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Gadhafi Losing His Grip; Wisconsin Budget Standoff; Pittsburgh Mayor Keeps Super Bowl Bet; 95-Year-Old Sets World Speed Record; Pizza Delivery Woman Saves Life of Regular Customer; Iowa Wrestler Forfeits Rather Than Wrestle Girl; New Zealand Quake Kills 75

Aired February 23, 2011 - 09:00   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Good. It's the top of the hour. 9:00 a.m. on the East Coast, 6:00 out west.

And right now we're watching people leaving Libya as fast as they can. The U.S. is one of several nations trying to get its citizens out before a bad situation gets even worse.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't believe it. Why this building?

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: And she is asking a question a lot of New Zealanders are asking right now. An agonizing wait to find out if friends and loved ones survived a devastating earthquake.

Well, he bowed to fight to the last drop of blood. And now the eastern region of Moammar Gadhafi's country has fallen to protesters. This YouTube video shows protesters in Libya throwing shoes at the screen as Gadhafi made that promise on television yesterday.

Now his interior minister has quit, his leading general out, and many senior generals have joined the opposition. Opposition control of the east is a big development and this is where most of Libya's oil production is located. Still Colonel Gadhafi's threat of not going down without a fight can't be easily dismissed.

And the show of force as Libyan state TV broadcast images of Gadhafi supporters rallying on the streets of Tripoli just last night. As you know Libyan government is not allowing western journalists into the country so we go to Fionnuala Sweeney in nearby Cairo now.

Fionnuala, first off, there are hundreds of U.S. citizens in Libya. I understand a plane was actually supposed to take them out but did that happen?

FIONNUALA SWEENEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No. The U.S. unable to charter that plane and have it take off from Tripoli because according to the State Department spokesman PJ Crowley, there were issues, difficulties, challenges with Tripoli airport and it would seem that the U.S. and other countries are now switching their operations from airplanes for the most part to vessels which would take evacuees from the port near Tripoli over to Malta.

It is a very fluid situation to put it mildly. Much of Tripoli is in lockdown and one can only presume that the airport is extremely difficult to communicate with and not safe enough for planes to land, at least deemed by the U.S. not to be safe enough.

PHILLIPS: You know, what do we know about these foreigners, these mercenaries that Gadhafi is bringing in from Africa to counterattack, to fire upon demonstrators and have they moved into the oil fields?

SWEENEY: Ever since this unrest started more than a week ago in Benghazi, in the east of Libya there have been unconfirmed yet consistent reports of mercenaries operating. People saying that they were of African origin. There were unconfirmed reports that some of them were of Asian origin but as this unrest spread to the capital Tripoli where there is right now a lockdown on communications there have still been these consistent reports that mercenaries are on the streets along with the security forces and that they are of African origin.

PHILLIPS: Fionnuala Sweeney reporting from Cairo, we'll continue to talk throughout the morning.

Now turning to Bahrain. More mass protests being organized and the leader of that country's biggest opposition party plans to return home but some of the tears there, tears of joy. Families have been reunited after the king ordered about 25 high-profile political prisoners be let go.

The Bahrain Center for Human Rights say the government clamped down on dissent late last year, even tortured some of those activists.

In Yemen, pro and anti-government protesters clashing on the streets of Sana'a. Two anti-government protesters killed. More than 10 wounded in that gunfire. More protests today, too. Demonstrators demand an end to President Ali Abdullah Saleh's 32-year rule. High unemployment and poverty have fueled that uprising.

Saleh has been described as a U.S. ally against a Yemen-based al Qaeda wing that has launched attacks at home and abroad.

All right. We again head down under now. That desperate hunt for survivors of the New Zealand earthquake is well into its second night. The city of Christchurch right now, it's just after 3:00 a.m. and rescue teams are working against the clock in that frantic search for people that may be trapped beneath layers of dust and rubble.

We did see this person rescued from a Christchurch building almost 22 hours after the quake. But many more people are waiting for good news like this. One heart-broken mother still looking.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I've been trying to text my daughter's phone since I had reception just because I thought the rescuers might hear the ring and dig down and find her. (END OF VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Forty-eight people have been pulled out alive, 75 people dead. A nighttime curfew has been established in parts of Christchurch considered too dangerous for the public right now.

Former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel has been elected the next mayor of Chicago, the nation's third largest city. Emanuel clobbered five challengers, capturing more than 50 percent of the vote to avoid a runoff. He will replace Richard Daley who's retiring after 22 years.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAHM EMANUEL (D), CHICAGO MAYOR-ELECT: Thank you, Chicago, for this humbling victory. All I can say, you sure know how to make a guy feel at home.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Now Emanuel is going to have a tough job ahead. The city is dealing with $654 million deficit and rising crime.

Protests over state budgets and battles for union rights continue to spread. Wisconsin, of course, leading the way with demonstrations packing the state capital for a week and a half now. Union rallies also taking place today in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Georgia.

While the crowds are smaller in Wisconsin the protesters are still out in full force at the state capital. Neither side willing to budge in the budget standoff.

Let's get to Kate Bolduan, she's still in Madison.

Kate, the war of words continues.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Kyra. The standoff here in Madison continues battling over the governor's proposed budget fix and specifically really the issue of collective bargaining rights.

The governor took to the air waves once again yesterday to make his case to the state saying the measures that he's proposed are necessary.

Listen here to the governor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. SCOTT WALKER (R), WISCONSIN: You see, despite a lot of the rhetoric we've heard over the past 11 days the bill I put forward isn't aimed at state workers. And it certainly isn't a battle with unions. The legislation I put forward is about one thing. It's about balancing our budget. Now and in the future.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP) BOLDUAN: But even before the governor spoke, the unions, the protesters and their supporters that are here, they wouldn't have anything of it. They've -- they've been really inhabiting this capital building for days now and they continue to do so.

Listen here to Brad Lutes, a Wisconsin physical education teacher, taking on the governor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRAD LUTES, WISCONSIN PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER: What you're trying to sell to the nation as a solution to our state's budget problem is nothing more than a political move to silence the voice of employees in their workplace. That bothers me. A lot. My workplace is my students' school and it's wrong to take the voice of a teacher from their classroom.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: As you can see right there, Kyra, pretty clear that neither side is really giving any signs that they are ready to give in and really offer any more compromise. The unions say they are ready, offering to give a little and that the governor is asking too much.

The governor says we -- he has to have these measures. He has to limit collective bargaining rights in this state because they're facing a budget shortfall and he says the alternative is massive layoffs and those layoffs could start to go out starting next week. But the budget battle here continues -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well, then you've got these polls that are out today, right, showing how folks feel about unions and collective bargaining?

BOLDUAN: Yes, absolutely. And there is a lot of talk here in Madison about what does the public think? You see a lot of these protesters, you hear a lot of the conversations going on within the capital. You hear all sides of the debate, obviously, here on the ground.

But a new "USA Today"/Gallup poll that was just out this morning asked people what they thought about taking away collective bargaining rights. Really what's going -- what's part of this bill here in Wisconsin. Sixty-one percent of those people who were asked this question said they would support such a bill in their own state, 33 percent said they would support such a bill.

So you see a majority of people are against it. But again, when you ask people how do you fix the budget deficit, people seem very split on how to take that on, though -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Kate Bolduan in Madison. Kate, thanks.

Prospect of severe weather back in the forecast again. Especially the Midwest. While the Pacific Northwest I guess is bracing for some more heavy snow, right, Rob? Or sorry. You're not Rob. You're Reynolds --

REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I answer to anything.

PHILLIPS: You're Reynolds Wolf.

WOLF: It doesn't matter. I answer to anything. You can call me Bozo the clown, and that was fine, too. It's all good.

PHILLIPS: No, Reynolds. It's great to see you today.

WOLF: Hey, it's great seeing you.

PHILLIPS: Where is Rob? Is he taking a few days off?

WOLF: He is actually working on a story down in the Gulf Coast where he happens to be. I can't speak today. Happens to be in sunny Florida enjoying the nice weather.

(WEATHER REPORT)

PHILLIPS: All right. Thank you, Reynolds.

WOLF: You bet.

PHILLIPS: Well, we've seen girls play against boys before. Billie Jean King playing Bobby Riggs in tennis. We see girl kickers on the high school football teams but the wrestling mat is not a court or a field. And one young man would rather lose his chance at a state title than grapple with a girl. We're talking to him about his decision next.

And we'll hear from the 95-year-old speed demon. All that running practice in her hallway. Well, it's paid off. Guess what? She's a world record holder now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Let's travel across the country.

First stop, Pittsburgh where the mayor is making good on a losing Super Bowl bet. Mayor Luke Ravenstahl shoveled snow yesterday outside the family church of Green Bay Packers coach and Pittsburgh native Mike McCarthy. Ravenstahl also kept his promise to hang a Packers flag outside City Hall and donate food to the Wisconsin food bank. The Pittsburgh Steelers lost 31-25 to the Packers in the Super Bowl, as you may remember.

Next stop, New York City, where a 95-year-old runner who trains in the hallways of her apartment building has set a world speed record. Ida Keeling ran 60 meters in less than 30 seconds in a Manhattan race last week. That's the fastest time for someone her age. And Ida says she's going to keep on running.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

IDA KEELING, 95-YEAR-OLD RUNNER: The attitude. When I came out of this slight depression on happiness. That's for sure, I don't need this. I said there is no stopping. Right now, as long as I feel I can go, I'm going.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: You go, Ida.

Well, finally, a pizza delivery woman being called a hero for saving the life of an elderly customer. Susan Guy checked on Jean Wilson and alerted authorities when Wilson failed to call in for her daily order -- that's right, daily order -- of one large pepperoni pizza.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUSAN GUY, PIZZA DELIVERY WOMAN: She hasn't called in three days? I go, "I've got to go. I got to go." And he was like, "No, you don't have to do that." I said, "Yes, I do." I said, "Clock me out if that's what you've got to do."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, Wilson had fallen three days earlier and couldn't get up to reach the phone.

All right. I'm thinking this is a situation you've probably never faced in high school unless you had a coed wrestling team. Joel Northrup of Iowa is one of the top wrestlers in his weight class, but he forfeited a chance at the state title because he'd have to beat a girl in order to advance.

Joel is homeschooled. He makes great grades, he's thinking about law school. And his favorite book? "The Red Badge of Courage."

His family is also very religious, and Joel has been taught you treat girls with dignity and respect and not as potential conquests to be defeated. Let's face it, as far as contact sports go, wrestling is about as intimate as a contact sport gets.

And a big question here. Is this an issue of treating women with respect, or treating them as equals? Let's go ahead and talk to Joel and his dad Jamie about this. They're with us live from Cedar Rapids. Guys, great to see you.

So, Joel, let me start with you. If Cassy, who's the young lady that you were supposed to wrestle, says, "Hey, it's OK, I'm in. I know I'm good. Let's go for it." Why not go ahead and engage?

JOEL NORTHRUP, REFUSED OT WRESTLE GIRL: Well, wrestling is a contact sport, and it gets violent at times, and sometimes you're put in compromising positions. And I just -- I don't feel it's right for a boy and a girl to engage in this manner.

PHILLIPS: All right, let's go ahead and listen to what Cassy had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CASSY HERKELMAN, CEDAR FALLS WRESTLER: I feel like, just because I'm a girl wrestler, I don't -- I feel like people should treat me the same way. The fact that I'm doing the same sport as them, that I'm doing the same things as them, I don't feel there should be much difference there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: I know you're a lot younger than I am. But I tell you, women have come a long way to want to be treated as equals in so many things, Joel, in sports and in business and even in our profession. If Cassy says, "Treat me as an equal," then why not treat her as an equal? We see women on front lines of battle nowadays, and that was something that still is being told it can't be done, but they're having to do it.

NORTHRUP: Yes. Well, she totally deserved to be there at state. She got second in her district, and she deserves to be there. I just don't -- I don't feel and I don't believe that wrestling, especially wrestling, because of the contact part of it, should be a coed sport. If girls want to wrestle, I believe they should wrestle other girls, and boys should wrestle other boys.

PHILLIPS: I have kind of a random question for you. Do you have a girlfriend?

NORTHRUP: I have friends that are girl, but not --

PHILLIPS: But not a love yet?

NORTHRUP: Not really a girlfriend specific.

PHILLIPS: What are your friends that are girls say to you about this decision?

NORTHRUP: They support me. They know that I respect them, and I'm just doing this to care. I'm just caring for her.

PHILLIPS: You know, you wrestled a girl in the third grade, I think I remember reading. Did that feel wrong to you? What was that like?

NORTHRUP: Yes. I was not going to do it, and then at the last minute, I decided to. And after, I felt bad about it. Just -- after that, I decided that I would never wrestle a girl again.

PHILLIPS: And has your mom weighed in on this? What does your mom think?

NORTHRUP: She totally supports me.

PHILLIPS: And, Dad, how about you? When your son told you that he didn't want to do this, did you have influence on this decision, or was this something that Joel came to you and said, "Dad, I just don't feel comfortable"?

JAMIE NORTHRUP, JOEL'S FATHER: Well, this is something that we certainly talked about and something that, after talking about the issues and discussing it, it was something Joel made the decision, but I completely supported and agreed with.

PHILLIPS: And you volunteered, Dad, as a youth pastor. What have you taught your son about how women should be treated? Biblically?

JAMIE NORTHRUP: Well, yes. Well, essentially, the Christian, Biblical principle of treating the opposite gender with respect, with dignity, not treating them as objects to be slammed, to be groped, to be pounded or -- into submission.

Just the basic tenants of -- Biblical tenants of how a man treats a woman and how a woman treats a man. And Joel has four younger sisters that he baby-sits, that he's in charge of as the oldest brother, and this goes throughout life in the family and dealing with other people.

PHILLIPS: Just as a final question before I let you go, Joel. Biblically, I can understand, it teaches you not to be tempted and that women are not supposed to be looked at as conquests, sexual conquests. But this isn't a sexual situation, it's a sport.

JAMIE NORTHRUP: You know, I would -- partially agree with you but partially disagree. Wrestling is a sport, but it's not like other sports in that there's the intimate contact, there's the grabbing. If this type of activity were to occur on -- in any other setting besides a wrestling mat, the boy could be up for charges.

PHILLIPS: Joel, does that worry you, Joel, that you might somehow feel maybe a temptation or something that's not Biblically correct if you were with a woman, there, wrestling, that it might turn into something other than, "OK, this is just a sport," but physically might turn into something else? Is that a concern for you?

JOEL NORTHRUP: Well, I mean, you're just -- against a boy, you're just wrestling out there, and you're going to dominate -- your goal is to dominate them and you're not really worrying about touching anything. But when you're a girl -- when you're wrestling a girl, that's all you're worrying about is touching and what -- you're just sensitive to that.

PHILLIPS: Well, it'll be interesting to see how this definitely plays out and who ends up being the state champ, that's for sure. Joel and Jamie, I appreciate you sharing your insights with us. Your story, Joel, and also your support of your son, Jamie. Thank you so much, both, for your time.

JAMIE NORTHRUP: Thank you.

JOEL NORTHRUP: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Tragedy on the high seas. Four Americans and their yacht hijacked by pirates. Then their bodies found by the US Navy. How did it happen? We've got more.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Four Americans part of a group spreading the Gospel while sailing the world in a 58-foot yacht. But their good work hijacked by bad guys last week.

Pirates boarded "The Quest," taking Jean and Scott, Adam and Phyllis all hostage. Then yesterday, while the pirates were negotiating with the US navy, gunfire sounded onboard that yacht. The navy says all four Americans were killed by the pirates.

So, what exactly went down on "The Quest" and how did the US military respond? Our Chris Lawrence puts all of the pieces together.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): US military might was right there, hundreds of miles southeast of Oman. Four navy warships, drones overhead, Special Operations Forces ready to move.

For three days, they'd been trailing the pirated yacht "Quest," trying to negotiate the release of the four American hostages. An officer who has commanded other anti-piracy missions says pirates can be young, poor, and difficult to talk to.

CHRIS BOLT, CAPTAIN, US NAVY: They don't negotiate. You know? They say, "Show us the money." You don't have the money, then there's no negotiation. And there's a little bit of a language barrier, as well. So, it's extremely difficult.

LAWRENCE (voice-over): Two pirates spent the night on board the "USS Sterett," but the pirates and their prize kept moving.

MARK FOX, VICE ADMIRAL, US NAVY CENTRAL COMMAND (via telephone): It was clear that the pirates wanted to get the yacht to Somalia.

LAWRENCE (voice-over): Without warning Tuesday morning, a rocket- propelled grenade fired toward the "Sterett" 600 yards away. Immediately, the sound of gunfire from inside the cabin. Small boats carrying US naval reaction forces raced out, boarding without firing a shot. But US sailors discovered the four American hostages shot.

FOX: When our team got onboard the yacht, there were hostages who were still alive, and we applied and gave first aid immediately to them. But they were fatally injured.

LAWRENCE (voice-over): Mysteriously, two pirates were already dead. Moments later, US forces killed two more pirates below, shooting one, knifing another. Fifteen pirates in custody.

FOX: There were explicit warnings to mariners about the regions, the dangers, and the pirate activity in this area.

LAWRENCE (on camera): This was the deadliest pirate attack on Americans in modern history, and it really illustrates how far pirates are now roaming offshore. Up to 1,500 miles. To put that in somewhat of a perspective, that is the area of the United States east of the Mississippi.

I'm standing in front of the "USS Debuque," which just back from anti- piracy missions in that area, but the "Debuque" would be only one of about 34 international ships patrolling that large area at any one time. Chris Lawrence, CNN, San Diego.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Other stories that have us talking this morning. More state workers drawing a line in the sand in the battle over budget cuts and union benefits. Wisconsin leading the way. Protesters also gathered in Ohio and Indiana. More demonstrations planned today.

A 16-year-old boy in custody in the shooting death of a St. Petersburg, Florida, police officer. The teen will be charged with first-degree murder. This is the third killing of a St. Pete officer in less than a month.

The eerie face of an alleged mass killer. CNN has obtained two new booking photos of a grinning Jared Loughner. As you know, he's the young man accused of killing six people and injuring 13 others in that shooting last month outside the grocery store in Tucson, Arizona. Arizona congresswoman Gabby Giffords critically wounded in that attack.

Now, to Wall Street, where the bulls are trying to make a comeback one day after the market's biggest loss since November. Alison Kosik is at the New York Stock Exchange. Alison?

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

PHILLIPS: Well, the latest in the string of protests across the Middle East includes a player that we've heard about for many years -- more than 40 years. One who some say has gotten stranger and stranger over time. How strange? Well, you'll get the details about the man named Moammar Gadhafi.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Delusional. Paranoid. Misogynist. Completely insane. All words that have been used to describe Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. And after this 90-minute rambling rant, who could argue that after losing his grip on parts of his country he's losing his grip on his own sanity?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOAMMAR GADHAFI, LIBYAN LEADER (through translator): Our PG rocket launchers have been provided to Benghazi by the Americans. They have just confused them. They have made them dizzy. They offer them those hallucination pills in order to use them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: And if that appearance wasn't odd enough, how about this quick cameo? Refusing to get out into the rain just to prove that he had not fled his country.

But while Gadhafi's quirkiness is nothing new, cables obtained by the WikiLeaks web site gave his strangeness an entirely new dimension. It said that he has a fear flying over water, dislike or fear of upper floors, and has a pistol packing bevy of women who serve as his bodyguards -- 40 of them. And it's rumored they're required to be virgins. He always travels with his voluptuous blond Ukrainian nurse Galina (ph).

Kenneth Timmerman interviewed Gadhafi and wrote a book about him.

And Ken, as we talk about his quirks, we can't forget that this is a man blamed for a lot of pain and a lot of violence. Let's not forget 270 people dead in 1988, the Pan Am jet bombing, the bombing of a French airline over Niger. And also 1986, blamed for the bombing of a Berlin nightclub that was full of U.S. servicemen.

But when you interviewed him, do you remember anything specifically where you sat back and thought, wow, this guy is just odd?

KENNETH TIMMERMAN, NEWSMAX MEDIA AUTHOR & EDITOR: Yes, well, first of all, Kyra, I certainly remember in 2004, I was the first non-U.S. government official from -- to go to Libya when the travel restrictions were lifted. I went there with a congressional delegation.

You know, we called him "the stiff." He can go from extreme lethargy, to this fiery intensity, which we saw yesterday, in a matter of minutes. I witnessed him giving a speech in Sirt, in the people's congress -- the so-called people's congress, where for the first half hour of a two-hour speech, we thought he was sleeping. He was rambling on. He wasn't saying anything of interest or of importance. And then, all of a sudden, he woke up, woke up and he said, I am abandoning terrorism. I'm going to stop support for the terrorist groups that I've been supporting so far.

And I can tell you half of the people in the room -- the Libyans in room -- were stunned because they had never heard him admit that Libya had been supporting terrorists before. So he can pull some surprising stunts.

PHILLIPS: So, let me ask you this. Why do you think he's lasted 40 years?

TIMMERMAN: He's a very, very skilled player. He divides the country, he conquers the small groups. He's kept the tribes squabbling amongst themselves. And up until relatively recently, he has distributed some of the oil wealth to the people.

Libyans are actually pretty well-educated. Schools are very good, very accomplished in Libya. The university system is pretty good. Problem is they've got no jobs. And I think that's one of the things that is really fueling the discontent.

I can remember going out to the leftist magna ruins, these fantastic Roman ruins about an hour's drive from Tripoli, with an engineering grad student, a guy who had a masters in engineering who was driving a taxi because there were no jobs. And he didn't even know about these ruins, this great treasure because the Libyans didn't want to admit there was some pre-Islamic story. PHILLIPS: So knowing his background, you've actually interviewed him. You totally recognize how completely, I think, insane is OK to say at this point, this man is. You know, how bad could this get, especially after you hear this speech yesterday, that he has no problem killing off anybody that is against him?

TIMMERMAN: Well, that's right. And remember, also, Kyra, that he said Libya would be set on fire if the demonstrators didn't go back home.

Now, I can tell you when I was there in 2004, his biggest fear was ending up like Saddam Hussein. One of his advisers told me when he saw a U.S. soldier poking at Saddam's gums with a blue latex glove on his hand, he said he turned white. He says, that could be me. Gadhafi is terrified of winding up hike Saddam Hussein. That's why he gave up his weapons of mass destruction.

So I think he could tear another page out of Saddam Hussein's book. You could see attacks by him on his own oil fields as a way of telling the West, see, you tried to get rid of me, here's what happens.

PHILLIPS: Wow. And so final thoughts here. As you reflect on your interview with him, and you look at what's happening now, what worries you the most, Ken?

TIMMERMAN: Well, this is a man who is capable of extreme violence. We've seen this the past couple of days. I think he has no hesitation to fire on his own people. It's a question of whether his military or his paramilitary troops will actually carry out those orders. I think we could see a lot of bloodshed in the streets before Gadhafi finally goes.

PHILLIPS: Kenneth Timmerman. The newest book -- he's got a slew of them -- you should read them all. The newest one is "St. Peter's Bones," about Christians practicing in Iraq. Sounds interesting to me, I can't wait to read it.

But it's always great to talk to you, Ken. You've always got terrific insights, especially on this subject.

Thank you so much for your time today.

TIMMERMAN: Thanks so much for having me, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: You bet.

And listen to this, this is just coming in to our NEWSROOM and it's according to Reuters Wire Service. A Libyan air force plane, they're reporting, has crashed near the eastern city of Benghazi after its crew bailed out because they refused to carry out orders to bomb the city.

This is according -- a military source is actually being quoted in Libya's newspaper. And as you know there were two of Moammar Gadhafi air force pilots that told media -- told reporters that they got order to shoot at demonstrators and they fled. Now we are getting reports that another one of Moammar Gadhafi's air force jets has crashed after receiving the same types of orders to fire upon the demonstrators there. We'll be following that story for.

Those big public corruption accusations from a tiny town moving through the justice system. And there goes the man accused of being Bell, California's big swindler. Remember Rizzo? Wearing his shades, heading into court? He was asked a pretty tough question. Wait until you hear what he had to say.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: We like to check in on Bell, California. It's that poor L.A. suburb that put government corruption on the man. Eight public officials face charges for basically looting the town's bank account. And the leader, alleged to be this guy -- Robert Rizzo, the former city manager.

We showed you some pretty damning emails from 2009 that the prosecution dug up, including one between the police chief and Rizzo's assistant. Remember this?

Quote, "LOL. Well, you can take your share of the pie just like us. We will all get fat together. Bob Rizzo, has an expression he likes to use on occasion. Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered. So long as we're not hogs, all is well."

Well, as Rizzo walked into court for his preliminary hearing yesterday, a reporter actually asked him about this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Defend yourself against these allegations in court. What did you mean by, pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered? What did that phrase mean? Do you have anything to say?

ROBERT RIZZO, FORMER CITY ADMINISTRATOR: Excuse me, please.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go ahead.

RIZZO: Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: I don't know. I think he is getting slaughtered. The Riz, not talking. He and the others face prison time if all of the accusations stick.

A dominating win for Rahm Emanuel in Chicago. He took 40 of the 50 city's wards on his way to becoming mayor. Our political update, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, a convincing win for Rahm Emanuel in Chicago's mayor race. Deputy political director, Paul Steinhauser has the big celebration for us -- Paul. PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: You know, let's crunch some numbers, Kyra. He won about 55 percent of the vote that's more than double the second place finisher that means he avoids a runoff in April. As you mentioned before the break, yes he won 40 of the city's 50 wards. He did extremely well in areas where white voters predominant, he did pretty strong among African-American voters.

Jerry Chico who came in second who's a Hispanic he won the 10 wards where Latino and Hispanic voters dominate. So what is Emanuel is doing today, he's out in the streets right now he's thanking voters. He gets sworn in on May 16th. And one other thing, the turnout there was lighter than expected, 41 percent.

Hey let's talk about Scott Brown, the senator from Massachusetts became kind of a rock star last year among Republican circles when he won the special election to take the seat of the late Ted Kennedy. He was on "THE SITUATION ROOM" with Wolf Blitzer yesterday. He's pushing his new book, "Against All Odds".

He was asked, "Are you a Tea Party Senator?" He got a lot of help on that election from the Tea Party. He said no, I -- I have friends in the -- in the movement but I consider myself a proud Republican.

Scott Brown, of course, up for re-election next year -- Kyra, back to you.

PHILLIPS: All right, Paul, thanks so much.

The next political update in about an hour and you can always go to our Web site CNNPolitics.com.

All right, "Flashback". Today, 1985 we're going retro. Remember this show? "Gimme a Break." That's right, it was broadcast before a live studio audience. The first TV sitcom to air live since the '50s. Who could forget Nell Carter, the housekeeper, for the widowed California police chief and his three daughters. She was a trip.

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PHILLIPS: A ray of hope in New Zealand, a woman pulled out alive from the rubble as rescuers frantically continue their search for survivors.

Zain Verjee, so many people praying for the same miracle right now after that earthquake.

ZAIN VERJEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Yes they really are. You know, Kyra, the death toll has gone up; 75 people are now confirmed dead in New Zealand in Christchurch. Now, 55 bodies have been identified and claimed. Search and rescue teams are operating around the clock, it's in the middle of the night there now and they are desperately trying to pull anyone out from under the rubble and debris.

They did manage to pull some people out. There was this amazing story about a woman that survived. As soon as she heard and felt a tremor she just dove under her desk and managed to survive. But the real issue now Kyra, that a lot of people are facing are aftershocks.

You know, I want to show you this picture of a glacier that was about 160 miles away from Christchurch but it was so powerful the quake that it actually knocked off 30 million tons Kyra, of ice. Just off like that, so it really gives you a sense of the intensity of that quake.

Now, let's go from cool to -- I guess hot Kyra and talk about Anna Chapman. You know, she's actually running for office now in Russia. There's a local newspaper that says that you know, it doesn't matter if she was a failed spy but she's actually going to be running for -- as a member of Parliament for an area called Volgograd (ph). She was one of ten Russian spies that was discovered and then deported from the U.S. back to Russia.

But she is doing pretty well for herself though, by the looks of it -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: I wonder what she could add to politics. What do you think, Zain?

VERJEE: A sizzle?

PHILLIPS: Yes, we'll follow it. That's for sure. Thanks Zain.

We've got a lot of developments in the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM. Let's check in first with our Poppy Harlow -- Poppy.

POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: Hey Kyra, we're looking at unions and what it all means; what's happening in Wisconsin across the board. We're going to take a look at whether unions really mean the death of jobs in this country and also take a look at the big gap in wages between union workers and non-union workers. This is all ahead at the top of the hour.

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN SENIOR BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: I'm Stephanie Elam in New York. If you hear "Afternoon Delight", do you think seedy? Well, you might need to change to that to swanky. I'll tell you about one four-star hotel here in New York City and an offer that they had. That's coming up in the next hour.

WOLF: Hey and we've got some snowfall in the Pacific Northwest. Back east, we've got plenty of sunshine but tomorrow, it looks like we're going to see a great chance of severe weather across the nation's midsection. We're going to show exactly when it will strike and who may be affected. That's moments away.

PHILLIPS: Thanks, guys.

Speaking of Stephanie, "Afternoon Delight", that's a song. Who sing that song, you guys know what I'm talking about. From the '70s.

WOLF: Oh I know.

HARLOW: Yes. ELAM: Yes, I -- I think -- I think Will Ferrell from -- from, I think Will Ferrell completely from "Anchorman." But that's just me.

PHILLIPS: Oh that's right, he did the remake. All right.

ELAM: Right exactly.

PHILLIPS: Oh which band is it, Sarah?

Starland Vocal Band.

WOLF: Right.

PHILLIPS: Of course, we all remember that.

HARLOW: There you go.

PHILLIPS: Poppy is like, yes, whatever, guys. Move on, thank you.

HARLOW: I know it's time to move on Kyra.

All right guys.

Well, some schools swap out broccoli for fries, but students just won't eat the greens. How to get kids to eat healthier in the lunch room.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: All right. They've proved not only they can play ball; we already know they're smart. There you go. This is what every mom wants their daughter to marry.

JEFF FISCHEL, HLN SPORTS ANCHOR: Right. These basketball players finally -- the smart kids finally won a game. We're talking of the guys that are brainiacs; they win Nobel Prizes. They don't play basketball.

Cal Tech won a conference game last night for the first time since 1985 -- 26 years. They beat Occidental College by one point. A 310- game conference losing streak is over. 1985, we're talking "Back to the Future," "We are the World" the first time.

Look at these guys storm the floor. They dumped water on the coach. He said he saw it actually coming but didn't want to get out of the way because he was having so much fun. They finally win a game, Cal Tech.

All right. Now the pros.

Check out Dwyane Wade, is Miami Heat taking on Sacramento? Spinning, falling, flips it in. One more time, this time let's look at it with feeling. D. Wade, spins, he's falling, trips, but somehow, yes, the one hand and in. He had 23 points, the Heat win by 20.

You like them apples. Check out the fancy skating here by Pierre Mark Bouchard, the spinorama. You think he's going stick side, but, no, just kidding. Bouchard's Wild beat the Oilers 4-1.

Ok. On the left, the Rangers' Mark Stahl; on the right, Brother Eric Stahl, the Carolina Hurricanes. Are they nice to each other on the ice?

Absolutely not. Ouch. Eric just levels his younger brother. You could tell he had a second to think about it. He had time. It wasn't an accident.

PHILLIPS: He was getting back when he stole his lunch when they were six.

FISCHEL: Yes. There's clearly sibling rivalry going on. I mean they are the Stahl brothers right. There's Eric, Mark, Jordan, younger brother on the Penguins. And there's another younger brother who's in the minor leagues. Yes, the Stahl brothers, don't shy away from contact even with each other.

PHILLIPS: Thanks Jeff.

FISCHEL: All right.