other. >> i think the best way for him to resolve it is to go to court and ask for what is called a declaratory judgment so that the courts clear up the matter. because unless they clear it up, nobody knows if he has the legal standing to run for president. >> you said this was a question for the "washington post" but you said you care about him and you don't want there to be any question about whether he is -- >> i don't care about him but i care about the country. i care about the country. i also care about the party and he's going to have to clear that up and many people right now -- many, many people are saying that is a problem. i didn't know this was in this poll that just came out. if 36% of the people are concerned about it that is a lot of people. and this is an issue that just started recently. but he was born in canada and a canadian citizen until 15 months ago. >> but you are leading on this and front and center on this discussion about it. >> i'm not making an opinion. i'm not saying he is right or wrong or the right to do it or not to do it. i'm just saying that it's something that is untested. it's untested. the supreme court has not ruled. you have in many, many lawyers out there. i listened to one the other day on television she was saying, a highly respected person was saying he does not have the right to run for president because he was not born on the land. >> let's talk about you again. >> okay. >> you mentioned okay oklahoma and sarah palin and she had a great reaction. and she spoke about her son track's charge with domestic violence. did you ask her to address her son's arrest? >> i thought it would be appropriate. i thought it was good for many other sons and daughters coming back from the middle east where they have traumatic problems, they have tremendous problems and i suggested it. i said it would be a great forum. and she started the dialogue. it's a very important dialogue. she told me that they're coming back, so many are coming back and they're under tremendous pressure and tremendous strain. no question about it. >> do you think it's fair to link the president with her son's issues? >> everything starts at the top and he's the president. you can certainly do that. from what i understand, all you have to do is look at the veterans administration and look at the bad, the horrible care our vets get. one of the many things i'm going to the is straighten that mess out. you take a look at the phoenix veterans administration in phoenix, arizona. it's a disgrace. it's a cesspool. it's dishonest and corrupt in every way and incompetent and more dishonest than competent. you have to say ultimately it's the president's charge, it's the president's responsibility. our vets are being treated horrible. >> so that has to do with our veteran's healthcare. let's talk about the economy. people will be looking to you to find out what is happening with the economy. this is the worst year for the stock market. what do you think is going to ease the fears of investors? >> i think if you have a great president and a proven leader and someone who knows business like i do, i think it's going to greatly help. it's the worst start to a year in our country's history. i have friends that are being wiped out. i have friends who are substantial people that are being wiped out. i have never been a stock guy, i have never been a stock picker. >> you are real estate. >> i was never -- i never really did it much. i'm not a believer. a number of years ago i bought a tremendous amount of stock and i sold it out a year ago. i should get credit. i'll show you the stocks if you want. i bought them. i sold them, made a lot of money and i should be getting a certain credit for vision. >> have them send it over. >> i did this just because i thought that the money was free. you know, the interest rates were so low. the money was free so the market had to go up because it was free money. now all of a sudden the money's not so free and some people are very, very hard time getting it and the stock market is semicrashing. let see what happens. >> and when come right back, donald trump weighs in on the toxic tap water in clinton, michigan and who he thinks is to blame. plaque psoriasis... ...isn't it time to let the... ...real you shine... ...through? 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[ woman ] thanks. the dealership reviews on cars.com made it easy, but... [ man ] we thought it might be a little more tense. you miss the drama? yeah. [ technician ] ask him whatever you want. okay. ♪ do you think my sister's prettier than me? ♪ [ laughs ] [ male announcer ] research, price, find. only cars.com helps you get the right car without all the drama. i am very proud of what i've done as president. but the only job that's more important to me is the job of fatherhood. and i know if i was a parent up there, i would be beside myself that my kids' health could be at risk. >> so as the president you are going to have to comment on many things. i want to ask you about the water crisis in flint, michigan. in the state of the state he said, no citizen of this great state should endure this catastrophe, government failed you by breaking the trust you placed in us. and president obama said today as a parent he would be beside himself over his kids' health if he were there. what is your reaction to what is going on in flint. should governor snyder step down? >> i think it's a horrible thing. it's a real -- it's just a horrible example of bad government. they were having the water from its other location and doing fine and somebody came up with this horrible idea of going to the river flint or whatever and the water was unbelievably atroe atrociously and dirty and disgusting and they wouldn't have tested the water or test it adequately. the epa, we talk about the environmental protection agency, they are really guilty of a horror show. i hear that the council, whoever the council may have been they wanted to make this switch to. i'm watching the governor and seeing he's going through a lot. but he seems to be taking the full blame for everything when in fact you had a lot of groups involved including the local council and the mayor that wanted to do it. >> should he step done, though? >> i don't know the situation well enough. i think it's a difficult situation. certainly it's leading to catastrophe. it's one of the really bad things that i've heard of. but you do say this, don, where is epa? we talk about the environmental protection agency, where are they when they are doing this? can somebody check the water before they start pumping it into people's homes and down into people's stomachs and into the stomachs of beautiful children who now may be -- they may be scarred for life. >> what would you do about it if you were the president. >> where is the epa? there's more than just him. yes, he is responsible. but, epa is responsible. i believe that the council at the time and the mayor at the time is also responsible. there are a lot of people responsible for this. this is a horrible thing. it's incompetence and bad mp management and it is a really bad mark on government. >> what would you do right now if you were the president about the situation in flint. >> all he can do is get the funds to cleaned up and clean it up quickly. you can't have people drinking this garbage. all you had to do is check the water and find out that -- it sounds like they didn't check the water until it was pumped into people's homes. there is a lot of incompetence to go around here and it's a sad circumstance. i hate seeing this. >> you have gotten a lot of guff for this and a lot of your supporters defend you. monday you said two corinthians instead of second corinthians and you said hell which is in violation of the university. >> my mother was from scotland and in europe, they said two corinthians and a number of people have pointed this out and it is not a big deal. i'm surprised you are asking the question. but a lot of people in different sections of the world say two. and i have had many, many people say that to me. and my mother, as you know, was from scotland and they would have said two. and tony perkins wrote that out for me. he knew he was going to liberty and he has a great respect for liberty and he is a very, very good guy and he wrote out the number two corinthians which i could show you and i called tony and he said i meant second. but he wrote out the letter two. and he is somebody i respect a lot and like a lot. he liked me to say this and wanted me to talk about what we're talking about, corinthians. so i took what tony said and i said, tony has to know better than anybody. if you like i'll show that to you. it's one of those things. but in different participans of world they say two. and i have to tell you, i've heard it both ways and it is a very small deal. they had the biggest crowd in the history of liberty university. >> you have big support among evangelicals. >> they had the biggest crowd in the history of liberty university which is an amazing place. the biggest crowd in their history, dr. jerry fallwell is an incredible guy. and when i finished i got a standing ovation. you forgot to say those things. >> you said them so i didn't have to. i saw this comment from you earlier. i was surprised you did comment on it. this is the thing with the oscars and people saying they were going the boycott it. a commentator said we either want segregation or integration. and you said i never thought about it that way. what do you make of the situation with the oscars and diversity and the possibility of a boycott. >> i think it's a shame and i hope there is not a boycott. i think it's a shame. i have seen many african-americans and people i know and like a lot, both as actors and you know, people that i know and just respect, i've seen many people that are african-american receive oscars but i don't know what happened this year. it seems that this year is maybe a different story. >> and the year before. >> but the head of the academy i believe is an african-american. is that correct? >> she is a woman of color. >> i'm not very well -- i haven't been following it very closely. i think it's a shame that this has to come to this, where there seems to be great animosity. and too bad. it shouldn't come to this, i feel. >> donald trump, thank you. >> thank you very much, don. great honor. >> so, let's talk about all this, i want to bring in gloria borger if anyone can analyze this, you can. he is feeling really good. he has sarah palin out there and doing well in the polls. the cnn poll that we had out today. iowa, he may have a shot now. what do you make of what he said? >> i think he has a good shot to win iowa, a good shot to win new hampshire. and you saw the way -- you didn't have to prompt him that much to take on ted cruz. >> he really went in on ted cruz. i was surprised that so much. so is this -- you know, the strategy, it seems -- they have had this, what we call a bromance, from the beginning. was it right for ted cruz? was it the right strategy not to hit back at donald trump for so long. >> the people who historically hit donald trump fall, themselves. lindsey graham and rick perry, jeb bush, it doesn't seem to do them any good. cruz understood from very early on that if trump were to fall that he would want to get some of his supporters. and so he didn't attack him hard at all. in fact, he liked him and it was a bromance. but once they became one and two, then he realized and once trump started attacking him on the birther issue. he at first he jumped the shark and made light of it. but then he realized that people were taking it seriously and he saw his poll numbers start to go down. he had no other choice. >> did you see the poll, 36% of people in one form or fashion of republican or -- are wondering if ted cruz is eligible to be president because of citizenship. i think that is in large part because of trump. >> it is. he changed the topic of the conversation. he's taken cruz off his message, put him in a defensive crouch on of all things, citizenship. and tonight with you, trump took him on the unreported bank loans and went very hard at that. and it's clear to me that donald trump is not going to stop, don. because he wants to win iowa and ted cruz is the only thing standing in his way. >> it's not surprising that he is hitting ted cruz but he's not talking about the perception and the reality. cruz is like i'm middle america and down south and a hunter and sportsman when he has a very high profile northeastern education, law school. his wife -- >> supreme court clerk, worked for george w. bush. princeton, harvard. >> donald trump is not pointing that out. >> although, maybe he will. i mean, who knows? i think the one thing about the unreported loan from goldman and citi, it does go to the sort of notion that cruz may be more elite than he would -- than he would have you believe. his wife works for goldman sachs. >> this is former senator bob dole. remember the i'm bob dole. people would do that think. he said that ted cruz would be cataclysmic for the gop. >> there are a lot of republicans in washington who are looking at this new reality they've got and it's a choice they believe at this point between cruz and trump. and they are looking at who is the person who is going to help us retain control of the senate? because don't forget, presidential elections down ticket matters. people just press the levers, right? they now believe, a couple that i've talked to, i can't say it's universal. they believe that cruz would be more damaging to them than trump because they believe that trump is more malleable and he knows how to cut deals. >> you put that -- that was very nuanced. >> malleable, right. and they don't like ted cruz, by the way. and bob dole. i remember when nobody liked bob dole. but bob dole doesn't like ted cruz. >> this is a sophie's choice for the republican establishment. >> a lot of people are saying i have to hold my nose and go with one of these guys. there are republicans holding out hope that marco rubio will be able to bridge that, have one foot in the establishment and one foot in the tea party and be able to work it out. but right now it doesn't work that way. but things change overnight. >> i like that you clarified two things. he said it was two corinthians and tony perkins wrote that. and he looked uncomfortable because he didn't know that sarah palin's speech would be that long. >> i thought he was -- he was wearing a full coat, too. he looked uncomfortable being in the background. he is not a good presidential spouse. >> he's not a guy that is a second number two on the stage. >> absolutely. >> thank you, goloria borger. next up, a hero, a person who changed my life. i filed my taxes online at h&r block for $9.99. oh, that's super reasonable. what? that's super reasonable. yeah. what? [announcer] file state online for $9.99. federal is free. hrblock.com every one of us has a hero, a parent, a mentor, a friend, a life changer. this week at cnn we are telling you the stories of our heroes. mine is the reason that i'm here right now talking to you. but he never even knew how he changed my life until now. ♪ >> it might sound strange. maybe even impossible but the person who changed my life is someone i never even met. >> hallelujah. >> through the power of his voice and message, bishop td jakes made me who i am today. >> i hear it with my spirit. you got to be willing to be criticized because you are hearing on a level that other people don't hear and you are seeing on a level they don't see and you are building for things that they don't even understand because it hasn't appeared yet but -- you all don't hear what i'm saying. >> do you know how much i listened to you? >> i'm shocked. >> you are the voice in my head. in many ways you have changed my life. >> wow. when i got the letter that you could have picked anybody as a hero, as a mentor and you chose me, i was like -- i thought it was a joke. but what i am so grateful for is that i could say anything that made anybody's life better, you know, that i could do something that other people would find useful because i grew up not thinking that i had anything at all to offer to anybody. ♪ >> reporter: this is a story about dreams. for as long as i can remember, my dream was to be a journalist. so i worked my way up. all the way to nbc news in new york city. it was very exciting but i was never at home. so i took a chance. i believe in taking chances. i took a chance for my big network gig and i went to chicago to become a local news anchor. they told me when i came there i would do the big stories and specials and that i would be the anchor and i ended up knocking on people's doors and doing local -- how do you feel that your child is dead? and i said i don't want to do this. i took a stand for myself and i got suspended and almost got fired. so i went to this really low place and i had to reach and find something to keep me alive and at that low point i found t.d. jakes. >> look at your neighbor and say neighbor, you don't have to believe in my dream. >> reporter: the sermon that saved my life i could repeat it by heart. >> wow. you probably do it better than i do. >> reporter: it's called my dream. >> but to all of you that have a dream that's bigger than you, to all of you who have a dream and it looks like people don't want to get with the program i want you to say hey, neighbor. >> reporter: hey neighbor! >> you don't have to believe in my dream. >> reporter: you don't have to believe in my dream. i do that in the gym. i look at the people on the next machine or i'm running and they look at me and laugh. and i just keep moving. >> look at your neighbor and say i don't have time to wait. i don't have time for you to figure out who i really am or what i really meant, understand my true heart, take into account where i was raised or by the time you get through adding that um i will be an old man and be dead. >> reporter: that's all i needed. my dream wasn't to go to a poor mother's house and say how do you feel that your kid is dead? my dream is to make the world better through my work. you have to be fearless. how do you do it? one step at a time. when i went through what i wept through in chicago as i would run on the path i would just say one foot in front of the other. >> you thought i wasn't going to survive? ha, ha, ha, girl, please, let me enlighten you. >> reporter: i came to realize that i had the power to change my situation. >> i can deal with presidents and ambassadors because i got something. i about it intimidated by anybody. >> reporter: the difference between negativity and positivity is just that. >> absolutely. >> reporter: you helped flip that switch for me. how do you do that? >> if there is something unique about me, i have been down and broke and depressed and suicidal. i have had my car repossessed and i know what it is to use my neighbor's phone. when you see life from down under and you get up from where you can talk. the fuel that pushes me comes from where i came from not where i'm going to. >> reporter: after i came to cnn i interviewed bishop jakes about his work, his books and the news of the day but i never told him how much he inspires me or what he means to my life. >> most of my adult life the father figure i had in my head is you. >> that's amazing to me. i was really surprised and honored that something that i said caught you at a critical moment and given you the velocity beneath your wings to rise again. i think it's very, very, very important. >> what i want to say to you is -- first of all, thank you. i didn't just get here. i've been working at this since i can remember. i'm almost 50 years old. there are very few people in my life other than my family who actually tell me the truth. you do that when i didn't know you and now that i know you, even more so. so thank you for the tough love, the inspiration, for understanding me when i didn't know you. and now i know you, for understanding me even more. >> to know that i am helping you gives my life meaning. my destiny is to help you reach yours. and the one thing that i know for sure, when you started talking a moment ago i heard your heart speak. and hearts don't lie. hearts really don't lie. ♪ >> when someone changes your being and the way you look at the world and life, that's invaluable. ♪ lord i want to see you >> so i live every single moment in gratitude because i know where i came from, i know where i am and who i am. >> thank you very much. >> i'm love it and going to make the most of it. every day, i wake up and i feel like i live in a dream. when i look out that window i'm thinking, why wouldn't i live in gratitude? there is more to come from our week-long series, the person who changed my life. karen costello shares her person tomorrow at 10:00 and it wraps up sunday night at 8:00 eastern. there is more at our website, cnn.com/lifechanger. thank you, bishop jakes and thank you, god. we'll be right back. i think it landed last tuesday. one second it's there. then, woosh, it's gone. i swear i saw it swallow seven people. seven. i just wish one of those people could have been mrs. johnson. 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"ac360" right now. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com good evening. busy night in politics with sarah palin out on the campaign trail linking president obama to her son's alleged domestic abuse incident. we begin with breaking news. if you're one of 65 million americans tonight, you could be in for a crippling winter storm. no exaggeration. that's the national weather service's word, crippling. snowfall measured in feet, not inches and potentially the kind of flooding only seen in hurricanes. the dangerous zone is evolving. right now washington d.c. is in the cross hairs. this is what the last big winter storm did to d.c. nearly 18 inches in 2010.

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