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Budget Battle in Wisconsin; Bahrain Cracks Down on Protesters; Sarah Palin Criticizes First Lady for Promoting Breast Feeding; Man Indicted on Multiple Counts of Attempted Murder, Theft; U.S. Vetoes U.N. Ruling on Israel

Aired February 18, 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 top of the hour. Let's roll this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: More blood in the Middle East. Shots ring out, violence breaks out and even more people are dead.

I'm Brooke Baldwin. The news is now.

(voice-over): A shocking revelation about the desperate moments following the deadly shooting rampage in Tucson. A firefighter refused to go help -- the reason, politics. We're getting to the bottom of it.

Plus, our tax dollars pay for inmates to live behind bars, so should these inmates be getting tax refunds?

And a passenger attacks a bus driver. A naked robber targets a retirement home. And someone sets a fire in a Wal-Mart. Wait until you see these videos.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Hello. Welcome back. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

We will get to your rapid fire here in just a moment, but, first, happening right now, protests in Wisconsin disrupting schools, disrupting politics here for day number three with no end to this dispute in sight. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's very hard because I'm very passionate about what I do, and I feel attacked, and I feel that they are not listening.

GOV. SCOTT WALKER (R), WISCONSIN: Certainly, the thousands of people here and outside the capitol have every right to be heard. But I want to make sure that not for one moment are their voices drowning out the voices of the millions of taxpayers all across the state of Wisconsin. (END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: That was, you heard from him, the new governor of Wisconsin. That was Scott Walker. His budget repair bill -- that's what he's calling it -- it has teachers, it has other public workers pouring into Madison. You see them, thousands, in protest.

And that is where we find CNN's Casey Wian in the midst of those folks.

And, Casey, the issues are benefits, raising benefits, eliminating those collective bargaining rights. Wisconsin, as everyone there knows, is in the midst of a budget crisis. So, what do you hear from -- what are you hearing from people there?

CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The main thing we're hearing from the people who are out here protesting, teachers and other state workers, is that they are willing to cooperate with the state in terms of reducing its budget deficit and willing to make financial concessions.

Where they have drawn the line is on the sand, if you will, is on those collective bargaining rights. What the governor has proposed that they give up is the right to negotiate on anything other than their wages. The governor also wants to take away the ability of unions to collect dues from workers' paychecks. And he wants unions to have to be recertified, those unions that employ state workers, to have to be recertified every year.

State workers here say that is absolutely a nonstarter. They are willing to talk about the financial issues in terms of helping balance the state budget, but they do not want to give up those collective bargaining rights. And that's why they are out here for the third consecutive day. And that's why schools have been shut down in parts of Wisconsin for the third consecutive day, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Yes, Casey, we're heading into a weekend, and you mentioned a lot of the schools are shut down statewide. Is this gaining momentum? Might patients have to deal with closed doors at schools into next week?

WIAN: Union officials and school officials have not said how they are going to handle next week. They are sort of taking it as a day-by-day situation.

We're expecting to hear from the governor later this evening. Perhaps, perhaps he will make some sort of concession and agree to sit down and talk with these union leaders, which he has yet to agree to do. For now, though, Senate Democrats here in the state legislature have left the state, which is forcing this bill to basically be at a standstill.

It can't move forward until they have a quorum. So we're waiting to see what happens over the weekend with these protests. We're waiting to see what happens this evening with the governor's address. Right now, the -- neither side is saying what's going to happen next week. They are just waiting to see what happens, both of them just waiting the other side out, Brooke.

BALDWIN: They are.

Casey Wian for us in Madison -- Casey, thanks.

And I want to get you some breaking news here. I want to show you some live pictures inside the United Nations. In fact, you're looking at a representative from Lebanon there. Here's what we're watching for. There's a vote. Hasn't happened yet. They have convened. The vote hasn't happened, but it will happen, it's Imminent, by the Security Council. It could make Israeli settlements illegal.

The U.S. delegation is expected to veto or totally abstain from voting here. So we have a crew standing by at the U.N. waiting for further results of that vote. We will get to that as soon as that happens, but also this.

Now, there are all kinds of other interesting stories happening right now. You're about to see it. Let's roll rapid fire. And I want to begin with South Florida. This is a fun one. This guy, they are actually calling the sausage bandit, and here's why. Because he stripped down naked, thus the blurring there, made away with a bag of sausage at a retirement home. Brace yourself, folks. We are going to play you a sound bite and there's singing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): Well, they call him the streak. He's proud of his physique

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That was funny.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: They call him the streak. He's proud of his physique.

By the way, Lee County detectives have arrested this guy. They say they saw the surveillance tape and recognized him right away. Huh.

More news from South Florida. An unidentified woman curses a bus driver, then hauls off and slaps him. Watch it. There she goes. Police say she was angry because the driver kicked her off for not paying. Then the door closed on her, and that is what ticked her off. They are still trying to find her.

In suburban Atlanta, a house fire kills three young children, and neighbors watch this terrible scene unfold.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Started pulling the babies out, then laying them on the ground and running back, and the lady was screaming, "My babies, my babies, my babies."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: That is horrific enough, but then rescue crews make a surprising discovery.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAKE SMITH, GWINNETT COUNTY INFORMATION OFFICER: In the investigation, they have discovered evidence of meth processing inside, not a meth lab, per se, but there is something to do with drugs going on in there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Meth processing, three little ones dead. Police have charged Ivan Gonzalez with murder and felony arson. They are looking for him, think he might flee Georgia, maybe even try to cross into Mexico. The children's mother is in custody charged with trafficking methamphetamine.

Pennsylvania police are looking for a gang of pickpockets. Watch this. One suspect gets in front of a woman and her daughter. There they go. They're leaving this restaurant. Another dressed in tan clothing comes up behind her. The woman is jostled about, and a short time later realizes her wallet is gone. She quickly canceled her credit cards, but police say the suspect's accomplices allegedly used the stolen credit cards minutes later. So far, the gang has stolen more than $12,000.

And this one sounds like a bit of a stretch, but by all accounts it is true. You ready for this? This man here was suffering migraines, or so he thought. Look at this picture. Goes in for an X- ray. Here's what they found. You see that, you're thinking, that looks like a knife. Well, that's because it is a knife, in his head.

After -- they actually got the thing out. How did it get there? The man was stabbed in a robbery four years ago. I know. I have a lot of questions about that one, a lot of questions, but let's move on.

This one is -- file this away in the foot and mouth department. Today's prize goes to John Kasich, newly elected governor of the state of Ohio. What could have prompted this?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. JOHN KASICH (R), OHIO: Think about this. Have you ever been stopped by a policeman who was an idiot? I have this idiot pull me over on 315.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Hmm. Well, Ohio's men and women in blue had to love to hear that from the governor. In fact, the Fraternal Order of Police called Governor Kasich, called him out, called his statement offensive. And now the governor has phoned the officer he called an idiot, by my count, twice there to say he's sorry. This speech, by the way, was a pep talk to state employees and Kasich was trying to make a point about customer service.

In Florida, police are looking for someone who does not treat coloring books very well. They have released a surveillance video of this suspect. The man allegedly grabbed some kerosene from the sporting goods department of a Wal-Mart in Brevard County. Police say he used it to torch a kid's coloring book starting a small fire in the toy department. Store employees had to put the fire out. No one was injured. Why?

Up next, in the moments after that grocery store shooting that killed six people in Tucson, a group of emergency workers gathered around their television. A dramatic congresswoman -- excuse me -- a Democratic congresswoman was among those injured, Gabrielle Giffords, and speculation grew about the role of possibly politics in that scene.

One firefighter decided it was all too much of a distraction for him, his words, distraction, said he could not possibly go to the scene when his unit was called to assist.

Well, that man is no longer a firefighter, but there is a lot more to this story than the headlines you have seen today. I will be speaking with his assistant fire chief next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: OK. You may have seen this outrageous headline today that a firefighter refused to respond to last month's shooting rampage in Tucson, a rampage that left six people dead, 13 wounded, including Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. You know the story. She's currently undergoing rehab in Texas.

Now, this firefighter, his name is Mark Ekstrum. He was not -- I want to make this clear -- he was not a first-responder. In fact, his unit was not even called into action until a couple of hours after that shooting.

Ekstrum allegedly refused to go because of political bantering with his crew. At least that's the phrase that the captain used in this memorandum I have here.

So, we reached out to Ekstrum. I wanted to have him on to talk to him here on the show. He's yet to respond to our request, but we do have a statement from him.

And, in part, I want you just read a piece of it. He says: "I am very passionate about my country and was distraught over the magnitude of how this would affect our country." He goes on to say: "I became distracted to the point of not being able to perform my routine station duties to such an extent that I seriously doubted my ability to focus on an emergency call."

So that's just part of his statement here. The whole thing actually is a whole page that we got from him.

So, we wanted to get to the bottom of this. And so joining me now by phone is Assistant Chief Joe Gulotta. He's with the Tucson Fire Department.

And Mr. Gulotta, I appreciate you coming on or calling in, because I want you to set the record straight. My question is this. Did this firefighter, Mark Ekstrum, did he refuse to respond to the shooting because of some issue he had with the congresswoman? Was it a conflict he had with his fellow firefighters, or was it something else entirely?

JOE GULOTTA, TUCSON FIRE DEPARTMENT: Brooke, thank you for giving us the opportunity to set the record straight. It was something entirely different.

Mark Ekstrum was at the fire station, like you described, and for the two-hour period that they were waiting, they are watching this scene unfold on the television. And with his passion for his country and, I will say, for Gabrielle Giffords -- he -- he worked with her on a few things and voted for her and supported her and liked her politics -- he thought at that moment she was dead, and he knew it was a politically motivated shooting.

And it just continued to eat at him for that two-hour period, to the point where he couldn't function and knew that he was not going to be good at any emergency, whether it was just a medical call. And -- and this was even before he -- he knew he was getting ready to go or that they were going to be called.

BALDWIN: So, let me jump in because part of this statement, I think it's important to point this out us a sort of have, he says, "She," being Gabrielle Giffords, "has always impressed me as a person who is willing to listen. That led me to vote for her in the last election. Yet, the memorandum from Ben Williams, captain engine six, references something called political bantering," according to this fire fighter Ekstrum, that there was political bantering and he didn't want to be a part of it.

So, was it political bantering, or was it something about country? I'm confused.

GULOTTA: Well, the problem was that Mark Ekstrum was not communicating very well with his captain this afternoon. He mentioned that this was -- that his decisions were based on the political events that were occurring with the shooting and that he, you know, these are the things that led him to be distracted and then fortunately, he retired from the fire department the very next business day, and we didn't have an opportunity to reach out to him and get his full story.

BALDWIN: Well, let me get to that in a moment. But here's where I just I have to press you a bit.

GULOTTA: OK.

BALDWIN: And I'm not a fire fighter, I don't know. Do you take an oath as a fire fighter? You know, you're connected with public service. I mean, should it matter how you feel about an individual you're responding to? I mean, isn't it your duty as a firefighter to respond no matter what?

GULOTTA: Absolutely, Brooke. When we learned of this incident and when the captain learned that he was not going to go with them to deliver the equipment to that scene, the captain was flabbergasted. He had no -- he says you've got to go. You can't refuse. That's not what we do, and he couldn't get Ekstrum to go with him.

So, he went ahead and continued on to the scene and took care of the business that they need to. And again, there was no delay in the response to the equipment because they were just driving normal traffic.

But you're right. It's unheard of and it's unacceptable, and we were at that point moving forward with disciplinary action.

BALDWIN: So, what is unacceptable? I mean, I see here the captain said, you know, he was recommending at the time a maximum sanction for first-time major offense, would have put him on a 20-day suspension. Yet, you know, what was it, two days later, Ekstrum, 28- year veteran, mind you, decides to retire.

GULOTTA: He knew he was no longer going to be able to regain the confidence of not only his crew but the community.

BALDWIN: I see.

GULOTTA: I mean, his actions that day, though motivated by his emotions and his inability, it really led us to believe that he was probably not going to be able to continue working for the department.

BALDWIN: How is he doing now? Have you talked to him?

GULOTTA: I did talk to him. He's really remorseful. And he's, you know, apologetic to the community. Unfortunately, his story looks like his decisions were because he didn't agree with Gabrielle Giffords' politics, but it was completely the other way around. He -- you know, he supported her and he was really distraught.

Brooke, really quick, one of the other thing --

BALDWIN: Go ahead. Go ahead, quickly.

GULOTTA: Firefighters respond to calls and then they come back and sometimes have emotional responses. Mark didn't have a chance to go to the incident but he did have a chance to experience it and have that emotional response.

BALDWIN: I understand as a journalist sometimes, if I feel biased or perhaps too connected to a story, I would feel the need to excuse myself. But still, you know, as a firefighter, you said it was unacceptable.

GULOTTA: Unacceptable. BALDWIN: Unacceptable. Sir, thank you so much for calling in and going down the headline.

GULOTTA: Thank you.

BALDWIN: We appreciate it.

Let's go to the United Nations now. Ambassador Susan Rice speaking. Let's listen.

SUSAN RICE, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS: That includes a commitment to work in good faith with all parties, to underscore our opposition to continued settlements. Our opposition to the resolution before this council today should therefore be not misunderstood, to mean we support settlement activity. On the contrary, we reject in the strongest terms the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlement activity.

For more than four decades, Israeli settlement activity in territories occupied in 1967 has undermined Israel's security and corroded hopes for peace and stability in the region. Continued settlement activity violates Israel's international commitments, devastates trust between the parties and threatens the prospects for peace.

The United States and our fellow council members are also in full agreement about the urgent need to resolve the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians based on the two-state solution and an agreement that establishes a viable, independent and contiguous state of Palestine once and for all. We have invested a tremendous amount of effort and resources in pursuit of this shared goal, and we will continue to do so. But the only way to reach that common goal is through direct negotiations between the parties, with the active and sustained support of the United States and the international community.

It is the Israelis and Palestinians conflict, and even the best- intentioned outsiders cannot resolve it for them. Therefore, every potential action must be measured against one overriding standard. Will it move the parties closer to negotiations and an agreement? Unfortunately, this draft resolution risks hardening the positions of both sides. It could encourage the parties to stay out of negotiations -- and if and when they did resume, to return to the Security Council whenever they reach an impasse.

Madam President, in recent years no outside country has invested more than the United States of America in the effort to achieve Israeli/Palestinian peace. In recent days, we offered a constructive alternative course forward that we believe would have allowed the council to act unanimously to support the pursuit of peace. We regret that this effort was not successful and thus is no longer viable.

The great impetus for democracy and reform in the region makes it even more urgent to settle this bitter and tragic conflict in the context of a region moving towards greater peace and respect for human rights. But there simply are no shortcuts. We hope that those who share our hopes for peace between a secure and sovereign Israel and Palestine will join us in redoubling our common efforts to encourage and support the resumption of direct negotiations.

While we agree with our fellow council members and indeed with the wider world about the folly and illegitimacy of continued Israeli settlement activity, we think it unwise for this council to attempt to resolve the core issues that divide Israelis and Palestinians. We, therefore, regrettably have opposed to draft resolution.

Thank you, Madam President.

BALDWIN: Opposed the draft resolution. So, the U.N. Security Council has just voted, and as we heard from Susan Rice, it was not unanimous in regard to this regard resolution to call the Israeli settlements illegal. So, you had 40 yes votes in favor of doing that. The one and only one was on behalf of the U.S.

We want to go to Richard Roth live for me at U.N.

And, Richard, this was not a surprise, the U.S. vote.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SR. UNITED NATIONS CORRESPONDENT: Well, it was unclear toward -- as the vote neared, because the United States was issuing high pressure on the Palestinians to instead of a resolution go for a more lighter statement. At the U.N., you never know until it's over here just what happens. It's significant. It's the first veto here by the United States under the Obama administration.

Last U.S. veto here, November 2006 with John Bolton, also on Israel settlements in the Middle East.

This resolution was supported by more than 120 other U.N. countries.

A lot of other aspects though of this, the Palestinians say the U.S. and President Obama in a phone call tried to pressure, threaten -- perhaps some millions in aid maybe at the stake, the Palestinians feel they've held back on putting other resolutions forward at other times. They had to look tough, especially at this time of revolutionary mood in the Middle East.

So, for politics here at home, the Obama administration also didn't want to be seen as defending resolution condemning settlements as illegal. So, there's a lot of background to this vote. But this resolution is going nowhere, vetoed by U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice at the Security Council.

BALDWIN: You mentioned it was the first veto under President Obama. What kind of I guess fallout could the U.S. expect from this? And looking ahead, what will be next here?

ROTH: Well, the idea was to try to bring the Palestinians back to the negotiating table. They do not want to resume talks with Israel because they say Israel is continuing to build settlements. It's a bit of a rerun. The U.S. insisting the U.N. is not the place for any type of Middle East peace settlement.

But Russia is talking about trying to take the full Security Council on a trip to the Middle East, which has never been done before.

The fallout you asked about is going to affect perhaps decisions on that trip and for support for America in the Palestinian community. But they've been rebuffed before by previous administrations.

BALDWIN: Richard Roth for me with the latest breaking news there from the United Nations -- Richard, thanks to you.

And another senator is retiring and it is another Democrat. That is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: "CNN Equals Politics." Time now for your latest political headlines and for that we go to Paul Steinhauser with the news hot off the Political Ticker.

Paul, what do you have?

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: I've got another Democratic senator saying, you know what, I'm not running for re-election next year. This happened a few hours ago, Brooke.

This is big deal actually -- Jeff Bingaman from New Mexico saying, I'm going to -- he's going to retire next year after his term is over rather than run for re-election. Now, unless you live in New Mexico, why would you care? Here's why -- this now brings to four, the number of Democratic senators who are saying, no mas, not going to run for re-election next year.

BALDWIN: No mas.

STEINHAUSER: Only two Republicans have said that they are not going to run for re-election next year.

Remember, the Democrats right now have a 53 to 47 majority. So, Republicans are all excited, like four Democrats retiring, this is great. We have a better chance of winning back the chamber.

But Democratic officials tell me, you know what? If our guys are going to retire, let them announce now, let them announce early so at least we can prepare because last cycle, some Democratic senators announced pretty late in the game that they were not going to run for re-election.

Let's talk about the race for the White House. Let's about a guy called Tim Pawlenty, used to be the Minnesota governor. He's someone who's thinking about running for the Republican presidential nomination. He's got some big news today. He has named the keynote speaker at a big conference next week out in Arizona by the Tea Party Patriots, one of the large national Tea Party groups. And this conference is happening on the second anniversary on the birth of the movement.

So, for Tim Pawlenty, I guess, it's good to be there. If you're thinking about running for the White House on the Republican side, it's good to talk to the Tea Party, I guess -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: I guess so. And back to your bilingualism, Mr. Steinhauser --

STEINHAUSER: Yes, ma'am.

BALDWIN: -- I know you have some new numbers on the country's increasing Hispanic population.

STEINHAUSER: Yes, this is fascinating. Let's focus on Texas. The Census Bureau just released some numbers last night from the 2010 census on Texas. Now, the population in Texas, we know, has exploded. It has gone up 20 percent in the last 10 years.

BALDWIN: Wow.

STEINHAUSER: It's going to get four more congressional seats. But check this out -- of that population explosion, two-thirds of it is because of a growth in the Latino and Hispanic population, which is really incredible. And now, Latinos and Hispanics make up 38 percent of the population of Texas. We know Texas is a state that right now Republicans dominate when it comes to politics, but maybe -- maybe -- this could make some difference down the road from now -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: Paul Steinhauser, thank you so much. Have a fantastic weekend.

STEINHAUSER: You, too. Thanks.

BALDWIN: It is a moment that will give you chills. Watch.

(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)

BALDWIN: Love these stories. Love these stories. That is the sound of homecoming, folks. Approximately 145 soldiers returning to Ft. Carson, Colorado. Friends and family welcoming the third brigade combat team, 4th Infantry Division with a warm reception. The troops -- oh, the troops, fresh off a year-long mission in Iraq.

A serial killer heads back to court, prisoners get tax returns, and Sanjay Gupta shows us what life is like in rehab for Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. All those stories and more as we enter the final stretch of the newscast -- don't go anywhere.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: A serial killer in court, inmates getting tax returns and Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords making progress in rehab. A lot of news to cover here, correspondents all over it.

I want to begin with Patrick Oppmann in Seattle.

Patrick, what is the new charge here? The new charge, the infamous serial killer, Gary Ridgway -- what is he facing now?

PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You said an infamous serial killer, the Green River killer, one of the most prolific serial killers in United States history. And behind in the courthouse this afternoon we're expecting Ridgway to be charged with his 49th count of murder. This woman Rebecca Marrero that authorities say he killed in 1982, Brooke, but they didn't find her body until last December. So, he's now been charged with that crime.

Here's a little bit of a catch, though: he can't face the death penalty as long as he pleads guilty and that's because, Brooke, he already admitted to killing this woman in 1982, but because they didn't have a body, they never charged him with that. And under a plea agreement that the authorities and Gary Ridgway agreed to, as long as he pleads guilty to this murder, he will not face the death penalty and go back to prison for the rest of his life.

BALDWIN: I see. So as long as he does that, he will not face the death penalty. Here we go, 49th count of murder. Patrick Oppmann live for me -- Patrick, thank you.

Next in "Reporter Roulette" -- Alison Kosik live in New York.

Major changes on Facebook, and, Alison, I know we're talking about those relationship statuses. You love them, you hate them on Facebook. But now, there's a new way for people to show their love online.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, yes. You know how it is, have to sum it up in a few words -- you know, single, married, it's complicated. Well, now, add to more. Now, you can add in a civil union or in a domestic partnership. This is coming after Facebook said that a lot of people requested that it recognize civil unions. So, now, that's going to happen.

And the move it being applauded by the gay community. GLAD is saying Facebook has set a new standard of inclusion. And remember, if you don't want your personal business out there for everyone to see, put a high privacy setting on your account there, Brooke.

BALDWIN: High privacy -- I'm always a fan of that one.

KOSIK: Me, too.

BALDWIN: Moving on -- what is the news about prison inmates getting tax refunds, Alison?

KOSIK: Yes. Would you believe that they are the biggest phony tax filers of all? There's a Treasury report showing that the crooks that are sitting behind bars collected about $39 million in federal tax refunds back in 2009, refunds that they shouldn't have gotten. And, you know, that's almost triple what these scammers got five years before that. What they were doing is filling out tax forms, saying that they had jobs that they never held and taxes that were never withheld. It turns out, inmates in Florida, Georgia and California were the biggest offenders. And, of course, the report didn't say if any of the money would be recovered.

I guess they got a lot of time on their hands, Brooke. They come up with these creative ways to make some money behind bars.

BALDWIN: Yes, a little bit. A little bit of time. Alison Kosik, thank you.

KOSIK: Yes.

BALDWIN: Next, our chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta with the latest on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords' recovery -- Sanjay.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: I can tell you, Brooke, people have described what's happened with Congresswoman Giffords as remarkable and you're about to see part of the reason why.

You go inside a rehab unit and you look at the various therapies that are sort of charged with trying to restore function, trying to make someone whole again. And it's a really fascinating process.

Keep in mind: she was shot on the left side of her brain, that's often associated with speech, the left side of the brain, as well as strength on the right side of the body. That's what they're focused on. Take a look.

(voice-over): For about an hour most days, Congresswoman Giffords does this.

MAEGAN MORROW, MUSIC THERAPIST: Sometimes I come in and that's all they can do. And --

GUPTA (on camera): And that's significant?

MORROW: That's significant because it gives me a clue, hey, they know this song and they want to fill it in.

GUPTA (voice-over): It's called music therapy. Most people never see how it or much of the technology, big or small in this building, actually works.

So, I will show you. As if I, like Congresswoman Giffords were a patient of Dr. Francisco and his team.

(on camera): It seems like a pretty long day.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is a long day.

DR. GERARD FRANCISCO, TIRR: After a brain injury or a stroke, there is a tendency for the patient to forget one side of the body.

GUPTA: Just neglect it? FRANCISCO: Just neglect it.

GUPTA (voice-over): But this bike doesn't let you forget.

(on camera): These little cords here actually attach to the muscles in my leg and as my leg is moving, it's sort of predicting which muscle should be using and it's giving that muscle stimulations.

(voice-over): They call this the "Superman" device, learning to walk without the burden of my body weight.

Surprisingly, this shopping cart is also used as part of therapy.

(on camera): Take a look here, obviously, Julie helping, for example, if I had right leg weakness, really sort of moving my leg along, preventing me from falling.

(voice-over): But here's the thing: all these different therapies work together. The music isn't just rehabilitating the mind, it's also teaching patients to walk. And sometimes --

MORROW: And I'll give them a song to kind of get their mind off of the pain. (SINGING) -- kind of thing like that.

GUPTA: So, again, when you look at all those various therapies -- music therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy, you see how they all work together and they all expedite the recovery.

You know, Brooke, as a neurosurgeon, I sent patients to rehab all the time. But it's really the first time that I got to see, you know, myself totally immersed in this to see how the process works.

You know, you think of the brain sending signals to the muscle. That's what typically happens -- raise your arm, raise your leg. As part of the idea of rewiring the brain, they're also giving electrical stimulation to the muscle when it should be moving a certain way like while riding a bike or walking. And that sends a signal to the brain as well. That's part of this whole rewiring process.

Next for her, you know, this idea of occupational therapy -- how to brush your teeth, use utensils, do stuff that you would do at home, the activities of daily living, and the future as well. Even while we're at this particular rehab center in Houston, they brought in this robot which can help obviously increase mobility and strength of a weak arm, as you see here. Also, I'm playing video games here, so it improves cognition and concentration.

But, again, just a glimpse and part of what really expedites, speeds up someone's recovery from something like this.

Brooke, back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: How about that? Sanjay, thank you. Sanjay, our own neurosurgeon. You can always watch "SANJAY GUPTA, M.D." each and every Saturday morning.

You probably heard a little bit about breastfeeding, taxes and Michelle Obama just in the last couple of days. Well, we're going to explain what exactly all this fuss is all about. "Political Pop" with Brianna Keilar next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: All right. If you have been keeping up with some of the papers this week, you have probably read a lot about breastfeeding over the past couple of days -- I'm talking about breast pumps, breastfeeding, childhood obesity, you name it. But why is everyone talking about it right now?

Brianna Keilar in for us on "Political Pop" on this Friday in D.C.

Brianna, do explain.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A couple of things going on here, Brooke. First off, and this is a pretty big deal. The IRS just announced that breast pumps qualify as tax- deductible medical devices. So, buy a breast pump and can you get a tax break.

And then, the other thing going on, as you know, First Lady Michelle Obama, her signature cause is combating obesity, and just last week, she talked about how as part of that, she wants to aggressively promote breastfeeding because it does help reduce obesity later in life.

And, as well, according to the surgeon general, there's other health benefits. It reduces ear infections, pneumonia in people as well as, Brooke, the cost-savings because a family can actually save more than $1,000 in the first year of a baby's life if the baby is breastfeeding.

BALDWIN: So there's news peg with the IRS. We know about Michelle Obama's stance. But then this week, we grabbed a lot of headlines with Michele Bachmann. What did she say?

KEILAR: You know, Michele Bachmann, conservative Republican congresswoman, she took aim specifically at the tax break. This is what she said on a conservative talk radio show.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

REP. MICHELE BACHMANN (R), MINNESOTA: This is very consistent with where the hard left is coming from. For them, government is the answer to every problem. To think that government has to go out and buy my breast pump for my baby -- I mean, you want to talk about the nanny state?

(END AUDIO CLIP) KEILAR: Now, she actually points out as well on that program, she said, "I have given birth to five babies and I breast fed every single one of those babies." So, what she's really emphasizing there, Brooke, isn't that she's against breastfeeding. It's that she really has a problem with the government incentivizing it.

BALDWIN: OK. So, that's her issue. But that's not all. What else has happened?

KEILAR: No. As well, Sarah Palin has come out on this issue. In fact, she took aim at the first lady's initiative for breastfeeding and she did this in a way to really slam President Obama's economic policies. Listen to what she said yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SARAH PALIN, (R) FORMER ALASKA GOVERNOR: It's no wonder Michelle Obama is telling everybody you better breastfeed your babies, because I'm looking at it and going, yes, you better, because the price of milk is so high right now.

(LAUGHTER)

Regardless of the political, you know -- do it for economic reasons.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Again, that was Sarah Palin yesterday, Brooke. She was addressing a crowd there in New York.

BALDWIN: But, but, but, I have this 2007 proclamation right here, this was from Sarah Palin. This was from 2007. "I, Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska, do hereby swear that this is breastfeeding awareness month encouraging Alaskans to recognize support it." I'm confused.

KEILAR: Yes, October, 2007, she declared breast feeding awareness month in Alaska, and she put out that release in 2007 talking about not just the health benefits but also developing a bond between mother and child.

I think the point here is that you're getting into the politics of breastfeeding, right. It's not necessarily that Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann are against breastfeeding, because they are not saying that, but are using what we've seen in the news lately to really take aim and it's really a tool for them.

I don't know, Brooke. Yesterday we were talking NASCAR. Today we're talking breastfeeding.

BALDWIN: What can we throw at you again. That's why we love you, Brianna Keilar. Have a good weekend. Thank you, my friend.

KEILAR: Thank you.

BALDWIN: Thank you.

Everyone has seen the reporter -- maybe not everyone but probably a lot of you saw the reporter who jumbled her words who was on the red carpet at I think it was the Grammys. So now she's talking about that and calling that episode -- actually, we'll let her explain what happened. That is next.

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BALDWIN: Have you heard about this? I bet you have. And if you think about it, it's quite frightening, but it might not have seemed that way at first, at least not at first glance. Viewers in Los Angeles, they caught this live report from the Grammy awards.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SERENE BRANSON, REPORTER: Well, a very, very --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: That was Emmy winning reporter Serene Branson, obviously something was very wrong. And to a lot of folks it seemed she had suffered a stroke.

But as it turns out Branson on live TV was having this rare form, an extreme form of a migraine. In fact, last night she bravely relived her televised medical emergency.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Backstage we're covering for the very first time.

BRANSON: Well, a very, very heavy --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's what happened.

BRANSON: I will say it was shorter than it felt.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Serene, the thing is, you were trying to charge through that. You were powering through your live shot.

BRANSON: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The fact that this happened and you realized it at the time and now you see it.

BRANSON: I knew what I was trying to say. Let's take a look, because I just wanted to get to the video. I knew something was wrong. I wanted to get to the video, and like you said, my cadence was there.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Let's take a look.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Branson says she's now just looking forward to getting back to work, and we wish her well.

A guy is accused of a deadly rampage in New York City, stabbing strangers, carjacking people, for hours. The city feared a madman was on the loose. Now his case is going to the grand jury. So what is the defense? We're on the case.

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BALDWIN: The case of a man accused in a bloody stabbing rampage across New York City headed to a grand jury today. This man is accused of killing four people, wounding several others. Investigators say the 23-year-old man just lost it during an argument last week over keys to his mother's Lexus. The suspect says he was set up.

Sunny Hostin as always on the case. Sunny, let me set this thing up. This guy allegedly fatally stabbed three people, including his step-father 11 times. He speeds away before mowing down a pedestrian and then slashes, allegedly, at least five other people, car jacks a couple of cars, all before he was trying -- taken down, trying to break into a cab of a subway train. I know it's a lot to keep in mind.

All of this within 28-hour period. The suspect Maxim Gelman, was arraigned on Sunday. What's he being charged with?

SUNNY HOSTIN, LEGAL CONTRIBUTOR, "IN SESSION" ON TRUTV: He was indicted today on four counts of murder, Brooke, in the second degree and two counts of attempted murder in the second degree, two counts of robbery in the first degree, two counts of robbery in the second degree, and three counts of assault in the second degree.

If he is found guilty of these crimes, he could spend 175 years to life in prison. So clearly a life sentence if he is found guilty of these crimes.

BALDWIN: So the indictments just come down. You had it. It seems like Gelman's appointed public defender has quite a case in front of him. What's the best defense here?

HOSTIN: Right now everyone is talking about the insanity defense. For someone to commit these types of crimes in this span of time, 28 hours, he's only 23 years old, most people think it will be an insanity defense.

But I want to say that's rarely successful, even though we hear a lot about it. It is rarely successful, successful I think in about three percent of the cases that it's invoked in, and so while that's probably going to be the defense, the burden is on the defense to prove it, and it's going to be a difficult defense to prove.

BALDWIN: Difficult defense, according to our former federal prosecutor calling that one.

Sunny, case number two, let's talk Charlie Sheen. You know, the bad boy cannot seem to stay out of the spotlight and headlines. He called "The Dan Patrick Show" not just once but twice this week to chat. On Monday he talked about being able to socially manage crack cocaine, Wednesday he gave a little advice for, of all people, Lindsay Lohan.

Now his father actor Martin Sheen is reportedly considering filing for conservatorship. Sunny, first of all, explain what does conservatorship, can't even get it out of my mouth, what does it do?

HOSTIN: It is difficult to say. A conservatorship basically allows someone to take control of another person's finances, another person's decisions, perhaps medical decisions, health decisions. It really allows someone else to take control of another person's life.

BALDWIN: But Charlie Sheen is a 45-year-old man. Does that not matter?

HOSTIN: It really doesn't matter. I mean, I think the last big conservatorship we saw was with Britney Spears, and she was in her 20s. The age doesn't real matter, 45 doesn't really matter. What really matters is whether or not it's necessary.

And in the case of Charlie Sheen, let's face it, a judge may very well order that because of what we're seeing, because we're seeing perhaps a lot of drug issues. We're seeing substance abuse issues. We're seeing perhaps some mental health issues. And so judges are reluctant to do this, let me say, but it is possible, I think, in a case like this.

BALDWIN: So then just to be clear, it would be up to the judge then to issue that, not Martin Sheen coming forward.

HOSTIN: That's right. That is right. Someone would have to start the process and ask a court to determine whether or not a comfort tore shop is possible. There are two types, one conservative for a person and one for an estate. And in this case you would think they would probably ask for both.

BALDWIN: Do you think quickly, do you think a judge would grant that in Charlie Sheen's case?

HOSTIN: You know, after seeing what happened with Britney Spears, this seems so much more extreme in many ways. I think it is quite possible that in California a judge would allow that.

BALDWIN: Sunny Hostin, thank you very much. Have a fantastic weekend. Thank you for watching. I'm Brooke Baldwin. Now to Candy Crowley in Washington for "THE SITUATION ROOM." Candy?