Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Nuclear Crisis Deepens; Disney Donates $2.5 Million to Red Cross For Japan; Japan's National Nightmare; Uprising in Bahrain Leads to More Violence, Death; Gadhafi Forces Roll Back Rebels; 'Political Pop'; Helping the Survivors

Aired March 15, 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, watch this.

Another earthquake rocks Japan, and now brand-new radiation fears are sending people far from those nuclear plants, including our own correspondents.

I'm Brooke Baldwin. The news is now.

The earthquake strikes, then the tsunami. Now survivors are facing even more challenges, freezing temperatures, heavy rain and the threat of mudslides. The Red Cross says it is stretched to the max. We will take you there live.

Plus, fears grow over the nuclear crisis. Thousands are being evacuated. Planes and choppers are banned, as crews race to avoid a catastrophic meltdown.

Here at home, panic on Wall Street. The Dow plunges more than 200 points in a matter of minutes. How long could those fears last?

Welcome back to you. I'm Brooke Baldwin. It's now Wednesday morning in Japan, and aftershocks are still rattling survivors, but the biggest concern right now is the threat of meltdown at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The radiation levels are fluctuating after trouble with multiple reactors there. The Japanese government ordering commercial jets to steer clear now of the airspace right around that nuclear plant, and that, keep in mind, covers about a 20-mile radius. We're told the no- fly zone will keep planes from then spreading radiation. We will get to all of that in just a moment.

But, first, you know, as if nerves aren't rattled enough by these aftershock after aftershocks that continue to rumble in Japan here, there was another earthquake today. Did you hear about this one? This quake measured 6.0. It struck Shizuoka Prefecture. That is where Mount Fuji volcano is located.

This quake, you can see all the movement there, signs shaking, buildings shaking in Tokyo, about 70 miles to the northeast. And then in Chiba city, people are standing in long, long lines outside of the supermarkets, in fact, one store only letting a few people in at a time.

And I have another video from Chiba city to show you. Take a look at what was a road.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the other end of the road that I just videoed. You can see the damage.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Look at that, cracks up and down as far as eye can see, and we are still getting incredible pictures and images and iReports from the moment Friday's earthquake hit. In fact, take a look at the buildings just swaying back and forth in Tokyo. That would stop me in my tracks if I was looking at that from the ground. And now this. Look at this picture. You see that in the middle of the sea captured by the crew on board the aircraft carrier the USS Ronald Reagan, which is by the way looking for survivors at sea? Folks, that is a lone house adrift just at sea adrift in the Pacific, amazing images there.

The destruction in some towns, it is so devastating, few people who witnessed the quake actually lived to tell about it. But one American did.

And CNN's Thelma Gutierrez just caught up with a man who recorded his dramatic escape from that disaster zone. Watch this with me.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It took him three days to get out.

BRIAN BARNES, SURVIVOR: It looks like -- literally like a bomb has just gone off around here.

GUTIERREZ: When Brian Barnes landed in Los Angeles --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Welcome home.

BARNES: Thank you.

GUTIERREZ: -- the Florida native showed us what he went through.

(on camera): How did this town fare?

BARNES: There's nothing left.

GUTIERREZ: So all these people who are walking around --

BARNES: They're probably dead.

GUTIERREZ (voice-over): Barnes and a team of environmental activists were at the Otsuchi harbor monitoring a porpoise hunt for the organization Save Japan Dolphins when the 9.0 earthquake hit. It was a split-second decision to drive through the town, past stunned residents, up a hill 50 feet above the harbor.

BARNES: There's a hill outside of town that we're going to try to get to.

GUTIERREZ: He grabbed his camera, and seven minutes after the ground shook, the first surge of water.

BARNES: Here it comes.

GUTIERREZ: Then, minutes later, a wall of water slammed through the town, taking everything in its path.

BARNES: It's about 1:00 in the afternoon, and we spent the whole day trying to get out of the tsunami area. We took shelter up on a hill, and everything between that hill and several miles to anything that even resembles civilization at this point was completely destroyed.

GUTIERREZ: After the tsunami, Barnes says he saw maybe a dozen survivors as he walked through town.

BARNES: There are several dead bodies behind us that a couple of villagers there had covered up.

GUTIERREZ: Barnes took pictures of the dead who are recognizable in the hopes that one day the missing might be identified. And he's still haunted by the screams of a woman floating on a piece of wood in a sea of debris, a victim he couldn't save.

BARNES: She was in my mind sort of a representative of what was happening.

GUTIERREZ: Barnes says he and the team were lucky they were able to leave with their lives, but they won't forget what they left behind.

Thelma Gutierrez, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(STOCK MARKET UPDATE)

BALDWIN: And, you know, you just mentioned something pretty important here, as we're all watching this unfolding, the fears of nuclear reactors, possible meltdowns. One of the most dangerous aspects really of the story at this very moment is how much radiation is actually spreading in Japan. And just how harmful are the levels?

Coming up next, we will hear the panic of not knowing and also how our reporters, Anderson, Sanjay, Soledad, Gary, all being forced to leave certain areas for their own safety.

Plus, there is a word more Americans have been exposed to radiation, and it's forcing the U.S. Navy to make a big change overseas. Stay right there.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: You know, we're just learning here that the radiation from one of Japan's nuclear plants is now forcing the U.S. military to make big changes overseas. Here's what's happening.

The Navy is moving three ships to a new location, and crews on board an American helicopter have once again been exposed to low levels, low levels of radiation. A Navy spokesperson is warning that it will happen again. He also says it is one of the most challenging humanitarian operations in history.

And now let's reset the picture at that nuclear site. So we have today this explosion. Look at this map here, that explosion happening at reactor number two, and fears of possible damage to the protective dome surrounding the highly radioactive core. They call that the containment vessel.

Also, a fire broke out at reactor number four, which was closed, by the way, for maintenance at the time of last week's tsunami.

So back with us again, so grateful to have you, Robert Alvarez of the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington.

And let's pick up where we left of and that was with that small team of workers, I think I was reading something like 50 or so workers here at this plant essentially, from what I understand, trying to bring these multiple crises under control. To what extent are these brave souls risking their lives in there?

ROBERT ALVAREZ, INSTITUTE FOR POLICY STUDIES: Well, I think the workers at this site are involved in a heroic endeavor, because there is at least fragmentary evidence that in some places on this site, there are life-threatening doses of radiation. So, I mean, I think they are doing enormously heroic work.

BALDWIN: Robert, what is worst-case scenario there right now?

ALVAREZ: Well, I can't -- it's hard to say. I think the worst- case scenario would be the catastrophic release of radiation into the environment that would spread over the populated areas.

BALDWIN: Which -- which would mean --

(CROSSTALK)

ALVAREZ: I'm sorry?

BALDWIN: Which would mean how many people would be affected? Is that too much to ask you to guess?

(CROSSTALK)

ALVAREZ: I mean, it's hard to say. It would depend on how -- how heavy the contamination is, what the weather patterns are, and whether or not a large heavily contaminated plume or plumes would drift over other population centers in Japan. BALDWIN: In this case, the trigger point for this particular crisis, you know, it was the earthquake and then the tsunami, and people say here in the United States -- I'm bringing this home here -- people say, well, we don't have tsunamis here in the U.S.

But is there a universe of other trigger points, let's call them, that could lead to something at all similar here?

ALVAREZ: Well, I think it raises enough concern that we really have to seriously reconsider the advisability of having reactors in earthquake-prone areas, and we really have to examine whether or not those reactors right now are safe and secure.

And I have really come to the opinion that there are some reactors, particularly the two on the -- in California along seismically active zones, that they should not allow to have their license extended. Those reactors, I think, should be phased out.

BALDWIN: Before I let you go, as we take this back out to the broader view of Japan, and you're the expert here, so you tell me, what is it -- we're watching fires, we're watching explosions, we mentioned last hour those spent rods that are perhaps still a little too hot. What are you watching for? What could be the next worst thing?

ALVAREZ: Well, I'm watching to see if all the workers are suddenly evacuated from the site. I'm watching to see if any announcements have been made about the failure of the containment, both the reactor vessels and the secondary containment from the Japanese authorities.

BALDWIN: So if all the workers are asked to leave, what does that tell you?

ALVAREZ: Well, it tells me that they have given up, and they are hoping for the best and that we -- we have a very significant chance of a serious radiologic catastrophe.

BALDWIN: It is a serious, serious situation there in Japan. Robert Alvarez, thank you for loaning us a little bit of your expertise on this fairly complicated subject. Thank you so much.

ALVAREZ: Thank you.

BALDWIN: And now, to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The volume of water was so high, the car wouldn't move.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: He was describing the moments after the massive wave of water hit, moments of sheer panic. Coming up, new stories of survival that we're just now hearing and how some are still looking for loved ones.

And happening right now, a state of emergency declared in Bahrain. One medical worker says the government is, quote, "killing everybody." Hala Gorani is standing by, she's going to join me for "Globe Trekking" coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Today, the American Red Cross made an initial pledge of $10 million in aid there to Japan. That is just a fraction of what is needed. Japan's combined quake/tsunami tragedy is estimated to go down as the most expensive disaster ever. They are estimating some $100 billion in damage there.

Also, Disney announcing it has donated more than $2 million to the Red Cross. The company says it will also match employee donations.

And in the days since this earthquake and tsunami, we have marveled at the Japanese, the fortitude. We've watched in horror their immeasurable tragedy, and, unfortunately, at this point the sad scenes outnumber the triumphant, happier ones.

Hala Gorani is here with, I'm afraid, some tough news.

HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR/CORRESPONDENT: Yes. And CNN International, of course, all day we've been covering the aftermath of the earthquake and the tsunami.

BALDWIN: Of course.

GORANI: And some of the stories that have come out of Japan on the national broadcaster NHK, some of our Japanese affiliates, are just heartbreaking as people who are looking for their loved ones because they are hoping that perhaps their loved ones don't have a phone, don't have a computer, can't get to --

BALDWIN: That's why they are not responding.

GORANI: That's why they're not responding. Unfortunately, in some cases it's because they have are lost their lives.

Here are the latest figures we have, 3,400 confirmed killed, 6,700 missing. You can do the math quickly, we're looking at least 10,000 people killed or missing. There are 450,000 in shelters.

And one story touched me particularly today. An elderly man, couldn't hold on to his wife's hand in the raging waters. He describes his ordeal, listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): My wife is physically handicapped. We wanted to run away to the back. The volume of water was so high. The car wouldn't move. My daughter and I tried our hardest to push her up to this hill. The water level went up so high so quickly. She was so heavy, I let go of her hand. I think this is the area where it happened.

I am thinking that I might have closure if I keep sitting here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: Well, unfortunately, we learned that this man's wife passed away. Her body was found shortly after he spoke there to television crews.

And, Brooke, I'm sure you've seen these message boards in the shelters.

BALDWIN: So organized.

GORANI: And it just reminds me a little bit of 9/11 where, you know, people didn't know where their loved ones were.

BALDWIN: I'm here, I'm OK.

GORANI: Yes, so they were putting the names at that time of their loved ones hoping to hear from them. And then we're hearing that many Japanese in similar situations, where they don't know if their loved ones and relatives have survived and doing the same, and hoping to have that name crossed out. Yes, that person was found.

BALDWIN: I hope he can find his closure, but that's just -- it is chilling to listen to his interview.

And then, the other story that is percolating once again, we talked about Bahrain several weeks ago and now it's back -- the violence, the home of the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet.

What's happening now?

GORANI: Well, a lot is happening, I can tell you that, in Bahrain. Two protesters were killed in clashes. We're hearing reports that a Bahraini police officer was also killed. Unconfirmed reports, we're hearing it confirmed from the Saudi side, unconfirmed from the Bahraini side, that a Saudi soldier was killed.

Bahrain, this tiny kingdom, has asked for foreign troops to come and stabilize the situation. By foreign, I mean the Gulf Cooperation Council troops, including Saudis.

You know, the unrest comes a lot from the Shiite majority. Saudi Arabia has a sizable Shiite minority. They don't want this kind of unrest at their doorstep in Bahrain, so the king has announced a three-month state of emergency, three months. So they are not kidding around in Bahrain. They don't want this to continue.

And this is what's going on right now today. Once again in Sitra, we've seen clashes with several dead and 150 injured, according to medical sources who spoke to CNN. This is not going away. Bahrain is continuing to see unrest, and it's difficult to have visibility on how this will all end because the chances of dialogue between the opponents to the regime, those who want reform, and the government seems slimmer today than just a few days ago.

BALDWIN: It's amazing to look at this entire wave in the Middle East. We've covered it for years.

Hala Gorani, thank you very much.

GORANI: Thank you.

BALDWIN: And here we go, Middle East. Let's talk Libya. The regime there launching new air strikes over its people and now the question is this -- Is the opposition losing steam? We're going to take you there live to Libya.

Also this --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is no way to run a government. Lurching back and forth like a drunken sailor.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They left the American people in this country with this pile of crap.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Well, Republicans and Democrats, folks, obviously not holding back. The clock is ticking. The U.S. government is scheduled to shut down in a couple of days. Are they close to a deal?

Brianna Keilar has some brand new developments. That is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Opposition forces in Libya say they have made some big gains in one key city. Also, the clock is ticking for Congress to keep the U.S. government going, and how donations work for Japan.

Time to play "Reporter Roulette."

First though, live to Libya, to Arwa Damon.

And, Arwa, I know you have new details about rebels claiming a major pushback against Gadhafi forces in Eastern Libya. What are you seeing today?

ARWA DAMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brooke, what we saw earlier today was the heavy bombardment, artillery bombardment of the city of Ajdabiya. It was in fact, according to the spokesman for the opposition military, a one-point breach by pro-Gadhafi forces.

However, they are saying that they did manage to push them back, that pro-Gadhafi forces do remain on the outskirts of Ajdabiya. The city critical because of its location, 160 kilometers west of the stronghold of Benghazi.

They are also saying that they managed to deploy air and naval assets using air assets, a number of which is undisclosed, to target pro-Gadhafi military positions, naval assets to, in fact, they are saying sink two oil tankers that Gadhafi managed to convert into warships and render a third one inoperable.

We do know that they did manage to capture some of these assets as they took over. The east, their full capability at this point, not entirely clear, but the opposition after initially seeing this heavy bombardment in the morning, now feeling fairly confident as they move forward -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: I know that you're saying that some of the rebels are using some planes, which I'm going to guess can't even compare to what the Gadhafi forces have in their arsenal, but then why are they still calling for this no-fly zone?

DAMON: Well, Brooke, that is exactly correct. It does not compare to anything that Gadhafi has at his disposal. They do consistently highlight and underscore the fact that what they have is minimal assets saying that they have really been pushed to deploying them, purely in terms of self-defense.

They still strongly, almost desperately feel as if this no-fly zone would at least even the battlefield. We've been hearing them calling for it from day one, saying that it is an absolute necessity to prevent Gadhafi's ongoing bombardment of civilian areas.

And they are increasingly frustrated at the length that this is even taking to come about. On Friday, we saw a level of optimism after France acknowledged the legitimacy of the newly formed national council, basically the opposition interim government and its support for a no-fly zone.

People were coming up to us and asking when are we going to be able to say thank to you America support. Is America, the international community, simply waiting for Gadhafi to exhaust us, exhaust our resources, commit a bloodbath before they are going to step in and take charge?

The opposition really feeling as if they have taken, are taking it as far as they can, but it is the international community's responsibility to help them carry it further, otherwise, many of them say that the blood that is shed will as much be the responsibility of global leaders as it would be on the hands of Gadhafi himself. Brooke?

BALDWIN: Arwa Damon live in Libya. Arwa, my thanks to you.

Next on "Reporter Roulette," Congress is debating whether to keep the U.S. government running things. People getting testy, people getting a little colorful on Capitol Hill. Brianna Keilar covering it all for us. Brianna, let's just -- give me the latest. BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brooke, this just passed in the House, a sort of short-term spending measure to fund the government for another three weeks.

But here's the thing. Republicans are starting to peel off. Two weeks ago, when the House passed a measure that keeps the government going until Friday, you had six Republicans voting no. Today on a measure that would add those three weeks to the clock, you had 54 Republicans voting against this.

So, you know, that's pretty significant when you think about the increase and, in fact, House Republicans wouldn't have been able to pass this if they didn't have the help of House Democrats, Brooke.

BALDWIN: You mentioned the Republicans are peeling off so the conundrum perhaps for the Republican leaders is supported by the new poll that's just released by CNN. It appears it's hard to please all of their supporters in this case, is that right?

KEILAR: It is hard for them to please all of their supporters, and in short, when you look at the numbers it shows you this. If you ask Americans is a government shutdown bad for the country, you have more Americans saying yes, it is. You ask Republicans, they are roughly split. If you say to them hypothetically, it is not just a few days of a shutdown, it drags on for a few weeks, then you have a majority of Republicans saying, OK, that's not a good thing.

Ask Tea Party conservatives and they actually think it's a good thing for the government, so you can see that it's difficult for Republicans as they sort of weigh the opinions of their constituents.

But when you listen to the leaders, Brooke, House speaker John Boehner, the Republican leader in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, they say there is not going to be a government shutdown and they are trying to make it clear that they don't support that at all.

BALDWIN: Okay. Brianna, my thanks to you.

And next on "Reporter Roulette," a look at how people are making donations to the people of Japan. Dan Simon, live in Austin, Texas. And Dan, we're seeing all these nations coming forward. But now we're also seeing the tech world responding to the quake. How so?

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPODENT: We're in Austin, Texas for the South by Southwest festival, where some of the greatest minds in the world for technology here in Austin. And so, right when they got here, the earthquake happened. So, many of them got together and tried to figure out a way to help out victims in Japan. And through social networking in a very significant way, they are driving a lot of the traffic that you're seeing as far as the funds being raised. Going to Facebook, going to Twitter and donating and really, you know, in a major way.

BALDWIN: Is there any concern, Dan, maybe a double-edged sword here to charitable giving through social networking? SIMON: You know, there is, and what we're seeing is the number of people giving money at this stage of the event is really unprecedented. But the dollar amount is smaller than in previous disasters, and one of the operating theories is when you go to your cell phone and you text an amount, say, $5, $10, you might be less likely to write that $50 check or that $100 check later on. So, that's one of the things the charities will be looking out. See how it unfolds.

But you're right. Maybe a little bit of a double-edged sword when it comes to donating through social networking.

BALDWIN: Dan Simon in Austin at South by Southwest. Dan, have fun. Thank you.

Developing right now, cocaine. Found at Kennedy Space Center. That is ahead.

Plus, General Davie Petraeus speaks out about the war in Afghanistan, and he's telling Congress whether the plan to pull troops out is still on schedule. And he also says he's pretty worried about something in the war zone.

Plus, we're just getting in new iReport video from Japan. You're about to find out just how hard it is on an hourly basis here to find food and shelter. Don't miss any of that. Be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: If it's interesting and happening right now, you are about to see it. Rapid fire.

Let's begin with this. The target date for the drawdown of the U.S. forces in Afghanistan is still this July. That is according to General David Petraeus, commander of those forces. He sold a Senate Armed Services committee the Taliban momentum has been slowed, but the security progress is, and I'm quoting, "fragile and reversible. " Petraeus adds the U.S. mission would be hampered by June unless Congress approves a long-term budget.

Happening right now. Our last World War I veteran is being laid to rest there at Arlington National Cemetery. Frank Buckles was 110 years old when he died last month. President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden both there, both paying their respects today with so many others. Buckles is being laid to rest with full military honors. By the way, he enlisted in the Army when we was just 16 years of age after lying about his age.

Keeping you up to date on a story we've been following very, very closely here on this show. The alleged gang rape of an 11-year-old girl by at least 18 men and boys in this filthy mobile home. There it is in Cleveland, Texas. Well, prosecutors are in court today, and they are asking a judge to stop everyone involved from talking to reporters about this case. The district attorney says the gag order is necessary because there's been so much publicity about this investigation, he's afraid it could make it impossible to find an impartial jury.

Want to take you back to last October. We told you the story. A Notre Dame student died after a lift he was standing on toppled over in high wind. Well, today the state of Indiana announced it is holding the school responsible for Declan Sullivan's death and fined the university more than $77,000. The 20-year-old student was up there videotaping football practice when the winds blew that lift over.

To Kennedy Space Center where police say cocaine was found on site. NASA says it has a zero-tolerance drug policy and employees are tested randomly. This news comes 24 hours now after a worker died there after falling from a launch pad. An investigation is underway.

And finally to Boise, Idaho. I cannot get enough of scenes like this. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, sweetie.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey, Daddy!

CHILDREN: Welcome back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Daddy is home. Another military family is reunited. Dad Tyler Stansell spent an entire year in Afghanistan. He and his wife Christy spent a couple of weeks coming up with the whole scheme to surprise this little one, nine-year-old daughter Tyler at school. And as can you see, they pulled it off pretty well.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOICE OF TYLER STANSELL, U.S. NAVY: Very excited and almost like it's a dream.

VOICE OF CHRISTY STANSELL, TYLER'S WIFE: Nothing makes me happier than to have the whole family home together again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Love it. Big Tyler brought little Tyler home a necklace. You put it on her, and you can bet she's not taking that off any time soon.

In Japan, I want you to listen to what our reporters are seeing there on the street. They are seeing a child's doll, an empty shoe, wedding pictures covered in mud. Coming up next, an iReporter shows us how people are getting food, and what happens after the markets turn them away.

Plus, a governor's press secretary has lost his jobs for comments he made about the tragedy in Japan. Have you heard this? Stay right there. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Despite all the hardship and uncertainty in Japan, there is something that endures, a sense of order. I've seen video shot just yesterday by one of our viewers who lives in Sendai, and even though this neighborhood you're about to see is some 12 miles from the tsunami zone, people there are lining up for hours to buy the basics you and I take for granted. Watch this with me.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOICE OF STEVE HAKKARAINEN: At the beginning of the line here. I'm behind the scene, so I don't know if they will like me being here. I'm just going to show you what this looks like.

This is the store, the shop, where they collect all the money, and it's pretty organized. This is one of the things I like about Japan is that the people are so, you know, organized, and they have high sense of morals. Nobody breaks into things. Well, not nobody, but in this part of the town, it's very organized, and it works like a clock.

They have taken their products outside, and they have things in baskets and the people have made the line and they go through the line. And they are coming around like that, choosing what they need.

(SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

So, I asked her if there is a limit to what they can buy and how many things they can buy. They said you can buy as much as you want, spend as much money as you want. She said once all these products are gone, there are no others. They will be sold out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: He hasn't even declared that he is running for president yet, but the intense scrutiny of possible presidential candidate Haley Barbour has claimed a bit of an early casualty. Joe Johns, our go-to-D.C. veteran here with "Political Pop" for us.

Joe, what's the scoop?

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Brooke. People around D.C. are saying things like, "Welcome to the NFL!" to Haley Barbour and the people who work for him. He's not even in the game yet. His press secretary Dan Turner is out. Now, Barbour has a new press secretary.

Turner's transgression apparently was off-color jokes ending up in the hands of Politico, which printed them, of course. One joke about Japan is the thing that probably did him in. Turner, according to Politico wrote in an e-mail that said, quote, "Otis Redding posthumously received a gold record for his single 'Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay.' Not a big hit in Japan right now."

BALDWIN: Oooh! JOHNS: Probably not a good time for earthquake jokes at the moment.

All right. There is another e-mail apparently that was in this batch, writing about former attorney general Janet Reno who served during the Clinton administration. "It took longer to confirm her gender than to confirm her law license."

So you get the picture.

BALDWIN: So, obviously, none too sensitive. Nevertheless, these were e-mails. So how did Politico, or whoever it was initially, how did they get their hands on the story? How did this guy get busted?

JOHNS: Well, you know, Brooke, you've been around Washington. A lot of public relations operations, especially for politicians, always put together a book of news clips every day so it's easy for people to read in, stay current without having to scour 25 newspapers. And apparently there was some kind of news clips e-mail that went around attached to this and had the jokes on it.

BALDWIN: Oh.

JOHNS: Right. Now, Barbour, who really is one of the smartest Republican strategists, doesn't get to see the e-mail with the jokes on it. He just gets the hard copy of the clips. But when he finds out about it, Turner is out.

BALDWIN: Yes. We can see sort of why, can't we?

JOHNS: Yes.

BALDWIN: Speaking of Republican governors getting some big-time scrutiny, let's talk about John Kasich of Ohio. I had him on the show a couple of weeks ago.

What's the update here?

JOHNS: Right. Well, you know, we reported yesterday about him trying to roll out his budget. And the question is whether it's time to start calling him "Governor Sunshine" or not. The deal is that, originally, he said he was going to roll out his budget which was going to be very controversial, in all likelihood, without any cameras or microphones there, just a pad and pencil thing for reporters.

BALDWIN: Right.

JOHNS: And after this thing hit, everybody from the reporters and the ACLU, a bunch of other organizations, all sort of piling on because this is supposed to be sunshine week when we're celebrating transparency and openness in government.

BALDWIN: So is he allowing cameras?

JOHNS: Yes. So he turned around, allowed cameras in, because he really got an earful on this thing. Now, the other thing about Kasich, though, we really haven't said is, back around his inauguration, at first he tried to keep the cameras out, or so there were reports. So he's on the radar now.

BALDWIN: Well, it's the state budget. You would think some people would want to not just take some notes, but see that on television.

Joe Johns, just like magic, it happens.

JOHNS: Absolutely.

BALDWIN: Joe, thank you.

You know, some celebrities are helping out, holding benefits for the survivors in Japan, including comedian Tommy Davidson, who is performing tonight. He was actually in Japan -- there he is -- oddly enough, in Japan two days before that quake hit. We'll get his story.

And talk about what's going on with you tonight, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Southern California, specifically Los Angeles, is the home to one of the largest Japanese-American communities in the United States. And if you haven't also heard, there's a couple of showbiz types there as well.

Tonight, at the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles, they're going to have this all-star lineup of comedians who will be raising money to go directly to Japan. One of those comedians, here he is, Tommy Davidson. He'll be performing tonight.

And Tommy, let me get this straight. I know you've been to Japan multiple times, but you were there two days before that earthquake hit.

TOMMY DAVIDSON, COMEDIAN/ACTOR: Yes, we were there two days before that. I was performing at Okinawa, at one of the military installations there. And we were on our way to Germany to do the next show and we heard about it. So we realized that we had just escaped the tragedy, and felt very fortunate about it, too.

BALDWIN: Wow. So many others, not as fortunate.

So, you're doing this "Stand Up for Japan" show tonight. Whose idea was it? Why did you get involved?

DAVIDSON: Jamie Masada, over at the Laugh Factory, is always doing good things for people, and he knows I'm one of the pieces of talent that likes to help no matter what. This became ideal for me because I've visited Japan for so many years, not only the military installations, but going there as a visitor, and have been embraced by that culture so much, and seeing how much harmony they have socially, and the lessons that they can teach us. And also, they're very, very American, too, because of our Japanese-Americans here. So it just felt like the right thing to do, and I'm always out to do that. And as an entertainer, that's what I get a chance to do, not just movies and TV, and not just travel, but I actually get a chance to make a difference when it really counts.

BALDWIN: So given the fact it sounds like you have quite a connection with Japan and those who are there, are you -- and the fact that you were there just before this earthquake -- are you writing the material for tonight?

DAVIDSON: No. I'm going to stick to the act that I have. I'm going to leave that as not as a laughing matter, but something that we're doing one of God's gifts and giving what we have. You know? And that's the goal.

BALDWIN: Getting people to laugh.

I don't know if you've heard, but there have been several celebrities out there who have been criticized for being insensitive toward this disaster. You have 50 Cent, who gets creative on his Twitter page, Gilbert Gottfried.

What's your reaction to people doing that?

DAVIDSON: Well, you know, there's comedy relief in tragedy. But the absence of balance is I think what's missing.

Both 50 Cent and Gilbert Gottfried, I know them as professionals, so I don't judge them. The part that's left out for me is, we can joke about things, but then what do we do about it, you know? Where do we make a difference?

You know, people joked about the civil rights movement. People joked about a lot of things. But it wasn't until our society took social responsibility, both whites and blacks, and it changed our society -- South Africa, across the board, anywhere.

BALDWIN: Well, for people in L.A. or nearby, I want to get this out once again. "Stand Up for Japan" at the Laugh Factory tonight in Los Angeles.

Real quickly, Tommy, where can people call to give?

DAVIDSON: They can call to give at 1-800-RED-CROSS.

BALDWIN: Got it.

DAVIDSON: And they can also text. I think we've got that on the screen.

BALDWIN: 90999 to make a $10 donation to the Red Cross.

DAVIDSON: Yes.

BALDWIN: Tommy, enjoy it tonight. Make them laugh. Thank you.

DAVIDSON: Thank you so much. We're going to have a lot of fun, and God bless to them.

BALDWIN: Thank you.

Also, wanted to let you know that "Star Trek" fans, you remember this face? George Takei, known as Mr. Sulu on the hit TV series, he'll be joining my colleague Ali Velshi in the 1:00 Eastern hour of NEWSROOM tomorrow to explain this Japanese term that we're hearing a little bit more about this week.

It's called gamon (ph). It means to endure with dignity and fortitude. So he will be sharing about his relatives, about the Japanese people, with Ali tomorrow. Don't miss it, 1:00 Eastern, on CNN.

And coming up here, we have showed you many of them in our show today. And actually, we show them to you just about every single day here. We're talking about our iReports.

But for the first time ever CNN is actually handing out awards to our iReporters. So when we come back, I will reveal the winner of our very first iReport contest.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: You know, you help us bring the news to the world every day through your iReports on CNN.com, and this year we just wanted to take the opportunity to thank you for bringing us those stories in pictures and videos to our CNN audience by establishing the first-ever CNN iReport Award.

So today, at the South by Southwest Festival down in Austin, Texas, CNN proudly announced the winner. And you're going to meet here in just a moment. But first, let's watch her award-winning entry together.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAMANTHA BOLTON, IREPORTER: My name is Samantha Bolton, and I'm standing here in southern Laos, the most heavily-cluster-bombed country in the world. This area should be a beautiful green rice paddy field, but it isn't because 40 years after the Vietnam War, this place is littered with cluster bombs.

(voice-over): It is estimated that there are still around 80 million unexploded bomblets in Laos. The government and NGOs are working hard to clear the land.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: That is just the first part of her iReport. You can go to iReport.com to see the whole thing in its entirety.

And there she is, Samantha Bolton. She's joining me from far, far away, in Geneva, Switzerland.

And Samantha, obviously, first and foremost, congratulations to you.

BOLTON: Thanks.

BALDWIN: I watched the whole video today online, and what struck me is the number you said. You said there's an estimated 80 million unexploded bomblets in Laos.

Were you nervous at all standing in those fields when you filed that iReport?

BOLTON: Yes. I mean, you can't even imagine it. I mean, the place is literally littered with these bomblets, and they're the size of a golf ball, and they look like little rocks. So when you're walking around, you just almost want to kick them.

And obviously, I mean, you can't because that's how people get blown up. But, I mean, people -- these communities are living near -- kids are playing among them, and, of course, it's a huge effort to clear it up. But obviously it takes time. I mean, 80 million, still, 40 years after the Vietnam War, is a lot of bombs out there.

BALDWIN: It's amazing. I had no idea, to be entirely truthful. But Samantha Bolton, we thank you. Our very first-ever iReport winner.

Thanks to you. We look forward to seeing your next video.

And now I want to take you to my colleague, continuing the coverage here of what's happening in Japan, is Wolf Blitzer, live from Cairo -- Wolf.