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No Super Committee Deal Yet; Unrest in Egypt; U.C. Davis Police Chief on Leave; Gunman on Schriever Air Force Base; Phone Hacking Scandal; Hugh Grant: Tabloid Hacked My Phone; Loughner's Life Behind Bars; Cops: Cement Injected in Woman's Buttocks; Now Comes Gingrich; "Super Committee" Countdown

Aired November 21, 2011 - 14:00   ET

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

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Hello to all of you. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

Let's get you caught up on everything making news this hour, "Rapid Fire," let's go, beginning with still no deal from the super committee.

Right now, Republicans, Democrats on the panel, they are debating a plan to cut $1.2 trillion in government spending over the course of the next 10 years. We are expecting them to announce today that they have failed, failed to reach an agreement. And if that happens, it would very likely lead to automatic cuts in both defense and domestic programs. One of the key sticking points here, whether to end the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy.

And the news of a possible failure has the Dow sinking right now. Take a look at the Big Board with me, triple digit down on Dow, 326 points. We will keep an eye on that, obviously most of it due to concerns over American and European debt. We will keep watching the markets for you this hour.

Also, we're watching Egypt. News here just in to CNN, the Cabinet submits its resignation. That word coming from the prime minister's office. This follows three days of violence that left at least 22 people dead and more than 1,700 others injured. This is all according to government health officials there. Keep in mind it has been 10 months now since scenes similar to this here have been playing out on the streets that really helped lead to the end of any Hosni Mubarak's regime. But now protesting Egyptians says the present military government has got to go.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: "Nothing has changed," she responds. "We have gone backwards. The Military Council is garbage. Mubarak is still alive and well and the people are dying.

Shouts this man, "Mubarak is running the Military Council and the whole country from prison, Mubarak and all the corrupt businessmen around him."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: The government is apologizing and asking people to wait for elections, which, keep in mind, happen pretty soon, November 28.

Happening right now at Oklahoma State University, we're waiting to see a memorial service for two women's basketball coaches who died in a plane crash last week. Both coach Kurt Budke and assistant coach Miranda Serna were headed to Arkansas on a recruiting visit when the plane went down. I'm told these are live images of students, faculty sitting in on this memorial that's happening at this hour at Oklahoma City -- excuse me -- Oklahoma state.

A former state senator as well who was piloting that plane and his wife also died and are also being honored there today.

President Obama signs legislation to help businesses hire unemployed veterans. Businesses will get up to a $5,600 tax credit for each veteran they hire and a $9,600 tax credit for every veteran with disability.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Today, the message is simple. For businesses out there, if you are hiring, hire a veteran. It's the right thing to do for you. It's the right thing to do for them. And it's the right thing to do for our economy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(NEWS BREAK)

BALDWIN: A sad day at the University of Arkansas; 19-year-old football player Garrett Uekman was found dead in his dorm room yesterday morning. In a statement, the school says the cause of death is not yet known. But they don't think anything suspicious was involved. Uekman's parents say he was "living his dream" playing football for the Razorbacks.

And another shocking loss in sports. Police in the Netherlands say 24-year-old Seattle Mariners player Greg Halman was found stabbed to death today. Investigators have arrested his 22-year-old brother. The Mariners issued a statement saying in part -- quote -- "The Mariners family is deeply saddened by the tragic death of Greg Halman. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Greg's family."

A New York man behind bars this hour is charged in an alleged terror plot. Investigators say Jose Pimentel planned to bomb police, U.S. troops and postal workers. Mayor Michael Bloomberg called Pimentel an al Qaeda sympathizer and showed this after announcing the arrest. Take a look. Police staged that blast just to show the power of the bomb Pimentel was allegedly building.

Penn State brings in former FBI Director Louis Freeh, and he will lead an independent investigation into the school's report to child sex abuse investigations against former defense football coach Jerry Sandusky. If he uncovers news evidence, Freeh says he will go straight to police.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LOUIS FREEH, FORMER FBI DIRECTOR: We will immediately report any evidence of criminality to the appropriate law enforcement authorities. If our investigation identifies any additional victims of sexual crimes against or exploitation of children, we will immediately report this to law enforcement authorities.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Also today, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is in Salt Lake City for an antitrust lawsuit against the software giant. Utah- based Novell Incorporated filed sued back in 2040 claiming Microsoft unfairly rejected its WordPerfect software. Microsoft thus far denying the allegation, saying the program crashed its Windows 95 system. The suit is an offshoot of the U.S. government's antitrust case against Microsoft settled more than eight years ago.

And here's one for you. File this away in the just amazingly cool file. A dinosaur nest believed to be 70 million years old found in Mongolia with the fossilized remains of 15 young dinosaurs called protoceratops. Scientists reported the discovery in the latest "Journal of Paleontology." And experts believe a desert sandstorm probably buried the young dinosaurs alive.

Students at a Texas high school showed their affection for a bullied teacher last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(SINGING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: You know the song, Beatles, "All You Need is Love."

So dozens of students showed up at his home. His name, fittingly, Mr. Love, he is a 92-year-old substitute teacher at Kingwood High School. And they say this was in response to a student telling him Friday, you're old and you're going to die any day.

What are the students thinking? I don't know.

Got a lot more to cover for you in the next two hours, including this:

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Foolish. Reckless. Those are just some of the words being tossed around to describe members of your super committee. They have had months to come up with this plan. So now where is it? I'm Brooke Baldwin. The news is now.

(voice-over): Three days of bloodshed and no end in sight, 1,700 protesters hurt, nearly two dozen dead, as bullets fly and tear gas rains down. CNN is there in the middle of the chaos.

Hugh Grant takes the stand.

HUGH GRANT, ACTOR: She was being tailed by paparazzi.

BALDWIN: The actor says the press hacked his phone and printed secrets about his love life. Plus, the Republicans running for president sit around a table and are told, bare your soul.

RICK SANTORUM (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I have seen her as less of a person.

HERMAN CAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We can do this.

BALDWIN: What drove three candidates to tears?

And --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I see pepper spray as a tool for officers to use.

BALDWIN: New fallout and new outrage after police pepper-spray sitting Occupy protesters.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Plenty of talk today about the super committee, the committee of Congress that is trying to write this legislation to slash the national debt by Wednesday.

Here's what Wall Street is saying. You saw the numbers, let's bring them up again, the Dow down 308 points, so triple-digit drop on the Dow based largely on the reports the super committee has failed.

Here's another voice. You read your "Washington Post" this morning? Greg Sargent wrote this, the lead line: "here's why the super committee failing. In one sentence, Democrats wanted the rich to pay more in taxes toward deficit reduction and Republicans wanted the rich to pay less in taxes toward deficit reduction."

So, based on the plans on the table, one from the Democrats and one from the Republicans, that is accurate. But hang on a second. Everyone, wait, because this morning we pretty much chased down the committee's co-chair, Senator Patty Murray, a Democrat, and she says the clock is still ticking.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. PATTY MURRAY (D), WASHINGTON: We're still talking and we will see what happens today, but the hours are short.

QUESTION: You wouldn't call it a failure yet, would you?

MURRAY: No. Not yet. (END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Not yet.

Kate Bolduan, live on the Hill for me, what is the state of play up there? Why is Senator Murray saying, hey, maybe it's not over yet?

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Senator Murray has all along said she's still sitting at the table and she is ready to talk. But there's a big caveat there.

They still have not been able to bridge the gap between Democrats and Republicans on this committee, which is the issue of taxes as you were talking about off the top. The state of play really, the latest we have, is that aides are still telling us it is likely that this committee will be announcing that it has not been able to reach agreement, possibly issuing a paper statement in the next few hours, saying just that.

But, at the same time that I say that, I will also tell you that there's an impromptu meeting taking place that may be wrapping up as we speak. But I just walked away from it, an impromptu meeting of a bipartisan group of super committee members happening just one floor below where I am right now in Senator John Kerry's office, including Senator Baucus, Senator Kyl, Senator Portman, as well as Congressman Van Hollen, Senator Kerry, and Senator Murray, who you just heard from.

Described to me as an impromptu meeting, described also as trying for a Hail Mary pass to see if they could pull something off at the very end. But I will say that there is still -- all signs, barring a breakthrough, an unforeseen breakthrough, all signs still point to that this committee has not been able to find the common ground needed to achieve the $1.2 trillion minimum in deficit savings, that they are headed for failure, Brooke.

BALDWIN: So, Hail Mary. You never know. You mentioned Senator Kyl. I want to play this piece of sound. Let's listen to Arizona Republican Senator Jon Kyl sort of painting a silver lining about a possible failure of the super committee of which as you mentioned he is a part.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JON KYL (R-AZ), MINORITY WHIP: People should realize there's still going to be $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction. It's just it won't be done through what the committee might have recommended, but rather in across-the-board cuts and those aren't as -- those could be more difficult for the Defense Department, for example, and for some domestic programs.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So he's talking about, as you well know, those automatic cuts supposed to take effect if the super committee does fail. But I give air quotes because when you read the fine print, Kate, doesn't it say the automatic cuts they don't come until 2013? So, in other words, a lot of stuff can happen between now and then.

BOLDUAN: A lot of stuff can happen. That's an excellent point, Brooke, and something that is very much worth noting and emphasizing.

These cuts, they are painful and they are supposed to be that way because they were put into place as a so-called trigger to motivate the committee to act. They were supposed to be such a horrible alternative that the committee would have to find common ground on these very tough issues. But they have not been able to reach agreement and they have written into the legislation from the summer's debt ceiling debate that these would not set in until 2013.

So that will give us an entire year of members of Congress trying to fight over whether or not to overturn the sequester, as it's called formally, whether or not to carve out, to limit the kind of heavy impact on the defense budget that is set to set in. Regardless in election year this is going to be a fight that we will continue to talk about and it is not over, at least that part of it, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Well, if anything happens with that impromptu meeting and a Hail Mary pass is thrown, Kate Bolduan, I expect you will hop back in front of that camera and bring it to us there from there Hill.

BOLDUAN: No problem.

BALDWIN: Kate, thank you so much.

Meantime, dozens dead, 1,700 people hurt, all of this in Egypt. So what is the message? What do these people want? We're going to tell you the story behind these violent protests and brand-new video of an incredibly violent attack. That's coming up in two minutes.

Plus, have you seen this video? This actually happened right here in the United States. More than a dozen college students -- you hear people booing -- they're sitting down arm in arm in protest. They are pepper-sprayed. We're going to talk to one of those students.

And file this one under one of the most bizarre stories I have ever heard of. A fake doctor is accused of injecting a combination of cement, mineral oil, and fix-a-flat into a woman's rear end. I'm not making this stuff up. Stay with me.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Egypt's cabinet has submitted its resignation. This is all in response to recent bloody clashes. Just a warning for you now as we tell this story. Some of the images you're about to see are pretty tough to look at.

But first I just wanted to show you. This is a flashback, and this was January of this year, the masses in protest against then- President Hosni Mubarak. Reportedly more than 350 people died then. And then this here, this is Egypt right now.

So when you look at the death toll, and again, the numbers change, death toll three days of clashes later 22 people. This is according to government health officials there. Wasn't this supposed to end when President Hosni Mubarak's government fell months ago? What happened?

CNN's Ivan Watson is live for us in Cairo.

We know the news that's just come down, Ivan. The Egyptian Cabinet has just submitted its resignation. Set the stage for me. I hear sirens. Tell me what you're seeing, what you're hearing. And now that they have submitted the resignation, is this what the demonstrators wanted?

IVAN WATSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Brooke, let's just bring you up to date on the political crisis here very quickly.

We have just gotten off the phone with a spokesman for the ruling forces military council here, the Supreme Council, the armed forces, Lieutenant Colonel Amr Imam. When we asked him, has the Military Council accepted the resignation of the government, his answer was -- quote -- "Yes, it's accepted. (SPEAKING ARABIC)," which in Arabic means, "That's enough."

So definitely the civilian leadership of this country has stepped down in the wake of the bloodshed of the last three days. And that brings me to the ambulances that you're hearing. There's a constant stream of ambulances that are in Tahrir Square, which is full of thousands, if not tens of thousands of demonstrators, and they're constantly rushing out wounded people from the running street battles that are taking place in the alleyways and roads beyond Tahrir Square between those demonstrators and police and in some cases soldiers as well.

Eyewitnesses saying they're even fighting on rooftops in those neighborhoods back there. And in the midst of this, this has brought down the civilian government. The army still runs the show here. That's very important to note.

And, Brooke, the thousands of people in there that are chanting they want regime change, they're now chanting that they want the ruling Military Council to step down. So it's not even clear if this government collapse is even going to satisfy the people who are fighting in the streets right now.

BALDWIN: Ivan, isn't that the crux of the issue, and the crux of these demonstrations the last couple of days is that those people, at least the people demonstrating in Tahrir Square, they do not want the military to be in charge?

WATSON: Yes. I mean, the military was welcomed when Hosni Mubarak resigned some 10 months ago, but in the interim, there's been growing anger and frustration at how they're running the show.

Frequently, protests have been broken up by force. The army has been brought in to do that. There have been allegations of human rights abuses, of infringement on freedom of expression and freedom of the press. And a lot of people simply don't trust the generals to run this country anymore.

And the fact that this is happening just a few days before Egypt is supposed to go to the polls in its first post-dictatorial parliamentary election, it really throws everything in flux in the most populous country in the Arab world, a real linchpin in the whole prolonged Arab spring, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Right. Election Day there in Egypt November 28. We will be watching along right with you as we continue to hear the sirens ring out over the night sky in Cairo. Ivan Watson, thank you so much.

Now take a look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I see pepper spray as a tool for officers to use, and like any other tool that we carry and we utilize, you hope and pray that it's used correctly and within policy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: That was University of California, Davis, campus police using pepper spray on those student protesters. You're going to get the story behind the video when I talk to one of the students who got sprayed. What was she thinking and what's going on at the campus police department today? That's after this short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Have you seen this shocking video from just over this past weekend? Campus police at University of California, Davis, pepper-spraying students at this nonviolent protest. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Move or you're going to get it in the face. Move!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Again, this was the scene that played out Friday, U.C. Davis. Officers struggled with students associated with the Occupy Wall Street movement to get them to clear this sidewalk.

The demonstrators, they sat there, you see them sitting peacefully, arms linked, protesting tuition hikes and the use of police force against student protesters. That's when one of the officers pulled out that can of pepper spray you see there, spraying the demonstrators at point-blank range in a sweeping motion.

Today, the campus police chief was place placed on administrative leave. That is after the two officers were placed on the same leave yesterday.

On the phone with me now, Sophia Kamran, one of the students sitting there who was pepper-sprayed by police.

And, Sophia, first, just take me back to Friday. You, it looked like maybe a dozen other students, sitting on a sidewalk. You didn't want to leave. Police wanted you to leave. And then you see the pepper spray. Just describe those moments for me.

SOPHIA KAMRAN, PROTESTER (on the phone): It was the simultaneous moment of absolute love for my friends and comrades that were sitting with me and holding each other and total fear at the police officer who was clearly not afraid of us, because he had his visor up, and was very nonchalantly walking by us.

After they sprayed us, it felt like we were being showered in the liquid. It got all over our bodies, our hands, all over. Our clothes were soaked. And we were just burning. Even hours afterwards, when we tried to remove our clothes and shower, it was like the first burn all over again.

BALDWIN: We have a picture. I want to put this picture up. You sent this to us of you post-pepper spray, somebody putting saline solution in your eyes just so you can see. How long did the spraying last, Sophia?

KAMRAN: My eyes were clear after about an hour, once I removed my contacts, but my hands and face burned for days afterwards. And part of my wrist actually like had a red mark until today. And friends were hospitalized because of third-degree burns that were -- they were sustained, in the hospital.

BALDWIN: I know from what I have seen, you all look very peaceful. You're sort of sitting in silence, but my question is -- and I just have to ask, Sophia -- when the police asked you to get up, why didn't you want to get up?

KAMRAN: I'm lucky enough to live in a country where civil disobedience and political dissent is encouraged, or should be encouraged.

And that is what we were doing that day. Our friends were arbitrarily arrested while we were protecting our encampment. And because of this, we felt compelled to sit and protest their arrests, to ask for their release. The police already had our tents. They got what they came for. They didn't need to take students as well.

BALDWIN: I watched much of this video because this goes no for many minutes. And you can hear sort of some of the students -- I presume they're students in the crowd booing, chanting shame on you to police.

We now know, as we mentioned, police Chief Annette Spicuzza, chief of U.C. Davis police, placed on administrative leave, and the chancellor now is saying there will be an investigation over the course of the next 30 days. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) LINDA P.B. KATEHI, CHANCELLOR, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, DAVIS: We have an event that I hope we will not really see again on our campus. We have been in the last two-and-a-half weeks dealing with student unrest. Our students are very upset. And they are very frustrated. And they are trying to find ways to express this frustration.

On Thursday, they tried to -- they -- they created a camp. They set up a camp on our quad, and -- which is against university policy for a number of reasons, safety primarily and health.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So that was the chancellor of UC-Davis. I also saw the head of the UC system announced that he's beginning an urgent assessment of campus officers' actions system wide. Sophia, I guess ultimately, from your perspective, is that good enough? Does that satisfy you?

SOPHIA KAMRAN, SENIOR, U.C.-DAVIS (via telephone): No, it's absolutely not good enough. We've seen the perspective changed. Finally, the lieutenant was put on leave then Spacuzo was put on leave. It just shows they're trying to cover up something that they know was truly wrong.

We asked for her resignation. We stand by that. Our online petition has I think almost over 60,000 people signatures now asking for her resignation. We also are moving toward finding a way to remove cops from campus to demilitarize the university so students can protest peacefully without fear.

BALDWIN: Sophia Kamran, senior at U.C.-Davis. Sophia, thank you for calling in.

I want to get straight to this. We're getting some breaking news into CNN. A man with a gun has barricaded himself in a deployment processing building. This is at the Schriever Air Base. Public affairs for the base tell us they think this man has a handgun. The building has been evacuated.

They also tell us this individual is an airman assigned to the base's 50th security squadron. There are no hostages that we know of at this point in time. We're making calls, working on it. As soon as we get more information, we'll bring it to you here live on CNN.

Celebrities, victims of violence, even reports of royalty, police saying more than 5,000 people were victims in this massive phone hacking scandal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HUGH GRANT, ACTOR: If someone like me called the police for a burglary, a mugging, something in the street, something would have happened to me or my girlfriend. The chances are that a photographer or reporter would turn up on your doorstep before a policeman.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: More of his testimony.

Plus, the man accused of shooting Representative Gabby Giffords in the head under constant surveillance in prison. We're now learning about these cameras, guards logging his move, even using a color-coded system. Details on Jared Lee Loughner behind bars.

And a story we have been talking about all day. All I'm going to say is fix-a-flat, cement and super glue. Police say it's was a case underground plastic surgery. What? All those stories next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Back to our breaking story. We're getting a little bit more information on this armed airman who has barricaded himself inside the Schriever Air Force Base. This is in Colorado.

Let me bring up the speed. Here's what we know. This is according to the Air Force Base Public Affairs. So this airman, he's assigned to the 50th security squadron. He's barricaded himself inside a, quote/unquote, "deployment processing building."

So no weapons there, it's essentially where servicemen and women go get their paperwork before they deploy. He is believed to be armed with a personal handgun. The building has been evacuated except for law enforcement trying to obviously end this peacefully.

No shots have been fired, no one's been hurt. Again, this is from Public Affairs. No operations on the base have been affected other than obviously this building in which he's holed up. This building is a place where service members as I mentioned go get paperwork before they deploy.

And this base, this Schriever Air Force Base is home to the 50th space wing, which does command and control satellites for the Department of Defense.

We'll work on the story as soon as we get more information and hopefully this thing ends peacefully there at Schriever Air Force Base. We'll bring it to you live here on CNN.

I want to move along and talk about actor, Hugh Grant. He takes the stand today and accuses a tabloid of illegally hacking his cell phone's voice mails. This is the first time "The Mail on Sunday" has been named in the scandal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GRANT: I cannot for the life of me think of any conceivable source for this story in "The Mail On Sunday" except those voice messages on my mobile telephone. What I'd love to hear, what the "Sunday Mail's" explanation is, what their source was, if it wasn't phone hacking.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: The story falsely accused Hugh Grant of a flirty relationship with a movie executive and he later won a lawsuit against "The Mail". It hasn't responded to the allegations.

Now the British court, this is all part of an investigation into what could be widespread unethical media practices. Until today, only publications owned by media mogul, Rupert Murdoch, have been implicated in the phone hacking scandal.

In the most outrageous case here, tabloid "News of the World" was accused of hiring a private investigator to listen to and delete a murder victim's voicemails while trying to get a scoop. And then that gave Millie Dowler's mom false hope.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SALLY DOWLER, MOTHER OF MURDER VICTIM MILLY DOWLER: Downstairs in reception, I rang her phone.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

DOWLER: And it clicked through on to her voice mail so I heard her voice.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

DOWLER: And I was -- it was just like, she's picked p up her voice mails, bob, she's alive!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: "News of the World" as you know closed in July amid this whole scandal. Its parent company paid the family more than $2 million in damages. This hearing will continue this week with testimony from other hacked celebrities including "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling.

Jared Loughner's day-to-day existence has been reduced to a series of color-coded charts. We're getting some new details here about this man's life behind bars.

Again, he's the man awaiting trial for the Tucson shooting rampage. Six people died, 13 were wounded in that attack back in January, including Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Here's what we're learning. This is all from the "Arizona Republic."

They examined court testimony to figure this out. Cameras are there, they watch every move Loughner makes and so every 15 minutes a guard checks on what he's doing, logs it on this color-coded chart.

Blue means he's in bed. Green means he's up and awake, and red means he's pacing. He's pacing the floor of his 8 by 10 cell in this federal medical facility in Springfield, Missouri.

Got a little bit more detail for you with regard to this life behind bars. We're going to talk with Sunny Hostin about on "On The Case" next hour.

And now this, you may have heard of fix-a-flat. Most people use it on flat tires, let's say. But police say it was pumped into a woman's rear end along with cement and mineral oil during a botched plastic surgery. And the incision was sealed with super glue.

Now, police have arrested this transgender woman, this is Oneal Ron Morris, for posing as the doctor. You see this? They say she may have been part of an underground network of scam artists doing illegal operations.

The victim became sick, nearly died. She was so embarrassed she didn't tell police about it for months.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SGT. BILL BAMFORD, MIAMI GARDENS POLICE: They agree on a price of $700 for him to enhance her buttocks. A short time later, she develops very serious pains in her abdomen, throughout her body. She knows something's wrong. That cocktail had serious complications and serious effects on this young lady.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Morris would not comment on the accusations.

Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich has said quite a bit in the last 72 hours. He said this about "Occupy Wall Street" protesters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NEWT GINGRICH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Go get a job right after you take a bath.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: He also said this about child labor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GINGRICH: Most of these schools ought to get rid of the unionized janitors, have one master janitor and pay local students to take care of the school.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: And this about immigration.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GINGRICH: The UPS is better. I think they handle 24 million packages a day. They allow you to track it in realtime, virtually. Federal government cannot apparently find 11 million people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: We go "In Depth" on Newt Gingrich, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Three weeks ago, I asked this of one of our guests, I asked, what about Gingrich? What about former House speaker Newt Gingrich? Will Newt Gingrich like Michele Bachmann before, like Rick Perry, like Herman Cain, received his moment of the sun?

Will get that bump in the polls and challenge Mitt Romney? I'm just saying because the answer appears to be yes. Paul Steinhauser in Washington with our 2012 America's Choice Politics update. Paul, is this a Newt Gingrich surge?

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: I think that's very fair to say. His numbers have really ballooned over the last months.

Brooke, remember back in May or June, we were basically saying, is Newt Gingrich's and his campaign for the White House pretty much dead?

He had a lot of controversies, some controversial comments. His campaign was in the red, a lot of advisers and top staffers left. Well, now look at him. Check out this numbers.

This is out this morning from Gallup and "USA Today," well, theirs is Newt Gingrich basically tied with Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts' governor for the top spot.

We've seen that in some other surveys. CNN has got some brand new numbers. We're about an hour away from releasing them, Brooke. We're just finishing up the final figures. We'll see if our numbers are similar to Gallup as well showing a surge for Gingrich.

This has been one wild ride, no doubt about it, in the race for the GOP nomination. As you have said, people have gone up and down, well, Newt Gingrich is definitely going up right now, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Well, as we wait for those numbers, you know, look, this is a guy who's never known by this tongue over the past weekend, he challenged the "Occupy Wall Street" folks. Let's just listen to both starting with his comments about "Occupy Wall Street." Here you go.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GINGRICH: Go get a job right after you take a bath. Most of these schools ought to get rid of the unionized janitors, have one master janitor and pay local students to take care of the school.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BALDWIN: OK, Paul Steinhauser, so he followed that up by saying, our child labor laws are stupid. So one thing hasn't changed, Newt Gingrich is still very much speaks his mind, frankly loves to get folks worked up.

STEINHAUSER: Yes. A lot of these comments creating controversy, you could say, over the last 24 hours both on the cable networks and on social media.

But, you know, for conservative voters who he's trying to reach out to right now in the battle for the nomination, these comments actually may play OK, especially the "Occupy Wall Street" comments, a lot of criticism among conservatives of that movement.

As for Newt Gingrich, some people have said his own worst enemy is his mouth. That could be the case here. You know, listen, when you rise in the polls it brings more scrutiny.

We have a debate tomorrow night, remember, a CNN debate hosted by a guy called Wolf Blitzer. This will be the first debate where Gingrich is basically tied at the top. That will bring more scrutiny. We'll see how it plays out tomorrow night, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Yes, that's right. DAR Constitution Hall, they're not too far from you guys at the Bureau in Washington, D.C. Tune in to the CNN Republican presidential debate, tomorrow night 8:00 Eastern only here on CNN.

And now we decided this headline on cnn.com pretty much says it all. Have they gone nuts in Washington? Let's ask that question of my friend, Gloria Borger. She is all kinds of plugged in to the "Super Committee" back and forth. I think it's safe to say we're both tapped into your anger over this deadline charade. That's next.

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BALDWIN: So it looks as though the "Super Committee" has fizzled. Is anyone surprised? Gloria Borger, our chief political analyst, Gloria, I know there was some sort of impromptu meeting on the Hill.

So barring some sort of Hail Mary pass, we have to say that. It sounds as though we're awaiting official word that that "Super Committee" has failed in its job. Has it failed to find a debt reduction deal? Are you surprised?

GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: No, I'm not surprised. You know, when this first started, when we were all talking about the debt ceiling in late July, we all knew that it would be very difficult for a committee to come up with something in a few months that Congress hadn't been able to do in 10 years, right?

But even members of Congress know how bad this looks, Brooke. They know that the American public is out there saying, can't you guys get anything done? The markets are going to react poorly.

Could this mean another downgrade? So they're obviously scrambling because they understand what the optics of this looks like, and it looks like, you know, the gang that couldn't shoot straight, right?

BALDWIN: Well, we know the stance on either side in terms of Democrats want to raise taxes on the wealthy to pay for the debt reduction, the Republicans say no way. What about the so-called independents? Where are they on this?

BORGER: Well, it's interesting where the independents are because don't forget the independents as we keep saying, the independents are the one who are going to determine the result of the presidential race.

And independents in our new poll that just came out today, they favor increase taxes on high income Americans and businesses by 69 percent, major cuts in domestic programs 62 percent. So you can see that it they really believe that people ought to sort of share the pain, if you will.

But when you look at what Republicans are thinking, only 39 percent of Republicans in this same poll say that you ought to raise taxes here. So you can understand why all of the Republican presidential candidates, Newt Gingrich today, for example, came out and said, you know what?

I'm glad there's no deal because it would have been a backdoor way to raise taxes. We didn't want to do it. He's playing to the Republican primary voters. Barack Obama is playing to the independent voters and the Democrats.

BALDWIN: Well, maybe it's then just up to the voters to see who we elect, I guess, come next November and let somebody else figure it out, whoever that may be. Gloria Borger in Washington, Gloria, thank you.

BORGER: Kick the can.

BALDWIN: Kicking the can down that road. Gloria, thank you.

Today is "Music Monday" and the artist would love it if you really feel something after hearing his work.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Often people will hear things and in songs that I hadn't thought of.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: You may realize you've heard Alexi Murdoch, but you don't know him until after this interview.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BALDIWN: So confession time. I have a bit of a soft spot for emotional singer songwriters who also have to be adorable. This kind of drives my producers crazy when we sit down to choose, which artist we should feature on "Music Monday."

Because the thing is I have to love the music we feature on this show and I really have to feel these interviews because music is so, so important to me.

So today I give you Alexi Murdoch, one of the most talented, soulful musicians I have ever met. Listen and enjoy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Alexi Murdoch.

ALEXI MURDOCH, SINGER: Hi.

BALDWIN: Hi. How are you?

MURDOCH: I'm OK. A little tired, but I'm all right.

BALDWIN: Your music starts getting played on TV shows, movies, Sam Menendez called you up and you play nine tracks on his film. I feel like people know your music, but they don't necessarily know Alexi Murdoch. Is that on purpose?

MURDOCH: Yes, kind of I suppose. I mean, you know, obviously I definitely feel strongly that the music, it's more important that people know the music than know me.

BALDWIN: So much of your music is just soft and intimate. I mean, that's just how I feel even sitting here talking to you. Born in London, Scotland is home now, was home then.

MURDOCH: Yes.

BALDWIN: Maundered through a few countries in the meantime.

MURDOCH: Have moved around, yes. I guess I have always felt quite restless in some way, and the idea of committing to a specific place has always seemed quite difficult for me.

BALDWIN: What is it like being up there and playing to such a small crowd? What does that feel like?

MURDOCH: Most of the time, if nothing goes wrong, it feels like where I should be.

BALDWIN: What is the biggest compliment someone can give you with regard to your music?

MURDOCH: You know, I suppose really that they got something out of it that helped them or that, you know, often people will hear things in songs that I hadn't thought of. In essence being able deliver those songs immediately is probably the best part of this job. Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Alexi Murdoch, thank you. By the way, you can always catch all my "Music Monday" interviews, go to the blog, cnn.com/brooke.

I'd love to hear who you're listening to, feedback on our artists we feature and of course, hope you join me each and every "Music Monday."