Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Nine Americans Killed in Afghanistan; President Obama Releases Birth Certificate; Obama Administration Announces New Appointments For National Security Team; Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords to Attend Launch of Endeavor; Britain Prepares For Upcoming Royal Wedding; Larry King Discusses CNN Special on Alzheimer's; Tornadoes Touching Down All Over U.S.; President Obama Holding Fundraisers For 2012 Reelection Bid

Aired April 27, 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: All right. Hello, everyone. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

It has been quite a day with some wild political theater. It all played out live on television. We will get through all of the drama involving Donald Trump, President Obama and perhaps the most famous birth certificate on the planet.

But, first, if I may, I want to begin with a story of real importance. Nine Americans are dead, including eight U.S. troops. This happened in Afghanistan. An Afghan military pilot opened on coalition forces in Kabul.

Now, in addition to killing eight American servicemen, an American civilian contractor also lost his life. NATO says the Afghan military pilot got into an argument with one of the troops at this airport and then just opened fire.

The Taliban has now come forward. They are claiming responsibility for this bloodshed. They are calling the pilot a suicide attacker and saying he was on in a mission for them. NATO denies that claim.

I want to bring in CNN's Nick Paton Walsh for me in Kabul.

And, Nic, just, if you can, start at the beginning here. Who does this involve and how did this whole fight start?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think what most people seem to agree is there was some kind of argument around about 10:25 this morning in what seems now to have been the headquarters of the NATO mission here to train up the Afghan air force, a very small unit, but one they are hoping to grow.

Now, this argument resulted in this man who has been called Ahmad Gul pulling a weapon of some description and shooting nine people dead in that room, all of them Americans, one of them a contractor. Now, he was then apparently shot by other ISAF staff, but there were a number of hours today when that particular part of the base and the whole base in fact was on lockdown as internal security tried to get this situation under control.

I think you just need to know to get the seriousness of this we are talking about a part of the base really about just under a mile's walk inside the wire from the large hangar in which NATO run their operations here in Afghanistan, so it couldn't really be closer to the bone, frankly, for NATO officials, Brooke.

BALDWIN: It is incredibly serious.

I do want to get back to the point though that the Taliban has now come forward. They're saying, we did this. They are claiming responsibility. They're saying that this Afghan pilot was an insurgent who infiltrated the Afghan military, but now NATO is disputing that claim. Why is that?

WALSH: Well, the Taliban almost regularly, frankly, almost always come forward and try and claim responsibility for attacks or violence which is in their benefit.

The Taliban did quite early on come up with some facts about this pilot, which now appear to be close to the truth according to his relatives the Afghan Ministry of Defense, but they may have just been tipped off internally perhaps.

I think it is important to point out that there have been 36 before this incident, 36 deaths in the last two years of ISAF personnel because of in instances in which Afghans have attacked them.

And NATO have investigated about 16 and say about half of those they believe were down to what they say is combat stress. That is people at the job deciding for own personal reasons to maybe for an argument or dispute to shoot and attack NATO personnel. So I think there has been a shift really and NATO very keen to point out that not all these instances really are Taliban infiltration, while the Taliban very keen to point out that this all about a long-term project of theirs to infiltrate the Afghan security forces -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: Nine American lives lost.

Nick Paton Walsh, thank you in Kabul.

Now to this one. Can't say we saw this coming, but take a look at it with your own eyes here. This is the president's own birth certificate. Voila. Here you go, the real McCoy, folks, released today by the White House. We will take a closer look at this birth certificate here in just a moment, but I want to play for you some sound. This is from the president this morning saying it is time for some folks to move on.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We do not have time for this kind of silliness. We have got better stuff to do. I have got better stuff to do. We have big problems to solve. And I'm confident we can solve them, but we are going to have to focus on them, not on this. (END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: CNN's Ed Henry standing by at the White House for me.

But I want to begin with you, Jessica Yellin, our national political correspondent. I know you have been talking to sources within the White House, et cetera. They say they are releasing the president's birth certificate which they decided as he mentioned this morning to do weeks ago, is this the White House playing on defense or perhaps a little bit of offense now?

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Brooke, as you know, the president is entering into a reelection year and people who are involved in his reelect say it is a little bit of both, but they felt frustrated that there was a sense that he came out here ready to talk about his budget plan, his debt-cutting plan the day after he unveiled his plans to reduce the deficit and the debt.

What was he asked about the next day on the morning show? About his birth certificate, about Donald Trump, about the legitimacy of all these questions. And there was a sense that it was drowning out the message that they wanted to send. And politically, in some ways there is a political advantage for the president if the Republicans continue to bandy this issue about because the White House allies felt that it makes the Republican candidates who talk about it seem out of the mainstream, but the White House and the president were feeling as I'm sure Ed Henry will affirm that this was really becoming -- overshadowing the message they wanted to talk about.

BALDWIN: Right. I think the word that the president used this morning was a distraction. I will get to Ed in just a moment here.

But do we know, Jessica, how long the White House had been in possession of this thing? They decided to release it two weeks ago, but how long have they had their hands on this, electronically- speaking?

(CROSSTALK)

YELLIN: -- two different kinds of birth certificates. There's that -- right. No, no, no. As they said, they had White House counsel go to Hawaii after legally subpoena -- legally getting these documents, went to Hawaii, picked it up, and brought it back to the White House late yesterday.

BALDWIN: Ed Henry, to you.

(CROSSTALK)

YELLIN: You have to understand there are two different kinds of documents here.

BALDWIN: Two different kinds, right. And it's the live birth certificate, the longer form, which I have. Gary Tuchman, we're going to walk through that here and the subtle differences here in a moment. But, Ed Henry, to you at the White House. I want to play a little bit more of the president this morning. And he was a little bit of tongue in cheek, you know, before -- as the cameras really started rolling, as you saw, you were sitting in there, when he greeted members of the media, when he walked right into the Briefing Room. Let's watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: I can't get the networks to break in on all kinds of other discussions.

(LAUGHTER)

OBAMA: I was just back there listening to Chuck. He was saying, "It's amazing that he's not going to be talking about national security."

I would not have the networks breaking in if I was talking about that, Chuck, and you know it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: OK, Ed Henry. So, being there at the White House, are they miffed at all with those of us, members of the media, for devoting a lot of time to what the president called a sideshow, silliness?

ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Somewhat.

I mean, certainly, they are miffed that this got more attention say than the president's deficit reduction speech at George Washington University some days ago. But on the other hand, I spoke to some senior White House aides late yesterday as this was brewing.

And I had asked Jay Carney a couple of questions about our own Gary Tuchman's investigation for "A.C. 360" that was happening the last two nights and really made clear once and for all for any doubters out there that in fact the president was born in Hawaii. There were a lot of liberal blogs lighting me up saying that I should have never given voice to the birthers, it was outrageous to ask it in the White House Briefing Room.

I spoke to a couple senior White House aides late yesterday who said, no, we understand why you asked it. You guys did a legitimate investigation at CNN. It was a fair question. You didn't ask it in a biased way. It was straightforward. And we want to deal with this.

I didn't know they were going to actually finally put this out this morning. They did not let that on last night.

BALDWIN: They didn't.

HENRY: But they realized, look, this is out there. It will be dealt with. But they are certainly frustrated that it has gotten more attention than the substantive issues and they hope this will finally do away with it once for all.

BALDWIN: Hopefully, this thing will be put to bed.

Ed Henry, thank you.

Jessica Yellin, thank you.

And leading birther Donald Trump is pledging to take a close look at the newly released document. We're going to hear from him in just a moment.

But, first, walk with me because Ed Henry just mentioned you, Gary Tuchman. You took a little trip to Hawaii, what, last week, two weeks ago?

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A week-and-a-half ago, Brooke.

BALDWIN: A week-and-a-half ago.

TUCHMAN: Right.

BALDWIN: You go. You talk to the doctor who had been working in the Health Department, right? So, she is one of the folks who had actually seen this. And now today, we have, voila.

TUCHMAN: And this is what she saw in the vault, the former director of the Health Department, a Republican.

BALDWIN: One of two people. One of two people.

TUCHMAN: One of two people.

But the top person who saw it, the highest ranked person, she was Republican. And what she told us was exactly 100 percent right. There is so much confusion about these birth certificates. We want to settle it once and for all.

BALDWIN: Yes. Help us understand this, Mr. Tuchman.

TUCHMAN: Everyone will understand this by the time I am done.

But this was the one that Barack Obama has had and made public since the year 2008. This is the one. This is called -- and this is what is interesting -- 2008 -- it is called the certification of live birth. Now, the reason I mention that is because a lot of people are making a big deal about that. It should not be a big deal.

It could be called grilled cheese sandwich. This is an official in the state of Hawaii. It's what everyone in Hawaii gets. Has his name, has the city he was born, his mother's name, his father's name. And it says it was filed by the registrar August 8, 1961.

(CROSSTALK)

TUCHMAN: Now, this is what every Hawaiian -- OK. Let me just get the colors off here, move this away. This is what every Hawaiian gets when they go to the Health Department office, OK?

Now, this is what every Hawaiian got when they were born, but it is not given out anymore. It is not official. This birth certificate is not officially used in the state of Hawaii. It is called the certificate of live birth, not the certification of live birth. There's no deal. This could be called grilled cheese sandwich also.

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: It doesn't matter.

TUCHMAN: It doesn't matter.

BALDWIN: But the point is, this is what the president released this morning?

TUCHMAN: This is what the president released this morning

And it is called the long-form because it does have details that the short-form --

BALDWIN: What are the differences? The hospital name.

(CROSSTALK)

TUCHMAN: Here are the differences.

Barack Obama's father, Barack Hussein Obama, born in Kenya. Barack Obama's mother. It has her name on the short one, but has Wichita, Kansas, on this one.

Also on this long form, the mother's signature right there. this is kind of interesting for us, the doctor's signature. We were not sure who the doctor was who delivered Barack Obama. This is the only thing we have learned from this form. And we have found out the doctor who delivered Barack Obama --

BALDWIN: Passed away.

TUCHMAN: Passed away eight years ago at the age of 81. So there is other detail, too. And this is why they don't need this anymore.

For example, it says here was he born inside a city or a town limit? That is not on the short form.

BALDWIN: Hang on, Gary Tuchman, because shouldn't the fact be that it does not matter, all these details about the hospital name, et cetera, but shouldn't the fact be that this exists and this is over?

(CROSSTALK)

TUCHMAN: And this is the important point. Donald Trump on our air the last two days said many, many occasions, I hear the original birth certificate is missing.

This, folks, is the original, not the official, but this is the original birth certificate of Barack Obama.

BALDWIN: And he was not very modest today in taking credit for --

TUCHMAN: No, not modest at all.

BALDWIN: No, not modest at all.

TUCHMAN: He is very proud of this.

BALDWIN: Now, I heard you earlier -- quickly, I heard you earlier saying that you were stopped by someone in a CNN tour. And the whole point that we have been talking about all day sort of behind the scenes is, despite this, is this conversation going to continue? And your answer would be no.

TUCHMAN: No, this will continue amongst some people, among a lot of people -- (CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: What did someone ask you?

TUCHMAN: Yes. Someone on the CNN tour here in Atlanta stopped me and said, Mr. Tuchman, I don't think that is the real certificate. Just keep your eye on that. That's what they told me.

So, I expect we will a lot more of that, but not as much as we have heard in the last couple of years.

BALDWIN: OK. Thank you, Gary Tuchman, very much.

TUCHMAN: Thanks, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Now to this here, interesting timing. The release of the president's original birth certificate just as we were talking Donald Trump was about to touch down for a political trip to New Hampshire. Take a look. Here he is, Mr. Trump stepping out of his monogrammed chopper approaching the mikes and responding to the news out of Washington. He had a lot to say. Here is just part of it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, CHAIRMAN & CEO, TRUMP HOTELS & CASINO RESORTS: I am really honored, frankly, to have played such a big role in hopefully, hopefully, getting rid of this issue.

Now, we have to look at it. We have to see, is it real? Is it proper? What's on it? But I hope it checks out beautifully.

I am really proud. I am really honored.

The word is, according to what I have read, was that he was a terrible student when he went to Occidental. He then gets to Columbia. He then gets to Harvard. I heard at Columbia, he wasn't a very good student and then gets to Harvard.

How do you get into Harvard if you're not a good student?

Now, maybe that's right or maybe it's wrong. But I don't know why he doesn't release his records.

Well, it's not innuendo. I'm just reporting what I read. Hey, you read stuff that you people write.

Hey, look, what's worse innuendo than what I go through? I mean, what people say about me. I mean, I have the ultimate innuendo.

But I promise you one thing -- nobody will protect me like they protect our president.

You know, if you go to China, as an example, bridges being built, massive bridges. When is the last time we built a bridge in this country, other than a little toy?

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) stimulus package?

TRUMP: The president -- look, I know you are a big Obama fan. The president doesn't know what he is doing.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

TRUMP: Because of your questions. The president doesn't know what he is doing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So, we heard Donald Trump assuming full credit for prying out the president's birth certificate today. And we also heard Trump now demanding Mr. Obama's academic records.

Coming up next, Congressman Ron Paul, the Republican just announced he is one step closer to possibly running for president in 2012. So what does he think about President Obama finally releasing the birth certificate? I will ask him.

Also, is the head of the CIA really the right person to become the next secretary of defense? And is his expected replacement right for the job?

We are digging deeper today in the shuffle that is about to take place within the president's national security team.

And it is the first glimpse of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords since she was shot in the head in January. We have new video of her actually boarding a plane to Florida today.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: All right. A lot of items here to discuss right now with Representative Ron Paul, Republican from Texas. He has hopped on the phone line for me from Texas from the town of Clute. Congressman Paul, good to have you call in. Just curious, is that the home office there, Clute, Texas?

REP. RON PAUL (R), TEXAS: Well, sort of. I have a congressional office and a foundation office in Clute.

BALDWIN: Got you. OK.

If I may begin, sir, I want to begin with the news of the day, President Obama posting this online copy of his original birth certificate. What do you make of it? And is the debate over?

PAUL: Well, let's hope so.

(LAUGHTER)

PAUL: I have no idea. But, no, I think some people would like it to go along. It has been going on a long time, but I have never figured out who really wants it to go. There are people who wanted to challenge it.

But then I think it would not have gotten very far if there weren't a lot of questions in the media and sort of egging the whole thing on. So I would assume that if this is authentic, it's over and done with and we won't hear so much anymore. But I have not paid a lot of attention. It has not been the most exciting issue for me.

BALDWIN: Well, there are some other issues that perhaps excite you, sir.

I know we heard from Fed Chief Ben Bernanke just a little while ago. And I want to talk about him with you in just a moment. He gave his first news conference from the Fed ever. but I want to talk about the debt ceiling. Economists say if we don't get this done, we are talking about a potential financial calamity in terms of raising the ceiling. Is the time, Congressman, for posturing, is it over?

PAUL: Yes. I think the calamity comes by continually raising it and that we don't get our spending under control. That is where I see the great danger.

So I'm not in favor of raising the debt limit and never have been, even a long time ago, believing that we would come to this point. So the technique of using fear is common in politics, whether it is in foreign policy or economic strife, like it was when we had a problem in 2008.

So, they will say, if you don't raise the debt limit, the end of the world will come. And I'm afraid the end of the economy is going to come if we don't quit spending money.

BALDWIN: But if we don't raise the debt ceiling, there are a lot of the financial experts that do talk about financial calamity. The economy is not hot as it is. So you are saying you would still at this moment vote not to raise the ceiling?

PAUL: Oh, definitely. I'm not going to vote for it. That only will encourage the spending.

And I just don't think it will be that bad, because it isn't like the day you don't raise the debt limit, there is no money coming into the Treasury. Still a lot of money comes into the Treasury. Why they don't just pay the interest, and then there is no default? That's -- I think it is a bogus argument --

BALDWIN: You say it's bogus. OK.

PAUL: -- and a bogus fear.

BALDWIN: Many people would argue with you, but that is your opinion. We will leave it there.

I do want to talk about the Fed giving their first news conference ever. And I know you have been really hot on this issue, making sure that the Fed is transparent. How will this transparency, Congressman Paul, how would it help the economy to make the Fed more open to the public, more transparent?

PAUL: Well, I don't think we have quite had the transparency that I want. And we are getting there. I didn't hear it in this news conference, but we are getting more.

We have received information now from the Fed about where some of those funds went when they were literally passing out trillions of dollars and so much of it went overseas. So I think that kind of information really annoys most Americans, since so many Americans have lost their jobs lost their houses. So I think that type of transparency is important.

BALDWIN: How else could they ratchet up the transparency? What else would you like to see?

PAUL: Well, just open up the books and pass my audit the Fed bill, where we go in and we find out everything that they do, and not just partially after the fact.

I just think that we should know what they are doing. Why should they be able to loan out a trillion dollars or $2 trillion at will? I mean, we need to know what they have done. And I think, if we did know all the people who have received the benefits, at the expense of others, that we would change it.

What I heard today was just sort of making it, making current policy sound pretty reasonable. And I think our current policy has driven us to this point. And, you know, the chairman talked about, well, the debt is a problem. That is one of the only big problems, the biggest problem we have, and the Congress has to quit spending.

But he will not admit -- and I have challenged him many times about how the Federal Reserve facilitates this, because, if he didn't buy the debt, you see, interest rates would go up and the Congress would have to quit spending.

(CROSSTALK) BALDWIN: Well, that would be kind of fun, to have you and Mr. Bernanke on the show. So, I will just throw that invitation out there and we can hash that out on TV.

(CROSSTALK)

PAUL: I don't think he's going to accept.

(LAUGHTER)

BALDWIN: He may not. Just throwing it out there, Congressman Paul.

Let me ask you this one final question. And many of us here, members of the media, just can't quite wrap our heads around this one in terms of members of the Republican Party not officially going ahead, throwing their hats in the ring for this upcoming 2012 presidential race. Why has that not happened, do you think? What is different this time around?

PAUL: I have no idea. I was -- I'm pretty surprised myself.

The fact that I have formed an exploratory committee and still thinking about it, I was sort of glad that the other ones didn't do too much, because one thing, me, personally --

BALDWIN: Why is that?

PAUL: I think the campaigns are way too long. After last year's election, they want to know what is going on in the next campaign. I think it is media-driven.

BALDWIN: Well, Congressman, what is the scuttlebutt behind The scenes among certain Republicans who people who have been sort of thinking maybe, maybe?

PAUL: Backing away?

BALDWIN: Yes. What do they see?

PAUL: Yes. Well, I think they see Obama as a real tough candidate. And he's likable. And he's not -- he may well not be penalized for the bad economy.

But, you know, that is a question that the politicians have to make. Besides, I think those judgments don't mean a whole lot when you think about how well George Bush Sr. was doing, you know, and then he lost the election. So I think anticipating the future is very difficult.

My reasons and decisions will be made for different reasons, rather than anticipating exactly how tough it will be or how easy it will be.

BALDWIN: Interesting. Just curious.

Congressman Ron Paul, thank you for the conversation. I appreciate you calling in.

PAUL: Thank you. Good to be with you.

And coming up, a behind the scenes look at what it took to convince the head of the CIA to become the next secretary of defense. Apparently, the president was very, very involved with this one. We have the inside scoop next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER UPDATE)

BALDWIN: We are taking a close look at this fire here at the Kennedy Space Center. We have some pictures. Here they are, just a whole lot of smoke right now.

You can see the countdown. We're told that this should not at all affect the launch from Friday. Remember, Endeavour, the second to last space shuttle launch happening. We have got an update on exactly what this thing is, how far away from the launchpad it is.

We will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: I want to get you back to the bit of breaking news at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. You see the smoke? It is apparently a 50-acre brushfire fairly close to the space complex. It is a swampy area about three miles from the launch pad, launch pad is 39-A. The shuttle Endeavour you know Friday will be taking off for the last time. But NASA says that despite the pictures there is no threat to Friday's launch.

Get ready for the biggest shuffle yet in President Obama's security team. He is expected to nominate CIA director Leon Panetta to become the secretary of defense. And Panetta will be replaced by CIA Chief General David Petraeus. Barbara Starr live in Washington. And Barbara, what's behind the big shuffle, and how did it come together?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, it started with the notion that Robert Gates made it clear to President Obama he wanted to step down this year. He has served for some time and wants to retire. It is well expected that he wants to retire so the next guy needs 18 months to the job to the end of the first Obama administration to make an impact in the Pentagon. All of that began to move the pieces around this summer. Expect to see Mr. Gates step down and expect to see Leon Panetta confirmed by Congress and step in.

BALDWIN: You say this summer, but why General Petraeus, a military veteran, and why head of the CIA?

STARR: Well, you know, that is an interesting choice. They have had a couple of military people head the agency in the past years, so it is not unprecedented. But Petraeus is a guy whose light burns bright in Washington and he has a lot of power and influence because he is well known.

If you put him at the CIA, by the way of some thinking goes from sources, he is not tucked away all of the time and not out there all of the time, and having press conferences. The administration wants to keep him inside of the administration rather than have him get out and run for office, so if you put him at the CIA, it is a situation that the White House can control a little bit more, or at least that is the thinking around Washington.

BALDWIN: So, to continue the domino effect and you said it would take place in the summer time, who then takes Petraeus' job in Afghanistan?

STARR: Well, this will be somebody that the American public does not know as well as General Petraeus of course, Lieutenant General John Allen, the United States Marine Corps. He is now the deputy at the U.S. central command, so he is very knowledgeable about the situation in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Middle East. He is very well respected. He, too, should be easily confirmed.

I think one of the things that will be important to realize is that all of these men, General Allen, General Petraeus, and Leon Panetta, have a lot of experience in this region of the world. They know heads of state, they know heads of military services and they know intelligence chiefs around the world. They are very knowledgeable about all of this these things. Brooke?

BALDWIN: Barbara Starr with the news of the musical chairs.

It is the first time we have actually seen Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords since she was shot in the head in January. We have some new video of her getting on the plane to go to Florida to the Kennedy space center for the Friday shuttle launch, and as you will see, she is walking on her own. That is next.

Also, it is getting closer. Royal wedding rehearsals have begun in London. Aren't you excited? That is Kate and William arriving a little while ago there at Westminster Abbey, and there are live pictures there of the abbey. They are inside of those very doors right now, and we will take you live to London coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: This may be an understatement, but Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is a determined woman. She boarded a plane to head to Florida to see her husband Mark Kelly who is commanding the Endeavour mission Friday.

The congresswoman has been recovering in a rehabilitation center in Houston since being shot in the head in Tucson back in January. Doctors gave her the green light, the final clearance to attend the launch, and our medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is live in Houston.

Elizabeth, we know that the plane in Florida has long since landed, but I am curious because part of the skull was removed so was this a special cabin pressure or not at all?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, it wasn't, Brooke. It was a plain old plane, and it was not an air ambulance or any special pressurization in terms of what they would normally do, and I was speaking to Greg Zoarman who is a neurosurgeon and pilot and he said when you are missing a piece of your skull, you can fly in any pressurized plane and it works out fine he says.

BALDWIN: But this plain plane as you say is a lot different from the plane she flew into Houston after the shooting?

COHEN: Right, Brooke. I remember standing on this very street corner talking to you about the equipment on the plane and it was a fully decked out ambulance and had doctors and nurses and oxygen and at the time she had a shunt that was getting fluid out of her brain, and she had people watching that.

And now there is almost none of that. All she has on that plane, Brooke, is a nurse. That's it. There's no doctor, and I don't know if they brought a first aid kit, but there is no special medical equipment on that plane, Brooke.

BALDWIN: We are looking at the video where it is tough to see, but she does sort of take, it appears one step at a time, and obviously, heading up into to a plane very careful, but walking nonetheless. Bottom line, Elizabeth, both of us read the "Arizona Republic" article of how she speaks in phrases and now a lefty and not a righty, but how is the rehab looking ahead?

COHEN: Well, looking ahead, they are going to continue with what they are doing, because it has work so well. She has made remarkable progress. She can take some steps and walk a bit on her own. She can say things like "I love you" and "That's awesome," you know, short sentences.

I was talking with the Dr. Zoarman and other neurosurgeons and with patients like this, what do you expect? And they say this much progress this short of time the sky is the limit, because they can do incredible things. She might have for example residual weakness on the right side or speech issues in the future, but she might also return to being nearly the same woman she was before.

BALDWIN: How exciting to see her husband off to space Friday from Kennedy Space Center. Elizabeth Cohen, thank you very much.

Coming up I have two words for, Larry King. He is going to join me live to el the me what he has been up to in the last couple of months, and why he spoke to former first lady Bush, actor Seth Rogan, and football star Terrell Owens. They all have something in common and Larry will tell us what exactly that is.

And also we are told that Prince William and Kate Middleton are inside of Westminster Abbey practicing for the big day somewhere behind the big doors. We will take you there and get the scoop next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Trending now, a last-minute full dress rehearsal before Britain's Prince William marries Katherine Middleton Friday. And this morning, roads were closed near Buckingham Palace and routes to Westminster Abbey to allow for the mounted cavalry to practice.

CNN's Brooke Andersons is live in London with some last minute details, impressions on all the preps. Brooke, what a great gig to go to London to cover this whole thing. Talk to me about the dress rehearsal and we know that Katherine and William are at Westminster Abbey?

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN HOST, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": Yes, yes. It is exciting and less than 48 hours away from the life-altering wedding and they are now apparently in Westminster Abbey going through a final rehearsal. It is private, and it is small. Kate and prince William is there and the Middleton family and prince Harry and the clergy.

And Brooke, as soon as I knew it, I was scanning the internet for pictures or video or what I can see. And the daily mail newspaper actually had a picture of Kate driving in her car earlier today, and there were papers in the back seat, and most of the words on the papers were obscured, but part of it read, "with so much love within our hearts." So, I think that they may be running through their vows one last time.

BALDWIN: Da, da, da, it could be. And what else? What about security because it has to be a huge, huge issue and lots and lots of police both undercover and not, and what have you seen so far?

ANDERSON: Oh, security is really tight. And they certainly have really tightened the screws today. I felt it as soon as I walked into the CNN work space this morning when a bomb-sniffing dog ran up against my leg. So things are beginning to really, really heighten around here.

And also, at the 100-year-old goring hotel here in London where Kate Middleton and her family are going to be staying the night before the wedding. Clothes are being brought in and hatboxes are being brought in. And of course security is making sweeps of the Goring hotel, and trying to make sure that everything is safe and secure for the Middletons and for Kate before, you know, they begin to stay there and sleeping there.

But, yes, everybody is kind of on heightened alert, but there is really more so just a sense of excitement and joy not only with the people involved with the palace, but also all of the tourists and everybody who's here. I mean just behind my camera, there are so many people watching and waving and people from all over the world. A guy, I haven't heard many guys say they can't wait for this wedding, but a guy from Iowa came over here to watch the wedding, and watch the parade like he can't wait. Yes, everybody is thrilled. It is a joyous occasion.

BALDWIN: I can hear the screams behind you of your peanut gallery and people watching you. I know it is so exciting and we will all be watching. Brooke Anderson, it looks like a beautiful night there with Buckingham Palace behind you. Thank you.

By the way, if you're hiding under a rock, folks, this wedding is happening Friday. Watch CNN's royal wedding experience. Watch, DVR, participate and join Anderson Cooper, Piers Morgan, Kiran Chetry, Richard Quest, Cat Deeley and so many more as they bring you every unforgettable moment in London. We are live starting at 4:00 a.m. eastern.

And back at home, millions of Americans are suffering from Alzheimer's disease. And CNN is taking an in depth look at the illness including our own Larry King. Hi, Larry.

LARRY KING, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Hi, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Good to see you. I know you are hosting this Special Report the first of many more to come, and we will chat in a few moments. Folks do not miss this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: More than 5 million people suffer in the United States from Alzheimer's disease. So this upcoming weekend CNN's Larry king returns to the air with an in depth look at the debilitating illness and the impact on many, many families everywhere, including celebrities that Larry spoke with. NFL great Terrell Owens, his grandmother, the woman who helped to raise him has the disease. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Do you ever fear of getting it?

TERRELL OWENS, NFL PLAYER: I don't know. I mean, I guess they say sometimes things are genetic or what have you. If I get it, I think I have, you know, people and places to take care of me just like I'm taking care of her.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: And there he is, Larry King. Good to see you, still rocking the suspenders, as always. How have you been?

KING: I've been fine, Brooke.

BALDWIN: It looks amazing.

KING: The first of many - thank you, so do you.

BALDWIN: The special looks amazing, but I'll take the compliment while I can get it.

(LAUGHTER)

I lost my great grandmother from Alzheimer's. So many people have stories. What did you learn throughout this process of doing the special? KING: Well, I'm very glad we did it. I'm glad this is our first special. It's an important one. This is the sixth biggest killer in America right now. It's called "the disease of the 21st century." they estimate by the year 2050, get this, 100 million people will have it.

And it is -- it's the helplessness of it. So as we explore this, we go through the center in Las Vegas, which is designed by Frank Gary. It's shaped like a brain. It's an incredible place where they treat patients, do research. We talk to Dr. Sanjay Gupta is on the program. And we talked to many celebrities, like Terrell Owens, Angie Dickinson, Maria Shriver, all of whom have had relatives, close relatives, Laura Bush's father died of it.

BALDWIN: And also Seth Rogan, here he is with his fiancee. He's a guy, Larry, we normally see cracking jokes but this is very, very serious. His soon to be mother-in-law is just 59 and for years has had Alzheimer's.

KING: I tell you something, there's no laughter on this program, but it's something everyone should see because it's going to affect you somewhere. And you'll start thinking about yourself as well.

Ron Reagan and I, the son of the late president, go through that center and we discuss it. He reads the letter that his father wrote to the American people about the onset of Alzheimer's. One of us -- we don't say who because we want to surprise you in the special -- we'll take a test to see if we have the onset of Alzheimer's. By the way, Brooke, would you like to know if you're going to have it?

BALDWIN: I -- that's a good question. I think I would, because I would want to be prepared and I would want to prepare my family. Would you?

KING: Yes, I think I would. But many, many people don't want to know. Of all the people we've asked, I would say it runs 70 percent would rather not know.

BALDWIN: Ignorance is bliss perhaps.

KING: And facing the fact that you will have people come in a door that know you that you don't know. All we have, Brooke, is our memory. We are a collection of our memories. Take that away and what are we?

BALDWIN: I remember finding my great grandmother in a home. She thought I was a boy. She asked me about my brother. She was obviously very confused. It was tough as a young girl seeing that and because of that, I would want to know. We will look for your special this weekend and I'm sure it's one of many to come. If I may, since I am a fan --

KING: By the way, it's on at 8:00 Sunday night, 8:00 eastern and that will be repeated at 11:00 p.m. as well.

BALDWIN: You got it, 8:00 eastern. But if I may, Larry king, we've missed you. Have you missed us? What have you been up to?

KING: I've missed you a lot. I've been up to a lot of things. I'm starting a whole series of appearances of doing comedy. I go to many conventions and have spoken but this will be put together as a Broadway act. We open in Atlantic City on May 14th. We're booked throughout Europe, Australia, the far east. It's really incredible, many places in America.

I will tell stories of growing up in Brooklyn, stories of things that have occurred to me on the air and off the air. It's an 80- minute gig that people I hope will enjoy.

BALDWIN: And Chance and Canon, I remember your last show, December 16th, they were excited to play a little baseball with their dad. How is that going?

KING: That I will keep doing. Nothing will stop me from coaching my little boys at baseball. They play tomorrow. They have a big game tomorrow. They play the Mets tomorrow. Beverly Hills little league is a very strict little league. They've thrown me out of two games now.

BALDWIN: No, they haven't.

KING: Yes, they have. They threw me out. I get to go to the outfield and sit in the car.

BALDWIN: Larry, I thank you for coming on. I heard you wanted to come on this show. We're flattered. Larry, thank you so much.

KING: Brooke, I've admired your work.

BALDWIN: Oh, thank you. You can catch Larry's special. It's called "Unthinkable, the Alzheimer's Epidemic," Sunday night at 8:00 eastern.

And now to this -- I'm hearing we're getting more severe weather breaking news. Live pictures, Chad Myers, what is that we're looking at?

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That's a tornado on the ground live. You can see the affiliate there, WBMA. That is on the ground in Cullman, Alabama. You can see the debris in the air. That is the tornado on the ground.

BALDWIN: Amazing pictures. We've got to get a break in. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Breaking news here. These are pictures that we got from Cullman, Alabama. This is a tornado on the ground, clearly. Take a look, Chad Myers, all that debris flying around.

MYERS: Yes. For a while before we went to break, there was so much debris in the air, shingles in the air. That's the part that will hurt you. That will kill you. Not that you're going to get picked up by a tornado but it's the debris coming at you at 140 miles per hour. That's why you need to be inside your home. That's why you need to be away from windows, because that can break glass and the glass flies at you.

You want to be inside in a windowless room and get under the stairwell and inside a small little closet, whatever it takes. That is Cullman, Alabama. That is one, Brooke, of 50 tornadoes that will be on the ground today. You need to be ready. This is a big, big day.

BALDWIN: Chad Myers, thank you.

Now quickly I want to go to Wolf Blitzer in Washington with your Political Ticker update. Wolf Blitzer, what do you have?

WOLF BLITZER, HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": A couple things in the world of presidential politics. We're talking about the president of the United States, Brooke. He's going to be doing several fundraisers for his reelection campaign in New York, a relatively small fundraiser at the home of the former New Jersey governor, Senator John Corzine, and a bigger one over at the Waldorf Astoria hotel, and yet an even bigger one over at what's called Town Hall, the theater in midtown Manhattan.

Last time around in 2007 and 2008 he raised about $750 million. He's going for $1 billion, we're told, this time around. Some of the tickets for tonight will be the maximum $35,800 a person. Some of the smaller tickets at the town hall will be $44. That will raise a lot of money tonight. Spending a lot of time raising money for his reelection campaign.

Speaking of presidential politics, Sarah Palin, we don't know if she will seek the Republican presidential campaign. She says she's still undecided right now. What isn't undecided is her little feud that is continuing with Katie Couric, who is now giving up her job as the anchor of "The CBS Evening News."

Last night, Sarah Palin had some fun at Katie Couric's expense. Katie Couric in a statement saying she was looking forward to now what she called some multidimensional storytelling. I'm not exactly sure what that means.

But Sarah Palin said, "Yes, and I hear she wants to now engage in more multidimensional storytelling vs., I guess, just the straight on read into that teleprompter screen storytelling thing."

So, she's having a little fun. Remember that interview that Katie Couric did with Sarah Palin during the campaign in 2008 when she was the Republican vice presidential nominee. She asked her what newspapers and stuff she is reading and Sarah Palin did not have a quick answer, caused her some heartburn at the time.

One final note. Do you know who is going to play Sarah Palin in the new HBO film "Game Change" based on the bestselling book by Mark Halperin and John Heilemann? Do you know who is going to play Sarah Palin?

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: I have her face --

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: Take a look at the picture. We will put it up on the screen. Here it is. Julianne Moore, the actress, is going to be playing -- there she is. Do you think that's a pretty good resemblance to Sarah Palin?

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: I think it's pretty good.

BLITZER: Perfect.

BALDWIN: I would have loved to see Tina Fey, but I know she's a little busy. Got some other things going on. But I think Julianne Moore is fantastic.

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: Julianne Moore is going to be -- and she looks perfectly like Sarah Palin. I'm looking forward -- it was a great book, "Game Change." I don't know if you read it, but a really fabulous book. And we will see if the movie is any good.

HBO, we should point out, our -- are part of our Time Warner family, part of one of our sister television networks, as we say.

BALDWIN: Yes.

BLITZER: Why do we always say sister television networks, instead of brother television networks? Do you understand that?

BALDWIN: I think, Wolf, you could probably say either. It's in the family.

BLITZER: I don't know why we say our sister network, HBO. I'm proud HBO is our sister network, very good network.

BALDWIN: Very good. Wolf, thank you. We will get another political update in half-an-hour.