Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Pope Benedict's Emotional Farewell; White House Defends Immigrants Release; Manned Mission to Mars; Bloomberg Going After NRA

Aired February 27, 2013 - 14:00   ET

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

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: History in the making. The pope says good-bye. But in his final hours, he's admitting it's been tough.

I'm Brooke Baldwin. The news is now.

A millionaire reveals his plan to send a man to Mars. But, will it work?

Plus --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's just not a safe environment for her.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Born a boy, lives like a girl, in the first grade. A school bans this child from using the girl's bathroom. And now the parents are fighting back.

And a health warning. Reports of a rare super bug on the rise. What you need to know.

Hi, everyone. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

And before we begin, I want you to hear emotional sound. This is from a dad begging Congress to do something about gun control. You're about to hear from Neil Heslin. His son here, Jesse, shot and killed in the Newtown massacre. Now, his father testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee as lawmakers are considering this ban on assault weapons. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NEIL HESLIN, SON SHOT & KILLED IN NEWTOWN SHOOTING: Good morning.

On December 14th, Jesse stopped -- we stopped at Misty Veil (ph) deli. He got his favorite sandwich -- sausage, egg and cheese on a hard roll. And he ordered me one. He would always do that. I'd get a coffee, and Jesse would get what he called the coffee, but it was a hot chocolate.

We proceed to the school. It was 9:04 when I dropped Jesse off. The school clock. Jesse gave me a hug and a kiss at that time and said good-bye, I love you. He stopped and he said, I love mom too. That was the last I saw of Jesse as he ducked around the corner.

Prior to that, when he was getting out of the truck, he hugged me and held me. And I can still feel that hug and a pat on the back. He said everything will be OK, dad. It's all going to be OK. And it wasn't OK.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Twenty-six people, including Jesse and 19 other kids were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School back in December.

As well as a heated discussion here on an assaults weapons ban, there was also testimony today on background checks and the issue of mental health. We will have much more from what happened in this incredibly emotional hearing later on in the show.

Meantime, Pope Benedict got pretty personal and emotional in his public farewell today before tens of thousands packed into St. Peter's Square. Look at this. He said the catholic church is passing through stormy seas and said his tenure had difficult times when, to quote him, "the Lord seemed to sleep." Pope Benedict said he suffered over his decision to resign, which will take effect tomorrow.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

POPE BENEDICT: I will continue to accompany the church with my prayers and I ask each of you to pray for me and for the new pope.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: He left his glass-topped Popemobile waving to the cheering crowd, kissing some babies. It was an unusually candid speech from a pope often considered aloof and reserved. Our chief international correspondent and anchor, Christiane Amanpour, joins me live from Rome.

And, Christiane, were you surprised by Pope Benedict's personal message?

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, yes, because a lot of people had said that he would say prayers and perhaps he might have a little bit of a personal message interspersed because this would be his final general audience. But in fact the whole thing was very, very personal. And he talked about, you know, the gravity of this decision, the fact that it's such a novelty and, as we know, it's been 600 and 700 years since the last pope's resigned. So it's a long, long time. Entering unchartered waters, this church now, especially in our modern times.

And he did talk about the joy that he had had and the joys that he felt that had happened during his eight years on the throne of St. Peter. But also, as you mention, the church had been on choppy waters, choppy seas for a while, referring, at least obliquely, to some of these scandals. A lot of the challenges that had been buffeting this church for more than, you know, 12 years now. So that also has played a part in his departure. And he said that he realized that his strength was ebbing and that a new, more vigorous person needed to be chosen to lead the pope -- lead the church into the future, Brooke.

BALDWIN: I want to ask you a little bit about the sex abuse scandal and the conclave in just a moment. But at the same time, there are just some -- just fun, interesting nuggets about the symbolic trappings the pope will basically be giving up. So no more red Prada shoes for the pope. And he wears that ring, which apparently has to be smashed by some official, you know, hammer because, why, Christiane?

AMANPOUR: Well, of course, the shoes, they go once he's no longer pope. And he's going to go from red to brown leather shoes, we understand.

The rings, you know, the fisherman's ring, which is the ring that belongs to the pope, not the pope emeritus, not the dead pope, but to the actual pope, each time there is a transition to a new pope, the ring that the predecessor wore is defaced and can no longer be active, if you like. That is simply for the period of time that that individual is in the papacy and does reign. So that is a pretty normal, transitional moment.

Apart from that, he will be leaving in precisely 24 hours from now. 8:00 p.m. Rome time tomorrow will be the end of his papacy. He will have already left a few hours earlier and gone from the Vatican to the summer residence. But as I say, 24 hours from now, the papacy of John -- of Benedict XVI is over, and then begins the process of selecting the next pope.

BALDWIN: And, of course, we'll have special coverage of that in 24 hours. We will look for you then.

Meantime, back to the controversy with regard to the sex abuse scandal. I just want to ask you quickly. Some Catholics, they do not want Cardinal Roger Mahony voting as part of the conclave because of his role sort of covering up this child sex abuse scandal. Do you believe that vote will continue with Mahony as part of it?

AMANPOUR: Absolutely. We've asked everybody, particularly because of the controversy surrounding him, we've asked so many people in the Vatican, officials and others, I even spoke to the retired Archbishop MaCarick (ph), still cardinal, but retired Archbishop McCarick of the Washington, D.C. diocese, and he said, yes, this would happen and Mahony would, in fact, join the conclave. And they tell us every which way that, you know what, no matter what's happened, they still have the obligation, the duty to vote. But it is something that is troubling a lot of Catholics, particularly American Catholics, particularly because of this scandal which first erupted into the news in the United States back in 2002 and then swept over here in Europe back in 2010 and really exploded over here.

So, in general, there is so much anger about that and so much desire to see the church, you know, move forward. Pope Benedict XVI did certain things. Instituted a zero tolerance policy. But the work is not finished. And that, many Catholics want to see finished.

BALDWIN: Christiane Amanpour, thank you. Historic change happening, as she pointed out, in Rome 24 hours from now. Thank you so much. We are now getting some new information from the White House today on the accused illegal immigrants given basically get out of jail free passes by the administration, by the immigration service yesterday. Today, the White House is saying the suspects number in the hundreds. Are they dangerous? Well, according to the White House, no.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAY CARNEY, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Priority for detention remains on serious criminal offenders and other individuals who pose a significant threat to public safety.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: OK. But that spokesman, Jay Carney, said he cannot guarantee that these newly freed criminal suspects will appear for deportation. Carney says they are being quote/unquote, "monitored." But CNN's Nick Valencia has just actually found a guy who apparently was freed by the feds and told exactly nothing. So, no monitoring. No instructions. Do I have that correct?

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You have it correct. In fact, I spoke to an ICE official this morning, Brooke, and they said detainees will be monitored on a case by case basis. But when I spoke to 19- year-old Miguel Angel Hernandez, who was released from Stewart Detention Center on Sunday, he told us that federal immigration officials told him nothing. And, in fact, he's still trying to figure out what he's supposed to do.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIGUEL ANGEL HERNANDEZ, UNDOCUMENTED WORKER FROM MEXICO: I'm waiting for the paper to come.

VALENCIA: You're still waiting now?

HERNANDEZ: Yes, I'm still waiting.

VALENCIA: So you don't have a court date at all?

HERNANDEZ: No, I don't have a court date at all.

VALENCIA: So they let you free and you still don't know what to do now?

HERNANDEZ: Yes, I don't know what to do. I'm just waiting. Just wait for the mail and see what it is.

VALENCIA: They're not -- I spoke to an ICE official this morning. They said some people will be monitored. Other people will be expected to check in with the ICE official.

HERNANDEZ: Yes.

VALENCIA: But you didn't get any instructions after you were released?

HERNANDEZ: Nothing. They just -- I just went home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VALENCIA: Now, to be fair and completely transparent, Miguel Angel Hernandez told CNN that he did visit a probation officer about 48 hours after he was released from the Stewart Detention Center, but that's for a different legal matter, Brooke, that has nothing to do with his immigration status.

BALDWIN: So we're hearing now from a congressman out of Virginia, Bob Goodlatte. Let me see what Congressman Goodlatte is saying. Quote, "it is abhorrent that President Obama is releasing criminals into our communities to promote his political agenda on" forced budget cuts.

Obviously, politics at play here. We're going to get to that with somebody else a little later in the show. But to you, how often does this kind of thing happen?

VALENCIA: Well, it's not new and I think a lot of people need to temper their enthusiasm.

BALDWIN: It's not new?

VALENCIA: It's not new. There are things called own recognizance bonds, Brooke, and that's just a fancy way of saying that detainees are a low flight risk and they're not at risk of, you know, fleeing from the United States. That the ICE officials believe that they will make their court date. So this has been happening for a number of years and the federal government has given these own recognizance bonds to low priority detainees. Now, we don't know if that's the case with Miguel Angel Hernandez, but we do know that this has been going on for a number of years.

BALDWIN: Nick Valencia, thank you.

VALENCIA: Thank you.

BALDWIN: And while leaders in Washington are ripping each other apart over these spending cuts -- deadline, remember, midnight Friday -- they are standing together today. There she is -- to honor civil rights icon Rosa Parks. President Obama, congressional leaders, and more than 50 of her relatives gathered there at the Capitol to unveil this bronze statue of Miss Parks. It is nine feet tall. She is the first black woman to be honored with a statue there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Rosa Parks' singular act of disobedience launched a movement. The tired feet of those who walked the dusty roads of Montgomery helped a nation see that to which it had once been blind. It is because of these men and women that I stand here today. It is because of them that our children grow up in a land more free.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BALDWIN: Rosa Parks broke the law -- that was back on December 5, 1955 -- when she refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a crowded bus back in Montgomery, Alabama. Actually stood in line for quite a while to get to meet and shake hands with Miss Parks when I was in high school back in Atlanta. Got goose pumps.

Coming up, a six-year-old girl banned from using the girl's restroom at her elementary school. Why? Because she was born a boy. And just moments ago, her parents spoke out. They are fighting back.

Plus, anyone? Trip to Mars? Tourist trips to the red planet may be coming sooner than you think.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: All right, space time. Mars, it is one of the most formidable planets of our solar system and the next frontier of space exploration. Matter of minutes ago, an incredible announcement. A millionaire, who also happens to be the very first space tourist, has a pretty ambitious plan here. He wants to send two people where no man has gone before, to a 501 day trip to the red planet. John Zarrella is live with me in Miami, and Chad Myers here with me in Studio 7.

So, Mr. Zarrella, let's just begin with, you know, let's be clear, this is like a blink and you miss it kind of trip. They're not actually landing on Mars. Tell me what we do know about the mission.

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, and you know what, that's exactly what makes it doable. At least that's what Dennis Tito, the man you're referring to, the first space tourist, flew to the International Space Station in 2001 on a Russian rocket. He's got deep pockets, multimillionaire, but it's going to take a lot more than that.

The foundation that they have started, which is called Inspiration Mars, needs to raise about a billion dollars in order to pull this off. Now, that's really not a lot of money considering that NASA's plans to land humans on Mars would cost tens of billions of dollars. And that's way out there.

Bottom line, 501 day mission. You fly around Mars. You're sling- shotted back to earth. A man and a woman. A married couple is what they want.

BALDWIN: Yes, not just this guy. This millionaire you're referring --

ZARRELLA: What's that?

BALDWIN: The millionaire you're referring to. He's not even the one who would go.

ZARRELLA: No. No.

BALDWIN: He wants a married couple to go. Why?

ZARRELLA: Yes. They want a married couple to go. And, in fact, what he said was that, you know, the idea is it makes it a lot easier than two strangers going together and they wanted it to be a man and a woman and they want them to be older because they don't want the radiation issues. And, Brooke, what he said during the news conference, Tito, was, they're talking about media rights to all this. And he said, can you imagine Dr. Phil talking to this couple as they're flying about marital issues that might arise.

BALDWIN: I might have just been wondering about that as we're talking more than 16 months. You know, NASA says, look, it takes like eight months, depending on the kind of rocket, just to even get there.

ZARRELLA: Right.

BALDWIN: It just takes that long. Being cooped up with anyone would be difficult.

ZARRELLA: Yes.

BALDWIN: Chad, my question to you is this. You know, Zarrella sort of mentioned the boot prints on Mars, way, way off. How way, way off is it?

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: I think so. I think 50 more years.

BALDWIN: Fifty?

MYERS: I do think so. I mean this is going to be a really cool thing. But the amount of radiation that these people will be in, just surrounded by, coming out of the sun, will be tremendous for 500 years -- 500 days. I don't believe that it's survivable at this point with our technology yet. They're going to not only have to engineer this ship, they're going to have to engineer protection for these people as well.

BALDWIN: Would you go with your wife?

MYERS: With a marriage counselor. That's a trip for three.

BALDWIN: Love you, Mrs. Myers, but maybe not. That's what I'm hearing.

Chad Myers, John Zarrella --

MYERS: She knows (INAUDIBLE).

BALDWIN: Thank you guys so much. Fascinating, none the less.

MYERS: Yes.

BALDWIN: Now to this. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, one of the richest men in America, and he is now throwing his wealth into the gun debate and he just scored. Look at that. A huge win. Wolf Blitzer just talked to the mayor. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's money may have an impact here on this national gun debate. Just this week, Bloomberg's super PAC helped State Representative Robin Kelly won the Democratic primary to replace former Illinois Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. And now he's ready to use his checkbook to fight the NRA. Wolf Blitzer joins me now live.

Wolf, you've just talked to the mayor. What did he tell you?

WOLF BLITZER, ANCHOR, CNN'S "THE SITUATION ROOM": I went up to Capitol Hill to speak with him. He was meeting with various senators. He's just been over at the White House meeting with the vice president, who, as you know, is putting forward all this new proposed legislation on gun -- dealing with gun violence in the United States. And it was clear to me that Mayor Bloomberg is in Washington. He's making it clear to everyone right now. He's ready to put his money where his mouth is, if you will. He's going to spend a lot of money, just as he did in the special election in Chicago, Jesse Jackson Jr.'s seat, to get someone elected who agrees with him, that there's way too much gun violence in the United States and the way to deal with it is much more gun control. Listen to this exchange, Brooke, that we had.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: You were willing to put your money where your mouth is.

MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG (I), NEW YORK CITY: Well, you know, the NRA has had the field to itself of talking about guns. And it's time for a balanced approach so the public can get the information and then let the public decide.

BLITZER: That win in Chicago, did it underscore that in order to fight the NRA, you really got to come up with a lot of money? Is that -- is that the lesson you learned?

BLOOMBERG: Well, I think -- no, but I think it's a harbinger of what is going to happen here. You don't have to have put money into every race. In the end, the money doesn't matter, it's the people that show up at the polls.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: That's true, it's the people who show up at the polls. But having a lot of money and throwing a lot of money into these various congressional elections, senatorial elections, local elections, certainly could have a huge impact. Brooke, as you know, as they say here in Washington, when it comes to politics, money talks.

BALDWIN: We will look for more of your interview, Mr. Blitzer, coming up on your show, "The Situation Room," here. Thank you so much.

BLITZER: Thank you.

BALDWIN: Coming up here, say it ain't so. Beer lovers across the U.S., they're suing Anheuser-Busch, accusing them of watering down their beer. That's ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BALDWIN: Now to some of the hottest stories in a flash. "Rapid Fire." Roll it.

OK. Take a look with me. This looks miserable. This is a woman. And forgive me here. I'm going to botch this. Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Wisconsiners, did I get that right? Getting rid of snow and more could be coming her way. In Milwaukee, our affiliate WTMJ says schools are closed ahead of a snowstorm that could bring drifts of up to six feet. Farther east, forecasters say the heaviest snow up to 12 inches could fall in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

It is Chuck Hagel's day number one as defense secretary. Here he is, photos of him, taking the oath of office. This is a private ceremony at the Pentagon today. The former Republican senator from Nebraska then spoke to service members and civilian employees.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHUCK HAGEL, DEFENSE SECRETARY: To be part of your team, who you are, is the honor. That's the great privilege.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Hagel also took note of the automatic spending cuts going into effect Friday, saying the Defense Department has a lot of challenges ahead.

More disturbing details here in that trial of a New York police officer accused of planning to kidnap, cook, and eat women, including his own wife. An FBI agent read a transcript of e-mails and chats between this police officer, his name is Gilberto Valle, and a buddy of his. Look at this. The agent says Valle directed his buddy to a video of a female friend, clad in a bikini, saying, quote, "I'd like to have her arm on a barbecue." Oh. And, quote, "I'm dying to taste some girl meat." His buddy later chatted back, "face meat is great for sandwiches." Valle's attorney says his client had no intentions of killing women. More on that case next hour.

And now this. See this in the spotlight here? In that spotlight is a great white shark. And it had just killed a man in his 40s swimming some 200 yards off a New Zealand beach today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PIO MOSIE, FISHERMAN: You know, you see on TV, you see in movies, like, "Jaws" and that, but happening in real life, man -- man, I'm so shocking, man, scared.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: By the time police got to the man, he was dead. Deadly shark attacks are rare in New Zealand. There have been fewer than 20 deaths in more than 175 years.

And do ever think your Budweiser was a little watered down? Take a look at this. Two people are suing in California. They're actually suing Anheuser-Busch. They claim the company has the technology to actually precisely control the amount of alcohol in its beers. But adds water so the alcohol is so well below the advertised 5 percent by volume. Anheuser-Busch says the claims are completely false and the lawsuit is groundless.

Now, take a look at the big board with me. The Dow closing at an all time high, 14,000 closing in. An hour and a half left before that closing bell. It's 14,063 right now. We're going to watch it through the show. You can as well. Go to cnnmoney.com.

Coming up next, the hot topics face-off on tap. A transgendered first grade girl banned from the girl's bathroom. Did the school make the right move? We'll ask that.

Plus, trading your guns for Beyonce tickets? Yep.

And a college football player trying to get into the NFL says teams are asking, do you like girls or do you like boys? My panelists are standing by. They are revealed, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)