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Egypt Protests Spread; Abortion Doctor Appears in Court; Lindsay Lohan in Court; Gabrielle Giffords' Condition Improving

Aired February 09, 2011 - 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: We're watching a couple of stories for you right now. Let me run through them, first off, Egypt.

And look at these pictures. This is Tahrir Square. This is earlier tonight. This is day 16. And Cairo is not the only place we are getting news from today. We are going to take you live to Egypt in just a moment.

Also, look at this. A foot of snow has blanketed the Plains and the Midwest, and the ice has been a problem all the way down to Texas. We're going to check in with our reporter who we will say he drew the short straw today covering the storm for us.

And while this newscast is on the air, you will see Lindsay Lohan appearing in front of a judge, this time accused of stealing that necklace. We even have an arrow pointing to it just so you're not confused, that particular piece of jewelry.

All that news, plus the positive headline from Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords' staff today. She is talking, and she wants toast. We will get to all those stories here.

But I want to begin in Philadelphia with some fast-moving developments in a case that certainly shocked the country. Philadelphia Dr. Kermit Gosnell was back in court today, along with his wife and several of his clinic employees. Gosnell is the man who is charged in the death of a patient, and authorities say Gosnell performed illegal abortions in a filthy clinic with untrained staff.

Sarah Hoye has been following the case. She just got out of court and she's going to join me right now on the phone.

And, Sarah, I want to begin with the fact that apparently there were so many people in that courtroom today they were pulling chairs out of the closet. Set the scene for me.

SARAH HOYE, CNN ALL PLATFORM CORRESPONDENT: Brooke, that is right.

This was nearly standing room only in this courtroom today. And also because of the large number of defendants, you're talking about 10 defendants, they were moving around chairs to accommodate these defendants, plus their attorneys.

So, before things started, you had a bit of musical chairs going on just to accommodate the sheer amount of people who are being charged in this case, not to mention also in the audience portion, if you will, that was full as well. So, the benches were full and up front with the defendants was full as well. It was a busy day, busy room.

BALDWIN: And, quickly, why was he in court today? Was this an arraignment?

HOYE: Well, today was the preliminary hearing, which the judge granted motion to bypass. So the next hearing, the next arraignment, is going to be March 2.

In the meantime, all of the defendants will be given their discovery evidence to make sure they have read everything that is coming down the pike. And also to note, Gosnell and his of wife, Pearl, both have attorneys now, something that they did not have last week.

BALDWIN: Let me bring that up, because, you know, we know his medical practice, if we want to call it that, purportedly made him a millionaire. So the judge denied him access to a public defender. And so he and his wife, so they now have defense attorneys. Sarah, who are they?

HOYE: That is correct. They now have defense attorneys, and they are retained by the Gosnells, which means those are not given to them by the city.

So they have retained these two attorneys, one of which is Mark McMahon, who is the attorney for the doctor. And the other is Mary Maran, who is the attorney for Pearl, which is the doctor's wife -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: Got it. Sarah Hoye, thank you.

And I want to continue this conversation with Stephanie Farr. She's a crime reporter with "The Philadelphia Daily News." And I want to show you this. Let's show the story's latest headline. And we have the picture. It reads, "Butcher's Beach house: Abortion Doctor's Blood Money Retreat."

And Stephanie is also on the phone with me.

And, Stephanie, there we go. There's your headline. This is a man, Stephanie, who ran this women's clinic for decades. It's described in the grand jury testimony I have seen as filthy, stained, reused equipment. And just going with that headline, doesn't seem indicative of how he lived. Lived pretty well.

STEPHANIE FARR, "THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS": Oh, sure. It seems that he put his money into his lifestyle and not into fixing up his clinic or treating his patients correctly.

He's got the shore house which is valued at around $984,000, and then five properties in Philadelphia as well that we have determined. BALDWIN: Wow. So he had multiple properties. And what about his children? I was reading they're in -- they were in private school, not cheap either.

FARR: No, no, not at all. And some of his adult children went to very prestigious colleges. And we can't confirm that he paid for their tuitions, but could be the case.

BALDWIN: Now, one could look at this -- and if we -- let's pull the picture back up of the headline, this beach house of his. And you mentioned several other properties. And one could say, this is a pretty ostentatious way of living, as though he wouldn't think he would get caught. What are you hearing from people who know him?

FARR: You know, I think that -- that he lived a lifestyle that he didn't believe he'd get caught. He also didn't pay his taxes. And he obviously didn't think he'd get caught on that. He owes about -- more than $27,000 in back taxes.

And given the amount of properties, though, he took very poor care of them. They're in quite a state of disrepair. And his neighbors around the shore properties didn't really like the way he kept up the house there.

BALDWIN: Hmm.

Let me ask you one more question and then immigrant let you go. But we have been reporting on this story. We talked to the family of one of the -- the victims outlined in this case. Just describe, if you will, is there outrage among people within Philadelphia over this guy?

FARR: Oh, yes.

This -- this case has brought amongst the most outrage I have ever seen as a reporter here in the city, just the conditions and that he did this in his own community. He did this with people that he...

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: He's accused of -- accused of doing this.

FARR: Yes, accused of doing this, of course. Yes, he allegedly did these things and really didn't seem to have any remorse. And, you know, he smiles when he's in court even now.

BALDWIN: Hmm. Stephanie Farr, Sarah Hoye, my thanks to both of you ladies. And I promise we will continue to cover this story for all of us here.

Now to this. Take a look at this. The protests in Egypt, they are getting bigger and bigger today. And they're spreading. We will take you there live to Egypt coming up next.

Plus, we are just now getting word that Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is talking. We will tell you what it was she asked for. And we're live at the courthouse in Los Angeles. Here we go, live pictures. Look at all those masts from all those live trucks,. Imagine the media circus around there, expecting Lindsay Lohan to arrive shortly to face charges for allegedly stealing a necklace from a jewelry store. Got all that coming your way, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Welcome back. I want to bring you up to speed on Egypt, the uprising not at all going away, not today.

Thousands of demonstrators continued to hold parts of Cairo. You see them there, chanting, waving flags in that picture. But here's what we're also seeing today. The unrest is spreading to other parts, other cities within Egypt, including the cities you see on that graphic.

In fact, I want to show you a CNN iReport. This was in Alexandria, Egypt's second largest city, peaceful demonstration. But we are also getting reports of violent clashes in other parts of the country.

Arwa Damon is with me now, live from Cairo.

Arwa, how significant is that, this unrest that seems to be spreading outside of Cairo today?

ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brooke, it's most certainly disturbing, although we are not entirely sure if it is directly linked to these ongoing demonstrations and the demands that President Mubarak step down.

We do know that, in Port Said, a government building was attacked. That's according to state TV. And in a place called (INAUDIBLE) clashes with the police left three people dead.

Here in Cairo, the demonstrations thus far have remained peaceful. We hear music blaring from the demonstration ground, people down there trying to keep up their morale, determined to wait this one out.

What we have also seen is that these demonstrations, a small group, around 100 demonstrators, also have set up camp in front of Parliament. And it looks like they plan on staying there for the long haul as well. They have begun setting up tents. They have blankets. They're getting ready to spend the night.

This location ended up being taken by the demonstrators yesterday just as a meeting was taking place by the cabinet in a building across the road from the Parliament building.

BALDWIN: Yes.

DAMON: That, Brooke, forced the cabinet members, the ministers to be evacuated, moving their meetings elsewhere. The demonstrators on site saying that they are not moving, that they're willing to sacrifice their lives until President Mubarak steps down -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: So these demonstrators, they are moving in on the Parliament. They say they won't leave. But it was also yesterday that they heard from the vice president, Vice President Suleiman, essentially warning these demonstrators, don't make us use the police.

But given some of these pictures that we're seeing there today, Arwa, do people see that perhaps as an empty threat? Are the protesters becoming emboldened?

DAMON: Brooke, these protesters have become emboldened from the very start. They have already faced off with the police. And, in their view, despite all the casualties, they won. They have really weathered this one out, and they are determined, especially since all of these lives have been lost, they're saying, not to have these deaths be in vain.

At this point in time, there is really nothing that the government can threaten to do that is going to see these demonstrators give up this hard-fought ground that they have managed to win and hold on to. And that's where we enter this standoff.

As so many Egyptians have been saying, look, we're a stubborn people. The president is equally stubborn, but we're going to be more stubborn than he is and we're going to hold out for longer than he can.

But, meanwhile, Brooke, the implications of these demonstrations are being wide felt throughout the country. There are great concerns for the millions of Egyptians that survive on less than $2 a day receiving basic things like food, with one volunteer warning that if this issue of the impoverished was not dealt with, this could turn from being a democratic revolution that was great for Egypt to being possibly its downfall.

BALDWIN: Arwa Damon, I can't get over these pictures, all those people in the square and on Parliament as well. Arwa for me Cairo -- Arwa, thank you.

For months, it has just been a vague call for cuts in spending. But now Republicans, they are drilling down. They're getting very specific. They're putting their money where their mouth is, if you will. So what exactly have they just proposed to cut? We have the list for you, at least 10 items on that list. That is next.

Also, it is a milestone for this woman, Congresswoman Gabby Giffords. Now she's regaining part of her ability to speak. We will tell you what it was she asked for, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: You know we talk about stories with lean-in factor. Lean in on this one, folks, because we have some very big news out of Washington today.

And unless you read my Twitter feed a couple of hours ago, I'm guessing right now you have not heard about this one.

Jessica Yellin is there to really help us walk through this whole list here. But I want to hold that thought for just a moment, because the House Republican leadership has just finished this meeting with the president, with the vice president, the chief of staff, William Daley. There they are leaving.

And here is House Speaker John Boehner coming out of that meeting just a short time ago at the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: It was a very good lunch, and we were able to find enough common ground, I think, to show the American people that we're willing to work on their behalf and willing to do it together.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Jessica Yellin, obviously big news, any time the president hosts the Republicans. What were they in there talking about?

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, these are the early steps in the negotiation over the budget and spending.

And notice they all used those code words. A number of them spoke, and then Robert Gibbs did. They said it was a constructive, robust dialogue. Those kind of words always raise your antenna and...

BALDWIN: Robust.

YELLIN: ... and generally mean there's lots of disagreements.

So, Brooke, the bottom line here is they all say they think they can find common ground, but off camera, plenty of Republicans tell me the disagreement between them and the White House over spending is so great that we could face another government shutdown in the coming months.

BALDWIN: Well, here's the big news, though, because just before that meeting the House Republicans put out this proposal for deep budget cuts. And they have been asked to name which popular government programs they'd take a knife to.

And now we're getting the answer. And today they have issued this list. And I have part of the list here. They're targeting 70 government programs. And I'm going to give you just 10 here, job training, big priority, cut $2 billion. Aid to women and infant children, cut $758 million. High-speed rail, cut $1 billion. Amtrak, cut $224 million. Nuclear energy, cut $169 million. And even more, the list continues, flood control and coastal disaster relief., they want to cut 30 million bucks, state and local law enforcement, $256 million, Environmental Protection Agency, $1.6 billion.

I'm almost done, FBI, $74 million, NASA, $379 million there.

So, Jessica, I mean, 10 programs right there alone, and that's really just the tip of the iceberg.

YELLIN: That's right. And that's music to a lot of people's ears who want to see the federal government size shrink. And there is more detail to come tomorrow.

Dana Bash is reporting that they're going to announce the outright elimination of 60 -- 6-0 -- federal programs. But keep in mind, Brooke, we're just talking about spending for this year. That's what that list was. The discussion the president had with House Republicans today, that's over next year's budget. And Republicans are demanding even deeper cuts next year. That's why we're facing a coming standoff.

BALDWIN: Let's talk about the standoff, because really broadening this out, big-picture, there is a bit of a game of chicken here between some of the Republicans and the White House. And we're hearing all of this concerning the debt limit, right, Jess?

(CROSSTALK)

YELLIN: Exactly. And this is the linchpin of the fight. So Congress has to raise the debt limit so we can keep making good on our IOUs to our lenders as a country.

But if Congress does not act, we would be in default as a country. Our credit rating would be downgraded. And just imagine what that would do to the markets. So the Republican leadership see this as a serious opportunity, serious leverage for negotiation.

And they're saying Democrats better agree to their spending cuts for next year's budget or they will refuse to raise the debt limit. As you say, it's a game of chicken. Well, today, Treasury Secretary Geithner, he was unusually forceful when he was asked about this at a panel. He was speaking at sponsored by the "Atlantic" magazine. Listen to him speak this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TIMOTHY GEITHNER, U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY: I think the markets should understand -- I can say this with complete confidence -- that the U.S. will meet its obligations, that Congress will act as it always has to make sure we meet those obligations. There's always a little political theater around this. It's always the case. But Congress will act.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

YELLIN: OK. So that's Geithner being forceful and emphatic, I promise you.

And what he said there is, there's no question here, it's going to happen. They're going to raise the debt limit.

But you can see how this -- given how tense this is, this is going to be a really big fight.

BALDWIN: Yes, the U.S. government in default? That would make some news, not in a good way.

YELLIN: Big time, yes.

BALDWIN: Jessica Yellin for me in Washington, Jess, thank you.

And I know it's February, which means snowstorms not exactly unusual, but in places like Oklahoma? Look at these live pictures. Look at the roads. They're covered. And I'm talking a foot of snow in some places, and that is pretty rare. And that's why we stuck Ed Lavandera and his crew out in the snow. We will talk to Ed here in just a moment.

Also, more live pictures. Look at the reporters and the photographers lining up to see, guess who? You know who I'm talking about. Lindsay Lohan, she is about to arrive to face charges, felony charges, for allegedly stealing a necklace from a jewelry store in a town where she lives in California. We're all over it. We will take you back there live coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: The terror threat to the U.S. may be at the highest level since 9/11. That is according to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. She says the terror threat is evolving and terror groups are still focused on recruiting Westerners. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, AQAP, is seen as the greatest danger to the U.S. right now. In fact, the group's spokesman, American-born Anwar al- Awlaki, had ties to the Fort Hood shootings and the attempted bombing of an airliner on Christmas Day back in 2009.

And three car bombings in Northern Iraq kill at least seven people there, wound 68 others. Police say the bombs detonated within minutes of each other in the oil-rich city of Kirkuk. And this is the latest in this spate attacks on law enforcement and on soldiers. U.S. troops are scheduled to leave Iraq by the end of the year.

A 14-year-old who allegedly pointed a laser light into the eyes of a pilot has now been arrested. The FAA says the plane was about 2,000 feet in the air and on approach there at LAX. Fortunately, no one was hurt. But last year, pilots reported more than 100 laser incidents all around LAX, the most of these incidents at any U.S. airport.

And now to this. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is talking again. Is that not amazing? Just one month after a gunman shot her in the head, Giffords spokesman says she is regaining part of her speaking ability. And what did she ask for?

Apparently, she's hungry for some toast. Her office says she spoke her first words before this morning, but has been speaking even more since then. Authorities have charged Jared Lee Loughner in the January 8 shooting that killed six people and injured 13 others, including Giffords. And now to the snow. Look at this. This is an iReport we got from a snowed-in viewer in Arkansas. And I think those are garbage cans. You saw that chunky snow on top. And then this is why it's news, folks. They got a foot of snow in Arkansas.

IReporter Barbara Rademacher says she teaches math at a local community college, but thanks to technology, sorry, students, she still gets to work with her students online. Classes will likely, though, be canceled she says for the rest of the week. So that's the view from someone who is snowed in.

But here's what happened to the folks who went out. This is an interstate in Dallas of all places. Look at the snow there. And look at the pickup trucks and 18-wheelers trying to move or maybe not so much of, like that SUV, in the snow and the ice. In Southern states, we simply are not prepared to drive in this stuff.

And I don't know if Eddie Lavandera is good at driving in snow. But let's ask. He's our very own Texan. There he is live in Oklahoma. And he's been on TV all day long freezing his tuchas off.

How are you, Eddie?

(LAUGHTER)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's exactly what we were freezing.

(LAUGHTER)

LAVANDERA: You know, it's fun to be on the backside of this snowstorm now because blue skies. The sun is starting to come out. The worst of this snowfall has ended. But the cleanup obviously needs to begin.

But, you know, it's still kind of treacherous out here. So, we want to show you the cruelest piece of video that we have shot all day. Go ahead. If we can roll that, you can kind of see just how difficult it is sometimes to be out here in these conditions.

BALDWIN: Ooh, down he goes.

LAVANDERA: Yes. But you know what? The lesson is, the guy gets up, brushes himself off, keeps on going. That's the lesson that we all can probably learn from and keep on motoring along. But I did that last week. It just wasn't caught on tape. And that is painful.

BALDWIN: You bit it?

LAVANDERA: And you have got to be careful with it, Brooke. Yes. Yes, I did.

BALDWIN: You bit it in the snow? Where were you?

LAVANDERA: Yes. Actually just down the street over here recovering from it. My neck has been stiff for like the last week about it. So it's over. I haven't done it so far today, so we should be OK.

Actually, along -- throughout the streets of downtown Oklahoma City they're starting various hotels and businesses cleaning up the sidewalks so people can move along. And that's what the cleanup is. We haven't seen a lot of snowplows or anything like that on the roads here in downtown and yet. So -- but the good news is the temperature is supposed to get up warmer above freezing much faster than they did last week.

BALDWIN: There went a guy behind you.

LAVANDERA: So, hopefully this snow melting will be...

BALDWIN: There went a guy behind you.

(CROSSTALK)

LAVANDERA: People are driving around a little bit.

BALDWIN: I saw you earlier today hunkered down with your hood over your head and it was snowing. But now it looks like the sun is out a little bit, huh?

LAVANDERA: It was really painful this morning, 15 degrees below, was minus-15 windchill. It was -- the wind would come out of the north, and you would stand here and kind of look at it for a little while. And it didn't take long for your face to freeze up, really painful this morning.

BALDWIN: You got a picture of that snowman you tried making earlier? Or did it already melt?

LAVANDERA: No. There was a couple of guys here at the hotel. We will pan over and show you.

BALDWIN: Yes, show me.

LAVANDERA: A couple of valets that work at this hotel were trying to work on a snowman between -- between the -- doing their duty.

(CROSSTALK)

LAVANDERA: That's as far as they got. I don't really know what that is, to be honest. But I don't think it's really a snowman. It kind of reminds me of like the Coneheads from "Saturday Night Live" or something.

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: Grade F on snowman-making there. But I guess they're not used to it. There you go, Oklahoma. But glad to know hopefully you're warming up there, you and your crew. Eddie, my thanks to you very much.

And now just look at all the media waiting for Lindsay Lohan, live pictures there outside of this L.A. courthouse. And she is about to face charges for allegedly stealing this necklace, this $2,500 necklace out of this Venice, California, jewelry store. We're going to take you there live. We will tell you the story, see how much time she could be facing if convicted -- next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: OK, take a look at this with me. These are not close- ups from a movie. These are Lindsay Lohan's mug shots. She's got a bit of a collection here. In fact, she's about to add number five to that mug shot collection.

We're waiting for the 24-year-old actress to arrive at a courthouse in Los Angeles any minute, and she's facing felony grand theft. That's the charge she's facing today. Lohan is accused of stealing -- let's show the picture, guys -- she's accused of stealing one particular necklace valued right around $2,500. There it is. She is accused of stealing this from a store in Venice, California.

I want to bring in Kareen Wynter. Kareen is our eyes and our ears outside of that courthouse. Kareen, I mean, I can just see the media presence behind you. Is it a total circus?

KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Oh, yes. You can see it. I bet you can probably feel it, too, Brooke. You've been in these situations before. And also that sound in the backdrop, hovering above us, all the choppers, you know that's probably a good indication that Lohan may be close. We're standing by for that.

She's expected to be in court about an hour from now. You know in the past she's arrived late on several occasions. This is a big one, though. This is a criminal case, felony grand theft. So you bet her attorney is saying we're going to get there early today.

We're standing by and also standing by, look at this crowd, all of this media here, photographers, reporters. Lindsay Lohan always commands quite a draw, and this case is no different.

As for what is going to happen procedurally later on today, she'll show up, face a judge, hear those charges, the complaint filed by the D.A. earlier today. She still has to go through the proceedings. After that she'll be booked. She'll have a booking photo taken, then be able to post bail with another court date set.

But also hinging in the background, that other case, the dui case, the one that involves her violation of probation from that 2007 incident. So she'll be back in court again February 25th.

This is it a big one, Brooke. Judge Eldon FOX back in October in court said, you have to do the rehab thing. By the way, she was released from rehab in January. All she had to do was stay out of trouble and perhaps when he saw her again he would remove her from supervised probation.

But not looking to good for her right now. In fact, she may be facing jail time. He threatened her with 180 days perhaps if she screwed up. So the big question, we'll have to see what happens the next time they're in court.

BALDWIN: Let's bring this back to the court that this massive media presence, this is over a necklace. The jewelry store dl-- there's the picture. The jewelry store says Lohan stole the necklace. What does Lohan say? What's her side?

WYNTER: Her side, they're not saying much. That's a problem here. Some say her attorney needs to speak up more. She's being crucified in the press, but all she says is we vehemently deny these allegations. The jewelry store owners contacted the authorities, reported the necklace missing. This is crucial here. They say not only do they have surveillance video that shows Lohan, the last person wearing the necklace in the store, the paparazzi also snapped her days after that, January 22nd is when she visited the store, sporting the necklace around town.

BALDWIN: This is not reportedly just the surveillance video but paparazzi pictures. This is huge because this is a felony here. So this could carry serious prison time.

WYNTER: It's huge, up to three years in prison. They are not taking this lightly. Even if it's knocked down to a misdemeanor, she could face up to a year in prison. This is not something that her attorney is taking lightly.

Lohan, I don't really -- I don't know if she realizes the implications of this. She'll show up here, probably thinking this another court date, I'll get off the hook. This is huge, Brooke, absolutely huge. By the way, the next time we'll see you, we'll try to get the photo of her sporting the necklace we obtained from a celebrity web site.

BALDWIN: We've been showing it.

WYNTER: It's invisible, it's tiny. You have to look to really see it.

BALDWIN: We have an arrow on the graphic.

WYNTER: They're denying that Lohan stole this necklace. Was it given to her on loan? Maybe that's what they'll be asking. It's a tiny thing she's sporting around town causing this drama. By the way, someone close to Lohan, don't know exactly who, returned the necklace, handed it over to authorities before they were able to exercise that search warrant. That's where things stand.

BALDWIN: Kareen, I know it's loud there. I know you have helicopters buzzing over your head. But let's talk, you mentioned how Lohan has been late to court in the past and she's also been unpredictable inside. We all remember she had, we'll call it colorful language painted on her perfectly manicured fingernails at one point in court.

What kind of Lohan should we expect? Should we expect a Lohan on time? Will she be more subdued today? Oh, she can't hear me. Kareen Wynter, I appreciate you walking me through at that. I know it's very loud. Massive media presence over this felony charge Lindsay Lohan is facing after allegedly stealing this necklace. We'll bring you her big arrival as soon as we see it live right here on CNN.

Now to this -- ask any mom or dad and they will tell you it is the happiest moment of their lives. Of course, talking about the birth of their little one, their child. But in our cameras are everywhere society, some hospitals are making labor and delivery a no cameras allowed zone, which is not sitting very well with parents. Elizabeth Cohen joins me on that controversial topic, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Picture this. You have a prime minister, a prostitute, and a possible sex trial. I know it sounds like a paperback plot. It's not. Reality is playing out right now in Italy. The story is definitely trending today because prosecutors just asked this judge to fast-track a trial in the case of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. They allege the prime minister had sex with a 17-year-old hooker, her name is Ruby. Dan Rivers has the story.

DAN RIVERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Brooke, just when things seem they couldn't get any worse for the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. They have. Prosecutors have put forth a file to the judge in this so-called Ruby-gate case, asking the judge to fast- track it. They feel the evidence that he abused his power by intervening in the prostitute's arrest after he had sex with her is so overwhelming there's no need to hold a preliminary argument. Instead, they want the trial go ahead much more quickly.

The judge has five days to consider that file before she must make a decision. But this clearly is dominating the media in Italy. Berlusconi himself has come out fighting again, furiously denying the allegations, basically saying that they're politically motivated. He said they're groundless. The only aim is media defamation.

And on the specific allegation that he abused his power by calling up this police station and asking for this young girl to be released, he says, well, I intervened as prime minister because I was concerned there could be an international diplomatic incident because at the time he thought this young woman was the niece of the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Brooke?

BALDWIN: Dan Rivers, thank you.

And we read a story recently about more and more hospitals banning cameras in the delivery room. We had the question why. Why is this? We put Elizabeth Cohen on the case and she's hear with the controversy pitting expectant parents against hospital administrators. This is such an amazing moment for parents, moms and dads. You can understand why they want the camera in the room.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Especially this generation, they want it on Facebook immediately. They want to tweet it.

BALDWIN: I know. What are you learning about this back-and- forth?

COHEN: Some hospitals do indeed allow cameras in the delivery room. Some hospitals are allowing people to Skype the birth as it happens.

BALDWIN: Skype it as it happens?

COHEN: Skype it as it happens, especially military families, which is really nice. Dad can watch the birth from wherever he may be stationed.

But then there are plenty of hospitals saying no thank you. Bring in the camera, but you will be able to press "record" once the baby is out and everything is fine. They don't want you recording as the baby is making his or her way out.

BALDWIN: Because they're worried about something bad happening and possible lawsuits?

COHEN: Depends on who you ask. The doctors in the hospital will tell you something like births are busy times, there's a lot going on, a lot of people in the room. And dad there with his camera trying to get in there can be kind of tense.

On the other hand, people could say, dad could be in the corner and no one would know he's even there. It's not bothering anybody. Really what they're scared of is you're going to catch something bad happening if there's some kind of bad thing that goes on and you could use that in court. And that has happened.

BALDWIN: What are you finding? Is it a trend more and more hospitals are saying no to cameras?

COHEN: Yes. It does seem to be a trend more hospitals are saying no. But we found plenty of hospitals that say yes. What I would tell empowered parents to you, if this is important, ask the doctor and hospital if it's OK first. If you really want this, go to the right hospital.

BALDWIN: Can't let you sit here without talking about this new study I heard about this morning. It shows that in some breast cancer cases it may not be necessary to go in and remove the lymph nodes from the armpit. What does this mean in terms of treatment?

COHEN: Let's talk about what happens now. You've got a tumor in the breast. The breast is near the armpit and the concern is that some of that cancer might sort of get into one or more of those nodes. They look at the nodes most likely to be effected. If it's cancerous, they'll often go in and take 12 to 18 nodes, cancerous or not, just grab a bunch just to be safe.

BALDWIN: Now they're saying they don't need to?

COHEN: This study says it doesn't help. Women aren't live longer. It doesn't help the cancer, doesn't help anything. And it hurts because when you take out that many, you can cause a lot of swelling and you can cause nerve damage. So this study is saying it's unnecessary.

Now, other doctors will disagree and will say we want to take them because it makes us feel better that we're getting everything we can. And it will be interesting to see what doctors do from here on in.

BALDWIN: Elizabeth Cohen, that would be big news for a lot of women and men.

Coming up next, a CNN exclusive.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TIGER WOODS, GOLFER: We've moved on. We've moved forward, and my life is balanced.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Tiger Woods. Does he have balance in his life now? We will hear from him, get his answer, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Well, there is a huge story developing now out of L.A. You see aerial shots zooming in. Not quite sure what they're zooming into. Let's go to the ground shot and show what's happening on the ground. Live pictures, photographers, reporters, dozens and dozens of people lined up to see Lindsay Lohan.

We are minutes away from her court appearance there today in Los Angeles because today she's formally charged on a felony count, felony grand theft. And this is all related to a necklace, this one single gold necklace that was allegedly taken. In fact, the jewelry store is alleging she took from a Venice, California, jewelry store last month. So she's going to face a judge there in L.A. it is quite a circus, a lot of activity there. We have Kareen Wynter. We're following the story for you here out of L.A. we'll get to that in just a moment.

But I want to move on to Tiger Woods here. Let's get straight to it, CNN's exclusive interview with Tiger Woods. It comes as he gears up for this tournament in Dubai and tries to regain the title of world's top-ranked golfer.

Since returning to golf last April after admitting to transgressions in his personal life and taking a couple of months off, he has not won a single tournament. So personal life speaking how is he doing now? Let's hear it from him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WOODS: We've moved on. We've moved forward. Getting my life into balance. It feels good.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're feeling much better than, say, 12 months ago when you were just about to get back into playing bit of golf? WOODS: Absolutely. My life is certainly a lot more in balance and where it needs to be now than it was then.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Woods also says his two young children are his priorities and spending time with them is, quote, "the greatest thing in the world." As you know, he has been sharing custody of the two little ones since his divorce with Elin last August.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE, (R) NEW JERSEY: What do you want me to say, like jump off a building if they nominated me? I can't say this any other way. I am not a candidate for president.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: He says, when you hear that phrase presidential hopefuls, who is doing the hoping here? Is it the politicians or their wishful supporters? We continue to look at the Republican contenders in 2012 with Candy Crowley next.

And this. How the heck did the guy driving the truck end up with his forehead facing the sky? Look at this. What a ride, straight into a sinkhole. Stay there.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: You know every week the field of Republican presidential possibilities seems to get bigger and bigger, but for some folks out there it just can't get big enough, and it always seems to include some names who insist categorically, beyond any shadow of a doubt, they will not run. It's kind of entertaining for some of us. Here is CNN's Candy Crowley.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN HOST, "STATE OF THE UNION": Political reporters are like market researchers, always looking for the next big thing.

WOLF BLITZER, HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": Are you going to run for the Republican presidential nomination?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, no I'm not.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You have said that running for president steals the soul or something along those lines.

GOV. RICK PERRY, (R), TEXAS: I've probably said that but more importantly I said I'm not interested in leaving the best job in America.

CROWLEY: Texas governor Rick Perry and South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint, governors Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Chris Christie of New Jersey, most people couldn't pick any of them out of a lineup. All say they will not run for president in 2012, and in varying degrees all are hot in the circles of political power, so much so that ten months into his first term as New Jersey governor, Christie, a Republican it-boy, got sick of answering the question.

CHRISTIE: What do you want me to say, like I'll jump off a building if they nominated me? I can't say this any other way. I am not a candidate for president.

CROWLEY: Well, he could have said if nominated I will not run. If elected I will not serve. That's what General William Sherman said in 1886, definitively eliminating any freak presidential scenario that might arise and giving birth to the term "Shermanesque" statement. Jindal got the test on NBC's "Hardball."

GOV. BOBBY JINDAL, (R) LOUISIANA: I'm absolutely not running for president. A lot of guests are coy with you, no caveats in that statement. Can you book it?

CHRIS MATTHEWS, MSNBC "HARDBALL" HOST: Shermanesque.

JINDAL: I'm not running for president.

CROWLEY: And if there are 50 ways to leave your lover, there are 100 ways to ask the mayor of New York if he aspires to a different zip code.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Mayor, in your speech about the national economy yesterday led to a lot of speculation about you're thinking about the White House. Are you surprised at that speculation? Are you pleased about it? Are you --

MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, (I) NEW YORK CITY: Look, number one, I'm not running for president, OK? I couldn't be clearer about that.

CROWLEY: There are solid reasons to wonder about New York mayor Bloomberg's appeal beyond his own city limits, but, still, he's a billionaire. He's been a Republican, an independent and a Democrat. Can you spell coalition? That's enough intrigue to keep the question coming.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you saying that you're not even looking at the possibility of running?

BLOOMBERG: No, I'm not looking at the possibility of running.

CROWLEY: And coming.

BLOOMBERG: Would you change your mind?

BLOOMBERG: No.

CROWLEY: And coming.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No way no, how?

BLOOMBERG: No way, no how.

CROWLEY: And if you're wondering, yes, Iraq commander David Petraeus said no to commander in chief when asked by a "Vanity Fair" photographer during a photo shoot, and no, no, a thousand times no from the country's top diplomat.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you planning to run for president once again?

HILLARY CLINTON, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: No. No. I am -- I am not.

CROWLEY: Really? No kidding. She repeats it early and often. Here she is on FOX News.

CLINTON: I have said it over and over again, and I'm happy to say it on your show as well.

BILL O'REILLY, FOX NEWS HOST: So you're done with elective office?

CLINTON: I am. I am very happy doing what I am doing, and I am not in any way interested in or pursuing anything in elective office.

CROWLEY: The constant pursuit of an answer other than no is a mixed blessing for politicians who need the limelight but seem to hate the tedium.

JEB BUSH, (R) FORMER FLORIDA GOVERNOR: I'm asked this question a lot. You would think ten times, you'd be done with it, but I keep answering it, honestly.

CROWLEY: Still, it's hardly fair to blame a reporter for asking when Jeb Bush's own mother took months to convince.

GEORGE W. BUSH, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: I think he would be a great president, but he's chosen not to run this time and I finally have believed him.

CROWLEY: So you're getting some place.

BUSH: Thank you, brother.

CROWLEY: Hear that, "chosen not to run this time." That's why it's hard to take no for an answer. "No" often has a shelf life. This is the newly elected senator from Illinois late 2004.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So why have you ruled that out, running nationally?

BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: You know, I am a believer in knowing what you're doing when you apply for a job, and I think that if I were to seriously consider running on a national ticket, I would essentially have to start now before having served a day in the Senate.

Thank you, Iowa.

CROWLEY: Over a year later he was in Iowa at a high-profile political event. A year after that he was running for president. The rest is history.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Candy Crowley, leave it to you --

CROWLEY: That's why we don't take no for an answer.

BALDWIN: Leave it to you to bring in General Sherman and have it all make sense here.

(LAUGHTER)

I love how you said no doesn't -- doesn't have a shelf life. Makes for just such great sound bites, don't they?

CROWLEY: They do, they do. But, you know, I hear so many people who say to me why don't you all just listen to what they are saying. And I say well, actually you ought to listen to what they are saying because there are very few of them who totally rule it out. And besides, you know, it's the beginning of the season. This is what we do.

BALDWIN: Yes. It's always what they are not saying.

But before we let you go, Candy Crowley, I've got to ask you about Senator Jim Webb. Big announcement, he says he won't run for reelection but for Jim Webb it's one term and done. Does this surprise anyone?

CROWLEY: Doesn't surprise a lot of his colleagues. He's not -- does not -- I don't know how to put. It doesn't seem to have the zest for the job, particularly the fund-raising part of it. This was going to be a tough race for Jim Webb. Even though Virginia went for Obama the last time around, two times around I guess if you count the congressional elections, this was going to be tough.

And there's a possibility that George Allen who used to hold that Senate seat, might run again making it even tougher. He's never liked the fund-raising part of it. And I think, you know, he has spent most of his life not in this realm.

So he knows there's another life out there. He's not a lifer, as they say, and the people around him have said that they sensed, you know, his frustration, and they sensed that he was ready to go do something else.

And lots of times I think you find people, as Jim Webb has, has been the boss of something or secretary of the Navy, very difficult to be one of 100 where it's hard to get something done unless 59 of your colleagues agree with you.

BALDWIN: Candy Crowley, thank you, and thanks for your piece. That was fantastic.