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Rick's List

White House Backing Down on Trying Terrorists in New York; Students Protest Tuition Increases; Academy Awards Premiering Sunday; Shorty Awards for Twitter Users Interrupted

Aired March 05, 2010 - 14:59   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Here is what's making THE LIST -- most dangerous. Who is this man who fired on Pentagon Police.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was very well-dressed in a suit.

SANCHEZ: Where did he come from? What was his beef?

Most embattled -- the heat is on, New York's governor accused in interfering in a domestic abuse case and taking free Yankees tickets. Aides dropping like flies around him and yet, Congressman Gregory Meeks defends him. He will join me live.

The worst part of this swim with a shark, the shark has not eaten in days.

The lists you need to know about. Who is "Today's Most Intriguing"? Who is making news on Twitter? It is why I keep a list, pioneering tomorrow's cutting edge news right now.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: Hi, everybody. Here is number one THE LIST -- we are digging into the background of John Patrick Bedell. He is the man who opened fire near the Pentagon. This is video believed to be Bedell. It is our job now to determine whether the troubled Californian was another lone wolf with a grudge against the government, or a part of something maybe even bigger.

This is our job to do that. We are going to try to do it for you. I was on the air last night when this story broke. I am going to be drilling down on this fellow throughout this hour.

But first, number two on THE LIST, the story that will echo around the world; the White House appears to be setting the stage today for a dramatic reversal, a military trial for the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks. President Obama, Attorney General Holder, they were dead set against this, but this is a battle that they are losing. And there will be repercussion.

Let's bring in Jessica Yellin. She's joining us from New York. I understand you just arrived there. Before we do anything else, let's all catch up there. This is Attorney General Eric Holder, the November 13th, on the 9/11 co-conspirators. Play it, Dan.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ERIC HOLDER, ATTORNEY GENERAL: They will be brought to New York -- to New York, to answer for their alleged crimes in a courthouse just blocks away from where the Twin Towers once stood.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: They will be brought to New York -- New York. Notice he said it twice. What happened to that plan?

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, it got a lot of push-back from elected officials, from even New York City's mayor, and it was politically unpopular. And it became clearly a position that was just too unpopular for the White House to stand by. They have not officially decided that it won't be in New York, Rick. But all of the body language has made it clear that is just not going to happen.

SANCHEZ: Is it just a fight not worth fighting? Is that what it is? Why go through all of the trouble? The people in New York didn't seem to want it. Certainly, the right was protesting lots. Is that what it is all about?

YELLIN: Well, it was a lot to hold up. Once you start one trial in New York, then you have to figure out what you are doing, and where the rest of the trials will be. It wasn't just Khalid Shaikh Mohammed. It is very difficult for this White House to push against what the elected officials here in the state want facing an election year, this year, when it is so clear that the American public is -- the majority of the American public is resistant to this.

So it was a security issue locally, but I would say a political issue nationally. And yes, they just had to cave.

SANCHEZ: One more thing. Let me ask you about the politics. I want to read you a quote. This is from Anthony Romero -- you know who Anthony Romero is. He is with the ACLU. He is on TV several times in the last week or so. Here is what he says: "if the president flip- flops and retreats to the Bush military commissions, he will betray his campaign promise to restore the rule of law."

We know that the president has gotten a lot of heat from the right. He may have succumbed to the heat from the right, but is he now going to get just as much heat from the left?

YELLIN: The answer in a word is yes, Rick. Let's remember that President Obama, when he was candidate Obama, campaigned passionately against military tribunal, vowing that they would not happen under his watch. It was a key part of his platform when he was running, that he was the anti-George Bush, in part because he was opposed to the Iraq war and opposed to the way that the US had been treating detainees.

So he appealed to that active, vocal part of his own base on this issue. And remember one of the things he kept saying is he is not just another politician. The message is that he won't flip-flop or change positions with the political whims. If he finally decides to go back, reverse course and hold military tribunals, yes, he will get an enormous amount of heat from his impassioned progressive base. And he could really see a lot of them lose interest in campaigning or working for Democrats, or voting for Democrats for a while.

SANCHEZ: Heat from the right, then heat from the left. What is a president to do? Jessica Yellin bringing us up to date on this story. Thanks, Jessica. We so appreciate it.

By the way, take a look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was very calm. There was no distress in his appearance. He walked very directly to the officers and engaged.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Who was the man who took aim at Pentagon officers last night, was trying to get into the Pentagon, himself? Was this a suicide mission? There is so much to learn. We have just gotten new information. His parents have just shared a bit of information with us that may give us a better sense of who this person is from his own hometown.

Literally, we got this about four minutes before I walked out here to do this newscast. I am going to be taking you there live. Our Dan Simon is standing by. So, wait for that information, because it is going to be coming up after the break. That is ahead.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Forty five seconds, you have 45 seconds, Sanborn.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Could "The Hurt Locker" take the top prize at the Oscars this weekend? Our Showbiz team is all over the Oscars with a front row seat. We've got A.J. Hammer and Brooke Anderson, as well, standing by. They're getting ready for their big show. They will share their list and we'll compare it to our list.

There is something else I have to tell you. Take me full, if you would, Dan. There is an unbelievable piece of video that we are following. It came out of Wisconsin today. It is almost like 30-some cars, all of a sudden, converged and crashed into each other. The picture is like nothing I have ever seen before.

Chad Myers is here. He is going to help take us through this, because it has to do, obviously, with weather. But we have also spoken to one of the witnesses who was there at the scene, in fact, was in one of those cars.

That is what it looked like. That looks like a white out, right? Wait until you see what happened as a result of this white out.

Stay right there, THE LIST scrolls on.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez.

Here is THE LIST of the worst accidents in the country today.

Number one, south of Phoenix, Arizona, look at this. It is a tour bus that was going from Mexico to Los Angeles. It hit a car, and then it started flipping over. Six people are dead; 15 others are injured. Some of them are critically injured.

But if you think that is a crazy accident and a crazy piece of video, take a look at number two on the list. Look at this scene from Wisconsin, 25 Cars all piled up on a highway. It almost looks like they came from 20 different directions and just found each other in the middle. Some of the cars literally landed on top of each other.

Chad Myers, I called him over to help me with this story, because it looks like this is definitively weather-related.

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Absolutely, fog and ice. Sure, it was 16 degrees. There was fog all over the place. I can't figure out why all of the hoods are up. I mean, I understand when a hood crumbles, but it looks like everybody raised the hood on these cars.

SANCHEZ: There is that white out, Chad. Explain that to us.

MYERS: I looked at Appleton. This is between Appleton and Green Bay. I looked at Appleton. The visibility never got below seven miles. I looked at Green Bay, about a mile and a half. That's good. You can see a mile and a half.

But somewhere in between, on this highway, visibility was down to a car length, according to Brenda Ebel. She was on the road when this happened.

SANCHEZ: Yeah, it is amazing. In fact, Dan, do me a favor and go back to the shot of all of the cars. I can't look at that enough. I don't remember ever seeing a scene like that.

MYERS: Well, the cars aren't even going the same direction. Some of the cars are going backwards. Some of the cars are going forwards. One of the cars is upside down.

SANCHEZ: It's crazy. OK. Let's do this, you and I -- stay here. I need you for this. Brenda Ebel, as you mentioned, was one of the persons driving one of those cars. And she was taken to the hospital, she has gotten out of the hospital. We have been able to make contact with her, and she is standing by now to tell us what this was like.

It almost looks like you had no idea what was in front of you until you hit it, Brenda. Am I right? BRENDA EBEL, IN MAJOR ACCIDENT IN WISCONSIN: That is absolutely correct. It was like hitting a white wall. I could only see a car in front of me, and they were braking. So I naturally braked as hard as I could. But I knew right away it wasn't going to be enough. I was headed straight into the person ahead of me.

SANCHEZ: Those cars we're looking at there -- Dan, go back to that shot if you possibly could. Brenda, is your car in the middle of it, or on the outside, if you are looking at the TV? Can you pin point your far there for us?

EBEL: I can. My car, when I got hit -- or saw I would hit someone -- I swerved. And then I was hit from behind, but my steering wheel was already in motion. So my car is actually against the guardrail, looking at the mess. I spun, and kind of did a doughnut almost -- like -- and went into the guardrail. And when I stopped, I looked out my window and I could continue to see people coming in and hitting. And then I saw a tire flying at me, and cars flipping over. It was crazy.

SANCHEZ: Nobody hit you then from behind. Because usually in these things it is almost catapultic (ph). It is like you hits somebody, then somebody hits you, then somebody hits the person who hit you. But I am looking at your vehicle there. It's almost like a van SUV-ish thing?

EBEL: Well, my car actually is a Hyundai, four-door car.

SANCHEZ: Nobody hit you from behind?

EBEL: That is what caused me. When I switched lanes -- or swerved and I hit the car, I got slammed from behind, and I spun out and went into the guardrail.

MYERS: When you put your brakes on -- and you said you slammed them on -- did you notice the anti-lock brakes going off, like it was icy? Or you just had no time, because the car was just right there.

EBEL: No time. That was it, just no time. You didn't realize they were stopping immediately. It was not a slowdown, just immediate.

SANCHEZ: I'm wondering, Chad, was there a warning or any reason that perhaps they should have known? Brenda, had you heard that you might be facing conditions like this?

EBEL: Well, I knew they said there was fog out there, to watch- out. But nobody said it was going to get this thick, and it came up so quick.

SANCHEZ: How could it come up so quick? I mean, Fog is usually something that -- that you see it coming on. It might be a light fog, and then a little denser fog, and then an all-out heavy fog. But the way she is describing, it is almost as if she went from no fog to lots of fog.

MYERS: Brenda, what time was it? Was the sun up yet?

EBEL: It was 7:45. The sun was up, but you couldn't tell because there was fog out there. It was dense and less, and then dense again. But then, all of a sudden just white.

MYERS: Did this road have any flashing lights, like sometimes I see them on the highways, fog possible ahead. Any kind of warning line that on this road?

EBEL: No.

SANCHEZ: That's interesting. Brenda, you are a good sport. I am so glad you are OK. You basically are bumped and bruised, and you're hurting, and you probably are going to wake up sore tomorrow.

MYERS: Absolutely.

SANCHEZ: Yes. Well, listen, I am glad you are OK. The good news is nobody was seriously injured in this thing. Well, I think one person.

MYERS: They are going to feel it tomorrow. I have been in a number of crashes to know that you don't feel it that day, although you feel some of it. The next day, you didn't realize that every muscle in your body tensed up, and now every muscle is going to be sore tomorrow.

SANCHEZ: It is an unbelievable story. I'm telling you, I have never seen a picture like that.

MYERS: A lot of cars.

SANCHEZ: I have seen a lot of multi-car pileups, but I never seen them where it almost looks like they are all coming from different directions. Chad, thanks so much. Let us know what else is going on out there. And again, Brenda Ebel, great information. thank you for taking us inside of that accident.

Now, this --

Who was the gunman who opened fire on the police officers at the Pentagon last night? We are drilling down on this, trying to dig down on what this fellow's past in California was, because we have now found out where his hometown was. And we have just now received information from someone who knew him. So, stand by for that.

Also, this --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I didn't do anything.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Look at that. The officer taking down the student for protesting over tuition increases. What happened to him? That is ahead on THE LIST as well. Stay right there. I am going to be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez.

We are now revisiting the number one story on our list today making news. A short time ago, we got this photo from the FBI. This is John Patrick Bedell. Home, Hollister, California. Looks to me like a driver's license picture, released this afternoon by the FBI.

Bedell, by the way, is dead. He died last night. Police shot him outside of the Pentagon, after he tried to get into the Pentagon and open fire on police.

Why? What was Bedell's motive at the Pentagon? Well, we know he had a grudge against the government, against Washington. Expressed so in this video on the Internet, posted under the name Jay Patrick Bedell. Sound familiar? This grudge against the government -- barely two weeks ago, John Stack flew a plane into the IRS offices in the building not far from where he lived in Austin, Texas. He was angry about taxes.

First the IRS and now the Pentagon.

Now we just got this moments ago. CNN's Dan Simon, who is working this story diligently, has just spoken to local law enforcement out in California. They say that Bedell's mother had concerns about her son, his mental health, possibly about drug use. And then in mid January, a possible gun purchase. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CURTIS HILL, SHERIFF, SAN BENITO, CALIFORNIA: She actually sees a bag, like a duffel bag-type, like -- in police language, we call it a go bag, where on the back it says "tactical." And she was concerned that he had perhaps purchased a gun. But she didn't know what that was and he didn't tell her. So, he was agitated, and left the house, and was gone by the time my guys got there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Here is what we are doing for you to drill down on the number one story on THE LIST today. Dan Simon is working the story from one venue. He's in California, Hollister, California, which is apparently this guy's home town. And, of course, from the Pentagon, we will check in with one of our Pentagon correspondents, Barbara Starr, who is standing by.

Dan, let me begin with you. I understand you might have some fresh news to share with us. What else have you learned about John Bedell?

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rick, let me tell you first about Bedell's parents. We are told they are fairly well known here in the Hollister, California community, also very well respected. The father a financial planner, the mother works at the local junior college.

As you said, Rick, I just had a conversation with the sheriff here, Sheriff Curtis Hill, San Benito County. Just got this information. So let's kind of go through it together. This happens on January 3rd, the first time that the parents are really concerned about their son. On January 3rd, Bedell is stopped in Amarillo, Texas. He was on the East Coast and apparently making his way back to California. He is stopped by Texas deputies for speeding.

That deputy notices that there is something weird inside of Bedell's car. There is basically trash all over the place. So he is concerned about Bedell's mental health. So he asked Bedell for his cell phone, and says, is your parents' phone number in that cell phone, because I want to call them. Bedell actually gives the deputy the cell phone, right then and there. There is a phone conversation between that sheriff's deputy and one of Bedell's parents.

The parent basically communicated to the sheriff, yes, we are worried about our son. But apparently, there was nothing for that deputy to -- nothing there for the deputy to detain Bedell. So he lets him go. OK?

The following day, January 4th, Bedell has not shown up in California, has not talked to his parents since being pulled over. And I want you to listen to the sheriff, who picks up the story from here. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILL: Well, the next day, they filed a missing person's report on him, because there is a history of mental health problems with him that the family has been dealing with for apparently a number of years. So that prompted them to go ahead and file this report.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIMON: All right. So Rick, it is now a week later, January 11th. Bedell is back home, but he seems very impaired, very agitated. We are told he had a medical marijuana ID card and may have been out of his mind on marijuana. And that is when the mother apparently discovers a receipt for 600 dollars. Bedell has a receipt for 600 dollars from a Sacramento shooting range. And so she is concerned that Bedell has acquired a gun.

Then there is another call to the sheriff's department here. The parents file a missing person's report. And the sheriff's office, they really had nothing to go on. A week later, they called the parents to find out if they have heard anything from their son. Well, they say he has returned home and apparently everything is OK. That is the last they heard. But of course, everything was not OK, because we know what happened after that.

SANCHEZ: So, I think that what people are trying to get a sense of on this story, Dan, was he just mentally disturbed in some way, period? Or was he mentally disturbed somehow combined with some anti- government philosophy that led him to do this? Because what doesn't fit with the rest of the story is why the Pentagon? Why did he go to Washington? And first of all, why would he go all of the way from California to Washington to do something as crazy as this? Do we just not know?

SIMON: Well, it is really speculation on our part. But, clearly, the parents were concerned that he had some mental health issues. Why he was apparently fixated on Washington and 9/11 conspiracies, obviously we don't know. But certainly there were some mental health issues and the parents, at least, were greatly concerned.

SANCHEZ: It seems that way. By the way, a programming note here now. We have just learned that sometime in the next six or seven minutes -- obviously give or take -- there is going to be a news conference from police out there where Dan is reporting from. We are hoping to learn more information about what this guy's motives may have truly been. Obviously, it hasn't even been 24 hours yet since the incident. We are drilling down and getting a little more, little more. And hopefully, within the next six or seven minutes, we will get definitive information about what the motive may have been.

In the meantime, we have Barbara Starr standing by at the Pentagon, where we're hoping to get more information there. It looks to me, Barbara, like if there was a security plan of action there at the pentagon last night, it worked, right?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, by all accounts, it did, because, look, this could have been a lot worse. The two police officers who sustained injuries, gunshot injuries from Bedell, back home, we are told, out of the hospital. Their injuries were superficial. The security plan always at the Pentagon and in many federal government buildings and installations -- if there is a security problem, engage that target as far away as possible from the people, from the building. And that is what they did.

Since 9/11, Rick, security has changed here dramatically. People are asked for their identification. They are stopped several hundred yards from the building, in most cases at the Metro entrance. They can come a little closer before they are stopped, but they can't get inside the building without showing ID or getting a visitor's pass, and being scanned. A lot of security in place. They acted very quickly, last night.

SANCHEZ: I got to tell you, can you imagine what would have happened if they hadn't stopped this fellow? I mean, if he -- apparently he had more than one weapon. If he had gotten inside of the Pentagon and started up a shoot them up, there is no telling how much damage he could have done, and how many lives he could have taken.

STARR: Well, what Pentagon -- police officials have said, in fact, he was carrying two nine millimeter semi-automatic weapons. He had a number of ammunition magazines with him. When they found his car in a nearby parking lot, it additional ammunition. Probably not a good idea to go into the specifics of the lay-down of security inside of this building. But I think that if somebody did get inside, they would be engaged very quickly.

And let's remember, this is a building full of combat veterans of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. People don't take these things lightly.

SANCHEZ: Yeah. We were talking about that with my staff, a little while ago. I said, of all of the places in the United States where you don't want to meet up with people who you don't think are going to fight back, this is the place where they are going to be fighting back.

But what a story. Thanks so much. Once again, we will probably tap you again, Barbara, when this news conference gets started out there in California. So stand by, if you would.

STARR: You bet.

SANCHEZ: Meanwhile, ahead on our LIST, Justice Roberts is retiring -- well, maybe not. How did that report get out there? How did it start? Sometimes it is as interesting to find out what really isn't going on, as much as what is going on. And this is one of those stories. This story went rampant. We never reported it. But it went rampant yesterday throughout news organizations. All of them scratching their heads, wondering what is going on. Well, we know now what was going on. We are going to share that with you.

Also, an incident at the Shorty (ph) Awards. It's going viral. I'm going to take you through it as it happened, because I was there when it happened. That is me there in the background. It is crazy. It's a heckler. It is almost like a Kanye West moment. Except for a while there, it could have gotten dicey. You will see it. Stay right there. I will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez.

To the very top of our LIST, the story that everyone is following, trying to get more information about John Patrick Bedell. Was he an anti-government activist? Was he an anti-military activist? Why did he try to go into the Pentagon yesterday with not one, but several weapons, according to our reports?

We may get a better sense of who he was and what his motive was, coming up in a little bit. We are now just minutes away from a news conference, where police may reveal, for the very first time, who John Patrick Bedell really is, and what may have motivated him to do what he did. So stand by, and you will be able to watch that live, as it happens, right here on CNN.

Here is what else is we are following.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I understand that you have reached a verdict in this case, is that correct? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Very good. Mr. Foreperson, if you will hand me the verdict form.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Watch what happens. A husband, he is a doctor, a good- looking guy, took an oath to help people. Did he poison his own wife by putting cyanide in one of the capsules when she wasn't looking? Did the jury buy it? You will find out because the jury will come back with that verdict and you will see it play out for yourself.

Look at this. I have heard of playing catch with the dog, but Frisbee with a shark? What is going on here? You will see what happened when a diver recognizes that, and decides he will try to help the shark out. Wow.

Also, remember, you can join us for this national conversation whenever you visit Atlanta. We would love to have you here. The number is 1-877-4CNN-tour. More and more of you have been stopping by to visit on Mondays. I'll have you here in the studio, and I will let you help me with some of the interviews. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Here is another part of my list. Time to list the best videos of the day, something we like to say in Spanish, as in "Fotos del Dia."

What do you say we start out with a shark video? The shark has something that is stuck around its body. You see this? It is one of the big toy throwing rings like a Frisbee. And clearly the animal is in distress, because it is cutting into it, right.

Watch what this scuba diver does. He grabs the ring to pull it off, and, as they say, a struggle ensues. It is one of those do not do this kind of moments. But it all works out for the shark, for the diver, who still has all of his extremities. Nice going, Dr. Jacques Cousteau. The shark world owes you one.

Next, fisticuffs on a basketball court. Ladies, ladies, settle down. Baylor star forward Brittney Griner hauls off and socks Texas Tech's Jordan Barncastle right in the nose. After some rough jostling there, Barncastle, her nose was broken. Brittney Griner was ejected immediately and suspended for two games, including this weekend's Big 12 opener.

And then there is this. What in the hell is that thing? Is that a chupacabre? This is either the legendary mythological creature that sucks the blood of goats or it's a raccoon with the case of mange. My bet is on chupacabra. End of discussion, and that's the end of "Fotos."

How did a first year law student class trigger the story that Chief Justice John Roberts was retiring? How did it happen? We know and we will share it with you. That's ahead on THE LIST.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Back to the list of the worst accidents of the day. It is the one that was in Wisconsin that we want to show you again, because we have just gotten some new information on this story.

You notice as you look at this, which is an unbelievable piece of video, by the way, how all of the hoods on the cars are up or stuck in the up position. We were wondering why that was. We think we just may have gotten an answer to it. Chad Myers has apparently got somebody who called him or mailed you and let you know. What is it?

CHAD MYERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We have brightest viewers of all viewers. They know as much as we do together.

SANCHEZ: The truth.

MYERS: They know it all. Mike Birkoff (ph) actually e-mailed me and said the reason we put up the hoods is because we disconnect the batteries.

SANCHEZ: He is a firefighter.

MYERS: Yes, and Homeland Security guy as well, but he said we disconnect the batteries, because we don't want sparks to come out of the fires and we don't want fires because you can see on the ground, there was gasoline and sand put down and hazmat put down --

SANCHEZ: So the firefighters go over there and open the hoods and disconnect the batteries.

MYERS: When I first looked at it, I said it looked like everybody was driving with the hood up, so no wonder you crashed.

(LAUGHTER)

SANCHEZ: Thanks so much, Chad. I always like to find out information and sharing with these guys.

Here is another list. This is a list of movie this year that could possibly win an Oscar. There are ten of them -- "Avatar," "Blind Side," "District 9," "An Education," "The Hurt Locker," "Inglourious Basterds," "Precious," "A Serious Man," "Up," and "Up in the Air."

If you have been paying attention, you know that those are the candidates for the best picture academy award. Now, I have seen a couple of the movies, heard of just about all of them. Don't know a thing in general about awards, but Brooke Anderson and A.J. Hammer do.

I will tell you, I am looking at the list, and I will give you my pick while we are at it. I like the movie about the guy whose flying around firing people, "Up in the Air."

BROOKE ANDERSON, HLN HOST, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": Starring George Clooney. And George Clooney, as we know, is an Oscar favorite, so voters love him, Rick.

SANCHEZ: I thought it was a great story. It was not about crashing up cars or technology. I loved "Avatar" but I'm not into the fancy stuff. I like a good story about something unique and different, and it had a turn and twist in the end and a love story in it. I thought it was a fabulous movie, and there is my vote. What do I know?

Brooke, let's start with you. What do you think is going to do well?

ANDERSON: Listen, I think that "Up in the Air" was a terrific film, Rick. But you know, you said that "Avatar" you are not into all that fancy stuff. Well, a lot of people were, because it made $2.5 billion worldwide, becoming the highest grossing film of all time, though adjusted for inflation, the honor goes to "Gone With the Wind" back decades ago.

But the shear production of "Avatar" is so impressive that this one gets my vote, though I was talking to a film critic recently, and you have to keep in mind that the largest voting wing of the academy is the actor. So the actors will voting for best picture.

And CGI, motion picture capture, intimidate a lot of actors because in their mind it could signal less work in the future, though that may not really be the case, but the growing popularity of these films sometimes intimidates actors. So "Avatar" may not get the votes, it might go "Hurt Locker."

SANCHEZ: Let's go to A.J., because he has this thing figured out. He has a computer analysis he does to pick the winner.

(LAUGHTER)

A.J. HAMMER, HLN HOST, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": First of all, Rick, the top of my list right now is wanting to know what happened at the Sanchez household on Sunday night, because I have a feeling that you are watching "Simpson" reruns and not the Oscars, you are so not into it. I know you want to watch the "Road to Gold" pre-show here.

SANCHEZ: I like the semi-mental stuff, I mean the sentimental stuff. My wife likes, you know, more of the bloody stuff, believe it or not. I drink merlot, and she drinks beer. It is that kind of relationship.

(LAUGHTER)

HAMMER: Easy enough.

I think actually I am still pulling for "Avatar." It is the one to lose the best picture award a couple of weeks ago. A couple of weeks ago the tide seems to have shifted. "Avatar" did won the golden globe, and as Brooke mentioned, the numbers have been astronomical. In fact, it's really "Avatar" versus "Hurt Locker" if you're going to look at the two big contenders in this category.

Avatar grossed more this past weekend than "Hurt Locker" did in its entire run out 21 weeks or so. That is saying a lot.

But the thing that gets me with "Avatar" is this an epic film and an immersive film. You saw how people reacted emotionally it to around the world, and certainly "Hurt Locker" an emotional film, but there is something about "Avatar," it has never been done before, and the way that people talk about it and the fact that so many people have seen it, I still think it could have the edge on "Hurt Locker."

SANCHEZ: I'm going up with "Up in the Air." That is my choice and I'm sticking with it.

HAMMER: I would love to see it happen, but it is not going to happen.

ANDERSON: That's his prerogative.

SANCHEZ: Thank you, guys, I appreciate you. I look forward to the show Sunday. You are always fantastic on that thing. It will be good. I am going to watch, by golly.

Here is what else we have coming your way.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. DAVID PATERSON (D), NEW YORK: I don't have any plans to resign. I am working on the business of the people of New York State, the most urgent of which is that we pass a budget that's deficit has now ballooned to $9.1 billion. And at a certain point, I will cooperate with the investigations.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: What is going on with the governor of New York? First, he was accused of interfering in a domestic abuse case, and then we hear he allegedly violated ethics rules on Yankees tickets -- bid deal. Aides are dropping like flies all around him.

I will speak with Congressman Gregory Meeks. Here is the news here. He is one of the African-American leaders who is defending the governor, defending the governor. Why? That is my job to ask.

Why are students also wandering all over this highway? Take a look at this picture. This happened last night. I was on the air reporting last night when this happened. This is like a keystone cop scene. Wait until you see the video and find out what really happened. I will be back with more on that.

Stay there, THE LIST scrolls on.

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SANCHEZ: Number one on the list of follow-up stories for us today. Did you see this as it happened last night, police officers taking down students during protests? This is at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, 15 people arrested there during those nationwide demonstrations over massive education budget cuts. The protests happened in 33 states, but the biggest crowds and trouble was happening in California, the most memorable scenes, these. This is Oakland -- 160 arrests. This is Interstate 880, right near downtown.

It started off as a peaceful march toward city hall, but then the students broke away and they crossed onto the interstate, ran out in front of the cars, started blocking traffic, creating chaos, much of this during rush hour. It was about 5:40 when this was happening as we were on the area reporting the news out of New York.

Finally huge contingents of police officers rushed to the scene and they started arresting some of these students and teachers who are protesting these education cuts. Many of the police officers are in riot gear. They cleared the streets and cleared the roadways.

Protests were part of a day of action to defend the public education. They're upset over some of the cuts in the budget and huge increases in tuition, essentially 182 percent is what it has gone up since 2002, from 2002 to 2009.

Look, California alone, from what we understand, funding has been cut by $1 billion just in the last two years. There are also lots of lines for students now waiting for classes, the classes are getting shorter. This is what had so many students so upset.

Here's what else we have coming your way on THE LIST.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm going to drink your water, CNN, I'm going to ruin your microphone.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: What a character. This happened to me the other day as I was hosting the short events for Twitter winners from all over the world. It was a bizarre moment. I mean, really weird. I'm going to take you through it and let you see what I did and thought about doing, but didn't do. Yes.

Also, look at your screen. That's no joke. That's a passenger ferry, and it's going nowhere. Why? It's been locked in by ice.

Stay right there. I'm Rick Sanchez and this is THE LIST. We're coming right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: I'm a big Twitter user, and also the first to start Twitter on television news, as you see every day with these Twitter lists that we put up for you.

I have been asked again to host the Twitter awards, which are essentially called the Shorties, where people from all over the world get awards for putting out the best tweets in politics, in entertainment, in everything even up to weirdness.

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And it's called Shorty awards because the Twitter entry is short, right?

SANCHEZ: And because you have to put it in 140 characters.

BALDWIN: OK.

SANCHEZ: So here I am at the Shorty awards --

BALDWIN: You had a moment, didn't you?

SANCHEZ: I had a moment. I thought I was on a roll and was doing fine, but then some freak jumped up on stage.

BALDWIN: Let's watch, shall we?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: The Shorty award in the weird category goes to a fictitious tweeting llama.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No!

BALDWIN: That tells its followers --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I tweet stuff all the time, CNN. I tweet things. I tweet. Ah! (INAUDIBLE) That's when I'm going to drink your water, CNN, I'm going to ruin your microphone. This guy, this guy -- llama represents everything bad in America. He tells you what to do. USA!

SANCHEZ: You know, we worked on that routine for hours.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Nice reaction, Sanchez. Way to handle that.

SANCHEZ: I had to say something.

BALDWIN: What do you do after a guy break dances on stage?

SANCHEZ: For a moment I felt a bit like he was entering my space and it started to bother me.

BALDWIN: Just a little bit.

SANCHEZ: But I didn't want to overreact. When you grow up as a kid in the barrio kind of thing and somebody does something like that, you usually punch your lights out.

BALDWIN: Did it take everything to keep yew hands down?

SANCHEZ: I figured it wouldn't be the right thing to do. Before you know it, we are rolling around on the ground and Jon Stewart would have a heyday. So I stayed away and let the folks who are supposed to organize the event.

What I wish I had had at the time was a way to tase him. I'm serious --

BALDWIN: Rick Sanchez, no more tasing.

SANCHEZ: But this guy was out of control. Do you know about his story?

BALDWIN: I don't, and I don't want to know.

(LAUGHTER)

Can we be serious for a moment? There were a lot of people who were honored, and we were chatting before the show, and you said you were really impressed the guy who won the award for the government tweet was Cory Booker. You were very impressed by him. Why?

SANCHEZ: He won the award for politics. I have to tell you, I think Cory Booker is probably one of the most impressive politicians. The things he's doing in Newark, for example is, unprecedented, the way he's try to go clean that town up.

If there's one rough place you don't want to be a mayor based on its history and reputation, it's Newark. He looks at it as a challenge and is already making a difference. He's a friend of the president's, and a smart dude.

BALDWIN: And Grover.

SANCHEZ: Do you want to see the Grover picture? Monday.

BALDWIN: Monday.

SANCHEZ: That will go viral. You know that. Thanks so much, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Hotly debated topic is on our list. Will Khalid Sheikh Mohammed end up in a military court or a civilian criminal court? And what's the big deal? And why has the president changed his mind on this thing? We're going to tell you.

Stay right there. We'll be right back.

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