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President Obama Signs Tax Cut Bill; Elderly Man Rescued From Water in Florida; Photos Taken by Alleged Serial Killer; 'On the Case'

Aired December 17, 2010 - 16:00   ET

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

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Candy Crowley, you talk about how this is kind of like a prologue, perhaps, foreshadowing. We talk a lot about Bill Clinton presidency round two and triangulation. Is this showing that perhaps the president, President Obama, is willing to do that?

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think there are a lot of reasons why triangulation, sort of running up the center between the far left and the far right, probably won't work as well for President Obama as it did for President Clinton, principally because President Clinton was -- really was a genuine centrist when he came to Washington and remains so.

But I think it is more about a reality. And also the reason that the liberal side of the party and some of the moderates in the Democratic Party were upset is they politically do have a smaller base. The president is president of the entire country. And if he is to be reelected, he has to be reelected, you know, across the country.

So that is a much broader constituency than some of these congressmen, than all of these congressmen, are playing to and any of the senators are playing to. So, they just have different political audiences that they're playing to when you look in terms of the sheer politics of it.

In terms of the sheer policy of it, nobody was going to leave Capitol Hill and have everybody's paychecks go down January 1. That was the reality of the policy of it.

BALDWIN: Oh, they're saying turn off your cell phones, turn off your BlackBerry. So, hopefully, that's a sign that we're moments away from the president coming out.

Again, I want to remind you, we're waiting, we're watching for President Obama to walk out from behind that blue curtain and stand in front of the curtain and officially sign that tax cut bill into law. And we're waiting and we're watching for that moment to happen.

In the meantime, I want to go back to you, Candy. You talk ahead, looking down the line two years. That's when the so-called Bush tax cuts, that the temporary extension would expire. How might this moment perhaps benefit both political parties with their candidates come next election process? CROWLEY: Well, listen, the Republicans -- you're already seeing it. The Republicans have been putting out statements saying, we held fast. This wasn't the time for us to be raising taxes on anyone and we got it so that nobody's taxes were raised.

And you already have the Democrats going: Oh, my goodness, the deficit. I mean, look, these people held out just to help the wealthy of this country with a lower estate tax than there should be and with these tax breaks for the wealthy.

So, we kind of know how they're going to play it two years from now. And they both have a good case to the people that they're playing to. And I think the president has a good case in saying: I compromised. This is what politics is about. It's the art of the doable.

BALDWIN: The art of the doable.

Dana Bash, back to you. Let's just back up and remind our viewers -- and I know we have been talking about this for weeks and weeks now. But beyond just this extension of the tax cuts for both the top 2 percent and middle class and lower class, what else is in this bill?

DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the thing that the Democrats were most happy that they got in this bill is an extension of unemployment benefits for 13 months without it being paid for. That was a huge Republican demand for a very long time, that if you're going to extend unemployment benefits, you have got to find a way to offset it elsewhere in the budget.

And that did not happen. And that was a huge plus, a huge plus for the Democrats and one of the main reasons why many of the Democrats who ended up voting for this, Brooke, said that they did, because they said that they believed that they were actually told by independent economists that this was something that would help the middle class and people who really need it because of that.

Now, I just want to point out we're actually looking at Mitch McConnell. There is one Democratic leader -- he actually is the number-two Democratic senator who is there. Want to point that out. It is Dick Durbin. You see him to the right of Mitch McConnell. So, there is one -- one out of all the Democratic leadership.

And here comes the vice president.

BALDWIN: Here's the vice president. Let's listen.

(APPLAUSE)

JOSEPH BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thank you. Thanks. Thank you very much. Thank you. Be seated.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is -- this is -- I was going to say big deal, but an important deal.

(LAUGHTER)

I can no longer say big deal.

(LAUGHTER)

Thank God my mother wasn't around.

The famed 18th-century British state man -- statesman Edmund Burke once said, "All government, indeed, every human benefit and enjoyment, every virtue, and every prudent act is founded on compromise and barter." Today we have a crystal-clear example of what he meant.

This package -- this package is the result of leaders from both sides coming together to act on behalf of the American people at a time they need it most.

I want to begin by applauding Senator Mitch McConnell and the other Republican leaders, who, like their Democratic counterparts who are here today, were willing to take issue with some of their own party and to do what was, in their view, necessary in order to move the country forward. That's what the American people expect of all of us, especially in these times. And that's what we've done here.

It means accepting some things we don't like in order to get the job done for Americans as needs to be done. We were put in office amid the deepest recession this country has seen since the Great Depression. We were put here to protect and -- protect and rebuild the middle class.

Throughout the process, we're working with two principles in mind: grow the economy and support working-class families. And that's what we fought hard to do. And I stand here today to say, in my view, our fight has paid off.

Most economists, many of whom are in this room, will tell you this plan will grow our economy in the next year, and it's going to help millions of families keep their jobs, if they have one, and keep their unemployment benefits, if they don't, and keep their tax relief and keep their kids in school, as well, all while keeping our economic recovery moving in the right direction, providing immediate -- an immediate economic jolt, and giving more than 150 million Americans help when they need it most, in their paychecks, in their wallets. I believe it was the right thing to do.

This is the example of what can happen when you have a president who knows what needs to be done and acts tenaciously to make sure it happens. The president wholeheartedly -- wholeheartedly committed to serving the middle class, and that's what -- that's what happens when you have a president who knows in his gut that the middle class is the backbone of the American people and that a full economic recovery will only happen if we have -- they -- if they, the middle class, have the support they need in order to succeed.

Ladies and gentlemen, the president of the United States, Barack Obama. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thank you, everybody. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you very much. Thank you, everybody. Please, please have a seat.

Good afternoon, everybody. Before I get started, I just want to acknowledge some of the extraordinary people who did some extraordinary work in a very short period of time. And I'm going to start with somebody who has been a champion for the middle class, but has also been just an extraordinary partner on every important initiative in this administration, my friend, Joe Biden, the vice president.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

I want to acknowledge and thank Senator Mitch McConnell and the rest of the Republican leadership in the Senate, Dave Camp, Republican over in the House, for their willingness, as Joe indicated, to do what was right for the country, even though it caused occasional political discomfort.

I especially want to thank the folks who are here -- Dick Durbin, Max Baucus, Danny Davis, Allyson Schwartz, Rob Andrews -- part of a broader team that worked very diligently both in the House and the Senate on the Democratic side to make this happen.

And we've got a bunch of other members of Congress who are here, as well as activists and economists and business leaders, people who generally recognize that at this critical juncture we've got to think about what's best to grow the economy and what's best to put people back to work.

We are here with some good news for the American people this holiday season. By a wide bipartisan margin, both houses of Congress have now passed a package of tax relief that will protect the middle class, that will grow our economy, and will create jobs for the American people.

Not only do I want to thank all the leaders here today, but I want to thank mayors and governors from across the country who couldn't be here today and all who worked together to get this done.

First and foremost, the legislation I'm about to sign is a substantial victory for middle-class families across the country. They're the ones hit hardest by the recession we've endured. They're the ones who need relief right now. And that's what is at the heart of this bill.

This bipartisan effort was prompted by the fact that tax rates for every American were poised to automatically increase on January 1st. If that had come to pass, the average middle-class family would have had to pay an extra $3,000 in taxes next year. That wouldn't have just been a blow to them; it would have been a blow to our economy, just as we're climbing out of a devastating recession. I refused to let that happen. And because we acted, it's not going to. In fact, not only will middle-class Americans avoid a tax increase, but tens of millions of Americans will start the new year off right by opening their first paycheck to see that it's actually larger than the one they get right now.

Over the course of 2011, 155 million workers will receive tax relief from the new payroll tax cut included in this bill, about $1,000 for the average family. This is real money that's going to make a real difference in people's lives.

I would not have signed this bill if it didn't include other extensions of relief that were also set to expire, relief that's going to help families cover the bills, parents raise their children, students pay for college, and business owners to take the reins of the recovery and propel this economy forward.

As soon as I sign this legislation, 2 million Americans looking for work who lost their jobs through no fault of their own can know with certainty that they won't lose their emergency unemployment insurance at the end of this month.

Over the past few weeks, 600,000 Americans have been cut off from that lifeline, but with my signature, states can move quickly to reinstate their benefits. And we expect that in almost all states, they'll get them in time for Christmas.

Eight million college students who otherwise would have faced a tuition hike as soon as next semester will instead continue to have access to a $2,500 tax credit to afford their studies.

Twelve million families with twenty-four million children will benefit from extensions of the Earned Income Tax Credit and the child tax credit. And when combined with the payroll tax cut, 2 million American families who otherwise would have lived in poverty next year will instead be lifted out of it.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

And millions of entrepreneurs who've been waiting to invest in their businesses will receive new tax incentives to help them expand, buy new equipment, or make upgrades, freeing up other money to hire new workers, putting more money in the pockets of families most likely to spend it, helping businesses invest and grow. That's how we're going to spark demand, spur hiring, and strengthen our economy in the new year.

Now, candidly speaking, there are some elements of this legislation that I don't like. There are some elements that members of my party don't like. There are some elements that Republicans here today don't like. That's the nature of compromise, yielding on something each of us cares about to move forward on what all of us care about. And right now, what all of us care about is growing the American economy and creating jobs for the American people.

Taken as a whole, that's what this package of tax relief is going to do. It's a good deal for the American people. This is progress. And that's what they sent us here to achieve.

There will be moments, I'm certain, over the next couple of years in which the holiday spirit won't be as abundant as it is today.

(LAUGHTER)

Moreover, we've got to make some difficult choices ahead when it comes to tackling the deficit. In some ways, this was easier than some of the tougher choices we're going to have to make next year. There will be times when we won't agree. We'll have to work through those times together.

But the fact is, I don't believe that either party has cornered the market on good ideas. And I want to draw on the best thinking from both sides. So wherever we can, whenever we can, it makes sense for our country's success and our children's future to work with people in both parties who are willing to come to the table for the hard work of moving our economy and our country forward.

What happened with this economic package was a good example of that. A bipartisan group made up of Senators Baucus and Kyl and Representatives Van Hollen and Camp sat down with Secretary Geithner, who's here today, and director Jack Lew of the Office of Management and Budget to begin negotiations in good faith. Leaders like Nancy Pelosi, John Boehner, Harry Reid and Mitch, other members who are here, together worked to bring this bill across the finish line.

And the final product proves when we can put aside the partisanship and the political gains, when we can put aside what's good for some of us in favor of what's good for all of us, we can get a lot done. And if we can keep doing it, if we can keep that spirit, I'm hopeful that we just won't reinvigorate this economy and restore the American dream to all who work for it, I'm also hopeful we might refresh the American people's faith in the capability of their leaders to govern in challenging times, belief in the capacity of their institutions in this town to deliver in a rapidly changing world, and most of all, confidence that our best days as a nation are still ahead of us.

So to all of you who worked so diligently on this issue, thank you very much. To those on my staff who were working night and day, and on the Senate and House staffs in both parties who were working so hard, we're very grateful to you.

And with that, let me sign this bill to make sure that people are seeing a bigger paycheck come January.

(APPLAUSE)

BALDWIN: And here he goes. With the flick of several pens, President Obama is signing this tax cut bill into law, vice president joking off the top, saying, This is a big deal. It's a big deal, as in $858 billion. But it is an important deal, he says, the president reminding everyone that their taxes won't be going up come the first of the year. He said it's real money making a real difference in people's lives. And Candy Crowley, as we watch all the pieces of his name be signed -- and there we go! It's official. Candy, one word -- and I stopped counting, but we heard the word "compromise" many, many times, the president thanking members of his own party, members of the Republicans for coming together to sign this thing, to pass this thing in the best interests of the American people. Compromise possible in Washington.

CROWLEY: Sure. Right. Second only to "middle class." Those were the two words that you heard the most. Why? Because he's speaking directly to the heart of where the Democrats wanted this package to go, the big fight over whether the wealthy should get their tax cuts extended.

But "compromise" because the lesson of this election was, you know, interpreted by many people, but what a lot of people came away thinking was it was not just about government, was there government overreach, is there government overspending, did the health care plan go too far, it was regardless of how people voted, about, Could you all get along long enough to do something for the country? People are tired of what they see as endless arguing that gets nowhere, people spinning their wheels.

So that was definitely, I think, one of the messages that both sides took away from the elections. And the Republicans know full well that they can't sit around and obstruct legislation because in two years, people could become disenchanted with the Republican House. The Democrats know that they can no longer kind of try to ride roughshod, some Republicans felt it was, over Republicans, that they now are forced to work together because they're about to have a Republican House. So compromise is a key word for now.

BALDWIN: And before I let you go, I have one more for you, Candy, and that is let's talk about who's in the room. Obviously, it's a packed house there at the White House. But interestingly, he mentioned, you know, Mitch McConnell is there, also Dick Durbin, two ranking Republican and Democrats respectively, also Tim Geithner, Al Sharpton in the room. But are you surprised that there are not more ranking Democrats who were standing up on that stage behind him?

CROWLEY: I think it gets a little bit to what we were talking about before. Some of these Democrats up on Capitol Hill who are not there -- and he did mention that there were some in the crowd. We're not sure who they were exactly. But those Democrats, particularly on the house Side, have a particular constituency in their district. It's who they represent. And many of the liberal Democrats represent -- guess what -- liberal districts who are unhappy with this deal because they don't think that the wealthy should have had their tax cuts extended.

So it makes sense that as part of their protest, OK, they're busy, or whatever their excuse was for not going. They really don't want that picture up there of them behind President Obama with the caption come election day, you know, Congressman So-and-so supported, you know, continued tax breaks for the wealthy. So I think this is just, you know, a protest because they don't believe it should have happened. But there's also, you know, some political calculation here that you can find, even if they took it out of a principled stand. You don't want your picture up there with something that you actually don't believe in, that you pretty much were kind of forced into doing with the threat of there would be no tax cut extensions at all.

BALDWIN: Candy Crowley, I appreciate you, as always, giving me your political perspective. Candy, thank you for that.

And now this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This investigation resulted in the largest ecstasy seizure in the country this year.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Did you hear her? The largest this year. A federal customs agent at Atlanta's airport, of all places, accused of moving drugs. Folks, this is a massive, massive bust. Coming up, we'll show you how it all played out.

Also, what does a queen and a future princess -- what could may be possibly talking about over lunch, you ask? I will tell you about Katherine Middleton's the royal engagement.

Plus, an elderly driver is stuck as his car -- down it goes, sinking, rescue crews racing against the clock to try to get him out of there. I'll be talking to one of the paramedics on the scene. That's ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: They call him the "grim sleeper," an accused serial killer whose case spans more than three decades. And now this case is not closed. In fact, a new shocking discovery may mean more victims.

I'm Brooke Baldwin. The news is now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Seven hundred thousand ecstasy pills.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: A record-breaking drug bust.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And charges against 17 individuals.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Operation Rude Beast takes down an alleged smuggling ring.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Including a federal customs and border patrol agent.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: What? Aren't those guys supposed to keep drugs out?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I just heard a really loud crash.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: An elderly driver crashes through a wall and flies into the bay.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I see all of a sudden, a car going into the water.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Rescuers splash and smash to get him out, and the dramatic moments caught on video.

A courtroom brawl erupts as a judge sentences a convicted murderer. You'll see how it all played out.

Hello there to you. Happy Friday. I'm Brooke Baldwin. A lot of news happening now. Rapid fire, let's go first with this. The man behind WikiLeaks is talking to reporters today. Here he is, Julian Assange, out of jail in the United Kingdom pending extradition proceedings. He tells CNN he regards the sex allegations against him as a calculated effort to divert all that attention away from his organization's whistle-blowing practices. And -- get this -- he says, yes, it's working. Assange was let out of jail on condition that he remain near London and wear a locator tag. He's wanted in Sweden on sexual misconduct charges.

Next, we've got some good news for victims of the Bernie Madoff fraud, a lump sum of more than $7 billion going back to those people who were swindled by Madoff, that is after the widow of Jeffrey Picower (ph) agreed to release the money. Picower, who died a year ago, was a prominent beneficiary of Madoff's Ponzi scheme. Federal prosecutors say this is the largest forfeiture in U.S. history, and they say that there's still more Madoff money to recover.

Next, this just in here from the war in Afghanistan. Joint Chiefs chairman Admiral Mike Mullen is visiting Afghanistan one day after the White House released its progress report on the war. Mullen says the report shows that we are, quote, "on the right track." But he told reporters today in Kabul some major issues remain. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ADM. MIKE MULLEN, JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN: And in the case of Osama bin Laden, as well as Zawahiri, there's a tremendous focus on and desire to either capture or kill those two individuals.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Mullen added there is still too much Taliban influence there in Afghanistan.

Next, more Christians are leaving Iraq, violence in recent weeks prompting, quote, "a steady exodus of Christians from major cities, including Baghdad." That is according to the U.N. They say the trend started in October when terrorists killed dozens of people inside that church.

Next, John David Duty (ph) -- here he is -- a death row inmate in Oklahoma was executed last night. Now, this is the last U.S. execution scheduled for this year. But are you ready for something -- we'll call it unusual? One of the drugs in Duty's lethal injection cocktail was actually a sedative commonly used by veterinarians to put animals to sleep. It seems there is a nationwide shortage of the drugs normally used for capital punishment. A judge approved the veterinary drug, rather than postpone his execution.

Next, European officials putting the responsibility on Kosovo now to investigate some very serious charges that the Kosovo Liberation Army, including the current prime minister, was years ago allegedly involved in a scheme to sell human organs on the black market. The human rights activist makes those charges says that people in Kosovo who know the truth must come forward, but many of them are afraid to do so. Kosovo's prime minister denies any connection to any of this organ harvesting.

Next, all right, watch this with me. This is black-and-white surveillance video, as you can tell. This is the Minneapolis Metrodome roof caving in under the weight of snow. And there she goes. The storm brought 17 inches of snow and was too much for the roof to hold. Look at it caving on in. Now work to repair the roof is on hold indefinitely. Four roof panels have now given way. And there is concern that even more of those panels, you see there, could collapse. And there is a new tear.

The Minnesota Vikings are scheduled to play the next game outdoors -- can we say Brr, collectively -- at the University of Minnesota stadium, the team also voicing concerns. The Metrodome not safe to play under.

Next, there is no denying that he is smart, perhaps to smart. Twenty-four-year-old Adam Wheeler pleaded guilty for lying his way into Harvard and now must do 10 years probation. Wheeler falsified his academic records, saying he was from MIT. This guy even created fake letters of recommendation to get into the prestigious Cambridge college. He received more than $50,000 in scholarships and grants, which, you guessed it, will be repaid. Next, you know we are all about privacy this week here at CNN, and this news today coming out of Ohio State University. Here's the deal. The school says someone hacked into a computer server there recently. This is a server that contains personal data belonging to, oh, you know, just about 760,000 people -- names, addresses, Social Security numbers, students, staff, past, present. Happened just a couple of weeks ago. The school says it still does not know the full extent of the damage. It is investigating and offering free credit protection.

Next, you remember this? School board member trying to bring down a disgruntled gunman with her purse? I talked to her just the other day on TV. Well, now the infamous purse -- there it is, she's holding it up, there's Ginger -- it's on sale on eBay. Ginger Littleton will be auctioning off her crime-fighting purse for charity. Proceeds will go to the Salvage Santa fund. There she goes again trying to take this guy down. That is a charity headed by the security guard who was credited for saving the Bay County school board when that gunman opened fire there earlier this week.

Next, ordinary-looking train cars, right? Yes, but they are packed with a little bit of marijuana, like, 11 tons of the stuff. Smugglers who thought they were hauling it from Mexico to Chicago under the radar were very, very wrong. Federal investigators were aware of it the whole time. They allowed the journey to trek all the way to Chicago. And they were waiting for it, waiting for the smugglers to offload it, then swooped in, made the bust. Several men are in custody. Customs officials call it the biggest pot bust in Chicago in the past 10 years.

And finally, this. A mystery Santa has been giving away money to complete strangers in Iowa. The secret Santa has been walking the streets of Des Moines, handing out -- excuse me -- $100 bills to the less fortunate. At first, they couldn't believe it. Then you see all these hugs, a lot of hugs, a lot of tears. The secret Santa says he was inspired by another secret Santa in Kansas City, who helped the needy there. How about that?

How about this, dramatic rescue caught on video. You see this car under water? There's someone in there, an elderly man in Biscayne Bay, stuck in his car. His car is sinking. Crews have moments to try to get him out. I'll talk to one of the heroes who managed to do that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: All right, listen to this story. We have a 77-year-old man who is alive today after crashing his car into a Florida bay. It's in Miami. This is Biscayne Bay. A rescue crew dove into this water, pulls this driver to safety. That driver was Jose Escobios (ph). Says he was parking his car, when he went to move the car up a little bit and said it went crashing through a wall and into the bay.

And one of several paramedics there who helped save the driver was Rory Martin, who you saw in the video actually swimming that 77- year-old driver to shore. And he's good enough to join me on the phone from Miami.

Rory, nice work there. Are you with me?

RORY MARTIN, PARAMEDIC/FIREFIGHTER (via telephone): Thank you. Yes, I am.

BALDWIN: I'm just curious, how many minutes passed between when this guy's car was in Biscayne Bay and you get the call to respond?

MARTIN: Probably at least four or five minutes by the time we get the call to respond.

BALDWIN: So four or five minutes. And then we see a number of men in there trying to get him out. Talk to me about how you do this. How do you go about getting him out?

MARTIN: Well, first we had to locate the vehicle. We could still see the vehicle as it went off the wall. And it floated out about 15, 20 yards. And when we pulled up to the scene, we had already pulled out all our dive equipment and had it ready to go. And we just took off to the area and got ready to go in the water.

BALDWIN: And the driver, where was he inside of the car? And was he able to breathe? Was his head at least above the water?

MARTIN: I couldn't see the driver at first until I got up on the car. And then through the rear window, I could see his arm and see that there was a small air pocket and that he was upside-down, with his head into the air pocket.

BALDWIN: Now, it's very tricky for people, thank goodness, who have not been in this driver's shoes, been in water stuck in a car. It's really difficult to get out because of the water pressure, correct? You have to literally take one of those tools to try to smash the window.

MARTIN: Right. You have to get the water equalized the same amount in the car as on the outside. And then once the pressures have equalized, you can open the doors. But yes, you have to either let it fill up or break a window. But then you have to be ready because the water's going to rush in and the car's going to sink.

BALDWIN: So you have to act very, very quickly.

MARTIN: Yes.

BALDWIN: We're seeing someone, I don't know if it was you, cracking that back windshield. And then it's you -- here you are, pulling him out. What was he saying to you, Rory, in those moments while you're carrying him to safety? Was he talking?

MARTIN: No, he wasn't talking at all. He just looked at me and was trying to breathe. And at the same time, other people were shouting that there was another victim in the car. So I was turning around to see if I could find another person. And when they said nobody else was in, it was time to take him to shore because he couldn't swim.

BALDWIN: Well, Rory Martin, nice job. What was this, just another day on the job for you?

MARTIN: Just another day.

BALDWIN: Another day on the job. Rory Martin, nice, nice work. Thanks to you and your team. Appreciate it. They're on the phone with me from Miami.

There is also a major development in the fight against cancer today, the government telling doctors to stop using a drug, saying it has dangerous side effects. What is that? We'll tell you ahead.

And is the U.S. using more drones to fight terror? They're lining up now, talking about our reporters. "Reporter Roulette" is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Major drone strikes, a potentially dangerous cancer drug and American troops coming home. Time to play "Reporter Roulette." I want to begin with Chris Lawrence there in Islamabad, Pakistan -- Chris.

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brooke, these strikes clearly show that the U.S. is not only increasing the frequency of its drone strikes but also expanding into new areas of Pakistan, as well. Two Pakistani intelligence officials confirm that these three strikes, as well as one yesterday, all took place in the Khyber area. That's north of where most of the drone strikes have been taking place up until now.

But I'm told the drone strikes in Waziristan have been so relentless that a lot of the militants were starting to fan out and escape to other areas. And the U.S. had requested to expand its range of operations, as well. The Pakistani intelligence officials say that these drone strikes targeted a local group called Laskhar e-Islam, mostly trying to impose strict Islamic law in the area. But some fighters had also been crossing over into Afghanistan to fight.

Just to put things in perspective, this brings the number of drone strikes to roughly about 106 for the year. Compare that to just 52 all of last year -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: Chris, thank you.

Next on "Reporter Roulette," chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains why the FDA wants to revoke approval for a major drug in the fight against breast cancer -- Sanjay.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Brooke, look, they're trying to really answer two questions, the FDA, when making this decision. One is, is this a medication that is going to improve survival? And do the benefits outweigh the risks? The answer, at least according to the FDA, seems to come back no. And then that's what we're talking about here. The risks, incidentally, pretty significant -- heart failure, heart attacks, perforations or holes in the intestines or the stomach. There was a lot of enthusiasm, Brooke, about this medication back in 2008. They said, look -- with so much enthusiasm, they fast tracked the medication, try to get it available as quickly as possible, but the bargain was, we need to see more studies.

And now that those studies have come back they say, Look, it doesn't add up. We don't think the benefits in this case outweigh the risks, and we don't think they improve survival overall. In Europe, they did arrive at a slightly different decision, saying that they can keep this medication on the market if it's taken in conjunction with another chemo medication. In the United States, things probably won't change anytime quickly. It will stay on the market for other types of cancer. But for now, the FDA sent a pretty strong signal. Brooke, back to you.

BALDWIN: Sanjay Gupta, thank you.

And finally on "Reporter Roulette," our Casey Wian had a pretty great assignment today. He is at the Marine Corps base at Camp Pendleton in California, where they're having a hero's welcome for troops, different waves of troops coming home for the holidays. Casey, what a wonderful, wonderful day.

CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Behind me, you're seeing some of the family members being reunited with members of the Marine Corps. About 2,000 Marines are returning today to Camp Pendleton. The group that I'm with, 1,200 members of the 1st Battalion 4th Marine -- they were in theater for seven months. They provided support in Afghanistan, helped rescue a cargo ship, a German cargo ship that was captured by Somali pirates, provided relief to flood victims in Pakistan. These 1,200 Marines that I'm with today that are returning here, all of them returning safely. And they're going to be home with their families for the holidays, Brooke.

BALDWIN: We keep cutting to this couple behind you that -- they have not seen each other for a while. Anyway, Casey, what have the troops been doing over there? There they are. Can't get their hands off each other!

(LAUGHTER)

WIAN: Well --

BALDWIN: Sorry.

WIAN: Can you blame them?

BALDWIN: No, I can't. Continue.

WIAN: They've been doing -- yes. Well, they've been doing a lot. Like I say, there was that German cargo ship that was taken over by Somali pirates, and it was quite a tense situation. And this group of Marines managed to board that ship, disarm those Somali pirates and rescue the civilian crew without a shot fired -- no casualties, no serious injuries. So they really accomplished some incredible things during this mission, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Casey Wian for us at Camp Pendleton. Casey, thank you.

And that is your "Reporter Roulette" for this Friday.

And now this for you. A deer on ice. That's all you get. That's all I'm saying, deer on ice. You got to see this.

But first, winter usually means a shopper stampede to the canned food aisle. But a new way of farming could have you shopping for fresh fruits and fresh vegetables even when it's bitter, bitter cold outside.

Kristie Lu Stout has today's "Solutions."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Imagine being able to see where your food is grown, picked and packaged without ever leaving the grocery store. Green company Citi-Farm is developing a system to grow fruits and vegetables indoors, like this supermarket in South Korea which is growing its own lettuce.

BEUN SEUNG SAP, CITI-FARM (through translator): It's fresher, crisper and tastes better.

STOUT: Since the produce is grown on site and ready for sale within minutes, it cuts down the cost and energy needed to bring produce from the farm to the consumer. The lettuce has been selling out, but with its limited stock, it's more expensive than vegetables grown on a farm.

SEUNG-HO BAEK, LOTTE MART(through translator): A lot of people love the idea, and with the organic food boom in Korea, people care more about health.

STOUT: And the supermarket says seeing where the food comes from is a major selling point for customers.

KWAN HYUK HYUN, SEOUL AGRICULTURE TECH. CENTER (through translator): As the society becomes more affluent, more people care about what they're eating. So they want to grow their own food.

STOUT: Bring the farm to the city is still a new concept in Seoul, but with more than half of the world's population now living in cities, this could one day be the norm.

Kristie Lu Stout, CNN, Hong Kong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: You are about to see the coolest wild animal rescue ever -- or maybe it's less cool and more cold. "You Gotta See This!"

Here we go. Poor little Bambi stranded on the frozen Mississippi River. Can't move, no traction. Thus, alas help from above.

A private helicopter called himself in, used his aircraft to blow the little helpless animal to shore. There he goes, sliding.

Is he going to make it? He does eventually make it. That's the ending of that story. The deer took off, hopefully a little wiser. Say no to the ice.

And let's warm things up, shall we? I want to take you to Miami for this one.

This is Miami's aquarium. And look carefully. That big dolphin has a mini me swimming next to her. This is a debut of the newest edition at the Seaquarium.

A male baby dolphin born November 13th, clearly not at all camera shy. The little guy just needs one more thing -- a name. So, the Seaquarium holding a baby name contest, of course.

And this really isn't actually an animal story, but, come on, I had a theme going. You know, deer, now dolphins, now bears.

Twenty-three thousand teddy bears literally covering the ice at this major junior league hockey rink. This is Calgary, Canada. This is the annual tradition at the home venue of the Calgary Hitmen.

Fans bring stuffed animals to the game. Then, after the first goal, well, you see what happens. The toys are all donated to more than 50 children's charities in Alberta.

That's a lot of stuffed animals, huh?

Los Angeles police make a bold move to find more potential victims of the alleged Grim Sleeper serial killer. In fact, there has been so much interest in this story that new photos have been released from LAPD. It's actually boosting their Web servers.

We'll tell you that whole story, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: More than 150 women, and the police in Los Angeles want to know who they are, where they are. And above all, they want to know if they're safe.

Why? Because their photographs like these here have been found in this home of an alleged serial killer, a killer who allegedly preyed on prostitutes.

Now, the police here have been trying to find these women every since last summer, when their photos turned up in the home of Lonnie Franklin. Franklin was arrested just back in July. He's known as the alleged Grim Sleeper killer who terrorized south Los Angeles off and on for some 25 years. And since the search of his home, the police have tried and failed to find these women.

Who are these women? Well, I spoke about precisely that with Joel Rubin, a staff writer with "The L.A. Times." But first, I want you to listen to police.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF CHARLIE BECK, LOS ANGELES POLICE: This is very important. There is somebody's photo among these 180 who is a victim.

DET. DENNIS KILCOYNE, LOS ANGELES POLICE: Our main concern right now is the welfare of these individuals and their identity, and our best wish is that we get a phone call from each and every one of them and that everything's OK.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So, Joel, they're hoping to get phone calls. They want happy endings with each of these women. But could it be possible that some of these women, they may not want to come forward?

JOEL RUBIN, STAFF WRITER, "L.A. TIMES": Yes. As one detective on the team that's been investigating this case said to me, you know, "If I'm one of those women and I open up the "L.A. Times" and see my picture there, I wouldn't want to talk to me either.

But what they're really hoping is that at least some of the women, if they do see themselves, will come forward and just check in and say, hey, I'm OK. And police say they have no intention to cause them any harm or any problems.

They do want to talk to them if they're willing to talk. Barring that, they hope family members will come forward or acquaintances and say, yes, I know who that person is, she lives in Topeka, Kansas, now, and the last time I knew she was doing fine. They're just really trying to connect the dots on who these women are.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Now, the police in Los Angeles are telling us today they have received dozens of phone calls since posting the women's photos yesterday.

Parents, here's a question for you. Should kids be allowed at -- you guessed it, you see the pictures -- Hooters? A California lawsuit says, no way.

We're "On the Case," next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: An airport Customs agent charged with drug trafficking, and a lawsuit against Hooters.

Sunny Hostin is off today, so we asked attorney Midwin Charles to join us for "On the Case."

And Midwin, first up, we have this federal Customs agent at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport arrested on drug trafficking charges. The arrest led to a large-scale drug seizure, nearly $3 million worth of Ecstasy. We see some of it right there.

One of the big concerns here, the government is alleging he used his badge to bypass airport security. So help me unravel this story. I want to begin with, Midwin, how did the fed find this guy? How did they move in?

MIDWIN CHARLES, ATTORNEY: Well, apparently, they used undercover agents, Brooke. And I think you know, typically, this is something that law enforcement does when they are trying to get to the bottom of a criminal case. And so it begs the question as to whether or not this guy will raise a defense of entrapment, which is something that you usually see when people are targeted by undercover agents.

BALDWIN: So I do want to get this out there. We put out a call to this security guard, Devon Samuels (ph). One phone apparently has been disconnected, the other went straight to voicemail. But allegedly used his badge as a Customs officer -- he's the guy who's supposed to be keeping the drugs out -- to get through airport security.

Is that what he did or is accused of doing?

CHARLES: That's what it looks like. I mean, that's what it looks like.

And talk about a betrayal of trust, Brooke. I mean, this is someone who we charge with covering the borders and protecting the United States' borders. And points of entry as well. And so to use that badge in order to kind of bypass security, in order to orchestrate what appears to be an intent to distribute -- over 700,000 Ecstasy pills were confiscated, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Huge, huge bust.

Midwin, I want to move on to the second case. It has some people talking in our newsroom today.

It's a story out of California. This complaint was filed by an attorney on behalf of the National Organization for Women, or NOW, against the Hooters restaurant chain. So I guess the big question, Midwin, is this: Is Hooters considered an adult-themed restaurant? And if so, then why does it have a kids' menu, and should it be able to serve minors?

CHARLES: Well, I think they have always kind of gone on as though they are an adult-themed entertainment business, at least in response to some of the civil litigation that they have to deal with in light of discrimination charges.

And so, yes, they do have kid menus, and they probably do serve to kids. But let's not forget the missing link here, which is, why are parenting bringing children to Hooters so that they can be served? Right?

I mean, at some point, we need to stop trying to legislate behavior. To me, this is one of those trivial suits. And while I respect the National Organization of Women, I think they've made great strides for women's rights and equality, I just think this case is a little bit trivial.

BALDWIN: Well, I do want to be fair. Look, we reached out, did our due diligence, reached out to Hooters. I want to read the statement.

They say, "Hooters girls are sexy, vivacious. The element of sex appeal is certainly prevalent in our restaurants and is the essence of the Hooters experience. But the Hooters brand of sex appeal is wholesome and that of the all-American cheerleader, not a seedy strip club."

Is this, Midwin, a PR ploy perhaps?

CHARLES: It may be a PR ploy. I mean, let's face it, the women who work at Hooters are scantily clad. They wear barely any clothes.

And so while I understand that parents might be upset about this establishment, at the end of the day, parents need to not bring their children to establishments such as Hooters. And I think this situation will kind of fix itself.

BALDWIN: Midwin Charles, thank you for weighing in on two pretty interesting cases here for us "On the Case."

Midwin, thank you. Have a wonderful weekend.

And next, we have Suzanne Malveaux in "THE SITUATION ROOM."

Of course, I'm sure she'll have much more on what we brought you live, the fact that President Obama officially signed the tax cut bill into law.

Suzanne, to you in Washington.