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Battle for Libya; Serena Williams in Hospital; New Video Shows Air Strikes Against Eastern Libyan Town; Mickey Rooney Testifies before Congress about Elder Abuse; New Evidence Points to Moammar Gadhafi as Ordering Pan Am 103 Bombing; Charlie Sheen's Sons are Taken from His Home

Aired March 02, 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: Don, thank you. I know you have been busy the last two hours. I have a feeling we will be as well.

We're following several developing stories for you, several developing stories, including this. Take a look at this, Gadhafi bombing Libya again. Why do we know that? Because our CNN crew was there, saw it happen. So who is gaining ground, Gadhafi or the opposition? I'm going to take you live to Libya in minutes.

Also, Ohio state senators are expected to vote any time now on this bill. This is Senate Bill 5 that would curb the rights of public employees, and I'm talking about everything from their pay raises to vacation time will be affected. Now, keep in mind, the Senate in Ohio does have a Republican majority. The governor, Republican as well, governor John Kasich, is expected to sign this bill.

Plus, take a look at some of these pictures. We have some live pictures from Florida, obviously the story there, the smoke, more than 20 miles of I-95 are shut down around the area of these wildfires, producing this smoke.

(WEATHER UPDATE)

BALDWIN: Now to this.

March 18, that is now the new date we have to mark on our calenders for a possible federal government shutdown. The Senate voted. Final vote was 91-9 today on that resolution to continue keeping the federal government up and running for at least two more weeks.

The president is expected to sign the bill, even though he said in a written statement that the government cannot keep doing business this way, with the threat of a shutdown every two weeks. He is also sending Vice President Joe Biden to the Hill tomorrow to talk to top Republicans on a bipartisan agreement.

First, it was hallucinations, then al Qaeda. Now Moammar Gadhafi blaming former prisoners at Guantanamo Bay for what's happening on the ground in Libya. Coming up next, we will tell you what else the Libyan leader has said in his more than two-hour rambling speech today.

And I want you to listen to this. This is from our own CNN's Ben Wedeman reporting in Libya earlier.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: An airplane overhead, and moments later we heard a bomb falling, and it fell just about, I would say, 40 meters from where we were standing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Well, when we come back, I will speak with Ben. I'm going to ask him more about what he saw, how close his crew was to the bomb dropping now.

Also, more live pictures out of Florida, this developing story, where heavy, heavy smoke from fires down there has now shut down miles of I- 95. We will tell you exactly where this is, what you need to know coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: This is quite a story today. A loud and deadly battle is raging right now for a strategic city within Libya. A CNN crew was right there. I'm talking about an oil city. It's called Al Brega -- when government forces dropped a bomb that landed on a crowd of people there earlier today.

Our own Ben Wedeman has since retreated to the relative calm of Benghazi.

But, Ben, do me a favor. Take me back to Al Brega. What did you see? What did you hear? And how close were you when that bomb went off?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We were uncomfortably close to that bomb. We were on a road just outside of Brega with a large group of opposition fighters and also some other journalists.

We heard a fair amount of gunfire. A plane was flying overhead. It dropped a bomb just outside of Brega, and then came back and flew right over our heads and dropped another bomb, which fell just by the side of the road.

Fortunately, there was no -- no casualties as a result of that, but obviously that sort of sent panic through the entire crowd, people just jumping in their cars and driving away. Now, later, we got very close to Brega itself. We went to the hospital there, where we saw that the wounded from this battle that had been going from the early morning.

Throughout the day, the wounded were coming in. There were already four dead bodies in the morgue that we saw. Afterwards, it appears that the anti-Gadhafi forces were able to take control of Brega, the Libyan army pulling out to a town outside of that area.

Now, afterwards, after we went to the hospital, we went to sort of a crossroads where there were a group of people celebrating the victory. They were ripping down one of the last pictures of Moammar Gadhafi in the town, when yet again we heard an airplane flying very low above our heads, and it dropped another bomb just about -- it was about 100 feet from where we were standing.

Fortunately, the impact of the blast was blocked by some cars there. But I -- we do believe there were casualties because we saw ambulances rushing in the opposite direction, but we obviously had to leave the area immediately out of fear that there would be yet another bomb dropped on that area -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: Wow. Well, I understand, Ben, and I want to explain to our viewers we're not yet seeing the video, but I understand your crew, your photojournalist, had enough thought, had enough wits to -- I think it's a her -- Is it Mary Rogers who's with you? -- to hit record as you are uncomfortably close to these bombs dropping. Is that correct? We're waiting for your video?

WEDEMAN: Yes. The video is on its way as we speak.

In the first case -- I have looked at the video. You hear the plane flying overhead, and then you hear a huge explosion. And Mary Rogers pans the camera over to that blast.

BALDWIN: Oh.

WEDEMAN: In the case of the second blast, we heard that bomb coming down. We hit the deck. The bomb impacted. I jumped up, pressed the record button. So we have both of those on tape, and you will see those in just a few minutes, we're hoping.

BALDWIN: We are hoping in just a few minutes. So I hope folks who are watching will stay with us because that will be tremendous video as soon as we see it. And I just can't believe you had enough wits about you to hit record.

Let me quickly ask you, and then I will let you go, about the fact that you are now in Benghazi. Is it still, Ben, being held by anti- Gadhafi forces there?

WEDEMAN: Now, when we left it was clear that Brega had -- was back in the hands of the anti-Gadhafi forces, that his army had been driven out of the area.

But it came at quite a high cost. At the hospital we went to, there were four bodies, in addition to more than two dozen people wounded. But that doesn't count other hospitals in the area that took both the dead and the wounded. We're hearing some reports saying that as many as 16 people were killed in this battle that went on for about 12 hours -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: But Benghazi -- Benghazi, Ben, that is still being held by anti-Gadhafi forces?

WEDEMAN: Yes. Yes, fortunately, it is, because if it wasn't, I wouldn't be here now.

(LAUGHTER)

BALDWIN: Well, I'm glad you're there. I'm glad you're safe. My thanks to you, Mary Rogers. And as soon as we see that video, hopefully you can come back on and you can help me -- walk me through what you saw, what you experienced in those frightening moments today in Brega. Ben Wedeman, thank you.

Also important to mention today, we heard from Moammar Gadhafi again, very much so determined to fight. In fact, a former top aide is quoted today saying the Libyan leader will fight to the very, very end. These pictures were taken today in Gadhafi's stronghold of Tripoli. Let's take a quick listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOAMMAR GADHAFI, LIBYAN LEADER (through translator): Not to allow foreign intervention to come to our country. We will not accept it. We will enter -- thousands of people will be -- thousands and thousands of people will be killed if America or the Atlantic pact intervene in our country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Want to get you a couple of quick words also on some other folks getting involved here. Two U.S. warships now in the Suez Canal en route to the Mediterranean. Thousands of Marines are on board. But there is still no suggestion right now of those Marines going onshore in Libya.

We are told the ships are carrying humanitarian equipment for Libyan relief and evacuation efforts.

However, we are still hearing calls for a no-fly zone, so, in other words, allied aircraft patrolling Libyan airspace, skies, to keep Gadhafi's air force grounded. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: And I believe that the global community cannot be on the sidelines while airplanes are allowed to bomb and strafe. A no-fly zone is not a long-term proposition, assuming the outcome is what all desire, and I believe we ought to be ready to implement it as necessary.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Also, we're hearing from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton saying Libya's opposition is keen to be seen as taking on Gadhafi on their own.

Coming up next, Mike Huckabee now says he misspoke when he talked about President Obama growing up in Kenya. We have sound. I am going to play that for you next.

Also, a iReport -- excuse me -- a report that Serena Williams has been hospitalized. We will tell you why next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Mike Huckabee's spokesman says his boss misspoke. Have you heard about this? I want you to listen to Mike Huckabee misspeaking and doing so at great length, might I add, about President Obama's upbringing. He says he would love to know more.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

MIKE HUCKABEE (R), FORMER ARKANSAS GOVERNOR: I would love to know more. But what I know is troubling enough. And one thing that I do know is his having grown up in Kenya, his view of the Brits, for example, very different than the average American.

But then, if you think about it, his perspective as growing up in Kenya with a Kenyan father and grandfather, their view of the Mau Mau Revolution in Kenya is very different than ours, because he probably grew up hearing that the British were a bunch of imperialists who persecuted his grandfather.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Jessica Yellin, here we go again, bit of an issue here with the facts in this story.

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: So, yes, Huckabee has said, Brooke, that he does not question the president's birth certificate, not a birther, OK. So you have still got to question what that was all about.

So, President Obama, just to be clear about the facts, was born in Hawaii to an American mom and a Kenyan dad. He did spend a few years in his childhood in Indonesia. He didn't even visit Kenya until he was an adult.

So one possibility here is there has been this argument among some conservatives that the president's political views have some kind of connection to his father's Kenyan roots. So, maybe Huckabee got confused and thought that meant he lived there. I don't know.

I filled in on John King's show last night and I asked conservative blogger Erick Erickson whether he thinks Huckabee needs to clean this up a little more. Here's what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

YELLIN: a spokesperson, Erick, for Governor Huckabee told CNN he misspoke. But should he go back on that radio station and set the record straight?

ERICK ERICKSON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Yes, he might want to go back and use the word Indonesia. Listening to that is like listening to Jan Brewer at the debate. It's painful. Yes, he misspoke.

But, wow, will people remember in a year, though? No.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Who knows. OK. Shall we move on? Let's move on, Jessica Yellin.

We know Huckabee is one of a slew of Republicans who are maybe, possibly thinking about running for president. In fact, Jon Stewart had a little bit of fun with this one. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART")

JON STEWART, HOST, "THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART": We have a socialist Muslim president subverting the Constitution and the will of the people of America.

(LAUGHTER)

STEWART: Who's got first dibs on that can of corn?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(LAUGHTER)

BALDWIN: But the truth is here, Jess, the primaries are less than a year away. Where are the Republicans?

YELLIN: It's all about the flirt this year. The folks who are seriously considering running tease the press enough to stay in the media, but they won't actually go official, because the sooner any one candidate gets in the race, the more money they have to raise, the sooner they can actually do something that gets them knocked out, and it also means they have less time to make real money on their current day job.

So you have these things like Sarah Palin saying she's waiting to see if her path -- quote -- "leads to be a candidate for high office." Mike Huckabee says he's seriously contemplating a run.

And then tomorrow, get this, we expect Newt Gingrich to be in Atlanta announcing that he's going to explore a bid, but not actually get in. So it's like everyone is exploring an exploratory committee.

Here's what Gingrich has said in the past.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NEWT GINGRICH, FORMER SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: By the end of February, we will decide whether we or not to have an exploratory committee. I think the country has enormous problems. I think it requires a totally different kind of approach, a "we, the people, focused on the citizens" approach that recognizes that all of us are in this together and that it's going to take a tremendous amount of joint effort by millions of people for America to be successful.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Now, speaking of the former House speaker, Jessica, I know I read my CNN "Political Ticker" on this one. I know he is now officially off the FOX News payroll.

(CROSSTALK)

YELLIN: Indeed, as is Rick Santorum. They're two contributors. They say they're suspending them because it looks like they're making meaningful moves toward a possible presidential bid. They have 60 days to say they might not, otherwise, no more on FOX -- a spokesperson said it would be a clear conflict to have a presidential contender on their air as a contributor.

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

And you remember a time perhaps not so long ago when America was number one across the board in categories like education, competitiveness, and infrastructure? That's not necessarily the case anymore now. We're still among some of the most innovative countries on Earth here. And this weekend, CNN's Fareed Zakaria is going to take a look at what it will take to get America back on top. Here's a glimpse.

(CROSSTALK)

FAREED ZAKARIA, CNN WORLD AFFAIRS ANALYST: Their company, which will celebrate its second birthday this month, has been valued at $250 million. Foursquare reportedly grew by 3400 percent in 2010.

Its founders are Dennis Crowley and Naveen Selvadurai.

So what is Foursquare?

DENNIS CROWLEY, CO-FOUNDER, FOURSQUARE: So, with Foursquare, what we're trying to build applications for mobile phones that help make the world easier to explore for people. And people use Foursquare to check in at all sorts of places.

You can open up Foursquare pretty much anywhere you are in the world and it will give you little tidbits of things that you should be doing nearby. So they will check in at bars, or coffee shops, or whenever they go out to eat or a parks. And when they check in, we let their friends know where they can find them.

And if I want to check in at Foursquare headquarters, I can find Foursquare on the list and broadcast out to all my friends that I'm at Foursquare headquarters with CNN.

ZAKARIA: So if you were to -- if someone were to say to you, the president or the secretary of Treasury were to call you in and say, we need a lot more entrepreneurship in America, we need a lot more innovation, we need a particular technology, what should we do to have lots more of this kind of thing, these kinds of companies?

NAVEEN SELVADURAI, CO-FOUNDER, FOURSQUARE: Yes, we have actually -- we have actually been called for advice on similar things. And I think a lot of it is -- it's two parts. One is to educate students, youngsters, about this path in life, that you can go do something on your own.

And if you fail, you just start over again. Or if you fail, the steady job is waiting for you to pick you up and bring you back to where you could be.

ZAKARIA: That strikes me as very important. In America, it seems as though there's no real cost or no social stigma to failure. Do you find that in your...

(CROSSTALK)

SELVADURAI: I totally agree. Yes. And I think the notion of failure is seen differently here in the U.S. than in many other countries, even countries in Europe, for instance.

And I was traveling in Italy recently and we heard a lot about like, well, how do you guys start companies so easily in the U.S.? And in Japan, too, it was the same thing, where they all have smart engineers and really great guys working on interesting projects, but they just don't have the spark of going to start something, because there is this stigma that if you fail everyone is going to look down on you or your family is not going to welcome you back into the house or something like that.

ZAKARIA: And what happens if you fail here?

CROWLEY: You just pick yourself up and try again, you know? I feel like even in my career so far, I have been laid off and I went almost a year without working and worked on some side projects. I went to grad school and then had another year where I didn't do anything, and then another project that failed.

And it took us six months to get financing with Foursquare. And people say, like, oh, you have had all these successes so far. I'm, like, I think there -- we haven't had it yet. We're still working towards it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: You can see more of Fareed's special Sunday night. We're calling it "Restoring the American: Dream Getting Back to #1." It airs at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.

Well, let's talk about uber tennis star Serena Williams, apparently been in the hospital. What medical problem sent her there? We have some details on that coming up.

Also, we're going to check in on that smoke-filled -- the skies really forcing a shutdown of yet another section of this -- this Florida interstate. When will the smoke clear up? Coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Tennis champ Serena Williams is being treated after a serious health scare last night, a pulmonary embolism. That's what we're getting from "People" magazine. Doctors found a blood clot in her lungs. After she returned to Los Angeles, reporters had noticed her making several visits to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Her rep told "People" magazine a complication arose after doctors dealt with her embolism. "People" magazine also reports doctors are still very closely monitoring the 29-year-old tennis star.

A fugitive day care owner faces nine more charges in that fire that killed toddlers. Jessica Tata, the woman wearing red there, fled the country two days after Thursday's fire in Houston. She is believed to be now in Nigeria, where she reportedly has some family, some relatives.

Houston's DA is defending her prosecutors for waiting until Sunday night to file the first charge against this woman.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAT LYKOS, HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS, DISTRICT ATTORNEY: Our staff conducted itself professionally and appropriately. This is such a horrible and tragic case, but the rule of law still applies.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Investigators say the children were alone, and the day care owner was shopping when that fire started.

(WEATHER UPDATE)

BALDWIN: And to now a developing story out of Germany, where U.S. troops have now come under attack. Two American troops are dead, two more seriously wounded.

Take a look at where it happened, as a clearly -- clearly marked U.S. military bus sat outside terminal -- it was terminal two -- at the Frankfurt International Airport.

And by all indications, it was a lone gunman who stormed onto the bus there, that bus, and started shooting. In fact, President Obama spoke about it when he made a surprise appearance during today's White House briefing just a short time ago. And here is what the president had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I am saddened and I am outraged about this attack that took the lives of two Americans and wounded two others. I think the American people are united in expressing our gratitude for the service of those who are lost. Michelle and I have their family and their friends in our thoughts and prayers, and we are praying for a speedy recovery for those who were injured.

I want everybody to understand that we will spare no effort in learning how this outrageous act took place. We're working with German authorities to ensure that all the perpetrators are brought to justice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: The president calls the shorting a stark reminder of the sacrifices American troops make to keep us safe, and the dangers face all around the world. More on that coming up.

And also, as promised, we are now getting the video from Brega, an oil refinery town within Libya. Remember I was talking to our senior international correspondent Ben Wedeman about the fact that he and his crew were some 100 feet away from where the bomb was dropped from out of the skies of Libya. We'll show you that video right after the break.

Also, the group that goes around the country protesting at the funerals of fallen soldiers, they find out if they can continue their protests. We'll tell you what the U.S. Supreme Court ruled today with the final vote of eight-one.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Well, if you ever doubted that the First Amendment right to free speech covers earn in America, listen to this. The U.S. Supreme Court today ruled that the family that calls itself the Westborough Baptist church has a right to protest outside military funerals. You know who I'm talking about, Westborough Baptist. They are well-known for these protests. They carry these anti-gay signs, shout angry slogans. That's putting it lightly.

But they were taken to court by the father of a fallen marine whose funeral they targeted. Today the highest court in the land ruled eight-one that Fred Phelps and his family have a right to carry signs promoting a broad-based message about society on public property.

Teachers and firefighters are on the way to rally against a bill to strip public employees of union rights. I'm not talking Wisconsin here. Folks, this is Ohio. Take a look at this video. This is the biggest rally against this Ohio bill. This is Senate bill five. This is the scene yesterday in Columbus, in the capital there.

About 8,500 people turned out in opposition of this bill. These guys and gals are fired up. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(SHOUTING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: The Ohio bill would curb public workers' collective bargaining rights. It would also take away their right to strike. The Republican-controlled Ohio Senate is voting on the bill this afternoon.

Convicted Robert F. Kennedy assassin Sirhan Sirhan set to appear today before a parole board. Sirhan is 66, serving a life sentence for the 1968 slaying of Bobby Kennedy. Sirhan's attorney cites a psychologist report saying he poses no threat to society. One of the victims of the shootings will not oppose parole if the board OKs it.

And he's a movie legend, but Mickey Rooney says that doesn't matter. At home he's being abused. We'll tell you what he says his stepson is doing to him coming up.

Also right now we are cutting that video from Libya from el Brega where our crew, Ben Wedeman and Mary Rogers, were literally 100 feet from this bond that dropped over the Libyan skies on to this oil refining town. We'll get that video and Ben Wedeman back up live. Stay there.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Welcome back. This is powerful stuff we're about to show you here. CNN's Ben Wedeman said he and his crew was there in Al- Brega in Libya as they watched these bombs fall from the skies today. We now have the pictures to prove it. We have Ben standing by. Look at the pictures, then we'll talk to Ben on the other side.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(EXPLOSIONS)

(SHOUTING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Ben Wedeman live for me in Benghazi. Ben, this is powerful stuff. I mean, the pictures do not lie. Remind us where this is taking place. And what were you feeling? What were you hearing around you when the bomb dropped?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is just outside of Brega on the eastern side. This was during the day when there was this ongoing battle in the town. We had heard this airplane flying over before. In fact, about ten minutes before the bomb was dropped that you saw it dropped another bomb just to the south of Brega. And, of course, in the afternoon a similar bomb fell very close to us as well.

This is all against a backdrop of what appears to be an attempt by Moammar Gadhafi to reassert his authority in this part of the country. Ironically yesterday he sent a convoy of 18 trucks with relief supplies to eastern Libya. I guess today what he's sending is planes with bombs.

BALDWIN: If this is the case of Moammar Gadhafi trying as you say to reassert his power here, is he successful? Did you not tell me minutes ago that this area is controlled by anti-Gadhafi forces?

WEDEMAN: At the moment, it is. They did manage after a prolonged battle to drive the Libyan army forces out of the city. At least four people were killed, dozens wounded in the fight. But, of course, the Libyan forces didn't retreat very far. They're just down the road from Brega, so there's a good possibility they may try again to push towards the town. And it's, of course, a very important town because it contains one of Libya's largest oil refineries and facilities for the export of natural gas. So controlling that town is key for whoever wants to control Libya.

BALDWIN: And, Ben, help me drive home the point here. I mean, this is video that we are seeing for the first time on CNN. The international community is watching. The proof is in the video that there are bombs falling on Libya.

WEDEMAN: Yes. We had heard that officials in Washington had said they have no proof yet that the Libyan army, or rather air force, is bombing parts of the country. Well, here you have it. The evidence is clear. That was a bomb dropped by an airplane that you can hear distinctly overhead so I think it settles that particular argument.

BALDWIN: I think I'm in agreement with you, Mr. Wedeman. Before I let you go here, it looks like fairly open, rural, desert space. Is that the case? Am I looking at this correctly? And how many injuries are we talking here?

WEDEMAN: Well, the first bomb this morning, there were no injuries because it fell fortunately in fairly soft sand, which absorbs the impact and absorbs the bomb itself so there was no shrapnel flying around. In the afternoon when that bomb was dropped on a group of people celebrating what they felt was the expulsion of Libyan forces from Brega, it was much closer, and I think there were casualties.

In that particular instance, we didn't know if another bomb would be dropped, we left the area immediately. But we did see medics coming in with stretchers as we were leaving. Brooke?

BALDWIN: Ben Wedeman for me in Benghazi. Ben, thanks so much. Thanks to you and Mary Rogers your photojournalist there.

WEDEMAN: There are reports out of Europe today saying a former top aide to Moammar Gadhafi says Moammar Gadhafi ordered the terrorist bombing back in 1988 to Pan Am flight 103. And this former aide, a former Libyan justice minister, says he has a proof of. Of the 270 victims, 189 of them were Americans.

And joining me now by phone from New Jersey is Susan Cohen. Her daughter was one of those victims. Susan, what was your reaction to this former Libyan justice minister now saying it was Gadhafi who was the one who ordered the bombing of pan am 103.

SUSAN COHEN, MOTHER OF PAN AM 103 VICTIM (via telephone): I never doubted it was Gadhafi. I think everyone really knew it was Gadhafi. Gadhafi is the sole source of power in Libya. You can't say some Libyan agents went off on their own to blow up an American plane.

I think the reason you've seen so little over the years on this is there has been a long period of a policy of appeasement toward Gadhafi and there hasn't been, which was by the way at its worst in the Bush administration, but bad in all of the administrations. Obama has basically carried on the Bush policy. So, you know, there was -- the trial was narrow and kept narrow and nobody wanted to do anything about this. Nobody really wanted to do what they should have done.

BALDWIN: And then you have the issue -- I know you were on CNN talking about this end of 2009 when al-Megrahi was released because of cancer. He seems to be doing pretty well. Then you have the news here. Does it add salt to your wound thinking of your daughter?

COHEN: I suffer because of my daughter all the time. The releasing of the suspect has nothing to do with compassion. It's about making money, the oil companies. It's always about money more than anything else.

I'm with the Libyan people 100 percent, and I hope our government really does whatever it is that has to be done to help them at this time. I think they're being very, very brave. But now it's all unraveling, the whole Pan Am 103 thing, all of the lies. You can go out and see the pictures --

BALDWIN: You would be willing as a mother who lost her daughter here to endure another trial if it's Gadhafi on trial.

COHEN: Oh, I would indeed, though I will also be quite happy if they kill him. I would really -- I really think that would be fine. However, there should definitely be -- Hillary Clinton has said that, you know, the Justice Department will conduct --

BALDWIN: She said Justice, possibly FBI investigating, possibly prosecuting Moammar Gadhafi. Susan Cohen, thank you so much for coming on.

And the stakes are getting higher for Charlie Sheen as he now fights to get his kids back. We have the latest on that ongoing saga coming up.

Can you guess how many twitter followers Sheen now has since signing up just yesterday? Also, guess who's taking a little credit for getting him to create an account. That's trending. That's next.

BALDWIN: As if I need to tell you this, trending this hour, two words for you, Charlie Sheen. CNN Entertainment Correspondent Kareen Wynter joins me from Hollywood. Kareen, the latest here involving both of his children, correct?

KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Brooke. You know, we can sum it up as just another colorful day in the life of Charlie Sheen and the saga.

And you know for anyone who is a parent out there, this is really going to hit home, Brooke. Listen to this. His twin boys, max and bob, they're just 23 months old. They were taken away from Charlie Sheen's Sherman Oaks home last night around 7:30 p.m. This abruptly ended a scheduled visitation Sheen was having with his sons.

Here's what we know. The boys are apparently going to be returned to their mom, Brooke Mueller, Sheen's estranged wife, because she filed for an emergency restraining order early yesterday. She claimed that -- listen to this -- Charlie Sheen threatened her life.

Now, as chaotic as this scene could have been, given all of the drama in Sheen's life lately, Brooke, it was actually remarkably calm as you can see on radar online video coming up shortly. At one point you can hear Sheen tell his boys "Don't say good-bye, just say "see you later." He then repeats, "We'll see you soon," adding, "you have my word. Dad don't lie." It really, really tugs at your heart. You feel for the kids. They're involved. You see the adorable boys right there. You just wonder what's happening on their end as mom and dad fight this very, very bitter, public feud.

BALDWIN: This is incredibly serious now that it's involving his young children, you mentioned, 23 months old. We're watching that. We're also watching the fact that he has popped up on Twitter like poof, has so many followers. Guys, do we have a shot maybe ever of the twitter board? Here we go. There we go, Charlie Sheen, @CharlieSheen. Some of the tweets are pretty colorful. It's interesting juxtapose his demeanor from a couple of days ago to now. It seems like a very different Charlie.

WYNTER: You really are right on with that. It's really one of the most interesting aspects of the story. It would appear that maybe Charlie Sheen's tone and mood is changing perhaps right before our very eyes. Listen to Sheen's tone and his attitude as well early this morning when he spoke with NBC.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHARLIE SHEEN, ACTOR: I didn't push it because I'm not into, you know, resisting the law, and just had to surrender to it. Brooke, I'm sorry that you felt this had to be done in this way, but this does not display any responsible parenting on anything that I'm familiar with.

And I think that cooler and smarter, leveler heads can prevail, and I urge you to reach out to me and immediately if not sooner and tell me where our sons are. This is not about emotions, not about ego. It's just about getting very focused and getting very much in touch with what I have to do to complete the task of bringing these two beautiful young men back to the home that they deserve to be raised in.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WYNTER: Brooke, I don't know about you, but it seems someone has been in his ear, you better wake up. Look at what's happening in front of you. He seems sharp, lucid, pulled together, and calm. Compare this to a day ago when he first started speaking out and was saying crazy things like this. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHEEN: Yes. Yes. I am on a drug, it's called Charlie Sheen. It's not available because if you try it once, will you die. Your face will melt off and your children will weep over your exploded body. Too much? So it's -- yes, no. It's just, again, I woke up and decided, you know, I've been kicked around. I've been criticized, this aw, shucks guy with the bitching rock star life. I'm going to completely embrace, it wrap both arms around it and love it violently and defend it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WYNTER: As bizarre as that rambling may sound, he also went on to say he has tiger blood in his veins, he has Adonis' DNA. Someone has been in his ear saying got to get it together, Charlie.

BALDWIN: Any parent can appreciate, your children are involved. It was perhaps a laughing matter a few days ago, but not at all anymore. This is serious stuff.

WYNTER: Not anymore.

BALDWIN: Kareen Wynter, thank you.

It's a new role for a Hollywood icon. We're going to hear more from actor Mickey Rooney's Capitol Hill testimony. There he was, on elderly abuse, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Mickey Rooney, he has performed for more than 70 years now. But today he was before an audience unlike any other, a Congressional committee.

Here's the story. The Hollywood legend testified about how he has been the victim of elder abuse. Two weeks ago Rooney, who, by the way, is 98 years of age, got a restraining order against his stepchildren, alleging that they kept him as, quote, a prisoner in his own home, subjecting him to threats and intimidation and draining his accounts. That is according to our affiliate KTLA. Today he asked senators to help victims just like him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICKEY ROONEY, ACTOR: My situation, the elder abuse involves -- it involves a family member. When that happens, you feel scared, disappointed, yes, and angry, and you can't believe that it's happening to you. You feel -- you feel overwhelmed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Rooney finished his testimony there by urging the committee to pass two bills that would work against elder abuse, including establishing an elder office of justice.

Up next, FOX News is suspending the contracts of two of its contributors as the Republicans decide whether or not to run for president. Wolf Blitzer has the latest news hot off that Political Ticker coming at you next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: And now to Washington we go. Wolf Blitzer joins me with the latest on the Political Ticker. Wolf, what's coming out of D.C.?

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": Lots happening in the world of politics, Brooke, as you know, including here in Washington. The Senate did what the House has already done. They passed a two- week continuation of the federal budget. The new deadline now, March 18, federal workers will continue to get paychecks. The federal government will continue to provide the services.

It's only a two-week extension, and then they have to go neck in neck to see what else they are going to do to cut some spending in order to keep it going longer. The president in a statement put out a little while ago said "We cannot keep doing business this way. Living with the threat of a shutdown every few weeks is not responsible. It puts our economic progress in jeopardy."

He says he's sending the vice president, the budget director up to the Hill tomorrow to start negotiating with the Republicans. The Republicans say, you know what, Mr. President, we have a proposal that passed the house, some $60 billion in cuts for the balance of this year. Give us your proposal and then we'll talk.

So they are right now a little eyeball to eyeball who is going to blink first. We'll speak to Eric Cantor in "THE SITUATION ROOM." He's House majority leader. We'll get his take on what's going on. That's coming up at 5:00 p.m. eastern.

In the world of presidential politics, right now Tim Pawlenty, former governor of Minnesota who is thinking seriously of running for the Republican presidential nomination, he doesn't think it would necessarily be that hard to beat President Obama who would be the incumbent. Right now Pawlenty says his approval ratings aren't that stellar. They fluctuate around 50 percent or below. That's not exactly a daunting credential. Pawlenty sounding a little optimistic there, if in fact he runs and gets the Republican nomination. Those are big ifs.

FOX News, by the way, they did suspend two of their contributors who are also seriously thinking of running for president right now -- Rick Santorum, the former senator from Pennsylvania, and Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker. Both of them have had their contracts suspended, and they will for 60 days. If on May 1, they say they are definitely not running, then they will -- the contracts might be reinstated.

FOX did not at least right now suspend Sarah Palin, who is thinking of running, Mike Huckabee, who is thinking of running, or John Bolton, the former U.N. ambassador who has also said he's thinking of running. They still remain on the FOX News payroll, at least for now.

A lot more coming up in "THE SITUATION ROOM," and I know you have got a busy hour coming up right now, Brooke.

BALDWIN: We do, we do. We're about to talk Germany, what happened there in Frankfurt. Wolf, thank you.

Want to remind everyone we will get another "Political Ticker" update for you in half-an-hour. And take a look. See? You can go to CNNPolitics.com for the latest news fresh off the "Ticker." Also, go to Twitter at @PoliticalTicker.