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Syracuse Coach Explains Support; Herman Cain Reassessing Campaign; Fed Helps Out European Banks; Ringling Bros Sued For Allegedly Abusing Elephants

Aired November 30, 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: And now top of the hour.

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

Here's what we're watching for you. First, the Dow goes up, way up today. Also, the Syracuse basketball program under the microscope. And who is getting the wintry mix today?

Time for "Reporter Roulette" on this Wednesday.

(STOCK MARKET UPDATE)

BALDWIN: Next on "Reporter Roulette," let's go to Ed Lavandera. He's still in Syracuse for us, where sex abuse charges are putting pressure on the school's basketball program.

And, Ed, I know at Syracuse, the legendary head coach Jim Boeheim very critical of those who had accused his assistant coach Bernie Fine of molestation. You and I were talking yesterday what would he say if anything post-game. What did he say?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know what? He was pressed on that very issue about -- initially in that first weekend after these accusations had been made public, Jim Boeheim had described the first two accusers as liars and people who were chasing money.

And in the most recent statement that he had put out over the weekend, after the phone taped conversations had emerged, he had struck a much different tone. He was pressed extensively as to why -- what caused that change. And he said, look, his initial reaction and protection of Bernie Fine was driven by a friendship of almost 50 years and a great deal of loyalty and that that's what he said was driving what he said early on, and clearly things have changed now.

BALDWIN: As the story continues to evolve, you're up there with our colleague Gary Tuchman. He actually spoke with one of the accusers. Let's just listen to just a portion of that interview.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE LANG, BERNIE FINE ACCUSER: It continued to happen. Then I told him, please don't do that no more, but you couldn't tell him no. It was hard to say anything because you think you're with a God, you know. Just hard to come out and say anything to anybody about it. (END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Ed, we're following what's happening at Penn State. We see what is happening with Sandusky. And Paterno is out. Is Boeheim at all worried about his job?

LAVANDERA: Well, the chancellor here at Syracuse University gave him a vote of confidence yesterday, said that she was happy with Boeheim.

Boeheim himself was asked about this very question as well. He said he is not worried about his job. He says, I don't worry about anything. And then continued to be pressed about just exactly who knew what and when and when they knew it. And Boeheim says, look, he wants to see all of this play out to see if these terrible allegations happened under his watch.

If indeed it did, perhaps that might change things down in the future. But he got a great deal of support from that crowd that was at the basketball game last night, some 19,000 people. And when he emerged on the basketball court, he got a loud ovation from that crowd that attended the basketball game last night.

BALDWIN: Well, we remember all the students outside of Joe Paterno's house as well.

Ed Lavandera for us in Syracuse, Ed, thank you.

(WEATHER UPDATE)

BALDWIN: And the first civil lawsuit filed against former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky. The suit claims that he sexually assaulted the alleged victim more than 100 times. That was coming out today.

Also, the men accused of cutting the beards of Amish men in Ohio, they go before a judge this afternoon. We will tell you more about that.

Also, Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain is reportedly reassessing, reevaluating his run for the White House. At least that's what he is telling his campaign workers, and, also, our own Jim Acosta who caught up with him today. But it sure doesn't sound like he is backing down. We're going to hear more from Herman Cain coming up.

And have you heard about this bizarre one? Police say a fake doctor injected cement and fix-a-flat into a patient's rear end. We have now learned of a new possible victim who got injections in her face. Look at that -- those stories and more in two minutes. Stay right here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: If it's interesting and happening right now, you're about to see it, "Rapid Fire." Let's go, beginning with just into CNN here this news with regard to the Reverend Billy Graham.

He has been admitted to a hospital in Asheville, North Carolina. His doctor tells CNN his lungs need to be checked for possible pneumonia. Maybe you remember he had been treated for that earlier this year. A press release from the hospital says Reverend Graham is alert, smiling, and waving to hospital staff.

Penn State has been hit with the very first civil lawsuit in the sex abuse scandal involving the football program there. The suit was filed today against former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, also the university and Sandusky's charity, The Second Mile. The alleged victim is identified only as John Doe.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEFF ANDERSON, ATTORNEY: It is against Jerry Sandusky, who abused him and violated his trust as a child for over four years.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: The lawsuit claims Sandusky molested this boy at the time more than 100 times beginning when he was just 10.

Embattled GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain back on the stump today. He's making this three-stop swing through Ohio. Cain says he is reassessing his campaign following allegations of a longtime affair with an Atlanta woman and he tells CNN he will make a decision about his political future in the next couple of days. But, today, Mr. Cain sounded very much so like someone ready for the long haul.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HERMAN CAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: With all of the mess going on over the past several weeks where they have been trying to do a character assassination on me, some have even predicted that this room was going to be empty today. I don't think I see any empty seats in here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Cain has a campaign appearance this hour at Ohio State University.

And that American suspected in the disappearance of his traveling companion in Aruba is a free man today. Gary Giordano was released from jail last night. He had been held for just about four months as investigators tried to figure out what happened to his traveling partner, Robyn Gardner. Prosecutors are appealing a judge's decision to release him for lack of evidence. They're still trying to build a case against him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSE BAEZ, ATTORNEY FOR GIORDANO: We are hoping that of course this the end of it. However, he's not running. So if they have a legal basis to require him to come back, he's going to come back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: It is an emotional day for friends and family of Robert Champion. The funeral for the Florida A&M University student is being held in Lithonia, Georgia. The 26-year-old drum major died after a hazing incident.

Champion's family plans to sue the school. They say that band hazing incidents have been covered up there for generations.

And the British Embassy in Iran is now officially closed. The doors were slammed shut after this happened earlier this week. The protesters stormed this facility in Tehran. Britain's foreign secretary says the move does not amount to a severing of diplomatic relations, but does reduce them to the lowest level possible. Britain also evacuated all embarrass staff. And now France has recalled its ambassador from Iran.

A new search is under way for a Florida mother who vanished after appearing on "The People's Court." Searchers in Orlando are literally beating the bushes here for clues to Michelle Parker's disappearance. They are there. They are searching around this lake near a spot where the last ping from Parker's cell phone was picked up. Police call Parker's former fiance the primary suspect in her disappearance.

Children's services took the couple's 3-year-old twins away from him just yesterday, but today a judge ordered the children returned to their father.

And Hollywood about this? Call it the badda bing immigration bust. Twenty people are charged in an alleged plot to bring women to the U.S. illegally from both Russia and Eastern Europe to work as strippers at mafia-owned nightclubs. All 20 were arrested today. They face charges ranging from racketeering, extortion, to visa and marriage fraud and transporting illegal immigrants. Prosecutors say some of these defendants actually arranged sham marriages between these foreign strippers and U.S. citizens.

And now this. Does this look like a terrorist to you? He does to many people who are Amish in Ohio. Sam Mullet and three other Amish men are due in federal court today for hate crimes, accused of cutting beards and hair of their religious rivals. Long hair and beards are sacred within the Amish community, so forcibly cutting them is considered extremely hostile. The local sheriff said some Amish are so scared of Mullet and his family they are now arming themselves with mace and shotguns and locking their doors.

The transsexual fake doctor accused of injecting her clients with cement and fix-a-flat is out of jail. But Oneal Ron Morris says she has a lawyer. Her alleged victims say Morris used superglue to seal their surgery wounds. One of the people who had these procedures performed said the fake doc had a word-of-mouth reputation and met the needs of the transsexual community.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAJEE NARINESINGH, SAYS FAKE DOCTOR INJECTED HER: It becomes so dire for you to want to match your outside with your inside that you're willing to roll the dice and take chances.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: This victim now getting therapeutic injections from a real physician.

And absolutely terrifying video of a great white shark off the coast of North Carolina? What? The story behind those pictures coming up.

And we're not too far away from the stock market at this hour closing. We're 45 minutes from that right now, up even further than last time we checked, up 413 points, but why? Our own financial friend Richard Quest standing by in our London studio. He's going to explain what's happening in Europe, China, and around the world.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: We have to talk about the markets. Take a look at the numbers, huge day for blue-chip stocks. You can see the Dow industrials up 412 points here as we're just about 40 minutes away from the closing bell.

Now, all of this follows word that the Federal Reserve has now stepped into the fray in Europe to try to break this credit freeze. And there's also word of a monetary shift in China. We're going to get with Richard Quest out of London for us live right now.

And, first, Richard, are you here to tell me that the U.S. is bailing out Europe?

RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No, I am most certainly am not.

(LAUGHTER)

QUEST: Nothing of the kind.

What has happened is that the banks on both sides of the Atlantic are very wary about lending to each other. No one really knows where debt is or what liabilities there are. So European banks that might want dollars have found them difficult to get. And American banks that might want yen or euros or even pounds might have some difficulties, too.

They have agreed that they are all going to swap amongst each other. Basically, the central banks will make it easy. Look, it is as if you and I needed to borrow each other's currency, but, frankly, we needed somebody to help us do it.

And what the central banks are doing is doing exactly that. And they are doing it at a cheaper rate. The fear is, if they do not, then you won't lend to me, I won't lend to you, neither of us will trust the other, and before long, calamity strikes.

BALDWIN: Yes. And I think it's been reiterated multiple times. This is not a permanent solution. This just a -- sort of a temporary fix. And when you talk about the central banks, I want to get back to the point of Washington intervening.

Is Europe unable, unwilling to do this on its own?

QUEST: No. No. No. No. No. No. Look, no, no, no.

(LAUGHTER)

BALDWIN: Ring that bell, Richard Quest.

QUEST: You're -- you're barking up the wrong tree on this one. And you -- this is not about the U.S. bailing out Europe.

This is about the United States making dollars available. They have had this plan in place for a long time. The plan isn't new. They have had it before and after Lehman. They had it 18 months ago. They had it earlier this year.

What is new is that they have reduced the interest rate, so that banks on both sides of the Atlantic can actually free up. This is oil that is going to lubricate the system. But, more importantly, any money that is lent into the system or swapped, to use the technical phrase, is returned. The ECB in Frankfurt or the Bank of England gave it back at the end of it. So any American taxpayer watching us now that thinks, God darn, we're bailing out Europe.

BALDWIN: We're getting our money back is what you're saying.

QUEST: What are we doing this for?

Yes.

BALDWIN: We're getting our money back.

QUEST: No, it -- this is about insuring the system works, because I promise you this, Brooke.

If they don't do this and we do get a gumming up and a ceasing up of the systems, we are Lehman redux. And not only that. If it's the Eurozone involved, it's going to be much, much worse.

BALDWIN: Richard, 30 seconds. We have to talk about China. What happened with China today, because it seems to have taken a lot of people by surprise, this move?

QUEST: Very simply, China requires banks to keep reserves, much as the Fed does or any other central bank. China has reduced the amount that it requires banks to keep on reserve. What do banks do when they can take money out to the central bank, they no longer have to store it? They lend it. Why has China done it? Slowdown, fear of European slowdown. They want to make sure China's growth continues. They are literally pumping money into the economy.

(LAUGHTER)

BALDWIN: Richard Quest, thank you. Barking up the wrong tree, you say to me. I hear you loud and clear. Thank you, sir.

Hey, if you haven't seen this video yet of the great white, stick around for a closer look. Just incredible that someone got so close to these amazing sharks. Keep in mind, this is just off the North Carolina coast.

Our intrepid political correspondent Jim Acosta did not get close to the sharks, but he did get pretty close to Herman Cain, talking about the future of his campaign. Hear what he told Jim Acosta next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Picture this, if you will.

One minute, you're fishing off the coast of North Carolina. The fish are biting like crazy. It's fantastic, then all of a sudden, nothing. Cue the "Jaws" music in your head, folks. Take a look at who decided to crash the party.

Matt Garrett from Boston captured this rare video of a great white off the Carolina coast with his iPhone. He says they were fishing just about 25 miles offshore when this huge finned shark arrived. It hung around for some 20 minutes, even knocked into the boat, slapped it around with his tail.

A shark expert says the fishermen did the right thing by not harassing the giant fish, allowing it to simply be curious, swimming circles, I guess, around the boat. Garrett says he bought the iPhone two weeks ago and said the purchase is now officially totally worth it.

And now to Ohio we go on the road with our America's Choice 2012 update here.

Jim Acosta joins me live from Columbus with some news off the ticker.

And, Jim, I know you were in a rope line. You saw Herman Cain. Tell me what you asked him and what his response was.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right.

Well, you know, it is the question of the week, Brooke. Is Herman Cain staying in this race for the GOP nomination? He gave what was a fiery speech up in Dayton, Ohio, just a couple of hours ago. He was very well-received by the crowd there.

Many of the people in the crowd urged him to fight on and stay in this race. And then after the speech was over, we went up to the conservative businessman and just asked him, point blank, is he vowing to stay in this race? Here's what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Mr. Cain, Mr. Cain, Jim Acosta with CNN. Are you vowing to stay in this race? Is that your message?

HERMAN CAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We are reassessing and reevaluating.

ACOSTA: Are you staying in the race? CAIN: We are reevaluating and reassessing.

How are you?

ACOSTA: How soon until we have a final answer on your future plans?

CAIN: We will be making a decision in the next several days.

ACOSTA: Thank you, sir.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: So, Brooke, as you can tell, that was not a direct response to our questions from Herman Cain.

BALDWIN: Yes.

ACOSTA: It is an indication that he is trying to make this decision, whether or not to press on. And, obviously, there's a lot riding on whether or not he stays in this race, not only for Herman Cain, but for the rest of the field.

BALDWIN: And, so, when we're talking next several days, he told you, is this based upon fund-raising? Is it based upon, as he talked to Wolf earlier in the week, whether or not his wife is behind him? Do we know?

ACOSTA: We don't know.

And if it were solely based on the support he is getting from his most committed supporters at this point, he would stay in this race. If you heard him up in Dayton, he was delivering those same applause lines we have had at almost every Herman Cain event. And he was I wouldn't say interrupted by the crowd, but he was really urged on by this crowd at several points during the speech to stay in this campaign and keep on fighting.

And I have to tell you, Brooke, I was surprised. After the event was over, we went into the crowd and talked to some of the people who were there. And not only did many of them not believe the allegations that are facing Herman Cain, allegations of marital infidelity. These are accusations that he has denied, the sexual harassment allegations.

There are folks in that crowd who not only did not believe those allegations. They he said, even if the allegations are true, they think he should stay in the race.

BALDWIN: Hmm. Well...

ACOSTA: Very interesting.

BALDWIN: ... we will see, as he mentioned, in the next several days.

Jim Acosta for us in Columbus, Jim, appreciate it.

Here's a criminal who got us talking quite a bit today. This guy is running from police, breaks into a family's home, holds a couple hostage. But when is all and said and done, he says they owe him because they didn't hold up their end of the deal. What? We're on the case.

Then, Ringling Brothers is paying a huge fine, the biggest, in fact, over the way they handled their elephant. How do you handle an animal that size? And what was it that actually crossed the line? I'm going to talk to a man who owns an amazing property, a place where elephants can live out the rest of their lives in peace. That conversation is ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: The case of a missing Florida mother could now be getting close to a boiling point. Two developments today. First, searchers were in this area combing the area where Michelle Parker's cell phone was last detected. There they are looking. Also, a judge tells children services to give Parker twins back to her ex-fiancee. Keep in mind, he's the father and primary suspect in Parker's disappearance. Sunny Hostin is back on the case today. Sunny, children services, they took these kids away from Parker's ex-fiancee just yesterday, so why give them back today?

SUNNY HOSTIN, CNN LEGAL CONTRIBUTOR: I think it's pretty remarkable that they are back in his care, but the judge during an emergency custody hearing found that there wasn't sufficient evidence to keep them away from their father. Remember, in these kinds of custody cases the standard is legally what is in the best interest of the children. And courts are loathed to take the children away from the primary parents even apparently parents that are the prime suspects in the mother's disappearance. So I think many people who have been watching this case are astounded that in such short order the children were taken away from him and then given back.

BALDWIN: Considering he is the prime suspect, then, Sunny, how unusual is it to then leave the children back in his care?

HOSTIN: I think it's very unusual. There are not a lot of cases like this, quite frankly. But those that have occurred, it's very unusual for the prime suspect or in a violence or murder case to be returned to the purported perp. It's really unusual.

BALDWIN: Dale Smith's attorney suggested at the news conference that Michelle Parker, this mother, is dead. Let's watch what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK NEJAME, DALE SMITH'S ATTORNEY: Statistics sadly suggest that when someone has been missing for 12 days or more that the great odds are that a homicide has occurred. And I'm bending over backwards to be respectful to the family who deserve to hold on to every bit of hope that they can, but if you're just talking statistically, after 12 days and no signs and no indication, typically somebody is no longer with us.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BALDWIN: So, Sunny, then how unusual is it that you have this attorney for the prime suspect who now has custody of these kids, will suggest that this missing woman has been killed?

HOSTIN: I thought it was pretty extraordinary. Mark Nejame has been an attorney for quite some time. He does a lot of legal commentary on HLN and other networks, and so he's a seasoned attorney. And he's statistically correct when he cites those statistics. It is true that when someone is missing for that period of time it is typically, unfortunately, no longer with us, as he mentioned.

But to say that given the fact that he is representing the suspect, the main suspect, it's very odd. But perhaps he's sort of implying that his client has nothing to do with her disappearance and may have met with foul play but not at hands of his client.

BALDWIN: OK, we're looking at these pictures here on the screen of these searchers. So this sheriff's team, it was a dive team, search dogs, boats, these searchers sort of combing these brush. And we're watching some of the search play out this afternoon. It looks very, very thorough.

HOSTIN: It really does. And one has to wonder what led the investigation here. We know that investigators have been to the suspect's father's home and that they went throughout that home in search for things and now we know that they are here searching through this brush. Did they get any tips that perhaps a body can be found here? We don't know. They are keeping the investigation very close to their vests, which they should. But it's clear that it's an ongoing investigation and that they are searching for someone.

BALDWIN: Second case, Sunny Hostin, this couple in Kansas is being sued by the young lady who was convicted of kidnapping them. Can you explain this, please?

(LAUGHTER)

HOSTIN: I'm going to try to explain the lawsuit. I have it in front of me. It's really unbelievable. Bottom line is, this guy is running from police, Brooke, it's a car chase. The police shoot out his tires. He ends up in front of this couple's home, runs into the couple's home with a knife and basically kidnaps them and holds them hostage.

Now he's saying that during that hostage situation they promised that he would -- they would hide him from police in exchange for money. And in breaking that promise he then got picked up by the police and shot by the police. And they owe him, according to him, I think about $235,000.

BALDWIN: So he's saying kidnappees broke their promise? Am I hearing you correctly?

HOSTIN: Broke their oral agreement to him.

BALDWIN: And he wants money? HOSTIN: He wants about $235,000. He says on the last page that he wants about $160,000 for his hospital bills. And he also wants about $75,000 for pain and suffering. Really this is something very interesting, he did let me know that he filed this himself.

BALDWIN: Right. I heard that it was handwritten.

HOSTIN: He didn't file find a lawyer to represent him. Thankfully no one from my learner profession took this case. It really speaks to the wonders of our legal system, the fact that you can sue anyone for anything and you can represent yourself if you need to.

BALDWIN: Sunny Hostin, you think you've heard it all and you haven't. Thank you. We'll see you back here tomorrow "On the Case."

It is a childhood tradition for so many Americans, a trip to the circus. But what goes on under the big top when there's no one watching, no audience watching? The greatest show on earth in trouble with the feds with how they treated their biggest attractions. I'm going to speak with one of the nation's foremost elephant handlers about what these animals have apparently endured.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: You like the circus? You take your kids to the circus? Now the home of the greatest show on earth is paying a record fine for allegedly mistreating elephants. This is undercover video from PETA back in 2009. The animal rights group and myriad organizations have accused the circus of abusing and exploiting elephants, using the metal hook. It's called a bull hook.

So the parent company, Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus is paying out this $270,000 fine to the USDA for alleged violations. The company admits absolutely no wrongdoing, but Kenneth Feld, the head of the parent company Feld Entertainment, did give us the following quote. Here you go, quote, "We look for to working with the USDA in a cooperative and transparent manner that meets our shared goal of ensuring that our animals are healthy and receive the highest quality care. Animal care is always the top priority at Ringling Brothers, and we remain committed to complying with all requirements.

I want to tell you also what the USDA is saying, this is a portion of their statement. You can find it on their Web site. Quote "This settlement sends a direct message to the public and to those who exhibit animals that USDA will take all necessary steps to protect animals regulated under the Animal Welfare act and other stipulations." It goes on "And the settlement agreement will promote a better understanding of the rights and responsibilities of all exhibitors in maintaining and caring animals under their care."

So now you see what's happening on paper, but I want you to take a look at this. This is a better look at the bull hook. Actor Christoph Waltz in the red coat holding this bull hook. This is behind the scenes of the movie, and perhaps you've read the book "Water for Elephants." And the parent company of Ringling Brothers says there will be new training protocols for its animal handlers. I want to bring in Rob Atkinson, he is the head of the elephant sanctuary in Nashville, Tennessee. And Rob, first things first, what do you make of this fine, this $270,000?

ROBERT ATKINSON, CEO, THE ELEPHANT SANCTUARY: I think it's a shot across the bow to Ringling Brothers that the USDA means business. They are telling people no matter what your purpose is of keeping an animal, you have to look after them according to the law, and it seems like this was a very stern warning.

BALDWIN: So I did some quick math this afternoon. If you look at this, the settlement was $270,000, and you divide by the fine per violation, that's 27 violations. Am I correct? Violations of the animal welfare act?

ATKINSON: You're right.

BALDWIN: This initial lawsuit alleges that Ringling Brothers abused and exploited these elephants by using bull hooks. Do you know anything more about what they allegedly have done?

ATKINSON: No, I don't. But the bull hook is a traditional tool for training elephants. It's been used for 4,000 years. But it's absolutely not necessary. We don't have a bull hook in the place at the elephant sanctuary in Tennessee. There's no need to use any kind of negative reinforcement or pain or punishment. The only reason that tool exists is to inflict a level of pain, and sometimes that pain can be extreme, and there are certainly videos where that has happened.

BALDWIN: Let's say your any circus and you need to teach an elephant some tricks. How do you train an elephant if you don't use a bull hook?

ATKINSON: You use positive reinforcement. This is what we do at the sanctuary. It means, quite simply, you can get an animal to lift its foot in one of two ways. One is you put a hook in behind the foot and it lifts the foot to get away from the pain of the bull hook. The other is you train it to voluntarily touch a target. So everything the elephant does is done using positive reinforcement rather than negative reinforcement.

BALDWIN: You know, I look at these animals and they are beautiful animals and I want to think that a circus is a safe, happy place, where you take your kids and the animals are treated as the stars that they appear to be in the shows. But how naive from what you know from being an expert is that?

ATKINSON: Well, elephants are such complicated animals. They live in huge groups and live for decades. They stay in these strict family groups all the females are related. They recognize the calls of 200 other elephants. They travel for miles a day. They eat 160 different species of plant. They are active forging for 15 hours a day.

You just can't replicate that in a circus environment. It just can't happen. There's a major insult to the animal's welfare and psychology by keeping them chained, traveling them, using abusive training techniques, exhibiting, that none of that is what elephants are supposed to be doing. Elephants are supposed to be living in groups and living a wild natural life just as they can do at the sanctuary.

BALDWIN: You love these animals, yes?

ATKINSON: They are wonderful.

BALDWIN: They are wonderful. Rob Atkinson of the elephant sanctuary out of Nashville, thank you so much.

And we don't know yet if Ron Paul has perfected the recipe for a winning presidential bid, but his family sure has a bunch of other recipes they apparently are willing to share. Joe Johns explains in a food-themed Political Pop.

But first this -- how about this list for you? Shoplifting has gone up six percent according to an article in ad week. So it says out of every 11 people who walk into a store, out of 11 people, at least one will walk out with something they didn't pay for, one in 11.

So today we have the top 10 items that shoplifters love to go after. Take a look. People like, at number 10, Nike shoes, number nine, Chanel perfume, number eight, Elmo, specifically the new "Let's Rock Elmo," number seven, Polo/Ralph Lauren items. Next place Axe, as in the deodorant. And what could be the other five? That's after this short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Just looking ahead at what I'm about to tell you. We have been giving you a list of the top 10 items most likely to be stolen. Number 10, Nike shoes, nine, Chanel perfume, eight, "Let's Rock Elmo," seven, polo shirt, six, Axe. Rounding out the number five, Gillette razors, number four, the iPhone 4, three, electric tools, and number two, Jameson alcohol, and the number one item shoplifters love, meat filets. How you walk out, I don't want to know.

Let's go to Wolf Blitzer and see what he has shaking for "THE SITUATION ROOM" in a couple of minutes. Mr. Blitzer, how are you?

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": Very good. I like the way you did that top 10. Maybe Letterman can pick up some tips from you.

BALDWIN: Thanks. I try.

BLITZER: Very good. We got Tony Blair, the former British prime minister. He's joining us to talk about Iran, what's going on with the euro, the Middle East peace process. Tony Blair will be here in "THE SITUATION ROOM." Also, Dan Pfeiffer, the White House communications director, lots to discuss with him. The campaign is clearly moving along, so we got a lot to talk about with him.

And a lot more news. I'm beginning to lose my voice a little bit, so I'll leave it at that.

BALDWIN: OK. You OK?

BLITZER: Might choke a little bit, but I'll be fine.

BLITZER: Chris, get Wolf some water. Wolf Blitzer, we'll see you in a couple minutes, thank you.

Joe Johns coming up in a couple of minutes with a food themed Political Pop, what the candidates are eating and also what they hope you will be cooking. So whether you're a meat eater, vegetarian, stick around for this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: I want to fast forward so we can give you a sneak peak as to what's coming up on this show both tomorrow and the next day. So I know you have been so moved by this woman in Afghanistan. She was raped, then convicted of adultery and thrown into prison in Afghanistan. So tomorrow, her attorney, an American woman who's pursuing a better justice system and life for the women in that country, she will join me live in the newsroom. Do not miss that.

And of course, "Growing Pains" fans, anyone? Tracy Gold from that hit TV show will be joining me. She became a poster child in years later for eating disorders. She is now trying to save young women from anorexia and bulimia. We're going to talk to her about this effort on television as well.

And coming up on Friday, my old suspender wearing friend, Larry King. By the way, did you hear he's trying to buy the L.A. Dodgers along with a group of his good friends? Yes. I have a feeling that will come up in our conversation. But we're talking to him because he's going to be talking to me about his new special on CNN, "Dinner with the Kings." Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're having a party and you're invited.

LARRY KING, FORMER CNN HOST: Come on in. My wife and I are hosting a dinner party and invited some of the biggest names in Hollywood. And we saved a seat at the table just for you.

Conan O'Brien.

CONAN O'BRIEN, LATE NIGHT TALK SHOW HOST: I'm just wondering why we're being severed by the CIA.

KING: Russell Brand. Russell, you know you're funny, right.

RUSSELL BRAND, ACTOR: Under the right circumstances, when the pressure is on.

KING: Tyra Banks. You realize that you're a sex symbol.

TYRA BANKS, MODEL: Am I?

KING: Seth McFarland.

SETH MCFARLAND, WRITER/COMEDIAN: People because of "Family Guy" think I'm a heartless frat guy, playboy type. That could not be further from the truth.

KING: Shaquille O'Neal.

SHAQUILLE O'NEAL, FORMER NBA PLAYER: It's nice to be here. I am so blessed.

O'BRIEN: Thank you. Thank you, Shaq. Your hand weighs 60 pounds. You just crushed my vertebrae.

(LAUGHTER)

KING: Quincy Jones, and Twitter inventor Jack Dorsey.

JACK DORSEY, TWITTER INVENTOR: I've made hundreds and hundreds of mistakes and learned from them, and that's what makes a successful company.

KING: Opening up about life, loves, success and failure.

O'BRIEN: The most shocking thing that anyone would hear is there's a tendency for people to look and say they've made it. What they don't understand is the amount of insecurity that drives you when you're 15, but it's still there when you're 48.

KING: Nothing is off limits at the table.

MCFARLAND: Any discussion of this type always makes me kind of secretly squirm.

KING: You have never seen a dinner party quite like this.

O'BRIEN: You know what, none of this is airing. This is clearly not airing.

(LAUGHTER)

O'BRIEN: And if it's not airing, we all can chip in for the meal.

KING: I think this goes on HBO.

O'BRIEN: HBO would not have this.

KING: That's a Larry King special "Dinner with the Kings," Sunday, December 4, at 8:00.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So we'll talk to Larry about that coming up on Friday. But we have now cooked up a food themed Political Pop for you today. We have a cookbook and a pizza party we're going to talk about, both of which involve GOP presidential contenders. As always, my friend Joe Johns is here. OK, cookbook first. Who's cooking? JOHNS: Name some master chefs -- Julia Child, Wolfgang Puck, Ron Paul. No.

BALDWIN: Bobby Flay.

(LAUGHTER)

JOHNS: Ron Paul -- no. He doesn't come across as the kind of guy who would have a cook book, but apparently he does according to the Ron Paul campaign Web site. This cookbook has been eagerly anticipated. For the record, this is not really Ron Paul's doing. It's actually his wife Carol Paul's 2012 family cookbook. It has 28 pages, tasty recipes from the Paul family and friends. It's a real bargain at $8, plus shipping. It sounds as though the campaign is telling supporters to use the cookbook as a campaign handout because people might pay attention to it rather than a flier. It even has a history of the Ron Paul family. Who knew, Brooke?

BALDWIN: Who knew? So we don't know yet. Some of the recipes are still top secret. You have to buy the book to know?

JOHNS: That's right. I would love to find out, you know, what's in there, because I have a bunch of cookbooks. I cook all the time.

BALDWIN: You'll have to teach me a few things then. What about pizza? So Newt Gingrich is appearing at a pizza place in Iowa.

JOHNS: OK. We're a little suspicious of this one because, you know, you read about it. It sounds like an attempt to move in on Herman Cain's turf, Godfather's Pizza. Turns out this pizza party in Iowa has zero to do with Godfather's. It's actually at a place called Pizza King and they're calling it a "slice the deficit" party, which sounds like something Ron Paul -- Ron Paul might be interested in that, right? Unfortunately, though, it doesn't sound like they tried to do anything special with the theme, if you will. Our industrious Political Pop producer Craig Schultz did some snooping around, called him up and checked, and he says they don't even have a specially named pizza for tonight's event.

BALDWIN: Craig was hoping he would get the goods, but he tried. We appreciate it, but no dice. No dice.

JOHNS: No.

BALDWIN: Go ahead.

JOHNS: Even -- if Newt Gingrich had spin doctors working on this, they would have something like thin crust pizza you call it no waste, fraud, and abuse pizza.

BALDWIN: Who knows? Joe Johns, got to go. Thank you so much