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Crisis in Egypt; Higher Gas Prices Coming?; Health Care Struck Down; Mom Kills "Mouthy" Kids
Aired January 31, 2011 - 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: And now, take a look at this.
(MUSIC)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BALDWIN: He is the most contentious person on the planet right now, but where exactly is the Egyptian president, and how long before all these angry protesters track him down?
I'm Brooke Baldwin. The news is now.
(voice-over): A terror plot targeting one of America's biggest mosques. It was filled with people when police say the suspect drove a car right up to it loaded with fireworks and explosives. So, who is he?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's a lot of people out here who hold anti- Muslim feelings and sentiments.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: And what was his connection to President Bush?
(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)
BALDWIN: The incredible moments caught on surveillance tape, inside that police station under a spray of bullets.
And a mother accused of killing her own children.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can't imagine what would ever drive somebody to do that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: We're on the case.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BALDWIN: Hello once again, everyone. Happy Monday. I'm Brooke Baldwin.
A lot of news happening like fire -- "Rapid Fire."
Let's begin with this -- we're following breaking news out of Florida. A federal judge in Florida has struck down key parts of the health care law, President Obama's health care law, as unconstitutional. President Obama, that's why we're showing you the White House. Of course, reaction is pouring in every minute here really from Capitol Hill.
We're also getting word now that the White House will brief reporters within this hour. Stay tuned for that.
Next, more breaking news and new video of a small plane that has just landed on a highway in New Jersey. We're told it was heading to the airport in Teterboro. I'm looking at this video, trying to see if I can see this plane. Instead it actually touched down on Interstate 80. This is in Hackensack.
Take a look at how it obviously affected traffic at every single level. And aha, there is at least part of the plane on the other side of the patrol car. This is the TwitPic they have sent us. The fire department says the pilot reported a loss of fuel pressure. Fortunately, no reports of any injuries.
Next, in court today, the Florida mom who allegedly killed her teenaged children because they were too mouthy. Have you heard of this story? A judge denied bond for 50-year-old Julie Schenecker. Police say she killed her 13-year-old son in the family car on the way home from soccer practice and then her 16-year-old daughter was shot twice in her head as she studied at a computer in her bedroom. Schenecker's lawyers are expected to ask for psychiatrists to evaluate her.
Next, who killed John Wheeler -- the family of the former Pentagon worker is now offering a massive reward, $25,000, to find out that answer. His body, you'll remember, found in a landfill in Delaware just last month. Police say someone killed him. In fact, they released the surveillance video showing Wheeler a bit disoriented right before he went missing. His family hopes that cash reward will lead to an arrest.
Next, the search for a missing 8-year-old boy is intensifying in Oregon. Crews are looking in the woods northwest of Portland. Kyron Horman disappeared from school last summer.
Police say they got some new information. They're re not saying what that new information is that made them go out there and look -- yesterday, to look again. The sheriff's office said the search had been planned months but until now, the weather has just been too bad.
Next, a sex offender is in jail in Washington state suspected of strangling a female prison guard. The details are horrendous. The guard was found dead Saturday night in the jail's chapel
Police think she was strangled with a cord from one of the church's microphones. The suspect told police he had an escape plan, but he did not get out.
The victim's boyfriend said she had told him she was afraid of working by herself in the chapel at night. A corrections department official says this is the first time a guard has been killed in the facility in its 100-year history.
There is a huge turnout tomorrow for the funeral of an Indianapolis police officer shot and killed in the line of duty. He was Officer David Moore. And you want to talk about a true blue police family, his dad is a retired police lieutenant, and his mother is an active sergeant on that force, and the first officer to reach David Moore's side when he was shot has the same badge number his mother once held.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SGT. JO ANN MOORE, SLAIN POLICEMAN'S MOTHER: We were notified by the neighbors that an officer was down and Matt got over there quickly. He was the first one to reach my son, and I was there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: The Moore family deeply grieving in Indianapolis. Officer David Moore's full honors funeral will be attended by police officers and fire fighters from all across the country, and is expected to take most of the day tomorrow.
Next, she's used to covering the news. Former TV anchor became the news when she had to be rescued by the sheriff's department dive team members yesterday. Police say she drove her SUV right off the road, over a guardrail, into that creek. Look at him kayaking over to get her. This is near Spokane, Washington.
Luckily someone heard her calling. They called 911. She was treated for hypothermia, and then arrested for DUI. Yikes!
Next, plane into a house. This is Big Bear, California, not far from Los Angeles yesterday. The twin-engine plane crashed through the roof of one house, flipped over and hit the ground between two others. Only the pilot was on board. He managed to pull himself out of there. He is in the hospital today.
One person inside the home is also reported hurt. No word yet as to what caused the plane to go down in the first place.
Next, look at this, fists flying. This is a brawl at a high school basketball game. This is Charlotte Friday. Listen to the screams.
It started after a security guard asked a girl to go back to her side's -- back to her school's side of the court. Police say her father then got up. He attacked the guard for saying that, and his daughter and wife jumped in the fight.
The guards won. The father was arrested. No one was seriously hurt.
Next, this is why it's called the ring of fire, folks. Southern Japan, scientists started talking about this volcano possibly blowing its top right about nine months ago, and that's precisely what it's doing now. About 1,000 people live in what's called the danger zone. Look at the smoke. Hundreds of them obviously having to evacuate to a safe distance while ash and smoke fills the air. This volcano last erupted more than 50 years ago.
Next, get rid of all driver's licenses. That is what one lawmaker in Georgia is proposing. The Republican says free people should be able to travel on roads and highways without carrying ID. He says it's in the Constitution.
Next, no library, no problem. One Florida community has found a novel way to get books to people who live too far away from brick and mortar library. They are setting up a book vending machine at a tourist information center.
Books can be checked out three at a time. A computer monitors when it's time to restock the books. You still need a library card though to get the books out of the machines.
Next --
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can you imagine a homeless person who can't afford a movie gets to go to the Super Bowl?
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BALDWIN: You heard that right. A Green Bay, Wisconsin, couple, living in a homeless shelter is going to the Super Bowl all expenses paid. That lady apparently none too pleased about this one.
The couple won two Super Bowl tickets, transportation to Dallas, and a place to stay in a contest of skill and luck.
The skill here, they had to find a secret phrase on the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau Facebook page. As for the luck part, they had to repeat the phrase to a mystery man the bureau sent to wander the streets of Green Bay.
So, congrats to them.
Next --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How you guys doing?
UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: Good. How are you?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Surprised? Are you surprised?
UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I came just to watch your game. I love you guys.
UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: I love you, too.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: I love these stories. Eric, thanks for getting this one in the show. A dad surprises his two kids, listen to them in, St. Louis. Coaches called time-out just before his daughter's basketball game.
The National Guardsmen just getting home from Afghanistan. I got goose bumps. He says he is home for good. And up next for the family, of course, a trip to Disney World. How wonderful.
A dramatic shootout caught on video. A gunman walks into a police station, opens fire, and at one point he even dives over the desk. Coming up: you're going to see what happened, and we're now also hearing what he's accused of doing before this whole rampage.
Also, protesters in Egypt say they will not stop until their president leaves. But Hosni Mubarak is still there. In fact, he's building a new government.
But where exactly is he? And just how long will he wait this out?
Anderson Cooper is going to join me live this hour. He'll be talking with me from Cairo. But, first, Michael Holmes standing by.
I don't see Holmes, there he is. He's going to join me live. Probably eating the food we had five minutes ago.
Be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: This is like when we like to take a look at what's happening overseas, but really, we've just been focused on one so massive developing story for, what is it now, seven days?
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Seven days, yes.
BALDWIN: Seven days. Michael Holmes here from CNN international. I'm surprised you're not in Egypt right now, sir.
HOLMES: Oh, thanks for rubbing it in. No, my hand is up. I'm ready to go, passport at the ready. We've got a good gang over there. We got like five or so correspondents.
BALDWIN: Amazing our resources.
But I want to start with you by talking about one very central figure to this whole demonstration the past seven days, and that is the president, Hosni Mubarak. Take a look.
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HOLMES (voice-over): To understand Hosni Mubarak, you have to start here with his predecessor, Anwar Sadat, who in 1979 signed the Camp David peace treaty with Israel. That handshake on the White House lawn enraged Muslim radicals who believed Sadat had sold out Arab interests across the region. In protests, many even centrist Arab governments broke diplomatic relations with Egypt.
Two and a half years later while President Sadat was reviewing a military parade with then Vice President Hosni Mubarak sitting next to him, Muslim radicals in the army had their revenge. Sadat was assassinated. Mubarak was wounded but survived to be sworn in as president.
That was October 1981. Hosni Mubarak has been the Egyptian president ever since, and until this week had never had a vice president. When he came to power, Egypt was the pariah of the Arab world for signing that peace deal with Israel. Mubarak went on the diplomatic offensive, quickly improving relations with Arab neighbors.
PRES. HOSNI MUBARAK, EGYPT: When you consider peace, it's not something impossible but it's a gift to the people, to the human being.
HOLMES: For 30 years, Mubarak has been a regular guest of American presidents. He's been an ally of the West in efforts to contain al Qaeda, and Mubarak collaborated in repeated U.S. efforts to broker peace deals between Israel and the Palestinians.
Here with President Ronald Reagan.
MUBARAK: The exercise of the right to self-determination cannot be denied to the Palestinian people.
HOLMES: Self-determination back home in Egypt though was another matter. Mubarak's presidency was reaffirmed three times in national voting, but by law, no one else was allowed on the ballot.
After U.S. pressure, a supposedly open election was held in 2005, but international observers complained the balloting was rigged.
After contesting the election results, the number two vote-getter, was arrested, charged with forgery and sentenced to five years hard labor. That punishment earned the Mubarak government a strong rebuke from the White House.
The alternative Mubarak's government was hinted was chaos, and Egypt's painful history of terror attacks meant little was left to the imagination. From Luxor in 1997, when more than 60 people, mostly tourists, were slaughtered, to the resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh in 2005 where 88 people were killed.
Like a cat, Mubarak seems to have had nine lives. He survived multiple assassination attempts, including an attack by Islamic extremists on his motorcade during a 1995 visit to Ethiopia. Still, Mubarak is now 82, and in recent years his health has appeared to falter.
When Mubarak came to power in 1981, he inherited a country torn apart by economic and political differences. Islamic idealists and radicals wanted a Muslim state. Secular moderates wanted a Western style democracy.
After the fall of Saddam Hussein in Iraq, U.S. pressure forced Mubarak into grudging change, more freedom of expression, newspapers allowed to publish articles critical of the government, and economic reforms that brought strong economic growth.
But this interview from 1981 may offer a hint at Mubarak's cautious approach to change.
MUBARAK: Look what happened in Israel, I think, in Morocco, in Niger, in Tunisia. They tried to make tough reforms. The people that are human beings, they didn't accept it or they couldn't accept it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BALDWIN: So, Holmes, you've been around for quite a while. In looking ahead to tomorrow, they are organizing this million men march, and you mentioned Ben Wedeman --
HOLMES: Yes.
BALDWIN: -- our senior guy over there just tweeting that now all the train service shut down because you think what?
HOLMES: Well, because Mubarak doesn't want people to be able to get to this march, and so, this is a government shutdown. This isn't like the protesters shutting down the rail. But the national rail service is going to be shut down.
BALDWIN: Wow.
HOLMES: Ben was telling us that a few minutes ago. That's likely to be an effort to keep the crowds down.
BALDWIN: Also anecdotally, you talked to Ben earlier and you talked about his family. I mean, he doesn't just, you know, work out of there. He kind of works there, lives there, his family.
HOLMES: Yes. And Ben is one of these correspondents, most of correspondents, two, three, maybe four years. Ben has lived there for over 15 years with a couple of breaks elsewhere. But this is home for him and he's got the wife and the kids and the neighborhood is one where the looters were handing out. His wife was handing out baseball bats to kids in the street to protect the neighborhood.
He was telling me today that he had to take his daughter to the dentist to get the wisdom teeth out.
BALDWIN: Because life continues.
HOLMES: Because life has to continue. They can't get bread. They can't get fresh milk. The ATMs are shut down. He had to pay the dentist with a U.S. check that he fortunately had with him, and he was saying, this also -- I'm sure that Mr. Mubarak is not displeased at this because it could take the steam out of the protests, the protesters say it won't, but, you know, it could start of stop because people are trying to live at the same time. It's a city of 20 million people.
BALDWIN: How long do we see the demonstrations? We're in day seven. I mean, do they just continue each and every day until the president throws his hands up. Does he do that? He's a stubborn guy, you say.
HOLMES: He's stubborn. The guy is a survivor. He's been around in the job obviously for 30 years for a reason. And what he's done, the difficulty, too, is that there's no apparent opposition. There's a couple of people who pop their heads up as ideas, ElBaradei, Amir Moussa, the head of the Arab League, perhaps, who could step in and maybe be a transitional force.
BALDWIN: But no real number two.
HOLMES: There's no structured opposition other man the Muslim Brotherhood, which is a loose umbrella group itself. So, that's the difficulty there. He has by cracking down created a vacuum of people who could step in in a democratic sense and run things. The military is the key. The military gets sick of him and gets sick of this situation, he could step down very quickly.
BALDWIN: OK.
HOLMES: Yes.
BALDWIN: Got your passport ready. Maybe we'll be talking to you in Cairo any day now. Holmes, thank you.
HOLMES: I hope.
BALDWIN: A shootout inside a police station, the whole thing caught on video, and I have to warn you that it's very, very graphic. But we're going to take you through it moment by moment. That is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: New York City police officers found out firsthand just how difficult it is to buy illegal weapons and ammunition for cash, no questions asked -- and you may not be surprised when I tell you this, but they found it's not that difficult at all.
Take a look at this video. This was shot undercover at a gun show in Phoenix. Is it Phoenix or is it Tucson, guys? Undercover policemen told -- it's Phoenix, OK -- undercover policemen told the sellers they probably couldn't pass a background check and it didn't matter. They bought semi-automatic weapons and a high capacity magazine with no trouble.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg sent the officers to Arizona to illustrate how he wants the so-called gun show loophole closed. And they conducted this investigation after the shooting in Tucson that left six people dead and 13 others wounded.
Now, we're about to show you some pretty incredible security video. It shows a man with a shotgun who just walked right into a Detroit police station and started firing. Four officers were shot that day. This was just about a week ago, and now, police have released the surveillance video of this whole firefight, and I'm going to take you through this here scene by scene, moment by moment, but do I need to warn you that what you're about to see is pretty graphic.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BALDWIN (voice-over): Detroit police commander, Brian Davis, stares down the barrel of a shotgun at point blank range.
The blast tears through several fingers before striking Davis in the back and knocking him off his feet. He gets up and keeps fighting. He has no weapon.
It is perhaps the most dramatic moment in last week's shootout between a lone gunman and Detroit police on their own turf.
Four officers and one civilian were talking behind the desk in the lobby of the sixth and eighth precinct. That is when they say this man, Lamar Deshea Moore, calmly walked in and opened fire. Among those hit, Sergeant Kerry Schultz, closest to the shooter -- shot in the chest and is thrown to the floor, but able to return fire thanks to a bulletproof vest.
Just feet away, Officer David Anderson also goes down after being hit. Sergeant Ray Saati falls after a bullet grazes his head, and that's when Commander Davis picks up Saati's gun and shoots.
Lamar Moore undeterred, dives over the desk to continue the onslaught. He exchanges fire with Davis and closes in. Hit in the back, Davis dodges from one side of the desk to the other. With no gun available, he hurls the only weapon he could find a trash can. Moments later, Moore collapses, fatally injured by a gunshot fired by one of the wounded officers.
Amazingly, all of this happened in the very same hour that police had Lamar Moore's house surrounded, waiting for a search warrant. A 13- year-old girl had escaped from the home hours earlier, saying Moore had held her captive and sexually assaulted her. Though the precinct shooting took just 39 seconds, Detroit Police Chief Ralph Godbee says the tape sends a message that needs to be heard.
CHIEF RALPH L. GODBEE, JR., DETROIT POLICE: There were tremendous acts of heroism that rarely individuals get to see, Detroit police officers in action, and the level of the duress and stress that they were under, the men and women of the sixth precinct and eighth precinct performed admirably to bring to closure a situation that arguably there could have been much more bloodshed.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BALDWIN: All four officers who were shot survived that attack, but doctors say Commander Brian Davis and Officer Anderson suffered the most serious injuries that could take possibly months to overcome.
The shooter, Lamar Moore, was killed. His friends and neighbors say the man they knew could not have committed the acts of sexual depravity that he was being investigated for.
Police arrest several people for robbing a bank. The alleged mastermind, a mother, and she's accused of recruiting kids to help her. That is ahead.
Plus, have you noticed something different at the movie theater lately? There are some big, big changes -- and, folks, it affects your wallet and my wallet. That is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: This is one field trip where everyone hopefully learned a lesson. Take a look at the surveillance video. You'll see a mother, her child and two schoolmates allegedly show up at this Wells Fargo Bank armed and ready to rob it. Yes. That was a mom.
Now, conflicting reports claim that the 35-year-old mother, Tawander Simmons, checked her child and two other students out from school last Friday morning. Other reports claim the teens never showed up at school in the first place.
Now, it's not clear how the teens ended up with Simmons, but police credit a witness who called 911, followed the getaway car. The four were ultimately apprehended, arrested and charged with armed robbery.
Some big changes at the movie theater. But, first, get ready to shell out a little bit more money at the gas pump.
Alison Kosik is live at the New York Stock Exchange or in New York.
Alison, talk about oil prices. We know they're going up obviously because of this whole crisis in Egypt.
ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Oh, exactly. You know, in just two sessions, Brooke, oil prices have soared by $6.50 dollars to more than $92 a barrel. Now, prices are rising because of worries that tensions in Egypt are going to be spreading. Now, Egypt isn't a big oil exporter, Brooke, but the Middle East is. So, if this unrest spreads throughout the Mid East, then oil supply disruptions could really become an issue, and that's why you're seeing oil spike the way it's done in the past two sessions, Brooke.
BALDWIN: So, oil prices going up, movie tickets going up. Remember back in the day, when you could be a student and you show your student I.D., and it'd be like six bucks. Now, probably a student discount is like ten.
KOSIK: Yes. Well, now, there's a trade group for theater owners that says that's the average ticket price. Last year was around $7.89. It's actually an all-time high that topped eight bucks late last year. Yes, I know, for us in New York and L.A.
(CROSSTALK)
KOSIK: Yes, but you know, but the $7 and $8 price, Brooke, is for big cities and small towns, too. So, they're getting really dinged in the small towns, and here's why. It's those 3D screenings. They tuck on 2.50 to $4 a ticket and there's more to come. Hollywood can be releasing, you know, dozens more of these 3D films and these theater owners are adding 3D screens, so get ready for this trend of, you know, more expensive trips to the movie theater and get ready to bring that big back with you to fill your sacks so can you save a couple of bucks, right?
BALDWIN: I know.
KOSIK: You know, from the drinks and snacks from home.
BALDWIN: I know. Not that I could have the CVS ahead of time and shove the sour patch kids in my purse. I don't know what you're talking about. You got to do something, right?
KOSIK: It's the best trick, right?
BALDWIN: You got to do something. Alison Kosik, thank you so much. Probably shouldn't have said that, but I did.
I want to show you some dramatic and disturbing video now here. This is a hostage standoff. It was from Maryland, and if you look closely, you can see a gunman holding a hostage as a human shield between himself and police. You see them walking out, walking with his arm around here in front of bank. Now, the gunman is a bank robbery suspect, and you see how he's moving outside of the bank. There's the police officer. They're sort of hiding behind the parked vehicles and there she goes.
Eventually, the hostage, a female bank teller breaks free and makes a run for it. Now, the gunman does take off, goes after her and police and the gunman start shooting. And we stop the video. You notice. We stopped the video before the gunman was shot and killed by police. The hostage is OK, but it's just amazing this was caught on surveillance video, and the police chief. Kudos to the police officers here, saying that the officers did a fantastic job handling a very difficult situation.
What is the White House saying about a federal judge's ruling today that parts of the health care overhaul are unconstitutional? I'm going to go live to our Dan Lothian covering the White House for us. He's standing by.
Also, Anderson Cooper is standing by in Cairo for us. There he is. Food and gas shortages and crowds of people trying to get out through the Cairo airport, and that is just one part of the story on the ground there in Egypt today. "Reporter Roulette" is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: A health care ruling, crisis in Egypt, and a monster winter storm. Time to play "Reporter Roulette." I want to begin with Dan Lothian there at the White House. And Dan, we reported this at the top of the hour here. A federal judge in Florida has struck down now a key part of President Obama's health care law saying it is unconstitutional. What reaction are you getting, if any yet, from the White House?
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, I should tell you that in about ten minutes or so, two senior administration officials will be giving a background briefing, giving reaction to that court ruling, but I think it's safe to say that we'll get a little bit of a history lesson from this White House.
Any time, there has been any landmark ruling, any bills or laws in this country, they'll point out when you look back at the voting rights act, when you look at civil rights, when you look at Social Security, there were major challenges, but that in the end, all of these major pieces of legislation finally prevailed, and so, they always expected that health care reform would have some major hurdles, but in the end, believe it, too, will be victorious.
BALDWIN: In the end though, many people would agree that this will have to be sorted out by the Supreme Court.
LOTHIAN: That's right. That's ultimately where many people believe this will end up, but, again, you know, when we focus on these cases and this one is, indeed, involving more states than we've seen in the past, but what the White House has done when you saw the one case where health care reform was found unconstitutional in Virginia, they pointed to the other federal case in not only Virginia but also in Michigan, and that showed that it was constitutional.
The bottom line, the White House believes, that this health care law is constitutional, that it will bring down the deficit over the long haul, that it will insure millions of Americans and ultimately will protect those who have pre-existing conditions.
BALDWIN: Dan, thank you.
Next on "Reporter Roulette," Chad Myers, our severe weather expert who's tracking this monster storm. I know millions and millions of people, Chad, are going to be affected by this and FEMA now, FEMA stepping in wanting people to be ready.
CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: You need to be ready no matter where you are. From Oklahoma all the way to Boston, literally, this is a 2,000-mile event. It will start out in Texas. It will run through Oklahoma. It will get up into the Maritimes of Canada. So, what does it mean for you? Well, it doesn't mean anything if you're in Nashville or Atlanta, but there is going to be a wide swath through very big towns and cities, from Tulsa, to Springfield, Missouri, back through St. Louis.
This number in St. Louis could be a lot larger, if not large and it stays low, it will be an ice storm for you in St. Louis and then 20 inches for Chicago, maybe south side more than north side. Maybe north side only ten but then an ice storm for Indianapolis and then it moves all the way through Columbus, and it continues to move to the east from there. It doesn't really hit New York City. Maybe a couple of inches of snow. I think it's more of a slight ice event, slight ice, New York City, 15 million people trying to move around. That could be a problem. Maybe you just want snow instead. BALDWIN: So, it's not just snow. You're talking snow more middle of the country, ice more New York.
MYERS: Everywhere that you see these big purple bands, that's snow. Now, take a -- a line, 50 to 100 miles south of there, that's an ice storm that's developing just like that. Snow, ice, rain. Just depends on what side of the warm front you're going to be on.
BALDWIN: Chad, thank you very much. And if there is one thing you need to do and to go to in Washington, one thing you need to have, it's thick skin. Just ask Joe Biden. He is the butt of many a political joke, as of late. So, how is that going over? How is all the ribbing going over with the vice president? Joe Johns is next with the "Political Pop."
But first, you know the saying goes it's what's on the inside that counts, but not if you live in one of the Daily Beast's vainest cities. In fact, we have their list. This whole thing is based partly on the percentage of people not overweight and belonging to a gym. So wanted to get that out there, but coming in at number five. Most vain cities is Hartford, Connecticut. Number four, not too much of a shocker, the home of Hollywood, Los Angeles. Number three, most vain city, according to the Daily Beast, the city that never sleeps, obviously, gets plenty of beauty sleep, New York City.
So, what could be the top two vainest cities? And I've got to warn you, it might surprise you. At least, it surprised me. Think about it. That's after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: So, back to our list. The Daily Beast published a list of what it says are the vainest cities in the whole country based partly on the percentage of people not overweight and who belonged to a gym. So, you thought about it, you marinated over this over the commercial break. Did you think of the top two? Let's find out. Number two, home to Mark Wahlberg and Matt Damon, maybe you, Beantown, Boston. And the number one vainest city, what could it be, yes, contrary to what ice-a-roni will have you believe, the residents are the real treats here, it is San Francisco. Good music watching, guys.
So, so much serious news today. We thought we'd give everyone a little break from it in our "Political Pop," and today, we've got a little satire on the slate. Joe Johns in D.C., and Joe, I saw one of these pictures this morning when I was reading in. These are doctored pictures of our vice president.
JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. And this is really about how politicians handle it when they're being used in a laugh line. Those of us who have covered Vice President Joe Biden for years, we all know he has a sense of humor. When he was on Capitol Hill, he was prone to reciting an occasional off-the-record joke even. And now that Biden is a true household name, it's just hard not to notice when he's getting lampooned, especially, by one of America's leading fake newspapers.
BALDWIN: Case in point.
JOHNS: There you go. All right. So, this is Joe Biden, for example, with a pony tail. They said he wore that to the inauguration, you know, and there are plenty others. Let's look at -- there you go. He has a purple belt in karate, the vice president of the United States.
BALDWIN: My favorite one is in front of the car, and there it is, very nice.
JOHNS: That's priceless. The first time I saw, that yes, I laughed out loud. The vice president of the United States in front of a Trans-am, no shirt on, shorts, and he's washing his car in the White House driveway. Pretty ridiculous, right?
BALDWIN: It is ridiculous. What did he say about that? Didn't he have something to say about the Pontiac.
BALDWIN: Well, here we go. Listen to the sound bite. He was interviewed by Yahoo! News, and they asked him about The Onion.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Washing a Trans-Am automobile in a driveway, shirtless with tattoos all over myself and out there, and by the way, I have a corvette, a 1967 corvette. I don't have a Trans-Am, but I think it's hilarious. The idea that, you know, most people refer to me and know me and even in the press as being a little bit square, and now I'm the philander, I think it's hilarious.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Good to know he has a sense of humor.
JOHNS: Yes, well, at that stage, there's only one thing you can do and laugh.
BALDWIN: Yes.
JOHNS: You know, I mean, that's it. It was pretty funny, though.
BALDWIN: I love it. Folks, I have a Corvette, come on. And, of course, I stayed up Saturday night. I was sitting. I was watching "Saturday Night Live." It was pretty funny.
But the opening skit was this whole faux Michele Bachmann skit. Tell me about that.
JOHNS: Yes. Well, this is pretty good actually. They did a good job with it. A lot of us got a big laugh out of it.
The bottom line is, Michele Bachmann gave the Tea Party response to the State of the Union address. She had charts. If you look very closely and very carefully, she appears to be looking slightly off- camera, mostly to her right, and "Saturday Night Live" picked up on that and basically made fun of everything. They made fun of CNN for running the so-called Tea Party response and the charts and looking off camera.
So, let's listen to "Saturday Night Live's" version of Michele Bachmann.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Accordingly, I have asked for this time tonight in order to try again, because you se the issues are simply too important and the stakes for our nation too high to do otherwise. So, here it goes. Two years ago, when Barack Obama became president, the economy was headed for disaster, as you can see from this chart. It's not a pretty picture, is it?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Really is brilliant.
JOHNS: Oh, man. Yes, you know. There's something very scary about becoming so famous that "Saturday Night Live" decides they got to do you on TV.
BALDWIN: That's when you know you've made it. That's I guess --
JOHNS: That's for sure. Anyway.
BALDWIN: -- that's a sign of the times.
JOHNS: Right. I didn't think the charts were that bad, but for the record now in, all seriousness, according to CNN's latest poll, most Republicans do not think the Tea Party is a joke. The vast majority, 90 percent of respondents in our poll, said it's either very important or somewhat important, their party embraces Tea Party principles.
Bottom line, I think the Tea Party is getting the last laugh to that.
BALDWIN: Well, Joe Johns, thank you for making us laugh today. We appreciate it. Joe Johns with our "Political Pop." We'll see you back here tomorrow.
Now, a man convicted of trying to kill former President Bush back in trouble again. He wanted to blow up a mosque, and he came very, very close to doing it. So, who is this guy? We're on the case.
And how often do you park in a city garage? You better check your roof next time, at least the roof of the garage. You got to see what happens next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: They say music soothes the savage beast, but they didn't say anything about him keeping a beat. You've got to see this.
Take a look at this dog. I'm going to stop reading here. I want you to listen to this. He's actually keeping beat with his paw.
(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS) BALDWIN: OK. We thought that was cool enough. But he even actually keeps the beat when it changes.
We love this video today. Clearly, a doggie rock star. I tweeted it. If you want to retweet.
Next, imagine you and a friend -- you know, you're driving through a parking garage when this happened. Just watch the surveillance video. Car is driving along and obviously covered in snow. Whoa! And down goes the roof.
Three feet of wet, heavy snow proves too much for the roof. The whole thing collapses, traps two men in a car. The men were able to pick up their cell phone, call 911, but it took rescue crews two hours to find them and get them out. Amazingly, those two guys are A-OK.
Next, it's a bird, it's a plane, it's a terrible towel. Yes, that's right. Those are the Pittsburgh Steelers. There they go, arriving in Dallas just a couple of hours ago. The Steelers, you know, facing off against the Green Bay Packers in the Super Bowl -- Super bowl 45 this Sunday.
And look at them with their cell phones, taking some video, and maybe one sports fan here will be watching this this coming Sunday is Wolf Blitzer. No rest for the weary for you. I feel like I looked up on my TV every moment this weekend and there you were. I don't know if you get any time off.
WOLF BLITZER, HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": I hope to watch the Super Bowl between Sunday.
BALDWIN: That's pretty good.
BLITZER: And we're seeing the Packers and the Steelers. It should be a good game.
BALDWIN: Good game -- who are you rooting for?
BLITZER: You know, I've got to go with the Packers, 24-21. That's my prediction.
BALDWIN: Wow.
BLITZER: Twenty-four to 21, Packers, Aaron Rodgers, he plays well under the dome. I got to tell you.
BALDWIN: I'm going with Packers as well.
BLITZER: I'm thinking 24-21.
BALDWIN: OK. What do you have coming up on "THE SIT. ROOM"?
BLITZER: Not anything on the Super Bowl, lots on Egypt, though, what's going on. This is an historic moment happening in the Middle East right now. We're taking a much closer look to see if it's just Egypt after Tunisia, where it might be spreading, the unrest and the turmoil.
We've got some really knowledgeable experts who are going to be helping us better appreciate what's going on. We're also going to be checking in with all of our reporters on the seen in Cairo and Alexandria. We're checking with Anderson Cooper as well. So, we're going to have a strong show, lots of news happening today.
BALDWIN: We will see you in a matter of minutes, Mr. Blitzer. Thank you so, so much.
And still in our final minutes, there is a heartbreaking case I want to tell you about. This mother is accused of killing her own teenaged children. Is there evidence that supports an insanity defense in this case? Or did she premeditate these two shootings?
Sunny Hostin is on the case when we come back. Stay there.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: A Florida mother is accused of killing not just one of her children but both teenaged children because they were mouthy. Julie Schenecker's first court appearance was this morning and she looked down as the judge ordered her kept in jail without bond. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED JUDGE: (INAUDIBLE) the case against you at this point in this. You are obviously going to be held in jail without bond. I assume in the future the defense will request the appointment of doctors. That's something that will be taking place after they file the appropriate motions. You're excused.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Yes. She didn't look up at all, did she?
Sunny Hostin is "On the Case."
And, Sunny, these killings appeared to be cold and calculated. Beau Schenecker was shot in the family car on the way home from soccer practice and the daughter shot twice in her head while she was doing homework in her bedroom. So, what more, Sunny, do we know about this family?
SUNNY HOSTIN, LEGAL CONTRIBUTOR, "IN SESSION" ON TRUTV: Well, we know that this family moved to Tampa in 2008, an Army family. The husband and father of this family is a career Army officer who had been serving in the Middle East when his children were killed. We know that Beau at 13 was playing soccer, was an eighth grader. His sister Calyx, 16 years old, Brooke, a cross-country running star, extremely popular, well-adjusted.
Apparently 8,000 people have joined the family's memorial Facebook page. So, really I don't think that anyone knew that this sort of thing was going to happen. BALDWIN: So, so sad and then we heard -- in the hearing, we know that the judge mentioned doctors during this hearing. Was he referring to psychiatrists, medical doctor? What was he referencing?
HOSTIN: We believe that he was referencing a psychiatric evaluation. He indicated, Brooke, I assume in the future the defense will request the appointment of doctors. That's something that will take place after they file the appropriate documents. That tells me he's talking about a psychiatric evaluation.
BALDWIN: Did she, Sunny, enter a plea today? And might we expect an insanity defense in this case?
HOSTIN: Interestingly enough, she did not entry plea, and that is likely because of this psych issue. She is being held without bond on two first murder charges. And so, no plea entered. She didn't say anything today. She was visibly shaken as you saw. But insanity defense, very, very likely. That is what everyone is talking about.
BALDWIN: I want to get to the second case. You have a man with a carload of fireworks who's been arrested outside one of the largest mosques in the whole country. He's 63-year-old Roger Stockham accused of making terroristic threats. It happened this week, but the information is just now being released. And the imam of this Islamic center of America broke the news to worshippers at Friday's service. Here he was.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
IMAM SAYED HASSAN AL-QAZWINI, ISLAMIC CENTER OF AMERICA: They inspected the guy. They found hundreds of firecrackers and M-80s with him. He told the police that my role model is Timothy McVeigh.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: So, that's what was in his car, but it's also a pretty stunning story how police found this guy. I'll let you explain that.
HOSTIN: Unbelievable. Apparently, he was at a bar boasting and talking about this potential attack. The bar employee wrote down his license plate number and called the police. So, a savvy citizen really foiled this potential catastrophic incident.
BALDWIN: What do we know about this guy, this Stockham?
HOSTIN: Well, we know that he's a Vietnam vet. He's a decorated Army pilot, but he does have a history of mental illness, a long rap sheet. And apparently he served time for threatening to kill President George W. Bush. So, a very troubled man who apparently may be suffering from either bipolar disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder or a combination of the two, a sick man -- Brooke.
BALDWIN: The imam we just heard from. He mentioned the M-80s. Aren't those illegal to sell here in the U.S.?
HOSTIN: Well, they certainly are illegal in Michigan, and he's being charged with a crime for possessing class C fireworks. That mere possession is a 15-year felony. Brooke, he was also charged with a terrorism charge that will carry 20-year felony. Serious charges in this case.
BALDWIN: Serious, serious charges. Sunny Hostin, we will follow that and good to see you. We'll see you back here tomorrow for your "On the Case."
For now, I'm Brooke Baldwin. Thanks so much for being with me the past two hours. I'm going to send this off to Washington and my colleague, Wolf Blitzer.
Wolf, to you.
