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Republicans Want to Rebrand, But Conservative Voters Balk; Electronic Afterlife; Masters Review; Jane Fonda as Nancy Reagan Rankles Her Old Foes

Aired April 12, 2013 - 15:30   ET

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

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Within five minutes, the officers were on the scene. Two people airlifted shortly after police got there and rescuers got there, those are the helicopters, the emergency helicopters, those air ambulances, if you will, taking those two adult females with gunshot wounds to the hospital.

One was airlifted. The other was transported via ambulance to a local hospital.

Again, that's the breaking news here on CNN.

We're going to get back to that as soon as we get more information as the situation warrants here on CNN.

Let's move on now. I want to talk about a vote against gay marriage today from top Republican party leaders.

The Republican National Committee holding its spring meeting in gay friendly, Hollywood, California, they approved a resolution reaffirming the party's position that marriage is between a man and a woman. So much for Republican rebranding.

The GOP is facing pressure from its base to hold the line, to hold the line on social issues, prominent social conservative Tony Perkins telling supporters to withhold all contributions to Republican campaigns as long as the GOP is embroiled in a debate over social issues.

I want to bring in now CNN's political director, Mark Preston. He is in Hollywood.

So, Mark, how would a vote against gay marriage affect the Republican party's overall rebranding message?

MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Well, Don, as we all know in the past couple of months, the Republican Party has really been doing this inner look at how do they attract new voters, specifically young voters, African-Americans, Hispanics, Asian-Americans.

But in the last hour, on the issue of same-sex marriage, on gay issues, the Republican National Committee passed two resolutions, one upholding the Republican Party platform which does say that a union of marriage is between one man and one woman. They also passed another resolution that called on the Supreme Court to uphold Proposition Eight here in California which outlaws gay marriage.

In addition to that, they're calling for the Supreme Court to focus on the federal Defense of Marriage Act and to uphold that as well.

Before the vote was taken, this is what Chairman Reince Priebus had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REINCE PRIEBUS, CHAIRMAN, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE: Let me make this crystal clear, since I've said this I think since January

While we have to do things differently, there is one thing that can't and won't change, our principles.

There are some that would like us to abandon them, but as long as I'm chairman, we're going to stay true to them.

Some would have us turn into "Democrats Lite." But I'm not going to do that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PRESTON: Now, there is Reince Priebus saying that he's going to stand by the Republican Party principles, specifically on social issues, Don.

I have to tell you right now, just because this vote was taken in the last hour, the debate will continue.

We'll have the Supreme Court make a ruling not only on Proposition Eight, but on the Defense of Marriage Act certainly by their term ending in June.

In addition to that, we wait to see what the Boy Scouts do on allowing gays into their organization, Don.

Not said and done here, but certainly a major political move by the Republican National Committee just within the last hour.

LEMON: Lots to talk about. Thank you, Mark Preston. We appreciate that.

And up next, news on everyone and everything, including Google with options for you to prepare for your digital death, Apple agreeing to pay more than $50 million for faulty devices, Jane Fonda's response to critics of her portraying Nancy Regan, and the familiar name on the Masters leader board that everyone is talking about. No, it is not Tiger.

"Power Block," next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) LEMON: Technology, sports, business, health, science, and showbiz news, we're hitting it all right now.

It is something we may not want to think about, but we have no choice to think about, your assets when you die. Most of us get life insurance and maybe talk with our loved ones about it.

But what should you do with your e-mail, your YouTube, your social media accounts when you log off for good?

Yes, in this digital age, leave it to Google to come up with just the right solution, a new after-life feature.

Well, Zain Asher is in New York. I guess, this was bound to happen, right? We're all so connected and we're all so attached to it?

ZAIN ASHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Exactly, Don. This is a question that comes up time and time again, what happens to data after you die?

Now Google's answer is something called the interactive account manager. Bear with me because it's actually a lot more interesting than it sounds.

It essentially allows you to choose to have your data completely wiped from the system after you die, or you can choose to select a few people who will be, what I like to call, your data heirs, right, so people who essentially inherit your data.

So you have to just ask yourself, you know, who would you want to have access to all your e-mails, after you pass? And you can divide it. You can sort of say, well, I would like my e-mail to go to this person, my YouTube accounts to go to that person and you can also specify, I would want my data to be wiped after six months or after a year.

And what is interesting about this is that we all have such a large digital footprint, so it is not just about, well, who is going to get my house or who's going to get my car? It's also about who is going to get my data.

Definitely creepy, but I think it is something people need to think about. Don?

LEMON: Some things are just better left unknown.

So, how does Google know if your account is inactive because you died or because you're taking a break or a vacation?

ASHER: Well, the short answer is it probably doesn't, right? So if the account is inactive for a long time, it's obviously going to trigger somewhat of a red flag.

But Google says users can basically set their own time-out period, so, for example, as I mentioned, three months, six months, nine months, a year. So if it is unusual for you not to be logged into e-mail for three months, I imagine for a lot of people it is, then after three months of not checking your e-mails, you'll get a notification that your other e-mail address, then you get text messages, and if you don't respond to anything, then it is bye-bye to your data, or someone else gets access to it.

Don?

LEMON: All right, Zain Asher, thank you very much.

If you have an iPhone or iPad, I want you to listen up because you can cash in on a class action lawsuit settlement by Apple.

The company is agreeing to pay $53 million to settle a suit accusing it of failing to repair faulty phones under warranty. The company refused to pay when indicator tapes on the products turned red indicating exposure to water.

But 3M, which makes the tapes, says humidity actually may cause the tape to turn color.

Hundreds of thousands of consumers could get cash from that deal.

Actress Jane Fonda has a word or three for those speaking out against her playing the role of Nancy Reagan in an upcoming film called "Get a Life."

She says, "Get a life." The award-winning actress is set to star as the former first lady in the upcoming film. The film is actually called "The Butler."

It's not even in theaters yet, this fall, but the critics are already taking to social media to speak out about it.

I want to go to Nischelle Turner. She joins me now from Los Angeles with more on this.

So the film, "The Butler," she is saying, "Get a life." What is the film all about?

NISCHELLE TURNER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Well, Don, this film is about a black butler who worked in the White House through eight presidencies.

The movie stars Forest Whitaker. It features an all-star cast, including Oprah Winfrey, but, you know, the critics have been complaining about Jane Fonda cast to play Nancy Reagan since this movie was announced.

Now these are people who have never forgiven her for her activities during the Vietnam war and they see the choice to cast her as Ronald Reagan's wife as insulting, so now there is this campaign to boycott the film because of her role.

Now, Fonda's reaction, as you said earlier, has been pretty much to the point, she told "The Hollywood Reporter" her critics need "get a life" and added that the controversy will probably help sell more tickets to the movie, which is probably true.

Her role, you know, isn't exactly an integral part in the film. When she shot it last August, she basically called it a cameo appearance and, according to her, she reached out to Nancy Reagan to let her know she was honored to play the first lady and that she heard back from Nancy Reagan that she was pleased that Jane Fonda had the part.

Now at this stage, with the movie not coming out until October, not a lot of that boycott is getting attention. There is almost 8,000 people who have liked the boycott page on Facebook, which just to put in context for you, Don, is half as many people who like the Facebook page accusing Dora the Explorer of being an illegal immigrant.

LEMON: It is called acting, by the way. All right, thank you, Nischelle. Appreciate it.

Hey, within the past half hour, a controversy blew up at the Masters. I want to bring in Rachel Nichols. She's out there for us in Augusta. She's got a great assignment out there.

I understand, though, there is some controversy, Rachel, involving this little boy from China.

RACHEL NICHOLS, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Guan Tianlang, the 14- year-old playing here at the Masters, did phenomenally well yesterday, was only one over, came in today, didn't play quite as well, but was still holding his own.

However, on the 17th hole, he got penalized a stroke for, quote, "slow play." Now this can happen to any player at any time. He was warned previously on the course, but I got to tell you, there is slow play all over this Masters course.

Tiger Woods yesterday didn't emerge from the scorers area after his round for five-and-a-half hours after the point after he teed off. So it is slow all over. However, they have decided to single him out.

Afterward, Ben Crenshaw, the veteran who was playing with him, said that he was, quote, "just sick: about this happening to Guan. He said that he was very, very surprised to see an official make this decision and he noted, and Guan, in fact, noted, when he spoke moments ago, that the wind here at Augusta is one of the issues today. It's a lot windier than it was yesterday.

On the particular stroke that he was penalized and the particular hole, he actually decided to change his club on his second shot. That is apparently what triggered the penalty.

And as Crenshaw pointed out, and several other people around the club pointed out since this happened, when they were 14-years-old, they might not have known the exact right thing to do at the exact right moment, but unfortunately, he is in the adult Masters, so he is being penalized.

LEMON: Yeah, he's playing with the big boys.

And, as you said, they rarely, if ever, really never call penalties for slow play. And that's why it's so infuriating.

But will Guan -- will the 14-year-old ...

I'm sorry. Say again, Rachel?

NICHOLS: I said you can see my hair, this lovely hairdo I have right now. That's the wind, by the way. This is what he was dealing with.

LEMON: Yeah, well, listen, enjoy. You're outside and having a great time at a great event, but is Guan -- is he going to make the cut? Will this 14-year-old make the cut now that this happened, Rachel?

NICHOLS: It's very hard to say right now. We don't know where the cut line is going to be.

But certainly if this stroke is the reason he doesn't make the cut, trust me, there will be an uproar over this.

This is such a feel good story. The other golfers can't get enough of this kid. They're talking about how they were doing their homework when they were 14.

Yesterday around the course, the fans were getting so into it. His mother was actually following him around with a bag with socks and snacks because she was worried her 14-year-old son wouldn't know what to eat when on the course at the Masters.

So it is just the kind of story everyone can relate to. It's been such fun here. And to see him penalized this way in a way that could make him miss the cut possibly, certainly has a lot of people are up in arms, but not the official scorers. They feel this is the right thing to do.

LEMON: Oh, boy, Rachel Nichols, at a very windy Augusta at the Masters. Appreciate it.

We want to get back now to our breaking news out of Virginia. CNN has confirmed there has been a shooting inside a community college which is actually located within a mall. It is a satellite campus, by the way.

Schools are on lockdown now. We're told that two women have been shot. We're going to have more on this breaking news right after this break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: A big movie opening tonight about Jackie Robinson and his rise to legendary status.

I know that Jake Tapper who is the anchor and our chief Washington correspondent, anchor of "The Lead," you're interested. You're a big baseball fan. I hear you talking about the Phillies, talking about a legend, but a big opening tonight. A lot of people want to see this movie.

JAKE TAPPER, ANCHOR, "THE LEAD WITH JAKE TAPPER": You probably did not know this, but my son, Jack Tapper, is named after Jackie Robinson.

LEMON: Oh, very cool. Wow, see? You learn something new every day.

TAPPER: I will be definitely seeing this film, but, you know, Jack's three, so I'll probably see it in about a year or two.

LEMON: So you're going to be talking about this, right?

TAPPER: We'll be talking about this. We'll talk about all sorts of interesting stories in the world of pop culture.

Psy has a new song out, so we'll explore the idea of being a one hit wonder.

We have some stories that will blow your mind, that are not being covered a lot elsewhere.

One of them is about this horrible case in Philadelphia this doctor accused of murdering seven babies and a woman. He ran an abortion clinic there, Gosnell, Kermit Gosnell.

We'll talk with the "Philadelphia Enquirer" reporter who's been covering that trial

And then Nic Robertson, our own Nic Robertson, the international correspondent from CNN, went to Pakistan on our behalf to look into drones and whether or not drones are creating more terrorists than they're killing.

So we have those two stories that don't get a lot of media coverage and we'll look into both of them coming up.

LEMON: Hey, Jake, excited about next week, you're going to get a chance -- a bigger audience will get a chance to see you next week and we're happy about that.

Some people may be at work or commuting on the way home when you're on. But you're going to be on at 10:00 Eastern time, your show, on CNN.

TAPPER: That's right. We'll still be airing at 4:00 but then they'll replay it at 10:00, although we might updating the show as it goes. We'll see how it ends.

It is going to be fun. I look forward it a whole new audience getting a chance to see our show.

LEMON: Yeah, long day today, Tapper. Lucky you, not me.

Thank you, sir. Look forward to seeing your show. Have a great weekend.

TAPPER: Thanks, you too.

LEMON: Back to the breaking news again, this out of Virginia. CNN confirmed there has been a shooting inside a community college, which is actually located within a mall. Schools are on lockdown.

We're told that two women have been shot, two women have been shot. Again, this is the New River Valley Mall. It is the New River Community College, it is a satellite location. More on this after the break. Don't go anywhere.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: I want to tell you the story of two men. Both of their lives were torn apart by a single moment of teenage violence then years later the two were brought together by chance and the power of forgiveness.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

Anthony and Wilfredo Colon were tight, two brothers living on the edge of trouble on the mean streets of New York outside their high crime housing project.

ANTHONY COLON, BROTHER OF MURDER VICTIM: I loved him because he always stood up for me from a little kid. He would not even allow me to fight.

He would stand up for me, whatever happened, because he always saw that goodness in me.

LEMON: But that bond was severed by a vicious crime.

COLON: It was right here where it happened.

LEMON: This is the spot where armed drug dealers shot unarmed Wilfredo to death.

COLON: How did it affect me? It just put so much hate in my life. I hated everybody. I hated everything. And I just -- it made me to be a person, like a monster.

LEMON: But a chance meeting with his brother's killer led to this remarkable moment, Anthony embracing Michael Rowe, just free, after serving 20 years for Wilfredo's murder.

COLON: It was like God gave me him as my brother, you know, replaced him, in a sense. Not replace him, but he was -- he's another portion of my brotherhood.

LEMON: Anthony had prayed for reconciliation, an end to the anger over losing his brother. Michael feared retaliation.

MICHAEL ROWE, CONVICTED KILLER: I was expecting that we would be, you know, it would be a fight, some type of physical, violent altercation. COLON: I'm a firm believer that a lot of people do a lot of talking about forgiveness, and -- but they really don't forgive.

LEMON: Michael grew up in his 20 years in prison. He was taught by Julio Medina from Exodus Transitional Community, a program that helps inmates transition back into the community through higher education.

Anthony came when Michael was awarded his masters degree.

JULIO MEDINA, EXODUS TRANSITIONAL COMMUNITY: Not only does it lift, you know, that cloud of shame that he walks with, but more importantly, it allowed him to have a second chance with the blessings of the victim's brother.

LEMON: The unusual brothers will now work together with Exodus reaching out to at-risk youth.

COLON: God has a purpose for us.

ROWE: Us. Yeah. God has a purpose for us.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: So a woman awakes from a coma, 79-years-old. Her first words? "I want to see Bob Seger."

Last night her wish came true. Her name is Evie Branan.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EVIE BRANAN, AWOKE FROM COMA: I want to give him a big hug and a kiss and shake my booty for him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: That's Evie Bran. That's Bob Seger, backstage last night in Auburn Hills, Michigan. She spoke to us last hour.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Evie, you said you were going to shake your booty. Did you?

BRANAN: Yes, I did. Big time.

LEMON: How much did you enjoy that moment?

BRANAN: That was the best performance I've ever seen him do.

LEMON: Really?

BRANAN: And that was -- and that was my fifth concert of his.

LEMON: Yes. You got to talk to Bob Seger what did you tell him? What did he say to you? BRANAN: He said, hi, Evie. I'm so honored to meet you. And he put his arm around me and give me a kiss. And I put my arm around him and give him two kisses. He is the most wonderful person.

LEMON: Yes.

BRANAN: I just -- and I didn't think in my lifetime I would ever get to meet him in person. But I did.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Go, Evie.

Hey, I enjoyed spending these past two hours with you.

Great hour ahead with "The Lead" and Jake tapper right now.