today, and he did not mince words. >> i continue to believe mr. trump will not be president. and the reason is because i have a lot of faith in the american people, and i think they recognize that being president is a serious job. it's not hosting a talk show or a reality show. it's not promotion. it's not marketing. it's hard. >> pelley: well, republicans were also hard on trump today. nicki haley, the governor of south carolina, said she will not endorse trump before the primary there on saturday. in fact, haley said trump is everything a governor does not want in a president. major garrett is with the trump campaign in south carolina. major. >> reporter: scott, we asked the campaign for reaction to president obama's comments, and the following: >> i've never seen a human being lie so much. he lies about everything. >> reporter: it was another "pants on fire" day in south carolina, as both trump and marco rubio accused ted cruz of being dishonest. >> i hate to say it about a person, but actually, during the debate, rubio called him a liar, so i felt a lot better. >> he spent the last two weeks literally making stuff up. >> both donald trump and marco rubio have this very strange pattern if you point to their actual record, if you point to the words that come out of their mouth, they don't respond on substance. they just scream, "liar, liar, liar." >> reporter: in a lengthy facebook post he condescribes himself as prolife and against balmcare. rubio told us cruz distorts on many fronts. ben carson in iowa, does not tell my truth about planned parenthood. >> reporter: trump has also questioned ted cruz's mental health. >> cruz is depseral rat. i think ted is a very unstable guy. >> reporter: the texas senator called for increasing the size of the u.s. military in a speech aboard the uss "yorktown." he asked about trump's unstable charge. >> major, the reason donald insults is because he can't defend the substance. he can't dispute substance because it's his own words. >> reporter: scott, social media is abuzz over this tweet from governor jeb bush, showing a firearm with his name on it. there were some people who were supportive, but membership said, "your campaign is dying. please, governor bush, don't take your own life" only in jest, but it shows you how painful things have become for bush in south carolina. >> pely: never seen a primary like this. major, thank you very much. the latest cbs news poll shows trump is leading his closest cruz, by better than two to one. on the democratic side, hillary clinton leads bernie sanders by 19 points, as both of them court african americans. here's nancy cordes. >> and we pray for bernie sanders. >> reporter: as one candidate met with black ministers in columbia, south carolina, the other sat down with civil rights leaders in harlem, both of them trying to send the same message. >> my campaign is really about breaking every barrier. >> reporter: today, clinton proposed a $2 billion plan to reform school discipline policies that she says are failing black students. >> and we will dramatically expand support for guidance counselors, school psychologists, and social workers. >> reporter: sanders focused on black incarceration rates. >> tell me why in the richest country in the history of the world, why we should have more country on earth. anyone tell me why? ( applause ) >> reporter: clinton is leading among south carolina african americans by nearly 40 poingts. she sought to cement that advantage today by implying sanders is new to the fight for racial equality. >> you can't just show up at election time and say the right things and think that's enough. we can't start building relationships a few weeks before a vote. ( applause ) >> reporter: he argued the civil right movement inspired his fight against wall street greed. >> but people didn't cower. people didn't back down. people kept going forward. that, my friends, is courage. >> reporter: both candidates bring up race more frequently than then-senator barack obama did back in 2008. perhaps, scott, because he was all too aware back then of the biases that clinton and sanders are highlighting now. >> pelley: nancy cordes for us tonight. at the supreme court today, the chair filled by justice antonin scalia for nearly 30 years was draped in his honor. scalia died apparently in his sleep over the weekend at the age of 79. senate republicans want to delay replacing scalia for nearly a year so the next president can make the choice. but today, mr. obama said he plans to follow the constitution. >> historically, this has not been viewed as a question. there's no unwritten law that says that it can only be done on off years. that's not in the constitutional text. i'm amused when i hear people who claim to be strict interpreters of the constitution suddenly reading into it a whole series of provisions that are not there. there is more than enough time thoughtful way, the record of a nominee they present and to make a decision. >> pelley: the president this afternoon. now to the weather. severe storms pummeled the east coast today. snow and flooding rains were in the north. the south woke up to thunder, lightning, and twisters. david begnaud is there. >> reporter: at least four tornadoes barreled through south florida in the middle of rush hour this morning. 86 to 110-mile-per-hour winds ripped the top off this 18 wheeler on florida's busy i-95 in miami tossing the big rigots side. david matienzo was on his way to work. >> it was basically like the "twister" movie. that's basically, the best way i can describe it. all of a sudden, something like a metal sign, hit the front of my car and shattered the window. >> reporter: these strong gusts tore roofs off buildings. fire in this residential area of miami. this same storm system also spawned an ef-3 tornado late yesterday in sentry, florida, on the alabama border. the over 135-mile-per-hour winds flattened cars and destroyed homes. southern mississippi was also hit. copiah county this home was demolished. malcolm erwin lives nearby. >> it sounded like a low-flying jet. it really did. >> reporter: here in miami, those 100-mile-per-hour winds tossed this tree like a toy. look at the base. i'm 6'1", and it's nearly enough to swallow me. scott, tornadoes here are not rare, but forecasters say because of el nino, south florida could get more tornadoes just like they did today well into the month of march. >> pelley: david begnaud, thanks. these wild weather swings that we've seen are caused, as david said, in part by the phenomenon known as el nino. that's the warming of the pacific that leads to drought in much of africa and storms and high temperatures on america's we have two reports on this tonight, beginning with ben tracy in southern california. >> reporter: this is winter on the west coast, with temperatures running 15-25 degrees above normal, it explooks feels more like july than february. >> it is so hot outside. it's crazy. we're just kind of embracing it and going with it. >> wow, look at this. >> reporter: californians were expecting this-- nonstop rainstorms fueled pie one of the largest el ninos on record. but after heavy rains last month, southern california is on a hot and dry streak. it's been 15 days since a drop of rain fell in los angeles. nasa climatologist bill patzert famously called this massive band of warm water in the pacific ocean a godzilla el nino, predicted to drench drought-ravaged california. is this godzilla more bark than >> el nino remains immense. it's had a powerful impact over the last six months. and even this winter, all the volatile weather we've had across the united states, the fingerprint of el nino is on all these events. >> reporter: turns out, the el nino is so big, it shifted the jet stream further north, allowing storms to batter northern california and the pacific northwest. rain-soaked cliffs near san francisco have been dropping into the ocean. but these northern storms are also dramatically boosting california's snow pack, now the deepest it's been in more than a decade. spring snow melt will help fill the state's depleted reservoirs and provide 30% of california's water supply. the temperature hit 90 degrees here today in los angeles, and that is a new record for this date, but forecasters say they still expect those el nino rains and cooler temperatures to hit los angeles and, scott, they say that will happen in the next couple of weeks. >> pelley: ben tracy for us tonight. ben, thank you. little water in southern and eastern africa where el ninin is scorching the earth. the u.n. says as many as a million children are at risk of starvation. many are in the tiny nation of lesotho, and we sent debora patta there. >> reporter: dawn breaks over ha khabele. villagers hope for rain, but it promises to be another scorching day. 70-year-old malepota makara wakes her five grandchildren, most of them orphaned by aids. it doesn't take long to get the three eldest ready for school. that's because there is nothing to eat. like everyone else in the village, makara's crops have failed. it is painful, says nine-year-old to go to school without food. "this drought," his grandmother have ever seen." makara knows instinctively what experts have confirmed-- this is the strongest el nino on record in southern africa, delaying the rains and putting 14 million people at risk of starvation. a pitiful burst of rain in recent days has coaxed out some greenery. it's a cruel illusion, as it's come too late. this should be lo's rainy season. normally i wouldn't be able to stand here because i'd be waist high in water. instead this river bed is pone dry. u.n. humanitarian coordinator yolanda dasgupta is worried at what's ahead. >> the rainfall has been delayed to an extent that people haven't been able to plant the crops that they need to survive. so we're looking at people having not enough to eat, at least until 2017. >> reporter: at school, makara's grandchildren get their watery porridge and some corn. but as the country's grain supplies run out, schools are worried they will have to stop their feeding schemes. water is a concern, too. lesotho's government delivers water to the silages but it's not enough. a nearby dam has a two-week supply left before it, too, runs dry. at home, makara manages to manages to scrounge for a few unripened peaches for the younger children, and later when the brothers and sisters return, she rests for the first time. there is no supper once again. "if i can just give them food and love," she sighs, "then they will be fine." lesotho desperately needs at least $27 million to feed people on the brink of starvation, but they are battling to attract the attention of international donors, scott, who are already global crises. >> pelley: remarkable reporting from debora patta tonight, who is back in johannesburg. debora, thank you. in just a moment, what you need ton to prevent deadly accidents at rail crossings. and private letters reveal a close relationship between a the cbs evening news continues. you had liberty mutual new car replacement, you'd get your whole car back. i guess they don't want you driving around on three wheels. smart. with liberty mutual new car replacement, we'll replace the full value of your car. see car insurance in a whole new light. liberty mutual insurance. >> pelley: today, pope francis went to the heart of mexico's drug war and challenged priests to fight injustice, violence, and corruption. this comes at the same time of a fascinating revelation about pope john paul ii. private letter rez veal a close friendship with a woman that lasting for decades. mark phillips has the story. >> reporter: he was then a young polish cardinal. she was a polish american writer and married. yet, when karol wojtyla, the man ii, began to collaborate with anna teresa tymieniecka on a translation, something more than a book happened. they wrote to each other for the rest of their lives, his letters recreated in a bbc documentary. their relationship would test the cardinal's vow of celibacy. particularly, he says, the words, "i belong to you." malina malinovsky brokered the sale of the letters to the polish national archive. >> i do believe she completely fell in love with him during the first phase of their relationship. >> reporter: they didn't just write. they spent private times together at her property in vermont, skiing in poland. in the old communist days when she was in krakov, she had her letters hand delivered to him so party officials couldn't use the this popular priest. even when he became pope, he didn't stop. >> "i am thinking about you. and in my thoughts i come to pomfret-- her rouse in vermont-- every day." when he died, friends say, but the vatican won't confirm, she was at his bedside. the pope's letters are now public. anna teresa tymieniecka's letters to him have not been published. what a story they might tell.ng >> pelley: and we'll be right back. lawyer so i asked about adding once-daily namenda xr to her current treatment for moderate to severe alzheimer's. it works differently. when added to another alzheimer's treatment, it may improve overall function and cognition. of symptoms for a while. 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>> if the traffic signal is working the way that it should, if it's connectedly the right way to the railroad crossing equipment, we should be able to keep people off the track when a train is coming. >> reporter: tonight, the federal railroad administration is issuing a safety advisory, asking states to inspect the traffic signals at roughly 5,000 interconnected railroad crossings nationwide. >> it's really important to monitor these lights to make sure that the signals are not losing a second over time, to make sure that traffic's moving through. >> whenever drivers are approaching railroad tracks, they just have to assume that a train is coming. >> reporter: dr. lanny wilson's 14-year-old daughter, was riding in was struck by a train. >> it seemed like she had the world on a string, sitting on a rainbow, and we were there with her until that crash. and then since then, we've done a lot to try to prevent this tragedy from happening to other families. >> reporter: regulators are also asking that event recorders be installed in these traffic signals to help determine drm if the signals are factoring into accidents. regulators are working with companies like google to share doolt so one day drivers will be warned as they approach train tracks. >> pelley: in a moment, dogs chasing the top prize. i'm always there for my daughter. for the little things. and the big milestones. and just like i'm there for her, pacific life is there all life's moments. pacific life. helping families for over 145 years achieve long-term financial security with lifelong retirement income. talk to a financial advisor today to grow your future with confidence. listen up! i'm here to get the lady of the house back on her feet. and give her the strength and energy to stay healthy. who's with me?! yay! the complete balanced nutrition of great tasting ensure. with 9 grams of protein ensure. take life in! good news. you're down with crestor. alright! now there's a way you can get crestor for $3. adding crestor, along with diet, lowers bad cholesterol. crestor is not for people with liver disease, or women who are nursing,pregnant, or may become pregnant. tell your doctor all medicines you take. call your doctor 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 serious side effects. ask for the crestor $3 card. ask your doctor about crestor. pet moments are beautiful, unless you have allergies. then your eyes may see it differently. only flonase is approved to relieve both itchy, watery eyes and congestion. no other nasal allergy spray can say that. when we breathe in allergens our bodies react by over producing six key inflammatory substances that cause our symptoms. most allergy pills only control one substance. flonase controls six. and six is greater than one. complete allergy relief or incomplete. let your eyes decide. ya know, viagra helps guys with erectile dysfunction get and keep an erection. talk to your doctor about viagra. ask your doctor if your heart is healthy enough for sex. do not take viagra if you take nitrates for chest pain or adempas for pulmonary hypertension. your blood pressure could drop to an unsafe level. to avoid long-term injury, seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than four hours. stop taking viagra and call your doctor right away if you experience a sudden decrease or loss in vision or hearing. >> pelley: tonight is the grand finale of the westminster dog show, a super bowl without the tailgating, just the tail. here's don dahler. >> reporter: rumor has it-- >> there you go! >> reporter: the german shepard named rumor is favored to win best in show tonight. the four-year-old female from wisconsin wowed the crowd yesterday, taking best of breed honors. her owner, kent boyles. what's the difference, if you can put it into words, between a true champion dog and just a really well-trained dog? >> well, she's very close to the breed standard. she's aesthetically really beautiful animal and good attitude. she loves the show. >> reporter: and most of the 3,000 dogs do seem to enjoy the attention, the primping, and the cheering crowds. judge michael faulkner has been involved with show dogs since he was nine years old. hearing the cheering, what is it about dogs that makes this event >> that bond between dog and man is so important, and then you add competition and applause and glamour and, you know, it doesn't get any better. >> reporter: the seven new breeds in this year's competition raise the number to 197, and include some faces and hairstyles many fans have never seen before. it took jackie walker over 10 years to get french herding dogs berger picards into the big show. what kind of process does it take to get a breed accepted? >> it's been a very long one. there are many different steps that you have to go through, putting on different shows and tests. >> reporter: all to reach the ultimate test-- performing in the center ripping at westminster. but in the midst of the pomp and pageantry, what is sometimes lost is why we love these animals so much. dogs just being dogs. don dahler, cbs news, new york. >> pelley: and that's the cbs for all of us at cbs news all this is "jeopardy!" let's meet today's contestants -- a phd student and football analyst from atlanta, georgia... a clinical psychologist from charlotte, north carolina... and our returning champion, a bus driver and trainer from orlando, florida... whose 2-day cash winnings total... and now here is the host of "jeopardy!" -- alex trebek! [ applause ] thanks, johnny. hi, folks, and welcome to our program.