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Interview With Wyoming Senator John Barrasso; President Obama Set to Deliver State of the Union Address; Investigation Into Moscow Suicide Bombing Continues; House of Representatives Promises to Cut Spending; Massive Protests in Egypt
Aired January 25, 2011 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: And here, on the State of the Union night, there is breaking news out of Washington.
We have just seen the House approve this resolution which essentially promises to cut government non-security spending to 2008 levels, maybe less. Folks, that is pre-bailout, pre-stimulus, pre- Obama inauguration. We will get a live report on that momentarily.
Also, we are following what has been a massive day of protests. Have you seen these images? This is out of Cairo, Egypt. So, we have crews there on the ground covering this. And the protesters say they're angry -- they're angry about the rising cost of living and about government corruption.
Plus, this: incredible new images from inside that airport attack in Moscow. Look at what cameras were actually able to capture. You see those bright flashes? That is the actual moment of the suicide blast. And if your reflects -- reflex is to demand better airport security at international airports, message to you today: Think again. I'm going to be speaking with an expert who says that that is an exercise in futility.
But back to that breaking out of our nation's capital, out of Washington, the House of Representatives -- Representatives has just passed this resolution pledging to cut non-security spending back to 2008 levels. And the chair of that committee is Congressman Paul Ryan. And, yes, that is the same guy delivering tonight's GOP response to the State of the Union.
I want to bring in Dana Bash, our senior congressional correspondent, with all this breaking news on Capitol Hill.
And, Dana, let's begin with -- with this congressman, Congressman Ryan, obviously front and center today, hours before the State of the Union. Who is he, and -- and how would they then propose to cut, what is it, $60 billion?
DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's what it adds up to in general, if -- if you listen to Republicans and talk -- and how they describe cutting back spending to 2008 levels.
But -- and your answer to the question about who is Paul Ryan, he is a very young guy, but certainly an up-and-comer. He has actually -- he's already come. He is the House Budget chairman, probably going to be one of the most powerful in recent history.
He's 40 years old, and he has made some waves in some of the things that he's proposed in the past, like ways to -- to trim the budget and trim spending. For his -- from his -- his perspective personally, he thinks that Medicare should be revamped, that there should be privatization as part of Social Security.
But it is no accident that the Republicans asked him to deliver this speech tonight, Brooke, because he is a person who this resolution puts in charge of trying to figure out exactly how Republicans are going to cut that spending back to 2008 levels.
The answer to the question of what exactly are they going to cut, how are they going to do it, we don't know. Republicans have been very vague. We have asked so many times, umpteenth times, Republican after Republican for specifics. We don't have them yet. But this particular resolution authorizes Paul Ryan to start to figure out what...
BALDWIN: Well...
BASH: ... those cuts will be.
BALDWIN: ... Dana, and I -- and this is also significant today, as I mentioned, because Congressman Ryan is going to have this fresh vote for his GOP address, you know, post-presidential State of the Union. Will this be a huge win for Republicans?
BASH: Well, you know, it's...
(LAUGHTER)
BASH: ... it's interesting. Because Republicans have such a huge majority in the House now, they can pass pretty much anything, as long as there isn't serious intra-Republican fighting.
So, this is a win for Republicans, but it also a message from Republicans. It is not subtle at all, as you pointed out in the lead- in, that they are saying they want to cut back spending to before President Obama was in office. It's also not subtle that they're doing it just hours before he comes up here.
So, they're setting the stage intentionally for the spending fight with the president. Everybody knew that they were going to have it. What we are going to see in about three weeks, four weeks, the week of Valentine's Day, ironically enough, is the first real vote on how much and where Republicans want...
BALDWIN: Got it.
BASH: ... to cut spending. We...
BALDWIN: Got it.
BASH: We heard that today, Brooke.
BALDWIN: Dana Bash with the breaking news, as always, on Capitol Hill.
Dana, thank you so much.
And I...
BASH: Thanks, Brooke.
BALDWIN: ... I want to now turn our attention overseas. It's a remarkable sight. I want to take you to the streets of Cairo, Egypt, today. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(CHANTING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: This is what I'm talking about. Look at them. It's thousands of people. They're angry. They say they're fed up. And they're doing something that is actually very rare in a tightly controlled country. They're rising up against the government.
And here is something important I want you to keep in mind here. The people in these crowds, they are not demanding anything specific or reacting to anything specific. Instead, protest organizers say, you know, they're riding a wave of anti-government sentiment in Arab states.
It's a wave that is growing. It's already toppled one North African president. Egyptian police and security forces are trying to contain these crowds. And -- and we have heard that tear gas and water cannons have actually been used on those protesters today. I'm going to get much more detail for that here in just a second.
But I want to show you something first. It's something that will make you, as it did our team, stop in your tracks. I want you to watch this moment when one protester -- keep your eye on this one man -- he stood alone against a crowd-control water truck in Cairo today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SIRENS BLARING)
(SHOUTING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: The water -- the force of the water, and he's just standing there, center of your screen. He's just standing there, blue shirt.
There is really no better CNN correspondent to talk about trouble in Egypt and really the wider Middle East than our own senior national correspondent, Ben Wedeman. He lives in Cairo. He's on the phone with me right now. And he's been in the middle of the -- these protests all day long. And before I get to him live, I want you to listen to this. We saw Ben -- actually, we heard from Ben earlier today on TV. This was a couple of hours ago, when the situation there in Cairo got very, very tense.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This unrest is obviously going to have to cause some recalculations, political recalculations.
Anyway, right now, I'm (INAUDIBLE) with tear gas.
(COUGHING)
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: All right, do you want to -- are you -- are you able to carry on, or do you want to get to a place of safety, Ben?
WEDEMAN: I will do my best, Martin. I will do my best, but I'm just going to have to keep my one eye open.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Ben Wedeman did carry on with one eye open.
He joins me on the phone from Cairo.
And, Ben, I will tell you what, I was watching and listening to that earlier today, and I couldn't get my eyes off the screen.
First things first, how are you? Are you safe? And, secondly, are the streets any calmer tonight in Cairo?
WEDEMAN: Yes. We're -- we're safe now back in the bureau, which isn't actually far from where the protests are still taking place in that main square of -- of the city.
We have -- we have been watching as more and more security forces, riot police have been coming closer and closer.
Apparently, they're trying to persuade the people of -- basically, they're having a massive sit-in in this main square of Cairo. And that continues as I speak. Now, we just heard from the Interior Ministry just a few moments ago that one demonstrator was killed by tear gas in the town of Suez on the Suez Canal and that, here in Cairo, one riot policeman was killed by a stone, because what we have -- in fact, just before I was gagged by the gas today, there was a huge exchange of stones between the rioters -- or, rather, the protesters and the police.
So, I'm not surprised that -- that that sort of thing has happened. But this -- this protest, the size of this protest has stunned people here, even the participants. Nobody expected it to get so big.
I was watching as just thousands of people were pouring over a bridge over the Nile to join this protest...
BALDWIN: Hmm.
WEDEMAN: ... in Cairo's main square.
And it -- it -- as I said, it's taken everybody by surprise just how big it's gotten and how long it's gone on.
BALDWIN: I -- I know...
WEDEMAN: Brooke.
BALDWIN: ... you said earlier you have covered this part of the world for, I know, years and years, and you had never seen a scene like this. You said one protester dead, one riot police officer dead as well. And I'm sure those numbers could change.
But I want to talk, though, these were protesters of all ages. They're seizing on the unrest that toppled the Tunisian government nearby, North African government. So, I know you were there recently, Ben. How do the two scenes compare at all?
WEDEMAN: Well, there's a -- there's a fundamental difference.
And I was in -- I worked in Tunisia also during the old regime. And it was much more repressive. Really, people were afraid to talk. The press was tightly controlled. Egypt is completely different.
BALDWIN: Hmm.
WEDEMAN: The press is -- there is some very outspoken opposition newspapers. People can say what they want in Egypt.
It's just the -- the difference is that, when it comes to action, that's when the government here really cracks down. You're more -- more than free to complain with your friends in the cafe as much as you like, but the fundamental problems are -- are the same.
You have high unemployment, a deteriorating economic situation, widespread official corruption, and a government that's been in power for decades.
BALDWIN: Hmm.
WEDEMAN: So, there are similarities, and there are significant differences.
But what we heard today, the unanimous demand of the protesters, is the president of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, who's been in power since 1981...
BALDWIN: Mm-hmm.
WEDEMAN: ... step down from power. That seems to be the one demand everybody is -- is agreeing on. And, now, one other...
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: How is responding, though?
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: How is the government responding to the -- to those demands?
WEDEMAN: The -- the government is -- obviously, the president has expressed no intention of respond to that particular request.
BALDWIN: Yes.
WEDEMAN: And, in fact, the government is -- is standing firm. They have made many declarations recently and -- and over the last years about cracking down on corruption, on trying to improve living conditions.
But this is a big country of more than 80 million people. Forty percent of them live on $2 a day.
BALDWIN: Hmm.
WEDEMAN: It's very difficult to really sort of respond dramatically and quickly to the demands that people are making.
BALDWIN: Yes. It's hard to wrap even our heads from our vantage here around these protests.
And -- and -- and, also, it's significant to point out the demonstration very much so organized, organized by two groups on Facebook.
Ben Wedeman, you have done an amazing job reporting there from Cairo. Thank you so much for calling in. And please stay safe.
Now I want you to watch this. It is new video of the exact moment that suicide bomber blew up in an airport yesterday. And as we pore over all of these new details coming out of Moscow, we're posing this one specific question. Is better airport security needed here in the U.S.?
My next guest says it will never happen, and he used to run the most secure airport in the world. He is going to tell me why.
Also, in case you were one of those people a little bit too lazy to look on the other side of the can or the box, you know, turn it over, it is about to get even easier for you to see how healthy -- or maybe not so much -- your food is.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: I want to follow up now on Monday's horrific and deadly bombing at Russia's busiest airport. The number is 35. That is how many people are dead. At last report, the number of people injured may be close to 200. And it happened when one, possibly two, suicide bombers -- that's not yet been confirmed -- detonated themselves inside the arrivals hall, which was full of travelers.
And I want you to watch this tape because you're going to see the moment the suicide bomb went off in the Moscow airport. It's recorded by a surveillance camera. And you need to pay close attention to the flashes on the right side of your screen and just wait for it here. And you're going to see the blast.
There it goes. People who are not killed or wounded, obviously, they panic, they run. Wouldn't you? So far, there is no claim of responsibility. And Russian officials, particularly Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, are slamming the airport security system, saying someone there must be held accountable.
And that is what I want to talk about to this man. Rafi Ron is the president of New Age Security Solutions based in Maryland, but he used to run security at arguably the most secure airport in the world, Ben-Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv.
And, Rafi, I thank you so much for coming on.
And -- and, if we can, first, I want you to react to the video.
And, guys, if we can just roll that again, the video inside the Moscow airport where you see the blast, sir. You ran security in and out of Ben-Gurion. Was there anything -- and here it is -- was there anything about these images that surprised you?
RAFI RON, CEO, NEW AGE SECURITY SOLUTIONS: No.
I -- I think that a -- this type of scenario has been expected already for a while. Suicide bombers have been attacking a whole variety of targets. And with aviation being a prime target, it was just a matter of time that an airport would be attacked.
Actually, a couple of years ago, we had an attempt a -- to drive a car bomb in a suicidal manner into a Glasgow Airport terminal.
BALDWIN: Yes.
RON: And we had some other attacks, say, against terminals through the history of terrorism against aviation. So...
BALDWIN: I mean, and these...
(CROSSTALK)
RON: So, I don't think it's surprising.
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: ... much more vulnerable parts of the airport, which I want to get to that point in just a moment and what we can do. But, really, the reality check here, sir, you know, if someone were to -- if we can just bring it home to us here in the United States -- if someone were to plan this Moscow-style attack, a suicide bomb in, say, an open area, like baggage claim, realistically...
RON: Yes.
BALDWIN: ... could the TSA prevent something like that?
RON: Well, I don't think that the -- at this point, the -- neither TSA or, actually, most other airport security organizations are able to promise us a complete protection against this type of attack, because I think that, by nature, this vulnerability will always be there to some extent.
BALDWIN: Right.
RON: But I think that the question that we need to ask ourselves, what do we do the most in order to mitigate the risk to a more containable level?
BALDWIN: Well, what do you think about that? Because I -- I know you know about this SPOT program. It's this multimillion-dollar federal program.
RON: Right.
BALDWIN: You have these -- you know, you have these agents sort of milling about these more vulnerable places in U.S. airports, supposed to be spotting unusual behavior.
RON: Yes. This is...
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: Is that effective?
RON: Yes.
Well, it is part of the -- the mitigation program, but it should not be limited to that. First of all, we need to remember that presence of -- whether it is law enforcement or TSA personnel, any airport, is relatively limited.
And we need to recruit the whole airport community to identify suspicious behavior or suspicious events, and respond to it correctly.
BALDWIN: Right.
RON: But, further to this, I think that there are two other elements that need to be considered at this time.
One is the way we're using law enforcement at the airport. Most of the law enforcement officers today at the airport are positioned rather inside the terminal, rather than outside the terminal. We need to push the security further out to an outer-layer security. BALDWIN: But let me just jump in because...
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: ... and I know, at Ben-Gurion, it was -- it's been so effective, you know, the -- the profiling, stopping the cars, watching the bags before you even step inside the airport.
But, I mean, there was all kinds of outrage here in the U.S. over additional TSA body screening. I can't imagine the outrage that would come if you have to pass through a metal detector, say, to just check in.
RON: Well, I don't think that the -- what -- what needs to be done over here is to continue the same policy of adding more technology, other -- to screen the public. I think that, right now, we have the different components. You only have to -- they reposition them in a way that would make them work a little better in terms of...
BALDWIN: Hmm.
RON: ... responding to indications.
And we need to also pay attention to the -- the -- the structure of design issues in order to reduce the number of casualties.
(CROSSTALK)
RON: Watching the Moscow video -- video...
BALDWIN: Right.
RON: ... one of the things that impressed was that there was a lot of glass partitions out there that I'm sure turned into sharpeners, that they added to...
BALDWIN: Sure, parts of...
RON: ... the number of casualties.
BALDWIN: ... weapons as well that would then be very dangerous for people around that area as well.
And I think it's -- just all these questions is just part of a broader conversation and a reality check, given what has happened in Moscow.
Rafi Ron, thank you so much for coming on. I appreciate your perspective. And...
RON: Thank you.
BALDWIN: ... you know, staying on Moscow here, coming up a little bit later, CNN's Ivan Watson catches up with some of the survivors of the blast. And you're going to want to hear how some of them describe the scene in those moments after that suicide bomber exploded. Wait for that.
But still ahead: The very first Guantanamo detainee to be tried in a U.S. civilian court is sentenced. That is ahead.
Also, next, Senator John Barrasso joins me live to tell me what he would like to hear from President Obama in tonight's State of the Union.
Hello, sir. Good to see you. We will talk on the other side of the break.
SEN. JOHN BARRASSO (R), WYOMING: Great. Thank you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: In case you hadn't heard -- and, yes, I'm being a little facetious, the president is giving a bit of a big speech tonight.
And, as if to build a little anticipation, the White House is keeping him under wraps today. But they did let us watch him -- there he is -- leaving the Oval Office this morning. We even got one little quote. The question was: How's the speech?
I want you to listen closely -- short, short answer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think it will be OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: He says, "I..."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: I hope so, at least.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(LAUGHTER)
BALDWIN: "I think it will be OK. I hope so, at least."
Senator John Barrasso is a Republican from the state of Wyoming. He is kind enough to join me on a busy, busy day there in Washington.
And, Senator, what do you think? The speech going to be OK?
BARRASSO: Well, Brooke, I -- I know the president always gives a good speech. And the last two years, in the speech, he has focused on jobs, the economy, the debt, and the spending. But, instead, that's not what we got.
So, you know, you have to make sure that -- that the rhetoric meets the record. And what we instead got was increased spending, increased debt, and a bigger government. And that's not what we need in this country today, at a point with high unemployment and -- and a record debt.
BALDWIN: Well, we know that the president has been talking a whole lot about unity lately, saying, we as a nation are running a race against the rest of the world, need to band together, especially our own leaders.
Take a quick listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: If we're willing to put aside short-term politics. If our objective is not simply winning elections, but winning the future...
(APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: ... then we should be able to get our act together here, because we are all Americans, and we are in this race together.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: So, basically, I think what the president is saying there is, it's crucial that we invest to compete with the rest of the world. He also talks about how it will help create jobs.
So, how about, say, since we did a little homework on your home state of Wyoming, sir, wind energy, do you think that's a worthwhile government investment?
BARRASSO: The -- when they say the word investment, so often, they mean spending.
And we need all the sources of energy. I'm on both the Energy and the Environment Committee. And Wyoming provides all sorts of energy, wind, also oil, gas, coal, uranium for nuclear power. When the president says we need more nuclear power plants, I want to work with him on that. With Wyoming...
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: So, you think it's important to...
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: You think it's important to invest in wind energy for your state, for example?
BARRASSO: We need to make sure that it actually pays for what we're investing in.
And that's why I worry about the word investing, because, when the president says that, so often, he means spending. And what we have seen with this administration and so many things he's -- quote -- "invested in" actually have not helped produce jobs.
And he says he wants to make renewable energy the cheapest form of energy. Unfortunately, the rules and regulations out of this administration try to do that by raising the cost of other energy, not by lowering the cost of renewable energy.
BALDWIN: And...
BARRASSO: And -- and, you know, Brooke, we need to make energy as clean as we can as fast as we can, but do it in a way that doesn't raise energy prices for American families.
BALDWIN: you know, you -- you bring up a word that we're hearing so much about, especially today, this word investing.
And I know your party, the Republicans, say, we -- we cannot afford to make these investments, the president saying, we can't afford not to.
So, Senator Barrasso, is there any room at all here for compromise?
BARRASSO: Well, I think there's common ground on free trade. I agree with the president. We ought to go ahead and approve the free trade agreements with Panama, with Colombia and with -- and with South Korea.
I have just been on a trade mission with Senator McCain to Colombia and to Panama. We need that. It will open up opportunities for -- for American companies and American exports. That's something that I absolutely agree and work -- want to work with the president on.
Ultimately, though, we as a nation cannot continue to borrow 41 cents of every dollar we spend, because the spending is irresponsible. It's unsustainable. And, Brooke, there are a lot of Americans that are worried that it may be irreversible.
And as I told the president face-to-face, I said, you know, I'm concerned that we're saw -- what we saw happening in Greece may be just a coming attraction of what's going to happen in the United States, unless we get the spending under control.
And whether you call it an investment or spending, either way, it is adding to the debt. And we can't afford it.
BALDWIN: I -- before I let you go, I want to ask you about what's happening after the big State of the Union, and it pertains to your own party.
The Republicans are giving not just one, but two responses to the speech tonight, including Michele Bachmann speaking for the Tea Party Caucus.
And are you worried at all, Senator, that your party is -- is increasingly at odds with itself?
BARRASSO: I think our party is very committed to helping grow the economy grow, get the spending under control.
We believe that the way to grow an economy and help create jobs is by making it easier and cheaper to create new jobs. And we do that by getting rid of a lot of government regulations, trying to deal with this massive debt.
I -- I admire the people on the debt commission who basically said a lot of this health care law is going to make matters worse. They said, you shouldn't take these cuts in Medicare from our seniors to start a whole new government program. They said, you ought to repeal the class act part of the health care law. They say that the health care law should have dealt with abusive lawsuits and all of those things.
And yet I have -- I haven't seen anywhere where the president is going to address those tonight.
BALDWIN: We will have to wait and see, sir.
BARRASSO: And I hope he does actually embrace...
BALDWIN: We will have to wait and...
(CROSSTALK)
BARRASSO: ... this -- his commission.
BALDWIN: We will have to wait and see, sir.
Senator John Barrasso, have you picked out your seat yet?
BARRASSO: I -- I...
(LAUGHTER)
BARRASSO: ... know where I will be sitting.
BALDWIN: You know you will..
(CROSSTALK)
BARRASSO: Thanks, Brooke. I will be on the right with the other Republicans.
(LAUGHTER)
BALDWIN: Got it.
Senator John Barrasso, thank you so much. We will all be watching...
BARRASSO: Thanks, Brooke.
BALDWIN: ... the address tonight.
And I want to remind our viewers that tomorrow I will be joined by the Democratic lawmaker who first proposed -- he mentioned -- John Barrasso mentioned he will be sitting with all the Republicans on the right. But, interestingly, the -- the first lawmaker who proposed sitting -- actually sitting together side-by-side, Democrats and Republicans, he will be talking to me tomorrow. Colorado Senator Mark Udall will be live right here in the NEWSROOM.
And it is a big decision for Congresswoman Giffords' husband.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, he will certainly consider what Gabby would want in this situation. And, you know, whichever way he -- whatever he chooses, you know, I will certainly support him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: So, what exactly is that decision he was talking about? We will tell you, and we will hear more from Mark Kelly's twin brother from space. That is next.
Also, which movies got nominated today for an Oscar? Did your favorite flick make the list? We have got the list for you ahead.
Stay here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: Imagine being faced with this decision, either you choose between your last chance to do a job you absolutely love, or being at your spouse's side in the hospital. That is the decision the husband of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords has to make, and he has to make it pretty soon here. Astronaut Mark Kelly is scheduled to command the space shuttle Endeavour's final flight. Liftoff is set for April, but training starts in less than two weeks.
Kelly has a twin brother. He says that that could work. Scott Kelly is all of 240 miles above earth commanding the international space station right now. I want you to listen what he told our team on "AMERICAN MORNING" today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCOTT KELLY, COMMANDER, INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION: You know, with gabby being in Houston, he could still be with her, you know, while he trains during -- in the mornings and in the evenings. So if he does choose to fly, it's not like -- it would be different if she was being treated somewhere else, but she is in Houston, so he could still be there to support her. Certainly not 24 hours a day seven days a week like he's been doing, but as she continues to progress, you know, a different level of support on his part might be p acceptable.
(END VIDEO CLIP) BALDWIN: Mark Kelly stopped in at the Johnson Space Center for the first time since the shooting. He says his wife is getting better every day. They're hoping she starts a rehabilitation program by the end of the week.
And let's look at the Twitter board. This is the first tweet from Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. I assume it's a staffer here, obviously they're tweeting about her intern who helped save her life. They're tweeting for the entire Giffords team, "Happy 25th birthday Daniel Hernandez. Sounds like you have fun plans tonight," fun plans meaning he gets to sit in the first lady box during the state of the union. We wish Gabrielle Giffords well. It's good to see a tweet coming from someone in her camp today.
One man says he was deafened and knocked unconscious in yesterday's airport bombing in Moscow. Coming up, we'll hear from him and other survivors.
Also, listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAMBER GHALLEY, BROTHER OF KARNAMAYA MONGER: Unforgettable. My sister will never come back, and it's sad. All the happiness is gone. They miss their mother every day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: I told you we'd stay on this story. This man says his sister was killed by a Philadelphia doctor when she went in to get an abortion. That is not all. We're going to hear from him and the woman's daughter sitting next to him in our exclusive interview, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: A couple of top stories right now. Have you heard? Rahm Emanuel back on the ballot for mayor of Chicago. The Illinois Supreme Court granted a stay just a couple of hours ago after a lower court ruled yesterday that the former Obama aide was not eligible for office. The issue here is whether Emanuel meets residency requirements. The state Supreme Court will hear the appeal and think have agreed to an expedited ruling. That election, keep in mind, is next month.
And you remember this guy? He was sentenced today to life in prison without parole. Ahmed Ghalani was convicted in November on a conspiracy charge for the 1988 embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania. And 224 people including 12 Americans died. Ghalani was the first Guantanamo detainee to be tried in civilian court.
And now to the heartbreaking and gruesome story we've been following for you in Philadelphia. The district attorney talked to me and told me this is a "house of horrors" to quote him, a Philadelphia clinic where hundreds of abortions were performed, some of them illegally. A grand jury indictment describes the unsanitary conditions, animal litter boxes inside, even a high school student administering anesthesia.
At the center of it all, this man. Take a good long look. This is Dr. Kermit Gosnell, charged with first-degree murder for the deaths of seven babies and one third degree murder charge in the death of a 41-year-old patient. She died back in November of 2009 when she went in for an abortion.
Her attorney says she was fed a lethal cocktail of anesthesia prescribed by Gosnell. I had a chance to speak with her brother and her daughter. I want you to listen to how she described the conditions inside.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YASHODA GURUNG, DAUGHTER OF KARNAMAYA MONGAR: The room look like it is so dirty, so smelly. You know, the sitting room is so dirty. It's not like a clinic. There's so much women who are taking medicine. They are like sleeping. I asked the lady to go with my mom, but the lady didn't let me go with my mom. I asked her, I have to go with my mom. She's completely sleepy. Yes, she don't know any one words of English.
BALDWIN: Damber, let me ask you a question. Were you ever -- did you accompany your sister to the clinic? Were you in a waiting room? Can you describe conditions in a waiting room? Was it clean? Was it dirty? Were people professional?
GHALLEY: Everywhere dirty. I can't describe how dirty it is. It's not supposed to be like that in a clinic.
At the time when the ambulance arrived there, at that time I was waiting outside in my car. Then I see the ambulance and then after a few minutes later I see her crying and jumping. Then I run up to her and I hold her and I put her in my car. Then I follow the ambulance. She told me, that's my mother. I don't have anybody to ask what happened to her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: I also asked the family if maybe a language barrier or cultural differences may have prevented her from demanding better care from this doctor, because the D.A. told me Dr. Gosnell's clinic took advantage of poor and immigrant patients.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GHALLEY: She was unable to because she did not -- she don't speak English at all. She did not go to school. And that's why I was there also. But they did not tell me anything until things happened. And Yusoro was there waiting. She was treated inside without letting anybody know of the situation.
And those things happened here because we never believe bad kind of treatment will be here in United States. We all believe we will get better treatment. That's why we came freely to that clinic.
BALDWIN: So you cannot bring your sister back, but Dhamber, what do you think justice is in this case?
GHALLEY: My sister will never come back, and every -- it's sad. All the happiness is gone. They miss their mother every day, every day and night. I just want justice. This doctor has to be out of that clinic, or he should not be treating anybody. That thing happened to me sister and I want not to happen anybody in future and that those are the demands we have also. And that's what we want.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Of course, my thanks to them for joining me. As for this man, Dr. Gosnell, he's being held without bail along with eight different employees of that clinic. When we get a chance to hear from them, we most certainly promise we will follow this case.
Coming up next, dramatic stories now coming out in the wake of yesterday's airport bombing in Moscow. We'll hear from some of the injured survivors. That is next.
And then the Tea Party movement defends its decision to have Representative Michele Bachmann deliver its rebuttal to tonight's State of the Union address. We'll talk about the unusual move and what it might mean overall here for the Republican Party.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: Have you seen the incredible security footage from that airport suicide bombing within Moscow? I know we rolled it before. Let's take a look at it one more time. You can imagine -- perhaps you can't, I don't know if I could -- the chaos, what it would have been like, passengers with suitcases, friends and loved ones waiting near the international arrivals area.
In total so far, 35 people died, dozens more did not. Our own Ivan Watson was there and actually caught up with some of the survivors who are still reeling from what they saw and experienced just yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
IVAN WATSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: One day after the airport bombing, a wounded survivor lies in a hallway. There aren't enough rooms in this Moscow hospital for all of the victims, so this man's anguished mother watches over her son in the corridor.
SERGEI ZEZIN, SURVIVOR (via translator): I have shrapnel wounds here and here. Doctor showed me two pieces of shrapnel. There were pieces of steel wire.
WATSON: He was with his wife at the airport Monday afternoon waiting for a friend to arrive. That's when the bomb exploded.
ZEZIN (via translator): There was a deafening bang, and we fell down. Actually I think we were blown some distance and knocked unconscious. When I woke up, I realized my wife's leg was badly broken. She couldn't move.
WATSON: Ambulances brought more than 100 wounded survivors to other hospitals across Moscow. Doctors say many victims had similar wounds.
"We're treating three Russians, a man from Zimbabwe," this doctor says. All of them have shrapnel wounds.
SERGEI LAVROV, EYEWITNESS: I just took a few grams of water and after this I was already was about to sleep.
WATSON: This man walked away from the bombing without a scratch.
WATSON (on camera): You missed the bomb by five minutes.
LAVROV: Just three minutes. I was going already just to the entrance and was very big explosion, very, very, very loud. It was impossible to go out. It was about 20 minutes, was impossible to go out.
WATSON: So you were trapped in a burning room?
LAVROV: Yes.
WATSON: Fire and smoke?
LAVROV: Yes, for 15 or 20 minutes.
WATSON (voice-over): Austrian businessman didn't realize how destructive the bomb was until he started seeing wounded people in the arrivals hall of the airport.
LAVROV: They're coming two tourists side-by-side and across this way.
WATSON (on camera): They were pushing wounded people on baggage terminals?
LAVROV: Yes.
WATSON (voice-over): It then took many terrifying minutes before hammer found the man he was looking for, his business partner, and his wife, Natalia.
LAVROV: They were waiting for me. They wanted to pick up me.
WATSON: Guilt from a survivor after a brutal act of violence. Though this man is likely to make a full recovery, his wife Natalia is still in intensive care.
Ivan Watson, CNN, Moscow.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BALDWIN: Coming up, we all expected a Republican response to President Obama's State of the Union speech tonight, but a Tea Party movement response as well? We're going to talk about this unusual move.
And then, which movie took home the most Oscar nominations today? We're going to tell you in "Trending," next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: The 83rd Academy Award nominations are a hot trending topic today, and they went largely as expected this morning, for the most part. Kareen Wynter is joining me from Los Angeles with all the snubs and surprises. Can I just say I am so glad "True Grit" got a little love.
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Yea. That's one of your favorites. I have so many favorites.
And speaking of favorites, let's get right to the best picture nominees. Ten contenders this year, just like last year, so this is the second year we're seeing this. It's great because it really opens up the field.
"The Social Network," no big surprise there, the popular movie about the launch of Facebook followed by "The King's Speech," "The Fighter," a little bit of a surprise because Mark Wahlberg, though this was nominated in the best picture category, Mark Wahlberg, some would say was snubbed, no best actor mention for him, and he actually got a nomination for the Golden Globes so people were really surprised by that.
Also "True Grit," your favorite, "Black Swan," "The Kids are All Right," starring Julianne Moore, and Annette Bening, about a lesbian couple raising kids, "Inception" made the list, "Toy Story 3," an animated nominated in this category as well, and finally "127 Hours" and "Winter's Bone." What makes this category really great it's diverse, a little bit of animation. You name it. So again, a lot of favorites in there.
BALDWIN: I can't pick one favorite. I've seen so many of them and I have a total movie crush on Colin Firth, and "King's Speech" did very well today.
WYNTER: He's a cutie. It got the most nominations, in fact, 12 nominations. And many critics are saying "The King's Speech" is really the film to beat and Colin Firth is really the actor to beat. It's received so much critical acclaim, Colin Firth winning big at this year's golden globe award, the best actor category.
What's really dynamic about this race this year is that you're going to see Colin going up again this year with Jeff Bridges. Now, if you'll remember, last year Jeff Bridges actually won best actor for his performance in "Crazy Heart." He played a tough-talking cowboy. Not only is Jeff Bridges nominated again this year for his performance in "True Grit," many people are saying, will Firth get a little revenge? So again, a little bit of competition playing out on that end. And "True Grit," by the way, got ten nominations, the second most. BALDWIN: Excellent. Glad to hear it. And the show is February 27th in Los Angeles. Kareen Wynter, thanks for the quick rundown on the big movies. I need to see a few more before I can find my favorite. Thank you.
And coming up here, is a serial killer on the loose in New York? We're going to tell you what police are now saying about the deaths of four young women.
And remember last year's state of the union address, President Obama promised to extend middle class tax cuts. Well, how did he do on that promise? Here is CNN's Tom Foreman.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The future of the Bush tax cuts were at the center of much debate this past year and prominently mentioned in the last state of the union.
BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: To help working families, we'll extend our middle class tax cuts, but at a time of record deficits we will not continue tax cuts for oil companies, for investment fund managers, and for those making over $250,000 a year. We just can't afford it.
FOREMAN: Let's simplify this and just address the issue of middle class tax cuts. Did the president deliver on his promise of extending those for most families? Yes, he did. Legislation passed late in the year cut payroll taxes, further extended unemployment benefits, and extended the Bush tax cuts.
But here's the catch -- those cuts were extended for everyone, including families making more than $250,000 a year. Republicans demanded it. The president objected, but he signed it anyway. That is the very definition of a compromise.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: And now we go to John king joining me now with the State of the Union preview. John, we know there are nine U.S. Supreme Court justices. Some are in, some are out when it comes to tonight. Tell me who is in and who is out.
JOHN KING, CNN HOST, "JOHN KING USA": Our expectation, Brooke, is that six will be in and three will be out. Let's focus on the three that we believe will be out. We know Justice Samuel Alito is in Hawaii for a speaking engagement. That one is interesting because he and the president of the United States had a little back and forth over a campaign finance decision the last time the president was up for one of these speeches. Justice Alito did not think the way the president was describing that decision was accurate, and so he was shaking his head and having it with the president. So Justice Alito will not be there. Justices Scalia and Thomas, two other members of the conservative bloc also not expected to be in attendance tonight. And this has part of the theater and drama about the State of the Union. It is a big political speech. Normally the justices aren't involved with the politics, but in recent years they are part of the political conversation as well, I guess.
BALDWIN: I think a lot of people would think this isn't a mandatory appearance for them, but it's not at all. And part of the drama, John, you alluded to. I thought people camped out for these seats, but apparently we learned that no House members no, saved seats. Sounds like my high school cafeteria. No saving seats here, so what's the deal?
KING: No saving seats. You get on an airplane and put your stuff on the seat next to you and hope nobody asks for it.
It's the new Republican majority, so we're feeling our way through it. Also a new time because it's prom night or date night, whatever you want to call it, the post-Tucson civility environment, a lot of Democrats sitting with Republicans and vice versa, not the traditional divide.
But the Republican leadership announced no saving seats. You can't put a note on the seat. After the security sweep the president will be in the room and the vice president, so there will be a Secret Service security sweep. After that to save a seat the member has to go and sit in it and stay there. So once they are finished with that seat, if you want to be there, Brooke, you've got to camp out.
BALDWIN: Got it. What's the deal, too? We know it's Congressman Ryan who will be giving the anticipated GOP response to this address. What's the deal with Michele Bachmann giving, what is it, the Tea Party movement response? What's up with that?
KING: This is also non-traditional. This is a non-traditional State of the Union. Publicly the Republican leadership is kind of shrugging this off. Privately they are not happy about it.
Paul Ryan, by tradition, the Republican leadership picks a response. He's the point guy on budget issues. That's the big fight this year. The president will talk about spending and wanted Paul Ryan to counter the president on spending.
Michele Bachmann is a Tea Party favorite. This was initially billed as an address to Tea Party Express members, and they invited the television cameras. And CNN will take this live now.
I asked the House Speaker about this this morning, John Boehner, at a breakfast. First he said every member gives a response, and then he acknowledged, yes, it's different. And he shrugged, smiled Brooke, and said, "It is what it is."
BALDWIN: "It is what it is." That is interesting. Apparently she's saying, no, she's not in competition with Congressman Ryan, but it's interesting to look at the big picture as we move forward. KING: Absolutely.
BALDWIN: John King, absolutely, thank you so, so much.
And don't forget to watch CNN. You can also logon to CNN.com tonight for President Obama's State of the Union address, our primetime coverage, which John, of course, will be a big player, a part of, begins with the best political team on television, 7:00 eastern, and then President Obama's state of the union 9:00 sharp followed by the Republican response and a full wrap-up with reaction and analysis anchored by Anderson Cooper.
