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Stay Or Go? Scotland Votes On U.K. Divorce; Ukraine's President Meets With Obama; Source: Doc To The Stars Did Rivers' Biopsy

Aired September 18, 2014 - 15:30   ET

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


(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: You're watching CNN. I'm Brooke Baldwin. See it. Scotland votes. Scots are voting on an issue very familiar to Americans, breaking away from the Brits, anyone?

That's right. Scotland may decide in an election today to separate from the United Kingdom and go on its own. Some 4 million people are expected to answer the question should Scotland be an independent country.

The survey have six polls says ultimately the answer will be no. Here are the numbers, 52 percent say no, 48 percent say yes, so pretty close.

Let's take you to Scotland to CNN's Max Foster. Max, I am hearing 97 percent voter turnout. That's nuts.

MAX FOSTER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, there is 97 percent of the people who could vote registered to vote. So they had intention to vote. We've only got anecdotal evidence so far, but certainly the polling stations were much busier than they would be for general election or something like that.

Really impassioned debate here has been going on for two years, Brooke. So they've certainly been waiting for this day. We talk about polling stations on islands scattered around Scotland and also big urban centers. So a truly epic event here for Scotland.

Some of these far flung islands, you know, you have to get to them by plane and there's been some heavy fog so there's been some delays. We do expect the results to come through just over 10 hours from now.

As you said, such a simple question, isn't it? But it does go back on more than 300 years of history and has all sorts of complications wrapped around it.

BALDWIN: So you know, you're there. You're talking to people. It's one thing to look at numbers and look at the polls, but you know, I was reading in the paper somebody flew home from a job in Massachusetts just so she could vote. This is so important to so many people there.

FOSTER: It really is. For a long time the campaign for independence was doing really well on working from the ground up and eventually caught up with a no campaign. We got to a point where it's literally neck and neck.

But you have this large group of voters that couldn't decide. More than 10 percent, up to 17 percent according to some polls and they're the ones that even yesterday couldn't decide, which way they were going to go. Is it a yes or no?

I think they are wavering between the two because the arguments are really compelling on both sides. But really what the pro-independent separatist talking about is saying, look, it's very simple.

You want to bring control to where it's being -- if you want control of your destiny, control of your country, those decisions should be made here in Scotland. They shouldn't be made in London. Those London politicians are very, very unpopular here.

A lot of them particularly David Cameron so they played on that as well. We don't know which way it will go because polls haven't been done on this sort of thing before. Very young voters, 16 year olds are also voting for the first time. We can't rely completely rely on them.

BALDWIN: OK, we can rely on the results, which we'll be waiting for. Max Foster, thank you very much in Scotland on this historic vote here. Some would say disliking that British is part of being Scottish and yet the U.K. flag wouldn't exist without the blue of Scotland's St. Andrew's cross.

The love-hate existence as it were has been around for generations. The two joined together in 1707. What changed that led to today's vote? I have Erin Burnett sitting next to me, anchor of "OUTFRONT." You were recently in Scotland. I heard you did hard reporting in pubs talking to the people. Tell me --

ERIN BURNETT, CNN ANCHOR, "OUTFRONT": That's where you have to go to get the answer. I was in a part of Scotland, in a very remote part. I think there is a difference between what you see in the rural parts of Scotland and what you see in cities like you would in this country.

It tends to be in the countryside there was a more independent streak that what we saw. But what we saw was a really big age difference. Older people and anyone over 55, much more resigned to here's the benefits. Vote with your head and not the heart and stay with U.K.

But the younger voters, the ones we met in the pub, they were adamant -- well, I'll just show a couple of them.

BALDWIN: Roll it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: What's the big reasons you are voting yes for independence?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's no way Scotland will not do well as an independent country.

BURNETT: Do you think older people are voting no and the younger people your age are voting yes?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If the vote was taken today, it would be yes. It would be independent Scotland. We're just a small minority of the population. It's the people in the cities that really make the difference and they're the ones that will vote no.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNETT: So there you see it. But you know, even the younger voters, everyone made a big deal of now if you're 16 years old you can vote. Some of the latest reporting on that has shown that the majority of them are now leaning toward staying, which was a bit of a surprise.

Because they were afraid it would take another few years to join the E.U. You know, you leave the U.K. then what happens for a few years. They are essentially in limbo.

BALDWIN: Divorce process as it were takes something like 16 to 19 months before it all shakes out any way.

BURNETT: Exactly, it takes time. Experts say, yes, it would be bumpy, but Scotland would be OK. It would be OK. The world would be OK. But it would change Britain and it would change Britain's economy. It could, for example, because the nuclear sub fleet is kept in Scotland.

They really don't like that. That's something the Scots really have been frustrated with. It's not an easy thing to move. If that were to move, Britain could lose power.

Britain could theoretically lose its seat in the Security Council. It could be a very significant thing, but we'll see how they -- if the head or the heart rules.

BALDWIN: You have more at 7:00?

BURNETT: Yes, we'll have more at 7:00. Good to see you.

BALDWIN: Erin, thank you very much. "OUTFRONT" tonight at 7:00 Eastern here on CNN.

And now to this, CNN has learned the identity of that doctor that began the biopsy on Joan Rivers' vocal cords and the same doctor who apparently snapped that selfie in the O.R. Who is she? What connection does she have to Rivers and other celebrities? That's coming up. Stay with me.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: All right, just quickly, we're getting some video in. President Obama meeting with the president of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko. Let's take a look.

(SPEECH OF PRESIDENT OBAMA)

BALDWIN: The handshake. Let's take you to the White House just for a little context with our correspondent there, Michelle Kosinski here. So we have both as we are looking at Petro Poroshenko, the president of Ukraine meeting with President Obama. He addressed Congress earlier today.

The president talking about supporting Ukraine, its sovereignty not just in word but indeed. We know the United States is helping giving millions to Ukraine as far as security goes, but stopping short as far as offering what Ukraine has requested as far as lethal aid.

MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that was interesting. I mean, today, we saw Poroshenko before both houses of Congress, give this impassioned speech calling on the world to stand up for democracy, freedom and human dignity.

And then saying, well, you know, these people who are fighting in Ukraine, it's not only Ukraine's war. This is the war of the free world, the free world. He's getting all of this applause. He makes his pitch.

He says but they can't fight it with blankets and night vision goggles. That's what everyone has been giving them to help them out. They need lethal aid. He got some big applause in Congress for that statement as well. Even some top Democrats in Congress have been calling on the president to give that lethal aid to Ukraine. Even small arms and ammunition.

But so far the White House has not done that. In fact, today the White House announced a bigger aid package to Ukraine, $53 more million and a total of more than $300 million this year. It will help the army.

I mean, it's more equipment, vehicles. Bomb disposing robots. Body armor but not lethal aid. The question is why? The White House says they think that this does not have a military solution ultimately and it would be a big challenge to try to arm the Ukrainian army to win ultimately against Russian backed separatists.

Basically they don't think that Ukraine can win against Russia so they're not going to get involved in doing that. I think what might be more telling is something that the White House has said in the past that the White House doesn't want to fight a proxy war against Russia -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: Michelle Kosinski, thank you very much. We need to note that Wolf Blitzer will be sitting down interviewing President Poroshenko so look for that at 5:00 p.m. here on CNN on "THE SITUATION ROOM." We're back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: We are now learning a lot more about what happened in the moments before Joan Rivers went into cardiac arrest at a New York clinic last month. This doctor to the stars, an alleged selfie with the sedated comedian, some pretty shocking details here.

Our Susan Candiotti has been working all of this for us. When we say doctor to the stars, who is this woman?

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, a very well know certainly in the theatriful community, I'll tell you that. Her name is Dr. Gwen Korovin and she's widely known in celebrity circles as the ear, nose, and throat doctor to a bunch of celebrities.

One of her most famous clients is singer, Celine Dion. Dr. Korovin was featured in a documentary about the singer. The doctor is seen examining Celine Dion's vocal cords. It's really quite remarkable.

Even today on television, talk show host, Wendy Williams showed a video of her own with Dr. Korovin on a spot she did with the doctor. There are many other Broadway actors and performers among her clients, including Hugh Jackman, Lady Gaga and John Mayer.

We maybe even seeing several tweets written about her by the stars in the past citing, in their words, her amazing work. Many celebrity pictures line her office walls as seen in a "Daily News" article that was filed last year.

Today, the doctor's lawyer issued a statement following our reporting on the alleged selfie. It reads in part, "Dr. Korovin is highly experienced, board-certified, respected and admired by her peers revered by her patients," end quote.

It adds because of her personal and professional policy, she, quote, "Does not publicly discuss her patients or their care and treatment." The statement goes on to say, privacy laws forbid her from discussing her patients.

And therefore, she will not comment on all of the media reports we've been hearing about, including our own reporting about Joan Rivers being under anesthesia and this alleged selfie being taken. They don't address the word selfie at all in the statement.

BALDWIN: Do we know why she was in the clinic that day?

CANDIOTTI: We do. She was there during an endoscopy that was being done by Joan Rivers' gastroenterologist. During the course of that procedure, that is when staffers told investigators, according to our source, that while Rivers was under anesthesia, that a selfie was taken allegedly by Dr. Korovin.

Now, this biopsy that had been begun by Dr. Korovin, that's when our source tells us that they noticed swelling beginning on the vocal chords and then Rivers went into cardiac arrest.

But one of the questions is, we are told by our source that Korovin was not certified to perform any kind of a procedure at that clinic. She is licensed, of course, to be a doctor, but was not certified to be in that clinic doing a procedure.

BALDWIN: Don't you know that family wants to get to the bottom of what happened to her. Susan, thank you so much for all of your sources and your reporting on this.

CANDIOTTI: It's important to note that no doctors have been accused of any wrongdoing.

BALDWIN: Glad you pointed that out. Thank you very much.

And coming up tonight, CNN is airing a special film about the notorious Boston mobster, James "Whitey" Bulger who is serving life in prison for murder, for racketeering. It examines the stone cold killer's complicated relationship with the FBI.

One time, Whitey Bulger wasn't only on the agency's most wanted list, he was also an informant.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Prosecutors described James "Whitey" Bulger as the center of mayhem and murder lasting for 30 years and the boss of Boston's notorious, Winter Hill gang, a man so dangerous that he joined Osama Bin Laden and the FBI's most wanted list.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was the gang that ran amuck. You have people who are being extorted. Talk to having shotgun barrels stuck in their mouths, machine guns pointed at their groin.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Body bags shown. It was absolute terror.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Back then, '70s, '80s, people were missing every day. If he didn't come home, he's a dead man.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: More than 16 years would pass before federal agents finally captured the 85-year-old kingpin in 2011. He had been hiding in plain sight living in Santa Monica in an apartment with his girlfriend.

John "Red" Shea was an enforcer in Bulger's Winter Hill gang. You wrote a book called "Rat Bastards, The Life and Times of Boston's Most Honorable Irish Mobster." He joins me live from Boston. Red, good to see you again.

JOHN "RED" SHEA, FORMER MOBSTER, AUTHOR OF "RAT BASTARDS": Good to see you, Brooke and thanks for having me on.

BALDWIN: You got it. So I mean, we covered the trial, that jury found Bulger guilty of 11 murders. He is appealing his conviction. Do you think, Red, he's feeling any remorse?

SHEA: I wouldn't say he's really feeling remorse. I think he's angry because he's not the one getting the attention and stuff like that. I know he would like to have a book, but he can't write anything because of the son of Sam laws. Because he's got a big ego.

So I don't think he has remorse for anyone other than him not being the center of attention and being able to speak out and be who he is on a stage without being called an informant or a rat.

That said, yes, I think he's eating himself away or it's eating him away, while he's sitting in that prison cell. BALDWIN: Do you think when you talk about his ego, if you were to go visit him, you sit across from him, Red, what kind of questions would you ask?

SHEA: I'm not sure I could actually control myself for the betrayal that he had done to me personally. And, of course, I would never --

BALDWIN: How do you mean?

SHEA: I mean, a betrayal of knowing the investigation that was going on at the time and me being in the forefront and running the drug organization and him knowing all of this, unbeknownst to me of the investigation, him telling me to stay there and to keep working hard. Because he knew this investigation was going on and he needed to feed the government information and so he gave them his own loyal man.

BALDWIN: All these years later, Red Shea, you still sound pretty mad.

SHEA: It's something that -- I wouldn't say it eats away at me every day. By no means does it. But I can say this, if I had seen him personally, I don't think I'd be able to hold my temper, Brooke. I think we've talked with this before. We've talked about "Rat Bastards" and what I would do if I had seen him. Of course, that was in my dream.

BALDWIN: You told me in your dreams you'd snap his neck. I'll never forget that interview with you, Red Shea. Thank you so much. As always, I wish you the very best of luck and also with your book.

Just to tell all of you, make sure you watch this film tonight, one word, "Whitey" tonight at 9:00 on CNN.

I'm Brooke Baldwin. Thank you so much for being with me here on this Thursday. Let's take you up to Washington now to Jake Tapper. "THE LEAD," starts right now.