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Was Prince's Death Caused By Prescription Medications?; Horrifying Attack On Children's Hospital In Syria. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired April 28, 2016 - 15:30   ET

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


[15:30:00] TIM NAFTALI, FORMER DIRECTOR, NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY: So what Bush and I think very effectively is saying, which is President Trump? The teleprompter Trump or the man on the stage saying I'm not a creature of pundits. I'm not a creature of the establishment. I'm the real Trump. Now, we don't know which one is which.

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Will the real Donald Trump please stand up what Jeb and I know many others are asking. Also, though, tonight, looking at you because we have been, you know, playing this phenomenal '80s series. Tonight we are talking Ronald Reagan. We are talking on the cold war. Here's a clip.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Reagan was being accused already of getting soft on communism but he hadn't forgotten the problems we still had. Europe is still divided. There was still A Berlin Wall.

RONALD REAGAN (R), FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There is one sign the soviets can make that would be unmistakable, that would advance dramatically the cause of freedom and peace. Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was perfect. It was beautiful. He had to insist on keeping it in the speech.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So there's Reagan. You know, on Donald Trump, make America great, that was Reagan's, right?

NAFTALI: Yes.

BALDWIN: That was Reagan's. How would Donald Trump handle such a situation?

NAFTALI: Well, I don't yet know.

BALDWIN: We don't. Let's be tear.

NAFTALI: The thing of Reagan and why the show tonight is a great reminder of greatness in a president is that Ronald Reagan changed his mind. Ronald Reagan came to office with a certain understanding of the soviets. And by the end of the time in office, he said, that was another soviet union. Gorbachev's Soviet Union is not the evil empire anymore. Now, that showed that he was smart enough, flexible enough and savvy enough to get information and change some of his views and all of his tactics.

So the story of the '80s and the cold war is that the both soviets and Americans start by totally misunderstanding each other and completely fearing each other and by the end they're working together. And the reasons why I think have a lot to do with two individuals. Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev.

Would Donald Trump have the flexibility of mind and nimbleness to switch like that with new intelligence and information changed the world that he started with as president? I don't know. And that's the key and that's what he has to prove as he becomes more and more likely the standard bearer of the Republican Party, not just for Democrats or independents but for Republicans. He has to prove that his sense of what it means to be president and what it means to be commander in chief allows for the flexibility and the nimbleness to deal with it, the morphing of the threat. The threat changes. The threat for Reagan changes and comes into office thinking the soviets are the source of all terrorism. The soviet did assist terrorists. But it turned out that Iran was the bigger state sponsor of terrorism and he had to nimble enough to switch over to the new threat. Can Trump do it? I don't know yet.

BALDWIN: As we look ahead in this race, we look back tonight. Make sure you tune in to the '80s later on this evening.

Tim Naftali, thank you very, very much. Again, "the Eighties" tonight 9:00 eastern and pacific only here on CNN. Thank you.

NAFTALI: Thanks, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Next, a judge orders the search warrant for Prince's home sealed. But not before we learn that the star had prescription painkillers with him when he died both on him finding him as they found him and in the Minnesota home. We will get reaction from child star radio host Danny Bonaduce coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:38:10] BALDWIN: CNN is learning a bit more about Prince's death. That was one week ago today. We now know that the music icon was carrying prescription pain medications, specifically opioids, when he was found dead in his Paisley Park studio in the elevator. A law enforcement source also tells CNN more medication found inside of his home. Now the DEA, they join the investigation.

Also new details on that health scare that forced the music icon to make an emergency plane landing. Investigators believe it was because of a bad reaction to pain medication. They treated an unresponsive prince for a potential overdose and then six days later at the age of 57 Prince died.

Joining me former child actor and current radio show host on KCOK in Seattle, Danny Bonaduce. Danny, nice to see you again.

DANNY BONADUCE, FORMER CHILD ACTOR: Nice to see you. Thank you for having me.

BALDWIN: So listen. Again. There's a lot we don't know. Facts still very scares. But when you hear all about this, about the drugs found on him and the house, the unresponsiveness on the plane, what does your gut tell you?

BONADUCE: Well, my gut tells me a lot. And I don't think that -- I think a lot of people because Prince is famous, because he is interesting, he is quirky. It's automatically a drug overdose. But did you know that one in 20 Americans over the age of 12 took opioids for by prescriptions, for nonprescription reason? Just for the amusement of taking them. So it wouldn't shock me ff. I've seen him recently, on TV and on an arena, mind you. But the man doesn't move like he's littered with opioids. People on that kind of prescription, where, You start to move, kind of sloe. On that, extra strength vitamin, you start to move kind of slow. I have some experience. Just start to move kind of slow. And saw no telltale signs of that with Prince.

BALDWIN: You saw him --.

BONADUCE: As sharp as ever.

BALDWIN: Two weeks ago in New York City?

BONADUCE: No. I'm sorry. I saw him two weeks on television. I saw him last year in Chicago.

[15:40:05] BALDWIN: And so, when you saw him - I mean, that was just, what, a year ago. How -- he was rocking and rolling on the stage.

BONADUCE: Nobody jumps around like this guy. He is -- Prince is so amazing in almost every aspect and he jumped around. And you know what? Painkillers, that's why they dangerous. They really do work. You can mask the pain and but just the speed which that man moving around led me to believe and I will take the assumption that he was not wired down and he is not weighted down with opiates.

BALDWIN: You said you have experience with Vicadin. I mean, you have been very open about your story. I was talking to someone last hour who has been involved in interventions (ph). He was telling me opioids can be anything from, you know, Oxycontin, Percocet. Have you taken those?

BONADUCE: Oh, by -- like breakfast cereal. And that's the thing with those things. My particular area would be vicadin. But they are the same pill as Percocet, oxycontin, a little tougher, but they are all basically the same and the problem is the tolerance. If you start taking, say, Percocet which is what's been alleged that Prince had in the system and in his pocket, if you start taking one to mass the pain on Monday, a week from Monday you will be taking four and next then month you will be taking 20 and that's not a big exaggeration at all. I have a friend, big famous TV star, you've actually interviewed him right here --

BALDWIN: Yes.

BONADUCE: A big drug problem and he took 55 extra strength vicadin a day.

BALDWIN: Whoa!

BONADUCE: I didn't believe him. I thought that would kill anybody. I happen to run into Dr. Drew and I said could that guy possibly take 55? And he said I have a patient right now who takes 110 every single day. And you don't want to do that. It has side effects on your body. It just they build up so fast, they don't do anything. They stop working for you quicker than everything. If I did vicadin today or Percocet today, I need twice the amount next week. If I did cocaine now and I did it again next month, same amount will have same effect. Opioids are dangerous, dangerous, not that cocaine isn't dangerous. But opioids are seriously dangerous because the doctors will give them to you.

BALDWIN: NO. I remember, (INAUDIBLE) I had knee surgery back when I was like at 18 and I took a Percocet. I swear I saw an elephant in my bed and I said enough. But I have no - I have no tolerance for that at the time.

BONADUCE: That's the difference. That's the difference between us. I saw the elephant in my bed and went, I'll take more of those.

BALDWIN: I was like, enough! When did you -- final question. How did you finally realize you needed help?

BONADUCE: You know, luckily, for me, you mentioned in my introduction and I was grateful for it, that I have open and honest. The reason I became so open and honest because I kept getting caught. People keep saying to see -- people can tell you're on drugs. People can see that you drink too much and then final one day I listened to my reason and I listen to my body which was begging me to stop and I sought help and that's not easy. I have to seek out help about five times before it worked for me.

BALDWIN: How many years has it been?

BONADUCE: I have been stone cold sober off everything and its brother, five years now.

BALDWIN: Good for you. Danny Bonaduce, always a pleasure. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

BONADUCE: Thank you.

BALDWIN: Thank you.

BONADUCE: Bye.

BALDWIN: Next, the U.S. now hinting at who may have launched a horrifying attack on a hospital in Syria. Children among the dozens dead there, as well as one of the country's last remaining pediatricians. We will talk live to the doctors without borders manager responsible for that part of Syria. Stay here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:47:21] BALDWIN: Children and doctors buried under rubble. A desperate frenzy as people are dragging out survivors, dragging bodies here. The images you're looking at, this is a hospital. At least 50 people have been killed and this is the aftermath of an airstrike in Syria. We're told this includes now two doctors. Some of them -- the last remaining pediatricians in all of Aleppo, they are among the dead.

According to the witnesses, this hospital is located at rebel-held neighborhood in Aleppo. It was hit by a missile from a fighter jet. At this point, still unclear who is behind the strike. The hospital was supported by doctors without border.

So Pablo Marco is with me now. He is a Doctor Without Borders operations manager for the Middle East. Responsible for their work in northern Syria's Aleppo region.

Welcome, Pablo.

PABLO MARCO, SYRIA PROGRAM MANAGER, DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS: Thank you very much.

BALDWIN: So, Russia says its planes weren't flying in the area. Claims to have information, though, indicating a U.S.-led coalition plane was. Obviously, U.S. adamantly denying that. Do you have more information?

MARCO: Well, what we know is how this attack happened. This can give us some hints about it. What we know is that an attack happened with 200 bombs that fell in buildings close to hospital provoking already a several wounded and killed people. And then a few minutes after when all these wounded people were taken to hospital and all the relatives were in the gates from the hospital trying to find information, the said bottled bomb fell at the gate of the hospital. And that's what caused the massive number of killed people.

So we can't assert who's responsible for the attack but what we know is that it is a Syrian government that has been usually using these barrel bombs in the past. And that in addition to these, the Syrian government has stated in the last days that they are willing to take over Aleppo and that the offensive is coming.

BALDWIN: This is a children's hospital. So how many children were affected?

MARCO: So we don't know exactly how many children. We spoke with a director of the hospital just a couple of hours ago. He told us that there were at least 50 people killed and that there were still quite a big number of bodies in the rubble.

BALDWIN: And pediatricians, I imagine there are many pediatricians in this part of the world.

MARCO: Yes. Exactly. We know also that at least six staff of the hospital were killed in the attack, one pediatrician and another doctor, two nurses and two staff at the hospital at least. And he was one of the last that was still available in the city. We need to see that at least 95 percent of the doctors that live in Aleppo (INAUDIBLE) have either left or have been killed in the attacks.

[15:50:15] BALDWIN: OK. Final question, we have learned the Pentagon plans to announce tomorrow that up to 16 members of the military will be disciplined for their role in the hospital last October in Kunduz (ph) in Afghanistan killing 42 people. Two U.S. officials at CNN confirming none of the military personnel involved are expected to face criminal charges and a top commander is likely to be fired. Your response?

MARCO: Well, I think that we just need to remember that since the beginning MSF has asked for an independent investigation to really understand and to make clear what happened in Kunduz (ph) and, unfortunately, despite the fact that the U.S. has had an internal investigation, this independent investigation has to and we keep asking for it.

BALDWIN: Pablo Marco, thank you.

MARCO: Thank you.

BALDWIN: Still ahead here, an 8-year-old girl who captured the attention of the president of the United States. Her letter from Flint, Michigan, about the toxic water there did get a response from President Obama himself. We'll talk to her. She's known as little Miss Flint and her mom, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:55:37] BALDWIN: President Obama will visit Flint, Michigan, next week for the first time since the city's toxic water crisis began. Why now? Well, it all may be because of one special little girl. 8- year-old Mari Copeny lives in Flint. She wrote a letter to the president to tell him about how she's working to bring attention to her city's water crisis. She also had an upcoming trip planned for Washington. And so, hey, you know, when in doubt, ask to meet the president.

Well, guess what, President Obama wrote her back this week and said he will come to her.

Mari and Lulu is joining me now. Welcome, ladies, good to meet both of you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Nice to meet you, too.

BALDWIN: Mari, if I may ask you -- will you read to everyone watching part of your letter to president Obama? MARI COPENY, WROTE LETTER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA ABOUT FLINT WATER CRISIS:

Yes.

LOUI BREZZELL, DAUGHTER WROTE LETTER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA: Read it.

COPENY: Mr. President, hello. My name is Mari Copeny and I'm 8 years old and I live in Flint, Michigan and I'm more commonly known around the town as little Miss Flint. I'm one of the children that is affected by this water and I've been doing my best to protest and speak out for all of the kids that live here in Flint.

BALDWIN: I have been doing my best to march in protest and to speak out for all of the kids that live in Flint.

Mari, tell me, why did you want to write the president a letter?

COPENY: Because I've never met him before.

BALDWIN: Listen. Understandable. So you should write a letter to the president to get to meet him. Can you tell me about the water in Flint? What's wrong with it?

COPENY: It's bad.

BALDWIN: It's bad?

Tell me why it's bad.

COPENY: Because it has lead in the water and it gives you really bad headaches as well and you smell like bleach and fish.

BALDWIN: Mom, how bad is it?

BREZZELL: It's bad. We still can't use our water. Our water smells terrible every time it touches our skin we get a rash and a chemical burn.

BALDWIN: So you write this letter to the president. You're going to be in Washington but instead, Mari, he says, hold on a minute, I'll come to you. Tell me what it was like when you opened the letter from president Obama.

COPENY: I was very excited because I didn't know he was going to write me back. -

BALDWIN: And so the fact that he wrote you back, not only did he write you back, but he said he would complete you. What will you say when the president comes and meets you?

COPENY: That the water is bad. And thank you.

BALDWIN: Do you think the president should come help fix the water?

COPENY: He could try to and fix it or else he's going to get arrested or something. I meant not arrested.

BALDWIN: Do you want --?

BREZZELL: Do you want them to fix the pipes?

COPENY: Yes.

BALDWIN: Fix the pipes. I understand you would like to meet his wife as well. Would you like to meet Michelle Obama?

COPENY: Yes.

BALDWIN: Who would you rather meet more? The president or Michelle Obama?

BREZZELL: Who do you want to meet more?

COPENY: A poodle.

BREZZELL: She wants to meet Bo, the first dog.

BALDWIN: I understand. The dog's cute. Final question. Just tell me, you know, in 60 seconds, why is your home so special? Mom, why is it so special?

BREZZELL: Flint is a very resilient city. You can keep throwing us curveballs but Flint is going to rise from the mess and all of the problems instead of being broken down.

BALDWIN: Mari and Lulu, thank you so much for taking the time. I'm really impressed that you wrote your letter, Mari. And good luck when you shake the president's hand. And maybe you'll get to meet the first lady as well. Thank you very much.

And thank you very much as well for being with me here on this Thursday afternoon. I'm Brooke Baldwin in New York. We'll send it to Washington, D.C., now. My colleague Jake Tapper.

"THE LEAD" starts right now.