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Rick's List
More Survivors Pulled out of Rubble in Haiti; Health Care Reform Hanging in the Balance?; Interview With Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin
Aired January 19, 2010 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RICK SANCHEZ, HOST: Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez in the world headquarters of CNN, and you're watching THE LIST.
The situation appeared almost hopeless, the obstacles almost insurmountable for some of the tiniest victims in this earthquake in Haiti. You're going to love this story, folks.
Dozens of children who had already lost their parents also lost their home and almost lost their lives when the earthquake -- this earthquake destroyed their orphanage while they were still inside.
Two sisters from Pittsburgh, PA, ran the place. They were struggling to keep the kids alive. They had to take care of the children outside with almost no food or water.
These kids were so close to getting brand-new lives, many were almost at the very end of a very lengthy and, as you know, a highly bureaucratic process of being adopted by families here in the United States, American families. Consider that.
But then the earthquake set everything back so far it was almost as if no one heard of these children or where they were.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They don't exist anymore.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why is that?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Their paperwork was in government offices downtown, and their offices are crumbled. So there's -- that's what they need, all those papers of what they need to be able to get a passport and visa and go live somewhere else.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And even if the paperwork was there, we're hearing that most of the people who would do anything about it are under the rubble, too.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: But today there has been a total turnaround. The kids have been rescued, we're told, put on a plane in Port-au-Prince, flown to the United States for new lives with new families. Their plane landed in Pittsburgh today. They got out of Haiti with the help of this man right there, the Philly guy, Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell.
Governor, thanks for being with us, sir.
GOV. ED RENDELL, (D) PENNSYLVANIA: Our pleasure, Rick. An amazing story.
SANCHEZ: How did you end up doing this?
RENDELL: The girls -- and first of all, those two young women who ran this orphanage from Pittsburgh, they're spectacular. They called their families after the quake. Their families put them in touch with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. The medical center tried to move the process. They couldn't. They called me.
We had a great break. We saw the Haitian ambassador last Saturday on CNN. I put a call into CNN. I got in touch with the Haitian ambassador. He started getting things moving. Then we started dealing with the State Department, DHS, Immigration, the military on the ground.
And we thought they had we had everything set up. We are going to go down Monday, yesterday. The kids were going to get through the embassy, they were going to be at the airport. We were going to pick them up, an hour turnaround, and then we were going home.
Well, none of that happened. We go down. We leave Pittsburgh at 12:00 noon. We get down. We're allowed to land at about 10 of 6:00.
Then, all of a sudden, we found out the embassy hasn't processed all of the visas. That is number one. Number two, we're told that we can only take at -- in the best-case scenario, the kids who have had adoptions cleared in the U.S., Spain and Canada, 47 of the kids. The other kids couldn't go.
Well, we persuade the sisters to bring the kids to the embassy in buses and vans, but, then, when they learn the other kids can't go, they say -- and I understand this -- they say, unless everybody goes, all 54 kids, nobody's going.
SANCHEZ: Really? Really? That's a hell of a story.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: That's a hell of a story, you know?
RENDELL: Well, then, we dispatch -- I'm at the airport dealing with the officials. I dispatch some of our group to the embassy to try to persuade the two -- the two sisters to allow at least the 47 to go out.
We're making some progress there, but we're not there. And, then, finally, the -- we get word from the national security adviser, the National Security Council, that, in fact, all 54 kids are approved to go. That's the good news.
The bad news I, the Army, as they had to, the Air Force and the Army, who were running the airport, had to move our plane, because you have got to keep rotating tarmac space, so that all the planes trying to get in could get in.
So, the kids arrived at the airport, and we had no plane anymore. We had gotten a plane chartered by Republic Airlines that had been paid for by an anonymous benefactor, but the plane had to go.
SANCHEZ: I with you.
RENDELL: So, the Army, and this great major by the name of Miller -- I don't know his first name -- he said: "Don't worry, Governor. I have got a solution."
He says -- "What's the solution?"
He said: "See that C-17, just unloaded a crane? It's going back to Charleston. We will take you to Orlando."
SANCHEZ: Oh!
RENDELL: Fifty-three kids. Listen to this, Rick. Fifty-three kids 25 UPMC nurses and doctors and a few of us get in this plane. You know what a C-17 looks like. You can put four or five tanks in it, no windows. We're up against the wall. These kids had never been on a plane before.
SANCHEZ: Whatever it takes.
RENDELL: It's noisy.
SANCHEZ: Whatever it takes, you know?
RENDELL: It's noisy. And the kids were great. The kids were great.
(LAUGHTER)
RENDELL: And then the final exclamation point on the story, when we close the door, we take a head count and find we're missing one kid.
SANCHEZ: Oh, no!
RENDELL: Missing one kid.
SANCHEZ: Where was he?
RENDELL: So, one of the sisters -- one of the sisters said: "I'm getting off. I'm not leaving without the kid."
So, the other sister, we prevail on her to stay on to help us through immigration. We go. The other sister stays behind. By the time we reach Orlando, we find out that they had found the young 2-year-old girl by the name of Emma (ph). Somebody had forgotten her. She had fallen asleep on the bus and somebody had forgotten to lift her off the bus and put her on the plane.
(LAUGHTER) RENDELL: But the good news is, Emma and the other sister are probably winging their way back to the states as we speak right now.
SANCHEZ: You spin a good yarn.
RENDELL: An incredible turnaround.
SANCHEZ: You spin a good yarn, Governor, the guy from Philly.
RENDELL: An incredible turnaround.
(CROSSTALK)
RENDELL: And, by the way, our military doing a great job in that airport.
SANCHEZ: I know they are, despite what the...
RENDELL: Don't listen to anybody else. They're doing a great job.
SANCHEZ: Despite what that French -- despite what that French minister said, that the United States is trying to occupy Haiti. What a thing to say.
Listen, I have got to let you go, because I know that your people are saying we were supposed to have you out of here a minute-and-a-half ago. Thanks for the story.
RENDELL: That's OK, Rick. Well, thanks, Rick. Thanks for the opportunity.
SANCHEZ: Take care, Ed Rendell, governor of Pennsylvania.
Anderson Cooper is going to be joining us live to tell us exactly what it is that is going inside on inside Haiti. We're going to take a quick break.
When we come back, Anderson Cooper -- oh, we want to do him now? All right. Then why does it say bump on the prompter?
Let's go to Anderson Cooper. He's joining us now live from Haiti.
Anderson, pick it up for us. Tell us what's going on.
ANDERSON COOPER, HOST, "ANDERSON COOPER 360": Rick, seven weeks -- one week, almost seven days, one week, almost to the hour, a live person has been pulled out of the rubble behind me. They were pulled out about an hour ago.
And, right now, they are moving in on two more people who they are convinced are alive. This is a German search-and-rescue team. They are cleaning the dog right now. Dave, I don't know if you can zoom in on that, the dog. They have got two different dogs here.
This dog has found so far five kids in this area, three people in this building, and two people in a building about a couple blocks from where I am on the other side of the National Cathedral.
SANCHEZ: Wow.
COOPER: So, this dog has been working all day, still has a job to do. They're sending in the dog.
But, I mean, Rick, it's incredible that, a week into this thing, they can pull out a woman. Her name is Anna Zizi (ph). We have a picture of her. We're trying to feed in the video soon, but I think you may have the picture.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: No, we have it.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: We have it.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: And we -- I just -- I just talked to her son. And he...
COOPER: You did? What did -- that's incredible. What did her son say?
SANCHEZ: He was amazing. He said that you found out after you reported it, got contact with his family in Miami, and other parts of the United States. He said that he only knew that she was in that area because his sister had told her that mom had gone to the National Cathedral to pray about the time the earthquake happened, Anderson.
COOPER: Well, you know, what's even more incredible? They got text messages -- they got text messages from somebody in the rubble last night, people in this area. And the German search-and-rescue team -- and I'm trying to be quiet, because I don't want to in any way interfere, but the German search-and-rescue team, they weren't even supposed to search for live bodies.
One member of the team told me that the U.N. had told them, oh, no, there's no one alive anymore in the rubble over here. There's no need to do search and rescue. They were actually here to set up a medical, sort of a triage center to treat people. And then some neighbors said, you know what? Please come and look at this building. We think there's people alive.
They sent in a dog. The dogs got the positive hits. And they have been working nonstop...
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: We're looking -- yes, we're looking and listening to this video now, Anderson. And I guess what -- I'm not sure what we're hearing there in the background.
(CROSSTALK) COOPER: I will tell you, they're cutting -- yes, they're cutting small pieces of wood. And the reason they're doing that, they're basically trying to salvage pieces of wood from all around here.
And they cut them because as they -- they're burrowing in underneath this rubble, they're literally building a tunnel. And they use the pieces of wood to shore up whatever structures are there and basically create a tunnel that -- so that the debris that is there is not going to crash in on them, because that's the real danger. (INAUDIBLE)
SANCHEZ: Yes.
COOPER: (INAUDIBLE) rescue workers (INAUDIBLE) this rubble is moving. You can actually hear it move.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
COOPER: So, they actually have to be very careful about their own safety, and at the same time (INAUDIBLE)
SANCHEZ: Wow.
COOPER: (INAUDIBLE)
SANCHEZ: That's getting really loud. Well, and now it's stopped.
But the long and the short of this is, Anderson Cooper has been following this for the better part of the last hour for us. He gave us the story.
Go tight. Fill the -- fill the frame with that picture that is coming in for the first time, Rog. Get me off the here. Look at this story. That -- that's the story that Anderson first brought you. That's the woman. Seven days, she was inside there. Now they are going to try and get her to a hospital as fast as they possibly can.
But I don't know if you recall when Anderson said it, but he says they think there are two more people under there that were with her. Folks, it's been seven days since this earthquake. And he also reporting to us that they didn't think they would still be finding people alive. But here you are. They're finding people alive and, of in all places, the National Cathedral of Haiti, the National Cathedral of Haiti, where this woman, Mimi (ph), her son told me, Max told me that his mom, according to his sister, was there at the National Cathedral praying just about the time the earthquake hit.
What a story. Whew! We will be checking in with Anderson from time to time. It makes you shake your head. IT makes you think.
We will be right back with more of THE LIST.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ (voice-over): Here is what is making THE LIST right now.
From saving lives to stopping the violence. You will see the videos from Haiti as they come in.
Is there a political shocker in the making in Massachusetts?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People are mad. People are just plain angry.
The election that will impact his presidency and the nation's direction.
This radio and television host apologizes, kind of, after saying he would vote 10 times for a Democrat -- quote -- "just to keep them bastards from winning." Is Ed Schultz encouraging voter fraud?
Police clash with protesters who are protesting a protest of Sheriff Joe Arpaio. You will see it.
Why is this French minister calling the U.S. relief effort in Haiti an occupation? An occupation?
A beat-down caught on tape. Do police get there in time to save this victim? You will see it play out.
The lists that you need the know about. Who's today's most intriguing person? Who is on The List You Don't Want to Be On? You will find out as our national conversation as our Twitter, on the air continues.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back to THE LIST. I'm Rick Sanchez.
Man, we have got a lot of stuff going on. Every day, I follow certain people on Twitter who are making news or commenting on the news that we cover, information that you can use. I mean, that's why we curate these lists. Let's go to it right now, because I think this is interesting stuff, Robert. Take a look at this.
This is from one of our own producers, A.W. Mooney of CNN. That's Alexander Mooney. He just reported to us this. Within the last hour, 55,000 votes have been cast in Boston so far -- 55,000 votes have been cost in Boston. Now, this is the interesting part. That's 3,000 less than was cast in Boston in the 2006 election.
What's it mean? Look, I don't know, but it's information you should know, so we're sharing. By the way, the polls opened at 7:00. They close tonight at 8:00, and we are, like, all over this.
But also got this story for you, these guys. They're just minding their business, right? See them all the way up there on top of that billboard? And they're causing headaches for the 911 operators. This is a story we're bringing you in "Fotos." It's one you don't want to miss.
And, of course, the latest out of Massachusetts, as THE LIST scrolls on.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: You know who's been the biggest hit so far on RICK'S LIST? Ed Rendell, the governor of -- the governor of Pennsylvania. Check this out. Look at these tweets we're getting from you guys. And there's tons of them just like this. Go to the very top of the regular folks' tweet board, if you can. Start at the top.
"Now, that was a great story that the governor of Pennsylvania told. Glad you gave him a chance to tell it."
The next one says: "Oh, my God. The story of the orphans made me cry, so very heartwarming."
"Pennsylvania's Governor Rendell is awesome for getting those kids out of Haiti."
Look at that. Ed Rendell, give him three minutes of airtime and suddenly he is a hero. Good for him. Glad we could help.
In Haiti, frustration is everywhere. As rescuers try and dig through the rubble, workers struggle to get food and water where it's needed, as you've seen by al little pictures that we have been bringing you. People search in vain for doctors to try and help injured loved ones. Doctors are struggling as well to help as many people as they possibly can.
That's just in Port-au-Prince, folks. That brings us to the second person on our list of the most intriguing people of the day. I'm going to do this for you every day.
After visiting Haiti two years ago with his group church, this guy decided that he could back. So, he came back to help, and he tried to expand a hospital in Milot, 75 miles north of Port-au-Prince. He was there when the quake hit. He has a functioning hospital, doctors available, beds available. Supplies are available to help people.
His name is Tim Traynor. That's what he looks like. He's from Massachusetts, by the way. His frustrated plea spotlights a real disconnect in the Haiti relief effort, because his hospital is empty. There's nobody there. And it makes our number-two most intriguing person of the day. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TIM TRAYNOR, VOLUNTEER IN HAITI: We have a 65-bed -- normally, 65-bed hospital. We have accommodated another 200 beds to handle the influx of the injured from the quake from the various communities around Port-au-Prince.
But the difficulty we have been having is, we can't seem to get anybody to bring anybody up here from the Port-au-Prince area. The only people that actually have been helping us are the Coast Guard. And we're only able to get one or two or three four people at a time. Thus far, since the quake -- this is -- we're going into the end of our sixth day -- seventh day, actually -- is -- we have gotten about 20 people. (END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Unbelievable. Hopefully, he will be getting some people, if there's that many people that they don't seem to be able to find hospitals for.
Still ahead, number one, our most intriguing person of the day. We're going to bring you that a little later in this hour.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I went from fear to anger, really. And all I wanted to do was have them go to jail.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Check out his black eye while he talks. You're not going to believe this story. It turns out a couple of characters thought that they could take on this bartender. The video is amazing to watch. And we have got all of it, his first fight ever, by the way, and it was a doozy.
And it's setting up to be a very tight Senate race in Massachusetts. If it gets too tight, there's one man whose name we're all going to get to know very well. That's him, William Galvin. He's sitting there. He's the most important man in the state of Massachusetts as of probably tonight around midnight. I will explain when I come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CALLER: Hey, Rick. This is Ray from Massachusetts.
My wife and I are independent voters. And we're going to send Obama a message loud and clear, because he hasn't done anything for the American people. He hasn't -- we're giving billions to Iraq, billions to Afghanistan, and nothing for people on Social Security. We're voting for Brown in the Senate, a Republican. Bye.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: There you go. Welcome back to THE LIST.
I'm Rick Sanchez. That's a sentiment that is being expressed today in Massachusetts by an awful lot of folks. Nothing is definitive yet, though. If you were here yesterday, you would have heard a top Republican tell me that, if Scott Brown wins, if the Republican wins this Senate race in Massachusetts, Brown is going to hop on a plane to Washington and demand to be seated in the United States Senate tomorrow. That's what he told me.
Remember this? Today, Senate Democrats enjoy a filibuster-proof majority that would allow them to pass historic health care reforms, but, if Scott Brown wins this race in Massachusetts, that whole thing is out the window. I mean, health care is going to become tough to pass, to say the very least. And that's why this is my breakthrough interview.
William Galvin is the secretary of state of the state of Massachusetts. He is the man who is going to certify the winner of this election at some point after 8:00 p.m. tonight. He is a Democrat. And he's good enough to spend some time with us.
Mr. Galvin, welcome, sir.
WILLIAM GALVIN, (D), MASSACHUSETTS SECRETARY OF STATE: Thank you.
SANCHEZ: Let me -- let me just get right to it here. At what exact point does the current senator, Paul Kirk, the Democrat, at what exact point does he cease being the senator from the state of Massachusetts? Now, it's a very exact and very pointed question. Your answer?
GALVIN: Let me answer your question, Rick.
First of all, the Senate, the United States Senate, is the judge of the qualifications of its own members. In other words, they get to decide who is seated and when. You may recall just about a year ago the controversy surrounding Senator Burris and the issue of his qualification and indeed the controversy regarding the Minnesota Senate seat.
So, the Senate itself, under the United States Constitution, is a judge of the qualifications of the status of their own members. Senator Kirk will serve under his successor has qualified. That means sworn in.
Now, let me just tell you, just so there will be no misunderstanding as to what our procedure has been here in Massachusetts...
SANCHEZ: Right.
GALVIN: ... on federal vacancies in the past under my administration, whenever we have a decisive result, we almost immediately issue a letter to the appropriate authority -- in the case of the two previous cases, it was the House -- to the clerk of the House, saying unofficial returns indicate this result.
SANCHEZ: What is a decisive result, by the way? That's an interesting word, decisive.
GALVIN: A decisive result would be one that would be beyond the margin for a recount, which would be one-half of 1 percent.
I would also want to make sure that it was outside out of the margin of uncounted absentee ballots. We have an obligation, under federal law, to make sure that overseas military absentee ballots are counted. Obviously, we want to make sure that, not only are they counted, but, if they were they to affect the outcome, then you could not issue such a letter.
SANCHEZ: So, let's suppose one side or other blows the other one out tonight. What is the soonest that you will be able to certificate this winner? GALVIN: Well, certify is a different word.
SANCHEZ: OK.
GALVIN: Certify is what the law says. The law says, in order to certify, I have to count every single ballot, and, as the law, the federal law, requires me to give 10 days to overseas absentee balloters...
SANCHEZ: OK. What is the word I should be using then? Declare?
GALVIN: I would declare a winner. If there's a decisive winner, I would give them the same letter that I gave to Congresswoman Tsongas and Congressman Lynch the two special elections I administered before, stating that the un -- that the unofficial results indicate this result.
And that letter has been sufficient in the House in the two past cases for that person to be sworn in. That judgment, however, will be up to the Senate. I will tell you that the United States Senate, not only the two examples I have already given to you, but even in the case of Senator Kerry, who began his new term in the beginning of 2009, the United States Senate insisted on a very formal certificate before they would allow him to be re-sworn.
So they have very different rules.
SANCHEZ: Well, let me ask you this, then. Now let's take and look at it the other way. Let's turn it upside-down, if we possibly can, because some folks are saying this close -- this is close enough that this could happen. Let's suppose that we don't have a declared winner tonight or tomorrow, because it falls within that margin that you described earlier. Then what do you?
What is the process within the state of Massachusetts? Do you start canvassing the board to count the votes? What do you do?
GALVIN: Well, no. First of all, we have to make sure that every ballot that has been submitted is counted, that is to say, the overseas absentees.
It also opens the opportunity for one of the candidates or both of them perhaps to request a formal recount. In Massachusetts, we vote with paper ballots, that is to say, cards that are counted by computer.
SANCHEZ: Right.
GALVIN: But the opportunity is always there and is frequently done in recounts to have a hand count of the ballots, if that were to occur. Again, that really will define -- define the progress from here forth.
If the result is decisive, it's my intention to issue a letter to the winner, whoever that is, stating that the unofficial results indicate thus. And, so -- and that person then would be in the position of going to the United States and letting them decide, as they must, whether they intend to honor that letter. As I have had, the House in the past two instances has honored it. I can't speak to what the Senate would do. It's really up to the United States to determine that.
If the result is not decisive, then, obviously, it's important to everybody that participates in this election -- I will tell you, we're having a wonderful turnout today, despite the weather -- to make sure that the result is accurate and complete.
And I'm committed to making sure that it's accurate and complete. We do not rush to judgment in Massachusetts at the expense of voters' rights.
SANCHEZ: Let me ask you...
GALVIN: We regard the voters' rights as the highest rights.
SANCHEZ: Let me ask you one last question. Did you get a good night's sleep last night?
GALVIN: Yes, I did. I have run a lot of elections here.
(CROSSTALK)
(LAUGHTER)
GALVIN: And I'm very proud of our record here.
(CROSSTALK)
GALVIN: And I'm also very proud of the clerks and everybody who works in the polls.
(CROSSTALK)
GALVIN: And the voters here have been very patient.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Well, but the reason I'm asking you that question is because I have a feeling that you are not going to such a good night's sleep tonight.
GALVIN: Well, we -- if you want to check in tomorrow on my sleeping, you can, but I...
(LAUGHTER)
GALVIN: ... I'm pretty confident. As I said, I think our processes are fine. We have had a lot of outsiders offering us advice.
(LAUGHTER)
GALVIN: But, candidly, Massachusetts has an excellent electoral record, whatever the voters' decision. And it might be a very interesting day in Massachusetts and around the nation. SANCHEZ: Yes.
GALVIN: But, whatever their decision, it will be honored. It's my job to make sure that decision is given...
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Mr. Galvin, you have been a wonderful guest.
GALVIN: Thank you.
SANCHEZ: You have answered all of our questions. I think you have informed a lot of Americans who are wondering which way this thing is going to go and are watching us now.
GALVIN: Thank you.
SANCHEZ: My thanks, sir, for taking the time to do this for us.
Good luck. We will be in touch tomorrow.
GALVIN: Thank you.
SANCHEZ: Meanwhile, I should also tell you that my friend and colleague John King -- talk about a guy who has been immersed in this story --- he is also in Boston. I have got a couple questions for him about what they are going to be doing back in Washington to deal with the outcome of this race, one way or the other, because both sides are going to be affected. I'm going to check with him in just a couple of minutes.
He's also part of the best political team on television that is going to be handling the results tonight. And you know the coverage begins at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Joe Arpaio needs to be ousted.
JOE ARPAIO, MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA, SHERIFF: They are using me as a poster boy. We have state laws, and I'm enforcing those state laws. And I'm not going to be deterred.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: That is Sheriff Arpaio, the sheriff that people there love to late, or love, target of protesters again -- no surprise there.
The real twist comes when so-called anarchists out of the blue, according to police officers I talked to today to try and get to the bottom of this story -- I have got the story for you in "Fotos." And I'm going to share.
Also, does the Bible have any business being part of a military weapon? Jesus? It turns out some of the weapons have a code that brings religion to the battlefield. We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back.
We know you like this part, the dreaded freeway commute. You're trying to get to work, right, or back home after a tough day at the office? It could be a little mind-numbing until you see something unexpected, so bizarre, in fact, that it practically gives you whiplash.
"Fotos."
This is Bridgeport, Connecticut, a billboard that provides quite an eye full. On top, a life-sized mannequin and his teddy bear partner, sitting as big as day on top of a sign.
Look at that. From a distance, it looks remarkably real.
Good Samaritan drivers have been flooding 911 with calls to rescue the supposedly stuck duo, but relax. It's only a BMW trying to sell some cars. By what, crashing BMWs on the highway?
Also this, Lakewood, California. Look who's serving up a beat-down.
A bartender had a pretty good idea -- and trouble was brewing -- when he saw two people coming up to him with a pool cue. He had never been in a fight in his life, he says, but you can't tell from this tussle. Bet the attackers didn't see that coming.
He held them long enough for police to arrive by himself. How'd he do that. It looks like he didn't have a chance at first.
Where did he get the skills? He says he got them from watching cage fighting on TV.
Then there's Maricopa County, Arizona. What has nearly 20,000 protesters so riled up? It's him again, Joe Arpaio.
These marchers in blue and in green say all people, regardless of their race or color, should be respected and Arpaio should go. Organizers say Arpaio, who's under a federal investigation for alleged abuse of power and using his office to go after critics, should be removed.
Police told me by phone today that the protest was peaceful until a group of so-called anarchists who had nothing to do with the demonstration just showed up. And out of the blue, they punched one of the police horses, they threw rocks and bottles, channeling a scene from "Blazing Saddles," perhaps.
Then one of their bottles hit an officer and that's when the scuffles and the arrests occurred. Five people in all were hauled off to jail.
NBC used to have a primetime reality show called "Last Comic Standing." That featured unknowns trying to become stars, and then they weren't unknowns.
Now an uglier, costlier version of that show is playing out in real time, and later at night. It look looks like this time, superstar Jay Leno is going to be the last comic standing, though as of now we are still waiting official confirmation from NBC about his move back to "The Tonight Show."
How much has "The Tonight Show" brand been tarnished? Regardless, let's listen to what Leno had to say last night about his fate and that of Conan O'Brien.
Here's what is so curious about this -- it isn't funny. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY LENO, "THE JAY LENO SHOW": They come back and they say, if he decides to walk and doesn't want to do it, you want the show back? I go, yes, I'll take the show back, if that's what he wants to do. This way we can keep all our people working, fine.
So that's pretty much where we are. It looks like we might be back at 11:30. I'm not sure. I don't know.
Through all of this, Conan O'Brien has been a gentleman. He's a good guy, I have no animosity towards him. This is all business.
You know, folks, if you don't get the ratings, they take you off the air. I think you know in this town you could do almost anything. If you get ratings, they keep you on the air. I wasn't getting the ratings, he wasn't getting them, so that was NBC's solution. It didn't work.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: About 90 minutes later, Conan O'Brien fans heard a different message on "The Tonight Show." He was going for laughs, but his frustration very different from what you just saw with Leno. Let's show you this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CONAN O'BRIEN, "THE TONIGHT SHOW": A lot of papers are reporting that I am now legally prohibited from saying anything negative about NBC.
(BOOING)
O'BRIEN: So, good night, ladies and gentlemen. It's been a great show.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Interestingly enough, O'Brien is not just out of the picture just yet, though according to published reports, the clock is still ticking. Again, NBC hasn't issued an official statement, but don't be surprised if O'Brien ends up pocketing tens of millions if he stays off -- I hate talking over someone talking on TV.
Get him off. It's either we listen to him or we listen to me. Let's go. Back to me.
All right. If the deal is done while we're on the air, we will get it straight to you.
Meanwhile, this is no ordinary rifle. It's packing more than bullets. It also has a bible references that is imprinted on it.
We're going to scope out the details on this with Brooke Baldwin in just a moment.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(WEATHER REPORT)
SANCHEZ: All right. You just heard from William Galvin a little while ago. Did you hear my interview with him? He's the Massachusetts secretary of state.
He described what the next couple hours or days will mean for him, the guy who, as I said, may not get a lot of sleep tonight. He's the guy who will eventually name the winner and eventually certify the vote.
I'm going to check in with John King, who's live in Boston. He's awaiting those results. And given what we learned yesterday from the Republicans, given what we've learned from the Coakley side, given what we've learned from the secretary of state, we're going to throw all that to our man John King, who knows as much about this stuff as anybody, and he's going to take us through it.
So stay right there. John King when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back to THE LIST.
It's on this day two, but I want to thank you guys for all your support so far.
Here we go.
We're all over this Massachusetts Senate race. This is an interesting story, and more than just from a state level.
Just a short time ago, you heard me talk to Secretary of State William Galvin, right? He's the man who's going to eventually declare the winner in the state.
Now I want you to hear from Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Maybe this is where these stories kind of come together. She was speaking just a little while ago about the ramifications for health care reform should Republican Scott Brown win this race in Massachusetts. John King is standing by to tell us what he's learning today, and he's always got something.
Before we get started though, John, let's do this -- let's listen to Pelosi, all right? And then I want to ask you a question on the way out.
Do it, Roger (ph).
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), HOUSE SPEAKER: Regardless of what happens in Massachusetts, we still have to resolve the differences between our two bills. Our eye is on the ball of passing legislation. In order to do that, we have to resolve some differences, establish some priorities, make some decisions, and that's what we're doing.
Whatever happens in Massachusetts, we have to do that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: This is interesting, John. Let me ask you this question. Does that say, her comments, did you hear her say anything about this idea that if Scott Brown wins and the Democrats lose their filibuster- proof majority in the Senate, that the House would come in and pass the health care bill already passed by the Senate just to try to save health care reform in any way they can?
JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Rick, that will be the biggest question in Washington and across the country in the health care debate, if Scott Brown wins tonight. It's still a big "if," but if he wins, he has said he will not vote for the health care plan that passed the Senate.
So, if they make any changes, the Republicans will have so much more leverage if they have 41 votes instead of 40 votes because of the Senate rules. So the Democrats will face this choice -- the House can just pass the Senate bill. They don't like that bill in the House, there's a lot they object with. As the speaker noted, they want to make a lot of changes.
If he wins, the question tomorrow will be, will the president of the United States pick up the phone and start calling liberal House Democrats and say we have no choice now?
SANCHEZ: Let's talk about the general politics of this. I want to ask you a question that doesn't really come from me. It's a point that's being made.
Robert, do me a favor. Shoot the screen over there.
Look at this tweet we just got from Newt Gingrich, John. It says -- this is Newt Gingrich talking -- "Today's election in Massachusetts is as important as 1994. If Brown wins, the left will have been repudiated in their strongest state."
Is he right, John King?
KING: Well, he is right to a degree. We should note for the history books that Massachusetts has not had a Republican senator in more than 30 years, but Massachusetts has had Republican governors for much of the last 20 years.
For 16 years, Republicans controlled the state house in Massachusetts until Deval Patrick won the last election, so Republicans have been successful at the state level recently, Rick, in part because this state is becoming more and more Independent. A majority of the voters, more than 50 percent, are now unenrolled or Independents.
But Republicans have not been able to win big races for Washington. And if Scott Brown wins in a state that Barack Obama won by 25 points in 2008 -- that's only a year and, what, only a couple of months ago -- he won by 25 points. So if the Republican wins in a campaign in which he has been running as much against Barack Obama as he has been against his Democratic opponent, then, you bet, Republicans across the country will see the floodgates opening, they will become confident.
And you can also bet on this, Rick. The Democrats will have -- they already have a sense of jitters about 2010. If the Republican wins here in Teddy Kennedy's Massachusetts, you bet there'll be a panic.
SANCHEZ: Your antennas are as good as anybody I know in this business, John, from every conversation you and I have ever had. So let me ask you the question that a lot of folks at home want me to ask you about their guy or their gal in this race.
What does it look like right now? How tight is it? And what are the last polls saying about who's ahead?
KING: Well, the last polls have been a little bit of a mix. Some show Brown ahead by a little bit, some show him ahead by 7 or 8. Others have shown the Democrat. So let's throw the polls aside. People are voting today, so forget about any polls you saw yesterday or the day before and let people vote until 8:00 here in Massachusetts.
I just, Rick, have been e-mailing all day. We've been traveling the state much of the day, been to some key precinct areas.
SANCHEZ: And what are you feeling, what are you seeing?
(CROSSTALK)
KING: (INAUDIBLE) is one of the places I always go when I come home to Massachusetts. I sat down for lunch with two women who voted for Obama. One voted for the Republican, one voted for an Independent candidate in this race, because they say the Democrats in Washington have become arrogant.
My calls to the Democrats around the state, none of them are optimistic, Rick. They say maybe it's possible, but there's not much optimism, if at all any, on the Democratic side here in Massachusetts.
SANCHEZ: John King, one of the best in the business.
I'm so glad we had a chance to talk to you, John. Stay well. We'll talk to you a little bit later and we'll see what happens tonight.
KING: You got it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Haitian people on the ground, of course, are going to be suffering, frustrated -- violence. I tell them that I do not cry for myself, that I cry for them. And I told them, just permit us a little time. We're going to be back on the ground on Saturday, and we'll be back on the ground every week until we help the situation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: This is a real heck of a story that we're following. Grammy winner Wyclef Jean heads a charity that's getting a lot of attention. Not good attention.
He is one of our "Most Intriguing People of the Day," but there's somebody else in the news today who we find intriguing. We'll reveal who tops our list of "Most Intriguing," and "The List U Don't Want 2 Be On" when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC)
SANCHEZ: I've got to tell you, I like the music.
Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez. This is THE LIST.
Hope, change and transparency have become campaign promise staples since Barack Obama rode them all the way to the White House. But keeping those promises could be a really tall order for our "Most Intriguing Person of the Day." See if you can figure out who it is.
Remember the big guy who ran on smaller government, whose opponent ran on ads accusing him of throwing his weight around? Now he gets to do it.
He's our most "Intriguing Person of the Day," Republican Chris Christie, whose victory over Jon Corzine delivered the first political body blow to President Obama and the Democrats. Christie was sworn in today, promising hope and change as the 55th governor of the state of New Jersey.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: You voted loudly and clearly for change, ,and you have entrusted us with what may be our last, best hope for a stronger New Jersey, the New Jersey of our youth, full of hope and opportunity. New Jersey, you voted for change, and today change has arrived. (APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: There he is, the big guy, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. He is our "Most Intriguing Person of the Day."
Wolf Blitzer is going to on that list soon, I guarantee you. He's joining me now.
I just talked to John King about this story in Massachusetts. What do your antennas tell you, Wolf? Is this story going to end today or is this going to be one of those stories, as you and I like to say, that's going to have a lot of legs?
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Well, no matter what happens, it's clear that the Democrats have some serious problems.
Going back to New Jersey, this is a state that President Obama carried decisively more than a year ago. Virginia, remember, that was a state the president carried. So if it's Virginia, New Jersey, and if the Democrats lose tonight in Massachusetts, that will send a powerful message to the Obama administration and to Democrats in the House and Senate.
It could be a wakeup call. They'll have some time between now and November to try to get their act together, but it will be a powerful message, there's no doubt about that.
SANCHEZ: Wolf Blitzer, you know, you and John King -- we were talking about that duo a little while ago. If I was going to watch TV tonight, I would watch you guys. I don't know, I just think anything having to do with elections, you're going to be on top of it.
Thanks a lot.
8:00 p.m., Wolf Blitzer, John King, and some of the best in the business.
Meanwhile, next, the man who tops our list, is he encouraging voter fraud in the Massachusetts Senate race? We're going to reveal who made these controversial comments next on "The List U Don't Want 2 Be On."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Dubious distinction can be earned many different ways. And when you earn it, you end up on "The List U Don't Want 2 Be On."
I am ready now to reveal who is number one, but first let's recount.
Baseball manager Jose Offererman has found his way on the list for being banned by the Dominican Republic's Winter League. The last straw? He took a swing at an umpire down in the Dominican Republic, and now he's lost his job for life. Next, Alain Joyandet, French minister for international cooperation, accuses the United States of not cooperating in the Port-au-Prince airport. But does he have to accuse the United States of "occupying Haiti"? Occupying Haiti, to describe our guys in uniform who are in Haiti to save lives? We checked and the French are now walking that one back a bit.
But number one on "The List That U Don't Want to Be On" today, radio and television host Ed Schultz.
Blind partisanship, whether from the left or from the right in this country, is not something Americans seem to want. Talking about the Senate race in Massachusetts, Schultz told his radio listeners, "If I lived in Massachusetts, I'd try to vote 10 times. Yeah, that's right. I'd cheat to keep those bastards out. I would, because that's exactly what they are."
Critics called Schultz out and he responded with an apology. Sort of.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
ED SCHULTZ, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: I'm sorry. I meant to say if I could vote 20 times, that's what I would do.
(LAUGHTER)
SCHULTZ: This has been a wonderful weekend for us. I've had more entertaining e-mail from these right-wing nut jobs than ever before. It's got to be a record for "The Ed Schultz Show," now in its seventh year.
They want me off the air, of course they do. This radio equalizer guy, or whoever the hell he is, they dissect every word. They'll take a clip out and they'll say he said this.
Let me be very clear. I'm not advocating voter fraud, I'm just telling you what I would do. That's how bad I want Scott Brown to lose.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: So now it is 20, not 10.
For the record, apology or no apology, voting more than once is illegal. And as many of Mr. Schultz's critics have pointed out, it is called voter fraud.
Now, we asked Schultz for a comments today. He response to me was, "Good luck with your new show."
Thank you.
By the way, we're continuing to follow what is a very being story out in Los Angeles. We're seeing a lot of flooding out there. Wolf is probably going to share some of these stories with you.
Look at that. That's Los Angeles as we speak. It's one of the stories we'll stake on top of here on CNN.
Take you into Washington now, "THE SITUATION ROOM."
Here, Wolf Blitzer.
