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Officials Justify Surveillance Programs; Leaders Meeting in Northern Ireland; Gaining Ground On Wildfire; Nelson Mandela Doing Better; Pope Francis Blesses Harleys; "Man Of Steel" Soars At Box Office; Evolution Of An American Hero; Buffett Urges Education For Women; U.S. Open Under Way; Bruins Win Game Two In OT, Even Series; Rays' Pitcher Hit In Head By Line Drive; Ringo's Memorabilia On Display; North Korea Wants Talks With U.S.; Dangerous Floods In Missouri

Aired June 16, 2013 - 14:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: Hello, everyone. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Welcome to the CNN NEWSROOM. A look at the top stories for this hour.

How did Russian president Vladimir Putin end up with a diamond-studded NFL Super Bowl ring? The previous owner, New England Patriots owner, Robert Kraft says Putin took it. Putin claims it was a gift. We'll get all to the bottom of the controversy with a live report.

A huge wildfire in Colorado cut in half. Firefighters have been going nonstop, battling these flames for almost a week now. We'll ask them how they decide which homes they can save.

We begin this hour with a story of international intrigue. A NFL championship Super Bowl ring belonging to New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft is currently stashed away in the Kremlin. But how did it get there? Kraft initially said the massive ring with nearly five carats of diamonds was a gift to President Vladimir Putin back in 2005. But now, Kraft is telling a much different story. CNN's Alina Cho is in New York with this mystifying story. Alina, explain how did this all come to be.

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You say it's international intrigue. Well really, Fredricka, it's a case of international he said-he said. The question being this, as you mentioned: did Russian president Vladimir Putin steal a Super Bowl ring from New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft? Now Kraft is now saying yes. The Patriots owner was at an event last week in New York City, right here. He was accepting the Carnegie Hall Medal of Excellence. During that acceptance speech, he brought up the story which first surfaced back in 2005.

To take you back there, that is when Kraft met with Putin in St. Petersburg according to "The New York Post, which first broke the story. Kraft said he showed Putin his shiny new $25,000 diamond- encrusted Super Bowl ring, which by the way, is engraved with his name on it. And then Putin said, according to Kraft at the gala, quote, "He goes, 'I can kill someone with this ring.' I put my hand out and he put it in his pocket. And three KGB guys got around and walked out."

So, that's what Kraft says. Did Putin really steal the ring? Not according to one aide, who says he was there at the time. Take a look at your screen. In a statement to CNN, Putin's spokesman said, "I was there when it happened. So, what Mr. Kraft is saying now is weird. I was standing 20 centimeters away from him and Mr. Putin and saw and heard how Mr. Kraft gave this ring as a gift."

So, as you can see it's a little he said-he said.

WHITFIELD: Oh, big time he said-he said. OK, so how do we get to the bottom of the truth? I guess in the first place, why this back and forth? Why this misunderstanding if it was so clear to some?

CHO: Yes. Especially after so many years. Well, Fred, the best way I can explain it is I believe a lot of it has to do with the fact that Kraft has changed his story a bit over the years. Or perhaps it's a little bit of this, maybe because so much time has passed, he's just now speaking a bit more freely.

But to explain it, initially, Kraft himself said the ring was a gift to Putin. You said that. And he said as much in his statement back then. Take a look at your screen. He said -- Kraft, "I decided to give him the ring as a symbol of my respect and admiration I have for the Russian people and the leadership of president Putin." Now, a little bit different story. According to "The New York Post," Kraft says that White House officials at the time urged him to say it was a gift in the interest of, quote, "U.S.-Soviet relations."

Now remember, 2005 was the Bush administration. So, what did we do today? We caught up with former vice president Dick Cheney. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DICK CHENEY, FORMER U.S VICE PRESIDENT: I don't know anything about it. I just heard a brief blurb on it this morning.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHO: That's right. Cheney doesn't know anything about it. As for the ring, Fred, it now sits on display at the Kremlin library. We have reached out to Robert Kraft, by the way. So far, no official response. It is Father's Day, after all. We also saw Vladimir Putin earlier today give a news conference with the UK prime minister, David Cameron. But while there were many, many questions about Syria, there were no questions about the ring.

WHITFIELD: He wasn't wearing it because you said it is on display at the Kremlin library. Oh, my gosh, I guess that kind of smarts for Mr. Kraft, too. Well, I'm sure this is not the end of the story.

CHO: No. We will get to the bottom of it.

WHITFIELD: Just the tip of the iceberg. All right, thanks, Alina. Appreciate it. In New York. All right, tomorrow President Barack Obama and seven other leaders are meeting in Northern Ireland for that G-8 summit. Protesters, by the way, are already there, some dressed as heads of state. Many want the leaders to address global poverty. President Obama hosted the group last year at Camp David in Maryland. High on the agenda this year, what to do about the civil war in Syria.

Back in this country, flash floods washed cars right off the road and put drivers in a really dangerous situation in Missouri in particular. Up to 10 inches of rain fell in just two hours around Springfield yesterday, according to our affiliate KOLR. That was enough to turn roads into rivers in a blink of an eye. Rescue crews say they were busy nonstop with calls to help drivers who got stuck in floods.

Colorado families are on edge today waiting to get back to their homes after a wildfire forced them to evacuate. Firefighters are gaining the upper hand on the flames, but hundreds of homes are destroyed, and some families are still waiting to see the damage.

Martin Savidge is live for us now in Colorado Springs. So, Martin, you've been getting an interesting perspective from the firefighters. What do they say?

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right. Hello, Fredricka.

First of all, let me tell you the good news. They continue to make progress on battling the Black Forest fire. They're not just reporting 65 percent containment, so firefighters making strides there. They'll probably continue to do that today.

No signs of active fire. We were out there just yesterday - very, very small pockets of just literally tree stumps that are burning. That's why people are growing more and more frustrated. Why can't they go home? Thousands remain evacuated. Close to 500 homes destroyed by this blaze, but thousands more were saved. That raised the question: how do firefighters make the determination of what has to be sacrificed and what could be saved?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SAVIDGE: No firefighter wants to let a house burn. But sometimes there's no choice.

LT. CHRIS BENOIT, FALCON FIRE DEPARTMENT: That's the hard part. I mean, it is a gut check in this job that you know going to a home, there might be some that you just can't save.

SAVIDGE: Other than life or death, one of the hardest decisions a firefighter makes is whether or not they can save a home. And in a big fire like this, it's a decision they have to make a lot.

TODD LEGLER, TASK FORCE LEADER: Go ahead.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Got an address for you.

SAVIDGE: Todd Legler has to make that call from his truck while riding in the fire. It's based on training, experience and how he reads the land.

SAVIDGE: You can quickly read that terrain potentially dangerous for firefighters?

LEGGLER: Correct.

SAVIDGE: This terrain over here, simply different topography, safer?

LEGGLER: Correct.

SAVIDGE: That house could be saved?

LEGGLER: Correct.

SAVIDGE: This one you might have to let go?

LEGGLER: Yes.

SAVIDGE: Mike Garman also has a saying. After all, it's his crew fighting the flames. He reads the house itself.

MIKE GARMAN, ENGINE BOSS, BROADMOOR FIRE DEPT.: Stucco, wood, wood roofs, tile roof. If it's combustible materials, it is definitely going to be a harder home to defend.

SAVIDGE: That may sound cold or insensitive. But in the past, firefighters have stayed too long simply because it was a home and died trying to save it.

Another deciding factor is the big picture: balancing, say, saving a home versus saving a subdivision. That's James Shanel's (ph) call.

JAMES SHANEL (ph): Although a single resident and his property is dear to that person, we have to look at the overall picture of the community in general.

SAVIDGE: And remember, all of this from Todd to Mike to James is all done in just minutes in the heat and chaos of a roaring blaze. And they say it's never, ever easy.

It's going to be the difference in some cases of whether a homeowner comes home to a home or not.

LEGLER: It is a tough decision to make because you don't ever want to see any lose their home. But the tougher decision is will all the firefighters come home at the end of the day?

SAVIDGE: If they could, firefighters say they would save every home. The greatest pain is knowing they can't.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SAVIDGE: You know, Fredricka, when you're with those firefighters when they're going through the remains of the destroyed homes, the emotions going through them, they know it's somebody's house. They know it's somebody's life. And they don't look at it so much as a failure. They look at it like that house maybe was sacrificed so that many more, thousands more, could be saved. Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: A tough call to make. Martin Savidge, thanks so much.

All right. Just hours away now, get ready for a new way of waking up in the mornings. Tomorrow, the debut of CNN's morning show, "NEW DAY" with Chris Cuomo, Kate Bolduan, and Michaela Pereira. "NEW DAY" starts Monday morning 6:00 a.m., you don't want to miss it.

Did the NSA's surveillance programs really keep us safe from potential terrorist attacks? The president says yes. And we'll get more details about that this week. We'll have a preview.

And is it time to tip the scales in Syria? One influential lawmaker says yes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. This week, we expect to hear more about the National Security Agency's surveillance programs. The NSA leaks have left a lot of unanswered questions, including whether the data collection programs actually helped thwart any terrorist plots. Our Athena Jones is live for us now in Washington.

Athena, good to see you. Very windy there on the White House lawn. What are lawmakers saying today about the surveillance programs?

ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Fred. You're right, it's windy here. When it comes to lawmakers, it depends who you talk to. Of course, you have folks on both sides of the issue as with any issue. House Intelligence Committee chairman Mike Rogers was on STATE OF THE UNION this morning talking about this program. He says as more information comes out about just what kinds of plots these surveillance programs were able to help thwart, that will allay some of the concerns of the American people. Let's listen to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MIKE ROGERS, (R-MI), INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: I do think it helps because as people get a better feeling that this is a lockbox with only phone numbers, no names, no addresses in it. We've used it sparingly, it is absolutely overseen by the legislature, the judicial branch and the executive branch. Has lots of protections built in, if you can see the number of cases where we've actually stopped a plot, I think Americans will come to a different conclusion that all the misleading rhetoric I've heard over the last few weeks.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JONES: And so that's one side of the issue. On the other side, of course, you have people like Democratic senator Mark Udall from Colorado, who's really concerned about the millions and millions of data and length of phone calls that are being collected by Americans. He suggested today on "Meet the Press" that this could be a violation of the Fourth Amendment. He wants to see more limits put on the collection of this data. So, that's the debate going on right now, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Are there any expectations in the coming days?

JONES: Well, some of the information about the kinds of plots these surveillance programs have helped thwart is already trickling out. We know the NSA wants to make more data available -- broadly of course, not operational details.

One thing we learned from a declassified document that was released just yesterday was one plot thwarted with the help of these programs was the plot to bomb the New York subway system back in 2009. We know the government was listening in to calls or tracking calls, I should say, from Najibullah Zazi, the man who was ultimately convicted of that plot, which at the time called one of the most serious threats to the United States on the homeland since 2001, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Athena Jones, thanks so much from the White House.

JONES: Thanks.

WHITFIELD: The embattled leadership in Syria is a bit more isolated today. Egypt, once seen as a go-between, had announced it is sever verge diplomatic ties. Meanwhile, one congressional leader says he approves of the Obama administration's proposal to arm some of the Syrian rebels.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. ROBERT MENENDEZ (D-NJ), FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: The reality is we need to tip the scales, not simply to nudge them. And the president's moving in the right direction. And to a large degree ,this is about whether or not we exert American leadership with our allies abroad, both in the Gulf region and in Europe. A lot of what we might want to see done can be done through our allies if we direct them and tell them this is where we want to head.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: For more on Egypt's decision to pull away from Syria, here now is CNN's Frederik Pleitgen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's another blow to the Syrian government now that the Egyptians have said they are severing ties with Damascus and they are forcing Syria to close its embassy in Cairo. The Egyptians were always seen as something like a possible mediator between the Iranian interests and the interests of the rebels in the Syrian conflict. But now, of course, all of that seems to have gone away.

The mood here in Damascus is still one of defiance. Pro-government supporters that we've been speaking to say that they are still standing by the government, that if America wants to guest involved in this war, let them come. But nevertheless, of course, they are very concerned, and the government itself is concerned as well about the possible scale and scope of American intervention. And they're waiting to see what moves the U.S. takes next.

Now, one of the things that is bolstering the government in Damascus is the fact that the Russians continue to say they are not convinced by the evidence of possible chemical weapons use on the battlefield, and the Russians have said any sort of weapons delivery to the rebels would make a peace process very difficult.

Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Damascus.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: The alleged plotters of the 9/11 attacks are headed to a courtroom at Guantanamo Bay. We'll take you inside Gitmo, and you'll meet one of the inmates who has been on a hunger strike for almost four months now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Guantanamo Bay will be back in the spotlight this coming week. Starting tomorrow, there will be hearings for the alleged 9/11 conspirators. That includes suspected mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed. This comes at a time when some inmates at the detention facility had been on a hunger strike for several months now. Atika Shubert reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Detainee number 239 has lived within the barbed wire fences of Guantanamo for more than 11 years. Now, Shaker Aamer is one of 103 detainees on a hunger strike to close the prison down. This is what he wrote in response to questions from his lawyer. "I am not yet being force fed," he wrote. "The new procedure is to wait until people are really badly off and have physically harmed themselves, perhaps permanently, before force- feeding, which then just keep us barely alive as a husk of a human being." He went on, "I do not want to be force fed. I don't want to die, either. But this is a living death here in Guantanamo. So, if I have to risk death for principle, this is what I want to do."

(on camera): Shaker Aamer is a Saudi national, but he's also a British resident. He's never been charged with a crime, and he's been cleared for release twice but never freed. And as his letters to his lawyer in London show, he is no stranger to hunger strikes or being force fed.

(voice-over): "Back in 2005 or 2006, they used to leave the tube in my nose for days on end," he wrote. "Now they pull it out after every feed so detainees have 120 centimeters of tube shoved in and pulled out twice a day." He continues, "If someone vomits on himself as just happened, they carry on force-feeding him. It is very, very wrong."

The military says it is force-feeding inmates to keep them alive. But even President Obama has questioned the practice.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Look at the current situation where we are force-feeding detainees who are being held on a hunger strike. Is this who we are? Is that something our founders foresaw? Is that the America we want to leave our children?

SHUBERT: To understand conditions inside Guantanamo, we spoke to Moazzam Begg. Once a fellow inmate, he left Guantanamo in 2005. He now works with Cage Prisoners, a British advocacy group for those impacted by the war on terror.

MOAZZAM BEGG, OUTREACH DIRECTOR, CAGE PRISONERS: People are saying that they're protesting conditions, they're protesting the abuse of the Koran, the desecration of the Koran, that they're not getting clean drinking water, that they're getting strip-searched constantly, that they're being sprayed in their faces with pepper spray or rubber bullets are used against them. All of that is true. But that's not the primary reason they're doing this. They're doing this because there is no hope.

SHUBERT: Aamer believes the hunger strike will succeed, but he wonders what will happen when he see his wife, daughter and a son he has never met, born while he was in prison.

Here's how he believes the hunger strike will end. "By being set free -- and I believe it will happen very soon," he wrote. "But I do fear that when my children shout for daddy, I will not respond as I have been called 239 for so long, they may need to call me by a number for a while."

And he has this message from Washington. "This place is going to close. Either sooner or later," he wrote, "and it is going to be a stain on America's reputation that you start cleaning either sooner or later. Don't wait for too much later as there are going to be dead people down here, and that's not good for anyone." From Shaker Aamer's writing, a glimpse inside the Guantanamo hunger strike, now coming up on four months.

Atika Shubert, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Unclear whether the hunger strikes will impact the court proceedings this week. So, what can we suspects ahead of tomorrow's hearings? Joining us now, a former appointing authority for military commissions on Guantanamo detainees. Retired General John Altenburg, good to see you. And Guantanamo reporter for "The Miami Herald," Carol Rosenberg, joining us by way of phone.

So, Carol, let's get with you, since you are there. Lots of procedural motions that must be addressed in this first week. So through it all, is it expected that 9/11 suspected mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed will be brought into the courtroom as early as tomorrow? And if so, what is he expected to look like?

CAROL ROSENBERG, GUANTANAMO REPORTER, "THE MIAMI HERALD" (on the phone): Yes, Fredricka. This will be the first time we see the five men accused of the September 11 attack since February before this hunger strike began. So, the first thing we're looking for is are any of these five men on a hunger strike? We have been told the military will not include them in their figures and that what is going on in their prison is a secret. So, the first thing is we'll get a glimpse tomorrow morning.

And then we get about five days of legal motions. There are 17 on the docket at the moment. And not any of them will likely refer to anything that happened on September 11, 2001. These are going to be legal motions that will set conditions for the eventual trial before military officers. These are going to be legal motions that will set conditions for the eventual trial before military officers. Questions of the integrity of the process, an effort by the defense lawyers to throw out the charge sheet.

The most interesting testimony may come tomorrow from General Altenburg's successor, retired Admiral Bruce McDonald, who will talk about the way he set up this trial and the charging process more than a year ago when they were brought for arraignment.

WHITFIELD: So, General Altenburg, then to you. What are your expectations on how this will all be played out? And are all of these enemy combatants, or at least these suspects, are they being represented by U.S. military attorneys?

GEN. ALTENBURG, (RET.), FMR. APPOINTING AUTHORITY FOR MILITARY COMMISSIONS: I believe they're -- all five are represented both by detailed military defense counsel, and I think they each have at least one if not more civilian defense counsels. In addition to possibly representatives from their country. So, they're all pretty well represented in terms of numbers and the quality of that representation.

WHITFIELD: Do you think there will be a potential conflict they're being represented by both, then, counsel that might be coming from their country as well as U.S. military counsel?

ALTENBURG: I think all defense attorneys know the challenge of having a good relationship with the defendant and with gaining their confidence. And I think military counsel especially are concerned about that because they represent the military, and a lot of defendants don't realize that their sole responsibility is to the accused, to their clients, so to speak. It takes a while for some people to understand that and to gain that confidence. Now, it's even more serious or more dramatic, I think, for people representing terrorists from another country -- or alleged terrorists, if you will --

WHITFIELD: And what kind of time -

ALTENBURG: So, they have the challenge to --

WHITFIELD: Go ahead. Sorry.

ALTENBURG: I was just going to say, they know the challenge and it's been very demanding since 2003 when most of these commissions got started. And the defense lawyers know how to do that. They know how to work with clients and try to gain their trust and confidence. And it's apparent that's happened in most of these cases. WHITFIELD: So, General, what kind of time do you suppose may -- especially face-to-face, real, interpersonal time that may have been spent between these defendants and their counsel, whether it be the U.S. military appointed ones or those from their country?

ALTENBURG: I have no way of knowing for certain, but I think they're able to spend hours at a time together. Of course, the logistics are tough going Guantanamo. But they have access to each other when the defense lawyers are down there.

WHITFIELD: And then it brings to the issue of these reported listening devices, that there may have been some listening devices present while attorneys and defendants were meeting. But then there's also response these listening devices might not have been used. Might this complicate matters in your view?

ALTENBURG: Well, it certainly complicates matters because there will always be motions in that regard. It's my understanding there are places where only attorney and client meetings can take place, and in those places, there are no listening devices, and that the listening devices that were at issue were in joint-use facilities where they're also used for interrogations and other interviews in addition to client-defendant interviews. And it's my understanding also that those devices were never in operation when there were attorney-client meetings.

WHITFIELD: All right. General John Altenburg, thanks for your time. And Carol Rosenberg, keep us posted as you will be in those proceedings, beginning as early as tomorrow. Thanks so much to both of you.

All right, he is the most American of the superheroes, would you agree? Superman of the new "Man of Steel" is out this weekend. And it's just the latest version of this comic book franchise. So, what keeps people so interested?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: U.S. lawmakers are speaking outs on the NSA leaks. The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee said the NSA has not been listening to Americans' phone calls. The security agency has reportedly said that it collects only basic data of phone calls. This week, we expect to hear more about the National Security Agency surveillance programs.

Tomorrow, President Barack Obama and other world leaders gather at the G8 summit at a meeting at a secluded golf resort on an island. On the agenda, what to do about the civil war in Syria, the global economic crisis, and international trade? So who's at the table, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, Britain, and, of course, the United States?

Back in this country, flames from a destructive wildfire in Colorado are now dying down and firefighters have more than 60 percent of it contained. Now the big task is letting families get back to their homes. Nearly 500 homes were destroyed in that wildfire and many families have not been able to get in to see the damage from their homes.

Nelson Mandela continues to get better according to South African President Jacob Zuma. In an address today, Zuma said Mandela is still in serious condition but he is improving. The former South African leader was rushed to the hospital last weekend with a recurring lung infection.

Who better to bless your Harley Davidson than the pope? Pope Francis did just that for thousands of Harley Davidson riders who rode into St. Peter's Square today. His blessing was part of the bike maker's 110th anniversary celebrations in Rome.

All right, no kryptonite for Superman this weekend at the Box Office. Estimated ticket sales put "Man Of Steel" at the top of the heap with a whopping $125 million. The next closest was "This Is The End" at more than $20 million. The top five were rounded out by "Now You See Me," "Fast and Furious 6," and "The Purge."

I should point out that Warner Brothers, which made "Man of Steel" and CNN are both owned by Time Warner. The Superman story is a classic of pop culture, but this particular version is markedly different from ones before. Here is CNN's Brooke Baldwin.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN CORRESPONDNT (voice-over): Superman has long been at home on the small screen. There was Lois and Clark in the '90s, "Smallville" and "The Otts," both successes. But on the big screen it's a different story. This weekend after decades of missteps, Warner Brothers is taking another shot at establishing a Superman franchise with "Man of Steel."

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's the "s" stand for?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's not an "s." In my world it means hope.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, here it's an "s."

BALDWIN: Why has it been so hard? It started off well enough in 1978 when "Superman" the movie ushered in the era of the superhero franchise. Christopher Reeve really did make us believe a man could fly. The movie did take liberties, like when Superman reversed the earth's rotation to stop Lois Lane from dying. Why wouldn't he do that every time something horrible happens?

"Superman 2" has its fans. Terrence Stamp was a great zod despite looking like McFleetwood on the cover of "Rumors." But there were huge battles behind the camera, the original's director, Richard Donner, was fired after finishing most of the principal photography. Richard Lester of "A Hard Day's Night" fame was brought in to finish.

And then there were moments like this. Just try that kind of revision with today's comic book crowd. "Superman 3" is where the franchise went off the rails. No Lex Luther. Robert Vaughn's generic villain subbed in for Gene Hackman. Lois is barely in it. Both Hackman and Margo Kidder were reportedly angry over Donner's firing on number two. What's Richard Pryor doing in this? But it was the box office kryptonite of "Superman 4, The Quest for Peace," that buried the franchise for two decades. By that point, Slock Factory Cannon Films had the rights, Hackman returned looking like the producers were holding a loved one hostage. The special effects are one step above kids with action figures and a camcorder.

Warner tried unsuccessfully to revive the series in the late '90s. Tim Burton was attached to direct with Nicolas Cage set to dawn the cape because when you think all powerful superhuman, you think of this guy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not the bees! Not the bees!

BALDWIN: Here's a purported costume test with Cage. Yikes. Comic super fan Kevin Smith was hired to write the script, but quickly found himself bogged down by ludicrous producer demands.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Three things. One, I don't want to see him in that suit. Two, I don't want to see him fly, and three, he's got to fight a giant spider in the third act.

BALDWIN: In the Ots Warner Brothers tried again but struggled with its vision. J.J. Abrams even scripted a version in which krypton never blew up. Ashton Kutcher, Josh Hartnet even Will Smith, practically every actor in Hollywood that could walk upright and speak English was considered.

Producers settled on Brandon Ralph. Who? Everyone asked and are still asking. Director Brian Singer ditched the X-Men franchise to direct 2006's "Superman Returns." Singer's concept, pretend like "Superman 3 and 4" never happened, way ahead of you, Brian. But it was a confusing concept to sell to audiences. Even Singer took liberties. He gave Superman a son with Lois. How would that work?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: His kryptonian biological makeup is enhanced by the --

BALDWIN: The movies have never totally gotten Superman, that most American of superheroes. He's an ideal. The way we'd like to think of ourselves, patriotic, benevolent, but don't screw with us. Let's face it. No one fantasizes about being Clark Kent.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The glasses, the business suit, that's the costume. That's the costume that Superman wears to blend in with us.

BALDWIN: Your move, Zack Snyder. You've got a lot of people hoping you can make us believe a man can fly, again.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: OK, all the best. The 40th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards happening tonight, honoring the best in soaps, talk shows and children's entertainment. Robin Meade and A.J. Hammer of our sister network, HLN, are among the hosts. CBS is the most nominated network mostly for the "Young and The Restless." But CNN is in the mix as well with our very own "Sanjay Gupta, MD" nominated for outstanding special class series. You can watch the Daytime Emmy Awards on HLN starting 8:00 p.m. this evening with special coverage from the red carpet at 7:30 Eastern Time.

All right, for "Beatles" fans, it's a dream come true. Ringo Starr takes us on a new tour of his new exhibit at the Grammy Museum. So much cool stuff, we'll show it all to you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Millions of girls around the world are fighting to get access to basic education. We're taking a look at this issue straight ahead tonight on CNN's film "Girl Rising." A man who knows a thing or two about money, billionaire Warren Buffet said education is an investment worth making. He explains why to Poppy Harlow.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

POPPY HARLOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What is the economic argument for investing in women's education first here in America?

WARREN BUFFETT, CEO, BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY: The economic argument for investing in education generally is to enable people to rise to their potential. I mean, anybody who doesn't get a chance to fulfill their potential, you know, is being shortchanged. When they're shortchanged the country is shortchanged too. If we were only educating people through the eighth grade, we'll say, in this country for some reason. You know, they would suffer and America would suffer in a huge way. You can't leave lots of people below their potential and reach your potential as a country.

HARLOW: On the question of investing in girl's education around the world, how important is it? Does it pay off?

BUFFETT: Well, it pays off for society to enable anybody to come close to their potential. I mean, just think of the great people that existed, you know, throughout our own country's lifetime. If they'd been held back in any way it would have been a great loss to the country. So we want everybody to find their potential. That's a goal we'll never reach.

But striving toward it is very important. It's important in the United States and important in the world. We can't influence that to any great degree in many countries. I believe in women's reproductive freedom because I don't think a woman has a chance -- many women would not have chance to reach the potential they want to reach unless they do have reproductive freedom. We support that big-time around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: CNN film's "Girl Rising" premiers tonight 9:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific and if you'd like to read Mr. Buffett's essay on women, go to fortune.com All right, this is one heck of a day, it's his birthday and it's Father's Day, and it could be d-day Phil Mickelson wins the U.S. Open? Well, talk about a birthday present!

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WHITFIELD: All right, the pressure is on. The final round of the U.S. Open is currently under way and all eyes are on Phil Mickelson, who was leading after three rounds. He'll tee off at 3:20 Eastern Time. If he wins, this would be Michelson's first U.S. Open trophy. Today, by the way, is also his birthday. What a day that would be.

All right now to some other big headlines in sports. Here's Andy Scholes with this "Bleacher Report."

ANDY SCHOLES, "BLEACHER REPORT": Hi, Fredricka. What would a Bruin- Blackhawks Stanley Cup Finals game be without overtime? Three days after their three-overtime thriller in the open, Boston and Chicago again were tied after regulation in game two and they would play more than 13 minutes into overtime before Boston's Daniel Paille. Boston takes game two 2-1 to even the series at game apiece. The series now shifts to Boston for game three tomorrow night.

The scary moment last night in the Royals-Rays game, in the fifth inning Eric Hazmer is going to hit this pitch right back at Alex Cobb, strikes him in the head near his right ear. Cobb was taken out on a stretcher, but did remain conscious the entire way to the hospital. All tests were normal and Cobb was diagnosed with a concussion. From the hospital, Cobb actually tweeted, can't thank everyone enough for the prayers. It was the only way for me to get out of there OK and look forward getting back out there.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is accused of stealing one of the most prized possessions in the U.S. Patriots' owner, Robert Kraft said Putin stole his diamond encrusted Super Bowl ring during a 2005 meeting in Russia. That's according to a report in the "New York Post." Kraft said he tried to get the White House to intervene, but was told it was better to say it was gift in the interest of U.S.- Russian relations. While Putin spokesman maintains the ring was indeed a gift. That will do it for the "Bleacher Report." Fredericka, back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much, Andy. For the very latest in news and sports, go to bleacher report.com.

He's probably the most famous drummer in the world. Ringo Starr is showing off all kinds of stuff from the Beatles and beyond. We will take you on tour right here in the NEWSROOM.

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WHITFIELD: The Beatles spent their formative years with a drummer named Pete Best. In 1962, just before the Beatles hit it big, Best was fired and replaced by a little known guy named Richard Starkey also known as Ringo. Well, 50 years later, Ringo Starr escorted our Tory Dunnan through his personal collection of Beatle Mania now on display in Los Angeles.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RINGO STARR, BEATLES: And you press the basement panel --

TORY DUNNAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right here?

STARR: Look how easy.

DUNNAN (voice-over): A drum lesson from Ringo Starr? It happened when the rock 'n' roll hall of famer took us on a tour of his new exhibit at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles.

(on camera): From the outside everyone is looking on at the Beatles and they can't imagine what it is like to have been one.

STARR: No, they can't. I couldn't really ever explain it to you.

DUNNAN (voice-over): But now fans can put the pieces together themselves by looking at the man behind the music, his drums, his wardrobe and even his personal belongings.

(on camera): I love this here, this postcard you wrote to your mom, at the bottom.

STARR: I know. Call me Ringo Starr because it wasn't getting through when, you know, I'm Richard Starkey to your mother I'm Richard.

DUNNAN: You got your name by the rings you're wearing.

STARR: I did. In Liverpool everyone sort of got a nickname.

DUNNAN: Would you ever change the name that you chose?

STARR: No.

DUNNAN: Never?

STARR: No, I'm Ringo. Hello, Ringo.

DUNNAN (voice-over): This drum kit is from the Beatles first American appearance in '64 on "The Ed Sullivan Show."

(on camera): What do you think of when you see that?

STARR: I think of an incredible moment of coming to America. Even on the plane, you could feel New York buzzing.

DUNNAN: Do you ever wear any of this stuff?

STARR: Yes, I wear them around the house. No.

DUNNAN (voice-over): Starr even drummed up and developed a book of negatives. These are all photos he's taken during the Beatles' hay day.

STARR: We're in the big, fancy hotel in Paris and George is washing his hands and just took our shirts and do it like that.

DUNNAN: For those who are inspired to become drummers.

(on camera): You're going to see my lack of musical talent.

STARR: You and many others.

DUNNAN (voice-over): Then, arguably the most influential drummer in all of rock 'n' roll crushed me like a bug.

STARR: You should play guitar.

DUNNAN: Not everyone can be Ringo Starr. Tory Dunnan, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: That's why there's only one.

So we're just one day away now from the premiere of our all new morning show right here on CNN. It's called "NEW DAY" and it begins tomorrow morning at 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time. Chris Cuomo, Kate Bolduan and Michaela Pereira will be starting your day with everything you need to know. You don't want to miss it, tomorrow morning, "NEW DAY."

All right, North Korea wants high level talks with the U.S. Pyongyang says they want to ease tensions, but Washington has its own response to the suggestion.

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WHITFIELD: North Korea reportedly wants high level talks with the U.S. The country's state run television made the offer today and said nuclear issues could be part of the discussions. Washington has not formally responded, but a senior administration official says the U.S. will discuss it with Japan and South Korea.

Flash floods in Missouri left cars trapped in deep water. Their drivers stranded as much 9 inches or 10 inches of rain fell near Springfield yesterday. The flood water has moved fast taking over roads and neighborhoods. Some people say they spent their Saturdays pumping out their basements.

He leaked secrets about the government surveillance programs and now he's hiding. But can Edward Snowden really stay hidden in this digital age? Find out in our 4:00 p.m. Eastern hour.

And then at 5:00, they're not in love, they're not married, but they are raising children together. Meet a new kind of modern family, all that straight ahead. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. But up next, will a world economy in turmoil derail America's economic comeback? Christine Romans has answers. "YOUR MONEY" starts right now.