Lovers. Damon harris, former member of the temptations, has passed away. According to his daughter, the 62yearold singer had been battling Prostate Cancer for the last 14 years. You may remember harris joined the temptations at the ripe age of 20. Replacing one of the groups original lead singers. I was telling my team today, ill never forget it, one of my very first concerts as a little girl was seeing the four tops and the temptation, together right here in atlanta. Heres a little more. You make my life brighter and that does it for me. Im brooke baldwin. Live at the cnn World Headquarters in atlanta. Lets take you to washington. The situation room with wolf blitzer begins now. Brooke, thanks very much. Were standing by to hear from the House Speaker john boehner and were waiting for anyone here in washington to suggest a real actual compromise that will avoid those devastating forced budget cuts. Its one scandal after another as Pope Benedict begins his final work as leader of the worlds Roman Catholics. Plus, a cnn exclusive. You will meet the real americans whose rescue from iran inspired the oscarwinning movie argo. Im wolf blitzer. Youre in the situation room. Captions by vitac www. Vitac. Com were only four days away from billions of dollars in forced budget cuts. This afternoon, members of congress are finally back on capitol hill. President obama meanwhile welcomed the nations governors to the white house. But is anybody looking for a real compromise that will avoid the chaos scheduled to hit this friday . Our search for answers begins with our National Political correspondent jim acosta. Whats the latest, jim . Reporter wolf, if anything, both sides sound like they are digging in. The white house is accusing republicans of putting schools and the health of Young Children at risk. Meanwhile, the republicans are accusing the Obama Administration of trying to scare people. Welcome, everybody. Reporter speaking to a meeting of the nations governors, president obama said if Congress Wants to stop those forced spending cuts that start going into effect at the end of the week, lawmakers better do something about it. These cuts do not have to happen. Congress can turn them off anytime with just a little bit of compromise. Reporter to get congress in the spirit of compromise, the white house is warning whats about to be cut on a state by state level. 1,200 teacher and aide jobs at risk in california. 7,500 fewer children receiving vaccines in florida. 52,000 defense workers furloughed in texas. The president asked the press to leave a closed door meeting with the gom governors. What i want to do is clear out the press so we can take some questions. Reporter and candid is what the president is getting from louisianas governor bobby jindal. I think that the president needs to stop try to scare the American People. That absolutely you can cut less than 3 without all these awful consequences. Reporter just as jindal wrapped up his remarks, Homeland Security secretary napolitano suggested the cuts could make the nations borders vulnerable to terrorists. I dont think we can make the same level of security at all places around the country with sequester. Can you just say right here for the record that you are not here just trying to scare people, that what youre saying has to happen, is a necessity, as a result of these cuts . Yeah, im not here to scare people. Im here to inform. Line by line, page by page reporter House Republicans released a web video pointing out the president has repeatedly promised to comb through the federal budget to find smarter savings. A proobama superpac pointed out in the its own video republicans signed off on the forced cuts. We got that in law. We got that in law. We got that in law. Reporter Governor Jindal doesnt sound encouraged. A sense these cuts are going to happen . Well, look, as you heard many governors say, we still think theres time for this administration to come up with a sensible alternative. But for that to happen, for these cuts to be averted, the balls in the president s court. Reporter but a Top Republican senate aide tells cnn to expect two different bills this week. One from the democrats. One from the republicans. And that there will be no filibuster. At least on the gop side according to this Senate Republican aide and the white house is insisting that any delay to these cuts include new revenues or new tax increases. Wolf, the republicans at this point just arent going to go for that. The House Speaker john boehner just started speaking to reporters on the hill. I want to briefly listen to hear what he has to say. Before the Senate Begins to do their work. Good afternoon. We heard the president say last week that he was going to be forced because of the sequestration to let criminals loose on the street. If he didnt get another tax hike. Today, were hearing discussions from the secretary of Homeland Security that somehow were going to have to sacrifice Homeland Security efforts in keeping our country safe if we dont get another tax hike. This is a false choice. And the president s been engaging in this rhetoric of a false choice for weeks now. As the speaker just indicated, we in the house have acted. There is a smarter and better way to go about trying to achieve the reductions in spending so we can get a control over the spending. And in the house, we even included measures that the president has proposed in his own budget. But yet the president wont support even his own measures unless theres a tax increase. So the president really ought to stop campaigning and come back to the table and work with us. We care about what happens to this economy and the people who sent us here. We have proffered alternatives and solutions. We dont adhere or agree with this false choice the president s putting forward. And as cathy said, president s off campaigning in my state in newport news, virginia. Yes, were very, very concerned about the impact on the commonwealth as we are on all states. Theres a way to effect the right changes and reforms so we can avoid that. And we must set aside the false choice the president is proffering. As the other leaders have said, the president s only all right, so thats Kevin Mccarthy right now. That was eric cantor before that, the speaker. Doesnt look like theyre putting forward a new initiative to try to break the stalemate. Hes referring to legislation that members of the house, the majority, passed last in the last session of congress. But that legislation is not does not spill over into this new session of congress, if congress is going to want to take up new legislation to avert this forced spending. They have to pass a bill this week. We didnt hear the Republican Leadership say they were about to do anything along those lines. Theyre waiting to hear from the president that they say as a result the stalemate continues right now. Well get some reaction from the white house. No new initiative at least as far as we heard right now from the speaker or from the majority leader in the house of represent times. Well see if they can come up with something that will be acceptable to the president to avoid these forced spending cuts. Whats called sequestration. Much more on this story coming up. Lets move on to some other news. Were going to take you out of washington at least for a little bit. Theres a situation thats now threatening millions of people. For the second week in a row, a blizzard is roaring into some of the plains states and its already bringing whiteout conditions to the texas panhandle and threatening parts of kansas still digging out from last weeks storm. Lets bring in our meteorologist chad myers. Whats going on . A brutal snowstorm in amarillo, in woodward, oklahoma, moving into wichita, kansas. Just wind today, wolf, 70 Miles Per Hour. Heavy snow in amarillo. Something happened today that ive never heard of. Ive never heard this before. They took snowplows off the roads. Because it was too dangerous for the plows to be out there. They had to wait for the wind to die down. The plows couldnt see where they were going. And that was amarillo. Now the snows into woodward. Almost Oklahoma City. To the northwest of stillwater and guthrie, moving into wichita, and even tonight, moving into kansas city. So bigger cities about to get hit. Snow just coming down now. Still not quite sticking to the roadways. Salt working at this point. But tonight you will get another six inches of snow by morning. And then another four on top of that six during the day tomorrow. So it is coming down and it is going to come down everywhere across kansas, into kansas city, into elva, even a place where weve sent our short straw reporter right up there, south of kansas city, into spring hill, kansas, our erin mcpike is there. Erin, youre going to get somewhere between 12 and 16 inches of snow before its done. Reporter a number of roads are already closed, chad. But the snowstorm is actually a mixed blessing to the regions big business, agriculture. The second major winter storm in under a week slams the great plains tonight. But farmers here arent complaining. The drought over the last two years has put our farm in survival mode. You get the feeling that, you know, it can rain or snow again. It does happen. So i get the feeling we are going in the right direction. Reporter this is the Third Straight year the nations bread basket is suffering from extreme drought. Crop production and the regions economy are down dramatically because of it. With 3 billion of losses here in kansas in 2012. Another problem, Drinking Water. Here at hillsdale lake, a major source of Drinking Water for kansas city and surrounding areas, the water level is 3 1 2 feet lower than average. Were hoping that the snowstorm that we had and the upcoming snowstorm can provide us with some much needed water for the lake and help us in the future. Reporter the drought also hurts cattle rancherses who need feed and water for their herds. But the snow creates problems of a different sort because its calving season. We got our first one this morning. Reporter this morning . Yeah. Reporter are you worried about that new calf and the snow tonight and tomorrow . Not that one. Its the ones that will be born during the blizzard. Probably going to lose a few. Its just part of it. We need moisture but a rain in the spring would be a lot better than a foot of snow, you know. Rather deal with the water bill than a foot of snow and a blizzard. Reporter now, of course, this storm is a big nuisance for him and for cleanup crews but, chad, so many people weve talked to over the last week here say theyre just thrilled to have any moisture at all. Chad. No question about it, erin, thank you very much. Stay warm out there. Its going to be a cold blizzard as well. Wolf, Severe Weather going on in the south as well. On the other side of this storm. Louisiana and texas. Tornado watches tonight. Thats the the other side. Warm and cold. Its the warm side. Well watch those tornadoes for you. Well check back with you, thanks very much. Thanks to erin as well. In Pope Benedicts last few days as head of the Catholic Church, hes dealing with two serious issues including a cardinal resigning over a sex scandal. Our own Christiane Amanpour is in rome. Shell join us live. Plus, several nascar fans injured in a wild crash. Coming up, were getting new information now on whats being done to make sure this doesnt happen again. Announcer did you know there are secret black market websites around the world that sell stolen identities . 30yearold american man, excellent credit rating. Announcer lifelock monitors thousands of these sites 24 hours a day. And if we discover any of our members data for sale, lifelock is there with the most comprehensive Identity Theft protection available. [. ] [squealing, crash] call 1800lifelock or go to lifelock. Com today. [ man ] ive been out there most of my life. You name it. Ive hooked it. But theres one. One thats always eluded me. Thought i had it in the blizzard of 93. Ha never even came close. Sometimes, i actually think its mocking me. [ engine revs ] what . quattro theres a lot i had to do. Watch my diet. Stay active. Start insulin. Today, i learned theres something i dont have to do anymore. 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Get medical help right away if you experience serious allergic reactions such as body rash, trouble with breathing, fast heartbeat, or sweating. Flexpen® is insulin delivery my way. Covered by most insurance plans, including medicare. Find your copay cost at myflexpen. Com. Ask your Health Care Provider about novolog® flexpen today Pope Benedict xvi gives up the papacy this thursday, but scandals are threatening to overwhelm his farewell ceremonies. The pope issued an order speeding up his process for picking his successor. The pontiff also met with three cardinals to discuss their secret report on leaks from his office which led to the arrest of his former butler. In another very damaging story, the vatican accepted the resignation of the scottish Cardinal Keith obrien. Unknown priests accused him of, quote, inappropriate acts. Our Senior CorrespondentMatthew Chance is joining us live in edinburgh, scotland. What do we know . Reporter well, wolf, im standing outside the official residence of Cardinal Keith obrien here in edinburgh in scotland, where hes holed up inside, hes not giving any statements beyond the resignation statement he issued earlier today which was accepted by the vatican. This has emergelged as one of te classic scandals thats been affecting the church over the past several years. You saw it in the United States with the child sex scandal. Where senior clerics in the church preach one way of living life but fail to live up to the high standards that theyre setting for everybody else. It was the archbishop of scotland, inside this building. But there have been other examples. At the moment, the focus is very much on this cardinal, this archbishop. At evening mass, the faithful in edinburgh have yet another scandal from which to be delivered. The resignation of Cardinal Keith obrien, one of britains most senior Roman Catholic clerics, has come as a shock. It has shocked me greatly. It really has. Because he looked like a really good lovely upright man. Im obviously very sad for the, you know, whats happening in the church and the example its giving, whether its true or not, what has been said. Its obviously a very sad day for the church. Reporter the sudden departure follows this newspaper report in which four priests, two current, two former, accuse Cardinal Obrien of having what they called inappropriate relations with them in the 1980s. The implication is of homosexual contact. The cardinal denies the allegations. But his Resignation Letter reads, for any good i have been able to do, i thank god. For any failures, i apologize to all whom i have offended. Heres the thing. Cardinal keith obrien has been a vocal defender of church doctrine. On homosexuality and same sex marriage. Publicly rejecting them both. Supporters say he has voiced liberal views on the celibacy of priests, suggesting they should be allowed to marry women. But on the issue of gay rights, hes often come across as a hardliner. All the more surprising, then, that a scandal of this nature should end his career. Its damaging for the vatican too. Already mired in pedophile sex scandal, its trying to shore up its reputation ahead of the papal election in march. Cardinal obrien had been preparing to vote in that conclave. Recently speaking of his worries. I will respond as well as i possibly can to the will of god for me at this time and to the will of god for the Roman Catholic church at this time. Reporter but now he wont be going to the vatican at all. Preferring, he said, for attention to be focused on Pope Benedict and his successor, not on this scandal surrounding him. At home. Even though the cardinal has resigned, he will maintain his title cardinal. He stays part of the church. He also retains his vote in the conclave. If he wants to use it. But for the reasons we just mentioned, he has rejected that. Saying he does not want any of that harsh media spotlight to be on him in rome. Wolf. What a story that is. Matthew, thanks very much. Were also watching reports in the italian press. Hinting at an