packed the church in newark yesterday for her televised funeral. human remains have been found on long island in a separate location from where others have been located and the find is renewing fears that a serial killer is to blame. ten other sets of remains have been discovered since 2000. the lastest remains were found 40 miles from where other remains were uncovered. so far it's not clear. >> espn is apologizing for a headline. the sports headline has fired a writer and also suspended an anchor for what espn can calling offensive and inappropriate comments. espn apologized saying lin's accomplishments are a great source of pride to the asian american community. in looking overseas, 20 people have died in clashes. anti-government activists bleen they're close to mounting a major assault on the city of homs. the city has been shelled every day for more than two weeks. heated rhetoric about faith and politics kicks off today's 2012 hour. the controversial comment came from gop candidate rick santorum. he accused obama of a phony theology. when asked about it later he referred to a plan to include catholic institutions to include contraception coverage in their health care plans. >> there are a lot of different stripes of christianity. you can say he's -- i'm just saying he's imposing his values on the church, and thing that's wrong. >> but it's opposing -- >> he's imposing his values. he can characterize his values any way he wants to. >> the president says he's a christian, he's a christian. >> the president's campaign strategist robert gibbs responded to rick santorum's comments today. >> i think the idea is a very real one and obviously we're looking more at what rick santorum is talking about and what he's offering. he made some comments over the past few days that i think questioned people's character and questioned people's faith and i don't believe that belongs in our politics. i don't think that american people want it from either potenti potential. >> joining us live now from washington, shannon travis. shannon, what's behind this recurring battle over religion? >> reporter: it's hard to say if this is part of a strategy for rick santorum. i mean obviously he denies, fred, that this is. but lead's say a few things that we know for sure. okay. in this republican race, each one of these four remaining candidates are trying to stake their claims. newt gingrich did a lot of it at debates, attacking the media a lot of times. that helped him out. mitt romney is obviously playing up his business experience in the private sector. rick santorum has unabashedly been the man of faith, the man of faith, the catholic of faith, right? so these kind of issues have helped him playing to talking about religion, playing to some of these red meat issues that evangelicals particularly like. it's helped propel him in national polls. so, again, he denies he's questioning president obama's christianity, but this kind of talk does carry favor with a lot of evangelicals. you'll remember just last month rick santorum got criticized, fred, for not correcting a woman who said that president obama is a muslim. we obviously know that he's a christian, but it's that kind of thing that helps bring santorum attention, whether it's part of a concerted effort from him, he says no. >> all right. let's take another turn now. another story is generating a whole lot of talk. a co-chair of romney's campaign in arizona has stepped down less than two weeks now, nine days away from the state's primary. what's the story? >> reporter: yeah, fred. this is a scandal that's moving pretty fast. okay. there's the sheriff in arizona, paul, he was in a commercial for john mccain talking about protecting the border back in 2010 when mccain was running for re-election. the sheriff is being accused, according to the newspapers, being accused by a mexican immigrant to the united states of threatening to deport this man because the man wanted to reveal the relationship between him and the sheriff. now, the sheriff came out yesterday. he denied the allegations. he said i never threatened to deport this mexican immigrant, but he acknowledged having a relationship with the man. one other thing of note, as you mentioned, he stepped down as romney's co-chair in arizona, but the sheriff is also running for congress out in arizona. he say he will not stop running. this is a personal matter. one last thing of note, romney's campaign has accepted his resignation and he was on this morning. he says he's innocent until proven guilty and should have the benefit of the doubt. >> we'll be talking with reporterrepor reporter monica alonzo. meantime let's talk about ron paul. the tallying of numbers has continued. he's picked up some more delegate votes there, but how does this change his positioning in the whole race for the white house? >> fred, it's the never-ending caucus out in maine. i've been following this story for a few weeks now. basically yesterday one county in maine held its caucuses. they postponed it from last saturday, over a week ago, because of the weather. they held these caucuses. mitt romney was declared the winner on february 11. ron paul picked up 83 votes. it doesn't change the outcome. mitt romney is still the winner, but the votes that ron paul received in yesterday's caucuses could possibly be entered into the final tally on march 10th, but, again, it won't change the outcome. in terms of delegates we have our latest estimates. romney at 127, newt gingrich at 38, rick santorum at 37 and ron paul at 27. so you'd better believe what these upcoming primaries will count. >> we've been watching these. they've been winner take all. thanks so much, shannon. rick santorum is surging in popularity. two recent polls show just how much. first in ohio a quinn a pea yak poll shows them favoring santorum with 36%. romney is at 29% and our cnorc poll shows santorum with 34% and romney just two points behind. rick santorum is also gaining ground in romney's home state of michigan. according to a detroit news poll, santorum leads romney by four points. here's santorum addressing an economic forum in detroit. >> folks, we transformed the world. life expect ansi at the time was 34 years of age. exactly what it was at the time of jesus christ. 1,800 years of kings and empe r emperors, government telling you what to do and how to do it all for your benefit. all for your benefit, of course, because we care about you and we're doing what's best because we know best. we're the proper will i bred ones, the properly educated ones, the smart people who know better for you than you know for yourself, and, therefore, we will care for you. sound familiar? well, for 1,800 years of people being cared for, guess what happened? they were used for pawns on a chess board by people who wanted power and then wielded it, not for your benefit but consistent with what they thought was best for you. america changed that. america changed that. and in 235 years life expectancy around america and the world doubled because of america, because we believed in allowing you to have the freedom and opportunity to go out and pursue your dreams, to reap the fruits of your labor, not be criticized for being successful, not be singled out for singular punishment and being called greedy, not being called the 1% and held up for scorn. look at the 1% here in eastern michigan who built eastern michigan. do the people of eastern michigan hold them up for scorn? no, they name buildings and statues and arenas and all sorts of things for the people who built the foundation of the economy of this region, and we didn't mind the fact that they made a lot of money. you know what? they made a whole lot of people a lot of money and that was a good thing. >> all right. just days before the february 28th arizona primary election, the republican contenders debate the issues. the arizona republican presidential debate on cn this wednesday, february 22nd at 8:00 eastern time. no clear front-runner in the gop race for president. the south carolina and florida primaries were turned points, and then came the three big wins for rick santorum. up next, will michigan's primary shift the race in a new direction? thank you so much, i appreciate it, i'll be right back. they didn't take a dime. how much in fees does your bank take to watch your money ? if your bank takes more money than a stranger, you need an ally. ally bank. no nonsense. just people sense. try bayer advanced aspirin. it has microparticles so it enters the bloodstream fast and rushes relief to the site of your tough pain. it's proven to relieve pain twice as fast as before. bayer advanced aspirin. i want to fix up old houses. ♪ [ woman ] when i grow up, i want to take him on his first flight. i want to run a marathon. i'm going to own my own restaurant. when i grow up, i'm going to start a band. 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[ all ] ♪ hey, hey, hey ♪ good-bye welcome back to this special hour of the cnn newsroom. we're taking time out every surchd to let you hear from the presidential contenders in their own words on the campaign trail. in arizona, mitt romney remains on top. it shows romney with 38% and santorum at 31% among likely republican voters. romney spent much of the week in his home state, the place he was born, michigan. one of the groups romney spoke to was the farmington hills chamber of commerce. >> i love the businesses of this state. i love the auto industry. i want to see it thrive and grow. i'm glad it went through a managed bankruptcy process, which i'm glad it went through. i'm delighted it's profitable. in my view, this auto industry can continue to lead the world and must continue to lead the world to keep detroit with a vibrant and prosperous future. but let me tell you. i think this is a campaign -- and i've cede sade this before about the soul of america. the question is do we believe in a vision of america more and more like europe with the government saying we're going to take from some to give to others in the name of fairness. in a setting like that, the only people who do well are the government folks who do the taking and the giving or do we believe instead that america is a land of opportunity where free individuals and free enterprises pursuing their own path create a stronger economy and lift the well-being of all? that's the choice we have in this country. i happen to believe in the vision of the founders. they said in america in the declaration of independence that the creator gave us rights. they're life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness. the last phrase referring to the idea that in america we could pursue happiness as we choose. government would not guide our lives. we would guide our lives. government would not tell us where we could live, where we could work and how we'd get paid. we were free people. by virtue of that decision, america became the praise where entrepreneurs and innovators and pioneers from all over the world came. this was the land of opportunity. that's how we've outcompeted the world. i wish people in washington understood that. it is not their government hand that makes america competitive and prosperous. it is the precapacity of american people to pursue their own happiness in the way they choose, to innovate, to pioneer, to create. that's what's allowed us to lead the world. and so as i look to the changes we face, a budget out of balance, threats from around the world, don't want the government to take a larger and larger role in our life and a bigger share of the economy. i want to do what adam smith and the founders of this company recognize was the right course. give people more freedom, protect freedoms and make it easier for people to build and grow their enterprises. i love this country. i love the founding prynne pls of this country. i love the people of america. i'm absolutely convinced that our future is brighter than our past. >> all right. so let's take a look at the future of this race. joining us now live from washington, cnn senior plit can alt ron brownstein. good to see you, ron. south carolina was a turned point for newt gingrich as was florida for romney. now you have to wonder if michigan is another potential turning point. >> yeah. turning points are like street cars. wait a few minutes and another one will come by. this has been an extraordinary race right from the beginning. we've hand more people ahead in national polling than any other republican race ever, and since the mayan calendar went into effect in 1980, we never had a race where three different candidates won iowa, new hampshire, and south carolina. and never have we had a campaign perform so poorly as newt gingrich and come back and have the kind of day he had where he won three contests in one day and now an opportunity in michigan. if he's able to win in michigan, think it would be another earthquake and maybe the biggest earthquake in another race. it's a state r.i.m. won four years ago where he's had time to apply the financial and organization at edge that's enabled him to recover in florida from south carolina. if santorum wins in michigan, thing it's going to be a tu mullous event. probably the most serious conversation we've had yet. >> wow. so it can't be overstated pressure then that is on mitt romney, especially given four years ago he won michigan. if he were to lose the state in which he was born, might that mean that he has to redirect his campaign or his approach if he wants to stay in the race? >> i think you're already seeing signs that he is trying to redirect this campaign. for example, u thought it was very striking to go to salt lake city to try to identify himself with the olimbs. he's trying to broaden himself from just the business guy to the executive experience argument that can contrast with the two legislators he's running against, newt gingrich and rick santorum. there's no question that a win for rick santorum in michigan would have a tremendous effect. it would provide him a tremendous tailwind. there you have states like oklahoma, tennessee, and above all ohio that have a very similar demographic profile. a large culture of conservative voters. if he get as tailwind in michigan he would be strong and the race is truly back to square one. >> wow. fascinating stuff. we'll talk again, ron. thank you very much. we'll talk again later in the hour. after the break we'll talk with ron paul as he questions rick santorum's record. also newt gingrich says he's still in it to win it but worries about losing his home state of georgia. what's his thought? jackie kushman joins me later in the hour. we'll talk again later in the the hour. matt's brakes didn't sound right... ...so i brought my car to mike at meineke... ...we inspected his brakes for free. free is good. free is very good. my money. my choice. my meineke. we continue to delve into the issues in the presidential campaign every sunday. we're spending this hour of the "cnn newsroom" letting you hear from the contenders as they spell out the plans for the future for the united states. presidential hopeful ron paul has not won a single state but says he has no plans to drop out of the race. he dismissed rick santorum as a pretend conservative on candy crowl crowley's "state of the union," and he was asked if he can beat president obama come november. >> well, i don't see how that's possible. this whole idea about the whole talking about social issues and who's going to pay for birth control pills, i'm worrying about, you know, undermining our civil liberty, the constant wars going on, the debt of, you know, $16 trillion. and they're worried about birth control pills and here he wants to, you know, control people's social and lives but at the same time he voted for planned parenthood. i don't see how anybody can get away with that inconsistency, pretending he's a conservative? his voting record, i think from my viewpoint, is an atrocious voting record in how liberal he's been and the things he's voted for in the many years he was in the senate and in the house. >> earlier on the campaign trail in washington ron paul spoke about the need for economic reform so the united states doesn't become another greece in his view. >> we're in the midst of a worldwide crisis in the financial problems that we have today and yet our government through our federal reserve currently are very much involved with the economic crisis of euro because our banks have invested in their banks and they're in on this together. banks in europe are opposed to debt from spain and greece and italy. and they're bankrupt. well, we can't allow the banks to go bankrupt, too big to fail. so they have promised our dollars will bail them out. this is wrong. this is wrong. if we allow it to happen and of course if this continues, it will eventually be rejection of a dollar. and the total rejection of currency can come rather rapidly and it's a financial crisis that's uncontrollable which can lead to a political crisis. this is why it's good to have a plan and improvise a plan where we work our way out of it. this is why i'm saying cut a trillion dollars. cut a trillion dollars and back off and shrink the says of government. we already see, you know, greece just the other day saccept a pln for the 15th time on what to do, and, of course, it was to cut back on some of the jobs, on some of the welfare. but there are riots in the street because they believe as many people in this country believe they're entitled to it. they believe entitlements are right. you have a right to your life and your liberties but you're not entitled the take your neighbor's property through the politicians. >> in recent weeks newt gingrich has slipped in the polls. next, i'll sit down with his daughter jackie cushman to find out how he's hoping to re-energize his campaign. one chance to hunt down the right insurance at the right price. the "name your price" tool, only from progressive. ready, aim, save! grrr! ooh, i forgot my phone! the "name your price" tool. now available on your phone. get a free quote today. what ? customers didn't like it. so why do banks do it ? hello ? hello ?! if your bank doesn't let you talk to a real person 24/7, you need an ally. hello ? ally bank. no nonsense. just people sense. and up and down. you know you're in trouble. newt gingrich called his staff and sad am i in trouble? let me put it to you this way, newt. you have more ex-wives than delegates. >> that's david letterman poking fun at newt gingrich. he's been in georgia this weekend campaigning for super tuesday. earlier gingrich was in california talking taxes and energy. >> think we have to go through a series of tax changes. i've advocated zero capital gains and 100% expensing so people can write off gains. so our companies can compete with china and india and be successful. i also advocate we end the death tax so we do not punish families for working all their lives and being successful and i'm proposing a 15% flat tax so you can either keep the current tax code with all of its paperwork or something they've done in hong kong for years, you can actually adopt mouch you put in, 15% and it's done. so i think it's very important. the other thing i want to comment on that i'm giving a speech about later on today, i really believe that the real lesson of the middle east and the real lesson of the iranians trying to practice closing the straits of ho