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Officer Who Drew A Gun On Teens In McKinney, Texas Now On Administrative Leave; Highest Ranking Transgender Veteran Will Walk Into Pentagon Tomorrow Wearing Female Uniform; South Florida Hospital To Suspend Elective Open Heart Surgery On Children. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired June 08, 2015 - 15:30   ET

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


(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[15:30:00] UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They are here to protect and serve. They were doing their jobs. I think he deserves a medal for what he did, I really do. I don't believe he was out of line. Those kids were taunting them and cursing them out, have no respect for authority and as soon as their parents got here, they didn't even care one bit about how they were treating the officers and why they got into that situation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN HOST: Brittany, I want to you respond to that, about how she thinks the officer deserves a medal and how you, too, say everyone's anger is justified here.

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: To Brittany.

BRITTANY PACKNETT, MEMBER, FERGUSON COMMISSION: I think what's really important to remember is these are children. And if you cannot look at a child at any child and see yourself or your own children, you have no business being in a position of authority in a community, especially one that wears a badge and can wield a gun.

You know, it is unfortunate that this woman holds their perception and I've continued to hear perceptions like that quite frequently but when you watch that film, you see a young girl walking away and being dragged back to the grass and when I see a 14-year-old young African- American woman with braids in her hair, I see myself, I see my own cousins (INAUDIBLE) and children that I work with quite frequently. There was absolutely nothing that any of those children did to deserve that kind of response and that blatant assault on their lives.

BALDWIN: Harry, what about the other officers? If you see an officer who maybe is acting not entirely proportionately to what's happening, is it your responsibility to pull that officer back?

HARRY HOUCK, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Sure. I mean, I would do that. You can see when that officer pulled his gun and he started chasing those kids, those other two officers came near him. I think that maybe one of those officers said to him, hey, listen, what are you doing? Put your gun back into your holster.

BALDWIN: I wondered.

HOUCK: I think that's probably what was happening. But I'm not sure. You can see -- let me state, a lot of the officers are clear thinking and level-headed in what they are doing here except for this one officer. So I don't know what, you know, what the catalyst is for this one officer that act crazy on the scene was. I don't think it's a racial thing, though. I tell you right now. I don't think, Brooke, I'm not so sure if this is a racial thing. There's no way we can actually say that.

BALDWIN: Go ahead, Brittany, final word.

PACKNETT: I think it's important to remember that we have to have a systemic conversation about policing in this country. Yes, this is one video and one officer. But in San Antonio, seven percent of the population is African-American and 44 percent of the victims of police homicide. And so, what we know is that those kids were scared for a reason and that police, not just in Texas but all over the country, need to be held accountable for their actions.

HOUCK: That's something you're not mentioning. A justified shooting in San Antonio.

PACKNETT: Certainly.

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: It is primarily white. But, no, I understand. I understand both of your perspectives. And again, this officer is on administrative leave. They are investigating. We'll see what happens. There are a lot of dots that need to be connected.

Brittany Packnett, thank you. Harry, as always, I appreciate you very much.

PACKNETT: Thank you.

HOUCK: Thank you.

BALDWIN: Next, a huge development today after a CNN investigation into this one procedure and the infant death rate at one Florida hospital. That's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:37:30] BALDWIN: A south Florida hospital says it's now suspending elective open heart surgery on children. It will also conduct a full review of its program but what is significant is this. This decision comes after a CNN investigation calculated the hospital's program had a mortality rate for open heart surgeries three times higher than the national average.

Let me bring in our CNN senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen with more on this major announcement. I mean, I remember when you were talking about this hospital, you know, way back in the day. You guys have followed this all the way through. Who conducts the review here?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: The hospital conducts the review, Brooke. They are calling it an internal review that will use some external experts. And so, they haven't been specific about that and who the internal people are going to be, who the external people are going to be. They haven't said how long it's going to take them to do this review but they are saying no more elective surgeries or pediatric heart surgeries until they are done with it.

BALDWIN: What are the families saying?

COHEN: You know, the families are saying that they are glad. One woman who lost her 10-month-old daughter after having heart surgery there, she was just sobbing on the phone with me, really tears of joy. She said I wanted my daughter's life to mean something and she feels like now it did because they have said no to elective surgeries.

But she did pause and she said what do they mean by elective surgeries? Elective is not a - it is not -- there's no really strict definition of elective. And so, there's some concern among the parents I've talked to that there's going to be some -- that that word may be in the eye of the beholder and they are really hoping that the hospital truly, truly does stop doing these surgeries.

BALDWIN: Stay on it because I know you and your medical crew will.

Elizabeth Cohen, thank you very much.

COHEN: Thanks.

BALDWIN: Next, one woman is about to make a big statement on the military's transgender policy. She served for 34 years. She only transitioned from a man to a woman after she retired. She will join me live to tell her incredible story and tell me how she's taking a stand story tomorrow, of all places, at the Pentagon.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:43:52] BALDWIN: One of President Obama's answer at the G-7 summit is raising some eyebrows today, the meeting taking place on the side lines in the summit in Germany. President Obama met with Iraq's prime minister. Following that meeting the president faced reporters and gave an honest assessment of efforts to defeat ISIS.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We don't yet have a complete strategy because it requires commitments on the part of the Iraqis as well. The political agenda of inclusion remains as important as the military fight that's out there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Much more on that coming up on "The LEAD" with Jake Tapper.

Let's talk about this. The military uniform here represents the brave men and women serving in the United States armed forces. But now, one veteran intends to make sure it also represents the brave transgender men and women who have dedicated their lives to serve.

Colonel Sheri Swokowski, the highest ranking transgender veteran will walk into the Pentagon tomorrow wearing her breast and brave and become the first woman to wear a U.S. armed forces infantry uniform anywhere, let alone the halls of the Pentagon. That's because women are not allowed to serve in the infantry. But tomorrow, at tomorrow's pentagon pride event, the colonel will use this uniform to serve as a testament to the estimated 15,000 transgender people serving in the military.

And this isn't the only ground-breaking moment. The air force is easing its policy against transgender troop members.

So, Colonel Sheri Swokowski joins me now from Washington, D.C. to share her story.

Colonel, and honor and privilege to have you on, thank you.

[15:45:27] SHERI SWOKOWSKI (RET.), HIGHEST RANKING TRANSGENDER VETERAN IN U.S.: Thank you. It is good to be with you, Brooke.

BALDWIN: I want to ask about this Pentagon pride event in just a moment. But, first, you know, in reading all about you, the word that kept popping up to me about you was authentic, as in how you describe yourself now as a woman as your authentic self. And in all of those 34 years as an infantry soldier, can you explain moments when you didn't feel authentic?

SWOKOWSKI: Brooke, you're cutting out a little bit. I think you wanted me to address how I felt during the 34 years as a soldier?

BALDWIN: Yes. And how you didn't feel like your authentic self.

SWOKOWSKI: Yes. Well, it was hard. It was very difficult. Being in the infantry is hard enough the way it is. But I was living the army values and part of that requires putting the organization ahead of your personal interests and that's exactly what I did.

As an infantry company commander, I knew the importance of taking care of my soldiers and making life as easy as possible for them. And I often look back at it and wonder how much better a person, an NCO and an officer I could have been, had I been allowed to transition and be authentic while serving.

BALDWIN: Did any men have any idea or treat you differently those 34 years?

SWOKOWSKI: Again, I think you asked me if I was treated any differently. Is that what you asked me?

BALDWIN: Yes. Sorry about the lackluster technology at the moment. SWOKOWSKI: Yes. No problem. I don't think I would have been treated

any differently or I was treated any differently. I had deeply suppressed this for decades in order to be the best person I could at my job.

BALDWIN: As we mentioned, the army infantry doesn't yet alone women, but tomorrow at this Pentagon pride event you'll be wearing a female army service uniform with your infantry gold cross rifle insignia. No one has ever done that before.

SWOKOWSKI: Correct. This is unique. And the reason for that being is that the army has only just begun changing gender markers on discharge certificates. So I received an updated DD-214 a couple of months ago that reads Sheri Swokowski, colonel infantry. So - well, this year, instead of wearing a civilian business suit to pride like I did last year, I'll be in uniform and I will be appropriate as a female uniform to align with my gender and will be displaying the infantry insignia and colors.

BALDWIN: But for us civilians, Sheri, can you just really explain the significance of a uniform?

SWOKOWSKI: God. A uniform is really what it's all about. It's the embodiment of the organization of the person, of the team, of the army. It's such a proud thing. Folks who have served in uniform for as many years as I have often look for opportunities to wear their uniform at special events during retirement and for the last ten years I couldn't do that, but now I can.

BALDWIN: Let's talk about current policy. I know just last Thursday the air force announced policy changes that will make it more difficult to discharge transgender troops, a move that what happened with the army in March. When do you think Trans men and women will be able to serve openly?

SWOKOWSKI: Well, I hope extremely soon. I think the DOD leadership really wants the department to be an equal opportunity employer and I applaud the inroads that have been made by both the air force and the army. But the policy is being applied inconsistently across the services. So we need some standardization. We need clarification of the current policy. And we need to, you know, put an end to the turmoil that we're going through because of the 15,000 plus transgender soldier/sailors/airmen/marines and coastguardsmen.

BALDWIN: Final question. You know, I had read that you had hoped to transition and just blend into society but you're here on, you know, CNN and having a national conversation with me. This is not exactly blending, Sheri. Why did you choose to become such an advocate?

SWOKOWSKI: Good question. There was an event that happened. I transitioned seven, eight years ago and was immediately fired from my job as a government contractor as a lead instruction at the Army sports management school at Ft. Belvoir. And subsequently went on to served two-and-a-half years in the Pentagon, which beautiful environment, environment that many people would think was very conservative, but my experience there was very professional. It was entirely positive. We can do that on the civilian side, we can do that on the military side as well.

[15:50:28] BALDWIN: Colonel Sheri Swokowski, thank you so much. Thirty four years, thank you for your service. Appreciate it.

SWOKOWSKI: Thank you, Brooke. You're very welcome.

BALDWIN: Coming on, the search is on for the two escaped killers who broke out of prison. We'll have the very latest in this massive manhunt coming up.

Also, a sneak peek of the TV event you do not want to miss, the CNN '70s quiz show is tonight, one of my opponents joins me next. We will preview the fun, the frustration, the tough questions, coming up later.

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[15:55:15] BALDWIN: CNN is taking a ride in the '70s. Time machine had exactly the '70s. You know, the decade of Watergate, the first godfather movie, the sex pistols. Whether you are alive or not, six months of my life, you should check out CNN, the original series, the '70s. And then watch the quiz show that hit CNN anchor against CNN anchor. It is battle over '70s (INAUDIBLE). Here is a peak.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DON LEMON, CNN HOST, CNN TONIGHT: So it's Richard quest, me, you, Brooke Baldwin, Alisyn Camerota, and who else?

JOHN BERMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bill Weir.

BALDWIN: Should we start the smart talk now?

(CROSSTALK)

BERMAN: Here's the thing about a Alisyon. She won the last quiz show. She was on the winning team.

LEMON: Yes.

BERMAN: You weren't. I'm not going to sing with you.

BERMAN: John Berman, since he won jeopardy, he's insufferable.

(CROSSTALK)

BERMAN: We are going to win.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, AC360: John Berman.

BERMAN: Massachusetts.

COOPER: That is correct.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The other team is Baldwin and Quest.

COOPER: I hope Richard Quest is going to be wearing a white polyester suit.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's a foreigner.

RICHARD QUEST, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: Remember, punk rock started in the '70s in the UK. She's a kid.

BALDWIN: I was part of the '70s. Bring it.

QUEST: Bring it on.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Bring it.

LEMON: Yes!

BALDWIN: That may be some of the most fun I've had in my eight years at CNN.

LEMON: It is. John Berman and I were emailing and I said, John, that was fun. He goes, yes, it was really fun. And I said if people get to see that we all really like each other. And we have a great time together.

BALDWIN: The secret is out of the bag. We actually really do. And I was thinking, OK, if I was going to have you on, like in your wheelhouse, you loved some of the movies, some of the music and TV shows. Because when you think a TV show in the '70s, you also think of the theme songs, which is so emblematic with that decade. So take a look - take a look down memory lane.

(VIDEO CLIP PLAYING)

BALDWIN: All day today I've had that.

LEMON: I was so in love with Farah Fawcett. I could get enough of her.

BALDWIN: She is a smoke show.

LEMON: I know all of the theme songs, but here is the thing. I have to say I think that I was at a slight advantage. I think Anderson --

BALDWIN: Because you are one of the more mature in the group?

LEMON: Yes. Because that's our decade -- Anderson and I are almost exactly a year apart. I'm a year older than him. But this is a decade that --

BALDWIN: You've done well.

LEMON: Yes. Lots of Botox. No, I'm kidding. We lived that. So, studying all of this stuff, studying about gas lines -- this is our study book.

BALDWIN: This is what they gave us. They gave us "New York Times," the time of the '70s, which is phenomenal book, by the way, and this entire packet. We all were like walking around like, yes, we had our shows to do, but we all have all this -

LEMON: But then it's not in the study guise. So imagine the presidential one that I studied from like I cannot get that. This was one was just like recall for me. Some of the details I couldn't remember, because I was young in the '70s, but because of what happened in the '80s and '90s, my memory is a little foggy from that. I was in college.

BALDWIN: We don't know what you mean.

LEMON: And there was, you know, maybe some --

BALDWIN: Things happening?

LEMON: Things happening.

BALDWIN: Can we talk about the presidential trivia and how you needed like a little redemption?

LEMON: Well, that was - yes. And that was mostly Cuomo.

BALDWIN: Cuomo brought you down.

LEMON: An overgrown frat boy that kept hitting the buzzer, and he would answer and he is like you didn't get. You didn't get the buzzer. And he would shout out the right answer. Someone else will get it. So I do blame it on Chris Cuomo.

BALDWIN: OK, you fully blame that on Chris Cuomo. So what do you do, you team up with Mr. celebrity jeopardy winner, John Berman.

LEMON: Who is very good.

BALDWIN: Who like taught me how to buzz.

LEMON: He did.

BALDWIN: He's very all about this finger, not this finger.

LEMON: Yes, you do the index finger. And you have to do it faster than everyone else. Because there were a couple times that you buzzed in and I'm like --.

BALDWIN: I was like locked out. I feel locked out.

LEMON: Yes. So I watched this from my hotel room, John Berman, on celebrity jeopardy when I was covering the Amtrak train.

BALDWIN: He's like (INAUDIBLE) smart.

LEMON: Yes. And so, I watched that on. I got a lot of the answer. But when you are at home, you are thinking, I got those answers. But it's different when the pressure is on. There's a timer. And, you know, someone is standing in front of you, you know. BALDWIN: Yes. Please watch tonight with us. I'm like I have to pop

out of town. I'm like taking an early train. Got to get there, 9:00 eastern -- why are you hiding?

LEMON: Because. Did you win? Are you going to win tonight?

BALDWIN: Don't - don't - don't - zip it. We can't say. I'm proud of my first appearance in the CNN quiz show.

Don Lemon, thank you so much.

LEMON: You know who remembers nothing about '70s, that guy.

(LAUGHTER)

BALDWIN: We all love him. We love him.

That does it for me. I'm Brooke Baldwin. I remember everything.

LEMON: Bye, thank you.

BALDWIN: "THE LEAD" with Jake Tapper starts right now.