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House to Vote on Boehner Plan Shortly; New Hampshire Town Searching For Missing Girl; Record Flooding in South Korea; Ft. Hood Soldier Arrested With Bomb-Making Materials; Interview With Georgia Republican Representative Tom Price; Actress and Mom Sue Each Other; Polygamist Fires His Lawyers; Clock Ticks Toward U.S. Default

Aired July 28, 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, as we are at the top of the hour, watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: The House is now moments away from voting, but does Speaker Boehner have the support he needs? I'm Brooke Baldwin. The news is now.

REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: It's a zip-a- dee-doo-dah day.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All of us here, and there will more joining us, support the plan that the speaker has put forward.

SEN. CHARLES SCHUMER (D), NEW YORK: That bill is not going to pass the Senate.

BALDWIN (voice-over): Now the top bankers in the country are warning grave consequences ahead.

Little Maddie McCann reportedly spotted in a remote part of the world. Another false lead?

And this area has gotten two months of rain in two days, devastating floods a world aware. If only Texas could get some of that.

Art imitates life for a young TV actress, a mother-daughter spat over everything from Botox to custody.

And stop monkeying around. The news starts now.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: And welcome back. I'm Brooke Baldwin, busy, busy Thursday here.

Want to begin this hour with the way we ended the last, with the race to avert a default of the United States. So, within the past hour, the House of Representatives began debating this rescue plan; it's a plan being offered by the speaker of the House, John Boehner. His fellow Republicans, despite some reservations here, do appear to be closing ranks behind this plan. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. SEAN DUFFY (R), WISCONSIN: Today is important because this freshman class is coming together to get around a proposal, get around an idea. Is this as big as we wanted to go? Heck no. We wanted to go bigger. We ran on going bigger, but this is the only proposal on the table that accomplishes the goals that we have set out to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Let's go straight to Capitol Hill to my colleague Kate Bolduan.

And, Kate, I'm guessing this could be a raucous debate there. I know they have been debating for better part of about an hour. What are you hearing so far?

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Raucous debate. Yes, they are definitely having some fiery words on the House floor at the moment, but what's really happening is behind the scenes off of the House floor as this debate continues is the real lobbying effort that's continuing amongst House Republican leadership, House Speaker John Boehner and other leaders.

They have been working throughout the day and continue this afternoon to work very hard to try to convince their members to vote for this bill, to get in line, if you will, and to vote for this bill, really kind of some arm-twisting, if you will. House Speaker John Boehner has even been holding one-on-one meetings with members in one of his offices off of the House floor as part of this lobbying effort.

So it's really a sign that they're not 100 percent confident that the votes are there. This could be very close. And at the same time, Brooke, Democrats are trying just as hard to present a unanimous front of opposition from their party to oppose this bill. Listen here to the number-two Democrat in the House, Steny Hoyer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. STENY HOYER (D-MD), HOUSE MINORITY WHIP: There will in fact be bipartisan opposition to this bill, but there I predict will be no Democrat for this bill, because bipartisanship was not sought.

So I am deeply concerned that the short-term plan offered by Speaker Boehner would put us right back, right back here on the precipice of imminent default in just a few months.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: Here's a quick reality check, though as we still wait to see what the outcome of this vote will be in the next couple hours to a few hours. The reality check though, Brooke, is if, if this bill passes the House it will hit a pretty big roadblock in the Senate, as you well know. And we will have a lot more time to talk about it.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has already said they will take up the measure, they will move on it, but they will only move on it to set it aside. And they will do that this evening, he says -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: OK. So we could know the final conclusion of at least this so-called Boehner plan by the end of tonight.

Kate Bolduan, thank you.

Just to remind all of our viewers, Kate will be standing by for us. We will of course key a close eye to the House floor during this debate. We will bring you any lively moments as soon as we are alerted to them.

Now to a developing story here out of Texas. An AWOL Muslim- American soldier has been arrested near Fort Hood with what the FBI is saying is a large amount of bomb-making materials.

Private First Class Naser Abdo is now in custody after a sales clerk in a gun shop alerted police about a suspicious purchase. FBI agents went to Abdo's hotel room, where they found these bomb-making. They say it was enough to make two separate bombs. We heard from the Killeen, Texas, police chief.

By the way, this young man sitting in the Killeen city jail for now could be facing federal charges. We heard from the police chief within the last hour or so, saying as far as they know, Killeen police, he did act alone, and also they are led to believe that he was targeting military personnel not too far away from Fort Hood.

Let's listen to a little bit more from Chief Dennis Baldwin of the Killeen Police Department.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DENNIS BALDWIN, KILLEEN POLICE CHIEF: He is currently being held in the Killeen city jail on site at this location. As far as where he will go from here, we will wait for the complaint to be returned for the proper -- from the prosecutor's office, and then based on that we will turn him over to whomever that might be.

QUESTION: What is his level of cooperation?

BALDWIN: As far as?

QUESTION: Is he talking freely? Is he holding back at all?

BALDWIN: That's an investigation aspect that I really don't want to get into. I can say that we have interviewed him and we have also followed up on a lot of leads, investigative leads.

And I say us, I mean this team that I have just mentioned. There's literally a dozen different agencies involved, federal, state and local, that has followed up on these leads that has brought us to the conclusions we have. And there's obviously quite a bit more we would like to release, but it's just not the right time for it.

(CROSSTALK)

QUESTION: How close was he (OFF-MIKE)

BALDWIN: It's a good question, and I can tell you that we probably would be here today giving a different briefing had he not been stopped.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: And if there's a reason that that young man's face, perhaps his name is familiar, there's a reason.

Barbara Starr has those details as well coming up in about 20 minutes from now. Stick around for that from the Pentagon.

Now, though, take a look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JANE YOUNG, ASST. NEW HAMPSHIRE ATTORNEY GENERAL: We are marshaling all resources available to us, state, federal, local, both New Hampshire and Vermont.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: An 11-year-old girl just vanishes from her bedroom. Her parents say they last saw her using her computer. Now authorities are searching by air, land, and water for Celina Cass. Her story is next.

And why is the longtime host of "Jeopardy" hobbling around on crutches there? Here's the clue. Alex Trebek snapped his Achilles' tendon doing this. The correct response after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Parents, imagine you put your child to bed at night, and the next morning, your son, your daughter gone. That has happened to one set of parents in New Hampshire.

The FBI has joined the search for missing 11-year-old girl Celina Cass, last seen Monday night in her home of West Stewartstown. Police say there are no signs of any struggle or that someone took her and no sign she ran away. Cass' stepfather says she's a shy, quiet girl who would not leave home on her own.

This girl's disappearance totally shocked this town.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FRANCINE LEMAY, LIVES IN THE AREA: In a small town like this, everybody knows everybody, and it's just devastating that a little girl that age could just come up missing.

NICOLE FRANCOEUR, LIVES IN THE AREA: Everybody is just really worried. Everybody is in shock.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Family members and friends are handing out flyers with Cass' photo. FBI agents now helping with this investigation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

YOUNG: We're marshaling all resources available to us, state, federal, local, both New Hampshire and Vermont. The goal of this investigation is to bring Celina home safely. We ask for your help and the public's help. Anybody who has any information about her whereabouts on Monday or Tuesday are encouraged to call the police.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Police are going through phone and computer reports from the girl's home. That investigation is ongoing.

(NEWS BREAK)

BALDWIN: Coming up next: These streets look like rivers, record rain drenching South Korea right now, as much as two inches per hour falling in some parts. Look at those cars.

More of this dramatic video we're getting in here to us at CNN. Stay right there.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Time to take you "Globe Trekking" with stories overseas, beginning with a dire race against time going on to fight the devastating famine under way in Somalia. The U.N.'s World Food Program is sending pallets of supplies to Mogadishu, the capital, at least 14 tons airlifted in today.

Now tens of thousands of starving people are looking for food, for water, but to make matters worse, Somali government forces are battling Islamic militants to protect the flow of aid, make sure it doesn't fall into the wrong hands here. More than a dozen of members of the al Qaeda-inspired group al Shabab have been killed in the fighting, but there are fears that some of this aid, some of this food could end up in the hands of these terror group and that these famine victims, these children here could be exploited.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. COL. PADDY ANKUNDA, SPOKESPERSON, AFRICAN UNION MISSION IN SOMALIA: They have been calling people to go to back to their areas, but when that happens, it means that the aid agencies will deliver aid into those areas, and the al Shabab will equally benefit, but also they will get cover of the people when they return.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: According to the U.N., 100,000 people have migrated to Mogadishu alone in search of emergency aid. Somalia battling their worst drought in 60 years.

A problem in South Korea is too much water. Days of heavy rainfall dumped two months worth of water in the northeastern section of the country and it has nowhere to go. This floodwater you see here, that's triggering mudslides which have engulfed whole villages. Dozens of people have died. There are fears the death toll will climb even higher.

Our Paula Hancocks is in Seoul with more on this widespread devastation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Three days of torrential rain, dozens of lives lost. South Korea is reeling from its heaviest rainfall in a century, affecting all parts of society. A landslide in an affluent part of southern Seoul claimed at least 18 lives. Artillery unit was damaged on the nearby Mount Umyon (ph).

The defense ministry tells CNN they are yet to retrieve around 10 landmines that were planted around the base. they are yesterday to retrieve around ten landmines planted around the base. A spokesman told reporters, "We have put up concrete blocks to prevent the land mines from floating away."

A mudslide in Chuncheon east of Seoul claimed 13 lives, most of them students doing volunteer work. Three workers died when their factory in Paju (ph) north of Seoul collapsed.

The death toll has been rising steady over the past three days. The rescue effort is ongoing, hindered by continuing rain, but the volume is easing. Twelve and a half thousand military, police and public servants are helping the search and rescue operation, 5,000 in Seoul alone. President Lee Myung-bak held an emergency meeting to coordinate the effort.

(on camera): Many cars and buses have been submerged across the city of Seoul. Here we are just on the banks of the River Han, the river that cuts Seoul in two, and you can see that is has burst its banks. Usually you would have 100 meters of parkland there. Just in front should be a basketball court, but all you can see is the net.

(voice-over): These train tracks outside Seoul collapsed due to the sheer weight of water, and traffic has been backed up around the city, as vital riverside motorways have been flooded and closed.

This shopkeeper says, "I didn't have time to get any goods out. I won't be able to open for at least three months."

Korea's meteorological association does believe the worst is over and hopes for clearer skies by Friday morning, then the cleanup operation can begin in earnest.

Paula Hancocks, CNN, Seoul.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: A health care scare today for New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Jim Acosta has the details, he is standing by live with that next in your "Political Ticker."

We will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Time to take you back to Washington to get our "CNN Equals Politics" update with Mr. Jim Acosta.

And, Jim, what's the story with the New Jersey governor today? Is he OK?

JIM ACOSTA, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: He is doing fine actually, Brooke. He is recovering well.

According to his staff, Chris Christie was checked into a hospital earlier this morning and gave the political world a pretty good scare after the New Jersey governor complained he was short of breath. His office staff responded to numerous requests from us to get to the bottom of this, and basically explained that the governor has dealt with asthma issues over the years, and that this is not too out of the ordinary, and that he has undergone some tests and should be checking out of the hospital this evening and back at the office Friday morning.

And, of course, Brooke, as you know, Democrats are breathing easier, because he's still not running for president in 2012.

Somebody else who also doesn't have a care in the world these days or a worry to speak of is Michele Bachmann. She held a news conference over at the National Press Club earlier today, and she was asked about the prospect of the nation going into default. And she said that she does not believe that the United States will lose its full faith and credit if -- if the nation does not meet this deadline that's coming up on August 2nd to raise the debt ceiling.

She was peppered with numerous questions about her faith, what news magazines she reads. She says she actually goes for news outlet she seems to be coming from the left first. So it's interesting to see Michele Bachmann gets it across the spectrum and not just one side or the other. So some interesting comments from the Minnesota Congresswoman today, Brooke.

BALDWIN: She's reading the papers.

Jim Acosta, thanks so much. "Political Ticker," thank you.

ACOSTA: You bet.

BALDWIN: Coming up, Texas starving for rain. In fact, the drought is so bad crops are drying, wells are drying up, homes are even shifting because the ground is that dry, but relief could be on the way. Chad Myers has more on that next. Also, we're getting some new details on the AWOL soldier arrested in Texas today. Here's a picture of him. Just how far was he planning to go in his plot to attack soldiers in and around Fort Hood, Texas?

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: A Muslim-American soldier arrested with bomb-making materials, DSK's accuser out in public thanking supporters today, investors eyeing the debt debate, and Texans want Tropical Storm Don to hit their state. Time to play "Reporter Roulette" here, and I want to begin at the Pentagon.

Barbara, let's start with you here and the arrest of this AWOL soldier in Texas. Do me a favor, just start at the beginning. How did police catch him?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is Private First Class Naser Abdo. They got a phone call from a gun shop owner just outside Fort Hood, Texas in the town of Killeen, who say the man was in there acting suspiciously trying to buy some material, that he didn't seem to know what he wanted to do with it. It was smokeless gunpowder. They called the cops, they tracked him down and they found a slew of bomb-making material in this private first class's hotel room. He is now under arrest.

BALDWIN: In terms of charges, Barbara, has he officially -- does he officially face federal charges yet?

STARR: Brooke, yes, you know, Brooke, it is expected in the coming hours. He is very likely to face federal charges. The local police chief just finished up a press conference. He says it's clear to them at least that this private first class was planning to attack fellow soldiers, soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas, and that he considers it, the police chief, a terror plot.

No evidence this man was tied to any terror organization, but he is likely to face those federal charges.

BALDWIN: Barbara Starr, thank you very much there for me at the Pentagon.

Next here to Susan Candiotti in New York, where the DSK accuser made her first appearance, her name is Nafi Diallo. She made her first appearance before the wider media today. Susan, she was out and about at this Brooklyn church? Why was she there and what did she say?

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, she spoke briefly, only for about three minutes, with a lot of religious supporters at her side.

She did not take any questions. She said she's been called a lot of bad names, for example, she's been labeled a hooker, she absolutely denies it. She says that she and her young teenage daughter have been going through a lot of tough times because of all of these.

But she said she's here to thank people for support and to say that she is going to be strong and that she is coming forward she said because she wants to, as she put it, speak for all the women of the world. That she doesn't want anything to happen to them like she says has happened to her.

BALDWIN: I know we were talking yesterday, they were still mid meeting, the Manhattan district attorney's office and Diallo. Are we any closer to knowing, Susan, whether or not this case will go forward, whether it will be prosecuted?

CANDIOTTI: Well, you know, her civil lawyer is a former federal prosecutor. And he is very concerned, as is she, that the prosecutor's not going to go forward with the case.

They want her to have her day in court to talk to a jury and so they want the case to go to trial. They're trying to keep the heat on the district attorney for him to make a decision, which he hasn't done yet.

BALDWIN: OK, Susan Candiotti in New York. Susan, thank you.

Next on the reporter roulette. Alison Kosik is always at the New York Stock Exchange. Alison, just about 24 hours ago I should say, we were looking at the Dow was down 198 points. How is that looking today?

ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Well, we lost another 62 points today on the Dow. You know what? Investors remain anxious about what's going to happen here.

Most are thinking a debt deal can go through, but with time running out, you know what? They're not as confident as they were a week ago. You can see that in the volatile action in the market this week. You know, economists are saying some damage to the U.S. economy has already been done.

You know, that uncertainty over where negotiations will wind up is having a negative effect on businesses. Both investment and hiring decisions are being put off for now. Other economists say the nation's growth has already been reduced a bit, it's a small bit.

But if this debate goes on, it could get much, much worse with some economists saying it could send us into another recession, a double dip if this deadlock drags on.

BALDWIN: Speaking of the debate, this is directive to your bottom right hand corner of your screen. You are looking at live debate on the floor of the House of Representatives. They're debating and then they're going to go to vote on this Boehner bill, the debt bill.

Topic number two, Ms. Kosik. For ladies, it's still lonely at the top. There's a dearth of female executives. So some government around the world, what are they trying to do? They're looking to impose quotas to get more women in positions of power?

KOSIK: Yes, you know, there are women in some of the higher spots of big companies like Yahoo!, PepsiCo and Xerox, but the amount is still pretty small.

And the "Economist" had a great article on this today showing that government in Europe are trying to get women into the executive office by having quotas.

In fact, earlier this month, the European parliament put out a resolution calling for a law requiring 40 percent of board seats on listed companies should be held by women by 2020, Spain, France, also pass similar laws?

I don't know about quotas. I'm all about working hard. What do you think?

BALDWIN: I'm kind of with you. You shouldn't be forced to hire someone just to fill a quota. You should hire people based what -- But go, ladies, nevertheless. Alison Kosik, thank you very much.

Finally here on the reporter roulette, a man here, Chad Myers, in the CNN Weather center, you're tracking Tropical Storm Don, which as we know, Chad Myers, there's a huge drought in Texas. It's not often you hear, hey, tropical storm, we want you to come our way.

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Bigger and bring it on. That's what they're saying in Texas because they could use about 15 inches of very slow rain to break this dreadful drought that they've had.

This is worse than any drought they have ever seen. That includes from the dust bowl days back into the 1800s when the records were started here. Austin needs 11.5 inches just to break even from January, they've seen nothing.

Houston, 16 inches of rain just to get back to zero and this storm is small. This storm has no potential of making that type of rainfall. It could make 3, maybe 4 inches in some spots. Let me give you an idea of the size of this.

Here is Texas. There's Don. Don, even if it does come in right into the forecast is somewhere around Corpus Christi, will spread some rainfall here. But the problem is not its size, but that it's moving so fast. It's moving at almost 15, 20 miles per hour.

If it continues to move that fast, you want these things to stop and just rain for a long time. If it moves that fast, by the time at Sunday, this thing would be in New Mexico. It will be gone.

So here it comes all the way to Corpus Christi to Brownsville, the cone as we call it, almost to Houston, but not quite, all the way down to Brownsville.

I think probably the storm is trying to turn up its way, but it's not, staying south to the path, so take the rainfall when you can get it. Victoria, Kings Ranch, all those areas there, they could use a lot more.

BALDWIN: Bring it on, Chad Myers. Thanks so much.

Coming up next, a bombshell at the Warren Jeffs trial. The polygamous leader says he doesn't need any attorneys. In fact, he's going to defend himself. Sunny Hostin is on the case. We're going to check in with her on that one.

Plus the mama drama with this Hollywood actress. Why she's suing her own mother, you got to hear this one. But first, if you are in the market for a new car this year, we have a look at America's best loved automobiles according to J.D. Powers & Associates.

Taking the honors is the Chevy Volt, coming first among mid size SUVs, the Dodge Durango, and the highest ranked mid size pick-up among consumers, say hello to the Honda Ridgeline. So if you drive a minivan, which ones do Americans love? That is after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: If you're thinking of buying a car in the near future, take a look at this list from J.D. Powers and Associates. The vehicle loved by Americans the most, you've been marinating on this?

Taking top honors among the minivans, the only one actually the score above average is voila, the Honda Odyssey and the mid-size car Americans can't live without, the Suzuki Kizashi. I hope I said that right. Suzuki Kizashi, that's the number one.

Tell me this isn't headed straight for one of those TV shows with plots ripped right from today's headlines. You might recognize Leighton Meester here. She's the young actress who stars in the TV show called "Gossip Girl" was in the movie "Country Strong."

So Meester has filed this mommy dearest lawsuit against her own mother and to top all it up, her mother suing right back. Sunny Hostin is on the case. Sunny, what is the issue here? Why is Leighton Meester suing her mom?

SUNNY HOSTIN, CNN LEGAL CONTRIBUTOR: It's so very ugly, Brooke. Apparently, Leigh is basically saying that her mother is taking money that she is was giving to her for her brother's care and using it to get plastic surgery, Botox, hair extensions, all sorts of things for herself.

It is a very, very sorted Leighton. Of course, I have it right here in front of me. After, as you just mentioned, she sued her mother and former manager, her mother sues her back.

Her mother said the Leighton actually promised to pay her $10,000 a month for the rest of her life in repayment of her help in starting her daughter's career, and also accuses of her daughter hitting her with a bottle.

I mean, it really, really is a clash of two very, very ugly, ugly lawsuits, mother against daughter. BALDWIN: So before I ask you with the mother. I stand corrected. It is Leighton Meester, am I right? OK, so what is mom saying here?

HOSTIN: Well, mom says that it's not true. That she's not taking money earmarked for her sick son. Rather she's due this money because she was her daughter's manager and helped her build this incredible career.

Helped her along her way and she is owed $10,000 a month and her daughter promised to pay for that much. So really it's a war of the words here.

BALDWIN: A bit of a change, are mommy dearest lawsuits usual?

HOSTIN: You know, I think they are unusual, but let's face it, mommy/daughter relationships are fraught with angst. We heard of mommy dearest, remember that relationship. Lindsay and Dina Lohan, I mean, there have been instances of this mother/daughter celebrity friction. We see it all the time, don't we, Brooke?

BALDWIN: I suppose we do. It doesn't always turn out so well, does it, Sunny Hostin?

HOSTIN: It does not and after the accusations that have been flung around in these lawsuits. I can't imagine they're going to have a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner anytime soon.

BALDWIN: That's too bad. I love my mom.

HOSTIN: I do, too.

BALDWIN: Case number two, I'll never forget, you know, the images of these children, remember from the polygamous sex being taken away from this west Texas ranch, the leader of this polygamous group, he's on trial.

Warren Jeffs charged with sexually assaulting these two underage girls and having more than one wife. So Jeffs delayed the start of opening statements today by firing his lawyers and announcing he wants to represent himself. What do you make of that?

HOSTIN: Isn't that something? Well, there's an old adage, Brooke, that says he who represents himself has a fool for a client. So I could say that Warren Jeffs certainty in that lead.

But interestingly enough, under the 6th Amendment, you have a right to represent yourself and you have the right to an attorney. He has fired now I think this is seven attorneys, and the judge granted his request today.

Brooke, she says, sure, Judge Walter told him he can represent himself. He tried to get a continuance until Monday. The prosecution didn't object, but judge said, no, we're going to go with opening statements.

And so my understanding is that Warren Jeffs is going to give an opening statement sometime today if it hasn't already started it.

BALDWIN: Well, that could make this trial interesting to watch. I guess by that old adage perhaps representing yourself is a foolish move. Is what we're supposed to glean from that?

HOSTIN: I would say so. When I was a prosecutor, Brooke, I prosecuted some cases against defendants acting for themselves, and let me say this. They didn't win any of those cases. I don't know, in fact, any defendant that has represented himself successfully. So this is going to be very interesting trial.

BALDWIN: OK, we'll be talking about it, Sunny Hostin. We'll be waiting for these opening statements. Sunny, thank you so much.

Coming up next, take a look at this. Is this just an old ordinary vine, or is it a divine vine? Take a good long look. We'll show it to you again. You got to see this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Time for your "You Got to See This." Take a look at this. This is what you call an accident waiting to happen. You have a big piece of construction equipment. Here you go. It appears to be dangling very precariously here above this huge crane in Russia. Let's keep watching, because -- down it goes, not dangling anymore.

You have heard of people having Jesus sightings on things from toast to receipts. Well, what about this? What about Jesus on a vine? Take a look, tweet me, let me know.

Littleton, Colorado people say that was Jesus on a vine, looks like Jesus on the cross. Also people in North Carolina have also spotted Jesus in the form of a kudzu vine, another vine of Jesus on the utility pole near a road.

How about another vine? In Toledo, Ohio, people claim it looks like Jesus. I don't know if I see this, I guess it's just really big, Jesus stretching his arm out and pointing to a church across the street in Toledo, Ohio. You be the judge.

BALDWIN: Sometimes new moms have trouble with this stuff. So a nurse at the San Diego zoo had to step in and help this newborn silver leaf monkey getting milk from the bottle.

Let's have the collective -- the zoo says not to worry, the monkey family is getting plenty social interaction between feeding so the bond is strong despite the issues in nursing. Teeny, tiny monkey there.

"THE SITUATION ROOM" coming up in a matter of minutes. Wolf Blitzer joining me now with the preview. Wolf, big interview today talking at the White House to Chief of Staff Bill Daley.

WOLF BLITZER, HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": Yes, we had a good interview with him. We were over there for the big part of the afternoon. This is a critical moment. There's only a few days left before the United States potentially. We all hope it doesn't happen. Potentially couldn't pay all its bills.

They'll have to decide which bills to pay, which bills they won't pay if there's no deal. He's still optimistic he says that there will be some sort of deal even at the last minute to avert this kind of disaster.

Although he did tell me the Treasury Department is finalizing contingency plans right now, which checks will be written, who will be getting their checks, which vendors, whatever, which checks won't be written, because they won't have enough money so it's a serious issue, and of course the credit rating agencies are looking at the United States right now.

While he's confident, optimistic at the end there would be an agreement, he's not necessarily able to guarantee that America's AAA rating will in fact survive. But he says that the Boehner legislation and we're waiting for it to get for them to vote on the House floor.

In the next few minutes, I think they're going to start voting pretty soon at least. It probably will pass the House. It's not going to pass the Senate. There's separate legislation in the Senate. It will pass the senate, probably won't pass the House.

It might not even come up for a vote in the Senate if there's a filibuster, so they've got a lot of work, the leadership of the House and the Senate, between now and Tuesday if they're going to avert what would really be a disaster. Brooke --

BALDWIN: Wolf Blitzer, thank you. We know the debate right now in the House is ongoing. In fact, let's take a look back - live picture here. House of Representatives, we are five days away from a potential default of the U.S. Treasury.

Now the House of Representatives is debating the debt-cutting plan, Wolf was just talking about this, the plan put forth by the speaker of the House John Boehner. Let's go ahead and tell you, the plan is dead, it will be tabled in the Senate.

Should the Boehner plan pass the House early this evening, Senate Democrats say they are prepared to go ahead and bury the thing as early as tonight. Let's go to Washington to Representative Tom Price, Republican of Georgia.

Congressman Price, good to see you. Good to have you on here.

REP. TOM PRICE (R), GEORGIA: Thank you so much.

BALDWIN: Let's just get right to it. Will you be a yes vote? Will you be a yay vote in terms of this Boehner plan on the floor of the House in just a little bit?

PRICE: I tell you, absolutely, and I'll tell you why. This bill will allow for significant reductions in spending, allow for some spending caps, limitations over the next couple of years, and most importantly this bill will allow for a vote on the balanced-budget amendment on the floor of the House tomorrow. We have to change the way Washington does business, the American people know that and this is the fundamental change that I believe they've been clamoring for, and we're excited about the opportunity to move things in the right direction.

We would only hope and call on our Democrat colleagues, both on the other side of the aisle in the House and on the other side of the capitol in the Senate, to try to assist in some positive way as opposed to just saying no.

BALDWIN: Right, we've heard from Senator Reid has already said if it gets to us, it will be defeated. But I do want to put your attention to this, Congressman Price.

The nation's top bankers sent this letter today to the White House. They also sent it to where you are on Capitol Hill and I want to quote, just part of this letter here, "A default on our nation's debt obligation or downgrade of America's credit rating would be a tremendous blow to business and investor confidence, raising interest rates for everyone who borrows, undermining the value of the dollar and roiling stock and bond markets, and therefore dramatically worsening our nation's already difficult economic circumstances."

The letter is signed by Jamie Diamond of J.P. Morgan Chase, Lloyd Blankfein of Goldman Sachs and others. Do you think, sir, that will get much attention up there where you are? And do you think a default, if it happens of the U.S. Treasury would be a catastrophe?

PRICE: Well, we're in uncharted territory, so nobody really knows that, but this is an absolutely serious matter that needs to be addressed. That's why it's confounding to us with the economy and the terrible shame it's in, with jobs being lost, why the president doesn't lead, which is what this nation is clamoring for right now in Washington, is leadership.

Republicans on the House side, this will be the third time we passed a solution, a bill that would actually get us on a path to a balance budget amendment hopefully paying off the debt. It's that kind of activity that would reinvigorating our economy and creating jobs.

Why the other side continuous to just say no, no, no, not any way are we going to be able to support anything that would create jobs is beyond me.

BALDWIN: Well, the other side, Congressman, they have demanded higher taxes on the wealthy to help pay down the debt. Your side isn't budging on that.

So now it sounds, as some of these Democrats may be willing to accept no tax increase up front, but down the road, that may happen if certainly debt reduction targets aren't met, a trigger mechanism. Would that work for you?

PRICE: Well, listen, that's the kind of proposal that we put on the table in our budget in the spring. We said you have to close the loopholes. You got to broad the base, lower the rates so that we can reinvigorate this economy.

And Harry Reid, Senator Reid continues to bulk about what he's for, but they've never passed a bill. They've never put in legislative language. The American people are sick and tired of Washington standing in the way of their ability to get more jobs created in their communities and get their life moving in the right direction.

What the Republicans are doing over and over and over here in Washington is putting forward solutions. Not just in rhetorical language, in real legislative proposals. Why the president and Senator Reid and his colleagues won't do the same thing, so that we can have an honest debate and then an honest consensus brought about, is just confounding.

BALDWIN: So you would be OK with higher taxes down the road?

PRICE: What I'm OK with is making certain that we reform our tax system in a positive way. For me, I'm a big fan of the National Retail Sales Tax, doing away with the income taxes all across the board, because we've got to reinvigorate this economy, but what we need is the debate.

That's why we put our budget on the table earlier this year because we believe that there needs to be fundamental tax reform. You've got to get to a point where we take away the kind of incentives and favorite treatment for all sorts of entities.

But in order to do that, you have to lower the rate, broaden the base and make it so that it's much more fair for individuals all across this land and reinvigorate this economy. We're not creating jobs and it's not because the American people don't want to work. It's because Washington is standing in the way.

BALDWIN: Congressman Tom Price, I appreciate you stepping away from the debate going on right now in the Florida House, sir. Thanks for talking to me.

PRICE: Thanks, Brooke.

A proud candidate wants the top job in the USA. Too bad his campaign wasn't keeping with the whole red white and blue themes, which volunteers played an order for 2012 swag. That is "Political Pop," and it's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Now to tomorrow's news today. Let's fast forward. You know the waterfall where it swept away three hikers last week? A report is expected tomorrow on safety measures there at Vernal Falls.

A consultant hired by the victims' families is expected to report that the railings and warning signs are not sufficient. Witnesses say the hikers ignored the signs and the barrier. Rangers still have not found their bodies. Also tomorrow, President Obama plans to unveil the latest fuel efficiency standards for cars and light trucks. New cars will be required to get 54-1/2 miles per gallon by 2025. That does fall short of the 62 miles per gallon environmental and health groups wanted.

And "Jeopardy" host Alex Trebek is scheduled to undergo surgery on his Achilles tendon. The 71-year-old was injured while chasing down a burglar out of his San Francisco hotel room.

And topping today's "Political Pop." Newt Gingrich having what we're going to call "a deer in the headlights moments." Mr. Gingrich was at his campaign headquarters in Atlanta yesterday thanking volunteers, making some campaign calls.

He's been touting his made in America message, encouraging Americans to buy more American-made products to help our economy, but then he had this exchange with a reporter. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We asked for t-shirts to be sent to us that were made in America. I just picked up that one and it's made in El Salvador. It's printed here in Atlanta.

It was a big thing when we talked to your campaign people about how you wanted things to be made in America. Do you have plans to change things?

NEWT GINGRICH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'll have to ask the folks who ordered this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: A little awkward there. A campaign spokesperson said that order of t-shirts was a rush order made by some Gingrich volunteers.

If you thought you were following the White House Twitter feed, thought you would be safe from internet pranks, think again. During a question and answer yesterday, someone tweeted to the White House that the discussion wasn't very exciting.

The White House tweeted a reply, we're talking about debt here, saying fiscal policy is important, but it can be dry sometimes. Here's something more fun and then this link. Clicking on the link gives you this --

If you can only see some people in here dancing, you've just been rickrolled. What is rickrolling you asked? It's when you unknowingly click on a link that takes you to the Rick Ashley '80s hit on YouTube.

And with that, I will give you in a moment Wolf Blitzer. I'm Brooke Baldwin in Atlanta. "THE SITUATION ROOM" starts right now -- Wolf.