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Obama Speaks About Tax Fight, Ups Pressure On Congress; Bombing In Bagdhad Kills 63; Players Sue NFL Over Injuries; Women Beaten in Cairo Protests; Newt Gingrich Challenges Mitt Romney to Debate
Aired December 22, 2011 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I just want to remind our viewers out there at top of the hour, we're awaiting the president of the United States. He's over at the White House, he's about to make a statement and bring in some guests to show what's at stake, what John was just talking about. Real money at stake right now if the House and Senate can't get their act together this week and next week before December 31st. There will be a tax increase on 160 million Americans. And we see some of those folks that the president invited over that are going to be making some statements I suspect as well. Or at least the president will talk about what's at stake for them.
John, you and I have covered these kinds of stalemates, these games of chicken for a long time. The president will be walking out in a moment. I can't believe, personally, that they won't work out a deal between now and December 31st because the stakes are too enormous.
JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The stakes are enormous. I think you're right they'll try to work out a deal, and if they did -- if the Republicans, this morning, didn't think they'd wake up and make a deal, this will convince them. The president of the United States has the bully pulpit, he is winning the optics of the political war right now, Wolf, and now he's going to add some rhetoric to it as well.
BLITZER: Let's listen in.
(BEGIN LIVE SPEECH)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (live): Thank you, everybody. Please, please, please have a seat. Good afternoon to all of you. Merry Christmas. Happy holidays.
You know, we've been doing everything we can over the last few weeks to make sure that 160 million working Americans aren't hit with a holiday tax increase on January 1st. We've also been doing everything we can to make sure that millions of people who are out there looking for work in a very tough environment don't start losing their unemployment insurance on January 1st.
Now on Saturday, we reached a bipartisan compromise that would do just that. Make sure that people aren't seeing a tax cut the first of the year, make sure that they still have unemployment insurance the first of the year. Nearly every Democrat in the Senate voted for that compromise. Nearly every Republican in the Senate voted for that compromise. Democrats and even some Republicans in the House voted for that compromise. I am ready to sign that compromise into law the second it lands on my desk. So far, the only reason it hasn't landed on my desk, the only reason is because a faction of House Republicans have refused to support this compromise.
Now, if you're a family making about $50,000 a year, this is a tax cut that amounts to about $1,000 a year. That's about $40 out of every paycheck. It may be that there's some folks in the House who refuse to vote for this compromise, because they don't think that $40 is a lot of money. But anyone who knows what it's like to stretch a budget knows that at the end of the week, or at the end of the month, $40 can make all the difference in the world.
And that's why we thought we'd bring your voices in to this debate. So many of these debates in Washington end up being portrayed as which party is winning, which party is losing, but what we have to remind ourselves of is, this is about people. This is about the American people and whether they win. It's not about a contest between politicians.
So on Tuesday, we asked folks to tell us what would it be like to lose $40 out of your paycheck every week? And I have to tell you that the response has been overwhelming. We haven't seen anything like this before. Over 30,000 people have written in so far. As many as 2,000 every hour. We're still hearing from folks. And I want to encourage everybody who's been paying attention to this to keep sending your stories to WhiteHouse.gov, and share them on Twitter, and share them on Facebook. The responses we've gotten so far have come from Americans of all ages and Americans of all backgrounds from every corner of the country.
Some of the folks who responded are on stage with me here today. And they should remind every single member of Congress what's at stake in this debate. Let me just give you a few samples. Joseph from New Jersey talked about how he would have to sacrifice the occasional pizza night with his daughters. He said, and I'm quoting, "My 16- year-old twins will be out of the house soon, I'll miss this." Richard from Rhode Island wrote to tell us that having an extra $40 in his check buys enough heating oil to keep his family warm for three nights. In his words, I'm quoting, "If someone doesn't think that 12 gallons of heating oil is important, I invite them to spend three nights in an unheated home, or you can believe me when I say that it makes a difference."
Pete from Wisconsin told us about driving more than 200 miles each week to keep his father-in-law company in a nursing home, $40 out of his paycheck would mean he'd only be able to make three trips instead of four. We heard from a teacher named Clair from here in D.C. who goes to the thrift store every week and uses her own money to buy pencils and books for her fourth grade class. Once in a while she splurges on science or art supplies. Losing $40, she says, would mean she couldn't do that anymore.
For others, $40 means dinner out with a child who's home for Christmas, a new pair of shoes, a tank of gas, a charitable donation, these are the things that are at stake for millions of Americans. They matter to people, a lot. And keep in mind that those are just the individual stories, that doesn't account for the overall impact that a failure to extend the payroll tax cut and a failure to extend unemployment insurance would have on the economy as a whole.
We've seen the economy do better over the last couple of months but there's still a lot of sources of uncertainty out there. What's going on in Europe, what's going on around the world. And so this is insurance to make sure that our recovery continues. So, it's time for the House to listen to the voices who are up here, the voices all across the country and reconsider.
What's happening right now is exactly why people just get so frustrated with Washington. This is it. This is exactly why people get so frustrated with Washington. This isn't a typical Democrat versus Republican issue. This is an issue where an overwhelming number of people in both parties agree. How can we not get that done? I mean has this place become so dysfunctional that even when people agree to things, we can't do it? It doesn't make any sense. Enough is enough.
The people standing with me today can't afford any more games. They can't afford to lose $1,000 because of some ridiculous Washington standoff. The House needs to pass a short-term version of this compromise, and then we should negotiate an agreement as quickly as possible to extend the payroll tax cut and unemployment insurance for the rest of 2012. It's the right thing to do for the economy, and it's most importantly the right thing to do for American families all across the country. This is not just my view.
Just a few hours ago, this is exactly what the Republican leader of the Senate said we should do. Democrats agree with the Republican leader of the Senate. We should go ahead and get this done. This should not be hard. We all agree it should happen. I believe it's going to happen sooner or later. Why not make it sooner rather than later? Let's give the American people, the people who sent us here, the kind of leadership they deserve. Thank you, everybody.
(END LIVE SPEECH)
BLITZER: And so, there you have the President of the United States showing a little bit of fire in his belly. He's got to do a lot more of that if he's going to get this situation moving. And I suspect we'll see a lot more of that passion in the weeks and months to come as he continues his bid for re-election.
Suzanne, the stakes are clearly enormous right now and I guess it all boils down to who blinks first or do they find a face saving way for the House speaker john Boehner, majority leader Eric Cantor to back down in the face of what seems to be enormous public pressure, pressure from the president and even pressure from the Republican leadership in the Senate.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: And you know, Wolf, what's interesting about observing all of this is you can see how the pressure is building here just by looking at the campaign, the kind of campaign that this White House is engaged in. And you and I having covered President Obama as well as president Bush, this is really different. This is on a whole other level, whole other scale. You've got the optics there. I want to bring in Jessica Yellin, our White House correspondent there.
And Jessica, you've got a tweet campaign going on, a countdown clock, and now you have a president who doesn't have to even go on the road to get people. He can bring them in this campaign and show these are the people that are being impacted by this potential tax increase. Why is this so important, do you think, for this president to use all these tools in his arsenal to make this point?
JESSICA YELLIN, SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, for the president, this is a clear win of an issue. This is one that relates directly to the American people, and it's so simple to communicate how it will affect every working American, because it comes straight out of your paycheck if this extension isn't passed.
But you also have seen him -- and for that reason, Suzanne, I should say, you see him feeling so confident there an on such firm footing. I mean, contrast just his demeanor to how he was during the debt stalemate. This is a president who is clearly on -- he feels that he's on solid ground. You know? And his position has changed politically because he has Senate Democrats and Senate Republicans, the Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell who has been his sort of arch enemy in these political battles to date on his side squared off against House Republicans.
So, the president has all of the political force on his side, the American people seem to be on his side. And it is just a matter of time, folks here feel, until the House Republicans sort of change their position and, you know, essentially, just to be clear about it, cave.
The one thing I'd point out in terms of what's changed is that you heard the president say, I expect them to pass a short term version. And you heard in the McConnell statement earlier today, Mitch McConnell the Senate minority leader, call on House Republicans to pass an extension. What's missing -- neither of them is calling on the House to pass a two-month extension. So, it seems that there is a little wiggle room. Perhaps they are allowing for House Republicans to pass something other than the two-month deal. So shorter, longer, maybe that would give Boehner -- Speaker Boehner some cover to do something slightly different -- Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: OK. Jessica, obviously very important, the nuance there, the language, perhaps giving all sides just a little bit of political cover to come up with some sort of deal and to come up with it rather quickly. Wolf, I want to bring you back into the discussion, of course, because I think what this boils down to, 2012, it's all about the state of the economy and whether or not people feel that this president gets it.
BLITZER: It certainly is, it is it's the economy, stupid to recall what our friend James Carville said back in 1992 when Bill Clinton was running for president of the United States.
Let's go back to Capitol Hill. Kate Bolduan is standing by. Mitch McConnell did give an opening, Kate, to the Speaker John Boehner when he said, you know what? We'll name a -- we're ready to name Senate conferees to negotiate with House conferees, but in the meantime, go ahead and pass this two-month extension.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: He did. It is not only noteworthy that he came out to say, basically, you need to give in on a short-term extension, this is coming from senator Mitch McConnell, the top Republican in the Senate who has been silent, really, in the past week as this battle has gotten really, really bitter between House Republicans and Senate Democrats.
And so, coming out now and in his statement is they're calling it a compromise saying that, well, you know, Senate Democrats, they need to appoint their conferences, which to be quite honest, it doesn't seem like that's so much a slap on the wrist for Senate Democrats to be able to go along with that. Then in the same sentence say, and the House needs to give, basically, on a short-term extension. It's a very strong statement coming from Senator Mitch McConnell.
And to Jessica's point, as she very well noted, that they're not saying the two-month extension. Senator Reid is saying the two-month extension, but they're not saying the two-month extension. We're told that they allow some -- they're saying short-term extension, which we're told from aides that that allows some flexibility in terms of even just the technical avenue of getting something to conference to negotiate so they can technically do that, or try to find some way to make everyone happy.
One idea that's been talked around here, rather than a two-month extension maybe a three-month extension to get you through the first quarter that may help businesses as they're trying to plan, like tax liability. So, a log of ideas floating around. But important, Wolf, as you noted, that Mitch McConnell coming and talking about now it is time to give on the short-term extension to House Speaker John Boehner.
BLITZER: And let's not forget, Mitch McConnell made a lot of commotion not that long ago when he said the number one objective of the Republicans right now is to make sure that President Obama doesn't get re-elected. He caused a big stir. And so he wants -- I assume he still believes that. He thinks that if there is a stalemate right now, there's no extension --
BOLDUAN: I'm sure he still believes that, yes.
BLITZER: Yes, that could hurt the Republicans' chances of winning back the White House.
John King is with us as well.
John, you know what's been fascinating to me, a lot of these Republicans candidates, they've sort of punted on this whole debate in Washington. They're not really all that assertive in what's going on. KING: The Republican candidates are being careful, Wolf, in part because they don't know what the end game is. You had Speaker Gingrich yesterday, who, of all the Republicans running for president, has the most experience at this. When he was speaker, dealing with Bill Clinton, he shut down the government twice, remember, and that didn't go so well for the Republicans.
Speaker Gingrich yesterday saying, look, the Republicans need to find a way out here because the incumbent president almost always wins these arguments, even if the Republicans are right on their policies. Speaker Gingrich being a bit more civil to the House Republicans today, saying it's important that they start getting on talk radio, start making their case out there.
I think that is a big part of the debate. Senator McConnell put forward what is a reasonable plan. Both sides get to say we win. The Democrats get their short term extension, the Republicans get this conference committee. So it's a reasonable plan. Only in Washington does that mean there's no guarantee it will actually work because they still need to have a partisan fight over who goes first in striking that compromise.
What some Senate Republicans, as well as Democrats, are hoping is, that now that these -- that these House Republicans are home, maybe they're going to hear it. The question is, it's Christmastime. People are home for the holidays. So are the -- usually lawmakers go home in the middle of a big fight, they find out pretty quickly at home whether they're on safe ground or not. It's the Christmas season, so it's a little bit different to see whether that plays out.
Let me -- Wolf, one last point. Yes, Senator McConnell's on record saying that the Republicans need to keep President Obama from getting re-elected. You know one of the reasons he's doing what he's doing right now? He also believes that this is hurting his chances.
He believes the Senate Republicans can take back the majority next year. If they lose this issue, if they are seen as the party that is raising taxes in the weeks before we actually enter the election year, he knows that will hurt his chances. His number one goal publically might be to keep President Obama from getting a second term. Privately, it's becoming the Senate majority leader, and he doesn't think this fight helps.
BLITZER: Yes, that's an excellent point, John, thanks very much.
Suzanne, one thing all of this debate clearly underscores is why the U.S. Congress has a job approval number right now, whether some polls 11 or 12 percent. In our most recent CNN/RSD (ph) poll, 16 percent. It's pretty pitiful when you think that the overwhelming majority of the American people -- close to 90 percent at times -- do not think Congress is doing a good job. And right now this is an example of why that feeling is so prevalent out there.
MALVEAUX: There are a lot of people who just feel like that they are not able to get anything done there and it's a great deal of frustration I think. President Obama, as well as Republicans and Democrats, all tapping into that frustration. And when you saw, you know, real folks, everyday folks there making that point as well.
I want to thank you, Wolf, for being a part of our coverage, as well as John King, Jessica Yellin and Kate Bolduan. We appreciate your insights.
CNN NEWSROOM continues right after a short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ISHA SESAY, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I'm Isha Sesay, in for Randi Kaye. It's about 20 minutes past 1:00. Let's get right to the news.
With your paycheck, taxes and benefits on the line, President Barack Obama is intensifying the pressure on House Republicans to pass a short-term extension on the payroll tax cut. The president just spoke about this moments ago. His comments followed this Twitter campaign launched by the White House that asks what people would do with $40, the amount they stand to lose each week. The president was flanked by dozens of tweeters who responded.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Nearly every Democrat in the Senate voted for that compromise. Nearly every Republican in the Senate voted for that compromise. Democrats and even some Republicans in the House voted for that compromise. I am ready to sign that compromise into law the second it lands on my desk. So far, the only reason it hasn't landed on my desk -- the only reason -- is because a faction of House Republicans have refused to support this compromise.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: Senate Republicans also putting pressure on the House. If Congress doesn't act, the payroll tax cut and emergency unemployment benefits expire on December 31st.
Well, the weather is becoming a nightmare for some of you holiday travelers. Take a look at this with me. You're looking at a live radar of the storm hitting the southeast. If you haven't already been drenched, you can expect a lot of rain today. Tornado watches are in effect for parts of the area.
All of this is causing delays at several airports, including Atlanta's own Hartsfield International. So make sure you check your flight info before you head out. Forecasters are expecting Atlanta, where we are, to be under a tornado watch later today. We are, of course, keeping an eye on all of this as it develops.
Well, just days after U.S. troops pulled out of Iraq, a wave of bombings killed dozens of people in Baghdad today. The first major violence since U.S. troops left. At least 63 people were killed and at least 185 wounded in 16 different attacks, spreading fear that Iraq's government could collapse.
CNN's Arwa Damon described the scene as a nightmare scenarios. Police say nine car bombs, six roadside bombs and a mortar were fired all within a two-hour period targeting civilians across all walks of life.
An investigation is finding that American and Pakistani forces share the blame for a tragic NATO air strike last month. You may remember that the strike near the Pakistan-Afghan border killed two dozen Pakistani troops. The chief investigator officer says, quote, "a lack of trust and series of miscommunications led to the strike." While Pakistan's military insists the attack was deliberate, the Pentagon spokesman says the U.S. was acting in self-defense.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE LITTLE, PENTAGON SPOKESMAN: Inadequate coordination by U.S. and Pakistani military officers, operating through the border coordination center, including our reliance on incorrect mapping information shared with the Pakistani liaison officer, resulted in a misunderstanding about the true location of Pakistani military units. The loss of life and for the lack of proper coordination between U.S. and Pakistani forces that contributed to those losses, we express our deepest regret.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: Now a Pakistani military spokesman says Pakistan is not responding until they receive the report. But two Pakistani intelligence officials tell CNN, Pakistan's investigation contradict U.S. findings.
The soldier accused of committing perhaps the biggest intelligence leak in U.S. history was in court today as his week-long preliminary hearing wrapped up. Investigators say Army Private 1st Class Bradley Manning gave hundreds of thousands of classified documents to WikiLeaks. Diplomatic cables detailing private discussions of top officials appeared on that Web site. Manning now faces numerous charges, including aiding the enemy and an investigating officer has until January 16th to recommend whether Manning should face a full court-martial.
Former New York Democratic Congressman Anthony Weiner and his wife, Huma Abedin, are the new parents of a baby boy. Jordan Zane Weiner, weighing in at seven pounds came into the world yesterday, 10 days ahead of schedule. You'll recall Weiner resigned back in June after admitting to having numerous, explicit online relationships. The scandal was triggered when a lewd photo appeared on his Twitter account. He initially labeled the image a prank, claiming his account was hacked.
Now the final autopsy results have been released for Florida A&M student Robert Champion. And an expert tells CNN, the drum major has the severe muscle damage usually seen in car accidents, child abuse or torture. HLN analyst Mike Brooks says more details of what happened that day still need to come out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE BROOKS, HLN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: As a law enforcement officer, I want to know, who were the ones that were delivering the blows. The serious blows. Was there one person who delivered the most blows that caused -- that may have caused his death? We don't know. Were there other people who might not have been involved at all?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: So far, no one has been charged in Robert Champion's death.
Bank of America has agreed to pay a $335 million settlement in a case of alleged discrimination against borrowers. The suit charged that Countrywide Financial, bought by Bark of America back in 2008, steered minorities towards high-risk subprime mortgages from 2004 to 2008, even if they qualified for less risky prime loans. The Justice Department says the settlement will go to borrowers who were identified in the investigation.
Wal-Mart has recalled cans of baby formula after a 10-day old boy in Missouri died from a rare bacterial infection. The company that makes Enfamil Newborn says a batch tested negative for the bacteria before it was shipped. It's now retesting this batch of formula, the water used to make it and other factors. Wal-Mart customers can return the formula for a refund or exchange.
Well, the hits the players are taking on the field are leaving them with debilitating brain injuries off the field. At least that's what four former NFL players are saying and they want to take it to a courtroom. We're going to talk to one of those players, next.
But first, while you finish buying presents and prepare for that big holiday feast, we want you to remember Fischer Cook. He's only third- grader, but kindness doesn't even begin to describe what this little boy did. You see, Fischer learned that a few of his school mates, their whole family, including their grandmother and their mom's handicapped brother, lost everything in a fire.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FISCHER COOK, GAVE LIFE SAVINGS AWAY: I heard about their house being burnt down and I decided to give them my $300 in my bank account.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: While $300 may not seem like a lot, but that is his whole life savings. Hard earned money from being on the honor roll and years of birthday money. But Fischer, you single-handedly saved Christmas for a whole family. For that, Fischer Cook, you are today's "Rock Star."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SESAY: If you're a sports fan or have a son, daughter or grandchild who plays, what I'm about to tell you could be a game changer. The outcomes could lead the groundwork when it comes to players and their safety. Some former popular football players are now slapping the NFL with two new lawsuits in what is just the latest in a wave of cases, casting a harsh light on the sports world and how it deals with concussions and brain injuries. Here are the two new lawsuits we're talking about. First, on Tuesday, a lawsuit was filed in Manhattan federal court by these three retired players. They are asking the league to establish a medical monitoring program.
But just today -- today -- the NFL was hit yet again with a separate lawsuit filed in the district court here in Atlanta. That case was brought by these four former players.
You can see, Ryan Stewart is one of the players suing the NFL.
Ryan, I believe you're in this lawsuit, with Mike McGlamry, along with attorney, Gino Brogdon, are here with us. We're very grateful you joined us on this day.
Ryan, if I can start with you, tell us about your situation and what happened to you.
RYAN STEWART, FORMER DETROIT LIONS FOOTBALL PLAYER & SUING NFL: Throughout the course of playing, a little over four years with the Detroit Lions, there were several times that I had a dinger, had my bell rung. And it's just recently where I'm realizing that when my bell was rung those multiple times that it wasn't just a slight headache or it wasn't something minor, that it was possibly a major concussion.
And what I'm dealing with now is having hard time sleeping at night, waking up multiple times per night, using the bathroom throughout the course of the night. I can be relaxing and reading a nice book and I'll pop up with a headache or get a headache while driving. Just a few different things like that. Tingling in my arms, tingling in my hands. It's something that's become part of my daily life.
SESAY: Ryan, before I bring in the attorneys aboard in this lawsuit, I've got to put this to you. Because it is something some people at home are going to be thinking. They are going to say, but surely you knew the risks before you got involved in NFL.
STEWART: I knew the NFL was tough. I knew the NFL was very, very physical. but I did not know that the NFL and the hits that I was taking or enduring would possibly be causing brain damage. That's one of the reasons why we're trying to bring more light to this suit. We're trying to help had current players that are playing, and more importantly the younger players that are playing in little leagues and high school. We want them to have more information out there so they can know what they need to do so sure that things that I'm dealing with now, they don't have to deal with in the future.
SESAY: Mike McGlamry, let me bring you in here.
You are comparing the relationship between the NFL and concussions to the relationship between tobacco and cigarettes. How so?
MIKE MCGLAMRY, ATTORNEY: Well, I should -- thank you. The issue is one like this. The NFL had research available to it for decades now concerning concussions. And when faced with the outside independent research about concussions, it seems they did much like the tobacco companies with cigarette smoking and cancer, and downplayed the causal connection and indicated that the studies weren't significant or that they didn't show anything, when we believe the evidence will ultimately show that the NFL knew and had available to it information that concussions and multiple concussions cause long-term medical effects.
SESAY: Mike, I just want to pick up on that point that you just made. To be absolutely clear, what are you alleging here is that the NFL was aware from the previous research that indeed the injuries that their players were taking, the hits they were taking, could cause long-term damage. That's big allegations put out there.
MCGLAMRY: Absolutely, Isha. We do believe that the NFL knew and had the available information with them for many years now and only recently have they come out and acknowledged that concussions and multiple concussions do have this effect. We believe that information's been available for a long time.
SESAY: I want to read the statement from the NFL put out. They said, "The NFL has long made safety a priority and continues to do so. Any allegation that the NFL intentionally sought to mislead players has no merit. It stands in contrast to the league's actions to better protect players and advance the science and medical understanding of the management and treatment of concussions."
At this point, Gino, let me bring you in.
What do you make of that statement?
GINO BROGDON, ATTORNEY: We're not surprised by it, because the kind of arranged denial that the NFL has practiced over the years is consistent with that statement. The fact is that the NFL had information that would have allowed these players to make decisions about their own safety, and the NFL had the opportunity, the resources to protect these players when they're brought out of the game. But it is a matter of putting profit over protection of the players. And that's part of what this lawsuit is about. And that protection extends not only from former players, but current players, and then the would-be players that we will see five, 10, 15 years from now.
SESAY: This next question, Gino, if you want to pick it up, or Mike, how difficult a case is this going to be to prove?
Mike, you've already said you have concerns about how the NFL would counter this, concerns about statute of limitations and, of course, collective bargaining.
MCGLAMRY: Well, Isha, you are correct. I do believe the NFL has responded in such a way that the first position taken is that the collective bargaining agreement would preempt this type of lawsuit.
SESAY: Explain what that means to our viewers, the whole collective bargaining thing. STEWART: Each player enters into a collective bargaining agreement when they get into the league. However, these players, like Ryan and others that have filed these lawsuits, are no longer subject to the collective bargaining agreement. And we believe therefore, will not have any impact on whether or not this lawsuit can go forward.
But you also mentioned the statute of limitations. That will be an issue. We are obviously going up against the NFL. There are several cases filed around the country, as you mentioned earlier. We hope to get the collective work and resources from other law firms involved in this because we think that ultimately we'll be able to show that players like Ryan and others did not know what the NFL had available to it, that it could have taken steps early on to take care of these guys.
SESAY: To that point, Mike, what about causality? How are you going to prove that the injuries that these players say they have now are due to the hits they took while playing in the NFL? Because obviously, they played for a long time before they joined the NFL. How are you going to establish that causal link?
MCGLAMRY: Well, Isha, I think it is no different than any other personal injury type of lawsuit where the plaintiff, in our instance, our case, would have to bear the burden of determining and proving that a certain injury was caused by a certain conduct. That would involve expert witnesses, medical records and the testimony of the clients, the plaintiffs like Ryan and others. It is just building a case, like any other case.
SESAY: Ryan, another point to bring out is the NFL has now got a doctor on the sidelines examining players when they take a hit so they can be looked at before they go back into the game, if that's what they determine. What do make of this development?
STEWART: It's something that should have been done a long time ago. In essence, Isha -- a very good question. But in essence, when these things happen, a guy gets his bell rung on the field, there are 53 men on the roster. If you're on the field, you're one of the best of the 53. So when you come to the sideline and you talk to a team trainer or a team doctor, their job is to say you're OK to play, if you are. And if you want to go back and play, then they're not going to hold up out. They'll say, OK, he's fine. He passed the test.
Having someone that isn't a part of the organization on that sideline will greatly increase the odds of a player that shouldn't be on the field going back out there because their bell has been rung.
SESAY: I can't help but wonder how you're feeling at a time like this, suing the NFL. This is a game which, of course, you love. And you played for many years. I mean, how are you feeling at this time about this course of action?
STEWART: I have very mixed emotions. I'm all over the place when it comes to how I feel because I absolutely love the NFL, I love their product and I love what it stands for. But at the same time, a guy that played the way I played the game, knowing what I know now that I didn't know and could have been informed upon, it probably would have made me at least play a little bit different. I would have used my head a whole lot less or not used it at all when I tried to make plays. But I did what I was coached to do that and I did what I was coached to do, not knowing the ramifications that I'd be dealing with today.
SESAY: And, Gino, you want to add something?
BROGDON: Yes. I was just going to say, you asked the question about what do we expect from the NFL and this litigation. We expect a real fight, at least initially, until we uncover the truth. We believe we have the truth. We intend on proving the truth. And when the NFL sees that we are all looking at the same crystal ball, seeing the same thing, then they'll understand that it is time for a day of reckoning.
SESAY: Yes, but people are also going to be wondering about money and damages. What are we looking at here? I've read in some places that we could be looking at very high figures that run into the millions.
BROGDON: Well, it is hard to answer that question in terms of specificity at this point, because our first goal is to completely uncover what they knew. Because the wrong starts there. But when it comes down to crunching the numbers, it involves what it's going to cost to assess these players, what it costs to treat these players, and what it costs to compensate them. And those numbers will not be small because their injuries and the changes in their lives are not small.
SESAY: Do you want this to go to trial or would you prefer an out-of-court settlement? Do you have a preference?
BROGDON: My preference is to do what's best for my clients. Now if my clients are not treated fairly, they are -- the NFL does not respond appropriately, then this thing will go to trial. That's where we do our best work. But that's a last resort if that has to happen. But I want the NFL to know that we are prepared to take it all the way if that's where it has to go.
SESAY: Do you expect other players will join this lawsuit?
BROGDON: Yes. And they have been. So I think as awareness -- that's one of our goals. As the awareness increases, other players are going to start thinking, well, what happens to me when I'm 65? What happens to my children? What happens to the little kids who are aspiring to be NFL players if they go and get their bell rung in the pros and, suddenly, they're 65 and slobbering on themselves and wondering what happened? It's all because of the mismanagement of these head injuries.
SESAY: Ryan Stewart, Mike McGlamry and Gino Brogdon, our thanks to you all for joining us during this holiday week to talk about this issue. Appreciate it.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta takes an in-depth look at this issue in "Big Hits, Broken Dreams." That airs Sunday, January 29th at 8:00 p.m.
And this video you're about to watch is sickening to watch. Women dragged through the street, viciously kicked and struck in the head with batons. One woman's incredible story and her struggle to recover. That's coming up next. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SESAY: In "Globe Trekking" today, we go to Egypt where a woman was kicked, beaten and dragged through the street, but she refuses to be silenced.
CNN's Mohammed Jamjoom was granted access by the family.
But I must warn that you some of the images you are about to see are upsetting.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
AZZA HILAL SULEIMAN, EGYPTIAN ACTIVIST: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE).
MOHAMMED JAMJOOM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Even after the attack, and two fractures to her skull, Azza Hilal Suleiman was unbowed, still speaking out.
SULEIMAN: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
JAMJOOM: "They were hitting a veiled woman," she says. "They removed the veil and exposed the underwear she was wearing."
This is the screen she was describing. A veiled Egyptian female protesters being beaten by riot police, dragged, partially stripped of her clothing, even stomped on.
CNN received this video from a human rights activist.
SULEIMAN: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
JAMJOOM: "They kept hitting her," she says. "So I ran and tried to cover her body and pull her out. They started beating us."
Seen here in a red jacket, Azza tries to help the wounded woman. Security forces rushed toward her, push her to the ground, then a merciless barrage. She sustained multiple blows to the head.
These pictures show just some of her injuries.
When we tracked Azza down, she wanted to speak to us. But when we arrived to the hospital for the interview, her condition had deteriorated.
(on camera): We are trying to get in to see Azza. She's in that room. We actually hear screams emanating from inside that room. We've not been able to so far. The doctors that we've spoken with say that she needs to be taken to the ICU. (voice-over): A short time later, we're given access to her by family members. But Azza is in agony and can't speak to us.
(SCREAMING)
JAMJOOM: "I can't take it," she says. "I can't. I'm going to die. Have mercy on me."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SESAY: Mohammed joins me now on the phone from Cairo.
Mohammed, have you had had a chance to speak with the woman or her family since you filed this story? How's shoe he doing?
JAMJOOM (voice-over): We just returned a short while ago from the hospital here in Cairo where she is. We had an exclusive interview with her. She's doing much better than she was yesterday but she's still in a lot of pain. Quite visibly suffering. We asked her first about how upset she is about what happened that her and what's been going on in Egypt.
Here's more of what she had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SULEIMAN (through translation): There is no justice. I don't know how long we'll go without justice. We didn't ask for anything more than to be free in our own country. We've been oppressed by the military, by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces and by the police. I don't know how much longer they'll continue to kill us. How much longer will they continue to kill us?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JAMJOOM: Isha, we finally got some reaction about the case from the military here. An official told us he wasn't aware of the case specifically, but the woman if she is from a military family, as Azza claims she is, then she's entitled to be transferred to a military hospital -- Isha?
SESAY: Mohammed, watching that brutal video in which Azza is being beaten, and the other woman, who we have yet to catch up with, is there a sense that there is a telling point in these clashes when you see that kind of brutality being brought down on women there in Egypt and their veils being pulled off and their clothes taken off. I mean, what is your sense about what is happening and how this violence is evolving?
JAMJOOM: It has sparked so much outrage here this past week, the horrific videos, these scenes of violence towards women, as you can imagine, in an Islamic culture, where conservatism is prized. To see a woman not only being brutalized out there in the open, being dragged, being kicked, being stripped of clothing, it is shocking to people here. It sparks so much international condemnation as well. But what's interesting is, far from being cowed or being afraid, women here have become emboldened. We're seeing more head out into the streets. the other day, almost 2,000 of them marching through Tahrir Square, the epicenter of the revolution here, saying it is time that Egypt had a civilian government and women be able to participate in political life more, and that the violence being practices against them by the Army and security forces stop immediately -- Isha?
SESAY: Mohammed Jamjoom joining us on the line from Cairo.
Mohammed, stay safe. Thank you.
A controversial move by the Girl Scouts of America has some of its leadership quitting and disbanding their organization. We'll explain why.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SESAY: Let's check stories headlines at "Street Level."
First Washington State, where the nation's battle of the bulk is causing some big quality changes on ferries. The Coast Guard said it is changing the capacity on several ferries because passengers now weigh more. They say the old rates assumed an average rider was between 140 and 160 pounds. Not anymore. The average American weighs 185 pounds. The Coast Guard says now that some vessels will carry fewer passengers. Not to worry. The Coast Guard says the ferries rarely reach full capacity.
In Louisiana, the leaders of three Girl Scouts troops have resigned their troops. Action taken reportedly over the decision of a Colorado Girl Scout troop that has admitted a transgender child. 7- year-old Bobby Montoya was initially rejected by a troop in Denver. The Girl Scouts of Colorado subsequently issued a statement in support of Montoya, who was then admitted into the troop. "The Christian Post" reports that one of the leaders, who resigned, says the Girl Scout's action is, quote, "extremely confusing and an almost dangerous situation for children."
In Mobile, Alabama, the police are giving major kudos to their boss, the mayor, for catching a criminal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(BARKING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: Apparently, Mayor Sam Jones stumbled upon the alleged intruder when he returned home from work. The mayor, well, he held the suspect at gunpoint until police arrived.
"Sports Illustrated" fans voted defensive tackle, Eric LeGrand, onto the cover as the best moment of 2011. LeGrand was paralyzed in a football game last year. Back in October, in a motorized wheelchair, he was able to lead the Scarlet Knights onto the field in a snowstorm at Rutgers for their game against West Virginia. This is the first time ever that "Sports Illustrated" invited fans to vote on the best moment, and the first Rutgers athlete on the cover.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(CHEERING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: An historic moment in Norfolk, Virginia. For the first time on record, a same-sex couple was chosen for the homecoming kiss, which you saw there. The kiss is a tradition when ships return to port.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARISSA GAETA, PETTY OFFICER 3RD CLASS: I feel good about it. It is nice to be myself. It has been a long time coming. I've been in almost two and a half years and this is very recent the change has come into effect. And it has been nothing but positive, so it has been pretty awesome to say the least.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it is great that we can be open about our relationship since we are both in the military.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: Petty Officer Marissa Gaeta won the traditional first kiss in a raffle.
Apparently, this holiday treat is a gift that keeps on giving. A Cincinnati state liquidator (ph) came across a 70-year-old fruit cake that he plans to auction off.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 1941. So it was a current product. It was made by Kroger's in the old vacuum-packed with rum. Even though it has a little rust on it, it is still probably pretty good.
SESAY: A little rust on it -- OK, then. Well, the cake was originally taken home by a Kroger's store manager. Now his son is trying to help him clear a few things out of the attic. 100 percent of the proceeds from the auction will go to charity.
Well, the sparring over campaign ads continues for Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney.
Deputy political director, Paul Steinhauser, joins me now to talk about all of this.
Paul, Gingrich challenged Romney to a debate over the ads in Iowa. What's the latest?
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Yes, this has been quite a back and forth, Isha, over the last couple days between these two. Remember, we're now just 12 days away from the Iowa caucuses, the first contest in the primary caucus calendar.
Here's how it started. Romney's super PAC -- this is an independent group, these super PACs, but must of these candidates have them. The super PAC went up with an ad that was pretty tough on Newt Gingrich and it has gone up on a couple more over the last few weeks. Gingrich was upset about that. He asked Romney to tell that super PAC to take them down. Romney basically said, if you cannot take the heat, get out of the kitchen. Gingrich responded to that saying, you know, what, what about the heat? I can take the heat. Let's have a debate. Let's meet next week and debate. Well, Romney responded today. Take a listen, Isha.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MITT ROMNEY, (R), FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm going to respect the other candidates and the process by continuing debates. I'll debate all the candidates, the credible candidates. It will probably narrow down at some point to two or three people, as it did last time. It may well be Speaker Gingrich and myself. And we'll get that chance.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEINHAUSER: And, Isha, I promise, we'll get you the cleaner tape of that a little later. Mitt Romney didn't look so good, did he?
(LAUGHTER)
A little blurry. But this back and forth will probably continue. These super PACs, these are independent groups. A lot of them are run by former advisers to these candidates and these campaigns. But supposedly, the law says they have to be independent. A lot of these new commercials from these super PACs are very negative, going after other candidates. Isha, I think we'll see a lot more of this all throughout next year.
SESAY: Paul, a quick word on Ron Paul, who was on the defensive yesterday when he was speaking to our own Gloria Borger, who pushed him on certain questions relating to those newsletters back in the 1980s and 1990s that contained what was considered inflammatory comments, and the newsletter was under his name. He was defensive in that interview yesterday, even pulled his mike off and cut it short. And he changed from the campaign today -- their messaging. What are we hearing?
STEINHAUSER: Yes, he has an event coming up this hour and we'll listen in to see what he says. Listen, he's been questioned about this before. Our own Ali Velshi questioned him earlier this week. But this story is definitely not going away -- Isha?
SESAY: All right, our deputy political editor, Paul Steinhauser. Thank you. Appreciate it.
Thank you for watching today. CNN NEWSROOM continues in just a moment with Brooke Baldwin.
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