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Obama Taps Brennan to Head CIA; Irish, Tide Battle in BCS Championship; McCarron's Special Bracelet; RG3 to Have MRI on Knee; Christie: "I'd Be More Ready" for 2016 Run; Mountain Search for Skydiver; U.S. Planes with Missiles in Turkey; Syria's "Enemies of the People"; Egypt's President Speaks Against Al-Assad; Rape Allegations Engulf Town

Aired January 07, 2013 - 14:30   ET

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

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Bottom of the hour here. I'm Brooke Baldwin. We knew there would be a fight to make former Senator Chuck Hagel defense secretary, but the president's choice of John Brennan to head the CIA may lead to one as well.

Although Brennan says he is not affiliated with any party. His critics say he's too closely tied to the former Bush administration. You see, he was a senior CIA official at a time when interrogation techniques, i.e. waterboarding, were used.

Then there is the question of drone strikes and how Brennan might use them at the CIA. Brennan shaped the Obama administration's policy on drones, using them more often and with more lethal results.

These two questions certainly will be coming up at John Brennan's confirmation hearings at a time when challenging cabinet picks is becoming routine.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REID WILSON, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "NATIONAL JOURNAL HOTLNE": Used to just be Supreme Court justices who inspired these sort of partisan free for alls. Now it is bleeding down into a president's cabinet picks as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: I want to bring back Tom Junod, writes for "Esquire" magazine. It's so great to have you back. We have talked so extensively about drones. You wrote this phenomenal piece in "Esquire" back in the summer called "The Lethal Presidency of Barack Obama."

Question number one being, you know, during these confirmation hearings, do you think it will be more of a defending, that John Brennan will be defending his use of drones or distancing himself from it?

TOM JUNOD, WRITER, "ESQUIRE" MAGAZINE: I don't know if he has to defend it. It seems -- there really is no force within the Congress who is anti-drone who I think is -- I think that this is an opportunity to make him defend the drone program, but I don't know if that's going to come up.

BALDWIN: You don't think people in your piece will be calling for more transparency.

JUNOD: I think people within the piece, people that you -- from the outside, but the question is whether people with power are going to be calling for more transparency.

BALDWIN: You said something interesting in a commercial break, I want to bring it up again. He's been the moral spokesperson when it comes to drones. What do you mean by that?

JUNOD: He has made several high profile speeches, basically making a just war argument for the drones. A lot of the people who are the sort of central to the administration's drone program are Roman Catholic and just war is a sort of -- came out of a Roman Catholicism. He has made that argument, the moral argument for the drone program, starting back at around 2011.

BALDWIN: Something else he's done. This is something if you read Peter Bergen, CNN's analyst, he talks about the shift under Brennan has been more toward Yemen. We talked exclusively -- extensively about Yemen.

Of course, in your piece, you talk about Anwar Al-Awlaki and also talked about his 16-year-old son as you point out the collateral damage. Do you think the shift though towards taking out militants in places like Yemen might prove to be problematic for him or not?

JUNOD: Well, I mean, he has -- at the White House, he has apparently acted as a break for the CIA.

BALDWIN: How do you mean?

JUNOD: There was a big conversation over this summer about basically whether the drone program should be sort of centered in the CIA or in the White House through the Department of Defense.

He has been a proponent of sort of shifting the center of the drone program to the White House, and the military. Now he's going to the CIA. But the thing about John Brennan is that he has made -- argued quite persuasively for drones. I don't see him sort of putting on the brakes at all at the CIA.

BALDWIN: What about the opposite of putting on the brakes. You see speeding up?

JUNOD: Wherever he has gone, he has sped up the program. He is the spokesperson for the drone program. I cannot see him all of a sudden turning back on that.

BALDWIN: What about the use of enhanced interrogation techniques, i.e. waterboarding. Brennan says he's never supported it, but that the Bush administration used it extensively. Will that pose a problem for him?

JUNOD: In confirmation?

BALDWIN: Yes.

JUNOD: I don't think so because basically in 2008 that was a problem for him. But we have gone for four years now. The Obama administration has sort of left that question in the dust. President Obama himself has basically called for the nation to move on from that. He decided when he --

BALDWIN: Saying it is old news.

JUNOD: It is old news. We're not going to hold people accountable for that. We sort of left that conversation in the dust and have gone on to this new conversation, which is the conversation about drones.

Basically the people that we sort of -- that would have once been interrogated really are now under the Obama administration and now under John Brennan, you know, being eliminated.

BALDWIN: Tom Junod, I'm sure you'll be watching the confirmation hearings closely as will we. We appreciate it very much.

Now to this, two big college football teams, both with pretty impressive football pasts, playing for all the glory tonight. You have Alabama. You have Notre Dame, the BCS National Championship game tonight, kickoff 8:30 Eastern Time.

One team's past has been better lately, though. The Crimson Tide is achieving dynasty status in football. Alabama looking for its second straight national championship and third in the last four years.

Those are some pretty impressive statistics. You have the fighting Irish, Notre Dame, more of a rising from the ashes story line here. The undefeated top ranked fighting Irish playing in their first championship game since 1988.

Lucky, lucky, Carlos Diaz in the thick of things there for us in Miami outside of Sun Life Stadium. Give me a preview. I mean, these are two teams with very rich traditions, put it in perspective for a CNN audience. Why is this so huge?

CARLOS DIAZ, HLN SPORTS: It is huge because you have two storied programs. And I want to apologize because they're actually doing the national anthem behind me and I don't want to talk over the end of it. I'll let that finish real quick here as they finish up.

And the home of the brave there you go. I didn't want to be disrespectful there. Basically, you have two amazing programs here with Notre Dame and Alabama playing in South Florida tonight for the BCS Championship game.

There are so many great stories with each team. With Notre Dame, you have Manti Te'O, who is the leader, not only on the field, but off the field for Notre Dame and the Notre Dame defense. He's the most decorated defensive player in the history of college football. He was the Heisman Trophy runner up. He got six major individual awards and Manti Te'O told us that it was really great bringing his parents in from Hawaii so they could be a part of all of the celebration in New York.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MANTI TE'O, NOTRE DAME LINEBACKER: For me to be able to go around on the circuits and see my parents and see my dad take pictures of food in New York and us driving around New York, I'm, like, dad, we complain about the tourists in Hawaii and them driving ten miles per hour on the highway.

And what are you doing? It is just water. Just coconut trees and you're taking pictures of Lasagna. For me, that's the joy. I think that's what life is all about.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DIAZ: So you have Manti Te'O from Notre Dame and then you have A.J. McCarron, who is the inspirational leader of the Alabama Crimson Tide. He is a quarterback for the Crimson Tide. He met a girl named Starla about a year ago.

And Starla Chapman was a 3-year-old in an intensive care unit in Mobile, Alabama. When he gave her a Christmas present, on Christmas Eve, she gave him a wristband that said just trust. He found to wear that wristband in the national championship last year.

And after he wore that, I'm not kidding, she was on the brink of death. After she wore that on the national championship game, she's been on the road to recovery and her cancer is in full remission. It's unbelievable story and A.J. said he's blessed to be able to touch people in that way.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AJ MCCARRON, ALABAMA QUARTERBACK: I've been blessed enough to be in a position to kind of touch people's lives and inspire them in certain ways. And she was a blessing to me. Just kind of met her on that Christmas Eve, that day at USA Women's and Children's Hospital and just kind of -- a relationship has taken off from there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DIAZ: And when you see A.J. tonight on the field against Notre Dame, he will be still wearing that wristband. He has not taken it off since she gave it to him, over a year ago.

In fact, when he had shoulder surgery earlier this year, he told the doctors, please, do not cut this wristband off of my wrist at any time so some amazing stories here. Not only an amazing matchup between storied programs, you have such inspirational stories with the players that are here.

BALDWIN: What an adorable little girl. Carlos Diaz, thank you for sharing the back story there. We appreciate it.

As far as the game tonight, far from adorable, it's going to be tough. It's going to be brutal. And coming up next hour, we'll be talking to Alabama alum and hall of famer Joe Namath. He'll be joining me from Miami. That should be fun. That's coming up next hour. Certainly stay tuned for that.

But coming up next, Chris Christie makes a surprising comment about a possible, possible presidential run in 2016.

Plus, he may have lost, but all eyes, that makes me cringe, I tore my own ACL, all eyes on Washington's big star. Redskins fans await MRI results on RG3's knee. Robert Griffin's knee that's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Some of the hottest stories in a flash, rapid fire. Roll it.

First up here, the Washington Redskins may have lost more than just a playoff game last night. Look away, Redskins fans, look away because you have your star rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III who aggravated a knee injury earlier in the game, buckled his knee, trying to rally the team in the fourth quarter, had to come out of the game.

He is having an MRI today. Many Redskins fans awaiting those results. After the game, Head Coach Mike Shanahan explained why he stuck with RG3. Here he was.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE SHANAHAN, REDSKINS COACH: Robert said to me, Coach, there is a difference between injured and being hurt. He said I guarantee I'm hurting right now. Give me a chance. I'm not injured. So that was enough for me.

ROBERT GRIFFIN III: I'm the quarterback of this team. My job is to be out there if I can play. The only time I couldn't play is when I went down. I took myself out again. That's the way you have to play it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Governor Chris Christie said he would be more ready for a presidential run in 2016. You remember, the New Jersey governor decided not to run last year, tossed his support behind Mitt Romney.

Fast-forward to now, Christie's approval ratings sky high. And talking about re-election this year, he just told one newspaper that his time in office so far validates his vision for the future.

In Washington State, just east of Seattle, search teams have been scouring the rugged foothills near Mount Si looking for Curt Ruppert. He is an experienced skydiver from Florida. He vanished on Thursday after jumping out of a helicopter at 6,500 feet. He was wearing a special wing the suit that lets him glide through the air rather than free fall. Police telling ABC this means he could be miles from where he jumped.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SERGEANT CINDI WEST, KING COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: Really focusing in on the cell phone pings from the first night and the helicopter flight path.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: The search has been called off so far today while crews wait out bad weather and heavy fog in that mountainous area.

If you have tweeted anything since 2006, heads up, consider it archived. The Library of Congress says it preserved, you know, just about 170 billion tweets sent between the years 2006 and April of 2010.

The Library and Twitter signed an agreement two years ago that would keep a database of all public tweets. The Library says it is working on a good way to make the tweets available for you to se and search if you would like.

Up next, a CNN exclusive, as Egypt's president opens up about the growing violence in Syria and how it could spread to other parts of the Middle East. Mohamed Morsy names names with Wolf Blitzer next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Egypt's president tells CNN exclusively that he supports calls for Syria's president to be tried for war crimes in a conflict that many fear will bleed into Turkey.

Today, U.S. planes loaded with patriot missiles landed in Turkey and those missiles are meant to ward of scud missiles that have been fired out of Syria, in some cases in the direction of the Turkish border.

Syria's government has denied it fired the scuds. And just yesterday, its leader met with cheers, gave a rare public speech there. Bashar Al-Assad blamed, quote, "enemies of the people for Syria's problems."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRESIDENT BASHAR AL-ASSAD, SYRIA (through translator): This is a government who wanted to take revenge against the people, and to fragment Syria. Those are the enemies of the people. And the enemies of God, and the enemies of God will go to hell.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: But the president of Egypt says Al-Assad here is the one responsible for the bloodshed that killed a reported 60,000 Syrians in the last two years here. Mohamed Morsy spoke yesterday with Wolf Blitzer. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRESIDENT MOHAMED MORSY, EGYPT (through translator): It is not I who wants this, but the Syrian people who want this. This phase is the phase of the people, similar to what the Egyptian people wanted, the Syrian people want it and we support the Syrian people and they are going to win and they have the will to win.

WOLF BLITZER, HOST, CNN'S "THE SITUATION ROOM": So you say the Syrian people want Bashar Al-Assad to be tried for war crimes?

MORSY (through translator): The Syrian people drew their revolution and through the movement will, when the bloodshed stops, move to a new stage where they will have an independent parliament and the government of their choosing. And then they will decide what they want to do against those who committed crimes against them. It is the Syrian people who decide.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: And please stick around for more of Wolf's exclusive interview with President Morsy during "THE SITUATION ROOM" all this week.

Up next, as rape allegations against two high school football players rattle a small town in Ohio, I'll speak live with someone who embedded themselves in one of these small towns where football is king. Wait until you hear what he experienced.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: In Steubenville, Ohio, rape allegations against two football players are casting an ugly and unwelcome shadow over the entire town.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We lifted the big red rug. We saw the muck and now we sweep the filth for Jane Doe. Yes, yes!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: A rally here. This is just this past weekend on behalf of the alleged victim in Steubenville has helped propel this town into the national spotlight. And not a lot of people here who live in Steubenville, they're not thrilled about this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JERRY BARILLA, BUSINESS OWNER: The buzz that keeps coming about is that Steubenville is a bad place, things are being covered up, more people should be arrested and I feel that's all unjustly so.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why?

BARILLA: Because I think that to condemn an entire city for something that happened is not right. To condemn a school, an entire school, all the kids that go there for something that took place among a few students is still not right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Social media on fire since the story broke last August. Even though two 16-year-old boys are already charged, police have been accused of covering up the full extent of the alleged crime to protect the town's popular football team. The sheriff, though, strongly objects to that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERIFF FRED ABDALLA, JEFFERSON COUNTY, OHIO: People say why haven't you arrested more football players? Testimony has already been presented by three individuals who were there, who witnessed what transpired. And what they testified to, that there were two, only two individuals having sexual contact with that female.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Rape charges are bad enough. But when the suspects are high school football players, in a town where football is the big show, obviously can cause all kinds of emotional turmoil.

For that, we bring in Drew Jubera, former reporter with the AJC, the "Atlanta Journal Constitution" covered all kinds of high school football, wrote a book called "Must Win".

It is about the high school football program, not too far from Atlanta, in Valdosta, Georgia, the significance really of this program to that entire town. So welcome to you.

I know I'm sure you've been following what has been happening in Steubenville and the story that rocked this town to its core, to its soul. But just paralleling this in one sense, these are two separate stories, but in Valdosta, Friday night, what's it like?

DREW JUBERA, AUTHOR, "MUST WIN": It is the show. Friday night is, you know for, these towns Friday night is the theatre opening, the wine tasting, it is the IPO, it is the big deal. It is the only thing that in a town like that where you'll get 10,000 people to show up in one place. That's what it is.

BALDWIN: And it is also the kind of thing that brings people, bonds people, because you write about much like if you look at the demographics and the situation in Steubenville, economically depressed, write about Valdosta, divisive racially, drug problems, not a lot of opportunity for youth. On Friday, it is like that, poof.

JUBERA: That's right. The football team is seen as helping unite a lot. In some instances it can cover things up as well, problems as well. But on Friday night, everyone is there together.

BALDWIN: Let me pick up where you left off there. In these towns, like a Steubenville, like a Valdosta, these players are the town heroes.

JUBERA: That's right.

BALDWIN: Can they do wrong?

JUBERA: You know, they can do wrong and, you know, often wind up in jail. You know, my book opens up with a kid who is listening to the opening of the Valdosta season while he's in jail because he couldn't get out in time.

But, you know, there is -- the difference is, you know, to me, these towns have to make the decision between being fanatical and almost perverse. And it can be a thin line. And, you know, it is up to the town, to school administrators, and especially coaches to figure out what that line is.

BALDWIN: There are concerns in Steubenville. I talked to a defense attorney last week about how, you know, he's concerned that in a town of some 18,400 people they can't get a fair trial. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WALTER MADISON, ATTORNEY FOR MA'LIK RICHMOND: To a point, our concern is that his right to a fair trial is anyone's right to a fair trial is being hijacked. We live in a country where the greatest legal system in the world. And it is only great because the system actually works.

But for it to work properly, individuals who are concerned must participate. And one of the main concerns we have is that this matter has been -- by special interest groups all over the world, tried in the court of public opinion.

And in the court of law, there are rules that would exclude such information and evidence as being inadmissible, inflammatory, misleading, and misconceptions, so therefore not relevant.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So, drew, just using Valdosta, because that's what you know, had this happened in Valdosta, Georgia, do you think it would be possible that two young high school football players could have gotten a fair trial?

JUBERA: I think so. But, you know, as has happened in Steubenville, you know, these kids and the town is so interconnected. You know, and not just interconnected -- interconnected for generations often.

So I remember going into interview a deputy sheriff and I walked in and he has his touchdown club plaque behind him and all the team paraphernalia behind him. That doesn't mean he can't do his job and in fact --

BALDWIN: Several have recused themselves in this case, a juvenile judge, county prosecutor, because of that.

JUBERA: I mean, these connections go back to fathers and grandfathers and that sort of thing. It is unlike, you know, in a college or professional setting where the players come from, you know, a college a thousand miles away in a hometown a thousand miles farther than that, these are kids that everyone knows, everyone grew up with and they know their families.

BALDWIN: And they go cheer them on Friday nights in a town like Steubenville, more than half the town's population can be seated in the big red stadium. Drew Jubera, your book is "Must Win". Thank you for coming in. A great perspective. Thank you.

Now to this, life, life is about to get a little more expensive for us. In addition to your groceries, can you guess what will cost you more this year in 2013? Made a list for you coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)