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Alleged Florida High School Terror Plot Thwarted; Cosmic Collision; Aruban Authorities Continue to Hold American Man as Suspect; Pope to Visit Madrid; Banks to Introduce New Debit Card Fee; First Responders Not Invited to 9/11 10th Anniversary; 17-Year-Old Floridian Plots School Massacre in Tampa; Cigarette Companies Suing FDA; A 'Heavenly' Exclamation Point: No Joke: From Colbert to Perry; Obama Warns Teen Boys; Good Samaritan Saves Little Girl

Aired August 17, 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, as we are at the top of the hour, watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Police say a teenager wanted to attack a school and wanted to kill more people than the Columbine shooters. We're now hearing from police how he wanted to do it and why he wanted revenge.

I'm Brooke Baldwin. The news is now.

(voice-over): While everyone ran out, they ran in. But 10 years later, 9/11 first-responders are not invited to the anniversary memorial ceremony. And you will hear from one hero who is livid.

A police officer's kindness caught on camera, but it's what happens moments later that makes this video so chilling.

DAVEON TINSLEY, 13 YEARS OLD: It's going to change my life big for the rest of my life.

BALDWIN: Plus, while thousands gather to celebrate the pope, some are there to protest. And police say one chemistry student wanted to gas those protesters. Find out what investigators found inside this suspect's apartment.

And two galaxies on the verge of a cosmic collision. We are going to space.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Welcome back. Hour two. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

Just as school is set to start, for many of you and your kids, a frightening discovery uncovered in Florida. A 17-year-old former student is in custody now accused of plotting to bomb a Tampa high school on the first day of class next Tuesday.

Here's what police say they found inside this young man's bedroom. Materials and this manifesto, this minute by minute plan of attack to kill about 30 students and two administrators.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JANE CASTOR, TAMPA POLICE CHIEF: Officers found material until his room that could be used for making explosive devices. We called our bomb team in, the experts. And they, in fact, said that, yes, the material that he had could be made into explosive devices and could cause serious injury up to and including death if they were to be detonated.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: David Mattingly joining me now.

And she sort of ticked off the different items they found in his bedroom. Can you elaborate on that? And also, who tipped them off to this?

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, whoever that person was, there's a lot of people in the city of Tampa who would like to thank that person.

All we know is that this person came forward. A citizen is all they're describing this person as. Came to the police and gave them that information. The police immediately went to school officials and in no time they had identified this 17-year-old and they were knocking on his door. When they went in there, they found bomb-making materials. They found an accelerant. They found tubing.

They found things that you need to make a deadly bomb. And they say he had the material to make something that would kill a lot of people.

BALDWIN: Not only that. They found this manifesto. Is this also what they found in this room, this minute by minute starting at 5:00 a.m., next Tuesday's plan of attack?

(CROSSTALK)

MATTINGLY: Now, they're not giving a lot of details about motivation or anything like that. But they are giving us details about what he planned to do. And starting at 5:00 in the morning on the first day of school, which is next Tuesday, he was going to show up at this school that he was expelled from last year and he was going to carry out this attack using the bombs and specifically targeting two school administrators who are not named publicly, but we're told that they have been told themselves that they were going to be targeted by this young man.

BALDWIN: You mentioned he was expelled. What are you learning? A great place, a great tool for us, we hop on these kids' Facebook pages. Most of them have them. He looks like a pretty regular kid. But what is he talking about, postings, more about him?

MATTINGLY: Well, there's a couple of things we can look at. First of all, his Facebook page. And you look at him, you're right, he looks like a regular kid down the street.

But when you read the things there, he was really into marijuana, he really loved pot, he loved getting high. He had some posts on there bragging about how high he was and how much he loved marijuana. There was something unusual though that happened on Monday. It was shortly after midnight. He posted this. It said, "My life stays on repeat and it's getting old."

BALDWIN: This was just two days ago.

MATTINGLY: This was just on Monday around midnight. And then yesterday, just a few minutes, maybe even an hour before police were knocking on his door, he put another post on there and it said "I just did the dumbest thing ever."

We don't know exactly what he was talking about, but it coincided very close to when police were coming to see him. Now, we also looked into his criminal record. He has a long juvenile record dating back years, problems with drug possession, problems with theft.

And the thing that got him expelled, we believe, school officials aren't acknowledging this, but they said there was an incident that took place away --

BALDWIN: Off campus.

MATTINGLY: Off campus away from the school. About the same time he was expelled, he was picked up on a charge where he was carrying a gun that he had stolen.

BALDWIN: Ah.

MATTINGLY: Now, this time they didn't find any guns, which was a huge relief. They also didn't find any indication that anyone else was working with him. So again, they're feeling like they stopped this before anyone could get hurt. The questions of why and how are going to have to be answered later.

BALDWIN: I was talking to the Hillsborough County school superintendent last hour. I said does it appear that he was acting alone, acting with students? She seemed to think based upon her knowledge he was acting alone.

Is that what you're hearing as well?

MATTINGLY: Right, the police and the school administrators all saying the same thing. They're very satisfied that there was no other indication, no other kid, no other adult was involved with this. It was just him, it was just his ideas and the fact that he had the tools there to carry it out is sending quite a shock through so many people right now.

BALDWIN: He wanted to cause more casualties than Columbine. That's what police kept repeating today. What a wonderful ending to what could have been horrendous.

MATTINGLY: Unthinkable.

BALDWIN: Yes. David Mattingly, thank you very, very much.

(NEWS BREAK)

BALDWIN: Days after this stage collapse killed five people, there is now word the Indiana State Fair may not -- may not -- have followed the rules. That is developing right now.

Plus, a story you won't forget.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

D. TINSLEY: It goes in slow motion like this, like, I'm saying bye to him. I'm like, bye. Like, it's like bye forever.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: This little boy there describing a dream he's been having. A police officer's act of kindness turns out to be the last thing that police officer ever does. We will tell you what happens moments after this encounter. It will give you chills.

Stay right there.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: When a high gust of wind hit Indiana State Fair over this past weekend, what did fair officials know about the weather that particular evening and when did they know it? Take a look, obviously the sky very ominous. The Weather Service warning indicated it was time to take cover immediately. Look at that stage coming crashing down Sunday night, crowd of 12,000 watching in horror.

There was a warning, but that's not what the crowd heard. New audiotapes have been released where you can actually hear what fair officials told this crowd minutes before this stage collapsed. Listen to that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As you can see to the west, there are some clouds. We are all hoping for the best, that the weather is going to bypass us. But there's a very good chance that it won't. Once the storm passes and everything is safe, we're going to try our best to come back and resume the show, which we have every belief that that's going to happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Here's what we're learning now.

This Indianapolis television station, WISH, is reporting that officials with the Indiana State Fair admit they did not follow the fair's own severe weather procedures during the storm Saturday night.

So, investigators, they are now looking into how fair officials responded and why they may have possibly ignored their own policy.

And video of a police officer's final act of kindness speaks volumes about what kind of man he was. Look at this. Security camera video from a McDonald's restaurant just so happens to show San Diego police officer Jeremy Henwood standing there at the counter -- 13- year-old Daveon Tinsley, there he is walking up to him. The kid asked him for a dime, asked the police officer for a dime, because he didn't have quite enough money to buy three cookies.

Henwood hands him the dime, gets him the cookies, asked Tinsley what he wanted to be when he grew up. This little child said he wanted to play in the NBA. And Henwood replied, "That takes hard work."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

D. TINSLEY: It's going to change my life big for the rest of my life.

JERRY TINSLEY, FATHER: That he took the time to have a conversation with my son means a lot, because he paid it forward just back. Two or three minutes and that's something in his life that he will never forget.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Why won't he forget it? Listen to this. Thirty-six- year-old Henwood was shot and killed four minutes after he sat in his police car after going into McDonald's and getting caught on that camera. His attacker was killed by another police officer.

Henwood a former Marine who survived three tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. He spent four years on the police force. Friends say Henwood had such a generous spirit, he would have done the job for free.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jeremy loved the job and he would have done it for free. Jeremy was an overachiever when it came to keeping the streets of San Diego safe.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can't tell you honestly that he was always an angel.

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm sure he is now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Thousands of members of law enforcement attended Henwood's memorial service and funeral. His parents say, even in death, Henwood is still saving lives. His organs -- his organs have been donated to kidney patients. Betrayed, insulted, neglected, that is how some 9/11 first- responders say they're feeling right about now, after New York City decides not to invite them to the 10th anniversary memorial ceremony that they're holding next month. Coming up next, you will hear from one of those first-responders, who is absolutely livid and emotional about that snub.

Stay right here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: We talked about this before and a lot of the response is you've got to be kidding, right? Coming up, in just a couple of weeks in the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attack. We're less than a month away now. Have you heard about the story today?

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, his office has confirmed to CNN that the city's first responders, the firefighters, the EMTs, the other brave rescue workers, folks who risked their lives to say others say they are not being invited to that memorial ceremony.

Here's a statement we got from the mayor's spokesman, quote, "We are again focused on accommodating victim's family members." It goes on, "Given the space constraints, we are working to find ways to recognize and honor first responders and other groups at different places and times." James Ryder was one of those first responders.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES RYDER, FIRST RESPONDER: Why are there two mayors going there, two governors going there, senators and congressman? There's room for us.

BALDWIN: I understand that you say you're findable. But have you picked up the phone or anyone from the Feel Good Foundation called up the mayor's office and said, hey, we're not OK with this, and we would either like to be down there on 9/11 or you need to provide us an alternate location.

RYDER: First responders are the first responders to war. That was a war. Soldiers are the second responders to a war. Imagine a soldier calling up and saying can I get my medal now? I don't need to make that call. They know where we are. There are a lot of heroes that gave their life for this city and this country, and for patriotism. They should be picking up the phone, not us.

BALDWIN: I have to tell you, I tweeted this out, it's on my Facebook page. It sparked a lot of discussion here, and I want to read two notes. Evan, a fellow firefighter, says, "If room is an issue, that's poor planning on the city. The 10th is a huge deal."

And something else. This is from Phoenix Racey (ph), and he said this, and I want you to respond to this. "If there's simply no room and it can only pick a certain number to go, do they now tell the family members of the victims that they can't go because first responders are going? There's no way around this without upsetting someone" was his point. Someone will be upset.

RYDER: I worked for the police department for 20 year, I know how large ground zero is. There is room. Room is not an issue.

BALDWIN: Where will you be? If you cannot go to that memorial, James Ryder, where will you be on that Sunday morning?

RYDER: I will be with my family.

BALDWIN: James Ryder --

RYDER: I will be with my family and I will remember my friends.

BALDWIN: James, is that the most important point of all on that day to do that?

RYDER: The most important thing is for the city to recognize and for the government to recognize that this is not a political issue. This is about patriotism. And I can tell you as a staunch conservative that has voted since I was 18 that this is not about politics. This is about heroes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: That was 9/11 first responder James Ryder.

Coming up next, police foil a disturbing plot aimed at gassing people during a visit from the Pope. Find out what investigators found inside the suspect's apartment.

Also, London apparently deciding who will clean up after last week's riots and what they'll be wearing.

Plus, she's still missing in paradise, but there is a new clue that's raising eyebrows about this woman's companion.

And get ready for a new fee at your bank. Reporter Roulette times four is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: A plot during a Papal visit, new bank fees, thugs hired for riot cleanup, and a beach front mystery. CNN covers news all around the world. Let's do Reporter Roulette. And I want to begin with Al Goodman in Madrid.

And, Al, I understand that police have thwarted this attack ahead of the Pope's visit in Madrid for World Youth Day. Tell me what happened.

AL GOODMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Brooke.

The 24-year-old Mexican man in custody faces a court hearing on Thursday. He turns out was a volunteer. He had gone through the whole process and was arrested by plain clothes officers just as he was about to get his green shirt. He's accused of trying to put some sort of the toxic gas, noxious gas against the demonstration against the Pope's visit that is still going on at this hour. But the authorities have got him at this moment. Brooke?

BALDWIN: Al, you went to an anti- Pope protest last night. What did you hear there?

GOODMAN: This is actually this night, Brooke. It's going on at this hour. It was supposed to be over by now. At this hour there's a bit of tension going on in a plaza near where we're standing between the anti-Pope protesters and the pilgrims who poured in from all over the world.

They're expecting up to a million people to support the Pope for this world youth day, which is something that's held every three years. So many people are expecting once the Pope arrives on Thursday, this polemic about the cost, this and that and the other, will melt away, and people will just be swayed by the Pope's presence -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: I'm hearing words in the millions, millions of these youngsters, young pilgrim the expected to be right where you are in Madrid. Al, can you tell me just quickly what this visit will entail?

GOODMAN: Well, we were out with a lot of the pilgrims that are staying at schools throughout the capital. They're sleeping 3,000 at one school we went to, Jesuits. They've come in from 50 countries from all over the world. These are basically the fervent young Catholics that found through their parish or friends and family the money to get over to Madrid, four days with the holy father, which will be -- the top will be a mass to be celebrated at a military air base that's been ceded by the authorities to the church for the Sunday mass. There's also a vigil, a number of activities, and a lot of excitement. But some are against this visit -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: Al Goodman staying up late for us in beautiful Madrid, Spain. Much appreciated. Thank you.

Next here on Reporter Roulette, more big banks raising frees on your most common transactions. Next Alison Kosik.

And, Alison, I don't know if I like hearing "raising" and "fees" in the same sentence.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT. Yes. And these banks, Brooke, are lining up. It's Wells Fargo's turn at-bat right now. What it means is that if you want to use your debit card, the bank is going to charge you $3 a month just to use your card. That is a pilot project in four states.

But other banks are doing it too. Sun Trust bank is introducing a $5 a month debit card fee in October. What these banks are essentially trying to do is they're trying to make money in new creative ways since the Fed capped the fees that banks can make off of retailers for customer swipes. I guess it's just something we have to get used to. BALDWIN: So if the banks want to make more money, that's one thing. And perhaps also it means Americans will maybe get better at the swipe-age of the credit card, not doing it so much? I don't know.

KOSIK. You know, you're right about that. You don't think about it as something good that came out of the recession, right? The delinquency rate is down. That's the number of credit card users behind on at least three months of paying their bills. And just six out of 1,000 credit card users are delinquent. So you're seeing improvement there.

And the banks are getting some of the credit, too, because what they're doing is lowering the credit limit for some users and for being stricter about who gets the credit cards in the first place. You know what, they're not handing out credit cards like candy anymore. So there's some responsibility coming around now.

BALDWIN: Well, I do have a credit card or two and I'm pretty good at this motion.

(LAUGHTER)

KOSIK. I hear you.

BALDWIN: Alison Kosik, thank you so much.

Next on Reporter Roulette I want to take you to London to Atika Shubert where paybacks for last week's riot may involve cleanup duty for the rioters themselves -- Atika.

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brooke, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla toured some of the worst hit areas of north London today. This as the debate is ongoing about crime and punishment for convicted offenders. In fact Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has said he is proposing that convicted offenders of the riot be made to face their victims and possibly help to clean up the streets of London.

In the meantime, a British court has convicted and sentenced two men to four years in prison for inciting a riot via Facebook even though that riot never actually happened. Prime Minister David Cameron made a statement on that particular case, saying that tough sentences were needed as a deterrent.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID CAMERON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: I think it's right that we should allow the courts to make decisions about sentencing. You weren't sitting in the court, I wasn't sitting in the court. We didn't hear the evidence. They decided in that court to send a tough sentence, a tough message, and I think it's very good the courts feel able to do that.

What happened on our streets was absolutely appalling behavior. And it sent a very message that it's wrong and won't be tolerated is what the criminal justice system should be doing. (END VIDEO CLIP)

SHUBERT: And the judge indicates that it was important to have the sentence as a deterrent to show that crimes committed during the riots had consequences. Brooke?

BALDWIN: Atika Shubert, thank you.

And finally in our Reporter Roulette, I want to go to Martin Savidge who is live for us in Aruba today.

And Martin, investigators say they have new clues possibly involving this missing woman in Aruba.

First talk to me about this insurance policy.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right. This is causing a great deal of stir because up until this point the defense attorney said what motive would Gary Giordano have to want to do any harm to Robyn Gardner.

Well, now comes the insurance policy. According to Aruban authorities, they call it a travel policy. In other words, this is something that you would take out in advance of going overseas, and that it's designed to take care of you if you were to suffer some sort of health malady.

But a lot of them also have an accidental death clause in there. Gary Giordano told the authorities about the plan. They didn't have to discover this. They then made requests to the FBI and the FBI brought copies of the insurance plans here to Aruba. There was one taken out for Robyn, one taken out for Gary.

But the authorities don't talk about how much it will pay and they won't tell you who the beneficiary is. But it certainly has raised a lot of eyebrows and it's believed may have been one of the things that allowed for Gary Giordano to be detained for another 16 days.

BALDWIN: OK, so he's detained for that long. They're getting that information, maybe a possibly motive. Aren't investigators also finding a bloody handprint down there?

SAVIDGE: Well, they found blood on the beach. Some people who are close to the investigation describe it as a bloody handprint. Others say it was blood on the rock, blood on the stones. It is blood.

What we do not know and what apparently investigators are trying to determine very quickly is, one, is it human? And, two, if it is, is it a blood type that belongs to Robyn Gardner or Gary Giordano. If it is blood and it comes from Robyn, it really does harm the excuse or the reasoning that Gary Giordano has given as far as a drowning. You don't often get blood related to something like that.

But it's still too early to say. Authorities will not comment, only to say that it is interesting when I asked them about the blood. They neither confirmed nor denied it. So that could be very big. And keep in mind they already have Gary Giordano's DNA. And they have Robyn's DNA because they confiscated hair brush and a toothbrush from the hotel room where they could get it from.

So if it is a match they can figure that out. Martin Savidge, thank you so much.

That's your Reporter Roulette for this Wednesday. Let's take some pictures out of Illinois, shall we, live pictures, a crowd getting ready for the president of the United States. Remember, he is on a three-state bus tour. His third and final stop is Alpha, Illinois. He's set to address some of the voters there. We're monitoring it. We'll bring you news as it happens there out of his home state.

Also, we're going to take you live to New Hampshire where one of President Obama's newest Republican opponents is making news of his own. Texas Governor Rick Perry not holding back of his criticism. And even Republicans are blasting Perry's harsh language. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Time for your "CNN Equals Politics" update. Let's go to Mark Preston with the latest news fresh off the Ticker.

Mark, there you are in, what is that, some sort of lake behind you in New Hampshire, following Texas Governor Rick Perry. And Perry responded to Wolf Blitzer's interview with President Obama, didn't he?

MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL EDITOR: He did. This morn Rick Perry, the Texas governor, who just launched his campaign for the presidency, was speaking before business leaders this morning. And, in fact, he fired back at President Obama in regards to what happened during that interview yesterday. That's when the president told Wolf Blitzer that, you know what, Rick Perry should watch what he says on the campaign trail if he's running for president. Rick Perry said he didn't like being lectured by the president. In fact, let's hear what he had to say about that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. RICK PERRY (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The president said I needed to watch what I say. I just want to respond, if I may. Mr. President, actions speak louder than words. My actions are helping create jobs in this country. The president's actions are killing jobs in this country. It's time to get America working again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PRESTON: There you have, Brooke, Texas Governor Rick Perry this morning speaking before business leaders. What he's trying to do is trying to point out that he has the better plan to turn the economy around at this point and that President Obama has nothing but a job killing plan to try to get us out of this recession. Rick Perry spoke to other business leaders here in the town of Nashua. He has some private events right now, Brooke. Tomorrow, he will still remain here in New Hampshire. He has some more events -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: Well, we have heard from the administration that they president does have some specific new plans. We're going to hear that major policy speech when everyone is back in town come September. We'll have to see.

Mark Preston, thank you very much.

And now this --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF JANE CASTOR, TAMPA, FLORIDA POLICE: They indeed found a manifesto written by Jared that outlined minute by minute what his actions we're going to be on the first day of school.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Minute by minute an attack he wanted worse than Columbine. That's what police say this teenager wanted to pull off in what they're calling a potential catastrophe. But my next guest is there is a big sleeper in this case. That's coming up.

Plus, cigarette companies are furious with the Obama administration. They're now taking legal action over something the government is making them do. Casey Jordan is on the case. She's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: The cigarette makers are suing the Food and Drug Administration, the FDA, claiming graphic new warning labels violate their First Amendment rights.

Also today in Florida, a 17-year-old is in custody, charged with planning to bomb a Tampa high school. Casey Jordan is on the case for us today. And Casey, I want to begin with this story out of Tampa. You have a 17-year-old, he's former student expelled about a year ago.

Police say they found explosive materials when they searched his bedroom in his family's home, along with this manifesto, this minute by minute plan to kill about 30 students and two specific administrators. I want to just first play here what the police chief said about this today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CASTOR: They indeed found a manifesto written by Jared that outlined minute by minute what his actions were going to be on the first day of school to include detonating explosive devices through the school. There were two individual faulty members that were specific targets. And then he also mentioned his desire to cause more casualties than were suffered at Columbine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Casey, it has already been determined that this teenager, this 17-year-old will be tried as an adult in this case. Is that unusual?

CASEY JORDAN, LEGAL CONTRIBUTOR, "IN SESSION": No, not at all. I mean, the state -- every state can decide for itself what it's age of maturity is. And most states in the United States are 18. If you were 17 -- actually, where I come from in Connecticut it's 16.

But the bottom line is it is relatively common for 16 and 17 year olds to be what we call wavered up or tried as adults if the nature of their acts and seriousness of it, particularly premeditation and malice, is really tantamount to an adult decision-making process. So I'm not surprised at all.

BALDWIN: We also know some unsung hero came forward and was the individual who tipped police off to what Jared Cano he was planning. Police won't say who this individual is. Will that at all be an issue in this case?

JORDAN: I don't know that it's an issue to me. To the criminologist, though, it's of interest because it really encourages my faith, because I think whoever that tipster is is probably a friend of Jared Cano, probably somebody who watched his Facebook page or visited his house and saw the evidence. I'm going to place a bet that it's a young peer of Jared's. I'll bet that they were concerned enough to alert authorities. And that's encouraging because we know that that is probably the linchpin that kept this tragedy from happening next week.

BALDWIN: Absolutely.

Finally, though, as a defense attorney, how do you defend this 17-year-old?

JORDAN: I have to say the number one thing people are kind of snickering about is he was found growing marijuana, with marijuana paraphernalia, possession of marijuana, and he's coming across as basically a marijuana abuser. He interrupts his own defense attorney today when he was charged. He wanted to say "I can say what he want to," and he started to say there was no plot.

And his defense attorney was you be quiet right now. She whispered in his ear and then he managed to be quiet. But he's going to come across as something of a doofus for lack of a better word. But don't be misled. He had broken into houses. He had filed the serial number off of the gun. There's a lot more to this guy. And again, he was a red flag for the principal at this school. If they had seen him coming they would have automatically known he was up to no good.

BALDWIN: Absolutely.

Case number two, let's talk about this cigarette lawsuit against the U.S. government. They're now making the cigarette companies put these gruesome warnings on cigarette packaging for obvious reasons. Companies are saying what now, Casey? They're saying hey, this is violating my freedom of speech? Does that fly?

JORDAN: Yes. They're basically arguing that the government is intruding far too much into their ability to market a lawful -- circle the world "lawful" -- product. We can sell it. It's not illegal. Who are you to tell us you have to have 50 percent of the front and 50 percent of the back of our cigarette packages be used for your governmental anti-smoking propaganda? That's their argument.

They've already lost this in a Kentucky. Most people argue that what they're doing right now is forum shopping trying to find a different court that might agree with them. I have to say, Brooke, I'm familiar with these warning.

They have been in Europe under European law all cigarettes have to have these. I think the ones in Europe, Australia, New Zealand or even far more restrictive than here in the United States.

BALDWIN: Canada as well.

JORDAN: Canada absolutely. So it's nothing new. It's just slow coming to the United States. And frankly, if the cigarette companies want to be able to market their product, you would think they would embrace the idea that the more consent the consumer has, the less liable they will be from lawsuits from these smokers down the line. But so far they're not seeing it that way.

BALDWIN: No, they' not at all. Casey Jordan on the case, thank you very much.

Coming up next, we're going to space. Two galaxies are on the verge of a cosmic collision. NASA now saying when this will happen. Look at that picture, by the way.

Plus, Wolf Blitzer joins us fresh off his interview with the president of the United States. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: OK, we're a little excited about this story. It's not often that we get to see major get involved in matters of punctuation or conveyed any top of emotion, but look at this. This is so cool.

We have got this stunning image of two galaxies colliding in space forming -- what does it look like, Chad Myers? An exclamation point. The collision was picked up by NASA Chandra Observatory in the Hubble telescope and it shows two galaxies.

You have VV-340 north on top there and VV340-south is the spiral on the bottom. Chad Myers, it's exciting just because you don't often see exclamation marks, you know, in space, right and two galaxies colliding. What exactly does that mean?

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: They are 450 million light years away. BALDWIN: From each other?

MYERS: No, from us.

BALDWIN: From us.

MYERS: And they are coming together and they will mesh. They may combine some gases. They may see some stars, especially the big suns may combine together, make huge explosions. There may be some black hole in there where things get absorbed and they literally go away and you'll never see them again.

BALDWIN: Does this happen often?

MYERS: It's going to happen to us, but I think you're probably safe. It's going to happen a billion years with the Andromeda galaxy. We're going to get together. Milky way and Andromeda will eventually get together, but this is a cool one.

BALDWIN: Yes, let's put that back on the screen because I love looking at it. I mean, the fact that it's this two galaxies and that we have the technology to be able to take this photograph and that we could talk about it here on television.

MYERS: And how long will this take?

BALDWIN: What take?

MYERS: For all of these to merge. These two things merge --

BALDWIN: Are you fizzing me? I don't know?

MYERS: One hundred million years.

BALDWIN: A hundred million years.

MYERS: It will take a hundred million years for those two galaxies to actually pass through each other and maybe come out the other side, but more likely probably start to spin and do something completely different. You know what, though, it's 450 million light years away.

BALDWIN: So we won't be here talking about then.

MYERS: It's already happened. It's already over 350 million years ago. It took 450 million years to get to us. We're finally seeing the collision now. That picture is almost 450 million years old.

BALDWIN: So that's old news. We shouldn't be talking about it.

MYERS: Before the dinosaurs.

BALDWIN: Chad Myers, thank you so much. A little fun in space and now, a quick check here on what we've got coming up on "THE SITUATION ROOM" with Wolf Blitzer at the top of the hour as always. Wolf joining me now. So you're back in Washington. You're whack in the belt way, off the road. Great interview, by the way.

WOLF BLITZER, HOST, CNN'S "THE SITUATION ROOM": Thank you very much. Got up very early this morning and flew from Iowa to Chicago, Chicago to Washington. It's amazing how airplanes can get you from midway through the country all the way back to the east coast. It works out really, really well.

Yes, we're going to follow up on some of the newsy points the president made yesterday during my interview with him in Iowa, especially this whole notion of a possible lone wolf terror strike coinciding with the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

I know there's great concern inside the U.S. Homeland Security Department and the intelligence community about something that al Qaeda is seeking revenge for the killing of Bin Laden. So we're following up on that part of the story.

We're also looking at all the politics in this increasing war of words if you will between some of the Republican candidates, especially Rick Perry and the president of the United States. We're going in depth on that.

The chairman of the Republican Party Reince Priebus, he'll be joining us live in "THE SITUATION ROOM." We'll get reaction from him to our interview with the president. So we got a lot coming up, Brooke.

BALDWIN: I love how you ended the interview and you invited the president into your "SITUATION ROOM" and he said you can come into mine just minus the cameras. That's a pretty nice invite Wolf Blitzer.

BLITZER: I'm going to go.

BALDWIN: You're going to take him up on it?

BLITZER: Yes, but I want to see White House situation room maybe we can get some pointers and improve our own "SITUATION ROOM" although he did say to me off camera, he thought we had fancier technological stuff in my "SITUATION ROOM" than in his situation room. They've got some pretty impressive things in their situation room. Have you been to the one at the White House?

BALDWIN: I've been outside the door. I wasn't allowed to look in. But I've been in yours, yours is mighty nice.

Wolf Blitzer, thank you so much. We'll see you in a couple of minutes.

Still to come here, Stephen Colbert and his PAC, his Political Action Committee just about lost a major player, its money man. But can you guess which Republican candidate stole him away? Joe Johns has the "Political Pop" that's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Texas Governor Rick Perry, the latest here to join in the Republican presidential race. Now he is in the mix for "Political Pop" today thanks to this new hire he just made for his campaign team.

Joe Johns in Washington with the "Political Pop."

Joe, tell me about it.

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: This is a story that just keeps on giving, Brooke. This is funny. It's definitely not a joke. The guy's name is Sal Purpura and before he took the job as treasurer for Rick Perry, he was working for the Stephen Colbert Super PAC, the Political Action Committee.

That's right, he was working for Americans for A Better Tomorrow Tomorrow PAC and now Sal Purpura is working for all people, Rick Perry. It's pretty amazing quite frankly. It's not a joke.

BALDWIN: It's not a joke.

JOHNS: Right.

BALDWIN: A lot of people think hang on a second, this has to be.

JOHNS: Well, sure, I mean, you watch the show and they make fun of, you know, the FEC, the whole Federal Election System, but it's not a joke because Sal Purpura is the real deal. I mean, he handled money for McCain-Palin, for example.

He worked for Harley-Furina Senate race, worked for the Bush library. I mean, this is definitely a guy Republicans trust with their money and he had to give up the job with Colbert because it would have been a conflict of interest.

Of course, you know, and we've been reporting that the Super PAC has been causing all kinds of heartburn all over town because it's a total joke, but people in politics have to treat it seriously.

Colbert sort of brought into this by writing an e-mail to "Politico", praising his former treasurer, we'll put it up on screen if we have it. We're not surprised. Sal is, you can hear him saying this. Sal is one of the best in the business. That's why we went with him. We're very happy for Sal, and we're even happier that Governor Perry has sent a clear signal of which Super PAC he trusts to receive all that unlimited money waiting to pour in on his side. Loud and clear, sir, unofficially, loud and clear.

BALDWIN: I hear you channeling your best Stephen Colbert --

JOHNS: I'm working at it, all right.

BALDWIN: Meanwhile, we know Wolf Blitzer had, you know, this great sit down interview with the president of the United States yesterday, or was it two days ago. The days are running together for me. Needless to say he was in Iowa. Yesterday, thank you, Eric Hall. So he talked to him about a lot of things. Politics, you know, contenders on the GOP side, et cetera.

But he also had a nice little moment where he asked the president a question about his daughters when he wins.

JOHNS: Exactly, you said it up pretty good so why don't we just listen to it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: The last time you were elected you got Sasha and Malia cute little puppy. What will you get them the next time if you're re- elected?

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: When I'm re- elected, I'm going to get them a continuation of secret service so that when boys want to start dating them, they're going to be surrounded by men with guns. That's their gift.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Men with guns.

JOHNS: A lot of guys may not agree who are fathers, but we understand. We understand, you know, I mean, the other thing is it wouldn't really be a way to, you know, get a lot of trouble pass the secret service. You walk up. They asked ask for your I.D. If you don't pass a security check, you can't get in anyway.

BALDWIN: Yes, I think if I was Sasha and Malia, I would be afraid of the secret service too, I guess.

JOHNS: It's the guys are the ones who need to be afraid.

BALDWIN: Yes, I guess so, the guys coming to the White House. Knock-knock. All right, Joe, thank you so much. And I do want to end with this story here.

You know, an Albuquerque man, he's being called a hero today for springing in action when another man snatched a little girl up the street, pushed her into this van. Police say Antonio Diaz Chacon saved the 6-year-old.

He and his wife jumped into his truck, chased after this van, after this chaotic run through neighborhood streets, the van crashed into a pole. The kidnapping suspect, Philip Garcia got out and Diaz Chacon says he knew had a gun. When Garcia run off, Chacon went up to the van and rescued the girl. The wife called 911.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

911 CALLER: We heard a man going hey, hey, let her go. So we turned around. We were about to leave. We were on the truck so the man came running to us and said they stole our little girl. (END VIDEO CLIP0

BALDWIN: Police later captured Garcia. He has been charged with kidnapping, child abuse and tampering with evidence.

That's it for me here in Atlanta. I'm Brooke Baldwin. Thank you so much for watching.

Now it's Wolf Blitzer back in Washington. Your "SITUATION ROOM" starts right now.