Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Violence in Iraq; Seven People Found Dead in Texas; Countdown to Iowa Caucuses; Data Breach At Stratfor; Sports Headlines 2011; Unrest In Iraq
Aired December 26, 2011 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ISHA SESAY, CNN ANCHOR: OK, right to it. This is "Reporter Roulette." We're in Iraq, where it's another deadly day with threats of more violence. Back here in the states, somebody out there is a lottery multimillionaire. They just haven't claimed the money yet. Plus, will the weather hold up today across the country as millions of people head home from their holiday travels?
But first to Washington and our own Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr.
Barbara, the Army and the Air Force are dealing with a possible serious online security breach today. Tell us about this case of cyber-hacking.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Isha.
This is the company called Stratfor. It's a private company that deals in global intelligence. Stratfor got hacked over the weekend. It's getting a lot of attention. In a Web site posting, hackers said they released subscriber data and information on 4,000 credit cards as well as the company's private client list.
They went on and posted on another site called AntiSec, a Web- based collaboration with activist groups such as Anonymous, saying that Stratfor got hacked. Essentially this well-known hacking group Anonymous taking credit for this. Stratfor is a company that provides analysis and intelligence information to those government, military and corporate clients who want data on threats and risks around the world.
So this is getting a lot of attention. And that is the question. What comes next? -- Isha.
SESAY: Yes, indeed. The Army and the Air Force I imagine at this point in time will be looking very closely at their systems, right?
STARR: They will be. The military is very used to these types of cyber-attacks. They get pings perhaps hundreds of times a day.
But when they have a relationship with a private relationship, essentially a contractor, and they get attacked in cyberspace, that private contractor, that poses some challenges for the military. Right now the Pentagon says there is no impact on them. But, look, this is something everyone is watching very carefully -- Isha.
SESAY: Yes, indeed. Barbara Starr, Pentagon correspondent, always appreciate it. Thanks, Barbara.
And I will be talking to one of the hacking victims a little later this hour. So stay with us for that.
Next on "Reporter Roulette," Arwa Damon in Baghdad. That's where at least five people died today when a suicide bomber blew himself up near a heavily fortified government building.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Isha, what's especially disturbing about this attack against the Ministry of Interior is that according to an official from the ministry, they believe that the suicide bomber came from outside of Baghdad, which would have mean he would have had to have gone through at least six checkpoints, this at a time when the Iraqi security forces were supposed to be on high alert.
Searches were supposed to be more stringent. Now, according to this official, the suicide bomber was driving a normal car, the kind that you would see on the streets of Baghdad. They're trying to investigate what kind of I.D.s he may have been using to get through these checkpoints. But this is raising a lot of questions, not just about the capabilities of the Iraqi security forces, but also whether or not and to what degree they have potentially been infiltrated.
This coupled with the country's current political crisis is causing ripples of fear across the country and especially across the capital that more violence could lie ahead. The political crisis, of course, stemming from the arrest warrant for the Sunni vice president, the government incredibly polarized over that, the vice president's political bloc largely viewing this as being a sectarian move by a Shia-dominated government.
The government has to somehow put this government back together. How they will accomplish that at this stage incredibly difficult to determine. But, at the end of the day, Isha, this is not about saving one man or saving one government. It is about saving the country.
SESAY: Arwa Damon, thank you.
Next on "Reporter Roulette," George Howell, who is here with me.
And, somebody, who bought a Powerball lottery ticket in Maryland is $125 million richer today. That winning lottery ticket as I understand it was sold on Christmas Eve. The winner hasn't come forward yet. But there's another lottery winner out there, yes, another one, who has got a $77 million jackpot waiting, and time -- well, time is running out. When was this ticket sold?
GEORGE HOWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: June 29, Isha.
SESAY: June 29, $77 million. (CROSSTALK)
HOWELL: Yes, yes, someone maybe just not looking at the numbers, didn't check the ticket out. June 29, so time is definitely running out. What would you do with that money?
SESAY: Well, I probably wouldn't be here tomorrow, but that's just me.
(LAUGHTER)
SESAY: And I didn't buy the ticket, so don't worry. I will be here tomorrow.
(LAUGHTER)
SESAY: What are folks saying?
HOWELL: Bottom line here, I talked to the people with the lottery. They say this ticket has to be claimed very quickly, 180 days after the purchase date. So that makes today the deadline.
Here is the catch, also. It has to be purchased at a kiosk, one of two kiosks at Hartsfield Jackson Airport, because the office hours are closed today. But I want to show you the winning numbers to this ticket. So be sure to take a look at this, 24, 30, 45, 57, 59.
Now, you should go back, check your pockets, check the purse, see if that's your lottery ticket, because, if it is, that will definitely help you pay off some of those Christmas gifts...
(CROSSTALK)
SESAY: Yes, indeed, a lot of Christmas gifts. You know if I won that, I wouldn't be here. I would probably be off buying shoes. But you spoke to some other people who were talking about how they would spend that kind of cash, right?
HOWELL: One man who said, I would disappear.
(LAUGHTER)
SESAY: Let's take a listen.
HOWELL: Yes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would go buy an island, wouldn't nobody know where I was, and just live, man, just live, plain and simple, buy anything I want, do whatever. Hey.
HOWELL: And what about you? What would you do with $77 million?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Probably just buy a house and probably get an island like him. HOWELL: The house first or the island?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The island, then build the house.
HOWELL: OK, and in that order?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, and then just live my life taking care of my kids, having fun.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: I love it.
HOWELL: So everyone has got their way of spending the money.
SESAY: Some people would just disappear. Then she was like I would be out, enough already. I would be gone.
HOWELL: But the deadline is definitely coming closer, 3:00 right now Eastern time. These kiosks close at 10:30 tonight at Hartsfield Jackson Airport here in Atlanta. So if the person lives within the region, they have got to get that ticket claimed pretty quickly.
SESAY: All right, I'm taking a poll. What would you do with the money?
HOWELL: I would probably learn how to play like Brooke's friend on the guitar and buy a helicopter. I like helicopters.
SESAY: Reynolds Wolf is also here with us. I have got to bring in him on this conversation. He's obviously our meteorologist.
Reynolds, what would you do with that cash?
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Everything is relative. My gosh, I'm the kind of guy that gets excited winning a free Big Gulp at the 7/Eleven. That, I would go cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs. But $77 million, I would probably start by setting my hair on fire and doing backflips in the median of I-20 naked. You just can't imagine. It's hard to believe.
(LAUGHTER)
SESAY: I'm almost sad now you didn't win it at the thought of that.
WOLF: Yes. Yes. Probably better if I didn't. Seriously, that would be some bad news. But, no, it's just sensory overload. Could not comprehend that kind of money.
SESAY: All right.
George, I want to thank you for giving us the lowdown. The clock is running out. You got to go. If you have those numbers, turn up and claim your money.
HOWELL: Time is running out.
SESAY: Time is running out.
(WEATHER UPDATE)
SESAY: And that is it for today's "Reporter Roulette."
We're now only eight days away from the first voting of the 2012 presidential election. And three candidates are tied for first place in Iowa right now. We will show you who they are. That's coming up.
Plus, remember the baby formula that was yanked from store shelves just last week after a baby died? We have brand-new information from the manufacturer about the formula's safety.
And new research finds that kids who have sleepovers with their boyfriends or girlfriends are less likely to get pregnant -- that story and so much more coming up in just two minutes. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(NEWS BREAK)
SESAY: Now this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SGT. ROBERT EBERLING, GRAPEVINE POLICE DEPARTMENT: Attempts to try to get ahold of somebody, and no one responded. We made entry into this -- the apartment and discovered seven victims inside the apartment, all deceased.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: A horrific scene at an apartment in Texas, where the bodies of four women and three men were found -- the latest details coming up in about two minutes. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SESAY: The joy of Christmas morning shattered by an unspeakable crime in a Texas home. A killer dressed in a Santa suit, according to our affiliate KTVT, massacred a family right after they opened their presents.
Today, autopsies are being done on the seven people found dead inside. And the shooter is believed to be among them, according to Amber Fisher with affiliate KDAF.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
AMBER FISHER, KDAF REPORTER (voice-over): With many neighbors out of town for the holidays, Grapevine police are investigating this murder case with very little information. But at this time they believe it appears to be a family Christmas celebration gone terribly wrong. Around 11:30 Christmas morning, Grapevine police received an open line 911 call.
EBERLING: We made repeated attempts to try to get a hold of somebody, and no one responded. We made entry into this -- the apartment and discovered seven victims inside the apartment, all deceased.
FISHER: The bodies of four females and three males were found in the kitchen appearing to have died from gunshot wounds.
EBERLING: It looks like all relatives of each other, probably here to celebrate Christmas.
FISHER: Police found two guns inside the apartment and believe they were used by one of the victims, first on their family, then on themselves.
EBERLING: At this point, that's what we believe. It's early, initial stages of the investigation. We're not searching for a shooter at this point that's at large.
PAULINA MONZON, NEIGHBOR: I can't imagine anybody doing that to their family.
FISHER: Neighbors are shocked by this Christmas Day tragedy and say it will change the way they view their community.
ALEJANDRO BARRERA, NEIGHBOR: We see the cops around there, but we never really hear nothing. It's just family arguments probably. But other than that, it's a very quiet neighborhood.
MONZON: I think it just puts people on alert like to be more aware of who is around them. You never know who lives next to you.
FISHER: Grapevine police say this is the most serious case the department has ever dealt with.
EBERLING: Any day of the year, it's very tragic. And it's certainly amplified because it is Christmas.
FISHER: the names of those seven victims will not be released until the next of kin has been notified. It's certainly something no one would ever want or expect to hear about their family on Christmas Day.
In Grapevine, Texas, I'm Amber Fisher.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SESAY: Very sad. All right.
Let's talk politics, everyone. And take a look at this. Look who is back from maternity leave. Oh, yes, it's our one and only Dana Bash, and she's here to tell us what's hot on the "Political Ticker" including who is getting a head-start in Iowa, just days away from the caucuses there.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SESAY: The Iowa caucuses mark the first votes in the 2012 race just one week from tomorrow.
And we want to welcome back Dana Bash in Washington with our America's Choice 2012 Politics update.
Dana, it's great to have you back, I should say.
DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Thanks, Isha.
SESAY: Really excited to see that you're here with us for this big race.
What is your sense as you look at the data, as you speak to people? Is there a clear front-runner in Iowa?
BASH: Well, it certainly looks like there isn't. There's a statistical dead heat between Newt Gingrich, Romney and Ron Paul.
What's really interesting is that four years ago at this time I was actually in Iowa and I spent a lot of time with a little known former Arkansas governor who came out of nowhere and won the Iowa caucuses. That man of course is Mike Huckabee. And he now has a job on another cable network. And he's not a weatherman, Isha, but he is making some weather predictions. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE HUCKABEE (R), FORMER ARKANSAS GOVERNOR: If the weather good, Mitt Romney is in better shape. If the weather is bad and it's real tough to get out, Ron Paul will win.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Now, let me translate what he's trying to say is -- about the Iowa caucuses is about intensity, that there's a lot more organic or natural intensity among Ron Paul supporters than there is among Mitt Romney supporters.
So, if the weather is bad and it's hard to get out that night because it's just basically hard to drive, which happens a lot in Iowa, Paul supporters are more likely to brave the elements because for the most part they care more.
SESAY: OK, then. We shall see how that one plays itself out.
But I want to talk about Rick Santorum, who of course is still in the race. He's there in Iowa. A lot of other candidates aren't. I'm looking at it as the calm before the storm. What is Santorum up to today?
BASH: He's the only one out. And he has a very important and influential hunting buddy this afternoon. It's Congressman Steve King. Now, King is a Republican from Iowa, probably one of the most coveted endorsements of this 2012 Republican presidential race there.
Now, I talked to Congressman King by phone just a short while ago while he was driving up to have this outing, this hunting outing with Rick Santorum. He told me that he's not endorsing Santorum today, but he's really not sure if he will endorse anyone.
He's making what he says a really difficult decision. And it's really Interesting because it's emblematic and probably representative of Iowa voters' difficulty across the board in making a decision this election year. King told me he had planned to endorse in the fall, but he said he just couldn't get comfortable with anyone enough.
In fact, he said he's still not comfortable with anyone enough. So, eight days away, he said it's still possible. And with the polls neck and neck, the congressman, as you can imagine, is being courted big time. And then I will have more of this next hour with Wolf Blitzer, Isha.
SESAY: All right, Dana Bash, back from maternity leave, mother of a very beautiful baby. I have seen the pictures, Dana.
BASH: Thank you.
SESAY: Great to have you back. Thank you.
BASH: Very sweet. Thank you.
SESAY: And just a reminder: Live coverage of the first Republican primary, Iowa caucuses begins here on CNN next Tuesday, January 3, at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.
Well, each week, we profile innovators, visionaries and agents of change right here on CNN. They're not household names just yet, but they are movers and shakers in their own world.
It's called "The Next List." Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Being self-taught is actually -- it's very much a blessing and a curse.
The curse part means that I do not have or did not have a lot of the technical experience that people who were classically trained in the very few perfume schools that exist do. They knew how to make certain (INAUDIBLE) because they were taught how. They knew how to work with certain materials because this is the knowledge that was passed down through these schools. I had to figure out everything myself.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A molecular gastronomist is really just someone who explores the science of food. We're always playing with your expectations as to what this food could be. We use a lot of different tools, centrifuges, sonifiers, lasers. We're actually starting to work with some superconductors.
If you look at the limitations of creating new products, you're only limited by the technology that you have to work with.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The real thrill with the food experiments that we do is creating something that's impossible, creating something that just shouldn't be.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A good agent always looks to their artists for inspiration. And Tristan is such a visionary, that we tend to sort of work out what opportunities really work with his vision. He has an amazing project on with Disney, something in the works with Google, of which I can say very little. Otherwise, I will have to kill you.
He has all this brand equity already. He has the designer vinyl. He has the huge fan base. At the heart of it all, he really wants to please people and to bring a lot of joy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All I ever want to do with my life is make art. So, every day is exciting if I'm only doing that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Before the iPad, I used to joke that I made useless programs, but they're as useless as a song, a movie, a story, something like that. And all of a sudden, with the iPad, I could just go directly to people and say, check this thing out.
It doesn't even -- we don't even have to label what it is. It's just called Gravilux. It's called Bubble Harp. See if you like it. And all of a sudden, they did.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SESAY: Well, "The Next List," profiling all of these innovators, is coming up this Sunday right here on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SESAY: The shortened NBA season finally got off the ground after a five-month lockout. The NBA rewarded fans Sunday with an exciting game between the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics. The Knicks edged out Boston 106-104. But the much anticipated rematch of last season's NBA finals between the champion Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat wasn't so close. The Heat beat Dallas 105-94 with the Mavericks trailing by more than 30 points at times.
The NBA players and owners reached a tentative deal to end the lockout back in November. At the center of the dispute, you may remember, how much of the league's revenue should go to players. A new deal offers a virtual 50/50 split.
Now, quick question for you. Who won the world series? How about the NBA championship? In the world of sports 2011 went by like a blur. And a lot of the action occurred off the field. Mark McKay has a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARK MCKAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: To call the 2011 sports year tumultuous is an understatement. And nowhere was that more evident than college sports. Ohio State football players sold and traded memorabilia for cash and tattoos, something the head coach tried to cover up. A booster for the University of Miami said that over the span of eight years, he spent millions of Hurricane players, including paying for prostitutes. But at Penn State the transgressions were far worse.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Jerry Sandusky is charged with molesting eight boys.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where were the authorities?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is not a case about football, not a case about universities. It's a case about children who have had their innocence stolen from them.
MCKAY: A child sex abuse scandal involving former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky resulted in the firing of head coach Joe Paterno and a legacy that was six decades in the making is now in shambles. Bernie Fine, an assistant basketball coach at Syracuse for the past 36 years, was fired after allegations emerged that he molested children.
In the NFL and NBA we saw owners and players fighting over billions of dollars while the rest of the country suffered through economic hardship. And there was tragedy on the race track when Indy car driver Dan Wheldon was part of a 15-car crash which cost the 33- year-old husband and father of two his life.
We also said good-bye to Smokin' Joe Frazier, one of the greatest heavyweight champs of all times.
But amidst all the darkness there were stories and athletes to celebrate. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers emerging from the shadow of Bret Favre to lead Green Bay to a Super Bowl title. Dirk Nowitzki, a player from Germany taking the Dallas Mavs to the first NBA title against a team that featured two of the NBA's biggest stars. A 33- year-old head coach named Chaka Smart leading 11th seed Virginia Commonwealth University to the final four, college basketball's grandest stage. A 21-year-old from northern island named Rory McElroy who won the U.S. Open and made many ask, Tiger who? Not to be out done was Alexi Thompson, who at 16 became the youngest player to ever win an LPGA tournament.
And who could forget the story of David Freese, a kid who grew up in St. Louis rooting for the cardinals and leading them to a World Series championship, his performance earning him the series MVP. Those are some of the stories that reminded us why we watch.
Mark McKay, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SESAY: What a year.
You've seen those TV shows where coupon clippers go wild, literally whipping themselves into a freezer section frenzy. This woman, she's just one of them. But she's not hoarding all her discount finds. Stick around for a woman who takes extreme couponing to a very unselfish place.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SESAY: Lots of people could use a little help with their grocery bills these days. One woman in Georgia is using extreme couponing to pay it forward right now. Natalie Allen has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NATALIE ALLEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Expenses for gifts and holiday meals can strain a family's budget. For many people, the costs of basic things like groceries can be overwhelming this time of year. One woman has taken the couponing craze and turned it into an opportunity to help people in her local Georgia community.
RHONDA SMITH, FOUNDER, SAVE IT FORWARD: I was doing it for my family. I was amazed at what you could get for free or almost free. And god just really laid it on my heart, why not use the same concept to help meet the needs of others?
ALLEN: So she created "Save it Forward," providing more than 60 families groceries every month using extreme couponing. That means collecting every coupon she can find and using them to cut her grocery costs. School councilor Jessica High is familiar with seeing many students who don't have enough to eat.
JESSICA KAYE, SCHOOL COUNSELOR: I believe the pantry program supports their families by making the parents feel secure in knowing each month they're going to receive groceries and food.
ALLEN: Like Keith Braswell, whose wife had to stop working because of illness.
KEITH BRASWELL, PROGRAM PARTICIPANT: By them providing food for me and my family, it creates time for me to really be with them and do the things I need to do for them as a care giver.
ALLEN: Financial analyst Clyde Anderson sat down with Rhonda Smith to find out just how save it forward works.
CLYDE ANDERSON, FINANCIAL PLANNER: So tell us a little bit. These are the bags that the families actually receive. How do you determine what goes into the basket?
SMITH: The thing that I love about extreme couponing is it allows us to love on people extravagantly. What people receive in our bags is not the normal food pantry type of food. We provide items, name brand items like brownies and fruit snacks for kids.
ANDERSON: How much have you actually saved with some of these receipts?
SMITH: On this particular receipt we spent $3.69 and we actually saved $63.36.
ALLEN: Volunteers help purchase groceries and stock the food pantry.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Save it Forward makes it super easy. They hand you an envelope and you go to the store, put it with your grocery list in your purse and you're done.
ALLEN: But no matter how much food fills the pantry, Rhonda is always looking for more coupons.
SMITH: In the economy that we live in, we're all trying to stretch every dollar that we can. And this is -- we make it easy for people to give back to the community without a significant impact on my wallet.
ALLEN: Natalie Allen, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SESAY: Isn't that a great story?
Moving on. Hacking at a global intelligence agency -- we're going to tell you about one of the people who was victimized in the cyber-attack. We're going to actually talk to him right after this quick break. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SESAY: We talked about this at the top of the hour. A notorious hacker group is bragging online that its members managed to infiltrate a global intelligence company, Stratfor, and stole thousands of credit card numbers from its clients, companies, government agencies, and private citizens.
It's still unclear exactly who is behind this alleged hack, but it has got people like Allen Barr very concerned. Alan is a client of Stratfor that had his credit card information, and he found out a week ago unauthorized charges had been made on it. Alan, you were, indeed hacked. Some money was stolen from your account. Tell us how much and what it was used for.
ALLEN BARR, PRIVATE INFORMATION STOLEN BY HACKERS: About $700 was stolen from the account before we could identify it an turn the account off. It was in four amounts, to Red Cross, CARE, Save the Children, et cetera. It was in increasing increments of $150, $200, $250, totaling $700 before it was stopped. I found out about it. It all happened in about 30 minutes Saturday a week ago from 4:45 to about 5:15 while I was actually away helping with the community Christmas party with the hayride. SESAY: So you were at a party when you got the news. Talk me through how you got the news.
BARR: Visa security on the card, their computers identified an anomaly and called my house. My wife just happened to be there. She got the call, and she wasn't sure whether or not -- we donate to these charities anyway, whether I was just donating an amount in excess of what I discussed with her. She called me.
(INAUDIBLE)
SESAY: Apologies. We're having some technical problems with Allen's connection as you can see there. We're going to try to reestablish contact and continue our conversation with him and find out what happened in his situation and how his credit card information was hacked off the Stratfor Web site. We'll work on that and try to bring him back for you.
In fact, I'm hearing we do have him back. Alan, we're having a few technical difficulties, but let's try to keep this conversation going. You were at a party when you were contacted by visa that they noticed this activity on your account. Is that right?
BARR: Yes. When they contacted our house and I checked my bank account, there were pending charges that I didn't recognize. Contacted visa security. It took about 30 minutes for me to identify them. We put a hold on it, canceled the card, but it still wasn't able to keep from going through my bank account taking the money. And by Monday I went down to the credit union, spent about half a day filling out those police reports and affidavits and then they conducted an investigation. And about two days later they said that they would credit back my funds pending completion of the investigation.
SESAY: So let me ask you this -- how did Stratfor break the news to you and how soon did they get in touch with you?
BARR: Actually, I got a call from a reporter yesterday morning and thereafter got an e-mail blast from Stratfor that they understood that they had been hacked. And thereafter, I've gotten another couple of e-mails talking about they're upgrading their security.
SESAY: All right, we're pleased that you're getting the money back. It's going to be given back to you. It's going to be refunded. Allen Barr from Austin, Texas, today. Thank you for joining us and just sharing a little bit about your situation, I appreciate it. Thank you.
BARR: Thank you. Have a nice day.
SESAY: You, too.
Well, police are naming the suspect who allegedly shot and paralyzed a soldier during his homecoming party in California. Investigators say the gunman is 19-year-old Rubin Ray Jurado. He's still on the loose and considered armed and dangerous. Police say he was at a welcome home party Friday night for 22-year-old army specialist Christopher Sullivan. Sullivan spent much of the last year recovering from a suicide blast in Afghanistan. Jurado reportedly got into a fight with Sullivan's younger brother. When the soldier stepped in to break it up, Jurado allegedly shot him twice, shattering his spine. I spoke with Sullivan's mother Susan who is remaining close by his side.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SUZANNE SULLIVAN, MOTHER OF SOLDIER SHOT AT PARTY: He's a very good son. And I don't know, just to say that he is a wonderful man and a great soldier. And yes, he got the Purple Heart. That's showing a lot of people right there that he would give his shirt off his back just to help anybody. Now he comes home to this. And he always said, "Mom, you know, I know I'm going to die by the time I'm 24, but I'm going to die for my country." I don't think Christopher ever thought in his own back yard.
SESAY: Talk to me about what you know ability the man who allegedly shot your son. Did they even know each other prior to this party where they were at?
SULLIVAN: What I was told is no, I don't know who he is. But what I was told is he went to school with Christopher, and I guess they played football for a year or two. That's what I've been told. They just -- we want him to turn himself in. We just want justice to be done, all of us. It's just taking so long and it's getting really frustrating.
SESAY: Christopher had a visit from someone in his infantry. You already said being part of the army meant so much to him. Share, if you would, what happened during that visit and who came to see him.
SULLIVAN: Richard. His name was Richard. He's from the 101st infantry division, a retired vet. He came to bring Christopher the screaming eagle flag. He hung it on the wall. And when I went back last night, I told him I don't know if you remember when he came earlier, Christopher. I said, but Richard came to bring you your screaming eagle flag from your platoon. I said would you like to see it? He shook his head. I said, all right, I'm taking it off the wall, son. And I said, OK. If you want to see it, you need to open he looked at the flag. He closed his eyes and he started crying. Tears were just rolling down his face.
(CRYING)
And I said, what would you like for me to do with this flag? Would you like for me to hang it back up? Or would you like for me to cover you with it? I said, just shake your head -- I mean, move your eyes if you want me to cover you with it. He moved his eyes. He wanted me to cover him with his flag.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: The family is going through so much. Our thoughts and prayers are with Specialist Sullivan and his entire family at this time.
"THE SITUATION ROOM" with Wolf Blitzer is coming up at the top of the hour. Wolf is joining us now for a preview. Wolf, what have you got?
WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": Well, we are going to do a lot of political news. Eight days to Iowa, as you know, Isha, so there is a lot going on. I, myself, am getting ready to head out it Iowa. I will be there tomorrow interviewing Newt Gingrich. I'll be there Wednesday interviewing Mitt Romney. So there is a lot of political news we are taking a look at, all the latest polls.
We're also examining endorsements. In these final eight days, could a major endorsement help some of the lesser candidates like Rick Santorum, for example? We are not neglecting what is happening elsewhere. We are going around the world, what's happening in North Korea. They're getting ready for the big funeral, Kim Jong-il on Wednesday, the memorial service on Thursday.
There are huge developments unfolding in Iraq right now. I just blogged on our CNN "SITUATION ROOM" website my fear that Iraq could be exploding, could be breaking apart along the lines of what we saw in Yugoslavia not that long ago. I don't know if we posted it yet, but it should be posted very soon. Check it out. I think a lot of our viewers will be interested in that. Syria, Egypt, lots going on. So we will try to cover it in the next two hours.
SESAY: Indeed. As we go into this election campaign, as things really heat up, closer attention paid to the situation in Iraq there, and, you know, whether that could come back and impact President Obama and his reelection hopes, Wolf.
BLITZER: It is interesting, Isha, that the vice president, Joe Biden, has really been the point man for the Obama administration and trying to make sure that following the complete withdraw of U.S. forces from Iraq that country stays together, doesn't get into a civil war. He's been on the phone all week and speaking with the Shiite, Sunni, Kurdish leaders, he is trying to do his best.
But ironically Joe Biden more than anyone else who years ago feared that this whole country could split up into Shiite, Sunni, Kurdish sections. That fear, at least according to the analysts I'm speaking to, people on the scene, and we will speak with our own Arwa Damon in Baghdad, that fear is very real right now. It's been a little bit more than a week since all U.S. troops have been out of Iraq and that fear is very real right now that Iraq could be breaking up into some sort of civil war. I hope it doesn't happen because a lot of people will die in the process.
What held that country together for so many years before the U.S. went in, was, ironically, Saddam Hussein. He was the dictator. He held that country together in a brutal way. But now we will see what happens. You remember Marshall Tito. He held Yugoslavia together with an iron fist, and then it broke up into Bosnia, Serbia, Kosovo, Croatia, all those independent countries. Now Yugoslavia, there is no more Yugoslavia. I write about that on my blog. We will go in-depth later today in "THE SITUATION ROOM."
SESAY: Thank you, Wolf, appreciate it.
BLITZER: Thank you, Isha.
SESAY: Check out this video. That's a child, yes, with her hand in the president of the United States' mouth. The story behind this hilarious video is coming up.
And conspiracy theories -- you are going to love this one. A possible issue with the first dog. We'll explain. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SESAY: A baby gets up close and personal with President Obama, and we have the pictures to prove it. Time now for Political Pop. Joe Johns joins me from Des Moines, Iowa. Joe, really? What's the deal here some.
JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: You know, the president of the United States shakes a lot of hands in the course after week, perhaps a thousand or so. And the last time I actually spoke to the president, I asked him whether he used some type of, you know, stuff, solution if you will, to put on his hands it keep them clean because he shakes so many. You can get the flu or whatever.
We have this picture of the president in Hawaii, doing what he does, and that's sort of holding babies. And so when people always love that, so many politicians because the baby. This hand goes right into the mouth of the president of the United States. And you think, seriously? I mean, how do you stop that? I guess just an occupational hazard of being any politician and certainly President Obama. He has a pretty good way with kids.
SESAY: He does.
JOHNS: As you know, he seems to get along with them really well. There was this one example early in the year when a baby was crying, and Mrs. Obama handed the baby to the president. And the baby calmed right down. So maybe there's something else he can do, if he's not president any more.
SESAY: He could be a baby whisperer?
(LAUGHTER)
JOHNS: That's pretty amazing, right? It's a great little picture. And one that I've never seen with any president, quite frankly. Up close and personal, right?
SESAY: It is a great picture.
We'll stick with the first family. And these rumors circulating the first dog, Bo Obama, has a backup, what, to keep up with the publicity? Truthful or just crazy? JOHNS: Wouldn't than incredible? You go to the White House during the Christmas season. They actually have, Bo, it seems in every room. Bo is decorating the tree. Bo is all over the place. Bo images, Bo cookies, what have you.
This story started circulating asking the question whether Bo had a body double, if you will. It all started when somebody thought they saw the president's wife, Michelle Obama, along with the girls out on the beach or wherever in Hawaii walking with the dog. And not long right in that same time, sort of contemporaneously, if you will, the president, who was still back in Washington dealing with the Congress, was seen out shopping for Christmas presents with Bo, the dog. And people said, OK, which is it? And why -- why would they possibly have two dogs?
The White House had to actually clear this up, ended up saying, no, there is only one Bo. Bo, in fact, is with the president at the time, in the White House. Did not go to Hawaii. Now we know, no body double for Bo. You know, that would be an interesting story though, wouldn't it?
SESAY: It would be interesting. These are strange times we are living in. So I wouldn't just say, OK, just another sign the world is going mad, right?
(LAUGHTER)
JOHNS: Well, you know, then the White House actually has to answer this question. You know, a body double for the dog? You know, presidents have had body doubles in the past, right? The Secret Service had somebody put out there that looks like the president or whatever. No body double for Bo.
SESAY: No double for Bo. As we say where I'm from, in England, it's silly season, clearly. Joe Johns, I appreciate it. Thank you so much.
That does it for today's NEWSROOM. I'm filling in (ph) for Brooke Baldwin. I'm going to hand it over to D.C. to my colleague Wolf Blitzer.
BLITZER: Thanks very much, Isha.
