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Iran Continues Threats to Block Oil Shipping Lanes; Man Dressed As Santa Claus Kills Family; Rick Santorum Surging in Iowa Polls; Idaho Teen Loses Cancer Fight; 2011: The Year In Medicine; Lasers Target Planes; Judge: Class "Promotes Racial Resentment"
Aired December 29, 2011 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ISHA SESAY, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Isha Sesay, in for Brooke Baldwin. Let's catch you up on everything making news this hour. "Rapid Fire." Let's go.
The Obama administration is digging in its heels, vowing to do what it must to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, and calls threats from Iran to block the strategically important waterway, quote, "saber rattling." Iran is not backing down either, saying it says it will see what it sees fit for its defense. Earlier this week, Iran's vice president threatened to block the strait if sanctions are imposed on crude oil exports.
Two people were killed in a massive pileup on I-10 in New Orleans earlier today. At least 22 others were taken to the hospital. Some 40 cars and trucks were involved in the crash which occurred in thick fog.
For the second day in a row we are reporting on a gruesome murder of an American traveling in Mexico. The body of 18-year-old Alex Marron was found charred in the truck of a burned out car. Friends of the high school senior are reacting in shock.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Daniela remembers her cousin Alexis Marron as a full of life 18-year-old with an easy smile.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Always smiling, happy. He enjoyed life.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Zendaha (ph) says the high school senior played football and was involved in gymnastics at their high school in suburban Chicago. They were often together. He took a holiday trip to the Mexican state of Michoacan, a vacation that would be his last.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: We'll have more on that story a little bit later. Marron was in western Mexico visiting his grandmother.
A dramatic YouTube video of intense fighting in Syria. Security forces firing on protesters in areas visited by Arab League monitors. Activists report nearly three dozen people dead today alone, monitors find out from Homs, the opposition epicenter. Killings are reported in all the regions they visited.
Federal prosecutors reportedly are preparing for what would be the first criminal charges against BP employees stemming from the Deep Water Horizon explosion in 2010. The "Wall Street Journal" says it got information from, quote, "People familiar with the matter." According to "The Journal,' government lawyers are focusing on whether BP engineers gave false statements to regulators about the risks associated with drilling.
A veteran marine who avoided being wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq was shot three times in a robbery in south Florida. Lieutenant Colonel Karl Trenker managed to plug his wounds with his fingers to stop the blood flow until help arrived. The good news is that he is doing OK no now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LT. COL. KARL TRENKER, U.S. MARINE CORPS: I go into Iraq and Afghanistan multiple time, yet I haven't been shot or blown. And I'm here in Florida, and here I am driving away in an ambulance with a bunch of gunshot wounds.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: Just incredible. Trenker is expected to make a full recovery.
The man accused of shooting and paralyzing a U.S. army soldier at a homecoming party in California just pleaded not guilty. And 19- year-old Ruben Jurado is charged with attempted murder in the Friday night shooting of army specialist Christopher Sullivan. The San Bernardino county DA's office added four special allegations involving premeditation and the use and discharge of a firearm. Special allegations can increase a sentence upon conviction.
The United States is selling 84 new F-15 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia. The deal comes at a time of rising tensions with Iran, and the White House says it reinforces the U.S. commitment to a strong Saudi defense. It also says a $30 billion deal will support over 50,000 American jobs.
All right, so here's a question. Why would anyone bring a gun to one of the most secure sites in New York City, the 9/11 memorial? "The New York Post" reports a tourist from Tennessee thought it was OK. She even asked a cop if she could check her weapon as soon as she saw a no gun's side. Apparently she didn't realize a loaded pistol in her purse would be a problem. The woman posted bond after she was locked up on a weapons possession charge.
Saturday night, millions of people will be in Times Square in New York City for the big New Year's Eve celebration. The huge ball that drops at midnight has been secured into place with more than 30,000 lights. Also, the city just dropped test confetti on Times Square this afternoon. They're testing the air to make sure it's safe when one ton is dropped on New Year's Eve. Remember, Anderson Cooper will be live from Times Square along with Kathy Griffin and yours truly. We will all be there on New Year's Eve starting at 11:00 p.m. eastern. That's right here on CNN.
We've got a lot more to cover in the next two hours. Watch
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: There's a delicate balancing act playing out between the U.S. and Iran.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Any miscalculation could mean that we're drawn into conflict. And that would be a tragedy for the region and the world.
SESAY: Today we ask would new sanctions against Iran actually backfire on the U.S.
Then someone's pointing dangerous laser lights at planes around a busy airport.
Which candidate should President Obama fear the most?
RICK SANTORUM, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think the Obama administration fears us the most.
SESAY: Joe Johns is on the trail.
And, are people buying their way into the USA?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have over 500 investors from 56 countries.
SESAY: An investor puts up cash and gets a green card, a deal that creates jobs for Americans. The news starts now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: If you've noticed a spike at the gas pump, it's probably linked to Iran. As we reported yesterday, Tehran is threatening to block oil shipments from the Persian Gulf should Washington follow through with a new round of economic sanctions. But hold that thought because the big news today out of Washington is the White House announcing a major weapons sale to Saudi Arabia, $30 billion in fact worth of F-15s.
If the threat by Iran shakes world petroleum markets, Saudi Arabia is one of the country that is might be asked to start pumping more oil. Keep in mind, though, that the Pentagon is warning Iran not to follow through on its military threat. Also keep in mind the U.S. Navy is keeping a close eye on Iranian war games being staged right now outside of the Strait of Hormuz.
Joining us now from Utah, Vali Nasr, professor of international politics at Tufts University. Also great to have you on the program. You write on your CNN.com article today that we're watching effectively a new phase of the west's attempt to stop Iran's nuclear weapons program and that it's more dangerous. How so?
VALI NASR, PROFESSOR OF INTERNATIONAL POLITICS: Because the administration decided to opt for new top sanctions in order to get Iran to stop its nuclear enrichment program. Rather than stopping the program, Iran is now threatening retaliation by cutting off the flow of oil from the Persian Gulf. That would essentially put the United States in a position of having to resort to some form of military action to break an Iranian blockade if the Iranians go through with that.
SESAY: It's not the first time we've seen and heard saber rattling from Iran, though?
NASR: Yes, but this time it's a bit more serious, largely because the sanctions that the United States wants to place on Iran would really hurt the Iranian economy. They will severely cut into Iran's oil revenue, and therefore the Iranian government feels its back is to the wall and it's more likely to go through with its saber rattling this time rather than other times. So the stakes are a bit higher this time.
SESAY: What do you think about these economic sanctions being proposed and pursued by the U.S.? I mean, ultimately, is it the right calculation if ultimately what it leads to is conflict, military action, possibly?
NASR: Well, the administration has opted for sanctions instead of using military strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. It thought that by putting pressure on Iran, you would bring Iranians to the table. But right now the Iranians are actually reacting in ways that makes military conflict more likely rather than less likely. I think the administration has to compliment pressure with a roadmap to serious negotiations because otherwise we would be in an escalation situation with Iran which would get us to a conflict which we're trying to avoid in the first place.
SESAY: What is going on the ground with Iran is important. What is your read on the ground in terms of the political dynamic and Ahmadinejad's position in the political landscape and how that may be playing into what we're seeing now?
NASR: Ahmadinejad has been be seriously weakened as a political leader over the past two years. And Iran is going into a cycle of elections for parliament and presidency in the next two years. The political situation is tense. There is in fighting between the leaders, but the economy has got a lot worse because of the previous sanctions. There's more inflation, more unemployment, and fear in Iran that new sanctions will actually accentuate the political tensions and the Iranian government is very worried about that, that's why they're acting so tough.
SESAY: Talk to me about your thoughts on the news we're getting today about the weapons sales to Saudi Arabia. Do you see them playing into this delicate diplomatic dance so to speak?
NASR: Well, to some extent, yes. The sale would give a lot of confidence to the Arab countries in the Persian Gulf at a very critical time. We've seen this before, every time there is Iranian saber rattling, there is also the sale of weapons to the countries around the Gulf, and that helps stabilize the situation somewhat. But if the Iranian go through with their threat, it would not be Arab country that is would break the Iranian blockade. It would have to be the United States.
SESAY: With that in mind, can the U.S. count on the support of Arab nations in the region for such a move?
NASR: It's actually the other way around. They are relying on the United States to do the heavy lifting here. So most of this arms sales is essentially just confidence building in the Persian Gulf area. But we really cannot rely on the Arab governments to stand up to Iran.
SESAY: I suppose the point I was trying to make is, what it means in terms of getting that support would certainly be good for the optics, right?
NASR: Absolutely. And they need to provide us with bases, with all sorts of financial assistance if it comes to a conflict. So their roll is important, but largely their roll is supported, and, therefore, still the consideration of how to react to the Iranian threat comes down to the United States.
SESAY: Ali Nasr, always great insider perspective, appreciate you joining us today. Thank you so much. And you can read much more of Nasr's piece on CNN.com.
Now, a man dressed as Santa Claus called 911 from a Texas apartment. Police say he whispered the words, "I'm shooting people." Find out what else he told the 911 operator after this quick break. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SESAY: A man dressed as Santa Claus calls 911, asks for help, and then says, "I'm shooting people." That was the tragic situation in a suburban Dallas apartment on Christmas Day. Seven people were killed. David Mattingly has been on this story. And David, I understand that we're getting more information from these 911 tapes?
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Police have had these tapes, they've listened to them over and over and over again, but it wasn't until they were able to use some new software where they were able to hear the complete things that the killer was saying on this tape. They believe it's the voice of Aziz Yazdanpanah as he made this 911 call after he killed his family and shortly before he killed himself. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hello, grapevine 911? You need help? Are you sick?
(INAUDIBLE)
What was that? Do you need an ambulance or police? Hello? One moment.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MATTINGLY: We really have no idea. Police aren't saying why he may have been trying to make that 911 call after he had killed his family, his estranged wife, his teenaged daughter, teenaged son and then three of his in-laws.
But what they're believing is that he was trying to perhaps cover-up his crimes, cover-up these murders because they knew he had two handguns that he used to kill his family with. One of those handguns they found in the hand of his brother-in-law. But they knew the brother-in-law wasn't involved in the shooting because bullets from both of these guns were found in the brother-in-law's body. So they knew this was from the same gunman, it was from Aziz. And now they're just wondering why this all took place, because he was welcome into this home. They were sell operating Christmas Day.
SESAY: They had just opened Christmas gifts, right?
MATTINGLY: The daughter had tweeted out something about her father trying to be father of the year, sort of in a snarky teenaged way. No indication of any violence there. This apparently came as a complete surprise to that family.
SESAY: But we are aware of details regarding his financial situation, is that correct? It hasn't been established how that ties into this, but what do we know about foreclosures and financial difficulties?
MATTINGLY: Nothing that would lead up to a violent act like this. He very coldly and methodically went around and shot everyone in the apartment in the head. This was while they were opening gifts. He killed his ex-wife, his own children, and then he killed his sister-in-law, his brother-in-law, and their child. What sort of financial problems do you have to have to be a motive for this? This family was not to blame for any problems he may have been having. Again, so many questions.
And that 911 tape, they were only able to hear that little part about "I'm killing people" at the end that they had not been able to hear before until they got that software. This is something that there may never be any true answers. How do you explain this kind of terrible violence?
SESAY: I'm sure it's shaken the local community.
MATTINGLY: That's right. This community was known to be so safe. This is the worst crime in their history, people there are saying. Hundreds came out to mourn the loss of their family, including so many young people, who knew the young people killed in these murders. So absolutely devastating for everyone who knew these families. And for -- who lived in that area. SESAY: This is very sad. David, thank you.
MATTINGLY: Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum makes a big jump in our new poll. He now holds third place in Iowa. Why and how? Joe Johns joins us live from Iowa. That's coming up.
Plus, a former American marine is on trial right now in Iran for spying. He allegedly confessed to the crimes and now his mother is speaking out, saying that his confession was coerced. That story is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SESAY: Mitt Romney is still the front-runner in Iowa according to the latest CNN-TIME-ORC poll. And people are greeting him everywhere he goes on the stump there. Our Jim Acosta joins from one such stop on the trail, Nathan City. Jim, it would appear Romney's having a good week with Iowa voters leading into these caucuses?
JIM ACOSTA, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: He really is, Isha, there is no other way to put it. That CNN-"TIME" Magazine-ORC poll that came out showing him the front-runner, the former Massachusetts governor just said in this room behind me, he's only visited this state eight times leading up to the Iowa caucuses. When you think about that, get your mind around the fact that he's visited the state a little more than half a dozen times and yet he is in the lead when other contenders like Rick Santorum and Michele Bachmann have visited virtually every county in this state, it is quite a feat. I should tell you where we are right now.
I should tell you where we are right now. It's very interesting. We're inside a museum that is dedicated to the musical "The Music Man," and Mitt Romney just a few moments ago made reference to it, saying, he feels so good right now he could sing "76 Trombones" or something. I'm probably butchering that line, but he made a reference to the film. That shows you the confidence he's feeling right now. He's definitely having a good week.
SESAY: Let me ask you this. What is your sense as you speak to people, as to the reason he's holding so steadily in that number one position in the polls?
ACOSTA: Well, you know, part of the reason why is because his rivals have been attacking one another. If you're looking at what's happening in the last couple days, Michele Bachmann has been going after Ron Paul. Rick Perry has been going after Rick Santorum, and Newt Gingrich is insisting on staying positive in his campaign. All of that has directed the political fire away from Mitt Romney, and that has only helped his campaign. That's basically allowed him to go after President Obama, something he did earlier this morning at a stop just after sunrise.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MITT ROMNEY, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We have a choice in this coming election of what kind of America we're going to have. It's not just about replacing the president. It's about saving the soul of America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: So it's that kind of rhetoric directed at the president, saving the soul of America, those are pretty harsh words to be saying on a presidential campaign trail. But he does it just about every campaign stop.
The other thing he's been doing out here Isha is really sort of burnishing his Tea Party credentials. At this stop just a few moments ago, and earlier yesterday, he was talking about cutting federal programs that Tea Partyers would love to cut, like Federal Funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting which is PBS. He repeated the comment here today, which has sort of made the rounds in the Twitter verse that he's not going to kill Big Bird, he's just going to make "Sesame Street" run ads. That's the kind of red meat Tea Partyers love to hear out here, Isha.
SESAY: Thank you, Jim.
Let's go back to that poll. Remember yesterday we talked about the race to finish third in Iowa? As if on cue, our latest survey out of Iowa includes a really big surprise. Let's look at that list. See the third name there? That's Rick Santorum, the former two-term senator from Pennsylvania. Suddenly he is making a push to finish third in Iowa and thus join the packs of the upper echelon.
Joe Johns with us from Iowa. Joe, we're going to get to the horse race element of this in a moment, but first, let's listen to Rick Santorum on the campaigning trail today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICK SANTORUM, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We have an administration going out and undercutting -- it's a war against poor children. It's at war against children who need moms and dads.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: OK, some harsh words for the Obama administration. But Santorum has got to be happy with his third place right now, right Joe?
JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: I think he's happy. I talked to him a little while ago. He's not just surging in the polls. He's also getting a fundraising boost too. He told me he had his biggest fundraising day online yesterday apparently after this poll came out. So that's all good news for him.
But the other thing that come as long with moving up a few notches in the polls here in Iowa is you also come under attack by some of your rivals. That was evidenced today, an attack from Rick Perry, talking about the fact that Rick Santorum, number one, asked for something like a billion dollars in earmarks, when he was in the United States Congress, which is something that Santorum says, yes, I did it. And also questioning the fact that Rick Santorum lost by a wide margin his last reelection race in 2006, which raises the question if you can't win your own home state, how do you expect to be the nominee and win all of the United States?
So Rick Santorum is having a good day today. Nonetheless, just like all the other people who have gotten their day in the sun, he's also seeing some of the problems associated with that, Isha.
SESAY: Indeed, you're in the spotlight, you open yourself up.
Let's take a closer look at who the man himself is. He calls himself the race's true conservative. He's 53 years old. H he served four years in the House of Representatives, then 12 years in the Senate. He is married, he has seven children. And he's quick to talk about his family's modest roots in western Pennsylvania.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SANTORUM: My grandfather used to say they lived in a company town, got paid with company stamps to shop at the company store. I remember going back and visiting that house, and they lived at least a quarter mile walk from any fresh water, an outhouse, the whole nine yards. They really grew up obviously very humble.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: Joe, it seems as if the calculation is to play the role of I'm pretty personable. I'm a guy just like you. How does it strike you?
JOHNS: Yes, and he speaks the language of conservative voters, especially in Iowa. Those Christian conservatives, if you will, the social conservatives, the evangelicals, they understand where Rick Santorum is coming from. He understands where they're coming from, which makes it fascinating that he's languished in the cellar of the polls for as long as he had. He's moved from five percent all the way up to 16 percent on our latest poll.
But you have to ask, what took so long for these voters here to get there? I quizzed him a little built about that today. He says it's a weeding out process, and he says Iowans are doing what they're supposed to td, which is look at him and compare him to some of the others in the field, and they're coming to the conclusion that perhaps they like him better now than they did when they were first introduced to him.
SESAY: Yes, and to put a finer point on that, he's training his sights on the big game, and now he's not pulling punches. Here he is again today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SANTORUM: There is a very stark contrast with Governor Romney and on the issue of health care, and the issue of cap and trade and global warming, moral cultural issues, and with Ron Paul on national security. There's a lot of contrast. I've said from the very beginning, we're the consistent conservative who has the track record.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SESAY: Well, he's clearly peaking at the right time. He's confident and says that, you know, they're the right people to surge. But did anyone else see this coming? As you speak to analysts and other folks on the ground there, has this come as a surprise?
JOHNS: Yes, it's come as a surprise to a lot of people, particularly the people who didn't watch very closely, but the fact of the matter is a lot of people thought he was really underperforming in the polls, and given the Iowa demographic, a lot of people expected him to do better.
That said, you know, the big question for him is, if he does have a good performance here, what's his path. He's been out there in some of these other states, New Hampshire, certainly South Carolina.
And he's hoping to do well certainly in South Carolina, because there like here, there are a lot of Evangelical voters who may be taking a long look at him, especially given what's happened to the other Republicans in the field so far -- Isha.
SESAY: Joe Johns joining us there from Iowa. Thanks, Joe.
This reminder, tune in next week for the country's first vote in the presidential race. America's Choice 2012, live coverage of the Iowa caucuses begins Tuesday night, January 3rd at 7:00 Eastern.
Well, courage doesn't even begin to describe this next story. A pregnant 17-year-old fighting brain cancer decides to stop chemo in order to save the life of her unborn child. That teenage girl died. We're going to hear from her mother that's coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SESAY: Now the story of a teen pregnant mother's bravery during her bout with cancer. The 17-year-old Jenni Lake of Pocatello, Idaho died after battling brain cancer and stopping treatment in order to save the life of her unborn baby.
Britney Bordy of CNN KIFI talked to Jenni's mother about how the family's been coping since her daughter's death.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it rocks that it went nationwide because the world needs to see that not everybody is selfish.
BRITNEY BORDY, KIFI (voice-over): It's that message of selflessness that Jenny's family and friends hope people across the country learn from her death. She died on November 22nd, just a little more than a month ago. The battle for her life started in October of 2010. Jenny was diagnosed with grade three brain cancer and given two years to live.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They told her that she might not ever be able to have kids.
BORDY: In March, they found out her tumors were shrinking. One night her mother heard her crying in her room after her boyfriend Nathan Whitman took her to the emergency room. Jenni was pregnant.
DIANNE PHILLIPS, JENNI'S MOTHER: She was pretty scared, because the baby had been through two rounds of chemo from March and April, and she was just about to start another round.
BORDY: Scared of the effects and committed to the life of her child, Jenni decided to stop chemotherapy. She gave birth to her son Chad Michael on November 9th. He's named after Jenni and Nathan's fathers.
But after the blessing of a healthy baby, Jenni's family got the worse news of all, her brain tumors progressed and no amount of treatment could save her.
PHILLIPS: I'm so glad that we have Chad here, but I want Jenni here to take care of him.
BORDY: Despite the tears, it is Jenni's humor and toughness that the family remembers, and the pride they feel for that message of selflessness she said to the world.
(on camera): If you can tell one thing --
PHILLIPS: How proud I am of her, how much I love her.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SESAY: Rick Santorum's numbers are moving up in Iowa. While Jon Huntsman gains support in New Hampshire. Wolf Blitzer joins us now with an America's Choice 2012 politics update.
Wolf, we know Rick Santorum has visited all nine counties in Iowa. What's your thought? Do you think this could be the reasoning for his climb in the polls?
WOLF BLITZER, HOST, CNN'S "THE SITUATION ROOM": All 99 counties in Iowa. He's the first to do so, Michele Bachmann is about to do the same thing.
Certainly one of the factors, one of the major reasons he's done well in Iowa. He spent a lot of time there, he's moving around, but Evangelical Christians, social conservatives, they are joining him. He's gotten some key endorsements in recent days.
If you take a look at our most recent poll, the CNN/ORC/"Time" magazine poll, now compared to early December, it seems almost all of that loss that Newt Gingrich has suffered and Newt Gingrich has suffered dramatically over the past few weeks.
That seems to be translating, at least a lot of it, into support for Rick Santorum, the former Republican senator from Pennsylvania. So it's partially the endorsements, partially a lot of the work.
But a lot of social conservatives, religious conservatives vote, participate in these Iowa caucuses, and he's taking advantage of that, he's one of them. And they seem to like what he's saying. So he's doing well.
SESAY: Same with the issue of endorsements, that brings me to Michele Bachmann who I know is in "THE SITUATION ROOM" today as is Jon Huntsman.
Huntsman and Santorum had gained support while Bachman has actually lost a key adviser whose gone on to endorse Ron Paul. How will this affect her campaign?
BLITZER: I think it's going to hurt her campaign. We're going to talk about that obviously in "THE SITUATION ROOM." But her numbers are not very good right now, let's not forget it was only in August, at the Iowa straw poll, she was the big winner in the Iowa straw poll.
She was born in Iowa. She now represents a congressional district from neighboring Minnesota. She spends an enormous amount of time there. She's worked really hard. If she doesn't do well in Iowa, it could be the end of her campaign.
She's not going to do well in New Hampshire, if you take a look at all the polls there, she would have to jump over to South Carolina. But Nikki Haley, the governor of South Carolina endorsed Mitt Romney for the Republican presidential nomination.
I know that was a severe setback for Michele Bachmann. We're going to talk about this and a lot more. In New Hampshire, watch Jon Huntsman because he's doing a lot better, he's not even playing in Iowa.
But the former Utah governor and the former U.S. ambassador to China is very much involved in New Hampshire, and he's up in the low double-digits in our last poll there right now.
If he continues to improve, those are presumably votes that would go to Mitt Romney. Although Mitt Romney in this latest poll is way ahead in New Hampshire, he almost lives there, as you know, having been the governor of neighboring Massachusetts.
So Mitt Romney will do well in New Hampshire, but then it will be out to South Carolina, Florida, Nevada and the process will continue.
We've lost Herman Cain, Isha, I assume after one or two of these Republican candidates are going to drop out and then will be down to five, four, three, two, you get the point.
SESAY: Yes, as you well know, everyone says or many say Iowa is good for whittling down the field.
BLITZER: Yes. SESAY: Wolf, thank so much for joining us. You can watch continuing live coverage of the candidates campaigning on cnn.com leading up to the Iowa caucuses Tuesday.
Plus tune in next week for the country's first vote in the presidential race. America's Choice 2012 live coverage of the Iowa caucuses begins Tuesday night January 3rd at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.
From tsunamis to cell phones to a wounded congresswoman, there were many stories from the world of medicine that affected our lives in 2011. And our chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta was in the middle of a lot of them.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): January 8th, gunfire at a campaign event for Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Six people are killed.
UNIDENTIFIED OPERATOR: Is anyone injured? Did you say Gabrielle Giffords was hit?
UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: She was hit. She's breathing, she still has a pulse.
GUPTA: The congresswoman was shot in the head, but survives.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I saw that trajectory of where one hole was and where the other hole was, I was like, my gosh, however --
GUPTA (on camera): Because it was so far apart.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, it wasn't a little thing, it went through a lot.
GUPTA (voice-over): Three and a half months later, the first public steps in the congresswoman's remarkable recovery.
In 2011, I tried to put a spotlight on big hits in the brain, finding growing evidence that football puts young people at serious risk, and professional players as well.
In February, a former Chicago Bears committed suicide, and he left his brain to scientific research. When the findings came back, his brain had tell tale signs of a chronic injury.
And stories like this rolled in, the NFL put in new rules to try and protect its players.
Then it was March, and I witnessed the aftermath of an astonishing disaster in Japan. Our first hours on the ground were just scary.
(on camera): We are going to move at this point. These seem like official warnings now. (voice-over): There was no tsunami, we were safe. But more than 16,000 people lost their lives, and thanks to leaks from a crippled nuclear plant, the district around Fukushima will be unlivable for years to come.
In May, the World Health Organization said cell phones might cause brain cancer. Brain scans can actually spot the impact of radiation from phones and some studies found it's cancer-linked. It doesn't mean cell phones are dangerous, but to be on the safe side, I always say use an ear piece.
July brought questions about cancer and 9/11, just ahead of the 10th anniversary of the attacks. Federal authorities say there's not strong evidence connecting dust from the fallen twin towers and cancer.
First responders with cancer would not receive special compensation, but just a month later, a big study of New York City fire fighters found the opposite.
DAVID PREZANT, CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, FDNY: We found a 19 percent increase in all cancers in our exposed fire fighters as compared to our non-exposed fire fighters.
GUPTA: The decision on compensation could still be reversed.
In October the spotlight landed on the PSA test to detect prostate cancer. A test undergone by more than 20 million men each year, a federal advisory panel said the PSA test just isn't worth it.
And then November, exciting news of a stem cell breakthrough. Two studies using infusions of a patient's own stem cells. One study found they could regrow dead heart tissue. One thought to be impossible. And the other study found the cells could reverse heart failure. One story that was left unresolved, the fight over the health care law. Critics call it Obamacare.
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And I've said time and again. Obamacare is bad news. It's unconstitutional. It costs way too much money, a trillion dollars, and if I'm president of the United States, I will repeal it for the American people.
GUPTA: In November, the Supreme Court agreed to decide the law's fate next year. I'm Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SESAY: Our thanks to Sanjay there. Well, imagine trying to fly a commercial airplane full of people and laser light is flashing into a cockpit. That's exactly what happened near Bush International Airport in Houston Texas.
Straight ahead, we're going to talk about the extreme danger this means for planes full of people.
Plus, check out this video, a man crashing into seemingly random cars over and over again. We have the story behind the pictures for you. You won't want to miss it.
But first, who's making news today with this line? Quote, would it be strange if the United States had developed a technology to induce cancer and for no one to know it? I don't know. I'm just putting the thought out there?, end quote. he person behind that statement after a break.
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SESAY: Who said this, would it be strange if the United States had developed a technology to induce cancer and for no one to know it? I don't know, I'm just putting the thought out there.
Well, that was Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. He was pointing out the fact that five current or former Latin American presidents have cancer including himself.
And as we learned this week, Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez who just went public about her thyroid cancer.
Now, it's a little hard to tell precisely what to make of this, the Federal Aviation Administration says a commercial plane flying into Houston Tuesday evening had its cockpit lit up by a laser aimed from outside.
According to the FAA, that's 70 such incidents in Houston this year. Keep in mind those lasers can cause permanent eye damage. Joining us now from Washington, Bobby Sturgell, former acting director of the FAA.
Thank you for joining us. Let me start by getting you to break down for our viewers, how this is way more than just an annoyance. This is something that could cause real tragedy, real trouble?
BOBBY STURGELL, FORMER ACTING FAA ADMINISTRATOR: That's right, Isha. These aren't your typical laser pointers you see in a classroom. These are heavy duty, high powered lasers that can go for several miles into the skies. They can cause permanent eye damage.
They can certainly be a distraction in the cockpit, and when you're talking about hitting an airplane on approach and arrival, that's the most critical phase of flight in the cockpit. So anything that's going to disrupt the pilots at that point in time is a big safety issue for the passengers on board.
SESAY: What do you make of the fact that we're seeing or maybe hearing more incidents of these beams being shown on airplanes?
STURGELL: Well, what's troubling about Houston is that Houston over the last two years is close to doubling the number of incidents. And when you look nationwide, you see a similar trend.
The FAA started gathering information on laser sites or laser incidents. They had about 300 back in 2005. Last year that number was over 2,800, and year to date this year, it's almost 3,800 incidents. So it's an increasing trend nationwide that's a real safety problem in the skies.
SESAY: Just so we can be clear. From your knowledge of the subject, there is no other explanation. I mean, in your view this is something that is done by people with malicious intent?
STURGELL: No, I think a lot of these people don't know what they're doing. They don't understand the impact these lasers have on pilots in the cockpit, and, you know, frankly, a lot of them are probably out there just goofing off at night.
But they're causing big problems, and so much so that the FAA this year began penalizing people for this type of activity, subject to an $11,000 fine per incident. There are currently 18 enforcement cases open against folks who use these lasers, pointing them at aircraft.
SESAY: We appreciate you joining us today and giving us insight into all of this. It's scary stuff. Appreciate it, thank you.
STURGELL: Thank you.
SESAY: Take a look at this crazy scene out of Centennial Colorado. This is no accident. You see that? It's some guy going on a rampage trying to find cars to run into. He totaled one car and hit five others. He even tried to hit a few pedestrians. Nobody was hurt thankfully. The suspect is in jail on $50,000 bond.
And now this -- anger explodes in Arizona over Mexican-American studies. Now the state faces millions of dollars in penalties. Find out why next.
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SESAY: An administrative law judge in Arizona says a Mexican studies course in Tucson public schools promotes racial resentment against white people and violates state law.
If the Tucson school district doesn't change the course, it risks losing $15 million a year in state funding. The legal battle is far from over. Some teachers are fighting back in federal court alleging racial bias and anti-Hispanic sentiments.
Casey Wian is following developments for us from L.A. Casey, let's give our viewers some background. Tell us about these courses in and of themselves, and what on the face of it they teach?
CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, for years the ethnic studies program in the Tucson unified school district has been a light thing rod for critics, it prompted the state of Arizona, to outlaw teachings that promote the overthrow of the U.S. government, resentment against any race, are designed primarily for any ethnic group or stress ethnic solidarity.
As you mentioned, a judge has ruled that the Mexican-American ethnic studies program in Tucson does violate that law. Now, I'll read from part of the ruling, we can show it on the screen as well.
Teaching oppression objectively is quite different than actively presenting material in a biased political and emotional when I charged manner, which is what occurred in those classes.
Teaching in such a manner promotes social or political activism against white people problem. Moats racial resentment and add vow indicates solidarity. Now, supporters of these ethnic studies programs denied that that's what's being taught.
They say they are an important tool to help Latino students do better in school. As you mentioned, Isha, if the district does not stop the program, could lose $15 million a year in state funding.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're a split board, split on most issues. Split on this irk u for sure. We're waiting to hear what the federal court is going to say about this same issue. I hope my colleagues would allow that due process to go forward before we make decisions on what we're going to do with our courses.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would like to start over with a program that serves more of the 30,000 Latino students we have in the district. It's always been a boutique program with a small member of students.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WIAN: Now this dispute is far from over. Arizona school superintendent now has 30 days to decide if he will accept that judge's ruling. If he does, the district itself can then appeal to a higher court -- Isha.
SESAY: Casey Wian, appreciate it. Thank you.
