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Mitt Romney to Outline His Jobs Plan; Texas Battles Wildfires; Union Leaders Speak in Detroit with President; IPhone 5 Prototype Lost in San Francisco Bar

Aired September 06, 2011 - 15:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: CNN NEWSROOM continues right now with Brooke Baldwin.

Hey there, Brooke.

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Randi. Good to see you. Thank you very much.

And hello to all of you. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

We're beginning this hour here. I want to pass along a quick note to you on a major announcement from presidential candidate Mitt Romney. The former Republican governor of Massachusetts will lay out his plan to put Americans to work. He will do that a little later this hour in Nevada. We, of course, will bring that to you live.

But, first, we're working right now to get more details on this deadly shooting that happened earlier today in Nevada. Here's what we know right now. A man reportedly entered this IHOP restaurant. We're talking approximate Carson City, Nevada. Shot three people dead, wounded six others and then turned the gun on himself and shot himself.

Last we heard, though, the shooter is not dead, but is not expected to survive. A police spokesperson says at least two of the people killed in that restaurant were military members and they were there in uniform. No identity yet on that gunman. You know we're making calls and if we get someone on the line, we will bring that to you live here on CNN.

But I do want to move now to Texas, where firefighters are struggling to control dozens of wildfires burning all across that state. Two people have been killed, 700 homes destroyed, and thousands of acres scorched since last week. This is the worst fire season in all of Texas history.

And although wind speeds, they are down today, that should help somewhat the firefighters battle to gain the upper hand over all these different flames. But I want you to take a look at this picture. This is a picture of obviously the fires from space. This is from the International Space Station.

You can see the smoke is so thick, it can just be seen like a cloud all over Texas. Governor of Texas Rick Perry, he had words of caution for Texans today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. RICK PERRY (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Texans need to really be careful as they go outside in any activities that could cause a brushfire. And at this point we're urging people to avoid any outdoor activity which could conceivably start a fire.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Let's go to Jim Spellman. He's live at Bastrop, Texas.

And, Jim, I just want to read this. This is from Texas Forest Service. And this sort of underscored how bad it is. They say: "This is unprecedented fire behavior. No one on the face of this earth has ever fought fires in these extreme conditions."

Bring me up to speed.

JIM SPELLMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it's unbelievable, I mean, 290- some consecutive days that they have been fighting these fires here. Every time you turn around, a new one has popped up. The main one that we're following right here has just kicked up again.

We see some new smoke coming up there. We also know that inside that fire, right now, firefighters are doing what they call burnouts, clearing away brush by burning it around residences and setting up fire lines to try to get some containment. But it's unbelievable the intensity that this storm burned with starting Sunday, Brooke.

About 500 homes destroyed in about a day of burning. And what's really amazing here is just down the road a few miles, another fire popped up yesterday, 24 houses gone. On the other side of Austin, the Steiner Ranch fire, about 25 homes gone there. Near Houston, a fire started yesterday, about 20 homes gone there.

With these intense drought conditions these fires can just pop up out of nowhere. And the real shame about the last couple of fires is they're in populated areas. That's the last thing that in that perfect combinations for disaster of the fire, the weather conditions in a populated area. It's just devastating -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: I'm trying to look at you, Jim. Let's pull Jim up full, Roger, because -- so over your shoulders, I see white. Is that just a wall of smoke behind you?

SPELLMAN: And it goes on. It just goes on and on.

BALDWIN: Wow.

SPELLMAN: It's really intense and it's really not as bad right now, Brooke, as it was yesterday when the wind was really blowing. When the wind is calm, the smoke kind of settles down and it's a little bit less distinct. But it just goes -- it goes on and on.

Yesterday, as we arrived driving in, it was just like staring up at a skyscraper or something, this giant wall of smoke. And that's what the firefighters are in there dealing with.

BALDWIN: And talk about what the firefighters are dealing with. I know that they have this two-pronged approach, right? They're trying to fight this thing both from land and from air. How do they do that?

SPELLMAN: So from the air, we have all seen that, helicopter drops of mostly water and plane drops of water and fire retardant, fire retardant.

On the ground is really backbreaking work. They're in there with chain saws and setting these fires. They have these little tanks with fuel in them. And they set these little fires. They obviously have to be careful about that. And they have to take advantage of the relatively calm winds.

This is about the time of day when the winds pick up. And as well feeding the fire that exists, it can pick up an ember, shoot it a mile or two on the other side of the fire line. Now the firefighters have fire on both sides of them. They have to pull over and start again. It's really, really punishing work that they do really, really well in unbelievable conditions.

BALDWIN: You mentioned the 500 homes lost just on Sunday. Where are those people going? Are there a number of shelters set up? What kind of help are they receiving?

SPELLMAN: Yes, there's a few hundred people in shelters, a lot of people staying with friends, family members, that sort of thing. You have really seen this community like we so often do in these disasters pull together. People are taking each other in, that sort of thing. We know that some people are trying to rent homes, if there are any rental homes available, even some families kind of getting together to do that, trying to make their way through.

But a lot of people don't even know what the status of their home is. They haven't been able to go back in. They haven't been able to get an assessment. And really it's a minute-by-minute thing.

People are dropping by here, one of the command centers, to pick up water, even things like toilet paper or underwear, a pair of socks, to get them through the immediate next day or two. I mean, it's really that severe, when It could be as much as maybe half of this community, some have told us, that have their homes lost or heavily damaged. A lot of people starting from scratch.

BALDWIN: Just not even knowing, I think that would be just so difficult. Do I have a home or not? Jim Spellman, thank you so much.

And as Jim mentioned, people have fled the area, they're forced to escape, grab whatever they can out of their home, throw it in the car and leave. Many are not quite sure what remains of their homes, if anything.

Sharah Johnson evacuated in a hurry after friends called to warn her and her family. She joins me also from Bastrop, Texas.

And, Sharah, let's just begin your home. What's the word?

SHARAH JOHNSON, TEXAS FIRE EVACUEE: The word is that our house is gone. And I have received confirmation that our house is definitely burned.

BALDWIN: So your house gone. You're one of the 500 who lost your home on Sunday.

JOHNSON: Yes.

BALDWIN: Where are you staying right now?

JOHNSON: Right now, we're staying at a friend's house in town. And we -- we were fortunate enough to be able to get a rent house. And we're going to be moving over to the rent house either this afternoon or maybe tomorrow.

There's a lot of uncertainty because you see the smoke behind us. And it's hard to nowhere to go.

BALDWIN: Yes. Can you just elaborate on what that feels like? You have lost your home. You're trying to work out your temporary I guess shelter, rent house and also what was the moment like where I'm sure you just tossed your kids and the dog in the car and took off? What was that like?

JOHNSON: You said it exactly. We tossed the kids and the dog in the car and took off. And out on the street, it was fairly chaotic. And we spoke to a sheriff's deputy who said the fire would be on our street in about 10 minutes.

Once we turned on the highway, there was a ton of traffic, of course. There were cars, people with horses. Lots of livestock in our area that -- I don't know if they have been able to evacuate all of the livestock. And we have spoken to friends who have...

BALDWIN: Go ahead. Go ahead. Your friends?

JOHNSON: ... who have pets that were in their home that they weren't able to get home and so they haven't heard one way or the other if their houses are safe, if their animals are safe. So there's a lot of uncertainty right now.

BALDWIN: How are you drawing your strength? I understand you have a daughter, Claire (ph), who is pretty tough gal. Is she helping you sort of move forward?

JOHNSON: She is amazing. Claire just is so good in a crisis. She's so calm.

And my husband, my family and our friends are really helping each other through this and helping each other stay focused on what we can at the moment, and, first off, that we're safe and that we're together. And so it really helps you put your priorities in order.

And my daughter's been gathering her friends together and they have been volunteering. There's a huge outpouring in this community of everybody trying to watch out for each other...

BALDWIN: Sharah, just a final question to you.

JOHNSON: ... to make sure they have what they need.

BALDWIN: Sure. Well, what do you need? How can we help you?

JOHNSON: Thank you so much for asking.

We have received lots of call. And we're just not sure what we need right now, because, you know, when you see the smoke, you don't know how entrenched you want to be in any new thought because a fire could happen anywhere. The conditions are so bad right now for fires, but water has been good, ice water. Inflatable beds have been just a godsend for us, food, just the real basic necessities. And we...

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: Well, hopefully, people are listening and hearing and maybe can toss some inflatable beds and water your way.

Sharah Johnson, my best to you and your whole family getting through this tough time, clearly. Thank you so much.

JOHNSON: All right. Thank you.

BALDWIN: And now this:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No doubt in your mind this was a racially- motivated, hate-motivated "let's go kill a black guy" crime?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely. There's no doubt. They were looking for a black victim.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: You remember this story? Police say a group of teenagers targeted a man, they beat him, they ran him over in their truck because he was black. Today, the victim's family is taking action and one man is warning cold-blooded crimes like this are happening all across the U.S. That is next.

Plus, take a look at this man. He claimed to have a bomb, then kept police in a tense standoff for 11 hours. But the person he was holding captive makes this story even more bizarre. Don't miss this. Back in two minutes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Just in here on this story, this horrendous fatal shooting in Carson City, Nevada early this morning at this IHOP.

The latest numbers we have, three people shot and killed, six wounded. But of those three, two of them were members of the media (sic) in uniform. We're telling you this and we're updating you because Mitt Romney, one of the presidential candidates, has now tweeted about this shooting this morning, because he will be giving his jobs address in about 15 minutes.

Let me just read this for you. He says -- quote -- "I'm deeply saddened by the senseless violence today in Carson City. My thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families."

Again, that is from Mitt Romney, who we will be hearing from in Las Vegas in just about 15 minutes from now.

The family of a black man killed in a brutal attack allegedly at the hands of seven white teenagers is looking for justice now in a courtroom; 49-year-old James Craig Anderson died in June after being beaten and run over. Today, his family filed a civil lawsuit against those seven teens they say were involved in his death.

The lawsuit claims the teens -- quote -- "set out on a mission to find and harm African-Americans." Two of the suspects, they are already facing criminal charges. They are 19-year-old Deryl Dedmon, charged with murder. Prosecutors say he led and instigated that attack. They say Dedmon repeatedly beat Anderson, ran him over with a truck, then boasted and laughed about the killing.

Also, John Aaron Rice was initially charged with murder. A judge reduced the charge to simple assault because Rice wasn't the one behind the wheel of the truck. The family's lawsuit says the other teens were negligent. It contends they acted as lookouts and did nothing to save Anderson after he was beaten.

Also, they have this, surveillance video of the incident that CNN obtained exclusively. And at the bottom right-hand corner of your screen, you can James Anderson. He's walking along that sidewalk. He's highlighted or he was highlighted in that circle. And you see the truck there moving forward. Prosecutors say this was after he was brutally beaten in that hotel parking lot. He was staggering. And then the truck backs up, surges forward and runs him right over.

The Southern Poverty Law Center is helping Anderson's family with the lawsuit. The group says this case goes beyond what is happening in Mississippi.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MORRIS DEES, SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER: This isn't just something that happens in Mississippi. This is something that's happening all across the nation. And we feel like this case is particularly egregious and we feel like that it gives the Anderson family this opportunity to use this case as an object lesson, an example. Hopefully, it will extend beyond this courthouse here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: The FBI is helping with that investigation and the district attorney is expected to take the case to a grand jury later this month. Other stories we are keeping a close eye on for you. A long police standoff with a man who claimed to have a bomb, that is over. Let me take you to Sydney, Australia, for this one. This man barricaded himself inside a law office with a young girl believed to be his daughter. There he is making signs out this window here, shouting, gesturing. After 11 hours of fruitless negotiations, police stormed the office, took this man into custody. The girl was reportedly not harmed. No official word yet on the man's motivations or if he even had a bomb.

The CIA has a new man at the top. He is David Petraeus hanging up the Army uniform he wore for 37 years. Vice President Joe Biden swore in Mr. Petraeus into office this morning in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. The former commander of the U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan takes over from Leon Panetta, who is now defense secretary. Petraeus is the 20th director of the CIA.

Speaking of new gigs, former Defense Secretary Robert Gates is returning to school. He has been chosen to become the new chancellor of the College of William and Mary in lovely Williamsburg, Virginia. Gates is a 1965 graduate of the school and will succeed former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor as chancellor there. It is not his first foray in academia. Secretary Gates was president of Texas A&M before President George W. Bush selected him to be his secretary of defense.

And just in to CNN, it's confirmed. Eddie Murphy will host next year's Oscars. This is the first time he has hosted the ceremony. Murphy, of course, known for his comedy, "Saturday Night Live, "Beverly Hills Cop," "Nutty Professor," franchises, the voice of Donkey in "Shrek." Keep in mind this man can also sing and dance, nominated for an Oscar for his role in "Dream Girls," the Academy Awards scheduled for February.

(STOCK MARKET UPDATE)

BALDWIN: And, as I mentioned, just a quick heads-up. We're waiting for Mitt Romney to appear on that stage in Las Vegas, where, as I mentioned, he's set to announce his jobs plan. But will it be enough for Republicans? We will take you there live.

Also, this:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All I know is that there was trouble and I wanted to warn everybody.

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: Ten years later, you're still thinking that?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: He warned the pilots of Flight 93 moments before terrorists stormed the cockpit on 9/11. Now this man is talking to CNN about those heart-stopping minutes and what haunts him to this day. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: All this week here on CNN, we're presenting what we're calling the "Footnotes of 9/11," the people who went to work on September 11, 10 years ago, without knowing they would play a professional part in that tragic day.

Drew Griffin met up with a United Airlines dispatcher who on that day, remember that Tuesday, suddenly found himself with information that his pilots in the air didn't know yet.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GRIFFIN (voice-over): For six years, Ed Ballinger has been sailing away from his memories. His refuge? This boat named "The Great Old Broad." He's been afloat with his wife, trying to escape the memory of a few brief words: "Beware cockpit intrusion."

ED BALLINGER, FMR. UNITED AIRLINES DISPATCHER: So I said, lock the so-and-so door? So they said, "Hijacking alert. Hijacking." So I said, "A possible hijacking?"

GRIFFIN: Ballinger is footnote 69. Ten years ago, on September 11th, he was a dispatcher for United Airlines in Chicago, handling 16 flights leaving the East Coast and heading West, including United Flight 175 out of Boston and 93 from Newark.

BALLINGER: All I know is that there was trouble and I wanted to warn everybody.

GRIFFIN: One of the those flights Ballinger tried to warn by the airline's version of an e-mail, United Flight 93.

BALLINGER: And I was sending out messages, one after the other. I think I sent 122 messages in a short time, an hour or -- I don't know what it was. It was like screaming on a keyboard. And at that time, the huge TVs that we have came on with CNN.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This just in. You are looking at obviously a very disturbing live shot there. That is the World Trade Center --

BALLINGER: Then I saw the second airplane, which I didn't know at the time was my airplane, 175, hit the second tower. And I thought the most succinct method of doing it, the least amount of words, "Beware cockpit intrusion." And I sent it to all my 16 flights. And before I got that one off, 93 called up and said they a little turbulence going off in their flying.

GRIFFIN (on camera): So, at that moment, 93 was routine?

BALLINGER: It was routine.

GRIFFIN: So you sent out your note and you know they got that. BALLINGER: He came back, "Hey, Ed, confirm." I confirmed back with him by telling him two airplanes hit the World Trade Center, which I sent to all the other flights.

GRIFFIN (voice-over): But the confirmation came too late. Investigators say two minutes after Flight 93's pilot, Jason Dahl, requested clarification, hijackers stormed his cockpit.

BALLINGER: Does "Beware cockpit intrusion" say it all? Can you say it faster? Quicker? And I wanted to quickly get the message out.

GRIFFIN (on camera): It's 10 years later. You're still thinking that.

BALLINGER: Yes. Yes. Maybe I should have wrote a dissertation on the thing and sent it to everybody. But I just sent them the quickest, fastest thing I could.

Can I ask you, how would you do it faster? But I keep asking myself that question.

GRIFFIN: Isn't that the real reason you're out on this boat?

BALLINGER: It could be. Yes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: That is just one of many stories we're going to be telling tonight about these Americans noted in what we're calling the "Footnotes of 9/11" in the commissioned report. Watch Drew's documentary at 11:00 Eastern. Again, we're calling it "Footnotes of 9/11."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES HOFFA, PRESIDENT, TEAMSTERS UNION: Everybody here has got a vote. If we go back and we keep the eye on the prize, let's take these son of a bitches out and give America back to America, where we belong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Harsh words from the Teamsters boss just before President Obama addressed a crowd there in Detroit. Members of the Tea Party movement are furious at those comments, but James Hoffa not apologizing. In fact, he's declaring war. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: I told you at the top of the show about that fatal shooting in that IHOP in Carson City, Nevada right around 8:00 local time, breakfast rush, 11:00 o'clock eastern. Three people shot and killed, two of whom members of the military in uniform. Six wounded. The gunman turned the gun on himself, although he is still alive.

Well, the U.S. Senate has now reconvened. In fact, we turned around sound for you I want to play. This is Harry Reid speaking about what happened in his home state a little while ago. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARRY REID, (D-NV) SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: Mr. President, I was saddened just a few minutes ago to hear of a senseless act of violence committed in our capital, Carson City, Nevada. It was a restaurant. There are few details on what happened or what led to this tragedy. It occurred a few minute ago. According to early reports three people are now dead and six others have been wounded by a single gunman.

So I extend my deepest sympathies to all those affected. The victims and their families are in my thoughts every day and will be every day and certainly they have been the last several minutes. I'm disturbed to hear that two of the victims were serving this nation proudly as part of the Nevada National Guard.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Senator Harry Reid there just moments ago speaking about what happened in Carson City.

Meantime, here we are day after the holiday, hope you had a nice Labor Day. In Detroit yesterday, they had the president, they had organized labor and they had Aretha Franklin.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(SINGING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Singing Aretha, she's looking good. At age 69 she's still bringing it.

And then you have these labor guys, UAW, teamsters. You can say they brought it as well. They have not minced words. Have a listen for yourself.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES HOFFA, PRESIDENT, TEAMSTERS UNION: We've got a bunch of people there that don't want the president to succeed and they're called the Tea Party. Let's take these son of a bitches out and give America back to the America where we belong. Thank you very much.

DENNIS WILLIAMS, SECRETARY-TREASURER, UAW: We don't care about the debt ceiling. Raise it. We don't care about the debt. Spend it. What we care about is to put Americans back to work. We got 13 million people out of work. Put their asses back to work. Quit screwing around.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: OK. Well, Jimmy Hoffa speaking I will of the Tea Party. They're saying that he was out of bounds inciting violence and they're calling on the president to denounce him as well. Keep in mind the president of the United States spoke there a little later on. We have not heard a response yet from the White House.

Quick reminder, we're watching the clock, watching that stage for Mitt Romney, who has been attacking on the slumping economy. Any minute now, the Republican will reveal his 59-point plan for creating jobs. We'll take you live to Las Vegas, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: All right, by my watch, 3:38 on the east coast. So running a little late, Mitt Romney, presidential candidate. We're going to keep this live picture up for you as we're watching and waiting for Mitt Romney, former Massachusetts governor, to speak there from Las Vegas about his jobs plan. He plans to unveil this 59-point plan, 160 pages. I don't know if you read the "USA Today" editorial from Mr. Romney, but he's ready to roll. We'll take him live as soon as we see him on the stage.

Meantime, let's switch gears. We've talked Texas drought. They need the rain. Chad Myers, though, Katia is still out there in the Atlantic swirling, category three.

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Big storm.

BALDWIN: Anywhere near the east coast or is she going to blow on through?

MYERS: Should turn earlier than Irene. Here's the irony of Katia because we talked about what could have happened with Irene, the potential was. Katia is actually a -- not as strong hurricane pressure-wise as Irene, yet, because there's nothing influencing Katia, but the wind are 115 miles per hour. Remember, Irene was supposed to be the big storm that could have hit the northeast, could have hit New York. Well, the pressure was even lower in Irene than this is right now.

Now, Brooke, the forecast is still this to be a gutter ball. It's going to be close to Cape Cod, Block Island. Here's Bermuda and here's the U.S. so that's why we call it a gutter ball, because it does not hit Bermuda and not the U.S. I haven't seen the storm begin to make that turn yet. That's what we always wait for. That is, is it going to turn, it's not turning yet, oh, there it goes, finally. It's sometimes a late arriving turn. If that happens, it could make some pretty good rip tides and current. We've talked about some of the stingrays and the jellyfish that are now being washed up on shore in Florida because of the big waves from Katia. I know it's a long way off, but the waves come in with this.

And so still a potential storm. I'm not giving up on it yet. If you had asked me should I go to Cape Cod for the weekend, I will say wait until tomorrow. Then I will give you my opinion. Wait until you see if it turns or not. If we see the turn, everybody is in good shape. If we don't see the turn, it could be more sinister.

Talking about Lee, we'll change directions just for a second because those big red boxes, Brooke, those are tornadoes watches. You saw the tornadoes in Georgia. South Carolina, North Carolina, even into Virginia today for the potential tornado. Not a big storm, Lee, but a lot of wind made smoke and fires in Texas.

BALDWIN: They didn't get the rain, just the wind which is not good news for the firefighters. Chad Myers, thanks so much. Winds died down just a tad today.

I'm going to sneak over and take a look, and I do see Mitt Romney on the stage. We're going to sneak in a quick break, and then once he gets to the meat of his jobs address, which should be momentarily, we'll bring it to you live. Be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: I just want to remind you we're keeping a close eye. He's still being introduced. Not quite speaking yet. Presidential candidate Mitt Romney about to speak in Las Vegas. As soon as he starts getting into the details, outlining his jobs plan, a lot of Americans want to hear about jobs, we're going to bring that to you live.

In the meantime, I do want to move on and talk to you about this. This story may seem a tad familiar if not a little strange. Remember this little phone. It was lost in a bar back in April of 2010. Well, it's happened again. Much like the iPhone 4, Apple once again searching for a secret prototype that could be the iPhone 5. Reportedly this phone was also lost in a bar. CNN's Dan Simon is on the hunt.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN SIMON: A new not yet for sale iPhone would be considered priceless if it ever got into the hands of Apple competitors who would love to take it apart and find out what's inside. So if reports that an Apple employee lost an iPhone 5 prototype are true, then whoever found it, probably had no idea what he or she had stumbled upon.

DECLAN MCCULLOUGH, CNET CORRESPONDENT: There was an ad that appeared on Craigslist offering the phone for $200 from a Vernal Heights resident. And so we think that's where it ended up.

SIMON: The technology website CNet reported an Apple employee lost the iPhone at a bar in San Francisco.

MCCULLOUGH: This appears to be just you have a few too many drinks and leave it behind.

SIMON: Apple wouldn't confirm the story, but the San Francisco police department put out a press release Friday evening that says Apple requested assistance in tracking down a lost item. Police sent four SFPD officers accompanying two Apple employees to a San Francisco home, and those employees went into the house to look for the lost item. None was recovered.

But then the publication "SF Weekly" reported that it had interviewed a man who consented to having his home searched for a phone last month after being confronted by people he presumed were police officers. No one in the group identified themselves as Apple employees. Again, no comment from Apple.

This whole story may seem a bit familiar. When Steve jobs introduced the iPhone 4 last year, he joked about whether anyone had seen it in advance.

STEVE JOBS, FORMER APPLE CEO: Stop me if you've already seen this.

(LAUGHTER)

SIMON: That's because many had.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm Jason Chang. This is the new iPhone.

SIMON: An iPhone 4 prototype lost in a bar and wound up in the hands of the tech blog Gizmodo, which paid $5,000 for the device.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Dan Simon, thank you. There is possible good news for all you Sprint customers. "Wall Street Journal" is reporting that the iPhone will soon be available to you either later this month or October.

And we're going to get a quick break in. We're keeping a close eye on the Mitt Romney event in Las Vegas. We'll bring it to you live momentarily. Be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)