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Gadhafi Exit Strategy?; Unrest in Jordan; Pastors Fasting in Protest of Federal Budget Cuts; Protests Continue Across the Middle East; Anarchists Vow to Disrupt British Royal Wedding; Actor Runs Foundation for the Blind; Kate Middleton's Dress Topic of Discussion

Aired April 01, 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: And hello to all of you. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

Want to begin once again with Libya, and alarming news today in the war against Moammar Gadhafi. In classified briefings, the CIA has told members of Congress the Gadhafi regime is killing large numbers of people, killing large numbers of people in towns where the media cannot get in.

What we're looking at here, these are images shot by a CNN crew that traveled by boat to Misrata. They got in. They got out very quickly, Misrata, Libya's third largest town. It's controlled by rebels, but very much so under siege by Gadhafi's armed forces.

Now, all this new information from the CIA is suggesting similar scenes playing out elsewhere within Libya. Meantime, signals out of Tripoli, the capital city, are suggesting Gadhafi is considering giving up the reins of power, considering, but, of course, on his own terms and maybe perhaps to one or more of his own sons.

A top aide to this man, Gadhafi's son Saif, has reportedly traveled to London to meet with the British government. The reason for the visit not being disclosed. But that trip has come to light two days since the defection to London of a top confidant, Gadhafi loyalist, former Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa.

Koussa is said to be providing information. Now, for their part today, the Libyan opposition is floating a peace proposal. That happened just a couple of hours ago in the rebel stronghold of Benghazi.

And that's where I want to go to CNN's Reza Sayah with more there on the terms, Reza. Spell it out for me terms of the cease-fire proposal. And is anyone even taking it seriously there?

REZA SAYAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brooke, considering the stated objective of the opposition remains regime change, this is kind of a curious development.

It could be significant. It could be empty talk. Or it could be some sort of political ploy. But, as you mentioned, the opposition today saying they're open to cease-fire if some conditions are met, the announcement made by the top opposition official, Mustafa Abdul- Jalil. He said, we will agree to a cease-fire if the Gadhafi forces, militiamen, mercenaries withdraw from Libyan cities, especially Western Libya, if they lift the sieges on these cities, cities like Misrata, and if they give the Libyan people the freedom to protest and freedom of expression.

According to a special U.N. envoy to Libya who was also at this news conference today, Abdelilah Al-Khatib, the negotiations are under way. The U.N. envoy saying he was in Tripoli yesterday conveying these conditions to the regime. What was clearly not conveyed to the regime, according to this U.N. envoy, was the stated objective of the opposition, which again remains to be regime change.

So there you had the highlighting of the discrepancy between the U.N.'s mandate, which is a cease-fire, an end to the killing, and a stated goal of the opposition, which is regime change, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Reza, I want to ask you about another town not too terribly far from you, Ajdabiya. We have heard reports today that there are rebels. They're digging these defensive berms around Ajdabiya and they're moving around in units, as opposed to just going up and down that coastal road there.

Does that indicate to you at all that they're perhaps getting a little bit more sophisticated, more organized militarily?

SAYAH: Yes, by accounts we are hearing today from the front line, there was a little bit more organization, cohesion to this operation.

Ajdabiya is their defensive position, their final defensive position, so it makes sense that they are building trenches. But you can always tell how things are going for opposition forces by their celebratory gunfire and their victory signs.

And you got a little bit more of that today. They had a rough week, remember. They lost a lot of territory, key towns, over the past several days to regime forces who were pushing their way eastward. But, today, according to opposition officials, they led an offensive, pushing the regime forces back, the offensive led by defected army units.

And the only volunteers they took up there were volunteers that had agreed to be under the command of these defected army units. They kept the other volunteers, the so-called tourist fighters, back in the Ajdabiya area. And they say they're encouraged by today's progress. They say they have stopped the regime forces' progress. And what you have now is a little bit of a stalemate in the Brega area.

BALDWIN: Tourist fighters, that's a new term for me.

Let me ask you, though, about the allies and the airstrikes. We have heard about some weather conditions that perhaps have grounded some of those allied warplanes. What are you hearing, Reza, on your end about that?

SAYAH: Yes. Indications are that the airstrikes have decreased over the past several days. And there's some concern among the opposition that it could be because NATO is now taking charge of this operation, some member states, of course, not as enthusiastic about the aggressive airstrikes, member states like Turkey.

But other military analysts are pointing to the weather conditions. There's been some rough weather over the past couple of days, cloudy weather, rainy weather. And that could be a reason why we haven't seen airstrikes, but some rebel fighters today saying they did hear what appeared to be airstrikes in Brega, where the front line is now.

BALDWIN: OK. Reza Sayah, my thanks to you there in Benghazi.

And we know that the CIA is on the ground there in Libya, but cloak and dagger central appears to be in London, where top-level Libyans continue to turn up, either as defectors, envoys, maybe something else. The latest reported visitor is the top aide to one of Gadhafi's sons, Saif.

Phil Black is standing by there for me in London.

And, Phil, what is the story there in London?

PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, Brooke, as you say, reports today that a senior Libyan government aide, who usually represents Saif Gadhafi, the Libyan leader's son, has been here in talks with British government officials.

And it has triggered speculation that Gadhafi's own sons could be engaged in negotiations, trying to secure a deal perhaps that would see their father exit the Libyan political scene. So far, no confirmation from the Britain Foreign Office on this, but it comes the day after Libya's foreign minister, Moussa Koussa, arrived in Britain to defect. We're told that he's in a safe house being questioned by Foreign Office ministers, officials, as well as intelligence officials as well.

And the hope is that he will be the first of many more to come. The thinking goes here that, with every senior ranking Libyan official to change sides, to potentially defect, the Gadhafi regime is weakened, and so gets a little bit closer to its end.

There are reports here that as many as 10 senior Libyan officials are considering that sort of move, again, no confirmation from the British Foreign Office on this, except to say that when they speak to Libyan officials -- and they do -- they emphasize that Gadhafi must go and those officials should seriously consider abandoning his regime -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: You mentioned Moussa Koussa defecting. You mentioned reports about that aide to Saif Gadhafi. My question would be sort of big picture here, Phil, why U.K.? Why does David Cameron appear to have such a dog in this fight?

BLACK: Well, Britain has certainly, in many ways, led the diplomacy here, certainly to engage in military intervention, and analysts say probably before that as well. Some of the defections, the meetings that they -- are taking place are believed to be the result of work that was put in even before the military intervention began, perhaps from the earliest days of this crisis, perhaps even before that.

And, so, Libya and Britain have had considerable ties in recent years. In some way, Britain played a considerable role in leading Libya out of the cold back into the international community when it took that decision to give up its weapons of mass destruction.

There have been ties. Channels have been established, and so the British government is now hoping to exploit those, make the most of them, and, as I say, encourage many senior Libyan officials to switch sides and help bring down Gadhafi's regime -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: As you say, this could be the first few of many more defectors to come there.

Phil Black, thank you -- Phil in London for me.

And we're not just watching what's happening in Libya today. This video, this is Jordan, just one of the massive protests taking place all across the Middle East.

And does this place look familiar? This is Tahrir Square in Cairo, the epicenter of the Egyptian revolution that we talked so much about for weeks and weeks. So, why were thousands of Egyptians back there today?

Also, here in the United States, tens of thousands of people lost power in the Northeast because of snow, April 1. Stay here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Taking a look at top stories here.

Do you see the American flag being burned? That is what happened at a protest today outside a United Nations building in Afghanistan. Eight U.N. workers died. Four Afghans died. But do you know why these protesters were so mad at Americans? Because of this guy. Remember him, Pastor Terry Jones. Pastor Terry Jones allegedly burned a Koran at his church in Florida last month. His church Web site claims he put Islam on trial.

We asked Jones for his reaction to the deaths in Afghanistan today. He demanded action from the U.S. and from the U.N. and said -- quote -- "The time has come to hold Islam accountable."

The official death toll in Japan has now passed 11,600. And exactly three weeks since that massive earthquake and tsunami, more than 16,000 are still missing.

Also, the tens of thousands of people evacuated from the area near that Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant have just found out it could be months before they're allowed to return home. And did you check the jobs report today? It was better than expected today -- 216,000 jobs added in the month of march, bringing the nation's unemployment rate down just a smidge to 8.8 percent. That is the lowest level we have seen in two years.

Call it an April Fools' Day Joke courtesy of the weather. A winter storm swept into the Northeast today, covering roads, forcing schools to close, and leaving tens of thousands without power. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for areas of Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont. And those of you in New York, some areas could get more than a foot of snow. It's April.

Now this:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: What percentage ever the federal budget do you think we spend on foreign aid?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Forty percent.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Foreign aid -- 20 percent?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Hmm. Forty percent, 20 percent for foreign aid? What do you think? You got a guess? We have got the real answers coming up next.

And if you are like most Americans in our new poll, you might be surprised what the real answer is. Jessica Yellin has got that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: There is a lot of agreement out there that our government just spends too much money, right? But there's also a bit of confusion as well on where all that money goes. How do we know that? Because we asked you.

Here is our national political correspondent, Jessica Yellin.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

YELLIN (voice-over): On Capitol Hill, they're on the verge of a government shutdown. Because Congress wants to slash federal spending. But Republicans and Democrats can't agree on how much to cut. The biggest fights are over just a handful of programs including -

REP. RAND PAUL (R), TEXAS: Foreign aid.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: NPR.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Food stamps. YELLIN: If trimming those programs will rein in spending they must make up a huge part of the federal budget. Right? Well, that's what most Americans think.

(on camera): What percentage of the federal budget do you think we spend on foreign aid?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 40 percent.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Foreign aid? 20 percent.

YELLIN (voice-over): A new CNN/Opinion Research Poll finds most Americans think foreign aid makes up 10 percent of this year's federal budget. Reality check? It is not even close. Foreign aid, 0. 6 percent of the 2010 budget.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Really? Wow! Yes, I thought it was like a big thing.

YELLIN: So we asked about a few more.

(on camera): Government pensions.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Government pensions. That was probably the 10 percent.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's probably 10 percent.

YELLIN (voice-over): According to the poll, that's what most Americans think. But the reality - just 3. 5 percent.

(on camera): For public broadcasting, NPR.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Zero now, right?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Maybe 15.

YELLIN (voice-over): Most folks think public broadcasting gets five percent of the federal budget. Reality - less than 0. 1 of one percent. Overall, Americans believe foreign aid, government pensions, education, food and housing assistance and public broadcasting account for 52 percent of the federal budget. In reality, it is just 11. 3 percent of the budget. The bulk of our spending goes to defense, social security, Medicare and Medicaid.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have very skewed perspectives.

YELLIN (on camera): Why do you think that is?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Probably the media.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Blame the media, right, Jessica Yellin? Let's own up to this. Is it at all our fault?

YELLIN: It's always the way.

BALDWIN: Of course.

YELLIN: Look, we do frequently report that discretionary programs that Congress is talking about trimming are just a tiny part of the budget. We report that, but why doesn't it stick in people's memories?

Well, one reason, Brooke, I think may be that politicians, they are making a small part of the budget a huge part of the budget fight. And so far, they're not even talking about or touching the biggest challenges, which are, as we said, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

BALDWIN: Let's talk about the big ones, money -- military, Social Security, Medicare, that's where the money is going, right? Is Congress seriously taking money from those?

(CROSSTALK)

YELLIN: So, it's up to the Congress and the president, because he proposes a budget. And the president's proposed budget for next year did not touch those. He says he wants to get there with the Republicans.

Next week, House Republicans come out with their budget proposal for next year. Early word is it will include steps to rein in Medicare and Medicaid spending, but not Social Security. And that's when the dance begins. We will see what happens. An election year is coming up, which makes any significant changes to those programs very tough.

BALDWIN: I like that piece. Let's get you to hit the streets more often, Ms. Yellin.

(LAUGHTER)

YELLIN: OK.

BALDWIN: Test the people.

Jessica, thank you so much.

YELLIN: Thanks.

BALDWIN: Yesterday was the Tea Party movement protesting the budget deal. Jessica talked about that. Today, it's a group of evangelical pastors. And they have been fasting to prove their point. I will talk to Jim Wallis of Sojourners next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Well, we touched on this yesterday, the anger on the right about the federal debt. Well, these folks are getting their fair share of attention, the Tea Party movement. When a few hundred Tea Partiers rallied yesterday there around the Capitol, they got the full attention of the national media, and their supporters in Congress are putting budget-cutting pressure on the House Republican leadership.

What about the other side? What about the left? What are they saying about the federal budget cutting? Well, as it turns out, a group of progressive clergy this week began a fast to protest cuts approved by the House.

So, joining me now from Washington, progressive evangelical Jim Wallis of Sojourners. He's taking part in this fast, helping lead the fast. And he's been asking this question: What would Jesus cut?

So, when you look at this budget that the House has passed, what specifically do you find that's morally troubling?

REV. JIM WALLIS, PRESIDENT & CEO, SOJOURNERS: Hi, Brooke. Good to see you.

We're saying, Brooke, that a budget is a moral document. It reveals our properties, who's important, what's important, who is not, what is not. And I would say, we're not broke. This isn't really a crisis just of spending. It's a nation with misplaced priorities.

We're cutting 10 million bed nets to keep kids from getting malaria in Africa. The head of USAID has said 70,000 kids will die. Some cuts kill. These cuts kill. And it's a matter of imbalances. We're cutting low-income housing, yet we're retaining home mortgages for second vacation homes for the wealthy.

BALDWIN: Well, you talk --

WALLIS: We're cutting early childhood Head Start and cutting tax breaks on estates for millionaires. So, these are choices we have to make. And I think we have to make the right choices.

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: Let me ask you about this choice. You talk about sort of an imbalance. Is it not also morally troubling to you that our government is spending so much more than it takes in? Do you, Jim, see that at all as a moral issue?

WALLIS: Oh, I do.

A deficit that puts excessive, crushing burdens on my kids -- I have got young kids and my grandkids -- that's a moral issue, too. But, Brooke, how you reduce a deficit is also a moral issue. And I -- I actually work with deficit hawks. I'm working with David Walker and many other people.

But deficit hawks are fine. Deficit hypocrites are not. If we're going to cut, we have got to go where the real money is, huge military expenditures. We spend more than the next 29 countries combined.

I want them to say out loud that every line, every line item of military spending is worth more, to our national security even, than bed nets for kids with malaria, to keep them from getting it. These are choices.

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: I do know -- I was in touch with our congressional teams today, and they pointed out to me that the Republicans are arguing that their $61 billion cuts, you know, they're hoping they're going to come from across the board.

But have been talking about a lot of the Republicans and the House cuts. And it seems to get a lot of attention. So, with regard to your fast, Jim, other than the fact that you're here on national television talking about it, are you getting -- do you feel like you're getting enough attention?

WALLIS: Well, faith leaders across the spectrum, conservative, liberal, all kinds of folks, not left or right, we are forming, Brooke, a circle of protection, a circle of protection around those programs that most impact our poorest and most vulnerable people: food and nutrition, child health.

These things don't even cost that much. And they're cost- effective. In the past, they have had bipartisan support. There ought to be a principle here. We're going to protect our poorest people, and not balance the budget on -- at their expense. That's just wrong.

So, we're saying we have got to make moral choices here. Go to where the real money is, corporate subsidies, oil and gas, agribusiness. Weapon systems don't protect us. There's huge money there. There's not a lot of money -- we didn't get a deficit by spending too much on poor people. That's not how it happened.

BALDWIN: Well --

(CROSSTALK)

WALLIS: So, I want to say, let's remember our priorities here and protect those whom God calls the least of these, as Jesus said. We're fasting to turn to God and ask God to change our hearts and lawmakers' hearts and the hearts of the nation.

BALDWIN: Well, Jim, do you think that this fast will change their hearts? I mean, how long are you how planning -- how long are you willing to fast? Because we don't know how this thing is going to end, yet.

WALLIS: Well, it's Lent. And I'm going to fast through Easter. I'm drinking -- I'm just drinking water right now. It's my fifth day. And --

(CROSSTALK) BALDWIN: How you feeling?

WALLIS: I'm feeling actually pretty good.

(LAUGHTER)

WALLIS: I feel a lot of support.

But here's the most important thing. It's not about me and a few fasters. It's about the thousands who are joining this fast every day now all over cross the country. And they're religious and not religious. And all kinds of folks are joining this fast because they think this is a moral issue. And it really is.

So, I want to have a moral conversation about our priorities. We're talking to lawmakers. We're going to talk to Republicans and Democrats and the president.

BALDWIN: Well, let us know.

WALLIS: We're going to say, we have to make moral choices here.

BALDWIN: Let us know, Jim Wallis, how those conversations go, will you?

WALLIS: Thank you, Brooke. We will. We will.

BALDWIN: Jim Wallis with Sojourners, thank you so much.

If you were not told this video was shot today, you might think it was from the Egyptian revolution some weeks ago, right? Thousands in Cairo's Tahrir Square. So, why are protesters back? We will tell you next. And we're going to show you dramatic new video we're getting from other large and deadly protests across the Middle East.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: It was a deadly day in the Middle East with protest and new violence erupting in several countries. First I want to show you Syria.

Police opened fire on crowds of protestors who took to the streets, this is after Friday prayers. At least seven were killed, dozens injured. Two Americans detained for days have now been released.

Next to Jordan -- police tried to separate pro and antigovernment protestors, tens of thousands turned out for dueling demonstrations. Brief scuffles erupted there.

And in Cairo's Tahrir Square, look at these pictures, thousands demonstrating peacefully at a gathering dubbed "Friday to save the revolution." This is all part of an effort to reenergize the movement that ousted Egypt's president Hosni Mubarak.

And in Yemen, demonstrators for and against the government swarmed into the capital of Sana'a. At least four people wounded there. I want to bring in CNN's Mohammed Jamjoom who is live for me in Abu Dhabi. Mohammed, how bad is it for the president of Yemen? Does it look like he'll survive, or will he be forced out?

MOHAMMED JAMJOOM, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Brooke, every day the situation seems to get worse for President Saleh. He seems to get put more into a corner both from society over there. This protest movement has taken root across the country, so many voices demanding he leave office. It's a youth-led revolution.

But so many have defected and joined the ranks of the youth revolution. People from the ruling party have resigned. Ambassadors from across the world have resigned their jobs as well. So it doesn't look good for President Saleh.

But just last week there were several commentators in Yemen saying President Saleh's political obituary had been written, he was down for the count, only would remain president for hours. So far he's skillfully navigated all of these backroom deals trying to happen between the opposition, between the ruling party and commanders that have defected.

Whether he'll be able to survive in the long run is really going to depend on the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. Right now he's hanging on but it's looking worse by day.

BALDWIN: What if Saleh is forced to step down? How concerned is the United States? You mention he's an ally of Saudi Arabia and also United States with regard to antiterrorism measures, AQAP. Is there a plan in place post-President Saleh?

JAMJOOM: Brooke, this is one of the key concerns for the U.S. right now. We've heard from secretary of defense Robert Gates in the past couple of weeks that there is no plan, no post-Saleh plan in Yemen. That's what everyone is concerned about. Even though there's a movement there that's grown over the past few months to have him leave, these protestors, they have not been supporting anybody else.

And because Saleh is seen as a key in the fight against AQAP, and AQAP has tried to launch spectacular attacks against the U.S., against western targets, even Saudi arraign why from their base in Yemen, there is concern about filling the president's shoes and who will help U.S. to fight Al Qaeda in the region.

BALDWIN: Mohammed, thank you.

And now watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A shock and awe campaign. It will involve a lot of fireworks, a lot of people dressed in black. It will involve a lot of very, very loud music.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BALDWIN: What is he talking about? That is an anarchist in London talking about plans to disrupt the royal wedding. We're going to tell you what police plan to do about that.

But first, each week we like to introduce you to ordinary people doing extraordinary things as part of our own "human factor" series. For most of Isaac Lidsky's life his goal has been to study law. As a young teen, though, he was told he would slowly be going blind. But CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta tells us he did not let his disease deter his dreams.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Isaac's Lidsky's newest job is learning to take care of his three beautiful new babies. That's a challenge for him because he can't see his children. Lidsky has a rare form of blindness that progresses over time. He got the diagnosis when he was 13, soon after landing a role on TV's "Saved by the Bell, the New Class."

ISAAC LIDSKY, FOUNDER, HOPE FOR VISION: I loved acting. I loved being on a set. It's exciting.

GUPTA: But acting wasn't his dream. Law school was.

LIDSKY: As I really started experiencing vision loss in college, it was more of a nuisance than a disability.

GUPTA: Undeterred, he got into Harvard law school and made it to the Supreme Court. He clerked for retired justice Sandra Day O'Connor as well as justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg.

LIDSKY: I It's hard to anticipate slowly losing your vision and living as a blind person.

GUPTA: Now at 31 he's legally blind.

LIDSKY: Right now I'm sort of dealing with light and dark, maybe the occasional sort of shape.

GUPTA: While Lidsky can't overcome his blindness. It hasn't stopped him.

LIDSKY: With a walking cane, screen reading software, it really doesn't slow me down in any practical sense.

GUPTA: This young lawyer hopes that one day people like him will see again. That's why he started Hope for Vision, to raise awareness and money for research.

LIDSKY: At this point in my life, really it's wanting to see my children that motivates me to continue to work to overcome this challenge. I want more than ever to find a treatment or a cure.

GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Britain's royal wedding coming up in just a couple of weeks and who doesn't love a good royal wedding, right? Well, cue the music, anarchists for one. Dan Rivers with the angle.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN RIVERS, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is the nightmare scenario for those planning the royal wedding, anarchists attacking a car carrying the royal family. On this occasion, it was Prince Charles and Camilla, but this is the same car that will be used to take Kate Middleton to the wedding, and anarchists are vowing to do their best to interfere with the event.

CHARLIE VEITCH, ANARCHIST: For the royal wedding we'll see a disruption spectacular.

RIVERS: Charlie Veitch is an ex-city banker who was laid off and is now a committed anarchist protester. He was among this student protest against austerity cuts last year and is warning there will be more of the same on April the 29th, which he describes as --

VEITCH: A shock and awe campaign. It will involve a lot of fireworks. It will involve a lot of people dressed in black. It will involve a lot of very, very loud music.

RIVERS: Security expert Roy Ramm shows me the aftermath of the latest protest.

ROY RAMM, SECURITY ANALYST: You see them here doing this kind of damage, which is just completely ridiculous. This is just one window of hundreds.

RIVERS: He says the royal wedding presents an incredibly difficult challenge.

VEITCH: The police have got a job to get the public in, close up to the wedding, but they've got to keep the people who want to cause disorder and damage like we're seeing here away from the royal wedding. It could be immensely disruptive. You know, it's a very unenviable position the police are in.

RIVERS: The big problem for the police is getting evidence to stop the anarchists doing something before they get to the wedding route. There is talk of using stop and search powers. The problem is, who do they stop and search? Experts say intelligence before the big day will be crucial.

Anarchist websites are already humming with references to the wedding.

VEITCH: There are plans, which are being passed around online in encrypted forums and through encrypted e-mail which the government cannot hack, to basically disrupt the procession route as well. RIVERS: But knowing exactly where to deploy riot police is tough. The protestors could strike at almost any location in central London.

COMMANDER BOB BROADHURST, LONDON METROPOLITAN POLICE: There's a lot of chatter out there, no real intelligence. But we must bear in mind people have the right to come and protest.

RIVERS: The anarchists will have to blend in with a crowd like this, and these staunch royalists could be the best defense the police have.

ANDY HAYMAN, LONDON METRO POLICE: I don't think it will be very easy for the anarchists to infiltrate. The great majority would stop that happening. On the other hand, if there was a pint of paint thrown, that would be a worldwide embarrassment.

RIVERS: An embarrassment that the police are trying to avoid, one that the anarchists would consider a huge victory.

Dan Rivers, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: So the big day is just a couple of weeks away, and tah- dah, our pal from TLC's "Say yes to the Dress" Atlanta. We're going to talk royal wedding. You brought a souvenir here. We're going to talk souvenirs, horseshoes, seating arrangements, and how quickly copycat designers are going to switching Miss Kate's dress.

MONTY DURHAM, TLC'S "SAY YES TO THE DRESS ATLANTA": They're out there now.

BALDWIN: We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Cue the royal wedding music. What is trending today? Have you saved the date? The royal wedding is this month. I can't believe it's April. Monty Durham, TLC's "Say yes to the Dress Atlanta." You're headed to London. I'll talk about that in a moment. But I want to talk about, this is the home stretch.

DURHAM: We're down to the wire right now.

BALDWIN: What are they doing right now?

DURHAM: I would imagine the response cards are coming in to the palace. I'm sure people sent it in immediately. Seating arrangements are being readjusted for people that aren't coming. It's not really a state affair so it's really a family gathering for the luncheon in the palace.

BALDWIN: It's a family gathering. I'm curious if Kate -- how involved would she be?

DURHAM: Very involved. You've got to invite people you don't want --

BALDWIN: Who do you sit next to whom?

DURHAM: I think what we're having here is she's pretty much going to show up and do as she's told.

BALDWIN: Show up and say "I do." When we talk about the dress, do you like the blue?

DURHAM: Stunning. Kate blue.

BALDWIN: When it comes to the dress -- and we don't know yet.

DURHAM: We don't know anything.

BALDWIN: Everybody is watching to see what it looks like. When will designers start sketching that dress for future brides?

DURHAM: The minute she steps out. With TLC, I'll be outside her hotel. This is huge. I'm going to get that first glimpse as she gets into that beautiful car and rolls away. Artists will be sketching it, designers, the minute she hits any door way.

BALDWIN: Are you serious?

DURHAM: Oh, yes. That dress will be in the market if not seven days, definitely 12 days after she goes down the aisle. It will be in stores for sale.

BALDWIN: She's tall.

DURHAM: She's 5'10", Lady Di.

BALDWIN: Tall girl like me. He would be the tallest monarch.

DURHAM: He's going to be the tallest monarch when he ascends to the throne. He's 6'3" and his brother 6'2" and his father 5'9".

BALDWIN: Let's speak of Lady Di, let's explain this.

DURHAM: Let's explain this doll. Lori, how sweet of her, she dug this out of her attic I home. Anyway, her parents brought this back to her.

BALDWIN: This is Lori Daniels, your -- Lori Allen.

DURHAM: Of "Say yes to the Dress Atlanta," my co-host there and her parents brought this to her as a souvenir from the wedding and a replica of what they thought it was going to be.

BALDWIN: So when we think of what's the saying, something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. Do they have traditions in England?

DURHAM: They have a horseshoe most American girls don't do.

BALDWIN: A horseshoe?

DURHAM: Of all things.

BALDWIN: Please explain.

DURHAM: They put it in their bouquet, and it catches all the well wishes offered them on their wedding day and they hang it over their cottage door frame, in this case a palace probably, to continue the good luck and Lady Di had a gold one made out of welsh gold, the nugget her wedding ring was made from and set in diamond stone at the back of her dress, as well as a blue bow.

BALDWIN: Wow.

DURHAM: And her old was a piece of lace from queen marry.

BALDWIN: What do they think Kate will have? What will be passed on along to her?

DURHAM: It will be -- it will be very interesting to see what she wears on her head. Lady Di was given a love knot tiara from the queen and she chose to wear the Spencer tiara, no royal significance but her sisters have worn it so it's a family piece.

BALDWIN: Do you think Kate will be in flats?

DURHAM: No.

BALDWIN: Like Di, Di was in flats.

DURHAM: Because she and the future king are the same height. He's 5'10" and she was 5'10." So she wore little low heel stack shoes and had the monograms on the bottom, their initials. How sweet was that.

BALDWIN: Since Kate is 5'10" and William is 6'3", she can swing the heels.

DURHAM: She'll be in shoes, definitely.

BALDWIN: What about the shade of the dress, so many shades of white?

DURHAM: What we see traditionally when you look at royal weddings, and I've been researching it, royals have been getting married in this era, the younger royals that are cousins, not at Westminster abbey, they have been sleeveless, strapless gowns with tiaras and veils. However they are not marrying the future king and not getting married at Westminster Abbey, so with that being said I think she will be in ivory. All the gowns tend to be ivory. They feel that it complements the English complexion.

BALDWIN: Are you so excited, so up your wedding wheelhouse?

DURHAM: I am so excited, I can't even talk. The place to watch me is TLC. BALDWIN: When do you leave for London?

DURHAM: I'm leaving Easter morning, right after sunrise service, there you go. I'll get up and enjoy that and get on a plane.

BALDWIN: And a quick preview, you said you'll be at the spot when she walks out of the hotel? You'll get the first glimpse.

DURHAM: And I'll be telling you all about it.

BALDWIN: You'll send me a quick twit picture.

DURHAM: Of course, the minute I get it.

BALDWIN: And we'll watch Monte and CNN, the whole big live coverage.

DURHAM: We'll team up and make a great coverage team.

BALDWIN: Monte, thank you so much.

DURHAM: My pleasure, as always.

BALDWIN: Thank you.

And CNN's Richard Quest will be bringing us even more wedding lowdown at 2:00 and 10:00 p.m. eastern. We're calling it a CNN royal wedding special. Are you going to be watching?

DURHAM: I'm going to be watching.

BALDWIN: He'll be watching.

Coming up next, a warning from former President George W. Bush. We'll tell what you he said last night.

And then I know many of you have heard about this by now. This is definitely the talker of the day, an online video of Go Daddy's CEO killing an elephant. He's getting a lot of flak for this video. But guess what? He'll be joining me in a matter of minutes, and I'll ask him why did he do it? It's a conversation you don't want to miss.

DURHAM: I'm out of here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Now for CNN = Politics update we go to Wolf Blitzer live in Washington with the news fresh off the CNN Political Ticker. Mr. Blitzer, happy Friday to you.

WOLF BLITZER, HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": Guys, I'm not hearing her.

BEHAR: Oh, I hear you, Wolf. Can you hear me? He's not hearing us, so we will just move on. Hopefully we can work to try to get him hooked up. Now he hears me. Wolf Blitzer, you got me? BLITZER: I hear you, Brooke. What were you trying to say because I wasn't hearing you before?

BALDWIN: I was saying happy Friday.

BLITZER: Oh, thank you very much. It's a lovely Friday. I hope you'll have a nice weekend. Going to relax a little bit, enjoy?

BALDWIN: Hit some golf balls tomorrow.

BLITZER: You're a golfer.

BALDWIN: I'm working on it.

BLITZER: Good, excellent.

BALDWIN: What do you have going on, Political Ticker?

BLITZER: Political Ticker, we've got some news on the CNN political ticker as we always do at CNNpolitics.com. The former president of the United States, George W. Bush, issuing a little warning to the current president -- don't rush out of Afghanistan. It's been almost ten years since U.S. troops went into Afghanistan right after 9/11. And the former president is very concerned that if the U.S. pulls out too quickly all that could be for not.

He just said especially Afghan women will suffer if the U.S. leaves too quickly. "My concern," he said, "is that the United States gets weary of being in Afghanistan and says it's not worth it. Let's leave. Laura and I believe if that were to happen, women would suffer again."

So he's issuing a little warning. And as you know, horrible, horrible incident today in Afghanistan. All of these United Nations workers in Mazare Sharif slaughtered, a situation we'll dealing with in "THE SITUATION ROOM" at 5:00 p.m. Eastern, a horrible, horrible story.

As you know, by next year, the U.S. is supposed to begin withdrawing from Afghanistan about 100,000 troops. U.S. troops there. By the end of 2014, all of the U.S. troops are supposed to be out. We'll see how that develops.

The president of the United States not only has to worry about Afghanistan right now. He's focusing in deeply on what's going on in Libya. And Brooke, as you know, these are sensitive not only day buzz hours right now in Libya. The U.S. working very, very hard to make sure that in the end the civilians are protected, but beyond that the U.S. policy that Gadhafi is gone is achieved. How they do that, anyone's guess right now. There's a huge debate unfolding, as you know.

One piece of good news for the president on this day, political news, the jobs numbers, pretty good job numbers, 216,000 jobs created last month, the unemployment rate down to 8.8 percent, a full point lower than it was four months ago. So there's some reason to be hopeful on that front.

But this president has so much on his plate right now by no reasons an easy assignment. But then, again, he's president of the United States.

BALDWIN: He's got a big job, big responsibility. Wolf Blitzer, thank you so much. We'll get another political update for new half an hour. We'll get updates as well online. Go to CNNpolitics.com or on twitter at politicalticker.com, and now watch this. Excuse me, @politicalticker.