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American Accused in Massacre; Gas Prices Top $3.80 A Gallon; Candidates Turn On Southern Charm; Political Reviews Of "Game Change"; March Madness Is Here; U.S. Soldier Accused of Massacre

Aired March 12, 2012 - 12:00   ET

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

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Well, let's get started. Live from CNN headquarters in Atlanta, where it's 12:00 noon, 9:00 a.m. in the West Coast. I'm Suzanne Malveaux.

I want to get you up to speed for this Monday, March 12.

Sick-minded American savages -- that is what the Taliban is calling the U.S. military. An American soldier allegedly killed 16 Afghan civilians in a shooting spree over the weekend. President Obama and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta are in damage-control mode, offering condolences to the Afghan people and promising to find out what caused all of this.

And in Syria, women and children slaughtered in cold blood. Opposition activists say at least 45 civilians were massacred in the city of Homs. The details, they are shocking. The activists say that children were stabbed to death in front of their mothers. Women and girls sexually assaulted before being killed.

The road to the Republican nomination, taking a Southern swing. Candidates fighting for votes tomorrow in Alabama and Mississippi. Mitt Romney got some help on the campaign trail in Alabama today from -- who else -- comedian Jeff Foxworthy known for his redneck jokes.

Foxworthy is urging Republicans to unite behind Romney. Even a pouring rain couldn't dampen their enthusiasm. You can barely see Foxworthy behind the umbrellas, but you did hear him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEFF FOXWORTHY, ENTERTAINER: I avoided politics for 53 years and even my friends say, why would you get into this? And the answer is: it's too important. Because while I don't like politics, I don't like big government, I love this country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Jerry Sandusky's lawyer want prosecutors to turn over more information before the former Penn State coach's trial on sex abuse trials. Now, a judge is hearing the arguments today. Defense attorneys want details about where and when alleged abuse incidents actually occurred and the names of people who were there or nearby. Now, Sandusky's trial is set for May and he denies abusing young boys.

So, what could make an American soldier kill 16 innocent people, the people he's supposed to be protecting?

We're going to go live in Afghanistan in just a moment. But, first, I want to go to Barbara Starr at the Pentagon.

And, Barbara, what do we know, first of all, about the soldier, this guy who allegedly went on the shooting spree?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Suzanne, here's what we have. He is a U.S. Army staff sergeant. He came from Lewis- McChord Base in Washington state. This is what you call conventional army.

But he went to Afghanistan and his unit was attached, assigned, if you will, to a Special Forces Green Beret Unit. So, in this remote area, their combat outpost, they were working to help villagers in the area. The whole mission of the Green Berets out there was to provide some stability for the village, to help people in the area, to gain their trust and to work to keep the Taliban out.

This guy was assigned to security duty at the outpost. He would stand guard duty, he would man the gate, that sort of thing we are told. Yesterday morning, about 3:00 a.m. local, on the ground, he walked out, conducted these crimes by all accounts. It is being investigated, walked back in.

What has happened in the subsequent hours is a firestorm of controversy, of course. The Green Berets, we are now told, have moved out and talked to the villagers. They are trying to communicate with the villagers and say, this is an atrocity, that they had nothing to do with it, lending help where they can, providing medical care to some of the wounded.

The suspect has already been moved to a larger base in Afghanistan. They are not saying exactly where he is. Investigation fully under way. It is very likely that there will be charges in the coming days.

MALVEAUX: And, Barbara, what kind of situation does this put U.S. soldiers on the ground? Are they simply sitting ducks? I imagine there's a lot of anger and frustration and it could really get to the point, a boiling point there, the breaking point on the ground.

STARR: Well, look, I have to tell you, in -- with all of the military officials we've spoken to in the last 24 hours, you get two feelings, Suzanne. One is anger. Anger at what has happened, anger that any U.S. military person could have done this.

And you also get a sense from them -- I don't know how to explain it other than you hear the slumped soldiers in their voice, a sense of discouragement. They have been through so much. They just got passed the incident of the inadvertent burning of the Koran. They are still working on the investigation of the Marines urinating on dead corpses.

It has been tough going in Afghanistan. And you talk to folks there, commanders, and they say every time they turn a corner, then they feel like something else happens. So, there is right now I think no question a sense of discouragement.

Officially the policy is: the mission goes on, nothing has changed. U.S. troops sticking to the plan set by the president to be out of Afghanistan mostly by the end of 2014. But this is human nature at work here and there is a lot of discouragement right now.

MALVEAUX: And, Barbara, in light of what's happened here, do you think that the Pentagon might be considering pulling out U.S. troops even earlier at a faster pace because of what the situation deteriorating on the ground?

STARR: You know, I think a lot of people here at home wonder, if that -- you know, it's a really logical question. They think, OK. Something will change and this war will get wrapped up. I have to tell you, Suzanne, there is a full-blown NATO commitment to stay until the end of 2014 at the least.

Afghan President Karzai very strong in his criticism obviously of what has happened. But whether that translates into some fundamental change between NATO and Afghanistan remains to be seen.

I want to get back to one of your points. Are U.S. troops at risk? Absolutely. They do feel the risk. They are concerned about more violence emerging in the coming days. They know the Taliban is making a call for violence. They certainly hope it doesn't happen.

And that's why, very quietly, you see some of the units, like the Green Berets, moving out into the villages, trying to talk to villagers, trying to say that this is an atrocity, that they are very upset about the U.S. troops themselves, Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: All right. Barbara Starr -- thank you, Barbara.

So, how are the people in Afghanistan reacting to all of this?

Sara Sidner, she is live from Kabul, Afghanistan, with the very latest.

Sara, where you are, what are people saying? What are they telling you?

SARA SIDNER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, let me tell you what people are saying in this village where this all happened, and this is where you're getting the strongest reaction. At this point, there are a bunch of people who gathered in front of the outpost there in Kandahar, the Panjwai district, and they were sort of yelling over the barbed wire and sort of chanting a bit.

But what we're hearing from those villagers is a great deal of anger, particularly pointed at U.S. forces.

One mother is saying, you know, look at what has happened. Our 2-year-olds are dead. Are these the Taliban -- are these the Taliban that they are after? How can these 2-year-olds be Taliban?

Also then saying, we were told by this outpost to come back home, to come back to our village and we did that after immigrating to another part of Afghanistan. We came back and look what's happened. We can never believe what they said. We can never trust them again.

This is playing into the hands of the Taliban who is now using this saying that this is really the real mission going on here, that people don't care -- that these foreign forces don't care about the Afghan people.

Of course, you have the U.S. government and military saying, we do care. This is a deeply regrettable incident. They are very saddened by it. But there is a lot of anger coming out of that area in Kandahar right now, as you might imagine.

MALVEAUX: And, Sara, I mean, it really is coming from the highest levels. You have the Afghan president saying this is an unforgivable act, calling it terrorism as well -- and there definitely seems to be a sense of mistrust here.

I know you've covered this time and time again. When I was in Afghanistan, I talked to the Afghan soldiers, the American soldiers. There is a big challenge just communicating and making sure that they turn to the person beside them who they are training with and can trust them.

Is that broken, essentially?

SIDNER: I think it's certainly strained and bruised, to use a word that you can sort of say, look, this is a situation that has gotten more strained and that tensions have been inflamed because of it.

It was interesting. We spoke to one of the tribal leaders in that area. And he said, look, some people that are uneducated, also, they really don't understand how a trained soldier could do something like this without someone from up above or his command or some sort of mission to have been under way. There is a great deal of misunderstanding as well that if, indeed, this was just one person acting alone, the villagers just don't believe that. He said that that is one of the things that's going to be very difficult to translate.

They want to see justice, particularly an eye for an eye in this case. And there's going to be a lot to do with this investigation in tamping down the violence that erupts from this, Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Sara, please be safe. And we'll get back to you soon. Obviously, very high tension there in Afghanistan.

Well, here's your chance essentially to talk back on the biggest story of the day. Today's question: is the Afghanistan war worth it? The U.S. invaded Afghanistan after the 9/11, September attacks, those terrorist attacks killing almost 3,000 people.

The aim was to go after al Qaeda and the Taliban who supported them. Number one target, Osama bin Laden, well, he was killed a decade later in Pakistan. And, yes, a majority of people, 60 percent, say the war in Afghanistan has not been worth it. That's according to a new ABC/"Washington Post" poll.

Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich says it is time to reassess the mission there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NEWT GINGRICH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think we need to reconsider the whole region. We need to understand that our being in the middle of countries like Afghanistan is probably counterproductive. We're not prepared to be ruthless enough, to force them to change. And I think that we are risking the lives of young men and women in a mission that may frankly not be doable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Almost 1,900 Americans have been killed in the war in Afghanistan and the Taliban are vowing revenge for this weekend's attack. But some Republican lawmakers say that the shooting rampage, allegedly by an American soldier, should not change the mission.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: I understand the frustration and I understand the anger and the sorrow. I also understand and we should not forget that the attacks on the United States of America on 9/11 originated in Afghanistan. And if Afghanistan dissolved into a situation where the Taliban were able to take over or a chaotic situation, it could easily return to an al Qaeda base for attacks on United States of America.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: So, that brings us to today's "talk back" question. Is the Afghanistan war worth it? Send us your thoughts at Facebook.com/SuzanneCNN, or in Twitter @SuzanneMalveaux. We'll read your responses later in the hour.

Here's the rundown of some of the stories and the angles that we're working on as well. First, are U.S. troops safe in Afghanistan? We're going to take a closer at how these killings could impact troops on the ground, U.S. security in Afghanistan and the entire region.

And he's being accused of killing men, women, and children. He is a father himself. So, what would cause an Army sergeant to go house to house killing innocent Afghan civilians? We're going to delve into the psychology behind this.

Plus, we take you live to Washington state to get the mood of the accused soldier's home base. That base is Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: A ruthless shooting spree leaves 16 civilians dead in Afghanistan. The suspect is an American soldier. The military is not releasing his identity yet, but we do know that he was assigned to a unit out of the Joint Base Lewis-McChord. That is in Washington state.

Angela King, she's a reporter with our affiliate KCPQ. She's outside of the base right now.

Angela, what did you learn about this soldier and how is the community responding?

ANGELA KING, KCPQ: Well, Suzanne, at this point, military officials here at the base aren't releasing a lot of information but we have learned he is a staff sergeant who was stationed here at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Now, how long he had been stationed here? That's just one detail that we are still waiting to find out. We're also waiting to find more about his military circumstances, in terms of what he was specifically doing in Afghanistan.

But we have learned, have confirmed, or at least we understand that he has served at least three tours in Iraq. This is his first in Afghanistan. And unfortunately, he's now accused of gunning down these nine children, three women and four men.

MALVEAUX: We know that "The New York Times" is reporting other details, that he's a father of two. That he's 38 years old. We also as well and help us understand -- this is not the first time, the first tragedy to come out of the base where you are?

KING: That is correct. And this is a very difficult time for military families here because last year, four soldiers were sentenced between three years to life in prison for killing Afghani civilians back in 2010. The military says these soldiers, these four, killed Afghani civilians for sport and collected some of their body parts as collections -- basically just keeping those body parts as souvenirs, so to speak.

So this is just the last thing anyone here wants to hear about. Serviceman now being accused of gunning down these families in Afghanistan. So, it was hard enough to deal with the sentencing last year. But now folks are having to deal with this.

MALVEAUX: And, Angela, also there are reports that for that particular base, 12 suicides last year, nine the year before. What is going on in that community there?

KING: Well, this is a hard time. You know, this is a strong military community. Folks here have -- we have lots of families, thousands of families throughout the base here in Tacoma, Washington -- near Tacoma, Washington -- that are obviously very concerned about what has been going on over the past couple of years and now this.

And anybody who drives through this gate here behind me this morning absolutely heartbroken by the news that they are hearing today. And later on this evening, in fact, we've learned that our local military community is going to be holding a vigil at a structure called Freedom Bridge. It's an overpass about a block away from the main gate here that's currently adorned in yellow ribbons to honor our soldiers who are serving overseas.

But tonight, that backdrop is going to serve as the stage for this vigil for those 16 people killed in Afghanistan. So really a tough time for folks here who are doing the best to support these soldiers, now they have to deal with this news.

MALVEAUX: Absolutely. Angela King, thank you very much, Angela.

So, why did Americans ditch the car for buses, trains, ferries, more than 10 billion times last year? We'll explain.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Feeling like a sardine stuffed in a can? Are you hopping a bus or train these days? You're actually not alone.

According to the American Public Transportation Association, Americans took more than 10 million trips on buses, trains, street cars, ferries last year. That is more than 2 percent increase from 2010 actually.

Alison Kosik, she's joining us live from the New York Stock Exchange.

I don't know. How come, Alison? What's going on?

ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: I bet you can guess this, Suzanne. Two words: gas prices.

That's why people are changing their community ways because gas is more expensive these days and this is happening more and more where you're seeing people gravitate towards public transportation because $4 per gallon is a tipping point, when people actually move to mass transit more. And much of the country is at or close to that mark.

But, you know, that high gas prices are not the only factor for the crowded subway trains. The labor market is picking up. More people have a job to commute to.

And mass transit is getting it better these days. There are apps, there's new technology to help you find a train schedule. There are even those countdown clocks above your head on the subway platform. So, if you ask me, they're not all that accurate.

But, anyway, you get the point. That, you know, things are getting better technologically with mass transit -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Yes. And actually -- I mean, I think it's -- you know, they've cleaned up a lot. It's quite pleasant.

Ten billion -- put that in perspective for us. When is the last time that we that many people have been using mass transit?

KOSIK: OK. So, 10 billion trips, that's actually the highest number of trips taken since 1957 and historically more people take mass transit when you see gas prices go higher. You saw this happened in 2008 when gas prices hit a record. In the 1970s, it happened as well with the Arab oil embargo. That pushed up gas prices.

And crowded buses and trains, guess what? They are likely to continue for the time being because, oh, yes, gas prices are at a record for this time of year, $3.80 a gallon, not likely to retreat any time soon unfortunately -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: All right. I don't mine being a cramped sardine. That's OK, save a little bit of money. That's all right.

KOSIK: You should come to New York then.

MALVEAUX: Yes, the last time I was in New York, I took the subway there. It was beautiful. I was really surprised. That's the last time --

KOSIK: Beautiful?

MALVEAUX: Really. No, I'm not kidding -- before it had trash. And the last time I went it was really nice. They had art displays, the whole thing. I enjoyed it.

KOSIK: I need to know what subway you were on. I'd go on that one.

MALVEAUX: OK. All right. Alison, we'll get back to you in a little bit.

KOSIK: OK.

MALVEAUX: All right. Sick of getting junk mail begging you to refinance your home at a cheap rate. Well, Christine Romans explains when is the right time to do it and best ways to save money on your house.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Here are four ways for homeowners to unlock the money in their house. If mortgage rates are at least two percentage points less than the rate you're paying, you need to refinance, even if you've done it recently. The 15 year is a popular refinancing tool, those rates -- 3.36 percent.

Next, appeal your property taxes. Most people who do get money back -- on average, around $1,300 a year. That's according to valueappeal.com.

But do your homework. Call the assessor's office first to make sure you understand the formula for determining your home's value. The assessment listed on tax bills is often only a fraction of the real value that determines your tax.

And do sweat the small stuff. They add up. Using a programmable thermostat will save you $180 a year. This is according to Energy Star.

And don't overpay for your technology. Bundle your Internet, you phone, your cable. Shop around. You can you save up to $60 a month if you switch to a bundle plan.

You've got to make sure you assess your needs and you don't pay for too much. Are you paying for multiple boxes? Have you considered Internet phone service? An hour of comparison shopping, and several more hours of waiting for the proverbial cable guy could save you a bundle.

I'm Christine Romans with this week's "Smart is the New Rich."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: The presidential campaign has taken on a Southern accent, if you will. We're going to show you how the candidates are courting Southern voters and whether analysts think it's actually going to work.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Here's a rundown of some of the stories we're working on.

Next, a good try or political failure? Presidential candidates putting on Southern charm to try to win some votes.

Then, the Taliban are already talking about revenge. Are American lives in danger after a U.S. soldier is accused of going on a killing spree?

And, want to earn some bragging rights in the March Madness bracket? We're going to tell you just how to do that in about 15 minutes.

So if you have any doubt that the Republican race for president is on a Southern swing, all you've got to do is just listen to the candidates.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm learning to say y'all and I like grits, and stranger things are happening to me.

GINGRICH: Unlike one of my competitors, I have had grits before. And that may explain as much as anything why everybody in Alabama and Mississippi ought to vote for me.

ROMNEY: The governor said I have to say it right. Good morning, y'all. Good to be with you. I got started right this morning with a biscuit and some cheesy grits, I'll tell you. Delicious.

GINGRICH: What a crowd. I'm really impressed. There isn't anybody left in Wal-Mart -- I've never seen this size of a crowd before.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: OK, not exactly sure what he meant by that, but clear that they are turning on the southern charm -- the primaries tomorrow in Alabama and Mississippi.

I want to talk about the race bringing in Democratic strategist, DNC adviser, Jamal Simmons and editor and blogger Crystal Wright of conservativeblackchic.com. She's also a D.C. delegate for Newt Gingrich.

So I don't know what it is about the whole grits thing, right? I mean, I've grew up eating grits. They seem to be obsessed with the grits thing. You know, you have to admit it, right, you watch these guys.

They are not the first to kind of do these changing the cadences to win over their audiences. Do you guys remember when Al Gore, the Al Gore growl that turned into Jesse Jackson in front of black audiences.

The first time he did, even Bill Clinton kind of joked he must have had his wheaties or something. I mean, these guys, they change for their audiences.

I want to start off with Jamal, do you think it endures people, the voters when Romney at least tries?

JAMAL SIMMONS, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, first of all, Suzanne. I'm a former DNC adviser. I don't want people still to think I'm advising on the DNC.

MALVEAUX: There you go.

SIMMONS: But on these issues of the cadences, it's absolutely right. I remember I worked for Al Gore in 2000 and that caused a lot of trembling both in the campaign and around.

You know, for Mitt Romney, I think it's almost like somebody going up northeast and talking with a fake Thurston accent. It doesn't ring through. But for Newt Gingrich, he is a kind of an adopted southerner.

I went to college in the south and did most of my political work down there. I think at least Gingrich has the ability to say, I'm one of you. So it's easier for me to make fun than it is for somebody like Mitt Romney.

MALVEAUX: And Crystal, Gingrich is your guy. What did he mean by the Wal-Mart comment? Can you explain that to us?

CRYSTAL WRIGHT, EDITOR/BLOGGER, CONSERVATIVEBLACKCHIC.COM: You know, Suzanne, I'm a southern gal. You might not know this. I was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. My parents still live there.

So I get a little offended when people start using y'all and they are carpet baggers. I think to Jamal's point, Gingrich is probably more southern than any of the other two and the other two look like carpet baggers.

But as far as the Wal-Mart comment, you know what I wanted to tell newt, you better go easy on Wal-Mart comment. I mean, there's not a ton of Wal-Marts in Richmond and not every southerners hanging in the Wal-Mart buying popcorn or hotdogs.

So I think part of it can be a charm offensive, but it can also be very alienated. What the voters in Mississippi and Alabama are saying is, quit the southern talk and just talk to us about the issues because we know you're faking it so --

SIMMONS: For the record, when I lived in Nashville, I went to Wal-Mart every day.

WRIGHT: Well, OK. You got one up on me, Jamal.

MALVEAUX: Crystal is not the Walmart gal.

WRIGHT: No.

MALVEAUX: Let's talk about Evangelicals because religion plays such a significant role for voters in the south and we practically heard a confessional from Gingrich before a church crowd. Here's what he said.

He says, there are things in my life that I have been very public about saying were, in fact, well short of the glory of God and I had to go before God to seek forgiveness.

Do we think that Gingrich and Santorum could actually split the religious votes in the southern state and actually give Mitt Romney the upper hand? Crystal first.

WRIGHT: Yes, I mean, that's what is happening. I think what we're seeing and everybody is surprised by, although I'm not really surprise. Romney could really pull a second place in Alabama and Mississippi because of Santorum and Gingrich.

But I think what we're going to see at the end of the day is Gingrich will probably pull off both the states. He's going to eat by with win. That's what the polls are looking like.

You know, Santorum is going to be struggling, but he did win Kansas over the weekend. So, yes, they are splitting the Evangelical vote. Not a great thing for either of them.

And I think more and more you're seeing folks, the Evangelical Christians in the south. They are coming to terms with the fact that Romney may be the nominee.

MALVEAUX: And Jamal, I want to turn the corner a little bit here. President Obama, when he was a candidate, faced some of the same criticism as Romney, that he was elitist, or out of touch, despite the fact that he was abandoned by his father.

He was largely raised by his single mother and grandparents on food stamps. We saw earlier today Romney campaigning with Jeff Foxworthy. For those of you who need a reminder. He's the comedian that's best known for the redneck jokes. This is a little bit this morning, the two of them together.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROMNEY: We're going to get this thing won. Jeff Foxworthy is going to make all of the difference in the world and you guys by voting multiple times could make a big difference. Just kidding. Thank you guys. Great to be with you. What a birthday present, thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: All right, kind of hard to see him there. There was a lot of rain pouring down. But he did remind the crowd he said that he wanted to go hunting.

And he turned to Foxworthy and said you're going to have to show me which way to point the rifle. He said it was the second time he had cat fish. Again, more food references there. Is it better, Jamal, just to be yourself?

SIMMONS: It absolutely is better just be yourself. At one point, I remember when John Kerry was running, I wanted my friends in the Kerry campaign to have an, I am a northerner speech. I mean, just stand up in front of people and say, you know, acknowledge it.

Let them know who you are and where you come from and then start asking questions about their values. They want better education and better health care and a better economy. All the things that they really care about and that forget about my accent, forget about my birth certificate and where I come from. And let's just talk about who I am and who you are and what we want to do for the country. You come off a lot better.

MALVEAUX: All right, I want you guys to stick around for the next segment. We're going to get a chance to talk about "Game Change." It's the HBO movie about the 2008 McCain-Palin campaign. You're actually going to hear from Senator McCain about why he did not watch it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: All right, it's a movie that's generating a lot of buzz, good and bad. We're talking about "Game Change."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Women of America aren't finished yet and we can shatter that -- no, no, no. Just another minute. Bye. (END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: I watched it over the weekend. I felt like I was reliving the campaign. I used to talk to those guys all the time. I want to bring back, Democratic strategist, Jamal Simmons and Crystal Wright of conservativeblackchick.com. So I want you guys -- did you see the movie?

SIMMONS: Yes, I did see it.

MALVEAUX: Crystal, did you see it?

WRIGHT: You know, I saw the movie and I've got to say I fell asleep halfway through it.

MALVEAUX: No way.

WRIGHT: I'm going to make it up.

MALVEAUX: I don't believe you.

WRIGHT: It's true. It's true, but I can still speak to it.

MALVEAUX: I want our viewers to see the two main characters. Steve Schmidt, he was the campaign director and Nicole Wallace, how they reacted to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVE SCHMIDT, FORMER MCCAIN STRATEGIST: I think it's a story of when cynicism and idealism collide when you have to do the things that are necessary to win, to try to get in office and do the great things that you want to do for the country. And I think it showed a process of vetting that was debilitated by secrecy, that was compartmentalized, that failed, that led to a result that was reckless for the country.

NICOLLE WALLACE, SENIOR ADVISER, MCCAIN/PALIN CAMPAIGN: True enough to make me squirm. Listen, this isn't a movie about McCain and Palin. This is about the gray space area where 99 percent of our politics take place.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: All right, McCain didn't agree with that. Here's what he said over the weekend.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: Of course, I'm not going to watch it. It's based on a book that's completely based on unattributed quotes, et cetera. And what I don't understand, even in the tough world of politics, why there continues to be such an assault on a good and decent person, Sarah Palin, a fine family person, a person whose nomination energized our campaign.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: And another clip from the weekend, he acknowledged -- Steve Schmidt had said in a statement that it was a true story. That it was very factually accurate and McCain was confronted with that and he said I'm sorry that Steve Schmidt actually said that.

I want to go to you, Crystal, do you think that this is really just an example of one particular campaign gone awry or do you think it speaks to a larger problem of broken political system?

WRIGHT: No. We don't have a broken political system. "Game Change," the movie, remember, only focuses on a few chapters about McCain and Palin and their ticket. The bulk of the book was devoted to the battle between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

In fact, it paints a very unflattering portrait of Barack Obama, the freshman senator more concerned with grabbing headlines and an ego maniac who wasn't concerned with serving the Senate, you know, the people of Illinois in the Senate, he was more concerned with maybe running for president.

Even Harry Reid said, you know, Obama, I think you should drop out and don't focus on the Senate because you're really not interested in the Senate.

I mean, people who worked on the senator's pack at the time actually referred to Barack Obama as the black Jesus. I think there are two sides to every story. I think that McCain should have never picked Sarah Palin as his vice president nominee.

However, she like he said is a great political activist who stirs up the base, gets people excited about participating in the political system -- and it's a smear job. This movie is a PAC ad. Let's face it. Come on.

MALVEAUX: The movie makes the same point you just -- was that she isn't qualified to be president. Jamal, you've been on many campaigns. They do evolve.

SIMMONS: Too many.

MALVEAUX: What kind of compromises do the candidates make along the way to get to the finish line?

SIMMONS: You know, I think good candidates compromise their tactics. They compromise their presentation. They don't compromise their values. They don't compromise the things they believe in. Sometimes you may take a position that's a little more to the left or right than you are as you try to hold true.

What I thought -- I mean, Crystal kind of eviscerated President Obama a second ago I think unfairly, but what came out in the movie and I think in the book is how honorable a person John McCain really does try to be.

I think the problem for McCain is that he's a little hot- headed. He's a little hot-tempered. He was willing to throw a Hail Mary pass that involved the country by picking Sarah Palin when he really didn't know the consequences of that move and I think that reverberated back on him and undermine his entire brand.

But there was a moment in that film that I think we ought to remember right now, which is when the crowds were erupting at the name of Barack Obama. They were shouting things like, kill him.

And Senator McCain stood up and said, you know what, he's a good man. Let's not do that. I think we need somebody who could do that now with some of the Tea Party folks.

MALVEAUX: Yes, I remember that moment. Crystal, Jamal, great to see both of you. We'll pick it up another time. Thank again, OK.

WRIGHT: Thanks.

MALVEAUX: Want to earn brag rights? Meet the one person who always does better than you when it comes to March Madness Brackets. Well, We're going to tell you how in just a couple of minutes.

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MALVEAUX: That's cool.

March Madness. Time to fill out the brackets. While a lot of you might be betting on the usual favorites, Kentucky, Syracuse, a team you may have never heard of is quietly sitting near the top of most college polls. Rob Marciano has more on what could be this year's NCAA Cinderella story.

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ROB MARCIANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): College basketball and Kentucky go hand in hand. But when you think of Kentucky basketball, the Murray State Races aren't likely the first team that comes to mind. Well, think again.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're trying to put Murray State on the map for Kentucky basketball.

MARCIANO: A mid-major program with a rookie coach and a roster of players whose resumes don't exactly match those of the bigger programs is in the midst of what can only be described as a Cinderella season. The Racers ended regular season play ranked tenth in the coaches' poll with 30 wins and just one loss. Now they're looking for that magic slipper in the NCAA tournament. It's all they can talk about in this small western Kentucky town, where Rudy's is Murray's oldest restaurant. Stop in for lunch at you will get your fill of Racer basketball.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If they can, you know, can stay on their three point game, stay on the outside line, they'll be awesome.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, we believe, yes, Murray can take it. We believe they can go all the way. MARCIANO: That sentiment fuels the team.

ISAIAH CANAAN, MURRAY STATE RACERS GUARD: Yes, it's all motivation for us, just knowing that we got this town behind our back.

MARCIANO: Junior guard Isaiah Canaan leads the team in scoring.

CANAAN: Whether it's a weak opponent or a stronger opponent, a smaller school or a bigger school, we're going to come out and compete as if it's our last game.

MARCIANO: But does Murray state have what it takes for a good showing in the tournament?

ALLEN WARD, MURRAY STATE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR: Yes, we're not a one- year wonder. We've won, you know, a lot of championships. Been in a lot of NCAA tournaments. Twenty-five straight winning seasons.

MARCIANO: Senior forward Ivan Aska was a sophomore the last time the Racers went to the tourney and he credits first year head coach Steve Prohm with keeping the team focused and building this winning season.

IVAN ASKA, MURRAY STATE RACERS FORWARD: And we're like a bond. Like I said, a family. More like brothers.

STEVE PROHM, MURRAY STATE RACERS HEAD COACH: And I've got the best kids in the country when you talk about character, toughness and ability.

MARCIANO: It's those qualities that Prohm say are the key to the Racers' success.

PROHM: It's something we talk to them about, you know, day in, day out, about how you represent this program. And don't seek your own honor. Honor will find you. And that's what's happened to these guys, you know, they've been unselfish and good things are happening.

MARCIANO: And Racer fans expect good things to keep on happening in the tournament.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I expect that they'll at least be in the elite eight, for sure.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Final four, definitely. Final four.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All the way. All the way.

MARCIANO: Rob Marciano, CNN, Atlanta.

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MALVEAUX: All right. We want you to join the March Madness bracket challenge. I filled out a bracket. Let's do a little trash talking here. I want to know if you did. It's not too late to test your bracket skills against me. Go to cnn.com/brackets to join the March Madness CNN Group.

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MALVEAUX: A brutal tragedy with the potential for dangerous aftershocks. CNN national security contribute Fran Townsend, she's joining us to talk about the potential fallout after a American soldier allegedly goes on a killing spree in Afghanistan. Sixteen civilians now dead. We're talking men, women, children.

Fran, the Taliban is already talking about revenge here. What is the biggest threat to American soldiers on the ground?

FRAN TOWNSEND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CONTRIBUTOR: Well, it's just that. I mean the Taliban, al Qaeda, our enemies are going to use this incident which, of course, does not represent the American military or American values or policy, but they will use it against us as a recruitment tool and to whip people into an absolute frenzy. And given the magnitude of the tragedy, you can understand how people could be -- how it could be used in that way.

So I think we've got to take the threats of revenge from the Taliban very seriously. And, frankly, what this means is, we've been in Afghanistan for an extended period of time now for a decade and so, you know, there's bound to be -- troops have done multiple deployments. I'm making no excuses for this. But what it means is, commanders on the ground really have to watch troops for signs of mental illness, of battlefield fatigue and this sort of, you know, mental break that results in this sort of a tragedy.

MALVEAUX: And our own Sara Sidner, she was reporting earlier that the Afghans have a really hard time believing the NATO mission and U.S. troops, the higher ups, when they say, we didn't order this. This was just kind of a rogue event that happened. How do they convince the Afghan people that this was an isolated incident?

TOWNSEND: Well, I mean, Suzanne, I think the administration, NATO, and ISAF are all trying to dot right things, right? There have been multiple calls, most senior levels, to Afghanistan to President Karzai and to leaders there. But, frankly, the most persuasive thing will be what we're not known for doing, and that is swift justice. Secretary Panetta has called for an investigation. But this shouldn't take very long to understand the crime -- the magnitude and seriousness of the crime that's been committed. It's clear that this is an individual who, once the investigation, it should be swiftly completed, should face a court-martial. And this case ought to be expedited so that it's clear that swift and certain justice is matted (ph) out.

MALVEAUX: And you talk about civilian killings, Koran burnings. Now you've got this latest attack here. Is it time, Fran, because it is such a tense situation, it's devolving into this kind of situation, that U.S. forces pull out sooner as opposed to later?

TOWNSEND: Suzanne, it's understandable that that's people's immediate reaction. Let's remember, the violence has gone both ways. We had two soldiers in uniform sitting in one of the ministries who got shot in the back of the head. And so there's been violence on both sides.

But we have to remember why we're there. Our forces there were successful in terms of pushing al Qaeda, the Taliban back for a sustained period of time. The then wound up in the tribal areas. If we pull out too quickly and Afghan forces get overwhelmed, we will lose those gains that we've fought for so hard. And so I think we have to be very careful and deliberate about how we hand over mission and area to Afghan forces to ensure their success.

MALVEAUX: All right, Fran Townsend. Thank you very much, Fran.

You've been sounding off on our "Talk Back" question, is the Afghanistan war worth it? Tyron says, "diplomacy is useless in a land where our ideals and principles are deemed not required, our assistance will always be looked at as an aggressive attack on their culture."

Cherie writes, "it's not a matter of was it worth it, rather something we had to do. We cannot stand by and be a meek country when we are considered to be one of the strongest. Most countries would have done the same in our shoes."

Margie says, "I used to think the answer was yes, but the longer the war goes on, the more it seems like the answer is clearly no. Nothing is ever going to change there no matter how long we stay."

David writes, "no war is worth what it costs in human life, money spent or hatred elevated."

Keep the conversation going online. We're going to have more of your responses in the next hour.

And the controversial Kony 2012 video going viral in days. Well now an exclusive interview with Jacob Acossi (ph), one of the young Ugandans who was abducted by a warlord.

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