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Nancy Pelosi Elected House Minority Leader; Hollywood Publicist Killed; Storm Hammers Mid-Atlantic
Aired November 17, 2010 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Ali Velshi, thank you, sir. We have breaking news now from Capitol Hill.
Here's what we know. Nancy Pelosi has just been elected House minority leader, of course, by the Democrats. The vote we're getting, it is 150-43. And we're going to pay close attention here to that number, 43. Who voted against her and what does that say perhaps about her power, about her effectiveness going forward here?
CNN's senior congressional correspondent, Dana Bash all over that breaking story here out of Capitol Hill.
Dana, huge win for the California congresswoman.
DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Oh, there's no question it is a huge win, not unexpected, but it is important to note and to give her props, so to speak, for -- for -- for this win.
Having said that, you -- you nailed it in the way you introduced that, Brooke. The fact that 43 of Nancy Pelosi's fellow Democrats voted against her is absolutely important and telling, because it's not just the conservative Democrats, it seems, because there aren't a lot of them left. Many of them were defeated, not just those who voted for her opponent, Heath Shuler.
It's also clearly more broad than that inside the caucus. It's about a quarter of the caucus who voted against her. And it really does speak to the fact that there is concern that maybe it is time now to change what many people say is the face of the party.
And,. actually, I spoke with somebody who did not get a vote today, because he was defeated in the elections earlier this month. His name is Allen Boyd. He's a Democrat from Florida. And he made it very clear to me in public, as he did in private to Pelosi face-to- face yesterday in a big group, that he thinks that this is the wrong way to go. Listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. ALLEN BOYD (D), FLORIDA: The truth is that she is the face that defeated us in this last election. And it seems to me that, at some point in time, you have to put your personal agenda and ambitions aside for the good of the country and -- and certainly of -- of the party. And I don't know how we go into these districts, like the one I represented, do represent now, will be giving up in January, and recruit good, moderate Democratic candidates, if you have the same leadership team, exact same leadership team headed by the same person, that you had in place when they lost that majority.
BASH: Do you...
BOYD: So...
BASH: Do you feel that your defeat is in part because of Nancy Pelosi?
BOYD: Well, absolutely.
I mean, that -- that is not anything that should be in great question, because of the -- the tactic -- tactic that was used by the other side was -- was basically to run against Nancy Pelosi. So, I don't think there's any doubt about that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Dana -- Dana, you spoke about the -- the changing face of the Democratic Party, but I also want to talk about the changing face of really the House of Representatives.
As we know, come January, we're going to have a Republican majority. And I have just been handed another urgent. So, your hands are certainly full there on the Hill.
(LAUGHTER)
BASH: Yes.
BALDWIN: Representative John Boehner of Ohio unanimously selected as the Republican House leader for the incoming Congress Wednesday.
So, that's just about a done deal for speaker? How does that work?
BASH: That's right. Just about a done deal is exactly right.
The Republicans are holding their leadership elections right now. It was -- it's very clear -- it was always very clear that John Boehner would be the speaker. Now his own conference has made it clear.
But, when they actually come back into session, and the new Congress is sworn in, then the full House is going to have to vote for the speaker. But it's, I think, effectively a fait accompli.
(CROSSTALK)
BASH: I should mention...
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: Yes.
BASH: Just a little color. Today is John Boehner's 65th -- 61st birthday, rather.
BALDWIN: Oh, that's nice, a little birthday present for Mr. Boehner then.
(LAUGHTER)
BALDWIN: Dana Bash, great job today. Thanks. You're all over the breaking news on -- on the Hill, as normal.
Also another story we're all over, a lot of moving parts on this one. Right now, in Southern California, police are mobilizing. They're searching for suspects, new clues, a motive, anything that could break open a high-profile Hollywood murder case.
What we have right now is a veteran publicist who is dead, her murder scene looking like a scene out of a movie that went horribly wrong. Here is what police have to go on right now. You have a Mercedes-Benz all shot up. Inside that car was a woman with multiple gunshots to her chest.
Now, emergency responders, they rushed her to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The woman was 64-year-old Ronni Chasen. Here she was, had just left a Hollywood premiere party from the new movie -- You heard of this? -- "Burlesque." Cher was there. Christina Aguilera, Jane Fonda were there. A lot of other A-listers were as well.
Now, as for the investigation, police don't have a suspect here in this brutal killing, not motive. This is still very fresh. Today, many in Hollywood are really struggling with a real-life murder mystery. Who killed publicist Ronni Chasen, and -- and, really, why?
One of her longtime friends and a Hollywood insider is going to join me momentarily here to talk about why, if at all, she was targeted and how widely respected she was in such a competitive industry.
But, first, let's talk about what is happening now, which is the investigation.
With that, I want to go to CNN entertainment correspondent Kareen Wynter.
And, obviously, Kareen, just from what I have read -- and you've been talking to people -- people in Hollywood are devastated. But in terms of the investigation, what do you know?
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: That's right, one of those stories, Brooke, that's just so sad, tragic and absolutely really unbelievable. And there's a sense all over town by those who loved this woman and worked with her for so many years that this out-of-the-blue killing is beyond comprehension. How could this have happened, and who would have wanted her dead?
BALDWIN: You mentioned, Kareen, the surveillance video which may help police as well. Also, they're hoping that -- that perhaps a computer they have confiscated, some phone records, may provide some additional clues in the case. Is that right?
WYNTER: That's right. Police confiscated computers, both from Chasen's workplace, also her home yesterday. They're looking for clues as to who may have had a motive here to hurt her.
And, also, Brooke -- this is -- this is huge -- we have just learned that phone records and a recorded voice-mail left by Chasen just minutes before her death, she left it on her office line just before the incident. They have been retrieved by police. And authorities say she seemed perfectly normal.
BALDWIN: Huh.
WYNTER: And this would perhaps indicate that she was maybe unaware of anything out of the ordinary just prior to her death, which, again, can be an important clue for police.
BALDWIN: Kareen Wynter, thank you for the latest on the investigation, what you're hearing from police.
Also, want to bring in Michael Levine. He's a Hollywood publicist and a longtime friend of Ronni Chasen. And he joins me by phone.
And, Michael, if I just can begin sort of coming off what Kareen was talking about, you know, police right now, they have no idea in terms of a motive. They're just basically baffled.
And before we get into her character -- I know you have known her for decades -- is there any reason to believe Ronni Chasen would have been targeted?
MICHAEL LEVINE, HOLLYWOOD PUBLICIST: None that I can think of. I am -- I am, like most people in this community, shocked and horrified.
I actually, just coincidentally, drove right by -- drove the exact street that she was murdered on about two hours -- two-and-a- half-hours earlier that night.
BALDWIN: Mm-hmm.
LEVINE: So, it's incomprehensible. I mean...
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: Incomprehensible. I mean, I don't know how familiar you were with her client roster. Might there have been some unhappy client, or is that just totally out of the ballpark?
LEVINE: Yes, it's not something that is conceivable, to my way of thinking.
She was exceedingly well-liked, a very iconic figure in town. She would go very frequently to lunches and dinners with clients. So, her clients were almost like family members to her. And I would see her frequently. I knew her 30 years. And it's just -- it's a shocking, shocking crime.
BALDWIN: You mentioned the word iconic. Michael, for people outside of, you know, what you know in Hollywood...
LEVINE: Sure.
BALDWIN: ... I'm hearing that she was this really widely respected publicist -- publicist. Explain how widely respected. Explain her role for us.
LEVINE: Yes. I mean, she -- first of all, she was very immersed in the movie industry. She wasn't very involved in either television or music. It was movies that were her love and her passion.
And, so, she had been very entrenched in the movie industry for years and years. And she was always beautifully dressed, stylish, iconic, well -- seen around town almost like a kind of politician that you might imagine, someone that knew three or four people in every restaurant she went.
We would see each other, you know, frequently in restaurants -- in some of the finer restaurants around Southern California, L.A. particularly.
BALDWIN: I want to go to the Twitter board, if we can, real quickly. We're hearing and we're reading some of the tweets, just in terms of the -- in terms of people who really respected her, Michael.
There was a tweet from Roger Ebert, just one tweet from Roger Ebert.
Guys, if we can pull that up. Do we have that one? We're looking for it. We're looking for it, looking for the particular tweet.
Anyway, bottom line, it's clear I -- Steve Martin also tweeting about this -- Hollywood is very much so devastated. I read that some -- some of the -- the studios are canceling some of their meetings right now. And I -- I hear that you have set up fund...
(CROSSTALK)
LEVINE: I have.
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: So, tell me about... LEVINE: Yesterday...
BALDWIN: ... the fund. And why have you done that?
LEVINE: Yesterday, in -- you know, in -- in the midst of my horror and shock, I thought it would be a good idea to create a reward fund, because I knew the police had no leads at this point.
So, we have tried to -- trying to ask the people in the entertainment industry to gather together to put a $25,000 reward fund.
Now, good news -- in Palm Springs, the film festival that she was active involved -- involved in...
BALDWIN: Mm-hmm.
LEVINE: ... they have come up with a $100,000...
BALDWIN: Wow.
LEVINE: ... reward fund.
So, there -- there's going to be a lot of interest and a lot of -- there's a lot of broken hearts right now.
BALDWIN: A lot of broken hearts, huge, huge interest. And, of course, police are still sort of digging right now, looking at possibly some voice-mail that she left minutes before all of this happened.
We will stay all over it.
Michael Levine, I'm sorry for the loss of your friend. I thank you for hopping on the phone and talking to me about it, and also Kareen Wynter for us out of L.A. Thanks to you both.
Now listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATE MIDDLETON, ENGAGED TO PRINCE WILLIAM: He's a true romantic and it was -- we had a wonderful holiday in Africa.
PRINCE WILLIAM, UNITED KINGDOM: The timing is right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Now that the royal engagement is official, who is the commoner known as Kate -- really, I guess I should be saying Catherine -- that the prince will marry? And when is the big wedding day? We will have the latest chatter and speculation on the anticipated wedding of royal Prince William and Catherine Middleton. That is ahead.
Also, an accused international arms dealer, this guy known as the Merchant of Death. He appears in a U.S. court. He has been extradited here to the U.S. to face terrorism charges. We will tell you why he's still dangerous even in custody. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: All right. Just got handed some information here just in to CNN.
The investigating officer in the case against the shooter, the -- the accused Fort Hood shooter, has recommended that the military pursue the death penalty against Major Nidal Hasan. That's according to his lawyer. That officer has also recommended a general court- martial for Hasan, who faces 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder in the shootings. That was back last November, November 5, so, a little over a year ago.
Hasan's attorney says he was not surprised about the general court-martial, but he was surprised about the capital referral. The final decision to pursue the death penalty will likely be made by the commander of Fort Hood -- that just into CNN.
Also, some other top stories we are keeping a close eye on.
Have you heard about this, this rowdy protest at University of California's Mission Bay campus? That was in San Francisco today. You see all these students? Hundreds of students and faculty demonstrated. They set up pickup lines -- picket lines, rather -- then knocked down all these barricades outside the school's board of regents meeting.
The students are out there protesting proposed fee hikes. Faculty members are protesting changes to employees' retirement plans. Some of the video actually shows some of the protesters being hit with pepper spray, scuffling with some of the cops out there. And we're told a handful of protesters have been arrested.
Also, this accused international arms dealer pleads not guilty in a U.S. courtroom today. The man, Viktor Bout, is known as the Merchant of Death. Bout could face life in prison for allegedly selling millions and millions of dollars of high-powered weaponry to a Colombia narco-terrorist organization.
Some of the weapons included surface-to-air missiles, armor- piercing rocket launchers, and anti-personnel land mines. Yikes. Bout also charged with conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, officers and employees. He was arrested in a sting operation all the way over in Thailand.
And the FDA has a warning for the makers of caffeinated energy drinks, that their products are unsafe and could in fact be seized under federal law. Expecting such a move, the maker of Four Loko took the preemptive move of pulling caffeine from its products. Under the FDA ruling, other makers of caffeinated alcoholic beverages, like Joose, Moonshot, and Core, and -- have two weeks to change their products, or they have to yank them off the market. And coming up next hour, we're looking a little bit more into this. Senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen will look at why these drinks are raising such a red flag.
And cholera worries from Haiti have spread now -- it's official today -- to us here in the United States. A woman in Florida has been diagnosed with the highly contagious disease. She recently returned from a visit to her family's home in Haiti.
Folks, this is the first reported case here in the States since that epidemic began spreading through Haiti, where cholera, as you know, has been blamed for more than 1,000 deaths now. The woman is said to be responding well to treatment at a U.S. hospital. The CDC, you know they're all over that. They're conducting -- conducting tests.
And the TSA says it has no plans, zero plans, to change its rules for screening all of us at the airport. Message to holiday fliers is this: Be prepared for full-body scans or invasive pat-downs. We're going to have a live report ahead on that.
And we're taking you to sunny San Diego and the Republican Governors Association. There she is. Jessica Yellin is there with the prospects...
JESSICA YELLIN, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey.
BALDWIN: ... for president -- hello, ma'am -- in 2012, along with some new...
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: ... faces. Jessica is all over these gubernatorial races and these winners.
That is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: More breaking news. I tell you, we're rocking and rolling today.
(LAUGHTER)
BALDWIN: Here's what we know.
AP has called Lisa Murkowski the winner in that highly publicized Alaska Senate race. There she is on the top, her opponent, Joe Miller, there on the bottom.
We can report the latest vote count shows Murkowski with more than a 10,000-vote lead over Miller. That's more than the number of challenges so far. We should be hearing from Murkowski right around 10:00 Eastern tonight from Anchorage. Of course, we're efforting Miller to get some kind of comment with regard to this declaration of her being a winner. Miller has so far asked for a full recount, also continues his legal challenges.
And just a little bit of background -- we have been telling you this over and over, but it's just kind of a nice bit of trivia. Murkowski would be only the second person ever to win a write-in campaign for the Senate, along with Strom Thurmond. That was South Carolina back in 1954.
Murkowski declared a winner in Alaska, according to the AP.
Also, more on politics.
(LAUGHTER)
BALDWIN: We have talked for about two weeks now about the Republicans winning control of the House. So, a little bit less noticed and perhaps even more important, the party run huge in the recent governor's races.
And now it's party time, Republican Party time in San Diego, where the Republican governors are starting this two-day meeting.
And that is where we find Jessica Yellin, as always...
YELLIN: Hey.
BALDWIN: ... right in the thick of things, where the news is.
(LAUGHTER)
BALDWIN: And, Jessica, you know, I feel like you and I talked a whole lot during the -- the -- the lead-up to the midterms about why these -- these governor's races are so significant. We have Republicans...
YELLIN: Yes.
BALDWIN: ... now controlling 29 of the 50 governorships. Why is this important?
YELLIN: OK, Brooke, think about all those issues that were at the forefront of the campaign, implementation of health care reform, trimming government spending, infrastructure investment, stimulating job growth.
In some ways, governors have more influence over those issues and how they directly affect your and my lives than almost any other elected official, even more than the folks in Washington. Then there's redistricting, which we have talked about, drawing congressional lines. These governors will have a huge say in that next year.
And this is the bench for the future of the Republican Party. These folks could be future faces of presidential contenders. And, in fact, there are some here today, Brooke. (LAUGHTER)
BALDWIN: There are. And let's get there in just a moment here.
But, first, I have an article...
YELLIN: Yes.
BALDWIN: ... from "The Washington Post." And the lead line here -- I'm going to read it for you -- says, "There's nothing subtle about the goal at the Republican Governors Association meeting that begins here on Wednesday, nothing less than an effort to start rebranding a party long known as a bastion of white men."
Jessica...
YELLIN: Right. Yes.
BALDWIN: ... wow. What -- what's the game plan? How do they do that?
YELLIN: OK.
Well, they are aggressively showing that this isn't just a party for white dudes anymore.
(LAUGHTER)
YELLIN: That's how they're putting it around here.
(LAUGHTER)
YELLIN: It's -- they're -- they're going to begin with a panel this afternoon of some of the new diverse faces, including Susana Martinez, who we interviewed and talked about before. She's the first Latina governor of any state. She's a Republican from New Mexico.
They also will have Nikki Haley here. We talked about her as well, South Carolina Indian-American, the second Indian-American governor, after Bobby Jindal. And South Carolina, again, that's Nikki Haley. Brian Sandoval, a Latino, elected governor in Nevada, and Mary Fallin from Oklahoma, again, the faces of diversity in the Republican Party.
They're showing and reminding Americans that they are trying to include many, many, many different kinds of faces in this party now and have elected quite a variety of folks. We will hear from them this afternoon -- Brooke.
BALDWIN: Many, many different faces, some of whom are presidential contenders, right?
YELLIN: Yes. Yes.
So, OK, just some of the ones we have here, we have Haley Barbour, who is the governor of Mississippi and the head of the RGA, a longtime politico. He could run for president in 2012, a lot of talk around him. Then there is Tim Pawlenty, governor of Minnesota. He's made a lot of headway with his PAC, raising money for some other people.
And then there's Mitch Daniels from Indiana, known for his budget-trimming ways. And he's very close to Haley Barbour. So, there's a lot of speculation that, if Barbour runs, he won't. Who knows.
And, no, he's not a governor, but Newt Gingrich Gingrich will be making an appearance here, because probably he can't resist.
(LAUGHTER)
YELLIN: And they love his ideas and his energy. So, he will be appearing at a panel here tomorrow.
One person who will not be here -- guess...
BALDWIN: Sarah Palin?
YELLIN: ... Governor Sarah -- former Governor Sarah Palin.
(CROSSTALK)
YELLIN: She's no longer governor, so, yes, not...
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: So -- so, are they -- real quickly, Jessica, are they -- are they boohooing that Sarah Palin is no longer with them as part of their group, or not so much?
(CROSSTALK)
YELLIN: Right.
Well, I think they all know that, if she's not here, they all will get more airtime and attention themselves.
(LAUGHTER)
YELLIN: And they can always check her out on TLC if they miss her.
BALDWIN: That, they can...
(LAUGHTER)
BALDWIN: ... reality show star now.
Jessica Yellin for us in San Diego -- thank you, Jess.
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: Well, speaking of some shows and another Palin, if you didn't see "Dancing With the Stars" last night -- and I know a lot of you were out there watching -- all the buzz today is over Bristol Palin going to the finals and singer Brandy getting the boot. There's evenly chatter of a Tea Party movement conspiracy to keep Palin in.
What? We're taking you through it all.
(LAUGHTER)
BALDWIN: That's ahead.
Also, the Mid-Atlantic gets slammed by a storm that leaves thousands of people without electricity. Chad Myers is next with the details.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: A big storm along the Mid-Atlantic seaboard left quite a mess in its wake, some of the worst damage in the Baltimore area. Here's a look at it, where the storm at one point left 25,000 customers in the dark. You know that's never fun.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes.
BALDWIN: Chad Myers tracking the storm from the beginning.
Yikes. Baltimore...
MYERS: Yes.
BALDWIN: ... not the place to be.
MYERS: No. And we don't know whether it was actually a tornado yet. People there were witnessing and said it sure...
BALDWIN: Ah.
MYERS: ... we saw something come out of the sky. Now, it could have been just kind of a downburst or a collapsing thunderstorm. But that -- some of that stuff requires winds gusts over 70, 80, 90 miles per hour.
What is really the difference if you lose the roof on your house whether it was a tornado or some gigantic wind that lifted it off, right?
BALDWIN: Got it. So, you're saying not just some storm sweeping through could have done that?
MYERS: No, not just a regular thunderstorm with a gust.
You know, and the -- and the problem with roofs and hip roofs in general is that you can actually get a lift on a roof with the wind coming over, a lot like the wing of an airplane.
BALDWIN: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. MYERS: If the wing -- the air goes over the wing and back down the other side, you lift the plane, the plane flies away. That's how planes fly.
BALDWIN: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
MYERS: When you get that over the top of a roof, you can actually get that lift as well. So, it can lift the whole thing.
BALDWIN: That -- that kind of lift is not a good thing.
MYERS: No. We want...
(LAUGHTER)
MYERS: We -- we want them to be down.
BALDWIN: Yes.
MYERS: And -- and we did this story about how wind can damage homes. But if the straps are on the houses now, the new -- new laws, the new Florida laws, that house probably would have been just fine, so even with the strong winds.
BALDWIN: So, are they in the clear? Are they fine now?
MYERS: They are good.
BALDWIN: Except for the people who are out of power.
MYERS: Twenty-five...
(LAUGHTER)
BALDWIN: Except for those, oh, 25,000 people.
MYERS: Exactly. And -- and, OK, they're putting up the power lines right now, but we're still getting winds of 50 miles per hour. The airports, La Guardia, Newark, JFK, although not all of them have major delays, many of them have missing flights, because they have been canceled.
Sixty-two the high today in New York City, 64 in D.C., but I can assure you, if you step outside in a city right now, or D.C., Baltimore, it doesn't feel anything like 60 -- anything -- because of that almost a windchill factor going out there.
A little bit of snow into parts of Kansas, that will continue throughout the night. And then the biggest chance of snow will be back out here in the Pacific Northwest. It has been a stormy couple of days.
Seattle, you're picking up rain. But if go up through the passes, you will see snow. And there has been some snow, significant snow in the Colorado Rockies, into Utah as well. And the skiers are still happy about this. We could have...
BALDWIN: They're stoked.
MYERS: We could have like an Easter base for Thanksgiving, you know? I mean, we could have 90 inches of snow in some spots. Wouldn't that be great for skiers?
BALDWIN: Wait. You mentioned Oregon. Am I going to have snow when I'm in Oregon for Turkey Day?
MYERS: Where are you going?
BALDWIN: Portland.
MYERS: No.
BALDWIN: No, OK. Sorry.
MYERS: But you could find snow with just about a 20-mile drive...
BALDWIN: Mount Hood or something.
MYERS: ... up the hill.
(LAUGHTER)
BALDWIN: All right.
(LAUGHTER)
MYERS: OK.
BALDWIN: I know a lot of people like that...
MYERS: Yes.
BALDWIN: ... including some people in our studio, who we have already put on TV this week. Won't do it again.
(LAUGHTER)
MYERS: Exactly.
(LAUGHTER)
BALDWIN: All right, Chad, thank you.
(LAUGHTER)
MYERS: All right.
BALDWIN: Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JOHN PISTOLE, ADMINISTRATOR, TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION: So, it -- it was more invasive than what I was -- was used to. Of course, what in -- is in my mind from almost...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: All right, the head of the TSA -- that is John Pistole -- defending full-body scans, invasive pat-downs. Have you had to go through this yet, airport security?
So here's what we're asking -- are you more likely to go through that extra screening? We're going to take you -- talk about that, take you through it in a live report that's coming up.
Also, the story so many of you are talking about. Please allow us two days in a row of this here -- the prince and his soon-to-be princess, Harry and Katherine, not Kate. We will have the skinny on their nuptials. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: "Something borrowed, something blue," those are the words of the British tabloid talking about you know what today. Let's all look at it again. Ah, there it is, the royal engagement ring. And those are all the London papers. All these headlines blaring about Prince William and his bride-to-be.
They've got the headlines, but we've got the scoop. We've got the man who landed that highly coveted interview with the king and queen-to-be. His name is Tom Bradby. There he is. He has been busy the last 24 hours with the British network ITV. But first let's revisit his interview right here, just a part of it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM BRADBY, ITV CORRESPONDENT: You obviously kept it a secret. Did you ask Kate's dad and what did he say? And what did your respective parents tell you?
PRINCE WILLIAM: I was torn between asking Kate's dad first and then the realization he might actually say no. So I thought if I ask Kate first he can't say no. So I did that way around and managed to speak to Mike soon after it happened really. And then it sort of happened from there.
BRADBY: Kate, what did your mum say?
KATE MIDDLETON, ENGAGED TO PRINCE WILLIAM: Well, as any mother would be. She was absolutely over the moon and actually had quite an awkward situation because I knew and I knew that William had asked my father, but I didn't know if my mother knew.
So I came back from Scotland and my mother made it sort of -- didn't make it clear to me whether she knew or not. Sort of looking at each other and feeling quite awkward about it. It was amazing to tell her. Obviously, she was very happy for us. (END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Tom Bradby scored this interview in London. Tom, this thing has been seen around and around and around the world. I read a little about you. I know you cover harder news and took a bit of a turn with the new royal couple. So I'm curious, who was more nervous? Was it you or was it them?
BRADBY: That's a good question actually. I've been doing this business for 20 years and not much makes me nervous anymore. But I've known for some weeks it was possible if they got engaged that I'd get the call to come talk to them.
And everybody remembers William's parents, that sort of terrible first interview where he said "whatever love is," and it kind of haunted him for years. So we were aware we didn't want that to happen again.
So we wanted it to be relaxed. They wanted it to be relaxed. Yes, I was nervous. This is going to be watched by hundreds of millions of people and replayed over the years many, many times. No doubt my children will be watching it, and I don't want them to be embarrassed.
So it was tricky. It was difficult. Everyone was nervous. She's never done anything like this and suddenly addressing hundreds of millions of people.
BALDWIN: I think I would be a little nervous as well. I'm just being honest.
BRADBY: We had a long chat about it beforehand. We had half an air upstairs in their apartment. We didn't talk much about the interview but had a joke and laugh about all kinds of things. As I say, it helps that I've known them quite a long time so we didn't have to sit and be awkward with each other.
BALDWIN: You made them feel comfortable as a good interviewee does.
What about the ring? Of course we've all talked about the ring but this of course Diana's engagement ring he gave to Kate. I heard it was a perfect fit, that they didn't have to resize it. Is that right?
BRADBY: I think that is right. It was quite weird because my producer was in the corridor and about to get married and said, oh, Kate, I have to look at the ring. I said to William kind of casually that seems like quite a ring. Was it a family ring? He said oh, yes, it was my mother's actually.
BALDWIN: My mother, the princess.
BRADBY: So thankfully I did that before the interview so that I asked the right question. Let's talk about her life from here on out, Kate or Katherine, how it will be different now and the grooming of a princess will begin. I want to listen to a portion of the interview and then we'll talk on the other side. Here's Katherine Middleton.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIDDLETON: It's obviously nerve-racking because I don't know what I'm sort of -- I don't know the ropes really. But now I'm wanting to learn quickly and work hard.
PRINCE WILLIAM: Surely she will.
BRADBY: A lot of opportunities obviously within the family. You have a huge ability to change people's lives for the better. I guess that's something you must have contemplated as well.
MIDDLETON: Yes. I really hope I can make a difference in the smallest way.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Hoping to make a difference in the smallest way. Tom, really, in terms of becoming a princess, you have to deal with cooks and butlers and lots of handshaking and gowns and jewelry. Gee, it sounds like a tough job, being slightly facetious. But how does one prepare for that?
BRADBY: Actually, that's a funny thing. Their life for awhile won't be like that. He's a serving military officer up in a remote part of the U.K. where there's some people but lots of sheep and not a lot else. So they will live -- he's going to spend most of his time flying coastal rescue on the base. And when he's not, he's going to come home to her at a cottage. There are no servants there. They're going to be living together, and that's it. So it will be a while.
Listen, they'll get to the royal bit and she'll have to learn how to cope with that and it will have its moments I'm sure. For a while and I think this is the bit they'll like, probably a long while, number of years it will be just the two of them.
BALDWIN: Just the two of them and perhaps, as you have mentioned, with some sheep in the near future.
But it was a bit uncomfortable between Charles and Diana where it was the awkward "whatever love is." You were sitting a couple of feet from this couple. It appeared to me that they know what love is. Would you agree?
BRADBY: I would. I think they do know what love is. I think their relationship is a very conventional, if I can put it that way, kind of Hollywood love story. I think one of the fascinating things about the interview, and I didn't expect this, they were pretty open about the split-up.
Kate was pretty clear that she was upset about it and upset with him. Actually, there was quite a real moment. But she said, it made me and probably them stronger.
So I thought there was a lot of -- and I thought it was interesting the way they it were actually really prepared to talk about each other. Can you imagine the royals doing that 20 years ago? It's sort of inconceivable. It's a real love story. I think they have a strong friendship and emotional bond and a lot of physical chemistry I have to say. It's a real love story.
BALDWIN: Lovely couple. Tom, if you get an invite to the wedding, need a date, I'm your gal. Tom Bradby for ITV in London. Excellent interview, excellent get. Thank you, sir.
A celebrity publicist gunned down in Beverly Hills after leaving this movie premiere, moments after she leaves this movie premiere. And police have little to go on at this moment. We'll update you on this unraveling murder mystery. That's ahead.
Also, we're talking more about airports. It's that time of year when you're going through and headed to grandmother's house. So get ready to get scanned and patted down. There are new procedures affecting all of our lives. We'll talk about why the government is not about to back down. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: Before we move on, we want to show you a live picture. We are waiting and in a few minutes will bring you live the newly elected House minority leader Nancy Pelosi. As soon as she steps in front of that podium any minute now we'll bring that to you live.
Meantime let's talk airport security. Next time you're in line at the airport, what awaits you? Are you ready to be scanned head to toe? Maybe, dare I say, beneath your clothes? And what about the pat-down? Some people call it a rubdown.
Today we're talking safety in the air starting at the airport. The guy running the security programs talking about it as well. Let's bring in Jeanne Meserve, our Homeland Security correspondent. Jeanne, the head of the TSA told senators today that these pat-downs, body scanners are very much so needed, and he says, yes, indeed, they worked.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Yes. He's had one, he said, so has Janet Napolitano and other top security officials. He said, yes, they're invasive and they're a little uncomfortable, but this is what it takes to keep us safe.
He said given the intelligence they've gotten and given the fact that study after study that shows the old pat-down procedures were not finding threat objects, this is what he said we have to do, and he said he is not changing the procedures despite the current uproar, Brooke.
BALDWIN: We're also hearing from Senator Claire McCaskill. I think we have sounds. We'll react on the other side where she says she loves the pat-downs. Let's roll that. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CLAIRE MCCASKILL, (D) MISSOURI: I have had my love pats every single flight I have taken which is at least twice a week for the last four years of my life because I have a knee replacement. So I am wildly excited about the notion that I can walk through a machine instead of getting my dose of love pats.
So I think we've got to work on this, make sure that the traveling public has choices, make sure they understand the risks that we're trying to address. And then I think we can -- the majority of Americans, I think -- I hope will become supportive of the measures TSA is trying to do to keep us safe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Allow me. I stand corrected. She does not love the love pats. She's OK with the scanner. That's right.
MESERVE: That's right. And she said travelers have a choice. But there are some people who don't like either of those choices. I was looking at a lawsuit that was filed today on behalf of two pilots who said we don't want to go through the scanning machines and we don't want intrusive pat-downs and so we're not going to fly.
They say the TSA is violating the Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable search. So a very controversial subject here. One man's privacy isn't another man's privacy. One woman's privacy isn't another woman's privacy. So different people have different points of view.
The big question is this big opt-out movement that's under way. A number of grassroots groups are calling for people either not to fly next Wednesday, which is a busy travel day, or to opt out of the scanning machines and say we want a private scan and we want it with a witness.
We really can't tell how big that movement's going to be. The organizers claim they're getting a huge response. There is a lot of things on the internet indicating a lot of people are interested, but we don't know how many will choose that and what impact it will have on travel next week.
BALDWIN: I'm flying next week like everyone else. I'm just curious when my time will come to go through all of this.
MESERVE: Stay in touch. Let us know what you see.
BALDWIN: I will. Jeanne Meserve, thank you from D.C.
A double mystery for police in Colorado. How were identical twin sisters shot almost simultaneously at the shooting range? Now we have one sister who's dead. The other is hospitalized. And police can't tell them apart. Can you imagine? That bizarre story is developing. That's ahead. Also, Alaska's most popular daughter Bristol Palin stole the show last night on "Dancing with the Stars" and Brandy, she is out of there, knocked out of the competition, raising a lot of eyebrows, perhaps yours. Some of you are asking this -- is this part of a Tea Party conspiracy? We're digging deeper with a report, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: Brandy is out and Bristol Palin is still in. "Dancing with the Stars," jaw-dropping results show just last night has a lot of people wondering if politics has perhaps invaded television.
Here's how it works. Every week the judges scores are combined with viewers' votes to determine which couple is basically booted off the show. Last night there was an obvious shock after Brandy, this well known performer, danced to a perfect score Monday night.
Bristol on the other hand, continues on despite her lack of experience and often lower scores from the judges. And now she's allegedly made it to the finals. CNN's Carol Costello has this report from Washington, and she's keeping her eye on some political conspiracy theories.
COSTELLO: Brooke, if Bristol Palin's presence on "Dancing with the Stars" proves anything, it proves how partisan we've become as a nation. Some believe the only reason Bristol Palin remains on "Dancing with the stars is because of a right-wing conspiracy or should I say a Tea Party conservative conspiracy.
There are conservatives Twitter campaigns for Bristol Palin and Web sites like conservativesforpalin.com urging people to vote for Bristol. On its site today, liberal heads are exploding all over the place because Bristol Palin advanced. Here's what Bristol Palin and her partner, told us.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've had loads of people come up to me, especially in L.A., and say "I'm 100 percent Democrat but I vote for you guys every week because I have a normal life. I'm a normal family. I come home to the TV set and tune in and think to myself if I was on that show, that's how I would be. And I enjoy watching the journey and it's inspiring."
BRISTOL PALIN, DAUGHTER OF SARAH PALIN: I work my butt off here. I come in every day, I rehearse every day. I'm totally out of my element here and I think I deserve to be here.
And when people say it's just because of the Tea Party, I always think of, think of all of the people that hate my mom. Why don't we talk about that? Why not that be a topic of conversation? It can work both ways, people either love me or hate me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: If you think "Dancing with the Stars" has become a partisan nightmare, all of primetime TV has, too. A media research company came up with a list of shows that Republicans like and those Democrats like. I'll name a few.
Republicans watched -- you guessed it -- "Dancing with the Stars," "Modern Family," "The Big Bang Theory."
Democrats apparently watch shows about damaged characters like "Mad Men," "30 Rock" and "Dexter." These are all shows with much lower ratings. Republicans it seems are more devoted to their favorites and watch in greater numbers. And Brooke, maybe that's why Bristol Palin is cleaning up in viewer votes.
BALDWIN: Carol Costello, thank you.
As promised, we're taking you live to Capitol Hill. This is Connecticut Democratic congressman, John Larson, about to introduce the newly elected House minority leader. You can see her in the back left, Nancy Pelosi. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARSON: -- fighting on behalf of the American people. That's what brings us together and unifies us behind out great leader, Nancy Pelosi. Nancy?
REP. NANCY PELOSI, (D-CA) HOUSE SPEAKER: Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I wish all of America could have seen our caucus today, and yesterday, as you mentioned, Mr. Chairman, to hear the commitment to fighting with the middle class, saving Social Security, honoring the men and women in uniform, and build a future worthy of their sacrifice for our great country.
We're going to speak briefly, each of us, but I'm glad to be part of this leadership team. Our consensus is that we go out there listening to the American people. It's about jobs, about reducing the deficit, and it's about fighting for the middle class. I look forward to doing that for this great leadership team.
I want to make one special mention -- because we have a new position for Chris Van Hollen, who was nominated to be, chosen the ranking member on the budget committee. The budget, many expect to be a statement of our national values. I know that Chris Van Hollen will make that fight based on values, based on reducing deficit, based on fighting for the middle class. I want to congratulate him on his new position.
BALDWIN: I just wanted to make sure that we brought that to you live. As we were reporting earlier, not a huge surprise, Nancy Pelosi may attend some sort of House leadership house position, but it was by no means unanimous.
A look at the numbers here, the vote, 150-43, 43 of whom voted for a North Carolina congressman who gave her a little bit of run for her money. But nonetheless Nancy Pelosi elected as House minority leader. Stay there. CNN Newsroom will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: CNN has all of your latest political news with the "The Best Political Team on Television," CNN Equals Politics. Wolf Blitzer is at the CNNpolitics.com desk. And Wolf, I don't even know where to start, all kinds of breaking political stories today. Sir, the floor is yours. Where do you want to begin?
WOLF BLITZER, HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": There is a lot of news from Alaska all the way here to Washington. I know you've been reporting what is going on. But in Washington, a very significant meeting. We didn't know it was going to take place. We now know it's going to take place.
The remaining Democratic leader in the Senate, Harry Reid, met with John Boehner, who's going to be the next speaker of the House. They had a private meeting on Capitol Hill to talk about agenda issues, some legislative calendar meetings. They found the time to sit down and talk together.
By the way, as you know, tomorrow, the bipartisan, Democratic and Republican leadership was supposed to go to the White House. But that's been delayed until after Thanksgiving. But there's a little meeting going on today between the Republican leader in the House and the Democratic leader in the Senate.
Another little light item that is crossing the Political Ticker here at CNN.com. We've now concluded that there's a record amount of campaign advertising that was spent directly attacking the president in this most recent election cycle, $115 million during the midterm campaign.
Commercials trying to help the Republicans, commercials that were critical of President Obama trying to link the Democratic candidates to President Obama, $150 million spent by Republicans on TV ads in an effort to nationalize the 2010 election. That statement is coming in from Evan Tracy, who is our CNN consultant on campaign advertising.
And what is significant is that most of that money went in three states where the Republicans did really well, in Florida, Missouri, and Pennsylvania. Those are three battle ground states looking ahead to the 2012 presidential campaign.
One nonpolitical story that I'm working on that I just want to let our viewers know, Brooke, that they are going to be fascinated, this interview that I just taped with Prince Turkey al Faisal, the former Saudi intelligence chief, Saudi Arabia's former ambassador here in Washington, he's very blunt. I'm talking about bin Laden.
This is a man, by the way, when he was head of Saudi intelligence back in the 1980s who worked with bin Laden when bin Laden was part of the Mujahideen fighting the Soviets in Afghanistan.
He's got some new information that he is sharing with us and I think our viewers in the 5:00 p.m. eastern hour will be fascinated in the hunt for bin Laden and all of the control over these Al Qaeda spin-off groups the Al Qaeda leader still has. I think you'll find that interesting, Brooke.
BALDWIN: We will look for it, as you said, 5:00 Eastern hour. Wolf Blitzer, thank you, sir. We'll see you then.
Also, I want to remind everyone, we'll get a Political Ticker update in 30 minutes. You can always get the latest political news. Get your ticker online, CNNpolitics.com at Political Ticker.
