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Starvation Takes Toll on Youngest Refugees in Somalia; Michele Bachmann's Health Under the Microscope; Clock Ticks Toward Default; Interview With Delaware Senator Tom Carper; Al Qaeda's New World; Bachmann's Health Questioned Due To Migraines; Hate Crime Attacker to Die Tonight; Gay Wedding Reception Rejected; GOP Candidates Take to Twitter; Michelle Obama: Reality TV Edition
Aired July 20, 2011 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: And now watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BALDWIN (voice-over): A four-year-old girl dies because she's hungry -- no food, no water anywhere in sight. And now 11 million could share that fate. It's a human crisis unfolding right before our very eyes.
I'm Brooke Baldwin. The news is now.
It's called the "Gang of Six" plan, but many question whether it could solve America's credit problem before it's too late. I will talk live with one Democrat who calls it a game-changer.
The head of the snake may be gone, but al Qaeda's new strategy could change the way America fights terror.
Plus, hours from now, this man will die, a killer convicted for his rampage after 9/11. But one of his victims survived and says call off the execution.
RAIS BHUIYAN, SHOOTING VICTIM: Please, do the right thing. Save a human life.
BALDWIN: The clock is ticking.
And Michele Bachmann says she could still run the country, despite a health problem. Elizabeth Cohen has the truth about migraines.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BALDWIN: Welcome back. Top of the hour here.
Want to begin with some breaking news. We now know how that little boy just 8 years old from Brooklyn died after police say he was kidnapped right off the street.
Here's what we know. The New York medical examiner is saying that 8-year-old Leiby Kleztky was drugged and then smothered. Here's what we're getting. This autopsy revealed he was given a cocktail of four prescription and over-the-counter drugs found in this boy's system.
I want to go to something we spoke with about this just last week here, NYPD Detective Steve Kardian, former NYPD Detective Steve Kardian.
And, Steve, let me just remind everyone we're looking at some of the surveillance video. This is from the different posts in and around this neighborhood where you can see this 8-year-old, there he is, as the mouse is following him. And next to him was 35-year-old Levi Aron who's now been arraigned and is charged with murder and kidnapping in the first degree.
Steve, let me begin though some of these drugs, as is the news. Apparently he was given a muscle relaxant, an antipsychotic drug, a pain medication and the drug found in Tylenol. When you hear that, what's your first reaction?
STEVE KARDIAN, FORMER NEW YORK STATE POLICE DETECTIVE: Well, the first thing that I think of is in kidnapping and sexual assault cases and pedophilia involving children, these drugs are sometimes used, especially the opiates. The muscle relaxants and some of the benzodiazepines are used control -- maintain control over the child.
So in all likelihood this was done to calm him and to allow Aron to perpetrate whatever it was that he perpetrated against him during that time that he had him incarcerated. And I noticed in the press release, we don't see really the concentration, so it's kind of hard to see or judge how badly it may have affected him during that time period.
BALDWIN: Also, in what we have been reading from the New York police commissioner who's been just describing this whole thing as heartbreaking and heart-wrenching, he says that this suspect told authorities he was sorry for the trouble he'd caused and that he hears voices and hallucinates.
Typical?
KARDIAN: Typical. And, you know, it's -- that may be the case, but in all likelihood, this is the defense that is going to be mounted by his attorneys. They're going to claim insanity. As I mentioned last week on the show, how could someone not be a psychotic sociopath and commit these types of crime against a child?
And certainly we mentioned that it's likely not his first time. This is not how one begins the life of crime, if you will.
BALDWIN: But, you know, from what I have read, he has no serious -- nothing serious in his background, other than I think -- I think it was just urinating in public was all he had on his record. That's it.
What more do you think here about this case? When you and I were talking last week, you seemed to have some information that these two individuals, the 8-year-old boy and this 35-year-old, knew each other, but we're still not hearing that from Ray Kelly. Do you more? Do you know something we don't know?
KARDIAN: Well, he was employed in a hardware store about a block away from where the family lived. And the source that I was speaking with at the time said that there was some sort of degree of (INAUDIBLE) if you will.
In other words, this -- the Hasidic community, the Orthodox community, they are very secretive. They're very private in what they do.
BALDWIN: Very tight-knit.
KARDIAN: So had Aron had some sort of criminal background, some sort of criminal behavior that was brought to their attention, they would likely handle it in-house, rather than bring it forth to the police department.
So I'm not sure why and if or why not -- why that hasn't been reiterated by law enforcement, but it is interesting that this is the case, that from what we're hearing from people within the community is that he did know the child.
BALDWIN: I just read that the community, you know, Hasidic Jewish community in Brooklyn just absolutely shocked about this whole thing, everyone coming together, but as you point out perhaps maybe the fact that they're very closed-off is making it more difficult for police to get information and investigate.
Steve Kardian, thank you so much for hopping on the line as we're getting that breaking news in from Brooklyn. Appreciate it.
And now I want to take you to a crisis that is threatening the lives of 500,000 children right now, 500,000 -- it's happening along Somalia's border with Kenya and really across the Horn of Africa. Here's another number, 11 million -- 11 million people are in desperate need of help.
The problem is this, hunger so severe the United Nations this week labeled this crisis a famine.
CNN's David McKenzie reports from a refugee camp in Kenya where parents face the grueling task of burying their children.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Aden Ibrahim carries the limp body of Sarah. His dead child. She drew her last breath at dawn.
Sarah was just four. Facing Mecca, they pray for her soul. And bury her.
Severely malnourished, Ibrahim tried to get Sarah to the nearest hospital, but a ride costs just over $1 here, more than any of these new refugees could afford.
Sarah's uncle say s they fled here hoping for better.
"We didn't come with money from Somalia. We didn't come with anything," he says."We're refugees, but we're dying because we don't get enough help."
Ibrahim's family arrive tired and hungry, but he says they were forced to beg for food for two weeks. When they finally got given it, it didn't help.
"We haven't been given enough help," he says."We've been given only flower and maze, and a child who is sick will not get better on that. She needed more help."
Now he worries that he could lose another child. And his daughter Deka is dangerously thin.
"It's in god's hands," he says."It's not in mine. But if it stays this bad, more people will die."
They call this place Bola Bagti. It means carcass. It's where people leave their animals to die. But Sarah's father says they protected her well. The hyenas won't be able to reach her, he says, she's already in paradise.
David McKenzie, CNN, Dadaab, Kenya.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BALDWIN: More than 4,000 Somalis will crowd into that one camp each week, each person desperate for food, clean water, a place to sleep. As you can imagine, it's a humanitarian nightmare.
I want you to watch as David McKenzie now takes us on a tour of this camp.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCKENZIE: This is the entrance to Dagahaley camp.
The people here are tired. They're exhausted. Many of them haven't had food or even water for a long time. They have come here since 5:00 a.m. And while the lines don't look that big right now, it's already almost midday, and these people just keep on streaming into this camp. They're coming from Somalia. They're walking, they're taking cars, sometimes spending up to $40.
And I want to show you something over here. You know, these people, these families have just come in moments ago. They have come in because they don't have food where they are. The conflict has also pushed them out of Somalia and they really are in a desperate situation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: So you heard David mention the disparity and also the conflict, specifically in this region, which is obviously adding to the despair.
And on that, I want to bring in our CNN affairs correspondent, Jill Dougherty.
And, Jill, a severe drought, famine, as if that's not enough, Somalia is a country, as you well know, ripped apart by this militant terrorist organization called Al-Shabab. I want you to explain to me how this group really multiplies the challenges to try to get help and aid to these people in need.
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Yes.
If you look at not only the situation of the people, but what's been happening to them literally for the last two years. You know, Al-Shabab, as we know, is an Islamist terrorist organization. And in the areas that they control, they require what they call taxes and bribes from people who want to get into those areas.
So when the international, U.S. international aid organizations try to get in there, they have to pay bribes. And the United States has been saying, that's not what we're going to do. And now Al-Shabab for some reason has said that they're going to lift these restrictions, but the question is, as Susan Rice, who is the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said, it's not clear whether they're actually going to do that or not.
But at the briefing that we had at the State Department yesterday, they said that they're sending -- that there are some teams who are going in there and testing whether they can actually get in. But that's -- you know, there, 60 percent of the people who need help can't get it because of Al-Shabab.
BALDWIN: I was talking to someone from UNICEF last hour from Nairobi in Kenya. And she was saying to me, Brooke, this has been the first time in two years, as you mentioned, Jill Dougherty, that they have been able to bring in any kind of food to this country, very much so in need.
But here's my follow-up question to that. If you're dropping food in this country are many of these places gripped by the control of these terrorists from Al-Shabab, how can they even guarantee that that aid doesn't get intercepted into the wrong hands?
DOUGHERTY: Well, that's one of the controls -- the problems that they have in controlling it.
But somebody has to get in there. This situation is really severe. It's the worst drought in 60 years. And there are people -- David has been reporting -- people who are walking 10 days across the desert.
So, what's happening, the United States has just upped the money that they are giving. The U.S. is giving now a total of $459 million. Hillary Clinton, the secretary of state, just today, in fact, said another $28 million, that's part of that, is going to help out the situation, but it is desperate. And Ban Ki-Moon, the U.N.'s Ban Ki- Moon, says they need $300 million to deal with this within the next two months or this is going to spread and it can spread to the entire region. It can be very, very destabilizing.
BALDWIN: Wow, not only all of these different layers, though, to this story make it even more challenging. Then you have the story which, look, this isn't anything new, child soldiers and the reports that Al-Shabab and some of Somalia's warlords are grabbing these young children of these refugees, trying to seek safe haven, find food, and forcing them to fight in their battles.
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: How rampant is that?
DOUGHERTY: Oh, entirely possible. Sometimes these -- you can't talk about one individual, but definitely as a group, you can say that they do, do this, absolutely. They have done it before during the conflict.
And these are children. I talked to one about a year ago. It's not new. And it was a horrendous situation. They are forced to fight, forced to murder out of desperation.
BALDWIN: It is incredibly sad.
Jill Dougherty, thank you so much.
And if you're sitting there thinking, how can I help, guess what? You can. Our good folks at Impact Your World are helping you help. Just go to CNN.com/impact.
Coming up next, the deadline is almost here. There's still no deal over the debt ceiling, but here's what I can tell you. President Obama is expected to meet within an hour now with Republican leaders, House Republican leaders there at the White House.
However, there is a proposal floating around that some say could be a game-changer in this entire standoff. But will all sides agree to it before it's too late? I will ask Democratic Senator Tom Carper about the plan and whether there's some arm-twisting perhaps going on behind the scenes.
Don't miss this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: A lot of activity happening right now in a race to head off a default of the U.S. government. As you know, congressional Republicans have made raising the so-called debt ceiling contingent upon slashing the federal deficit and the national debt.
Let me show you where the action is right now. Right there -- the White House. Just about an hour ago, the top Democrats from Capitol Hill arrived there to talk to the president about the emerging debt reduction plan put forth by those six senators -- three Republicans, three Democrats. The top two House Republicans are to confer with the president in just about 45 minutes from now.
So let's go to Capitol Hill. Let's hash through some of this with Senator Tom Carper, Democrat from Delaware.
And, Senator Carper, bear with me as we -- we're going to rip through some of these basics, Senator. We're hearing $3.7 trillion in debt reductions over 10 years -- all part of this "Gang of Six" plan -- 75 percent of that is spending cuts, 25 percent from increased revenues.
I just want to ask you, that is what we're hearing, is that what you're hearing, sir?
SEN. TOM CARPER (D), DELAWARE: That's what we're hearing, yes.
BALDWIN: So we have received --
CARPER: And the history goes back about a year ago, Brooke.
BALDWIN: Yes.
CARPER: About a year ago, the president created under an executive order a deficit reduction commission, as you know, co- chaired by Erskine Bowles, former chief of staff to Bill Clinton, who actually negotiated a real deficit reduction deal in '97 to negotiate that led to a balanced budget, and also co-chaired by Alan Simpson, former Republican senator from Wyoming. And they have put together a plan that reduced the deficits over 10 years by about $4 trillion, two-thirds to three-fourths on the spending side, roughly one-third on the revenue side.
And the "Gang of Six" is really an outgrowth. Some of the people who served on the deficit commission with Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson are the people who are now part of the "Gang of Six," which I would like to think may someday grow to be a gang of 16 or 26 or 36 or even a "Gang of 60."
BALDWIN: Well, we have received -- we have word from the White House that is this plan, so far of just six, moves forward, that the president is now willing to agree to a short-term extension on the federal debt ceiling. We listened to him before, what was it, last week in the daily briefing where he derided the whole plan. He said, I don't want to kick the can down the road, I want a long-term fix.
What is your reaction to the turnaround? What do you think, Senator, changed the president's mind?
CARPER: Well, the president sat in negotiations with John Boehner and others in the House and Senate. He wanted a big deal, he wanted it over 10 years, he wanted to try to get to $4 trillion in deficit savings. As a Democrat, he said we need to be willing to put on the table entitlement programs and we would ask for Republicans to join us by putting at least some revenues on the table.
We go back to '93 and '97 when we had real deficit reduction agreements and actually balanced budgets for three or four years in a row at the end of the Clinton administration, they actually did about a 50/50 deal, 50 percent spending cuts and 50 percent on the revenue side. So this is actually a little more on the spending side then the revenue side.
The American people want a deal like this. Not everyone. The folks on the far right don't want any revenues. The folks on the on the far left want a lot of revenues and not much on the spending side. But (INAUDIBLE) meet in the middle --
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: So is that what it is, sir?
(CROSSTALK)
CARPER: -- when they do, it looks a lot like this.
BALDWIN: Is that what it is, sir? The fact that now president is saying OK to a short-term plan, is he just having to listen to loud voices on the right?
CARPER: Well, I hope in terms of a short-term plan the president would be willing to let us have a month or two to try to work out the details of the "Gang of Six's" proposal. And the idea of raising the debt ceiling for a month or two, I think that's the smart thing to do, and that way we don't have to rush needlessly to get something done that we'll later regret.
BALDWIN: So, perhaps then it would be moot to ask you how many votes in the Senate that the "Gang of Six" plan would need for approval if that's actually not the plan that they would try to get through in 13 days.
CARPER: I think ultimately what we might do is take different parts of the plan and say divide it into two or three or four parts and get separate votes on those parts of the plans. And by doing that, it might be easier to get to 60, which is the magic number in the Senate.
The other approach would be to do it all at once and see if we can get 60 votes for the whole kit and caboodle. That might not be the best approach.
But we've got some time -- I think the smart thing to do, raise the debt ceiling for a month. If we have good faith negotiations in good faith, I think it's clear that we do. We have 50 Democrats and Republican senators (inaudible) divided, yesterday morning in a room had a lot of good spirit, a lot of willingness to move this forward. And we have a lot of Democrats and Republicans signing a letter to our leadership saying, we think this is the way to go.
BALDWIN: I want to ask something I asked the Republican senator of Oklahoma, Senator Tom Coburn, he was on last hour. This plan, this particular "Gang of Six" plan, appears to hinge upon rewriting the tax code. So how -- how, Senator, do we do that? How do we agree on all these other changes? How do we avert a government default in less than two weeks? How do we do all that in an orderly fashion without the American people feeling like they got hoodwinked?
CARPER: Well, what we can do is if we want to raise the -- we're spending about -- running about $120 billion a month. That's a lot of money, And if we were to extend that for a month or two, that gives us some time to work through this, and to basically say to the -- give, if you will, direction to the committees -- I serve on the Finance Committee which is the tax writing committee in the Senate, but to suggest to us what the amount of money that we're looking for from revenues, what we're looking for from savings from different programs, give us a couple of month.
You know, if we give ourselves 18 months to do this, we'll use 18 months. My dad used to say, Brooke, work expands to fill the amount of time that we give to a particular job. We don't need to wait 18 months to do this or 12 months or six months. We can do this a lot faster, we don't have to rush to do it tomorrow, but we need to get moving.
BALDWIN: Senator Tom Carper, I think a lot of Americans will agree with you on the getting moving things. Thank you so much.
CARPER: Good. I know they do in Delaware. Thank you.
Coming up, terrifying moments caught on camera, a leopard pounces one man. You're going to see the pictures, find out what scared this big cat.
Look at this.
Also developing now, now that Osama bin Laden is gone, al Qaeda is apparently changing its strategy. Not only would that anger bin laden, but it could change how America fights terror. You've got to hear this next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: If it's interesting and it's happening right now, you're about to see it. "Rapid Fire," let's go.
A major development in the News Corp hacking scandal. The families of 9/11 victims will be meeting with the feds and the Justice Department. That is now according to their lawyer. There are fears that the tabloid reporters hacked into their voice mails. This is all based on a report in Britain's "Daily Mirror" newspaper. This comes just one day after Rupert Murdoch and his inner circle denied any direct involvement in hacking by reporters at the "News Of The World" newspaper.
Take a look at these pictures here. Six people were mauled by this stray leopard after it wandered into a village in India. It apparently was spooked by a crowd of curious onlookers. The Forestry Department made several attempts to tranquilize the leopard, and it was eventually caught.
Human rights activists say Syrian troops shot and killed perhaps as many as 10 people during a funeral for protesters. This happened Tuesday in the city of Palt (ph).
(VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Mourners scattered when gunfire erupted. And some of those Syrians told Reuters, troops in armored vehicles moved into every neighborhood in homes.
And just a reminder, we have to rely on our amateur video coming out of Syria. Journalists had not been allowed in country, although we've had several folks in the capital city of Damascus.
And a showdown in Memphis with schoolchildren caught in the middle. The school board says it won't open schools until the city pays $55 million it owes the school district. The board says it needs the money to open the doors, but the mayor says he is working towards a resolution and he believes school will start on time. Teachers are supposed to go back to school August 1st, kids back to school August 8th.
And the crew of Atlantis woke up to a little classical music this morning. Take a listen.
(AUDIO CLIP)
BALDWIN: The shuttle is on its way back to Earth as I speak. Today was its final day in orbit. It is expected to make its final landing early tomorrow morning back down at Kennedy. This will wrap up a 13-day mission and mark the end to NASA's 30-year space shuttle program.
Look at those pictures.
To New York for a homecoming of sorts. After 10 years just about, Ladder 3 is returning to Ground Zero. This truck was used by first responders during the attacks on the World Trade Center. It is leaving its storage facility at JFK Airport and will become a permanent fixture at the 9/11 Memorial Museum there at Ground Zero.
Two and a half months after the death of Osama bin Laden, al Qaeda has its new leader and appears to be changing its tactics a bit. Let's go to the Pentagon, go to CNN's Chris Lawrence.
And, Chris, talk to me here about how al Qaeda is evolving and what kind of threat it poses still to us here at home.
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brooke, the homeland is always going to be under threat of attack, but Americans abroad may have more reasons to worry under al Qaeda's leadership. Here's why.
To his last day, Osama bin Laden was obsessed with staging a spectacular attack here in the United States. But his successor Ayman al-Zawahiri, officials tell us, is more willing to stage regional attacks overseas, going after diplomats, U.S. military installations, even companies, western companies and Americans working abroad. Some of those companies may not have the security procedures that some U.S. institutions would have.
Several reasons for this. One, security is beefed up here, and officials say you need a more specialized operative to crack American security today.
Another reason is that al Qaeda has been dealt a few setbacks. I mean, you look at what Osama bin Laden brought to the table and he had a tremendous amount of patience, he would nurture a plot for years and years whereas you look at the last couple of plots -- the Christmas Day bomber whose explosives started smoldering onboard the plane and let people subdue him, the Times Square bomber last year whose explosive failed to detonate -- they had not been provided sufficient amount of training to work those improvised explosive devices.
So you may have a less capable rushed sort of operation out there. And so, that may lead to more regional attacks more aligned with the al Qaeda affiliates and what they have in mind.
BALDWIN: Let me ask you, if you will, this home office and the satellite office, you have al Qaeda and the very powerful offshoot, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. Any chance they'll be locking arms, joining forces, creating a more powerful force?
LAWRENCE: There was some talk about and some reports actually of Zawahiri merging with Anwar Al-Awlaki, one of the key figures of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. The U.S. official we spoke with doesn't really see that. He says, well, this idea of a merger, for all intents and purposes, al Qaeda and al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, they work together, they're already allies. So in some respects they're already there.
And as for the two men themselves, they are very different. They come from very different background backgrounds. And for Zawahiri, he's had some notable public disputes with other jihadists around the world. He is not considered the easiest man to get along with. So it remains to be seen with him in charge, you know, how much cooperation there will be with other groups around the world.
BALDWIN: OK, Chris. Chris Lawrence at the Pentagon, thank you.
And, you know, in many polls, Mitt Romney appears to be the early favorite to win the Republican 2012 nomination, but there are two people surging in polls, one of them isn't even officially in the race. Who might that be? That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: Time now for "CNN Equals Politics" update. Let's go to Paul Steinhauser with the latest news, fresh off the Political Ticker.
And, Paul, what's going on with Michele Bachmann. She's in Iowa today. A lot of news about her migraines, is she able to move past that?
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR: She's trying, Brooke, no doubt about that. In fact, twice today she's been asked about the migraines. She said listen, I've already answered that question and she's trying to move on, saying she's fine. But just in the last few minutes, Brooke, her campaign released this statement from her doctor. From Doctor Brian Manahan and it describes the congresswoman's status as, quote, "overall in good health." The doctor goes on to say, talking about the congresswoman, "Your migraines occur infrequently and have known trigger factors of which you are aware and know how to avoid." The doctor goes on to add that Bachmann was able to control those infrequent occurrences prescribed medication.
Of course, this has been the big story concerning Bachmann over the last 24 hours and some people suggesting this disqualifies her for, or wouldn't make her fit to serve as president.
She is saying, no. What she's trying to do today, though, is talk about the economy and the deficit and the out of control spending in Washington, D.C. In fact, she was using a white board on the campaign trail today to illustrate, kind of like Ross Perot used to do, illustrate how spending is out of control here in Washington. She also explained why she voted against the Cut, Cap and Balance amendment, saying it didn't go far enough. She voted against it yesterday, Brooke.
BALDWIN: How is she doing, Paul, when you look at the recent polling?
STEINHAUSER: You know, she is doing very well. She's definitely been on the rise. In fact, NBC/"Wall Street Journal," take a look at this poll, a national poll on the GOP horse race, came out yesterday. Second straight national GOP horse race poll, where she is in second place. You can see right there at 16 percent. Mitt Romney, of course, still the frontrunner. Look right below Bachmann, look at that, Rick Perry, the governor of Texas.
BALDWIN: Who is not in the race.
STEINHAUSER: Hasn't decided whether he is jumping in or not. He's not in the race, but he's climbing in the polls. Second straight poll where he is in third place. Brooke, stay tuned. This race is getting more exciting by the day.
BALDWIN: Paul Steinhauser, thank you so much.
Coming up here. More than a dozen Navy commanders have been given the boot. Now there are serious warnings about bad behavior.
Plus, find out why American Airlines are buying hundreds of new planes. "Reporter Roulette" is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: Here we go, we have a rare warning about bad behavior in the Navy. American Airlines makes a big purchase, and we get the truth behind migraines.
Time to play "Reporter Roulette. Barbara Starr, let's begin with you there at the Pentagon. Talk to me about this memo that was sent out last month regarding the Navy.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Brooke. The chief of Naval Operations, the head officer in the U.S. Navy, not very happy right now.
Look, just this week a commander of an air squadron was relieved of duty for what's described as an alcohol-related incident while on port call in the Middle East. That is just the latest. So far this year, 14 commanding officers in the United States Navy, relieved of duty for misconduct; 14 wrapping up July. But that compares to 17 all of last year. That has led Admiral Gary Roughead, the CNO, the chief of Naval Operations, to write a very blunt four-page memo reminding commanding officers, and I quote, "You will be held accountable to the highest standards of conduct." That from the CNO to the fleet, reminding them not to misbehave, Brooke.
BALDWIN: So 14, we're still in July here. You mentioned alcohol incidents. What else have some of these guys been up to?
STARR: There have been alcohol incidents. There have been allegations of inappropriate relationships. There was an incident when a commanding officer was relieved in part for mishandling a loaded weapon onboard a ship, and at least two cases where commanding officers were relieved of duty for running their ships into buoys while in port, Brooke.
BALDWIN: Barbara Starr, at the Pentagon. Barbara, thank you so much.
Next on "Reporter Roulette", American Airlines buying hundreds of new planes. Alison Kosik has the news here from New York.
And Alison, I know this is being called the largest commercial aircraft order in history.
ALISON KOSIK, CNN FINANCIAL CORRESPONDENT: Exactly. These planes begin flying around 2013. We are talking about 460 planes. The orders being split between Boeing, that is the U.S. plane maker, and Airbus, which is based in Europe.
And the types of planes that are going to be coming in are the most popular commercial jets that are used on domestic routes. Analysts say American Airlines really desperately needs to upgrade its fleet. Its planes average about 15 years old. And these are some fuel guzzlers, too, so these new ones, Brooke, are going to be more fuel efficient.
And American will reportedly try to have Internet access across its entire domestic fleet. Better lighting, entertainment systems, you know, more space in the overhead bins. Good stuff for flyers.
BALDWIN: So, if they are more fuel efficient, I wonder if that means the price of a ticket would go down?
KOSIK: Probably not. BALDWIN: I we'll have to--probably not, she says. A dose of reality. Alison Kosik, let's talk about mail. I remember as a kid I used to run out to the mailbox. Now I just hate the mail because it's all bills. But you have some news, our mailboxes may be a little emptier.
KOSIK: Yes, maybe empty, on Saturday, you know, the USPS, maybe just doing away with Saturday delivery. That could happen soon. But before it does happen, Congress has to approve it. The USPS would have to give six months notice to customers. Even if there isn't any Saturday delivery at the post office, it would still be open, express mail would still be delivered. If it does do this, you know stop mail delivery on Saturdays, it says, hey, we're going to save $3 billion. And we all know why this is happening. We're using less snail mail, we're doing the electronic billing. And here is what is worse, Brooke, you know, you say loving to go to the mailbox.
BALDWIN: Yes.
KOSIK: The USPS, they're discussing maybe even having three-day a week delivery. That could be an option, not any time soon, but it's something they're discussing that could happen within 15 years. Imagine only having to get your bills three times a week. That would be a little better, I guess.
BALDWIN: It might be a little better. Although, I can't get away from the online billing. We've got to pay. Bottom line, whether it's in your mailbox or online. Alison Kosik, thank you so much.
Finally, on "Reporter Roulette": Do you suffer from migraines? I know I do every blue moon. It's not fun. Well, apparently so does Republican presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann. And you know, we just told you a short time ago, her doctors say she's in overall good health. With all this talk about these terrible headaches, we wanted to know what's the real deal? Here's Elizabeth Cohen-Elizabeth.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: So, 30 million Americans suffer from migraines, and apparently Michele Bachmann is one of them. "The Daily Caller" says former staffers told them that she has them weekly, and that they incapacitate her for days. Now Bachmann says yes, she does have migraines but they're not nearly that bad.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. MICHELE BACHMANN (R-MN), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I have prescribed medication that I take on occasion whenever symptoms arise, and they keep my migraines under control. But I would like to be abundantly clear. My ability to function effectively will not affect my ability to serve as commander-in-chief.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COHEN: Now, Cheryl Stolberg, at "The New York Times" spoke to Bachmann's son, who is a physician, and he says look, maybe my mother can't run a mile, but she can certainly take in and process information just fine. He did say at least twice she's had to have emergency treatment for her migraines while traveling.
Now, Bachmann says she is being treated for migraines. And doctors tell us that indeed when people get the right treatment, they can function at a perfectly high level. However, there are some migraine suffers who say they really can't work and do go out on disability.
Now, of course, we don't know the exact extent of her headaches, but she says that she can function just fine. Bachmann's son says that she has noticed that she sometimes will get migraines when she wears high heels. Now, experts tell us that high heels can cause back pain. Back pain can trigger migraines. So, who knows, maybe it's the heels, Brook.
BALDWIN: Yes, OK, Elizabeth Cohen, I don't know about those high heels. I should have them every day, I guess, if that's the case.
That's your "Reporter Roulette" for this Wednesday. Now this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please, do the right thing, save a human life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: A convicted killer has just two hours to live. Set to die tonight for a racist rampage after 9/11. But coming up next, find out why one of his victims is begging Texas to stop the execution.
Also, a lesbian couple says a hotel would not host their waiting- wedding-excuse me. Wait until you hear how much they're suing for. Stay right here.
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BALDWIN: In just a couple of hours in Texas, Mark Stroman is scheduled to be put to death for a hate crime he committed against Muslims. And of all people, who is asking to spare his life to be spared? One of his victims.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RAIS BHUIYAN, SHOOTING VICTIM: Please, do the right thing. Save a human life. If Mark is given a chance to live, I believe that he would become spokesperson in raising awareness against hate crimes.
(END VIDEO CLIP0
BALDWIN: That man lost his eye after Stroman was shot in the face. He survived obviously. Two other shooting victims though did not. Stroman says he went on the shooting spree because his sister died in the 9/11 attacks and he was filled with rage and obsessed with fighting back. But he's been touched by his victim's words.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MARK STROMAN, FACING EXECUTION: There is a lesson of forgiveness, you know, for him to step forward after I tried to take his life and he's trying to save mine. That speaks volumes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: The victim is still trying to stop Stroman's execution. In fact, today he has asked a judge to delay it and let him meet with Stroman. The judge's decision is expected. We're hearing any minute now. Stroman is scheduled to be executed at 7 p.m. Eastern Time.
And a lesbian couple in Vermont refused to host their wedding reception because they're gay. Now they're suing this hotel, they say a law states hotels cannot turn people away based on their sexual orientation.
Lindsey's mother had talked to the events coordinator there. This is the Wildflower Inn, but when she told them there would be two brides and no groom, this is the e-mail she says she got.
I'll read part of it, quote, "after our conversation, I checked with my innkeepers and unfortunately, due to their personal feelings, they do not host gay receptions at our facility."
But get this -- the couple is suing for $1. They say it's all about principle, not about the money.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATE BAKER, SUING WILDFLOWER INN: If we don't speak up when we're being mistreated, then how can we expect other people to treat us well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Our CNN affiliate in Vermont WCAX quotes, "the owners of this inn is saying they're Catholics and that same-sex marriage goes against their religious beliefs."
Coming up, I'm going to show what it's like when mother nature's fury is unleashed through a manhole. You have to see this video.
Plus, any minute now. Here we go, the clock is ticking, 11 minutes is there on time. Republican House leaders expected to walk into the White House and meet with the president. Is a deal on the debt ceiling close? Stay right there.
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BALDWIN: The next time you feel the urge to complain about the heat, just think where you can drive, hang on, this all is going to make sense in just a moment because you've got to see this.
Take a look with me. These are roads in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, that have buckled under the heat. That's right. The roads there, so hot they crumbled, making the morning commute to work even more fun. Note the sarcasm.
Now take a look at what happened in Montreal. Heat not the problem here. A flash flood caused sewers to fill to the max. The sewer water was spewing like a geyser lifted, you can see how much water to shoot that car right up off the ground.
As a tornado destroyed her home, Laura Osden lost everything including the hope of ever seeing her beloved cat Rascal again who had disappeared during the twister. That is until she found a surprise lying underneath her truck in the driveway.
You guessed it. Rascal after 75 days made his way home. Obviously, he was in need of a little TLC and a good meal and Laura was happy to oblige.
Coming up here in mere minutes, "THE SITUATION ROOM" with my friend, Wolf Blitzer. Wolf, we are minutes away from a big, big meeting at the White House.
WOLF BLITZER, HOST, CNN'S "THE SITUATION ROOM": The president of the United States is trying to convince the Republican leadership, the House speaker, the House Majority Leader, John Boehner, Eric Cantor to go along with this more ambitious gang of six proposal for deficit reduction.
It includes some tax increases. The conservatives in the House, the real Tea Party advocates, they hate any idea of any tax increases whatsoever. It also includes some tax cuts on Medicare -- some cuts in spending for Medicare and Social Security, which a lot of liberal Democrats hate.
So there's going to be a big fight. Whatever the Senate does and I don't think the problem, as you know, Brooke, is in the Senate. The problem is really in the House of Representatives. So the president has got to convince the Republican leadership to go along with this ambitious plan.
The White House now making it clear, despite earlier comments from the president he would accept a few days extension, a stop-gap measure to keep these negotiations going beyond August 2nd if necessary.
We're going to have two representatives, a liberal Democrat, Debbie Wassermann Shultz, from the House of Representatives, a conservative Republican Jason Chaffetz from Utah. They're coming in.
We'll pick their brains to see where they stand on an effort to make sure the United States does not default come August 2nd. So we'll have a strong show coming up in "THE SITUATION ROOM."
I know, Brooke, you stick around after you're done working at 5:00 p.m. Eastern and you wait two hours to watch "THE SITUATION ROOM" before you go home. Is that right?
BALDWIN: How did you have me figured out? I pop my popcorn and watch you for two hours. Wolf, thank you. We'll see you in five. Meantime, if you're a fan of reality TV, guess who's about to star in reality TV? This lovely lady, the first lady, yes, a reality show. Joe Johns has the "Political Pop" that is next.
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BALDWIN: Well, I know a lot of you like to tweet up a storm, but did you know the Republican Twitter debate is tonight? Regardless of whether you think this is a new way of doing politics on social media, is it a good thing, is it a bad thing. It certainly looks like it's going to be around far little while.
Joe Johns is here, my fellow Twitterer with some "Political Pop." Joe --
JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: My fellow - yes, I am. First, we had the presidential twitter town hall. You remember that.
BALDWIN: Yes.
JOHNS: Now the Twitter debate is sort of a virtual debate. The candidates don't have to be all in the same room like you see them so many times during election years.
In fact, they don't even really have to do the tweeting as far as I can see. At least they can have an aide help them if they need it. The candidates participating include Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Thad McCotter, Rick Santorum and Gary Johnson. a bunch of them.
The questions are going to come from people like S.E. Cupp and the conservative radio host Rusty Humphreys. So that is certainly something we'll be watching. Not just for what the candidates say, but from how it's sort of ends up being pulled off, you know, Brooke --
BALDWIN: Well, you mentioned that the president's Twitter town hall, didn't he because he was actually doing some of the tweeting himself, right? And then you have the BO that's how we knew it's actually the president doing tweeting and now there's some research on how it went. Did you cull through all that research, Joe?
JOHNS: Yes, you know, it's interesting stuff. It's a pretty detailed report. There were, let's see, demographically more men than women tweeting, top age group was something like 25 to 34, duh, of course.
Actually, the most actively shared question was something very interesting. The most actively shared question from the president's town hall was from none other than House Speaker John Boehner. The question was, after embarking on a record spending binge, where are the jobs?
Now, just because that was the most shared question didn't mean everyone liked it or agreed with it or thought it was a good question. There were a lot of people apparently who thought this was inappropriate because this was the president's forum not the speaker's forum.
From what I can see, Boehner was the only famous person to ask one of tough five most shared questions. Of the others, most of those questions, two I think were about education, one was about the debt ceiling and the other was about jobs.
BALDWIN: Well, that's not surprising at all. We have literally 20 seconds. People want to know, first lady is what? What is she on? Home makeover show?
JOHNS: Yes, OK. Not trying to redo the White House, which is the first thing I thought of.
BALDWIN: Me, too.
JOHNS: Episode of "Extreme Makeover Home Edition." She's going to help build a boarding house in North Carolina for homeless women veterans, an issue that's gotten so much attention. She's going to be out on Thursday to work on the house in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
BALDWIN: North Carolina.
JOHNS: Yes, and apparently several families live in it once it's finished.
BALDWIN: Fantastic. We'll all have to watch. We have to report on that in the "Political Pop" next time.
Joe Johns, thanks so much as always.
That's it for me. Now to my friend, Wolf Blitzer.
