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U.S. Sending Combat Troops to Africa; President Obama Visits Detroit; Interview With Nate Berkus; High School Teacher Under Fire for Facebook Rant; Man Has Stomach Removed Due to Cancer; Congress Proposes Legislation Restricting Government Abortion Funding; Herman Cain Surges in Polls among GOP Voters; Couple Has Sex While Skydiving; Johnny Depp Gives Interview to Larry King
Aired October 14, 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. We got some breaking in to us here at CNN. The U.S. is sending combat troops to a hot spot in Africa.
Let's go to the Pentagon, to our correspondent, Chris Lawrence.
Chris, what do you know?
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Brooke. This is a letter that President Obama sent to some of the Republican and top leaders and top members in Congress informing him that he was sending about 100 U.S. military troops to various parts in central Africa.
Basically, the first combat team deployed two days ago, on Wednesday. And they also went with the compliment of headquarters, logistic personnel, communications specialist to support them. And then in the next few weeks, another team will be joining them.
So, all told, there's going to be about 100 U.S. military troops in some of the countries around central Africa. If all of these country countries give the OK, U.S. troops could be operating to Uganda, South Sudan, the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
They are going there to support some of those nations in trying to remove a man by the name of Joseph Kony. He's the head of what is called the Lord's Resistance Army. It is a guerrilla group that has been trying to for the better part of two decades to try to establish a theocratic government in Uganda based on what they feel are the Ten Commandments. The problem is, the Lord's Resistance Army has been accused of rape, murder, and kidnapping on a massive scale.
Some have said that Kony has pressed more than 60,000 children into service and by most estimates about two million people have been displaced by the fighting that has continued to go on there -- Brooke.
BALDWIN: So, Chris, you mentioned 100 U.S. troops. Can we be more specific as far as what types of combat troops? Special forces? Do you know?
LAWRENCE: We don't have that level of specificity yet, but you can imagine in a mission like this, if not making up the entire team, that some special forces are included in that mix.
But again you have also got logistics and you have got communications, all the things that are needed to support those troops. In the president's letter it says they will not engage the Lord's Resistance Army directly, that they are there for information, advice, assistance but, of course, you always have to be prepared if things don't go that way. And the letter does clearly state that if attacked, these troops will be prepared to defend themselves.
BALDWIN: We're talking about a landlocked country here in Africa. What sort of dangers might these troops be up against?
LAWRENCE: Well, you're talking about a civil war that has been raging there for decades, very experienced fighters in that area. You know, it has some similarities to what a lot people at home might think of the Black Hawk down scenario. That mission was also launched around the same time of year, October.
It was the year 1993, about the same number of troops as well, maybe around 120 or so, but a very different mission. Those troops are going in there to capture some of the top lieutenants of a renegade warlord. This on the face of it -- and again we need to drill down and get some more detail -- but on the face of it, this seems like a broader mission to assist some of these countries in removing Joseph Kony and the heads of the Lord's Resistance Army.
BALDWIN: OK. Chris Lawrence for us with breaking news right out of the Pentagon, Chris, really appreciate it. thank you.
Also today here, the president talks jobs in Detroit with a special guest alongside. We are also hearing the last words of the pilots just before that Air France crash. And folks are lining up for the iPhone 4S.
Time to play "Reporter Roulette" on this Friday.
And I want to begin at the White House with our senior White House correspondent, Jessica Yellin.
Jessica, why Detroit and why is the president touring Detroit with the president of South Korea?
JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's because part of the trade deal the two presidents negotiated opens the South Korean market to import U.S. cars, and that means it should make that deal popular at least for now there in New York. Here was the president speaking earlier.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: When all was said and done, President Lee and I walked away with a trade agreement that is a win-win for both countries.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YELLIN: Now, they are at a General Motors plant that makes subcompact cars, the Sonic, a car that was originally manufactured in Korea and now clearly in the USA. So a popular one for this particular visit, Brooke.
BALDWIN: And I'm guessing this visit to this GM assembly plant also has a political angle as well. What might be some potential benefits for President Obama?
(CROSSTALK)
YELLIN: OK. Well, this is a state the president won easily in 2008, but with its high unemployment rate currently, he could fight to hold on to it this time around, especially if the Republican candidate is Mitt Romney, who has a history in that state, where his father was governor.
So, here in Michigan, the president can highlight the auto bailout and the administration says the factory that they are visiting today would have closed down, but was saved thanks to the help of that bailout. So we're seeing the president in Detroit a lot. You will see him a lot more there in the year to come, Brooke.
BALDWIN: Jessica Yellin, thank you very much.
And next here on "Reporter Roulette" -- "We're going to crash. This can't be true" -- these are the words, the final words inside the cockpit of a doomed Air France jet moments before it plunged into the sea.
Richard Quest there in London with details revealed in this new book.
It is chilling.
RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It is chilling.
And although it doesn't tell us any more really about what happened, we knew that the pilot flying had brought the nose up and was climbing when he should have been descending. He literally stalled the aircraft or made the stall much worse.
What it does do is give a much more rounded picture of the confusion between the two pilots flying and the captain who had just come urgently back off his rest break. Climb, climb, climb, says one. No, no, no, don't climb, says the captain. Go back up. Go back up. No, no, don't go up.
This gives you an idea in a very short period of time in just a couple of moments. I think what we will learn from this -- it's a controversial release, by the way. It's unauthorized. It's by a French author, Jean-Pierre Otelli, who has been roundly criticized by the investigating authorities and by Air France, who say that it is insensitive.
BALDWIN: Air France is furious. (CROSSTALK)
QUEST: Absolutely. "Air France wishes to express its emotion and complete disapproval." They say it's unnecessary. It doesn't help, and it should have only been released within a legal framework.
BALDWIN: Richard Quest in London, Richard Quest, thank you so much.
Next on "Reporter Roulette," Maggie Lake on West 14th Street to be specific, in New York City, outside of the Apple store.
Maggie, there's a little something going on there today, huh?
MAGGIE LAKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There certainly is. It has become an Apple tradition, Brooke, as you know.
We were at the store 8:00 this morning. The line was down the block. As you can see now, if I step out of the way, a little bit more orderly. Apple employees letting them in about 10 to 20 at a time. There's about 50 more waiting to come in.
This is, of course, the first time that the iPhone, the newest version offered by Sprint as well as AT&T and Verizon. The numbers at this store may be a little smaller than what we have seen in the past, but we know from the preorders online the best selling iPhone yet and that's by the end of the weekend maybe estimates three to four million. Pretty impressive for a phone that tech analysts and pundits were saying is only incrementally different.
But I talked to some of the folks online here today and one fellow who just went in the store right now put it very simply. He said, what can I say? I'm an Apple fanatic -- Brooke.
BALDWIN: We know one of the Apple co-founders, Steve Wozniak, I know he was front in line at one of those stores this morning in California.
Thank you so much, Maggie Lake. And that is today's "Reporter Roulette."
Still ahead: a high school teacher under fire for a Facebook rant in which she says homosexuality, and I'm quoting, "breeds like cancer." But she doesn't stop there. Find out what sparked her outburst. It involves Neil Patrick Harris.
Plus, hospital workers will be allowed to let women die on the floor. That's from Nancy Pelosi. We will tell you what bill just passed that could affect hospitals and your health insurance.
Also, joining me live in the studio, Nate Berkus. He is one of Oprah's favorite designers. He will reveal what your stuff says about you, why he's in Atlanta this weekend.
And it's a story I never thought I would be bringing you here at CNN, a couple has sex while skydiving and it's on video. You will see the pictures and hear why they are in big trouble. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: Welcome back. I'm Brooke Baldwin.
(NEWS BREAK)
BALDWIN: Coming up next, a special treat. He is one of Oprah's favorite designers. Nate Berkus in the studio joining me live. We're going to chat it up about everything from what you think of our digs here at CNN.
NATE BERKUS, DESIGNER: Very cool.
BALDWIN: Yes, very cool. Hi. Nice to meet you.
(CROSSTALK)
BERKUS: Thank you.
BALDWIN: We will talk. Nate Berkus. You can't turn away, the man right here revealing why you're here in Atlanta.
(CROSSTALK)
BERKUS: Yes, exactly. Tomorrow.
BALDWIN: Next -- stay tuned.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: So I just said to one of my team members the other day, it's the small things in life. And today is certainly no small thing.
Interior designer, expert Nate Berkus.
Expert, that sits well with you, right?
BERKUS: I guess so. I thought I was a small thing. I'm really happy. Yes.
BALDWIN: No, no, no, small things are important. This is a big thing, Nate Berkus here in Atlanta for the "Oprah" magazine event O You!!
And he is joined by some other big names, Suze Orman. Who else is here? Dr. Oz, Lisa Ling.
(CROSSTALK)
BERKUS: Peter Walsh.
BALDWIN: Ms. Winfrey herself?
BERKUS: Ms. Winfrey herself.
BALDWIN: All here to motivate people to become their best selves, as she often says.
So, first, let's do a little backstory on you. You can just sit tight and I will tell everyone who you are, if they don't know.
BERKUS: OK.
BALDWIN: He gained global recognition in 2002 after becoming one of Oprah Winfrey's favorite designers and recently celebrated his own show's one-year anniversary.
So congrats.
BERKUS: Thank you. Thank you.
BALDWIN: Wonderful having you here, kicks and all. Can we get a tight shot on the green -- very nice.
(CROSSTALK)
BERKUS: Thank you.
BALDWIN: So O You!, what is that?
BERKUS: O You! It's the fifth annual convention basically that "O" magazine does. We're in Atlanta this year.
And it's actually really interactive this year. There will probably be about 5,000 people, conservatively. And people, it's their Christmas vacation. It's really great to see, because people save up as Well, year to come to O You! And they get to talk to all of the people that they have come to know through the "Oprah" show and "O" magazine and things like that.
And we're just there all day. I'm presenting. I'm giving a speech, giving a talk. Also very interactive with Peter Walsh, the organization expert, and we just have a really good time. It's a chance to meet everyone who is reading the magazine. It's a chance to interact with them in person and just spend the day together. It's really fun.
BALDWIN: I want in a second about the panel or the seminar that you're specifically leading tomorrow.
BERKUS: Sure.
BALDWIN: But -- so for example, and I'm just going to -- because this is semi-embarrassing for me, but I don't care because I have you here, so we will do this.
One of our associate producers took pictures of my desk, because I know you talk a lot about your stuff, right?
BERKUS: All the time. All the time.
BALDWIN: And what your stuff says about you.
So here's my desk. I do have an office.
BERKUS: There we go.
BALDWIN: If you can see, I have some lovely flowers, and I have got a bunch of stuff underneath. I have got--
BERKUS: Now, did you buy those flowers for yourself or did somebody send them to you?
BALDWIN: Someone sent them as a thank you for emceeing an event recently.
BERKUS: OK. OK.
BALDWIN: Those are the flowers. I have got the Indigo Girls up on my desktop. I love music and I just interviewed them. Jane Lynch's book. What else do I have, guys?
BERKUS: Any framed photos?
BALDWIN: No. Oh, no.
BERKUS: Brooke, OK, so my thing -- and I have said this for years -- is that we all want to live better. That's a universal thing.
So we're looking at your desk, but this applies to everyone at home as well.
BALDWIN: OK.
BERKUS: The thing is, is that it doesn't matter how much money you have, how much money you don't have, what you aspire to achieve, what you don't. Our surroundings make us feel better about ourselves.
And so I have always believed that our stuff should tell the story of who we are or who we aspire to be. But I want you to have -- I wouldn't send you like a framed picture of myself to put on your desk, but I may send you a picture frame as a thank you, because I want you to have something really meaningful that is personal that you look at, not just -- I know you love music and have like--
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: I have my astronaut suit at my desk every day.
(CROSSTALK)
BERKUS: Sort of mementos, right.
BALDWIN: Yes.
BERKUS: But you should have some personal things at work, too. And I think that that is a good idea for everybody.
BALDWIN: OK. Note to self. So your stuff, your story.
In terms of tomorrow's seminar, then, are you taking that to another level? What will you be talking about?
BERKUS: Well, a lot of people want to have their things and their homes tell the story of who they are, but they don't know where to start. So that is what I'm talking about tomorrow. And in fact it really comes down to what we put on our bookshelves, what we allow to have on our fireplace mantle, what our eye sees the minute we come home from work or carpool or school or whatever it is that we are doing every day.
So I have always believed that what your eye falls on and what your eye lands on when you walk into your home is really important. And I'm going to teach people step by step how to do that tomorrow.
BALDWIN: Very cool. So looking around our studio, what does this say about CNN?
BERKUS: It says you guys very busy, don't you think?
BALDWIN: Busy with these guys.
(CROSSTALK)
BERKUS: Cameras, monitors -- yes, exactly.
It says there's a lot happening here, which I would hope, because it's CNN.
BALDWIN: Yes, breaking news all the time. We're on it.
BERKUS: All the time, every second.
BALDWIN: You watch, right, every day?
BERKUS: I do watch. I absolutely watch and follow on Twitter, by the way. Yes.
BALDWIN: Very good. Thank you very much, @Nate_Berkus.
And I am @BrookeBCNN.
Thank you so much. It's such a pleasure to meet you.
BERKUS: So fun to be here. Thank you.
BALDWIN: Come back any time.
BERKUS: Absolutely.
BALDWIN: I will look forward to that picture frame. Who knows what I will put in that picture frame? Nate Berkus, thank you.
BERKUS: Thank you.
BALDWIN: Coming up, this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) HANS RUEFFERT, CHEF: They saw 10 to 12 lesions and was told, this is it. You're on your way out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: This reality TV chef has no stomach. He's perfectly healthy, then finds out he has cancer and a serious brain infection. Dr. Sanjay Gupta reveals his symptoms and the surreal way he's recovering.
Plus, Nancy Pelosi says women will die on the floor and hospital workers will not have to save them. The House passing a controversial new federal funding bill that would affect hospitals and your health insurance. I will speak live to the Republican congressman who is sponsoring this bill. Don't miss the interview. Be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: A New Jersey high school teacher finds herself in the middle of a firestorm after posting anti-gay comments on her Facebook page.
And now at least one group is calling for teacher Viki Knox to be fired.
Sunny Hostin is on the case.
And, Sunny, let me just set this up here. This happened at a school in Union Township, New Jersey. And we will take a look at this poster here that was on display at school recognizing October as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender and History Month.
Knox posted a picture of this on her Facebook page. Her page, by the way, has since been taken down. But according to the "New Jersey Straight ahead-Ledger" paper, she allegedly wrote that homosexuality is -- quote -- "a perverted spirit that has existed from the beginning of creation." And she added that it is a -- quote -- "sin that breeds like cancer."
Sunny, I want you to hear what a gay activist in New Jersey had to say, and then we will talk.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVEN GOLDSTEIN, GARDEN STATE EQUALITY: This teacher is free to say whatever she wants. It's America. But when you post it on Facebook there for all your students to see, you're bringing such hatred into the educational process.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: School administrators, Sunny, they told WCBS, our affiliate there in New York, that Knox was escorted out of the school yesterday pending an investigation.
Do the comments on Facebook merit her to be fired? Are there grounds? SUNNY HOSTIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Well, I think many people will say yes, but the bottom line is, if she were just an employee at will, perhaps she could be terminated.
As a unionized member -- as a unionized teacher, I would imagine that perhaps there's going to be the argument that this was free speech, that this was protected speech. She was talking about sort of a concerted activity because she was talking about something that was going on in her school.
I will say this, though. It's so despicable, right, because teachers are supposed to be so tolerant and teach tolerance. And to have a teacher teaching children this type of hatred and discrimination is just deplorable.
So will she be fired? Unclear. Should she be fired? I think many of us would say yes. What will happen, we don't know. Certainly there needs to be some sort of reprimand at the very least for this teacher.
BALDWIN: We know that this teacher's comments actually came to light after a former Union Township councilman found them on Facebook.
Let's listen to what he says and then we will talk on the other side.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN PARAGANO, FORMER UNION TOWNSHIP, NEW JERSEY, COUNCILMAN: New Jersey has the strongest anti-bullying laws in the United States currently. And teachers are at the forefront of that. I question whether a teacher with these views could actually report bullying against a gay or lesbian student.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Does he have a point?
HOSTIN: I think that's a significant point because New Jersey has recently just passed I think what is the most robust anti-bullying laws that we have. We know Governor Chris Christie was really a supporter of it and he's also a former federal prosecutor, as I am.
And that law really has a lot of teeth. But the teachers and other administrators are sort of the safeguards put in place as part of that process in that law. And I would agree that if you have a teacher showing such intolerance and that she's supposed to be on the front line of preventing this kind of bullying, because a lot of bullying, I have learned, stems from sexual orientation discrimination.
And so when you have someone like this who is supposed to be sort of a safeguard for the system, that's very, very troubling.
BALDWIN: Wanted to ask you this also sort of side note. We have been talking this week on CNN as part of our in-depth coverage about anti- bullying. And I know you're part of Anderson -- Anderson Cooper's anti-bullying special.
Just tell me what role. And I know we can see, what is it, they're re-airing it Saturday night 8:00?
HOSTIN: That's right.
And I have to say I was just so honored to have been asked to be part of it. My part of course was as a legal analyst and just examining some of the lawsuits that have come out. And I was really thrilled to be there with Kelly Ripa and Dr. Phil McGraw and other folks, because really bullying has become such an epidemic.
And things need to be done. There's no federal bullying law. And I would say shame on the legislators for not doing more in that regard. I think New Jersey really has done wonderful work in the wake of Tyler Clementi's suicide that we all reported on and remember quite well.
BALDWIN: Yes.
HOSTIN: But there really does need to be some federal legislation here. And I think really that New Jersey's law can be the model for that.
BALDWIN: Well, I look forward to watching it again.
And, of course, you should be included in such an amazing group of people, Saturday, 8:00 p.m. Eastern here on CNN.
HOSTIN: Thank you. Thank you.
BALDWIN: Sunny Hostin, thank you. Have a great weekend.
In this week's "Human Factor," a story about a chef with a twist, a man without a stomach helping others realize food can be medicine.
Here is Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hans Rueffert is a chef without a stomach or much of an esophagus.
HANS RUEFFERT, CHEF: I have had 11 surgeries in the last six years.
GUPTA: You see, Rueffert was diagnosed with gastric cancer just weeks after appearing in the 2005 season of "The Next Food Network Star."
RUEFFERT: There was a tumor sitting right at the junction of the stomach and the esophagus.
GUPTA: His treatment was painful. Rueffert had half his stomach and most of his esophagus removed immediately after his diagnosis. And then more operations, chemo, radiation. But eventually he was cancer- free. That's when the headaches began.
RUEFFERT: They saw ten to 12 lesions and was told, this is it. You're on your way out.
GUPTA: It wasn't cancer but it was a serious brain infection caused by his newly constructed digestive system.
RUEFFERT: I ended up springing a leak at that junction where the esophagus and stomach were connected, and that leak actually almost killed me.
GUPTA: Antibiotics got rid of the infection, but a year later, a second worse than the first. Both infections were so serious that doctors didn't want him to risk him getting yet another one. So in march of this year, the rest of his Rupert's stomach was removed. Even though his stomach is gone, he eats six healthy small meals a day, which now go directly into his intestines.
RUEFFERT: The expression, you are what you eat. It's cliche as can be, and it's because it's true. And for me that really is amplified.
GUPTA: He wrote a cookbook after his first operation, and for the last five years he's been teaching fellow survivors how to incorporate cancer-fighting foods into their diets.
RUEFFERT: It's power and it's energy and it's energy that our bodies can readily assimilate, even for a guy without a stomach.
GUPTA: Rueffert said the six years have been difficult, but being open about it and surrounding himself with family and friends has helped him overcome every challenge so far.
RUEFFERT: Somehow you just have to find a little more strength to keep going, keep going, and keep going. Here we are, I just had my sixth year checkup and we are six years cancer-free.
GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BALDWIN: Hans has had toll learn how to re-eat twice in the past six years. And when he's not working in the kitchen at his family's restaurant, he is mentoring other gastric cancer survivors across the country.
More news right after this quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: We want to make sure you know about this. This is a story out of Washington that sort of flew under the radar. And it concerns abortion. The House adopted new abortion restrictions, Republicans voting for and Democrats voting against. This bill would bar the use of tax subsidies granted under the health reform law to enroll in medical plans that cover abortion.
In addition it would grant new latitude to federally-funded hospitals to deny abortions and abortion-related services. I have our senior legal analyst Jeff Toobin standing by. But first let's go to Washington because we have the bill's sponsor, representative Joe Pitts, Republican from Pennsylvania. Congressman Pitts, thanks for coming on. REP. JOE PITTS, (R) PENNSYLVANIA: My pleasure.
BALDWIN: How your legislation apple to hospitals?
PITTS: It would not affect the way hospitals or doctors treat patients now at all. The same conscious protection that has been the law that they operate under and the law called impala would still be the same. All we do is provide the conscious protection for a health care worker that they can't be compelled to perform an abortion.
The conscience law has not resulted in any of the outrageous scenarios that were quoted on the floor. I had several doctors who have practiced as OB/GYNs speak on the floor yesterday who said that that was an outrageous interpretation. They've never experienced that. The law requires a doctor must treat a woman, a pregnant woman and her unborn child if they -- if they come into an emergency situation.
BALDWIN: Well, let me bring one other voice into this. We heard this during yesterday's debate. I want to play some sound. This is from Democrat Jackie Speier speaking about an emergency abortion she herself underwent back in the early '90s.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. JACKIE SPEIER, (D) NEW YORK: I was pregnant, I was miscarrying, I was bleeding. If I had to go from one hospital to the next trying to find one emergency room that would take me in, who knows if I would even be here today?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: So Congresswoman Speier called your bill, specifically, she called it misogynistic. She also said it would set restrictions on a single class of patient, that being pregnant women. Sir, what is your response to that?
PITTS: You'll notice she said "if I to go, who knows?" This is all hypothetical, and, in my opinion, absolutely wrong. The doctors clearly refuted this. Talk to the doctors who have been practicing for 30, 35 years, delivered thousands of babies, have treated these kinds of situations many times, and they will tell you, this is an outrageous interpretation.
They are merely -- what we voted on was merely the same conscious protections that they have enjoyed for the last decade or however many years that this law has been on the books. This doesn't change a thing. This is the same law that was passed in the House overwhelmingly, bipartisanly, for instance, when we considered the Pelosi version of health care. We had 63 Democrats support these pro- life provisions and it was passed by the House. We didn't hear that then.
BALDWIN: OK, Congressman Pitts, I appreciate it. Perhaps we will talk to doctors. But in meantime I do want to talk to the lawyer or senior legal analyst, Jeff Toobin. Jeff, I want to begin with the charge that we just heard from Congresswoman Speier that is an anti- abortion bill. Is that your reading? And if so is that legal?
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: I think the issue is it legal is very separate from is it a good idea? I think the bill is likely to be legal, but if courts have upheld many restrictions on abortion other than outlawing it all together. We have seen in many -- in recent years attempts to make abortions more difficult to obtain, more expensive. This bill tries to get insurance programs not to cover abortion.
The Supreme Court, it seems, and you have to do some prognostication here, basically appears to be upholding any restriction on abortion except outlawing it all together. And in that vein I think they would allow this restriction.
BALDWIN: OK, Jeff Toobin and, again, Congressman Pitts, thank you both for coming on.
Still ahead, here's a change of pace here. A couple has sex while skydiving and their x-rated stunt not only caught on video but landed them in big, big trouble. You're going to see it.
Also Herman Cain is the frontrunner in the Republican nomination, but is playing a role here? We have a fascinating look into that.
But, first -- we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: And now we "Americans Choice 2012 Politics" update. Shannon Travis looks at Herman Cain's race to his White House and whether skin color has anything to do it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Hello, Chicago.
SHANNON TRAVIS, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: In 2008 Americans watched as one African-American kept his eye on the prize and won it.
OBAMA: It's been a long time coming. But, tonight, because of what we did on this day in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.
TRAVIS: Fast forward three years, another black man also eyeing the prize also generating buzz, but he was reluctant to mentioned race in the story of his journey. Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain also believes that the notion of racism is overblown.
HERMAN CAIN, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: People sometimes hold themselves back because they want to use racism as an excuse for them not being able to achieve what they want to achieve.
TRAVIS: Many of Herman Cain's conservative supporters agree race should not be an issue. Why are conservative's reluctant to talk about Cain being a black man? For one, many say it's liberals who overly focus on race in politics. The candidate himself says this. WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": Why is the Republican party basically poison for so many African-Americans?
CAIN: Because many African-Americans have been brainwashed into not being open-minded, not even considering a conservative point of view.
TRAVIS: A second reason concerns the Tea Party. Critics have accused it of harboring racist elements, something Tea Party supporters deny. But Cain's popularity is rising in recent polls, the former radio talk show host has long been a Tea Party favorite.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do you think of this whole Tea Party citizens' movement?
TRAVIS: He's been a south after speaker at Tea Party rallies. He's won presidential straw polls with strong Tea Party support, and many activists say that they want him on a presidential ticket either at the top or as VP. Organizers site those facts against claims of Tea Party bigotry.
Jenny Beth Martin is co-founder of the largest Tea Party Group, the Tea Party Patriots. She told CNN, quote, "I think that having an African-American with so much Tea Party support is another example that the Tea Party movement is not racist. It shows that we're looking at the issues and we're not looking at skin color."
Yet questions regarding Cain's skin collar will likely continue. As many people celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. at this weekend's dedication of his Washington memorial, Herman Cain has his own take on the dream.
CAIN: I have achieved all of my American dreams and then some because of the great nation of the United States of America. What's there to be angry about?
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TRAVIS: And, Brooke, take note of those words, "What's there to be angry about?" Herman Cain says he's achieved all of his American dreams, that all of his successes have come because of himself and not because of government handouts or anything like that. When you listen to Herman Cain, he's a classic pull yourself up by your own bootstraps conservative. And part of that is why he's resonated within certain Republican circles. We certainly know he's been popular among Tea Party activists, and that's the kind of message that they like. Stick to the economy, taxes, constitutional adherence and don't focus on what you have gotten or what you haven't gotten because you're black.
BALDWIN: Shannon Travis, thank you so much.
And, all right, finally the story has a lot of people talking. A couple has sex while sky diving. The man involved has just responded to us. We'll be right back with that next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: OK, this is all Friday kind of story. And I have to warn you, even blurred, the pictures are racy, so I'm going to pause for a beat. If you have young kids watching, you may want to send them out of the room right now. This next report is about a sky diving sex stunt that's raising all kinds of eyebrows in southern California. And the FAA is not investigating whether a couple violated any laws by doing the deed on a plane and during the sky dive.
Kiyosa Tomono with CNN affiliate KGET has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KIYOSHI TOMONO, KGET CORRESPONDENT: The viral video is so explicit we're only going to show you blurred still images. With a Katy Perry pop song blaring in the background, the video was posted on the age protected blog of Alex Torre, a porn star also moonlighted on weekends as an instructor at Skydive Taft. Torre, who goes by the nickname Voodoo, abruptly removed the video as a Taft investigation began to unfold.
DAVE CHROUCH, OWNER, SKYDIVE TAFT: I didn't know it until yesterday when one of the officer's came over from the Taft police department and informed me this was going around the kids in school and stuff.
TOMONO: The video shows Torre and Hope Howl, a receptionist at the sky dive school, having sex in a plane before jumping out in tandem and continuing the act midair.
CHROUCH: Yes, I was really surprised.
TOMONO: The video was a stunt Torre put together to get the attention of Howard Stern.
CHROUCH: Apparently, they told my pilot it was OK to do this and showed up in the morning before anybody got here and shot this thing.
TOMONO: Lieutenant Ed Whiting of the Taft police department was over at the sky dive school yesterday investigating and says there are no criminal charges pending. He says everyone who appeared in the video was of age, and since no one complained about witnessing the dive, he says there are no public nudity charges to be had either.
CHROUCH: One teenage boy apparently saw it, from my understanding was upset at the girl in the video that was in the video and took it and posted it to all of his friends.
TOMONO: A spokesmen with the FAA says there is no explicit policy on sexual conduct on private planes. But, Ian Gregor says, any activity that could affect the pilot's ability to concentrate on flying or cause the pilot to be jostled could constitute a violation of federal aviation regulations. At one point in the video the couple shown seated in a jump seat right next to the pilot.
CHROUCH: I wasn't concerned. He was in complete control of the plane at all times. (END VIDEOTAPE)
BALDWIN: By the way, we did reach out to Torre, who says his name is spelled without an "s" and gave us the following statement --
"Nobody was intended to be hurt from this. It was a stunt that the woman involved and I did for ourselves. It wasn't supposed to be out there. This was posted on an age-restricted restricted website. So no, I am not at all remorseful. I am a professional of seven years in the sport and this woman has previous experience sky-diving. This was a well-thought out stunt with safety as our top concern."
TV legend Larry King sits down with one of the more elusive actors in the world.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHNNY DEPP, ACTOR: I still feel like in terms of character, Captain Jack is one I'd like to explore.
LARRY KING, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: He's still evolving?
DEPP: Yes. Because he's -- because he's fun, you know. It's a license to be totally and utterly irreverent and get away with it.
KING: He's going to age then.
DEPP: Well, I suppose he'll have to.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BALDWIN: So, guess who's joining me next? Larry King himself to talk more about this conversation with Johnny Depp at Johnny Depp's private home office coming up right after this break.
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BALDWIN: Larry King has scored a giant coup. This Sunday Larry sits down with Hollywood legend Johnny Depp. Keep in mind, Depp doesn't do many interviews, and getting Depp to sit down not only just for an interview -- we're talking an extended, in depth chat -- Depp just doesn't do that, unless I guess it's Larry King calling. So, I wanted to get a preview, so I got Larry on the phone. And Larry king, since we don't get to see you, I thought -- hey, Larry King. I'm putting on my suspenders right now. I don't know if you're near a monitor --
KING: I am.
BALDWIN: -- it's my homage to you. You are?
KING: I am. A little tired. I just got back from skydiving.
(LAUGHTER)
BALDWIN: Larry, Larry, Larry. Let's not even go there.
KING: You went there.
BALDWIN: I know, I did. How are you doing?
KING: I'm doing fine. Everything's good and I'm out doing speeches. I just got back from Moscow. I was in Slovakia. I was in Kazakhstan. We're big in Kazakhstan. Anyway, so, then this Johnny Depp thing, and we worked very hard on it. The staff and Wendy Walker, our executive producer worked on it I think for months.
BALDWIN: Really, to try to get him?
KING: We do four specials a year. This is our third one. He agreed to it. And he was fantastic. We did it at his office where he's never been filmed.
BALDWIN: Tell me about his office. It looks like a roulette table as the coffee table, art.
KING: Everything, it's got his throne from one of his -- Willy Wonka, a beautiful painting he did of Brando, who had a great effect on his life, which he goes in depth about. He was very responsive, didn't duck anything, went everywhere we wanted to go. He was terrific. I asked why he doesn't do interviews. He doesn't enjoy being famous.
BALDWIN: You ask him precisely about that. Here's his answer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KING: How did you react to getting famous?
DEPP: I'm still reacting, you know? I'm still sort of dealing with it. I don't think it's anything you ever get used to, you know. I could never, for many years, sort of put my name in the same sort of category as the word "famous" or anything like that. I just found it very uncomfortable.
So it's weird. Something like if you get used to it, then something must be wrong. If you get used to that constant kind of thing, something's got to be wrong. There has got to be so a part of you, somewhere that pines for anonymity.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: I like how he said that, he's still reacting. What did you make of that? Why is that? He's been famous for a long time.
KING: I know. I think it's just pure honesty. Things we forget, he hadn't had a successful film until "Pirates." He had been in a lot of moderately successful films. The film that affected him the most was "Edward Sissorhands."
BALDWIN: I love that movie.
KING: But that movie didn't make a lot of money. And "Pirates" blew him through. We've seen, we think we've known the name for ever. We really haven't. He's basically a guitar player from Kentucky, lived in Florida, moved out here. Nicholas cage asked him to take a screen test. He got a part in "Nightmare on Elm Street."
But fame to him is relatively new. He's not comfortable with it. He doesn't go out to restaurants. You don't see him a lot around in L.A. He's very private. He's devoted to his wife and children like when we finished the interview, I left to go pick up my kids. He went to go pick up his kids.
BALDWIN: So a dad and an actor, devoted dad.
KING: Dad comes first.
BALDWIN: You mentioned Marlon Brando. Of course, we know about your famous kiss, right, with Marlon Brando in your interview. But as you mentioned, he had, has quite an affection for Marlon Brando. They were friends, and you asked him about that. Let's listen to that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEPP: Marlon had the best definition of acting that exists, you know. It's a strange job for a grown man. That's it. It's a strange job for a grown man.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Pretty good impression. Pretty good.
(LAUGHTER)
KING: Yes. Brando once told Mike Medvoy (ph) his description was lying for a living.
(LAUGHTER)
BALDWIN: So we will see more Captain Jack Sparrow, did he say?
KING: Yes, they're going to do another one. He also announced, which was officially announced today by Disney that they are going to do the Lone Ranger and Tonto. They start filming late January. He will be Tonto. I asked why he would accept a role of a character that is subservient to another one, and he said, he's not going to be subservient.
BALDWIN: We'll look forward to it. Larry King Sunday night, 8:00 eastern. Thanks for spending a couple of minutes with us here. I really, really appreciate it. Have a wonderful weekend.
And that does it for me. Wolf Blitzer, "THE SITUATION ROOM," starts right now.
