good morning, america, on this friday, february 26th. i'm george stephanopoulos. >> and i'm robin roberts. this morning, breaking news. that monster storm, worse than first thought, slams the northeast. with two feet of snow bringing down trees. as high winds flan a huge blaze through a popular tourist town. sizing up the summit. the health care debate gets personal as the president and john mccain revisit their election rivalry. and brand-new video of the moments right before the killer whale attack at seaworld. it is now believed the trainer's ponyail may have provoked the whale. and it might be the greatest

performance in figure skating ever. gold for the bond girl from south korea. and we'll show you why these pictures of the canadian women's hockey team are raising eyebrows this morning. not just raising eyebrows. the international olympic committee actually investigating the canadian team right now. and, robin, down here in washington, we've been spared the worst of the storm this time. but you guys are really socked in. >> yeah. i'm looking around. i don't see anything there. but we're in the middle of the sixth major storm in less than two months. it has no signs of leaving, george. even times square is snowed under. and that's saying something. this is unusual. and juju's boys are very happy. new york's school students are being kept home. a rare snow day in the city.

the pattern of the storm is unke we've seen in the last 30 years. stalling out over the northeast. more than 1,000 flights canceled. 500,000 without power. time down in washington, after the health care summit. has anything changed in health care? full attention. some frustration. but also serious policy talks. where do both sides go from here? we'll check in with the white house. and senator john mccain joins us live with his assessment. let's begin with the blizzard conditions in the northeast. john berman is in new jersey. we have a reporter in new hampshire. but sam begins our coverage live from philadelphia. good morning, sam. >> good morning, robin. just as you said it, sto number six for this year. and it really cranked up last night. it had it all. it had the hard wind. it had the big-time snowfall. heavy snow and flooding prans here's where the snow totals fell. all through the area, a big hit.

it was three to five inches of rain. but new york city with ten inches of snow. scranton with 12 inches of snow. philadelphia with four inches of snow. blizzard warnings in three states today. from the same storm, flood watches and warnings in five stes. this storm is still cranking up. and it doesn't want to go anywhere. the sixth winter storm to slam the east coast this year is hitting hard, with heavy, wet snow, damaging wind, flooding rains and coastal erosion. the storm is packing gusty winds near 70 miles per hour in some areas. those winds are responsible for fanning this fire in a new hampshire resort area. starting early this morning in this oceanfront hotel, and spreading to the entire block. destroying everything in its path. elsewhere, snowfall rates of two to three inches over hour, that will leave parts of the northeast, buried in up to three feet of snow. in new york city, officials are warning people to stay out of the city's parks, after a daily record snowfall in central park

brought down this 100-pound tree limb, hitting and killing a man. busy fifth avenue was shut down because of falling trees. including the one that took out this bus. further upstate, traffic accidents are blamed for at least two more deaths. this pile of hard slush is what's left of the 73 inches of snow philadelphia's had this winter before this storm. the new storm, adding snow that's blowing sideways. the winds here expected to be 40 miles per ho, well away from the center of the storm. roads are so dangerous, officials have banned tractor-trailer trucks on parts of t pennsylvania turnpike. and up and down the coast, there's flooding, after three to five inches of rain. these cars on new york's long island had to be towed out of nearly three feet of water. and at points last night, the snow falling two to three inches an hour. we said our john berman is in new jersey, where they have about 18 inches of snow. the last time i saw a measurement in west millford,

john? >> reporter: it's more than that. it's been snowing here for a day and a half straight right now. it's coming in, pounding to the side of my face. i ha our trusty yardstick right now. right now, it says 21 inches. 21 inches. that beats your 18, sam. they are taking evasive action around here. the speed limit on the new jersey turnpike, just 35 miles per hour. the airports are socked in. more than 1,000 flights have been canceled over the last day. more than 250 in newark alone. and as you said, new york city publ schools are closed down for the day. more than 1 million kids will be able to play in all this. robin? >> 18 inches there in jersey. all right, john, thank you. as sam mentioned, the wind gusts are fueling a massive fire in hampton beach, new hampshire, devastating the popular tourist town. reporter josh davis from our station wmur is live on the scene there. good morning, josh. >> reporter: good morning, robin.

well, this is a very popular summer destination spot for tourists throughout new england. now, normally behind me, you would see two-story to three-story buildings, including a hotel, an arcade, and souvenir shops. all of it, leveled last night in a fire that started after midnight, in winds that exceeded 65 miles per hour. thankfully, this is the off-season. so, there were no tourists. no one inside any of those buildings. and no one injured in this fire that brought out 125 firefighters from 3 states, who were here all last night. and will likely be here all day long. robin, back to you. >> yes. thankfully, no one hurt, as you said. josh, from our station -- josh davis our station wmur in new hampshire. now, for the political storm, let's go back to george in washington. george? >> that's right. the fallout from yesterday's summit over health care. both sides show they know their stuff, in seven hours of talk at blair house. next, we'll get john mccain's take in a moment.

but first, jake tapper is live at the the white house. jake? >> reporter: good morning, george. that's right. after more than 60,000 words of debate and discussion, one things seems clear after the health care reform summit. for reasons both political and philosophical, if president obama and the democrats want to pass health care reform, they're going to have to do it without ident made clear he would not heed republican calls scrap democratic health care reform legislation and start anew. >> we cannot have another year-long debate about this. so, the question that there ens time or in a few weeks' time or six weeks' time, we could actually resolve something? >> reporter: the answer to that, base no. >> if we can't, then i think we have to go ahead and make some decisions.

and then, that's what elections are for. >> reporter: while there were a few moments of agreement on cutting down on medical fraud and broad consensus that something needs to be done to reduce health care costs, the disagreements on what to do were stark. and republicans are confident they're on the side of the american people. >> i'm always reluctant, after being here 37 years to tell people what the american people think. >> if you think they want a government takeover of health care, i would respectfully submit you're not listening to them. >> reporter: at one point, the president's campaign nemesis, senator john mccain said the extraneous deals were in the bill were there because the president did not keep his promise of transparency. >> now, bo of us, during the campaign, promised change in washington. in fact, eight times you said that negotiations on health care reform would be conducted with the c-span cameras. >> let me just make this point, john. because we're not campaigning anymore.

the election's over. >> i'm reminded of that every day. >> my point would be, that we can just focus on the issues of how we actually get a bill done. >> reporter: so, george, the question now, what happens next? house speaker nancy pelosi is finding out, susing out, whether or not there are the votes to pass the senate bill. and there's a big area oaf sis agreement. if they don't have the votes, the white house wants to pass a smaller bill. but many house democrats don't want to do anything at all. now, we'll see what john mccain wants to do now. welcome to t welcome. what happens now? >> i hope they would start over. the president's good at defining the opposition's position in a way that's most favorable to him. he said, for example, we can't afford another year of debate. we're not saying we want another year of debate. what we're saying is, let's start on the areas we agree on. whether it be medical

malpractice reform, or taking care of those with pre-existing conditions or a number of other issues and go step-by-step. and the other aspect of it is, you would not know from the way the vice president just spoke, american people overwhelmingly are against what they're trying to do. and they really are -- the reason why i brought it up yesterday is not because of the campaign. but because the american people don't like these unsavory deals. the issue came up twice about florida and the 800,000 people. because where they live in florida will not be subject to medicare advantage cuts. now, you know, medicare advantage is a very popular program with seniors. now, you can argue -- i don't agree with the argument that it might have to be cut. although, i don't agree with that. but to say carve out 1 group of 800,000. and there's 300,000, 30,000, in my state, who have medicare advantage that are going to be cut with this plan. that's unsavory. >> but the president said you

had a point there. he said he was willing to work with republicans on malpractice reform. >> he needs to undo the pharma deal. he's going to go back on the importation from canada. >> he's going to lay out three or four areas, where he said you might have a point. all he closed with was a plea for republicans to look at his ideas. take a look. >> i'd like the republicans to do a little soul-searching and find out, are there some things that you'd be willing to embrace, that get to this core problem of 30 million people without health insurance and dealing seriously with the pre-existing condition issue. >> we would be seriously interested in dealing with the pre-existing conditions issue. we have a proposal for establishment of risk pools, so insurance companies can compete.

>> but they only have 3 million people, not 30 million people. >> if you establish risk pools so people who have those pre-existing conditions, that the insurance companies can compete for them. that obviously would have, in our view, make significant progress in that direction. if you lower the costs -- the things driving people out of health insurance in america, is the escalating and dramatic increased costs. we have a program that's a $3.5 trilon cost to the taxpayers. so, we are ready to work on a number of issues with the president. but we want to do it step-by-step. we don't want the budget gimmickr that gives you six years of benefits for ten years in taxes. i mean, that's crazy. that is just bernie madoff accounting. we want to work. but we want to work step-by-step. so does the overwhelming majority of the american people. i hope we will. i hope we will.

there are areas that we can agree on. but to go to the 51 votes, instead of this traditional 60 in the united states senate, will have cataclysmic effects. and by the way, the vice president said he didn't know what the american people -- i know what the people in arizona want because i've been traveling all around the state. town hall meeting after town hall meeting. phone calls, letters. they don't want a massive -- >> they say they want to get something done. on that point, the 51 votes, the reconciliation has been used for president bush's tax cuts, for welfare reform, other bills in the past. >> it's not been used for one-sixth of the gross nationa product. robert byrd, the expert in the senate, said it would be outrageous if we used reconciliation for this issue. so, i still want -- we all still want to sit down. we want to negotiate. and we want to try to get something done. but the majority of the american people say, start over or don't do anything. obviously, we can't not do

anything because medicare's going to go broke. >> just bottom line, it doesn't seem like the gap has been bridged between you and the president this morning. >> i think it was good to have thatonversation. i think it was good for the american people, people all over the world that watched, are educated on the issues. very informed people on the issues. i think it helps the american people make a judgment. i would be glad to go over again. >> okay, senator mccain. thanks for your time this morning. >> thanks, george. now, back to new york and juju chang with the rest of the morning's news. >> we begin with new concern for the more than 1 million unemployed americans. late last night the senate failed to extend unemployment benefits that are due to expire this weekend. our jon karl is on capitol hill. jon, what happened? and what happens next? >> reporter: what happens next, is the unemployment befits begin to expire on sunday. and there's plenty of finger-pointing of what's about to happen. jim baning asked for unspent

stimulus funds to be used to pay for it. and democrats blocked that. but, juju, the bottom line here, i can tell you this. there's overwhelming support in the u.s. senate for extending unemployment benefits. and somehow, some way, next week, this issue will be resolved. >> thanks, jon. the clock is clearly ticking. thanks for the update. in afghanistan, the taliban is claiming responsibility for a series of suicide bombings today. at hotels popular with foreigners. at least 17 people were killed. it's the first attack in the capital in more than a month. finally, in the midst of an unrelenting snowstorm in new york. we have proof that chivalry is not a lost art. a man and a woman were crossing a street last night when they encountered deep slush. we know what that's like. he picked her up and carried her to the sidewalk. where's sam champion when you need him? that's the news at 7:15. sam, you're in the middle of philly, covering the storm.

>> i am. i would gladly lay down by coat in the slush. but i hope i don't have to prove it. as we said at the top of the show, storm six, continuing to crank. it's at its most powerful now. here's how the storm puts itself together. it is still getting -- now, it's going to weaken a little as we go through the remainder of the day. but the problem is, it's not going to leave this area. so, all weekend long, we'll have effects of the snow into the northeast. quick look at other things going on. the snowfall totals we expect out of this. just a bit more snow. three to five in syracuse. three to five in new york city. and a look at the next storm that brings heavy rain in southern california, as we get closer to the weekend. that storm will move across the country next week.

a very good morning, we have a little bit of a light snow along the 270 corridor toward frederick. we could have a few slick spot and there is a winter weather three advisory north and west of the city until 6:00 p.m. with winds gusting to 50 degrees -- 50 miles per hour. the weekend will still be breezy, next definitely more wind. and a little more snow. and we're live in philadelphia. robin? >> all right, sam.

thank you. i know you hit the sack early because of the big day ahead of you. i have to tell you, i was up until almost midnight watching the ladies figure skating in the olympics. gold medal performance. people will be talking about this for decades. david muir has all the highlights for us. good morning, david. >> reporter: it was incredible, wasn't it, robin? joannie rochette said she remembered watching the olympics as a child with her mother. and this was her dream. canada's daughter joannie rochette high-fived her coach and skated on to the ice last night in front of the standing-room crowd at the pacific coliseum. in the face of grief and with a nation watching, she landed her triple lutz and double toe. her landing on a triple flip later showed a hint of her struggle. but she kept going. and wowed the audience with her spiral sequence near the end. it was a valiant performance. the audience waited to learn if

it would earn her a medal. she blew a kiss to her mother. and she earned the bronze. it was a spectacular nht by all accounts here. as yu-na kim of south korea secured her gold, breaking her own world record. she is the first-ever figure skating champion from south korea. and her success was a full-circle for her canadian coach, brian orser, who actually lost the gold to brian boitano, in 1988. canadian broadcasters said, maybe he would finally get his gold. and he did. >> bronze medalist, joannie rochette. >> reporter: joannie rochette skated to the podium for her medal. her father watching on. rochette said, i feel proud. and the result did not matter. it was a lifetime project for me and my mom. and we achieved that. boy, did she. so incredible to see her last night. and look at this.

the canadian women's o hockey team apologizing this morning after champagne, beer, and cigars on the ice after they won their gold medal. we learned yesterday, that the german speed skater, he got the call for the 10,000 meter. his phone was off. >> so, he didn't get the call? >> reporter: he didn't get the call. but i was waiting. >> you were waiting. you have that phone on all the time. david, you have had so much fun. thank you so much. thank you. have a good weekend, david. coming up, new questions about the deadly killer whale attack. we exami the video shot right before the attack. we exami the video shot right before the attack. that and more. plus, every volkswages no-charge, scheduled, care-free maintenance. so, what's this punchdub days about? you know, where you punch someone in the arm every time you see a volkswagen. red one! [ baby crying ] test drive? [ male announcer ] with great deals on all 13 models, it's a whole new volkswagen.

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trilipix. there's more to cholesterol. get the picture. code orange. when the fever is high enough " to be a code orange, you need children's motrin. the brand pediatricians ecommend most... to bring high fever don fast. children's motrin. >> live, and in hd, this is an abc 7 news update. good friday morning. item alison starling. your time is 7:22. let's begin with a look at traffic. it started out with a mass when the truck filled with bananas flipped over? >> it sure did.

it was a tractor-trailer that flipped over on 270 north between the beltway and georgetown road. they will come back after the rush hour and clean it up. right now, we are in relatively good shape in virginia. northbound is the right side of the screen pass landmark heading to the pentagon. in maryland, we take you to the beltway. the full 18th street bridge is moving nicely across the river. no accidents along 95 in and out ofaltimore. this is a good pace near holy cross hospital. take look at this camera -- the winds are just howling.

look at these wind gusts, 46 miles per hour, 45 in gaithersburg. in addition, we have a little bit of snow flying around. there could be some minor accumulations. the forecast today calls for gusty breezes and off and on snow showers. high wind warnings are on for the entire area until 6:00 p.m. >> we will be right back.

when the weather is a problem this morning. we are getting reports of wned trees and power outages. the problems could get worse today. >> the wind is raging across the region. it has flags flapping and trees falling. branches and entire trees are collapsing in the face of powerful gusts per the drop in temperature gives the wind a real bite. if you do not cover up, it feels like a stinging slap. it has already caught plenty of problems. in silver spring, a tree down a power line and knocked out electricity with people out for hours last night. >> the power went off and came back on. >> the hig winds may pose a problem for the morning cmute. yesterday, on route 197 near

bowie, a tree tied up traffic for hours. >> here are the latest figures on power outages. pepco is reporting 605 outages in d.c., 60 in montgomery county, and 139 in prince george's county. there are more than 1500 outages in northern virginia. we have a few weather-related school closings and delays. we will have another news update at 7:56. for continous news coverage, tune in to our sister station, newschannel8

a familiar scene this morning. yet another storm dumping up to three feet of snow in some areas. more than 1,000 flights canceled. 500,000 people without power. but wait. it's not over yet. this storm expected to hover over the northeast, for another full day. as sam hovers over the snow there in philadelphia. building the tiniest snowman i think i've ever seen. >> tiny, little. >> tiny, little thing. all right, sam. he's tracking it for us. good morning, america. i'm robin roberts in new york. george is there in d.c. george, we have hearty souls in our studio. can we show the people that made it in? we have olympians, right?

olympic sailors from the 2008 games. people from arkansas. this is exciting for them. >> i guess they were not going to miss it, robin. down here, we have not gotten the snow down here in washington. it's really incredible. but i don't know if you can see this. check -- it just died. i was going to show you the amazing wind down here in washington. and the minute i said it, it went down. the flag's not going at all. trust me, it has been all morning, all night long. a very strong wind. but no snow, thank goodness, down here in washington. there it goes. a little bit of it right there. >> on cue. >> it was a nice try. >> the wind machine. >> right on cue, exactly. also this morning, we're going to have good advice for those trying to sell their house in the struggling housing market. five ways to sell your house right now, insider tips from the top brokers in the country. >> that's ahead. but first, what's next for tilly, the killer whale, after

thrashing and killing his trainer in front of a crowd of horrified spectators at seaworld. there's a lot of questions about the 12,000-pound killer whale's future. yunji de nies joins us live from orlando. good morning, yunji. >> reporter: good morning, robin. s that one change to all seaworld parks, starting effectively now. anyone who had been a v.i.p. guest in the past. occasionally, they had been allowed to pet the killer whales. well, that is no more. and this morning, there's new home video that could shed some light on what went wrong. abc news obtained this video taken by a tourist, which shows the moments leading up to the fatal attack. this is dawn brancheau and tilly, putting on the shamu show for tourists at the park restaurant. she playfully feeds him. clearly enjoying the moment. throwing buckets of water for the wading whale. they play.

she tosses her head side-to-side, he follows. but moments after the cameras would shut off, tilly would grab that pony tail and pull brancheau to her death. seaworld told us, because of his violent past, trainers would never get in the water with him. but the video clear shows brancheau swimming with tilly. shows here and at whale shows across the country are shut down. now, tilly is with other killer whales. no tourists in sight. federal investigators are now combing the grounds. teams from the occupational safety and health administration are trying to figure out if seaworld did anything wrong. at more than 6 tons, tilly is the largest killer whale in captivity. these animals are incredibly intelligent, which makes some experts question whether this was truly an accident. >> this was not an insane, uncontrollable act. this was premeditated. and the whale, for whatever

whale reasons, the whale did this. intentionally. >> reporter: now that you know this animal did pull this trainer in the water, do you think it's safe for other trainers to interact with it? >> there's a way, moving forward, where we can provide a safe environment. we need to investigate how and the specifics of doing that. >> reporter: and seaworld's ceo will hold a press conference this afternoon. we're expecting him to talk about changes not only at this park in the killer whale program, but at all parks around the country. joining us live now from orlando, is former head trainer at seaworld, thad mesink. and robert rhodes, joins us from miami. along with a 40-year-old killer whale. thank you for joining us this morning. thad, i know you trained dawn. you knew her very well. our condolences to you. you are saying the pony tail --

her pony tail may have provoked the whale. how? >> well, it's not that it provoked it. she wasn't obviously watching what she was doing with her pony tail. and the pony tail drifted into the water. and tilikum, who was laying on his back, while she was rubbing him down, he grabbed her tony tail and pulled her into the water. that's as simple as it gets. dawn, if she was standing here with me right now, would tell you that it was her mistake. and allowing that to happen. and i want to correct something i heard a little bit earlier. you said that she was in the water, swimming with the killer whale. she was laying in a slideout. that's an area about four inches deep. she was in the slideout area. she laid down in front of him. the pony tail drifted. and the whale grabbed the tony

tail and pulled it in. >> and just watching the video, we see her in the water. >> i've seen that video. she is laying in about four inches of water. that's a slideout. he is in the deep water. she is on that slideout area, which is about four inches deep. i've seen that video many times. >> okay. she's not actually there in the water. >> no. she is not actually swimming in the water with him. it is the same water. but it is only four inches of water. she was still -- tt she was standing in earlier. and she laid down in that same area. she was not in the water with he pulled her in the pool by her pony tail. >> yeah. she was close enough for him to unfortunately do that. i know you're the former head trainer there. did you have different protocol than what's in place right now at seaworld? >> well, i can tell you that when i was there, we did have a protocol that you would not do

that. you would not lay down in a slideout and get that close to his mouth. now, whether she broke that protocol or not, i don't know. or if the protocol changed in how they were working with him. but i'm pretty sure it was her breaking the protocol. the thing that is the most important thing that seaworld needs to do and make sure of, is that they have the right experience levels working these whales at all times. obviously, she had a lot of experience. and dawn was one of the best killer whale trainers i ever worked with. also one of the best people i've worked with. >> yes. we've heard that. >> but unfortunately, it looked to me like she made the mistake. >> i know you've also -- >> sometimes we get too comfortable working with these animals. you have to remember what they are. but we are all, and we all know, what the risks are in working with these animals. dawn certainly knew the risks. and every other trainer knows that also. >> let's bring in trainer robert rose. he's in miami.

and he's with his whale. and i know, thad, you also trained robert. robert, the mood. you have to always be judging the mood of lolita? >> well, good morning, robin. part of being a trainer is interacting with these animals. it's really what we do every day. we come out here. we spend time poolside. we interact with them. we play with them. we train with them. we do shows with them. it's very important as trainers and caretakers of these animals, that we build that relationship with these animals. we build that bond and the rapport that goes along with it. we care deeply about these animals and really enjoy and love the job we do here. >> but everyone, even whales, have a bad day and a good day. how do you go about judging if maybe they're having an off day? >> i think it's important for everybody to remember that they're individuals, just like you and i. and they get sick. the females get pregnant. and so, it's very important, as trainers, that you get to know them. and you learn that relationship.

and you cacome out here on a day in and day out basis and actually look at the animal. and see how potentially it may be feeling. if it looks like it's normal. maybe it looks a little off. maybe its eyes are a little closed or a little distant from you. at that point, we can notify our veterinarians and look at the animal. and make sure it's not feeling good. they get belly aches like you and i do. so, spending the time and really getting to know the animals are one of the most important things we do as trainers. >> i'm looking at lolita. we're looking at her right now. just very peaceful. but we have to remember, they're animals. and it's kind of like what thad was saying earlier. can you sometimes get too comfortable and forget? >> i think you can get very comfortable in what we do. i've been doing this for over 20 years. you build this relationship. i've been interacting with lolita now for 15 years. i've been with her longer than i've been married to my wife.

and so, you get very comfortable with these animals. and you get to know them very, very well. and as the care takers of these animals, we feel very responsible and have an obligation to, not just our animals, but to the general public. i think it's very important for everybody to understand, you know, the role that these animals play here at parks like miami seaquarium. if it wasn't for zoos and aquariums like us around the country, many people wouldn't have a chance to see a dolphin or a killer whale up close. it's through those interactions and time spent that people can walk away with a better education and understanding how they can help the animals out in the wild. >> robert, thank you for what you do. have a great weekend. and just looking at lolita behind you. and thad, thank you for your insight, as well. we appreciate it and can understand it better. let's go back, now, to philly and sam with the weather. >> robin, where this wind is

blowing, with gusts up to about 40 miles per hour. and by the way, the windchill is about ten degrees here. still some snow to fall. we'll show you a picture of times square, our neighbor back at home, where we had a good ten inches of snow. by the time the snow stops there will probably be a foot of snow in new york city. quickly, here's how the breakdown was. we had rough surf conditions and rough winds and beach erosion along the coastline. then, that line of heavy rain and some snow. we'll see a bit more snow, as we watch this low hang around throughout the weekend. we think you may collect an additional three to five in syracuse. three to five in new y a very good morning, we have a little bit of lit snow north of the city. in addition to the wind, it will feel cold. tomorrow, a few sno

and we are on the ramp here, at the phadelphia convention center because we're going to go inside to the philadelphia international flower show in the next hour, robin. >> maybe you'll have better luck inside instead of trying to build a snowman like you were earlier, sam. good luck. >> it's hard to pack it. >> yeah, yeah, yeah. tell your story walking, mister, inside that convention center. coming up next, the five secrets to selling your home right now. insider tips. the experts, they believe in this. and they're going share it.

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figures out this week paint market. picture of the housing new home sales fell 11% to a record low. if you have to sell your house now how do you do it? bianna golodryga has the scoop from one of the top five brokers

in the country. >> reporter: take notes here. it's no surprise that the latest figures aren't good. they fall into a surprising 50-year low. but sometimes, you can't wait for the housing market to improve before you try to sell your house. we turned to top real estate experts in search of advice. tips that can make your real ing estate experience relatively painless. it's a bittersweet day for dennis and josephine hawn. having raised five children in this new jersey home they purchased 40 years ago, they're convinced that now is the time to downsize to a smaller one. the question is, in this tough market, how do you convince a buyer that now is the right time? we ask gary keller, author of brokers for inside tips.top >> this is a good buyers market. if a seller wants to sell their home, the buyer has to perceive it as a good buy.

>> reporter: tip number one. don't try to make money. listing it for just below what a similar home is selling for will increase your odds. >> are we okay with that? >> reporter: with the help of their realtor, the hawns think they've come up with a good selling price. but she warns them if they don't sell in two months, they certainly have to drop the price. tip number two, don't be lazy when it comes to presentation. >> remember, staging it gets you offers. >> reporter: the less clutter, the bigger the room looks. lose the magnets on the fridge, the excess family photos. on the other hand, tip number three is that some photos are priceless. what are some of the key selling points in a home like this? >> wheyou list a home in the wintertime -- >> reporter: the hawn's agent put together a photo album of the home at various times a year. when the flowers are in bloom and the pool is sparkling. tip four, don't be cheap when it

comes to fixes. everything from leaky faucets to squeaky floors need fixing. another plus, modern appliances. and finally, tip number five. be there. though it may feel uncomfortable with strangers walking around your home, no one can sell it like you can. try to make yourself available to buyers and offer details about local schools, the neighborhood, and even the neighbors themlves. one other useful tip, george. u may think that winter is the worst time to put your home up on the market. but given the current environment, actually, it's much better to do so for the simple reason that your home is competing with far fewer homes up for sale now. >> thanks, bianna. the support i need, free. free access to a certified diabetes educator... so i can ask about diet and the insulin i use. i got a free meter. and test strip discounts. so i can spend more on what i really want. i count on the freestyle promise® program.

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coming up, an update of a story we first told you about on "gma." should a divorced dad face jail time for taking his daughter to church? we'll hear from his ex-wife and get her side of the story. 4 it works on my worst symptoms so i'm ready by the time we get to the first hole. and that's good because the competition's steep today. new zyrtec® liquid gels work fast, so i can love the air.™

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>> live, and in hd, this is an abc 7 news update. and good morning, welcome back everybody, 7:56 is the time of this product. i and alison starling. let's look at traffic and weather. >> we have heavy-duty wins and a truck accident. northbound 270 between the beltway and old georgetown road. this video shows you at 4:00 this morning, the tractor trailer loaded with bananas and turned over. everything is pushed to the side of the road. they will come back after the

rush-hour and clean it up. they will take the bananas of this truck and put it on another one. we still have hours of clean-up but lanes are open. this is live across the 14th street bridge in moving nicely. outside, there are some light snow showers north and east of the city. a few snow flurries and some minor accumulations. the winds are whipping around. sunshine is trying to come through. look at the wind gusts spurted 62 miles per hour in frederick. it is blustery and barefoot -- bitterly cold. the winter weather re-advisory

east of town until 6:00. hard to believe 50-60 miles per hour per it will be back with another news update at 8:25. here is a list of some school closings and delays. for continous news

this hour on "good morning america," a trainer killed by a whale in front of children at a family marine park. should the whale live? how do you talk to your kids about it? we tackle that and more in our "morning mix." plus, should this father go to jail for taking his child to church? the wife in the battle that she says is not about religion. and it was a right for the record books. michelle kwan is here with her take on last night's emotional win in figure skating showdown. plus, we're calling it project red carpet. young designers compete to create robin's oscar gown.

♪ suddenly i see good morning, america. i'm george stephanopoulos in washington. robin, it looked like you had one of those books that little girls use to make fashion designs. >> i have to tell you, george. i feel like the belle of the ball. a couple of days ago, five, great, young designers. we challenged them. i hate to pick dress. everyone remembers that from last year. i said can you create something for me? and they whipped out these amazing sketches that you're going to see. and we'll have you at home, once again, help me choose which gown should be there on the red carpet. >> does everyone at home get to decide? is it their choice? >> yeah. we had 10,000 last year. the coral -- the coral j. crew won out last year. it's fun to see the designers do their thing. gabby sidibe, we remember

her from her performance in "precious," and on "gma," as well. and right beside her will be her mom, who has been wowing audiences for years in the new york city subway. we'll tell her story ahead. >> what a story, indeed. >> it certainly is. first, let's get to juju with the morning's news. >> i got to listen to her sing. and everybody just stands back. we get to the news headlines first. we have 500,000 people without power this morning. outages have been reported this morning across the northeast, as the region grapples with the third, major storm in a month. the wet snow and heavy winds are making travel almost impossible in many areas, from pennsylvania all the way to maine. john berman is in new jersey. he's out there in the thick of it. how is it going? >> reporter: it's snowy, juju. very snowy. it snowed for about a day and a half here. more than 20 inches on the ground. driving here was a disaster. the speed limit on the highway, about 35 miles per hour.

they don't want you driving if you can avoid it. and the airport, more than 1,000 flights canceled over the last day. 250 at newark alone. it's a very good day to stay at home if you live anywhere near around here. juju? >> john berman, knee-deep in snow. thanks for that update. the near hurricane-force winds fueled a fire that nearly wiped out an entire block of buildings in new hampshire. no injuries were reported. vice president biden is proposing new rules to prosect the retiment savings of millions of americans. it would crack down on financial adsers managing 401(k)s and i.r.a. accounts, many who may have conflicts of interest. the managers would not only be allowed to steer workers funds, into which they do not get commissions. one of the most powerful members of congress has been blamed for violating ethics rules. a committee has ruled that charlie rangel accepted trips to

the caribbean, funded by corporations. he claim hess was unaware of the corporate funding. friends of andrew koenig have found his body in a park in vancouver. the child star of the sitcom "growing pains" went missing there two weeks ago. andrew's father, walter, says he took his own life. now, on this friday morning, we look at what's coming up on "world news." good morning, diane. >> good morning, juju. tonight on "world news," all the day's stories. and a describery scheme straight out of the movies. how inferior food may have ended up on your table while others profited. and our "persons of the week." what can we tell you? they're helping the next generation. happy friday, juju. >> happy snowy friday, diane. now, for weather. sam, how's it going? >> i'm inside now.

we were outside the pennsylvania convention center earlier. we came in to get warm. this is what's going on here. this is the international -- the philadelphia international flower show. it's been going on since the 1800s. this one is kind of amazing. this balloon that's above me is filled with dried flowers. there's 79,000 dried flowers including the blue pansies that make up the ocean. this is one of 6 exhibits that make up 33 acres. this is the largest indoor flower show in the world. let's get to the maps. we have a lot to talk about. including what's going on with the storm outside of all of this. here's how much snow has fallen. this just in. 17 inches measured in central park this morning. early 2000s here.wiest since this is the next snow that will fall during the day today. three to five is the general there in pink. we have a west coast storm that's coming on today. as it moves into southern california, it will, over the weekend, bring very heavy ra

the northeaster continues to blow winds across the area with some light snow near bowie and near rte. 50. there are patches of snow from pins -- prince frederick down to calvert county. winds and up -- can get up to 60 mileper hour with power outages. it will feel cooler today with and we were just outside in ten-degree windchill, george. a 40-mile-per-hour wind and blowing snow. we're now inside at the philadelphia international flower show, where it is practically tropical. >> you're looking comfortable. thanks, some. now, the "gma" morning mix. the health care summit. what should happen to tilikum

the killer whale? plus, the olympics. we'll talk about it all. cokie roberts and republican strategist torie clarke. let's begin with the health care summit. a bit of a wash, cokie. but i thought it was pretty good. seven hours of serious talk. >> we're all geeks. we have to go with that. let your inner geek show. it was interesting. they -- now, they did each have to prove that he, in most cases, was the smartest boy in the room. >> the president, right. >> all of them. i know section 4013 of the bill. and i know this one. but they did -- no minds were changed. and nothing different is going to happen as a result of it. but it was a serious conversation. and they clearly do know what they're talking about. >> torie, you used to work for senator john mccain. he laid out his points very clear. but it's clear that he and the president are never going to get on the same page. >> it's tough to watch the tension. i did not watch the full summit.

i barely made it to the lunch break. he just -- it's the competitor in mccain. he couldn't help himself. you saw it coming. you're thinking, no. all of the others are trying to be statesman-like. and it's the sparks. it was one of the few interesting theatrical moments. >> and the president said we're not in an election. >> how about the democrats passing this alone? i don't see the votes there. >> they will have a tough time counting the votes. they have to be convinced that it's better to do something than do nothing. that's the only argument. >> isn't that a tough tossup for them? >> the bad news is we can't get this thing passed. the bad news is we might get something passed and we have to defend it? >> they have to think long-term. they are convinced in the long-term, it will be popular. but i think they're right about that.

>> can the republicans pay any price for saying no? >> not much. it sounds like they're doing well back home. saying no, we're not going to let these people do bad government-like things. >> they do seem to be nervous about doing nothing, which i think explains the jobs bill yesterday. >> and talking about a step-by-step approach. let's talk about this tragedy down in seaworld, in florida. tilikum, the whale, kills that trainer. you heard on the program this morning, the other training saying it was the trainer's fault, perhaps. i cannot believe they're going to allow this whale to perform. >> i can't, either. obviously, they feel that whale is too valuable to let go. but, you know, these big animals. i love going to these shows. i'll just say it. i like taking kids. i love going. but these great big, wild animals -- that's what they are. he's a killer whale. he's killed twice before.

let the whale go. i'm not saying kill the whale. i'm saying let the whale go. he's going to do it again. and the notion of blaming her pony tail. that's like blaming somebody for wearing a short skirt when she gets raped, you know? >> i'm with you. i love watching these shows. i was down there with my family last year. i probably saw this whale. i thought it was amazing. and i found myself going, it looks like they like the show. probably not. but we're reminded these are wild creatures. however domesticated they look, every once in a while, one goes this, is my nature. >> and i know tilikum was a profit center for seaworld. >> profit center. >> let him go breed other little whales. but the idea of putting him in a body of water with a human being ever again is just shocking. >> okay. the olympics. pretty amazing two weeks for the

americans. and then, who would forget kim yu-na last night. a stellar performance. >> the pressure on her little shoulders. >> she's a rock star. she is such a rock star. >> all of us had to stay up way too late to see it. just spectacular. the athleticism of these women, as well as their style and grace, which is just unbelievable. >> also saw a lot of athleticism on the canadian women's hockey team. they won the gold. and we have stills of them celebrating. some cigars on the ice. canadian champagne. don't know what that tastes like. here we go, torie. the international olympic team is investigating. >> that is crazy. my family and i, clearly, we travel a lot. it was spectacular. you have to be there to understand how important hockey, more than any other event, how important those are to the canadians. the pressure on the shoulders of those young women, pretty

amazing. they are phenomenal athletes. they put up with a lot of pressure. they win. they should be allowed to celebrate. >> i love looking at them. >> and the ioc don't make anything of the russian skater acting horribly when he doesn't win the gold. and chastising these women in their huge accomplishment. >> lighten up. they're allowed to have a celebration after you've won the gold. i just don't get it. the notion that you would in any way punish these terrific girls. >> the u.s. men's hockey team still in convention for a gold. it's been a terrific olympics for the u.s. >> the president should have gone up there and said, usa all the way. i think it would have helped them. >> the canadian people, again, you can't imagine how nice they are. they're talking to you. where are you from? you're from washington. is president obama coming? >> i think after trying to get it for chicago. thank you both very much.

next, can you go to jail for taking your daughter to church? we're going to speak with the wife at the center of this divorce and custody battle. she breaks her silence on "gma." ladies, raise your spoons. now there's nothing left standing between you and a satisfying breakfast. introducing special k low-fat granola. with 50% less fat than the leading granola... and 5 grams of fiber per serving, it's a satisfying way to help you manage your weight. special k low-fat granola -- a taste of freedom.

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and now, an update on a story we first brought you last week about a couple whose divorce has turned particularly nasty over a disagreement about religion and their cld. chris cuomo, our legal chief and the anchor of "20/20" has more. i was wondering when we were going to hear from the wife. >> now, we have both sides. and now, it's a full story. and it is a kind of holy war over the religion of a child. it does raise legal and ethical questions. but that is only the beginning. when joseph and rebecca reyes were married in a traditional jewish ceremony, neither thought religion would ever come between them. he was catholic, a military man who served in afghanistan. she was jewish, an up-and-coming lawyer. but faith was never an issue, until after their daughter ayla

was born. >> we had pledged in the marriage contract to raise jewish children. so, we had a jewish home. >> reporter: did you have an agreement going into the marriage that your child would be raised jewish? >> no. >> reporter: joseph says he converted to judaism to make his wife and in-laws happy. but nothing worked. amid financial troubles and accusations of infidelity, soon they were headed for divorce. rebecca got the home, the car, and custody of their child. then, joseph took it to another level. he sent rebecca this e-mail with pictures attached saying, they were taken of our beautiful daughter on the day of her baptism. >> it made me kind of sick that he would do something like that when i'm the custodial parent without talking to me. >> reporter: in response, rebecca got a judge to issue this extraordinary court order, barring joseph from taking ayla to church. on the grounds it could cause irreparable injury and harm.

>> taking a child to church may have violated a court order. >> reporter: then, a defiant joseph made headlines by taking his daughter to church with a camera crew in tow. rebecca rushed back to church, saying joseph violated the order. now, she wants the father of her child to go to jail for up to six months. why didn't you pick up the phone and talk to him about it? >> i understood at that moment that i no longer had a semblance of a partner on the other side. this is about parenting. this isn't about religion. >> this is an issue about constitutional rights. this is an issue about a court system that has run amok. >> reporter: how is going to church harmful? >> going to church just like going to synagogue is indoctrination. there will be confusion. to me, that's harmful. >> reporter: what's the hardest thing for you to deal with in all of this emotionally? >> fear of the unknown. fear of not really understanding the person that shows up at her nursery school looking for her.

the fear of the person who chose to contact me over the internet about raising my child catholic. >> i have to draw the line in the sand somewhere. and this is where i choose to draw it. >> reporter: a line in the sand, over faith, frustration about a system he thinks is rigged, or both. >> he's definitely one of many, many men, who are really angry and feels really screwed by the system. >> reporter: family therapist terry real says joseph and rebecca are locked in a power struggle. a real-life "war of the roses," with their 3-year-old in the middle. is there a chance for hope in a situation like this? >> the only possibility would be if somebody would come and knock heads. and say, you are each behaving shamelessly. it is shameless for you to take the father of your kid over this issue and say i want him in jail. it is shameless of you to get a camera crew in and parade your kid as if she were a doll. you guys are having at each

other. and the person who is suffering is your child. >> tuesday is the big day. that's when the criminal contempt trial is scheduled to start. josepheyes did reach out. we had this discussion in the interview. why didn't you pick up the phone and have a discussion. he said, fine. there's a proposal of settlement on the table. but there's a lot of bad blood here. >> terry said it best, terry real. this is a power struggle. >> this story is fascinating because of all of the things thatan go wrong. there's a money fight. there's a fight over fidelity. and religion makes it all the more vatile. blue it's a tough story. >> what do you think it will happen? >> i'm hopeful. if i think if they put their heads together and realize it's not about them, it's about the little girl, they'll expose her to both religions. they'll have to work together. you still have to work with the other person. >> thanks. we'll see what happens.

good to see you, my friend. you can see owl of chris' report tonight on "20/20" at 10:00 eastern, 9:00 central. you are the co-anchor of "20/20." >> that's what they tell me. countdown of the oscars. le . ask your doctor about trilipix. if you're at high risk of heart disease and taking a statin to lower bad cholesterol, along with diet, adding trilipix can lower fatty triglycerides and raise good cholesterol to help improve all three cholesterol numbers. trilipix has not been shown to prevent heart attacks or stroke more than a statin alone. trilipix is not for everyone, including people with liver, gallbladder, or severe kidney disease, or nursing women. ll your doctor about all the medicines you take and if you are pregnant or may become pregnant. blood tests are needed before and during treatment to check for liver problems. pain or weakness, as this can be a sign of a rare but serious side effect. this risk may be increased when trilipix is used with a statin. if you cannot afford your medication, call 1-866-4-trilipix for more information.

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book flight and hotel, and save more. where you book matters, expedia. ♪ dot com >> live, and in hd, this is an abc 7 ws update. good morning. it is 8:25 and i am doug mckelway. we have some school delays and closings this morning. you can get the complete list at our website, wjla.com. let's check friday morning traffic and weather. 95 in virginia between rhetoric trade -- fredericksburg and springfield is slowing. i will take you from the pentagon across the 14th street bridge. they are barely moving because there is a car wreck in the district on the other side. 110, washington boulevard, and 66 is beautiful. as far as traffic in maryland,

this is next to 270, no delays. the southbound direction is on left and it seems to be moving at speeds. meo rail is reporting on time. a very good morning, on the radar, we are seeing snow showers around the northeastern part of the beltway up toward frederick county. you can see the broader yellow colors from columbia and bowie and annapolis towards route 50. there are decent little snow showers. there will be some minor communion -- accumulations. the wind is the big story today. a wind advisory is in effect this afternoon until 6:00 p.m.

it will be a blustery day. the heaviest snow is being dumped on upstate new york. we are only getting a little taste of the snow but a big taste of the wins that will continue through the afternoon 3 the highs today will only be in the 30's. in and out of the clouds tomorrow and still breezy and by sunday, it will be good and temperatures next week will be in the 40's. > one important change in alexandria, mount party community school is without power. students are directed to go to the school and from there they will be bused to other schools. at the end of the day, they will be bused back and will take their normal buses home. we will be right back.

with fios you have instant access to news, traffic and weather without changing the cnnel. i will be ready for whatever the day throws at me. uh, looks like torrential rain, bumper to bumper traffic and some kind of weird smell downwn. i will be working from home today. my sister's coming. i can make it. i'm sure she's lovely. [ male announcer ] instant weather and traffic without changing the channel and 2 times more very satisfied customers than cox. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800-974-6006 tty/v.

here are the latest power outage figures. pepco is reporting 605 power outages in d.c. to me and reports more than 1500 outages in northern virginia. reagan national airport is reporting excess of delays this morning. that is one of 20 airports in the northeast operating with hefty delays. nine airports between new hampshire and north carolina are reporting moderate-significant delays. u.s. there was has canceled more than 50 flightsn the area. southwest airlines has grounded most of its flights in and out of philadelphia amtrak has canceled some northeast regional trains. they say the passengers will be re-accommodated another lies but check with amtrak. we will have another news update at 8:56. for continous news coverage, tune in to our sister station, newschannel8

you're fabulous ♪ it is that time of year again. sam and i are heading out to hollywood for the oscars. sam will just throw on a tux and he's going to look great. >> it's so unfair. >> it is unfair, juju. i have to pick out a gown. i think last year these are the dresses i chose for last year. and you chose the one for me, which was a gorgeous j. crew coral gown. we had tens of thousands of people who weighed in on that. this year, we have five, young designers. they're righout of designing school. they have sketched up some dresses. they put them together. and we'll let you at home select what dress i will wear this

year. we say good morning, america. happy friday, george. we're glamorous. >> do i get to vote, robin? >> not so much. i've seen your taste. i'll leave it up to the viewers at home. don't take it personally. >> that's a wise choice. >> just kidding. also coming up. she's going to be her daughter's date for the oscars. but you can fin gabby sidibe's mom in a performance of her own. and we're going to talk more about women's ice skating. so emotional, last night's performances. and michelle kwan is here to give us her take on last night's performances. first, we get weather. >> we go to sam in philadelphia, and a special guest. >> we have the director of the flower show here. i want to say, robin, juju, george, before you go. i think juju, george and i should be the tiebreaker for robin's dress, in case there's

an audience tie. >> i like that. >> we should be the tiebreaker. >> that's a good idea. it's like a mini"project runway." >> you can have my vote, sam. >> come on, george. >> come on, george. i was trying to get us all involved. and george backs out. by the way, we're at the philadelphia international flower show this morning. we came inside out of the storm. sam, thanks for showing us around. this is 33 acres of incredible beauty. the biggest indoor. >> indoor flower show. and we're representing every continent, too. >> passport to the world is the name of the show. show us some of the flowers. we're at the south africa exhibit now. you said even for people at home, this would be great because they lost so long. >> they're great exhibit. they're very exotic. they're direct from south africa. this is a pin cushion potilla. they last so long. these last up to two weeks.

>> two weeks. and if it dries, it looks pretty good. >> exactly. >> i wish we had more time. if it hadn't been for the big snowstorm, we would have spent the whole time in here. thanks to everybody here. it starts tomorrow. runs through march 7th. they'll have everything fixed and ready for you here. in the northeast, as the storm pulls aw, it will linger for the weekend in some form. it won't be the heavy snow in a you've seen. but there will be the additional snow in some locations. there will be strong, gusty winds. and eventually, by the end of the weekend, that storm will pull away. let's look at the weekend map here. we have a brand-new storm system coming in to southern california, which brings the potential over the weekend of rain to southern california and problems in the burn areas. a very good morning, we have some snow showers down to the east.

gusty winds will be the story today with 60 mile per hour winds and warning gusts into tonight. our thanks again to all of the fine folks at the philadelphia international flower show. all of that weather was brought to you by expedia. george? >> thank you, sam. one of our favorites at "gma" is gabby sidibe. she's the car nominated actress for her role in "precious." now, we see where some of that talent comes from, one amazing mom. juju had a chance to catch her act. >> reporter: >> george, it was amazing. gabby's mom as as much personality as her daughter. for the soulful woman, it was nears of nurturing that has blossomed. and it seems performing is in the family genes. ♪ he kept dreaming

of that one day she'd be a star ♪ >> reporter: her booming voice can stop subway commuters in their tracks. ♪ you smile >> reporter: alice tan ridley is part of a clique of performers who make their living underground. >> anybody got change for $10. >> reporter: a sultry singer, hustling for dollars in new york's subway station three nights a week. though her audience may linger, dropping a dollar or two in her case, most of them have no idea that right above the very spotty alice sings for her supper, her daughter stars in a little movie called "precious." >> my name, carise precious jones. >> reporter: a movie nominated for six academy awards, including best actress for gabby

sidibe. >> she did a terrific job. she is nothing like precious. nothing at all. >> reporter: was it hard for you to watch those brutal scenes? >> yes. you never want to see that type of stuff happening to your children. happening to any child. >> reporter: in sharp contrast to precious, alice raised gabby and her brother in a house of support, love and music. working two jobs to support them, by day an education. at night, she pursued her love of song. what is it you want people to understand about subway musicians? >> we're not homeless. we're not beggars. and we're not under drug influence. you know? they are traditional jobs. and there are nontraditional jobs. ♪ i was born by the river ♪ in a little town

>> reporter: alice's stage just steps from our studio. here's the "gma" studio. together, we navigated the maze of 42nd street. accompanying her on this journey is this heavy case, filled with cds, an ipod and amplification. >> can i get an autograph? >> in a moment. ♪ i never loved someone the way that i love you ♪ >> reporter: what inspires your music? >> the looks on people's faces. the smiles. you know, the joy that it brings to others. it's like being in a cathedral. it's wonderful. there's music all over this city. and especially down underground. ♪ on that midnight train to georgia ♪ >> reporter: it can also be lucrative. alice started making so much money from singing in the subway, she was able to quit her day job. that wasen years ago.

tell me the biggest tip you ever got. >> it was christmas eve. and this lady kept coming over to me and asking me to sing "midnight train to georgia." and when her train came in, she came and handed me two $100 bills. >> reporter: but huge tips are the exception. alice often struggled to make ends meet. but managed to keep her daughter's spirits soaring. gabby has talked about watching the academy awards as a kid. are you a family that watched the academy awards together? >> yes, we did. >> reporter: might be her date, i understand. >> if not, we're going to have a big argument. already so, when you attend, and you walk that red carpet. >> wow. >> reporter: what will you be wearing? >> i have no idea. i really don't. i haven't made up my mind yet. right now, i'm busy. everybody's calling from all over the world trying to get an interview with me. >> reporter: and you're talking

to "gma." >> and i'm talking to "gma." >> reporter: but even though alice is amazed by all the fuss, he's unphased by her daughter's overnight success. >> i've always told her and my children, you can be whatever you want to be. you can do whatever you want to do. you just have to get up and do it. >> no doubt gabby listened to her words of wisdom. but parents are told our children model our actions more than our words. and gabby cleay watched her mom follow her life-long passion that was that love of music. and, george, she works outside of this window, down the street and down the stairs. >> what a treat it was to hear her sing. you can hear more on abcnews.com. you can also see the oscars on sunday march 7th, at 8:00 eastern, 5:00 pacific, on abc. when we come b now over 150 of my hand-picked items are going up on the auction block and could end up in your closet if you wa to.

i'll tell you how. >> plus, l

the oscars are just over a week away. sam and i will be in l.a. for hollywood's biggest night. bringing you the scoop from the red carpet and behind the

scenes. sam has his tux picked out. he's going to be looking fierce as always. i need a gown. and last year, you all weighed in on the gown you wanted me to wear. and that's it right there. it was the coral j. crew gown. i just want to go back to that time. i felt like cinderella. this year, we turned it into "project runway." maybe we should call it project red carpet. challenging five, young designers from the school of design. you've never heard of them. let's meet them right now. they are five of the rising stars of fashion. >> here are five, fabulous designers. >> i'm robin. >> fabiola. >> fabiola. qwame. freey, and shawn. hand-picked by parsons, the new school for design. >> the young people that are graduates still in their early 20s, for them to do this is an amazing thrill.

>> reporter: we gave them a five-day challenge to design a perfect oscar gown for me to work the red carpet. beside my side, is suze yalof schwartz. fabiola, wow me. >> i wanted to start with a vibrant red for you. you will be shot from the waist-up. >> you put some thought into this. >> hi. and the first thing i did was sketch out this idea of a really simple, beautiful dress, with after reviewing what you wore previously. and i realized half of feeling beautiful is feeling comfortable, which brought me to this finalized idea. >> look at that. qwame. nice to see you again. >> great to see you. >> okay. can't wait to see your stuff. >> i looked at pictures of what you wore last year. very simple. you're working the red carpet. but you also want to feel glamorous. i thought something comfortable. i have this.

it's done in jersey so it stretches. you feel comfortable. >> that's gorgeous. what do you have? >> we have a gray chiffon, when you move in the light, it has a sparkly effect. this is a beautiful print. >> see what you have got here. >> okay. i have three color stories in mind. one was going some place close, really emerald green. the other one was kind of this deep purple. and then, the third one was just off of this. this is really shiny. >> i think you should go in the aubergine family. >> what's that? >> the eggplant. >> because you made so many, shawn. >> let's do this one. let's design this one. they are young. they are talented. and we are thrilled to be giving them this opportunity.

and "glamour" magazine's editor at large, my main girl, suze yalof schwartz will help us navigate this. we want to bring up all five sketches. it was really hard. they had more than one. let's start with the first one. >> the first one was from frejya. that was an amazing dress. i like the sculptural detail. it's close to the body. my only concern is when it is strapless and doing a close-up shot, and you're sitting down and interviewing, you don't have to think about those things for oscars. >> and i don't normally go with a print. >> you don't really see prints on the red carpet. this will be a risk if we go with something like this. >> this is one option. and then, shawn. and he had like nine options. >> he had nine options. >> i like this. >> i thought this was so interesting because it had that peek-a-boo shoulder. and it was close to the body but not skin-tight.

but it also had an ease to it. you would be comfortable in on the red carpet. we were talking about doing it in eggplant. aubergine. what do you think about this one? >> i like how i don't have to have a necklace with this. it's so dramatic. and a lot of me is going to be shot from the upper. >> all of the designers care so much about what you're going to wear. they're thinking about all of the things around. shine makes you look big on the red carpet. >> let's see kwame's. this is elegant. >> it is. he was going to do the cut on the bias. >> tell people what that is on the bias. >> that means it's cut on an angle. and it gives you more of a curve. and there's beading on the detail, where the asymmetrical line is. you don't have to wear a necklace. it's built into the dress. we were talking about maybe doing in a navy.

>> i like how he drew me. the face -- >> that's the face we want to see. >> now, samantha's selection. what she had. >> i liked the idea of this because it had a sporty feeling to it. it drooped on the side. and it was going to be right on your arm. but it's attached from the back so you wouldn't have to be fussing with it. >> i thoht this would be falling off. >> it has the sex appeal but it's not overtly in your face. >> now, the last one. >> fab yoiola. >> this one is fabulous. it has an organza, that will be attached on to a mesh that matches your skin tone. the top and back would feel very olympic 2010 ice skater chic. you're not supposed to see the detail. we were talking about maybe doing this in a different color. you were interested going green and have it go into the ink color.

>> right. we'll see what happens. they are so talented. i can't believe how young they are. >> they are so young. this is such an amazing opportunity for them. and it's great, too, because perfectly.care about fitting you >> you have been kind and generous with your time already. thank you, suze. we need your help at home. weigh in on our website at abcnews.com. and click on "gma." don't forget sam and iing along with marysol castro, will join forces for our special oscar shows. all of the preparation leading up to the big night. coming up next, talking about olympics, suze. how about olympics from michelle kwan. just thinking of her gets me brendon: did you know walmart is designing stores that are over 20% more energy efficient? vo: plus, we're committed to one day powering every one of our stores in america with 100% renewable energy. vo: because we believe the best way to power savings, is innovation. save money. live better. walmart.

store management team started as hourly associates? brendon: because at walmart we're about more than just jobs, we're about careers. brendon: and that makes life more fruitful for everyone. save money. live better. walmart. i cannot believe it is time for our final winter olympics roundup with our special correspondent, michelle kwan, to talk about the dazzling ouver

record-breaking performances we saw last night. and i have to tell you, michelle, one after the other, they were just absolutely spectacular, weren't they? >> they were amazing. robin, it was probably the best skating event i have seen. from start-to-finish, it was like fireworks. when when rachael flatt took the ice, that was spark. and it didn't leave until mirai nagasu left the ice. >> but kim yu-na. >> she was under a lot of pressure. but she was so calm. so cool. she skated like an olympic champion. and she deserves to win. >> and record-breaking fashion. she just shattered the world record. michelle, what will you take away from these olympics? what do you think we'll remember

most from these games? >> there are so many great athletes here. american athletes. apolo ohno, bode miller, shaun white. and, of course, i favor -- i lean towards figure skating. when i think of figure skating, i'll think of evan lysacek. it's been incredible. all of these athletes show strength and courage and love for the sport. >> i'm sure it was exciting and emotional to be there. thank you, my friend, for being our eyes and ears up the

every single day in aruba's a nice day. i mean, how do you people get anything done? you're in a meeting, and you say, "the fourth-quarter report is -- wow, what a nice day!" and everyone agrees, and the meeting's over. i mean, how do you do anything? well, it is a nice day. yeah. it is a nice day. there! see, i had no idea what we were talking about. oh, look, a crab.

juju and i are leaning over this way again because the crowd was so great to come out inhis weather. bye to george and sam. tomorrow on "good morning america," bill and kate will continue our coverage of this historic storm. have a good weekend, everyone. >> live, and in hd, this is an abc 7 news update. good morning.

it is a the clock 56. some school closings and delays to test a bomb -- pass along this morning. let's get a look at traffic and weather. 395 northbound has heavy traffic before the pentagon to go across the 14th street bridge. this is 395 traffic. take a look at the pace at washington boulevard. northbound on 395 after the 14th street bridge, there was a crash near the exit 4 main avenue. that accident is moving on, allow yourself some extra time. out of cheverly to get into a northeast d.c., apparently a dump truck has lost a sizable amount of dirt the roadway. i am seeing 63 miles per

hour gusts. you see that light snow going through the eastern suburbs. we are seeing some snow showers continue to fall. there will be like accumulations. today, we have a winter weather advisory north and east until noon. we have a high wind warning for the metro area, 30 degrees today and 40 degrees tomorw and the winds will calm down. thank you for watching. we will be back at noon.

men don't merge. the woman will sit there and wait. this is what men do. you see where i am over here? and, ka-blam, and then we're all an hour late. depend brand. for women and men.